The present invention provides modified molecular sieve membranes with improved CO2/CH4 separation selectivity and methods for making such membranes. The molecular sieve membranes are modified by adsorption of a modifying agent, such as ammonia, within and/or on the membrane.

This invention is in the field of zeolite-type membranes whose selectivity is improved by adsorption of a modifying agent within and/or on the membrane. Useful modifying agents include ammonia.
Zeolites are largely composed of Si, Al and O and have a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure largely of [SiO4]4− and [AlO4]5− tetrahedral units. To balance negative charge due to the incorporation of Al atoms in the framework, cations are incorporated into the cavities and channels of the framework. The cages, channels and cavities created by the crystal framework can permit separation of mixtures of molecules based on their effective sizes.
Different zeolites may have different Si/Al ratios and the tetrahedra can also be isostructurally substituted by other elements such as B, Fe, Ga, Ge, Mn, P, and Ti. In an extreme case, zeolite molecular sieves may have a Si/Al ratio approaching infinity. Silica molecular sieves do not have a net negative framework charge, exhibit a high degree of hydrophobicity, and have no ion exchange capacity. Silicalite-1, and silicalite-2, and Deca-dodecasil 3R (DD3R) are examples of silica molecular sieves.
Aluminophosphate (AIPO) molecular sieves are largely composed of Al, P and O and have three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure largely of [PO4]3− and [AlO4]5− tetrahedral units. Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieves are largely composed of Si, Al, P and O and have a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure largely of [PO4]3−, [AlO4]5− and [SiO4]4− tetrahedral units. Molecular sieve framework structures are discussed in more detail by Baerlocher et al. (Baerlocher, Ch., et al., 2001, Atlas of Framework Structures Types, 5th revised ed., Elsevier, Amsterdam).
Molecular sieve membranes have been proposed for use in separating gas mixtures. Several types of molecular sieve membranes have been tested for separation of mixtures of CO2 and CH4, including FAU zeolite membranes (Kusakabe, K. et al. 1997, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 36, 649; Weh, K. et al., 2002, Micropor. Mesopor. Mater. 54, 47), MFI zeolite membranes (Van der Broeke, L. J. P. et al., 1999, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54, 259; Poshusta, J. C. et al., 1999, J. Membr. Sci., 160, 115), SAPO-34 membranes (Poshusta, J. C. et al., 1998, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37, 3924; Poshusta, J. C. et al., 2000, AlChE Journal., 46(4), 779), LTA zeolite membranes (Aoki K. et al., 1998, J. Membr. Sci., 141, 197), ETS-4 zeolite membranes (Guan, G. et al., 2002, Sep. Sci. Technol., 37, 1031), and DD3R membranes (Tomita, T. et al., Micropor. Mesopor. Mater., 2004, 68, 71-75). Tomita et al. reported a CO2/CH4 separation selectivity of 220 for a DD3R membrane with a 50/50 gas mixture at 301K. Poshusta et al. (2000, supra) reported a CO2/CH4 separation selectivity of 36 for a SAPO-34 membrane with a 50/50 gas mixture at 300 K. Falconer et al. (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/805,183) reported CO2/CH4 separation selectivities in excess of 60 for a SAPO-34 membrane with a 50/50 gas mixture at 297 K and a 138 KPa pressure drop. Poshusta et al. (1999, supra) reported a CO2/CH4 separation selectivity of 5.5 for an H-ZSM-5 (MFI structure) membrane with a 50/50 gas mixture at 301 K.
Adsorption of ammonia and other compounds on molecular sieves has been reported. Zeolites have been treated with ammonia for the purposes of measuring zeolite acidity. Zeolite acidity is measured from desorption of sorbed ammonia (Dyer, A., An Introduction to Molecular Sieves, 1988, John Wiley and Sons, New York, p. 124). SAPOs have also been treated with ammonia to measure acidic site population. U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,647, to Barger et al., reports measuring the acidic site population of silicoaluminophosphates after calcination by contacting the silicoaluminophosphate with a mixture of ammonia and helium and then desorbing the ammonia.
Treatment of metallophosphate molecular sieves with ammonia has been reported to stabilize the molecular sieves. U.S. Patent Publication 2003/0149321A1 to Mees at al. and Mees et al. (Mees, F. D. P, et al. 2003, Chem. Commun., 1, pp 44-45) report stabilization of metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieves, including SAPO 34, through treatment with ammonia. Mees et al. report that the ammonia is chemisorbed to acid catalytic sites of the metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieve. Buchholz et al. report a two step adsorption process for SAPO-34 and SAPO-37 (Buchholz et al., 2004, J. Phys. Chemistry, Vol. 108, pp 3107-3113). As reported, the first step consists of an adsorption of ammonia exclusively at Bronsted acidic bridging OH groups (SiOHAl) leading to the formation of ammonium ions (NH4 form). The second ammoniation step, which was reported to occur at higher ammonia coverage, consists of a coordination of ammonia molecules to framework Al atoms.
Mees et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,516) also report stabilization of metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieves by treatment with one or more nitrogen containing compounds selected from the group consisting of amines, monocyclic heterocyclic compounds, organonitrile compounds and mixtures thereof so that the nitrogen containing compound is chemisorbed and/or physisorbed with the molecular sieve.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,746, to Sun et al., reports modification of small pore molecular sieve catalysts by adsorption of polynuclear aromatic heterocyclic compounds onto the catalyst. The modified catalysts were reported to have increased selectivity to olefins. The modifiers comprise polynuclear aromatic heterocyclic compounds with at least three interconnected ring structures having at least one nitrogen atom as a ring substituent, each ring structure having at least five ring members and quaternary salts thereof.
Ammonium cation exchange of zeolites is also known to the art (Dyer, A., An Introduction to Molecular Sieves, 1988, John Wiley and Sons, New York, p. 121). The ammoniated zeolites can then be calcined to produce the hydrogen form of the zeolite.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,745 reports nitridation of silicoaluminophosphates which can be achieved with mixtures of ammonia and hydrogen.

Membranes for highly selective separations

The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate


The present invention relates to a positive active material for an electrochemical cell including a compound having a nano-shape and represented by the following Formula 1.Lix[Li1-y-zM1yM2z]O2-αDα  [Formula 1]                wherein, 0.8≦x≦1.1, 0≦y≦0.5, 0≦z≦0.5, and 0≦α≦0.05,        M1 and M2 are independently selected from transition elements, and        D is selected from the group consisting of O, F, S, P, and combinations thereof.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrochemical cell having excellent reversible capacity and cycle life characteristics.
This work was supported by the IT R&D program of MKE/IITA [Core lithium secondary battery anode materials for next generation mobile power module, 2008-F-019-01].
(b) Description of the Related Art
A battery as a power source for a portable electronic device and an electric vehicle has been increasingly required to have high performance and large capacity.
In general, a battery generates electric power by using electrochemical reaction materials at positive and negative electrodes. For example, a lithium secondary battery generates electric power due to chemical potential change, when lithium ions are intercalated and deintercalated from positive and negative electrodes.
The lithium secondary battery is fabricated by using a material capable of reversibly intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions as positive and negative active materials and charging an organic electrolyte solution or a polymer electrolyte solution between the positive and negative electrodes.
Recently, a nano-material has been actively researched as an active material for these batteries. Since the nano-material has a high surface area, it can provide higher electrode and electrolyte contact areas, which can lead to shorter diffusion paths with the particles and more facile intercalation for lithium ions.
A positive nano-active material has been reported to be prepared as a nanowire such as lithium- and Ni-deficient LixMn0.67Ni0.3O2 formed by chemical oxidation of pristine bulk LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2 powder. Since the positive active material is acid-treated, it has an extreme lack of lithium. In other words, the compound has x of less than 1. The nanowire has reversible capacity of about 160 mAh/g between 4.8 and 2 V at a current density of 20 mA/g.
Recently, among lithium composite metal oxides, Mn-rich lithium metal oxides such as in a Li[Li1/3-2x/3Mn2/3-x/3Mx]O2 positive electrode are currently receiving significant interest as a positive active material. These materials can provide initial capacity of greater than 200 mAh/g at 4.5V or higher. However, in spite of the capacity advantages, a rapid capacity fade incurs higher C rates. For example, capacity fade of over 50% is observed when the current is increased from 20 to 200 mAh/g in a Li[Ni0.2Li0.2Mn0.6]O2 active material. Furthermore, a Li[Ni0.41Li0.08Mn0.51]O2 nanoplate active material has been reported to be prepared in a co-precipitation method to improve high rate characteristics of a battery. However, there has still been research on improvement of high rate characteristics of a battery.

Abstract: The positive active material of the present invention has high reversible capacity and an excellent cycle life characteristic, and in particular, an excellent cycle life characteristic at a high rate.

Industry-University Cooperation Foundation, Hanyang University


A management device manages management information including a type and a version of a driver installed on each client device and an output destination, specifies client devices on which a driver corresponding in type to the peripheral device has been installed with reference to the management information when the driver to be utilized in the client devices is changed in accordance with the change in information of the peripheral device, extracts a client device in which the peripheral device is set as the output destination from among the specified client devices with reference to the management information, and transmits an instruction for installing a driver to be changed to the extracted client device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique that transmits a driver installation instruction to a client device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed a management server that manages a driver update to a client device having a driver corresponding to its device via a network. The management server displays a client list and updates a driver when an administrator who uses the management server manually selects a client to be updated from drivers installed on clients and print port information.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-97302 discloses a management device that manages printer drivers and firmware by registering device information, client information, and driver information. More specifically, the management device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-97302 registers device information, client information, driver information including version information of a driver to be installed on a client. Then, the management device acquires driver information including the version of a driver actually installed on a client at regular intervals to thereby determine whether or not a proper driver has been installed on the client. When the management server determines that a proper version driver has not been installed on the client, the management server updates the driver installed on the client to a proper version driver.
However, when a management device that manually selects a client device for which the driver is to be updated is used, considerable time and labor are required for the administrator if the number of clients for which the driver is to be updated is thousands. Also, when the driver installed on the client device that has been registered in the management server in advance is updated, the following cases may occur because port information associated with a driver installed on the client is not taken into consideration.
Firstly, when a plurality of printer objects each having a different output destination device has been installed on a client device from the identical driver, all the printer objects are updated upon update of the driver. Thus, when there are combinations of firmware mounted on devices and corresponding drivers and firmware mounted on output destination devices is different from one another, combinations of devices and drivers, which are not intended by the administrator, may be made. Secondary, due to device replacement, when the addresses of the output destination devices are identical but corresponding drivers are drivers for devices prior to replacement, unauthorized combinations may be made between devices and drivers. Thus, the conventional management device does not take a combination of firmware mounted on each output destination device and its corresponding driver into consideration.

Management device, management device control method, and storage medium


A system 100 for remote assistance of an autonomous agent can include and/or interface with any or all of: a sensor suite 110, a computing system 120, a communication interface 130, and/or any other suitable components. The system can further optionally include a set of infrastructure devices 140, a teleoperator platform 150, and/or any other suitable components. The system 100 functions to enable information to be exchanged between an autonomous agent and a tele-assist. Additionally or alternatively, the system 100 can function to operate the autonomous agent (e.g., based on remote inputs received from a teleoperator, indirectly, etc.) and/or can perform any other suitable functions.

In current systems and methods associated with autonomous vehicles, the usefulness of teleoperators in taking over control of the vehicle in risky and/or otherwise challenging scenarios has been recognized. However, in these cases, perfect communication is required between the vehicle and the teleoperator—a requirement which is extremely complex, if not impossible, to reliably establish. For autonomous vehicle systems and methods which do not employ teleoperators, either a human operator is conventionally required to be onboard or the autonomous vehicle must be trained to reliably understand and react to even the rarest of circumstances.
Thus, there is a need in the autonomous vehicle field to create an improved and useful system and method for receiving remote assistance from a teleoperator.

Method and system for remote assistance of an autonomous agent


The solar cell modular unit has a minimal number of components each of which are easily manufactured and which also have a relatively economical cost. It has a laminar substrate having an electrically conductive layer on its top surface that includes the printed electrical circuit. The middle layer is heat conductive and not electrically conductive. The bottom layer is made of thermally conductive material. A solar cell is centrally mounted on the printed circuit board. A base assembly covers the solar cell and it has a vertical tunnel extending from its top surface to the solar cell. An elongated sun shield has an aperture in its top panel that aligns with the tunnel of the base assembly. The sun shield snap-locks onto the top of the base assembly. A secondary optical element telescopically mates with the aperture in the sun shield and the tunnel of the base assembly. A primary light ray refractive member is positioned at a predetermined spaced location above the SOE.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the design and assembly of a single photovoltaic modular unit and ancillary hardware into a modular package for use under highly concentrated sunlight to convert sunlight to electricity reliably and inexpensively.
2. Prior Art
In traditional one-sun solar panels, photovoltaic devices are tightly packed or coated onto a flat substrate to capture the radiation impinging on the surface. The cells are interconnected electrically and the entire unit is encapsulated to protect it from terrestrial elements. The tightly packaged cells minimize the area not covered by the photovoltaic material, making interconnection simple and encapsulation efficient. To make photovoltaics competitive with other energy sources, the cost of the system must come down. Since the photovoltaic material can be 50% or more of the system costs, one method to reduce this cost is to minimize the amount of photovoltaic material by concentrating the solar energy to a smaller area using refractive or reflective means. This method can require individual receiver packages for each solar cell to further decrease the material costs. The smaller discrete packages however, come with concomitant disadvantages including such things as increased difficulty in interconnection, encapsulation, mechanical alignment, and thermal management requirements associated with high concentration photovoltaics.
The requirements of such packages are typically at least as stringent as those seen in one-sun applications.
1. There is the requirement of high voltage isolation from ground potential (near 2000 VDC).
2. There is the need for the protection of any active electrical parts from moisture and the elements.
3. There is the need to dissipate a higher localized heat load present on the small photovoltaic cell due to high radiation fluxes intrinsic to concentrating the sunlight.
4. There is the need for all parts of the receiving unit to withstand highly concentrated sunlight either through a prudent choice of materials or a protective element in case on any errors in tracking.
5. There is the need to accurately redirect errant rays from the primary concentrator onto the cell due to concentrator manufacturing tolerances, imaging alignment errors, or sun tracking errors.
Prior attempts to meet all of these requirements have involved either expensive materials or many different parts, with a complex and expensive assembly process. Yields and throughput have suffered as a result. Reliability problems also have resulted due in part to the high piece part count.

Passively cooled, high concentration photovoltaic solar cell package


A control circuit for a multi-phase converter including an analog front-end circuit for receiving and processing an output voltage and current of the converter circuits and an average output current; a digital circuit for producing an output voltage reference for setting a desired output voltage of the converter; and an error circuit for comparing the output voltage reference and a parameter related to said output voltage and current for generating control signals for controlling the converter circuits, said error circuit including an Analog to Digital Converter circuit, further comprising a digital PWM generation circuit controlled by said Analog to Digital converter circuit for generating digital control signals for controlling the converter circuits.

The present invention relates to voltage converters and more particularly to a voltage converter circuit employing digital PWM control.
To achieve current sharing among the converter circuits of a multi-phase converter, traditional or conventional scalable analog PWM control circuits are implemented with a dedicated shared bus. Use of digital PWM control circuits offers potential advantages of lower sensitivity to parameter variations, programmability, and possibilities of improved performance through the use of more advanced control schemes.
In a conventional analog PWM control circuit, Active Voltage Positioning (AVP) or desired output voltage and current characteristics are achieved by introduction of both voltage and current loops. In a digital PWM control circuit, due to the power dissipation of a high speed Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) circuit, it is preferred to use only one ADC circuit to achieve desired AVP or voltage and current characteristics.


Device and method for continuously preparing high-purity AKD without solvent includes a reactor making continuous mixing of raw materials. The process includes: the tertiary amine feeding into the reactor and the continuously feeding acyl chloride from three to ten line; under operating state, the motor rotates the internal cylinder in relation to external cylinder, forcing the fed materials to convey and stir in the conveying section of annular column passage, forcing the materials to shear and mix by movement of shearing and kneading blades. Arrangement of conveying and mixing sections along the axial direction of annular column passage, causes sufficient reaction of materials and controls the material temperature through internal and external heat exchange systems until the reaction products are discharged from outlet. The device and process disperse reaction heat and sufficient material mixture and complete reaction to control the reaction temperature, viscosity and decrease the generation of side reaction.

AKD (alkyl or alkylketene dimer) is a kind of sizing agent for paper making. At present, the AKD products manufactured by industrial mass production are acquired by batch production. Along with the growth of market demand, this production method has major limitations and defects such as great quality fluctuation, high labor cost, high consumption of raw materials and energy, etc. Recently, the continuous preparation of AKD has become the development trend of large-scale mass production. Both European patent EP0550107 and Chinese patent CN1596252A disclose the methods for continuous preparation of AKD, but above-mentioned methods continuously feed all of raw materials acyl chloride and tertiary amine according to certain proportion for a single time, which causes the sudden rise of reaction temperature, sharp increase of material viscosity and difficult operation to fail to acquire the high purity products.
Chinese patent CN101845030A also discloses a kind of method for continuous preparation of AKD. This patent applies the specially designed reactor, with main body of conveyor carrying discontinuous propeller blades with fixed stirring rods inserted in the spacing of propeller blades. In two embodiments, one of raw materials tertiary amine is fed for a single time and the other raw material acyl chloride is fed for two times. And the product purity is greatly improved in comparison with control product. Although the iodine value of product could be stable at 43, the iodine value is about 2 less than that of products from batch production and the melting point is about 0.5˜10 C lower, which indicates that a lot of impurity exists, the product purity is not high enough and the product quality is not good; if the raw material acyl chloride is fed for three times, the product purity is not obviously improved due to limitation of reactor length, short reaction time and insufficient stirring especially during feeding of last batch of raw materials. The causes affecting the above-mentioned product quality are: (1) under the condition of being free from solvent, the reaction is very fast and even if one of materials acyl chloride is fed through two points, the heat of reaction is released quite concentratively and the reaction temperature is hard to control and the material viscosity is high; (2) this reactor relies on discontinuous propeller blade for shearing and kneading and its structure is simple and axial and radial mixing strength is low with poor self-cleaning capability, so that seizing and wall accretion might occur inside the reactor and the difficult heat dissipation causes the rising of reaction temperature and increasing material viscosity to result in insufficient mixture of materials and finally cause the insufficient dimerization reaction of acyl chloride and tertiary amine and failure of continuous preparation of high purity AKD products. Therefore, the topic of present invention is how to improve the process and device for realization of continuous preparation of high purity AKD products.

SUZHOU TIANMA SPECIALTY CHEMICALS CO., LTD.


When a memory cell (MC) is downsized by reducing the distance between a drain region (12a) and a source region (12b) on the surface of a fin (S2) with a high impurity concentration inside the fin (S2), the shape of the fin (S2) can be set such that a potential difference between a memory gate electrode (MG) and the fin (S2) is reduced to suppress the occurrence of disturbance. Accordingly, the memory cell (MC) achieves downsizing and suppression of the occurrence of disturbance.

Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2011-129816 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a conventional memory cell including a memory gate structure between two select gate structures (refer to FIG. 15 in Patent Literature 1). The memory cell includes a drain region connected with a bit line, and a source region connected with a source line, and also includes a first select gate structure, a memory gate structure, and a second select gate structure sequentially disposed on a semiconductor substrate between the drain and source regions. In the memory cell having such a configuration, the memory gate structure includes a charge storage layer surrounded by an insulative material. Data is programmed by injecting charge into the charge storage layer, and is erased by removing the charge from the charge storage layer.
To inject charge into the charge storage layer of such a memory cell, low bit voltage is applied from the bit line to a channel layer below the memory gate structure through the first select gate structure while voltage is blocked by the second select gate structure connected with the source line. Simultaneously, high memory gate voltage is applied to a memory gate electrode of the memory gate structure so that charge is injected into the charge storage layer due to a quantum tunneling effect caused by a large voltage difference between the bit voltage and the memory gate voltage.
In a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns and each having the above-described configuration, a memory gate line for applying voltage to each memory gate electrode is shared by a plurality of memory cells. With the configuration, when high charge storage gate voltage is applied to the memory gate line to inject charge into the charge storage layer of a particular memory cell, the high charge storage gate voltage is also applied to the memory gate electrode of any other memory cell sharing the memory gate line.
For this reason, in a memory cell into the charge storage layer of which charge is not to be injected, for example, high bit voltage is applied to the channel layer below the memory gate structure to reduce a voltage difference between the memory gate electrode and the channel layer, thereby preventing charge injection into the charge storage layer when high charge storage gate voltage is applied to the memory gate line.

Memory cell, nonvolatile semiconductor storage device, and method for manufacturing nonvolatile semiconductor storage device


Compositions are provided including aqueous dispersions of at least one polyaniline and at least one colloid-forming polymeric. New compositions are useful in electronically conductive and semi-conductive layers in electronic devices and other applications. Also provided are methods of making the compositions.

Electrically conducting polymers have been used in a variety of organic electronic devices, including in the development of electroluminescent (EL) devices for use in light emissive displays. With respect to EL devices, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) containing conducting polymers, such devices generally have the following configuration:                anode/buffer layer/EL material/cathodeThe anode is typically any material that has the ability to inject holes into the otherwise filled π-band of the semiconducting, EL polymer, such as, for example, indium/tin oxide (ITO). The anode is optionally supported on a glass or plastic substrate. EL materials include fluorescent dyes, fluorescent and phosphorescent metal complexes, conjugated polymers, and mixtures thereof. The cathode is typically any material (such as, e.g., Ca or Ba) that has the ability to inject electrons into the otherwise empty π*-band of the semiconducting, EL polymer.
The buffer layer is typically a conducting polymer and facilitates the injection of holes from the anode into the EL polymer layer. The buffer layer can also be called a hole-injection layer, a hole transport layer, or may be characterized as part of a bilayer anode. Typical conducting polymers employed as buffer layers include polyaniline (PANI) and polydioxythiophenes such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDT). These materials can be prepared by polymerizing the corresponding monomers in aqueous solution in the presence of a water soluble polymeric acid, such as poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA).
The aqueous electrically conductive polymer dispersions synthesized with water soluble polymeric sulfonic acids have undesirable low pH levels. The low pH can contribute to decreased stress life of an EL device containing such a buffer layer, and contribute to corrosion within the device. Accordingly, there is a need for compositions and buffer layers prepared therefrom having improved properties.
Electrically conducting polyanilines are typically prepared by polymerizing aniline or substituted aniline monomers in aqueous solution by an oxidative polymerization using an oxidizing agent such as ammonium persulfate (APS), sodium persulfate or potassium persulfate. The aqueous solution contains a water soluble polymeric acid such as poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) ("PMMPSA"), PSSA, and the like. In general, enough of the acid is present to form acid/base salts with emeraldine base of polyanilines, wherein formation of the acid/base salt renders the polyanilines electrically conductive. Thus, for example, emeraldine base of polyaniline (PANI) is typically formed with PMMPSA to resulting in electrically conductive PANI/PAAMPSA.
Aqueous polyaniline dispersions are commercially available from Ormecon Chemie GmbH and Co. KG (Ammersbeck, Germany). It is known as D 1005 W LED. The polyaniline is made from aniline and water soluble poly(styrenesulfonic acid). The dried films obtained from D 1005 W LED re-disperse readily in water. The water becomes acidic with pH in the range of 1 at 2.5% (w/w). Films gain about 24.0% (w/w) moisture at ambient conditions.
Dried films from a lab batch aqueous dispersion of polyaniline/poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid), are also readily re-dispersible in water. The polyaniline is made from aniline and a water soluble PMMPSA.
Electrically conducting polymers also have utility as electrodes for electronic devices, such as thin film field effect transistors. In such transistors, an organic semiconducting film is present between source and drain electrodes. To be useful for the electrode application, the conducting polymers and the liquids for dispersing or dissolving the conducting polymers have to be compatible with the semiconducting polymers and the solvents for the semiconducting polymers to avoid re-dissolution of either conducting polymers or semiconducting polymers. The electrical conductivity of the electrodes fabricated from the conducting polymers should be greater than 10 S/cm (where S is a reciprocal ohm). However, the electrically conducting polyaniline made with a polymeric acid typically provide conductivity in the range of ˜10−3 S/cm or lower. In order to enhance conductivity, conductive additives may be added to the polymer. However, the presence of such additives can deleteriously affect the processability of the electrically conducting polyaniline. Accordingly, there is a need for improved conductive polyaniline with good processability and increased conductivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Water dispersible polyanilines made with polymeric acid colloids for electronics applications


A modular hybrid cross-car beam assembly includes a base tube having opposed first and second free ends. Multiple assemblies are individually connected to the base tube, each of the assemblies having multiple metal plates coupled together by an overmolding of a polymeric material and each of the assemblies having at least one metal flange lacking the overmolding of the polymeric material. First and second end attachment portions are each connected to one of the base tube first or second free ends. The metal flange of each of the assemblies and the first and second end attachment portions are connected to the base tube using fasteners, the modular hybrid cross-car beam assembly having no welded connections.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
In common motor vehicle frame structures, cross car beams are used to connect between vehicle pillars, and to support multiple components such as steering assemblies, dashboard equipment, glove boxes, and the like. Current cross car beam designs include metal such as aluminum members selected for reduced weight, which are welded together to maximize strength. Welding of aluminum however, can result in Heat Affected Zones (HAZ's) which locally reduce the strength of the welded joint. In addition, the cost and time to prepare weld joints, which can number approximately 50 or more for a typical cross car beam, and to grind or clean the weld joints after welding to prepare for paint or a coating material can be high.
While material coatings such as a polymeric coating applied onto the aluminum structural members are known which are relied on to further reduce weight, known aluminum cross car beam assemblies having polymeric material coating applied to specific areas can be limited due to the size, complexity, cost, processes, and the like required for assembly. This field can therefore benefit from improved cross car beam designs.


A device comprised a master cylinder driven by a control member (20), a pneumatic booster (14), a piston (22), first (VE1) and second (VE2) balancing valve elements, first (VA1) and second (VA2) intake valve elements, and a tubular support (44) provided with two parts (44A, 44B) move relative to one another to adjust the length of the support (44). The balancing valve elements (VE1, VE2) are borne by a balancing part (44B) of the support and the pneumatic piston (22). The intake valve elements (VA1, VA2) are borne by the control member (20) and an intake part (44A) of the support. The two parts (44B, 44A) of the support are connected to one another by a spring (54) and arm (56) arrangement for adjusting the separation thereof as a function of the power of the force applied to the control member (20).

A pneumatic brake booster, of the type comprising:                an axially movable control member for controlling this booster and intended to receive a control force applied by a user,        a pneumatic enclosure containing two chambers, called a rear chamber and a front chamber, separated by a pneumatic piston, and        means forming pneumatic valves comprising:                    first and second complementary valve-forming elements for placing the rear chamber in communication with the front chamber, called first and second balancing valve elements, and            first and second complementary valve-forming elements for placing the rear chamber in communication with a pneumatic pressure source, called first and second intake valve elements,is already known from the prior art.
The control member, also referred to as a plunger, is usually intended to transmit a braking force to a master cylinder control rod. The pneumatic piston is connected to the control rod.
A braking operation is controlled by the driver by means of a brake pedal connected to the control member.
The pressure in the master cylinder changes as a function of the force exerted on the brake pedal, called braking force, in the following way.
Initially, the braking force is intended to overcome the preload on a return spring which returns the control member to a rest position. The booster remains at rest. The pressure in the master cylinder remains constant.
As the braking force increases, the preload on the control member return spring is overcome and the booster is activated. Now, with the booster in its rest configuration, there is usually an axial clearance between the control member and the control rod. Consequently, activating the booster causes a pressure jump in the master cylinder, this occurring with a constant braking force, hence, on account of the axial clearance, the control member is not subjected to any reaction on the part of the master cylinder control rod.


A horizontal directional drill and method relate to a control system adapted to operate a pipe transport apparatus to move a drill rod between a rod box and a connection area. The control system commands the pipe transport apparatus to perform a plurality of actions wherein at least one of the actions comprises two or more of the plurality of physical operations. The control system includes an operator input device configured to generate a command in response to an operator input. The control system may require persistent engagement of the operator input device to complete each action. The pipe transport apparatus pauses upon completing each of the plurality of actions until the command is again provided from the operator input device.

Horizontal directional drills are known for drilling horizontal boreholes beneath a ground surface, e.g., under a roadway or other obstruction (sometimes referred to as "trenchless" digging). Typically, a horizontal directional drill includes a rod box adapted to hold a plurality of drill rods. These drill rods may be transported, one rod at a time, from the rod box to a connection area of the drill where the rod may be attached to other drill rods to form a drill string. The drill string may be attached to a gear box that may rotate and axially advance the drill string to form the horizontal borehole. Once the drill string is advanced, the most-recently added drill rod may be detached from the gear box, the gear box axially retracted, and another drill rod introduced into the connection area where it is then also connected to the drill string in the connection area.
In addition to adding drill rod to the string, horizontal directional drills are also able to retract the drill string (e.g., "backreaming"), sequentially remove drill rods from the drill string, and transport the individual drill rods back to the rod box.
In many horizontal directional drills transport of a drill rod from the rod box to the connection area ("pushing") and from the connection area back to the rod box ("pulling") is under complete manual control of the drill operator(s). These pushing and pulling processes generally require several distinct operations/manipulations of the various components of the drill system. As one can appreciate, such manual operation may be tedious and time consuming for the drill operator. For example, an operator may need to repeatedly command the drill to perform the various pushing/pulling operations and, sometimes, react to interruptions. The repetitive nature of such operation, and the potential for unexpected interruptions, can present challenges to drill operation, particularly over extended periods of time.

Horizontal directional drill with assisted mode and related methods


An electricity storage device includes an electricity storage element formed by winding an electrode body of an anode or cathode side along with a separator, an electrode leading section having an inclined edge is formed on an element end-face of the electricity storage element by a part of the electrode body.

i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electricity storage devices such as electric double-layer capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, lithium-ion capacitors and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, and relates to methods for manufacturing the same.
ii) Description of the Related Art
Electrode bodies of anode and cathode sides wound along with separators form an electricity storage element of an electricity storage device such as an electric double-layer capacitor, an electrolytic capacitor, a lithium-ion capacitor and a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. A separator is inserted between electrode bodies of the anode and cathode sides.
A tab is connected to each of the electrode bodies of the anode and cathode sides of an electricity storage element. Alternatively, electrode bodies constitute tabs. Each tab is connected to external terminals of the anode and cathode sides. In a case of a connection structure where electrode bodies constitute tabs, any other tabs, which are separate components, are not required between an electricity storage element and an external terminal.
As to such a connection structure of an electricity storage element and an external terminal, it is known to connect an end of an electrode body of either anode or cathode side, which is selectively projected to a collecting plate (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-68379).

Electricity storage device and method for manufacturing same


A belt driven reel-to-reel tape cartridge includes two primary tape guides, a guide pin, and two secondary tape guides for guiding the tape to and from respective tape reels. The tape guides and guide pin define a tape guide path between the reels which the extends around the outside of both primary tape guides, both secondary tape guides, and the guide pin.

The belt-driven data tape cartridge of von Behren, U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,255 has become a standard interface with computers where rapid acceleration and deceleration of the tape are required. In these reel-to-reel tape cartridges, an elastic driving belt extends along a belt path around corner guide rollers positioned adjacent the tape reels, contacts the tape on the reels, and drives the tape from reel to reel. A tape path extends between the reels and along one edge of the cartridge across a cutaway portion providing access to the tape by a transducer such as a magnetic read/write head which is a part of a tape drive which receives the cartridge.
The tape path is defined by a guide pin, a pair of tape guides, and a pair of tape wrap pins. One tape wrap pin is positioned between each reel and the adjacent tape guide to deflect the tape from a straight line path between the tape supply on the reel and the tape guide. This increases the frictional coupling between the tape and the tape wrap pin as the amount of tape wound on the reel increases and helps to maintain constant tape tension at the magnetic head.
There is a continuing need to further minimize the frictional drive force and to improve tape tracking thereby to further enhance cartridge operation. This can be accomplished by minimizing the friction at the interface between the tape and the tape guides, which accounts for approximately one-third of the drive force in a data cartridge.

Data cartridge with secondary tape guides

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


Cells derived from postpartum umbilicus and placenta are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions, devices and methods for the regeneration or repair of ocular tissue using the postpartum-derived cells are also disclosed.

Various patents and other publications are referred to throughout the specification. Each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety.
As a complex and sensitive organ of the body, the eye can experience numerous diseases and other deleterious conditions that affect its ability to function normally. Many of these conditions are associated with damage or degeneration of specific ocular cells, and tissues made up of those cells. As one example, diseases and degenerative conditions of the optic nerve and retina are the leading causes of blindness throughout the world. Damage or degeneration of the cornea, lens and associated ocular tissues represent another significant cause of vision loss worldwide.
The retina contains seven layers of alternating cells and processes that convert a light signal into a neural signal. The retinal photoreceptors and adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) form a functional unit that, in many disorders, becomes unbalanced due to genetic mutations or environmental conditions (including age). This results in loss of photoreceptors through apoptosis or secondary degeneration, which leads to progressive deterioration of vision and, in some instances, to blindness (for a review, see, e.g., Lund, R. D. et al. 2001, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 20: 415-449). Two classes of ocular disorders that fall into this pattern are age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in the United States in those people whose ages are 50 or older, and its prevalence increases with age. The primary disorder in AMD appears to be due to RPE dysfunction and changes in Bruch's membranes, characterized by, among other things, lipid deposition, protein cross-linking and decreased permeability to nutrients (see Lund et al., 2001 supra). A variety of elements may contribute to macular degeneration, including genetic makeup, age, nutrition, smoking and exposure to sunlight.
AMD is broadly divided into two types. In the exudative-neovascular form, or "wet" AMD, which accounts for 10% of all cases, abnormal blood vessel growth occurs under the macula. These blood vessels leak fluid and blood into the retina and thus cause damage to the photoreceptors. The remaining 90% of AMD cases are the nonexudative, or "dry" form. In these patients there is a gradual disappearance of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), resulting in circumscribed areas of atrophy. Since photoreceptor loss follows the disappearance of RPE, the affected retinal areas have little or no visual function.
For example, Radeke, M. et al state "Macular degeneration is a blinding disease caused by the death of the photoreceptor cells in that part of the retina known as the macula (Radeke M et al, 2007). Radeke, M. et al further state, "Photoreceptors are critically dependent upon the RPE cells for their own survival" (Radeke M et al, 2007).
Current therapies for AMD involve procedures, such as, for example, laser therapy and pharmacological intervention. By transferring thermal energy, the laser beam destroys the leaky blood vessels under the macula, which slows the rate of vision loss. A disadvantage of this approach, however, is that the high thermal energy delivered by the beam also destroys healthy tissue nearby. Neuroscience 4th edition, (Purves, D, et al 2008) states "Currently there is no treatment for dry AMD."
RPE transplantation, following excision of choroid neovascularization is also one potential cell-based therapy for AMD. However, this has been unsuccessful in humans. For example, Zarbin, M, 2003 states, "With normal aging, human Bruch's membrane, especially in the submacular region, undergoes numerous changes (e.g., increased thickness, deposition of ECM and lipids, cross-linking of protein, non-enzymatic formation of advanced glycation end products). These changes and additional changes due to AMD could decrease the bioavailability of ECM ligands (e.g., laminin, fibronectin, and collagen IV) and cause the extremely poor survival of RPE cells in eyes with AMD. Thus, although human RPE cells express the integrins needed to attach to these ECM molecules, RPE cell survival on aged submacular human Bruch's membrane is impaired".
RP is mainly considered an inherited disease, with over 100 mutations being associated with photoreceptor loss (see Lund et al., 2001, supra). Though the majority of mutations target photoreceptors, some affect RPE cells directly. Together, these mutations affect such processes as molecular trafficking between photoreceptors and RPE cells and phototransduction, for example.
Other less common, but nonetheless debilitating retinopathies can also involve progressive cellular degeneration leading to vision loss and blindness. These include, for example, diabetic retinopathy and choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM).
Diabetic retinopathy may be classified as (1) non-proliferative or background retinopathy, characterized by increased capillary permeability, edema, hemorrhage, microaneurysms, and exudates, or 2) proliferative retinopathy, characterized by neovascularization extending from the retina to the vitreous, scarring, fibrous tissue formation, and potential for retinal detachment.
In CNVM, abnormal blood vessels stemming from the choroid grow up through the retinal layers. The fragile new vessels break easily, causing blood and fluid to pool within the layers of the retina.
Damage or progressive degeneration of the optic nerve and related nerves of the eye constitutes another leading cause of vision loss and blindness. A prime example is glaucoma, a condition of the eye that is made up of a collection of eye diseases that cause vision loss by damage to the optic nerve. Elevated intraocular pressure (TOP) due to inadequate ocular drainage is a primary cause of glaucoma, but it can also develop in the absence of elevated IOP. Glaucoma can develop as the eye ages. It can also occur as the result of an eye injury, inflammation, tumor, or in advanced cases of cataract or diabetes, or it can be caused by certain drugs, such as, for example, steroids. The primary features of the optic neuropathy in glaucoma include characteristic changes in the optic nerve head, a decrease in number of surviving retinal ganglion cells, and loss of vision. It has been proposed that a cascade of events links degeneration of the optic nerve head with the slow death of retinal ganglion cells observed in the disease, and that this cascade of events can be slowed or prevented through the use of neuroprotective agents (Osborne et al., 2003, Eur. J. Ophthalmol. 13 (Supp 3): S19-S26).
Cellular damage and degenerative conditions also affect other parts of the eye. For example, cataracts result from gradual opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye. It is believed that once begun, cataract development proceeds along one or more common pathways that culminate in damage to lens fibers. This condition is presently treated by surgical removal and replacement of the affected lens. Another example concerns the cornea and surrounding conjuctiva that make up the ocular surface. The limbal epithelium, located between the cornea and the bulbar conjuctiva, contains corneal epithelial stem cells. Limbal epithelial cell deficiency (LECD) is a condition that occurs, for example, in Stevens-Johnson syndrome and thermal or chemical burns. LECD often leads to an imbalance between the corneal epithelium and the conjunctival epithelium in which the cornea is covered by invading conjunctival epithelial cells, which severely compromises the corneal surface and affects visual acuity (Nakamura, T. & Kinoshita, S., 2003. Cornea 22 (Supp. 1): S75-S80).
The recent advent of stem cell-based therapy for tissue repair and regeneration provides promising treatments for a number of aforementioned cell-degenerative pathologies and other ocular disorders. Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation to generate a variety of mature cell lineages. Transplantation of such cells can be utilized as a clinical tool for reconstituting a target tissue, thereby restoring physiologic and anatomic functionality. The application of stem cell technology is wide-ranging, including tissue engineering, gene therapy delivery, and cell therapeutics, i.e., delivery of biotherapeutic agents to a target location via exogenously supplied living cells or cellular components that produce or contain those agents (For a review, see, for example, Tresco, P. A. et al., 2000, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 42: 2-37).
An obstacle to realization of the therapeutic potential of stem cell technology has been the difficulty in obtaining sufficient numbers of stem cells. One source of stem cells is embryonic or fetal tissue. Embryonic stem and progenitor cells have been isolated from a number of mammalian species, including humans, and several such cell types have been shown capable of self-renewal and expansion, as well differentiation into a variety of cell lineages. In animal model systems, embryonic stem cells have been reported to differentiate into a RPE cell phenotype, as well as to enhance the survival of host photoreceptors following transplantation (Haruta, M. et al., 2004, Investig. Ophthalmol. Visual Sci. 45: 1020-1025; Schraermeyer, U. et al., 2001, Cell Transplantation 10: 673-680). But the derivation of stem cells from embryonic or fetal sources has raised many ethical issues that are desirable to avoid by identifying other sources of multipotent or pluripotent cells.
Adult tissue also can yield stem cells useful for cell-based ocular therapy. For instance, retinal and corneal stem cells themselves may be utilized for cell replacement therapy in the eye. In addition, neural stem cells from the hippocampus have been reported to integrate with the host retina, adopting certain neural and glial characteristics (see review of Lund, R. L. et al., 2003, J. Leukocyte Biol. 74: 151-160). Neural stem cells prepared from fetal rat cortex were shown to differentiate along an RPE cell pathway following transplantation into the adult rat subretinal space (Enzmann, V. et al., 2003, Investig. Ophthalmol. Visual Sci. 44: 5417-5422). Bone marrow stem cells have been reported to differentiate into retinal neural cells and photoreceptors following transplantation into host retinas (Tomita, M. et al., 2002, Stem Cells 20: 279-283; Kicic, A. et al., 2003, J. Neurosci. 23: 7742-7749). An ocular surface reconstruction in a rabbit model system, utilizing cultured mucosal epithelial stem cells, has also been reported (Nakamura, T. & Kinoshita, S., 2003, supra). While these reports show promise for the use of adult progenitor and stem cells in cell-based therapy for the eye, it must be noted that adult stem cell populations are comparatively rare and are often obtainable only by invasive procedures. Further, adult stem cells may have a more limited ability to expand in culture than do embryonic stem cells.
Thus, a need exists for alternative sources of adequate supplies of cells having the ability to support, augment or replace lost cellular function in the eye. A reliable, well-characterized and plentiful supply of substantially homogeneous populations of such cells would be an advantage in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in ocular repair and regeneration, including drug screening assays, ex vivo or in vitro trophic support of ocular and other useful cell types, and in vivo cell-based therapy.

Repair and regeneration of ocular tissue using postpartum-derived cells


The present disclosure provides an optical detection pixel unit, an optical detection pixel circuit, an optical detection method and a display device. The optical detection pixel unit comprise a photosensitive element and a detection transistor, wherein the photosensitive element has a first electrode connected with a photovoltage terminal, and a second electrode connected with a gate of the detection transistor; the photosensitive element is configured to detect an optical signal under the control of the photovoltage terminal; and the detection transistor has a first electrode connected with a detection voltage line, and a second electrode connected with a reading line.

In related art, a passive optical detection circuit adopts a charge readout method, in which case reading lines must not be interfered, otherwise a readout result will be significantly affected; while an active optical detection circuit adopts a source follower principle, in which case interference may be overcome and a signal-to-noise ratio may be greatly increased, but an active optical pixel circuit in related art has a complicated structure and occupies a large area because reset transistors and gated transistors are needed therein, which is not favorable for large array integration.

Optical detection pixel unit, optical detection circuit, optical detection method and display device


The invention provides an electro-optical device that can include, in a peripheral region of the image display region on the element substrate, a plurality of external circuit connection terminals, a plurality of main wiring lines each having one end connected to each of the plurality of external circuit connection terminals, and peripheral driving circuits connected to the other ends of the main wiring lines, the peripheral driving circuits for driving the pixel portions based on electric signals supplied from the external circuit connection terminals through the main wiring lines. The plurality of main wiring lines can be made of the same conductive film and are planarly laid out so as not to intersect each other in the peripheral region.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device, such as a driving circuit built-in liquid crystal device, obtained by mounting peripheral driving circuits on an element substrate and an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device.
2. Description of Related Art
In an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal device, a plurality of pixel portions driven for displaying images are arranged in a matrix in an image display region. Pixel electrodes and thin film transistors (TFT) for switch controlling the pixel electrodes are arranged within the pixel portions and wiring lines, such as scanning lines, data lines, and capacitance lines are provided along the gaps among the pixel electrodes adjacent to each other in vertical and horizontal directions in each pixel portion. In particular, in the case of the driving circuit built-in liquid crystal device, scanning line driving circuits and a data line driving circuit for driving the scanning lines and the data lines are mounted in a peripheral region on the same element substrate. Therefore, in general, various wiring lines, such as power source signal lines, clock signal lines, image signal lines, and control signal lines are planarly laid out in the peripheral region, which connect a plurality of external circuit connection terminals arranged along one side of the element substrate to the peripheral driving circuits.
Here, as it is desirable to miniaturize the electro-optical device or the element substrate, a technology of laying out various wiring lines planarly is provided so that various wiring lines connecting the external circuit connection terminals to the peripheral circuits are provided in the restricted peripheral region in such a way that mutual noise among the various wiring lines arranged to be close to each other is reduced. According to such an electro-optical device, it can be possible to realize high quality images by improving a driving frequency or a degree of precision while miniaturizing the device or the element substrate.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus comprising the same


A data management method is adapted to a hierarchical virtual storage system which virtually uses a library apparatus having a plurality of recording media as a portion of a hard disk apparatus. The data management method manages loading of the recording media to the library apparatus and unloading of the recording media from the library apparatus in a database in units of a set that is formed by a plurality of recording media, and forms a logical volume, which is a recording unit of a data file with respect to the library apparatus, by one or a plurality of recording media, and manages the logical volume in the database in correspondence with the set.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data management methods and apparatuses, hierarchical storage apparatuses and computer-readable storage media, and more particularly to a data management method and a data management apparatus for managing data in a library apparatus using recording media other than hard disks, such as magnetic tapes, and to a hierarchical storage apparatus which is hierarchically formed by a hard disk apparatus and a library apparatus and employs such a data management method, and to a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to function as a data management apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, large-capacity information file (or storage) systems are mainly library apparatuses which use recording media such as magnetic tapes and optical disks. However, such a library apparatus require time to exchange information with a host computer in order to carry out read and write processes. For this reason, the library apparatus is not used as an information storage apparatus for on-line access use, but used mainly as a backup apparatus. On the other hand, a high-speed access can be made with respect to a hard disk apparatus, but the cost of the hard disk is high compared to that of a magnetic tape and the like. Consequently, it is difficult to realize an inexpensive large-capacity information file system by solely using the hard disks.
Hierarchical information file systems formed by a hard disk apparatus that is connected to a library apparatus using magnetic tapes have been proposed based on the so-called Information Lifecycle Management (ILM). However, such hierarchical information file systems are designed to automatically backup the information stored in the hard disks, and the user must be fully aware of the library apparatus which uses the magnetic tapes.
In addition, techniques have been proposed to efficiently manage the hierarchical information file system by a management software of the host computer, but the user still needs to be fully aware of the library apparatus which uses the magnetic tapes. Furthermore, there was an inconvenience in that the information access by the application program puts pressure on the network resources.
A data management system proposed in a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.9-26904 copies data having a high frequency of use from a storage medium of the library apparatus to the hard disk in advance. If the requested data is not recorded in the hard disk, the requested data is not output directly from the library apparatus, but is output after being copied and recorded in the hard disk. Hence, the data request from each application program is processed separately from the library apparatus, and the data management system carries out a control as if all of the data are recorded in the hard disk. In this proposed data management system, the library apparatus is virtually used as a portion of the hard disk apparatus.
When virtually using the library apparatus as a portion of the hard disk apparatus, the user must manage each recording medium within the library apparatus, that is, manage each volume. In other words, since the recording media of the library apparatus are loaded and unloaded (or mounted and demounted), the use must always manage the volumes. However, when using the library apparatus, a multi-file volume may be employed in which a plurality of files are recorded in one volume or, a multi-volume file may be employed in which one file is recorded in a plurality of volumes.
Conventionally, when virtually using the library apparatus as a portion of the hard disk apparatus, the volumes must be managed by the user. For this reason, there were problems in that the user must carry out the troublesome operation of managing the volumes, and that the user must always be fully aware of the library apparatus.

Data management method and apparatus, hierarchical storage apparatus and computer-readable storage medium


An electrical connector having one or more electrical contacts for providing an electrical connection to an inserted pin is provided. The electrical connector includes a spring made of electrically conductive material and a loading element attached to the spring and arranged to define an opening for pin insertion. The spring is physically arranged relative to the loading element to create a tension on the loading element. The electrical connector includes at least one conductive wire in electrical communication with the spring. The wire is wound around the spring and the loading element, providing multiple electrical contact points radially inward relative to a center of the opening to provide electrical contact to the inserted pin. When the pin is inserted into the opening, the loading element is tensioned such that the loading element generates a contact force at each contact point.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having one or more electrical contact points for providing an electrical connection to an inserted pin.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Electrical connectors can be used to interconnect components of electrical systems. These components can vary in size and complexity, depending on the particular electrical system. Regardless of the type of electrical system, advances in technology have led to electrical components that are increasingly smaller and more powerful. However, existing electrical connectors, in general, are relatively large compared to the sizes of such components. Furthermore, existing electrical connectors often engage a mating conductor of an electrical component by sliding, resulting in frictional forces between the electrical connector and the mating conductor. These frictional forces include asperity interactions, adhesion, and surface plowing.
Woven electrical connectors having one or more electrical contact points have been detailed, for example, in previous patent applications of Tribotek, Inc. (U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/273,241, 10/375,481, 10/603,047, 10/619,210, 10/616,667, 10/889,542, and 10/985,322, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties).

Electrical connector having one or more electrical contact points


A device and method of use for reducing knee bend, and therefore knee stress, when climbing and descending stairs. The method includes a first step of removably securing to a first foot of a user a device having an elevation of approximately half a step rise. A second method step includes lifting a second foot of the user onto a first stair step while applying full body weight to the first knee. A third method step includes lifting the first foot and the device while applying full body weight to a second knee in order to place the first foot and the device on the first step adjacent to the second foot. Lifting the second foot and lifting the first foot and the device are achieved while the first and second knees are bent no more than an angle necessary to climb approximately half a step rise. The sequential foot lifting is repeated until the user has climbed the stairs. The device includes a foot securing portion for removably attaching it to only one of a user's feet. The device also includes an elevating portion connected to the foot securing portion. Together both portions have an elevation approximately half a step rise.

Climbing stairs is known to place stresses on the knee joints which aggravate knee injuries or arthritic knee deterioration, usually resulting in immediate or delayed pain. People with such knee conditions are advised not to climb or descend stairs. Since most homes and buildings have more than one floor level, stairs are a common feature of inhabited buildings. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are often designed to have only a single floor level to eliminate stairs for their senior residents who are of the age most likely to have knee joint injuries and/or arthritis.
The alternative to climbing or descending stairs in a home or building in which one resides or works is to ride an elevator, escalator, chair lift, or scoot on one's bottom so as to minimize the knee bending while supporting body weight, which is required for climbing or descending stairs. It is known that the greater the angle the knee joint bends when body weight is supported, the greater the stress on the knee joint. Since climbing and descending stairs applies full body weight to one knee joint at a time, such activity places even more stress on the knees than just standing and bending both knees simultaneously. Typical home and building staircases are designed with a rise between steps of 7 to 9 inches and an overall angle of incline ranging from 35.degree. to 45.degree.. When a person climbs such stairs one at a time, the average adult knee joint bends from 50.degree. to 70.degree. as measured from an axis through an ankle joint and corresponding knee joint.
Providing stairs with a gentler angle of incline and/or reduced elevation between steps would reduce the angle of knee bend and therefore the stress placed on knee joints. However, such reductions would increase the space needed for stairs and make stair climbing inconvenient for the majority of people who have no knee joint problems. Furthermore, it would be nearly impossible to convert all the existing staircases to have significantly lower angles of incline or a significantly greater number of steps.
What has been missing is a wearable device which reduces the angle of knee bend when climbing or descending stairs to an angle such that the knee stress is reduced to an acceptable level that minimizes knee joint strain or pain.

Device for reducing knee stress when climbing and descending stairs and method of use


An internal combustion engine may include a cylinder head having a plurality of intake channels which lead to combustion chambers. A fresh gas distributor may be included for feeding fresh gas to the intake channels. The fresh gas distributor may have a flap arrangement including a flap shaft, which bears at least one flap for controlling the intake channels. The flap shaft may be mounted such that the flap rotates about a flap rotation axis. The fresh gas distributor may have a housing flange securing the fresh gas distributor to the cylinder head. The flap arrangement may be arranged in a region of the housing flange in a distributor housing of the fresh gas distributor. The cylinder head may have a recess, into which the fresh gas distributor is inserted in a region of the flap arrangement.

EP 0 726 388 B1 discloses a fresh gas distributor for an internal combustion engine, the fresh gas distributor acting in the usual manner to feed fresh gas to intake channels that are provided in the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine and lead to combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. The fresh gas distributor has a flap arrangement, which has a flap shaft on which at least one flap is arranged to control one of the above-mentioned intake channels. The flap shaft is mounted such that it can rotate about a flap shaft rotation axis. The fresh gas distributor also has a housing flange, with which the fresh gas distributor can be fastened to the cylinder head. The flap arrangement is then arranged in the region of the housing flange in a distributor housing of the fresh gas distributor. In the known fresh gas distributor, the flap arrangement ends substantially flush with the housing flange on a side facing the cylinder head, so that the fresh gas distributor can be fastened simply on a flat installation side facing the fresh gas distributor.

Internal combustion engine with fresh gas distributor


A slide assembly for slidably mounts a server unit (100) to a rack (200), said slide assembly includes an inner slide (110), an outer slide (150) and a locking device (130). The inner slide has an inner side (111). A locking device disposed on the inner side of the inner slide at a distal end thereof, the locking device includes a spring (133), a locking member (135), and a base (131), the base has a receiving opening (1315), the locking member being held within the base and resiliently protruding out from the receiving opening by support of the spring. An outer slide slidably attached to the inner side of the inner slide, the outer slide defines an engaging opening (153) at a distal end corresponding to the locking member, the locking member in alignment with the engaging opening to limit a back and forth longitudinal movement of the inner slide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide assembly, particularly to a slide assembly with a locking device.
2. Description of related art
A conventional three-section slide for a server unit includes an inner slide, an outer slide, and a third slide. A slide-aiding ball member is sandwiched between any two of the inner slide, the outer slide, and the third slide so as to smoothen sliding movement. Moreover, the inner slide and the outer slide have a retaining member and a stop member mounted thereon respectively, for restricting movement. The retaining member is attached to an inner surface of the inner slide, and is provided with an engaging portion. The stop member is mounted to a front end of the outer slide, and is provided with a protrusion. To prevent accidental disassembly, when users draw out the inner slide from the outer slide, the protrusion of the stop member engages with the engaging portion of the retaining member.
Although the engagement of the stop member with the engaging portion can avoid releasing the inner slide from the outer slide by accident, the portion of the engagement is positioned at a distal end of the outer slide, the inner slide and the outer slide can hurt user's finger by accident when the user directly disengages the engaging portion from the stop member so as to retract the inner slide into the outer slide. Therefore, it is inconvenient and dangerous for users to operate the slide.
What is needed, therefore, is a locking device for a slide assembly which is easily and safely operated.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


An access control system includes a verification computing system that stores access rights information and credential proxies received from user devices, receives from a local access control subsystem an input credential and input credential proxy derived therefrom and received from a present user, identifies the access rights information associated with the user according to the input credential proxy and the stored credential proxy, requests and receives a stored credential from the user device of the present user, and compares the stored credential to the input credential to authorize the present user. The access rights information is for each of the users to access spaces with the local access control subsystems. The stored credential proxies are derived from stored credential received by the user devices using an algorithm. The input credential proxies are derived from the input credentials using the algorithm.

Access control systems for physical and computing spaces permit or deny access to persons seeking access thereto. Conventional access control systems may, for example, permit access upon entry of a pin code with a key pad or a password without any other verification or security provisions. Thus, an unauthorized person may be able gain access if they were to acquire the pin code or password. Other access control systems, such as two-factor authentication systems used with computing spaces, require multiple inputs from the user each time the user seeks access to the computing space, such as entry of a password and subsequent entry of a randomly generated code or response to a prompt. It would be advantageous to provide access control systems having both greater security than conventional systems and simplified user experiences.

Access control systems, devices, and methods therefor


A disc-shaped optical recording medium formed by carrying out a film formation process on a disc-shaped substrate material and completed by forming a center hole at the last step is manufactured in a manner such that no eccentricity will occur when the recording medium is loaded onto a drive.

Generally, a disc-shaped optical recording medium (optical disc), such as CD (Compact Disc) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), is manufactured by attaching a stamper formed in a mastering process to a mold disposed within an injection molding machine, forming a disc-shaped substrate made of resin material by injection molding over an area forming an information recording surface, forming a recording layer capable of recording and a reflection layer capable of playing-back on the disc-shaped substrate, and forming thereon a protective layer made of resin.
The above discs are irradiated with a predetermined laser beam passing through the aforementioned disc-shaped substrate material, thereby performing information recording and/or playback.
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-235638, an attention has recently been given to an optical disc which is manufactured by: first forming, as a disc-shaped substrate material (substrate), a thick support layer (protective layer) not required to be light-transmissible, i.e., not required to have an optical thickness by means of injection molding; and forming a reflection layer on the information recording surface side of the substrate for effecting a playback, or a recording layer or the like on that side for effecting a recording, followed by laminating a light transmitting layer based on a transparent resin layer which allows the passing of a laser beam for recording or playing back.
Conventionally, an optical disc has been manufactured in the following way. Namely, at the time of performing an injection molding to form a substrate, the center part of the substrate as well as a sprue runner solidified within the gate during the injection molding are removed so that a center hole is formed on the center part of the substrate so as to form a disc-shaped substrate material. Further, after forming the above reflection layer and the recording layer which has been constituted to be able to perform recording, a spin coating process is performed to form a protective layer made of a resin, or a light transmitting layer comprising a light transmitting resin.
As a characterizing method for manufacturing the aforementioned protective layer and the aforementioned light transmitting layer, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-249264 discloses that a lid member for covering the center hole of an optical disc is disposed, and then a resin is applied to the entire optical disc over the lid member while the disc rotates and solidified thereafter, thus forming a protective layer (resin layer). Since this method can easily control the thickness of the resin layer within an applying surface such that a substantially uniform state is achieved in the radial direction, the same method can also be used in a light transmitting layer formation process disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1996-235638.
In order to use the above-described resin layer rotational applying method to form a resin layer in a more uniform state, it is necessary to have a lid member to block the center hole of a disc-shaped substrate material.
When using such a manufacturing method, it is desired that the lid member be clean. When a single lid member is used, the lid member must be cleaned after every use in resin coating. Alternatively, the lid member must be disposable, so that a new (clean) lid member is always used.
Further, as described above, when the center hole is closed by the lid member during the spin coating process, since the light transmitting resin usually flows downward from the lid member to the disc-shaped substrate, air bubbles are apt to occur within the resin layer and irregular flow traces are likely to appear on the surface of the resin layer, all due to a difference in height between the lid member and the surface of the disc-shaped substrate, hence resulting in non-uniform thickness of the resin layer (non-uniform film thickness).
On the other hand, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-92492 as well as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-185477, there have been suggested optical disc manufacturing methods in which the center hole of a disc-shaped substrate is formed immediately after the formation of the disc-shaped substrate itself, instead of forming such a center hole during the formation of the disc-shaped substrate, thus minimizing an influence from burr or resin waste generated due to the punching of the center hole.
Since the aforementioned methods aim at minimizing an influence from burr or resin waste, they are characterized in that the center hole is formed immediately after the formation of the disc-shaped substrate, with the sprue runner and the center part being removed simultaneously prior to the formation of a light transmitting resin layer.
In view of the above, the applicant of the subject application has already suggested an optical disc manufacturing method (not publicly known) which is simpler and has a higher yield in forming resin layer than a conventional manufacturing method using a lid member.
According to the suggested method, during the injection molding which is one step in manufacturing an optical disc, a disc-shaped substrate material is taken out integrally with the center part of a disc-shaped substrate and the sprue runner, passed through a film formation step and a resin layer formation step, followed by simultaneously removing the center part and the sprue runner as a last step, thereby forming the optical disc.
According to the above-described method for manufacturing a disc-shaped optical recording medium in which the center part is punched at the last step to form the center hole which is a chucking hole, during the step of punching the center hole, burr will generate along the hole edge in the thickness direction of the formed center hole. In this case, once the disc-shaped optical recording medium is loaded onto a drive, there will be a problem that an eccentricity can occur during the rotation of the recording medium due to such burr.
Moreover, when the center hole is punched at the last step of the above-described manufacturing process, if the disc-shaped substrate material is set eccentric with respect to a tool such as an ultrasonic press, the center hole will deviate from the center of the disc-shaped optical recording medium, resulting in a problem that it is difficult to perform a correct information recording or playback.

Method for manufacturing discoid optical record medium and discoid optical record medium

Abstract: At the last step of an optical disc manufacturing process, i.e., at the time of opening a hole in the center part 26 of the disc-shaped substrate material 12 formed with at least a resin layer on one side thereof, the center part 26 is removed in a manner such that the diameter of the chucking center hole 28 is larger on the disc-shaped substrate material 12 side than on the light transmitting resin layer 22 side of the disc-shaped optical recording medium 30, thereby manufacturing the disc-shaped optical recording medium 30.


Systems, methods, and storage media for managing traffic on a digital content delivery network are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: receive an item of digital content on a digital content delivery network; assign a type category to the item of digital content; determine an update time variable of the item of digital content; determine a cache time for the item of digital content based on the type category of the item of digital content and the update time variable of the item of digital content and; and cache an instance of the item of digital content in a cache memory associated with the content delivery network for the cache time and removing the instance from the cache memory after the cache time has lapsed.

A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of distributed network servers that deliver digital content to a user device. The closer a CDN server is to the user geographically and/or from a networking bandwidth perspective, the faster the content will be delivered to the user. To optimize service a CDN typically will retain, i.e. cache, copies of items of digital content, such as the pages of a website, in a network of proxy servers (referred to as "cache memory servers" herein) that are dispersed at geographically different locations. When a user requests an item of digital content that is managed and distributed by the CDN, the CDN will locate the cached content and deliver the cached content. CDNs will also communicate with the originating server to deliver any content that is not currently cached.
To provide efficient content delivery, the CDN attempts to cache content temporarily in cache memory servers that are likely to be closest to the requesting device or otherwise can deliver the content in the most efficient manner. Therefore, CDNs can reduce latency and bandwidth consumption in a computer network environment.
However, as compared to all content being managed by a typical CDN, the available cache memory is limited and thus content is only cached where and when it is anticipated as being needed. Typically, this is managed by use of "Time To Live" (TTL) which serves to tell the cache memory server how long it should keep an item of content in its cache. Much content, such as many web pages, are static pre-formatted files that are not expected to be updated often over time. It is relatively simple to cache such static content by observing where requests come from for specified content and how often the requests for the content are made. The TTL can be set in accordance with the following considerations:                The higher the TTL, the less frequently caching servers need to query original source of content;        A higher TTL reduces the perceived latency of a site and decreases the dependency on the original source of the content;        The lower the TTL, the sooner the cached record expires—this allows queries for the content to occur more frequently.
When a CDN manages many different types of content, especially dynamic content, such as breaking news reports and blogs, managing service using TTL can become very complicated and less effective. It is known to set the TTL based on the type of content. However, this still falls short of optimizing cached content in a manner that effectively reduces latency and bandwidth needs of a CDN.