A hitch coupling assembly attaching a trailer to a towing vehicle. The towing vehicle including a hitch plate that has an upper surface and an open end for receiving a king pin. The coupling assembly has an arm with opposite ends. A skid plate is attached to one end of the arm and the skid plate has a perimeter defined by sides. The king pin extends from a surface of the skid plate. A journal pin is attached to the opposite end of the arm and is rotatable relative to the arm. The journal pin is optionally lockable or the arm relative to the hitch is optionally lockable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trailer hitch coupling assembly, and more particularly, to a pin box assembly using a combination pin box and extension assembly with locking features to facilitate a change in the axis of rotation of a fifth wheel trailer when attached to a towing vehicle.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Fifth wheel trailers have customarily been adapted with a coupling apparatus which facilitates attachment to a towing vehicle. Typically, a standard fifth wheel hitch is mounted on the towing vehicle, where a standard pin box on the fifth wheel trailer is adapted with a king pin to fit the hitch and properly support the weight of the trailer.
The towing vehicle, equipped with the hitch, and with the trailer secured, can then be driven supporting the trailer, which rotates securely around an axis created by the interconnect between the trailer king pin and the adaptive mount on the hitch.
Numerous advancements in the art have been shown. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,524, a fifth wheel pin box assembly with a rubber shear spring to accomplish appreciable cushioned movement in the connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer.
Another example includes an extension coupling for use with trailers, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,728, in which a retainer assembly engages the trailer hitch to resist rotation around the king pin axis and force rotation of the trailer back to a separate axis. This coupling was developed to accommodate use on only short-bed towing vehicles where a more forward axis of rotation of the trailer could cause impact between the trailer and the cab of the towing vehicle. Additionally, by design, this coupling introduces uneven stress on a trailer hitch in its engagement when turning maneuvers are instituted.
Many consumers of fifth wheel trailers may own different towing vehicles, including those of the short-bed and long-bed varieties. It would be desirable to have a hitch coupling assembly available for use with a variety of towing vehicles, in which the axis of rotation is easily moved forward or backward based on towing-vehicle bed length through use of a locking mechanism.

Rotational trailer hitch coupling assembly


A stabilized white-light-emitting OLED device includes an anode, a cathode, a light-emitting layer disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a stabilizing substituted perylene material, so that the lifetime of the white-light-emitting OLED device is increased.

An OLED device includes a substrate, an anode, an organic luminescent layer, and a cathode. An OLED device often includes a substrate, an anode, a hole-transporting layer made of an organic compound, an organic luminescent layer with suitable dopants, an organic electron-transporting layer, and a cathode. OLED devices are attractive because of their low driving voltage, high luminance, wide-angle viewing, and capability for full-color flat emission displays. Tang et al. described this multilayer OLED device in their U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,769,292 and 4,885,211.
Efficient white light producing OLED devices are considered a low cost alternative for several applications such as paper-thin light sources, backlights in LCD displays, automotive dome lights, and office lighting. White light producing OLED devices should be bright, efficient, and generally have Commission International d'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of about (0.33, 0.33). In any event, in accordance with this disclosure, white light is that light which is perceived by a user as having a white color.
The following patents and publications disclose the preparation of organic OLED devices capable of emitting white light, comprising a hole-transporting layer and an organic luminescent layer, and interposed between a pair of electrodes.
White light producing OLED devices have been reported before by J. Shi (U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,823) wherein the luminescent layer includes red and blue light-emitting materials uniformly dispersed in a host emitting material. This device has good electroluminescent characteristics, but the concentration of the red and blue dopants are very small, such as 0.12% and 0.25% of the host material. These concentrations are difficult to control during large-scale manufacturing. Sato et al. in JP 07,142,169 discloses an OLED device, capable of emitting white light, made by forming a blue light-emitting layer next to the hole-transporting layer and followed by a green light-emitting layer having a region containing a red fluorescent layer.
Kido et al., in Science, Vol. 267, p. 1332 (1995) and in APL Vol. 64, p. 815 (1994), report a white light producing OLED device. In this device three emitter layers with different carrier transport properties, each emitting blue, green or red light, are used to generate white light. Littman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,709 disclose another white emitting device, which is capable of emitting white light in response to hole-electron recombination, and comprises a fluorescent in a visible light range from bluish green to red. Recently, Deshpande et al., in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 75, p. 888 (1999), published a white OLED device using red, blue, and green luminescent layers separated by a hole blocking layer.
However, these OLED devices require a very small amount of dopant concentrations, making the process difficult to control for large-scale manufacturing. Also, emission color varies due to small changes in the dopant concentration. White OLEDs are used making full-color devices using a color filter array. An example of a white color filter array top emitting device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,340. However, the color filter transmits only about 30% of the original light. Therefore, high luminance efficiency and stability are required for the white OLEDs.

Stabilized white-light-emitting OLED device


An electrical box support is provided having either a single strut accommodating a constant stud spacing or a set of struts telescoping one within the other to accommodate the length for attachment to adjacent studs of different spacings. Each strut has a face suited for mounting an electrical box. An end tab formed at each of outer opposite ends of the support is adapted for bending so as to be able to mount an electrical box appropriately matching the surface of a wall board to be installed. Bending of the tab along a controlled straight line is accomplished by the formation of discontinuous score lines formed along each of several bend lines and which permit, when necessary, the end tab to be straightened and rebent without fracturing the metal forming the end tab.

This invention relates in general to an electrical box support but is more specifically directed to the construction at the outer end of the support of a stud-engaging tab that can be bent in the field to conform to a particular box depth and when necessary, straightened and rebent without fracturing the metal forming the tab.
The terms xe2x80x9cboxxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9celectrical boxxe2x80x9d as used herein are intended to refer to a junction box, receptacle box, switch box, terminal box, connector box or the like as are known in the electrical trade. The term xe2x80x9cstudxe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to include structural members in a building surface, including wall studs, joists, rafters, etc. The term xe2x80x9cwallxe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to include ceiling surfaces as well as vertical walls. With these terms in mind, the teachings of the patents described below are given for background and are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,506,330 issued in 1924 recognized the need for an electrical box support capable of accommodating an electrical box of a known depth and studs of different spacing. The ""330 patent teaches the practice of forming an electrical box support from a pair of telescoping, channel formed struts, each having a face to which the box could be attached. The ""330 patent also teaches bending the ends of the support to form right angled tabs for mounting the box support to and between adjacent studs. The ""330 patent box support however required that adjustments for boxes of different depths be made by locating the bent ends of the box support at different locations on the sides of the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,124 issued in 1931 also recognized the need for adjusting the length of an electrical box support by bending the ends of the support to accommodate to studs of different spacing. As with the ""330 patent box support the ""124 patent box support required adjustments for boxes of different depths to be made by locating the bent ends of the box support at different locations on the sides of the stud.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,233,334 issued in 1941 also recognized the need for an electrical box support capable of accommodating electrical boxes of different depth and mounting to studs of different spacing. The ""334 patent teaches the practice of forming an electrical box support from a single bar having a face to which the box could be attached. The ""334 patent also teaches bending the ends of the support to form right angled tabs for mounting the box support between and to adjacent studs. The electrical box support of the ""334 patent however was not adjustable lengthwise and also required that adjustments for boxes of different depths be made by locating the bent ends of the box support at different locations on the sides of the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,188 issued in 1957 illustrates in one embodiment an electrical box support constructed of a pair of struts which telescope within each other so as to be able to adjust to different spacings between the studs and providing a face to which the box could be attached. In the mentioned embodiment, the ""188 patent also illustrates the practice of prebending the ends of the telescoping struts to form tabs useful for attaching the box support to and between adjacent studs of a known spacing. In another embodiment, the ""188 patent illustrates an electrical box support formed from a single flat sheet with bendable tabs at each end. Each tab (described in the patent as the xe2x80x9cend of the rodxe2x80x9d) is described as being provided with equally spaced bend lines (described in the patent as xe2x80x9cequally spaced pointsxe2x80x9d) with a weakened area which in the ""188 patent is described as being a grooved, embossed or etched line along which line the tab can be bent back and forth until the tab breaks off. Thereafter, the next adjacent section to the broken point is bent at right angles to the strut to provide a mounting tab. No details are given in the ""188 patent as to how the bend lines would be grooved, embossed or etched. Here it should be recognized that embossing involves forming a protuberance on a surface, etching involves deforming a surface by use of a corrosive and grooving involves cutting into a surface.
The practice of providing a line of holes in an electrical box support to facilitate bending or breaking of the metal along such line, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,922, issued in 1983, for an electrical outlet box support. The ""922 patent illustrates a pair of weakening lines used to facilitate bending for the purpose of breaking off of excess metal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,453, issued in 1984, illustrates an electrical box support in which a plurality of parallel lines of holes are used to facilitate bending for the purpose of breaking off of excess metal and U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,235, issued in 1987, also describes an electrical receptacle subplate having two pairs of such bend lines defined by lines of spaced apart holes. The subplate of the ""235 plate however unlike the bracket of the present invention, does not accommodate to dimensions which may and typically do vary.
The electrical box support described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,990, issued in 1990, comprises a pair of telescoping struts adapted to be mounted between two spaced-apart wall studs. The struts described in the ""990 patent have tabs (referred to as xe2x80x9cextensionsxe2x80x9d in the ""990 patent) which can be field bent along either of a pair of fold lines defined by spaced apart slots to accommodate electrical boxes of different depth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,444 issued in 1993 describes an electrical box support in both telescoping and non-telescoping form in which the tabs are provided with bend lines defined by spaced apart slots similar to those found in the ""990 patent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,959 issued in 1995 is also noted as teaching use of opposed edge slot notches to establish plural bend lines.
Another practical consideration to be noted is that when brackets are prebent at the place of manufacture and arrive at the job site in a prebent form, the installer may find that the tabs of the bracket have been bent at the wrong location and thus will require straightening and rebending. In other situations, the installer may find that he has an excess quantity of brackets prebent for one job site but which are not suitable for the next job site. In still other situations, the customer may change his requirement, e.g. he may need a 2xe2x85x9 inch outlet box at a particular job site instead of a 1xc2xd inch outlet box. These situations thus further illustrate the need for a tab construction which can be straightened and rebent when necessary without fracturing the metal forming the tab.
To complete the foregoing background description it should be recognized that when tabs are bent in the field, it is sometimes necessary after the tab has been bent once along one bend line to straighten and rebend the tab along another bend line better suited to the depth of the box being mounted. For example, the stud to which the tab is being attached may be found to be distorted or the installer may misjudge or initially select the wrong depth of box. In this regard, applicant""s prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,111, issued in 1995 teaches in a further example the practice of flattening a previously pre-bent tab and rebending the tab to accommodate a different box depth but without relying on any kind of weakening along the bend lines. Therefore, because of the foregoing described and other situations experienced in the field, it is desirable that the tab be relatively easy to bend to accommodate a particular depth of box but not break apart when straightened after being bent and rebent. However, when a bend line is defined by a grooved, embossed or etched line formed so as to intentionally facilitate breaking of the metal as in the ""188 patent referred to above, by a set of holes as in the ""453 patent referred to above or by a set of spaced apart slots as in the ""990 patent referred to above, bending and straightening of the tab even once after the tab has been bent may and often does result in significant weakening or breaking of the metal forming the particular tab which renders useless the strut of which the tab is a part.
The use of slotted holes along the bend lines has not worked satisfactorily when trying to bend the tabs so as to correspond with a particular desired location. In the manufacturing process, it is known that the narrower the cutting blade of a punch, the more apt the punch will be subject to failure i.e. breaking or chipping. For this reason, the type bracket using slotted holes along the bend lines may typically have, for example, 1xe2x85x9 inch wide by xc2xe inch length slotted hole for each bend line in the tab. Though harder to bend, this type tab construction for a tab typically 1xc2xd inches in width leaves ample steel along the bend line for strong support of the mounted tab. One can also bend and rebend the tab on the bend line without weakening or breaking the tab off. The practical disadvantage of the xe2x85x9 inch wide single slotted hole is that bending the tab creates a large radius bend that originates somewhere within the xe2x85x9 inch wide opening. In other words, the tab length can vary up to xe2x85x9 inch. This could be significant, for if the tab is too short, the outlet box mounted on the bracket of which the tab is a part may break out or bow the sheetrock. On the other hand, if the tab is too long, the user of the bracket may have to purchase longer screws in order to be able to mount one or more electrical devices (i.e. switches, plugs, etc.) to an outlet box.
Another practical consideration arises from the fact that when a tab formed with a single slotted punched opening is bent, the center point of the bend at the bottom of the punched opening may reside on the left side of the tab, whereas the center point of the bend at the top of the punched opening may reside on the right side of the tab (or vice versa). This situation thus may cause one side of the tab to be too long, and the other side of the same tab to be too short. In such circumstances, when the bar bracket is secured to the metal studs, the outlet box will typically not lie in a plane that is parallel to the installed sheetrock. Also to be observed is that one tab may be too long and one tab too short on the same bracket. Also to be noted is that when the tab on the bracket is typically 1xc2xd inch wide and contains a single slotted punched hole xc2xe inch in length, there is only xc2xe inch of steel supporting the bracket at each bend point.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,967,990 and 5,209,444 teach other tab constructions in an attempt to compensate for the tab being hard to bend. These patents teach the use of two relatively long slots for each bend line and which effectively remove material at each bend line and make the tabs easier to bend. The problem encountered with this type of slot construction however is that bending and rebending of the tabs at the same bend line may and typically does result in a weakening of the slotted steel. Thus, the tab may break or fail at a future time once installed. When a pair of slots are used to facilitate bending along a bend line, it has also been found that the center line of the bending point can vary from one slot to the next on the same tab. This variation of the center line of the bending point may be as much as xe2x85x9 of an inch and which can make one tab too long and the other tab too short or angle the mounting flange of the tab. Thus once secured with fasteners to the metal studs, the outlet box may not rest in a plane parallel to the sheetrock, or the installer may bow or break out the sheetrock. As stated previously, when the two slots are ⅝ inch in length each and the tab for example is 1xc2xc inches in width, there is only xc2xd inch of steel supporting the bracket at each bend point.
The use of a series of holes to establish a bend line as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,453 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,235 has also been found not to work satisfactorily. One would encounter the same limitations as with the bracket construction shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,967,990; 5,209,444; or U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,959, depending on the size of the punched holes and the number of holes used to establish the bend line. The punched hole pattern described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,453 (FIG. 3), for example, is intended to break apart with little effort. The punched hole pattern described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,235 as another example may create a large radius bend that originates somewhere within the punched hole opening. This may in turn cause the mounting tab to be too long or too short, or angled as discussed previously. Thus, there is a need for an improved tab construction having plural bend lines and which permits the tab to be easily bent in the field to form a relatively sharp bend but which can also be straightened and rebent in the field without breaking the metal when necessary because of having chosen for whatever reason the wrong bend line on which to make the original bend.
From the description given, it can be seen that numerous attempts have been made to find a more satisfactory bend line construction that permits in some cases the tab metal to be broken off and in other cases, permits straightening and rebending without risking breakage of the tab metal. Therefore, the primary object of the invention is to provide a further improved electrical box support with an improved tab construction which can be applied to either a telescoping or non-telescoping type support, can be field bent along a well defined bend line to accommodate boxes of different depths and when necessary, can be straightened and rebent along a different but well defined bend line without risk of breaking the metal forming the tab. As previously expressed in the parent patent application Ser. No. 09/621,149, it is also an object to provide a telescoping type electrical box support which has both an improved tab construction that permits straightening and rebending and a relatively tight but releasably locked engagement between the telescoping struts. Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.
As previously stated, the improved electrical box support tab construction of the present invention is useful for both the telescoping as well as the non-telescoping type electrical box support. The present invention which is primarily directed to an improved tab construction is described by way of example incorporated in the adjustable support construction of the copending parent patent application, Ser. No. 09/621,149 and as comprising in a first embodiment two and in a second embodiment three struts that are assembled in telescoping relation to accommodate different stud spacing. A tab is provided on each of the outer ends of the support. Lines along which the tab can be bent, referred to as bend lines, are defined by two or more discontinuous score lines formed in each bend line and which weaken the metal along the bend line to facilitate bending but permit straightening and rebending of the tab when necessitated by field conditions and without the risk of substantially weakening or breaking the metal forming the tab. The box support assembly of the present invention as with the invention of the parent patent application, Ser. No. 09/621,149 is also illustrated as being formed of outer and inner struts with a series of interengaging detents, i.e. conical or hemispherical shaped depressions, so that the struts can be moved to relative positions in which the outer strut detents engage and nest into opposed inner strut detents to releasably lock the struts together at some selected length.

Field bendable tab for electrical box support


The invention relates to methods for in vitro diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or angina pectoris (AP) by determining the level of neurophysin II in a sample from a patient.

The invention relates to a method for risk stratification for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), in particular acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and angina pectoris (AP), wherein provasopressin (proAVP) or fragments and partial peptides thereof, in particular copeptin or neurophysin II, is determined by an in vitro diagnosis. The invention further relates to suitable combinations of biomarkers for in vitro diagnostics.
Risk stratification is becoming increasingly important for cardiac disease in symptomatic as well as asymptomatic patients. In particular for acute coronary syndrome there is a great need for suitable risk stratification.
Risk stratification is used to identify patients with an unfavorable prognosis, for intensive diagnostics, and for therapy/treatment, with the objective of enabling an optimal clinical outcome. Accordingly, the aim of suitable risk stratification is to follow effective treatment methods for acute coronary syndrome, using percutaneous coronary intervention and the newest medicaments.
Appropriate treatment requires early diagnosis and differentiation of acute coronary syndrome, even upon emergency room admission, in conjunction with clinical decisions. Due to nonspecific symptoms such as chest pain in acute coronary syndrome, the differentiation and delineation from other diseases as well as the identification of acute coronary syndrome are essential.
In the prior art, the use of biochemical markers, in particular classical markers such as cardiac troponin, myoglobin, and CK-MB mass, has been attempted for prognosis of myocardial infarction (Katus, H. A.; Remppis, A.; Scheffold, T.; Diederich, K. W., and Kuebler, W. (1991): Intracellular compartmentation of cardiac troponin T and its release kinetics in patients with reperfused and nonreperfused myocardial infarction, Am J Cardiol 67 (16): 1360-1367). Type B natriuretic peptide (BNP) together with pro-BNP (NT-ProBNP) (EP 1363128 B1, EP 1666881 A2) has proven to be another effective biochemical marker in myocardial diagnostics.
Copeptin (also referred to as C-terminal proAVP) has been described in WO 2006/018315 (BRAHMS AG) as a biomarker for in vitro diagnosis of AMI. A corresponding copeptin assay is disclosed in Morgenthaler et al. (Nils G. Morgenthaler, Joachim Struck, Christine Alonso, and Andreas Bergmann, Assay for the measurement of copeptin, a stable peptide derived from the precursor of vasopressin, Clinical Chemistry 52: 112-119, 2006).
Neurophysin has been described as a marker for nicotine uptake (Robinson A. G., Isolation, assay, and secretion of individual human neurophysins, J Clin Invest 1975; 55: 360-367), malignancy- and nonmalignancy-related syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH), and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (Pullan P. T., Clappison B. H., Johnston C. I., Plasma vasopressin and human neurophysins in physiological and pathological states associated with changes in vasopressin secretion, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1979; 49: 580-587; North W. G., LaRochelle F. T., Jr., Melton J., Mills R. C., Isolation and partial characterization of two human neurophysins: their use in the development of specific radioimmunoassays. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1980; 51: 884-891).
However, a disadvantage of the known diagnostic methods using the markers known heretofore is that early and complete identification of at-risk patients is not achieved, and therefore risk stratification is inadequate. An object of the invention, therefore, is to develop a method for risk stratification for acute coronary syndrome which allows improved identification of at-risk patients.
A further disadvantage is that in the prior art, sufficient sensitivity and/or specificity of the markers is usually not achieved.
A further object, therefore, is to provide a method for risk stratification for acute coronary syndrome, wherein at least one marker or a combination of markers has sufficient sensitivity and specificity in an in vitro diagnosis.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, or angina pectoris by means of neurophysin II


In a fuel loading method for a reactor core made up by high burn-up fuel, fuel assemblies loaded in a circumferential zone of the core are shuffled between two layers of the circumferential zone until residing in the core for two cycles and, after residing for two cycles, are moved to the fourth layer of the circumferential zone from an outermost layer of the core, thereby reducing the difference in exposure due to a different radial power level in the vicinity of the core boundary. Those fuel assemblies are moved to control cells in a central zone of the core after residing in the circumferential zone for three cycles, and also such fuel assemblies as having resided in the central zone for three cycles are moved to the core outermost layer, thereby reducing the difference in exposure between the fuel assemblies having resided in the central zone and the fuel assemblies having resided in the circumferential zone due to different power levels in the central and circumferential zones. As a result, the difference in exposure between used fuel assemblies is reduced.

The present invention relates to a fuel loading method for reactor cores, and more particularly to a fuel loading method suitable for a core made up by high burn-up fuels as well as to a reactor core constructed by such fuel loading method.
A core of a boiling water reactor is constructed by arraying fuel assemblies in the form of a rectangular lattice. Within the core, there are mixedly present fuel assemblies which are different in residence period (or the number of residence cycles) from one another. During each period of periodical inspection of a reactor, approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of total fuel assemblies (used fuel assemblies) in the core is usually replaced with fresh ones. Depending on the number of residence cycles, the fuel assemblies are also different in exposure and neutron infinite multiplication factor from one another. Accordingly, the fuel assemblies loaded in a core position of interest would have different powers, even if the fuel assemblies surrounding this fuel assembly are arrayed under the same conditions. In a usual core, to easily meet thermal limiting conditions for the core operation, a core unit cell is made up by four fuel assemblies adjacent to the position where a cross-shaped control rod is inserted, and those fuel assemblies making up each core unit cell are made different in the number of residence cycles from one another.
In conventional cores, it is general to load those fuel assemblies having the maximum number of residence cycles at the outermost periphery of the core, and load other fuel assemblies having the different numbers of residence cycles inside the outermost periphery of the core in an evenly dispersed manner. The resulting evened radial power distribution across the core is flat in an inner region of the core, but distorted to a large extent in an outer region of the core due to the presence of the core boundary. Accordingly, if the fuel assemblies arranged in the outer region of the core remain there, those fuel assemblies would be discharged out of the core before reaching a target degree of discharge exposure, with the result of poor fuel economy. In general, therefore, the fuel assemblies loaded in the outer region of the core are appropriately moved within the core (called fuel shuffling) so that all the fuel assemblies discharged out of the core may reach a target degree of discharge exposure as near as practicable. The fuel shuffling is performed during periodical inspection periods after shutdown of the reactor.
JP, A, 56-87891 discloses a conventional fuel loading method comtemplating that the core radial power distribution is distorted in the outer region of the core. In order that burnable poison contained in the fuel assemblies loaded in a circumferential zone of the core is completely burned up while leaving no burnable poison and the loss of excess reactivity is not caused, the disclosed prior art proposes to divide the core into a central zone and a circumferential zone, and load fresh fuel assemblies in the third layer from the outermost layer of the circumferential zone. After residing for one operation cycle, those fuel assemblies loaded in the third layer are moved to the second layer from the outermost layer for the purpose of making the core radial power distribution more flat.


An apparatus for making spunbonded nonwoven has a spinneret for emitting the continuous filaments in a filament-travel direction, a cooling chamber downstream in the direction from the spinneret and receiving the filaments, and two air-supply manifolds flanking the chamber for feeding cooling air thereinto transverse to the direction. A flow straightener for equalizing flow of the cooling air on the filaments is provided in at least one of the air-supply manifolds and has passage walls forming a plurality of flow passages that extend transversely to a filament-travel direction. A flow cross section of the flow straightener is greater than 85% (preferably more than 90%) of a cross-sectional size of the straightener, a ratio of a length L of the flow passages to an inner diameter Di of the flow passages L/Di is 1 to 15.

A known apparatus for making spunbonded nonwovens from continuous filaments, particularly from continuous thermoplastic filaments, comprises a spinneret for spinning the continuous filaments, a cooling chamber for cooling the spun filaments with cooling air, a respective air-supply manifold is provided on each of the opposing sides of the cooling chamber for feeding cooling air into the cooling chamber from the respective oppositely situated air-supply manifolds, and flow straighteners in the air-supply manifolds for equalizing the cooling air fed from the air-supply manifolds.
In the context of the invention, "spunbonded nonwoven" refers particularly to a spunbond fabric that is made by the spunbond process. Continuous filaments differ from staple fibers by of their quasi endless length, whereas staple fibers have much shorter lengths of 10 mm to 60 mm, for example.
Various versions of the apparatus of the type described above are known from practice. Many of these known apparatuses have the disadvantage that the spunbonded nonwovens made with them are not always sufficiently homogeneous over their entire surface. Many spunbonded nonwovens have objectionable inhomogeneities shaped as imperfections or defects. The number of inhomogeneities generally increases as the throughput and/or yarn speed increases. One typical imperfection in such spunbonded nonwovens is caused by so-called "drops." These arise as a result of the tearing-off of one or more soft or molten filaments, resulting in a melt accumulation that causes a defect in the spunbonded nonwoven. Such imperfections usually have a size of greater than 2 mm by 2 mm. Imperfections in the spunbonded nonwovens can also be made as a result of so-called "hard pieces." These arise as follows: As a result of tension loss, a filament can relax, snap back, and form a ball that creates the defect in the spunbonded nonwoven surface. Such imperfections are usually smaller than 2 mm by 2 mm. Many spunbonded nonwovens or spunbonded fleeces made by known processes exhibit such inhomogeneities, especially if high throughputs are used in their production.

Apparatus for making spunbonded nonwoven from continuous filaments

REIFENHAEUSER GMBH & CO. KG MASCHINENFABRICK


An apparatus (10) for handling specimen slides comprises a first module receiving region (18) in which a coverslipping module (100, 200), for coverslipping thin sections arranged on the specimen slides with a coverslipping medium and a coverslipping element, is receivable. A first electrical interface is provided in the first module receiving region (18) for attachment of a coverslipping module (100, 200), this interface being embodied so that by way of it, both a glass coverslipping module (100) for coverslipping with glass wafers and a tape coverslipping module (200) for coverslipping with tapes is attachable. The first module receiving region (18) is furthermore embodied in such a way that a tape coverslipping module (200) or a glass coverslipping module (100) is selectably receivable in it.

For microscopic investigations, the samples to be investigated are cut with the aid of microtomes into very thin slices called "thin sections." The thin sections are then placed onto specimen slides and are coverslipped, using coverslipping machines, with a coverslipping medium and a coverslipping element; once the coverslipping medium is dry, they can then be conveyed to a microscope for microscopy. The coverslipping elements used here are on the one hand glass coverslips in the form of thin glass wafers, or alternatively tapes.
The handling of glass wafers and of tapes in the context of coverslipping is fundamentally different, so that correspondingly different coverslipping modules must be used therefor. With known coverslipping machines the customer must decide, upon purchase, whether he or she wishes to have a coverslipping machine for coverslipping with glass wafers, or a coverslipping machine for coverslipping with tapes. With many machines, subsequent conversion is not possible at all or requires considerable outlay, since the coverslipping machine must be sent for that purpose to the manufacturing company's customer service department, which must laboriously rebuild it.

Apparatus for handling specimen slides having selectably receivable glass or tape coverslipping modules


A passenger restraint system of a vehicle includes a passenger restraint article with an interface, and a locking device that secures the interface. In some embodiments, the vehicle includes a vertical channel that enables the locking device to travel up and down. The locking device may include a camera that enables the locking device to align with the interface, and once aligned, the locking device secures the interface. In additional or alternative embodiments, the locking device includes two C-bars and a biasing element that urges the locking device into an open position. When the passenger sits or leans against the opened C-bars, the force caused by the interface on the C-bars overcomes the force applied by the biasing element, urging the C-bars into a closed position. The locking device is then secured by engaging a locking bar that pushes against a surface of the C-bars.

This disclosure relates generally to passenger restraints and, more particularly, to restraining passengers in vehicles using an interface that couples a passenger to a locking device of a vehicle via a passenger restraint article, such as a jacket, vest, belt, or any other similar article.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to help provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
A vehicle, such as an amusement ride or theme park vehicle may include a passenger restraint system, in forms such as a seat or lap belt, buckles, a lap bar, and so on, to secure a passenger in the vehicle. However, these conventional restraints may excessively restrict movement of passengers, such as movement of arms, legs, and/or hips of the passengers. Moreover, these restraints may not be inclusive of passengers with certain physical traits or characteristics. In some cases, these restraints may inhibit or take away from the experience of the amusement ride. Additionally, at least some of these restraints may not be controlled by a ride operator at a remote location.

Jacket/vest passenger restraint systems and methods


A set top box receives from a remote control device one or more of a codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information. The set top box then causes information representative of the received codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information to be displayed in a display device associated with the set top box.

Remote control devices transmit operational signals to control electronic consumer devices such as TVs, VCRs, set-top boxes, audio home theatre systems, and CD/DVD players. Each operational signal communicates a keycode associated with a selected electronic consumer device. Each keycode corresponds to a function of the selected electronic consumer device, such as power on, power off, volume up, volume down, play, stop, select, channel up, channel down, etc. A particular brand and make of electronic consumer device responds to operational signals. Each operational signal encodes a keycode. The electronic consumer device receives the operational signal, decodes the keycode, and in response performs a corresponding function. The set of keycodes (as well as associated system codes, protocol information and/or formatting information) for generating operational signals for a particular electronic consumer device is referred to here as a codeset.
A remote control device uses a particular codeset to control a corresponding electronic consumer device. A universal remote control (URC) device, on the other hand, generally stores hundreds of codesets in a codeset database and can be programmed to use a particular codeset among the codeset database to control a corresponding electronic consumer device.
There are many codesets used in the market. Each codeset is identified by a codeset identifier. Because of the large number of different electronic consumer devices and corresponding codesets, it is difficult to discover the codeset identifier that is used by a particular remote control device. It is also difficult to program a universal remote control device that is capable of controlling a very large number of different electronic consumer devices.

Communicating discovery information from remote control devices


The present invention is directed to a bulkhead mounting assembly comprising a bulkhead-securing flange on an integral body having a large diameter externally threaded portion and a small diameter externally threaded portion with the large diameter externally threaded portion engaging a bulkhead-securing nut of sufficient diameter so as to pass over the small diameter externally threaded portion and an outer coaxial conduit-securing nut engaging the small diameter-threaded portion and preferably any cap placed on an inner coaxial conduit such as used to secure ultra high purity conditions within the inner coaxial conduit.

The prior art has utilized various assemblies for the interface of a conduit passing through a bulkhead or wall. In some instances, the assembly has constituted the juncture between one conduit meeting a second conduit at the location of a bulkhead or wall. In other instances, such assemblies have been merely to secure a conduit as it passes through a bulkhead or wall.
In addition, various structural means are known for securing capped valves for pneumatic tires, wherein a nut securing the valve to the tire casing is capable of passing over a cap that precludes external exposure of the valve assembly.
For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,885,042 a hydraulic coupling is shown, wherein a nut 5 secures the body A to a wall B and a conduit 15 is secured in the coupling A by means of an internally threaded surface and nut C. It is disclosed that nut 5 can pass over nut C.
A valve for a pneumatic tire is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 637,919 wherein a tire stem has flange T and an outward threaded portion in housing H engaging a nut C which is larger than cap E threaded over the end of the valve assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,296 discloses a bulkhead mounting for fluid fittings having a nut 104 which engages a bulkhead B which is larger than a threaded portion 78a on a discreet assembly distinct from the assembly 28a that nut 104 is securely threaded to. The nut 104 is secured to component 28a and not the component 72a on which the threads 78a are fanned.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,301 discloses a well fixture seal having apparatus with multiple diameter threaded regions including 16 and 13. Nut 28 is not described as being larger than any nut engaging thread 16 and nut 28 does not interact with an interval flange for securing the fixture.
Swiss Patent 81540 discloses a pneumatic tire valve having a flange a.sup.1, a large threaded portion a and a small threaded portion a.sup.3 which engages a cap l which entirely secures the end of the valve assembly. Nut f can pass over the cap l.
The deficiencies and drawbacks of the prior art as recited above are overcome by the unique configuration of the present invention, which provides ease of assembly in a minimum number of components, while providing the flexibility to secure ultra high purity conduits in a coaxial arrangement in a bulkhead in an environment that is not ultra high purity. Such advantages are set forth in greater detail below.

Coaxial conduit bulkhead mounting assembly


A decoration article for use on automobiles is made up of a decoration top cap, a round disc and a double-sided adhesive piece. The round disc conforming identically to the structure of the double-sided adhesive piece has a central engaging protrusion for the passage of a screw and a square hole adjacent the central protrusion for water to be discharged therethrough when mounted to a water discharge spout of a windshield system. The decoration top cap is provided with a recess on the peripheral wall thereof so as to permit water to be discharged via the recess. The double-sided adhesive piece enables the decoration piece to be attached to the engine hood or trunk lid of a vehicle and the screw or bolt permits the decoration article to be firmly fixed to an outer lid of a wheel for ornament purpose.

The present invention relates to a decoration article for use on automobiles, which is made up of a replaceable decoration top cap provided with artistic design, a round disc and a double-sided adhesive piece. The round disc conforming identically to the structure of the double-sided adhesive piece has a central protrusion for the passage of a screw and a square hole adjacent the central protrusion for water to pass when mounted to a water discharge spout of a windshield wiper system of a vehicle. The decoration top cap is provided with a recess on the peripheral wall thereof so as to permit water to be discharged via the recess. The double-sided adhesive piece enables the decoration piece to be attached to the engine hood or trunk lid of a vehicle and the screw or bolt permits the decoration article to be firmly fixed to an outer lid of a wheel for ornament purpose.
The decoration article of the present invention is mounted to a water discharge spout of a windshield wiper system or an outer lid of a wheel of an automobile and various decoration top caps can be selectively replaced according to individual preference.
To decorate an automobile, bumper stickers and artistic stickers ore attached to the engine hood, windows and trunk lid. Such colorful decoration stickers of various designs are selected according to individual preference. They are no serious disadvantages in the prior art decoration articles, but there are still some room for provision of improved decoration articles that can be selectively replaced with ease.

Decoration article mounted to an automobile


A post-processing device (1) for simultaneously performing both square folding and trimming of a booklet (3), wherein the device (1) comprises a square folding assembly (8) and a cutting assembly (5) at least one of which is movably attached to the post-processing device (1), and a clamping assembly (17) for holding the booklet (3) static during operation of the square folding assembly (8) and the cutting assembly (5). Also, a method of operating such a device (1).

Image forming devices, such as printers, are commonly combined with post-processing devices configured to perform post-processing operations such as folding and stacking of papers into a booklet, binding of sheets of the booklet by stapling, trimming edges of the booklet and square folding the bound edge of the booklet. Typically, such post-processing machines are adapted to receive papers from an input side, such as a right-hand side, and output the processed papers on an output side, such as a left-hand side. Several machines are therefore connected in series after each other, each machine having its own function, such as one machine for folding, one machine for squarefolding and one machine for trimming.
An example of a machine performing both squarefolding and trimming is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,928 B2. Another example of a machine performing both squarefolding and trimming is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,174,814 B2.
It is an object of the invention to provide a smaller yet fast machine capable of squarefolding and trimming a booklet.

Device and method for simultaneous square folding of the spine and trimming of booklets


Disclosed are mesophasic optical articles, methods of making mesophasic articles and methods of using mesophasic articles. In particular, this invention relates to mesophasic optical articles that can be prepared in situ with out the need of calcination, sintering, solvent evaporation, or other common method.

Some current optical devices for holographic data storage, diffractive optical elements (DOEs), holographic optical elements (HOEs), gradient refractive index (GRIN) materials, optical circuits, and optical waveguides use an organic polymer matrix in conjunction with a photopolymerizable material to record light intensity dependent gratings. The inherent advantages of such systems are ease of fabrication, high dynamic range, high sensitivity, good archival life of recorded gratings, and good shelf life. The easiest way to increase the dynamic range of these particular systems is to increase the amount of photopolymerizable material. However, as the photopolymerizable material polymerizes during recording, the photopolymerizable material can shrink, which distorts the optical devices and the holographic recordings thereon. Distortion of the gratings hinders readout of recorded data and changes the wavelength of reflection for display holograms.
Additionally, the sensitivity of grating formation is dependent on the concentration of the photopolymerizable material (monomers and photoinitiators); the sensitivity increases with increases in concentration of photopolymerizable material. Yet again though, shrinkage prevents arbitrarily increasing the concentration of photopolymerizable material. One way to circumvent this concentration limitation is to use a preformed rigid matrix support; for example, a matrix can be made from aerogel, xerogel or from Vycor (a porous silicate glass made by Coming Incorporated). These preformed rigid supports contain channels in which the photopolymerizable material can be inserted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,629 to Parker et al. discusses the use of an aerogel material (usually comprised of silica) to form a rigid glass matrix. A photopolymerizable material is infused into the aerogel matrix and then sealed as a single unit. Parker et al. indicate that such a device eliminates problems associated with polymerization induced shrinkage and thus allows for increased dynamic range and sensitivity.
However, one of several disadvantages of using an aerogel, xerogel or Vycor as a supporting matrix is that the matrix is made independently of the device and then the photosensitive material is infused into aerogel or xerogel matrix (as mentioned above). Another disadvantage is that the loading of the photosensitive material into the porous glass structure is difficult (resistance to flow can be high depending on the photosensitive material) and sometimes air can be entrapped in the matrix during loading.
Yet another disadvantage is that without added crosslinker or other mechanism, a recorded spatial light intensity pattern can decrease with time. This is because the formed photopolymer can slowly diffuse through the channels (when the channels are large). In the very least, the use of a porous inorganic glass material involves the additional manufacturing step of infusing the photosensitive material into the porous inorganic matrix as compared to organic matrix systems wherein the organic matrix is formed in situ as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,454 to Dhar et al. (The latter organic matrix was not mesophasic).
Aerogels, xerogels, and vycor like materials are all made with a templating agent. The templating agent helps to form the desired mesophase. Typical sol-gel reactions occur during and after mesophase formation, creating at least one inorganic phase. The templating agent is then removed. The article is then typically heated to drive off all templating agents, solvents, and condenstates. As mentionsed above, it is at this stage that the material is then infused with photosensitive components forming an organic-inorganic hybrid mesophasic material.
Independent of holographic data storage technology, the field of organic mesophasic materials has enjoyed much attention in the past two decades. Previously, aspects of this field of research were used to develop liquid crystal displays and a variety of novel composite materials. However, more recent interest has been in the development of materials with special morphologies such as hexagonal, lamellar, and interpenetrating cubic phases. Where as the former phases are more widely known and fairly well characterized, the cubic phase is less known and less characterized. See D. L. Gin, et al., Acc. Chem. Res., 34, 974–980, 2001. The unique material properties afforded by the interpenetrating cubic phase has similar characteristics to that of sol-gels and porous inorganics in that two distinct phases are present. Additionally, depending on the molecular size of the constituents that form the cubic phase, the resultant material can be clear and free of light scatter. See I. W. Hameley, et al. Langmuir, 18, 1051–1055, 2002.
Uses for these organically derived mesophasic systems have been limited compared to their inorganic counterparts by the transient nature of the phases themselves. For instance, the phases of the organically derived mesophasic systems typically exist only in small temperature ranges and with specific concentrations of the constituents. Recent work has been done to lock down the structure of the organic mesophasic systems by free radical polymerization of functional groups located on the constituent molecules, for example, see D. L. Gin, et al., Acc. Chem. Res., 34, 974–980, 2001; E. Tsuchida, et al., Macromolecules, 25, 207–212, 1992; M. Jung, A. L. German, H. R. Fischer, Colloid Polym Sci 279, 105–113,2001; S. Liu and D. F. O'Brien, Macromolecules, 32, 5519–5524, 1999; W. Srisiri, et al., Langmuir, 14, 1921–1926, 1998; and T. M. Sisson, et. al., Macromolecules, 29, 8321–8329, 1996. Using free radical polymerization of functional groups did extend the thermal range and stability of the locked in phase when the polymerization was performed quickly, as is typically the situation in photopolymerization. Other methods of locking the phase have been to polymerize a polymer into the channels of the mesophasic systems to lend structural support to the channel system. See C. L. Lester, et. al., Macromolecules, 34:25, 8587–8589, 2001. This method has shown some promising results for stabilizing the phase and some interesting polymerization kinetic data was also revealed. For instance, polymerization rates are enhanced in some mesophasic materials. See C. L. Lester, et. al., Macromolecules, 34:25, 8587–8589, 2001).
The organic mesophasic materials represent an advantage over previous inorganic mesophasic materials in that the templating agents can often be left in the material or that the material itself naturally forms mesophases. However, previous organic-inorganic sol-gel materials were structurally more stable. A combination of the mechanical stability of the sol-gel materials and the ease of formation of the organic mesophasic materials is desirable.

Light sensitive media for optical devices using organic mesophasic materials


An adjusting arrangement for pre-crash adjustment of at least one vehicle component, in particular of a vehicle seat, is disclosed, having an adjusting device with two entry connections, and a control device for receiving an entry signal and output of a control signal to the adjusting device for adjusting the vehicle component in a crash—secure position. The switching device can be adjusted between a normal operating position and a quick adjustment position. The control device emits, upon recognizing a pre-crash situation, a switching signal for adjusting the switching device into the quick adjustment position, and a second voltage is applied at the entry connections of the adjusting device in the quick adjusting position, which is greater than a first voltage applied in the normal operating position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjusting system for a vehicle car seat.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical adjusting system is, for example, known from WO 01/45979 A1, DE 199 61 799 A1 and DE 197 49 838. In this instance, an imminent impact such as, for example, with an obstacle situated in front of the vehicle, is recognized by sensors on the vehicle and a control signal emitted by the control device to an adjusting device, so that same can set a crash—secure position of a vehicle component before the impact, for example, a restraining belt or a seat component.
In virtue of such an adjustment a higher level of crash—safety is possible in many situations. Nevertheless, frequently the time available after recognition of the pre-crash situation for adjustment of the vehicle component is too brief, in particular at high travel speeds of one's own or another's vehicle or with an inadequate performance of the adjusting device.
DE 199 39 183 C1 discloses a boarding assist, wherein upon actuating a release lever for a seat back adjustment, an adjusting motor is operated by the user for longitudinal adjustment of the seat with a higher speed that in the case of a normal comfort adjustment. DE 101 15 523 A1 discloses an aircraft seat arrangement, wherein two seats are connected via a data line and supplied with current by means of two separate systems, whereby upon failure of one component a switch-over to the partner component is done.
The object of the invention is to provide improvements upon known adjusting arrangements and, in particular, to make possible a safe adjustment of a pre-crash position.

Setting system for pre-crash setting of a motor vehicle seat


A marine propulsion device having a powerhead drivingly connected to a propeller shaft, a lower unit rigidly connected to the powerhead and supporting the propeller shaft, a swivel bracket spaced from the lower unit and the powerhead and adapted to allow pivotal movement of the powerhead and the lower unit around a generally vertical steering axis, a connecting link between the swivel bracket and one of the powerhead and the lower unit, a portion of the link being spaced from the powerhead, and a pad for deadening noise generated by the powerhead, the pad being adjacent the link and at least partially filling the space between the link and the powerhead.

The invention relates to a means for reducing the sound pressure emitted from the powerhead and lower unit area of an outboard motor.
Other means for either reducing the sound emitted from an outboard motor or reducing the vibration caused by the operation of the motor are shown in the following patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,090,463 Yanda, J. D. 5/21/63 3,195,530 Heidner, R. C. 5/31/62 3,557,902 Brown, N. F. 1/26/71 Stulac, J. F. 3,599,594 Taipale, D. L. 8/17/71 4,723,926 Hidehiko, U. 2/9/88 ______________________________________
Additional means are shown in the following publications:
1. Johnson Outboard Parts Catalog, Page 6-4, for the exhaust housing of a 1971, 9.5 hp motor (PN 385065); and,
2. Johnson 1973 Parts Catalog, for 50 hp outboard motor, page 20, (PN 386136).

Sound deadening pad for an outboard motor


A process for forming a catalyst from a catalytic metal precursor, a chelating bisphosphite and a bulky monophosphite, with a slightly greater than stoichiometric amount of chelating bisphosphite relative to catalytic metal under a CO partial pressure at least 25 psig.

The invention relates to a hydroformylation process that employs a organopolyphosphite ligand and an organomonophosphite ligand.
US 2010/0069680 teaches that hydroformylation reactions featuring a mixture of a chelating bisphosphite and a bulky monophosphite ligand, where the bisphosphite is employed at a less than stoichiometric amount relative to rhodium and the process is operated in the negative order region of the carbon monoxide partial pressure curve, can provide improved control of the product isomer ratio. This technology can allow practitioners to tailor their processes to meet shifting market and customer demands. However, when the components of such a mixed ligand system are initially charged to a reactor, the bisphosphite ligand rapidly coordinates to a portion of the rhodium, resulting in a stable rhodium-bisphosphite complex. In principal, the remaining rhodium is ligated by the bulky monophosphite; however, rhodium-bulky monophosphite complexes form at a relatively slow rate under hydroformylation conditions. Thus, in a reactor charged with rhodium and a bulky monophosphite alone or with a bulky monophosphite and a substoichiometric amount of bisphosphite, some portion of the rhodium may not initially be ligated. This results in a situation where valuable rhodium may be deposited or lost in parts of the process.
Increasing the concentration of the bulky monophosphite might appear to be a solution to this problem. However, many preferred bulky monophosphites are only modestly soluble in the reaction matrix, which limits their final concentration. Additionally phosphite ligand degradation reactions are typically positive order (i.e., the more ligand present, the faster it decomposes), which creates operational issues and increases cost when using a large excess of ligand. Thus, there exists a need for an improved process for forming a hydroformylation catalyst, which process would reduce the risk of losing valuable rhodium and reduce the risk of accelerated ligand degradation.


An infrared imager includes an array of capacitance sensors that operate at room temperature. Each infrared capacitance sensor includes a deflectable first plate which expands due to absorbed thermal radiation relative to a non-deflectable second plate. In one embodiment each infrared capacitance sensor is composed of a bi-material strip which changes the position of one plate of a sensing capacitor in response to temperature changes due to absorbed incident thermal radiation. The bi-material strip is composed of two materials with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients.

Instruments for the measurement of infrared (IR) radiation are becoming increasingly important for a variety of commercial and non-commercial applications. Research into the development of uncooled sensors with response throughout the infrared spectrum has been particularly important due to the limitation on the operation of cooling systems. Uncooled infrared sensors would have important applications for space-based remote-sensing of thermal sources, night vision, target identification, thermal mapping, event detection, motion detection, and others. The limitations of the performance of the existing uncooled sensors often are the primary constraints to the performance of infrared imaging systems for many applications. As a result, there has been considerable investment in the development of uncooled infrared sensors.
A broad assortment of infrared detectors has been developed over the last 40 years. In most cases, they may be classified as either quantum or thermal detectors, depending upon whether the incoming radiation is converted to excitations which are collected, or is converted to heat and detected through changes in temperature. In general, a quantum detector which operates at detector temperatures T.sub.d is usually superior to a thermal detector at the same temperatures for infrared frequencies in which h.nu.>>k.sub.B T.sub.d, where h is Planck's constant and k.sub.B is Boltzmann's constant. However, for infrared frequencies in which h.nu.<<k.sub.B T.sub.d thermal detectors represent the only functional technology. The operation of quantum detectors is limited by the availability of efficient photon conversion mechanisms, while the operation of thermal detectors is limited by the availability of sensitive thermometers. Only thermal infrared sensors operate in the mid-to-far infrared range (.lambda.>10 .mu.m) at room temperature.
The pneumatic infrared detector, which was originally developed by Golay, is classified as a thermal detector. Golay's detector consists of a small cavity filled with gas at room temperature. The cavity is separated from the surroundings by a window and a thin, flexible membrane. The membrane is coated on one side with a thin metallic film, which has significant absorption throughout the infrared spectrum whenever the sheet resistance of the film is approximately half of the impedance of free space. The trapped gas in the Golay cell is heated by contact with the membrane and expanded thermally, which forces the membrane to deflect outward. This deflection is usually detected with optical or capacitive displacement transducers. At present, these detectors are bulky, fragile, difficult to fabricate, and expensive. Nevertheless, they have been widely used, primarily because of their improvement in sensitivity over all other room-temperature detectors in the mid-to-far infrared range. Attempts to miniaturize the Golay cell for incorporation into focal plane arrays have been unsuccessful because of scaling laws which relate the sensitivity of conventional displacement transducers and their active area. The need for focal-plane arrays of uncooled detectors stimulated tile development of pyroelectric detector arrays, the best of which are 5-10 times less sensitive than the Golay cell.
Current state-of-the-art uncooled IR focal plane arrays use many different thermal detection mechanisms such a bolometric (sensor resistance is modulated by temperature), pyroelectric (dielectric constant is modulated by temperature), and thermoelectric effects. As discussed above, thermo-mechanical effects have been explored using modifications of the Golay cell. The performance of IR imagers based on these technologies is limited compared with imagers based on direct photon conversion, such as PtSi detectors operated 77 K, and also is considerably worse than the theoretical background limited performance. In all approaches, the fundamental limits to the performance are controlled by the ability to thermally isolate the detector from its surroundings, the detector sensitivity to a change in temperature, and the introduction of extraneous noise sources. One of the reasons for degraded performance is the parasitic thermal resistance paths inherent in the supporting structures of the sensing elements. Another reason is the electronic noise present in the readout scanning circuitry.
With the above considerations in mind, the present invention is based on the development of an IR capacitance structure that deflects the position of a plate in response to temperature changes.

Infrared imager using room temperature capacitance sensor


A method of manufacturing an array substrate of a transflective liquid crystal display is provided. Utilizing backward exposure and half-tone photo-mask to reduce the number of photo-masks used in the manufacturing process, only three to four photo-masks are used to manufacture a transflective liquid crystal display.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an array substrate of a liquid crystal display (LCD). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an array substrate of a transflective LCD.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, the progress of opto-electronic technology and the rapid development of digital technology push forward the expansion of the LCD market. Because the LCD has many advantages such as high display quality, small size, light weight, low driving voltage and low power consumption, it has been widely applied to many electronics products such as PDAs, mobile phones, digital videos, notebooks, desk-top displays, digital cameras and projection TVs. Nowadays, LCDs are gradually replacing traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and becoming the mainstream product in the display market.
The manufacturing processes of manufacturing an array substrate of a LCD mainly comprise three kinds of different manufacturing processes, the deposition process, the lithography process and the etching process. Among these processes, the lithography process has the highest production cost. Therefore, many LCD manufacturers tried to reduce LCD production cost by reducing the number of photo-masks needed in the lithography process.

Method of manufacturing an array substrate of a transflective liquid crystal display


A thin film of silicon is formed on an electrically insulating substrate, such as transparent quarts, by deposition, such as glow discharge or CVD method. The thin film of silicon thus formed normally does not have a monocrystalline structure, but, in this manner, the thin film of silicon can be formed on a relatively large surface area. The substrate having formed thereon the thin film is then placed on a support plate, preferably, of a silicon wafer, and, then, a blanket light irradiation is carried out by a plurality of tungsten halogen lamps. The light irradiated from the lamps is preferentially absorbed by the support plate of silicon wafer which is thus heated and then transfers heat to the thin film by conduction. Thus, the thin film is heated uniformly by heat conduction so that the thin film is heat treated, thereby obtaining a desired property. For example, the thin film is monocrystallized uniformly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method of heat treatment by irradiation, and, in particular, to a method of heat-treating a thin film utilizing irradiation of light. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for annealing a thin film formed on a substrate so as to provide a desired property to the thin film, such as single crystalline or microcrystalline structure or photoconductive characteristic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to deposit a thin film on a support which has a relatively large surface and which is not crystalline in structure and to anneal this thin film by a laser beam, an electron beam, etc., thereby providing a single crystalline structure in the thin film. Such a prior art method allows to form a single crystalline thin film large in surface area, which is expected to contribute to various improvements in such electronics devices as a switching device for driving a liquid crystal display, a switching device for a unity magnification photosensor, and CCD image sensor.
However, in the prior art method, since the thin film deposited on the support does not normally have a desired single crystalline structure and it is often amorphous or polycrystalline, in, structure, the thin film must be annealed to give it desired properties. For this purpose, the thin film is heat-treated to obtain a single crystalline structure, for example. In accordance with the prior art method, in such a case, use is normally made of a laser beam or an electron beam to carry out annealing of the thin film; however, such a beam annealing requires scanning an annealing beam across the large surface area so that there must be provided a control system for beam scanning, and, moreover, such a prior art method is significantly time consuming.

156DIG64
XCL 156DIG69
XCL 156DIG73
XCL 156DIG80


A gear mechanism may include a first gear, a second gear which is coaxially disposed with the first gear and is provided with a recessed part on an end face of a first gear side, and a torque limiter provided between the first gear and the second gear. The torque limiter includes inner teeth provided on a ring-shaped inner peripheral face of the recessed part, and a torque limiter member provided with an engaging claw capable of engaging with the inner teeth and integrally rotating with the first gear in the recessed part. The second gear is an inclined teeth gear whose teeth bottoms are inclined with respect to an axial line direction and teeth bottoms of the inner teeth are extended in parallel with the axial line direction. The gear mechanism may be utilized in a drawer drive device in a refrigerator which includes a motor, a rack linearly moved by the motor for moving a drawer in the refrigerator, an output gear engaged with the rack, and a rotation transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of the motor to the output gear. The rotation transmission mechanism includes the gear mechanism and a worm gear.

A drawer drive device by which a drawer or the like in a refrigerator is automatically set in an open state is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-185333. A drawer drive device described in the Patent Literature includes a motor as a drive source and a linearly moving member which is connected with a drawer. Rotation of the motor is transmitted to the linearly moving member through a reduction gear train and a rotation-linear motion conversion mechanism and thereby the drawer is moved from a close position to an open position as the linearly moving member is moved in one direction.
The drawer which is to be moved from a close position to an open position by driving of a motor may be forcibly prevented from its movement by a user. In this case, a large force applied to the drawer by a user is transmitted to the motor through the rotation-linear motion conversion mechanism and the reduction gear train and thus structural members structuring the rotation-linear motion conversion mechanism and the reduction gear train and the motor may be damaged by the force. In order to prevent this damage, in the drive device in the above-mentioned Patent Literature, a torque limiter is arranged on the way of the reduction gear train so that a large force applied to the drawer is prevented from being transmitted to the motor.
The torque limiter described in above-mentioned Patent Literature is provided between two spur gears which are coaxially disposed. Further, one of two spur gears which are coaxially disposed is formed with a recessed part on an end face on the other spur gear side and the torque limiter is structured in the recessed part.
When a torque limiter is structured in the recessed part which is provided on an end face of a spur gear, a space for disposing the torque limiter is required to secure on its inner peripheral side and thus it is difficult to reduce the size of the spur gear in a radial direction.
If a space between a circumscribing circle which circumscribes the recessed part and a tooth tip circle of the spur gear is set to be small, the size of the spur gear can be reduced in the radial direction while securing a space structuring the torque limiter on an inner peripheral side of the spur gear. However, when the gear mechanism is structured as described above, a tube-shaped part which is located on an outer peripheral side relative to the recessed part of the spur gear may be easily damaged by a force which is transmitted through the torque limiter. Especially, in a case that the torque limiter is structured of inner teeth which are formed on a ring-shaped inner peripheral face of the recessed part and a torque limiter member provided with a locking pawl for engaging with the inner teeth, when a space between the circumscribing circle which circumscribes the recessed part and a tooth tip circle of outer teeth of the spur gear is set to be small, the thickness in the radial direction becomes extremely thin at a portion of the tube-shaped part where a tooth bottom of the outer teeth is located on its outer peripheral side and where a tooth bottom of the inner teeth is located on its inner peripheral side. Further, the thin portion is extended in an axial line direction and is formed at plural positions with a constant interval in the circumferential direction. As a result, strength of the spur gear is decreased and the spur gear is easily damaged.

Gear mechanism and drawer drive device in refrigerator


A ball testing device having a compact housing with a microphone for receiving the sound generated when a ball strikes a surface and generating output signals. An electrical circuit in said housing is configured to receive the output signals and process the signals to determine the time lapse between the first and second and the second and third successive bounces of the ball and provide the ratio of time lapse between the second and third bounces to that of the time lapse between the first and the second bounce to provide the coefficient of restitution of the ball. Said housing including a display for displaying the coefficient of restitution.

In the sport of golf, one element of the game is to hit the ball as far as possible and as accurately as possible. Golf balls produced by different manufacturers or with varying history will respond in varying ways to being struck by the golf club; some will travel farther than others. A significant factor in determining how far a ball will travel after being struck is the COR of the golf ball. By selecting golf balls that have a higher COR, a golfer may have his ball travel farther, resulting in an advantage over his opponents. Alternatively, a golfer may select balls that have closely matched Coefficients of Restitution, such that his golf balls will travel in a more predictable trajectory.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) performs tests of Coefficient of Restitution on golf balls. The equipment consists of an impact device driven to a known velocity, which then strikes the golf ball. Velocity of the golf ball is measured and is interpreted for the Coefficient of Restitution of the golf ball.
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has a method defined in its standard F1887, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Coefficient of Restitution (COR) of
Baseballs and Softballs. In the ASTM method, baseballs or softballs are propelled at a known velocity in a manner to strike a rigid plate. The rebound velocity is measured and is interpreted for COR of the baseball or softball. In the ASTM method, the apparatus propelling the baseball or softball requires the ball be launched with a speed accuracy of approximately 1%. Both the ASTM method and the USGA method require skilled operators and are impractical, cumbersome and excessively costly to be employed by the average sportsman or golfer.
Dr. Ian Plummer of the Oxford University croquet club has described a method used to measure the COR of croquet balls. The rebound height of the ball is measured and is interpereted for COR.
An Australian team of Richard Bowman, Peter Westgate and Elizabeth Maliwat, CSIRO Division of Building, Construction and Engineering, Highett, Victoria 3190, Australia describe a proposed procedure to test COR of ceramic tiles. The COR test apparatus consists of a ball-release apparatus, where an electromagnet releases a 19 mm diameter chrome steel ball that falls 1 meter onto the center of a horizontal test specimen that is clamped to a horizontal support base. A microphone and electronic timer computes the time interval between the first and second impacts of the dropped ball, to the nearest 0.001 second. According to their paper, the COR can be calculated from the relationship:COR=(1.226T^2)^0.5
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,362 discloses a device in which COR is determined as a function of the height from which the ball is dropped to the rebound height. This method is not complex, but requires careful measurement by the observer, and is not easily and routinely done. In addition, it is prone to human error in observation of the rebound height.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,862 teaches a testing device in which the COR is determined by comparison of the bounce period of successive bounces of the ball.
These and other devices which have been proposed to test golf balls and the like are cumbersome and not suitable as compact, portable testing devices which can be easily carried and stored with other golf equipment and which can be used before and during play.


A recording device for digital signals which is able to record high quality signals for a prolonged time on a magnetic tape by effectively utilizing the production equipments or components of the conventional magnetic tape. The present recording device for digital signals records data of the DV format on a magnetic tape 8 mm in width. For example, data of two tracks of the DV format are recorded on a sole track of the magnetic tape of 8 mm width with a data pattern remaining unchanged.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic recording method and apparatus and a magnetic reproducing method and apparatus for recording or reproducing digital signals for a magnetic tape, and to a tape-shaped recording medium having digital signals recorded thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a camera built-in type digital video tape recorder for household use, or a floor type digital video tape recorder for household use, for recording digital video signals or digital audio signals on a magnetic tape, have made their debut.
As a recording system for the above digital video tape recorder, there is a format known as a DV system (IEC 61834 helical scan digital video tape cassette recording system using 6.35 mm magnetic tape for consumers (525/60, 625/60, 1125/60 and 1250/50 systems). In this DV system, the tape width of the video tape in use is 6.35 mm (=xc2xc inch) which is narrower than the tape width of a video tape used in a conventional analog video tape recorder, such as an 8 mm system (IEC 60843 helical scan video tape caseate recording system using 8 mm magnetic tape for consumers).
Notwithstanding, recording for longer time with a higher picture quality is possible with the DV system because the signals for recording are compressed at the same time as the recording density is raised in the DV system.
Meanwhile, the above-mentioned DV system is not compatible with the conventional recording system for an analog video tape recorder. However, if signals of the DV system can be recorded on a video tape of a broader tape width used in this conventional recording system, signals of higher signal quality can be recorded for longer time. Also, if signals of the DV system can be recorded or reproduced for the video tape used in the conventional recording system, it is possible to make effective utilization of resources, such as production equipments for the video tape or component parts used in the conventional recording system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a recording method and apparatus for digital signals whereby signals of high signal quality can be recorded on a magnetic tape for prolonged time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a reproducing method and apparatus whereby high quality long-lasting signals can be reproduced from a magnetic tape through effective utilization of production equipments or component parts for a conventional video tape.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tape-shaped recording medium having high quality signals recorded thereon.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic recording apparatus for digital signals including recording data generating means for generating recording data associated with a digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape of a pre-set tape width, and recording means for recording the recording data generated by the recording data generating means on a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape. The recording means records at least two tracks of the recording data in the digital recording format generated by the recording data generating means in succession on a sole track formed on the second magnetic tape.
In this magnetic recording apparatus for digital signals, at least two tracks of the recording data in the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape are recorded with a data pattern of the digital recording format in succession on a sole track formed in a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic recording method for digital signals including generating recording data associated with a digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape of a pre-set tape width, and recording at least two tracks of recording data in the digital recording format on a sole track formed on a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape.
In this magnetic recording method for digital signals, at least two tracks of the recording data in the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape are recorded with a data pattern of the digital recording format in succession on a sole track formed in a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic reproducing apparatus for digital signals including reproducing means for reproducing recording data associated with a digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape of a predetermined tape width from a second magnetic tape of a tape width broader than the predetermined tape width carrying the recording data, and data processing means for processing the recording data reproduced by the reproducing means. The reproducing means reproduces at least two tracks of the recording data of the digital recording format in succession from a sole track formed on the second magnetic tape.
In this magnetic reproducing apparatus for digital signals, at least two tracks of the recording data in the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape are recorded with a data pattern of the digital recording format in succession on a sole track formed in a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic reproducing method including reproducing at least two tracks of data in the digital recording format in succession from a sole track formed on a second magnetic tape carrying recording signals of the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape of a predetermined tape width, the second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than the predetermined tape width, and processing reproduced recording data.
In this magnetic reproducing method for digital signals, at least two tracks of the recording data in the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape are recorded with a data pattern of the digital recording format in succession on a sole track formed in a second magnetic tape having a tape width broader than that of the first magnetic tape.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a tape-shaped recording medium having recorded thereon recording data associated with the digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape of a predetermined tape width, with the tape-shaped recording medium having a width broader than the predetermined tape width, at least two tracks of the digital recording format being recorded on a sole recording track.
According to the present invention, a least two tracks in the digital recording format applied to the first magnetic tape are recorded or reproduced in succession to or from a sole track formed on a second magnetic tape broader in tape width than the first magnetic tape. According to the present invention, data of longer duration and with higher quality can be recorded on the second magnetic tape, at the same time as resources such as conventional production equipment or components can be exploited effectively.

Magnetic recording method and apparatus for digital signals, magnetic reproducing method and apparatus for digital signals and tape-shaped recording medium


Short circuiting in printed circuit boards made by processes in which a continuous metal layer applied by electroless deposition is etched to form the conductor pattern is eliminated by subjecting the board to an oxidation treatment after etching but before removal of the etching agent. A circuit board is thereby formed having an insulating material substrate and a conductor formed thereon.

The present publication is based on Japanese Application Serial No. 6-325145, filed Dec. 27, 1994, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In fabricating a circuit board, techniques for forming a conductor on the surface of the circuit board are roughly divided into three. The first is a method called the subtractive method. In this method, a metal foil is formed on the surface of an insulating material and then an etching resist corresponding to the circuit is formed on the metal foil. Then the unnecessary part of the metal foil is removed by wet etching, thereby forming the circuit board. The second method involves forming a circuit by etching after forming a conductor on the surface of an insulating material by sputtering. The third is called the additive method. In this method, the surfaces of an insulating material other than those intended to carry the circuit, after treating with palladium, are covered with a plating-resistant resist and then a conductor is deposited on the portion not covered with the plating-resistant resist.
On the other hand, in the formation of multilayer wiring printed circuit boards, the technique used involves treating the surface of an insulating material with palladium, depositing a thin conducting layer on the whole surface of the insulating material by electroless plating and then forming a conductor circuit by etching. In practice, after the above deposit of an electroless plating, electroplating is performed to increase the thickness of the conducting layer. In these processes, palladium acts as a catalyst in electroless plating and is effective for easily forming a conductor layer. However, palladium is extremely difficult to dissolve in a normal etching solution and remains after etching in devices having electroless plated and electroplated conductors.
Recently, electroless gold plating, electroless palladium plating, and the like have been frequently used in the surface treatment of pads for the joining of parts. If palladium remains on the surface of the insulating material, gold or palladium is deposited on unintended portions of the insulating material by catalytic action of the residual palladium, thereby generating a short circuit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit board capable of preventing a short circuiting attributable to catalytic metals, such as palladium, as well as a fabrication method therefor.

International Business Machines Corporation


A device is intended to measure an absorbed dose of a hazardous gas by skin of a human body and is composed of an exposure chamber, a gas concentration control system, and one or more gas sensors. A naked part of the human body is held in the exposure chamber containing the hazardous gas of a concentration which is kept in a predetermined range by the gas concentration control system. As the concentration of the hazardous gas drops below the predetermined range, the gas concentration control system replenishes the exposure chamber with an amount of the hazardous gas with the help of a concentration signal transmitted from the sensors, so that the concentration of the hazardous gas is once again kept in the predetermined range. The absorbed dose of the hazardous gas by skin is computed on the basis of the amount of the hazardous gas that is replenished.

The research papers dealing with the skin absorption of a harmful gas and vapor are few and far between in view of the fact that the evaluation technique used in such research is still in its infancy. The isotopic measuring technique may be employed in such research; nevertheless it is economically prohibitive and hazardous to human life. In addition, the test solutions for the isotopic measuring technique can not be easily obtained (Hefner R E, Watanabe P G, Gehring P J. Percutaneous absorption of vinyl chloride. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 34: 529-532 (1975); Hursh J B, Clarkson T W, Goldsmith L A. Percutaneous absorption of mercury vapor by man. Arch. Environ. Health 44(2): 120-127 (1989); Corley R A, et al., Foundam. Appl. Toxicol., 39: 120-130 (1997)).
Tsuruta disclosed a method in which a mouse was anesthetized with pentabarbital and was then placed in a dynamic chamber. Immediately after being exposed to the standard gas in the dynamic chamber, the mouse was frozen by the liquid nitrogen prior to being crushed. A portion of the crushed remains of the mouse was removed and weighed. A mouse extract was obtained by a quantitative solvent. The total amount of the absorbed dose of the standard gas by the mouse was measured by gas phase chromatography (Tsuruta H. Skin absorption of organic solvent vapors in nude mice in vivo. Ind. Health 27: 37-47 (1989): Tsuruta H., et al., Ind. Health, 22: 219-212 (1984); Tsuruta H., et al., Ind. Health, 25: 215-220 (1987)). In spite of the fact that the Tsuruta's method can be carried out with precision, it can not be used to investigate the absorbed dose of the standard gas by the human body in light of tediousness and offensiveness of the method.
Currently, the most commonly used method of toxicological dynamics involves an animal or human subject, which is exposed to the standard gas in a dynamic chamber or closed exposure chamber for several hours. Thereafter, the samples are taken continuously from the subject for testing the concentration of the harmful substance or the metabolite contained in the subject's blood or tissues. The absorbed dose of the harmful substance by the subject's skin is determined by inference in conjunction with the computer model of toxicological dynamics and some hypotheses (Piotrowski J., Br. J. Ind. Med., 24: 60-65 (1967); McDougal J N., Toxicol Appl. Pharmacol., 85: 286-294 (1986)). The closed exposure chamber is defective in design in that it can not provide a stable exposure concentration, and that the control of temperature and humidity in the chamber can not be accounted for. On the other hand, the dynamic exposure chamber is capable of providing a stable exposure concentration, temperature, humidity, or wind velocity; nevertheless, it is incapable of measuring an actually absorbed dose of the gas. In addition, the dynamic exposure chamber is not cost-effective in light of a large amount of waste gas it produces. In other words, additional costly equipment is called for to deal with the waste gas. Theoretically, the absorbed dose of a substance by the skin of a subject is equal to the sum of the absorbed doses of the substance by the blood, the tissues, the organs, and the metabolite of the subject. The drawback of such a method is that the method involves a number of parameters, such as the distribution coefficients of the blood and the tissue which are derived from the data obtained from the animal experiments. In addition, the standard samples can not be easily obtained in view of the fact that the metabolites of different animals are various, and that the absorbed substance may be combined with the protein. Moreover, it is difficult to investigate the change in the absorption rate of the skin, or to know whether the absorption rate of the skin reaches saturation, during the time when the skin is exposed to the substance under investigation. This may explain the reason why there is only a limited number of articles related to the skin absorption of gas can be found (Fiber J G., et al., Arch. Toxicol., 47: 279-292 (1981); McDougal J N, Jepson G W, Clewell H J. Anderson M E. Dermal absorption of dihalomethane vapors. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 79: 150-158 (1985).; Gargas M L., Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 86: 341-352 (1986)). A method for direct measurement of the absorbed dose of a substance by the animal skin has never been disclosed so far.

Device for measuring an absorbed dose of gas by skin and method therefor

Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan