A resin rotating body 1 is configured by a ring-shaped resin ring 2, and a metallic bush 3 which is fitted to an inner circumferential surface 2a of the resin ring, and projections 3a as rotation preventing means that connects the resin ring and the metallic bush so that the resin ring and the metallic bush do not rotate with respect to each other are provided on an outer circumferential surface of the metallic bush. Projections of the metallic bush are further provided at positions eccentric forward in a press-fitting direction of the metallic bush from a center in the axial direction of the metallic bush.

Conventionally, resin rotating bodies are known, which are each configured by a ring-shaped resin ring and a metallic bush which is fitted to an inner circumferential surface of the above described resin ring, wherein rotation preventing means that connects the resin ring and the metallic bush so that the resin ring and the metallic bush do not rotate with respect to each other is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the above described metallic bush (Patent Literatures 1 to 4).
Among them, each of the manufacturing methods for the resin rotating bodies according to Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disposes a metallic bush inside a molding die, disposes two ring-shaped reinforcing fibers to sandwich rotation preventing means of the above described metallic bush from both sides in the axial direction, impregnates the reinforcing fibers with a resin while pressing the reinforcing fibers from both sides in the axial direction, and molds the above described resin ring.
Further, each of the manufacturing methods for the resin rotating bodies according to Patent Literatures 3 and 4 stacks reinforcing fibers to be thicker than the thickness in the axial direction of the above described metallic bush in a state in which the above described metallic bush is installed inside the molding die, impregnates the reinforcing fibers with a resin while pressing the reinforcing resins from both sides in the axial direction, and molds the above described resin ring.

Resin rotating body and manufacturing method for resin rotating body


A search for copyright-related information contained in image data is conducted. If no such information is detected, a database is queried to determine whether it contains copyright-related information corresponding to the image represented by this image data. Information relating to a copyright in accordance with the result of querying the database is added onto the image data. This prevents the unauthorized copying of a copyrighted article in an environment in which digitized copyrighted articles can be exchanged by networking and electronic filing.

Recent improvements in the performance of color copiers have been accompanied by the development of functions which prevent the copying of banknotes, securities such as stock certificates and bonds, commuter passes, prize tickets and gold notes. (These articles shall be referred to as "specific documents" below.)
One method known as a technique to prevent the copying of a specific document includes comparing read image data with image data representing the specific document stored in memory in advance, determining based upon the comparison whether the image is one that may be copied, and executing processing on the printer side in such a manner that the image will not be printed out normally if the result of the determination is that copying is not allowed.
Recently, however, advances in networking and electronic filing have been made and images in the form of digital information are now being exchanged over networks. As a consequence, it is difficult to prevent unlawful copying of digitized copyrighted documents and images merely by a copying preventing function provided on the printer side.

Querying of copyright host, printing of copyright information and host registration of copyright data


An apparatus for providing safety measures during gas release from a vehicle battery, such as a damaged lithium-ion rechargeable battery, arranged in a volume space having an opening includes at least one shroud element. The shroud element is configured to expand into the volume space by being filled with a gas such that, upon expansion of the shroud element, openings in the shroud element are enlarged and shroud element contents are discharged into the volume space through the enlarged openings in the shroud element. The apparatus further includes a device that, upon reception of a trigger signal, is configured to fill the shroud element at least partially with carbon dioxide gas such that carbon dioxide gas is discharged into the volume space as contents of the shroud element. An installation space includes the apparatus and a method is implemented to provide safety measures during gas release from the vehicle battery.

The disclosure relates to an apparatus and to a method for providing safety measures during gas release from a vehicle battery, in particular from a damaged lithium-ion rechargeable battery for hybrid or electric vehicles. The disclosure further relates to an installation space for a vehicle battery.
In electric and hybrid electric motor vehicles, galvanic cells are used as energy stores. In this context, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (also called lithium-ion batteries) are used in particular as the vehicle battery providing the energy required for the drive. These, and also in principle other galvanic cells, have a number of problems. Disturbances, such as the occurrence of high electric currents, overcharging of the vehicle battery during the charging operation or high external temperatures, can thus lead to what is termed thermal runaway and as a consequence thereof to overheating of the battery cells of the vehicle battery. Flammable gas, for example ethane, methane and other hydrocarbon gases, forms in the affected battery cells, this gas formation bringing about a pressure increase inside the battery cells.
Safety vents or air vents arranged at the top end of the housing of a battery cell are known in the prior art as apparatuses for providing safety measures during gas release from a vehicle battery. These safety vents are formed in such a manner that they open with an increasing pressure inside the battery cell and therefore make it possible for the gas mixture to be released (also referred to as release of gas hereinbelow) from the battery cell. What are termed degassing channels are known in the prior art as further apparatuses for providing safety measures during gas release from a vehicle battery. When a plurality of battery cells are connected together to form a battery module, a degassing channel of this type is arranged above the air vents of the battery cells and is connected in this way to the individual battery cells. Here, the degassing channel carries released gases away from the vehicle to the atmosphere via a discharge opening, as a result of which the vehicle occupants in particular are protected from the released gases.
However, the use of such degassing channels leads to the structural disadvantage that electronic components, particularly those required for the battery management, cannot be arranged on the battery modules. The arrangement of the electronic components on the battery modules has proved to be structurally expedient, however. A further disadvantage of the use of such degassing channels is that the throughput of released gas is often unsatisfactory. Thus, gas released from damaged battery cells can often not be dissipated quickly enough via the degassing channel, as a result of which the internal pressure in the degassing channel rises rapidly. As a result of the increased internal pressure, the air vents of previously undamaged battery cells too are opened or broken open, as a result of which the released gas also penetrates into these, previously undamaged battery cells, and the latter can therefore likewise be damaged. In particular, the rising internal pressure in the battery cells owing to the released gas can lead to a cascade of explosions, which can not only destroy the vehicle battery, but also represent a safety risk for the vehicle and its occupants.
Against this background, the disclosure is based on the object of improving the dissipation of gas released from damaged battery cells and of at least partially neutralizing released gases, while avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages.

Apparatus and method for providing safety measures during gas release from a vehicle battery and installation space for a vehicle battery


The use of electrical energy storage unit (EESU) technology can provide power averaging for utility grids. Such EESUs can also be used to construct a system capable of storing electrical energy over specified periods (e.g., 24 hours) to provide peak power to homes, commercial sites, and industrial sites. By charging these power averaging units during non-peak times and then delivering the energy during peak-demands times, more efficient utilization of the present utility-grid power-generating plants and the already existing power transmission lines will be accomplished. These systems also have the capability of isolating users from utility-grid power failures, transients, and AC noise.

The most common method of providing line isolation and electrical power grid backup is through the use of uninterruptible power supplies/sources (UPS) as a secondary power source for providing sufficient power until another secondary power source such as a motor generator is operational and providing stabilized power. This basic configuration is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown, some electrical load 100 (e.g., a campus, office building, manufacturing facility, data center, residence, hospital, etc.) normally receives electrical power from a utility company via the electrical power grid 110. In the event that power cannot be provided by the utility, e.g., blackout conditions, demand response power reductions, etc., one or more generator based secondary power sources 120 are available. Here "DG" refers to available diesel generators. Precisely which power source is used at any particular time is controlled by power electronic switch 115. In the simplest example, power is switched from one or the other of utility grid 110 and secondary power source 120, but in other cases power can be delivered from some combination of the two. However, since secondary power sources such as generators typically take several seconds to several minutes to bring on line, and additional secondary power source (UPS 130) is used to provide short term but quickly available power until power from generators is available.
The most common types of motor generator units are internal combustion engines (ICs, whether gasoline, diesel or natural gas based), gas turbines (GTs), and microturbines (MTs). In addition to having finite start-up times, all of these types of motor generator units have various other drawbacks. For example, the generators are typically complex machines that require special operation and routine maintenance, their electrical efficiency is typically in the range of 20-40%, the equipment lifetime may be 10-20 years, they require combustible and sometimes dangerous fuels, they produce various emissions, and their availability (e.g., as affected by device failures) can be limited to 90-95%. Moreover, initial equipment costs, fuel costs, and maintenance costs can make such generators a very expensive secondary power source.
UPS systems use stored energy as a secondary power source to protect the critical load and provide sufficient time to switch motor generators on-line to assure no loss in power to the user. The reliability of this stored energy is fundamental to the reliability of the system. Due to their advantages in cost, energy storage density, discharge characteristics, and infrastructure, lead-acid batteries are the most commonly used type of stored energy in UPS systems today. In particular, valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries are dominant in this application. However, despite battery manufacturers' best efforts to improve their products, experience has shown that the useful life of a VRLA battery array in conventional double-conversion UPS systems is two to three years. Beyond two years, cell failure rates quickly reach unacceptable levels.
Electrochemical batteries prematurely reach end of life for two reasons: manufacturing defects and battery management issues. Manufacturing defects include "cold" welds between adjacent cells; inter-cell shorts; reversed plates; incomplete casting of the battery straps resulting in dropped plates; defects in paste mixing, which lead to poor paste adhesion; and contamination of the paste or electrode. To overcome these inherent problems of lead-acid batteries, a battery management strategy is typically tailored to the type of battery and its application. For example, VRLA batteries in conventional double-conversion UPS systems are float charged, that is they are continuously supplied with a low charging voltage. The circuit topology necessary for this can cause a significant amount of heat to be continuously generated in the batteries. In flooded lead-acid batteries made with lead-calcium grids, the batteries are not continuously float charged. Nevertheless, other battery maintenance strategies may be important. For example, battery temperature may need to be tightly controlled to reduce corrosion that destroys the battery's capacity to generate current. Limiting the depth of discharge is important in controlling electrolyte stratification in flooded lead-acid batteries. Stratification is the increase of electrolyte specific gravity at the bottom of the battery, and techniques to ameliorate stratification can be difficult and/or costly. Thus, current secondary power source system technology suffers from a variety of drawbacks.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have improved devices and techniques for providing secondary power sources for use as backup power to grid-supplied electrical power.

Systems and methods for utility grid power averaging, long term uninterruptible power supply, power line isolation from noise and transients and intelligent power transfer on demand


A self-contained spray painting system includes a spray gun for spraying paint under pressure, and a spherically shaped paint container attached to the spray gun for holding a quantity of paint to be sprayed. A flexible pick-up extends into the container and includes a weighted head that moves along an inner surface of the container and remains at the lowest point thereof as the container is moved through different orientations, whereby the pick-up remains immersed in paint in the container. The weighted head also functions to mix the paint as the container is moved through different orientations during use. An external purge system is connected with the paint inlet of the gun and is selectively operable to supply air under pressure through the paint inlet and nozzle to clean paint residue and other foreign matter from the gun at the conclusion of a painting operation.

Robotic spray painting facilities are widely used in repetitive tasks and in situations where a health hazard may be involved, or where there is a special need to insure consistent results in coating quality and film thickness, for example.
Even the most skilled painters may find it difficult to apply paint with the same film thickness and quality over repeated jobs when using hand-held spray painting equipment. Moreover, where painting is repetitive, workers may find the job to be monotonous and tedious, leading to inattentiveness and reduced production and quality. Other situations may require the use of hazardous or toxic materials which are a threat to the health of workers, who may therefore be unable or unwilling to work. Many jobs also involve areas to be painted that are hard to reach, making it difficult for workers to apply a proper coating and potentially leading to reduced production and quality. For example, the lengthy air intake ducts of aircraft engines are laborious to paint with hand-held spray guns. It is difficult for workers to get into and out of these ducts, especially when fresh coats of paint have already been applied, and care must be taken to avoid nicking or scuffing of the paint that has already been applied.
Although robotic paint spraying equipment may solve these problems, some prior art spray gun apparatus require the use of a paint holding tank located remotely from the spray gun, with lengthy hoses leading from the holding tank to the spray gun. A pressure pump is also required to move the paint from the holding tank to the spray gun, and a mixing device must be used to keep the paint properly mixed during a spraying operation. Moreover, an accumulator is required in order to eliminate fluctuations in the flow of paint, and in closed loop, paint circulating systems a return line leads from the spray gun back to the pump.
Paint cure time is important, and many paints used today are two-part mixes. When the two parts are mixed together they start to cure, and the time in which a paint can be used after it is mixed is generally short. Thus, it is desirable to mix only limited quantities of paint at a time. However, because of the amount of equipment and length of hoses required in the prior art systems discussed above, several gallons of paint must be mixed in order to charge or prime the system and to provide enough paint for the job. As the paint passes through the various pieces of equipment and lengths of hoses it begins to cure and thicken. In order to maintain proper pressure at the head of the spray gun, the pump pressure must be increased. If the paint becomes too thick to flow properly, it may have to be discarded.
Further, when prior art systems are discharged, the paint that fills the various pieces of equipment and lengths of hoses is disposed of and wasted. Those items which must be emptied and cleaned include the holding tank, the accumulator, the pump, the mixing system, the hoses, and the gun itself. Cleaning fluids used to flush and clean the system are also discarded after use. If colors are changed often, or if the paint becomes too thick to use, a considerable amount of paint and cleaner are therefore wasted.
Since the paints in common use today may cost $150 or more per gallon, and two to five gallons may be wasted each time the system is discharged, the cost of materials alone required to prime and discharge a prior art system can be considerable. Moreover, the time required for priming and cleaning, and the inconvenience to the operator in use of prior art systems, contribute to increased cost.
Accordingly, there is need for a spray painting system which requires only an amount of paint to be mixed that is needed to paint an object, and which does not require an excess amount of paint just to charge the system, thereby eliminating the waste of paint and cleaning materials that occurs in prior art systems.
It would further be desirable to have a spray painting system which does not require a separate pressure pump, or system accumulator, or tank mixing system, or paint holding tank, or paint return line, thereby reducing equipment and maintenance costs. Still further, it would be desirable to provide a system that does not require complete system discharge and cleanup each time the paint is used up and/or discarded.

Self-contained spray gun apparatus with spherical paint cup


Photoconductive elements which have high sensitivity to radiation in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum comprise a conductive support, a charge generation material which includes a near-infrared-sensitive organic pigment and, electrically contiguous with the charge generation material, an aggregate photoconductive material. A preferred embodiment is bimodal.

Photoconductive elements, also called photoreceptors, are composed of a conducting support and at least one photoconductive layer which is insulating in the dark but which becomes conductive upon exposure to actinic radiation. To form images, the surface of the element is electrostatically uniformly charged in the dark and then exposed to a pattern of actinic radiation. In areas where the photoconductive layer is irradiated, mobile charge carriers are generated which migrate to the surface and dissipate the surface charge in such areas. The resulting charge pattern on the surface is referred to as an electrostatic latent image. The latent image can be made visible by application of a liquid or dry developer containing finely divided charged toner particles which, if desired, can be transferred and fixed to another surface such as a sheet of paper.
Numerous photoconductive materials have been described as being useful in electrophotography. These include inorganic substances, such as selenium and zinc oxide, and organic compounds, both monomeric and polymeric, such as arylamines, arylmethanes, carbazoles, pyrroles, phthalocyanines and the like.
Photoconductive elements or photoreceptors can comprise single or multiple active layers. Those with multiple active layers (sometimes called multiactive elements or composite elements) have at least one charge-generation layer and at least one charge-transport layer. Under actinic radiation, the charge-generation layer generates mobile charge carriers and the charge-transport layer facilitates migration of the charge carriers to form the electrostatic latent image.
The majority of known photoconductors are sensitive to ultraviolet and visible electromagnetic radiation. However, increasing use is being made of diode lasers which emit radiation principally in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e., from 700 nm to about 900 nm. Many photoconductors either have little or no sensitivity to such radiation, or they have other disadvantages. For example, they become increasingly conductive in the dark and lose their ability to hold an electrostatic charge (a process known as dark decay), or they have weak absorption of infrared radiation or poor quantum efficiency, both of which result in low electrophotographic sensitivity.
There is, therefore, a need for photoconductive elements sensitive to the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and having low dark decay and improved sensitivity.
Borsenberger et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,039 have disclosed that when the .beta.-phase of a halogenated indium phthalocyanine pigment is used as the charge-generation layer in a multiactive electrophotographic element, the element has high sensitivity in the near-infrared region.
Hung et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,802 have described a novel C-centered monoclinic bromoindium phthalocyanine pigment which is useful in the charge generation layer of a photoconductive element and which is sensitive to radiation in the near-infrared region of the spectrum.
A need exists for further improvement in the sensitivity of these and other photoconductive materials to infrared radiation as emitted, for example, by Ga.sub.x Al.sub.1-x As diode lasers. A further need exists for such infrared sensitive materials which also have bimodal or bipolar sensitivity. A bipolar or bimodal electrophotographic element is an element that can discharge effectively either negative or positive surface potentials when exposed to electromagnetic radiation.

Photoconductive elements which are sensitive to near-infrared radiation


To reduce the number of connections in an electrically programmable memory circuit, a device for the testing of the memory cells is proposed. The test consists in the reading of the current that goes through the cells to which access is had in reading mode. The testing device no longer uses specific testing connections between the cells and the corresponding input/output pins but the operational connections of the reading mode, between the reading amplifiers and the input/output buffers, in short-circuiting the input and the output of the reading amplifiers located in a zone close to the memory cells and the input/output buffers located on the peripheral zone, close to the input/output pins. The means to short-circuit the amplifiers and the buffers are respectively located in a zone close to the memory cells, and in the peripheral zone.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the testing of electrically programmable memory (EPROM and EEPROM) cells.
Such cells are each formed by a floating gate transistor, the control gate of which is connected to a word line, the drain to a bit line and the source to a reference potential that is generally the electrical ground of the circuit.
The cells are placed in a matrix arrangement: a word line is connected to the control gates of all the transistors of one line. A bit line is connected to the drain of all the transistors of one column.
To facilitate the addressing operation, the memory array is generally divided, for example to form sub-groups of bit lines. The column decoding (of the bit lines) is then done in two phases. These are: the decoding of a bit line in each sub-group and the decoding of the sub-group. This set of sub-groups forms a group that corresponds to a data element or again to a data bit. For this group, there will be only one reading amplifier. There could be one writing amplifier per sub-group, this amplifier being selected by the decoding of the sub-group.
In practice, the memories are organized in information words of a certain length: 4, 8, 16, 32 data bits. We then have several groups of bit lines as defined here above. A group of bit lines corresponds to the bits having a place value i in the information word. There are many groups as there are bits in the information word.
Furthermore, it is sought to optimize the occupancy of the surface of the semiconductor circuit. Thus, for example, for an eight-bit memory, namely a memory in which an information word is given on eight bits with place values 0, 1 , . . . , 7 corresponding to input/output pins of data D0, D1 , . . . , D7 of the memory, eight groups of bit lines are defined: a first group corresponding to the bits with the place value 0 (D0) , . . . , an eighth group corresponding to the bits with the place value 7 (D7). And, in this example, there are eight reading amplifiers, one per group.
It is also possible to define, for example, two groups of word lines: a first group corresponding to the groups 0, 1, 6 and 7 of bit lines D0, D1, D6 and D7, a second group corresponding to the groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 of bit lines D2, D3, D4 and D5. Such a choice depends on the physical structure chosen for the circuit and on its optimization.
The reading of a memory word will lead to the selection of a word line in each group of word lines and to the selection of a bit line in each group of bit lines. All the data bits of the information word are then given in parallel by the reading amplifiers associated with the groups of bit lines.
Topographically, as can be seen in FIG.1, a division such as this enables an organization in two half-arrays, the bit lines being taken vertically in the example and the word lines being taken horizontally. The upper half-array corresponds to the first group of word lines with the groups 0, 1, 6 and 7 of bit lines. The lower half-array corresponds to the second group of word lines with the groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 of bit lines. In the example, the second group of words corresponds to a simple placing of the first group in parallel. The pre-decoder (PREDEC) is preferably just above and on the border of the upper half-array. The word line decoder (DEC L) of each half-array is placed on the border of the vertical sides of the corresponding half-array. The column decoders (DEC C), namely the decoders of the bit lines, of the upper half-array, and the corresponding reading and writing amplifiers (AMPLI) are located between the two half-arrays. Those of the lower half-map are located beneath this half-array, on the border.
On the periphery of the memory circuit, there are the memory input/output and memory control pins with the associated buffers. Thus, at the top and on the vertical sides, there are input pins of the address bus, in the example A0-A15 with the associated input buffers. They are thus close to the different decoders. There are also the pins for ground (GND) and the Vcc and Vpp supplies and for the selection of the memory circuit NCE.
At the bottom, and somewhat to the right, there are the data (D0-D7) input/output pins, and the ground of the circuit GND. In the example, D0 is to the far left, D5 to the far right and D6 and D7 at the bottom of the straight vertical side. The interconnections of the upper half-map with the corresponding input/output pins D0, D1, D6 and D7 are thus optimized.
The interconnections to be made are numerous, between the decoders, the pre-decoder and the input buffers of the address bus, the amplifiers and the input/output buffers of the data bus. Thus, if the memory array proper is called the "core", the decoders and amplifiers that give access to the memory array are called the "middle" and the buffers and the input/output pins of the circuit are called the "periphery", then there are numerous interconnections to be made between the middle and the periphery, it being furthermore known that these interconnections cannot go through the "core". These interconnections take up a great deal of space with respect to the core, which it is why it is always sought to reduce their number. It is also sought to position the different circuits so as to optimise the length of the interconnections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Now, for the requirements of testing electrically programmable memory cells, for which it is sought to read not the binary content 0 or 1 depending on whether they are programmed or not but rather their capacity to conduct current before or after their programming, additional connections are used to enable the measurement of the current that passes into the cell, when access is obtained to it in reading mode. The testing circuit generally used is shown in FIG. 2, where core, middle and peripheral portions of the chip are indicated as C, M, and P, respectively.
Indeed, in reading mode, the drain of the selected cell C1, namely in fact the corresponding bit line LB, is connected to the input of a reading amplifier AL which will inject current into the cell. Depending on whether the current goes into the cell or not, the amplifier delivers a high or low logic level at its output. A connection DX connects the output of the reading amplifier to the input of the corresponding input/output buffer (I/O) which is itself connected at output to a corresponding input/output pin, for example D2.
In testing, the cell also is read, but it is sought to read the current that goes through it and not the binary logic level delivered at output of the reading amplifier. An additional connection DIX is then used. This additional connection DIX connects the input/output pin D2 to the drain of the cell C1 by a transistor T used as a switch (and gated by signal DMA described below), its source being connected to the connection DIX and its drain through node A to the drain of the cell. This transistor is topographically beside the amplifier, namely in the middle zone. When the circuit is in testing mode, a signal DMA puts the input of the reading amplifier and the output of the input/output buffer in a high impedance state, and makes the transistor/switch T conductive. Thus, if an external voltage is imposed on the pin D2, it is possible to read the current that flows into the cell. This current is disturbed neither by the input/output buffer nor by the amplifier since these two elements have been placed in a state of high impedance.
Having a test circuit such as this amounts to doubling the interconnections DX: the number of interconnections between the reading amplifier and the input/output buffer is doubled. This is a major drawback as has already been seen in the optimization of the size of the circuit, since the number of connections directly and substantially affects the size of the circuit.

Zone-segregated circuit for the testing of electrically programmable memory cells


A tendon for an offshore floating platform has a tubular section formed of joints of steel pipe secured together. The tubular section has an interior sealed from sea water to provide buoyancy. A composite fiber section is secured to a lower end of the tubular section. The composite fiber section is formed of non metallic fibers and has a solid interior.

One type of offshore drilling and production platform, generally called a TLP, utilizes tendons to support the platform. The tendons have lower terminations that connect to pilings on the sea floor. The upper ends connect to top connectors on the platform. The platform is de-ballasted after connection to the top connector, placing the tendons in tension.
One type of tendon consists of steel tubular joints of pipe connected together with welds or mechanical connections. The pipe has hollow interiors that are sealed from sea water to provide buoyancy. Bulkheads may be located within the interior, dividing the hollow interior in separate compartments sealed from each other. U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,894 discloses tubular sections having three different wall thicknesses. The upper section has a greater diameter but lesser wall thickness than an intermediate section, and the intermediate section has a greater diameter but lesser wall thickness than the lower section. Sealed bulkheads are not disclosed in this patent.
Another type of tether or tendon is a solid cable, preferably formed of composite fibers, such as carbon fibers. Typically, a composite tendon has an elastomeric jacket that encloses several bundles of fibers. A spacer or filler fills the interior space surrounding the fibers. Steel terminations are located on the ends of the separate rods or sections of a composite tendon for connecting the sections to each other.
Composite fiber tendons are generally smaller in diameter than steel tubular tendons and weigh less. However, they are less buoyant, such as being around 0.85 where 1.00 is considered neutral. Having solid interiors, composite fiber tendons are able to withstand high hydrostatic pressures. However, the lack of buoyancy limits the usefulness of composite fiber tendons in very deep water because a larger and more buoyant hull for the TLP is required. Also, fatigue of the upper portion of a composite fiber tendon can be a concern because of the high bending moments caused by TLP lateral motion.
As TLP platforms are located in deeper waters, providing steel tubular tendons that can resist the hydrostatic pressure becomes an increasingly difficult problem. Composite fiber tendons have an advantage of being able to resist very high hydrostatic pressure, but are heavy in water due to the lack of buoyancy.

Hybrid composite steel tendon for offshore platform


An control mechanism apparatus is shown which electromechanically actuates a control board of a radio transmitter. The radio transmitter transmits radio signals to a receiver on board a model aircraft for actuating the various parts thereof. The apparatus comprises a base frame for providing a stable platform with a seat mounted at the rear of the base frame. A plurality of controls emulating the controls found in a cockpit of an actual aircraft are mounted to the base frame. A plurality of mechanical linkages are provided which transmit the position of each of the plurality of controls to a corresponding plurality of electrical devices. Each of the corresponding electrical devices is in electrical communication with the control board and the output of each of the electrical devices varies in accordance with the position of the controls. The radio signals are transmitted by the radio transmitter control board and vary in accordance with the electrical output of each of the electrical devices. The radio signals actuate the various parts of the model aircraft corresponding to each of the plurality of the controls.

Various types of radio control mechanisms for drone aircraft are well known in the art. Most such mechanisms employ hand held radio transmitters the controls of which are manipulated by the operator to direct the operation of the aircraft. While operators of such equipment attempt to duplicate the actions of a pilot in an actual aircraft, such duplication is difficult with the hand held transmitters most commonly used.
Thus, there is a need for a control mechanism which more closely duplicates the actions of an on board pilot of an aircraft. The present invention interfaces electromechanically with a radio transmitter while simulating the cockpit of an actual aircraft.
Various solutions have been devised in attempts to overcome the problem. U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,914 entitled "Transmitter Extension Apparatus For Manipulating Model Vehicles" which issued on Jun. 7, 1983 to Dustman discloses an apparatus for controlling the control members of a transmitter used for sending radio signals to a receiver in a model airplane which emulates the actions of a pilot in a cockpit. Dustman mechanically connects via cables and the like to the levers on a hand held transmitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,116 entitled "Helicopter Flight Training Device" which issued Aug. 7, 1984 to Schoolcraft discloses a helicopter flight training device combining a flight station with a free flying radio controlled scale model of a helicopter. Movement of the flight controls is transmitted by means of threaded control rods to an electromechanical interface installed under the platform 2 or under the seat of bench 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,619 entitled "Aerodyne Remote Control System" which issued on Dec. 9, 1958 to Servanty discusses, in col. 13, the use of potentiometers in transmitting commands from an operator to an aerodyne.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,485 entitled "Model Flight Simulator" which issued on Dec. 20, 1983 to Geschwender shows a model flight simulator having an on/off switch to preserve the battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,043 entitled "Aviation Trainer" which issued on Sep. 1, 1970 to Frasca shows a simulator having electric trim switches. Switch 29 provides electric elevator trim which switch 338 provides electric rudder trim.
A book entitled "The World of Model Aircraft" by Guy R. Williams and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons of New York discloses on page 179 an elaborate Fly Seat made to resemble a pilot seat of a full sized airplane which controls the activities of the aircraft via a pivoting boom.
None of the known prior art disclose the combination set forth herein.

Flight console for radio controlled aircraft


A transparent plastic package for containing and displaying a product for sale, the package having front and rear panels releasably joined, the front panel having a forwardly extending projection with a spherical dome forming a cavity for receiving and displaying the product.

In addition to fine quality and reputation of products that contribute to sales increases, other factors are obviously the appearance of the products and the sales presentation to customers, namely the packaging and advertising. This invention concerns the packaging for certain products where presentation to the customers is deemed to be a very important sales factor.
The products being packaged and displayed in the field of the present invention are audio speaker cables, interconnect cables for interconnecting audio, video and home entertainment systems including interconnects between TVs, VCRs, laser disc players, antennae, tape decks, amplifiers, etc. With high fidelity cables are similarly high quality connectors, often gold-plated. Finally, many of applicant's cables have unusually large diameter core wires and unusually large diameter transparent insulating jackets.
Another packaging objective is to provide high visibility of these cables and connectors in transparent packages with cables arranged in a compact yet highly attractive and high-tech style.
These objectives have been partially achieved with applicant's prior packaging as generally represented in applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. D306,561, D328,248, D351,342 and 4,742,912.
In all these package designs a frontward directed generally circular shell or pancake-like projection is formed as a cavity or recess extending forward of the front part of the package. These shells are usually tapered to a smaller diameter at the most forward part, namely the bottom of the shell, which is then flat. The taper is used because it facilitates release of the shell from the mold, and the flat bottom is present because it is natural to terminate a cylinder with a flat end, it is the least expensive way for manufacture, and because alternative shapes were not contemplated.
Over a period of time and actual sales experience three problems have been discovered with these otherwise popular and successful package designs.
First, the flat front surface often reflects interior store lights in a way that either creates a glare, obstacle or distortion to good visibility and greatly detracts from the objective of an attractive and comfortably viewable display.
Second, the products put into these packages have become so numerous in models, styles and cable lengths that it is too expensive to create new packages for each variation.
Third, these are high quality, "high end" products usually costing more than traditional and generic speaker and connector cables. Traditionally, these products are in sealed display packages, being sealed by techniques such as riveting or heat sealing; however, customers of these premium products not only want to see them very clearly, they often want to "touch" them before deciding to purchase. Applicant wanted a display package that was more attractive than prior designs and was sealable, unsealable for intimate examination and resealable, while not losing its attractiveness.


The present Application relates to pigment colourants of formula

The present invention relates to novel pigment colourants, to their preparation and to their use in the mass-colouring of synthetic materials.
Pigment colourants and their use in the mass-colouring of synthetic materials are known. It has been found, however, that such colourants do not always fully meet the highest demands, especially in respect of fastness to light, thermostability and/or colour strength. Accordingly, there is a need for new pigment colourants which yield coloured materials that are fast to light, thermostable and of good tinctorial strength, and which exhibit good all-round properties.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that the pigment colourants according to the invention meet the above-mentioned criteria to a considerable degree.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to pigment colourants of formula
wherein
R1 is C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, phenoxy or halogen,
R2 is hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, phenoxy, halogen, acylamino, xe2x80x94CH2NHacyl or the radical
xe2x80x83and
R3 is C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, phenoxy or halogen,
the ring A may be further substituted by xe2x80x94SO3xe2x88x92M+, wherein M+ is a cation, and the rings B and C may be unsubstituted or further mono- or poly-substituted by halogen, hydroxy, xe2x80x94SH, amino, C1-C6alkylamino, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, phenoxy, acylamino, C1-C6thioalkyl or by thiophenyl, and the ring B may be substituted in the 5- or 8-position by a radical of formula
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above.
R1, R2 and R3 as C1-C6alkyl are, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, amyl, tert-amyl (1,1-dimethylpropyl), 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl, hexyl, 1-methylpentyl, neopentyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, as well as the associated isomers.
R1, R2 and R3 as C1-C4alkoxy are, for example, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy or butoxy.
R1, R2 and R3 as halogen are, for example, chlorine, bromine or iodine, and preferably chlorine.
Acyl in acylamino or in the formula xe2x80x94CH2NHacyl is preferably formyl, acetyl, chloroacetyl, acryl or propionyl.
C1-C6Thioalkyl as a substituent of ring B and/or C is, for example, methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio or butylthio.
R1 is preferably ethyl or bromine, and especially methyl.
R2 is preferably hydrogen, ethyl, phenoxy, and especially methyl.
R3 is preferably ethyl or bromine, and especially methyl.
The cation M+ is, for example, Na+, Li+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Al3+ or the cation of an organic amine such as, for example, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethanolamine, tri-isopropanolamine, cyclohexylamine, hexamethylenediamine, Rosin Amine D and Primene 81R.
Preference is given to pigment colourants of formula (1) wherein the ring B is substituted by chlorine, and special preference is given to those wherein the ring B is unsubstituted or is substituted in the 5- or 8-position by a radical of formula
wherein R1,
R2 and R3 have the definitions and preferred meanings mentioned above.
Also preferred are pigment colourants of formula (1) wherein the ring C is unsubstituted or is substituted by bromine.
Special preference is given to the pigment colourants of formula (1) wherein the ring B is unsubstituted or is substituted in the 5- or 8-position by a radical of formula
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are methyl, and the ring C is unsubstituted.
Very special preference is given to pigment colourants of formula (1) wherein the ring B is unsubstituted or is substituted in the 5-position by a radical of formula
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are methyl, and the ring C is unsubstituted.
The pigment colourants of formula (1) according to the invention are prepared, for example, by reacting 1-chloro-, 1-nitro- or 1-sulfo-anthraquinone with one equivalent of a compound of formula
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined for formula (1), in the presence of alkali acetate, copper and/or a copper salt and optionally in an organic solvent, or by reacting 1,5- or 1,8-dichloro-, 1,5- or 1,8-dinitro- or 1,5- or 1,8-disulfo-anthraquinone with two equivalents of a compound of formula (2a) in the presence of alkali acetate, copper and/or a copper salt and optionally in an organic solvent, and, where appropriate, introducing further substituents into the resulting compound according to conventional methods.
The compounds of formula (2a) are known or can be prepared according to known methods.
The present invention relates also to a method of preparing coloured plastics or polymeric coloured particles, which method comprises mixing together a high molecular weight organic material and at least one pigment colourant of formula (1) in an amount having a colouring effect.
Colouring of high molecular weight organic substances with the pigment colourant of formula (1) is carried out, for example, by mixing such a pigment colourant with the substrates using rolling mills, mixing or grinding apparatuses, as a result of which the pigment colourant is dissolved or finely divided in the high molecular weight material. The high molecular weight material with the admixed pigment colourant is subsequently processed by methods known per se, for example calendering, compression moulding, extrusion, coating, spinning, casting or by injection moulding, whereby the coloured material acquires its final form. The admixture of the pigment colourant may also be carried out immediately prior to the actual processing step, for example by continuously feeding a solid pigment colourant, for example a pulverulent pigment colourant, and, at the same time, a granulated or powdered high molecular weight organic material, and optionally also additional ingredients, for example additives, directly into the intake zone of an extruder, where mixing takes place immediately before processing. In general, however, it is preferred to mix the pigment colourant with the high molecular weight organic material beforehand, since more uniformly coloured substrates can be obtained.
In order to produce mouldings that are not rigid or to reduce their brittleness, it is often desirable to incorporate so-called plasticisers into the high molecular weight compounds prior to shaping. There may be used as plasticisers, for example, esters of phosphoric acid, phthalic acid or sebacic acid. In the method according-to the invention, the plasticisers may be incorporated into the polymers before or after the. incorporation of the colourant. It is also possible, in order to achieve different colour shades, to add to the high molecular weight organic substances, in addition to the pigment colourant of formula (1), also further pigments or other colourants in any desired amounts, optionally together with further additional ingredients, for example fillers or siccatives.
Preference is given to the colouring of thermoplastic plastics especially in the form of fibres. Preferred high molecular weight organic materials that can be coloured according to the invention are, very generally, polymers having a dielectric constant xe2x89xa72.5, especially polyester, polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN) or acrylonitrilelbutadiene/styrene (ABS). Special preference is given to polyester and polyamide. Very special preference is given to linear aromatic polyesters, which can be obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid and glycols, especially ethylene glycol, or condensation products of terephthalic acid and 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane, for example polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBTP); also polycarbonates, for example those of xcex1,xcex1-dimethyl4,4-dihydroxy-diphenylmethane and phosgene, or polymers based on polyvinyl chloride and on polyamide, for example polyamide 6 or polyamide 6.6.
The pigment colourants according to the invention impart to the above-mentioned materials, especially to the polyester and polyamide materials, tinctorially strong, level colour shades which have very good fastness properties in use, especially good fastness to light and good thermostability.
The Examples which follow serve to illustrate the invention. In the Examples, unless indicated to the contrary, parts are parts by weight and percentages are percentages by weight.
Temperatures are given in degrees Celsius. The relationship between parts by weight and parts by volume is the same as that between grams and cubic centimetres.

Pigment colorants for the mass-coloring of synthetic materials

Abstract: wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above, to a process for their preparation, and to their use in the mass-coloring of synthetic materials.


The present invention provides a vest assembly, for wearing around a body of a user performing physical activity. The vest assembly includes a front plate and a rear plate each having a perimeter that includes a plurality of slits. The slits allow for insertion of a plurality of straps. A slit of the front plate tensions one of the straps together with a corresponding slit of the rear plate to fit the vest assembly around the body of the user.

Weighted vests are commonly worn during physical activity, to increase physical strength of a user. However, current models of such vests include sand, iron blocks, or weights that need to be added or inserted into the vest. Such designs are often not portable, as they require multiple weights that work only with the specific vest to be transported in order to achieve the desired amount of weight during use. This is cumbersome and results in much time being spent during assembly and disassembly.


Information flow between network elements in a network enables a management system to capture a security knowledge base and to perform a static analysis of the network. In one embodiment, a method for performing a network security audit based on information flows among network elements comprises the machine-implemented steps of obtaining a network inventory that identifies one or more network elements of a packet-switched network; determining how information packets flow through the one or more network elements; determining a first threat level for each of the one or more network elements; determining a second threat level for the network as a whole; and providing a report of a network security audit based on the first and second threat levels.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Computer networks of the type commonly used by large business enterprises typically consist of a network of networks spanning geographical distances ranging from different buildings to different continents. Each individual network may contain various devices such as routers, switches, Wireless Access Points, etc.
Each network device offers a variety of services, which may include SNMP, FTP and Telnet services. While these services provide for accessing the network device, they also serve as open doors to the network device for malicious access. While security measures such as SNMP community strings, firewalls, IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems), ACLs (Access Control Lists), and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) try to prevent malicious use by hackers, the level of security in the network is not always known, especially as the security configurations on various network devices across the network change.
Further, a network may contain security devices from different vendors requiring different configurations.
In addition, the adoption of new legal requirements relating to privacy and control of personal information has led network administrators to have increased concern about whether network devices and networks as a whole comply with the legal requirements. The failure of a network to achieve legislative compliance may mean that an enterprise as a whole is non-compliant. For example, network administrators wish to determine whether networks are in compliance with the following legislation, for example: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; HIPAA; Sarbanes-Oxley Act; USA PATRIOT Act; California SB 1386; and FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
The adoption of the foregoing legislation means that what was once just good business sense now may be a legal requirement. Rather than just risking the loss of customers, companies now face fines and other ramifications when networks are non-compliant. The risk of government involvement, in turn, would lead an increased risk that current and potential customers of an enterprise would know about its security failures.
These requirements also come at a time in which enterprises are opening their networks up to an ever-growing community of outside users. This means that companies must identify, authorize, and track users. Any attempted security breaches must be spotted and dealt with. In other words, security event management has become an integral part of legal compliance.
Bringing security up to regulatory standards can require many different changes in networks, such as consolidating databases that contain sensitive information and installing better identification and authorization software. Regulatory compliance requires that companies know their users and systems, and security event management lies at the heart of this process. However, past solutions and approaches are not designed to meet the foregoing challenges. Therefore, there is a clear need for improved network security audit approaches.

Method and apparatus providing unified compliant network audit


In an information handling system, a multi-phase electrical converter includes an electrical input, an electrical output, a plurality of converter phases coupled with the electrical input and the electrical output, and a controller to ramp operation of one or more of the converter phases as a load demand adjusts. In an embodiment the converter may be a multi-phase buck converter having a high side switch, a low side switch, and an inductor. In an embodiment, the controller may ramp operation of the converter phases by adjusting a duty cycle of the high side switch. In an embodiment, the controller may adjust a phase angle of one or more of the converter phases, wherein the adjustment may be relative to the ramping operation of the one or more of the converter phases.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a phase shedding converter system having reduced output ripple.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Changing power demands of electronics (e.g., IHS motherboards) can vary by an order of magnitude. Electronic converters may provide power to the electronics and are designed to provide such a large fluctuation in power consumption. It is well known in the art that a converter/regulator such as, a buck converter, has an increased efficiency with an increased number of phases in operation converting the power for consumption. As the phase count increases, a heavy load efficiency improves, but a light load efficiency degrades. To overcome this problem, the industry is moving toward phase shedding of the extra phases in periods of lower demand for power. Phase shedding improves the efficiency of the converter system by operating only the number of phases necessary for a given load demand. However, a problem is how to turn the phases off and on without creating excessive and possibly damaging ripple voltage at the converter output. Simply turning off or dropping a phase or multiple phases in the converter during a load may cause excessive ripple output that may damage the load (e.g., a processor). One solution is to add extra capacitance at the output to filter the output ripple. However, extra capacitors can be costly and also can be physically large and take up valuable space in the electronics.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved phase shedding converter with ripple minimization which avoids the problems set forth above.

Phase shedding converter with ripple minimization


An air bag cover for a vehicle has a main body formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and a skin layer applied over the main body. The skin layer is preferably of an `integral skin` reaction type polyurethane and is applied over the main body. Break lines may be formed in the main body portion of the airbag cover for permitting an inflated air bag to rip the cover for emerging into the vehicle cabin. The polyurethane elastomer of the main body preferably has a Shore A hardness rating of over 80.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cover for a vehicle air bag. Particularly, the invention relates to a high safety type cover with optimal hardness of a main body thereof with a pleasing texture and density of an outer skin thereof and which will not fragment when breaking pressure is applied by an inflated air bag when the air bag is activated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, air bag cover arrangements are known utilizing a substantially soft material for covering the air bag such as polyurethane foam, for example. Such covers usually employ tear lines, or break lines arranged to allow the cover to open appropriately upon activation of the air bag.
Such conventional air bag covers are taught in Japanese Utility Model 56-48606, wherein a low density polyurethane foam may be utilized for a core portion, or main body, and a high density polyurethane foam utilized as a surface, or outer skin portion, the high and low density portions being joined together for forming as a single cover. Japanese Patent Application First Publication 63-199149 teaches using an insert of polyamide, polychloride vinyl, polyolefin, in a synthetic resin cover. Japanese Patent Application First Publication 63-232052 teaches a cover having an interior layer of polyamide and a jacket layer of polyurethane foam. However, using such techniques as described above in multi-layer arrangements, manufacturing thereof becomes complicated, also optimal adhesion is not present between the surfaces of the insert and the jacket layer.
In such conventional covers utilizing a variety of synthetic resins as set forth above, an adhesion strength between the core layer and the surface, or jacket layer, must be sufficient to prevent separation of the layers when the cover is in use installed in a vehicle. In order to increase the adhesion between the layers of such a cover, a plurality of small holes are formed in the core layer. However, in such a cover, when the air bag is inflated, tearing of the layers can diverge from a predetermined tear line. Further, in such conventional arrangements, when a core layer and a jacket layer are both formed of polyurethane foam, though sufficient adhesion may be present between the layer, both layers may bead up upon tearing and be introduced to a passenger compartment upon activation of the air bag.
Japanese Patent application First Publication 2-171364 discloses a cover wherein an insert or core is not utilized but the cover is formed integrally of a thermoplastic elastomer. Relief portions are defined in the elastomer for defining tear lines. However, since the relief portions for defining the tear lines must be formed in continuous fashion, an area in which the relief portions are formed becomes rather large. The cover is thus subject to cracking, or other damage as exposed to light and heat in the course of vehicle use. Further, such damage may degrade proper tearing along the break lines when the air bag is activated and the above mentioned drawback is present in that small pieces of the material may be widely spread in the passenger cabin upon opening of the cover.


The disclosure relates to a system and method for a link for a track chain in a ground-engaging track system. The link has an elongate link body including a first and a second crown. The elongate link body includes a shoe surface and a rail surface. The shoe surface is configured to contact a track shoe coupled to the elongate link body. The rail surface is opposite the shoe surface and has a first end section, a middle section, and a second end section. The first and second crowns on the rail surface each define a convex portion of the rail surface. The first crown is positioned on the first end section and the second crown is positioned on the second end section. The first and second crowns are configured to delay scallop formation in the rail surface.

A wide variety of machines utilize tracks as ground engaging propulsion elements. It is common for such tracks to include a plurality of rotatable track engaging elements, with the track forming an endless loop moved about the rotating elements during operation. Such tracks typically include two chains of coupled together links, with bolted-on track shoes. The demands placed upon such machines and their associated track assemblies can be quite substantial, and the operating environments harsh. Machine tracks are often robust to provide a long operating life of thousands of hours despite significant mechanical stresses, strain and wear experienced during operation.
The wear phenomena experienced by machine track is typically a result of how the machine is used, the experience of the operator, and both the underfoot conditions and substrate materials in the operating environment. Field service life of machine track can vary based upon these factors from a few thousand hours to many thousands of hours. Since machine track components can be relatively costly, and servicing can add expense and machine down-time, engineers have long sought strategies for reducing and managing wear between and among the components.
Japanese Patent No. 5,372,336 (hereinafter "the '336 patent"), purports to describe a track chain and undercarriage track roller, whereby the track chain is made up of links having a metallurgically bonded coating. According to the '336 patent, a wear resistant coating is welded onto a surface, undercut, or channel. The coating is positioned on the track roller at a location that is susceptible to wear during the operation of the track chain. However, slower wearing material is only added to a track chain link as a secondary operation, which can impact uniformity between links in a track chain, increase manufacturing time, and minimize durability. This list is merely exemplary and other issues and challenges certainly exist in practice.
Thus, an improved link for a ground-engaging track system is desired that may reduce and manage wear, thereby extending the life operating life of the system.

Crown for a link in a ground engaging track system


A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cell transistors arranged in a matrix form. The device further includes a high-voltage circuit area arranged in a peripheral area of the memory cell array and including a first high-voltage transistor having a current path which is connected at one end to a selected control gate and a second high-voltage transistor having a current path which is connected at one end to a first non-selected control gate adjacent to the selected control gate and configured to raise voltage applied to the selected control gate to program voltage by use of first capacitive coupling caused between the selected control gate and the first non-selected control gate by applying intermediate voltage approximately equal to voltage which makes the current path of the memory cell transistor conductive to the first non-selected control gate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a programming method thereof and is-applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a NAND flash memory, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, high voltage is applied to high-voltage transistors such as transfer transistors arranged in the row decoder of a NAND flash memory, for example. High voltage (Vpgm+Vth, Vpgm or the like) necessary to transfer so-called program voltage Vpgm to a selected word line is applied to the control gate of the transfer transistor.
For example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H10-302488, an example in which program voltage Vpgm is transferred to the control gate by use of the high-voltage transistor is disclosed. Recently, the voltage value of the program voltage tends to increase with an increase in the number of memory cells.
Further, since the voltage value of the program voltage is approximately 18V and extremely high, for example, there is a tendency that the gate insulating film is destroyed and so-called field inversion occurs via an element isolation insulating film between adjacent high-voltage transistors. Therefore, it is necessary to make the film thickness of the gate insulating film larger and increase the distance between the adjacent high-voltage transistors.
As a result, the cell area is increased, and it becomes difficult to attain high integration density and it is disadvantageous in forming a highly fine pattern.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device having nonvolatile semiconductor memory and programming method thereof


Swimming goggles (10) having two lenses (11), a pair of rigid frames (13) supporting the lenses, a rigid first connecting element (15) between the pair of frames (13), and a soft second element (12) distinct from the first connecting element (15) and from the frames (13). The frames (13) can have a rigidity chosen to ensure a shape of a rim of the lenses (11) and to support end buckles for connection between the goggles (10). The first connecting element (15) can have a lower rigidity than the frames (13), adapting the first connecting element (15) to a shape of a user's nasal root but opposing traction forces tending to modify a distance between the lenses (11) and the torsional torques tending to modify relative lying planes of the two lenses (11). The second element (12) can have two annular portions (16) and a connecting bridge (24) therebetween.

Goggles intended for competitive swimming must have special characteristics.
Primarily, these goggles must have the smallest possible dimensions, as the dimensions thereof have a negative influence on resistance to forward motion.
Secondly, the support structure of the lenses, while enabling adaptation to the user's eye-sockets, must prevent the lenses from moving away or towards one another during use, thus remaining in the position fixed by the user by regulation of the connecting buckles between the goggles and said strap.
As the support structure of the lenses is generally made using elastic and soft material, this effect is difficult to achieve. Therefore, in a very well-known and widely available solution, the support structure of the lenses is made in two parts, the support frames for the lenses being connected to one another by a strip of non-extensible material which however is lacking in any torsional rigidity and therefore does not ensure that the initial position of the goggles in the user's eye-sockets is maintained.


An optical device includes a range of angularly selective reflectors are contained within an optical waveguide substrate and substantially optimized according to their reflector order within the sequence of reflectors. This configuration of reflectors ensures that the required angular information is passed through to the correct reflector within the sequence. The angular response in addition reduces or eliminates formation of secondary images carried to successive reflectors, resulting in undesired artefacts.

An optical waveguide is an optical medium that is configured to guide electromagnetic waves in the optical spectrum. Optical waveguides are used in optical delivery systems for imaging applications and non-imaging applications. For example, optical waveguides are utilized in optical delivery systems for imaging applications such as but not limited to augmented reality display systems.
There is a need to provide improved optical waveguide devices and systems that have better performance than those of current optical delivery systems.

Optical waveguide devices, methods and systems incorporating same


A high frequency heating apparatus with a range hood, which has an opening for exhausting air and a cover for closing the opening, includes a microcomputer control unit for controlling an automatic opening/closing operation of the cover, a control panel for setting an operation of the apparatus, a display unit for displaying the control status, and a detecting unit for detecting an exhaust direction of a blower. The exhaust direction of the blower can alternate between indoor circulation and outdoor ventilation and the control unit opens the cover only when the detected exhaust direction of the blower is the indoor circulation and the cooling unit is stopped, and the control unit closes the cover when the detected exhaust direction of the blower is the outdoor ventilation or the cooling unit operates.

Conventionally, a high frequency heating apparatus with a range hood has an automatic cover that opens or closes automatically, and a gas flow changing mechanism for allowing a user to change a gas exhaust direction from a blower to circulate byproduct gas, which is generated from a heating cooker installed below an apparatus main body and suctioned into the range hood through the lower portion of the apparatus main body, in an indoor space via an exhaust opening provided in an upper front portion of the apparatus main body or to exhaust it outside through a top portion or a rear portion of the apparatus main body (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,929).
In the apparatus with the above configuration, the automatic cover for closing the exhaust opening provided in the upper front portion of the apparatus main body is opened to provide a passageway for an exhaust air or a suction air for cooling electric components of the apparatus when the high frequency heating apparatus (for example, a microwave oven) is in an heating operation. Besides, the cover is also opened when the blower is operating regardless of an exhaust direction of the blower.
In the conventional apparatus, however, the automatic cover is opened even when its open state is not necessary, for example, when the gas exhaust direction of the blower is set for outdoor ventilation. Furthermore, the automatic cover is also opened to provide an opening for intake or exhaustion of air for cooling the electric components of the microwave oven when the microwave oven is in a heating operation. Accordingly, since the cover is opened too frequently even when it need not be opened, the advantage of installing the automatic cover to improve the aesthetic feature of the microwave oven by reducing the opening area on the surface of the apparatus main body cannot be fully utilized.

High frequency heating apparatus having a range hood


Message processing includes activating an out-of-office function for a messaging account, wherein the out-of-office function has a scheduled end time. A determination is made, using a processor, that a current time is after the scheduled end time and that a deactivation condition for the out-of-office function has not occurred. Responsive to the determination, an out-of-office action is performed using the processor.

When a user of a messaging system, e.g., electronic mail, is out of the office for a period of time, the user typically activates an automated reply function. The automated reply function automatically sends a reply in response to each message that is received in the user's messaging account. The automated reply typically includes text indicating when the user will be back in the office and able to respond to the message that triggered the automated reply.
In some cases, the user is out of the office for longer than anticipated without access to the messaging system. As the date noted in the automated reply comes and goes, people attempting to contact the absent user that previously received an automated reply expect some sort of follow-up action to occur based upon the assumption that the absent user is back in the office.
When no follow-up action occurs, people may become frustrated by the lack of action while remaining unaware that the absent user is still not in the office. Further, when one sends a further message to the absent user, the same automated reply may be received in response, which now includes incorrect and out-of-date information. Alternatively, no further automated message is sent. In either case, the person trying to contact the absent user may interpret the lack of action or contact that the absent user is choosing not to respond when in fact the absent user is unable to respond.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Extended out of office message processing

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The wellbore pump of the present invention comprises a plunger having passage means which may be open or closed by a valve operated by a piston which is biased in the open position by a spring of selected strength such that the wellbore pressure may overcome the spring to close the valve when the accumulated hydrostatic pressure reaches a certain value. When the valve closes the reservoir pressure forces the plunger to the surface and causes the accumulated liquids to be pumped out of the wellbore. A stem extending from the top of the piston engages a top plate and causes the valve to open when the plunger reaches the top of the wellbore. Means is provided whereby the valve opens when it reaches the top of the wellbore and a latch may be provided to retain the plunger from returning to the bottom of the well.

This invention relates to apparatus for the improved production of oil and natural gas wells. In particular, it relates to a mechanism which will automatically discharge accumulated liquids from the wellbore, without external force or energy.
Natural gas wells, unlike some oil wells, because of gases light weight and the capacity to expand when pressure is relieved, are able to flow naturally as a result of reservoir pressure without the need to be pumped as is the case in low pressure oil wells.
This phenomena is, however, subject to the exception that associated fluids in the nature of liquid such as water, oil, or petroleum condensates, tend to accumulate in the wellbore and when they reach a certain volume or hydrostatic head in the wellbore create a back pressure which is enough to diminish the flow of natural gas or stop it all together.
The solution, of course, is to periodically pump the liquids out of the wellbore when they restrict the flow.
One way to accomplish this is to insert a pumping or swabbing device through an entry chamber known as a lubricator and lower the device to the bottom of the well where by means of rods or cables the pump can be operated to pull liquids up to the surface where the liquids are caused to flow off through the same production line as the natural gas and are then separated. Once the accumulated heavy liquids are removed, the natural rate of gas flow resumes until more liquids eventually accumulate.
The foregoing method, however, involves workers' time and attention at periodic intervals and the use of pumping equipment which in the case of the well under pressure can be complicated, as well as dangerous.
It is therefore the purpose of this invention to provide a means for removing accumulated liquids from oil or natural gas wells (a process generally referred to as swabbing) by means of apparatus which is simple and relatively inexpensive. It is also the purpose of this invention to provide a mechanism which will function automatically without the attention and intervention of workers.
It is also the purpose of this invention to provide apparatus which will operate under the forces provided by the pressure of the gas reservoir without requiring externally. applied forces or energy to operate the pump.


In one aspect the present invention is directed to mutant Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) proteins that have the ability to bind to siderophores, such as enterochelin, and to chelate and transport iron, and that are excreted in the urine. Such NGAL mutants, and complexes thereof with siderophores, can be used to clear excess iron from the body, for example in the treatment of iron overload. The NGAL mutants of the invention also have antibacterial activity and can be used in the treatment of bacterial infections, such as those of the urinary tract.

NGAL (Lipocalin 2) is a small protein with a molecular weight of about 22 kD. NGAL binds to iron-binding siderophores, such as enterochelin, with high affinity and thus chelates and traffics iron. Once produced in cells, NGAL is secreted into the extracellular space and transported to the kidney where it passes the filtration barrier of the glomerulus and enters the primary urine. However NGAL is then efficiently reabsorbed by megalin receptors localized on the apical side of the epithelia of the proximal tubules. Once NGAL is reabsorbed and endocytosed, it is trafficked to lysosomes and degraded. Once degraded, any iron which NGAL transported to the kidney is reabsorbed.

THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for edge film stack removal process for fabricating photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing solar cell devices on a substrate includes providing a substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber, contacting a shadow frame disposed in the deposition chamber to a periphery region of the substrate, depositing a silicon-containing layer on the substrate through an aperture defined by the shadow frame, transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber, depositing a transparent conductive layer on the silicon-containing layer, transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool, and laser scribing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for an edge film removal process, more particularly, for an edge film removal process for fabricating photovoltaic devices.
2. Description of the Background Art
Photovoltaic (PV) devices or solar cells are devices which convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electrical power. PV or solar cells typically have one or more p-i-n junctions. Each junction comprises two different regions within a semiconductor material where one side is denoted as the p-type region and the other as the n-type region. When the p-i-n junction of the PV cell is exposed to sunlight (consisting of energy from photons), the sunlight is directly converted to electricity through a PV effect. PV solar cells generate a specific amount of electric power and cells are tiled into modules sized to deliver the desired amount of system power. PV modules are created by connecting a number of PV solar cells and are then joined into panels with specific frames and connectors.
Typically, a PV solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a transparent conductive film. The transparent conductive film is disposed as a front electrode on the bottom of the PV solar cell in contact with a glass substrate and/or as a back surface electrode on the top of the PV solar cell. The photoelectric conversion unit includes a p-type silicon layer, a n-type silicon layer and an intrinsic type (i-type) silicon layer sandwiched between the p-type and n-type silicon layers. Typically, the silicon films of the photoelectric conversion unit are deposited by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process while the transparent conductive film may be deposited by a PECVD or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. As the photoelectric conversion unit and the transparent conductive film may be formed in different deposition equipment, the profile and dimension of each layer formed along the edge of the substrate may be different. For example, a PVD transparent conductive film deposition process can typically form the transparent conductive film throughout the substrate surface, and sometimes around the edge and onto a backside of the substrate. In contrast, in a CVD silicon deposition process, a shadow frame is typically utilized during deposition to cover substrate edge, thereby forming an electrical path to ground for preventing arcing and plasma leakage. However, use of the shadow frame during deposition may prevent silicon deposition along the edge of the substrate, thereby leaving edge of the substrate free from silicon films.
Accordingly, different deposition processes used for depositing the film stack on the substrate surface may often result in mismatched film profiles and film thickness at the edge of the substrate. As the film stack on the substrate periphery region are required to be removed or shaded out for the subsequent packaging or bonding process for a framing holding module, mismatched edge film profile and thickness often cause edge film removal process difficulty, thereby resulting in unwanted edge residual that may cause subsequent packaging and/or bonding process failure.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for edge removal process on the substrate for fabricating photovoltaic devices.

Edge film removal process for thin film solar cell applications


A Christmas tree ornament-shaped fire alarm is provided including a housing shaped as a Christmas ornament and having an interior space. The housing is adapted to be situated on a Christmas tree. Further provided is a fire alarm situated within the housing for providing an indication to a user upon the detection of the Christmas tree being on fire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Christmas tree ornament-shaped fire alarm and more particularly pertains to disguising a fire alarm as a tree ornament.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of fire alarms is known in the prior art. More specifically, fire alarms heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of indicating the presence of a fire are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
In this respect, the Christmas tree ornament-shaped fire alarm according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of disguising a fire alarm as a tree ornament.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved Christmas tree ornament-shaped fire alarm which can be used for disguising a fire alarm as a tree ornament. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


An offset cancellation circuit(1) for an analog switch(10) is provided which substantially reduces the offset voltage induced by the analog switch circuit. The circuit(1) comprising a second P-channel transistor(2) and a third N-channel transistor(4) connected to each other in series, the drains of the second P-channel transistor and the third N-channel transistor being connected to the output terminal; a second N-channel transistor(3) and a third P-channel transistor(5) connected to each other in series, the drains of the second N-channel transistor and the third P-channel transistor being connected to the output terminal; the gate of the second P-channel transistor is connected to the gate of the N-channel transistor; and the gate of the second N-channel transistor is connected to the gate of the P-channel transistor.

Recently, an analog switch circuit has been increasingly used in A/D converters, D/A converters, and sample-and-hold circuits, for example; such an analog switch circuit is generally formed in small shape in order to increase controllability and characteristics, or to minimize power consumption.
With the analog switch circuit, there exists an offset voltage; when the offset voltage is high, the operating point of the switch varies, thus adversely affecting the accuracy of the A/D converters, D/A converters, and sample-and-hold circuits that employ the analog switch circuit.
So, the analog switch circuit typically includes an additional offset cancellation circuit for canceling the offset voltage generated by the analog switch circuit.
Conventionally, an offset cancellation circuit 10 as shown in FIG. 3 exists as an offset cancellation circuit for an analog switch to cancel the offset voltage of the analog switch circuit.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram depicting a prior art offset cancellation circuit 20 applied to the analog switch circuit 10.
In FIG. 3, the analog switch 10 comprises an N-channel MOS transistor 11 and a P-channel MOS transistor 12 that input drive signals .o slashed. and .o slashed. (an inverted version of the drive signal .o slashed. is hereinafter referred to as .o slashed.) to their gate terminals, respectively.
The offset cancellation circuit 20 comprises a P-channel MOS transistor 21 having approximately half the size of the P-channel MOS transistor that comprises the analog switch circuit 10, and an N-channel MOS transistor 22 having approximately half the size of the N-channel MOS transistor 11 that comprises the analog switch circuit 10.
The P-channel MOS transistor 21 having its gate terminal connected commonly to the gate terminal of the N-channel MOS transistor 11 of the analog switch circuit 10, and having its source and drain terminals connected to each other and also connected to an output terminal of the analog switch circuit 10; similarly, the N-channel MOS transistor 22 has its gate terminal connected commonly to the gate terminal of the P-channel MOS transistor 12 of the analog witch circuit 10, and having its source and drain terminals connected to each other and also connected to the output terminal of the analog switch circuit 10.
So configured, when a logic high ("H") is applied to the analog switch circuit 10 as the drive signal .o slashed., a "H" is applied to the gate terminal of the N-channel MOS transistor 11, while a logic low ("L") is applied to the gate terminal of the P-channel MOS transistor 12, so the analog switch circuit 10 turns on, causing the voltage signal inputted from the input terminal Vin to be outputted at the output terminal Vout. When a "L" is outputted to the analog switch circuit 10 as the drive signal .o slashed., a "L" is applied to the gate terminal of the N-channel MOS transistor 11, while a "H" is applied to the gate terminal of the P-channel MOS transistor 12, so the analog switch circuit 10 turns off.
Here, for the offset voltage components induced by variations in input voltage of the analog switch circuit 10, an offset voltage component caused by the N-channel MOS transistor 11 is absorbed by capacitance of the N-channel MOS transistor 22, while an offset voltage component caused by the P-channel MOS transistor 12 is absorbed by capacitance of the P-channel MOS transistor 21. Thus, the offset voltage generated in the analog switch circuit 10 can be reduced.
However, with such an offset cancellation circuit for an analog switch, the offset voltage might be reduced, but the cancellation of the offset voltage is insufficient for some applications, so there is a need for further reduction in offset voltage.
A specific example is discussed below with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram depicting a comparator portion in an A/D converter for explaining the problem of the prior art example, where it is assumed that the reference voltage margin is 2 V and applied to an analog switch circuit in a 10-bit A/D converter.
Recently, equipment that handles high-quality image data, such as HDTV (High Definition Television) and portable camcorders, demands higher resolution and more sophisticated image data processing; for such apparatus that handle high resolution of image data, more sophisticated A/D converters, more specifically, A/D converters with about 10 bits (=1024) of accuracy, are required.
That is, with the A/D converter as described above, in order to secure 10 bits of accuracy, the voltage steps divided by resistance R are less than 2 mV (2 V divided by 1024), which means that if an offset voltage greater than that occurs, 10 bits of accuracy could not be secured. Especially, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the offset voltage of the analog switch circuit used at the input terminal of the comparator 30 is found to affect the overall characteristics.
However, the prior art offset cancellation circuit 20 for the analog switch cancels the offset voltage insufficiently, so an offset voltage of about up to .+-.8 mV is present, as shown in FIG. 2. This could merely secure 8 bits of accuracy, thus preventing use in high-accuracy circuits.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an offset cancellation circuit for an analog switch that substantially reduces the offset voltage induced by the analog switch circuit.


In a security system, a first collecting module cyclically collects target-object information indicative of environments of a target object and a monitored area in which the target object exists. An alarm module determines whether there is an abnormal situation associated with at least one of the target object and the monitored area based on the target-object information, and sets off an alarm indicative of a result of the determination that there is an abnormal situation. A second collecting module cyclically collects circumstance information indicative of a situation of an area surrounding the monitored area. An abnormal situation determining module calculates, based on the circumstance information, a probability that an abnormal situation associated with at least one of the target object and the monitored area will occur, and determines whether the probability is equal to or higher than a threshold level.

There are many security systems for monitoring whether abnormal situations associated with target objects have occurred. An example of these security systems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-271522.
In the security system disclosed in the Publication 2002-271522, a home security terminal monitors whether there has been an abnormal situation associated with a target object, i.e. a target home. In addition, an in-vehicle terminal monitors whether there has been an abnormal situation associated with a target object, i.e. a target vehicle. When the home security terminal determines that there has been an abnormal situation associated with a target object based on the monitored result, the home security terminal sends information about the occurrence of the abnormal situation associated with the target object to a center server. Similarly, when the in-vehicle terminal determines that there has been an abnormal situation associated with a target object based on the monitored result, the in-vehicle terminal sends information about the occurrence of the abnormal situation associated with the target object to the center server.
When receiving the information about the occurrence of the abnormal situation associated with the target object from at least one of the home security terminal and the in-vehicle terminal, the center server sends information indicative of the occurrence of the abnormal situation to a mobile terminal of the owner of the target object corresponding to the at least one of the home security terminal and the in-vehicle terminal.
Note that the Publication No. 2002-271522 discloses thefts, fires, break-ins, or other abnormal events associated with target objects as examples of abnormal situations associated with the target objects.

Security system, program product therefor, and surveillance method


A method of verifying function and status of breathing equipment, wherein the breathing equipment includes a gas supply, a closure valve on the gas supply, a primary pressure regulator downstream of the closure valve, a pressure sensor, a secondary pressure regulator downstream of the primary pressure regulator, a breathing mask downstream of the secondary pressure regulator, an indicator, a processor connected to the pressure sensor and the indicator, and gas lines between the gas supply, the primary pressure regulator, the secondary pressure regulator, and the mask. A processor for receiving sensed data, comparing the sensed data to control values, and producing an output signal is activated. At least one functional or status variable within the equipment is measured. The at least one measured value is compared to a corresponding control value with the processor. An output signal based upon the comparison is produced. The output signal is transmitted to an indicator to indicate whether the at least one measured value substantially corresponds to the at least one control value.

It is absolutely necessary to ensure that the breathing equipment used by a diver or a firefighter, for instance, is fully serviceable and faultless prior to entering non-breathable atmospheres, for instance when diving or when working in smoke-filled or toxic environment.
Among other things, it is necessary to check that the system gas-supply is completely full and, therewith, contains the amount of breathing gas that can be expected to be consumed, that the hoses leading to the breathing mask are tightly sealed, that is, will not leak to the surroundings and, therewith, reduce the amount of gas available for breathing, that gas is able to flow from the gas reservoir freely and without hinder and will arrive at the breathing mask in sufficient volumes, that is, that there is practically no resistance to the air flow and that the pressure prevailing in the breathing mask is higher than ambient pressure.
The gas reservoir carried by the person concerned will normally have the form of a gas cylinder that contains breathing gas at a pressure of normally 300 bars, when the cylinder is full. The breathing gas is normally air, although under special circumstances may often contain at least 20 percent by volume oxygen and an inert gas, most often nitrogen and perhaps also helium. In some cases, for instance, for diving to great depths, the breathing gas contains less than 20 percent oxygen by volume. Since the gas reservoir has a relatively small volume, it is important that the reservoir pressure is sufficiently high to supply the user with an anticipated maximum gas volume.
It is also important that the hoses or lines leading from the gas reservoir are tight and that the flow resistance presented thereby is sufficiently small for the gas reservoir to deliver to the user a quantity of gas that is large enough to satisfy the user's requirements, even in the case of an extreme need.
Another important safety problem concerns the gas pressure in the mask when the mask is in place. The mask pressure must be greater than the ambient pressure, so that non-breathable atmosphere, particularly toxic atmosphere, is unable to penetrate into the mask.

Method and an arrangement for checking the operation of breathing equipment