An automatic inflatable personal flotation device configured to be thrown to a person in a body of water to assist that person with staying afloat while waiting to be rescued. The flotation device is provided in a substantially baton-shaped configuration having a handle that is easily and effectively thrown and a flotation bladder at one end of the handle. A cylinder of carbon dioxide is disposed inside the handle. An inflator assembly is operatively connected to the cylinder to automatically activate upon contact with water so as to release pressurized gas and rapidly fill the flotation bladder. A water dissolvable mechanism can be utilized as the operable mechanism for the inflator assembly. Preferably, the cylinder is disposed in a support tube and the handle is made out of insulating material to thermally insulate and protect the cylinder from cold and hot temperatures and contact with objects while stored or transported.

A. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to emergency flotation devices adapted to assist in the rescue of persons in bodies of water. More particularly, the present invention relates to such emergency flotation devices that are configured to be easily throwable and which automatically inflate upon contact with the body of water. Even more particularly the present invention relates to such emergency flotation devices which have a generally baton-shaped body member for throwing and a flotation component configured to support a person in the body of water.
B. Background
Accidental drowning is an unfortunate risk of most recreational or occupational activities, such as boating, swimming and the like, that take place around or in bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, canals, and oceans. Accidental drowning is also a substantial risk during natural disasters, such as floods, and transportation accidents over a body of water, such as airplane crashes, sinking boats and the like. Generally, all such drownings begin with a person falling or thrown into the body of water and then being unable to swim or otherwise make it to safety, which may be the shore or a structure or other safe location (i.e., a raft or boat) in the water, due to their inability to swim, swim the required distance or swim in the water conditions (i.e., cold, choppy water, etc.). For many drowning events, there is some period of time between when a person falls or is thrown into the water and when the person drowns in which help could be provided to him or her by others that would prevent the drowning. Typically, this help is in the form of providing the person in the water a personal flotation device that is suitable for safely supporting the person in the water until a more permanent rescue can be effectuated (i.e., pulling the person out of the water or being picked up by boat or helicopter). Common types of personal flotation devices, which are configured, adapted and/or intended for use by a single person as opposed to a group of persons (i.e., which require a large life raft or the like), include life jackets or vests, cushions, rings and horseshoe configured devices. The purpose of a personal flotation device is to keep a person afloat until he or she is rescued. It is generally not a purpose of such devices to provide a water craft for sustained use in and/or movement through the water.
While such devices generally are well suited for providing a person in the water with a way to keep afloat without tiring (i.e., from treading water) until he or she is rescued, they do have some substantial drawbacks that limit their effectiveness in many situations. Life jackets must be on the person before he or she falls into the water and becomes a potential drowning victim, or he or she must be able to put the life jacket on while in the water (i.e., while treading water or the like). Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of the entry into the water or the water conditions, the person may be unable to put the life jacket on or put it on in a manner such that it stays on. Obviously, a person who is seriously injured or otherwise unable to manipulate a life jacket while in the water is not able to take advantage of being provided with the life jacket. In addition, most life jackets, cushions, rings or horseshoe devices are difficult to throw very far or with any accuracy. As such, if a person falls into the water and someone is able to throw a typical personal flotation device to them, it is not uncommon for the person throwing the device to not be able to throw it very far or with any accuracy. As known to those skilled in the art, including rescue personnel and life guards, there is a certain amount of skill involved, which typically takes training to acquire, in order to effectively throw a personal flotation device to a drowning person. As such, these devices often do little to assist the person who is more than 50 feet or so from shore, structure, vessel or other safe location.
For storage and delivery (i.e., throwing) purposes, many personal flotation devices are stored without air inside them, which requires the rescuer or the person in the water to fill the device with air before it can be effectively utilized. As discussed above, often it can be very difficult for the person in the water to place the required quantity of air, such as by blowing, into the personal flotation device and many rescuers may not have or take the time to fill it before throwing. A number of personal flotation devices were developed that allow the person in the water to quickly fill the device with the amount of air necessary for the device to be effectively utilized. Generally, these personal flotation devices include a source of pressurized gas, a bladder that is suitable for receiving the pressurized gas and supporting the person in the water and some type of switch or other activating mechanism for initiating the flow of pressurized gas from the source to the bladder. An example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,381 to Prager and an example of a manual inflation manifold is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,288 to Mackal. The source of pressurized gas is typically a canister or other container having carbon dioxide or other non-flammable and non-toxic gas that is under sufficient pressure to rapidly fill the bladder to provide a support for the person in the water while he or she waits for a more permanent rescue. Although the activating mechanisms used with most such devices generally appear to be easy to operate when viewed safely on shore or other places where there is no risk of drowning and no water conditions (i.e., waves, rain, etc.) to deal with, under real potentially drowning conditions, the person in the water may have difficulty in operating the activating mechanism so as to fill the bladder with air.
To overcome the problems associated with personal flotation devices that require manual operation of an activating mechanism, various improved personal flotation devices have been developed that include automatic activating mechanisms or inflators that are configured to automatically transfer gas from the source of pressurized gas to the bladder upon exposure to water. These devices typically comprise a gas cartridge having a pierceable or frangible seal and a spring loaded piercing pin that is driven into the seal to cause compressed gas to flow from the canister to a manifold that pneumatically connects to the bladder to be inflated. The typical mechanism for driving the piercing pin is a cam that is driven by a water activated trigger assembly that includes either a water destructible or dissolvable element or cartridge that, in the set position before exposure to the water, retains an actuator pin in a cocked or ready position in alignment with the piercing pin. Examples of some automatic inflators which utilize water destructible or dissolvable elements to trigger the piercing pin are set forth in various patents to Mackal, et al. (i.e., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,705,488; 6,589,087; 4,627,823; 4,223,805; 4,267,944; and 4,260,075), U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,658 to Spidy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,339 to Bernhardt, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,079 to Niemann. When these trigger assemblies are exposed to water, the dissolvable elements dissolve to release the piercing pin and fracture the seal of the cylinder to release the pressurized gas into the inflatable bladder portion of the flotation device. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,823 to Mackal, a major disadvantage of some of these prior art devices was their tendency to self-actuate, causing premature and unintentional inflation of the inflatable bladder during storage, particularly in the humid environments typically found on ships or near bodies of water. The device of this Mackal patent (No. 4,627,823) is configured to be housed in a bracket assembly for attachment to a stationary object such that when the device is released from the bracket, the actuator is mechanically cocked to arm the device for use.
An alternative to the water destructible or dissolvable elements utilized in the personal flotation devices described above are devices which utilize electrically operated actuation assemblies, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,028 to Fujiyama, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,128 to Jankowiak, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,922 to Weinheimer, et al. The patent to Fujiyama describes an automatic inflating buoy that has a gas generating composition, an electric ignition device to ignite the composition and a cooling agent for cooling the gas generated by the burning or decomposition of the gas before it enters the inflatable bag. An electric cell or battery supplies the current to the electric ignition device when contacted by water. The Fujiyama patent notes the problems with utilizing pierceable gas cylinders to fill the buoy in colder temperatures, namely that the discharge speed is slow, making it difficult to fill the buoy. The patent to Jankowiak describes a water activated pressurized gas release device configured to inflate personal flotation equipment when immersed in water. The actuation assembly has a battery operated circuit that operates by completing the circuit when the device is immersed in water to ignite an explosive primer so as to drive the piercing pin into the pierceable closure on the container holding the pressurized gas. A device made according to this patent is commercially available as the "Deck Crew" automatic inflation device from Conax Florida Corporation out of St. Petersburg, Fla. The patent to Weinheimer describes a automatic inflator for personal flotation devices that utilizes a battery-powered, water-sensing electrical circuit that supplies power to a fusible link actuator assembly upon immersion of the device in water. Upon immersion in water, the electrical circuit fuses a fuse bolt to allow a spring to force a slidable link forward within the actuator so as to force the firing lever to move upward and forcibly urge the firing pin to pierce the frangible seal of the gas cartridge.
One significant disadvantage of the prior art automatic inflating personal flotation devices is their inability to be easily deployed by throwing during an emergency situation, such as a potential drowning. In general, the prior art devices are too bulky and/or weight too much to be easily and effectively thrown any substantial distance by the typical person. As with the early and still most common personal flotation devices, the standard, non-inflatable rings and horseshoe devices, the prior art automatic inflating personal flotation devices are not easy to throw more than a relatively short distance, particularly with any accuracy. Another significant disadvantage of many of the prior art automatic inflating personal flotation devices is that they can be difficult to conveniently and safely store while waiting use. Another disadvantage of some prior art devices having enclosed housings is the positioning of the manual "back-up" actuator inside the enclosed cartridge, which requires the cartridge to open before the back-up can be utilized.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved automatic inflatable personal flotation device that is easier for the average person, particularly untrained persons, to throw an effective distance with accuracy. The preferred automatic inflatable personal flotation device will automatically inflate upon contact with water and, in case of malfunction of the automatic actuator, be easy for the potentially drowning person to manually actuate. The preferred automatic inflatable personal flotation device will be made out of materials that are generally lightweight, durable, suitable for use in outdoor environments and be configured for use with either an electrically operated actuator or an actuator using a destructible or dissolvable element to automatically actuate a piercing pin capable of piercing a frangible seal on a pressurized gas cartridge. The preferred automatic inflatable personal flotation device of the present invention will utilize a cylinder of compressed gas but be configured to reduce the known negative effects of cold and hot temperatures on such cylinders and be configured to protect the cylinder from damage due to unintended contact with another surface. Ideally, the preferred automatic inflatable personal flotation device should be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and adaptable for a variety of different emergency uses.

Throwable emergency response automatic inflatable personal flotation device


A lens barrel has at least one movable lens group that can move in one direction and the other direction along the optical axis, the lens barrel comprising: a movable lens frame; a voice coil motor for driving a movable lens group and the movable lens frame along the optical axis; and a stopper mechanism brought into contact with the movable lens frame. The stopper mechanism includes a stopper member that moves between a retracted position where the stopper member does not touch the movable lens frame when the voice coil motor is energized, and an abutting position where the stopper member is brought into contact with the movable lens frame when the voice coil motor is not energized.

In many digital cameras and digital video cameras, an optical element such as a lens is driven using an actuator. One of such actuators is, as described in Patent Literature 1, for example, configured to move an optical element such as a lens by using a voice coil motor, to thereby prevent recording of the noise generated from a motor or the like when taking, particularly, a moving image, or the like. Patent Literature 1 discloses a configuration to prevent a collision noise when the voice coil motor moves the optical element to a mechanical end.


A composite polymeric material is provided that may be used to construct an abrasion resistant layer or sheet such as an abrasion resistant meltblown layer. Desirably, the composite polymeric material comprises blends of syndiotactic and isotactic polypropylene with ferroelectric materials. The composite polymeric material is particularly useful for constructing a filter media comprising an abrasion resistant fine fiber layer such as a nonwoven layer. The composite polymeric material of the present invention also allows for electret treatment to improve its filtration characteristics.

In addition to a variety of other applications, nonwovens are very useful for creating filter media. Such nonwoven webs include meltblown fiber webs and spunbond fiber webs. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,007 to Midkiff et al. discloses the use of a nonwoven web for HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) and other air filtration media. PCT Application No. US94/12699 (Publication No. WO95/13856) discloses high-loft multicomponent fiber webs suitable for use in a variety of air filtration applications. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,784 to Pike et al. discloses a variety of conjugate fiber nonwoven webs suitable for use as air and/or liquid filtration media. Further, multilayer laminates have likewise been used in a variety of filtration and/or filtration-like applications as discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,180 to Pike et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 to Brock et al.
Filter media fabricated from meltblown fiber webs tend to provide high filtration efficiency because of the fine fiber size and the conformability of meltblown fibers that causes the fibers to come together as a dense, fine-pored web. The resulting interfiber pore structures are highly suitable for mechanically trapping or screening fine particles. Additionally, the efficacy of various materials as filtration media, including meltblown fibers, can be improved when such is permanently, electrostatically treated, such as by applying a high-voltage electric field to the material. The resulting electret can be particularly suitable for the filtration of aerosols. A dielectric becomes an electret when the rate of decay of the field-induced polarization can be slowed down so much that a significant fraction of the polarization is preserved long after the polarizing field has been removed. Such electrets can be made by various methods, e.g. corona charging, triboelectric charging (friction) and so forth. By way of example, methods of treating various materials such as meltblown fibers in order to impart an electrostatic charge are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,682 to Kubic et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,718 to Wadsworth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,537 to Klaase et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,446 to Tsai et al, which are incorporated by reference. Improvements in creating electret materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,205 to Myers et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,990 to Myers et al., which are also incorporated here by reference.
Unfortunately, meltblown fiber webs typically do not have a physical integrity that is self-supporting and such are susceptible to delamination and abrasive forces during handling and converting. The structural integrity of such webs can be improved by increasing the basis weight or thickness of the web, and protection from abrasion and delamination can be achieved by incorporating the meltblown fibers inside a spunbonded portion of the filter media. However, increasing the basis weight or thickness exacerbates the pressure drop across the filter media. Furthermore, adding support structure or incorporating the meltblown fibers inside a spunbonded portion for protection from abrasive forces does not typically contribute to the filtration process and generally increases the production cost of the filter media. Additionally, the complexity of manufacturing a filter media from meltblown fiber webs has heretofore been further complicated by the time during which the meltblown fibers remain tacky or adherent. Attempting to wind or roll meltblown fibers while such remain adherent can lead to problems such as meltblown fibers sticking together as the material is wound onto a roll, which is sometimes referred to as blocking the roll of materials.
Accordingly, a need exists for a material that can be used to construct, for example, porous media that is resistant to delamination and abrasive forces during handling and converting. A need also exists for such a material that can be also be used to construct a filter media without the necessity of multiple structural support layers or unnecessary pressure drop across the media. A filter media that can also be wound or further processed relatively quickly after manufacture without concerns for blocking would be beneficial.

Abrasion resistant material for use in various media


A system and method for communications between servers in a cluster. The system allows for point-to-point messaging to be used in a clustered environment to provide communication of services provided by each server or member of that cluster. Each server or member within the cluster advertises its services as before. If one of the receiving servers misses an advertisement, i.e. it becomes out-of-sync with the sending server, then the second (receiving) server makes a reliable point-to-point request to the first (sending) server asking for the missed services.

In the field of application servers and distributed systems, clusters of servers are often used to provide highly available and scalable resources. One example of an application server is the WebLogic Server from BEA Systems, Inc. A cluster (such as a WebLogic Server cluster) comprises multiple server instances running simultaneously and working together to provide increased scalability and reliability. A cluster appears to clients to be a single server. The server instances that constitute a cluster can run on the same machine, or be located on different machines. A cluster's capacity can be increased by adding additional server instances to the cluster on an existing machine, or by adding machines to the cluster to host the incremental server instances. Each server instance in a cluster must typically run the same version of the server product.
In terms of how a cluster relates to the environment in which the application server exists, a cluster is usually part of a particular server (e.g. WebLogic Server) domain. A domain is an interrelated set of resources that are managed as a unit. A domain includes one or more server instances, which can be clustered, non-clustered, or a combination of clustered and non-clustered instances. A domain can include multiple clusters. A domain also contains the application components deployed in the domain, and the resources and services required by those application components and the server instances in the domain. Examples of the resources and services used by applications and server instances include machine definitions, optional network channels, connectors, startup classes, EJB's, JSPs, etc. An administrator can use a variety of criteria for organizing server instances into domains. For instance, they might choose to allocate resources to multiple domains based on logical divisions of the hosted application, geographical considerations, or the number or complexity of the resources under management.
In a WebLogic domain, one WebLogic Server instance typically acts as the Administration Server—the server instance which configures, manages, and monitors all other server instances and resources in the domain. If a domain contains multiple clusters, each server in the domain has the same Administration Server.
Clustered server instances behave similarly to non-clustered instances, except that they provide failover and load balancing. The process and tools used to configure clustered server instances are the same as those used to configure non-clustered instances. A server cluster provides the following benefits and features:
Scalability—The capacity of an application deployed to a cluster can be increased dynamically to meet demand. Server instances can be added to a cluster without interruption of service—the application continues to run without impact to clients and end users.
High-Availability—In a cluster, application processing can continue when a server instance fails. Application components are "clustered" by deploying them on multiple server instances in the cluster—so, if a server instance on which a component is running fails, another server instance on which that component is deployed can continue application processing.
Failover—Failover means that when an application component (typically referred to as an "service" in the following sections) doing a particular "job"—some set of processing tasks—becomes unavailable for any reason, a copy of the failed service finishes the job. For the new service to be able to take over for the failed service there must be a copy of the failed service available to take over the job. There must also be information, available to other services and the program that manages failover, defining the location and operational status of all services—so that it can be determined that the first service failed before finishing its job. There must also be information, available to other services and the program that manages failover, about the progress of jobs in process—so that a service taking over an interrupted job knows how much of the job was completed before the first service failed, for example, what data has been changed, and what steps in the process were completed. Many application servers, including WebLogic Server, use standards-based communication techniques and facilities—multicast, IP sockets, and the Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI)—to share and maintain information about the availability of services in a cluster. These techniques allow the server to determine that a service stopped before finishing its job, and where there is a copy of the service to complete the job that was interrupted. Information about what has been done on a job is called state. WebLogic Server maintains information about state using techniques called session replication and replica-aware stubs. When a particular service unexpectedly stops doing its job, replication techniques enable a copy of the service pick up where the failed service stopped, and finish the job.
Load Balancing—Load balancing is the even distribution of jobs and associated communications across the computing and networking resources in the application server environment. For load balancing to occur there must be multiple copies of a service that can do a particular job. Information about the location and operational status of all services must also be available. In addition, WebLogic Server allows services to be clustered—deployed on multiple server instances—so that there are alternative services to do the same job. WebLogic Server shares and maintains the availability and location of deployed services using multicast, IP sockets, and JNDI.
Cluster members must typically keep in touch with one another to ensure consistency throughout the cluster. This is particularly relevant in keeping track of the various resources, provided by the cluster, including the fact that some resources may be provided by certain cluster members, while other cluster members provide a different set of resources, services, etc. Many application server cluster products, including for example BEA's WebLogic server product maintain a cluster-wide JNDI tree or naming service that keeps track of all of the available resources and services in the cluster. Each cluster member in the cluster maintains its own naming service whose view mimics that of the global tree. In this manner, when a client (or server, or any other process) accesses a server in the cluster they get the same set of available resources, which attempts to provide consistency throughout the cluster. During normal use each server within the cluster binds its resources to its internal naming service, which is then replicated (advertised) to all of the other cluster members. For example, if a server A is providing a particular service, then information about this server is first bound to server A's naming service (for example its JNDI tree), and from there is replicated to the other servers.
Typically, the approach used to replicate information from one cluster member or server to another server within the cluster is to multicast the information. Using multicast, information about all of a servers resources, services, etc. is multicast to each other member of the cluster. However, mutlicast is an unreliable transport mechanism. The packet of information could be intercepted or dropped along the way, resulting in one server having a different view of the naming service from the view at another server. As such, this impinges on the consistency throughout the cluster.
Traditionally, there are two primary methods to make the multicast process more reliable at a higher level. A first approach is for the second (receiving) server to issue a request (for example a NAK request) to the first (sending) server, saying "I missed an update packet—please resend it". In return the second server will be sent the missing update. Another approach is for the first server to send an aggregated view (a statedump) of all of its resources and services to the second server. The statedump describes the aggregate view of the services provided by a server. Large packets of multicast messages exchanged between servers in a cluster can potentially destabilize the cluster. Frequent resend requests for service advertisements can quickly overflow the operating system message buffers, causing stability problems. As the number of services provided by a server increase, so does the size of the statedump. Coupled with the increasing of a cluster, this could lead to longer startup time and the time each server takes to stabilize in a cluster. The need to send frequent large multicast messages also impacts the cluster scalability and the performance.

System and method for communications between servers in a cluster


The present invention is an apparatus for installing attachments on handles. The invention includes first and second pieces with curved sections that form a generally cylindrical volume around the handle. The first and second pieces are rotatably connected about a hinge axis and may be moved to and from a locked position around handle. A flap having a toothed surface is connected to an end of the second piece, and a tooth extending from an end of the first piece can engage the toothed surface to inhibit inadvertent release of the apparatus from the handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to article carriers. More specifically, the invention is an anchor for securing an attachment to a horizontally-oriented handle, such as the handle of a shopping cart.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common to have experienced the unfortunate incident of losing small items while shopping. These items usually end up on the floor of the store where they may be stepped on, damaged or permanently lost. And even if the small item is not lost, the shopper must deal with keeping track of the items, resulting in an inconvenience for the shopper.

Anchor system for securing attachments to handles


The present invention provides a chromatographic separation process for recovering a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) product from a feed mixture, which process comprises the steps of: (i) purifying the feed mixture in a first separation step in a simulated or actual moving bed chromatography apparatus having a plurality of linked chromatography columns containing, as eluent, an aqueous organic solvent, to obtain an intermediate product; and (ii) purifying the intermediate product obtained in (i) in a second separation step using a simulated or actual moving bed chromatography apparatus having a plurality of linked chromatography columns containing, as eluent, an aqueous organic solvent, to obtain the PUFA product; wherein (a) the first and second separation steps are carried out sequentially on the same chromatography apparatus, the intermediate product being recovered between the first and second separation steps and the process conditions in the chromatography apparatus being adjusted between the first and second separation steps such that the PUFA product is separated from different components of the feed mixture in each separation step; or (b) the first and second separation steps are carried out on separate first and second chromatography apparatuses respectively, the intermediate product obtained from the first separation step being introduced into the second chromatography apparatus, and the PUFA product being separated from different components of the feed mixture in each separation step.

Fatty acids, in particular PUFAs, and their derivatives are precursors for biologically important molecules, which play an important role in the regulation of biological functions such as platelet aggregation, inflammation and immunological responses. Thus, PUFAs and their derivatives may be therapeutically useful in treating a wide range of pathological conditions including CNS conditions; neuropathies, including diabetic neuropathy; cardiovascular diseases; general immune system and inflammatory conditions, including inflammatory skin diseases.
PUFAs are found in natural raw materials, such as vegetable oils and marine oils. Such PUFAs are, however, frequently present in such oils in admixture with saturated fatty acids and numerous other impurities. PUFAs should therefore desirably be purified before nutritional or pharmaceutical uses.
Unfortunately, PUFAs are extremely fragile. Thus, when heated in the presence of oxygen, they are prone to isomerization, peroxidation and oligomerization. The fractionation and purification of PUFA products to prepare pure fatty acids is therefore difficult. Distillation, even under vacuum, can lead to non-acceptable product degradation.
Simulated and actual moving bed chromatography are known techniques, familiar to those of skill in the art. The principle of operation involves countercurrent movement of a liquid eluent phase and a solid adsorbent phase. This operation allows minimal usage of solvent making the process economically viable. Such separation technology has found several applications in diverse areas, including hydrocarbons, industrial chemicals, oils, sugars and APIs.
As is well known, in a conventional stationary bed chromatographic system, a mixture whose components are to be separated percolates through a container. The container is generally cylindrical, and is typically referred to as the column. The column contains a packing of a porous material (generally called the stationary phase) exhibiting a high permeability to fluids. The percolation velocity of each component of the mixture depends on the physical properties of that component so that the components exit from the column successively and selectively. Thus, some of the components tend to fix strongly to the stationary phase and thus will percolate slowly, whereas others tend to fix weakly and exit from the column more quickly. Many different stationary bed chromatographic systems have been proposed and are used for both analytical and industrial production purposes.
In contrast, a simulated moving bed chromatography apparatus consists of a number of individual columns containing adsorbent which are connected together in series. Eluent is passed through the columns in a first direction. The injection points of the feedstock and the eluent, and the separated component collection points in the system, are periodically shifted by means of a series of valves. The overall effect is to simulate the operation of a single column containing a moving bed of the solid adsorbent, the solid adsorbent moving in a countercurrent direction to the flow of eluent. Thus, a simulated moving bed system consists of columns which, as in a conventional stationary bed system, contain stationary beds of solid adsorbent through which eluent is passed, but in a simulated moving bed system the operation is such as to simulate a continuous countercurrent moving bed.
Processes and equipment for simulated moving bed chromatography are described in several patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,589, U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,107, U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,812, U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,533, FR-A-2103302, FR-A-2651148 and FR-A-2651149, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. The topic is also dealt with at length in "Preparative and Production Scale Chromatography", edited by Ganetsos and Barker, Marcel Dekker Inc, New York, 1993, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
An actual moving bed system is similar in operation to a simulated moving bed system. However, rather than shifting the injection points of the feed mixture and the eluent, and the separated component collection points by means of a system of valves, instead a series of adsorption units (i.e. columns) are physically moved relative to the feed and drawoff points. Again, operation is such as to simulate a continuous countercurrent moving bed.
Processes and equipment for actual moving bed chromatography are described in several patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,979,402, U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,883 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,276, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Purification of PUFA products is particularly challenging. Thus, many suitable feedstocks for preparing PUFA products are extremely complex mixtures containing a large number of different components with very similar retention times in chromatography apparatuses. It is therefore very difficult to separate certain PUFAs from such feedstocks. However, a high degree of purity of PUFA products is required, particularly for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Historically, therefore, distillation has been used when high purity PUFA products are required. There are, however, significant drawbacks to using distillation as a separation technique for delicate PUFAs as discussed above.
As yet, no chromatographic technique has been made available for achieving high purity PUFA products, for example greater than 95 or 97% purity, in particular from commercially available feedstocks such as fish oils.
A typical in a simulated moving bed chromatography apparatus is illustrated with reference to FIG. 1. The concept of a simulated or actual moving bed chromatographic separation process is explained by considering a vertical chromatographic column containing stationary phase S divided into sections, more precisely into four superimposed sub-zones I, II, III and IV going from the bottom to the top of the column. The eluent is introduced at the bottom at IE by means of a pump P. The mixture of the components A and B which are to be separated is introduced at IA+B between sub-zone II and sub-zone III. An extract containing mainly B is collected at SB between sub-zone I and sub-zone II, and a raffinate containing mainly A is collected at SA between sub-zone III and sub-zone IV.
In the case of a simulated moving bed system, a simulated downward movement of the stationary phase S is caused by movement of the introduction and collection points relative to the solid phase. In the case of an actual moving bed system, simulated downward movement of the stationary phase S is caused by movement of the various chromatographic columns relative to the introduction and collection points. In FIG. 1, eluent flows upward and mixture A+B is injected between sub-zone II and sub-zone III. The components will move according to their chromatographic interactions with the stationary phase, for example adsorption on a porous medium. The component B that exhibits stronger affinity to the stationary phase (the slower running component) will be more slowly entrained by the eluent and will follow it with delay. The component A that exhibits the weaker affinity to the stationary phase (the faster running component) will be easily entrained by the eluent. If the right set of parameters, especially the flow rate in each sub-zone, are correctly estimated and controlled, the component A exhibiting the weaker affinity to the stationary phase will be collected between sub-zone III and sub-zone IV as a raffinate and the component B exhibiting the stronger affinity to the stationary phase will be collected between sub-zone I and sub-zone II as an extract.
It will therefore be appreciated that the conventional simulated moving bed system schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is limited to binary fractionation.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simulated or actual moving bed chromatographic separation process that can separate PUFAs or their derivatives from both faster and slower running components (i.e. more polar and less polar impurities), to produce high purity PUFA products from commercially available feedstocks such as fish oils. It is further desirable that the process should involve inexpensive eluents which operate under standard temperature and pressure conditions.


A medical device system includes a portable medical device and a docking unit on which the medical device can be removably mounted. The docking unit is configured to communicate with a controller of the medical device when the medical device is mounted on the docking unit to instruct the controller to execute a selected program.

Portable, programmable medical devices are becoming more common and beneficial for treating patients. Some of these medical devices may be so small and lightweight that the patient is not confined to bed. In that case, the portable, programmable medical device gives the patient freedom to do some, if not all, of his/her normal day-to-day activities as he/she receives treatment. Other of these medical devices are readily moved about (i.e., portable), but still restrict the patient's freedom of movement. The device may include a controller that is programmed for controlling an operation of the device. With some portable and programmable medical devices, it is desirable to restrict the patient or other non-authorized person from deselecting the selected program or selecting another program during use.

Portable and light programmable medical device system


The invention provides novel antigens, MPD5, PV13, and PV65, which belongs to the group of cryptic antigens without conventional genomic structure and is encoded by a cryptic open reading frame located in the 3′untranslated region (3′UTR) of myotrophin mRNA. The antigens elicit IgG antibody responses in a subset of PV patients, as well as patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and prostate cancer. The translation of MPD5, PV13 and PV65 was mediated by a novel internal ribosome entry site (IRES) upstream of the open reading frame. Eliciting anti-tumor immune response against MPD5, PV13 and/or PV65 antigen in patients with myeloproliferative diseases is a novel immunotherapy.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to self-tumor antigens and methods and compositions to generate immunity in humans against self tumor antigens. This invention is more particularly related to eliciting or enhancing immunity against human self tumor antigen encoded by unconventional reading frames with homology to foreign proteins
2. Description of Related Art
Self-tumor antigens that elicit anti-tumor immune responses in responses to interferon-α (IFN-α) stimulation remain poorly defined. Currently, most of tumor antigens and autoantigens are encoded by primary open reading frames in mRNAs.
A new generation of tumor antigens has been defined as "self proteins" (J. Exp. Med. 180:1-4, 1994; Cell 82:13-17, 1995). Self tumor antigens are proteins that are expressed by both normal cells and cancer cells. (As opposed to mutated proteins that are unique and thus cancer specific.) Self tumor antigens are typically overexpressed by the cancer cells. Certain self proteins, such as HER-2/neu and c-myc, are known to be involved in malignant transformation. See U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0019331 to Cheever.
Internal ribosome entry site associated studies have been extensive in biochemistry field but not immunology fields, e.g., tumor immunology field. The practical use of internal ribosome entry site is limited in construction of bicistronic vectors for gene therapy and construction of bicistronic vectors for gene expression.
Due to the difficulties in the current approaches to treatment and prevention of cancer, there is a need in the art for improved methods and compositions. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides other related advantages.
The invention provides several new self-tumor antigens, MPD5, PV65 (eIF-2α) and PV13 (protamine 2), which have been found to be immunogenic in patients with polycythemia vera, a myeloproliferative disease. These conventional self-tumor antigens can be used for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the target for future immunotherapy.
The inventor screened a human testis cDNA library with sera from three polycythemia vera (PV) patients who responded to IFN-α and identified novel antigens, MPD5, PV13 (protamine 2) and PV65 (eIF-2α). These antigens elicit IgG antibody responses in a subset of PV patients but not in healthy donors, suggesting that they are authentic tumor antigens, suggesting that they are immunogenic tumor antigens. Increased phosphorylation of PV65 in response to stimulation of IFN-α, and upregulation of PV13 in tumor cells might enhance their abilities in elicitation of immune reactions in patients. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism underlying the regulation of the self-antigen repertoire in eliciting anti-tumor immune reactions in patients with polycythemia vera, and suggest their potential as the targets of novel immunotherapy. This invention is the first demonstration that phosphorylation of tumor antigen increases the immunogenicity of tumor antigens, suggesting posttranslational modifications of proteins, such as phosphorylation, can be targeted for diagnosis and immunotherapy. These antigens can elicit anti-tumor IgG antibody responses, and T cell responses. Since these two tumor antigens are non-mutated antigens, therefore, this antigen can be used for diagnosis, prognosis and immunotherapy for viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and tumors. The inventor has discovered that polycythemia vera is a myeloproliferative disease. This invention is the first report showing that anti-tumor immune responses, elicited by these self-tumor antigens, MPD5, PV13 (protamine 2) and PV65 (eIF-2α), leads to tumor remission. The inventor has found that immune responses to MPD5, PV13 and PV65 self-tumor antigens can be targeted for the purposes of diagnosis, prognosis and immunotherapy for viral infections, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and tumors. The inventor has further found that interferon-α stimulation enhances anti-tumor immune responses via promotion of posttranslational modifications of protein antigens.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Tumor antigens elicit anti-tumor humoral immune reactions in a subset of patients with polycythemia vera


A thermal baby bottle warmer for maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature comprising a thermal baby bottle which has a closed lower end and an open upper end with an exterior side wall therebetween. The baby bottle warmer also has an interior wall that is formed integrally with the thermos bottle and extends downwardly adjacent the upper end of the thermos bottle with insulation material between the side wall and lower end of the thermos bottle. A liner is provided and is adapted to receive a baby bottle and having a closed lower end and an open upper end positioned within the interior wall to define a space for receiving hot water between the lower and side walls of the liner and interior wall with a spring-urged clip adapted to retain the liner within the thermos. Also provided is a threaded lip which extends upwardly from the upper edge of the liner and thermos bottle with interior threads and exterior threads. An interior sealing lid is provided with male threads for selectively coupling with the interior threads of the lid. An exterior lid is formed as a dish with female threads for selectively coupling with the threads of the lid over the interior lid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal baby bottle warmer and more particularly pertains to maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of child care accessories of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, child care accessories of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of keeping food for infants at a preselected temperature through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,435 to Fosco, Jr. discloses a Bottle Warmer or Cooler. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,122 to Kalyk discloses a Baby Bottle Warming Container and Method of Attaining Thermal Equilibrium. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,549 to Chapman discloses a Combined Bottle Warmer and Measuring Spoon. U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,471 to Leder discloses a Forced Convection Heat Exchanger for Warming Articles. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 308,154 to Tow discloses a Baby Bottle Warmer. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,763 to Peterson discloses a Device for Warming or Cooling Infant Food.
In this respect, the thermal baby bottle warmer according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved thermal baby bottle warmer which can be used for maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A wireless intercom unit includes an electronics housing including a first side, where the first side is configured to interface with a planar surface. The intercom unit also includes a microphone, a speaker, and an input device, where these components are located on a portion of the housing other than the first side. The intercom further includes a first channel transceiver for a first channel radio frequency range. In another embodiment, a wireless communication system includes a wireless intercom unit and an earpiece for wireless communication with the wireless intercom unit. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a wireless communication system includes a wireless intercom unit and a remote switch for providing user input information to the intercom unit.

Intercom communication systems are frequently used in a wide variety of applications and across a broad range of industries. For example, in the fast food industry, patrons in a drive-through lane typically utilize a speaker and microphone next to the drive-through lane to communicate with one or more employees inside the restaurant. The patrons' orders are communicated to one or more employees inside the restaurant who often receive the orders via an intercom system that may include a desktop intercom or a wall-mounted intercom. Similarly, in the banking industry, tellers at banks having drive-through lanes may use an intercom system to communicate with customers. In the retail industry, stockroom and other employees commonly use intercom systems to communicate with one another within a large area, such as a department store or a warehouse. Also in the retail industry, an employee inside a gas station commonly uses an intercom system to communicate with a patron, such as a gas station employee communicating with a patron at a gas pump.
While being commonplace in many commercial settings, conventional intercom systems usually either include communications wiring or are designed to be worn or otherwise carried by the user. Where a conventional intercom system contains wiring, it is not easily moved from one location to another, yet changes in work flow or business requirements often dictate the need for flexibility and rapid changes. Improved intercom systems are also needed to accommodate individuals with specific physical handicaps.


Memory cells (e.g., CBRAM cells) include an ion source material over an active material and an electrode comprising metal silicide over the ion source material. The ion source material may include at least one of a chalcogenide material and a metal. Apparatuses, such as systems and devices, include a plurality of such memory cells. Memory cells include an adhesion material of metal silicide between a ion source material and an electrode of elemental metal. Methods of forming a memory cell include forming a first electrode, forming an active material, forming an ion source material, and forming a second electrode including metal silicide over the metal ion source material. Methods of adhering a material including copper and a material including tungsten include forming a tungsten silicide material over a material including copper and treating the materials.

In recent years, the computer memory industry is pursuing alternative memory types to replace or supplement memory devices such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Flash memory, etc. One of these alternative memory types is conductive bridging random access memory ("CBRAM"), also known as programmable metallization cell ("PMC") memory. A variety of CBRAM cells and methods of forming them are known in the art.
As an example, a CBRAM cell conventionally includes opposing electrodes on opposite sides of an active material, such as a chalcogenide glass or an oxide glass. The active material is commonly referred to as a solid electrolyte material. A first electrode (e.g., the inert electrode) includes a relatively inert metal (e.g., tungsten) and a second electrode (e.g., the active electrode) includes an electrochemically active metal (e.g., silver or copper). In such a conventional CBRAM cell, the second electrode functions as an ion source material. The resistance of the active material may be changed by applying a voltage across the opposing electrodes. Upon application of a voltage across the electrodes with a positive bias on the second electrode, silver or copper cations drift from the second electrode into the active material and are electrochemically reduced by electrons from the negatively-charged first electrode. The reduced silver or copper atoms are electro-deposited on the first electrode, and the electro-deposition process continues until the silver or copper atoms form a path of less resistance (also referred to as a "conductive bridge," "dendrite," or "filament") across the active material. The conductive bridge may remain in place for an indefinite period of time, without needing to be electrically refreshed or rewritten. Therefore, CBRAM may be referred to as a non-volatile memory.
The formation of the conductive bridge may be reversed, however, by applying a voltage with a reversed polarity (compared to the voltage used to form the conductive bridge) to the electrodes. When a voltage with a reversed polarity is applied to the electrodes, the metallic atoms or atomic clusters that form the conductive bridge are oxidized and migrate away from the conductive bridge into the active material and eventually to the second electrode, resulting in the removal of the low resistance path. Data in the CBRAM cell may be "read" by measuring the resistance between the electrodes. A relatively high resistance value (due to the lack of a conductive bridge between the opposing electrodes) may result in a certain memory state, such as a "0." A relatively low resistance value (due to the presence of a conductive bridge between the opposing electrodes) may result in a different memory state, such as a "1."
A CBRAM cell is formed by positioning an active material between a first electrode (e.g., an inert electrode, a bottom electrode) and a second electrode (e.g., an active electrode, a top electrode). The first electrode may be formed of any sufficiently inert conductive material, such as tungsten, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, etc. The active material conventionally includes a chalcogenide (i.e., including sulfur, selenium, or tellurium) glass or an oxide glass. The second electrode may be formed of an active metal, such as silver or copper, or may be formed of a combination of a conductive ion source material and an inert metal cap of, for example, tungsten, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, etc. The ion source material, if present, conventionally includes an active metal species (e.g., silver or copper) and is formed between the active material and the metal cap. The ion source material may provide ions for forming a conductive bridge across the active material when proper voltage is applied to the CBRAM cell.
In conventional configurations, an interface between the metal cap and the ion source material, when present, may be characterized by physisorption and little intermixing between the elements at the interface. Internal stresses in the materials of the CBRAM cell, combined with the characteristics of the interface, may cause at least one of adhesive failure and deformation of materials in the CBRAM cell. Poor adhesion and deformation cause problems with or prohibit device fabrication and memory cell performance. Accordingly, a CBRAM cell that reduces or eliminates adhesive failure and deformation is disclosed.

Memory cells and semiconductor structures including electrodes comprising a metal, and related methods


A low-phosphorus lubricating composition has less than 600 ppm phosphorus, comprising at least 85 weight % of a lubricating base blend, and an additive comprising the following, as weight % of the total composition:                (1) an organomolybdenum compound at an amount which provides about 0.1-800 ppm Mo;        (2) a hindered phenol at about 0.1-2%; and        (3) a dithiocarbamate at about 0.1-2%;        with a first proviso that where the dithiocarbamate does not comprise a metal dithiocarbamate, the additive additionally comprises:        (4) an alkylated diphenylamine at about 0.1-2%,        and with a second proviso that where the organomolybdenum compound comprises molybdenum dithiocarbamate, it is considered a metal dithiocarbamate for purposes of the first proviso, but is considered an organomolybdenum compound for the purposes of calculation of the amount present in the total composition.

Field of the Invention
The invention concerns additive compositions and lubricating compositions for use in a low phosphorus environment, which provide excellent phosphorus retention and improved resistance to lead and copper corrosion.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Government regulations over the last several decades have required Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to improve fuel economy and reduce pollution emissions for gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. It is common knowledge that OEMs and lubricant companies expect government to mandate even stricter fuel economy and emission requirements in the future. Many, if not all, of the vehicles now on the road contain pollution control devices to reduce pollution.
Engine oils are formulated with antioxidants, friction modifiers, dispersants and antiwear additives to improve vehicle fuel economy, cleanliness and wear. Unfortunately, many of these additives contribute to the fouling of the pollution control devices. When this occurs, vehicles emit high levels of pollution because of the failing performance of the pollution control devices.
It has been determined that high levels of phosphorus, sulfur and ash in gasoline and diesel engine oils can negatively affect the performance of pollution control devices. Not only is the level of phosphorus in engine oil important for the proper performance of pollution control devices but also phosphorus volatility. Phosphorous volatility can have a significant negative impact on the performance of pollution control devices. For example, phosphorus compounds with a high level of phosphorus volatility will have a greater negative impact on the performance of vehicle pollution control devices than phosphorus compounds with a low level of phosphorus volatility. New gasoline and diesel engine oil specifications require engine oils to contain low levels of phosphorus, sulfur and ash to protect the pollution control devices. Unfortunately, the antiwear additives used in engine oils to protect the engine contain sulfur and phosphorus. To ensure proper wear protection for gasoline powered engines and the pollution control equipment, GF-5, the most recent engine oil specification for gasoline powered vehicles, specifies a phosphorus range of 600 and 800 ppm and phosphorus volatility retention of at least 79% minimum.
Molybdenum additives are well known to those skilled in the art of oil formulation to act as friction modifiers to reduce engine friction and thereby improve vehicle fuel economy. However, it is also well known that high levels of molybdenum in engine oil can cause engine corrosion and wear. When this occurs, engine life expectancy is greatly reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,241, which is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a three-component antioxidant additive comprising: (1) an organomolybdenum compound, (2) an alklyated diphenylamine and (3) a sulfur compound being a thiadiazole and/or dithiocarbamate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,672, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an antioxidant system for lubrication base oils as a three-component system comprising (1) an organomolybdenum compound, (2) an alkylated diphenylamine and (3) a sulfurized olefin and/or sulfurized hindered phenol.

Ultra low phosphorus lubricant compositions


A light emitting device package capable of emitting uniform white light and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The light emitting device package includes a package body, an electrode formed on at least one surface of the package body, a light emitting device mounted on the package body, and a phosphor layer enclosing the light emitting device while having a uniform thickness around the light emitting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device package and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a light emitting device package capable of emitting uniform white light and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known as a semiconductor light emitting device which converts current to light, to emit light. Since a red LED using GaAsP compound semiconductors was made commercially available in 1962, it has been used, together with a GaP:N-based green LED, as a light source in electronic apparatuses, for image display.
The wavelength of light emitted from such an LED depends on the semiconductor material used to fabricate the LED. This is because the wavelength of the emitted light depends on the band-gap of the semiconductor material representing energy difference between valence-band electrons and conduction-band electrons.
A gallium nitride (GaN) compound semiconductor has been highlighted in the field of high-power electronic devices including light emitting diodes (LEDs) because it exhibits a high thermal stability and a wide band-gap of 0.8 to 6.2 eV. One of the reasons why the GaN compound semiconductor has been highlighted is that it is possible to fabricate semiconductor layers capable of emitting green, blue, and white light, using GaN in combination with other elements, for example, indium (In), aluminum (Al), etc.
Thus, it is possible to adjust the wavelength of light to be emitted, in accordance with the characteristics of a specific apparatus, using GaN in combination with other appropriate elements. For example, it is possible to fabricate a blue LED useful for optical recording or a white LED capable of replacing a glow lamp.
Such a white light source may be fabricated using LEDs for emitting light of three primary colors, namely, red, green, and blue, or using an LED for emitting light of a certain color and phosphors.
In accordance with the method, which uses phosphors, a white light source may be fabricated using a blue LED and yellow phosphors. In this case, white light is produced as blue light emitted from a blue LED and yellow light emitted from yellow phosphors excited by the blue light are mixed.
Similarly, the white light source may be fabricated using a green LED and red phosphors or using an ultraviolet LED and red, green, and blue phosphors.
In accordance with the method, which uses a blue LED and yellow phosphors, to fabricate a white light source, red light and green light are emitted as blue light emitted from the blue LED is absorbed in the yellow phosphors in certain degrees. The red light and green light are mixed with the blue light not absorbed in the yellow phosphors, so that they are viewed in the form of white light to the observer.
The above-mentioned method, which uses a blue LED and yellow phosphors, to fabricate a white light source, are widely used because the fabricated white light source exhibits excellent color rendering, high stability, and high reliability.
FIG. 1 illustrates an LED lamp which emits white light using the above-mentioned LED and phosphors.
In the illustrated LED lamp, a blue LED 3 is disposed on a stack 2 mounted in a reflective cup 1. A filler 5, which is formed by mixing phosphors 4 with a silicon gel or an epoxy resin, is filled in the reflective cup 1 such that the filler 5 encloses the blue LED 3. A glass 6 is arranged over the filler 5.
In this LED lamp structure, however, the filler 5 enclosing the LED 3 may have a non-uniform thickness. For this reason, there may be an optical path length difference between light paths a and b of light emitted from the LED 3 to the surface of the glass 6.

Light emitting device package and method for manufacturing the same


An electromagnetic transducer including a stator and an armature, the armature defining a first axis and being driven to ride between first and second couplers back and forth relative to the stator along the first axis. The second coupler is configured to permit movement of the armature along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis.

The present invention relates in general to electromechanical transducing along a path and more particularly concerns an along-path, typically linear, controllable force source for actively absorbing energy from or applying energy to a vehicle wheel support assembly moving over a rough surface so as to facilitate significantly reducing forces transmitted to the vehicle body supported on the wheel support assembly.
Electromechanical transducing may be used, for example, in vehicle suspensions. Vehicle suspensions employ a spring and shock absorber to isolate wheel motion from body motion. Some suspensions are variable and adaptive to driving conditions. For example, it is known to use electrically controlled active suspension members, such as an hydraulic piston actuator containing gas or fluid having a pressure that can be electrically controlled, to achieve a predetermined characteristic, such as a hard or soft ride, while avoiding bottoming.
An electromagnetic transducer, such as a linear actuator, can be used in place of or in combination with the springs and/or shock absorbers and can include an armature mounted within a stator as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,309 and incorporated here by reference. The armature can include bearing rails that slide within bearing trucks attached to the stator.


Example computer racks to improve environmental sustainability in data centers are disclosed. An example computer rack includes a spine (125); a first set of support structures (500) and a second set of support structures (500) extending from the spine (125). Each of the support structures (500) is positioned to receive a respective blade. A first communication port is carried by the spine (125) and associated with the first set of support structures (500). A second communication port is carried by the spine (125) and associated with the second set of support structures (500).

The carbon footprint of the Information Technology (IT) industry, though only 2% of the total economy, is estimated to be equal to that of the entire aviation industry. This large carbon footprint is partly a result of high levels of electricity consumption for data centers within the IT industry. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that data centers in the U.S. alone in 2006 consumed more than 61 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. This level of energy consumption is equivalent to nearly 5.8 million average households.
IT systems are increasingly being used to address the remaining 98% of the carbon footprint of the total economy. For example, IT systems may provide videoconferencing functionalities that replace the need for travel.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses for use in providing notification of emergency services as well as notifying additional individuals and/or groups of an emergency. Some embodiments provide methods for use in dispatching emergency services (136) and notifying one or more additional contacts (140). These methods wirelessly receive a request for emergency services (212) from a remote wireless device (122), retrieve an emergency contact list according to the type of emergency (216) and determine at least one emergency contact other than emergency services according to the contact list (436). Once identified, the contact is notified of the request for emergency services (442). Some embodiments further determine a mode of communicating with the emergency contact (440) and notify the contact according to the mode of communication. Some methods additionally determine one or more types of emergency services to be dispatched (432) and notify types of emergency services (434).

The use of wireless devices for wirelessly communicating has dramatically increased. Wireless communication provides users with a great deal of mobility and flexibility. Further, these devices provide users with added security. For example, if a user's vehicle breaks down, the user can utilize their wireless device to easily call for assistance. Some wireless devices can further identify a user's location within a given margin of error. This allows, for example, a responding party to more easily locate the user.
Similarly, some of these wireless devices can be used to call an ambulance in the event that the user is injured. Additionally, users can use wireless devices to contact other public services, such as the police or fire department, in case of other emergencies. The contact of emergency services, however, is limited because the user must usually initiate the call. This limits the safety benefits that can be provided by wireless devices.
Therefore, although some wireless devices may provide some potential benefits, a number of significant impediments to their usage exist and are possibly serving to limit or deter further beneficial implementations.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Method and system for use in emergency notification and determining location


A toner comprising: a core layer and a shell layer formed on the core layer,                wherein the core layer and the shell layer respectively comprise a first wax and a second wax; the second wax having a melting point that is higher than a melting point of the first wax;        the first wax having an average dispersion diameter that is smaller than the average dispersion diameter of the second wax; and        the first wax having a content in the core layer that is greater than a content of the second wax in the shell layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner, and more specifically concerns an electrostatic-latent-image developing toner used for developing an electrostatic latent image in electrophotography, electrostatic recording, electrostatic printing and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electrostatic-latent-image developing toner, which is used for developing an electrostatic latent image in electrophotography, electrostatic recording, electrostatic printing and the like, has been produced by a so-called pulverizing method in which a pigment such as carbon black is mixed in a thermoplastic resin and melt-kneaded into a uniformly dispersed matter, and then pulverized by an appropriate finely-pulverizing device into powder having a particle size required as a toner. However, the toner obtained by the above-mentioned melt-kneading/pulverizing method has a limitation in controlling the toner particle size, and it is difficult to produce a toner having an average particle size of virtually not more than 8 μm, in particular, not more than 6 μm with high yield. In recent years, there have been ever-increasing demands for small-size copying machines and for low power consumption and the resulting demands for toner capable of carrying out a fixing process at a temperature lower than that of the conventional toner. For this reason, a method in which a wax having a low softening point is blended into the toner at the time of kneading has been proposed; however, in the kneading/pulverizing method, the blending rate is limited to approximately 5%, failing to provide a toner having a sufficient low-temperature fixing property.
In order to achieve a sufficient low-temperature-fixing property, not only a fixing property at a lower temperature, but also a fixing separation property and an anti-offsetting property need to be maintained even at the time of fixing without using oil coat, while maintaining appropriate anti-breaking and anti-blocking properties at the time of storing toner or developing toner. Here, methods have been proposed in which: a boner having a core-shell structure is granulated through a suspension polymerization method, an emulsion polymerizing coagulation method, an emulsion dispersion method and the like that are capable of providing resin fine particles having a small particle size with a comparatively uniform particle size, and the toner particles are allowed to contain a wax (for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication US2002/0039699 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-229251).
At present, however, even a toner having a core-shell structure has not sufficiently satisfied all the properties such as a property of low-fixing temperature, an anti-offsetting property, an anti-breaking property and an anti-blocking property.

Toner comprising core layer and shell layer

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An anti-shake apparatus includes a movable unit supported by a fixed unit and movable in first and second directions as well as rotated on a movable plane. A first and second driving unit supply driving forces to the movable unit in a first direction. A third and fourth driving unit supply driving forces to the movable unit in a second direction. A first detector detects a direction of a gravitational force acting on the movable unit. A second detector detects a rotational movement around a straight line perpendicular to the movable plane. A control unit controls the third and fourth driving forces to correct the rotational movement when the gravitational direction is parallel to the first direction. The control unit controls the first and second driving forces to correct the rotational movement when the gravitational direction is parallel to the second direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-shake apparatus which can control the direction of the power supplied for performing a linear and rotational movement according to the position of the anti-shake apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an anti-shake apparatus for a photographing apparatus has been proposed. The anti-shake apparatus corrects for the hand-shake effect by moving a hand-shake correcting lens or an imaging device on a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis, corresponding to the amount of hand-shake which occurs during imaging. A movable unit having the hand-shake correcting lens or the imaging device may be shifted by the gravity.
Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. 2003-091028 discloses a camera having an anti-shake apparatus. The anti-shake apparatus comprises two driving units to respectively supply driving forces in the different directions. Further, the anti-shake apparatus comprises a detector for detecting the direction of gravity that acts on the anti-shake apparatus. The anti-shake apparatus can correct the gravity shift by selecting the driving unit to be used for compensating for the gravity shift, according to the detected direction of gravity and by making the selected driving unit generate an additional force to the driving force required for anti shake operation.
However, there is also a rotational movement around an optical axis in the hand-shake effect. Gravity also influences the correction of the rotational movement in the hand-shake correction operation.


This invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread containing functionalized carbon nanotubes and particulate reinforcement comprised of precipitated silica.

It is sometimes desired to provide a tire with a rubber tread to promote reduced rolling resistance for the tire itself and thereby improved fuel economy for an associated vehicle, as well as reduced heat buildup in the tire tread during operation of the tire which, in turn, is expected to promote improved tire tread durability.
To promote such one or more of such desirable properties, it is sometimes desired to promote a reduction in the hysteretic property of the tread rubber.
To promote a reduction in the hysteresis of the tread rubber (e.g. to promote a reduction in the rubber's physical rebound property) it may desired to significantly reduce its reinforcing carbon black content with an attendant increase its precipitated silica content.
The rubber reinforcing carbon black content of the tread rubber may be reduced, for example, to less than 30 phr or even less than 20 phr or even reduced to a maximum of 10 phr which, in turn promotes a significant increase in electrical resistivity (decrease in electrical conductivity) of the rubber composition. This may significantly increase electrical resistance to passage of static electrical electricity (thereby promoting a buildup of static electricity) between the tire and the running surface (the ground-contacting surface) of the tire tread, particularly as the carbon black content falls below what is known as its percolation point. Such phenomenon is well known to those having skill in such art.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a tread rubber composition with significantly reduced rubber reinforcing carbon black content but, nevertheless, to promote an improvement in its electrical conductivity.
For this invention it is proposed to provide an inclusion of significantly electrically conductive carbon nanotubes, particularly functionalized carbon nanotubes, in the tread rubber composition to aid in discharging static electricity through the electrically non-conductive tread to its running surface.
Carbon nanotubes have heretofore been suggested for inclusion in rubber compositions, including tire treads, for various purposes. For example, and not intended to be limiting, see Patent Publications: U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,154, US2006/0061011, US2010/0078194, US2011/0146859, WO2003/060002, DE 102007056689, JP2009/046547, KR 100635604 and KR 2005027415.
In one embodiment, use of functionalized carbon nanotubes in a diene-based elastomer containing rubber composition which contains particulate reinforcement in a form of combination of rubber reinforcing carbon black and precipitated silica (amorphous synthetic precipitated silica which hydroxyl groups on its surface) together with silica coupler for the precipitated silica is contemplated for said tread rubber composition.
The carbon nanotubes are conventionally nano-sized particles in a sense of having an average diameter in a range of from about 1 nm to about 100 nm and an average L/D (length to diameter dimension, or ratio) in a range of from about 10/1 to about 10,000/1.
Such carbon nanotubes are conventionally prepared by, for example, by passing a gaseous carbon-containing compound such as for example, at least one of acetylene and ethanol, usually contained in nitrogen or hydrogen through or over a heated catalyst (e.g. heated to about 700° C.) of metal nanoparticles. Carbon deposited on the metallic nanoparticles is a form of the carbon nanotubes is recovered.
One important aspect of this invention is to provide the carbon nanotubes in a functionalized form to promote an electrically conductive property to the rubber composition and to rely on the precipitated silica, together with a coupling agent for the precipitated silica, without an appreciable rubber reinforcing carbon black to provide reinforcement for the rubber composition. The functionalization of the carbon nanotubes is envisioned as promoting their dispersion within the rubber composition and to thereby promote rubber-to-filler (the nanotube filler reinforcement) within the rubber composition to promote low rolling resistance and treadwear resistance for a tire tread rubber composition as well as to promote electrical conductivity for the rubber composition and thereby the tire tread.
It is believed that a tire with a tread which contains a minimal, if any, rubber reinforcing carbon black together with having a significant functionalized carbon nanotube content is a departure from past practice.
It is envisioned, in one embodiment, that the carbon nanotubes may be coupled to the diene-based elastomer(s) of the rubber composition by a nanotube coupling agent to thereby rely on pi-pi (π-π) bonding of the carbon nanotubes to the diene-based elastomer(s) and sulfur bonding to, or sulfur co-curing with, the diene based elastomer(s). There the nanotube coupling agent has a moiety with pi electron configuration to bond to the carbon nanotubes also having a pi electron configuration to from a pi-pi network and another different moiety comprised of a polysulfide moiety to interact with carbon-to-carbon double bonds of the diene-based elastomer(s) of the rubber composition or comprised of a carbon-to-carbon double bond to sulfur co-cure with the diene-based elastomer(s).
In the description of this invention, the term "phr" is used to designate parts by weight of a material per 100 parts by weight of elastomer. The terms "rubber" and "elastomer" may be used interchangeably unless otherwise indicated. The terms "vulcanized" and "cured" may be used interchangeably, as well as "unvulcanized" or "uncured", unless otherwise indicated.

Tire with rubber tread containing precipitated silica and functionalized carbon nanotubes


A tool is equipped with a torque sensor, suited for a tightening task of a fastening component of a device such as a fluid control system that requires a large number of fastening components for assembly and has a narrow space for access to the fastening components, and capable of automatically detecting a tightening torque. The tool includes a torque sensor capable of detecting a tightening torque for tightening a fastening component acting on a bit. The torque sensor initiates measurement of the tightening torque when the tightening torque detected exceeds a set threshold value, completes measurement when the tightening torque detected falls below the set threshold value and a set time elapses, and outputs torque-related data formed on the basis of measurement data from measurement initiation to measurement completion and including a measurement time. The torque-related data includes a peak value of the measurement data.

In various manufacturing processes such as a semiconductor manufacturing process, a fluid control system (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) in which various fluid devices, such as a switch valve, a regulator, and a mass flow controller, are integrated is used to supply an accurately measured process gas to a process chamber.
In an assembly process of a fluid control system such as described above, a great number of tightening tasks of fastening components, such as hexagon socket bolts, are required and high assembly quality is demanded.

Tool, task management device, task management method, and task management system


A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises first and second light emitting sections for emitting light with respective spreading angles that are different from each other and a liquid crystal display device arranged at the viewing side of the apparatus. The first light emitting section includes a first light guide plate for receiving light from a light incident end surface and diffusing it within a first angular range of spreading angle centered at the normal direction of a light emitting surface before emitting it from the light emitting surface and first light emitting elements. The second light emitting section includes a second light guide plate for receiving light from a light incident end surface and emitting it in directions within a second angular range of spreading angle smaller than the first angular range while transmitting light emitted from the first light guide plate and second light emitting elements.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surface light source capable of varying the angular range for diffusing emitted light and a liquid crystal display apparatus capable of displaying selectively with a wide view angle and a narrow view angle by using such a surface light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a liquid crystal display device having a screen region formed by arranging a plurality of pixels for controlling transmission of light in the form of a matrix and a surface light source arranged opposite to the viewing side of the liquid crystal display device so as to emit light substantially to all the surface of the liquid crystal display device with substantially uniform intensity. The surface light source includes a plate-shaped transparent member which is a light guide plate, at least at one of the end surfaces thereof being made to operate as light incident end surface, one of the two opposite plate surfaces thereof being made to operate as light emitting surface for emitting light as light enters from the light incident end surface, the other plate surface thereof being made to operate as light reflecting surface for reflecting light entering through the light incident end surface, and one or more than one light emitting elements for emitting light toward the light incident end surface (see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-113706).
Meanwhile, liquid crystal display apparatus are designed to provide a wide view angle and hence a third party can peep into what is being displayed there from a direction inclined relative to the front forward direction (the normal direction of the liquid crystal display device).
Therefore, there has been proposed a liquid crystal display apparatus capable of selectively displaying an image with a wide view angle and a narrow view angle for preventing a third party from peeping in so as to provide an enhanced level of security by arranging a view angle limiting liquid crystal device adapted to reduce the visibility from directions inclined relative to the front forward direction on one of the surfaces of the liquid crystal display device (see, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-133334).
A view angle limiting liquid crystal device is formed by arranging electrodes of a predetermined profile on the inner surfaces of a pair of oppositely disposed substrates at positions corresponding to partitioned regions and adapted to align the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer filled in each of the partitioned regions between the pair of substrates in a sealed state so as to bring them either into an alignment state that provides a view angle inclined in a direction relative to the normal direction of the liquid crystal display device or into another alignment state that provides a view angle inclined in the direction opposite to the above inclined direction.
The proposed liquid crystal display apparatus can limit the view angle of the displayed image of the liquid crystal display device by reducing the visibility from inclined directions by applying a voltage to the electrodes of the view angle limiting liquid crystal device.
More specifically, the liquid crystal display device provides a wide view angle for the image being displayed when no voltage is applied to the electrodes of the view angle limiting liquid crystal device and hence the view angle limiting liquid crystal device is not operating for displaying an image. On the other hand, when a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrodes of the view angle limiting liquid crystal device, the image being displayed is concealed from side viewers trying to view the image from inclined angles relative to the front forward direction by the partitioned regions of the view angle limiting liquid crystal device where the view angle is inclined in a direction and the partitioned regions of the view angle limiting liquid crystal device where the view angle is inclined in the opposite direction. Thus, the image being displayed cannot be recognized from the view angle which is inclined in a direction and the view angle which is inclined in the opposite direction, and the view angle of the image being displayed is seemingly limited to consequently narrow the view angle of the displayed image.
However, the view angle limiting liquid crystal device has a plurality of partitioned regions produced by dividing the region of the device that corresponds to the display screen of the liquid crystal display device and the liquid crystal molecules of each of the partitioned regions are brought into an alignment state that may be different from the alignment state of other partitioned regions. In other words, the inner surfaces of the pair of substrates have to be subjected to a complex aligning process (rubbing on aligning films) of differentiating the alignment of each of the partitioned regions from that of other partitioned regions. Thus, manufacturing such a liquid crystal device is difficult.

Surface light source capable of varying angular range for diffusing emitted light and liquid crystal display apparatus capable of displaying selectively with wide view angle and narrow view angle by using same


An apparatus is configured to deliver destructive energy to a stone. The apparatus includes a detector operative to obtain image data from the stone, a generator operating according to one or more producing parameters for producing the destructive energy, and a video processor unit receiving the image data from the detector. The video processor unit is operative to analyze the image data to determine a displacement of the stone relative to a previous location of the stone. A controller linked to the video processor unit and to the generator is operative to vary the one or more producing parameters of the generator responsively to the displacement of the stone. Methods carried out by the apparatus are further provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to removal of calculi from the body. More particularly, this invention relates to intracorporeal comminution of urinary calculi.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, lithotripsy for urinary stones can be carried out by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy or endoscopically. The latter approach is known as intracorporeal lithotripsy. Intracorporeal lithotripsy may be conducted by flexible or rigid ureteroscopy or percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Intracorporeal lithotripsy is typically accomplished using laser energy. However, other technologies such as ballistic lithotripsy, ultrasonic lithotripsy and electrohydraulic lithotripsy are applied by instrumentation of the urinary tract.
Current instruments for intracorporeal lithotripsy have several disadvantages:
There is poor control of the outcome. By trial and error, the urologist must manually adjust the power settings, activate the instrument, and determine that the desired outcome for the case at hand has resulted. This process is usually iterated, thereby prolonging the procedure. In addition, the parameters available for change by the urologist are limited. Moreover, there is frequently no clear relation between the instrument settings and the effect on the calculus being treated.
Stone migration away from the endoscope, known as retropulsion, is a generally undesirable effect of lithotripsy. Retropulsion creates a need to further adjust or reposition the instrument, which prolongs the procedure and increases its cost. Moreover, in the case of ureteroscopy, migration of the stone up the ureter might result in its entering the renal pelvis, which could necessitate the use of another piece of equipment to complete the procedure, thereby increasing costs and possibly increasing morbidity.
Fragmentation of the stone is a desirable effect of lithotripsy. However, conventional techniques and instruments provide limited and inefficient control over the size of the stone fragments. Typically, fragments of various sizes break off from the main body of the stone. As a rule of thumb, stone fragments, which are bigger than 2 mm must be treated either by extraction or by further fragmentation. Smaller fragments are desirable, as they may be left in place. Currently, in the case of endoscopy, the urologist can only estimate the stone size by comparing the stone with the laser fiber, which has a known diameter in the image. Such estimates may be inaccurate.
There is a tradeoff between increasing power settings, which results in more fragmentation but with a greater degree of stone migration. Furthermore, increasing the power tends to produce larger fragments. Therefore, the urologist must make a compromise.

Computer aided image-based enhanced intracorporeal lithotripsy


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer including Ge; and a metal Ge compound region provided in a surface portion of the semiconductor layer. Sn is included in an interface portion between the semiconductor layer and the metal Ge compound region. A lattice plane of the semiconductor layer matches with a lattice plane of the metal Ge compound region.

With regard to a Ge-MOSFET which is expected to be a next-generation device, application of a germanide, such as NiGe, to a metal contact to a source/drain (S/D) or metal S/D has been studied. The germanide is advantageous in that an S/D resistance is lower than that in n+-Ge or p+-Ge formed by high-concentration doping of an impurity and that the germanide can be formed on a Ge layer in a self-aligning manner.
However, in a case of forming a germanide by deposition of a metal on a Ge layer and annealing of the metal and Ge, the germanide is polycrystalline and disadvantageous in that an interface has a low degree of flatness. In the case of Ge nMOSFET with metal S/D, a contact resistance between the germanide S/D and an n-type (or p-type) Ge is increased (or reduced), accordingly, an on (off) current is reduced (or increased).
The reason for this may be that a Fermi level of a germanide is pinned to a charge neutral level near a valence band of Ge (Fermi level pinning: FLP). With increasing of the interface states, the FLP becomes stronger. Therefore, an interface having a high degree of flatness is desirable to lower interface state.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same