A production method of aluminum based group III nitride single crystal includes a reaction step, wherein a halogenated gas and an aluminum contact at 300° C. or more to 700° C. or less, producing a mixed gas including an aluminum trihalide gas and an aluminum monohalide gas; a converting step, wherein the aluminum monohalide gas is converted to a solid by setting a temperature of the mixed gas equal to or higher than a temperature to which a solid aluminum trihalide deposit, and lower by 50° C. or more than a temperature to which halogenated gas and aluminum contact in the reaction step; a separation step, wherein the aluminum trihalide gas is removed; and a crystal growth step, wherein the aluminum trihalide gas is used for an aluminum based group III nitride single crystal raw material, keeping its temperature equal to or higher than a temperature of the converting step.

III nitride single crystal, such as aluminum nitride and gallium nitride, has large bandgap energy. Bandgap energy of aluminum nitride is around 6.2 eV, and that of gallium nitride is around 3.4 eV. Bandgap energy of aluminum gallium nitride, a mixed crystal thereof, is between bandgap energy of aluminum nitride and that of gallium nitride according to its component fraction.
Therefore, emission of short-wavelength light in ultraviolet region, which is impossible with the other semiconductor, becomes possible with said aluminum based group III nitride single crystal. And it becomes possible to manufacture light emitting sources such as an ultraviolet-emitting diode for white light source, a disinfectant ultraviolet-emitting diode, a laser available for reading and writing high-density optical disk memory and communication laser. In addition, it can be applied to electronic devices such as ultrafast electron-transfer transistor taking advantage of high saturated drift velocity of electron, and to field emitter taking advantage of negative electron affinity.
For device parts, function as light emitting source, electronic device and the like, it is generally tested to form a multilayered structure wherein thin films thinner than several micrometers are layered on a substrate. These are formed by a well-known crystal growing methods, such as Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) method, Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) method and Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) method.
As for a substrate forming the above multilayered structure, particularly a multilayered structure which become light-emitting element, a single crystal substrate comprising the above aluminum based group III nitride (Al III nitride, hereinafter), particularly aluminum nitride, is preferable. This is because an influence of lattice mismatch on boundary face or of stress generated by a temperature history when growing can be kept to the minimum, when a single crystal of III nitride, such as aluminum nitride, gallium nitride and the like, or mixed crystals thereof are formed as a growth layer. As a result, it is considered that dislocation density, deficiency and crack in growth layer will be decreased; and emission efficiency will be improved as well. Further, in case when growing ultraviolet-emitting layer, bandgap energy of a substrate part becomes larger than that of emitting layer when Al III nitride single crystal is used as a substrate; accordingly, emitted ultraviolet light will not be absorbed to the substrate and that efficiency of taking out the light will be increased.
Considering manufacturing method of the above Al III nitride single crystal substrate, the present inventors have already proposed a manufacturing method using HVPE method (Patent Articles 1 and Patent Article 2). Said HVPE method is a method wherein III group source gas of III halide gas, such as aluminum trichloride, and nitrogen source gas, such as ammonia, contact a single crystal substrate which is held at an elevated temperature; and then III nitride is epitaxially grown on the single crystal substrate. The method has a feature that crystal growth rate is fast. Accordingly, Al III nitride single crystal can be churned out at a practical level. Therefore, by processing the thick film single crystal obtained on a substrate, such as sapphire, to a wafer-state with the above method, it can be used as an Al III nitride single crystal substrate. Further, by forming multilayered structure on such substrate by a crystal growth method, such as MOVPE method, MBE method and HVPE method, aimed at emission and the like, it is expected that light emitting source is obtainable with high efficiency.
As mentioned above, use of Al III nitride single crystal substrate allow for higher performance and higher quality of growth layer when manufacturing a multilayered structure functional for emission, electron transfer and the like.
Two types of the following devices are conventionally known as a HVPE device for manufacturing a thick-film Al III nitride single crystal. The first type of the device is an integrated type device described in such as Patent Article 1 wherein III group source gas generation part, where Al III halide gas is generated, and a reacting zone, where III group source gas (III group halide) and nitrogen source gas are reacted to grow Al III nitride single crystal on a single crystal substrate, are set in quartz reactor body.
The second type of the device is a separable type device to which a III group source gas generating part is set outside a reactor vessel body, comprising a reacting zone where Al III nitride single crystal is grown on a single crystal substrate; and III group source gas, generated at said III group source gas generating part, is introduced to the reactor vessel body via a pipe. According to the separable type device disclosed in Patent Article 2, III group source gas is made contact with metal aluminum before it is introduced to a reacting zone, removing oxygen impurity.

Production method of an aluminum based group III nitride single crystal


In a portable radio device in which both an antenna for cell phone and an antenna for receiving GPS data are installed, an object of the present invention is to decrease influence of the antennas on one another with respect to deterioration of their radio performances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable radio device, such as a cell phone set, a data communication terminal device, etc. provided with an antenna for GPS (Global Positioning System) which can receive location data by the GPS.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because a portable radio device such as a cell phone set, a handy type cell phone set, a mobile data communication terminal device has become popular, and is people carrying the portable radio devices have increased, there are more and more cases in which reports of accidents or crimes are issued from the portable radio devices. However, in contrast with a fixed telephone set which is installed at home, a place where the report has been issued, in short, a place where the accident has happened cannot be known from the portable radio device, although only the telephone number can be detected. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm about the place with a reporter of the accident. In this case, it happens many times that the reporter of the accident is unable to tell the place of occurrence of the accident, when the reporter is not a resident of the place, but he is a simple passenger.
Under the circumstances, in recent years, there has been proposed a system in which function of obtaining location data of individuals with high accuracy is installed in the portable radio device, and the location data of the individuals are urgently communicated to a police or a fire department by way of a base station of a cellular phone or the like. In this case, it is advantageous that function of receiving GPS radio wave making use of a GPS satellite which has been used for car navigation is installed in the portable radio device, thereby to obtain location data of individuals with an accuracy of about 125 m in radius.
FIG. 10 is an outside view of a portable radio device in which the function of receiving the GPS radio waves is installed. In this portable radio device 1, an antenna 2 capable of extending and contracting for cell phone which is used on occasion of telephone conversation is provided exclusively at one side of the portable radio device 1 in a lateral direction, and a chip antenna 4 for receiving the GPS radio waves which is mounted on an incorporated base board 3 is provided at the other side of the cell phone set 1 in a lateral direction, so that a distance X between the two antennas 2 and 4 may be as large as possible.
In case where the function of receiving GPS radio waves is installed in the portable radio device, since a frequency zone of the radio waves used for telephone conversation on the portable radio device is different from a frequency zone of the GPS radio waves, the individual antennas must be separately installed in the small portable radio device. However, in case where the two antennas are arranged close to each other, the radio performance of the respective antennas may be deteriorated, and therefore, it is necessary to arrange the two antennas as remote as possible from each other. Nevertheless, in the example as shown in FIG. 10, a distance between the two antennas 2 and 4 is limited to a lateral width of the portable radio device at most, and deterioration of the radio performance will not be avoided.
Moreover, there are some portable radio devices having function as a transceiver in addition to the function as telephone, and it is necessary to install, in the same small housing, an antenna for short-range wireless communication for the case where the portable radio device is used as the transceiver, separately from the above described two antennas 2, 4. Therefore, there is a problem that the three antennas in total must be arranged in a such a manner that the radio performance may not be deteriorated.
The portable radio device in recent years has become smaller and smaller, into such a size as can be housed in a man's palm. For this reason, almost all parts of the portable radio device are enclosed with a hand while the portable radio device is used, and so, there is a problem that when an antenna part is enclosed with the hand, transmitting and receiving performances of the antenna may be deteriorated.
The present invention has been made in view of the above described circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a portable radio device in which when both an antenna for cell phone and an antenna for GPS are installed, or an antenna for short-range wireless communication is installed in addition, bad effects on radio performance by the respective antennas will be decreased, and deterioration of the radio performance when the antennas are enclosed with hands can be avoided.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in a portable radio device in which an operating part housing (11) and a display part housing (12) are connected by way of a hinge part (13) in a freely foldable manner to conduct both telephone conversation and reception of GPS data, an antenna (20) for the telephone conversation is provided at one side of the operating part housing (11) in a lateral direction, and at the same time, an antenna (21) for receiving the GPS data is mounted to a base board (22) in the display part housing (12) in its end area at an opposite side to the hinge part (13). With this arrangement, both the antennas (20), (21) can be spaced from each other, and deterioration of their radio performances can be restrained.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A transfer apparatus for transferring items from a first conveying device to moving assigned item carriers carried on a second conveying device is disclosed. The item carriers and the second conveying device move in a second transporting direction which is opposite to a first transporting direction of the first conveying device. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer member which includes a continuous circulating conveying belt and a continuous circulating pressure-exerting belt. The transfer member receives items from the first conveying device between the two belts and discharges them through a discharge region to the moving item carriers. The discharge region of the transfer member pivots along the second transporting direction of the item carriers. The transfer member is aligned with the second conveying device so that items are discharged through the discharge region to the assigned item carriers without movement of the discharge region in a direction which would be out of alignment with the second transporting direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to transfer devices for transferring small items, such as mailpieces from one conveying mechanism to another. Still more specifically, the present invention is directed towards a transfer device for transferring small items delivered by one conveying device to assigned item carriers transported by a second conveying device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The machine-readable postcodes or postal codes that are currently being printed on items of mail, such as letters, postcards, packets and the like, serve as an identification for a location, a postal district, a PO box or a major recipient. These postal codes permit rapid, mechanical distribution of mail. Sorting of the incoming items of mail takes place, for example, with the aid of controllable mailpiece carriers which are each loaded with an item of mail in special loading locations. The mailpieces are then discharged to a sorting container, or a corresponding sorting compartment, assigned to the respective postcode. Since the sorting containers or sorting compartments may be arranged in various levels, the item carriers circulating on conveying devices must, if appropriate, also be capable of spanning various levels. After transfer of the item of mail to the assigned sorting container or the assigned sorting compartment, the empty item carriers can then once again be loaded with an item of mail when they pass a loading location, as disclosed in DE-A-43 23 564. When the mail is transferred to the above described sorting apparatus, the items of mail arriving on a first conveying device, e.g. a belt conveyor, must be discharged in a specific manner and, preferably, individually to the item carriers, which pass at relatively high speed.


A process for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of a cellulosic solids fraction extracted from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The viscosity of the cellulosic solids fraction is reduced by intermixing with a liquid carbohydrate stream. A suitable liquid carbohydrate stream is a de-lignified liquids fraction that was previously separated from the solids fraction during processing of the lignocellulosic feedstock. Alternatively, the viscosity of the solids fraction may be reduced by commingling with a liquid carbohydrate stream comprising one or more monosaccharides. The reduced-viscosity cellulosic solids fraction is then commingled with a fermentative microbial inoculant and a cellulosic biomass-degrading enzyme composition. The commingled mixture is maintained in a pressurized reaction vessel under elevated temperatures to enable simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic solids to monosaccharides and fermentation of the monosaccharides to produce an ethanolic beer. The ethanolic beer is distillable for recovery of fuel-grade ethanol and a stillage that may be further processed.

Naturally occurring fibrous biomass produced by plants typically contains a variety of hexose carbohydrates such as glucose, galactose and mannose that are readily fermentable by ethanologenic yeasts to ethanol. Glucose is the sole component of cellulose, but it is also a significant component of hemicellulose, especially in softwoods. Galactose and mannose are the other major hexose carbohydrates that exist in hemicellulose. When Saccharomyces spp. yeasts, typically used in the industrial production of ethanol, are presented with feedstocks comprising mixtures of glucose, galactose and mannose, they will first ferment the glucose and after it is exhausted from the medium, the yeast cells will then adapt to taking up and fermenting the mannose, and then after the mannose is depleted, the yeast will adapt again for metabolizing galactose, which is the most difficult to ferment of the three main carbohydrates derived from hemicelluloses. This type of adaptive metabolic behaviour is called diauxic growth or metabolism (for two carbohydrates) and triauxic growth or metabolism (for three carbohydrates). Between each phase of carbohydrate utilization, there is normally a period of several hours during which time no fermentation occurs while the required transport proteins are induced in the cell membrane of the yeast. This induction phenomenon typically results in significantly extended fermentation times required for complete consumption of mixtures of fermentable carbohydrates derived from hemicellulose. In industrial processes configured for production of ethanol from mixed hexose-carbohydrate feedstock streams produced from lignocellulosic materials such as angiosperm fibers, gymnosperm fibers, and field crop fibers, the fermentation delays caused by enzymatic adjustments during diauxic and triauxic metabolism significantly increase the capital and operating expenditures associated with these processes. Accordingly, strain selection strategies are commonly employed to identify and select yeast stains that are potentially suitable for industrial fermentation processes, based on their efficiencies of converting liquid hexose streams into ethanol in laboratory-scale systems. Suitable exemplary yeast strains for fermenting liquid hexose streams include Saccharomyces cerevisiae T1 for sequentially metabolizing glucose-mannose-galactose, and S. cerevisiae Y-1528 for sequentially metabolizing galactose-glucose-mannose (Keating et. al., 2004, J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 31:235-244).
The initial stages of industrial-scale processing of lignocellulosic fibrous materials commonly include physicochemical disruption of the fibers followed by chemical extraction of the disrupted materials using solvents, dilute acid and/or biological conversion of the disrupted materials. The solvent extraction processes typically result in separation of lignins from the oligosaccharide and polysaccharide constituents of the fibers, causing the release of lignins and at least some of the monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides into the extraction solvents. Following the recovery of the solvents, the spent aqueous extraction liquors may then be used as feedstock streams for ethanol production. However, the spent extraction liquors also typically contain significant amounts of lignocellulosic-derived organic compounds such as ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and other such compounds that significantly impair or inhibit microbial fermentative metabolic processes. Such inhibitors are exemplified by furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, acetic acid and the like. Consequently, selection criteria for identifying commercially useful fermentative microorganisms also include assessments of their tolerance and metabolic performance during extended periods of exposure to inhibitors. Keating et al., 2006, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 93: 1196-1206 have shown that while the fermentation rates of S. cerevisiae strains T1 and Y-1528 declined as the levels of selected inhibitors contained in liquid hexose streams were increased, the overall yields of ethanol in laboratory-scale batch fermentations were not affected.

Concurrent saccharification and fermentation of fibrous biomass


Drop tube segments are provided. Each drop tube segment may be attached to another drop tube segment of a drop tube assembly. The drop tube segments include a wall with a fastener receiving structure that is devoid of any opening extending between inner and outer surfaces of the wall. Methods of making a drop tube assembly are also provided. The methods include the step of inserting a second end portion of a first conduit over a first end portion of a second conduit while edges of an aperture extend radially outwardly away from an outer surface of a first wall of the first conduit.

Our increasingly mobile and mechanized society uses a variety of different fuels (e.g., gasoline, diesel fuel, ethanol, etc.) as energy. Liquid fuels are generally stored in liquid reservoirs such as underground storage tanks, above ground tanks, or any of a variety of different containers. Typically, liquid fuel reservoirs have inlets and outlets through which fuel can be added to and/or removed from the reservoir. These inlets and outlets may typically consist of a riser pipe extending from the reservoir. Internal to the riser pipe is a drop tube that typically includes an overfill valve adapted to respond once a predetermined level is reached in the liquid reservoir. To simplify manufacture and assembly, it is also known to provided the drop tube in a plurality of segments that are fastened together in series to form an overall drop tube assembly. As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,320, for example, the drop tube assembly includes an intermediate drop tube segment having opposed ends that are each correspondingly fastened to an upper and lower drop tube segment with fasteners extending through the respective walls of the segments.
Such configurations have proven to be very effective. To further enhance the beneficial nature of previous drop tube assemblies, there is a desire to provide a substantially fluid tight seal at the fastening location between the drop tube segments. A fluid tight seal may reduce or prevent fluid, such as vapor, from being released from the ullage area of the reservoir to the interior of the drop tube that might act as a chimney to vent the fluid to the surrounding atmosphere and potentially create an environmental concern.
To address potential concerns of vapor leakage, it is known to provide fastening sections with an epoxy layer to provide a fluid-tight seal at potential leak points. For example, it is known to provide a drop tube assembly, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,320, with a conventional drop tube segment 500 described with respect to FIGS. 1–7 and 7A of the drawings herein. As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional drop tube segment 500 may include a fastening section 509 adapted to facilitate attachment between the drop tube segment 500 and another conventional drop tube segment that can be arranged as an upper drop tube segment 620. As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional drop tube segment 500 can be attached to the conventional upper drop tube segment 620 to form a conventional drop tube assembly 660. As described more fully below, the conventional fastening arrangement includes an epoxy layer, such as a layer of Loctite® epoxy-sealant for use as a cold weld bonding compound.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional drop tube segment 500 includes a conduit 502 with a first end portion 504 (see FIG. 3) and a second end portion 506. The first end portion 504 includes a wall 511 with an inner surface 511a and an outer surface 511b. Three fastener receiving structures 507a, 507b, 507c are radially disposed on the wall 511. In addition, each fastener receiving structure 507a, 507b, 507c comprises an opening that extends between the inner surface 511a and the outer surface 511b of the wall 511, along respective corresponding axes 508a, 508b, 508c, such that the openings comprise through openings that might permit fluid communication between the inner surface 511a and the outer surface 511b.
The drop tube segment 500 further includes a valve assembly 510 with a valve member 512 pivotally associated with the first end portion 504 of the conduit 502. The valve assembly 510 further includes a float 530 and a linkage device 570 pivotally connected with the valve member 512 and in communication with the float 530 wherein the float 530 may facilitate in adjusting position of the valve member 512 with respect to the first end portion 504 in response to a liquid level in a liquid reservoir. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the drop tube segment 500 is also known to include a conventional adjustable stop member 588 located below an O-ring sealing member 505 and adapted to engage the linkage device 570, as shown in FIG. 3, to limit a movement of the linkage device 570.
A conventional method of making a conventional drop tube assembly will now be described with respect to FIGS. 4–7 and 7A. As shown in FIG. 4, the previously-mentioned upper drop tube segment 620 is provided with an upper conduit 622 with a first end portion 624 and a second end portion 626. The upper conduit 622 includes a wall 628 with an inner surface 630 and an outer surface 631. An aperture 640 is formed in the wall 628 (e.g., by a drilling or a punching process) from the outer surface 631 to the inner surface 630. Due to the inwardly-directed forces present when forming the aperture 640, edges 642 of the aperture 640 may extend radially inwardly from the inner surface 630 of the wall 628 and/or burrs formed while making the aperture 640 may extend radially inwardly from the inner surface 630 of the wall 628.
As shown in FIG. 5, the second end portion 626 of the upper conduit 622 is inserted over the first end portion 504 of the conduit 502. As the aperture 640 passes over the sealing member 505, the outer edges 642 and/or burrs associated with the aperture 640 may damage the sealing member 505, for example, by gouging the sealing member 505 with the outer edges 642 and/or burrs associated with the aperture 640. Gouging of the sealing member 505 may form one or more grooves or other imperfections in the outer circumferential surface of the sealing member 505. In order to maintain a fluid tight connection with a seal including such surface imperfections, an epoxy layer 648 may be applied to the outer surface 511b of the wall 511 prior to insertion of the second end portion 626 of the upper conduit 622 over the first end portion 504 of the conduit 502.
As shown in FIG. 6, once the second end portion 626 of the upper conduit 622 is inserted over the first end portion 504 of the conduit 502, a stamping tool may be used to shape the aperture 640 adjacent the inner surface 630 of the wall 628 such that the edges 642 of the aperture 640 extend radially inwardly, or further radially inwardly, from the inner surface 630 of the wall 628. Shaping of the aperture also causes crimped portions 644 of the wall 628 adjacent the aperture 640 to at least partially enter the corresponding fastener receiving structure 507a, 507b, 507c.
As shown in FIG. 7, after shaping the aperture 640, a fastener 646 may be inserted through the aperture 640 to engage the crimped portion 644 and a corresponding one of the fastener receiving structures 507a, 507b, 507c. The epoxy layer 648 may be effective to fill in any grooves and/or other imperfections in the outer circumferential surface of the sealing member 505 to provide a fluid tight seal between the drop tube segment 500 and the upper drop tube segment 620. Similarly, another epoxy layer 650 may be applied about the head of each fastener 646 associated with each fastener receiving structure 507a, 507b, 507c in order to provide a fluid tight seal at the fastener receiving structures 507a, 507b, 507c. Still further, as shown in FIG. 7A, a leak path may exist at the interface 588a between the adjustable stop member 588 and the wall 511. In order to provide a fluid tight seal, another epoxy layer 652 may be applied to a circumferential joint 629 between the upper conduit 622 and the conduit 502.
Application of an epoxy layer to provide fluid-tight sealing has proven very beneficial to reduce fluid vapor leakage. However, the addition of an epoxy layer typically greatly lengthens the installation process and the epoxy layer must cure for an extended period of time before the drop tube assembly may be installed with respect to the liquid reservoir. Currently, there is a need for drop tube assemblies that comprise a plurality of sections that may be connected together for immediate installation with respect to the liquid reservoir while providing a fluid seal at the fastening location between the drop tube segments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Drop tube segments adapted for use with a liquid reservoir and methods


A surface roughness estimator for a vehicle configured to generate a first surface roughness index value indicative of terrain surface roughness and to output a signal in dependence at least in part on the first surface roughness index value, the estimator being configured to receive first acceleration information indicative of a first acceleration along a first axis, receive second acceleration information indicative of a second acceleration along a second axis, calculate a combined value in dependence on the first acceleration and second acceleration, and adjust the combined value in dependence on a speed of the vehicle to generate the first surface roughness index value.

It is known to provide a control system for a motor vehicle for controlling one or more vehicle subsystems in accordance with one or more characteristics or the terrain or ground surface type over which the vehicle is travelling. U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,776 discloses a vehicle control system comprising a plurality of subsystem controllers including an engine management system, a transmission controller, a steering controller, a brakes controller and a suspension controller. The subsystem controllers are each operable in a plurality of subsystem function or configuration modes. The subsystem controllers are connected to a vehicle mode controller which controls the subsystem controllers to assume a required function mode so as to provide a number of driving modes for the vehicle. Each of the driving modes corresponds to a particular driving condition or set of driving conditions, and in each mode each of the sub-systems is set to the function mode most appropriate to those conditions. Such conditions are linked to types of terrain over which the vehicle may be driven such as grass/gravel/snow, mud and ruts, rock crawl, sand and a highway mode known as 'special programs off' (SPO). The vehicle mode controller may be referred to as a Terrain Response (TR)® System or controller. The driving modes may also be referred to as terrain modes, terrain response modes, or control modes. GB2492655B discloses a control system for a motor vehicle in which the most appropriate terrain mode for the prevailing terrain over which the vehicle is driving is determined automatically by the control system. The control system then causes the vehicle to operate in the terrain mode determined to be the most appropriate. In these examples, an estimate of the surface roughness may be used to determine a driving condition or driving mode of the vehicle.


An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit including first and second photosensitive members, and first and second developer carriers; a re-conveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording sheet discharged from the image forming unit towards the image forming unit; a separation/stop mechanism configured to switch a developing unit between an image formation mode in which the first developer carrier contacts the first photosensitive member and a separation mode in which the first developer carrier is separated from the first photosensitive member and the second developer carrier is separated from the second photosensitive member, and a control device configured to switch the developing unit from the image formation mode to the separation mode while the re-conveyance mechanism conveys a first recording sheet after the image forming unit forms an image on a first surface of the first recording sheet.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus capable of performing a duplex printing.
In the related art, an image forming apparatus such as a printer capable of performing a duplex printing has been known. The image forming apparatus is configured to discharge a sheet of which a surface has been formed with an image from an image forming unit, to reverse the surface and a backside of the sheet and then to re-convey the sheet to the image forming unit.
In the image forming apparatus of the related art, since a developing device is operating while the recording sheet is re-conveyed, there is a possibility that a mechanical configuration of the developing device and developer in the developing device may be deteriorated.

Image forming apparatus having a developer carrier that separates from a photosensitive member during sheet re-conveyance


A closure system for a fluid outlet is disclosed which includes a motor threadably connected to a hub which, in turn, is connected to a closure element or cup that provides a sealing cover beneath one or more nozzles. The action of the motor initially lowers the closure element vertically before pivoting the closure element away from the area directly beneath the nozzle or nozzles. After fluid is dispensed, a biasing element pivots the closure element back into place before it is raised vertically again to provide a seal or cover for the one or more nozzles. The hub is designed to pivot only a partial revolution and the pivoting action of the hub and closure element away from the nozzle area overcomes the bias of the biasing element contained within the hub. The biasing element then pivots the hub and closure element back into place before the biasing element raises the hub and closure element to its original position.

Systems for dispensing a plurality of different fluids into a container have been known and used for many years. For example, systems for dispensing paint base materials and colorants into a paint container are known. These paint systems may use twenty or more different colorants to formulate a paint mixture. Each colorant is contained in a separate canister or package and may include its own dispensing pump. The colorants and the respective pumps may be disposed on a turntable or along one or more horizontal rows. In a turntable system, the turntable is rotated so that the colorant of to be dispensed is moved to a position above the container being filled. In designs using one or more horizontal rows, the container may be moved laterally to the appropriate colorant/pump.
Systems for dispensing large varieties of different fluids are not limited to paints, but also include systems for dispensing pharmaceutical products, hair dye formulas, cosmetics or all kinds, nail polish, etc. Smaller systems for use in preparing products at a point of sale may use a stationary manifold through which a plurality of nozzles extend. Each fluid to be dispensed is then pumped through its individual nozzle. Depending upon the size of the container and the quantity of the fluids to be dispensed, manifolds can be designed in a space efficient manner so that a single manifold can accommodate twenty or more different nozzles. The nozzles are connected to the various ingredients by flexible hoses and the ingredients are contained in stationary canisters or containers.
In many fluid dispensing applications, precision is essential as many formulations require the addition of precise amounts of these ingredients. This is true in the pharmaceutical industry but also in the paint and cosmetic industries as the addition of more or less tints or colorants can result in a visible change in the color of the resulting product.
One way in which the precision of dispensing systems is compromised is "dripping." Specifically, a "leftover" drip may be hanging from a nozzle that was intended to be added to a previous formulation and, with a new container in place under the nozzle, the drop of liquid intended for a previous formulation may be erroneously added to a new formulation. Thus, the previous container may not receive the desired amount of the liquid ingredient and the next container may receive too much.
To solve the drip problem, various scraper and wiper designs have been proposed. However, these designs often require one or more different motors to operate the wiper element and are limited to use on dispensing systems where the nozzles are separated or not bundled together in a manifold. Use of a wiper or scraping function would not be practical in a multiple nozzle manifold design as the ingredients from the different nozzles will be co-mingled by the wiper or scraper which would then also contribute to the lack of precision of subsequently produced formulations.
Another problem associated with dispensing systems that make use of nozzles lies in the dispensing of relatively viscous liquids such as tints, colorants, base materials for cosmetic products, certain pharmaceutical ingredients or other fluid materials having relatively high viscosities. Specifically, the viscous fluids have a tendency to dry and cake onto the end of the nozzles, thereby requiring frequent cleaning in order for the nozzles to operate effectively. While some mechanical wiping or scrapping devices are available, these devices are not practical for multiple nozzle manifold systems and the scraper or wiper element must be manually cleaned anyway.
One solution would be to find a way to provide an enclosing seal around the nozzle or manifold after the dispensing operation is complete. In this manner, the viscous materials being dispensed through the nozzles would have less exposure to air thereby requiring a lower frequency of cleaning operations. To date, applicants are not aware of any attempts to provide any sort of nozzle or manifold closure or sealing element that would protect against drips as well as reducing the frequency in which the nozzle or manifolds must be cleaned.

Articulated nozzle closure for fluid dispensers


An apparatus is disclosed comprising first printed circuit board—PCB—and second PCB structure each having a first surface and a second surface and a layer of electrically conductive material on the first surface thereof and being attached to each other in a substantially parallel configuration. A stripline is positioned between the two PCBs. Each one of the first PCB and the second PCB has a plurality of via-holes that are electrically conductive and are connected at one end to the layer of electrically conductive material on the first surface and to an electrically conductive pad on the second surface of the PCB. At least a first electrically conductive pad associated with the first PCB is located in proximity with a first electrically conductive pad associated with the second PCB thereby forming a capacitive configuration.

Acquiring new sites to place antennas for providing wireless service, especially for a wireless service that requires a new type of antenna, has become increasingly difficult in most dense urban areas. Also, the addition of new antennas supporting new frequency bands can result in very long, complex, and expensive negotiations with site owners. As a result, the deployment of active antenna systems (AAS), a key enabler of so-called "fifth generation"—(5G), wireless services, will likely be a major challenge for mobile network operators.


A conduit cleaning or clearing apparatus and method has a housing assembly connectable to a pipeline. The housing has an inlet and outlet leg joined by a bight portion. A cleaning member is rotatably disposed within the housing and may be rotated from a first unobstructing position to a second cleaning position. In the cleaning position, a plurality of spaced apart blades are able to contact and loosen any build-up in the bight portion. A wiping paddle on the cleaning member urges the loosen build-up out the outlet leg and through the drain line. The paddle cooperates with a locator seat on the housing to retain the cleaning member in an unobstructing position when not cleaning or clearing the bight.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning the fluid flow path in a conduit. The present invention may be utilized to clean drain lines in any application, whether commercial or residential, and is not necessarily limited to sewage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for clearing a build-up in a trap within a drainage system which may be impeding the flow of fluid from the system discharge.
In most drainage systems, traps are provided catch or collect materials passing through the system. In commercial and residential plumbing systems, traps are used to capture items falling into the drain, so that they do not pass directly through the drain line and into the main sewer system. They are also intended to block sewer gas bleed back into the building. However, the traps often accumulate excessive amounts of debris and build-up blocking the drainage flow through the system.
Numerous devices have been utilized to avoid the problems associated with removing the trap to clean or clear the build-up. Such devices include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,306,925; 2,610,696; 3,783,457; 3,872,521; 4,893,361; and 5,038,816. The existing devices are cumbersome and ineffective. Many of these "solutions" create other problems for the user, including actually interfering with the drainage flow when not in operation. Any device which restricts the full volume flow through the bight of a trap when not in use potentially will cause more problem than it solves.
The present invention allows the user to rotate a cleaning member through the trap bight without removing the trap from connected plumbing and to position the cleaning member such that the full volume flow through the bight diameter is not restricted when the cleaning member is not being rotated. The present invention may be manually operated or attached to a sensor system to periodically rotate the cleaning member either based simply on a selected time interval or dependent upon pressure or flow rate characteristics within the drain system.
While the present invention is described and illustrated in a preferred embodiment within a plumbing/sewer environment, it will be understood that the present invention could be adapted for use in industrial situations where product in a pipeline periodically may need to be flushed or wiped from the pipeline. In such situations, the present invention is not intended to function as a trap, but rather as an inline cleaning or clearing apparatus.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a conduit


A tunable vibration absorption device is provided that is suitable for active or semi-active vibration absorption or damping of vibrations in vibrating structures. It comprises a stack including a force actuator mechanism for generating an axial actuation force and a force sensor mechanism which is responsive to an external force acting on the stack to generate a force signal. A controller unit is electrically connected to the force sensor mechanism for receiving the force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism, and it is also electrically connected to the force actuator mechanism for adjusting the axial actuation force generated by the force actuator mechanism in response to the received force signal generated by the force sensor mechanism.

Tuned vibration absorption devices are usually tuned mass dampers comprising predetermined sets of passive masses and passive damped springs to reduce the susceptibility to vibration of a structure. In these pre-tuned passive vibration absorption devices, the operational frequency (that is, the resonance frequency) of the devices remains unchanged once the devices are designed and fabricated.
In the prior art, tunable vibration absorption devices are typically tunable mass dampers (or adjustable tuned mass dampers) comprising sets of passive masses and adjustable damped springs such that tuning of the operational frequency of the devices is achieved manually by adjusting the stiffness of the springs through some mechanical means.
Advanced tunable vibration absorption devices are generally fabricated using smart materials (also called active, intelligent or adaptive materials) as the principal tuning means to provide the distinct features of tunable stiffness via an external tuning signal. With such tuning means, one may easily and precisely adjust the operational or resonance frequency of such devices to optimally match the targeted resonance frequency of the corresponding under-damped vibrating structures so that an additional damping can be properly introduced to the vibrating structures.
Examples of smart materials mainly include piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. The observed tunable stiffness (and hence the operational frequency) of the smart material-based tunable vibration absorption devices originate from an external field-induced characteristic property change of the smart material elements (that is, their stiffness) as well as the cooperative property change of the devices as a whole. Hence, the tunability and controllability of the stiffness (and hence the operational frequency) of the devices play an important factor in absorbing or damping vibrational energy.
If the vibration absorption devices are not tunable or if the tunability and controllability of the stiffness of the tunable vibration absorption devices are not sufficiently high such that the stiffness of the devices cannot be properly optimized for the vibrating structures, installing such devices onto the vibrating structures may result in the direct transmission of vibrational energy from the structures to the devices without experiencing any energy absorption or damping effect. In the worst cases, the vibration level of the vibrating structures may further be enhanced. Consequently, the advantages of deploying tunable vibration absorption devices, in particular smart material-based tunable vibration absorption devices, onto vibrating structures are two-fold: first, their nature of tunable stiffness enables their operational frequency to easily and optimally match the targeted resonance frequency of under-damped vibrating structures without adding any external mass; second, their nature of having a reasonably high damping ratio enables a wider range structural applications without adding any external or extra absorption or damping means, such as damped springs.
Nonetheless, while smart material-based tunable vibration absorption devices are more effective and useful as compared with traditional tuned and tunable (or adjustable tuned) vibration absorption devices (i.e., tuned and tunable (or adjustable tuned) mass dampers), these state-of-the-art devices typically suffer from several shortcomings. For example, they acre only provided with a vibrational energy absorption function through external tuning of the characteristic properties of the smart material elements. Hence, they are only limited to a semi-active (or an open-loop) mode of operation, where a predetermined or a manually-tuned input signal is applied to the smart material elements of the devices without the assistance of any automatic control system. If an active (or a closed-loop) mode of operation is necessary, at least one separate sensor (such as an accelerometer or a force sensor) is required to gather the so-called "predetermined" or "manual-tuned" input signal. Thus, separate sensors have to be installed together with the devices. It is clear that measurement cost and complexity will inevitably increase. Another shortcoming of this approach is that, in practice, it is quite difficult to reliably co-locate both the devices and separate sensors. Accordingly, discrepancy between a sensor output signal and an actual structural vibration may occur.
Prior art tunable vibration absorption devices can generally only provide uni-directional tuning of the operational frequency (which is related to the stiffness). In particular, they work well in a high frequency regime as the frequency tuning elevates from a specific frequency value defined by an off-state natural frequency of the devices. Besides the characteristic property (such as stiffness) of the smart material elements in the devices, the operational frequency of these devices depends heavily on the whole structure of the devices. Thus, state-of-the-art designs have to incorporate a number of structural components so as to provide a less sensitive mounting means for connection with the vibrating structures.
A prior art tunable vibration absorption device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,908 for an "Adjustable Tuned Mass Damper". This invention teaches a tuned mass damper which is tunable by manually adjusting a spring stiffness of the damper through a screw connected to the spring. Rotating the screw changes the spring stiffness and thereby the natural resonance frequency of the mass and spring combination. Although this design is quite simple, manual and mechanical tunings make the damper difficult to integrate with electrical or automated control systems. If the design is to be modified for electrical or automated tuning, the patent suggests inclusion of a separate accelerometer. As explained above, this will, amongst other things, increase the cost and complexity of the damper.
Another prior art tunable vibration absorption device is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0060268 entitled, "Method and Apparatus for Improved Vibration Isolation". It teaches a vibration isolator that is tunable through electrically adjusting the motion of an enclosed fluid mass through a piezoelectric actuation pump so as to cancel a frequency of oscillatory forces from a vibrating structure. This design of vibration isolator is undesirably complex to manufacture on an industrial scale and its reliance on adjusting the motion of a fluid mass to counter external oscillatory forces makes it difficult to monitor the electrical or automated tuning in practice.


A portable information processor in which heat generated internally is removed efficiently and noise incident to passage of an exhaust air flow generated from a cooling fan is damped in order to realize a silent information processor. The portable information processor comprises a body section including a CPU, a main memory, an input means, a display means, and the like, and an extension section including an extension power supply section, an external storage means, various interfaces, and the like, being mounted removably, the processor has an outlet for exhausting heat generated in the body to the outside thereof, a cooling fan generating an exhaust air flow being exhausted through the outlet, an inlet provided on the outer surface of an extension section, for introducing the exhaust flow generated by the cooling fan into the extension section corresponding to the outlet when the body section and the extension section are coupled, and a silencing means for damping a sound incident to passage of the exhaust air flow introduced from the inlet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information processor, and more particularly relates to a portable information processor comprising a main section equipped with a CPU, a main memory, input unit, display unit, and so forth, and an extension section equipped with an extension power supply, external storage unit, various interfaces, and so forth, both detachably configured.
2. Background Information
The need for faster processing has driven up the operating frequency of the CPUs used in personal computers in recent years, and this has been accompanied by a rise in power consumption. Particularly with portable information processors such as laptop computers and PDAs, mounting density is increased in order to make the products more compact, so an increase in power consumption leads to more heat being generated.
Information processors such as these normally make use of a cooling fan or some other kind of cooling unit such as a heat sink or heat pipe, and there have been efforts to learn how efficient these are at cooling. In order to handle the full operation of the CPU, the cooling unit can be made larger, or two or more cooling unit can be employed, or the speed of the cooling fan can be raised.
Increasing the size of the cooling unit or the number of units used is contrary to the goal of making the apparatus more compact, and makes it difficult to find enough space to install the unit or units in the apparatus. If a cooling fan is operated at high speed it generates noise, requiring the installation of a silencing unit for damping this noise. This silencing unit can consist of a sound absorbent material or a silencer installed inside the apparatus, but here again this makes it difficult to find enough space to install the equipment while still maintaining a compact apparatus size, so no effective way to make the apparatus quieter has been found.
There are portable information processors comprising an extension section (called a docking station, etc.) equipped with an extension power supply, external storage unit, various interfaces, and so forth, and a main section equipped with a CPU, a main memory, input unit, display unit, and so forth, with the extension section and main section being detachable from each other. With a configuration such as this, including an extension section, it has been proposed that the cooling unit be installed on the extension section side so as to remove the heat generated on the main section side (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2,908,418).
In Japanese Patent No. 2,908,418, a heat sink is provided on the main section side, while a cooling unit such as a cooling fan is provided on the extension section side, and when the main section is used coupled with the extension section, the heat sink on the main section side and the cooling unit on the extension section side are connected by a thermal conductor such as silicone rubber, so that heat on the main section side is radiated on the extension section side.
It has been proposed that noise can be suppressed by controlling the speed of the cooling fan provided on the main section side according to the power supply management mode, etc. (see, for example, JP H10-11 176A).


A lady's footrest for use in the shower or bath provides a portable footrest having an elongated body with a uniform cross section having a roughly triangular upper non-skid surface for resting the foot on and a plurality of suction cups fixed to the rear wall of the apparatus for temporarily securing the apparatus to a side wall of a shower or bathtub. The apparatus further includes a drawer for holding toilet and shaving items and at least one drain hole for allowing any accumulated water to drain from the apparatus. At least one drain hole is also located in the body of the footrest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus for assisting woman who shave their legs in the shower or bath. More particularly, the present invention comprises a portable footrest for use in the bath, which can be temporarily attached to the wall of the shower or bath.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. Sections 1.97-1.99
Most women in the United States shave their legs as the preferred means for removing hair from them. Most of these women shave their legs while bathing or showering. This task is normally tedious and awkward, as it requires bending sharply at the waist and limits visibility because it is not easy to get close enough to the legs to see them well or to manipulate the razor with great dexterity. This increases the likelihood of cutting or nicking the legs with a razor and is therefore frequently regarded as an unpleasant chore.
Further, many elderly and handicapped women find that shaving their legs is not only an unpleasant chore, but it can be dangerous. This is especially the case with women who nave an impaired sense of balance.
A related problem is that women want their shaving utensils readily at hand but typically would rather not simply leave them on the side of the bathtub in plain sight. Showers typically have no place to store shaving and other hygiene appliances. Sometimes these items are stored in plastic net bags or shelves that hang from the neck of the shower pipe. These solutions, however, are not entirely satisfactory because they slip down the neck of the shower pipe or swing from side to side as contents are removed or added, disturbing the balance of the device and frequently spilling its contents onto the floor.
The use of a surface above the floor of the shower or tub to rest the foot on, thereby bending the leg at the knee and raising the foot and leg facilitates shaving the legs. Many women use the side of a bathtub for this purpose, but the rim or top surface of a bathtub is narrow, and very slippery, making this practice somewhat hazards and therefore requiring concentration on safety and less on the task of shaving. Naturally, most showers have no similar elevated surface to rest the foot on, particularly in institutional settings, such as dormitories. A search of the related art at the Public Search Room of the United States Patent and Trademark Office did not reveal any devices directed to this particularly feminine problem.
Of course, there are other occasions when either men or women wish to elevate one foot for one reason or another and this need has lead to a number of issued United States Patents, some of which are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,478, issued to Sullivan on Jul. 31, 1990 (Sullivan '478) discloses a "Portable Grab Bar" for use in a shower and the like that is attached to a flat smooth surface by suction cups. The suction cups include vacuum pumps that can be used to restore the vacuum in the suction cups if they begin to leak during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,448, issued to Cairo on Dec. 25, 1984 Cairo '448), discloses a "Foot Support For Showers" comprising a four-legged stool having a top sculpted into the shape of the bottom of a foot. The stool sits on the floor of the shower and is supported by its legs. The bottom end of each leg includes a suction cup or other non-slip foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,180, issued to Martin on Jan. 30, 1973 (Martin '180), discloses a "Foot Support for Shower Baths" comprising a footrest member covered with a resilient arched upper surface. The footrest is attached to an arm or bracket that is fixed to the shower wall by screws or the like. The arm holds the footrest away from the wall. The arm or bracket conveniently folds to move the footrest out of the way when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,069, issued to Jorgensen et al. on Mar. 4, 1958 (Jorgensen et al. '069), discloses a "Headrest for Use in a Bathtub" comprising a suction cup for attaching the headrest to a wall of a bathtub. This suction cup is attached by a ball and socket joint to a pair of arms leading to two suction cups similar to the attachment suction cup and also attached to the arms by ball and socket joints. These two suction cups cradle the user's head.
Design U.S. Pat. No. 170,853, issued to Dunham on Nov. 17, 1953 (Dunham Des. '853), discloses a "Shower Footrest" comprising a three-legged stool with a horizontally disposed cylindrical footrest attached to the tops of the legs. The stool rests on the floor of the shower and is supported by its legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,434, issued to Hoverder on Jun. 19, 1951 (Hoverder '434), discloses a "Supporting Fixture" comprising a unitary shelf and support bracket that is attached to a wall by a pair of suction cups. The holding power of the suction cups is augmented by different types of adhesives that glue the suction cups to the wall in various types of usage. Thus, Hoverder actually discloses a permanently installed shelf.
Use of suction cups for temporary or permanent support of a shelf (Hoverder '434), grab bar (Sullivan '478), stool (Cairo '448) are shown in the references discussed above. Also shown specifically is the use of suction cups to secure a bar in a shower (Sullivan '478) or bathtub (Jorgensen et al. '069). A shower foot support or stool is also disclosed in the references discussed above (Dunham Des. '853; Cairo '448). A footrest attached to the wall of a shower by permanent mechanical fasteners is disclosed in Martin '180. Also disclosed is the use of a ribbed non-slip surface on the footrest (Dunham Des. '853).
None of these references, however, discloses a footrest that can be attached to the shower wall temporarily and then removed from the tub or shower entirely for storage. Also not shown is the use of suction cups to attach the temporary use footrest to the shower, the specific structure of the suction cups which allows them to be easily attached to the footrest itself.
Accordingly there is a need for a lady's portable footrest for use in the shower that is readily installed for temporary use and then easily removed for easy storage; that will not mare shower walls or bathtubs; that provides a secure surface for resting the foot on; that provides an arcuate upper surface that approximately matches the natural curve of the arch of the foot for comfort and safety; that includes a non-skid surface for safety and comfort; that can be easily installed at any convenient height for a particular user; that is light-weight and durable; that will not accumulate water; that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture; and that provides a means for conveniently storing small shaving items and the like.
The present invention eliminates these problems and provides the additional benefit of not restricting the space available in the shower or bath when the woman is not shaving.


A dark-colored siding panel product includes a shell having a layered structure. The layered structure can include a substrate comprising polyvinylchloride. The substrate may be located between inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers may be formed from a weatherable polymer. In addition, at least the outer layer may have a CIE color unit L*<75. An insulation layer may be mounted to the shell.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates in general to building products and, in particular, to a system, method and apparatus for a dark-colored siding panel product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) is commonly used as house siding, trim, decking and fencing. Because of its good weathering properties, low cost and ease of installation, PVC has gained wide acceptance as a construction material. However, because of the thermal properties of PVC, darker colored vinyl siding may have limited application due to solar absorption. Some climates and field conditions can create situations resulting in heat distortion, buckling or curling. Vinyl siding is used mainly in moderate climates, such as the northern and eastern states of the United States. The use of PVC is typically avoided in hot climates, such as the southwestern states of the United States.
Dark colors typically absorb more energy from the sun and can cause the temperature of the siding to exceed the useable temperature range of PVC. Most manufacturers attempt to minimize potential heat gain by using infrared (IR) reflective pigments, and/or limiting their color offerings to light to medium colors. Some manufacturers have adopted chlorinated PVC (CPVC) and other materials over PVC to address these thermal issues. However, consumers and builders would like the option of using dark colors for some structures. Thus, it would be desirable to have a darker colored, weather resistant product that could withstand greater temperatures, be used in warmer climates, and which could withstand reflective heat.

System, method and apparatus for dark-colored siding panel product


A method for controlling a renewable energy power system having at least one renewable energy asset connected to a power grid during a frequency event includes receiving, via a controller, a frequency signal of the power grid. The method also includes determining a time constant for a frequency filter assembly as a function of two or more parameters of the frequency signal. Further, the method includes filtering the frequency signal via the frequency filter assembly using the determined time constant. Moreover, the method includes determining a power command for the at least one renewable energy asset using the filtered frequency signal. In addition, the method includes controlling the at least one renewable energy asset based on the power command.

Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, generator, gearbox, nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy from wind using known airfoil principles and transmit the kinetic energy through rotational energy to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid.
More specifically, during operation of a wind turbine, wind impacts the rotor blades and the blades transform wind energy into a mechanical rotational torque that drives a low-speed shaft. The low-speed shaft drives the gearbox that subsequently steps up the low rotational speed of the low-speed shaft to drive a high-speed shaft at an increased rotational speed, wherein the high-speed shaft rotatably drives a generator rotor. In many conventional wind turbine configurations, the generator is electrically coupled to a bi-directional power converter that includes a rotor-side converter (RSC) joined to a line-side converter (LSC) via a regulated DC link. The LSC converts the DC power on the DC link into AC output power that is combined with the power from the generator stator to provide multi-phase power having a frequency maintained substantially at the frequency of the electrical grid bus (e.g. 50 HZ or 60 HZ). The above system is generally referred to as a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) system.
When providing primary frequency response services, there are at least two concerns when maintaining grid frequency stability. First, measurable events typically occur when a large generating source or load is tripped offline. These are characterized by a steep initial disturbance to frequency along with a rapid recovery as generators on the system respond to the observed disturbance. Second, a long sustained event, which may or may not be significant in magnitude, occurs during periods of time when the generating sources (increasingly provided by renewables) experiences a significant increase or reduction in resource availability. For example, such events may be observed when a sustained change in wind speed or irradiance occurs in a region densely populated by renewable generation.
Accordingly, the requirement for primary frequency response to address the aforementioned events is becoming more prevalent in grid regulations. The trend in grid requirements has been towards tighter deadbands around the nominal frequency at which time the generator response is enabled and towards faster reaction and settling times. These trends have resulted in renewable assets, such as wind turbine power systems, spending a good deal of time responding to frequency events. Furthermore, frequency can be difficult to measure, thereby resulting in significant noise on the control feedback.
Thus, an improved system and method for dynamically filtering frequency that does not impact the response time to the aforementioned significant events, while also eliminating noise that causes repeated response from the renewable assets, would be welcomed in the technology.

System and method for frequency filtering of a renewable energy power system


An interface and a method for image data transmission that is used for data transmission through a plurality of data lines is described, the correctness of the transmitted data being checked by reference to control data. The checking capability is achieved in that at least one item of control data is transmitted through each data line.

Both analog and digital image data transmission methods are known for transmitting image data. In order to guarantee high image resolution, transmission methods that guarantee reliable data transmission at a high data throughput are required. In particular, interfaces and transmission methods in which image data is transmitted in parallel through a plurality of lines are known for this purpose. In addition to the actual image data information that describes the individual pixels, control information that is used for line synchronization or frame synchronization, for example, is also be transmitted. For this purpose, it is known to transmit all control signals through one of the data lines. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,669 discusses an interface and an image data transmission method in which this control information is co-transmitted through a clock signal line that is used to control image data transmission. In order to check whether data is transmitted correctly, it is also known to add to the transmitted data additional test data that is transmitted together with the actual data. However, this test data reduces the volume of user data that may be transmitted since the transmission frequency may not be increased at will. To be able nevertheless to transmit a maximum volume of data, the check of the transmitted data is omitted, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,669, for example.

Interface and method for error detection in image data transmission


Embodiments herein include a method that begins by receiving a print job for a customer from an intermediary program such as a print driver. The print job comprises instructions to print a document for the customer and includes, for example, data and print characteristics. The method then evaluates the colorspace of each page of the print job to determine whether any multi-color items are included within the print job. The method ignores classifications of the print job as either a multi-color print job (e.g., color print job) or a single color print job (e.g., black and white) from the print driver and, instead, classifies the print job as either a multi-color print job or a single color print job based only on whether the multi-color items are included within the print job. Then, the method provides the billing information for the customer to an appropriate entity that bills the customer.

Embodiments herein generally relate to systems that bill for printing documents and more particularly to a method that bases the multi-color/single-color billing distinction on the colorspace of the documents being printed and ignores any multi-color indications received from the print drivers.
In certain instances, customers of printing services are incorrectly billed for color printing charges when they choose black and white or grayscale printing. For example, in some existing multi-function devices, if a user scans a document to file or to e-mail, and if the user specifically chooses grayscale as the desired portable document format (PDF) option, the file is captured in PDF with the colorspace calibrated gray (CalGray). This allows for device independence, allowing (in theory) any printer to get and render the same output. Similarly, choosing "Black" from the standard Adobe print driver interface can cause the color space attribute CalGray (Adobe print drivers are available from Adobe Systems Incorporated, San Jose, Calif., USA).
However, in spite of the fact that CalGray is intended to represent image data exclusively as 256 gray levels, with no chromatic data, and no accompanying ICC profile, many printers recognize CalGray documents as color. This would lead to, among other things, customers being charged for color prints, even for strictly monochrome images. The interpretation of CalGray documents as color can be seen by using Adobe Acrobat Pro 7.0 preflight tools, which generates the message "Document generates more than one plate", where plate refers to an offset press plate, one for each process color. While one specific print driver is mentioned above, the embodiments discussed below, which address these issues, apply to all similar printer intermediaries and print drivers.


A method for retrieving content of a distributed directory of a telecommunication system comprising a plurality of nodes arranged in a directed ring topology, the method comprising the steps of identifying a storage location of said content by means of a distributed hashing function, where the hashing function maps an element onto a node, where the node is responsible carrying elements with a hash value between the node and its successor node. The invention further concerns a corresponding computer software product, telecommunication device, and a telecommunication system.

The invention is based on a priority application EP06300773.6 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a method, a computer software product, a telecommunication device and a telecommunication system for retrieving content of a distributed directory.
Communication systems with low operating expenditures (OPEX) having a minimum centralized infrastructure often use highly distributed databases in overlay networks (e.g. peer-to-peer networks). They implement self-organizing mechanisms to create a robust topology and to ensure consistency of the stored data. The use of load balancing, backup strategies and intelligent routing of database queries increases and service invocations have an impact on the overall efficiency of those networks.
I. Stoica, R. Morris, D. Liben-Nowell, D. Karger, M. F. Kaashoek, F. Dabek, and H. Balakrishnan, described in "CHORD: A Scalable Peer-to-peer Lookup Protocol for Internet Applications". IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, Vol 11, No 1 (February 2003), pp. 17-32, a solution that forms an overlay ring topology and creates redundant links to its succeeding network nodes. The redundant links enable the network to endure the failure of a node. Each node is part of a distributed database used for lookup issues and thus is responsible for a specific part of the complete stored data. Queries to the database are routed to successor nodes along the ring or along some shortcuts, called fingers, until it reaches the one who is responsible. For backup reasons in case of node failure each nodes forward its data to its successor node(s).
The Chord protocol specifies how to find a location of keys, how new nodes join the system, and how to recover from the failure (or planned departure) of existing nodes. At its heart, Chord provides fast distributed computation of a hash function mapping keys to nodes responsible for them. It uses consistent hashing. With high probability a hash function balances load, i.e. all nodes receive roughly the same number of keys. Also with high probability, when a node joins (or leaves) the network, only a limited fraction of the keys are moved to a different location.
Chord improves the scalability of consistent hashing by avoiding the requirement that every node knows about every other node. A Chord node needs only few routing information. Because this information is distributed, a node resolves the hash function by communicating with a few other nodes. A lookup messages requires O(log n) hops. Chord must update the routing information when a node joins or leaves the network; a join or leave requires O(log2 n) messages.
The consistent hash function assigns each node and key an identifier using a base hash function. A node's identifier is chosen by hashing the node's IP address, while a key identifier is produced by hashing the key. Consistent hashing assigns keys to nodes as follows: Identifiers are (linearly ordered) arranged in an identifier circle, i.e. with respect to some modulo arithmetic. A key is assigned to the first node whose identifier is equal to or follows the identifier. This node is called the successor node of a key. Consistent hashing is designed to let nodes enter and leave the network with minimal disruption. To maintain the consistent hashing mapping when a node joins the network, certain keys previously assigned to a successor now become assigned to the joined node. When a node leaves the network, all of its assigned keys are reassigned to a successor.
Chord uses links to successor nodes for backup and routing issues. Therefore, the backup data cannot be leveraged for load balancing, as a request approaches the responsible node from behind, but the backup data is stored ahead along the ring.
Newly joining nodes have to wait passively until they are integrated into the network by their predecessor. This results in the effect that the joining time is not deterministic and statistically distributed. In advance routing database requests can be improved.

Distributed hashing mechanism for self-organizing networks


A tracing tool for marking an outline of an irregular surface onto a sheet of material so that the sheet of material can be cut along such outline to fit snugly against the irregular surface, such tool including a case having a cavity in communication with an opening in the case, such case enclosing a piston having a shaft linearly extending therefrom through the case opening with a spring biasing the piston toward the case opening, and a marking device passing through a marking hole in the shaft which marking hole is perpendicular to the plane of the sheet of material. The shaft at its end includes a horizontally disposed guide roller for facilitating sideways rolling of the shaft along the irregular surface while the shaft moves back and forth perpendicularly to the irregular surface which movement moves the piston in the cavity as the marking device marks the outline of the irregular surface on the sheet of material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention resides in the area of tracing or scribing tools, and more particularly relates to a tracing tool for marking the outline of an irregular surface onto a sheet of material, such sheet to be cut along the outline to be able to fit snugly against the irregular surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following U.S. patents are illustrative of the prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 219,942 to Heiran issued Sep. 23, 1879 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,577,569 to Donley issued Mar. 23, 1926 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,792,323 to Phillips issued Feb. 10, 1931 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,664 to Diner issued Apr. 8, 1975


The present invention appreciates that compounds comprising ester linkages and nitrogen-containing moieties that are at least divalent (e.g., urea, urethane, amide, etc.) can be crosslinked with azides to form membranes that are resistant to CO2 plasticization, that are selective for acid gases relative to nonpolar gases such as hydrocarbons, and that have high acid gas flux characteristics. The resultant membranes have stable structure and stable separation properties at higher temperatures and pressures. The membranes are compatible with many industrial processes in which polar gases are separated from nopolar gases. In an exemplary mode of practice, the membranes can be used to separate acid gases from the hydrocarbon gases in natural or non-acid gas components of flue gas mixtures (e.g., N2, O2, etc.).

Polymer membranes have been proposed for various separations. It has been found that different molecules can be made to permeate through selected polymers differently. For example if one component of a mixture is found to permeate though a polymer rapidly and a second component is found to permeate through the polymer more slowly or not at all, the polymer may be utilized to separate the two components. Polymer membranes potentially can be used for gas separations as well as liquid separations.
Numerous research articles and patents describe polymeric membrane materials (e.g., polyimides, polysulfones, polycarbonates, polyethers, polyamides, polyarylates, polypyrrolones, etc.) with desirable gas separation properties, particularly for use in oxygen/nitrogen separation (See, for example, Koros et al., J. Membrane Sci., 83, 1-80 (1993); and Du et al., Macromol. Rapid Commun., 32, 631-636 (2011), hereinafter referred to as the Du Article.
The polymeric membrane materials are typically used in processes in which a feed gas mixture contacts the upstream side of the membrane. This results in a permeate mixture on the downstream side of the membrane with a greater mole fraction of one of the components than the composition of the original feed gas mixture. A pressure differential is maintained between the upstream and downstream sides, providing the driving force for permeation. The downstream side can be maintained as a vacuum, or at any pressure below the upstream pressure.
Membrane performance may be characterized by the flux of a gas component across the membrane. This flux can be expressed as a quantity called the permeability (P), which is a pressure- and thickness-normalized flux of a given component. The separation of a gas mixture is achieved by a membrane material that permits a faster permeation rate for one component (i.e., higher permeability) over that of another component. The efficiency of the membrane in enriching a component over another component in the permeate stream can be expressed as a quantity called selectivity. Selectivity can be defined as the ratio of the permeabilities of the gas components across the membrane (i.e., PA/PB, where A and B are the two components). A membrane's permeability and selectivity are material properties of the membrane material itself, and thus these properties are ideally constant with feed pressure, flow rate and other process conditions. However, permeability and selectivity are both temperature-dependent. It is desired to develop membrane materials with a high selectivity (efficiency) for the desired component, while maintaining a high permeability (productivity) for the desired component.
The relative ability of a membrane to achieve the desired separation is referred to as the separation factor or selectivity for the given mixture. There are however several other obstacles to use of a particular polymer to achieve a particular separation under any sort of large scale or commercial conditions. One such obstacle is permeation rate. One of the components to be separated must have a sufficiently high permeation rate at the preferred conditions or else extraordinarily large membrane surface areas are required to allow separation of large amounts of material. Another problem that can occur is that at conditions where the permeability is sufficient, such as at elevated temperatures or pressures, the selectivity for the desired separation can be lost or reduced. Another problem that often occurs is that over time the permeation rate and/or selectivity is reduced to unacceptable levels.
A further problem that can occur is that one or more components of the mixture can alter the morphology of the polymer membrane over time. This can degrade the permeability and/or selectivity characteristics of the membrane. One specific way this can happen is if one or more components of the mixture causes plasticization of the polymer membrane. Plasticization occurs when one or more of the components of the mixture causes the polymer to swell. Swelling tends to result in a significant increase in permeabilities for most if not all of the components of a feed mixture. This causes degradation of membrane properties. In particular, selectivity is compromised.
It has been found that CO2 can induce plasticization in many polymers, decreasing performance of the membranes made from the polymers. This can be particularly problematic in separations in which CO2 is to be separated from natural or flue gas mixtures. For example, in applications where CO2 is to be separated from flue or natural gases, both high CO2 fluxes through the membrane and high CO2/non-polar gas selectivities are desired when membranes are used that favor CO2 transport through the membrane. However, the selectivity for CO2 can be lost due to plasticization.
Accordingly, there is a strong need for separation membranes with stable, long lasting membrane properties that can separate acid gases such as CO2 from other gases and yet are highly resistant to CO2 induced plasticization. Additionally, there is a strong need for a polymeric membrane that exhibits high selectivity for the separation of gas mixtures of over a wide temperature range, thereby maintaining high selectivity at different process conditions and temperatures common to an industrial gas separation process.

Azide crosslinked and physically crosslinked polymers for membrane separation


An inspection device includes a memory and a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and configured to transmit, to a network, an inspection packet that includes a first address for which a plurality of transfer devices in a network does not learn correspondences between the first address and transfer destination devices. The first address is a transmission destination address. The inspection device receives a first packet from the network and determines whether the first packet matches the inspection packet. The inspection devices transmits, to the network, a setting packet of which a transmission source address is set to the first address.

When there is a loop path of a packet in a network, a broadcast storm of the packet occurs and thus, there is a concern that normal communication is hindered. On the other hand, in order to detect a loop path, for example, there is an inspection method for transmitting an inspection packet to a network and detecting a loop path in the network when the inspection packet is returned to and is received by a transmission source device.
U.S. Patent No. 2006/0285499 is disclosed as related art.

Inspection packet processing device and system for discarding an inspection packet from a loop


In a flexible layer composite comprising a support and at least one curable surface coating composition applied to the support, the layer of curable surface coating composition comprises                a binder which contains double bonds and has a double bond density in the range from 3 mol/kg to 6 mol/kg, a transition glass temperature Tg in the range from −15° C. to 20° C. and a solids content in the range from 40% to 100%,        if appropriate at least one surface coating auxiliary, preferably a surface coating auxiliary combination,        if appropriate solvents and        if appropriate pigments and/or fillersand is not sticky after thermal drying. At least one removable protective layer, preferably a removable protective film, has preferably been applied to the layer of curable surface coating composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flexible layer composite comprising a support and at least one layer of curable surface coating composition applied to the support and also uses of such a layer composite. The invention further relates to three-dimensional shaped bodies coated with this layer composite and also the surface coating composition which is applied to the support.
2. Background Art
Conventional surface coatings, in particular conventional motor vehicle coatings, usually consist of a plurality of superposed layers of surface coating compositions. However, due to the process, it is frequently difficult to achieve precisely color-matched coatings, e.g. on various substrates such as sheet metal or plastic. Different color shades also result on identical substrates due to even minimal changes in the surface coating components used or a process step.
To solve these problems, multilayer composites comprising a layer of curable surface coating composition applied to a support can be employed in place of conventional surface coatings to coat the respective substrates. In particular, surface coating films in which the support is a film may be mentioned here. The application of these surface coating films forms a coating having a substrate- and process-independent color shade, which considerably simplifies color quality management, for example in automobile construction where finished, coated individual components are usually procured from different suppliers. A further advantage of the use of surface coating films is that no solvent emissions, or comparatively low solvent emissions, occur when they are applied.
WO 00/13893 discloses surface coating films coated with a plurality of layers, with the surface of a plastic film A being coated with at least one surface coating layer and the surface coating layer optionally being coated with a further thermoplastic film B. The plastic film A may, if desired, be able to be pulled off from the surface coating layer which has been applied to a substrate and cured, so that only the surface coating layer remains on the substrate. The surface coating composition used comprises a binder based on polyester, polyurethane or polyacrylate and a crosslinker (an amino resin, a polyisocyanate resin or a carboxyl-containing crosslinker).
EP 361 351 A1 discloses a process according to which a surface coating film comprising a support film, an adhesive layer and a surface coating layer can be applied to three-dimensional curved surfaces. To protect against contamination, the radiation-curable surface coating layer of the surface coating film is partially cured by means of radiation so that it is dust-dry. The surface coating film is subsequently heated and applied. After application, the surface coating layer is subjected to final curing by thermal means.
EP 0 819 520 A2 claims a process for applying a surface coating film comprising at least one surface coating layer and an adhesive layer to three-dimensional curved surfaces, in which the radiation-curable surface coating layer of the surface coating film is partially cured so as to be dust-dry before application to the curved surface and it is subjected to final curing after application. Here, the final curing of the surface coating layer is effected by means of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength shorter than the wavelength of the visible spectrum. To apply the surface coating film to the substrate, the surface coating layer is preferably heated to its glass transition temperature Tg or slightly above this in order to be able to apply the surface coating film without bubbles, creases and an "orange skin" surface. A surface coating having a glass transition temperature Tg of less than 40° C., in particular less than 30° C., is therefore chosen. The surface coating comprises a binder based on phospacene, urethane or acrylate.
A fundamental problem which occurs in these processes is the susceptibility of the surface coating films used to contamination, in particular by means of dust. Weeks to months can elapse between the time when they are produced until they are processed. If the surface coating composition comes into contact with contaminants during this time, this frequently leads to undesirable optical changes in the surface of the coating. Contaminants of all types have to be avoided at all costs for this reason. In industrial practice, this means that the cleanliness of storage and production buildings has to meet exacting requirements.
One possible measure for reducing these problems is to provide the surface coating layer of a surface coating film with a protective covering or film during or immediately after it has been produced.
Thus, DE 101 40 769 A1 discloses surface coating films in which a polypropylene film is provided with a layer of a clear coating onto which a colored surface coating layer has in turn been applied. To ensure that the surface coating film can be removed from the substrate again without leaving residues, an adhesive layer was applied to the colored surface coating layer and a reinforcing film was in turn laminated on top of this. A release film was laminated onto the reinforcing film to cover it until processing. To ensure sufficient adhesion of the release film to the composite, the use of a further adhesive layer between release film and reinforcing film is necessary.
In general, use of protective films whose use is associated with the use of adhesives is not optimal from a number of points of view. When the protective film is removed, it may be desirable, in particular, for the underlying adhesive layer to be able to be removed as well without leaving residues. In practice, difficulties can occur here. In addition, application of a protective film by means of adhesive to a surface coating layer to be protected requires an additional process step.
Surface coatings having high Tg values are in principle insensitive to contamination, and protection of the surface coating is then not absolutely necessary.
DE 199 17 965 describes a radiation-curable composite layer plate or film comprising at least one substrate layer and a covering layer, with the covering layer comprising a radiation-curable composition containing a binder having a glass transition temperature Tg of above 40° C., preferably above 50° C., in particular above 60° C. The application of a protective layer is accordingly mentioned as a purely optional measure.
However, the use of surface coatings which contain binders having a high glass transition temperature Tg also has disadvantages. Application of a surface coating film is preferably carried out at elevated temperatures, in particular at temperatures above the glass transition temperature Tg of the radiation-curable binder. Tg values which are too high result in poor handling of the physically dried film of surface coating at room temperature. The surface coating is then too brittle; in particular, it is not able to undergo deep drawing and has a tendency to crack formation.

Flexible layer composite comprising a support and a layer of curable surface coating composition applied thereto

Karl WorKwag Lack- und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG


A solid detergent composition is disclosed, which comprises the following components (A) and (B):. (A) an N-acyl compound represented by the following formula (1) EQU R.sup.1 CONH(CH.sub.2).sub.2 COONa (1) PA1 wherein R.sup.1 CO represents a straight chain acyl group having 10 to 16 carbon atoms; and PA1 (B) one or more compounds selected from higher fatty acids and higher alcohols. This solid detergent composition is low-irritative and excellent in foaming properties and foam texture, gives no squeaky feel during and after rinsing and imparts a smooth feel to skin. It is highly suitable, in particular, for cleansing the skin.

Known low-irritative solid detergent compositions comprise anionic surfactants having near neutral pH values (for example, sodium lauryl sulfate) or weakly acidic surfactants (for example, sodium N-acylglutamate), either alone or together with a soap. There have also been known detergents wherein fatty acid triethanolamine salts are used as a soap base in order to reduce the effects of free alkalis contained in soaps as disclosed, for example, in Fragrance Journal, vol. 47, page 47 (1981) Recently, it has been furthermore reported that a low-irritative solid detergent composition can be obtained by adding an alkyl sulfosuccinate or an ethylene oxide adduct salt thereof to a soap base as disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2-155991 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese Patent Application").
However, these low-irritative solid detergents are still unsatisfactory from the viewpoint of irritation, because they have an excessively high detergency or a pH value of 8 to 9. In addition, they have an undesirable feel during washing. Namely, they have a sticky or slimy feel during use or give a stretched or dry/rough feel after drying. When synthetic surfactants are used as a detergent base, on the other hand, the shape of the solid detergent compositions is easily deformed and have poor strength upon molding, compared with common soaps.
Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide a less irritative solid detergent composition which gives a good feel during and after use and has an excellent solidity.
Under these circumstances, the present inventors have conducted extensive investigations. Consequently, the inventors found that a solid detergent composition, which has an appropriate detergency and good foaming properties characteristic of detergent compositions, is less irritative than conventional detergent compositions and gives a good feel during and after use, can be obtained by adding a specific N-acyl compound of a secondary amide type, as a detergent base, to higher fatty acid(s) or higher alcohol(s).

Solid detergent composition based on N-acyl sodium salt