Described herein is the chemical structure of neurosteroid derivative compounds, methods of synthesizing the derivatives, and their uses in treating disorders, including those of the central nervous system. These compounds are readily synthesized and have improved pharmaceutical properties, including water solubility, compared to known neurosteroids.

Diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) are very complex in nature, invoking, for example, combinations of organs (e.g., the brain), nerve systems and pathways, ligand-receptor interactions, and molecular communication processes. Because of their complex mechanisms of action as well as the wide impact of these diseases on health and well-being, including seizures, epilepsy, cognition, consciousness, behavior and neurological effects, the study of the development of new therapeutic approaches to management of these diseases is of high interest.
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent and unprovoked seizures. A seizure is an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain that causes an alteration in consciousness, sensations, and behaviors. The symptoms that occur depend on the parts of the brain affected during the seizure. Common signs of seizures include staring, unusual feelings, twitching, unconsciousness, and jerking in the arms or legs.
According to recent estimates, around 65 million people are affected by epilepsy across the world [Jacobs M P, Leblanc, G G et al. Curing epilepsy: progress and future directions. Epilepsy Behav 2009; 14: 438-445; Hesdorffer D C and Begley C E. Surveillance of epilepsy and prevention of epilepsy and its sequelae: lessons from the Institute of Medicine report. Curr Opin Neurol 2013; 26: 168-173]. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, nearly 80% of them are found in developing regions, including about 7 million in India. Epilepsy affects an estimated 3 million people in the United States and around 2 million patients in Europe in a variety of ways. About 150,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed in the United States annually [Zack M M and Kobau R. National and State Estimates of the Numbers of Adults and Children with Active Epilepsy—United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017; 66:821-825]. Children and elderly are the fastest growing segments of the population with new cases of epilepsy. As a result of injuries from the recent armed conflicts and combat operations, Veterans and adult armed forces members are more prone to the condition. The Institute of Medicine (TOM) released a consensus report in 2012 on public health dimensions of the epilepsies focusing on promoting health and understanding epilepsy [Austin J K, Hesdorffer D C, Liverman C T, Schultz A M; Testimony Group. Testimonies submitted for the Institute of Medicine report: epilepsy across the spectrum: promoting health and understanding. Epilepsy Behav. 2012; 25:634-661]. The IOM report, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding, provided many recommendations which include one key recommendation on prevention of epilepsy. A recent study by the Epilepsy Foundation estimates that the annual financial cost of this disorder is $12.5 billion in the U.S. alone.
Epilepsy is a collective designation for a group of brain disorders consisting of a complex spectrum of different seizure types and syndromes. Epileptic seizures are classified into partial (simple and complex partial seizures) and generalized seizures (absence, tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and atonic seizures). Accurate diagnosis of seizure type and epileptic syndrome is critical for determining appropriate drug therapy and prognosis. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) provided a definition of "seizure" and "epilepsy" [Falco-Walter J J, Scheffer I E, Fisher R S. The new definition and classification of seizures and epilepsy. Epilepsy Res. 2018; 139:73-79]. A seizure is defined as "a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". Epilepsy is defined as "a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures". A single seizure, therefore, does not constitute epilepsy. The diagnosis of epilepsy requires the occurrence of recurrent (two or more) epileptic seizures separated by at least 24 hours, unprovoked by any immediate identified cause [Scheffer I E et al. Classification of the epilepsies: New concepts for discussion and debate—Special report of the ILAE Classification Task Force of the Commission for Classification and Terminology. Epilepsia Open 2016; 1:37-44]. "Electrographic or EEG seizures" refer to any seizure that was recorded electrically, which was virtually all of the seizures. These electrographically recorded seizures could either be "nonconvulsive seizures" or "convulsive motor seizures."
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the mainstay for controlling seizures. Current drug therapy with several drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, lamotrigine, topiramate, valproate, rufinamide, gabapentin, clonazepam, oxcarbazepine, and phenobarbital) is symptomatic in that available drugs inhibit seizures, but are neither effective prophylaxis nor cure is available. The goal of the therapy is to eliminate seizures without interfering with normal function [Gluaser T, Ben-Menachem E, Bourgeois B, et al. ILAE treatment guidelines: evidence-based analysis of antiepileptic drug efficacy and effectiveness as initial monotherapy for epileptic seizures and syndromes. Epilepsia 2006; 47: 1094-1120]. Despite many advances in epilepsy research, presently an estimated 30% of people with epilepsy have "intractable seizures" that do not respond to even the best available medication. Many epilepsy patients suffer from at least one anticonvulsant related side-effect (e.g., mood changes, sleepiness, or unsteadiness in gait). Furthermore, although seizures represent the most dramatic hallmark of epilepsy, many epilepsy patients develop comorbidity with neurological or psychiatric disease (memory impairment, depression).
Epilepsy is a chronic condition with many possible causes. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in neural connectivity, an imbalance in inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters or some combination of these factors. Primary epilepsy (50%) is idiopathic ('unknown cause'). In secondary epilepsy (50%), seizures may result from a variety of conditions including brain injury, trauma, anoxia, metabolic imbalances, tumors, encephalitis, drug withdrawal, and neurotoxicity [Reddy D S. Role of hormones and neurosteroids in epileptogenesis. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 2013; 7:115, 1-20]. It is estimated that the chance of having epilepsy during a lifetime of 80 years is about 3%. Epileptic seizures may also occur in recovering patients as a consequence of brain surgery. About 1% of all people develop recurrent unprovoked seizures without obvious reason or any other neurological abnormalities. These are named idiopathic epilepsies, generalized or partial, and they are assumed to be mainly of genetic origin. Some genes, coding for protein subunits of voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels including GABA receptors, have been associated with forms of generalized epilepsy and infantile seizure syndromes.
Epilepsy may develop as a consequence of brain injury. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), which affects more than 1.7 million individuals annually in the U.S., is a major cause of acquired epilepsy in adults [Faul M, Xu L, Wald M M, Coronado V G. Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations and Deaths 2002-2006. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta, Ga., 2010; 1-72]. The annual burden of TBI has been estimated at over $60 billion [Piccenna L, Shears G, O'Brien T J. Management of post-traumatic epilepsy: an evidence review over the last 5 years and future directions. Epilepsia Open 2017; 2:123-144]. One prevalent form of such acquired epilepsies is temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the most common-type and drug-resistant form of epilepsy in adults [Pitkanen A, Kyyriainen J, Andrade P, Pasanen L, and Ndode-Ekane X E. Epilepsy after traumatic brain injury, in Models of Seizures and Epilepsy, 2nd ed. Academic Press, United Kingdom, 2017; 661-681; Engel J Jr. Epileptogenesis, traumatic brain injury, and biomarkers. Neurobiol Dis. 2019; 123:3-7]. The hallmark of TLE is sclerosis of the hippocampus, which in turn may lead to cognitive dysfunction due to the critical role of this structure plays in learning and memory. The other condition, stroke is a major risk factor for epilepsy in elderly. Post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) is typified by recurrent unprovoked seizures after stroke [Reddy D S, Bhimani A, Kuruba R, Park M J, and Sohrabji F. Prospects of modeling post-stroke epileptogenesis. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:1000-1016]. According to the American Stroke Association, in 2010, worldwide prevalence of stroke was 33 million, with 16.9 million people having a first stroke.
The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of acquired epilepsy are not very well understood. The term 'epileptogenesis' is used to describe the complex plastic changes in the brain that, following a precipitating event, convert a normal brain into a brain debilitated by recurrent seizures [Clossen B L and Reddy D S. Novel therapeutic approaches for disease-modification of epileptogenesis for curing epilepsy. Biochim Biophys Acta 2017; 1863:1519-1538; Pitkänen A, Lukasiuk K. Molecular and cellular basis of epileptogenesis in symptomatic epilepsy. Epilepsy Behay. 2009; 14 Suppl 1:16-25]. Although specific types of epilepsy may have unique pathophysiological mechanisms, a broad hypothesis in this field is that convergent neuronal mechanisms are common in different forms of acquired epilepsy.
The current hypothesis about the pathogenesis of epilepsy (epileptogenesis) involves three stages: (i) the initial precipitating event; (ii) the latent period (no seizures); and (ii) the chronic period with spontaneous seizures [Reddy D S and Kuruba R. Experimental models of status epilepticus and neuronal injury for evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14, 18284-18318]. Acquired epilepsy typically develops due to an initial precipitating event such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, brain infections, or prolonged seizures. The other possible precipitating triggers for epileptogenesis include febrile seizures, metabolic dysfunction, alcohol withdrawal, and status epilepticus, an emergency condition characterized by continuous seizures or repeated seizures without regaining consciousness for 30 min or more. Biomarkers are utilized to study epileptogenesis and therapeutic interventions [Reddy S D, Younus I, Sridhar V, Reddy D S. Neuroimaging Biomarkers of Experimental Epileptogenesis and Refractory Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 8; 20:1-23]. Exposure to chemical organophosphates and nerve agents can cause epilepsy as a result of cholinergic neurotoxicity and status epilepticus [de Araujo Furtado M, Rossetti F, Chanda S, Yourick D. Exposure to nerve agents: from status epilepticus to neuroinflammation, brain damage, neurogenesis and epilepsy. Neurotoxicology 2012; 33:1476-1490; Reddy D S and Colman E. A comparative analysis of human organophosphate poisonings using social media. Clin Translational Sci 2017; 10:225-230). The development of epileptogenesis is thought to be a step-function of time after the brain injury, with a latent period present between the brain injury and the first unprovoked seizure. Thus, the latent period offers a critical window for effective "antiepileptogenic" interventions for inhibiting the onset of epilepsy in people at risk.
A measure of epileptogenesis is the time when a brain insult induces molecular and cellular mechanisms that lead to spontaneous recurrent seizures (the latent period). The unpredictability of subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizure and presence of a latent period suggest that epileptogenesis occurs only during the time between the insult and the first clinical seizure. A "step function" of time after brain injury can be used to describe the development of epilepsy [Williams P A, White A M, Clark S, Ferraro D J, Swiercz W, Staley K J, Dudek F E. Development of spontaneous recurrent seizures after kainate-induced status epilepticus. J Neurosci. 2009; 29:2103-12]. Other studies suggests that the development of acquired epilepsy is at least initially progressive [Bertram and Cornett, 1993, 1994; French et al., 1993; Mathern et al., 1995; Hellier et al., 1998; Tasch et al., 1999; Fuerst et al., 2001; Gorter et al., 2001; Wuarin and Dudek, 2001]. Epileptogenesis occurs during the latent period. However, others state that the end of the latent period (i.e., the first clinical seizure) is not a terminal milestone for the mechanisms of epileptogenesis. Instead stating that the process of epileptogenesis is a continuous function of time that persists long after the first clinical seizure. A sigmoid function of seizure frequency versus time after the brain insult is a suitable representation of acquired epileptogenesis.
Despite decades of research, currently there is no single FDA-approved drug that truly prevents the development of epilepsy in people at risk. A variety of intervention approaches have been tested in animal models of epileptogenesis [Reddy D S and Kuruba R. Experimental models of status epilepticus and neuronal injury for evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14:18284-18318; Löscher W. The holy grail of epilepsy prevention: preclinical approaches to antiepileptogenic treatments. Neuropharmacology. 2019 Apr. 10. pii: S0028-3908(19)30128-5]. A number of clinical trials show a lack of antiepileptogenic efficacy of AEDs, including phenytoin and carbamazepine, in patients at high risk for developing epilepsy [Temkin N R. Antiepileptogenesis and seizure prevention trials with antiepileptic drugs, meta-analysis of controlled trials. Epilepsia 2001; 42: 515-524; Mani R, Pollard J, and Dichter M A. Human clinical trials in antiepileptogenesis. Neurosci Lett 2001; 497: 251-256]. There is a desperate need for drugs that truly prevent the development of epilepsy ('antiepileptogenic agents') or alter its natural course to delay the appearance or severity of epileptic seizures ('disease-modifying agents'). Epilepsy surgery is proposed to intractable patients after confirmation of diagnosis in order to control seizures as well as improve quality-of-life. There is desperate need for identification of new strategies to prevent epilepsy development. Therefore, there is a strong unmet need for efficient therapies averting the epileptogenesis and pharmacoresistance along with reversing or reducing long-term neuropsychiatric comorbid consequences of epilepsy.
In addition, there is a strong unmet need for efficient therapies for CNS conditions, including but limited to epilepsy, refractory epilepsy, status epilepticus, catamenial epilepsy; Alzheimer's disease, chronic pain, alcohol dependence, infantile spasm, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic epilepsy, Fragile-X syndrome, chemical neurotoxicity, smoking cessation, bipolar disorder, depression, post-partum depression, premenstrual disorder, essential tremor, rare epilepsies including Rett's syndrome, Darvet syndrome and PHD19 condition.

Neurosteroid compounds and methods for their preparation and use in treating central nervous system disorders


According to various embodiments, systems, and methods, a sorting construct (TREE_SORT) is generated to efficiently traverse hierarchical data structures in relational databases. A TREE_SORT construct is generated by transforming a value that represents the sequential order of a given node relative to its siblings (Peer_Sequence) to a left-justified string of a given width. A TREE_SORT value for the parent of a given node is prepended to the left of the generated substring of the transformed Peer_Sequence value. As a result, a sorting construct of the parent node sorts before sorting constructs of child nodes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to storing hierarchical data structures in relational databases, and more particularly, to efficient indexing of hierarchical data structures in relational databases.
2. Background Art
Hierarchical data structures, such tree data structures, are commonly used to represent data. Tree data structures are made of nodes, which can contain both data to be stored and pointers to other nodes in the tree. The terms "hierarchical data structure", "tree data structure" and "tree" are used interchangeably throughout this disclosure. Nodes in a tree structure are in an ancestor-child relationship. A root node is the topmost node that has no ancestor nodes. A tree structure also has leaf nodes and internal nodes. An internal node is a node that has one or more child nodes. A leaf node has no children. All children of the same node are siblings. Referring now FIG. 1, an exemplary tree data structure 160 is shown. In FIG. 1, node "Alpha" is a root node that has the following three children: "Bravo", "Charlie", and "Juliet". Since Bravo, Charlie, and Juliet are children of the same parent, Alpha, these nodes are siblings (or 'peers'). In the tree structure shown in FIG. 1, each node is identified by its unique ID (OID), the unique ID of its Parent_OID), and its sequential number among siblings (Peer_Sequence).
It has become commonplace to represent hierarchical data structures in relational databases. An example of a relational database representation of the tree structure illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown below in Table 1.
TABLE 1Database Representation of Tree Data Structure 160OIDParent_OIDPeer_SequenceLEVELDATA100NULL11Alpha20010012Bravo30010022Charlie40020013Delta60030013Echo50030023Foxtrot70050014Golf80050024Hotel90070015India100010032Juliet
Table 1 stores a plurality of records. Each record is associated with a node in the tree data structure and includes a plurality of fields. An exemplary record shown in Table 1 includes a DATA field that stores data associated with a particular node in the data structure, and OID, Parent_OID, Peer_Sequence, and Level fields.
The OID field stores a unique object ID of a given node. An object ID can be any value that uniquely identifies the node. In a preferred embodiment, OID is a numeric value.
The Parent_OID field stores a pointer or reference to the parent of the node. When the node is a root node, it has no parent. In one implementation, the value of Parent_OID for the root node is NULL or a null-like value, such as zero.
The Peer_Sequence field stores an index value identifying the sequential order of a node relative to its siblings. Peer_Sequence can be any value capable of being transformed into a constant-width string. In a preferred embodiment, Peer_Sequence can be any numeric value. The Peer_Sequence of the first node among siblings of the same parent can also indicate the interval by which Peer_Sequence of a subsequent sibling will be incremented. For example, if the numeric Peer_Sequence value of the first sibling is "10", Peer_Sequence for each subsequent sibling node is incremented by "10".
The LEVEL field stores the sequential number of the level at which the node is located in the hierarchy. A hierarchical data structure can include any number of levels. The value of LEVEL is derived from the position of the node in the hierarchy.
The DATA field stores the value of the data associated with a given node. It could actually represent a collection of fields associated with each node.
A database user often needs to examine relationships across multiple levels of the tree hierarchy or needs to identify the next node following a given node in the hierarchy. One of the largest drawbacks of a relational database is its inability to handle queries efficiently. For example, to answer a question like "Is India a descendant of Charlie?" in the tree data structure shown in FIG. 1, one would have to perform a pointer chain traversal by iteratively traversing nodes in the tree data structure using a reference to the parent node. This process involves issuing several queries or joins within one query to find out if the PARENT_OID of India is the OID of Charlie, or if the PARENT_OID of the PARENT_OID of India is the OID of Charlie, etc. until the top of the hierarchy is reached. Below are sample SQL queries that need to be executed to perform the pointer-chain traversal of a data structure.
Now = IndiaWhile (up.PARENT_OID is not null) and(up.PARENT_OID <> Charlie.OID)Do{select up.PARENT_OID from A_TREE now,A_TREE up where up.OID =now.PARENT_OID;up = now}If up.PARENT_OID is null, India is NOT adescendent of Charlie, otherwise it is.
This query is executed multiple times until a match is found or the root node in the tree structure is reached. To search more efficiently, one query that combines the previous queries can be issued. The problems with the above solution are that they either require an iterative series of queries of unknown length or a single complex and inefficient query.
Often, it is desirable to represent a tree data structure in a tree display similar to a computer directory tree structure, showing the hierarchy of the nodes, such as the one shown below:    Alpha    +Bravo    ++Delta    +Charlie    ++Echo    ++Foxtrot    +++Golf    ++++India    +++Hotel    +Juliet
In this example, the '+' signs prefixing the DATA name indicate that a given node is an immediate child of the nearest preceding node in the data structure with fewer (or no) '+' signs. The existing solutions for ordering a hierarchical data structure have been left for programmers since this type of ordering cannot be accomplished with a single SQL query.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism that provides for more efficient traversal of hierarchical data structures and avoids the complexities of prior art techniques.

Efficient indexing of hierarchical relational database records


Disclosed is a low noise, non-isolated DC-DC converter for providing a non-inverted (i.e., the same polarity as an input voltage) output voltage of any desired voltage by stepping-up/down the input voltage. It comprises an input coil L1, an input capacitor C1 and a second intermediate coil Lm2 connected in series between both ends of the input voltage source, an output coil L2, an output capacitor C2 and a first intermediate coil Lm1 connected in series between both ends of a load Ro, a switching device S connected between a node a of the L1 and the C1 and a node b of the C2 and the Lm1, and a diode D connected between a node d of the C1 and the Lm2 and a node c of the C2 and the L2.

A power supply for providing a desired output voltage is absolutely necessary in order to cause an electronic circuit or electronic circuitries for various electronic apparatus, applied electronic apparatus or the like to operate properly. It is generally impossible or very difficult to obtain such output voltage directly from a voltage source such as a battery or the like. Particularly, a power supply for driving an electronic apparatus installed in an artificial satellite, a planet explore or the like employs a DC-DC converter for controlling the voltage of a solar panel as an input power supply to provide a desired output voltage. In such DC-DC converter, it is required to provide a stabilized output voltage by stepping-up or stepping-down a largely fluctuating input power supply with low noise and power loss. Conventional examples or general technologies of utilizing a solar panel as an input power supply will be described hereunder.
In case of a stepping-down DC-DC converter, it is necessary to adjust the number of solar panels to be connected in series so that the output voltage from the solar panels (i.e., the input power source voltage) is always higher than the output voltage of the DC-DC converter. If the voltage from the solar panels fluctuates over a wide range, the maximum or peak output voltage from the solar panels tends to be very high, it is difficult to properly design the DC-DC converter.
On the other hand, in case of using a stepping-up DC-DC converter, the number of solar panels to be connected in series must be adjusted so that the output voltage from the solar panels is always lower than the output voltage from the DC-DC converter. If the voltage from the solar panels fluctuates largely, it is also difficult to properly design the DC-DC converter in this case because the output voltage from the solar panels could become very low.
Accordingly, it is possible to properly set the range of the output voltage from the solar panels when a stepping-up/down DC-DC converter in which the input voltage from the solar panels can be stepped-up or down to the output voltage of the DC-DC converter, i.e., the voltage that is required to supply to a load. However, a non-isolated stepping-up/down DC-DC converter with low power consumption has such a problem that the input and output voltages are in opposite polarity to each other and thus difficult to handle. Moreover, it is essential that the DC-DC converter to be used for the aforementioned planet explorer or the like causes minimum noise (switching noise) because its primary purpose is to observe very weak electric field or magnetic field in the vicinity of planets.
Now, a brief description will be given on a typical non-isolated stepping-up/down switching DC-DC converter with reference to FIGS. 12-16. All of these DC-DC converters have common problems that the input and output voltages are opposite polarity to each other and the input and output currents are pulse waves, thereby exhibiting large noise. This means that the pulsating input and output currents have large amplitudes at the switching frequency and a large rate of change in time, thereby providing a large noise at the switching frequency as well as large harmonic noises at the frequencies equal to the switching frequency multiplied by any integer.
FIG. 12 is a first example of conventional DC-DC converters (or a Buck-Boost converter), wherein (A) is a circuit schematic, (B) is a transfer function, (C) is a ripple current, (D) is a ripple voltage and (E) is the voltage across the coil L in FIG. 12(A). As shown in FIG. 12(A), the DC-DC converter 12 comprises an input voltage source E, a switch S, a coil (or inductor) L, a diode D, a load resistor Ro and a load capacitor Co. The switch S and the coil L are connected in series across the input voltage source E. Also, the load resistor Ro and the load capacitor Co are connected in parallel across the both ends of the coil L by way of the diode D. It is assumed that the voltage of the input voltage source E and the output voltage across the load resistor Ro are Vi and Vo, respectively.
When the switch S is periodically turned ON and OFF in the DC-DC converter 12 as shown in FIG. 12, the ripple current as shown in FIG. 12(C) flows through the switch S and the coil L and develops a coil voltage of a square pulse that varies between −Vo and Vi as shown in FIG. 12(E), thereby supplying an output voltage −Vo to the load Ro. In other words, the input voltage Vi and the output voltage Vo of the DC-DC converter 12 are opposite to each other and the input current Ii and the output current Io are pulse waves.
Now, FIG. 13 is a second example of conventional DV-DC converter (or a Cuk converter), wherein (A) is a circuit schematic, (B) is a transfer function, (C) is a ripple current, (D) is a ripple voltage and (E) is a coil voltage. As shown in FIG. 13, the DC-DC converter 13 comprises an input voltage source E, a first coil L1, a switch S, a capacitor C1, a diode D, a second coil L2, a load resistor Ro and a load capacitor Co. The first coil L1 and the switch S are connected in series between both ends of the input voltage source E. The capacitor C1 and the diode D are connected in series across the switch S. Moreover, the load resistor Ro and the road capacitor Co are connected in parallel across the diode D by way of the second coil L2.
In the DC-DC converter 13, ripple currents through the first coil L1 and the second coil L2 are shown in FIG. 13(C). The ripple currents shown at the top are the case when there is no magnetic coupling between these coils L1, L2. The ripple currents shown in the middle are the case when the magnetic coupling coefficient k between these coils L1, L2 is equal to n. On the other hand, the ripple currents at the bottom show the case when the magnetic coupling coefficient k between these coils L1, L2 is equal to 1/n. Although the input and output ripple currents can be made to combination of a triangle wave and a 0 ripple or a 0 ripple and a triangle wave, it is to be noted that the input voltage Vi and the output voltage Vo are opposite polarity to each other similar to the case in the aforementioned DC-DC converter 12.
Now, shown in FIG. 14 is a third example of conventional DC-DC converters (or a Cuk converter with an intermediate coil), wherein (A) is a circuit schematic, (B) is a transfer function, (C) is a ripple current, (D) is a ripple voltage and (E) a voltage across the coil. As shown in FIG. 14(A), the DC-DC converter 14 comprises an input voltage source E, an input coil L1, a switch S, a pair of capacitors C1, C2, an intermediate coil Lm, a diode D, an output coil L2, a load resistor Ro and a load capacitor Co. The input coil L1 and the switch S are connected in series between both terminals of the input voltage source E. The capacitor C1 and the intermediate coil Lm are connected in series between both terminals of the switch S. The capacitor C2 and the diode D are connected in series between both terminals of the intermediate coil Lm. Moreover, the load resistor Ro and the load capacitor Co are connected in parallel between the both ends of the diode D by way of the output coil L2. It is to be noted that the input coil L1, the intermediate coil Lm and the output coil L2 can be magnetically coupled in a predetermined polarity relationship.
Shown in FIG. 14(C) are generally triangle ripple currents through the input coil L1, the intermediate coil Lm and the output coil L2 sequentially disposed in left to right directions. Ripple voltages developed by these ripple currents across such coils are also shown in FIG. 14(D). As shown in FIG. 14(C), both of the input current through the input coil L1 and the output current through the output coil L2 in the DC-DC converter 14 can be made substantially 0 ripple. However, similarly to the aforementioned DC-DC converters 12 and 13, the input voltage Vi and the output voltage supplied to the load are opposite polarity to each other.
Now, shown in FIG. 15 is a fourth example of conventional DC-DC converters (or a Zeta converter), wherein (A) is a circuit schematic, (B) is a transfer function, (C) is ripple currents, (D) is ripple voltages and (E) is a coil voltage. As shown in FIG. 15(A), the DC-DC converter 15 comprises an input voltage source E, a switch S, an input coil L1, a capacitor C1, a diode D, an output coil L2, a load resistor Ro and a load capacitor Co. The switch S and the input coil L1 are connected in series between both ends of the input voltage source E. The capacitor C1 and the diode D are connected in series between the both ends of the input coil L1. The load resistor Ro and the load capacitor Co are connected in parallel between the both ends of the diode D by way of the output coil L2. The input coil L1 and the output coil L2 are magnetically coupled to each other.
As shown in FIG. 15(C), the currents flowing through the switch S, the input coil L1 and the output coils L2 change depending upon the magnetic coupling factor k between the both coils L1 and L2. Shown at the top are the currents when there is no magnetic coupling between the both coils L1 and L2. Shown at the middle are currents when the magnetic coupling factor k is equal to n. Shown at the bottom are currents when the magnetic coupling factor k is equal to 1/n. Although the input voltage Vi and the output voltage Vo are the same polarity in the DC-DC converter 15, the input current Ii is pulsating.
Now, FIG. 16 shows a fifth example of conventional DC-DC converters (or a Sepic converter), wherein (A) is a circuit schematic, (B) is a transfer function, (C) is ripple currents, (D) is a ripple voltage and (E) is a coil voltage. As shown in FIG. 16(A), the DC-DC converter 16 comprises an input voltage source E, an input coil L1, a switch S, a capacitor C1, an output coil L2, a diode D, a load resistor Ro and a load capacitor Co. The input coil L1 and the switch S are connected in series between both terminals of the input voltage source E. The capacitor C1 and the output coil L2 are connected in series between the both ends of the switch S. Moreover, the load resistor Ro and the load capacitor Co are connected in parallel between the both ends of the output coil L2 by way of the diode D. The input coil L1 and the output coil L2 are magnetically coupled to each other with a magnetic coupling factor k.
As shown in FIG. 16(C), the ripple currents flowing through the input coil L1, the output coil L2 and the diode D change in triangle pulse waves depending upon the magnetic coupling factor k between the input coil L1 and the output coil L2. Although the input voltage Vi and the output voltage Vo to be supplied to the load are the same polarity to each other in the DC-DC converter 16, the output current Io is pulsating.
As described hereinabove, the conventional DC-DC converters as shown in FIGS. 12-16 are difficult to handle because of opposite polarity between the input and output voltages or difficult to be applied to such applications critical to noise because they are subjected to a large noise due to ripples in the input and output currents.


A tool support apparatus for supporting tools from a vehicle hitch receiver includes a tongue bar mountable to a vehicle hitch receiver of a vehicle and extending outwardly from a rear of the vehicle. An outrigger bar is coupled to the tongue bar and is positioned substantially perpendicular to the tongue bar. A pair of stabilizer jacks is rotatably coupled to opposing ends of said outrigger bar. Each of said stabilizer jacks is configured to engage the ground surface to stabilize the outrigger bar and the tongue bar when weight is applied to the tongue bar. A mounting plate is mounted on the tongue bar to receive the tools. The mounting plate has a plurality of mounting apertures extending therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lifting devices and more particularly pertains to a new lifting device for supporting tools from a vehicle hitch receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of lifting devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,328 describes a device for attachment to a vehicle trailer hitch to lift articles into and out of the vehicle. Another type of lifting device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,528 having a crane apparatus mounted to the rear of a vehicle for lifting articles into and out of the vehicle. Another type of lifting device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,526 having a mobile crane to moves objects to and from a vehicle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features that has a mounting plate to allow different tools to be mounted to the system and supported from the rear of the vehicle as well as a platform to support articles and to which the articles can be secured to be transported on the system when the vehicle is moving.

Hitch-attached tool support apparatus with crane


A chemical composition can be applied to materials to impart flame retardancy. The composition includes a mixture of ingredients that is not harmful to humans or the environment. The ingredients of the composition can include a phosphorous containing material, an acidic material, a material that serves as a preservative, and an aqueous solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to chemical compositions having fire retardant properties and more particularly to compositions that can be applied to fabrics or other materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fire safety regulations for consumer and other types of goods have caused many manufacturers to make their goods with flame retardant properties. In efforts to comply with these regulations, many manufacturers apply fire retardant chemical compositions to their goods. Unfortunately, many fire retardant chemical compositions are known to contain ingredients that may be toxic to humans and the environment.
Harmful fire resistant compositions include those that are halogenated, particularly those with the halogens chlorine and bromine. Bromine flame retardants (BFRs) and Chlorinated flame retardants (CFRs) have been used for over 30 years, and recent studies indicate that levels of these substances are rapidly building up inside the bodies of humans. Because more testing has been performed on BFRs, more is known as to the harmful effects of BFRs. Studies suggest that BFRs can be linked to immune suppression, cancer, endocrine disruption, and neurobehavioral and developmental effects. BFRs are used widely in consumer products, especially plastics for electronics, foams, and textiles. It is also suspected that CFRs, which are used in textiles, paints and coatings, plastics, and insulation foams, cause harm to humans and the environment.
Effective non-halogenated flame retardants are needed to reduce and or eliminate the use of BFRs and CFRs. Particularly, there is a need for flame retardants that are not harmful to humans or the environment.


Method and apparatus for reducing intra-channel distortions of received data resulting from non-linear signal propagation includes parallel detection subcircuits for determining output values of sequentially provided optical data bits such that each of the sequentially provided optical data bits is processed by only one of the parallel detection subcircuits. Two parallel detection subcircuits process the input optical data bits according to even valued and odd valued clock signals. Each subcircuit has first and second signal analyzers to detect the value of the input optical data bit and a first memory unit and a second memory unit connected to the first and second signal analyzers. The input value of clock information provided to the first and second memory units of the first parallel subcircuit are 180° out of phase with input values indicative of a clock speed provided to the second parallel subcircuit.

The maximum reach of long haul on-off keying transmission systems (such as a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmission system operating at 20 Gbits/s or above) is typically limited by three types of signal distortion. Examples of such distortions are optical-to-signal noise ratio (OSNR) degradation, cross-talk and intersymbol interference (ISI). For the purposes of this discussion, ISI-related distortion are of further interest. ISI occurs when received data pulses are altered by pulse broadening or multi-path propagation (e.g., reflections) in the channel in which they travel. Pulse broadening can occur because of chromatic or polarization mode dispersions or receiver bandwidth limitations as described below. The results of such interference result in poor transmission characteristics.
One specific transmission characteristic that can drastically limit transmission in high-bit-rate systems, particularly for standard single-mode fibers (SSMF), is pulse-spreading type of ISI. This condition is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. Specifically, FIG. 1a depicts a graph 100 of the signal intensity I over time T for an input fiber of a WDM transmission system. The graph 100 is broken up into bit slots (denoted by sections 102, 104 and 106, respectively) which define the time slots available for data to be transmitted in such a system. At a first bit slot, bit slot 102, a "1" data bit (encoded in a non-return to zero (NRZ) format) is being transmitted followed by a "0" data bit in a second bit slot, bit slot 104. In a perfect WDM transmission system with perfectly formed fibers, the output intensity of these data pulses would be identical to the input data pulses shown in graph 100. Unfortunately, due to the above-identified interference conditions (pulse-spreading and the like), the signal sent to the output fiber is not identical to the signal sent to the input fiber.
More specifically, a graph of the signal intensity at the output fiber is seen in graph 120 of FIG. 1b. The graph 120 shows the same bit slots 102, 104 and 106 after the "1" and "0" data bits have passed through the transmission system. The resultant data stream is more rounded and not as well defined in the first bit slot 102 for the "1" data bit and furthermore extending into the second bit slot 104 which must represent the "0" data bit. ISI occurs when pulses propagating in the fiber spread out and overlap with each other. This condition can occur due to any of the above-described dispersion (or other) phenomena or by the bandwidth of a particular receiver being smaller than the system data rate (i.e., a 10 Gbits/s signal received by a 8 Gbit/s bandwidth limited receiver). The overlap, along with fiber nonlinearity, creates the ISI at locations of the "0" bits in a sequence of pulses, representing logical "1's" and "0's". If the ISI becomes too large, it is detected by a receiver as logical "1's", which can lead to transmission errors. These deleterious transmission characteristics are evidenced at the 10 Gbit/s transmission rate. As the bit rates of such a WDM transmission system increases, (i.e., for 20 Gbit/s, 40 Gbit/s and higher), the pulse broadening and subsequent ISI severely restricts the usable bandwidth of the system.
Methods of mitigating ISI and the effects it has on circuitry is found in various references including J. H. Winters, R. D. Gitlin, "Electrical Signal Processing Techniques in Long-haul Fiber-optic Systems", IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol. 38, Issue 9, September 1990, pp. 1439-1453; L. Möller, A. Thiede, S. Chandrasekhar, W. Benz, M. Lang, T. Jakobus, M. Schlechtweg, "ISI Mitigation Using Decision Feedback Loop Demonstrated with PMD Distorted 10 Gbit/s signals", Electronics Letters, Nov. 25, 1999, Vol. 35, No. 24, pp. 2092-2093; H. Bülow, F. Buchali, W. Baumert, R. Ballentin, T. Wehren, "PMD Mitigation at 10 Gbit/s Using Linear and Nonlinear Integrated Electronic Equaliser Circuits", Electronics Letters, Jan. 20, 2000, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 163-164; and J. H. Winters, S. Kasturia, "Adaptive Nonlinear Cancellation for High-speed Fiber-optic Systems", IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 10, No. 7, July 1992, pp. 971-977. However, as bit rates increase, such solutions will not be able to adequately compensate for the inevitable signal distortions.
As such, there remains a need for optical fiber transmission systems that can handle high-capacity communications while reducing the deleterious consequences of linear and/or non-linear distortions and PMD.

Method and apparatus for data recovery in an optical transmission system


An air ionizing module and method for generating ions of one and opposite polarities within a flowing stream of air or other gas includes a thin-filament electrode mounted within the flowing stream in regions thereof of maximum flow velocity. The thin-filament electrode is mounted in a multi-sided polygonal configuration to receive high ionizing voltage of alternating one and opposite polarities to form an intense stream of ions toward an electrically-isolated reference electrode positioned upstream of the filament electrode. Another reference electrode positioned within the flowing stream downstream of the filament electrode receives a bias voltage of selected polarity to control the quantities of generated ions of positive and negative polarities in an outlet stream of the ions and flowing gas.

Certain known static-charge neutralizers commonly operate on alternating current (AC) applied to a step-up transformer for producing high ionizing voltages applied to sharp-tipped electrodes. Ideally, operation of such a neutralizer should produce a moving air stream of electrically balanced quantities of positive and negative ions that can be directed toward a proximate object having an undesirable static electrical charge that must be neutralized.
Various electrical circuits are known for substantially balancing the quantity of positive and negative ions transported in a moving air stream using biased control grids, floating power supplies, and the like. However, such conventional balancing circuits commonly include bulky transformers and lack capability for manual balancing or offsetting adjustments.
In addition, conventional ionizers exhibit low efficiency of ion generation and erosion of the emitter electrodes attributable to high current densities at electrode tips, with concomitant particulate contamination attributed to eroded electrode tips. Electrodes formed of titanium or silicon may reduce the rates of electrode erosions that contribute to reductions in ion-generating efficiencies with time, but eventual replacements of eroded electrodes in complex installations promote prohibitively expensive maintenance requirements.
Accordingly, it is desirable to efficiently produce balanced quantities of air ions in a flowing air stream with low-maintenance equipment that can be readily serviced as well as conveniently adjusted for offset control and manual balancing.


In order to provide a fast super wide-angle lens system having the f-number of f/2.8 and a wide angle of view of 2ω=100° or more in an imaging area of a digital camera and an image-capturing device equipped with the super wide-angle lens system. The lens system includes, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power, an aperture stop S, and a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power, and the lens system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a super wide-angle lens system and in particular to a fast super wide-angle lens system having a wide angle of view suitable for a single-lens-reflex camera using silver-halide film or a solid-state imaging device. The present invention relates also to an image-capturing device equipped with the super wide-angle lens system.
2. Related Background Art
Up to now, not many proposals regarding a super wide-angle lens system having an angle of view of 2ω=100° or more with ordinary projection method (y=f·tan θ) have been made. Furthermore, proposals of a fast super wide-angle lens system with the f-number of about f/2.8 have been extremely rare. Super wide-angle lens systems like this have been proposed by the applicant of the present invention in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-34592 and 2001-159732.
However, super wide-angle lens systems disclosed by the above-mentioned patent documents correspond to an imaging area of a silver-halide film camera and not that of a digital camera. Accordingly, in order to construct a super wide-angle lens system with an angle of view of 2ω=100° or more in an imaging area of a digital camera, since the focal length becomes short, it becomes difficult to secure back focal length.
Moreover, in a super wide-angle lens systems proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-34592, the ratios of the back focal length to the focal length are from 2.73 to 2.75. Accordingly, when a shorter focal length is to obtain with the super wide-angle lens system, it may produce a problem to interfere with a quick return mirror of an SLR camera.

Super wide-angle lens system and image-capturing device using the same


A method includes creating process data which constitutes at least a portion of the control program and describes the execution contents of the communication functions, and parameter data which constitutes a different portion of the control program from the process data portion and is used to describe individual setting information of user in accordance with the process data, in the center apparatus, sending the process data, and the parameter data from the center apparatus to the user apparatus via the communication network, receiving the process data and the parameter data from the center apparatus, then describing input individual setting information in the parameter data to create the control program, in the user apparatus, recording the resulting control program onto a recording medium, and reading the control program from the recording medium and setting the read control program in the communication equipment as requested by the user, in the user apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control program distributing method which distributes a control program from a center apparatus as a communication equipment manufacturer that manufacturers communication equipment, such as private branch exchanges and button telephone sets, to a user having communication equipment through the use of a communication system and sets the control program in the communication equipment of the user, a center apparatus that provides transmission control of the control program, a user apparatus provided with the communication equipment, and a program recorded on a recording medium in the user apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In offices, schools, business places, and so on, a large number of pieces of communication equipment, such as electronic private branch exchanges, button telephone sets, etc., is used. When purchasing these pieces of communication equipment, users will generally select communication equipment having functions required at that time built in.
After commencement of use of such communication equipment, however, it sometimes becomes necessary to makes additions to the functions of communication equipment according to augmentation of the staff, changing of the range of business, or the like or to remove unnecessary functions. In such a case, according to a conventional practice, the user will request manufacturer's customer center to make additions to the functions of communication equipment. Accordingly, a customer engineer will travel on business to the place where the communication equipment is installed to perform there the work of adding desired functions to the communication equipment.
With such a method, however, the greater part of the work from acceptance of the request made by the user for changing the functions until the functions are changed depends on the human work by the customer engineer; thus, it takes a lot of time and labor from when a request is made by the user for changing the functions until changing of the functions is completed.
In recent years, a system has been proposed which distributes a control program to communication equipment over a communication network to allow it to perform arbitrary functions (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-087422). According to this system, additions or changes to the functions of communication equipment can be made without the need for a manufacturer's customer engineer to go to the place where the communication equipment is installed.
With this system, however, a programmer in the communication equipment manufacturer has to prepare a control program to meet the user's requirements. However, since the environmental requirements vary from user to user, the preparation of the control program requires investigation of the user and consideration of the setting environment of the communication equipment. This takes a lot of time and involves a high cost. Further, the burden on the programmer is great; that is, the programmer is required of experience and expert knowledge.
On the other hand, the user will need expert knowledge to understand the contents of the control program distributed from the communication equipment manufacturer and consequently take a lot of time and labor to set the control program in the communication equipment.

Control program providing method using communication system, center apparatus in communication system, user apparatus in communication system, and program recorded on recording medium in user apparatus


In some embodiments, a processor-based system may include at least one processor, at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, a network interface component, and a management controller. The management controller may be configured to receive information related to a subscription request for a virtual machine, generate configuration information for the network interface component based on the subscription request, and provide the configuration information to the network interface component. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Virtualization technology may enable a single system to run multiple guest operating systems in virtual machines (VMs). Such VMs may communicate with each other and other physical machines via standard networking protocols such as TCP/IP. Some systems may provide a network appliance in a VM. Such VM-based network appliances may be referred to as virtual inline network appliances (VINA).

Apparatus and method for managing subscription requests for a network interface component


The present invention relates to a system for guiding a medical instrument in a patient body. Such a system comprises means for acquiring a 2D X-ray image of said medical instrument, means for acquiring a 3D ultrasound data set of said medical instrument using an ultrasound probe, means for localizing said ultrasound probe in a referential of said X-ray acquisition means, means for selecting a region of interest around said medical instrument within the 3D ultrasound data set and means for generating a bimodal representation of said medical instrument detection by combining said 2D X-ray image and said 3D ultrasound data set. A bimodal representation is generated on the basis of the 2D X-ray image by replacing the X-ray intensity value of points belonging to said region of interest by the ultrasound intensity value of the corresponding point in the 3D ultrasound data set.

Clinical applications in which a medical instrument has to be guided into the body of a patient are becoming widespread. Notably the growing interest in minimal-invasive methods for the treatment of cardiac diseases necessitates the development of methods and devices allowing the physician to guide a medical instrument to predetermined positions inside or outside the heart. In electrophysiology for example, it is necessary to guide a catheter to a plurality of predetermined positions on the ventricular or atrial walls in order to measure an electrical pulse or to burn wall tissues.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,709 discloses a system for guiding a medical instrument in the body of a patient. Such a system acquires a live 3D ultrasound image data set using an ultrasound probe. An advantage of acquiring a 3D image data set is to get depth information. An advantage of using a live 3D ultrasound image modality is that the surrounding anatomy is visible, which facilitates the guidance of the medical instrument by the physician. The system further comprises localization means for localizing the medical instrument within the 3D ultrasound data set, which locates three ultrasound receivers mounted on the medical instrument relatively to said ultrasound probe. Such a localization allows an automatic selection of a plane to be imaged, which comprises at least a section of the medical instrument. Therefore no readjustment of the ultrasound probe position by hand is necessary.
A first drawback of such a 3D ultrasound data set is that it has a narrow viewing field, which does not cover the whole part of the patient body concerned by a catheter introduction and placement. Therefore, for guiding the catheter during the whole procedure, the ultrasound probe has to be moved several times. At each displacement, a pre-operative step of locating the ultrasound probe in a referential of the interventional room is needed, because the location of the catheter is measured relatively to the ultrasound probe location. Such a pre-operative step may delay and complicate the interventional procedure.
A second drawback of the ultrasound imaging modality is that it has a low resolution Therefore, the acquired 3D ultrasound data set does not give an image of the catheter and its surrounding of acceptable quality.
A third drawback of the ultrasound imaging modality is that there are some zones of the patient body where the thoracic cage blocks the ultrasound scan and no exploitable image can be output.

System for guiding a medical instrument in a patient body


A test signal generator and method for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips. A plurality of input buffers buffer test timing signals applied through a plurality of input terminals to the memory chips in test mode. A direct current source supplies a direct current of a given level to each of the terminals. The direct current source comprises a MOS transistor for supplying the direct current including a fuse with a first node connected between the terminal and buffer and a second node for receiving the direct current. The fuse is cut by an electric or laser cutter after wafer testing is complete. This enables a probe card for performing the wafer testing to be fabricated with a reduced number of probe tips, thereby overcoming the limitation of a test driver and allowing the simultaneous testing of semiconductor wafers having a plurality of memory chips having different pad configurations.

This invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer testing and more particularly to a test signal generator and method for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips.
Semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM) devices, are integrated circuit (IC) chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer. During the manufacturing process, these devices are subjected to various tests to ensure their reliability.
Memory device reliability tests are generally classified into either a wafer test performed before chip packaging or a package test performed after packaging. Both forms of testing are well-known in the field. The wafer test employs a simple test pattern to check whether the memory cells and peripheral circuits in each chip are working normally. The package test checks the internal circuitry of each chip against the fundamental timing signals represented in the memory specification and other signals to ascertain whether the chip passes or fails.
Test coverage and testing time are important factors to be considered in satisfactorily performing these tests. Test coverage is related to the reliability of the memory device and the testing time to the yield rate of production. Moreover, testing time increases with the level of integration of the chip and thereby causes an increase in overall production time and chip costs.
To this end, there has been proposed a multi-chip test method which simultaneously tests all of the memory chips on a semiconductor wafer. However, for testing high speed, large scale semiconductor memory devices which each support various functions including multiple data input/output terminals, e.g., multiple DQ, X16, X32 terminals, and multiple function signal input/output terminals, the method is limited by the number of available pins. Consequently, when testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips using this multi-chip test method, the test can only drive the available pins and the number of memory chips tested is thereby reduced.
Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a prior art conventional test signal generator using the multi-chip test method for supplying a test signal to a semiconductor wafer is shown. Normally, to perform the wafer test, the pads for each memory chip to which such functional pins will be connected must be supplied with a direct current signal of a level through the tip on a probe card or the contact pins of a membrane card. Test timing signals for a test pattern are set to a direct current of a logic "high" or "low," such as the source or ground voltage level. These signals do not operate as row or column strobe signals, rather they are applied to the pad (or pins) defining the specific functions of the memory chip. For example, a typical eight megabyte synchronous graphic DRAM has functional pins, such as DQM, DSF (Define Special Function), CKE and so on, which are configured to receive an input signal of logic "high" or "low."
As show in FIG. 1, a memory chip 10, one of a plurality of memory chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer (not shown), includes a pad 14 for receiving a test timing signal of logic "low" or "high" during a wafer test to establish the operational modes of the peripheral circuits of the chip. A probe tip on a probe card 12 supplies a direct current of a logic "high" or "low" to the pad 14 of the chip. When performing the wafer test, the probe tips on the probe card 12 are supplied with the direct current at the desired level. This is to maintain the pads at a the desired voltage level to test the operational states of the internal circuits of the memory chips on the semiconductor wafer. The pad 14 is also connected through a signal line to an input buffer 16 for transferring the input signal to the internal circuits of the memory chip 10.
The probe card 12 and wafer are paired to perform the test with the desired test pattern. The probe card 12 has a fixed number of tips corresponding to the total number of pads on the memory chips 10 fabricated on the semiconductor wafer. Consequently, due to its fixed number of tips, the probe card 12 is unusable for testing other wafers having more pads.
Therefore, what is needed is a memory device test signal generator for testing semiconductor wafers comprising memory chips having different pad configurations.

Test signal generator and method for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips


A method for processing a thin cylindrical work includes holding the work using a holding jig. The jig includes a cylindrical holding member which holds the work from an inner peripheral side and a diameter changing unit which changes a diameter of the holding member. The metal holding member has an elastically expandable or contractible diameter. The outside diameter of the holding member is held smaller than an inside diameter of the work when inserted into an inner periphery of the work and is expanded after insertion. The diameter changing unit applies at least one of an axial external force in a compressing direction or an axial external force in a tensile direction to both ends of the holding member to change the diameter of the holding member.

A forming roll of a double cylinder structure is known as one of forming rolls for forming plastic sheets, films and the like. As disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the forming roll of a double cylinder structure has a highly rigid metallic internal cylinder arranged inside and coaxially with a flexible thin metallic external cylinder with a space for circulating a coolant provided between the internal and the external cylinders.
Patent Literature 1 states that the very practical thickness of a thin cylinder body used as the thin metallic external cylinder of the forming roll of this type is within a range from a lower limit of 2 mm due to machining constraints, to an upper limit of 5 mm.
However, in recent years, there have been more strict demands that the thin cylindrical body be thinner and achieve higher processing accuracy in order to form more advanced plastic sheets and films. Thus, holding the thin cylindrical body in machining processing is required to fully respond to the demands.
As holding jigs for holding a thin cylindrical body of this type (hereinafter referred to as a "thin cylindrical work") in the machining processing, holding jigs described in Patent Literatures 2 and 3 have been known. In each of the holding jigs described in Patent Literatures 2 and 3, an elastic member made of a rubber or the like is provided between an outer periphery of a holding member inserted to an inner periphery of a work and the inner periphery of the work, and a force to hold the work is generated by compressing the elastic member in an axial direction and thereby expanding the elastic member in a radial direction.
In this case, the elastic member is made of a soft material such as rubber. When the material is used over the full length in the axial direction, a compressive force is not distributed to the entire elastic member even if such a force is applied from both ends of the elastic member. Therefore, the elastic members and spacers are alternately arranged.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for processing a thin cylindrical work


An air intake assembly for an aircraft includes an auxiliary power unit intake that is defined by a skin of the aircraft. The auxiliary power unit intake is in fluid communication with an auxiliary power unit. The air intake assembly also includes a translatable scoop that defines a stowed condition and a fully deployed condition. The translatable scoop directs air exterior to the aircraft into the auxiliary power unit intake when in the fully deployed condition and does not direct the air exterior to the aircraft into the auxiliary power unit intake when in the stowed condition.

Auxiliary power units (APUs) are used in vehicles to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. Notably, APUs are frequently utilized in aircraft to start the main engines of the aircraft. Additionally, APUs can be used to provide electrical power to the various electrical components within the aircraft while the aircraft is on the ground or in the air (i.e., in-flight). APUs are especially useful when the aircraft is in-flight and an emergency occurs that prevents the various electrical components from receiving electrical power from traditional means. When this occurs, the APU can be used to supply emergency electrical power to the various components within the aircraft.
For the APU to operate at maximum capacity, a large amount of air must be supplied to the APU. To provide this large amount of air, a variety of techniques can be utilized. For example, a fixed external scoop can be used to direct air into an intake of the APU. However, the fixed external scoop results in an increased aerodynamic drag that negatively impacts the aircraft. Further, as the external scoop is fixed in a deployed state, the negative impacts for the aircraft are encountered even when the APU is not being used.
The drag issue can be somewhat addressed with either a NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) scoop or by adding an inlet door near the APU inlet. However, a NACA scoop is long relative to its width and requires significant space within the aircraft skin. As will be appreciated, these requirements can complicate matters when a new aircraft is being designed.
Further, the addition of the inlet door is also not optimal. Notably, the APU cannot operate at full capacity until the inlet door is in the proper position. Additionally, the inlet door requires powered actuators to open the door against the exterior airflow. These powered actuators can be susceptible to damage and increase an overall weight of the aircraft.
Thus, the known techniques for supplying air to an APU are overly complicated, thereby increasing costs and weight of the aircraft. Further, the known techniques may not be aesthetically pleasing or elegant. Thus, there is room for improvement.

Translatable scoop for auxiliary power units air intake


An optical apparatus may include spectroscope means for splitting light irradiated from a light source into multiple color rays, polarizer means for polarizing the multiple color rays split by the spectroscope means, and trimming filters each trimming a wavelength component of at least one of the multiple color rays polarized through the polarizer means and guiding the resulting ray to an optical modulator, wherein at least one of the trimming filters is sloped about an optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus that splits light irradiated from a light source into multiple color (such as R (red), G (green) and B (blue)) rays and guides them to optical modulators respectively corresponding to the color rays and a projection display system including the optical apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection display system such as a liquid crystal projector splits light output from a light source into three primary color rays of R (red), G (green) and B (blue), guides them to corresponding optical modulators (such as liquid crystal panels) and modulates and synthesizes them by a cross prism through predetermined paths for the colors and then enlarges and projects the synthesis result on a screen through a projection optical system (refer to JP-A-10-133303 (Patent Document 1), for example).

Optical apparatus and projection display system


This invention is to provide a developing device uniformly developing an image along an axis line of a developing roller and stably obtaining the image with a uniform concentration. The developing device comprises: a developer tank, the developing roller, and a cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member. The layer thickness-regulating member comprises a body part regulating a layer thickness of a developer retained on an outer periphery of the developing roller; a first supporting part having a diameter smaller than that of the body part and supporting the body part at one end of the body part; and a second supporting part having a diameter smaller than or the same as that of the body part and supporting the body part at the other end of the body part. The first supporting part is provided such that a central axis of the first supporting part is configured to be eccentric to a central axis of the body part at a predetermined eccentricity ratio; therefore, the body part tentatively supported by the first supporting part and the second supporting part is appropriately rotated and adjusted to obtain a predetermined gap before the layer thickness-regulating member is fixedly supported by the developer tank.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing device and an image forming apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to the developing device used in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer to visualize an electrostatic latent image by allowing a developer to adhere to the electrostatic latent image on a photoconductive drum surface; and the image forming apparatus using this developing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional developing device has been known to comprise a developer tank containing a developer including a toner and a carrier; a developing roller disposed in this developer tank in such a way as to be opposed to a photoconductive drum, the developing roller retaining the developer on its outer periphery and supplying the toner included in the developer in the developer tank to the photoconductive drum; and a cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member disposed to be opposed to the outer periphery of the developing roller so as to be spaced at a predetermined gap from the outer periphery and regulating a layer thickness of the developer retained on the outer periphery of the developing roller.
The developer tank in the developing device comprising this type of the cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member is generally a cast resin article, and the cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member is mounted on a part of an end wall of the developer tank. Variations in cast dimension of the developer tank, therefore, could cause variations of the predetermined gap of the cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member.
In this case, the developing device is more difficult to uniformly develop an image along an axis line of the developing roller and to stably obtain the image with a uniform concentration than a developing device comprising a plate-like layer thickness-regulating member that is relatively easy to finely adjust a gap between the layer thickness-regulating member and an outer periphery of a developing roller.
Therefore, as an example in forming the uniform layer thickness of the developer on the developing roller along the axis line, the invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7 (1995)-219341 is proposed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7 (1995)-219341 discloses a developing device provided with a layer thickness-regulating roller disposed on the upstream side of a rotating direction of a developing roller from a developing area and supported in such a way as to come in contact with the developing roller, and the layer thickness-regulating roller has grooves extending in a circumferential direction on an outer periphery of the layer thickness-regulating roller and approximately equally spaced along an axis line of the layer thickness-regulating roller.
However, even the developing device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7 (1995)-219341 could not have completely avoided consequences arisen from mounting errors or deflections of the developing roller or the layer thickness-regulating roller and was difficult to obtain an image stably.

Developing device and image forming apparatus using the same


The invention discloses a novel application of standard printed circuit board (PCB) assembly modules, electronic assembly, and/or semiconductor assembly equipment for the assembly of consumer products, such as razor cartridges. In addition, nozzles of the pick/place component placement machine of the present invention may be desirably adapted to operate on type of razor cartridge component (e.g., blade, lubricating strip) disposed on a pallet. The adapted nozzle may include adaptors which may have an elongated portion, an angled portion, a tapered portion, a gripper portion, a curved portion, a rounded portion, a pointed tip, a stamper, a marker, a printer, a guide portion, a spring portion, a moveable leg, or any combination thereof, for operating on a razor cartridge component.

In current manufacturing processes, wet shaving or razor cartridges are generally assembled on production lines dedicated to a particular type of razor cartridge. Some known assembly machine layouts include machines which are synchronous, non-synchronous, or continuous which may have in-line indexing, dial (e.g., rotary) or carousel capabilities.
On these types of production lines, in-process cartridges are transported, either by indexing or continuous motion, to the dedicated assembly stations such as stations 12 and 14 shown in FIG. 1 and stations 14 and 16 in a known dial or rotary based assembly machine layout 18 shown in FIG. 1A. For instance, dedicated assembly station 12 (and similarly station 14) generally handles only one type of component, the same component (e.g., a cap) over and over again, while dedicated assembly station 14 (and similar station 16) generally will handle only one type of component (e.g., a blade) over and over again. Thus, each station is designed to handle or deal with only one type of particular component (e.g., a cap) and as such, is configured to grasp and subsequently release only one type of component. At these stations, whether in an in-line or rotary production line of FIG. 1 or FIG. 1A, the components (e.g., a cap or a blade), required for the completion of the assembly of the cartridge, are added to the cartridge.
Thus, the operations of these types of production lines are generally sequential in nature (for intermittent, continuous, and asynchronous assembly methods), since a razor cartridge component moves along from station to station where each station performs a discrete operation (e.g., adding a cap to the cartridge housing) until a razor cartridge is formed.
These stations perform the assembly with custom, precision, and often unique tooling equipment such as cams and levers. Dedicated feed systems F1, F2, F3, and F4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and F5, F6, F7, F8, and F9 as shown in FIG. 2, may not only provide individual components to the assembly machine, but may also remove completed assemblies from the machine. Such feed systems may also oftentimes also require with custom, precision, and often unique tooling. These feed systems are generally "hard-connected" to the machine, in that they are connected both mechanically and electrically. Thus, generally manufacturing processes of these assembly machine types are by their very nature typically designed or dedicated to just one razor product family. That is, one assembly machine is generally dedicated to making one type of product, (e.g., razor cartridge, razor handle, etc.) for one product family, for instance the Gillette® Sensor® product family. This machine would not in turn be easily transferrable to or capable of being used for any other product family or families, such as the Gillette® Venus®, Gillette® Mach3®, or Gillette® Fusion® product families, nor vice-versa.
Thus, this type of process or design presents a major disadvantage with limited flexibility for making changes in manufacturing, such as changes that may be needed for producing cartridges for different product families or changing the operation layout within the same assembly machine and/or feed system.
For instance, if demand is low for one particular product family, but high for another, the low demand product's assembly machine may be dormant but because the dormant assembly machine is generally only dedicated by design to handle one particular type of device or product family, it most probably could not be utilized to assist in producing the high demand product.
Another disadvantage of this type of equipment is generally that the cost of capital may be very high, as every new product may necessarily require its own customized and newly designed tooling, and the equipment for prior products may, in all likelihood, not be reusable for new product families.
One potential solution that may improve flexibility may be to program robots (e.g., non-synchronous pallet based or stand-alone robots) at each assembly station which may typically include vision driven systems. While robots may advantageously provide an increase in flexibility they may be slower or have reduced precision over the known dedicated assembly and feeding systems which are generally expeditiously optimized, and they may come with a significant initial capital and cost investment along with substantial upfront custom designing.
Thus, there is at least a need to improve the manufacturing processes to obtain more flexibility across product families.

Use of printed circuit board, electronic component, and semi-conductor assembly equipment for the assembly of razors and components thereof


In the first aspect, light reflected by an object upon projection of a beam on the object is received by a light-receiving section. A photocurrent corresponding to the irradiated position is detected by a photocurrent detection section and is compared with a predetermined level by a comparison/determination section. An ordinary photocurrent output from the photocurrent detection section prior to projection of the beam is digitally converted by a set/clear section of each bit of a digital value. The converted value is stored in a memory section. In projection of the beam, the ordinary photocurrent corresponding to the output from the memory section is extracted from the photocurrent output from the photocurrent detection section by an ordinary photocurrent extraction section without using a hold capacitor. In the second aspect, light is repeatedly projected from a projecting section on an object, and light reflected by the object is repeatedly received by a light-receiving section. After an object distance is calculated by an analog distance measurement arithmetic section in the light-receiving section, it is A/D-converted into digital data. This digital data representing the object distance is digitally accumulated in an adder section, thereby obtaining an object distance from a plurality of distance measurement arithmetic values without using an integral capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a distance measurement apparatus and, more particularly, to an active distance measurement apparatus applied in distance detection used in an apparatus (e.g., a camera) requiring distance measurement.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 23 is an example of a conventional active distance measurement apparatus using a PSD (optical position sensing device) 5. In this distance measurement apparatus, pulsed light from a light source 2 such as an IRED (infrared-emitting diode) is projected on an object 1 serving as a distance measurement target, and the position of an incident spot formed on the PSD 5 by pulsed light from the light source 2 upon reflection on the object 1 is detected to measure an object distance.
Referring to FIG. 23, an infrared-ray projected from the light source or IRED 2 through a projection lens 3 is reflected by the object 1 and is incident on the PSD 5 through light-receiving lens 4. An incident position x of the infrared-ray is defined by the following equation (1) when an intersection between the optical axis of the light-receiving lens 4 and the PSD 5 is defined as an origin. ##EQU1## where S is the distance between the projection lens 3 and the light-receiving lens 4, l is the distance between the projection lens 3 and the object 1, and f is the distance between the light-receiving lens 4 and the PSD 5.
The PSD 5 generates a signal photocurrent i.sub.p and outputs signal currents i.sub.A and i.sub.B depending on the incident position x from two output terminals 5A and 5B in accordance with its operational principle. The signal current i.sub.A is defined as follows: ##EQU2## where a is the distance from the PSD end of the IRED 2 side to the origin, and t is the length of the PSD 5.
Equation (4) is derived from equation (3) as follows: ##EQU3## Therefore, a ratio i.sub.A /(i.sub.A +i.sub.B) based on equation 4 is calculated to obtain the distance l.
In addition to the pulsed light from the light source 2, external light is also incident on the PSD 5. A photocurrent component produced by the reflected light of the pulsed light is superposed on an ordinary photocurrent produced by the external light. A detection circuit connected to the output of the PSD 5 must have a function of separating and extracting only the photocurrent component produced by the reflected light of the pulsed light.
This ordinary light extraction method is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 1-240812, and an ordinary photocurrent extraction technique can be derived therefrom.
The ordinary photocurrent extraction technique and an output depending on the distance l in use of the detection circuit shown in FIG. 23 will be described below.
The output current i (i.sub.A) from the PSD 5 is amplified by a preamplifier 7A and an amplifying transistor 8A through an input terminal 6A. The amplifying transistor 8A is connected to a current source 9A, a current source 10A, a compression diode 11A, and a buffer 12A. The inverting input terminal (-) of a hold amplifier 13A is connected to the amplifying transistor 8A, the noninverting input terminal (+) of the hold amplifier 13A is connected to a compression diode 14A and a current source 15A, and the output terminal of the hold amplifier 13A is connected to a hold transistor 16A, a hold resistor 17A, and a hold capacitor 18A, as shown in FIG. 23.
A differential pair of transistors 21 and 22 constituting a ratio calculating circuit 20 together with a current source 19 receive an output from the compression diode 11A through the buffer 12A. The compression diodes 11A and 14A have same characteristics, and the current sources 9A and 15A are set at the same current level. An output voltage of the hold amplifier 13A is determined such that output voltages of the compression diodes 11A and 14A, i.e., voltages input to the inverting and noninverting input terminals of the hold amplifier 13A are set equal to each other.
In the detection circuit shown in FIG. 23, constituting elements represented by reference numerals 6B to 18B are identical to those represented by reference numerals 6A to 18A and are arranged in the same manner as those of the elements represented by reference numerals 6A to 18A. The suffix A is replaced with B, and a detailed description of the arrangements and operations of these elements will be omitted.
The operation of the detection circuit having the above arrangement will be described below.
An ordinary light storage operation for storing an ordinary photocurrent component is performed. Referring to FIG. 23, the hold amplifier 13A and the current source 10A are turned on in response to a hold signal T.sub.1, and all the circuits except for the IRED 2 and the ratio calculating circuit 20 start to operate. In this state, the output current i of the PSD 5 is equal to an ordinary photocurrent I.sub.p, and the hold amplifier 13A operates to store it in the hold capacitor 18A.
When the ordinary photocurrent I.sub.p is amplified by the preamplifier 7A, the output voltage of the compression diode 11A is decreased by this current, and the potential at the inverting input terminal of the hold amplifier 13A is also decreased. The output voltage of the hold amplifier 13A is increased, and the base potential at the hold transistor 16A is increased accordingly. The ordinary photocurrent I.sub.p is grounded as a collector current through the hold resistor 17A. That is, the ordinary photocurrent I.sub.p is always grounded by a feedback operation without being amplified.
The bias current of the amplifying transistor 8A is supplied from the current source 9A. During non-emission of the IRED 2, no current flows to points A and B in FIG. 23. This ordinary light storage operation continues for a predetermined period of time in accordance with the hold signal T.sub.1, and the charge corresponding to the ordinary light component is stored and held in the hold capacitor 18A. The ordinary light storage operation time is called a stable time.
When the IRED 2 emits light in accordance with an emission signal T.sub.2, the function of the hold amplifier 13A is interrupted by the hold signal T.sub.1. At this time, the ordinary light extraction charge is held in the hold capacitor 18A. While the ordinary photocurrent I.sub.p is being extracted, the signal current i is amplified by the preamplifier 7A and the amplifying transistor 8A, and a signal current flows through the compression diode 11A. During emission of the IRED 2, the current source 10A is turned off in response to the hold signal T1.
An output voltage V of the compression diode 11A is defined by the following equation: ##EQU4## where V.sub.T : thermal voltage
I.sub.S : reverse saturation current PA1 K: gains of the preamplifier 7A and amplifying transistor 8A PA1 ln: Napierian logarithm
As described above, the output current from the PSD 5 is a voltage compressed by the compression diode. The ratio calculating circuit 20 for obtaining the ratio i.sub.A /(i.sub.A +i.sub.B) using this compressed signal will be described below.
Currents I.sub.out and I.sub.z, and voltages V.sub.A and V.sub.B in FIG. 23 are represented by equations (6) and (7) below. ##EQU5## therefore, equation (8) is established as follows: ##EQU6## since I.sub.z =I.sub.o -I.sub.out from equation (6), equations (9), (10), and (11) are obtained as follows: ##EQU7##
A substitution of equation (4) into equation (11) yields equation (12) below: ##EQU8##
As described above, the distance measurement arithmetic output depending on the distance l can be obtained.
As described above, the conventional ordinary light extraction circuit requires the hold capacitor 18A.
First, when this hold capacitor is used, however, the charge voltage leaks over time. For example, when a relatively long period of time is required to perform distance measurement a plurality of number of times upon holding of the ordinary photocurrent component, the extraction current is gradually decreased to result in a distance measurement error. This typically occurs in a bright place with external light.
Second, the capacitor itself has a hold error due to its dielectric absorption. An error current .DELTA..sub.IP is also superposed by the dielectric absorption, and the distance measurement precision is adversely affected.
Third, at present, a tantalum capacitor having a capacitance of about 0.47 .mu.F to 1 .mu.F is used as a hold capacitor in view of hold characteristics. The tantalum capacitor is large in size and expensive when its application to the field of cameras is taken into consideration.
In addition, since the tantalum capacitor is externally attached to an IC chip, extra pins must be arranged in this IC, posing problems on cost and space factor.
The distance measurement arithmetic output thus obtained is represented by a single characteristic line L1 proportional to the reciprocal of the object distance, as shown in FIG. 24. However, the signal light as a photocurrent from the object is normally as very weak as about several 10 pA when the object is remote from the camera, an uncertainty region No represented by a hatched region and surrounded by curves L2 and L3 shown in FIG. 25 is formed due to shot noise of the photocurrent detection circuit and the photocurrent itself, and noise of the sensor itself.
One of the effective means for reducing the uncertainty region No and improving the distance measurement precision is a technique for causing an integral capacitor to store distance measurement arithmetic output currents obtained by the measurement performed a plurality of number of times (n times), as disclosed in each of Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 1-224617, GB 2212688, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,148. This technique is known as a means for extracting a weak signal mixed with noise with a high S/N ratio. According to this means, the uncertainty can be reduced to 1/.sqroot.n.
The above means is implemented for so-called signal processing applicable to all active distance measurement apparatuses and is very useful to improve distance measurement precision. However, this means has the following four problems.
<1>An external capacitor attached to a chip is required to perform accumulation processing.
<2>IC pins for externally attaching the capacitor to a distance measurement IC are required, the distance measurement IC package becomes large in size, and the compactness of the camera is impaired.
<3>Processing circuits such as a circuit for charging/discharging the capacitor and a circuit for resetting the capacitor are required to result in a bulky distance measurement IC circuit.
<4>The external accumulation capacitor must be selected as a capacitor having a small leakage current and small dielectric absorption in the same manner as the hold capacitor. A capacitor which satisfies these requirements is expensive and larger in outer appearance than the normal ceramic capacitor by almost two-fold, thus posing mounting problems. An influence of the dielectric absorption on distance measurement will be described below.
FIG. 26 is an equivalent circuit diagram of this type of external capacitor. When a voltage V.sub.ref is applied to a capacitor C represented in this equivalent circuit through a switch SW, as shown in FIG. 27A, a terminal voltage in the switch-OFF operation is lower by .DELTA.V caused by the dielectric absorption than that in the switch-ON operation, as shown in FIG. 27B.
Assume that three distance measurement operations are performed within a short period of time after the distance measurement IC is powered on. In the first distance measurement operation, when the distance measurement IC is powered on, the integral capacitor is charged to the voltage V.sub.ref. In this case, the voltage V.sub.ref is selected to be a small voltage of about 0.2V so as to minimize the influence of the dielectric absorption. However, in the initial period, as shown in FIG. 27B, the voltage is decreased by .DELTA.V, i.e., several mV, due to the influence of the dielectric absorption. In addition, since the integral capacitor is also susceptible to the influence of dielectric absorption during integration, the charge is absorbed by a capacitor Cs shown in FIG. 26, thereby slightly decreasing the integral voltage.
From the second distance measurement operation, the amount of charge absorbed by the capacitor Cs is reduced, and the distance measurement value in the first distance measurement operation is smaller than that of each of the second and third distance measurement operations by about 10%. In addition, since the dielectric absorption characteristics nonlinearly vary depending on temperatures, it is difficult to propose an effective correcting means.

Digitally active distance measurement apparatus for camera or the like


A system for feeding fibres from a fibre separation step at a first pressure to a drying step at a second, lower pressure, the system comprising a sluice feeder (3) provided between the fibre separation step and the drying step. At least an outlet (14) of the sluice feeder (3) is enclosed by a housing (4) for pressurization by means of a pressure medium in the housing (4) to a pressure that essentially corresponds to the first pressure in the sluice feeder (3). The fed out fibre from the sluice feeder (3) to the housing (4) are removable by means of the pressure medium in the housing (4) via a control valve (20), which regulates the pressure in the housing (4), to the drying step at the second, lower pressure. The pressurization in the housing (4) prevents steam to escape from the sluice feeder (3). A method for feeding fibres, the fibres are fed to a sluice feeder (3) which is pressurized from the outside by means of a pressure medium and are fed out by means of the pressure medium via a pressure regulating control valve (20) to the drying step.

When preparing wood fibres a separation of fibres from steam takes place in a fibre separation step where a cyclone or a centrifugal separator is used for this purpose. Preferably, the steam is recycled also from this step. The pressure in the system before the fibre separation is in most cases about 3–12 bar. The following process step is the drying of the fibre. This takes place at a lower pressure, sometimes as low as atmospheric pressure. In order to prevent the steam from escaping to the drying step at lower pressure a pressure tight feeding of the fibre from the separation step is required.
When treating mechanical pulp for paper manufacturing, this can easily be solved by a plug screw where the fed fibres are compressed and form a steam tight plug in the plug screw at the same time as it is further fed and subsequently may be fed to further treatment at a lower pressure.
On the contrary, when treating mechanical pulp for manufacturing of, for example, fibre board or MDF-technology, it is not possible to compress the fibres since lumps thus are formed, which cause problems at the drying of the fibre and at following manufacturing of end products. Instead a sluice feeder may be used in which the separated fibre fall down into a pocket in its rotor provided in the sluice feeder, which rotor is rotated and the fibre falls out in the lower portion of the sluice feeder where a lower pressure prevails without being compressed. The rotor and its pockets are sealed against the periphery of the sluice feeder.
A problem however is that steam escapes from the sluice feeder despite efforts to seal sluice feeders. Due to the design of the rotor with pockets it is complicated to achieve desired tightness and thus expensive. The annual costs for energy losses are great.

Method and apparatus for the feeding of fibers


Methods and devices receive a print job, evaluate the print job to identify job parameter settings and associated sources of the job parameter settings, transmit the job parameter settings and the associated sources to a database, and transmit the print job to a marking device to cause the marking device to print the print job. These methods and devices also provide access to the database to view the job parameter settings and the associated sources, and/or change the job parameter settings. The access to the database is provided before and/or after the marking device prints the print job. When evaluating the print job, these methods and devices identify “potential” and “final” job parameter settings and associated sources. The final settings and sources are used to perform marking and finishing operations, while the potential setting and sources comprise a pre-printing, job preparation history in the database.

Systems and methods herein generally relate to print jobs and to methods and devices that analyze print jobs.
Parameters of print jobs (such as for finishing, imposition, color management) can be set at the print queue, print job, page description language (PDL) creation, exception page creation, line printer remote (LPR), and job ticket level. These settings are reconciled before a job is submitted for print. The reconciliation can be performed, for example, using a precedence model.
However, it is sometimes difficult (or impossible) to determine on what level an attribute had been set on a print job. The problem occurs when attempting to debug the reasons for unexpected and/or unacceptable output, or when changing the precedence for an attribute value immediately before print submission or reprint.

Tracking source of job parameters in print jobs