Disclosed is molding unit for the forming of containers made of thermoplastic material including: two half-molds delimited by a front joint face and by a rear assembly face, with the two half-molds being able to occupy a joined position via their joint face; and a molding cavity that is made of two parts in each joint face, where the cavity opens vertically upward via a passage opening. In the joined position, the assembly faces of the mold have two planes of symmetry that intersect at a central vertical axis of the mold. The central axis of the passage opening is offset transversely in relation to the central axis of the mold.

It is known to mass-produce containers, in particular bottles, made of thermoplastic materials by blow molding or stretch blow molding of preforms. For this purpose, the hot preforms are inserted into molding units having a molding cavity in the shape of the container that is to be obtained.
To make it possible to mass-produce containers, multiple molding units are arranged on a main wheel forming a rotary carousel of a forming system. This makes it possible to form multiple containers successively during their movement between an entry point and an exit point.
In the manufacturing phase, the preforms are brought to a molding unit of the forming system with which is associated a forming device by application of at least one gaseous and/or liquid pressurized forming fluid in the preform. The forming of the preform is achieved by, for example, blow molding or stretch blow molding by means of a pressurized gas, such as air.
In a forming system with a rotary carousel, each molding unit comprises at least one mold that is equipped with a molding cavity. The mold is made of at least two half-molds, each bearing an impression of half of the molding cavity. The half-molds are carried by two associated mold supports. The mold supports are movable between an open position, in which the two half-molds are separated to make it possible to extract a molded container and to insert a preform, and a closed position, in which the two half-molds occupy a joined position in order to recreate the molding cavity during the forming operation.
The two mold supports are mounted to pivot in relation to one another, articulated by a vertical hinge. Such a molding unit is also known under the name "portfolio mold."
As a variant, the mold supports are mounted to slide in relation to one another.
The containers that are obtained by such a method are in particular bottles. Such a bottle comprises a body delimiting a volume that is designed to receive a product, for example a liquid or a powder. The body generally comprises a flat bottom that makes it possible to place the bottle upright. The bottle is generally open toward the top via a neck that can be stoppered. The neck makes it possible for the user to pour the product that is contained in the bottle. Hereinafter, the main axis of the container is defined as being the vertical axis that passes through the center of the neck.
In numerous fields, it is known to produce a bottle with the neck centered in relation to the horizontal cross-section of the body of the bottle. Below, such a container will be called "container with centered neck." This is in particular the case of water bottles. In this case, the main axis of the container passes through the center of the horizontal cross-sections of the container.
The container manufacturers are often led to change the model of containers that are produced. This is in particular the case of manufacturers who produce containers or bottles that are designed to contain household or hygiene products, so-called "home personal care" products. To make possible this change in model, it is known to design molding units making it possible to replace the mold elements comprising the cavity easily and quickly.
As is shown in FIG. 1, it is common for containers 10 of the field of "home personal care" to have a horizontal cross-section of oblong shape.
In addition, certain large containers have a very large capacity, for example on the order of multiple liters. This is, for example, the case of certain bottles that are designed to contain detergent.
Furthermore, in this type of container of the "home personal care" field, it is very common for a neck 12 of the container to be eccentric in relation to the center of the horizontal cross-section of the container 10. Below, such a container will be called "container with eccentric neck." Shown in FIG. 1 is the main axis "C" of the container that passes through the center of the neck 12. An axis "A" that passes overall through the center of each horizontal cross-section of the container was also shown. As FIG. 1 shows, the off-centering of the neck 12 is reflected by a transverse offset "D1" of the main axis "C" of the container in relation to the axis "A," in the direction of the length of the oblong cross-section of the container.
This makes it possible in particular to reserve a place in the wall of the container in order to produce a handle 14 on the side that is opposite to that of the neck 12. In addition, the off-centering of the neck 12 in relation to the handle 14 makes it possible to facilitate the use of the container for the final user by moving the center of gravity of the container toward the neck 12 when the container is inclined in order to make it possible to pour its contents.
The molding units are therefore provided to make possible the production of large oblong containers.
In a traditional manner, the molding units are produced on the model of the molding units that are used for producing containers with centered necks, as is shown in, for example, FIG. 2. In general, the molding unit comprises two mold supports 16 that are mounted articulated in relation to one another along an axis "B" with a vertical hinge. A half-mold 18 is accommodated in each support 16. The half-molds 18 each comprise a half-cavity that is recreated when the two half-molds 18 are joined, in the closed position of the mold supports 16. The cavity opens toward the top via a passage opening 20 that is designed to allow the neck 12 of the container to pass.
Since the two half-molds 18 are identical by symmetry in relation to a joint plane, the half-mold 18 will only be described from the left, with the description being applicable to the half-mold 18 on the right by symmetry.
Thus, the half-mold 18 is delimited longitudinally toward the front by a vertical transverse plane front joint face 22, which is equipped with one half of a molding cavity (not shown). In a joined position, the two half-molds 18 are designed to be joined by flattening their respective joint faces 22 longitudinally against one another in order to recreate the molding cavity, as shown in FIG. 2.
The half-mold 18 is also delimited longitudinally toward the rear by an opposite vertical assembly face 24. The assembly face 24 has, in horizontal cross-section, a shape that is curved in a convex manner. The assembly face 24 is designed to be housed in an additional receiving face of an associated mold support 16. The assembly face 24 generally has a semi-cylindrical shape. Thus, when the two half-molds 18 occupy their joined position, their assembly faces 24 have, in horizontal cross-section, a circular shape.
The passage opening 20 is always arranged astride the joint plane between the two half-molds 18. It is common practice that the passage opening 20 of the neck is centered in relation to the circular cross-section of the assembly faces 24 of the half-molds.
However, such an embodiment, in which the mold has a cylindrical assembly face for revolution, can become very cumbersome when it involves producing containers of the "home personal care" field having an oblong cross-section, a large volume, and an eccentric neck.
So that the carousel can carry a high enough number of molding units, for example 10, while remaining fairly compact, it is known to produce molding units comprising so-called "elliptical" molds. These elliptical molds have, in horizontal cross-section, an oblong contour.
Such an elliptical mold that is produced according to the state of the art was shown in FIG. 3.
The mold has two single-piece half-molds 18 that are each carried by an associated mold support (not shown). Since the two half-molds 18 are identical by symmetry in relation to a joint plane 26, the half-mold 18 will only be described from the left, with the description being applicable to the half-mold 18 on the right by symmetry.
Thus, the half-mold 18 is delimited longitudinally toward the front by a vertical transverse plane front joint face 22, which is equipped with one half of the molding cavity 28. The joint face 22 extends into the joint plane 26. In a joined position, the two half-molds 18 are designed to be joined by flattening their respective joint faces 22 longitudinally against one another in order to recreate the molding cavity 28.
The half-mold 18 is also delimited longitudinally toward the rear by an opposite vertical assembly face 24. The assembly face 24 has, in horizontal cross-section, a shape that is curved in a convex manner. The assembly face 24 is designed to be housed in an additional receiving face of an associated mold support (not shown). The assembly face 24 generally has a cylindrical shape that is formed by the translation of a straight vertical generatrix line on the main curve, which is formed by the curved shape of the assembly face 24 in horizontal cross-section shown in FIG. 3.
In a known manner, the assembly face 24 has, in horizontal cross-section, the shape of a half-oval. In the joined position, the assembly faces 24 of the two half-molds 18 therefore form a complete oval.
The assembly face 24 of the mold in the joined position has a first plane "P1" that extends into the joint plane 26. In the example shown in the figures, the first plane "P1" forms a plane of symmetry for the assembly faces 24.
Likewise, the assembly face 24 of the mold in the joined position also has a second vertical plane "P2" of symmetry that extends orthogonally to the first plane "P1" of symmetry. The two planes "P1" and "P2" of symmetry intersect in a central vertical axis "O". As can be seen, the axis "C" of the passage opening 20 is aligned here with the central axis "O" of the mold 18.
This is always the case, even when the main axis "C" of the container that is to be obtained is offset in relation to the cross-section of the container, as is illustrated in, for example, FIG. 3. In this case, the cavity 28 extends more from one side of the mold 18 than from the other, here transversely toward the top of FIG. 3.
Such a mold that is produced according to the state of the art advantageously makes it possible to produce large oblong containers by reducing the longitudinal space requirement of the molds in relation to molds that have, in cross-section, a circular contour, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
However, with the passage opening 20 being centered in relation to the mold 18 but eccentric in relation to the cross-section of the container that is to be obtained, a portion of the volume of the mold 18, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 3, remains unused for the production of the container.
In addition, it is not possible to modify the position of the passage opening 20 of the neck because the latter's position is determined by the position of the forming device that is associated with the molding unit. However, such a forming device is cumbersome and is generally mounted in a stationary position on the main wheel of the molding system.

Molding unit with off-center neck passage opening


There is disclosed a process for producing an acrylamide polymer which comprises polymerizing acrylamide monomer alone or a monomer mixture composed of 50 mole % or more of acrylamide monomer and a monomer capable of copolymerizing with acrylamide monomer in the presence of an azo series polymerization initiator and 0.1% by weight or more of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole or a salt thereof based on the weight of the monomer in an aqueous medium having a pH of 6 or higher at a temperature range of 5 to 100.degree. C., and then drying the resulting material.

This invention relates to a process for producing an acrylamide series polymer having good solubility and high molecular weight.
In recent years, a water-soluble acrylamide series polymer has been used in various fields such as coagulants, petroleum recovering agents, binders for paper formation, paper force-reinforcing agents, etc. in large amounts. Of these uses, coagulants, petroleum recovering agents and binders for paper formation are often required to be high molecular weight and those having an average molecular weight of 10,000,000 are not unusual. As a process for obtaining such a high molecular weight acrylamide series polymer, various proposals have been made but the method in which polymerization is carried out by using a free radical initiator in an aqueous medium is industrially most popular. In this case, a water-containing polymer obtained generally contains several ten % or more of water but the molecular weight or the polymer is too high so that it is a rubber like material of a viscous liquid which does not substantially flow. Accordingly, handling of these materials is difficult as such and transportation is also uneconomical, and thus, they are generally used in the form of dry powder by removing water from the above water-containing polymer by hot-air drying, etc.
However, solubility of the dried polymer obtained by heat drying method in water becomes generally bad as the concentration of the monomer at polymerization, the molecular weight of the polymer and drying temperature are increased. This lowering in solubility can be improved to a certain extent by elongating the time of dissolution at use. However, in extreme cases, particles which merely swell and do not dissolve are present in a large amount even when they are stirred for a long period of time in water. Thus, when it is applied to waste water processing, etc. as a coagulant, it shows low coagulating property. Also, there are problems that, when it is used as a petroleum recovering agent, penetrating property is lowered and when it is used as a viscosity increasing agent for papermaking fish eye is generated on a paper prepared therewith.
On the other hand, as a stabilizing agent for an acrylamide polymer, it has been known that 2-mercaptobenzothiazole is effective as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 27659/1974 and there is described that the compound is added to the polymer after polymerization has completed. Also, in this publication, while there is a description suggesting to co-present the above stabilizer at polymerization, it is not specifically disclosed. Mercaptanes have been known rather as a molecular weight controller as described in "High Molecule Chemistry, the first volume" (written by P. J. Flory, translated by Oka and Kanamaru, published by Maruzene Co., October 1955), page 137, so that if mercaptanes such as 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, etc. are added during polymerization, it has been considered that the molecular weight is lowered by its chain transfer effect whereby high molecular weight product can hardly be obtained.
Also, in Japanese Patent Publication No.8688/1985, there is described that 2-mercaptobenzoimidazole which has similar structure as that of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole is added during polymerization, but an amount thereof added in Example is 0.05% by weight or less based on the monomer. According to the present inventors investigation, it can be confirmed that when it is added with an amount of 0.5% by weight, polymerization does not start at all.
As described above, a process for producing a dried acrylamide type polymer having a large molecular weight and good solubility in water with efficiency is demanded but a technique which satisfies these conditions has not yet been developed at present.

Process for producing acrylamide polymer


A method of reducing facial aging in a person, having an upper and lower jaw bearing anterior or posterior teeth, comprises:                a) providing a mass produced universal dental appliance, which appliance comprises at least one part, the or each part intended in use to be in continuous contact with the teeth on either the upper or lower jaw, the or each part comprising an elongate structure at least a portion of which is formed of a durable, resilient, elastomeric material having a softening point in the range from 35 to 100° C. and has a surface which in use is in continuous contact with the occlusal biting surfaces of at least two teeth on either the upper or lower jaw, and wherein said appliance has dimensions such that in use it provides a predetermined vertical separation of the jaws which is at least 3 mm beyond the normal resting position of the jaws;        b) fitting said mass produced universal dental appliance to at least two teeth on either the upper or lower jaw of the individual; and        c) exercising the lower jaw passively to allow the jaw to come to rest in a new resting position, is disclosed.An appliance for use in the method is also disclosed.

This invention is concerned with a method of reducing facial aging and an appliance which is intended to be worn in the mouth during an exercise programme which, over time, can lead to a reduction in facial aging.
Pivot appliances have been used in dentistry since the 1930s to alleviate pain experienced by patients suffering from misaligned jaws, caused by inclines of the teeth. The original purpose of the pivot appliance was to separate the jaws so that inclines of the teeth would not dictate how the jaws met and thereby allow the bite of the patient to be adjusted to a more comfortable position. Use of the appliance on a temporary basis would allow the facial muscles to relax, resulting in the jaw and the condyle in the temporo mandibular joint (tmj) resting in an unrestrained position. This consequently would result in relief of pain associated with the tmj disorder.
The pivot appliance was made from a plaster mould of the patient's mouth, which mould was made by taking an impression of the lower teeth with a dental impression material. From this impression, a mould was made in plaster, which was an exact duplicate of the patient's lower jaw. This mould was then used to make a pivot appliance from a rigid moulding material, which would include wire clips to fit the appliance in the patient's mouth. The optimal thickness of the moulding material of the appliance that provided the biting surface was determined e.g. by using the command swallowing technique to establish the correct biting position for the particular patient. The patient would wear the fitted appliance under the direction and supervision of a dentist for such time until relief of pain was achieved. The appliance was then removed. The problem with this temporary procedure was that it sometimes tended to provide only temporary relief: after the appliance had been removed, there was a tendency for the jaws to return over time back to their original, painful biting position.
Some dentists would advocate that the bite of the patient had to be permanently altered to achieve permanent relief from tmj disorder. In such circumstances, orthodontic treatment was usually employed, to change the position of the teeth or by crowning the teeth.
In 1996, Dr N. K. Mohindra published a paper, in the British Dental Journal, entitled "A preliminary report on determining the vertical height of occlusion by the position of the mandible in the swallowing technique". In this paper, Dr Mohindra reported that a pivotal appliance could be used to determine the increase of the vertical dimension and resulted in dramatic increases in the vertical dimension of occlusion, e.g. by up to 19 mm, beyond the normal resting position of the mandible without patients experiencing problems. Prior to this report, doctors and dentists had considered that the vertical dimension should not be increased by more than about 2-3 mm and definitely not beyond the resting position of the jaw. The appliance used in these experiments was made in a laboratory by a trained and approved dental technician.
In 2002, Dr Mohindra published a second paper in the British Dental Journal, entitled "The effect of increasing vertical dimension on facial aesthetics". In this paper, Dr Mohindra reported that 80% of patients whose vertical dimension had been increased permanently by the use of a pivot appliance thought they looked between 5 and 20 years younger, and that these views were backed up by an independent panel who studied before and after photographs of the patients and reached same conclusions.
Subsequently, Dr Mohindra developed a facial rejuvenator which improved facial aesthetics without permanently increasing vertical dimension of occlusion. The rejuvenator, like the earlier dental appliance, required to be custom made for each patient in a laboratory by a trained dental technician. The rejuvenator comprised a substantially U-shaped layer formed from a durable, non-deformable material having a softening point over 100° C. which was custom moulded to fit over all the teeth on the lower jaw and which in use provided a bite plate. Two projections extended from the surface of the bite plate and were positioned on the bite plate over at least a part of the first molar tooth on both sides of the jaw. The projections were made of a durable, non-deformable material having a softening point over 100° C., and were custom moulded to the vertical height of occlusion for each patient, as determined by the command swallowing technique.
The rejuvenator was removable and so only increases the vertical dimension of occlusion for the short period of time when the appliance is in the mouth of the patient. The rejuvenator was based on the original pivot appliance and is made in the same way, i.e. in a laboratory by a trained and approved dental technician.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,794 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,943 disclose a dental appliance for use by athletes during periods of exertion. The appliance consists of an occlusal posterior pad made of quadruple composite material comprising four layers of distinct materials, further comprising a first layer of a durable, resilient material, a second layer of non-softenable, flexible material, a third layer of a hard, very durable material, and a fourth layer of softenable material, engageable with the occlusal surfaces to space apart the upper and lower teeth, to absorb shock and clenching stress. An adjustable arch adapted to expand and contract to be moulded to the palate is provided connecting the posterior pads together with the mouth and out of the way of the tongue to maintain the position of the occlusal posterior pads within the mouth during use and to prevent loss of the pads such as by swallowing. The appliance may be fitted using a boil and bite technique, for example by a doctor or dentist, with no requirement for customized laboratory moulding processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,523 discloses an anti-snoring device having a dental overlay portion and a guide ramp portion slidably mounted in the dental portion. The device may be fitted using a boil and bite technique, for example by a doctor or dentist, with no requirement for customized laboratory moulding processes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reducing facial aging and appliance therefor


The package shelf (3) comprises sliders (47) which are moveable in relation to the frame (46) of the vehicle, a shelf (48) which can move along two tracks (46) which are fixed to the frame (45) and along the sliders (47), and driving means whereby a first part thereof is fixed to the shelf (48) and the second part thereof cooperates with the first part and is fixed to the sliders (47). The arrangement of the shelf (48), sliders (47), tracks (46), frame (45) and driving means, which are mounted independently from the frame (45), enable the shelf (48) to be displaced in relation to the latter.

We know of a shelf assembly of the type comprising a shelf capable of being mounted, in a movable manner, onto two tracks between, on one hand, a deployed position in which it covers the area located between the front edge of the rear boot hood of the vehicle and the backrest of the seat delimiting the boot, and on the other hand, a retracted position in which it uncovers this area, each track being fixed to a support element of the vehicle and substantially extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, means for driving, which comprise a first part integral to the shelf and a second part co-operating with the first part, being capable of displacing the shelf from one of its positions to another.
Such a shelf is disclosed in the document FR 02 09215. In this document, the tracks and the second part of the means for driving are integral to the rear boot hood. In a known manner, the means for driving generate an actuating force on the shelf and the counter force on the hood, which allows to displace the shelf in relation to the hood.
However, the assembling of such a shelf assembly on a vehicle is not easy. Indeed, the first part of the means for driving need to be accurately arranged in relation to the second part in order to allow the shelf to be displaced, which is delicate due to the restricted access to these means for driving.
The problem in question is to make a shelf assembly in the form of an independent unit that can be delivered as a kit, whose assembly onto the vehicle does not require any work to the means for driving.

Societe Europeenne de Brevet Automobiles


An accessory for detecting leaking and flowing conditions in safety valves and safety relief valves utilizes a load sensing device to sense a change in a load on the valve of the safety relief valve caused by a displacement of the valve disc and provides a low-voltage output signal indicating the nature of the load change.

"Safety valves" and "safety relief valves" (also referred to herein as simply "valve" or "valves") monitor and relieve abnormal or dangerously high pressures in systems that handle, generate, store, contain, confine, carry, transfer or transport pressurized fluid (material in liquid or gaseous states). Under normal operating pressures, the valves remain closed and sealed. When the pressure of the fluid exceeds a predetermined maximum system pressure, the valve opens to dispel fluid and thereby relieve pressure. When installed, a valve is in direct contact with the pressurized fluid. The pressure of the fluid applies a force to the surface of the valve's disc. To resist the normal pressure of the fluid, the valve disc is "loaded" to create an opposing force to the pressure force of the fluid. The load forces the valve disc into a valve seat and thereby creates a seal. The load is adjusted to set a force equal to a predetermined maximum system pressure so that the valve disc is displaced or "lifted" from the seat and the seal broken to allow fluid to flow only when the system pressure exceeds the allowed maximum system pressure.
There are a variety of methods for operating a safety valve or a safety relief valve. Some are purely mechanical; some are electro-mechanical or magnetic. Under codes of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), all are required to have a purely mechanical method of loading the valve for at least backing up the operation of the valve. The common, industry-wide method involves loading the valve with a force generated by a compressed spring.
Safety valves and safety relief valves are used in an enormous variety of situations, wherever there exists danger from over-pressurized fluid. Safety valves are used with systems such as boilers and steam generators, and safety relief valves are used in systems such as manufacturing processes, pipes for transferring or transporting fluids, and other types of vessels, containers or channels for carrying or storing fluid under pressure. In addition to their construction, use and operation of safety valves and safety relief valves are mandated and regulated by industry and, sometimes, government guidelines that generally follow or adopt the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code, particularly Sections 1 (for safety valves) and 8 (for safety relief valves).
Knowledge of whether a valve is leaking or flowing is important. A flowing condition indicates that the system has been over-pressurized, possibly requiring any number of actions such as shutting down the system to avoid or to mitigate damage. A leaking condition may indicate one of two possibilities. First, a leak may result from the system being operated close to the relief point. Detection of leaking thus serves as warning to take corrective action to reduce pressures before fluid is relieved. Second, a valve that leaks may be defective or malfunctioning, requiring service or replacement. Further, where fluid leaks out of the system, product--and money--is unnecessarily lost.
Aside from actually witnessing a fluid escaping from a valve, monitoring the volume of fluid in a system may be the simplest method for knowing whether a safety valve or safety relief valve is leaking or flowing. Where, however, multiple numbers of safety valves or safety relief valves are installed in a system, each set at the same pressure point, it becomes impossible to isolate which valve is leaking. Without being able to detect which valve is leaking, all the valves must be serviced or replaced. Therefore, a leak detection mechanism is desirable.
A leak and flowing detection mechanism is also desirable in automated production facilities or anywhere valves have been remotely installed, such as modern petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants that are operated from remotely located control centers for reasons of safety and economy. Opening of a safety relief valve may be the only way of discovering or monitoring unsafe pressure conditions. Safety and safety relief valves for these facilities are, ideally, equipped with transducers for detecting the opening of a safety relief valve and communicating the detection to the central control center. As fluids handled in these facilities are often volatile, the transducers, as well as the system for communicating the transducer output to a central monitoring station, use very low voltages to reduce the risk of sparks that might ignite the fluid.
For many years, the preferred method of detecting valve openings caused by excessive fluid pressure have been switch devices such as so-called micro-switches. Switches are mechanically coupled to a moving part of the valve, usually the rod-like spindle or valve stem, that moves or is "lifted" with a linear displacement of the valve disc along the axis of the spindle. These switches have proven to be unsatisfactory in the illustrated situations for several reasons. The switches have a substantial "dead zone" between an open contact and a closed contact position, making them difficult to adjust to detect small spindle movements characteristic of leaking. If installed in the valve in positions at which they may be able to detect small movements in the spindle characteristic, a full lift condition will damage them. Therefore, when installed so that they are not damaged, substantial movement of the spindle is required before being actuated or switched, making them suitable only for detecting flowing conditions in the valve when the valve is at or near "full lift". The switches require relatively high-voltages, making them unsuitable for applications in which voltages in the sensor must be kept low. They are cumbersome to set or adjust in the field as they tend to be intricate. Once set, the switches tend to be easily tampered with and easily become misadjusted by mechanical vibrations common to many applications. Even if they do retain their proper settings, the shock of a release with full-lift of the valve disc frequently damages the switches. Finally, the switches are sensitive to the environment, requiring protective housings to be installed around the switching mechanism.

Accessory for detecting leaking of safety valves


An upstream multiplexer multiplexes data into first and second serialized data streams based on first and second low frequency clocks each derived from a high frequency clock. A downstream multiplexer multiplexes the first and second serialized data streams into a third serialized data stream based on the high frequency clock. A timing error detector derives an error signal indicative of a phase-misalignment between the high frequency clock and the first and second serialized data bit streams based on the high frequency clock and the first and second low frequency clocks. A phase adjuster adjusts phases of the first and second low frequency clocks relative to the high frequency clock based on the error signal so as to reduce the phase-misalignment.

A time division multiplexer converts input data bits into a serialized data output. The multiplexer receives a clock signal at a selector input of the multiplexer that causes the multiplexer to alternately select among the data bits and successively output the selected bits in the serialized data. Circuit delays introduced by the multiplexer and associated clock circuits can cause an undesired phase-misalignment between the clock and the input data that is selected by the clock. The phase-misalignment can cause indeterminate data selection in the multiplexer, which results in bit errors in the serialized data. The phase-misalignment is especially problematic in a multiplexer that operates in the gigabit frequency range.

Clock phase compensator for multi-stage time division multiplexer


In a method for providing papers of value with authenticity features, a homogeneous mixture is produced in a defined concentration from a feature substance present in powder form and a gas. This mixture is ejected at high speed from at least one nozzle disposed at a given distance from the paper web and transferred onto the running paper web.

The present invention relates to a method for equipping papers of value with authenticity features wherein at least one feature substance is applied in the course of papermaking to a moving, wet paper web, in particular a paper web for making papers of value.
Papers of value in the sense of the invention are bank notes, passports, check forms, shares, documents, postage stamps, airplane tickets and the like. The simplified term "antifalsification paper" or "paper of value" used here will therefore always include documents of the stated type.
Such documents of high value must be uncontestably identifiable with respect to their originality and origin because their material value constitutes only a fraction of their commercial value. Identifiability is obtained for instance by special marks used only for proving authenticity. In the ideal case these authenticity marks cannot be imitated, or only with very great effort, and are not falsifiable. Their presence in the intended form therefore guarantees the authenticity of the antifalsification paper. The closer an authenticity feature comes to the ideal of being "not falsifiable" and "not imitable" the greater its value for ensuring authenticity is.
In the past particularly those authenticity features have proven useful which can only be incorporated in the antifalsification paper during production. Such features are e.g. watermarks, safeguarding threads, chemically reacting additives and mottling fibers.
These features are particularly suitable for the visual authenticity testing of antifalsification papers usually performed. Although these features are visually recognizable they guarantee high security because the paper equipped with them can only be produced with elaborate machines to which the forger has no access and whose purchase or construction is not worth it economically for purposes of forgery.
Along with features identifiable visually by the human eye and without aids, antifalsification papers have also been equipped for some time with features identifiable only using special devices With this type of feature the forger has the additional problem of first having to identify the feature or its special properties, whereby identification can be made even more difficult by incorporating the features in the paper solely at precisely defined places.
GB-C 696 673 discloses a method for producing papers of value wherein authenticity features are produced in the form of color patterns within a paper web by injecting a colorant, pigment or ink in solution or suspension into the arising fibrous web in the pulp of a one-cylinder machine at a place where sheet forming has progressed about one half. Direct injection of the feature substances into the pulp, however, exposes them to the currents and eddies present in a rotating cylinder machine. The resulting thorough mingling of the incorporated feature substances with the pulp causes the pulp to be enriched or dyed homogeneously with the injected colorant as time increases, so that the arising paper is finally dyed or provided with feature substances in its total substance.
GB-C 643 430 further discloses a method for producing a paper web provided with a watermark. To produce the possibly colored watermark an endless metal band is guided above the arising paper web of an endless wire machine and moves at the same speed as the arising paper web. The metal band is provided with recesses in the form of the desired watermarks. The diffuse spraying of colorants onto the inner side of the metal band produces the watermark since the colorant can be deposited on the paper web only in the areas of the recesses. This method involves the disadvantage that, firstly, certain shapes can only be applied by templates and, secondly, the colorants are fed to the moist paper web with the aid of solvents so that the paper web is additionally moistened at these places. Altering the water regime, i.e. the addition or release of liquid, can crucially impair the properties of the paper. The local addition of liquid alters the consistency of the paper in these areas so that the location of the applied feature can be detected. Also, for low feature concentrations one cannot ensure that the feature substance is applied in the necessary homogeneous distribution when the feature is applied to the paper with the aid of a liquid as a medium Furthermore, when the colorants are applied with liquid media there is a danger of the fibrous structure of the paper web being visibly changed due to an excessive jet pressure.
Finally DE-C 29 05 441 discloses a method wherein features, such as colorants or chemicals, are incorporated in certain places within a paper web. In a first step a first paper web is produced and the feature substance, dissolved in liquid, applied to one of the surfaces of this paper web using an ink jet printer. In a second method step the side of this first paper web treated with the feature substance is covered with a second, separately produced paper web.

Method for equipping papers of value with authenticity features


An apparatus is provided that includes a chamber wall section prone to deflection, a stationary section providing a sealing surface, and a flexible bellows attached to the chamber wall section and the stationary section. A system is also provided that includes a chamber including a chamber wall having an opening, a door disposed to seal the opening, a sealing surface adjacent the opening and isolated from the chamber wall, and a seal between the sealing surface and the chamber wall. Numerous other aspects are provided.

In many electronic device fabrication processes, vacuum process chambers are widely used for conducting various chemical or physical processes. For instance, vacuum process chambers are widely used in deposition processes such as chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition; in coating processes such as a spin coating process for a photoresist material or a spin-on-glass material; and various other fabrication processes. In addition, to protect against contamination from foreign particles, transfer chambers may also be operated under vacuum conditions. Conventional chambers are sealed using doors that rely upon an O-ring or similar sealing element in the door that contacts a sealing surface on the wall of the chamber around the door opening. In order to prevent leaks, the door must seal reliably each time it is closed. Thus, methods and apparatus for reliably sealing a door of a chamber are desirable.

Methods and apparatus for providing a floating seal for chamber doors


An object of the present invention is to provide a novel propylene-based polymer capable of providing a propylene-based polymer with a good adhesion and coatability. The present invention lies in a propylene-based polymer having a propylene component with several characteristics including a weight-average molecular weight Mw from not smaller than 5,000 to less than 1,000,000 as measured by GPC, and Regio irregular units based on 2,1-inserted propylene monomer and/or 1,3-inserted propylene monomer present in its main chain and the sum of the ratio of regio irregular units based on 2,1-insertion and 1,3-insertion to all propylene insertions not smaller than 0.05%.

Propylene polymers and propylene-olefin copolymers are inexpensive and are excellent in mechanical properties, heat resistance, chemical resistance and water resistance and thus have been used in a wide range of fields. For example, it is occasionally practiced to form a coat layer on the surface of a molded product made of a propylene polymer. A propylene-based polymer has no polar groups in its molecule and thus is defective in that it normally has a low polarity and can difficultly undergo coating or adhesion. Accordingly, in order to improve this defect, (1) various approaches such as chemical treatment of the surface of the molded product of propylene-based polymer with a chemical agent or the like and oxidation treatment of the surface of the molded product by corona discharge treatment, plasma treatment, flame treatment or the like have been attempted. However, these approaches not only require a special apparatus but also leave something to be desired in the improvement of coatability or adhesion.
Further, (2) an approach involving the undercoating of the surface of the molded product of propylene-based polymer with a chlorinated polypropylene has been known. The formation of this chlorinated polypropylene coat layer makes it possible to improve the subsequent coatability of the molded product. In other words, since a chlorinated polypropylene is normally soluble in a hydrocarbon solvent such as toluene and xylene, can be easily applied to the molded product, exhibits a good adhesion to a propylene-based polymer which is a base material and has its molecule provided with a polarity derived from carbon-chlorine bond, the coatability and adhesion of a propylene-based polymer can be improved. It has also been known that a modified chlorinated polypropylene obtained from the chlorinated polypropylene by the graft copolymerization of polar monomers has a better effect of improving coatability and adhesion.
However, the chlorinated polypropylene or modified chlorinated polypropylene to be used as an undercoating agent is a resin containing a large amount of chlorine and thus is environmentally undesirable. This is because the use of vinyl chloride resins has recently brought forth a social issue over the harmful matters generated by recycling or incineration thereof. It has been keenly desired to develop substitute resins free of halogen such as chlorine for chlorinated polypropylene as in vinyl chloride resins.
However, no halogen-free propylene-based polymer resins having a good solubility in an organic solvent as well as a good adhesion have heretofore been found.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel propylene-based polymer which can provide a propylene-based polymer as a base material with a good adhesion and coatability even if it is free of halogen such as chlorine.


A method of distributing multimedia data from a central distribution station to local equipment including: linking one image characteristic (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48) with at least one set of multimedia data stored by the central distribution station respectively; making available to at least one user of a support (10) having at least one selection image (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in response to the capture of at least one image of the support by the local equipment, and calculating a characteristic of the captured image; searching for a multimedia data set of the central station linked to the image characteristic closest to the characteristic calculated; transferring of the corresponding multimedia data to the local equipment.

The image and/or sound capture and reproduction capacities of mobile phones are reduced compared with those of dedicated equipment. However, they are constantly progressing. The same is true for other portable equipment such as organizers or digital cameras. Improvements of the image and/or sound capture and reproduction capacities has made this equipment a preferred interface for distributing multimedia data. Indeed, the above-mentioned portable equipment offers many functions formerly reserved for fixed personal computers. The reduced dimensions of portable equipment as well as their limited data storage and reproduction capacities are compensated for by their capacity to make communication links to various central distribution stations. Central distribution stations are equipped with servers intended to store, classify, sort, and possibly process the data, before distributing or redistributing it to portable equipment. Exchanges between portable equipment and personal computers are also possible according to comparable schemes.
In the following description, equipment such as telephones or the other devices mentioned above is designated as the "local equipment". Equipment intended to store data, and with which the local equipment may make communication links is designated as the "central station". A central station can be a computer or a server, for example.
The making available to users of an increasing amount of data through the communication possibilities of local equipment, causes difficulties of location, selection and access to the data that has to be distributed to the users. U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,581; U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,923, U.S. Pat. No. 2002/0140988, U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,301; U.S. 2004/0085455; U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,519; WO 99/32960; WO 00/75914 illustrate various aspects of image distribution, distributing data linked to images, and selecting data that has to be distributed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,581, for example, describes local equipment capable of reading a uniform resource locator URL and receiving data via the Internet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,923 while not referring to local portable equipment, indicates the possibility of linking addresses or codes to the images of a photographic index sheet for retrieving the corresponding image data.

Method of distributing multimedia data to equipment provided with an image sensor


A binary logic circuit converts a number in floating point format having an exponent E, an exponent bias B=2ew-1−1, and a significand comprising a mantissa M of mw bits into a fixed point format with an integer width of iw bits and a fractional width of fw bits. The circuit includes an offset unit configured to offset the exponent of the floating point number by an offset value equal to (iw−1−sy) to generate a shift value sv of sw bits given by sv=(B−E)+(iw−1−sy), the offset value being equal to a maximum amount by which the significand can be left-shifted before overflow occurs in the fixed point format; a right-shifter operable to receive a significand input comprising a formatted set of bits derived from the significand, the shifter being configured to right-shift the input by a number of bits equal to the value represented by k least significant bits of the shift value to generate an output result, where bitwidth[min(2ew-1−1, iw−1−sy)+min(2ew-1−2, fw)]≤k≤sw, where sy=1 for a signed floating point number and sy=0 for an unsigned floating point number.

One way to represent numerical values is in floating point format. Floating point numbers are widely used within the field of computing due to their ability to represent a wide range of values with relatively few bits. A floating point number may be represented using binary bits. A schematic illustration of a binary floating point number is shown in FIG. 1. The floating point number comprises a sign field S (101), mantissa field M (105) and exponent field E (103). The sign field comprises a single sign bit. If the floating point number is an unsigned number, it may not comprise a sign field. The exponent field E comprises a set of ew bits.
The mantissa has a bit width of mw bits and forms part of the significand. The significand is given by the value Y·M, where Y is the leading bit of the significand and can either be '1' or '0'. When Y=1 the significand is referred to as 'normal' and when Y=0 the significand is referred to as denormal. For a given implementation, the value of the leading bit is typically fixed and can be referred to as an implicit bit. As such, only the mantissa M may be stored.
The sign bit denotes the sign of the floating point number. The exponent may either be a signed integer (typically in the range−2ew-1≤E≤2ew-1−1, where ew is the number of exponent bits, or exponent width), or an unsigned integer (typically in the range 0≤E≤2ew−1). If the exponent is an unsigned integer, it is biased by an exponent bias B to give the 'true' exponent that determines the value of the floating point number.
Thus, in general, the value represented by a floating point number is given by (−1)sign×2E-B×significand=(−1)sign×2E-B×Y·M
Biasing the exponent allows the 'true' exponent (i.e. E−B) to be a negative or a positive integer whilst limiting the value in the exponent field E to an integer greater than or equal to zero. This is advantageous because it enables the relative sizes of exponents for different floating point numbers to be compared more easily than if the value in the exponent field was a signed integer.
Another way to represent numerical values is in a fixed point representation. In a fixed point representation the radix point (the point between the integer and fractional bits of the number) is at a fixed position in the numeral. This is in contrast to a floating point number, in which the radix point can move, or "float". A schematic illustration of a binary fixed point number is shown in FIG. 2. The fixed point number comprises an integer part 201 and a fractional part 203. The integer part and fractional part are separated by the radix point 205. The number of bits forming the integer part may be referred to as the integer width iw, and the number of bits forming the fractional part may be referred to as the fractional width fw. For a fixed point format with a given bitwidth, the number of bits used to represent the integer part (and therefore the fractional part) is fixed.
It is often desirable to convert a number between floating point and fixed point formats. For example, it may be less complex to perform certain arithmetic operations in hardware such as addition and subtraction on fixed point numbers due to the fixed position of the radix point. An example of a circuit for converting a floating point number to a fixed point number is shown in FIG. 3. The circuit 300 comprises a shifter 301 coupled to a subtraction unit 303 and a negation unit 305. The floating point number 100 to be converted is shown for the purposes of illustration.
The negation unit is configured to receive the sign bit of the floating point number as a first input, and the mantissa of the floating point number as a second input. The negation unit is configured to take the complement of the mantissa and output the result if the sign bit indicates the floating point number represents a negative value. If the sign bit indicates that the floating point number represents a positive value, the negation unit does not take the complement of the mantissa and instead outputs the mantissa unaltered.
The subtraction unit receives as an input the exponent E of the floating point number and subtracts from that value the exponent bias B. The value of the bias may be fixed, or pre-determined, so that the subtraction unit is configured to subtract a fixed value from the exponent value. The value of the subtraction (E−B) is then output to the shifter 301.
The shifter 301 receives as a first input the mantissa M from the negation unit 305 and as a second input the value (E−B) from the subtraction unit 303. The shifter is operable to shift the mantissa left or right by a number of bits equal to the magnitude of the value of (E−B) to convert the floating point number to fixed point format. In particular, the shifter is configured to left-shift the mantissa by a number of bits equal to the value of (E−B) when (E−B) is greater than zero, and right-shift the mantissa by a number of bits equal to the value of (B−E) when the value of (E−B) is less than zero. The shifted mantissa is then output as the fixed point number. The output fixed point number may then be rounded. Examples of rounding modes include round-to-zero (RTZ), round-to-negative-infinity (RTN), round to positive infinity (RTP) and round-to-nearest-even (RNE).
The critical path of the binary circuit that determines the speed at which the circuit can convert a floating point number to a fixed point number may depend on the rounding mode and on whether the floating point number is signed or unsigned. For example, for an unsigned floating point number, the subtraction of the bias from the exponent is in the critical path of the circuit; for signed negative floating point numbers using RNI, the negation of the mantissa is in the critical path.

Floating point to fixed point conversion using exponent offset


A hydro-mechanical hybrid transmission device and a control method thereof are provided. The device includes an input shaft, a split mechanism, a mechanical transmission assembly, a hydraulic transmission assembly, and an output shaft, wherein the input shaft is connected, through the split mechanism, to the mechanical transmission assembly and the hydraulic transmission assembly that are connected in parallel, and the mechanical transmission assembly and the hydraulic transmission assembly are both connected to the output shaft. The mechanical transmission assembly includes a front planetary-gear-set assembly and a rear planetary-gear-set assembly. The front planetary-gear-set assembly and the rear planetary-gear-set assembly are connected in series. The control method includes three modes of transmission: pure hydraulic transmission, hydro-mechanical hybrid transmission, and pure mechanical transmission are implemented through combination and engagement/disengagement of gear-shift components.

The transmission device is required to provide a transmission ratio to achieve high torque and low speed when the engineering equipment is started or moves, and is required to provide a transmission ratio to achieve low torque and high speed during transfer of the engineering equipment. Therefore, due to the complex working conditions, the transmission device of the engineering equipment receives higher requirements and has a more complicated structure than the transmission device of an ordinary vehicle; and the transmission device of the engineering equipment has higher requirements on both the transmission ratio and the torque.
The transmission device has a great influence on fuel economy of the engineering equipment, and improves fuel economy by controlling the engine to run in economical working conditions as much as possible. However, the transmission device in the conventional engineering machinery consists of a hydraulic torque converter and a gearbox, commonly known as a torque converter-gearbox system; the hydraulic torque converter is used for forming a non-rigid connection between the engine and the gearbox, and transmitting the speed and torque of the engine to the gearbox; and finally, the transmission ratio of the engineering equipment is changed through shift of the gearbox, which belongs to the conventional mechanical transmission mode and cannot meet the requirements on the transmission ratio in complex working conditions.
At present, the engineering equipment adopts a hydraulic transmission system where an engine drives a hydraulic pump to enable a hydraulic motor to achieve the travelling function. However, the transmission medium of such a hydraulic transmission system is hydraulic oil, and high-pressure oil is produced during the transmission process, which raises high requirements on the sealing performance between the components. The higher requirements on the pressure-resistant performance of the hydraulic components lead to a higher cost of the components; and the transmission efficiency is not high as compared with the mechanical transmission system.

Hydro-mechanical hybrid transmission device with multiple power distribution modes and control method thereof


Portions of a thermoplastic synthetic resin panel (B) formed by extrusion and integrally having a first sheet (2a), a second sheet (2b) parallel to the first sheet (2a), and a plurality of ribs (3) integrally joining the first and second sheets (2a, 2b) are welded together by ultrasonic welding by applying an ultrasonic welding head (6) and a work support block (7) of an ultrasonic welding machine to the first sheet (2a) and the second sheet (2b), respectively, and compressing the portions of the thermoplastic synthetic resin panel (B) between the ultrasonic welding head (6) and the work support block (7). When welding together two thermoplastic synthetic resin panels (B1, B2), at least portions of the panels (B1, B2) are put one on top of the other to form an overlapping section, an head (6C) and a work support block (7C) are applied to the opposite surfaces of the overlapping section, respectively, and the head (6C) is driven to generate ultrasonic waves, compressing the overlapping section between the ultrasonic welding head (6C) and the work support block (7C). The overlapping section vibrates, generates frictional heat therein, and is welded under compression.

Hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels having two parallel sheets and a plurality of ribs integrally connecting together the two sheets are used for forming packages, such as boxes, architectural materials, such as partition members and walls, and the like. The hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel for such purposes are produced by extruding a material in the direction of extension of the ribs. Generally, the material is a thermoplastic resin such as a polypropylene rein or a polyethylene resin. The hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel has become prevalently used owing to its excellent strength and durability as compared with those of corrugated cardboards,
Since the side edges parallel to the ribs of the conventional hollow panel of this kind, and the end edges of the same hollow panel perpendicular to the ribs are open to the outside, the interior of the spaces of the hollow panel are liable to be contaminated with foreign matters including dust and unwanted bacteria, and the cleaning of the interiors of the hollows is practically impossible. Accordingly, the conventional hollow panel could not have been used for forming boxes for containing food, medical and pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, etc. which must meet severe sanitary standards.
When using hollow panels of this kind as a packaging material, the hollow panels need to be subjected to processes to form grooves and/or recesses in the surface thereof, and to form folding grooves and openings in the hollow panels. Such processes use press working including hot-plate press working. However, since folding grooves formed by press working are shallow and portions of the hollow panels corresponding to the folding grooves are excessively resilient, various troubles arises during and after assembling the hollow panels to form boxes. If an opening is formed in the hollow panel by press working, the interior of the hollows are opened on the edge of the opening and hence the interior of the hollows are contaminated with foreign matters including dust. When a hot plate is used for press working, the surface of the hot plate melts portions on the opposite sides of a pressed part of the opposite sheets of the hollow panel and many pores are formed in the hollow panel.
Hollow panels are joined together or a hollow panel is joined to another part, such as a frame, by methods respectively using staples, rivets, an adhesive tape and an adhesive. These methods have been employed in joining together corrugated cardboards made of paper and, in some cases, these methods are applicable to joining together hollow synthetic resin panels without entailing any problem.
Hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels are used for forming a package for containing a heavy article that applies a large load that cannot be born by a corrugated cardboard or fiberboard to the package or a highly air-tight or liquid-tight package. Therefore, a package formed by welding together hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels with adhesive tapes or an adhesive is not perfectly reliable when used for such purposes. Stapling and riveting have difficulty in carrying out air-tight or liquid-tight welding.
A method of welding together hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels with a hot plate, similarly to the method of forming grooves and/or recesses in hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels and forming folding grooves and openings in the hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel, has problems in that many holes and impressions are formed in the surface of the hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel, and in that two hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels, or a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel and a thermoplastic synthetic resin part are not welded firmly together with satisfactory appearance and, in a worst case, the welded portions of the hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel are burnt off.
The present invention has been made to solve those problems in the prior art and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel welding method capable of firmly welding together the opposite sheets of a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel, two hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels or a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel and another part with satisfactory appearance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic synthetic resin panel welding method capable of surely closing the edges or the line of a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel by fusion to seal the interior of the hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel panel.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic synthetic resin panel welding method capable of surely forming grooves, recesses, folding grooves, openings and such in a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel without inducing resilience in portions of the hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel corresponding to the grooves, the recesses, the folding grooves, the openings and such.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panel processed by the foregoing method and a hollow panel structure fabricated by processing hollow thermoplastic synthetic resin panels by the foregoing method.

Synthetic resin panel welding method and hollow panel structures fabricated by the method


A radio system can be configured as a beyond line-of-sight system and includes a number of antennas, a number of phase adjusters and a transmitter/receiver unit. Each of the phase adjusters can be associated with a respective antenna of the antennas. The antennas can be disposed on separate platforms. The transmitter/receiver unit communicates with the phase adjusters. The communicating allows the beyond-line-of-sight system to use the antennas as a larger virtual antenna.

Wireless communication systems, such as radio frequency (RF) communication systems, include an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals. Antennas can be fabricated according to a number of different designs and sizes. Certain types and sizes of antennas provide better transmission and reception for certain types of communications. Antennas for RF communication systems are often affixed to military and civilian naval, ground and airborne vehicles, personnel or platforms for relaying messages and data.
When line-of-sight RF communications are not possible for terrestrial communications systems, communications are performed using infrastructure-based systems or using beyond line-of-sight HF communication systems. An infrastructure-based systems, such as, satellite systems, or man-made infrastructure systems, such as, wire line systems, are expensive. These systems require equipment to be placed in or above the atmosphere or on land to assist the communication. The infrastructure-based systems must be available in the particular area for which communications are pending. Also, the infrastructure can be vulnerable to enemy destruction.
Beyond line-of-sight communications systems rely on the transmission of radio waves to the ionosphere and the bouncing of those radio waves off the ionosphere to a recipient. The range for the communications is increased as compared to line-of-sight terrestrial wireless communication systems by bouncing RF signals off the ionosphere.
An example of an incident communication or beyond line-of-sight system is a high frequency (HF) communications system. HF communication systems generally utilize the 3-33 megahertz (MHz) frequency range and require large antennas due to the larger wavelength associated with RF signal. One example of an incident HF communication system, the HF near-vertical incident skywave (NVIS) radio, supports a range of communication across a range of approximately 5 to 100 miles. Examples of HF NVIS for military communication system programs include the U.S. Army War Fighter Information Network—Terrestrial (WIN-T) system, the U.K. Ground Recognized Air Picture Initial Operating Capability (GRAP IOC) system, the Taiwan Advanced Technical Data Link (TATDL) system and the HF Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) ARC220 radio for the U.S. Army.
With reference to FIG. 1, a graph 19 shows the operational effectiveness as a function of range for several antenna types used with the conventional AN/PRC-74 radio in mountainous and varied terrain including jungles in Thailand. A Y axis 21 represents a ratio of messages received over the total messages transmitted and an X axis 23 represents range in miles.
Graph 20 is an approximation of FIG. M-15 from Army Field Manual FM241-18. Graph 20 shows message reliability for three types of HF antennas: a dipole antenna, a slant antenna, and a whip antenna.
An HF whip antenna is generally an omnidirectional antenna that can be easily and quickly assembled and directed. It is typically lightweight and easy to carry but has limited range with conventional radios. Whip antennas are often comprised of a somewhat flexible conductor mounted at one end to a radio housing, a vehicle or other platform.
An HF dipole antenna generally requires two or more supports. It utilizes a conductor or wire connected between two or more supports or poles. Although assembly is relatively easy and extended ranges are possible with dipole antennas, operation on-the-move is not available. Since HF dipole antennas are often greater than 100 feet long.
A HF slant wire antenna generally requires only a single vertical support. A conductor or wire is connected to the single vertical support and the ground. Slant wire antennas can be deployed in a clearing using a tent pole and a length of conductor or wire. The slant wire antenna, similar to the dipole antenna, can be longer than 100 yards and provides an effective vertical takeoff angle that can be used to bounce the RF signals off the ionosphere.
Both the dipole antenna and slant wire antenna require greater setup time than the whip antenna and utilize a substantially longer conductor. Large setup times (from over one to two minutes) are not desired in rapid deployments. Further, large setup times hinder operations which require the radio system to be portable or on-the-move.
Referring to graph 19 in FIG. 1, the probability area for the large dipole antenna is represented by the area within dotted and dashed line 25. The probability area for the slant wire antenna is represented by the area enclosed by dotted line 27. The probability for whip antennas is represented by the area surrounded by solid line 29. As can be shown in FIG. 1, the larger dipole antennas have a significantly higher probability of properly receiving and transmitting messages followed in order of highest probability by slant wire antennas and whip antennas, respectively.
As shown in graph 19, the most portable antenna, the whip antenna, has the poorest probability of complete transmissions and receptions (the area enclosed by solid line 29). This factor is especially disadvantageous because the whip antenna is a more practicable antenna for utilization on vehicles or other mobile platforms. Transmission and reception in ranges from 10 to 60 miles is especially poor with the whip antenna. Takeoff angles for smaller antennas, such as, the whip antenna do not have the vertical takeoff angles associated with dipole antennas and therefore have reduced gain.
Therefore, there is a need for an HF NVIS system which can be available for rapid deployments. Further, there is a need for an HF NVIS radio that can be operated on the move. Further still, there is a need for an HF NVIS radio system which has increased transmission and reception performance and can utilize whip antennas. Yet further, there is a need for a method of operating a radio system that improves reception and transmission and can utilize whip antennas. Yet even further, there is a need for a terrestrial communication system for providing for stable communications across a range from zero to 100 miles and yet not require large setup times or significant infrastructure. The approach given below can be used to provide a virtual antenna to other beyond line-of-sight radio propagation paths, such as "regular" HF skywave, meteor burst, or troposcatter systems.

System for and method of improving beyond line-of-sight transmissions and receptions


The present invention provides a human coatomer vesicle protein (HECOP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HECOP. The invention also provides genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding HECOP and a method for producing HECOP. The invention also provides the use of HECOP and antagonists specifically binding HECOP in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with expression of HECOP. The invention also provides diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide, or fragments or the complement thereof, and antibodies specifically binding HECOP.

Eukaryotic proteins are synthesized within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), are delivered from the ER to the Golgi complex for post-translational processing and sorting, and are transported from the Golgi to specific intracellular and extracellular destinations. This intracellular and extracellular movement of protein molecules is termed vesicle trafficking. Trafficking is accomplished by the packaging of protein molecules into specialized vesicles which bud from the donor organelle membrane and fuse to the target membrane.
Specialized cell types utilize specific vesicle trafficking routes. For instance, in endocrine glands, hormones and other secreted proteins are delivered to secretory granules for exocytosis through the plasma membrane to the cell exterior. In macrophages, peroxidases and proteases are delivered to lysosomes. In fat and muscle cells, glucose transporters are stored in vesicles which fuse with the plasma membrane in response to insulin stimulation.
Numerous proteins are necessary for the formation, targeting, and fusion of transport vesicles and for the proper sorting of proteins into these vesicles. The vesicle trafficking machinery includes coat proteins which promote the budding of vesicles from donor membranes; vesicle- and target-specific identifiers (v-SNAREs and t-SNAREs) which bind to each other and dock the vesicle to the target membrane; and proteins which bind to SNARE complexes and initiate fusion of the vesicle to the target membrane (SNAPs).
Vesicles in the process of budding from the ER and the Golgi are covered with a protein coat similar to the clathrin coat of endocytotic vesicles. The protein coat is assembled from cytosolic precursor molecules and is confined to budding regions of the organelle membrane. The coat protein (COP)-coated vesicles are uncoated after budding is complete to allow fusion of the vesicle to the donor membrane.
The COP coat consists of two major components, a guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) and coat protomer (coatomer). The individual proteins are cytosolic until assembled into the protein coat. Coatomer is an equimolar complex of seven proteins, termed .alpha., .beta., .beta.', .gamma., .delta., .epsilon., and .zeta.-COP. Two types of COP vesicles have been characterized, COPI and COPII, which contain different GTPase components (Rothman, J. E. et al. (1996) Science 272:227-234). The GTPase subunit, ARF protein in COPI coats and the closely-related SAR protein in COPII coats, controls the budding process. In a process essentially the same for the SAR/COPII complex, ARF binds GTP and inserts into the organelle membrane, which initiates COPI assembly. Membrane-bound ARF-GTP recruits cytosolic coatomer proteins. Co-assembly of ARF and coatomer into the COPI coat on the organelle membrane surface drives vesicle budding. Subsequent hydrolysis of the bound GTP induces vesicle uncoating by releasing ARF and coatomer. COPI vesicles are involved in protein trafficking from the ER to Golgi, bidirectional movement within the Golgi, and from Golgi to the ER. COPII vesicles are involved primarily in ER to Golgi trafficking.
Subunits of coatomer have been cloned from a variety of mammalian sources. The 36 kdal .epsilon.-COP has been cloned from bovine liver (Hara-Kuge S. et al. (1994) J. Cell. Biol. 124:883-892) and from hamster (Guo, Q. et al. (1994) J. Cell. Biol. 125:1213-1224). Examination of a conditional lethal, temperature-sensitive (ts) .epsilon.-COP mutant of chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells indicates that .epsilon.-COP and associated COPI coatomers are necessary for the establishment or maintenance of Golgi structure, for proper ER-to-Golgi transport of integral membrane and secreted proteins, and for normal endocytotic recycling of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors (Guo, et al. 1994).
The etiology of numerous human diseases and disorders can be attributed to defects in the trafficking of proteins to organelles or the cell surface. Defects in the trafficking of membrane-bound receptors and ion channels are associated with cystic fibrosis (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; CFTR), glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome (Na.sup.+ /glucose cotransporter), hypercholesterolemia (low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor), and forms of diabetes mellitus (insulin receptor). Abnormal hormonal secretion is linked to disorders including diabetes insipidus (vasopressin), hyper- and hypoglycemia (insulin, glucagon), Grave's disease and goiter (thyroid hormone), and Cushing's and Addison's diseases (adrenocorticotropic hormone; ACTH).
Cancer cells secrete excessive amounts of hormones or other biologically active peptides. Disorders related to excessive secretion of biologically active peptides by tumor cells include: fasting hypoglycemia due to increased insulin secretion from insulinoma-islet cell tumors; hypertension due to increased epinephrine and norepinephrine secreted from pheochromocytomas of the adrenal medulla and sympathetic paraganglia; and carcinoid syndrome, which includes abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and valvular heart disease, caused by excessive amounts of vasoactive substances (serotonin, bradykinin, histamine, prostaglandins, and polypeptide hormones) secreted from intestinal tumors. Ectopic synthesis and secretion of biologically active peptides (peptides not expected from a tumor) includes ACTH and vasopressin in lung and pancreatic cancers; parathyroid hormone in lung and bladder cancers; calcitonin in lung and breast cancers; and thyroid-stimulating hormone in medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Polynucleotides encoding a novel human coatomer vesicle protein and the molecules themselves provide a means to investigate vesicle trafficking and secretion under normal and disease conditions. Discovery of a novel coatomer vesicle protein satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions useful in diagnosing and treating disorders associated with abnormal vesicle trafficking.


A casing for a gas turbine includes a fan case, an intermediate case and a gas generator case integrated with one another.

Affordable, "personal" jet aircraft are fast becoming a reality in the general aviation market, very small turbofan engines are required for power. Such aircraft require "very small" turbofan engines (i.e. 2000 pounds thrust and under) which can be economically operated by the general aviation pilot. Small scale turbofan gas turbine engines are known for use in expendable missiles in the delivery of military ordinance, however considerations such as cost-effective, affordable and efficient operation, and durability measured in thousands of hours (not minutes), have been irrelevant to their designers. Such prior art missile engine designs, therefore, provide none of the key deliverables required for such a market to be realized. Likewise, industrial microturbines are available, but their designs are ill-suited for use as an aircraft prime mover, for obvious considerations such as weight and size.
Scaling down of conventional civilian non-expendable turbofan engines, however, also presents difficulties due mainly to the disproportionate scaling of certain factors, such as strength to weight and tolerances. For example, non-expendable turbofan engines typically have a segmented case assembly, mainly for weight reduction reasons, but also to facilitate fabrication and assembly. A conventional case assembly 200 is illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes a fan case 202, an intermediate case 204, a compressor case 206, a gas generator case 208, a turbine case 210 and a turbine exhaust case 211 about centreline 212. The gas generator case 208, turbine case 210 and turbine exhaust case 211 surround the hot section of the engine and are typically made of steel or nickel alloys, which have good thermal resistance properties. However steel is relatively heavy, and therefore cooler portions such as the intermediate case 204 and the compressor case 206 typically employ lighter materials such as magnesium and/or aluminium. Steel is conventionally used for the fan case 202 because its strength is desirable for containing blade-off events.
A similar prior art configuration 300 is illustrated in FIG. 2, a case assembly 300 (only the upper half of which is shown), having a fan case 344, an intermediate case 346, and a gas generator case 352 (the turbine and exhaust cases are not shown) bolted together, along centreline 312. A compressor shroud 348 for encircling the compressor blades is bolted to the intermediate case 346, as is a bearing seat (not shown) at location 357. Flange connections 302, 304 and 306 are provided to accommodate differences in thermal expansion rates amongst the different material case components. Typically the case components are assembled in stages, as the engine component top-level assemblies are assembled therein.
Simply scaling down these larger case designs, however, becomes problematic in "very small" turbofan engines (i.e. generally 2000 pounds thrust, and less) for several reasons. One is the associated tolerance "stack-up", which typically does not scale (i.e. the accuracy of manufacturing and assembly process does not increase as part size decreases). In typical turbofan engines, tolerance stack-up is less critical because it is small compared to the size of the components. But when considering blade tip clearance for example, the tolerance stack-up can have a very significant effect on the overall efficiency of a very small turbofan engine, since specific fuel consumption (SFC) is directly related to blade tip clearance. Any blade tip clearance must account for a tolerance stack-up, to avoid tip rubs caused by an unfavourable stack-up, and so tolerance stack-up directly affects efficiency. Another scaling problem is that factors often scale at different rates. For example, a component reduced to nominally half its original size, may not necessarily be halved in weight.
Another aspect which presents challenges to scaling down size is the differences in thermal expansion rates, which requires compensation and thereby adds weight and complexity. For example, the accessory gear box (AGB) tower shaft typically requires a telescoping design (and associated bearings) to account for thermal expansion differential. In the very small turbofan engine, such accommodations make the engine unfeasible expensive and inefficient to operate.
Therefore, as the affordable general aviation turbofan engine market develops, significant design problems are presented to the designer. Scaled-down turbofans are simply inefficient and heavy, and thus too expensive to operate in the general aviation market. Civilian version of expendable missile engines and airborne version of microturbines are also ineffectual solutions to the design problems presented. Thus, it is important to address the design problems of the very small turbofan engine.


A system for switching on an electrical device includes a startup circuit for an associated electrical device. The electrical device has a main power circuit comprising first and second paths and a main switch for selectively connecting the electrical device with an associated power source. The startup circuit uses a pulse of electromagnetic energy transmitted wirelessly from an associated remote control device to form a third path, whereby power is supplied from the associated power source for actuating the main switch.

The exemplary embodiment relates to the remote operation of electronic devices. It finds particular application in connection with a remote control system for initiating the supply of power to an electronic device, such as a television set, video cassette recorder, radio, or the like, and which removes the need for the device to be maintained in a powered standby mode when not in use.
Power supply circuits are utilized in electronic devices to provide an electronic device with power for continuous operation. For example, a television set utilizes a power supply circuit to provide electrical power for reception and transmission of broadcast, cable or satellite signals to a user. Many electronic devices have a standby mode which provides electrical power to the electronic device for permitting remote activation of the device. A television set, for example, is equipped with a low power standby power supply circuit, to allow the user to activate the television set at times when it is in a 'power-off' mode.
The standby power supply circuit provides electrical power to a micro-controller and infra-red receiver such that the power-on may be accomplished by a remote control device at any time. Additionally, a small electric light is often powered to indicate that the device can be remotely actuated. Although nominally described as 'standby,' the standby power supply circuit does not necessarily stop working when the television set is in power-on mode. Rather, the circuit remains fully operational in power-on mode to keep delivering electrical power to the micro-controller and other digital circuits. Standby power supply circuits thus provide continuous electrical power to electronic devices both in power-on and power-off modes.
Although they consume only about two watts of output electrical power, standby power supply circuits, because they are running continuously, account for a considerable portion of the total power consumed by the device. In many homes, where multiple electronic devices are continuously maintained in standby mode, the waste of energy can be quite significant, particularly when viewed on a national or global scale. It has been estimated that in the average home, about 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are not in use.
There remains a need for a system and method for remotely controlling a change in the state of an electronic device between a power off and power on mode which does not entail the device being continuously powered.
Incorporation by Reference
The following references, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by reference, are mentioned:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,306, entitled SIGNAL POWERED RECEIVER, by Darrow, discloses a self-powered receiver including a series resonant circuit tuned to the carrier frequency of a modulated carrier signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,770, entitled WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WITH INCREASED OUTPUT VOLTAGE, by Bartels, discloses a device for wireless power transmission, including a system for supplying transponders, which includes a high-frequency transmitter that transmits a transmitted high-frequency output signal, and a high-frequency receiver that receives the transmitted high-frequency output signal.
U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0105034, entitled STANDBY POWER SUPPLY SHUTDOWN AT POWER ON, by Libera, discloses a standby power supply circuit that controls power consumption. Electromagnetic interference during operation of a television is decreased by disconnecting the AC line from the standby power supply circuit.
U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0279165, entitled REED SWITCH APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USING SAME, by Gilmore, discloses a reed switch apparatus which utilizes one or more reed switches to communicate with one or more devices.
Brief Description
In accordance with one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a system for switching on an electrical device includes a startup circuit for an associated electrical device. The electrical device has a main power circuit comprising first and second paths and a main switch for selectively connecting the electrical device with an associated power source. The startup circuit uses a pulse of electromagnetic energy transmitted wirelessly from an associated remote control device to form a third path, whereby power is supplied from the associated power source for actuating the main switch.
In accordance with another aspect, a method for remotely switching on an electrical device is provided. The device is connectable with a power source by first and second paths. The first path includes a main switch. The method includes transmitting a signal comprising a pulse of electromagnetic energy from a remote device to a startup circuit for the electrical device and using the energy pulse to temporarily form a third path which brings power from the power source to actuate the main switch, whereby power is supplied from the associated power source to the electrical device by the first and second paths.
In another aspect, a wireless system is provided for remotely switching on an electrical device without requiring the electrical device to be in a standby mode in which power is consumed.
In various aspects of this embodiment, the wireless system may include a remote control device including a transmitter which transmits a high energy pulse of electromagnetic radiation. A main circuit is provided for bringing power to the electrical device. The main circuit includes a switch and an actuator which actuates the main switch. A startup circuit includes a normally open second switch having a closed position in which an electrical path is formed which allows power to flow to the actuator for actuating the main switch and a coil proximate the second switch, the coil converting the high energy pulse to an electromagnetic field which only temporarily closes the second switch.

Energy preserving wireless remote control system


A method transmits data packets in a radio-communication system. A criterion is associated with a data packet received by a radio station, and a data packet which is correctly received is transmitted to another device and/or protocol layer when the criterion has been met.

The invention relates to a method and a radio station for transmitting data packets in a radio communication system, in particular in a mobile radio system.
In radio communication systems, information such as voice, image information, or other data, is transmitted with the aid of electromagnetic waves over a radio interface between a sending and a receiving radio station (base station and mobile station). Said waves are radiated using carrier frequencies lying in the frequency band provided for the respective system. Frequencies in the frequency band of approximately 2,000 MHz are provided for future mobile radio systems employing CDMA or TD/CDMA transmission methods over the radio interface, for example the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) or other 3rd generation systems. Frequency Division Multiplex Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiplex Access (TDMA), or a method known as Code Division Multiplex Access (CDMA) here serve to distinguish the signal sources.
As part of the process of specifying the UMTS standard, methods are currently being defined which are to be optimized for packet transmissions. An example of this is what is termed High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) for the FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) and TDD (Time Division Duplex) mode of the UMTS standard. These methods are to be capable of catering for services with different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A base station (NB: Node B) is here responsible for what is termed the scheduling of different users' data and for what is termed the retransmission, which is to say the repeated transmission, of incorrectly received data packets using what is termed a hybrid ARQ process. Hybrid ARQ methods derive their advantage from the fact that incorrectly received data packets are stored in a storage facility in the receiving device so they can be combined with succeeding, repeated and, where applicable, modified transmissions of the data packets. In contrast to known pure ARQ methods where faulty data packets are rejected at the receiving side, this advantageously also makes it possible to benefit from the data packets already received to increase the quality of reception.
In the receiving device it is necessary for the received data to be forwarded to higher protocol layers in the correct sequence, which is to say in the sequence originally present at the sending side. Since, owing to retransmissions for instance, the time sequence of the correctly received data packets can become mixed-up during transmission over the radio interface, the original sequence has to be restored at the receiving side. Customarily implemented for this in the receiving device is a reordering buffer which continues to store a number of data packets until a correct sequence can be ensured. If, for instance, a second and a third data packet are correctly received while correct reception of a first data packet is still awaited, the two data packets will remain stored until the first data packet has also been correctly received. The data packets are then forwarded in the original sequence to higher protocol layers in the receiving device.
Because a base station potentially has to control and carry out transmissions of data packets to a large number of users in parallel, also referred to as 'user scheduling', long delays may disadvantageously arise until a repeatedly transmitted data packet has been correctly received. It may in such cases no longer be possible to maintain the pre-specified Quality of Service, and delays will occur that are unpleasant for the user on the receiving side.

Method and radio sation for transmitting data packets in a radio-communication system


A withdrawing device for a press that outputs an elongated workpiece in a direction has a first guide extending in the direction and carrying a first carriage movable by a first motor. A second guide extending in the direction on the first carriage carries a second carriage displaceable in the direction on the second guide by a second motor. The workpiece is clamped to the second carriage. A controller is connected to the first and second motors for shifting the second carriage in the direction at a speed independent of a speed of the first carriage while the first carriage is moving in the direction.

A device of this kind is known from EP 0 300 262 B1 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,253). For producing a bar of high quality in a bar or tube press it has been recognized as necessary for the bar to be withdrawn from the die of the bar or tube press with a defined withdrawal force. In this manner it can be ensured that the bar formation in the die will not be negatively influenced. To ensure a high quality of the bar a withdrawal device has been described with which the end of the bar to be withdrawn is affixed to a carriage movable on a rail. The carriage is connected with drive means so that a tension force can be applied to the bar. For optimal finishing results, the tension force is a combination of different components, whereby especially one component is determined as a function of the pressed-out bar length.
In this manner the cross sectional tolerances of the bar withdrawn from the bar press can be reduced so that the bar has the desired quality. This system is based upon the consideration that the bar, with increasing spacing from the die, as a result of the cooling, can be loaded with increasing tension without producing a cross sectional change.
It has been found problematical in this context that different forces are applied to the withdrawal carriage over the withdrawal path so that it is very difficult to ensure a defined withdrawal force, for example conforming to a predetermined function, which can be applied to the bar end.
The carriage or puller truck has a mass and is driven by a motor. The speed and torque of the motor can be predetermined by a control. The motor force applied to the carriage, which is converted into the withdrawal force applied to the extrusion pressed profile or strand, will depend upon the friction force of the mounting of the carriage as well as the initial forces which are dependent upon the actual acceleration of the carriage. Only in a static case will the motor force correspond to the withdrawal force, because in that case the speed and the friction are zero. When the profile or strand moves, the friction force and inertial forces on the carriage are not constant and the friction coefficient will depend upon environmental conditions (temperature, contamination of the path). As a consequence it becomes very difficult to apply a defined predetermined withdrawal force to the bar to be withdrawn. If the carriage is accelerated at the beginning of the withdrawal process the force equilibrium is destroyed as a consequence of the inertial forces which arise so that there are special difficulties in maintaining a defined withdrawal force. With light and sensitive profiles or strands this can give rise to a problem with respect to the quality of the product or to an increase in the waste level in production.

Device for withdrawing a bar produced in a bar extruder or pipe extruder


A container is provided with a pour spout fitment. The fitment carries a flange which secures the fitment to the container, the flange surrounding a dispensing opening in the container. The pour spout is normally externally closed by a screw cap threaded thereon. A frangible membrane normally spans and internally closes the dispensing opening. A hollow piercing insert is positioned within the pour spout lumen, the lower edge of the insert being serrated to define cutting teeth. The screw cap is removed and the piercing element pushed downwardly to thereby rupture the frangible membrane and permit dispensing from the container. The interior of the spout is provided with a plurality of axially spaced, inwardly extending ribs which cooperate with outwardly extending protrusions on the piercing insert to thus define a plurality of discrete axial locations of the piercing insert relative to the spout.

This invention relates to dispensing containers for storing and dispensing liquids such as milk, fruit juices, or other potables. Such containers may assume the form of the well-known gable top type milk container wherein access to the contents is obtained by spreading one end of the gable top apart to thereby form a pouring or dispensing spout, after which the spout is re-folded until the next dispensing operation. Such containers may, alternatively, be provided with a pour spout, such as an injection molded plastic spout, having a flange at its bottom and having external screw threads for engagement with a screw on cap. For dispensing, the cap is removed, the container tilted, and all or part of the contents poured out through the pour spout. One example of such a container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,464 issued to Nomura.
In a pour spout type container, such as shown in the Nomura patent, it is sometimes desirable to place a seal somewhere axially along the pour spout lumen or passageway, such as across a dispensing opening in the paperboard which forms the carton, with the opening being aligned with the pour spout lumen. In a construction of this type, it is known to employ a piercing insert which the user pushes down after the removal of the external screw cap, so as to rupture a seal or membrane which covers a dispensing opening in one of the container walls. This arrangement permits the contents of the package to be sealed and hence protected against contamination prior to the first use by the consumer. While performing the function of rupturing a seal membrane which covers the dispensing opening, such piercing inserts have not been completely satisfactory, either from a manufacturing point of view or because of difficulties encountered in their use.