An acoustic attenuator and wax barrier for a hearing aid includes a substantially cylindrical, color coded, housing having a barbed portion for press-fitting the barrier into position. As the channel diameters increase, an associated peak output frequency also increases for the respective housing. The barrier may include one of a plurality of attenuating or damping screens which provides predetermined sound damping characteristics. Alternately, the barrier may include housings having different acoustic channel diameters to provide the different, predetermined audio attenuation or damping characteristics. The barrier is field changeable and is more easily inserted than removed. The barrier may be provided as part of a system which includes a tool for performing field replacement of the barrier.

In-the-ear and in-the-canal type hearing aids have become accepted by users for their small size, ease of use and relative comfort, as compared to older style hearing aids. Many of the in-the-ear and in-the-canal type devices include a housing or shell which is designed to fit in the ear or ear canal of the user.
The shell may hold the electronic circuitry, a microphone, and a receiver. The microphone receives audible sound from outside of the device and responsively creates an electronic signal. The signal may be sent to processing circuitry which supplies an output signal to the receiver. The receiver in turn, provides audio output to the ear.
Typically, in the in-the-ear and in-the-canal type devices, sound travels from an output port of the receiver, through a sound channel, and out of the device through an acoustical output port in the hearing aid shell. The sound then travels through the user's ear canal and causes the tympanic membrane to vibrate.
Ears secrete a substance known as cerumen or ear wax. While ear wax cleans the internal structure of the ear, it also tends to flow into the sound channel and receiver of a hearing aid located in the ear. Ear wax which migrates into a hearing aid can degrade the effectiveness of the device and can eventually cause the device to fail.
A number of barrier products are presently available to prevent or reduce the migration of ear wax into a hearing aid. One such barrier design uses a fine mesh screen in the sound channel between the receiver and acoustical output port of the shell.
More recently, barrier systems have been introduced which include a housing which threadedly interconnects the output port of the receiver and the acoustic port of the shell. The housing threads into a portion of the shell. The housing has an interior surface which includes projections extending inwardly thereof, creating a tortuous path for solid or semi-liquid ear wax migrating therethrough.
Such devices are disclosed in Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,689, entitled "Ear Wax Barrier For A Hearing Aid" and Weiss et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,488, entitled "Ear Wax Barrier And Acoustic Attenuator For A Hearing Aid," both of which patents are commonly assigned herewith, and both of which patents are incorporated by reference herein.
In the devices disclosed in the Weiss and Weiss et al. patents, the barrier is incorporated into a housing, which has projections extending inward of the housing. The barrier is then threaded into the hearing aid shell. This design was a significant improvement over devices prior thereto.
In addition, attenuation/damping of the sound transmitted by hearing aids assists the user in understanding and perceiving nearby sounds and conversation. Prior wax barriers have also exhibited attenuation and damping characteristics.
There continues to be a need for damping/attenuating structures which are easily inserted into and removed from housings or shells for hearing aids without additional mechanical components and/or shell alterations. Preferably, such structures would also facilitate field installation of one of a plurality of screens having predetermined attenuating/damping characteristics in the hearing aid.


A computer network system repetitively distributes messages including uniquely identified blocks of real time data containing a current data image over a broadcast communications network to all real time stations for storage of each repetition of each entire block of data directly in station memory at a unique address space assigned to that uniquely identified block of data. The real time stations receive the blocks of data and alternatively receive other messages from the real time stations. The other messages have a recognized standard protocol, such as the TCP/IP or UDP/IP protocol of the Internet Protocol Suite.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sharing of data in a distributed processing system, and more particularly to the transmission, processing and storage of real time data in a network system.
2. Background Information
In most computer networks, data transmitted over a data highway interconnecting the various stations in the network is addressed to a specific station or stations. The message is ignored by the remaining stations on the network. The network interface at the addressed station interrupts the station central processing unit which then processes the message. Often the receiving station sends back an acknowledgment to the sender station. In these systems, the message identifies both the receiving and sending stations. Such a process is efficient in an application with interactive communication needs between stations.
In broadcast multi-cast networks, the messages are not addressed to any specific station. Each station receives all of the data transmitted and traditionally takes what it needs. This also requires processing of the message by the central processing unit of the receiving station. Typically, to reduce the burden on the system, data is only broadcast by exception. That is, only when the value of a piece of data changes is a message sent. Thus, for instance, in a distributed process control system, where various functions are being performed by a number of stations on a network, data is only broadcast when the value of a variable changes. Other deterministic systems, such as automatic teller machines linked to a central unit by a network also only send data when there is a transaction to process. However, such systems can become overburdened if there is a large disturbance in the process being controlled, or a large number of transactions occur simultaneously.
Assignee of the present invention has developed a broadcast network in which data from the various stations are bundled into packets or blocks of data which are transmitted periodically, whether or not the data has changed. Data with a short latency is transmitted at a fast repetition rate, while other data which is less critical or changes at a slower rate, is transmitted at more widely spaced time intervals. In this system, all the data is transmitted repetitively and is received by all of the stations. Each station examines each block of data received and slices off for storage only that data which it needs. This system is designed for the worst case scenario, and thus does not become overwhelmed by large disturbances in the system. However, local processing of each block of data is required to determine the data to be stored in memory at that station, which limits the data rate that can be handled by the system.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved broadcast network system with an enhanced data rate and yet which does not become overwhelmed by the worst case scenario. Additionally, peer-to-peer communications should also be provided without compromising the real-time performance.

Method and system for distributing data in a real time data imaging network


The present invention relates to a thermodynamically stable, biocompatible, environment friendly, and temperature-insensitive microemulsion containing various botanical essential oils, sugar based surfactants, polyhydric alcohols, and an aqueous phase.

Many personal care and pharmaceutical industries currently provide commercial products to customers in various delivery forms. One typical and popular product is an emulsion such as those in creams, lotions, and gels for topical application. The design of emulsions for cosmetic and pharmaceutical use is quite complex and the crucial drawback of these forms is thermodynamic instability, which causes separation into two immiscible liquid phases (i.e., phase separation). In general, the stability of an emulsion increases with decreasing particle size. In this regard, there is a need for the development of a new and effective delivery system to overcome this drawback.
In recent years, the growing interest in microemulsions has arisen as a powerful alternative to conventional emulsions and as a potential candidate for cosmetic and drug delivery systems. Unlike macroemulsions, microemulsions are optically transparent, thermodynamically stable, possess low viscosity, and are isotropic nanodispersions of oil and aqueous phases stabilized by an interfacial film of surface active molecules. The structure of the microemulsion is classified into three distinct types: (a) water-in-oil microemulsions, in which the aqueous phase is dispersed in the continuous oil phase; (b) bicontinuous microemulsions, in which microdomains of oil and aqueous phases are interdispersed in the system with approximately equal volume; and (c) oil-in-water microemulsions, in which the oil phase is dispersed in the continuous aqueous phase.
Natural essential oils that can be used as potential antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in cosmetic and pharmaceutical use are the growing interest of consumers because of increasing concern about potential side-effects of synthetic additives. Generally, emulsions are used in making lotions, facial toners, shampoos, perfumes and soaps in personal care applications and in pharmaceutical applications for oral or topical use. These benefits are usually achieved by application of the diluted oil to the skin. Most essential oils are used by diluting them with various carrier oils such as soybean oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, and apricot kernel oil and then applying this blend to the skin for absorption. The research of essential oil-based formulations including the microemulsion delivery system has been extensively studied because of their psychological and physical therapeutic benefits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,480 discloses the preparation of microemulsions containing various fragrance and flavor oils with alkoxylated phenol derivatives that may also contain an additional surfactant. These microemulsions contain 5 to 70 wt %, preferably, 10 to 30 wt %, of the alkoxylated phenol derivative ester, about 0 to 40 wt % of an oil phase, about 30 to 90 wt % water and 0 to 40 wt % of any additional alkoxylated phosphate ester.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,725 discloses an alcohol-free transparent perfume formulation containing water, one or more hydrophobic fragrance oils, at least one or more cationic surfactants, a non-ionic surfactant, and amphoteric surfactant with little or no lower alkanols. U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,610 discloses an antibacterial oral hygiene composition comprising sodium benzoate, a weak carboxylic acid, a flavoring agent in combination with anionic surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium tetradecyl sulfate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,171 discloses a multipurpose liquid cleaner in microemulsion form for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces which may include 0.1 to 3% by weight of essential oil, perfume, or hydrocarbon ingredient with a mixture of at least one ethoxylated non-ionic surfactant such as Plurafacea® (BASF), Tween® (ICI), and Neodol® (Shell), cationic surfactant as grease removal agent and an amphoteric surfactant as an antibacterial agent in the range of from 0.1 to 20% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,756 discloses the preparation of a clear, thermodynamically stable and concentrated oil-in-water microemulsion for the flavoring effect of clear beverages containing at least 30 wt % of flavor oil with at least two non-ionic food grade surfactants having a hydrophilic lipophilic balance (1-ILB) between 9 to 18 such as Tween®, Span®, Glycosperse®, and Polyaldo® series produced by ICI.
The applications of essential oil with prior art formulations have some drawbacks. Due to the relatively high content of the oil phase, the skin feels more sticky and greasy (especially oily skin) and its skin absorption and shelf-life is relatively poor. Also, macroemulsion formulations containing essential oils that are commonly used as cosmetic and drug delivery vehicles are also thermodynamically unstable by mainly coalescence and flocculation. Droplet sizes are much larger, typically 1 to 20 μm range, resulting in a cloudy or milky solution. Obtaining a small particle size is one important issue for more stable and elegant emulsion products. In order to reduce the droplet size to a desired level, special external energy is needed by a high shear mixer or a high pressure homogenizer. The poor solubility of water insoluble or sparingly water soluble cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients into aqueous phase solutions is also a crucial technical barrier for cosmetic and pharmaceutical delivery systems. Oil-in-water macroemulsions have been commonly used to obtain a desired concentration in formulations.
Even though microemulsion systems have very good advantages compared to macroemulsions, they still have some problems to solve. M. A. Thevennin et al., "Sucrose esters/cosurfactant microemulsion systems for transdermal delivery: assessment of bicontinuous structures," International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 137, 177-186 (1996) describes the performance of sucrose esters to formulate microemulsions containing water and cetearyl octanoate as the oil phase with alkanols as co-surfactant for topical use. High amounts of alkanols as co-surfactant used for the sucrose ester-based microemulsion and relatively narrow microemulsion domain can have some limitations of practical application. The microemulsions described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,480 are prepared using a relatively high content of surfactants and co-surfactants sometimes causing allergic reactions on the skin and their physical stabilities may be low at high temperature in the range of 50 to 70° C. The use of conventional anionic surfactants having a strong detergent effect as essential components of microemulsions described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,468,725 and 5,707,610 is a critical drawback because of instability and deactivation of other active ingredients including pH-dependent sensitivity. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,323,171 and 6,902,756 described above employ a complex surfactant system as well as being potentially toxic and unstable and may be harmful to the environment. Microemulsions stabilized by non-ionic surfactants are quite sensitive to temperature because of the decreasing surfactant solubility with increasing temperature, which often shows a phase inversion phenomena. This phase inversion phenomena by non-ionic surfactants can cause some problems for the exploitation of microemulsions as cosmetic and pharmaceutical delivery systems.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed are materials using microemulsion formulations that are biocompatible, non-toxic, and clinically acceptable and the microemulsion itself should be temperature-insensitive at a wide range of temperatures. The current invention satisfies these and other needs.

Sugar-based surfactant microemulsions containing essential oils for cosmetic and pharmaceutical use

AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH


A self-adhesive cleaning wipe for use in cleaning dental mirrors and instruments. The self-adhesive cleaning wipe is placed on the surface of protective gloves worn by dental professionals, thereby providing a conveniently accessible absorbent cleaning surface for mirrors and instruments when they become soiled, wet, or fogged. The self-adhesive cleaning wipe is removable and disposable in order to facilitate infection control.

This invention is directed toward a cleaning wipe. More particularly a self-adhesive cleaning wipe for dental instruments.
It is widely known that dentists use a small round mirror mounted at an angle at the end of an elongated shaft or handle. Dental mirrors are used by dentists and dental hygienists to view portions of the patient's mouth, teeth, and tissues that would otherwise be visually inaccessible. During dental procedures, the reflective surface of the mirror will rapidly become fogged over, wet from saliva and water, or dirty from debris. It is necessary to clean the reflective surface of the mirror often so that the dental professional can effectively view the teeth and continue the procedure on the patient. It has therefore been customary for dentists to frequently remove these dental mirrors from the patient's mouth to facilitate cleaning of the reflective surface, and then to reposition the mirror in its original position. This is an unproductive and time-consuming process.
There have been many attempts over the years to make this process easier. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 8,133,052 to Emmons, III (2012); U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,824 to Tarr et al. (1997); U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,785 to Croop et al. (2008); U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,824 to Widen et al. (1976) all are for various forms of self-cleaning dental mirrors. There are several disadvantages to this approach.
Usually a dental practice has already invested significant money into dental mirrors, and has found a brand that they prefer. Replacing all of the mirrors in a dental practice with self-cleaning models would be costly and inefficient.
Many of these self-cleaning dental mirrors make use of suction and/or air blown on the surface of the mirror, or a wiper that moves on the reflective surface. While this may remove some of the debris and saliva from the mirror, the reflective surface is still not clear enough for adequate visualization of the teeth. Further, the production of such self-cleaning mirrors is costly and complicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,675 to Halkyard (2008) attempts to clean dental mirrors using a complicated extraoral device. Halkyard proposes a series of absorbent dots soaked in anti-fogging material and enclosed in a foil pouch to clean the dental mirror instead of replacing the dental mirror. There are several disadvantages to this approach.
To begin, the absorbent dots are enclosed inside a packet and not readily available to the dentist when needed. When the dental mirror needs to be cleaned, the dentist must stop, put down their handpiece (dental drill), and reach to where they have placed this packet. The packet must then be opened to expose the absorbent dots, the mirror cleaned, the absorbent dots replaced in the packet, the instruments picked back up, and the procedure can then be resumed. When repeated over and over again during a single dental procedure, this process is cumbersome and tedious.
Additionally, the dots are soaked in an anti-fogging solution, and cannot be used with any other solution or used dry. The dots are available in a single shape and size that is not customizable to a particular practitioner. Further, the dots are not readily available or within easy reach. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a device that addresses these deficiencies.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a quick, economical, and convenient way to clean a dental mirror.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that can be applied to a variety of surfaces, particularly gloves.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that can be customized as to size and shape.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a thin and flexible cleaning wipe that does not interfere with tactile senses.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that can be left dry or used in conjunction with a cleaning agent.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that is disposable.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that adheres under wet and dry conditions.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cleaning wipe that is easily removed.
These and other objectives will be apparent to one of skill in the art based on the following disclosure, drawings, and claims.

Self-adhesive cleaning wipe for dental instruments


A vehicle occupant sensing system for a vehicle seat assembly that includes at least one emitter and at least one sensor operable to detect relative distance between the sensor and the emitter to thereby detect a condition of the vehicle seat assembly. The vehicle occupant sensing system also includes a biasing pad adapted so as to be disposed below a seat cushion of the vehicle seat assembly so as to deflect in response to deflection of the seat cushion. The biasing pad supports at least one of the emitter and the sensor such that the emitter and the sensor are biased away from each other and such that one of the emitter and the sensor are supported for movement toward and away from the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to a vehicle seat assembly, and more particularly to a vehicle seat assembly having a vehicle occupant sensing system with a biasing pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive vehicles employ seating systems that accommodate the passengers of the vehicle. The seating systems include restraint systems that are calculated to restrain and protect the occupants in the event of a collision. The primary restraint system commonly employed in most vehicles today is the seatbelt. Seatbelts usually include a lap belt and a shoulder belt extending diagonally across the occupant's torso from one end of the lap belt to a mounting structure located proximate to the occupant's opposite shoulder.
In addition, automotive vehicles may include supplemental restraint systems. The most common supplemental restraint system employed in automotive vehicles today is the inflatable airbag. In the event of a collision, the airbags are deployed as an additional means of restraining and protecting the occupants of the vehicle. Originally, the supplemental inflatable restraints (airbags) were deployed in the event of a collision, whether or not any given seat was occupied. These supplemental inflatable restraints and their associated deployment systems are expensive and over time this deployment strategy was deemed not to be cost effective. Thus, there became a recognized need in the art for a means to selectively control the deployment of the airbags such that deployment occurs only when the seat is occupied.
Partially in response to this need, vehicle safety systems have been proposed that are capable of detecting whether or not a given seat is occupied. The systems act as a switch in controlling the deployment of a corresponding air bag. If the occupant sensing device detects that a seat is unoccupied during a collision, it can prevent the corresponding air bag from deploying, thereby saving the vehicle owner the unnecessary cost of replacing the expended air bag.
Furthermore, many airbag deployment forces and speeds have generally been optimized to restrain one hundred eighty pound males because the one hundred eighty pound male represents the mean average for all types of vehicle occupants. However, the airbag deployment force and speed required to restrain a one hundred eighty pound male exceeds that which are required to restrain smaller occupants, such as some females and small children. Thus, there became a recognized need in the art for occupant sensing systems that could be used to selectively control the deployment of the airbags when a person below a predetermined weight occupies the seat.
Accordingly, other vehicle safety systems have been proposed that are capable of detecting the weight of an occupant. In one such air bag system, if the occupant's weight falls below a predetermined level, then the system can suppress the inflation of the air bag or will prevent the air bag from deploying at all. This reduces the risk of injury that the inflating air bag could otherwise cause to the smaller-sized occupant.
Also, many airbag deployment forces and speeds have generally been optimized to restrain a person sitting generally upright toward the back of the seat. However, the airbag deployment force and speed may inappropriately restrain a person sitting otherwise. Thus, there became a recognized need in the art for a way to selectively control the deployment of an airbag depending on the occupant's sitting position.
Partially in response to this need, other vehicle safety systems have been proposed that are capable of detecting the position of an occupant within a seat. For example, if the system detects that the occupant is positioned toward the front of the seat, the system will suppress the inflation of the air bag or will prevent the air bag from deploying at all. This reduces the risk of injury that the inflating air bag could otherwise cause to the occupant. It will be appreciated that these occupant sensing systems provide valuable data, allowing the vehicle safety systems to function more effectively to reduce injuries to vehicle occupants.
One example of an occupant sensing system is shown and described in the published patent application having U.S. Ser. No. 10/249,527 and Publication No. US2003/0196495 A1 filed in the name of Saunders et al. The Saunders et al. application discloses a method and apparatus for sensing seat occupancy including an array of sensor/emitter pairs that are each supported within a pre-assembled one-piece cylinder-shaped housing. The housing is adapted to be mounted within the seat cushion, extending from the B-surface toward the A-surface of the seat cushion. The sensor/emitter pair supported in the housing includes an emitter that is mounted within the seat cushion and spaced below the upper or A-surface of the seat cushion. In addition, the sensor is also electrically connected to a flexible circuit and supported by the housing within the seat cushion but spaced below the emitter. The cylindrical housing is formed of a compressible, rubber-like material that is responsive to loads placed on the upper surface of the seat cushion. The housing compresses in response to a load on the seat cushion. The load is detected through movement of the emitter toward the sensor as the housing is compressed. The housing is sufficiently resilient to restore the emitter to full height when no load is applied to the upper surface of the seat cushion. The Saunders et al. system also includes a processor that is electrically connected to the flexible circuit, and the processor receives the sensor signals and interprets the signals to produce an output to indicate the presence of an occupant in the seat.
Although vehicle seat assemblies with occupant sensing systems of the prior art have generally worked for their intended purposes, problems still remain. For instance, occupant sensing systems, such as the Saunders et al. system, include a significant number of components. Assembly of these systems can be time consuming and costly as a result. Therefore, there is an ongoing need in the art for a vehicle seat assembly with a reduced part count.
Furthermore, the load bearing response of the occupant sensing system may need adjustment. In the case of the Saunders et al. system, the housing of each sensor/emitter can be exchanged with housings exhibiting a different resiliency. However, exchanging each housing would likely be time consuming and costly. Therefore, there is an ongoing need in the art for an occupant sensing system that can be adjusted to alter its load bearing response more easily and at lower cost.

Vehicle seat assembly having a vehicle occupant sensing system with a biasing pad


A material punching machine includes a guide member defining a material pathway for transporting a piece of material through the machine. The machine also includes a first sensor element disposed adjacent the material pathway for detecting a first position of a trailing edge of the material as the material moves through the material pathway. The machine also includes a second sensor element disposed adjacent the material pathway for detecting a second position of the trailing edge of the material as the material moves through the material pathway. The machine also includes a punch element that punches a first aperture in the piece of material in a first area of the piece of material based on detection of the trailing edge by the first sensor, and punches a second aperture in another area of the piece of material based on detection of the trailing edge by the second sensor.

The present invention relates to in-line punching machines, and specifically to paper punching machines.
Paper punching machines are commonly coupled to a printer, such as an office printer. The paper punching machines are used to punch apertures into one or more sheets of paper that have passed from the printer to the paper punching machine. The paper punching machines typically include a specialized punching tool (e.g., a die) that punches the apertures, a guide member defining a paper pathway, and rollers that guide pieces of paper through the paper pathway.


In a color image forming apparatus provided with a fixing roller and a pressure roller equipped with a heater therein, which is in press contact with the fixing roller. The completion timing of warm-up of the fixing device is determined by the time at which either the detected temperature of the fixing roller or the heating time of the heater reaches a predetermined value.

The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus provided with a heat roller type fixing device in which a fixing roller is heated when heat is supplied from a pressure roller.
In general, the heat roller type fixing device includes a fixing roller in which a heater is provided and a pressure roller, the circumferential surface of which is covered with heat-resistant rubber. However, the fixing device of the present invention includes a fixing roller having no heater, the circumference of which is covered with resilient heat-resistant rubber, and also includes a metallic pressure roller in which a heater is provided, wherein the fixing roller and pressure roller are combined to carry out a fixing operation. In this fixing device, toner on a transfer sheet is heated and fixed by the fixing roller heated by the action of the pressure roller having a heater.
When an electrical power switch of the image forming apparatus is turned on, the pressure roller is rotated and the heater is energized. When the temperature of the circumferential surface has reached a predetermined setting value t.sub.0 as shown in FIG. 4(a), electrical power supply to the heater is repeatedly turned on and off so as to maintain setting temperature t.sub.0.
On the other hand, the fixing roller receives heat from the circumferential surface of the pressure roller, and the circumferential temperature of the fixing roller is gradually raised as shown by a solid line in FIG. 4(b). When the temperature has been increased to the predetermined fixing temperature t.sub.1, or t.sub.2, a control section sends a signal of indicating a completion of the warming-up, and the apparatus displays a condition of ready-to-copy.
However, the result of detection by a temperature sensor to detect the circumferential temperature of the fixing roller fluctuates a little below the circumferential temperature of the fixing roller as shown by a broken line in FIG. 4(b) because the heat capacity of the temperature sensor affects the response of detection and the deviation of the detected temperature.
For example, in the case where transfer sheets are thin and relatively low fixing temperature t.sub.1 is set as the circumferential temperature of the fixing roller, time lag T.sub.1 caused by the temperature sensor is very small. However, in the case where transfer sheets are thick and high fixing temperature t.sub.2 is set, time lag T.sub.2 is considerable.
Fixing temperature to be set at the fixing roller depends on the thickness of a transfer sheet, the size of the transfer sheet, and the color of toner to be fixed, and further the fixing temperature depends on the required surface condition of an image, that is, whether the image is glossy or nonglossy. In the case where a high fixing temperature is set, an unnecessarily long period of time is required for warming-up, that is, a long period of time passes until ready-to-copy is displayed.


An internal combustion engine for portable power generating equipment includes a camshaft assembly having an integral gerotor oil pump at one end thereof. The camshaft, which is preferably formed of two dissimilar materials, is mounted for axial movement in response to increased oil pressure so as to provide automatic oil pressure regulation. Structure is provided for reducing engine compression at low speeds to reduce cranking resistance during starting. Speed control is provided by a stepper motor coupled through a cam to the engine throttle. The cam is shaped so as to counteract the non-linear relationship between throttle position and engine power and speed so as to provide a desired relationship between the position of the stepper motor and the engine power and speed.

This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to internal combustion engines for portable power generating equipment.
Portable power generating equipment typically consists of an internal combustion engine coupled to an electrical generator or alternator. Typically, general purpose internal combustion engines are used in portable power generating equipment. Such service however imposes a number of peculiar requirements on the engines that are so used. Accordingly, it is desireable to design engines specifically for use in portable power generators.
Two important design criteria are engine size and weight. The versatility, and hence the overall value, of a portable power generator is improved by reducing its size and weight. Because the engine makes up a significant portion of the overall size and weight of the generator, significant improvement can be realized by reducing the size and weight of the engine.
Another important design criterion is speed control. In prior generators, wherein the engine ran at a fixed constant speed in order to provide a desired constant output frequency, precise speed control, except at the desired constant speed, was relatively unimportant. In more recent designs, such as that shown for example in the co-pending application Ser. No. 897,380, filed Jun. 11, 1992, of Kern, et al. entitled "Engine-Driven Generator," the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein, the output frequency is independent of engine speed, and engine speed is determined by an electronic control. This requires that precise speed control be available over the entire range of engine speeds. In the past, it has been difficult to achieve precise speed control at low speeds where a small change in throttle position results in a large change in engine speed.
Still another design criterion is economy. As noted, the engine makes up a significant portion of a portable power generator and reflects a significant portion of its overall cost. Engines that can be economically manufactured and operated are favored.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved internal combustion engine for power generating equipment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved internal combustion engine that provides precise electronic speed control throughout substantially the entire range of the available speeds.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an internal combustion engine that is compact, lightweight and efficient in operation.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an internal combustion engine that is economical in manufacture and operation.

Internal combustion engine for portable power generating equipment


A method, program, and system for augmenting digital rights management are provided. The invention comprises associating two fields with an electronic document. The first field identifies the current owner of the electronic document, and the second field contains information about previous ownership of the electronic document. If ownership of the electronic document is transferred from the current owner to a subsequent owner, the current owner's name in the first field is replaced with the subsequent owner's name. In addition, information about the subsequent owner is added to the ownership history field.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to access to electronic resources, and more specifically to the transfer of access rights.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a system for protecting the copyrights of digital content that is distributed online. Examples of such digital content includes e-books, music, and movies. DRM systems are an important element in safeguarding against unauthorized access and use of digital properties. DRM systems often use the technique of secure distribution, where users need custom software to access content. This software implements the rights management properties. Typically, the content generator sets up rules for access during packaging for distribution. The software verifies that the rights information associated with the content being accessed is being respected. The rights information associated with the content typically contains the manufacturer information. It is the cornerstone of the rights enforcement mechanism.
DRM is an important aspect of conducting business on the Internet. It prevents unauthorized distribution and usage of content. Typically, digital rights are managed through two mechanisms: secure distribution, where the user has to install custom software to access content, and digital watermarking, where the manufacturer takes the responsibility of verifying proper usage by using watermark identity spiders. Such mechanisms help manufacturers to regulate and monitor the access of digital properties.
However, none of the solutions address the issue of transferring of digital rights from one owner to another, either permanently or temporarily. It is a common practice in the real world for property owners to sell their properties to others. Such an act legally transfers the ownership to another party. Currently, there is no mechanism to accomplish the same task for digital properties over the Internet.
In addition, there is no current method for maintaining a record of ownership information. Current ownership, as well as the chain of ownership, can provide important information. For example, this information can be of use both financially (for manufactures) and legally (in case of disputes, as well as for transfer of digital properties).
When a customer purchases a product, that customer also purchases a set of property rights, such as the right to lend and resell. Different rights "packages" might be sold to a customer, which would dictate which rights that customer could transfer. By the same token, this set of rights would also be inherited by subsequent transferees of the property. However, there is no current method for specifying DRM selling and lending privileges and the inheritance of these privileges.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and mechanism for transferring digital property rights and maintaining records of chains of title. It would also be desirable to have a method for specifying selling and lending privileges for digital properties and the inheritance of such privileges.

International Business Machines Corporation


A spool handling device (10) for engaging and disengaging a spool (5) having, a base (14), a spindle (15) supported by the base and adapted to receive the spool, a latch assembly (74) pivotally mounted relative to the base and including a latch (76) for releasably securing the spool on the spindle, and an ejection arm (77) for assisting in removal of the spool from the spindle.

There are various types of manufacturing processes which involve the combination of a plurality of strands of cords, cables, wires or the like which during processing are combined with each other, with other materials, or both. Where it is necessary to combine a plurality of such strands of material during either continuous or intermittent manufacturing operations, it is frequently convenient that the strands be coiled such as to provide the capability of continuously feeding out substantial lengths of the strands. In order to have available in a manageable form substantial lengths of coiled strands, it is commonly known to employ spools. The coiled strands are reeved around the spools for storage, and can be dispensed through rotation of the spools about the longitudinal axis thereof.
One such example of the employment of spools to store and dispense coiled strands is involved in the rubber industry. For example, in the rubber industry it is common to simultaneously employ a plurality of steel reinforcing cords which are stored on and dispensed from spools. The spools are normally mounted in an array which is commonly referred to as a creel. While creels may differ in various details they commonly consist of an array of spindles which are mounted in a substantially vertical framework having spindles which may project therefrom.
Each spool includes a body portion on which the steel cord is reeved, a receiving aperture extending through the body portion, and two (2) flanges extending radially outwardly from the ends of the body portion. The steel cord is reeved between the flanges, and the receiving aperture is adapted to engage the spindles of the creels. Furthermore, while the spools employed for steel cord are normally constructed of relatively light metal materials, the full spool with its capacity of steel cord approaching the radially outer extremity of the flanges may weigh on the order of forty to eighty pounds.
The spools are normally packaged in standard rectangular shipping cartons or containers in which the spools are tightly packed in circumferential engagement with adjacent spools in an upright position with longitudinal axis vertically aligned. Cartons are commonly sized such as to receive three spool by four spool layers arranged in three layers constituting a total of 36 spools. In some instances, the containers may accommodate 72 spools having a reduced axial length.
In many manufacturing operations, the cartons are positioned proximate to the creels, and an operator manually removes empty spools from the spindles and replaces them with full spools of steel cord. While manual loading of the creels is possible, it has the disadvantage that over the period of a work day, an operator may become sufficiently fatigued, particularly in relation to the placement of spools on the higher spindles, that the overall loading time for creels may become excessively long. In addition, the size and strength of an operator becomes highly significant in effecting the loading of spools over a period of time.
Therefore, in order to obviate a high degree of reliance on the size and strength of operators, there is a need for a spool handling device which provides for the releasable engagement of the spool so that it can be vertically lifted or lowered with relative ease using a hoist.


A pest control device is provided with (1) a volatile substance holder, which includes a pest control component volatilization surface and a liquid volatilization surface, and (2) an indicator, which is composed of a wick and a bottle. The pest control component volatilization surface holds a pest control component volatile at ordinary temperature so that the pest control component can be volatilized into the air, while the liquid volatilization surface is able to hold a liquid volatile so that the liquid can be volatilized into the air. The wick is for supplying the liquid to the liquid volatilization surface of the volatile substance holder, while the bottle contains the liquid to be supplied to the liquid volatilization surface via the wick. In this manner, the indicator indicates how much the pest control component, which is volatilized from the pest control component volatilization surface is left, by showing how much the liquid is left in the bottle.

The present invention relates to a pest control device and a volatile substance holder for use in same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a pest control device of a non-heating type, which volatilizes into the air a pest control component, such as a pesticidal component or a pest repellent component, which are volatile at ordinary temperature, and a volatile substance holder for use in same.
A pest control device, which has been developed recently to replace a pest control device of a heating type, uses a fan to air a holder, such as paper, in which absorbed is a pest control agent whose active component is a pesticidal component or a pest repellent component that are volatile at ordinary temperature, thereby volatilizing the active component into the air so as to control the pest (Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication, Tokukaihei, No. 7-236399: published on Sep. 12, 1995).
Moreover, Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication, Tokukaihei, No. 5-68459 (published on Mar. 23, 1993) discloses a pest control device, which volatilizes an active component into the air by using driving means to rotate a holder itself, which has absorbed a pest control agent.
Those pest control devices need no heating means for volatilizing the pest control agent, unlike the pest control device of the heating type, thereby having low energy consumption. For this reason, a fan of the pest control devices can be driven by using a dry battery and the like, without using a commercial power supply. Therefore, the pest control devices have excellent compatibility, while the pest control devices are excellently safe, because the pest control devices themselves and their surroundings are prevented from being heated, thereby eliminating possibilities of burning and fire.
However, when the pest control agent is absorbed in the holder in this way, a user has no way to check how much an active component of the pest control agent remains, because the active component of the volatile pest control agent, which is volatilized from the holder, is invisible. Therefore, the user cannot determine when the holder runs out of the active component of the pest control agent and has no efficacy anymore (hereinafter, the loss of the efficacy due to the running out of the active component is referred to as an end of the efficacy). Thus, the user should refer to a serviceable time that is roughly estimated. However, depending on how frequently the holder is used, or how the user judges, the user may judge that the holder is finished even the holder can be still used efficaciously, or the user may decide to continue to use the holder even after the end of the efficacy has come.
Therefore, there is a need to develop means that surely determines reduction or an end point (the end of efficacy) of the active component of the pest control agent.
A well-known conventional methods of determination of the end point is, for example, a method in which the amount of the active component of the pest control agent is adjusted in accordance with a service life of a dry battery so that an end of the service life of the dry battery indicates an end of the active component absorbed in paper, thereby informing a user a time to exchange the paper.
However, the method in which the end of the efficacy is indicated by the end of the service life of the dry batter has such problems that the end of the efficacy and the end of the service life of the dry battery often do not synchronize with each other, because the active component of the pest control agent is not reduced always in a synchronizing manner with the usage of the dry battery. Further, the end of the service life of the dry battery also merely indicates in approximation how long the holder can be used, because there is no way to see the reduction of the active component of the pest control agent. Therefore, the user may be informed of the end of the efficacy by the end of the service life of the dry battery long after the active component has run out, and the holder has lost its efficacy.
To overcome the problems, suggested is a method in which the reduction or the end point of the active component of the pest control agent to be volatilized can be checked by looking at how much the active component is left. For example, Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication, Tokukaihei, No. 8-147 (published on Jan. 9, 1996) discloses a method in which an pest control agent or a holder of it is colored, so that a time to exchange the holder is indicated by disappearance of the color.
However, while the method of in which a pest control agent or a holder of it is colored allows a user to see and judge the color, the color is not color of the active component itself, but the color of a pigment added. The color disappears with a lapse of time, for example, due to a chemical change, and a period of time for the color to disappear is merely adjusted to the period of time for the active component of the pest control agent to vanish. In other words, there is no physical interrelationship between the volatilization of the active component of the pest control agent and the change of the color of the pigment. Because of this, in the above method, it is impossible to have a good synchronization between the running out of the active component (the end of the efficacy) of the pest control agent and the disappearance of the color of the holder, while it is hard to adjust timing of the color disappearance subtly to attain the good synchronization, thus posing a problem that it is hard to control the end point.
Moreover, every user differently judges the end point from the color disappearance, while the color may change with speckles, or may not disappear completely, thereby making it difficult to judge the end point from the color change. For those reason, while some users may judge it is time to exchange the holder, the others may not judge so and continue to use the holder. To conclude, none of the methods can provide the users with means to surely determine the end point.
Conventionally, as a pest control device that can surely check the reduction and the end point (the end of the efficacy) of the active component of the pest control agent, well known is a pest control device that uses a bottle to contain a pest control solution, in which a pest control agent is dissolved in a solvent, so that the pest control solution is sucked up and heated in order to volatilize the solvent together with the active component. An example of such pest control device is a pest control device using a liquid mosquito-repellent. This type of the pest control device allows a user to check by sight how much the pest control solution is left.
However, the method of the above pest control device needs heating of the pest control solution. Thus, when a pest control agent, which is volatile at ordinary temperature, is dissolved in a solvent and contained in a bottle so that the pest control solution is sucked up from the bottle and volatilized by wind, for example, use of a solvent having low boiling point, such as ethanol, is impractical because the pest control solution evaporates to disappearance too fast and has a very short service time. On the contrary, use of a solvent having a high boiling point retards the volatilization of the pest control agent, thereby deteriorating efficiency of the pest control.
Furthermore, when the pest control agent is dissolved in the solvent so as to be contained in a bottle and used in the pest control device of the ordinary-temperature volatilization type, as above, the amount of the pest control agent to be volatilized is decreased as a result of the dissolution of the pest control agent in the solvent, thereby limiting efficacy of the pest control agent.
Therefore, there is no pest control device of the non-heating type which allows a user to easily control the end point and to surely check the reduction or the end point (end of efficacy) of the active component of the pest control agent, while using a pest control agent that can volatilize at ordinary temperature. Thus, it is demanded to provide a pest control device that allows a user to easily control the end point and to surely check the reduction or the end point (end of efficacy) of the active component of the pest control agent, while having en excellent pest control efficiency.
In view of the forgoing problems, the present invention is made to solve the problems. The present invention has objects to provide (a) a pest control device that allows a user to easily control the end point and to surely check the reduction or the end point (end of efficacy) of the active component of the pest control agent, while having an excellent pest control efficiency, and (b) a volatile substance holder for use in same.
The inventors of the present invention, as a result of an intensive study, have solved the forgoing problems. In the present invention, a pest control component, which volatilizes at ordinary temperature, is provided separately from the indicator to show how much the pest control component is left, while the indication how much the pest control component is left, is carried out by indicating how much a liquid, which is volatilized, is left in the indicator, to solve the forgoing problems.
Therefore, in order to attain the above objects, a pest control device of the present invention is provided with (1) a volatile substance holder, including a first and a second volatilization surfaces, the first volatilization surface holding a pest control component so that the pest control component can be volatilized into the air (hereinafter, referred to as the volatilization surface (I)), and the second volatilization surface being able to hold a liquid so that the liquid can be volatilized into the air (hereinafter, referred to as the volatilization surface (II)), where the pest control component and the liquid are volatile at ordinary temperature, and (2) an indicating section, including a liquid supplying system and a liquid containing container, the liquid supplying system supplying the liquid to the volatilization surface (II) of the volatile substance holder, and the liquid containing container containing the liquid to be supplied to the volatilization surface (II) via the liquid supplying system, wherein the indicating section indicates how much the pest control component to be volatilized from the volatilization surface (I) is left in the volatile substance holder by showing how much the liquid is left in the liquid containing container.
With the above arrangement, the volatile substance holder is provided with two volatilization surfaces so as to hold and volatilize the pest control component and the liquid on the separate volatilization surfaces. This optimizes efficiency of the pest control component because the pest control component is volatilized without retardation.
Moreover, with the above arrangement, the pest control agent and the indicator for indication are separately disposed, while the pest control agent and the indicator are correlated with each other. This makes it easy to control the end point (the end of efficacy) of the pest control component and to adjust volatilization of the pest control component in terms of quantity, thereby arbitrarily and easily setting the disappearance point of the liquid and the end point of the pest control component.
Moreover, the above arrangement allows the user to know by sight how much the pest control component is left (or reduced).
Therefore, the above arrangement provides a pest control device that attains a high efficiency in the controlling, and easily controls the end point of the pest control component, while allowing the user to surely check the reduction and the end point of the pest control component.
Furthermore, with the above arrangement, for example, another chemical may be added in the liquid, if necessary, so that the indicator can functions as an indicator and as a container of the chemical. This makes it possible that the pest control agent is used in association with a chemical, which may be highly volatile or low volatile compared with the pest control component, or may be a solid. Further, the above arrangement precisely synchronizes an end of efficacy of the pest control component and that of the chemical, with ease. This allows the pest control device to have various additional functions to combine with in accordance with needs of a user, such as a deodorizing function, an antibacterial function, and a fragrance function. Meanwhile, a service life of the pest control device until the end of efficacy of its active component can be arbitrarily set.
Moreover, a volatile substance holder of the present invention is provided with a first and a second volatilization surfaces, the first volatilization surface holding a pest control component so that the pest control component can be volatilized into the air (i.e., the volatilization surface (I)), and the second volatilization surface being able to hold a liquid so that the liquid can be volatilized into the air (i.e., the volatilization surface (II)), where the pest control component and the liquid are volatile at ordinary temperature.
With the above arrangement, the volatile substance holder is provided with two volatilization surfaces so as to hold and volatilize the pest control component and the liquid in the separate volatilization surfaces. This optimizes efficiency of the pest control component because the pest control component is volatilized without retardation, while including the pest control component not in the indicator that carries out the indication by using the liquid. Therefore, the above arrangement provides the volatile substance holder that is necessary for providing the pest control device that attains a high efficiency in the pest controlling, and easily controls the end point of the pest control component, while allowing the user to surely check the reduction and the end point of the pest control component.
It is preferable that the volatile substance holder holds a compound in a pyrethroid group in the volatilization surface (1), so that it is possible to provide the pest control device that is excellent in volatilization of the pest control component and in the pest control activity.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Pest control device and volatile substance holder for use in same


Embodiments of the invention prevent the write element lead wires from inducing crosstalk current in the read element lead wires. In one embodiment, a magnetic head slider comprises: a substrate portion; a heating resistor formed on the substrate portion through the intermediary of an insulation layer; a magnetic write element and a magnetic read element which are formed over the heating resistor through the intermediary of an insulation layer; and a terminal array structure provided with first terminals to wire the magnetic write element, second terminals to wire the magnetic read element, and third terminals to wire the heating resistor, wherein two of the third terminals for the heating resistor are located respectively on the opposite outer sides of the first and second terminals. In addition, an arm suspension is provided with a wiring structure in which wires connected to the terminals of the magnetic head slider, wires connected to the terminals, and wires connected to the terminals are guided to a predetermined direction and the magnetic write element lead wires are separated from the magnetic read element lead wires by the wires located in the central portion.

The present invention relates to a magnetic head slider to realize high density recording in a magnetic disk drive. In particular, the invention relates to a thin film magnetic head slider capable of adjusting the distance between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head, a structure to support that magnetic head slider, a magnetic disk drive employing that magnetic head slider and so on.
A magnetic disk drive comprises a rotating magnetic disk and a thin film magnetic head slider (hereinafter referred to as a slider) which is supported and positioned in the radial direction by a load beam. Magnetic information is read/written from/onto the magnetic disk by a read/write element mounted on the slider which runs relatively over the magnetic disk. The slider is designed to fly as a gas-lubricated bearing due to the wedge film effect of air. Thus, the slider does not make solid contact with the magnetic disk. To raise the recording density in the magnetic disk drive, increase the storage capacity of the apparatus and reduce the size of the apparatus, it is effective to raise the linear recording density by reducing the distance between the slider and the magnetic disk, that is, the flying height of the slider.
Generally, the flying height margin is designed by allowing for manufacturing fluctuations, operating ambient pressure and temperature ranges and the like so that the slider does not make contact with the magnetic disk even under the worst condition. If the slider has the capability to adjust the flying height on an individual head basis according to the operating environment, the flying height margin can be removed, making it possible to remarkably reduce the flying height of the read/write element while preventing contact between the slider and the magnetic disk.
In this respect, a slider structure is proposed which adjusts the distance between the read/write element and the magnetic recording medium by a thin film heating resistor which is formed in proximity to the read/write element and heated as necessary. When heated, the resistor thermally expands and projects to adjust the distance between the read/write element and the recording medium. This technique is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-20635 (page 3 and FIG. 1) (Patent Document 1).

Thin film magnetic head with thermal flying height control pads located at both ends of all pads series on slider side plane

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A system and method for analyzing electronic remittance notices (ERNs) is provided. The system includes a database component and a processor component for determining benchmark, for both denial rates and/or days sales outstanding, weighted average values for a particular provider and weighted average aggregate values based on a plurality of providers ERN claim adjudication information. The ERN information may originate from one or more third-party payers for claims for medical products or procedures. The weighting of these values may mimic or approximate a particular healthcare provider's mix of medical products and/or services to provide much more meaningful information. This benchmark values may be compared to various other ERN metrics of ERN claim adjudication information to compare to aggregate healthcare provider information. Equalizer values may also be calculated, analyzed and compared.

As with any business, the viability of medical related businesses require effective practices for the collection of payments for the goods and services it sells. The medical industry is unique, however, in that it is paid, primarily, by the patients insurers or third-party payers such as Medicare. Unfortunately, satisfying the requirements of any particular insurance company is typically a complex affair that differs from one insurance company to another.
Insurers and entitlement programs, such as Medicare, hereafter referred to as a third-party payers, may require vast numbers of forms and procedures to obtain payment for certain services performed or products sold to patients insured or serviced by these third-party payers. Also, a third-party payer may pay only a percentage or stated amount for a particular service or medical product. The third-party payers may provide an electronic record or file, such as an Electronic Remittance Notice ("ERN"), that details payments made by the third-party payers to a particular healthcare provider in response to one or more claims or requests made by the healthcare provider detailing the products and services the healthcare provider has rendered to patients serviced by the third-party payers. The ERN may detail the payment(s) being made for particular procedures, which may include goods, services, medical procedures, medical equipment and supplies ("medical products" or "procedures") rendered by the healthcare provider, and other information, such as date and patient identifying information, healthcare provider identifier information, date information, procedure information, denial/allowance information, and additional financial information or payment information. Whenever a claim is denied, the ERN also provides detailed reasons and/or codes detailing the denial.
Unfortunately, third-party payer reimbursements are not entirely consistent for any particular medical product or procedure. For example, one healthcare provider may be reimbursed for a procedure, while another healthcare provider may be denied or reimbursed a lower amount for the same procedure. In some instances, this may be based on the claims procedures or claim requests employed by the healthcare provider or based on the unpredictability of third-party payer's reimbursement policies. In either case, the current process is frustrating and financially detrimental to the healthcare provider.

System and method for electronic remittance notice analysis


In a semiconductor integrated circuit device of the invention, a plurality of external terminals include: a first external terminal (VCC, U, V and W terminals in the FIGURE) receiving a higher voltage than the other external terminals; and a second external terminal (FG terminal in the FIGURE) arranged adjacent to the first external terminal as one of the other external terminals, the second external terminal feeding out, from one end of a transistor Q1, a control pulse signal corresponding to the turning on and off of the transistor Q1, and the second external terminal is connected to an overvoltage protection circuit (consisting of R1, R2, Q2 and AND) that masks a control signal for turning on and off the transistor Q1 so that, when a voltage at the second external terminal reaches a predetermined threshold, the transistor Q1 is kept off all the time. In this way, it is possible to prevent, without the need for an extra external terminal, breakdown in case of a short circuit between adjacent external terminals.

In a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a plurality of external terminals, when a short circuit occurs between adjacent external terminals due to various factors (e.g., adhesion of dirt and dust), the external terminals generally fail to function properly. In particular, in a high withstand voltage IC such as a motor driver IC, when an external terminal short-circuited to a high withstand voltage terminal (such as a power supply terminal) happens to have a low withstand voltage (e.g., when the external terminal serves as a logic-signal input/output terminal), an excessive current may flow through an internal component connected to the external terminal to cause breakdown or heating of the semiconductor integrated circuit device.
Conventionally, one solution to the above-described shirt circuit between terminals is to use a non-connected terminal as an external terminal adjacent to a high withstand terminal.
As another conventional technology related to the present invention, there is disclosed and proposed a so-called SiP (system in package) IC in which a plurality of circuit components constituting a plurality of circuits are optimally divided according to the levels of current, power dissipation, voltage, required withstand voltage and other factors, and, for each of the levels, the circuit components are integrated into individual semiconductor chips (for example, see patent document 1).
Patent document 1: JP-A-2004-265931


The medical instrument is equipped with a handle and has a shank for supplying and removing rinsing fluid into or out of a hollow cavity inside the body. There are tubings which can be releasably inserted onto connection pieces connected to the shank and which can be fixed on the connection pieces. The handle is formed as a two-part housing, wherein for opening and closing the housing a first housing part is adjustable relative to a second housing part so that with an opened housing the tubings can be pushed or pulled from then freely situated connection pieces and with a closed housing the tubing ends located on the connection pieces are fixed onto the connection pieces with a friction fit by way of the first housing part.

The invention relates to a medical instrument, equipped with a handle, for the delivery and removal of rinsing fluid into or out of a hollow space inside the body via a shank and tubings which are releasably insertable on connection pieces being connected to the shank and which can be fixed onto the connection pieces.
From the German utility model G 81 36 066.3 there is known a medical instrument for the supply and removal of rinsing fluid. The instrument has a shank which can be inserted into a body cavity and comprises a handle through which passes a rinsing and suction channel which are connected to the shank via connection pieces for connecting tubings. The design of this instrument has the objective of being able to connect one and the same handle with various rinsing and suction shanks in a simple way and manner.

Medical instrument for supplying and removing rinsing fluid


An inflatable stroller wheel arrangement incorporated with a stroller includes a pair of driving wheel assemblies rotatably attached to two bottom portions of two first leg frames of the stroller respectively and a pair of steering wheel assemblies rotatably and coaxially attached to two bottom ends of two second leg frames of the stroller respectively. Each steering wheel assembly includes a wheel axle, a coupling hub for rotatably coupling the respective second leg frame with the wheel axle, and a pair of steering wheels rotatable mounted on two ends of the wheel axle. Each steering wheel includes rim frame having a stem hole coaxially mounted on the end of the wheel axle, a wheel tire encirclingly mounted on the rim frame, and an inflatable bladder received in the wheel tire having a valve stem extended to an exterior of the rim frame through the stem hole.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to strollers, and more particularly to an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement which is adapted for enhancing a gripping force between the tire and the ground so as to prevent the stroller from being skid accidentally.
2. Description of Related Arts
Stroller, which is becomes a necessity to every family having a young child or baby, is consider as a conveniences tool to carry the baby or young child during outdoor activities such as foot traveling and shopping.
A conventional stroller comprises a front frame comprising a pair of front supporting posts and a U-shaped handle having two ends respectively connected to two top ends of the pair front supporting posts, a back frame comprising a U-shaped back supporting stem having two ends upwardly extended thereof pivotally connected with the front frame by means of a pair of pivot joints, a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted on bottom ends of the pair of front supporting post respectively, a pair of back wheels rotatably mounted on a bottom of the back supporting stem, a seat frame, which comprises a pair of parallel seat supporting bars, mounted between the front frame and the back frame for supporting a baby to place thereon, and a pair of folding joints for connecting the pair of front supporting posts and the two ends of handle together to form the rigid front frame, wherein by operating the folding joints, the handle can be folded rearwardly and downwardly towards the back frame, so as to fold up the stroller to reduce its size.
However, the conventional stroller has a major drawback that the front and rear wheels are considered disadvantageous in practical use. Since the wheels are made of foaming material, the wheels are reduced their elasticity in such a manner that a shock from each wheel will directly transfer to the entire stroller when driving on the ground. So, the baby may feel uncomfortable and unsafe when the stroller is shaking. The shock on the wheels may render the stroller losing its balance and turning over. Thus, the foam made wheels fail to grip on the ground such that the stroller is easy to skid especially on the slippery road. Since the baby is soft and weak, any mistake may cause unwanted injury to the baby.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement which enhances the performance and endurance of the wheel for the stroller.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement which is adapted for enhancing a gripping force between the tire and the ground so as to prevent the stroller from being skid accidentally.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement which increases a cushion effect by the steering wheel assemblies so as to enhance the comfortability of the stroller.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement wherein the tire is made of rubber which is durable for prolonging the service life span of the stroller while being cost effective.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement which does not require to alter the original structural design of the stroller, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost for incorporating the inflatable stroller wheel arrangement with every conventional stroller.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a stroller, comprising:
a supporting frame having a pair of first leg frames and a pair of second leg frames;
a seat frame having a seat fabric supported by the first and second leg frames; and
an inflatable stroller wheel arrangement comprising:
a pair of driving wheel assemblies rotatably attached to two bottom portions of the first leg frames respectively for driving the stroller in a frontward and a backward directions; and
a pair of steering wheel assemblies rotatably and coaxially attached to two bottom ends of the second leg frames respectively for steering a direction of the stroller wherein each of the steering wheel assemblies comprises a wheel axle, a coupling hub for rotatably coupling the respective second leg frame with the wheel axle, and a pair of steering wheels rotatably mounted on two ends of the wheel axle;
wherein each of the steering wheels comprises rim frame having a stem hole coaxially mounted on the end of the wheel axle, a wheel tire encircling mounted on the rim frame, and an inflatable bladder received in the wheel tire comprising a valve stem extended to an exterior of the rim through the stem hole.


A low-inductance capacitor exhibits a first characteristic inductance during use in a first capacitor subsection and a second characteristic inductance during use in a second capacitor subsection, and the first and second characteristic inductances act to neutralize each other. A process of forming the low-inductance capacitor includes heat curing. A package includes a low-inductance capacitor and a mounting substrate.

Electrical circuits often include capacitors for various purposes such as filtering, bypassing, power decoupling, and performing other functions. High-speed digital integrated circuits such as processors and computer chipsets in particular exhibit improved performance when the power supplied to the integrated circuit is filtered with a capacitor placed physically close to the integrated circuit.
Such power decoupling capacitors function to smooth out irregularities in the voltage supplied to the integrated circuits, and so serve to provide the integrated circuits with a more ideal voltage supply.
By placing the decoupling capacitors near the integrated circuit, parasitic impedances such as printed circuit board path resistance or inductance are minimized, which allows easy and efficient transfer of energy from the decoupling capacitor to the integrated circuit. Minimization of series resistance and inductance in the capacitor itself is also desirable for the same purposes, and it results in a more efficient and desirable decoupling or bypass capacitor.
The internal series resistance of the capacitor is typically known as the Equivalent Series Resistance, or ESR. Similarly, internal series inductance is known as Equivalent Series Inductance, or ESL. Both of these parameters can be measured for a given capacitor, and they are among the basic criteria used to select capacitors for applications such as integrated circuit power supply decoupling.
Efforts to minimize ESL and ESR have included solutions such as using multiple types of capacitors in various configurations.

Low inductance capacitors, methods of assembling same, and systems containing same


A flow controller and a test method therefor are provided which enable testing of the flow control of a process gas passing through a fluid path during operation of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. While the flow control is being performed to adjust the flow rate through the fluid path to a flow rate set value, a predetermined number of pieces of test sampling information is collected and associated with the flow rate set value for storage. The test sampling information is made up of a detected flow rate value of the process gas, a detected pressure value, and valve drive control information delivered to a flow control valve mechanism. Then, coefficients of association are sequentially determined which indicate the associations of the predetermined number of detected flow rate values and pieces of valve drive control information, which are stored as the test sampling information. When the value of a coefficient of association is out of the range of predetermined threshold values, a difference is determined between the valve drive control information made available based on a newly received detected flow rate value and the reference valve drive control information obtained with reference to a valve property information table pre-registered for testing. This difference is employed as test information.

The present invention relates to a flow controller for controlling comparatively low flow rates of a fluid passing through fluid paths such as pipelines, a method for testing the accuracy of the flow control provided by the flow controller to control the flow rate through the fluid path, and a flow control method.
Various types of semiconductor products or electronic components are manufactured, for example, by placing wafers in a chamber of a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus and then supplying into this chamber a process gas that contains raw materials and chemically reactive substances necessary for deposition, thereby fabricating semiconductor integrated circuits on the surface of the wafers. The raw material gas used includes, for example, SiH4, WF6, and NH3. In addition, etching gases for use in etching after deposition include, for example, CH4 or Cl2.
Recently, there has been increasing demand for further reduction in size and higher functionality of semiconductor products and electronic components, which has led to semiconductor integrated circuits formed on wafers using finer design rules. Accordingly, those semiconductor integrated circuits would likely degrade in quality unless precise and high-speed control is performed on the flow rate of a process gas supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus such as a CVD apparatus. On the other hand, since semiconductor manufacturing lines involving manufacturing apparatuses such as a CVD apparatus require a significant capital investment, there has also been a strong demand for improvement in the rate of operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.
To supply the process gas into such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus at flow rates with high accuracy, it has been conventionally practiced to provide a mass flow controller in a pipeline (fluid path), through which the process gas passes, in order to regulate the flow rate of the process gas to a target value.
Conventionally employed mass flow controllers (hereinafter referred to as the "flow controller") includes a flow rate sensor for measuring the flow rate through a fluid path and a flow control valve mechanism for regulating the flow rate through the fluid path. The flow controller also includes a controller for controlling the valve opening of this flow control valve mechanism so that the flow rate is regulated to a target flow rate value (hereinafter referred to as the "flow rate set value") specified by an external system or the like. Furthermore, this controller computes the amount of difference (the amount of deviation) between the detected flow rate value received from the flow rate sensor and the flow rate set value. Then, to regulate the flow rate through the fluid path to the specified flow rate set value based on the amount of deviation, the controller delivers the amount of control (control signal) determined by PID operation to the flow control valve mechanism and hence regulates its valve opening, thereby providing control to adjust the flow rate to the flow rate set value.
The flow controller configured in this manner is required to perform flow control to make the flow rate through the fluid path coincide with the flow rate set value with high accuracy. This flow rate set value is specified, for example, using a flow rate setting signal, from an upper-class control system (external system) which collectively controls and monitors the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing line. However, with the various types of apparatus and the flow controller, including the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, constituting the semiconductor manufacturing line, there may occur changes in performance (hereinafter referred to as the "equipment aging"). The equipment aging refers to the phenomenon in which there occur slight changes in performance or characteristics of each member constituting the apparatus, due to adhesion of foreign substances. The equipment aging also refers to degradation in performance or characteristics of the members themselves over time from the start of operation of the manufacturing line.
More specifically, the equipment aging can be caused, for example, by adhesion of chemical products to the inside of a pipeline through which the process gas is supplied, by adhesion of chemical products to sensor pipes or bypass pipes constituting the flow rate sensor, or by degradation in performance of an actuator installed in the flow control valve mechanism. Once such equipment aging occurs, there would likely occur a slight difference in the valve opening with respect to the one initially available. This may happen even if the same valve drive control information (for example, valve drive voltage) as that initially employed at the time of introduction of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is delivered (applied) to the actuator included in the flow control valve mechanism of the flow controller. As a result, even if the flow controller provides control to adjust the flow rate through the fluid path to the flow rate set value, there will be found a deviation between the actually controlled flow rate and the flow rate set value.
Those problems concerned with such equipment aging have been addressed conventionally. To this end, the relevant semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has been stopped periodically or non-periodically to determine whether the flow controller installed in the fluid path can provide flow rate control as designed, i.e., to perform the operation of testing the accuracy of the flow control.
For example, the operation of testing the flow rate was carried out as follows.
A test tank having a known capacity was installed in the fluid path (pipeline) which was located upstream of the flow controller and through which a process gas was supplied. Subsequently, the process gas was allowed to flow stably through the fluid path at a predetermined flow rate and fill in the test tank, and thereafter, the supply of the gas was stopped. Then, the pressure of the gas accumulated within the test tank was measured at predetermined time intervals when the gas flew out towards the downstream side of the fluid path, thereby determining information (H1) regarding changes in the resulting gas pressure over time. Subsequently, the resulting time-dependent information (H1) was compared with time-dependent information (H0) regarding the gas pressure which was obtained in the same manner as described above through the measurement conducted initially upon introduction of the flow controller into the manufacturing line, thereby determining the amount of deviation between them. Then, this amount of deviation was analyzed to correct data regarding flow control, such as a reference voltage value (the valve drive control information), which was then delivered to the actuator of the flow control valve mechanism for flow rate control.
An example of such a flow controller that includes the function of testing flow rates is suggested in the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-38832, listed below, which was previously filed by the same applicant.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-38832, a flow controller was suggested which was provided with a test valve for opening or closing the fluid path, a test tank having a predetermined capacity, and pressure detection means for detecting the pressure of a fluid passing through the fluid path and delivering the resulting pressure detection signal. The flow controller also included test control means that uses the test valve, the test tank, and the pressure detection means to control the flow rate test operation.
The flow controller disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-38832 performs the flow rate test operation for the flow controller as follows. Namely, control can be performed on the current flow rate through the fluid path without removing the flow controller from the pipeline coupled to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. More specifically, it is possible to test the amount of deviation obtained by a comparison between the current flow rate and the initial flow rate determined at the time of installation of the flow controller in the manufacturing line. Then, based on this test result, the control data serving as a reference for flow rate control can be corrected. However, to perform this testing operation, it was inevitable to stop the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. In other words, this test operation could not be performed while the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, for example, a CVD apparatus was being used for deposition on wafers. Furthermore, to implement the flow rate test operation, not only the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus was required to stop but also a separate discharge gas line was required, in addition to the fluid path through which the process gas was supplied, to discharge the process gas out of the fluid path for the test operation.

Flow controller and test method therefor, and flow control method


The present invention is a restraining system for securing a detainee in a seat of a vehicle including a restraining belt extending from an anchoring point in the middle region of the seat to a stowing point outboard of the anchoring point and a latching mechanism adjacent to a side region of the seat. The system is in non-securing operation when the belt extends to the stowing point and in securing operation when the belt is removed from the stowing point and connected to the latching mechanism such that the belt traverses the detainee's torso.

The invention relates generally to seat belt systems. More particularly, it concerns a restraining belt system for securing a detainee in a seat of a vehicle.
Most police officers use some form of seat belt restraint for prisoners. This use serves two principal functions: further immobilization of the handcuffed detainee, and protection for the detainee from impact with the interior of the vehicle in the course of rough or abrupt vehicle movement. Conventional seat belt systems in police vehicles are similar to seat belt systems in passenger vehicles in that the shoulder and/or lap belt originate adjacent the doors of the vehicle, while the buckles are remote from the door. Thus, in attempting to belt in a detainee, an officer must grasp the belt and reach across and in front of the detainee's body, putting the officer in a vulnerable position while the officer attempts to both latch the safety belt and cinch it tight. Because many detainees violently resist every step of the arrest process, they are likely to attempt to bite or head-butt the exposed and otherwise occupied officer. As a result, officers face serious injury in the discharge of their duties. Likewise, if an officer chooses not to secure a particularly violent detainee because of the aforementioned problems, the detainee faces potential serious injury because the handcuffs prevent any self-protection in the event of a sudden stop. As a result of this, the police department faces potential liability.
Various techniques have developed with respect to restraining prisoners. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,672 describes a contoured seat back and cinching belt restraint system for forcing the prisoner into the seat's recessed channels. However, the buckle is remote from the door and requires the vulnerable maneuver previously discussed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,583 teaches a restraining device that uses a VELCRO type hook-and-loop fastener for securing a prisoner to a seat. Again, however, the fastening portion of the loop is remote from the door. Other prior art approaches to latching a seat belt system would not be appropriate for securing a detainee. For example, automatic-closure seat belt systems would be dangerous and impracticable for a physically resistant prisoner. U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,259 describes such a system, where a curved semi-rigid restraining member pivots around a passenger and latches automatically, providing an opportunity for a detainee to block operation of the system by placing the detainee's body in the path of the semi-rigid restraining member.
Like the automatic-closure seat belt systems, a three-point seat belt system also presents difficulties in securing a detainee. U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,295 teaches a three-point seat belt system, where two connecting points of the seat belt are permanently fixed to the rear portion of a vehicle door (relative to the front of the vehicle) and one connecting point is remote from the door and adjacent to the seat, for passive latching when the door is in the closed position. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,329 discloses a three-point system with the same two rearward connecting points on a vehicle door, with the additional feature that the seat belt can be detached from the lower of the two points and reattached to a buckle adjacent to the seat and the door, for tighter securing of a child. However, both references presume a non-resistant passenger. The web-like surface created by a three-point system would be potentially entangling to a resistant detainee being forced into a vehicle by an officer, creating a dangerous situation for the detainee and the officer alike.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks and limitations with existing seat belt systems. More specifically, the present invention has the following objects:
1) to provide a restraint system which allows an officer to secure a detainee in a seat of a vehicle without placing the officer's body in a vulnerable position relative to the detainee; PA1 2) to develop a seat belt system which can secure a detainee in a seat of a vehicle to prevent unrestricted movement or escape by the detainee; PA1 3) the provision of a system for securing a detainee in a seat of a vehicle to protect the detainee from sliding laterally or falling forwardly when the vehicle is cornering or stopping and the detainee's arms are locked in handcuffs behind the detainee's back; PA1 4) to provide a restraint system which safely holds a detainee in a seat of a vehicle in the event of an automobile accident; PA1 5) the development of a system for providing access to the restraining belt system at a position substantially forward and remote from a detainee; and PA1 6) to provide a durable, inexpensive system for securing a detainee in a seat of a vehicle, the system being easily retrofitted to existing police vehicles.

Restraining belt system for securing a detainee


An apparatus and method are disclosed for connecting a weight to a decoy. The cord has a deformable, resilient tab disposed on one end of the cord that is sized to allow passage of the tab through an eyelet on the decoy when the tab is compressed but to restrict passage of the tab through the eyelet when the tab is not compressed. A bead may be provided near the other end of the cord to retain a weight on the cord by restricting passage of the bead through a hole in the weight. An aperture may also be provided in the other end of the cord, preferably in the bead, to provide the flexibility of permitting a single cord to connect the weight to the decoy or to permit two or more cords to be strung together to connect the weight to the decoy. A clasp may also be provided in the end of the cord opposite the tab to provide for tangle resistant storage of the decoy, cord and weight.

This invention relates to decoys, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of attaching a weight to a decoy.
Decoys, such as decoys in the shape of ducks or other waterfowl or animals come in various shapes, sizes and poses, and are often used for hunting. Buoyant decoys are typically deployed in water in desired locations, numbers and arrangements in an effort to attract game to the area, typically within range of a hunter's firearm. Weights of various sizes, shapes, materials and masses are usually secured to these decoys by cords to restrict movement of the decoys in the water and to assist in keeping the decoys upright. Cords for connecting weights to decoys come in many shapes, sizes, lengths and compositions and may be formed of such things as string, twine, fishing line, rope, rubber, plastic, chain or any number of known materials. Cords provide a simple, inexpensive way of connecting a weight to a decoy by simply tying one end of a cord to the decoy and tying an opposite end of the cord to a weight.
Using cords to tie weights to decoys is not, however, without problems. For example, it is often desirable to use dozens, if not hundreds, of decoys in a desired location. Attaching weights to decoys, or stringing decoys, typically involves the time-consuming process of tying one end of the cord to the decoy, usually by passing the end of the cord through an eyelet attached to or forming part of the decoy and tying a knot in the cord, and tying the other end of the cord to the weight, usually by passing the end of the cord through a hole formed in or attached to the weight and tying a knot in the cord. Particularly when stringing a large number of decoys, the process of tying cords to decoys and weights can take hours. Also, if for any reason one decides to untie the decoys or weights, the process of untying the knots can be even more difficult and time-consuming, sometimes requiring the user to cut the cords.
When deploying a decoy in water, it is typically desirable for the cord to be of sufficient length to permit the weight to rest on the bottom of the body of water with a little slack left to permit the decoy to move about in a small area to create the appearance of swimming. If the cord is too short, the weight will not reach the bottom, and the ability of the weight to anchor the decoy and arrest movement of the decoy will be significantly diminished. Conversely, if the cord is too long, the decoy will have too much freedom of movement and may be more inclined to become entangled with other decoys or other obstacles in or around the body of water. Also, if the cord is too long, the extra slack in the cord may be prone to float to the surface of the water, making the decoy look less realistic and increasing the risk of frightening animals the user is seeking to attract. Accordingly, it is often desirable to be able to adjust the depth to which the weight may sink depending upon the depth of the water and other water conditions.
Tangling of decoy cords during storage and transport is also a problem. When decoys are not in use, they are typically stored together in large numbers in bags, boxes or other containers which are carried to and from the area in which the decoys will be used. It is fairly common for cords of different decoys to become entangled while in such storage containers, making it difficult and time-consuming to retrieve and deploy decoys when needed. Various attempts have been made to solve the problem of tangled cords, typically involving the use of weights of different shapes or compositions that enable the weights to fit over or be wrapped around different portions of the decoy for securing the weight and cord in place.

Method for connecting a weight to a decoy