A fixing device includes a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt and a pressing rotary body pressed against the nip formation pad via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressing rotary body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The pressing rotary body has a diameter increasing from a center to each lateral end in an axial direction thereof. The nip formation pad includes a projection disposed downstream from a rotation axis of the pressing rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction. The projection projects toward the pressing rotary body in an amount increasing from each lateral end to a center in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad parallel to the axial direction of the pressing rotary body.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments generally relate to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium and an image forming apparatus incorporating the fixing device.
2. Background Art
Related-art image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, or multifunction printers having two or more of copying, printing, scanning, facsimile, plotter, and other functions, typically form an image on a recording medium according to image data. Thus, for example, a charger uniformly charges a surface of a photoconductor; an optical writer emits a light beam onto the charged surface of the photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor according to the image data; a development device supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor to render the electrostatic latent image visible as a toner image; the toner image is directly transferred from the photoconductor onto a recording medium or is indirectly transferred from the photoconductor onto a recording medium via an intermediate transfer belt; finally, a fixing device applies heat and pressure to the recording medium bearing the toner image to fix the toner image on the recording medium, thus forming the image on the recording medium.
Such fixing device may include an endless belt having a decreased thermal capacity to shorten a warm-up time taken to warm up the fixing device to a desired fixing temperature and a first print time taken to output the first recording medium bearing the fixed toner image upon receipt of a print job.
For example, the belt is formed into a loop inside which a heater is situated. A pressing roller situated outside the loop formed by the belt is pressed against the belt to form a fixing nip between the pressing roller and the belt. As the belt and the pressing roller rotate and convey the recording medium through the fixing nip, the belt and the pressing roller apply heat and pressure to the recording medium, fixing the toner image on the recording medium.
As the pressing roller rotates, the pressing roller drives and rotates the belt by friction therebetween. Accordingly, as the belt slips on the pressing roller, the belt may apply an unstable brake to the recording medium conveyed through the fixing nip, creasing the recording medium.
To address this circumstance, JP-H09-197864-A discloses the pressing roller having the diameter that increases continuously from a center to each lateral end in an axial direction of the pressing roller, thus increasing the conveyance speed of the recording medium conveyed over each lateral end of the pressing roller relative to the conveyance speed of the recording medium conveyed over the center of the pressing roller. Accordingly, tension exerted on the recording medium is directed from the center to each lateral end of the pressing roller in the axial direction thereof, preventing the recording medium from creasing.
Before the recording medium is conveyed through the fixing nip, tension exerted on the recording medium is directed from the center to each lateral end of the pressing roller in the axial direction thereof. Conversely, however, while the recording medium is conveyed through the fixing nip, tension exerted on the recording medium is directed from each lateral end to the center of the pressing roller in the axial direction thereof.
Accordingly, as tension directed from each lateral end to the center of the pressing roller in the axial direction thereof is exerted on the recording medium, it may crease the recording medium while the recording medium is conveyed through a downstream position in the fixing nip situated downstream from a center of the fixing nip in a recording medium conveyance direction.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus


A circuit and method for transmitting an output signal utilizes an inductive device connected in series with a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) varactor to increase the potential difference across the MEMS varactor due to the output signal by introducing inductance-capacitance resonant behavior. The MEMS varactor is configured to be actuated exclusively by the output signal to effectuate a change in capacitance of the MEMS varactor. The MEMS varactor is used to provide a variable impedance transformation.

In a power amplifier of a cellular phone, an impedance transformation network is used to reduce the impedance of the load (often 50 Ohms) to a more optimal output impedance for an amplifier so that RF signals can be properly transmitted to the load. For a cellular phone that operates at a fixed transmission signal strength, the impedance transformation network needs to provide a fixed impedance transformation. However, for a cellular phone that operates at a number of different transmission signal strengths, such as a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phone, the impedance transformation network needs to provide corresponding number of different impedance transformations.
An impedance transformation network can provide different impedance transformation using a shunt varactor as a variable capacitor. The shunt varactor may be a semiconductor varactor, a ferroelectric varactor or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) varactor. An advantage of a MEMS varactor in an impedance transformation network is that the response of a MEMS varactor with respect to change in capacitance is relatively slow compared to RF signals. Thus, the capacitance of the MEMS varactor is not significantly affected by the RF signals being transmitted through the impedance transformation network.
A typical MEMS varactor includes at least two separated parallel plates, a stationary plate and a movable plate. The movable plate is suspended over the stationary plate by a number of flexures that function as springs. The capacitance of the MEMS varactor is dependent on the distance between the plates. Thus, the capacitance of the MEMS varactor can be changed by moving the movable plate relative to the stationary plate, which is achieved by using electrostatic force generated from applied potential difference between the plates. In a conventional configuration, each plate of a MEMS varactor includes two electrodes. One of the plate electrodes is used to apply a control voltage to establish a particular potential difference between the plates to set the capacitance of the MEMS varactor to a desired setting. The other electrode is used to connect the MEMS varactor between the signal path on which RF signals are being transmitted and ground. In a non-conventional configuration, each plate of a MEMS varactor includes only one electrode. In this configuration, the root-mean-square (RMS) voltage of an RF signal is used to establish the potential difference between plates.
However, since cellular phones typically have a low battery voltage and a low RF power to actuate a MEMS varactor, the flexures of the MEMS varactor must be very responsive to the generated electrostatic force. As a result, the flexures of the MEMS varactor must be very thin and/or narrow. A concern with the use of such flexures is that the MEMS varactor may not be structurally stable, and thus, have reliability and repeatability issues.

Circuit and method for transmitting an output signal using a microelectromechanical systems varactor and a series inductive device

Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


The present invention relates to the composition of a nanoparticle based on a magnesium salt, and methods of drug delivery using the nanoparticle. A preferred embodiment uses magnesium phosphate, with or without a shell to deliver aiRNA and/or siRNA. The nanoparticles of the present invention are also effective when administered orally.

With the ever-expanding arsenal of therapeutic agents, including both macromolecule and small molecules, the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries had increasingly realized the importance of a safe, practical and effective delivery vehicle of these therapeutic agents for the mammalian especially the human population. There are many desired characteristics for a satisfactory delivery vehicle: it needs to be nontoxic, therefore, biocompatible, preferably biodegradable or absorbable within a reasonable time period. For systemic administration, it needs to be stable enough to circulate to the target site while shielding the therapeutics from being degraded or digested in the body, and avoid significant immune responses unless the delivery is actually designed to trigger such responses. It needs to be able to penetrate physiological barriers in order to access target tissues, cells, cellular compartments or organelles. It also needs to be soluble enough under the physiological conditions of a target site or during a target time period to release the agents it carries. Furthermore, a controlled release of the therapeutic agents over time often is highly desired.
Among new kinds of therapeutic agents developed in recent decades are those based on the natural process of RNA interference (RNAi) after its discovery in 1998 by Fire and Mello in C. elegans. Central to the process of RNAi are two types of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules: microRNA (miRNA) and small or short interfering RNA (siRNA). Researchers have been developing promising therapeutic applications based on both types of molecules and their roles in both plants and animals, most notably in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene silencing. For example, exogenous siRNAs or their expression vectors have been engineered to be introduced directly to a host or expressed in host cells to regulate gene expression implicated in development, immune response and diseases.
A new kind of RNA molecules based on the naturally occurring siRNA form (double-stranded and 21 base pairs long with 2-nucleotide 3′ overhangs on both strands) has also been rationally devised. It is called asymmetrical interfering RNA (aiRNA). See, PCT Patent Publication WO 2009/029688. Advantages of aiRNA over siRNA include better efficacy and potency, rapid onset of action, better durability, a shorter length of the RNA duplex to avoid non-specific interferon like response, reduced off-target effects, and reduced cost of synthesis.
Despite the explosion of immense interest in RNAi, and with many calling it the most important pharmacological advance in recent history, researchers have come to realize that the success of RNAi-based therapy in mammals depends, in large parts, on the intracellular delivery of siRNAs to specific tissues and organs where the gene of interest is expressed. See Vaishnaw, A. et al., "A status report on RNAi therapeutics," Silence (2010) 1:14. In fact, the lack of a satisfactory delivery system has increasingly become the bottleneck in harnessing the power of RNAi therapeutics as many other aspects of technical hurdles are being resolved. See Davidson, B. et al., "Current prospects for RNA interference-based therapies," Nature Reviews (May 2011) 12:329-340. For example, one challenge in devising a reliable delivery system for siRNA is to increase the circulation half-life of siRNA in blood and to avoid premature renal excretion. To that end, researchers have modified the siRNAs using a conjugation-based approach to some success. For instance, in a mouse system, cholesterol-conjugated siRNAs administered intravenously have been shown to significantly increase in the circulation half-life and knockdown of the target mRNA in the liver. See Soutschek J., et al. Nature (2004) 432: 173-178. However, the biggest challenge remains to be designing a delivery system that can be clinically compatible as well as capable of delivering sufficient silencing RNA to tissues and cells to achieve meaningful gene silencing.
The search for an optimal drug delivery system has also lead researchers to nanoparticle technologies, which have shown great potential in both spatial and temporal controls in drug delivery. Many nanoparticles have been proposed for use as carriers for biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,219,577 and 7,651,694. In 2010, reports surfaced of effective systemic administration of siRNA to patients via a targeted delivery system in which nanoparticles made of a cyclodextrin-based polymer is used, see Davis, M. et al. Nature (2010) 464, 1067-1070. However, the cyclodextrin-based nanoparticle approach, while promising, only showed marginal gene silencing efficacy after systemic administration. Novel nanoparticle technology is still urgently needed to achieve necessary delivery efficiency for drug efficacy.
Most of the current exploration of nano-scale delivery vehicles for RNAi-based therapeutic agents has focused on liposome-based carriers or polymer-based carriers. Nanoparticles based on other constitutions such as metals (e.g., gold) and calcium phosphate (see Li, J. et al. J Control Release. (2010) 142(3): 416-421) have also been studied but to a much lesser extent. However, there are ongoing concerns and disappointment over the lack of biodegradability with certain metals and their ensuing cytotoxicity, and over the safety and delivery efficiency of calcium-phosphate particles. As a result, despite their potential advantages over viral vectors, the applicability of nanoparticles made of these materials continues to be limited as viable delivery tools of biologically active molecules. Accordingly, there remains a great need for innovative nonviral nanoparticle compositions as drug delivery vehicles.

Biodegradable and clinically-compatible nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers


An electronic apparatus includes a body, a triaxial acceleration sensor which is built in the body and includes a long axis and a short axis, a disk device built in the body, a calculation unit that calculates a value on a basis of an acceleration value which is detected by the triaxial acceleration sensor and is output in a direction perpendicular to the long axis and to the short axis, a setting unit that sets a threshold in a state of the body in which a plane formed by the long axis and the short axis is approximately parallel to a direction of action of gravitational acceleration, and a controller that starts protection of the disk device on a basis of a result of comparison between the value calculated by the calculation unit and the threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk protection method and particularly to a method for protecting a disk device built in an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic apparatuses such as computers have been equipped with magnetic disk devices in recent years. The magnetic disk devices have low tolerance to vibration and shock.
If vibration, shock, etc. occurs in a magnetic disk device in the middle of writing of data in a magnetic disk by use of a magnetic head of the magnetic disk device or in the middle of reading of data written in a magnetic disk by use of the magnetic head, there is a possibility that the magnetic head and the magnetic disk will collide with each other so as to be broken.
To avoid this trouble, a mechanism for setting a condition for retracting a magnetic head and executing retraction of the magnetic head on the basis of the set condition has been disclosed in JP-A-2004-146036 (see JP-A-2004-146036 (page 11, FIG. 6)).
Developers have proceeded with development of a triaxial acceleration sensor as a sensor for detecting fluctuation of an electronic apparatus with a built-in magnetic disk.
For example, the triaxial acceleration sensor can detect various fluctuations compared with a biaxial acceleration sensor. Accordingly, it is preferable that the triaxial acceleration sensor is used for detecting various fluctuations to prevent any trouble of the magnetic head and the magnetic disk from being caused by the various fluctuations detected.

Electronic apparatus and disk protection method


A method and device allowing a physiological signal, typically representative of brain activity, to be transcribed in the form of sensory signals perceptible to a human user, typically acoustic signals is provided. For this purpose, a physiological signal is acquired and then analysed in such a way as to detect therein patterns that are then parameterised in the time domain. One or more parameters of these patterns are used to determine one or more parameters of the generated sensory signals and/or to determine one or more parameters of temporal envelopes used to modulate the sensory signals. This method and device can be applied, in particular, to neuro-acoustic transduction.

The present invention relates to the fields of signal processing and sensory stimulation.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for the transduction of a physiological signal into a sensory signal. Non-limitatively, the physiological signal can be representative of a brain activity of a human being and the sensory signal can be an acoustic signal.
Methods and devices intended to stimulate an individual's brain waves based on a brain activity measurement signal from this individual are known.
For example, in the patent application FR 3 039 773 A1, predefined patterns are identified in a physiological signal, in particular in order to identify slow brain waves representative of a state of sleep. These slow waves typically have a frequency comprised between 0.3 and 5 Hz. Based on these predefined patterns, an acoustic signal is emitted. The acoustic signal consists of a pink noise burst or of a signal of long duration before a slow wave period. In order to stimulate the brain waves, the acoustic signal is synchronized with a pattern identified in the physiological signal.
A purpose of the present invention is to improve, compared with the state of the prior art, the transcription of a physiological signal—in particular representative of a brain activity—in the form of a sensory signal—acoustic or other—perceptible to a human user.

Physio-sensory transduction method and device

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE


A reflectarray utilizes switching devices with non-ideal impedance characteristics to vary the impedance of reflecting elements. The antennas of the reflecting elements are configured as a function of the impedance of the non-ideal switching devices to provide optimal phase-amplitude performance. In particular, the antennas are configured such that the impedance of each antenna is proportional to the square root of the impedance of the non-ideal switching devices when in an on state and when in an off state.

Microwave and millimeter-wave reflectarrays are antenna arrays in which each antenna is connected to a variable impedance device. If the variable impedance device is a resistive device, ideally it is biased at either short-circuit or open-circuit states or at least at states of very low or very high resistance compared to the antenna impedance. In this way, the antenna and variable impedance device combination acts as a variable-phase reflecting element. With appropriate control signals applied to the variable impedance devices, the reflectarray can be used as an adjustable mirror with the capability of focusing, steering, or splitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation.
Diodes have typically been used as the variable impedance devices in reflectarrays although transistors have also been used. Many low cost transistors are able to provide the desired impedance characteristics at relatively low radio frequency ranges (e.g., less than 10 GHz). However, these low cost transistors do not necessarily provide the desired impedance performance characteristics at relatively high radio frequency ranges (e.g., greater than 20 GHz). More expensively packaged transistors as well as more exotic devices, such as ferroelectric capacitors and ferrite switches, are readily able to provide the desired impedance characteristics at the higher frequency ranges, but the number of transistors, capacitors, or switches required for many reflectarray applications combined with the high cost of each packaged device makes reflectarrays with such devices prohibitively expensive.
In view of this, what is needed is a reflectarray that exhibits the desired impedance characteristics and that is economical to implement.

Device for reflecting electromagnetic radiation


Apparatus and methods for removing jitter and stabilizing the feed back system of a torsional hinged device with minimal changes to the system. The stabilization is accomplished by spatially isolating the pivoting mirror structure from all drive, support and packaging structures to reduce air drag. The mirror structures may be further stabilized by tailoring the drive mechanism and the position of the mechanism to produce substantially pure rotational drive torque on the mirror.

Torsional hinged or galvanometer type mirrors provide an inexpensive alternate mechanism to rotating polygon shaped mirrors that generate a sweeping light beam suitable for use with visual displays and high speed printers. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in order to print high quality images with a laser printer, the mirror which scans or sweeps the light beam across a light sensitive medium (such as a rotating drum) must scribe or follow the same path at the same velocity and with the same period for each scan or sweep. Failure to closely repeat the position and time for each scan or sweep is referred to as jitter. Torsional hinged or galvanometer mirrors are high Q resonant scanning oscillators with mirror tip speeds within a factor of 10 of the speed of sound. At these speeds, air resistance is the primary energy dissipation mechanism (drag) on the mirror. Air currents or air density fluctuations in the vicinity of the rotating mirror produce low frequency variations in the rotational amplitude. These amplitude variations create low frequency jitter in the scan beam that in turn produces artifacts in high quality printed images. A beam position sensor can be used to generate error signals proportional to the magnitude of the jitter and/or deviations from the desired velocity profile. These error signals in conjunction with a PI (Proportional plus Integral) or similar controller determine the power to the drive mechanism to suppress the amplitude variations and reduce the variations in the beam sweep. Unfortunately, galvanometer or torsional hinged mirrors have vibrational modes other than the oscillation or rotational mode that produces the scanned beam. Therefore, if the control or feedback loop produces changes in the frequency components of the drive mechanism that excites the mirrors non-rotational modes, then undesirable vibrational modes can be excited. The excitation of some vibrational modes can produce beam motion, which can in turn produce an even larger error signal. The feed back loop may then try to suppress this larger signal by further increasing the drive correction, which further exacerbates the error. This unstable process amplifies or pumps the undesirable mode and the controlled system may oscillate or even diverge. In practice, this problem is observed as an oscillation in the error signal and mirror jitter at high proportional loop gain settings.
Therefore, a torsional hinged scanning system would be advantageous. Such a system with rotational amplitude stabilization would be even more advantageous if it can be implemented with minimal changes to the existing structure of the operating system.

Reduction of open loop jitter and control loop stabilization of a torsional hinged device by structural optimization


A method for providing control data for manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object by means of a layer-wise solidification of a building material in an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The method includes at least the following steps: a) determining the locations corresponding to the cross section of the at least one object, b) determining at least two different regions to be solidified in said at least one layer, wherein said at least two regions are chosen from the group of: sandwiched region, down-facing region and up-facing region, c) defining a scanning sequence for the beam so as to solidify the building material at least at the locations corresponding to said portion of the cross section of the object, wherein at an interface between a first and a second region differing from each other a scan line of the beam is continuous and at least one beam parameter value is changed.

Methods and devices for a layer-wise manufacturing of objects from a building material are usually termed additive manufacturing methods and devices. Here, a solidification of the building material can be effected for example by supplying heat energy to the building material in that the material is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation or else (in stereolithography) by provoking a thermal setting reaction in the material by irradiating it with ultraviolet radiation.
In order to achieve high quality parts (e.g. parts having precise detail dimensions or desired mechanical properties such as elongation at break), WO 2013/079581 A1 aims to reduce stress in parts manufactured by laser melting. In particular, WO 2013/079581 A1 deals with the problem that unsolidified powder adjacent to material that is being solidified is not a good heat conductor. Thus, when the building material is irradiated, at positions adjacent to unsolidified powder the temperature will be higher than at positions adjacent to already solidified material, which leads to stress and accordingly to a reduced quality. In order to solve that problem, WO 2013/079581 A1 suggests adapting the energy input per unit time to the heat conductivity of the surrounding of a site to be irradiated. This is done by introducing small voxels, wherein it is determined how many voxels in the neighbourhood of a site to be irradiated contain unsolidified powder. The energy input per unit time then is adapted in accordance with the result.
Though the method of WO 2013/079581 A1 may help improving the quality, it makes it necessary to compute the number of voxels with unsolidified powder for each position to be irradiated, which is sometimes cumbersome.


A method, system, and program product are provided for removing artifacts from an EM field generator from a rotational 3D scan. The method comprises: preoperatively, characterizing the artifacts from the EM field generator over a range of rotational positions of an x-ray source and detector; intraoperatively, determining the position of the EM field generator relative to the x-ray source and detector; and removing the preoperatively characterized artifacts for the determined relative position of the EM field generator from current x-ray image.

The principle behind electro-magnetic (EM) tracking is that a field generator produces spatially varying magnetic fields which induce currents in sensor coils. A measurement system is then used to calculate the position and orientation of the sensors, based on measured voltages in the sensors. EM tracking techniques provide real-time position and orientation information in 3D space, which may be used to aid interventional procedures. Since the size of these sensor coils is very small, they can be embedded into a catheter or other surgical tool and be used for guided navigation. As a result, EM tracking systems are very well suited to in-body interventions.
When electromagnetic tracking is used in conjunction with x-ray imaging, such as in a cathlab, the electromagnetic (EM) tracking field generators can corrupt the x-ray images, particularly rotational images from a cone beam CT scan. Even though efforts have been made to design x-ray compatible field generators that do not show any large electronic components in the x-ray image, there are still features that can produce artifacts that are visible on the x-ray image. These features include wires that run from the top to the bottom of the field generator and sharp edges of the outer and inner casings of the field generator. These features typically cause artifacts in the shape of lines on the x-ray image.

Removal of artifacts from an EM field generator from a 3D scan


A polymeric liner for joint implants includes at least one friction reducing member and at least one body member. The friction reducing member is made of a polymeric matrix which contains a polymeric material and at least one nanotube nanoparticle having a volume concentration of between 5%-99% v/v (volume per volume). The body member is formed of at least a polymeric material. The friction reducing member and the body member are conjoined preferably by compression molding or any other method of coupling such as mold injection, 3D printing, adhesion or any other suitable method can be applied. A method produces the polymeric.

A natural joint is a connection between two bones and is classified under two broad categories: (i) joints lacking a joint cavity which allow little or no movement, such as the joint between adjacent vertebrae; and (ii) joints having a joint cavity which allow free movement of such joints in the body. These joints are called synovial joints or synovial-type joints. In humans, common synovial joints include the hip joint, the knee joint, the ankle joint, the shoulder joint, the elbow joint, the wrist joint, the finger joint, the finger metacarpal joint, the toe joint, the toe-metatarsal joint and the carpometacarpal joint. Synovial-type joints can be further classified into three categories: uniaxial, biaxial and triaxial. Uniaxial joints can be further categorized into hinge and pivot joints. Examples of hinge joints are the joints of the fingers, known as the interphalangeal joints. Pivot joints are formed by a central bony pivot surrounded by an osteo-ligamentous ring. Movements are permitted in one plane around a vertical axis. Examples of this type of joint are the superior and inferior radioulnar joints (i.e., joints of the elbow) and the median atlantoaxial joint (i.e., upper neck joints). In a biaxial joint, motion occurs in two planes; thus permitting two degrees of freedom. There are two types of biaxial joints, saddle joints and condyloid joints. An example of a saddle joint is the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb, where the bones fit together resembling an individual riding a horse while sitting on a saddle, with one bone being concave and the other being convex. Examples of condyloid joints are the metacarpophalangeal joints of the fingers. Triaxial joints have three degrees of motion and permit movement in three planes. There are two types of triaxial joints, ball and socket joints, and plane joints. Examples of ball and socket joints include the shoulder joint and the hip joint.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate artificial joint implants according to the prior art. These joint implants are presented herein in order to facilitate understanding of the field of the disclosed technique. Reference is made to FIG. 1, which is an exploded side perspective view of a total hip replacement implant, as is known in the prior art. Total hip replacement implant 10 includes a cup 11, a liner 12 and a stem 13. Stem 13 includes a head 14. Hip replacement implant 10 can be categorized as a ball-and-socket joint, i.e., one in which the rounded surface of head 14 fits into and moves within a cup-shaped depression of liner 12 which fits into cup 11. Such a ball-and-socket joint allows freedom of movement up, down, right, left and in a full 360-degrees of rotation.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is an example of a total knee replacement implant, generally referenced 20, as is known in the prior art. The knee joint is a pivotal hinge joint which permits flexion and extension as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation. Total knee replacement implant includes a head 21, a liner 22 and a stem 23. Head 21 is coupled with liner 22 which is coupled with stem 23. Reference is now made to FIG. 3 which is a side perspective view of a total disc replacement implant, generally referenced 30, as is known in the prior art. Total disc replacement implant includes a top plate 31, a liner 32 and a base plate 33. Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which is a total ankle replacement implant, generally referenced 40, as is known in the prior art. Total ankle replacement implant 40 includes a top plate 41, a liner (or insert) 42 and a base plate 43.
Common materials which have been used over the years for medical joint implants are: metals, ceramics, polymers and composite materials. Different types of medical joint implants include metal-on-metal implants, which are made of stainless steel or cobalt chrome alloys, ceramic-on-ceramic implants, which are made of zirconia and alumina, polymer implants such as Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polyimides, and composite material implants such as carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK (polyether ether ketone).
Metal-on-metal joint implants as well as ceramic and UHMWPE joint implants each suffer from a common drawback, viz. mechanical wear and degradation of the implant in a patient's body due to the repetitious movement of one part of the implant in respect of the other part of the implant. For example, in 2010, there was a great deal of publicity in the USA on the failure and recall of the metal-on-metal hip marketed by DePuy. The recall came after data from a study indicated that the five year failure rate of this metal-on-metal hip is approximately 13%. Even if the defective device is replaced, it can leave behind dangerous, possibly deadly fragments that may not be discovered for years. DePuy identified reasons for the failure of the hip replacement system as component loosening, component malalignment, infection, fracture of the bone, dislocation, metal sensitivity and pain. In general, with respect to all metal-on-metal artificial joints, the movement of the metal head within the metal cup of the joint implant results in a high volume of metallic debris which is absorbed into the patient's body. The absorption of metallic debris by the body can cause inflammatory reactions, resulting in pain in the groin area, death of tissue in the hip joint and actual loss of surrounding bone. Polymer joint implants suffer from similar drawbacks with respect to degradation and wear debris. Every year, more than a million Americans receive an artificial hip or knee prosthesis. Such joint implants are designed to last years but in about 15-20 percent of patients who receive a total joint replacement, the joint implant prematurely loosens and has to be replaced early, which can cause dangerous complications in patients, in particular in elderly patients. Over the years the durability of artificial joint implants has improved, for example a hip implant now lasts between 10-15 years and a knee implant lasts between 7-10 years, yet the average age of patients in need of an artificial prosthesis has significantly lowered. Moreover, as active participation in sports, both recreational and professional, is an increasing reality for a significant number of younger patients, there is a growing need for a durable joint implant which exhibits a higher lasting rate.
As friction is a major cause of tear and wear of joint implants, attempts to provide durable joint implants aim at developing new ceramic or composite materials having a higher wear resistance and a lower friction coefficient. One attempted solution to overcome the accelerated wear of joint implants due to the continuous friction of non-lubricated surfaces of the joint implant was made by coating one or both of the contacting surfaces with films of hydroxyapatite, thus reducing the coefficient of friction between the contacting surfaces. Such films however end up being quite thick and unstable, and tend to break off from the joint implant.
Many examples of attempts to overcome the accelerated wear of joint implants are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,190 to Klaus-Peter Anhalt et al., entitled "Orthopaedic connection" is directed to an orthopedic clamp connection as a functional element for force transmission in a prosthesis comprising a tube socket and a tube made of light metal, and a contact area there between. The contact area includes an intermediate layer comprising a low molecular weight carrier material in which at least one of a lubricant or an auxiliary is embedded. The carrier material is selected from inorganic materials such as metal, metal salt, metal oxide or ceramic material. The intermediate layer has a thickness from 0.1 μm to 1 mm. Suggested lubricants are a dicarboxylic ester, a fatty acid, a fatty acid ester, a fatty acid amide, a metal soap, a silicone oil, molybdenum sulfide, a polyolefin wax, a paraffin, a fluoropolymer or a combination thereof.
PCT International Application Publication No. WO 2009/115790 to Peter White, entitled "Replacement bone joint" is directed to a replacement bone joint that has joint members such as a femoral prosthesis and an acetabular prosthesis which define a ball and socket joint between a head and a titanium cup. The titanium cup has a lining and the head, which is made of stainless steel, is provided with an adhered coating. The coating and lining are formed from a non-crossed-linked thermoplastic material such as nylon, which may be incorporated with lubricants such as silicone, hydrogels, molybdenum sulfide, polyvinyl pyrollidone, glycerin, mineral oil grease and/or graphite.

Liners for medical joint implants with improved wear-resistance


There is provided a method for processing electronic documents. The method includes: receiving a plurality of electronic documents stored in a file container created based on a file system; retrieving metadata from the file container, the metadata indicating forensic information about the plurality of electronic documents; applying an interactive filtering to the metadata according to user inputs; and selectively extracting one or more electronic documents from the file container according to results of the interactive filtering.

Identifying and discovering relevant information from a large pool of electronic data is a challenging task. For example, in a discovery process of a litigation case, parties often exchange a great deal of information in electronic format as required by local law or by mutual agreement. Before being turned over to the opposing party, the electronic documents must be reviewed for relevance and screened for privilege. After a document is identified as potentially relevant, it is further reviewed for privilege. Evidence may then be extracted from the relevant electronic documents and further analyzed. Documents may be reviewed either as native files or converted to other forms, such as PDF or TIFF files.
Failure to provide relevant information or inadvertently providing privileged information to the opposing party may subject a party to court sanctions or even adverse judgments. Parties involved in litigation and their counsel typically invest substantial time and effort in reviewing and screening electronic data. The amount of electronic data that must be processed and produced can be overwhelming, raising litigation costs and causing delays in proceedings. When a party discovers later during a case that additional information must be discovered or submitted, the trial may be delayed or interrupted to take additional discovery. The parties must invest additional time and labor in processing and producing the new information.
The infrastructure and resources needed to perform these tasks efficiently is expensive. Maintaining this capability across thousands of individual law firms is duplicative, expensive, and wasteful. Consolidation of these services in a smaller, specialized vendor population may be more efficient and save the client money and provide additional expertise. There remains a need to efficiently and precisely identify relevant information from a large amount of electronic data at an early stage. It is also desired to free parties and their attorneys from burdensome discovery tasks, while allowing the parties and their attorneys to have real-time control of the discovery process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A child's active transportation device comprising: a steering rod permanently or removably affixed to a wheel base, said wheel base having a platform and mechanism or device for affixing a plurality of wheels to said wheel base, and also having a plurality of wheels and associated equipment and method of use.

For hundreds of years, parents have used baby carriages and strollers as a primary means of transporting young children. While many improvements have been made, they still today remain cumbersome and limited in their practicality when transporting children old enough to walk. Additionally, due to the method of pushing for propulsion, this method may also require physical effort and may create discomfort for the parent or guardian.
Young children who are old enough to walk are usually difficult to confine in small carriages or strollers as they get restless and bored. Additionally, they are removed from direct involvement with their parent or guardian pushing the carriage or stroller. Children old enough to walk are very energetic and typically want constant interaction. By confining them to carriages and strollers, parents and guardians push or pull the carriage or stroller at a distance, forcing the child to inactively ride without easy adult interaction.
When children grow out of carriages it becomes difficult for them to keep up with adults on long walks or trips to events that require a lot of walking Young walking children are usually not accustomed to walking long distances, but they also refuse be squeezed into strollers that they no longer enjoy. Wagons can be strenuous to drag around and tricycles with push bars can be equally uncomfortable for adults. These items also require the kids to be ahead or behind the adults and are bulky. This leaves parents or guardians to carry their children, which can be very strenuous for the adult and often cannot be done for long enough to efficiently transport the child.
When a child starts to walk, strollers typically become a preferable choice over carriages. By the time a child is about two years old they are eager to walk on their own; around the age of three years or so, parents and guardians generally have no viable options for mobilizing their children efficiently. The most accessible and common choices are tricycles and wagons that tend to be bulky/heavy, strapping them in strollers that can be equally cumbersome and annoying to most older children, or simply having them walk. This leaves a void and need for a lightweight, collapsible, small, and easy to carry transportation device that enables children to be propelled safely by their parent or guardian while riding in a more active manner.
Many parents or guardians use scooters as a means of mobilizing their children. However, these devices are self-propelled by the child leaving the parent or guardian with no control over their movement. Stooping to control scooters can be strenuous, and can be unsafe as they can be difficult to keep from gliding away. Scooters can be dangerous in many environments, particularly for younger children first learning to ride. With older children, scooters can become hazardous for bystanders as there is no control over speed and direction by parents or guardians and children often cannot fully and safely control scooters in situations where pedestrian or vehicular traffic creates hazards.
There is a need for a Child's Active Transportation Device that enables the children to remain alongside, as opposed to in front of or behind, the parent or guardian in a standing, squatting or sitting position. This way, they can easily interact while the child rides. The present invention can be a cost effective and viable solution that enables efficient active transportation while maintaining safe control by the parent or guardian. Current means of transporting children tend to keep the child sedentary and therefore inactive, or tend to lack adequate safety and braking features to prevent the device from moving without a parent or guardian making it do so. In the standing position of the present invention children are additionally elevated by the height of such a device and therefore able to hear and be heard by the parent or guardian, thereby improving interaction and the ability to remain actively involved while riding.
An active transportation device of this sort would greatly improve the interaction and activity of children while on any long walk with their parent or guardian. It would also offer parents or guardians an ergonomic solution for comfort and efficiency problems that typically exist with carriages, strollers, wagons, tricycles or children's cars with push bars, or other children's transportation devices currently available. This is a particularly important while transporting children through large event spaces like street fairs, parks, outdoor music events, amusement parks, museums, and theme parks. Many of these public and privately owned venues restrict use of scooters, tricycles, and other similar active devices due to the potential hazards of colliding with other individuals. Carriages and strollers typically restrict children's ability to participate in the event as they are strapped to the device in a sitting or lying down position. Therefore there is a great need for a transportation device that allows for a child to stand alongside making them feel like they are walking with their parent or guardian and not just being transported.
Carriages, strollers, wagons, tricycles or children's cars with push bars, or other children's transportation devices currently available are also typically bulky and hard to transport on subways, buses, taxi cabs, cars, airplanes, and other forms of mass transportation. The present invention can be smaller and easier to fold than these traditional devices, making it easy to carry on subways, buses, taxi cabs, cars, airplanes, and other forms of mass transportation.

Child's active transportation device and method of use


An optical tomographic imaging apparatus is provided which includes a low-resolution mode for rough imaging and a high-resolution mode for obtaining detailed images. In particular, an optical tomographic imaging apparatus is provided which enables tomographic imaging during a high-resolution mode to be performed at higher speeds. An imaging apparatus according to the present invention captures an optical interference tomographic image based on a combined beam that combines a return beam from an object irradiated by a measuring beam and a reference beam corresponding to the measuring beam. The imaging apparatus according to the present invention further includes a beam diameter changing unit for changing a beam diameter of the measuring beam. Furthermore, the imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a detection unit configured to detect the combined beam at a resolution according to the beam diameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical tomographic imaging apparatus, and particularly to an optical tomographic imaging apparatus used in opthalmologic diagnosis and treatment and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various opthalmologic devices that utilize optical devices are in use today.
For example, various devices such as an anterior ocular segment photographing device, a fundus camera, and a scanning laser opthalmoscope (SLO) are used as optical devices for observing the eye.
Among such optical devices, an optical tomographic imaging apparatus based on optical coherence tomography (hereinafter referred to as OCT) that utilizes multi-wavelength lightwave interference is capable of obtaining a high-resolution tomographic image of a sample.
OCTs are becoming indispensable opthalmologic devices at outpatient retina specialists.
According to the optical tomographic imaging apparatus described above, when a sample is irradiated with a measuring beam that is a low-coherence light, a backscattering light from the sample can be measured at high sensitivity by using an interference system.
In addition, by scanning the measuring beam on the sample, the optical tomographic imaging apparatus can obtain a high-resolution tomographic image.
Therefore, since an optical tomographic imaging apparatus is also capable of high-resolution tomographic imaging of a retina in a fundus of an eye to be inspected, optical tomographic imaging apparatuses are widely used in opthalmologic diagnosis and treatment of retinas.
In recent years, with opthalmologic optical tomographic imaging apparatuses, a transition is underway from conventional time domain optical coherence tomography to Fourier domain optical coherence tomography that enables imaging at higher speeds.
While information is acquired per a specific depth in an eye to be inspected in time domain optical coherence tomography, since Fourier domain optical coherence tomography collectively acquires information in a depth direction, high-speed imaging can be performed.
High-speed imaging enables the prevention of image blur and image loss due to ocular movement represented by involuntary eye movement.
On the other hand, conventionally, an optical apparatus is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-174769 in order to satisfy both demands for higher resolution and for reductions in imaging time.
Specifically, an optical apparatus for observing the inside of a biological specimen is proposed which uses both OCT and OCM (optical coherence microscopy) as the situation demands.
The apparatus is configured to use OCT when verifying large structures in a biological specimen and to be switchable to OCM when further observing an attention area in the biological specimen at a higher resolution.
In doing so, since OCT and OCM significantly differ from each other in depth of focus (DOF), the apparatus is configured using a beam diameter conversion optical system so that beam diameters respectively corresponding to OCT having a small numerical aperture and OCM having a large numerical aperture can be set.
Accordingly, observations can be performed at a high S/N ratio.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-101250 proposes an optical tomographic imaging apparatus arranged such that high resolution is achieved by OCT itself due to Fourier domain optical coherence tomography.
The apparatus is arranged so that in order to compensate for a narrow depth of focus (DOF), an optical path length adjustment unit is used to move a focusing position of a measured object in a depth direction to obtain a plurality of images, and the plurality of images is combined to acquire high-resolution tomographic images of the measured object in a horizontal direction and an optical axis direction.


A power conversion apparatus includes a primary side circuit, a secondary side circuit that is connected to the primary side circuit through a reactor and magnetically coupled thereto through a transformer, and a control unit that adjusts power transmitted between the primary side circuit and the secondary side circuit by changing a phase difference between switching of the primary side circuit and switching of the secondary side circuit. The control unit adjusts the frequency of switching of the primary side circuit and the secondary side circuit according to the value of an equivalent inductance of the reactor and the transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to power conversion performed between a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit that is connected to the primary side circuit through a reactor and magnetically coupled thereto through a transformer.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional power conversion apparatus can adjust an amount of power transmitted between a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit by changing a phase difference between switching of the primary side circuit and switching of the secondary side circuit (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-193713 (JP 2011-193713 A), for example).

Power conversion apparatus that adjusts the power transmitted between a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit and method of the same


An exemplary information-processing device includes: a switching unit configured to switch an operating mode of the information-processing device to an active mode or a sleep mode; a receiving unit configured to receive, when the information-processing device is in the active mode, an instruction to download data specified by a user; and a downloading unit configured to start download of the data when the operating mode of the information-processing device is switched from the active mode to the sleep mode.

Video game devices to which a storage medium such as a memory card storing an application program such as game software is attached are in widespread use. Recently, devices that can download a video game application program from a server via a network, instead of using a storage medium, have become increasingly popular.
By the present disclosure, restriction of usage of an information-processing device caused by a download is prevented.
There is provided an information-processing device including: a switching unit configured to switch an operating mode of the information-processing device to an active mode or a sleep mode; a receiving unit configured to receive, when the information-processing device is in the active mode, an instruction to download data specified by a user; and a downloading unit configured to start download of the data when the operating mode of the information-processing device is switched from the active mode to the sleep mode.

Information-processing device, information-processing system, information-processing method, and computer-readable storage medium, for downloading data


The invention relates to a trapezoidal component comprising a base element and two legs, which are each connected to the base element in a transition region. The invention further relates to a linear guide and to a head restraint having such a linear guide.

The present invention relates to a trapezoidal component having a base element and two arms, each of which is connected to the base element in a transition region. The present invention relates furthermore to a linear guide and a head restraint having such a linear guide.
Trapezoidal components are used in the vehicle interior design industry usually in order to alter the depth of steering columns or to adjust head restraints, as can be seen from DE 11 2006 003 427 B4 or EP 1 194 326 B1, for example. The trapezoidal components described here do, however, have a relatively complicated structure.

Trapezoidal component, linear guide, and head restraint


An inverter circuit for driving a lamp and a backlight module using the same are provided. The inverter circuit includes a signal generation module, a switching unit, a first capacitor, a transformer and a first detecting module. The signal generation module generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, wherein the duty cycle of the PWM signal is controlled by a feedback signal and a sensed signal. The switching unit has a control terminal receiving the PWM signal, and has a first current terminal and a second current terminal respectively coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal of the first capacitor. The transformer generates an AC driving signal to the lamp according to a signal variation of the primary winding coupled the first current terminal of the first transistor. The first detecting module generates the sensed signal according to the flowing current of the switching unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter circuit for driving a lamp and a backlight module using the same, and more particularly, relates to an inverter circuit utilizing current control mode to drive the lamp.
2. Description of Related Art
With great advance in the techniques of electro-optical and semiconductor devices, flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCD), have enjoyed burgeoning development and flourished in recent year. Due to the numerous advantages of the LCD, such as low power consumption, free of radiation, and high space utilization, the LCD has become the main stream in the market. An LCD includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal display panel has no capacity of emitting light by itself so that the backlight module is arranged below the liquid crystal display panel to provide the surface light source for the liquid crystal display panel so as to perform the display function.
Generally, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) is often used in the backlight module for providing a backlight. An inverter circuit is needed to generate a driving signal with alternating current (AC) to drive the CCFL. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional inverter circuit. Referring to FIG. 1, the inverter circuit 100 includes a direct current (DC) voltage source 110, a pulse width modulator 120, a bridge DC/AC converter 130, a transformer 140, and a voltage detector 150. The bridge DC/AC converter 130 is a full bridge DC/AC converter and includes the switches S1 through S4, wherein the switches S1 through S4 are implemented by transistors. Herein, the switches S1 and S4 are classified into a set and the switches S2 and S3 are classified into another set. The two sets of switch are alternately conducted according to the control signals CON1 through CON4 generated by the pulse width modulator 120 for converting the DC voltage provided by the DC voltage source 110 into an AC square wave signal with a high frequency.
The transformer 140 and the capacitors C1 and C2 converts the said square wave signal into a quasi-sine wave signal to drive the CCFL 160. Since the luminance of the CCFL 160 is determined according to the amount of current flowing through the CCFL 160, the voltage detector 150 detects a current flowing through the CCFL 160 and converts the current signal into a voltage signal as a feedback signal fb. Hence, the pulse width modulator 120 adjusts the pulse widths of the control signals CON1 through CON4 according to the feedback signal fb for a purpose of steadily adjusting the luminance of the CCFL 160.
Nevertheless, the bridge DC/AC converter 130 of the said inverter circuit 100 uses too many electrical components, e.g. switches S1 through S4, and the incorrect operation of the switches S1 through S4 may cause the inverter circuit 100 failing to drive the CCFL 160. For example, the switches S1 and S2 are conducted simultaneously. Besides, the conventional inverter circuit 100 often utilizes voltage control mode to drive the CCFL 160. The feedback signal fb generated by the voltage detector 150 is utilized to adjust the control signals CON1 through CON4. However, the pulse width modulator 120 can not immediately adjust the pulse widths of the control signals CON1 through CON4 by utilizing such outer loop feedback path. Hence, the factories and stores are giving many efforts to solve the above-mentioned problems.

Inverter circuit of driving a lamp and backlight module using the same


A method of forming well regions for improving well efficiency is performed by forming a first bore hole to a ground region having a relatively good liquid guiding properties, forming at least one second bore hole near the first bore hole to the same ground region, loosening and at least partially washing out components of a ground material surrounding the bore holes in the ground region by at least one of pumping in or aspirating liquid into or out at least one of the bore holes, and introducing into at least one of the bore holes after removing a bore tube, a well tube so that permeable well tube regions are located at the height of the washed ground region surrounding the bore holes.

The present invention relates to a method of forming well regions for improving the efficiency of wells.
Wells of all types have a limited service life, since over time they are clogged with entrained sediments or with contamination in the liquid entry regions. Since well bore holes are sunk with a relatively great diameter for receiving the well tube with a surrounding gravel filter layer, the production of the wells is relatively expensive and a short service life of such wells is a substantial disadvantage. Due to the surrounding gravel filter layer the clogging of the well tube is first delayed. However, it has been recognized that the addition of sediments to the gravel filter layer contributes to the above described phenomenon with the reduction of the inflow speed of the liquid into the well shaft due to the increasing inflow resistance.


A double-core light-conducting fiber comprise a pump core, a laser core which is arranged centrically in the pump core, and a cladding surrounding the pump core. The pump core which is constructed with a substantially circular cross section has at least one ground portion on the outside which extends in the light direction of the double-core light-conducting fiber and amounts to 1% to 49% of the diameter of the pump core. A process for the production of the double-core light-conducting fiber and to a double-core fiber laser and to a double-core fiber amplifier are also disclosed which use the double-core light-conducting fiber according to the invention. The substantially round pump core with its centrically arranged laser core enables a simple connection with other fiber-optic components and a simple coupling in of the pumping light.

a) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a double-core light-conducting fiber, a process for the production of a double-core light-conducting fiber, a double-core fiber laser and a double-core fiber amplifier. The invention is applied, for example, in light-beam communication, laser technology, laser measurement technology, medical technology, and image display by means of laser radiation.
b) Description of the Related Art
A double-core fiber laser with a pump core which is round in cross section and in which a laser core is arranged in the center and is enclosed by cladding is already known from "Optics Letters", Vol. 20, No. 6, pages 578-580. This known double-core fiber laser has the disadvantage that only a portion of the pumping light is absorbed in the central laser core because of helix beams, as they are called, which are formed in the interior of the pump core and which do not intersect the laser core and are therefore not absorbed.
A double-core fiber laser with a round pump core and acentric laser core is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,079. This double-core fiber laser is difficult to manufacture and the laser core tends to deform elliptically in cross section. The patent also discloses a double-core fiber laser with a pump core having a rectangular cross section and a centric laser core.. This double-core fiber laser is also complicated to manufacture. Pumping light losses occur at the edges of the pump core and the coupling in of pumping light from diode lasers is more difficult than with double-core fiber lasers having a round pump core because of the rectangular geometry. Further, fiber lasers with a rectangular cross section are not compatible with standard fiber components.

Double-core light-conducting fiber, process for producing the same, double-core fiber laser, and double-core fiber amplifier

LDT GmbH & Co. Laser-Display-Technologie KG


The invention relates to indole acetic acid compounds which function as antagonists of the CRTH2 receptor. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds to inhibit the binding of prostaglandin D2 and its metabolites or certain thromboxane metabolites to the CRTH2 receptor and to treat disorders responsive to such inhibition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of medicinal chemistry. In particular, the invention relates to indole acetic acid compounds which function as antagonists of the CRTH2 receptor. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds to inhibit the binding of prostaglandin D2 and its metabolites to the CRTH2 receptor and to treat disorders responsive to such inhibition.
2. Related Art
The Chemoattractant Receptor-homologous molecule expressed on T-Helper type 2 cells (CRTH2) receptor binds prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and its metabolites. Efforts have been made to inhibit the binding of PGD2 and other ligands to the CRTH2 receptor in order to treat disorders and diseases related to excess activation of CRTH2.
Elevated PGD2 is thought to play a causative role in both asthma and atopic dermatitis. For example, PGD2 is one of the major prostanoids released by mast cells in the asthmatic lung and this molecule is found at high levels in the bronchial fluid of asthmatics (Liu et al., Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 142:126 (1990)). Evidence of a role of PGD2 in asthma is provided by a recent publication examining the effects of overexpression of prostaglandin D synthase on induction of allergic asthma in transgenic mice (Fujitani, J. Immunol. 168:443 (2002)). After allergen challenge, these animals had increased PGD2 in the lungs, and the number of Th2 cells and eosinophils were greatly elevated relative to non-transgenic animals. These results are consistent with PGD2 being a primary chemotactic agent in the recruitment of inflammatory cells during allergic asthma.
PGD2 can bind to two G-protein coupled receptors, DP (Boie et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:18910 (1995)) and CRTH2 (Nagata et al., J. Immunol. 162:1278 (1999); Hirai et al., J. Exp. Med. 193:255 (2001)). The latter receptor might play a particularly important role in diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis that are characterized by Th2 cell involvement, since Th2 cell chemotaxis in response to PGD2 appears to be mediated by CRTH2 (Hirai et al., above). Moreover, eosinophils, the major inflammatory cell type seen in asthmatic lungs, show a CRTH2-mediated chemotactic response to PGD2 (Hirai et al.) and certain thromboxane metabolites (Bohm et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279:7663 (2004)).
WO 03/066046 discloses compounds of the following formula which are active at the CRTH2 receptor:
wherein:    R1 is hydrogen, halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy;    R2 is hydrogen, halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy;    R3 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl;    R4 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, thio C1-6 alkyl; and    X is N or CH.
WO 03/66047 discloses compounds of the following formula which are active at the CRTH2 receptor:
wherein:    R1 is a 1,3-benzothiazole group optionally substituted by halogen, C1-6 alkyl,    C1-6 alkoxy, or a group of Formula (A) or (B):
    where R4 and R5 are independently halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, phenoxy optionally substituted by halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy,
    where one of X and Y is nitrogen and the other is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur and R6 is phenyl optionally substituted by halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy;    R2 is hydrogen, halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy; and    R3 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl.
WO 03/101961 discloses compounds of the following formula which are active at the CRTH2 receptor:
wherein:    R1 is hydrogen, halogen, CN, nitro, SO2R4, OH, OR4, S(O)xR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, aryl (optionally substituted by chlorine or fluorine), C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl or C1-C6 alkyl, the latter three groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R2 is hydrogen, halogen, CN, SO2R4 or CONR5R6, CH2OH, CH2OR4or C1-C7 alkyl, the latter group being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R3 is aryl or heteroaryl each of which is optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, CN, nitro, OH, SO2R4, OR4, SR4, SOR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, NHCOR4, NHSO2R4, NHCO2R4, NR7SO2R4, NR7CO2R4, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl or C1-C6 alkyl, the latter three groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R4 represents aryl, heteroaryl, or C1-C6 alkyl all of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, heteroaryl, OR10, OH, NR11R12, S(O)xR13 (where x=0, 1, or 2), CONR14R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15, CN, nitro;    R5 and R6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-C6 alkyl group, or an aryl, or a heteroaryl, the latter three of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, OR8 and NR14R15, CONR14R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15, CN, nitro; or    R5 and R6 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached can form a 3-8 membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally containing one or more atoms selected from O, S(O)x where x=0, 1, or 2, NR16, and itself optionally substituted by C1-C3 alkyl;    R7 and R13 independently represent a C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group, all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms;    R8 represents a hydrogen atom, C(O)R9, C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group, all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms;    each of R9, R10, R11, R12, R14, R15, independently represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or heteroaryl group (all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms); and    R16 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, COC1-C4 alkyl, COYC1-C4 alkyl where Y is O or NR7,    provided that when R1 is hydrogen and R2 is methyl, then R3 is not 2-nitrophenyl.
WO 03/101981 discloses compounds of the following formula which are active at the CRTH2 receptor:
wherein:    R1 is hydrogen, halogen, CN, nitro, SO2R4, OH, OR4, SR4, SOR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, NR9SO2R4, NR9CO2R4, NR9COR4, heteroaryl, aryl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl or C1-C6 alkyl, the latter five groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen,    OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R2 is hydrogen, halogen, CN, SO2R4 or CONR5R6, CH2OH, CH2OR4 or C1-C7 alkyl, the latter group being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R3 is aryl or heteroaryl each of which is optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, CN, nitro, OH, SO2R4, OR4, SR4, SOR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, NR9SO2R4, NR9CO2R4, NR9CO2H, NR9COR4, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C1-C6 alkyl, the latter three groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1,or 2;    with the proviso that R3 cannot be phenyl or substituted phenyl;    R4 represents aryl, heteroaryl, or C1-C6 alkyl all of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, heteroaryl, OR10, and NR11R12, S(O)xR13 (where x=0, 1, or 2), CONR14R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15;    R5 and R6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-C6 alkyl group, or an aryl, or a heteroaryl, the latter three of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, OR8 and NR14R15, CONR14R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15; or    R5 and R6 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached can form a 3-8 membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally containing one or more atoms selected from O, S(O)x where x=0, 1, or 2, NR16, and itself optionally substituted by C1-C3 alkyl;    R7 and R13 independently represent a C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group, all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms;    R8 represents a hydrogen atom, C(O)R9, C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group, all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms or an aryl group;    each of R9, R10, R11, R12, R14, R15, independently represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or heteroaryl group (all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms); and    R16 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, COC1-C4 alkyl, COYC1-C4 alkyl where Y is O or NR7.
WO 2004/007451 discloses compounds of the following formula which are active at the CRTH2 receptor:
wherein:    n represents 1 or 2;    R1 is one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, CN, nitro, SO2R4, OR4, SR4, SOR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, NR9SO2R4, NR9CO2R4, NR9COR4, aryl, heteroaryl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl or C1-C6 alkyl, the latter five groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, OR7 and NR8R9, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R2 is hydrogen, halogen, CN, SO2R4 or CONR5R6, COR4 or C1-C7 alkyl, the latter group being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, OR8 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R3 is aryl or a 5-7 membered heteroaryl ring containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, S, and O, each of which is optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, CN, nitro, SO2R4, OH, OR4, SR4, SOR4, SO2NR5R6, CONR5R6, NR5R6, NR9SO2R4, NR9CO2R4, NR9COR4, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl C1-C6 alkyl, the latter three groups being optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, OR7 and NR5R6, S(O)xR7 where x is 0, 1, or 2;    R4 represents aryl, heteroaryl, or C1-C6 alkyl all of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, heteroaryl, OR10, and NR11R12, S(O)xR13 (where x=0, 1, or 2), CONR14R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15, CN, nitro;    R5 and R6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-C6 alkyl group, an aryl, or a heteroaryl, the latter three of which may be optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen atoms, aryl, OR13 and NR14R15, CONR14 R15, NR14COR15, SO2NR14R15, NR14SO2R15, CN nitro; or    R5 and R6 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached can form a 3-8 membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally containing one or more atoms selected from O, S(O)x where x=0, 1, or 2, NR16, and the ring itself optionally substituted by C1-C3 alkyl;    R7 and R13 independently represent a C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group, all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms;    R8 represents a hydrogen atom, C(O)R9, C1-C6 alkyl (optionally substituted by halogen atoms, aryl or heteroaryl groups, both of which may also be optionally substituted by one or more fluorine atoms), an aryl or heteroaryl group, which may be optionally substituted by one or more halogen atoms;    each of R9, R10, R11, R12, R14, R15, independently represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl or a heteroaryl group (all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen atoms); and    R16 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, COC1-C4 alkyl, C(O)YC1-C4 alkyl, Y is O or NR7.
WO 02/060438 discloses compounds of the following formula that can be used as integrin antagonists:
    wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 independently represent hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroarylalkyl;    R6, R7, R8, and R9 independently represent hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, monoalkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl;    or R6 and R7 are taken together to form —(CH2)p—, where p is 2-8, while R8 and R9 are defined as above; or R8 and R9 are taken together to form —(CH2)q—, where q is 2-8, while R6 and R7 are defined as above; or R6 and R8 are taken together to form —(CH2)r—, while r is zero (a bond), 1, or 2, while R7 and R9 are defined as above;    X represents oxygen, sulfur, —CH2—, —NH—, —(C═O)NH—, or —NH(C═O)—;    n is from 0 to 4;    m is from 0 to 4;    a is 0 or 1;    D represents oxygen;    V is 0 or 1;    R10, R11, R12, and R13 independently represent: hydrogen; hydroxy; alkyl; alkoxy; cycloalkyl; aryl, optionally substituted with one or more of halogen, hydroxy, cyano, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, arylalkyl, arylalkoxy, aryloxy, alkylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyarylalkyl, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, aminoalkyl, monoalkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, alkanoyl; monoalkylamino; dialkylamino; aminoalkyl; monoalkylaminoalkyl; dialkylaminoalkyl; alkanoyl; heteroaryl having 5-14 ring members, optionally substituted with one or more of halogen, hydroxy, cyano, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, arylalkyl, arylalkoxy, aryloxy, alkylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyarylalkyl, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, aminoalkyl, monoalkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, alkanoyl; or
    wherein R17 and R18 together form —CH2CH2—O—, —O—CH2CH2—, —O—CH2—O—, or —O—CH2CH2—O—; or    R10 and R12 are taken together to form —(CH2)s—, wherein s is 0 (a bond) or 1 to 4, while R11 and R13 are defined as above; or R10 and R12 are taken together to form a double bond when i is 0 and k is 1, while R11 and R13 are as defined above; or R10 and R11 are taken together to form —(CH2)t—, wherein t is 2 to 8, while R12 and R13 are defined as above, or R12 and R13 are taken together to form —(CH2)u— wherein u is 2 to 8, while R10 and R11 are defined as above;    i is from 0 to 4;    j is from 0 to 4;    k is 0 or 1;    R14 is hydrogen or a functionality that acts as a prodrug;    W is
    wherein Y is —N— or —CH—;    Z is —N— or —CH—;    R15 is hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, aryl, or arylalkyl;    R16 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, or halogen;    R19 and R20 are independently hydrogen, halogen, or alkyl;    R27, R28, R29, R30, and R31 are independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy or aryl; and    o and p are independently 0, 1, or 2.

Indole acetic acids exhibiting CRTH2 receptor antagonism and uses thereof


A printer for optionally printing the front side and back side of a band-shaped recording medium has a feed device to move the recording medium from the front side printing and fixing stations to a turn-overs station where it is turned over and returned to the printing and fixing station to print the back side. Pairs of driven rollers are provided in the paper channel to move the recording medium, wherein the frictional forces on the recording medium by the rollers can be set. The rollers are reversible and can also be swivelled out for certain printing modes and recording media sizes. Automatic threading of the recording medium is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a printer means for printing the front side and back side of a band-shaped recording medium having a turn-over means with an appertaining delivery means arranged therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A high economic customer benefit and a broad spectrum of flexibility are expected to a greatly increasing degree from modern electrographic printer systems. The effective utilization of printing materials as well as the flexible design of the print information play a great part therein.
Endlessly processing (fan-fold) electrographic printer systems that print a band-shaped recording medium on one side have prevailed in the marketplace everywhere that a high device availability given high printing volume and a broad spectrum of printing materials are required. These printer systems, however, have the disadvantage that it is not possible to switch between single-sided and double-sided printing. For the user, this leads both to an economically unfavorable situation as well as to a contradiction of the contemporary demands for efficient utilization of raw materials. Many customer-specific applications that necessarily require double-sided printing (brochures, books, etc.) can thus not be satisfied, particularly since electrographic high-performance printers are especially economical when they are operated interruption-free insofar as possible.
For generating multi-color and backside printing with electrographic printer devices working with continuous stock, European Patent Document EP-B1-01 54 695 has disclosed that two continuous stock printers be operated following one another, whereby the paper printed in the first printer is turned over and is subsequently printed on the second side in the second printer.
The outlay is substantial because of the required second printer.
The publication IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 6, November 1979, pages 2465-2466, also discloses an electrophotographic printer means for printing band-shaped recording media with which it is possible to print the recording medium on both sides. To this end, the recording medium is taken from a supply stack, supplied to a transfer printing station, and provided with toner images on one side. After the fixing step the recording medium is turned over with the assistance of a turn-over means composed of deflection rods and is resupplied to the transfer printing station. After the back side of the recording medium is printed with toner images, another fixing ensues in the fixing step station.
This old reference basically describes duplex printing with continuous stock recording media. However, the proposal never lead to a product. Further, the described electrographic printer means is only suitable for the both-sided printing of the recording medium. A change in operating mode is not provided. The turn-over means composed of deflection rods that is employed requires a manual threading of the recording medium; further, the way in which the deflection rods are arranged requires a great deal of installation space.
A printer means for printing the front side and back side of a band-shaped recording medium has also already been disclosed that contains units generating an intermediate carrier with appertaining toner images, a transfer printing station that transfers the toner images onto the recording medium and a fixing station that each respectively have a usable width of at least twice the band width of the recording medium. After the printing of the front side, the recording medium is conducted via a return channel from the fixing station to a turn-over station in which it is turned over and resupplied to the transfer printing station for printing the back side.
When the recording medium is supplied to the turn-over station via a return channel comprising paper transport rollers, this turn-over station being preferably equipped with a fully automatic threading means, there is thereby the problem that the paper web can, dependent on its nature, jam before it reaches the turn-over means. The involved insertion event must then be repeated.
Given a stop in the printing process, the paper transport must stop the paper web side-suited, and it must be in turn started side-suited given a start of printing.
Since a deceleration distance given every paper web stop and an acceleration distance given every paper web start are required, the paper web must be retracted to such an extent in front of the transfer printing station given a stop event that it can be accelerated given a restart and synchronized for the transfer printing.
The paper transport rollers of the return channel support the retraction motion of the paper transport so that this paper pull-back can be implemented while the tension in the paper web is relaxed insofar as possible. An overload of the paper transport perforations or, respectively, too great a widening of the transport perforations, which leads to positioning errors in the print format after the restart, would be the result without this pull-back relief. The traction roller forces for the print operation must be designed such that it is guaranteed that the paper web is reliably transported out of the fixing station. Further, the traction roller forces dare not be so high that they take effect through the fixing gap between the pressure and fixing rollers and thus disadvantageously influence the paper running in the fixing station. In the back transport step after a paper stop, the traction rollers of the back side web pull the paper load-free from the stacker unit or from an after-processing loop. However, the traction rollers of the front side web must pull the paper web back through the duplex return and the paper web turn-over means. As a result thereof, the resistance is so high that this can lead to paper tearing during the paper pull-back step.

Printer means for printing front and/or back side of a band-shaped recording medium


A point-of-purchase display system for shipping and displaying articles therewithin, the display system utilizes facilitated articulation while maximizing display area, and the display system comprises at least one modular tray member. The at least one modular tray member includes an inner liner having a tray support member and a tray divider member for securing and displaying articles therein. An outer tray is operably associated with the inner liner, and the outer tray has a bottom panel, a back panel, and two side panels. Each of the side panels includes a biasable flap, which, upon articulation, covers the exposed side wall edges of both the outer tray and inner liner. Each biasable flap includes a locking tab for operably engaging a tab locking slot on the bottom panel to secure the biasable flap therein. The invention further includes a method for forming a point-of-purchase display system for shipping and displaying articles therewithin.

The present invention is directed to a point-of-purchase display system and, more particularly to a point-of-purchase display system comprising at least one system member which is used to ship and/or display articles therewithin, such as videotapes. The present invention is also directed to a method for forming a point-of-purchase display system for shipping and displaying articles therewithin.
One and two-piece point-of-purchase display systems formed of corrugated paperboard are well-known in the art, particularly for shipping and displaying videotape cassette products. Traditionally, two-piece display systems (as shown in FIGS. 17-19) have comprised an outer tray and an inner divider, similar to produce packaging. However, these two-piece systems do not always possess significant stacking strength, and thus, articles therein can be damaged when vertically stacked in such display systems. Also, usually exposed edges on the display systems are visible to the consumer, and therefore, are not aesthetically pleasing to the consumer. Further, such two-piece systems typically require more material, and accordingly, are not always economical.
To reduce display system costs, one-piece displays (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) have been utilized. These displays have usually been strong enough to support and protect the articles therein during shipment, as well as have been capable of presenting the articles for point-of-purchase display in a video store. Exposed corrugated edges are often covered, through overlay or encirclement, so that these displays can be aesthetically pleasing to the consumer. However, covering exposed corrugated edges typically requires additional material, and additional folds. Accordingly, these one-piece prior art displays often do not provide the most economical use of corrugated paperboard, per article being displayed. The present invention accordingly represents a significant savings of corrugated paperboard, per article displayed, over the prior art one-piece display system, currently utilized in the marketplace.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an economical display system that provides for the aesthetic presentation of articles therewithin.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a display system that possesses maximum stacking strength to accommodate vertically stackable orientation thereof.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display system that requires minimal assembly prior to point-of-purchase display in the store.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a display system that maximizes shipping space, while enhancing stacking strength and preventing articles from shifting during shipment.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings.

Point-of-purchase display system and method for formation thereof


A floor squeak and pop eliminator. The apparatus includes a two-flanged angle bracket to which is adhered a compressible shim or block. The bracket is fastened to the floor joist in the proximity of the floor noise source, with the compressible shim in contact with the underside of the floor. Screws are turned upward through the bracket and the compressible shim and into the floor, compressing the shim and drawing the floor down to the joist and securing the floor to the shim to eliminate the squeak.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The invention relates to an apparatus for eliminating floor squeaks and pops in conventional and manufactured homes and buildings.
2. Background Art
Flooring systems in typical residential and many commercial buildings include wood joists and a wooden overlayment (subfloor). Wood joists often consist of two-by-ten or two-by-twelve inch boards in residential construction upon permanent foundations, but may be smaller, for example in manufactured homes which are transported from an off-site manufacturing facility. In construction the joists typically are set on edge, and the subflooring secured to the top edge of the joist with nails or staples. Subflooring commonly consists of particle board or plywood sheets. The finished flooring material, such as carpet, tile, linoleum, or the like may then be placed directly upon the subflooring, although it is not uncommon for an intermediate layer of quality material to be placed upon the subflooring to receive the finished flooring material.
Wooden joist-and-subfloor construction are prone to make squeaks and pops when walked upon. This squeaking problem can occur in new and old floors alike, but is most commonly encountered in somewhat older floors, after the wood in the subflooring and/or joists has further dried and shrunk. As the subfloor and/or joist dry, they may warp or shrink with the result that the subfloor pulls up and away from the top of a joist to which it is fastened.
Squeaks and pops can have any of a number of causes. Firstly, the floor noise is detected when weight is introduced to a certain point or vicinity on the floor. The noise is primarily created by the flexure of the subfloor and/or its supporting joist member. Most commonly, the subfloor rubs against the shank of its fastening medium, such as a decking staple or nail, thus causing the noise. Another common source of the noise is that the subfloor may not have been securely fastened to the floor joist, thereby creating a small gap between the subfloor and the joist. When weight is introduced upon an inadequately fastened sub floor, the floor will make a "pop" noise.
A solution to these floor noises is simple if, in new construction, the finished flooring has not been installed over the subfloor. If the finished floor has not been laid, squeaks and pops may be solved by re-fastening the subfloor to the joist by installing additional decking staples, nails, or screws through the top of the subfloor into the joist. However, if the finished flooring is installed over the area of the noise, it is not practical to repair from the top side, as the finished flooring would have to be removed. Once finished flooring is in place, the only practical solution is to repair the noise from beneath the floor.
Squeaky floors can be nearly completely avoided by using screws, rather than nails or staples, in initial construction. The use of screws in flooring construction, however, normally is prohibitively expensive.
A number of previous efforts have been undertaken to address the problem of squeaky floors. For example, U. S. Pat. No. 4,888,926, to Lutz, III, teaches a floor squeak elimninator which utilizes several parts, including a bracket that mounts to the bottom of a joist, and requires two tools for installation. The device applies downward pressure on the sub floor at a single isolated point, so that if the source of the squeak is not exactly located, the device may not eliminate the squeak.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,497,593, to Reisberg, shows a device consisting of a narrow L-shaped bracket with a built-in wedge on one leg. Requiring two tools for installation, the device's wedge is intended to be hammered into position between the subfloor and the joist, which may loosen the subfloor adjacent to the wedge and actually create additional squeaks.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,577,359, to McClanahan, teaches a device consisting of a threaded rod assembly of four parts and requires at least three tools to install. It is intended to mount between floor joists and pull down on that portion of the subfloor disposed between the joists, potentially causing an acceptable dip in the subfloor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,466 to O'Berry, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,813 to Martinsen, et al., also proffer supposed solutions to the problem of squeaky floors.
Yet, a need remains for a simple apparatus, useable with a minimum number of tools, for installation beneath a floor to reduce squeaks. The present invention effectively eliminates floor noises by preventing the flex of a wooden flooring system. The invention is useable beneath an existing or older flooring system, and thus can be beneficially practiced despite the presence of an installed finished flooring.

Apparatus for securing floors to eliminate squeaks


An organic light emitting display includes a first substrate; a second substrate opposing the first substrate; and an array of pixels disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The display further includes a seal member interposed between and bonded to the first and second substrates to seal a gap between the first and second substrates; a plurality of pillar members positioned between and bonded to the first and second substrates, the plurality of pillar members being positioned outside and spaced from the seal member when viewing in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the first mother substrate; and a reinforcement member disposed between the first and second substrates, and comprising portions disposed between the seal member and the pillar members. The plurality of pillar members are spaced apart from each other.

1. Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an organic light emitting display and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting display is a flat panel display using organic light emitting diodes, and has advantages of wide use temperature range, strong resistance against impact or vibration, wide viewing angle and clean motion picture due to fast response speed, as compared with other flat panel displays. Accordingly, the organic light emitting display has come into the spotlight as a next-generation flat panel display.
However, the organic light emitting display is degraded due to the penetration of oxygen and moisture therein from the outside.
In order to solve this problem, an organic light emitting diode is sealed using an inorganic sealant such as glass frit. In such a frit sealing structure, the space between a substrate and a sealing substrate is completely sealed by curing a melted frit. Thus, a moisture absorbent material does not need to be used, and accordingly, the organic light emitting diode can be more efficiently protected.

Organic light emitting display with reinforced sealing structure