A process for the catalytic alkylation of an aromatic substrate with an alkylating agent is disclosed that comprises contacting the aromatic substrate and the alkylating agent in sequential alkylation zones to obtain an alkylaromatic. The first catalyst comprises UZM-8 zeolite and the second catalyst comprises beta zeolite. The process is particularly well suited for the alkylation of benzene with propylene to produce cumene.

Alkylation of aromatic compounds with a C2 to C4 olefin and transalkylation of polyalkylaromatic compounds are two common reactions for producing monoalkylated aromatic compounds. Examples of these two reactions that are practiced industrially to produce cumene (isopropylbenzene) are the alkylation of benzene with propylene and the transalkylation of benzene and a diisopropylbenzene (DIPB). The alkylation reaction forms cumene and common byproducts such as DIPBs and triisopropylbenzenes (TIPBs). DIPBs, TIPBs, and some of the higher polyisopropylbenzenes can be readily transalkylated by benzene to produce cumene. Combining alkylation and transalkylation in a process can thus maximize cumene production. Such combinations can have two reactions zones, one for alkylation and the other for transalkylation, or a single reaction zone in which both alkylation and transalkylation occur.
A key operating variable in alkylation and transalkylation reactions to produce a monoalkylated aromatic is the molar ratio of aryl groups per alkyl group. The numerator of this ratio is the number of moles of aryl groups passing through the reaction zone during a specified period of time. The number of moles of aryl groups is the sum of all aryl groups, regardless of the compound in which the aryl group happens to be. In cumene production, for example, one mole of benzene, one mole of cumene, and one mole of DIPB each contribute one mole of aryl group to the sum of aryl groups. The denominator of this ratio is the number of moles of alkyl groups that have the same number of carbon atoms as that of the alkyl group on the desired monoalkylated aromatic and which pass through the reaction zone during the same specified period of time. The number of moles of alkyl groups is the sum of all alkyl and alkenyl groups with the same number of carbon atoms as that of the alkyl group on the desired monoalkylated aromatic, regardless of the compound in which the alkyl or alkyl group happens to be, except that paraffins are not included. In cumene production, the number of moles of propyl groups is the sum of all propyl and propenyl groups, regardless of the compound in which the propyl or propenyl group happens to be, except that paraffins, such as propane, n-butane, isobutane, pentanes, and higher paraffins are excluded from the computation of the number of moles of propyl groups. For example, one mole of propylene and one mole of cumene each contribute one mole of propyl group to the sum of propyl groups, whereas one mole of DIPB contributes two moles of propyl groups and one mole of TIBP contributes three moles of propyl groups. Hexylbenzene and nonylbenzene contribute no moles of propyl groups. Another related operating variable in alkylation reactions to produce a monoalkylated aromatic is the molar ratio of aromatic substrate per alkylating agent, and in cumene production the numerator of this molar ratio is the moles of benzene and the denominator is the moles of propylene.
Many catalysts containing zeolites have been proposed and used for alkylating and transalkylating aromatics. Regardless whether the reaction is alkylation or transalkylation, it is of critical importance that the zeolitic catalyst exhibits not only the capability to initially perform its specified functions, but also that it has the capability to perform them satisfactorily for prolonged periods of time. The analytical terms used in the art to measure how well a particular catalyst performs its intended functions in a particular hydrocarbon reaction environment are activity, selectivity, and stability. And for purposes of discussion here, these terms are conveniently defined for a given charge stock as follows: (1) "activity" is a measure of the catalyst's ability to convert hydrocarbon reactants into products at a specified severity level, where severity level means the conditions used—that is, the temperature, pressure, contact time, concentration of reactants, and presence of diluents such as paraffins; (2) "selectivity" refers to the amount of desired product or products obtained relative to the amount of reactants charged or converted; and (3) "stability" refers to the rate of change with time of the activity and selectivity parameters—obviously, the smaller rate implying the more stable catalyst.
In a process for producing cumene, for example, activity commonly refers to the amount of conversion of propylene that takes place at a specified severity level and is typically measured by olefin content of the alkylation reactor effluent; selectivity refers to the amount of cumene yield, relative to the amount of the propylene consumed that is obtained at the particular activity or severity level; and stability is typically equated to the rate of change with time of activity, as measured by the position of the maximum temperature (due to the exothermic reaction) in the catalyst bed after a suitable interval of time.
However, when a continuous alkylation process is run to produce a constant olefin conversion, the severity level is continuously adjusted by adjusting the conversion temperature in the reaction so that the rate of change of activity finds response in the rate of change of conversion temperatures while changes in the position of the exotherm are customarily taken as indicative of activity stability. Alternatively, additional catalyst may be used to compensate for any activity instability such that the change in position of the exotherm is allowed to proceed through the catalyst bed without changing reaction temperature until such time that olefin breakthrough occurs. At the time of breakthrough, action must be taken to either increase operating temperature to make up for the loss in activity or the catalyst must be regenerated to recover lost activity. Stability is also often typically equated to the rate of change with time of yield, as measured by cumene yield.
Accordingly, a major problem facing workers in this area of the alkylation art is the development of selective catalytic systems that have activity-stability and yield-stability. Zeolites that have been proposed and/or used for alkylating aromatics include beta, UZM-8, and other zeolites including Y, ZSM-5, PSH-3, MCM-22, MCM-36, MCM-49, and MCM-56. In response to the hydrocarbon processing industry's demands for lower molar ratios of aryl groups per alkyl group and more efficient utilization of feed olefins, improved processes for the production of alkylaromatics are sought.


A hinge assembly for counter-balancing a panel e.g. a hatch cover of a boat when the latter is rotated about a horizontal axis has levers pivotally attached to the panel, to the deck and to each other, with a torsion spring arranged coaxially on the pivot between the two levers. Also at that pivot axis a friction brake is provided.

GB-A-2133831 (Societe Anonyme Goiot SA) discloses panel hinges which have a balancing coil spring coaxial with the axis of rotation. The spring substantially counter-balances the torque of the panel weight and so assists lifting of the panel. The hinges also include washers which form a friction brake between an element rigidly connected to the panel and an element rigidly connected to a deck. The frictional interaction and the braking torque thus provided are adjustable and enable the panel to remain at any angle between horizontal and vertical. The hinge system is situated along one outside edge of the panel and is therefore exposed to the weather and vulnerable to damage.
Tension springs are seen in GB-A-537185, acting between lever arms pivoted to each other and to a wall and to a door respectively. The pivot axis of the door is vertical. Abutments on the levers act on the springs at angles of opening of the door beyond 90.degree. so that it maintains the position to which it is put. At angles below 90.degree. of opening the springs urge the door closed.


Disclosed is an electrostatic ink composition, comprising a single charge director and a charge control agent that counters the build up of negative optical density memory on the intermediate transfer member of a printing apparatus using the electrostatic ink.

In many printing systems, it is common practice to develop a hardcopy of an image by using a photoconductive surface. The photoconductive surface is selectively charged with a latent electrostatic image having image and background areas. A liquid developer, i.e. an electrostatic ink, comprising charged toner particles in a carrier liquid is brought into contact with the selectively charged photoconductive surface. The charged toner particles adhere to the image areas of the latent image while the background areas remain clean.
Various techniques for electrostatic image transfer are known. One method includes the use of an intermediate transfer member. A liquid image, which includes a liquid carrier having ink particles dispersed therein, is transferred to a photoconductive member or drum and from there to a surface, e.g., a release layer or blanket, of the intermediate transfer member. The liquid image is electrostatically attracted from the photoconductive surface to the surface of the intermediate transfer member. The liquid carrier is removed from the surface of the intermediate transfer member and the ink particles are compacted on the surface in the image configuration. Thereafter, the ink particles are transferred from the surface of the intermediate transfer member to a substrate in the image configuration.
Modern liquid toner electrostatic imaging began with the invention of a new class of toners referred to as ElectroInk™. This type of toner is characterized by its toner particles being dispersed in a carrier liquid, where the toner particles include a core of a resin, i.e. a polymer, with fibrous extensions extending from the core. When the toner particles are dispersed in the carrier liquid in a low concentration, the particles remain separate. Although not intending to be bound by theory, when the toner develops an electrostatic image, the concentration of toner particles increases and the fibrous extensions interlock
Typically the toner comprises a thermoplastic resin (polymer) as the basis for the toner particles (also referred to herein as ink particles), and a non-polar liquid as a carrier liquid in which the toner particles are dispersed. Generally, the toner particles contain a colorant such as a pigment. An example of such a toner can for instance be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,929.
A charge director, also called charge control agent or imaging agent, is also added to the dispersion to induce charge on the particles. Many of the prior art charge directors are mixtures of several charge director components having different chemistries. An example of such a charge director is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,796 in which the liquid ink further comprises a non-quaternary amine salt soluble in the carrier liquid such as isopropylamine dodecylbenzenesulfonate to stabilize the electrical properties of the charge director.
A possible disadvantage of using a mixture of materials as charge director is the possibility of selective adsorption of certain charge director components onto the surface of the ink particles. This may lead to differential depletion of the components responsive to their affinity to the ink particles. Therefore, a non-controllable change in the charge director composition may be expected during continuous printing process. This may adversely affect the long term characteristics of the charge director and reflected in degraded print quality.
Such problems have been overcome by certain types of micelle-based charge directors such as the charge director disclosed in WO2007/130069 A1, which provide improved print quality compared to charge directors having multiple charge directing components. Such charge directors are sometimes referred to as single charge directors (SCD) because of the fact that the ink composition only comprises a single complex compound as a charge director.
It has been found by the present inventors that some charge directors comprising only a single charge component can cause negative optical density memory effects originating from the intermediate transfer member during high frequency printing of several types of images including most notably (monochrome) images. Negative optical density memory is a phenomenon whereby the optical density of solids measured on the substrate decreases along the printing process. In extreme cases, this can cause the appearance of holes in the ink layer observed on the substrate.

Electrostatic ink composition, ink container, printing apparatus and printing method


A plastic tailgate mounted spreader adapted to replace the tailgate of a vehicle. The tailgate mounted spreader has a plastic hopper having a width and height generally equal to the width and height of the vehicle tailgate. A frame having at least a top member and a bottom member supports the hopper. In the disclosed embodiment, the frame also includes side members. The top member has first and second arms extending from the top member that are adapted to be connected to the vehicle. The bottom member has first and second rods extending from the bottom member that are adapted to be connected to the vehicle and in particular to the clamps on the vehicle that control the release of the bucket. An auger is mounted within the plastic hopper to auger material to a discharge opening. The auger is mounted between the side members in the preferred embodiment. A material spinner and motor assembly are pivotally mounted below the discharge opening of the hopper so the material spinner and motor pivots with respect to the vehicle to remain generally horizontal with respect to the vehicle.

The present invention relates generally to spreaders for spreading materials such as for example salt, sand or fertilizer or combinations of these, and more particularly to a polyethylene replaceable tailgate mounted spreader. The spreader of the present invention mounts to the tailgate of a vehicle and in the disclosed embodiment, the spreader of the present invention replaces the tailgate on a typical vehicle, such as for example a dump truck. The replaceable tailgate spreader of the present invention can temporarily or permanently replace the standard tailgate of a vehicle.
Replaceable tailgate spreaders are known in the industry. The known replaceable tailgate spreaders are constructed of either carbon or stainless steel and have separate hydraulic motors for the augur and spinner. The carbon or stainless steel construction makes these known tailgate spreaders very heavy and expensive. The carbon steel units are also susceptible to corrosion, particularly when used to spread salt, a highly corrosive material. The need for hydraulic power is also a disadvantage. Hydraulic power requires that the vehicle to which the unit is mounted have a hydraulic power source. This limits the use of the unit to vehicles having an available hydraulic power source and is extremely costly if it needs to be added after the truck has been built. This would be typical on electric hoist dump units, which have become popular over the past several years for through put in the production environment. Additionally, hydraulic fluid can leak from the vehicle or system creating environmental problems.
Another disadvantage is that these units typically need to be professionally installed due their weight and the need for hydraulic lines to be routed to the unit. This adds cost to the overall system.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a lightweight polyethylene replaceable tailgate spreader that is powered by the vehicles electric supply. The spreader is easily installed to a vehicle and doesn't require professional installers. A controller is also provided for controlling the various operational aspects of the spreader.


A scanning confocal microscope scans a sample with an incident beam of radiation, in a raster scan pattern, causing the sample to fluoresce and emit visible radiation in at least two wavelengths. A portion of the fluorescent light retraces a portion of the path optical of incident beam, to a dichroic mirror that separates it from the incident beam for detection by a pair of photomultiplier tubes. A data processor accumulates digital data from the photomultiplier tubes to form a succession of image data frames of the sample being scanned, in the two wavelengths. Image data for a selected number of frames in each wavelength is averaged and then recorded on a single track of a recording system, in an alternating fashion with averaged data for the other wavelength. In addition, a ratio of the averaged data for the two wavelengths is delivered to a video display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to scanning confocal microscopes and, more particularly, to microscopes of this kind that process data acquired by scanning a sample with ultraviolet light and detecting the resulting fluorescence and that provide a continuous display of scan data.
2. Description of Related Art
In the scientific fields of physiology, cytobiology, etc., it is important to investigate the behavior of the intracellular ions of calcium, sodium, magnesium, etc. This is because these ions are thought to be closely linked with intracellular physioactivation. As part of a method of research into the behavior of the intracellular ions, fluorophores commonly are injected into cells. Such fluorophores combine uniquely with the certain species of ions within the cells and fluoresce when irradiated with excitation light of specified wavelength, visible or ultraviolet.
By way of example, fluorescent probes indo-1, fura-2, fluo-3 and rhod-2 are known fluorophores useful in the detection of the calcium ions. Any of these fluorescent probes can be used to detect the presence of calcium ions within the cells. For example, the probe indo-1 fluoresces at wavelengths of either 405 nanometers (nm) or 485 nm in accordance with the concentration of the calcium ions, in response to excitation by ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of about 350 nm. The probe fura-2, on the other hand, fluoresces at a wavelength of about 500 nm, in response to excitation by ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of about 340 nm or 380 nm.
When the fluorescent probe has combined with the calcium ions and is excited by the ultraviolet light, it fluoresces in an amount that varies in accordance with the calcium ion concentration. Therefore, the concentration of the calcium ions in each local area of a sample can be determined by measuring the intensity of the fluorescent light. The excitation and fluorescence detection can be carried out across sample surface, whereby a two-dimensional video image can be obtained. Further, a plurality of video images can be obtained in time series, whereby the time behavior of the ions can be investigated in detail.
Where the ratio between the intensities of the two peaks of the fluorescence spectra is detected under the ultraviolet excitation of the fluorescence probe indo-1, or where the ratio between the intensities of the respective peaks of the fluorescence spectra is detected under the alternate excitation operations of the fluorescent probe fura-2 with the two wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation, an accurate measurement of calcium ion concentration can be reliably obtained.
One suitable confocal microscope for scanning a sample detecting the resulting fluorescence is disclosed in copending and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/862,633, filed Apr. 1, 1992 and entitled "Scanning Confocal Microscope." The disclosed microscope produces sets of digital data words that represent a succession of two-dimensional images of the sample in the two fluorescent wavelengths.
The scanning confocal microscope disclosed in the copending application is highly effective in generating data representing images of a sample's fluorescence. However, there still is a need for a scanning confocal microscope of this kind that further includes a processor for appropriately processing and transforming the data into a format that optimally conveys pertinent dynamic information about the sample and allows the user to selectively manipulate the data to accommodate the need for specific information. The present invention fulfills this need.

Scanning confocal microscope providing a continuous display

The Regents of the University of California


A thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic pole groups, magnetically connected to each other, having respective magnetic pole parts opposing each other on a side of a medium-opposing surface; a recording gap layer formed between the magnetic pole parts; and a thin-film coil insulated from the first and second magnetic pole groups and wound helically about at least one of them or flatly spirally wound about a junction connecting the first and second magnetic pole groups to each other; which are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film coil comprises a first conductor group having a plurality of inner conductor parts disposed between the first and second magnetic pole groups, and a second conductor group having a plurality of outer conductor parts disposed outside the second magnetic pole group or junction. The first conductor group has an insulating contact structure in which the inner conductor parts are in contact with each other by way of an insulating film. An inner relaxing part comprising a material softer than at least one of the first, second conductor groups and the first, second magnetic pole groups and being in contact with the first conductor group by way of an insulating film is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head comprising at least an inductive electromagnetic transducer, a method of manufacturing the same, a head gimbal assembly, and a hard disk drive.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, the areal density of hard disk drives has been improving remarkably. Most recently, the areal density of hard disk drives has reached 160 to 200 Gbytes/platter in particular and is about to exceed this level. As a consequence, thin-film magnetic heads are required to improve their performances.
Widely used as a thin-film magnetic head is a combination thin-film magnetic head having a structure in which a recording head comprising an inductive electromagnetic transducer for writing and a reproducing head comprising a magnetoresistive device (hereinafter also referred to as MR device) for reading are laminated.
In this kind of combination thin-film magnetic head, the recording head comprises a medium-opposing surface (also referred to as air bearing surface or ABS) opposing a recording medium, a lower magnetic pole layer, an upper magnetic pole layer, a recording gap layer, and a thin-film coil, in general. The lower and upper magnetic pole layers have respective magnetic pole parts (opposing magnetic pole parts) opposing each other on the side of medium-opposing surface, and are magnetically connected to each other by a junction disposed at a position separated from the opposing magnetic pole parts. The recording gap layer is formed between the opposing magnetic pole parts. The thin-film coil is insulated from the lower and upper magnetic pole layers and is at least partly disposed therebetween.
For improving performances of the recording head, such as its recording density in particular, its recording medium is required to improve track density. To this aim, a recording head having a narrow track structure in which the track width, i.e., the width between the two opposing magnetic pole parts on the medium-opposing surface, is reduced so as to range from several microns to submicrons, must be realized, whereby the recording head is manufactured by using a semiconductor processing technologies.
As the track width is made smaller, it becomes harder to generate a magnetic flux with a high density between the two opposing magnetic pole parts, whereby a magnetic material having a high saturated magnetic flux density is desired to be used as a material for the magnetic pole parts.
On the other hand, as the frequency of recording signals becomes higher along with the improvement in recording density, the recording head is required to improve the rate at which the magnetic flux changes, i.e., shorten the flux rise time. It is also necessary for the recording head to reduce the deterioration in recording characteristics such as overwrite characteristic and non-linear transition shift in high frequency bands.
For improving the recording characteristics in high frequency bands, it is desirable that the magnetic path length of the recording head be reduced, so as to be able to follow rapid changes of recording signals which have a high frequency and are likely to change fast. The magnetic path length is mainly determined by the length (hereinafter referred to as "yoke length") from the medium-opposing surface to the junction in the lower or upper magnetic pole layer, whereby reducing the yoke length is effective in shortening the magnetic path length. When a thin-film coil is wound between the medium-opposing surface and the junction, shortening the pitch in the part of windings of thin-film coil disposed between the medium-opposing surface and the junction (hereinafter referred to as "winding pitch") is effective in reducing the yoke length.
Conventional thin-film magnetic heads have roughly been categorized into those comprising a flat spiral thin-film coil wound about a junction (see the following Patent Document 1), and those (see the following Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4) comprising a thin-film coil helically wound about at least one of the lower and upper magnetic pole layers.
The former thin-film magnetic heads generate most of magnetic fluxes in the vicinity of the junction, and record information with the part of magnetic fluxes guided to the opposing magnetic pole parts by the lower and upper magnetic pole layers. Since most of magnetic fluxes are generated about the junction in the former thin-film magnetic heads, however, only about a few percent of the generated magnetic fluxes is used for recording, so that the recording with magnetic fluxes is not carried out efficiently. Therefore, in order to increase the magnetic fluxes used for recording, the former thin-film magnetic heads have increased the number of turns of the thin-film coil as much as possible. Conventionally known as an example of techniques therefor is one reducing the winding pitch by providing the windings of a second coil between the windings of a first coil (see the following Patent Document 5).
In the latter thin-film magnetic heads, since the thin-film coil is disposed near the medium-opposing surface, generated magnetic fluxes are used for recording more efficiently than in the former thin-film magnetic heads. Therefore, the latter thin-film magnetic heads can make the number of turns of the thin-film coil smaller than that in the former thin-film magnetic heads having a flat spiral thin-film coil, and thus is useful for shortening the yoke length.
In each of the former and latter thin-film magnetic heads, shortening the yoke length is effective in improving recording characteristics in the high frequency band, and making the winding pitch of the thin-film coil as small as possible is effective for realizing this. Increasing the number of turns of the thin-film coil is also effective for increasing magnetic fluxes used for recording. For realizing all of them, it is necessary for making the winding pitch as small as possible, so as to shorten the yoke length, thereby allowing the thin-film coil to increase its number of turns. To this aim, the thin-film coil is required to narrow the width of each turn (turn width).
However, narrowing the turn width in the thin-film coil raises the ohmic value of the thin-film coil, thereby increasing the heat generated from the thin-film coil. When the heat generated from the thin-film coil increases, the thin-film coil expands itself because of the heat. As a consequence, the magnetic pole parts project toward the recording medium, and are likely to collide with the recording medium. Therefore, conventional thin-film magnetic heads have been unable to make the turn width so small. Hence, they have failed to shorten the yoke length.
Conventionally, thin-film coils have been formed by frame plating. A frame used in frame plating includes a wall part disposed between each pair of turns. The wall part must have a certain extent of width in order to keep its shape, which makes it difficult to reduce the interval between adjacent turns (turn interval) when forming a thin-film coil by frame plating.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,959
Patent Document 2: U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,342
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-311311
Patent Document 4: U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,543B1
Patent Document 5: U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,916B1

Thin-film magnetic head, method of manufacturing the same, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive


An ionization device includes an irradiation unit to irradiate at least a region of a surface of a sample with laser light to scatter particles contained on the surface of the sample, a liquid holding unit having a distal end to hold a liquid on an outer periphery of the distal end, an extract electrode to extract ionized ions, and a voltage application unit to apply a voltage between the liquid holding unit and the extract electrode to generate the ions from the liquid held on the outer periphery of the distal end. The region and the distal end are disposed so as not to make contact with each other but to be in close proximity to each other so that the liquid held on the outer periphery of the distal end attracts particles desorbed from the sample as a result of irradiation with the laser light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and methods for ionizing solid samples.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a technique for ionizing a solid sample in an atmospheric pressure environment in order to analyze components in the surface of the solid sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,881 discusses a method in which a fine region of a surface of a solid sample is irradiated with laser light and fine particles desorbed from the sample are taken into an opposedly disposed liquid to have components in the fine particles ionized. According to this method, the fine region of the solid sample is irradiated with focused laser light in an atmospheric pressure environment. Upon being irradiated with the laser light, fine particulates of the sample desorb from the surface thereof. Then, as a solvent is brought close to the region that has been irradiated with the laser light, the fine particulate matter is taken into the solvent.
In the method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,881, the solvent is held at a leading end of a capillary, and the fine particles desorbed from the sample are taken into the solvent. Then, the solvent flows within the capillary tube to an ionization unit provided at the other end of the capillary, where the solvent is ionized. That is, the method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,881 requires, as illustrated in FIG. 1, that both a mechanism for supplying the solvent to the leading end of the capillary and a mechanism for allowing the solvent containing the fine particles to flow to the ionization unit be provided in the capillary tube, which inevitably leads to a complicated configuration. In addition, an ionization process for analyzing the components and a process of taking the fine particles into the solvent are carried out at distinct times and locations, and thus an operation for transporting the solvent to the ionization unit is required. Accordingly, a time in a second range is required between the time at which the sample is irradiated with the laser light to be taken into the solvent and the time at which the components are measured (ionization).

Ionization device, mass spectrometer including the ionization device, and image generation system including the ionization device


A disposal system for cutting a needle/syringe (22) into small pieces. One or more motor driven rotating cutting blades (6) are located inside of a housing for cutting the needle/syringe (2) into small pieces. The pieces are deposited in a disposal tray (10) filled with a disinfecting solution, with the parts of the needle/syringe (2) automatically separating for recycling due to the specific gravity of the pieces. A pump (16) is provided for pumping the disinfecting solution, preferably a mixture of chlorine bleach and water, to the needle/syringe inlet (8) and cutting area. The disinfecting solution continuously disinfects the inlet (8), the needle/syringe pieces, the cutting blade (6) and the disposal tray (10). An automatic timer deeps the cutting blades (6) rotating and the pump (16) operating for a sufficient time to cut the needle/syringe (2) and disinfect the apparatus. A chute assembly prevents pieces of the disintegrated blade from flying out of the inlet (8) and provides and auto on/auto off feature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a disposal system for needles and syringes, and more particularly to a needle/syringe disposal system which incorporates a cutting device for cutting the needle/syringe into small pieces which may be separated for recycling, and a self-contained sterilization and decontamination system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for destroying and disposing of used syringes are well known in the art. In one type of syringe disposal system, a container is provided for disposing of used syringes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,929 discloses a syringe disposal system which comprises numerous elongated aligned receptacles for receiving sharp instruments. Each container contains a curable liquid in which the used syringe is inserted. The liquid then cures, sealing the syringe in the hardened material. Other examples of such containers are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,280,687 and 5,172,808.
In another type of syringe disposal device, an apparatus is provided for breaking off or rendering useless the needle of the syringe. U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,750 discloses an apparatus which incorporates a pair of coaxially movable shearing blades. A syringe is inserted in the device, and the blades moved relative to each other for shearing the needle from the cannula, and the cannula from the syringe body. Another such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,628 which includes lever driven blades which sever the needle and cannula from the syringe.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,824 discloses an elongated receptacle for receiving the cannula and needle of a syringe. A lever is provided for severing the needle, which falls into a receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,323 discloses a device for bending the needle of a syringe thereby rendering it useless. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,362 discloses a further apparatus for rendering useless the needle of a syringe. This device includes electrical means for killing infectious agents which may be present on the needle.
In order to improve upon the manually operated devices for destroying syringes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,311 discloses an electrically driven apparatus for destroying used syringes. A pair of blades is provided which are moved by a motor driven linear actuator to cut the syringe into three pieces.
Other motor driven disposal devices are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,379; 5,054,696; 4,619,409; and 4,269,364.
Each of these devices include shortcomings that are overcome by the needle/syringe disposal system of the present invention.


A method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device includes: forming a conductive pattern on a wafer made of a piezoelectric substrate having an acoustic wave element, the conductive pattern including a first conductive pattern being continuously formed on a cutting region for individuating the wafer, a second conductive pattern being formed on an electrode region where a plated electrode is to be formed and being connected to the acoustic wave element and a third conductive pattern connecting the first conductive pattern and the second pattern; forming an insulating layer on the wafer so as to have an opening on the second conductive pattern; forming the plated electrode on the second conductive pattern by providing an electrical current to the second conductive pattern via the first conductive pattern and the third conductive pattern; and cutting off and individuating the wafer along the cutting region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acoustic wave device and a method of manufacturing the acoustic wave device, in particular, relates to an acoustic wave device that has an electrode connected to an acoustic wave element and a method of the acoustic wave device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An acoustic wave device is widely used as a signal filter of an electrical and electronic device using an electromagnetic wave. The acoustic wave device is used as a transmitting and receiving filter of a radio communication device such as a mobile phone or a frequency filter for visual such as a television or a videotape recorder. A surface acoustic wave element or a boundary acoustic wave element is used as an acoustic wave element. A surface acoustic wave element has a structure in which an electrode exciting a surface acoustic wave such as a comb electrode is provided on a piezoelectric substrate made of LiNbO3, LiTaO3 or the like. It is necessary to form a space on the piezoelectric substrate and on the electrode, because the surface acoustic wave propagates on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate. It is necessary to seal the acoustic wave element in order to gain trust, because there is not provided a thick protective membrane on the piezoelectric substrate and on the electrode.
On the other hand, a boundary acoustic wave element has a dielectric material on a comb electrode, and uses a boundary acoustic wave propagating between a piezoelectric substrate and the dielectric material. A space on the comb electrode may not be formed. The acoustic wave device may have an external connection terminal for inputting and outputting an electrical signal from and to outside. In the structure, an electrode is formed with a plating method, if a thick electrode is necessary as an external connection terminal.
As shown in FIG. 1A through FIG. 2B, a description will be given of a conventional embodiment in which a plated electrode connected to a surface acoustic wave element or a boundary acoustic wave element is formed. As shown in FIG. 1A, a comb electrode 12 is formed on a piezoelectric substrate 10. A conductive pattern 14 connected to the comb electrode 12 is formed on an electrode region 44 where a plated electrode is to be formed. A first conductive pattern 18 is formed on a cutting region 42 for individuating a wafer. A barrier layer 16 is formed on the conductive pattern 14 in the electrode region 44. A protective membrane 20 is formed on the comb electrode 12. A cavity 60 is formed on a functional region 40 of a surface acoustic wave element. A sealing portion 23 (a first sealing portion 22 and a second sealing portion 24) is formed on the piezoelectric substrate 10 so that the electrode region 44 acts as a non-covered portion 54.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a seed layer 38 is formed on the second sealing portion 24 and in the non-covered portion 54. As shown in FIG. 1C, a photo resist 39 is formed on the seed layer 38 except in the non-covered portion 54. As shown in FIG. 1D, an inner side of the non-covered portion 54 is plated when an electrical current is provided to the inner side of the non-covered portion 54 via the seed layer 38. This results in a formation of a plated electrode 28.
In the conventional embodiment, it is preferable that the plated electrode 28 is formed with a plating method, because the plated electrode 28 passes through the sealing portion 23 having a cavity. It is necessary to provide an electrical current to a pattern where a plated electrode is to be formed if an electroplating method having a high plating speed is used. And so, the seed layer 38 is provided on the sealing portion 23 as shown in FIG. 1B.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-26394 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-56036 disclose a method of forming a plated electrode with a seed layer as shown in the conventional embodiment.
The conventional embodiment needs complicated steps of forming the seed layer 38 as shown in FIG. 1B, forming the photo resist for selectively plating as shown in FIG. 1C, removing the photo resist 39 as shown in FIG. 2A and removing the seed layer 38 as shown in FIG. 2B. There is a case where the piezoelectric substrate 10 is damaged when the seed layer 38 or the photo resist 39 is removed. Further, there is a case where the acoustic wave element is broken or degraded, because a voltage is implied to metal patterns such as the comb electrode 12 on the piezoelectric substrate 10 when the piezoelectric substrate 10 is subjected to a stress in the manufacturing process. For example, in a case where the sealing portion 23 having a large thickness is on the piezoelectric substrate 10 as shown in the conventional embodiment, the stress subjected to the piezoelectric substrate 10 is enlarged and the acoustic wave element tends to be broken.

Method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device


A two-stroke engine including a cylinder body having an air intake and an air vent, a piston slidably positioned in a portion of the cylinder body and having an admission passage and an air channel located in an upper portion of the piston, a crankshaft rotatably positioned in another portion of the cylinder body and having a cam, a connecting rod connected between the piston and the cam shaft, the connecting rod comprising an upper portion connected to the piston and a lower portion connected to the crankshaft at the cam, the upper and lower portions connected to each other and being rotatable with respect to each other, and a spring actuated tappet slidably locted in slots in the upper and lower portions and biased against the cam on one end of the tappet, another end of the tappet connected to the upper portion such that sliding action of the tappet in response to rotation of the cam causes the upper portion to rotate a selected amount with respect to the lower portion, which causes the piston to rotate with respect to the cylinder body, thereby causing alignment or non-alignment of the admission passageway and the air intake, and alignment or non-alignment of the air channel and air vent at selected cycles of rotation of the crankshaft.

This invention relates to an engine with a kind of internal combustion dynamic power, particularly to a two-stroke engine.
Two-stroke engines are typically relatively simple in structure, light in weight, stable in operation, easy to maintain and stronger in output power compared with four-stroke internal combustion engines. Two-stroke engines have, therefore, been widely used in medium and small type engines with output power below 500 ML. However, due to the long duration of short circuiting of the gas inhale and exhaust systems, fuel consumption is increased, which leads to higher fuel expense than the four-stroke internal combustion engine. Simultaneously, the luboil involved in the combustion process results in serious environmental pollution. With the promotion of requirements for environmental protection and energy savings, the number of two-stroke internal combustion engines is decreasing seriouslyxe2x80x94to the verge of being eliminated.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a new design of two-stroke engine which is simple in structure and light in weight, which can save energy and promote fuel efficiency, and which can avoid short-circuiting of air intake and exhaust system, and prevent luboil from being involved in combustion to reduce the pollution to environment.
This invention relates to a two-stroke engine including a cylinder body having an air intake and an air vent, a piston slidably positioned in a portion of the cylinder body and having an admission passage and an air channel located in an upper portion of the piston, a crankshaft rotatably positioned in another portion of the cylinder body and having a cam shaft, a connecting rod connected between the piston and the cam shaft, the connecting rod including an upper portion connected to the piston and a lower portion connected to the crankshaft at the cam, the upper and lower portions connected to each other and being rotatable with respect to each other, a spring actuated tappet slidably located in slots in the upper and lower portions and biased against the cam on one end of the tappet, another end of the tappet connected to the upper portion such that sliding action of the tappet in response to rotation of the cam causes the upper portion to rotate a selected amount with respect to the lower portion, which causes the piston to rotate with respect to the cylinder body, thereby causing alignment or non-alignment of the admission passageway and the air intake, and alignment or non-alignment of the air channel and air vent at selected cycles of rotation of the crankshaft.


An easily and quickly assembleable bleacher includes basic light-weight component which can be assembled by one person, if necessary, and without the use of tools. The assembly includes a latching and locking mechanism for attaching the seat boards, foot boards and riser boards without the use of fasteners, and most of the other connections are made with pinned connections that save time and assembly. The upper guard rails are attached to lie in a slight rearwardly angled plane that provides comfort for the spectators and also facilitates assembly.

The present invention pertains to a bleacher for seating spectators and, more particularly, to a portable bleacher the components of which are easily and quickly assembleable without the use of tools.
Bleachers for spectator seating are old and well known. Some bleachers are installed permanently while others may be folded or collapsed for relocation and/or storage. It is also known to provide a portable bleacher that can be assembled from basic components and, similarly, disassembled for relocation and/or storage.
Although standard bleachers that are assembled from basic components greatly facilitate storage and transport, they suffer from the disadvantage of long, time-consuming and tedious assembly, utilizing many bolted or similar threaded connectors that inherently require substantial time in the assembly. There is, therefore, a need in the industry for a portable bleacher that is easily and quickly assembleable from basic components, yet meets all the requirements for strength and comfort.

Quickly and easily assembleable portable bleacher


A semiconductor device assembly and method of making the devices are disclosed. The assembly comprises a semiconductor die attached to an electrically conductive layer, which is, in turn, connected to a dielectric layer carrying conductive traces of the electrical connection layer. The conductive traces provide connection between an array of discrete conductive elements and bonding wires connected to bond pads of the die. The conductive layer enhances thermal conduction and structural stiffness for the assembly. In addition, the conductive layer provides a voltage reference plane that may be connected to a power source, a ground source, or an intermediate reference voltage. The conductive layer also includes at least one electrical current isolation slot, which segments the conductive layer to help isolate noise induced in one segment of the conductive layer from the other segments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to structures for providing interconnections for semiconductor devices. More particularly, it relates to ball grid array packages and conductive structures for interconnecting semiconductor devices to the BGA packages.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor devices are packaged in many ways. The packaging performs a number of functions, one of the most important being the creation of a connection mechanism between bond pads on a semiconductor die and some type of substrate to which the packaged semiconductor die is mounted.
Packaging memory devices can have a unique set of problems. In memory architectures, it is often advantageous to place the die bond pads down the center of a die, creating a lead over chip (LOC) or board on chip (BOC) configuration. LOC package structures typically employ an etched or stamped lead frame with a slot down the center. The active surface of the die is attached to a bottom surface of the lead frame. Bonding is accomplished by placing bond wires on the bond pads running down the center of the die. The bond wires then extend through the slot in the lead frame and attach to a top surface on the lead frame. An encapsulant is then applied over the die and over a portion of the lead frame to protect the bonding wires. These packages typically come in the form of plastic leaded chip carriers, small outline packages, and thin shrink small outline packages. BOC package structures are similar but typically comprise some type of interposer substrate carrying conductive traces. The active surface of the die is attached to a bottom surface of a structural interposer layer with signal routing on the interposer. As with LOC packages, an encapsulant typically protects the bonding pads and bond wires. BOC packages are also available in a variety of package configurations.
Ball Grid Array (BGA) packages have become increasingly popular due to the high signal densities available from arranging the package interface signals in an array and work particularly well with BOC package configurations. In one type of BGA product, the interposer is comprised of a resin material, which is adhered to the active surface of a semiconductor die. Solder balls are formed on the resin material. Conductive traces on the resin material connect to the solder balls and to bonding wires connected to bond pads of the semiconductor die. It would be advantageous to incorporate a reinforcing layer in this type of packaging configuration to add stiffness and provide a more substantial substrate without substantially increasing overall size of the package.
As BGA packages migrate toward higher connection densities, such as Fine Pitch Ball Grid Arrays (FBGA) and Extra Fine Pitch Ball Grid Arrays (EFBGA), some additional problems become more severe. The trend toward higher speeds in smaller packages creates both thermal and electrical problems. As semiconductor package size decreases, operating frequencies increase, circuit densities increase, and significant heat is generated, which must be dissipated away from the die as effectively as possible. Heat dissipation is a particular problem with a smaller package where there is less surface area for heat dissipation. These problems of providing structural stiffness and heat dissipation have been addressed in the past. Kinsman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,650 and Castro et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,165 each address semiconductor device assemblies providing enhanced thermal performance with added structural stiffness.
However, higher operating frequencies and higher signal frequencies employed in current semiconductor devices also create coupling noise between signals as well as voltage bounce and noise on power and ground voltage references. Therefore, there is a need for a BGA package that provides enhanced structural stiffness and high thermal conductivity but is also capable of reducing high frequency signal noise, and creating more stable power and ground voltage references.

Semiconductor BGA package having a segmented voltage plane and method of making


Provided are an audio encoding method and apparatus capable of fast bit rate control. The audio encoding method includes: converting audio sampling data into frequency domain data; adjusting a scalefactor value in each predetermined frequency band based on an available bits and allowed distortion of a psychoacoustic model to allocate a number of necessary bits to the frequency domain data and quantize the frequency domain data; and generating a bit stream based on the quantized data. The quantizing of the frequency domain data includes: obtaining the available bits for the frequency domain data; obtaining the common scalefactor value satisfying that the used bits is not larger than the available bits, using a difference the available bits and the used bits to quantize the audio data; calculating quantization noise in the each predetermined quantization band; and adjusting a scalefactor value of a quantization band in which the quantization noise exceeds the allowed distortion of the psychoacoustic model to quantize the audio data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to audio encoding, and more particularly, to an audio encoding method and apparatus capable of fast bit rate control.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional audio encoding apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, the audio encoding apparatus includes a T/F converter 100, a psychoacoustic modeling unit 110, a quantization/bit rate controller 120, a lossless encoder 130, and a bit packing unit 140. The T/F converter 100 converts audio PCM data in the time domain into a signal in the frequency domain. The psychoacoustic modeling unit 110 calculates allowed distortion by reflecting the hearing property of a human. The quantization/bit rate controller 120 quantizes the signal in the frequency domain. Here, the quantization step size of the signal in the frequency domain varies depending on the allowed distortion and the number of bits available. In other words, the quantization/bit rate controller 120 allocates more bits in frequency band in which noise is easily audible due to a low allowed distortion and allocates fewer bits in a frequency band in which the allowed distortion is high. The quantization/bit rate controller 120 performs bit allocation necessary for each frequency band and quantization by adjusting a scalefactor value based on an encoding target bit rate and the allowed distortion of a psychoacoustic model.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the quantization/bit rate controller 120 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the quantization/bit rate controller 120 includes a distortion controller 200 and a bit rate controller 250.
The distortion controller 200 determines a scalefactor value in each quantization band so as to be suitable for the allowed distortion. The scalefactor value is determined in each scalefactor band and used to quantize frequency domain data in each scalefactor band.
The bit rate controller 250 determines a common scalefactor value used in quantization of the whole frequency band to be suitable for the encoding target bit rate and includes an sf(scalefactor) increase calculator 256, a quantizer 252, and a used bits calculator 254.
The common scalefactor is applied to the whole scalefactor bands and used for quantizing the audio data. Here, the scalefactor value is determined in each scalefactor band starting from the common scalefactor value so as to satisfy the allowed distortion.
The sf increase calculator 256 predicts a final common scalefactor value for the common scalefactor value. The quantizer 252 performs quantization using the calculated common scalefactor value. The used bits calculator 254 calculates the number of bits used for lossless encoding quantized sample data.
FIG. 3 illustrates the operational complexity of each module of the audio encoding apparatus of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the complexity of the quantization/bit rate controller 120 occupies more than 50% in the whole audio encoding process and thus it is high. The complexity of the bit rate controller 250 is high due to a repeated loop for searching an optimum common scalefactor value satisfying restrictions of the encoding target bit rate and the allowed distortion.

Audio encoding method and apparatus obtaining fast bit rate control using an optimum common scalefactor


Techniques for dynamically changing characteristics of simulcast video streams in real-time multi-party video conferences. Once a video conference has been established for a plurality of participant devices, each participant device can provide a notification of its supported video communications characteristic(s) for sending simulcast video streams and receiving video streams. Having been provided such notification, the media server can determine video communications setting(s) and/or parameter(s) to be used by each participant device while sending simulcast video streams or receiving video streams based on the supported video communications characteristic(s) of the respective participant devices. In response to changes in conference, system, or network factors, the media server can request one or more of the participant devices to dynamically change the video communications setting(s) and/or parameter(s) used to send simulcast video streams or receive video streams to maintain acceptable levels of QoE at the respective participant devices.

In recent years, video communications have become increasingly popular due to widespread deployment of broadband networks, advancements in video compression technologies, and increased availability of low-cost development tools, such as those conforming to the web real-time communication (WebRTC) standard. Such development tools have been used to implement real-time multi-party video conferencing applications based on the selective forwarding unit (SFU) model. The SFU model allows each of a plurality of participant devices of a video conference to send a video stream to a central server. The central server functions as a packet data router, receiving video streams from the respective participant devices and selectively forwarding or routing a plurality of video streams to each participant device. The SFU model also allows each participant device of a video conference to simultaneously send multiple video streams—including high and low quality video streams—from the same video source to a central server, which selectively forwards or routes the high or low quality video streams to the respective participant devices based on various conference, system, or network factors, such as the conference room layout, the network bandwidth, and the available bit rates of the video streams.
Certain video conferencing applications based on the SFU model have drawbacks, however, in that their video quality and performance typically degrade in video conference environments with a large number of participant devices (e.g., fifty (50) or more), heterogeneous video encoder-decoder (also referred to herein as "codec") types, different ranges of network quality, different levels of packet losses and/or bandwidth, and/or different screen resolutions of the participant devices. It would therefore be desirable to have improved video conferencing applications based on the SFU model that address or mitigate at least some of these video quality and performance drawbacks.

Dynamically changing characteristics of simulcast video streams in selective forwarding units


A computerized method determines the ranking of documents including information content. The present method uses both content and connectivity analysis. An input set of documents is represented as a neighborhood graph in a memory. In the graph, each node represents one document, and each directed edge connecting a pair of nodes represents a linkage between the pair of documents. The input set of documents represented in the graph is ranked according to the contents of the documents. A subset of documents is selected from the input set of documents if the content ranking of the selected documents is greater than a first predetermined threshold. Nodes representing any documents, other than the selected documents, are deleted from the graph. The selected subset of documents is ranked according the linkage of the documents, and an output set of documents exceeding a second predetermined threshold is selected for presentation to users.

It has become common for users of client computers connected to the World Wide Web (the "Web") to employ Web browsers and search engines to locate Web pages having content of interest. A search engine, such as Digital Equipment Corporation's AltaVista search engine, indexes hundreds of millions of Web pages maintained by server computers all over the world. The users compose queries to specify a search topic, and the search engine identifies pages having content that satisfies the queries, e.g., pages that match on the key words of the queries. These pages are known as the result set.
In many cases, particularly when a query is short or not well defined, the result set can be quite large, for example, thousands of pages. For this reason, most search engines rank order the result set, and only a small number, for example twenty, of the highest ranking pages are actually returned at a time. Therefore, the quality of search engines can be evaluated not only on the number of pages that are indexed, but also on the usefulness of the ranking process that determines which pages are returned.
Sampling of search engine operation has shown that most queries tend to be quite short, on the average about 1 to 2 words. Therefore, there is usually not enough information in the query itself to rank the pages of the result set. Furthermore, there may be pages that are very relevant to the search that do not include the specific query words. This makes ranking difficult.
In Information Retrieval, some approaches to ranking have used relevance feedback supplied by users. This requires the user to supply feedback on the relevance of some of the results that were returned by the search in order to iteratively improve ranking. However, studies have shown that users of the Web are reluctant to provide relevance feedback.
In one prior art technique, an algorithm for connectivity analysis of a neighborhood graph (n-graph) is described, J. Kleinberg, "Authoritative Sources in a Hyperlinked Environment," Proc. 9th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, 1998, and also in IBM Research Report RJ 10076, May 1997. The algorithm analyzes the link structure, or connectivity of Web pages "in the vicinity" of the result set to suggest useful pages in the context of the search that was performed.
The vicinity of a Web page is defined by the hyperlinks that connect the pages. A Web page can point to other pages, and the page can be pointed to by other pages. Close pages are directly linked, farther pages are indirectly linked. These connections can be expressed as a graph where the nodes represent the pages, and the directed edges represent the links.
Specifically, the algorithm attempts to identify "hub" and "authority" pages. Hubs and authorities exhibit a mutually reinforcing relationship, a good hub page is one that points to many good authorities, and a good authority page is pointed to be many good hubs. Kleinberg constructs a graph for a specified base set of hyperlinked pages. Using an iterative algorithm, an authority weight x and a hub weight y is assigned to each page when the algorithm converges.
When a page points to many pages with large x values, the page receives a large y value and is designated as a hub. When a page is pointed to by many pages with large y values, the page receives a large x value and is designated as an authority. The iterative weights can beranked to compute "strong" hubs and authorities.
However, there are some problems with the Kleinberg's algorithm which is strictly based on connectivity. First, there is a problem of topic drift. For example, a user composes a query including the key words "jaguar" and "car." The graph will tend to have more pages that talk about "cars" than specifically about "jaguars". These self-reinforcing pages will tend to overwhelm pages mentioning "jaguar" to cause topic drift.
Second, it is possible to have multiple "parallel" edges connected from a certain host to the same authority or the same hub. This occurs when a single Web site stores multiple copies or versions of pages having essentially the same content. In this case, the single site has undue influence, hence, the authority or hub scores may not be representative.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a method which precisely identifies the content of pages related to a topic specified in a query without having a local concentration of pages influence the outcome.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for ranking hyperlinked pages using content and connectivity analysis


A seat reclining mechanism for a vehicle has a pawl which is engageable with a ratchet formed on a upper arm. The pawl 13 is moved along a guide portion 11 having opposed side faces 11a, 11a and a projecting wall 14 having side faces 14a, 14a.

The present invention relates to a seat reclining mechanism for adjusting an angle of inclination of a seat back with respect to a seat cushion.
A vehicular seat reclining mechanism of this kind is known and disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-52040 (1996).
This vehicular seat reclining mechanism includes a lower arm adapted to be secured on a seat cushion, an upper arm adapted to be secured on a seat back and turnably connected with the lower arm, the upper arm having a ratchet, further, a pawl interposed between opposed surfaces of the lower arm and the upper arm and slidable along guide wall means formed on the lower arm to engage with or disengage from the ratchet, a cam member interposed between said opposed surfaces and engageable with the pawl to push the pawl in the direction for meshing with the ratchet, and a handle supported on a shaft passing through both the arms and capable of rotation of the cam member when it is operated.
In this mechanism of the prior art, the pawl is forced to be moved into meshing engagement with the ratchet by the cam member, and the turns of the upper arm with respect to the lower arm are regulated by guiding and supporting the pawl by the guide wall means. But, the upper arm is turned with respect to the lower arm by sliding the pawl along the guide wall means to release the meshing engagement with the ratchet.
In this conventional device, on the other hand, in order to improve the strength in the turn regulation of the upper arm with respect to the lower arm, regulating teeth to mesh with the pawl are additionally formed on the lower arm so that a high load to be applied to the upper arm may be ensured by assist of the meshing engagement between the pawl and the additional regulating teeth.
In the conventional device thus constructed, however, since the regulating teeth mesh with the pawl, a size management of high accuracy is required to form the additional regulating teeth and has to be performed not to influence the meshing engagement between the ratchet and the pawl, thereby to cause a rise in the cost. On the other hand, it is difficult to suppress the inclination of the pawl intentionally when the high load is applied to the upper arm. The disengagement between the ratchet and the pawl may be caused by the floating of the pawl, as caused by a deformation of the guide wall means.


A sub-combat unit is arranged to be separated from a flying body over a target area, and includes a warhead, a target detector and two diametrically disposed carrier surfaces, each connected to a carrier arm and pivotally disposed about its own shaft located in a plane which is normal to the line of symmetry of the warhead and pivotable from a collapsed position in which the carrier arms and carrier surfaces connect to the circumferencial surface of the sub-combat unit, and to a position opened at 90.degree. at which both of the carrier surfaces form a retarding area for the fall velocity of the sub-combat unit and to impart to the sub-combat unit a rotation for scanning the target area in a helical pattern during the fall of the sub-combat unit towards the target area. Compressible damping devices are provided on the casing of the sub-combat unit which are compressed by the carrier arms during the flip-out movement of the carrier surfaces, and return stops for retaining the carrier arms and the carrier surfaces in a final flip-out position.

Both of the carrier surfaces are relatively thin and may, for example, be made of titanium. This material is elastically bendable so that the carrier surfaces, in their inwardly collapsed state, follow the circumferential surface of the sub-combat unit, but in their opened-out or flip-out position are bent out to a position at which they assume a certain shape.
In their closed position, the carrier surfaces are locked to the circumferential surface of the sub-combat unit in a suitable manner, for example the thin carrier surface profile may engage in a groove or slot in the circumferential surface. The carrier surfaces are twisted from their inwardly closed position with the aid of their inherent energy, the rotational and aerodynamic forces, through 90.degree. to their flipped-out position.
Swedish patent specification 89.03474-8 proposes that a damping device be introduced such that the carrier surfaces are stopped gently in the flipped-out position, and any possible pendulum motion is prevented.


We reduce core crush in honeycomb sandwich structure by using a peripheral tiedown ply, generally in combination with a scrim-reinforced barrier film, between the composite laminate and the core along the panel chamfer to prevent slipping of the barrier film and outer laminates relative to the core during curing. We produce superior panels with lighter weights, improved mechanical properties, and more predictable structural performance.

Aerospace honeycomb core sandwich panels (having composite laminate skins cocured with adhesives to the core through autoclave processing) find widespread use today because of the high stiffness-to-weight (i.e., "specific stiffness) and strength-to-weight (i.e., specific strength) ratios the panels afford. Typical honeycomb core sandwich panels are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,702; 4,622,091; and 4,353,947, which we incorporate by reference. Alteneder et al., Processing and Characterization Studies of Honeycomb Composite Structures, 38th Int'l SAMPE Symposium, May 10-13, 1993 (PCL Internal No. 200-01/93-AWA) discusses common problems with these panels, including core collapse (i.e., core crush), skin laminate porosity, and poor tool surface finish. We incorporate this article by reference.
As Hartz et al. described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,010 entitled "Composite Honeycomb Sandwich Structure," with a high flow resin system, large amounts of resin can flow into the core during the autoclave processing cycle. Such flow robs resin from the laminate, introduces a weight penalty in the panel to achieve the desired performance, and forces over design of the laminate plies to account for the flow losses. The resin loss from the laminate plies also reduces the thickness of the cured plies which compromises the mechanical performance. To achieve the desired performance and the corresponding laminate thickness, additional plies are necessary with resulting cost and weight penalties. Because the weight penalty is severe in terms of the impact on vehicle performance and cost in modern aircraft and because the flow is a relatively unpredictable and uncontrolled process, aerospace design and manufacture dictates that flow into the core be eliminated or significantly reduced. In addition to the weight penalty from resin flow to the core, we discovered that microcracking that originated in the migrated resin could propagate to the bond line and degrade mechanical performance. Such microcracking potential poses a catastrophic threat to the integrity of the panel and dictates that flow be eliminated or, at least, controlled.
Flow from the laminates to the core occurs because of viscosity reduction of the resin (i.e., thinning) at the elevated processing temperatures. Therefore, prior art attempts to solve the flow problem have generally focused on retaining the ambient temperature viscosity of the resin at the curing temperatures. For example, one might alter the processing cycle to initiate curing of the resin during a slow heat-up, low pressure step to induce resin chain growth before high temperature, high pressure completion. In this staged cure cycle, one would try to retain the resin's viscosity by building molecular weight at low temperatures. Higher molecular weight resins have inherently higher viscosity so they remain thicker and are resistant to damaging flow to the core. Unfortunately, with a staged cure cycle, too much flow still occurs, and the potential problems of microcracking still abound. Also, facesheet porosity might increase beyond acceptable limits. Furthermore, a modified cure cycle increases autoclave processing time. Increased processing time translates to a significant fabrication cost increase with risk of rejection of high value parts at the mercy of uncontrolled and inadequately understood factors. We incorporate the Hartz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5, 604,010 by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,861 describes composite sandwich structure for sound absorption (acoustic insulation) and other applications. The sandwich structures have seven layers as follows:
(1) an outer skin; PA1 (2) a small celled honeycomb or foam core; PA1 (3) a frontside inner septum; PA1 (4) a large celled middle honeycomb core; PA1 (5) a backside, inner septum; PA1 (6) a backside, small celled honeycomb or foam core; and PA1 (7) an inner skin.
Tuned cavity absorbers in the middle honeycomb core absorb sound. Performance of this structure suffers from resin flow to the cells of the honeycomb cores during fabrication for the reasons already discussed and because such flow alters the resonance of the structure. We incorporate this patent by reference.
The Hartz et al. process of U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,010 eliminates resin (matrix) flow into the honeycomb core for sandwich structure using high flow resin systems and results in reproducibility and predictability in sandwich panel fabrication and confidence in the structural performance of the resulting panel. Hartz et al. use a scrim-supported barrier film between the fiber-reinforced resin composite laminates and the honeycomb core. This sandwich structure is lighter for the same performance characteristics than prior art panels because the resin remains in the laminate (skin) where it provides structural strength rather than flowing to the core where it is worthless, introducing excess weight and potential panel failure. Hartz et al. also generally use an unsupported film adhesive between the barrier film and the laminates to bond the laminates to the barrier film. With these layers (which might be combined into one product), they achieved improved performance, retained the resin in the laminates and thereby reduced excess resin that designers otherwise needed to design into the panels to account for resin flow into the core, and reliably fabricated panels in which they had structural confidence.
We discovered that core crush frequently occurred in the chamfer region of honeycomb core when we cured a panel having a scrim-supported barrier film, particularly when we tried to use lighter weight core materials. We subsequently discovered that we could reduce core crush in these panels by including a tiedown ply in contact with the core beneath the barrier film (and adhesive) because the tiedown ply reduced slippage of the barrier film relative to the core during curing.

Tiedown ply for reducing core crush in composite honeycomb sandwich structure


Systems and methods that may be implemented to orchestrate external graphics, for example to support and extend switchable graphics capability beyond internal system components of a host information handling system so as to include an external discrete graphics processing unit (xGPU) that is not integrated or embedded within the chassis enclosure of the host information handling system, and that is coupled to the host information handling system from outside the host system chassis enclosure.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Notebook computers have been provided with two internal graphics processing units (GPUs)—a power saving but lower performance internal integrated GPU (iGPU), and a higher performance (but less power efficient) internal discrete GPU (dGPU). The internal iGPU is integrated within the host CPU inside the notebook computer chassis enclosure, and the internal discrete GPU is provided inside the enclosure of a notebook computer chassis and coupled to the host CPU using an internal data bus. The internal discrete GPU consumes more power than the internal iGPU but also provides higher 3D performances as needed for game play. "Switchable graphics" refers to a technology that allows a user to select between the internal integrated GPU and the internal discrete GPU of a notebook computer based on the graphics processing required by an application that is currently executing on the information handling system. The intent of switchable graphics is to provide users longer battery times when no high-performance graphics are needed.
Switchable graphics technology has been implemented using switchable graphics drivers executing on the host CPU within the notebook computer chassis enclosure to provide users the choice of low power graphics (internal iGPU for low power draw) or high performance graphics (internal dGPU for gaming). This allows a notebook computer user to extend notebook computer battery life by allowing the user to select to use the lower power internal integrated GPU for more mundane graphics processing applications, and to enable the higher performance and higher power consuming internal discrete GPU only for applications with demanding graphics processing requirements such as gaming applications. Examples of available switchable graphics technology include Nvidia Optimus technology and AMD Power Express technology. While some switchable graphics implementations require a system reboot to switch between the internal discrete GPU and the internal integrated GPU, switchable graphics drivers have been developed that allow a user to switch between the internal discrete GPU and the internal integrated GPU without system reboot. Switchable graphics software has also been developed that allows users to configure their system to auto-switch from one internal GPU to the other internal GPU in a manner that is transparent to the user. Windows 7/8.1 operating system supports switchable graphics.
An external graphics dock for notebook computers has been developed that includes components external to the notebook computer chassis that connect to internal circuitry inside the notebook computer chassis enclosure via two cables that carry PCI-e 3.0 signals. This external graphics dock includes an external full length (PCI-E Gen 3.0×8 lanes) desktop graphics card coupled to the external dock. Another external graphics dock has been proposed that connects to with a notebook computer via an Expresscard socket, and supports two independent streams—one from the notebook via a pass-thru port on the external dock, and one from the external GPU that is coupled to the dock.

Systems and methods for orchestrating external graphics


A rubber composition containing at least one rubber component containing a diene rubber and a rubber reinforcing carbon black having silica deposited on the surface thereof.

In the rubber industries, such as tire industry, carbon black for reinforcing the rubber is mixed with rubber in advance by a wet carbon black master batch method whereby the process of kneading the carbon black into the rubber has been attempted to be simplified and improvements in the dispersibility of the carbon black in the rubber have been attempted (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-49247 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-43937).
Rubber compounds for tire use are usually used for applications where repeated deformation is applied. If the tan .delta. of the rubber compound in the high temperature region (for example, at 60.degree. C.) is high, however, the amount of heat generated during use etc. becomes high, which is liable to lead to early breakage of the product such as tire. Therefore there has been a need for lowering the tan .delta. in the high temperature region, while maintaining the grip on wet roads, the wear resistance, the breakage strength, and other performances. For example, in tire compounds, improvement of the fuel consumption, durability, etc. requires that the tan .delta. be lowered in the high temperature region (40.degree. C. to 100.degree. C.), in particular at 60.degree. C., but in general the braking performance (for example, wet grip), which is a contradictory property, falls as well. Thus, it becomes necessary to maintain this property.
In recent years, however, the appearance of superior silane coupling agents has led to the formulation of silica instead of carbon black. Silica has a lower tan .delta. at high temperatures (about 60.degree. C.) compared with carbon black and a higher tan .delta. at low temperatures (about 0.degree. C.), and therefore, when used for example for a rubber composition for a tire tread has the advantage of enabling production of a tire having a low rolling resistance and a high grip.
As this prior art, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-239737 proposes blending a silica filler with an SBR obtained by the solution polymerization method or a blend thereof and a diene rubber. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-252431 proposes the blending of a silica filler and silane coupling agent into an SBR obtained by the solution polymerization method or a blend thereof with a diene rubber. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-253433 proposes the blending of a silica filler and silane coupling agent with solution polymerization BR or SBR having silane modified terminals.
While, according to the above-mentioned proposals the tan .delta. at the high temperature region can be reduced, without lowering the braking performance and other properties, however, the addition of the silica means that the wear resistance is inferior to that when just adding carbon black. Further, silica tends to make a high degree of self agglomeration, and therefore, is not easy to disperse. Thus the problem of inferior processability is caused. Further, silica is nonconductive, therefore, when silica is used alone for tire use, in particular tire tread use, without the use of a sufficient amount (normally about 40 parts by weight) of carbon black, results in insufficient flow of static electricity to the road surface and, as a result, charging and static discharge. The resultant discharge causes noise in the radio and other electronic apparatuses and in some cases causes erroneous operation of the same. Further, the vulcanization rate is slower, and therefore, a vulcanization promoter becomes necessary and the cost becomes higher.
Covering the surface of the pigment etc. with silica etc. to improve the dispersibility and improve the weather resistance has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 50-14254, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 7-30269, etc. but none of these alludes to the deposition of silica on the surface of the carbon black for rubber reinforcement.
On the other hand, when blending silica with a rubber composition, it is difficult to cause the dispersion of the silica during the kneading and therefore a large amount of labor becomes necessary for the kneading. Thus, the preparation of master batches has been desired for silica like carbon black. Silica, however, has a different agglomeration pH (about 4 to 7) than the agglomeration pH region of carbon black (about 2.5 to 3), and therefore, in the past a satisfactory wet type silica master batch has not been able to be obtained.

Rubber composition comprising carbon black surface treated with silica


A T-junction circuit comprises a first connector, a second connector, a third connector, at least one data bus, a power bus, and power conditioning circuitry. The at least one data bus is communicatively coupled to the first, second, and third connector. The power bus electrically coupled to the first, second, and third connector, the power bus configured to provide power from the first connector. The power conditioning circuitry is electrically coupled between a node of the power bus and the third connector, the node of the power bus located between the first, second, and third connectors, the power conditioning circuitry configured to condition the power provided by the power bus from the first connector before providing it to the third connector.

Aircraft health monitoring and avionics systems typically use United States Military Standard MIL-STD-704 Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics compliant power. This power is noisy and subject to surges and interrupts, making it incompatible with power sensitive devices. Aircraft health monitoring designs use digital systems where digitization and processing is performed by smart sensors close to the source of analog input. These smart sensors can be connected together on a multi-point digital bus, allowing for one bus interface at a host to connect with one or many sensors. Smart sensors are power sensitive devices and are not compatible with the United States Military Standard MIL-STD-704 Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics compliant power.
To address this, aircraft systems condition the input aircraft power to remove noise, voltage spikes, and provide power hold up to prevent voltage interrupts from interfering with system operation. Such power conditioning circuits consume space and generate heat proportional to the level of power they are conditioning. Power conditioning is typically conditioned by a central power conditioner at the host or locally for each smart sensor. Power conditioning at the host requires the host power conditioning to be sized appropriately for the bus, which limits scalability. This also requires power to be wired from the host to all sensors, rather than sourced from the closest United States Military Standard MIL-STD-704 Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics compliant power. When the smart sensors condition power locally, the size of the sensor increases and the sensor is subject to heat generated by power conditioning.

In-line power conditioning for multi-drop data bus