A stabilizer bar system for an automotive vehicle includes a stabilizer bar having a circular cross section and a rigid sleeve applied to a section of the outer circumference of the stabilizer bar. The sleeve has a number of circumferentially extending grooves and lands which mate with corresponding grooves and lands formed in an inner cylindrical surface of an elastomeric bushing which is overlaid upon the sleeve. The elastomeric bushing and sleeve may be mated such that relative rotation is allowed at the interface of the bushing and sleeve. Alternatively, the bushing and sleeve may be locked so that no relative rotation may occur at the interface of the bushing and sleeve.

This application claims the benefit of EPO Patent Application No. EP 02 10 0240, filed Mar. 13, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite mounting system for attaching a stabilizer bar to the chassis of an automotive vehicle.
2. Disclosure Information
Laterally extending stabilizer bars have been used for many years with automotive vehicles. Automotive designers have thus been faced continually with the challenge of mounting such bars within bearings which permit limited rotation, while avoiding noise or "clunking" during the useful life of the vehicle, notwithstanding that the underbody of the vehicle is of course subjected to road debris, corrosive deicing agents, vehicle detritus, and other contaminants. Yet another important requirement is that the bearing not be excessively compliant, particularly in radial directions.
As a consequence of the previously mentioned design requirements, as well the period of years for which stabilizer bars have been used on automotive vehicles, designers have employed a variety of hardware solutions with mixed results. Accordingly, after periods of use, some stabilizer bar bearings squeak, and some devices cause clunk. It has been proven to be very illusive to produce a stabilizer bar bearing which performs the required functions as described above without unwanted noise, either squeaking or clunking, and at a reasonable cost and throughout the useful life of the vehicle. Another requirement is that the stabilizer bar bearing have axial integrity to prevent the components of the bearing from separating axially in respond to loads imposed on the bearing by the stabilizer bar itself.

Stabilizer bar system for automotive vehicle


A printing plate cartridge for a press including a housing having an old printing compartment for holding a printing plate to be removed during a printing plate change and a new printing plate compartment for holding a printing plate to be mounted on a form cylinder of a press during a printing plate change. A printing plate to be mounted on the form cylinder is removable from the new printing plate compartment via a first opening for feeding to the form cylinder during a printing plate changing operation. A printing plate to be removed from the form cylinder is capable of being fed to the old printing plate compartment via the first opening during a printing plate changing operation.

Presses, such as web-fed presses, typically have a plurality of printing units arranged one after another. A printing material is moved successively through the various printing units in order to print the printing material. For half-tone overprinting, four printing units are generally provided with one of the process colors black, cyan, magenta and yellow being applied to the printing material in each printing unit. In web-fed presses, each printing unit typically comprises two printing-unit assemblies. The upper side and the underside of the printing material are printed at the same time by these printing-unit assemblies. Each of the printing-unit assemblies comprises a form cylinder, on which a printing plate is clamped for the purpose of printing. If, for example, a production change is carried out on the press, then it is necessary, inter alia, to remove an old, used printing plate from the form cylinder and to mount a new printing plate. In such a case, the removed printing plate is fed into a printing plate cartridge associated with the printing-unit assembly. The new printing plate to be mounted is also kept ready in the printing plate cartridge.
A printing plate cartridge for a press is disclosed in DE 102 38 107 A1. This printing plate cartridge has a shaft or old compartment for holding a used printing form to be removed and a shaft or a new compartment for holding a new printing form to be mounted on the respective form cylinder. With this device, a used printing form or printing plate removed from the form cylinder is fed into the printing plate cartridge. A new printing plate is removed and is fed to the form cylinder, via a side surface of the printing plate cartridge. The removal of a used printing plate from the printing plate cartridge and the feeding of a new printing plate into the printing plate cartridge by an operator are carried out via the same side surface.

Printing plate cartridge for a press and press


A fiber patch cord apparatus and a port panel, which may simplify a structure of the fiber patch cord system. The fiber patch cord apparatus includes a crawler configured to move to a corresponding position of a source adapter port along a crawling guide rail provided by a port panel, a clamper configured to clamp a fiber patch cord on the source adapter port, and a puller and inserter configured to pull the fiber patch cord out of the source adapter port and a controller that is configured to control the fiber patch cord apparatus to move on a crawling guide rail, where the controller is further configured to control a mold strip group on the port panel to move. The embodiments of the present invention are used to pull and insert a fiber patch cord.

Fiber to the X (FTTX) refers to connecting an optical fiber to an actual scenario, where x may be H, that is, fiber to the home (FTTH), or x may be P, that is, fiber to the premises (FTTP), or x may be O, that is, fiber to the office (FTTO), or another scenario. Before a large quantity of FTTX networks are built or after a large quantity of FTTX networks are built, massive optical fibers on an FTTX network need to be maintained and managed, for example, in procedures of initial building of an FTTX network, provisioning of a newly-added user service, and an optical fiber troubleshooting service, operations such as diagnosis, locating, patching, detection, recording, and refreshing need to be performed on a network port connected to an optical fiber, and the operations are very frequent. However, after an optical fiber maintenance command is received, patching cannot be accurately performed on an optical fiber in time during a manual patching operation, and there are defects in aspects of accuracy, timeliness, and simplicity of optical fiber maintenance.
In the prior art, a fiber patch cord system includes a fiber distribution terminal, a port panel, a robotic arm, where the port panel and the robotic arm are located inside the fiber distribution terminal, and the port panel may be a two-dimensional port panel. Several adapter ports are disposed along a row direction and a column direction according to a space size of the fiber distribution terminal, where the row direction is a direction parallel to a placement surface when the fiber distribution terminal is normally placed, and the column direction is a direction perpendicular to the placement surface when the fiber distribution terminal is normally placed, and then the robotic arm may be used to move through the two-dimensional port panel, and the robotic arm may be moved to a specified adapter port to perform pulling, insertion, and patching of an optical fiber. However, when a column needs to be changed, a group of single-shaft column change and movement modules is further needed to drive the entire robotic arm to complete a column change action, and the robotic arm is relatively long and is not telescopic, which increases a volume of the fiber distribution terminal. The port panel may also be changed to be of a space matrix structure. In a row direction of a matrix, one robot is disposed to control and complete pulling, insertion, and patching of an optical fiber in the row direction, and in a column direction of the matrix, one robot further needs to be disposed to control and complete pulling, insertion, and patching of an optical fiber in the column direction. In this way, not only movement control is complex, but also the robots occupy relatively large space of the fiber distribution terminal, leading to a decrease in adapter ports disposed on the port panel of the fiber distribution terminal. Therefore, the fiber patch cord system has a complex structure.

Fiber patch cord apparatus, port panel, and fiber patch cord system


An improved feed-forward multi carrier power amplifier architecture is described along with a novel array antenna wherein the improved amplifier may be advantageously put to use. The improved amplifier provides for independent control of unwanted intermodulation products generated in the amplifier. When used in the novel array structure, a separate radiation lobe containing the unwanted intermodulation products may be steered independently from a main radiation lobe. In a cellular base station application, the radiation lobe containing the unwanted intermodulation products may be steered away from the main radiation lobe thereby providing spatial filtering of the unwanted signals. The radiation lobe containing the unwanted intermodulation products may be steered rapidly in time using, for example, a noise like function to provide statistical averaging of the interference in the direction of desired communications.

The present invention relates to cellular radio communications in general, and more specifically, to a feed-forward multicarrier power amplifier architecture and to a method of and apparatus for spatially filtering unwanted intermodulation products using A feed-forward multi-carrier power amplifier in an array antenna architecture.
In noise limited radio communication systems, the ability of a radio receiver to receive a radio signal broadcast by a distant transmitter is limited by the amount of thermal noise present in the radio channel and the noise introduced by the receiver itself. In cellular radio communication systems, the ability of a mobile station to receive signals transmitted by a base station is limited not so much by the thermal noise in the radio channel, but rather by the amount of interference present in the radio channel. Interference arises from several sources: so-called co-channel interference arises from radio communications between base stations and mobile stations in adjacent or distant cells which occur on the same frequency band; so-called adjacent-channel interference arises from radio communications between base stations and mobile stations in the same cell or from adjacent cells operating on adjacent frequency bands. Imperfect filtering in the receivers and transmitters allows some of the radio frequency energy in one band to spill-over to and interfere with other radio frequency bands. Another potentially significant source of interference arises from intermodulation products generated by amplitude modulation to amplitude modulation (AM to AM) and amplitude modulation to phase modulation (AM to PM) conversion in the base station and mobile station amplifiers. This problem is usually most severe in the downlink (i.e., signals transmitted by the base station) since the base station often simultaneously broadcasts multiple carrier frequencies which can mix with one another in the amplifiers.
In power amplifiers, a trade-off is made between DC to RF power conversion efficiency and the level of intermodulation products generated by the amplifier. Thus, good DC to RF power conversion efficiency and high spectral purity can be contradictory requirements. The choice of amplifier is therefore significant in the design of the cellular base station architecture.
To date, there have been several base station architectures identified. Most commonly, base stations use a single carrier power amplifier (SCPA) with a frequency selective combiner. This architecture offers about 6-7% overall DC to RF power conversion efficiency due to the insertion losses encountered in the accompanying frequency combiner. The frequency combiner is also large and has "static" frequency selectivity which may need to be manually tuned during the base station installation.
Another common choice of architecture employs a multi-carrier power amplifier (MCPA). Unfortunately, MCPAs should generally be highly linear to avoid generating intermodulation products arising from the mixing of the different modulated carrier frequencies within the amplifier. Therefore, even though no frequency combiner is required, this solution only offers an overall DC to RF power conversion efficiency of about 4-6%. Although comparable to the above mentioned SCPA/frequency combiner solution, the MCPA typically has much lower robustness and reliability. A high power MCPA is also a complex technology, i.e., not easy to master in production.
Finally, an SCPA can be used with antenna combiners to give an overall DC to RF power conversion efficiency of approximately 22%, which is achieved at the expense of mast mounted power amplifiers and a surface area more or less proportional to the number of carriers. The robustness of this design can be improved by distributing small power amplifiers in an array, using spatial combination of a number of antenna elements instead of one central power amplifier per antenna.
Use of an MCPA and array antenna combining would be an attractive solution if the overall DC to RF power conversion efficiency of this solution could be improved. Current MCPA designs do not, however, promise to produce the needed improvements in efficiency.
The intermodulation introduced by MCPAs can be reduced by using one of two methods: feed-forward cancellation amplification, or linear amplification with non-linear components (LINC). LINC amplification is quite complex and is currently completely unsuitable for low-cost, mass produced amplifiers.
A block diagram of a conventional feed-forward cancellation amplifier is illustrated in FIG. 1A. In FIG. 1A, an RF input signal, whose spectrum is illustrated in FIG. 1B, is applied to coupler 100a which couples portions of the input signal to delay line 140 and to main amplifier 110. Main amplifier 110 produces the amplified output whose signal spectrum is illustrated in FIG. 1C. The additional spectral components shown in FIG. 1C as compared with FIG. 1B are the intermodulation products generated due to nonlinearities in main amplifier 110. A portion of the amplified output signal spectrum shown in FIG. 1C is coupled to summer 150 by coupler 100b. Delay line 140 delays the coupled portion of the input signal with respect to the output of main amplifier 110 producing a delayed signal such that the two signals reach summer 150 at approximately the same time. The output of summer 150 is an error signal which is coupled to auxiliary amplifier 160. Auxiliary amplifier 160 adjusts the amplitude of the error signal producing an error correction signal illustrated in FIG. 1D. The error correction signal should be matched in amplitude to the intermodulation products generated by main amplifier 110, but reversed in phase. The resultant vector cancellation of the intermodulation products is performed in coupler 100c where the error correction signal is subtracted from the amplified input signal. For the output signal illustrated in FIG. 1E to have intermodulation products which are greater than -60 dB down from the carrier frequencies, the vector cancellation must be performed with a high degree of accuracy. Typically this requires that the error correction signal be maintained with greater than 0.5 degrees phase accuracy and 0.1 dB amplitude accuracy which is difficult to achieve in production. The feed-forward technique can be used in an MCPA to effectively suppress intermodulation products but at the cost of low power efficiency and a high demand on complexity and component cost. In particular, high power MCPAs are difficult to master in production.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to construct a phased array antenna which uses MCPAs in which intermodulation products can be managed without having to resort to expensive and power inefficient feed-forward cancellation techniques.

Method of and apparatus for filtering intermodulation products in a radiocommunication system


Provided herein are buffers for the stabilization of nucleic acid molecules. The buffers find particular use for the stabilization of trace amounts of nucleic acid molecules in a variety of environments, including repeated freeze/thaw cycles. For example, in some embodiments, provided herein are compositions comprising tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), polyadenylic acid, and a synthetic DNA oligonucleotide.

Storage and handling of nucleic acid molecules, and particularly small amounts of nucleic acid molecules, is complicated by the break-down of the nucleic acid molecules over time or in response changes in the environment (e.g., temperature changes). For research, diagnostic, and clinical applications that require minimal amounts of nucleic acid break-down, the art is in need of additional compositions and methods for stabilizing nucleic acid during storage and handling.

Buffers for the stable storage of nucleic acids


A core logic chip set is provided in a computer system that may be configured either as a bridge between an accelerated graphics port ("AGP") bus and host and memory buses, as a bridge between an additional peripheral component interconnect ("PCI") bus and the host and memory buses, or as a bridge between a primary PCI bus and an additional PCI bus. A common bus having provisions for the PCI and AGP interface signals is connected to the core logic chip set and either an AGP or PCI device(s). The core logic chip set also has an AGP/PCI arbiter having additional Request ("REQ") and Grant ("GNT") signal lines so that more than one PCI device may be utilized on the additional PCI bus. Selection of the type of bus bridge (AGP or PCI) in the core logic chip set may be made by a hardware signal input, software during computer system configuration or power on self test ("POST"). Software configuration may also be determined upon detection of either an AGP or PCI device connected to the common bus.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems using a bus bridge(s) to interface a central processor(s), video graphics processor, memory and input-output peripherals together, and more particularly, in utilizing the same logic circuits as a bus bridge for either an accelerated graphics port or an additional peripheral component interconnect bus.

Dual purpose apparatus, method and system for accelerated graphics port and peripheral component interconnect


Described are cereal grain kernels fortified with iron and calcium. Also described is a process for making cereal grain kernels fortified with iron and calcium, the process comprising providing cereal grain kernels and mixing said kernels with a composition comprising an iron source and a calcium source.

In many countries, the average diet does not contain sufficient levels of iron and iron deficiency is well documented. Although iron deficiency is one of the few nutritional deficiencies in the U.S., it is common in most developing countries. Iron is an essential component of the hemoglobin molecule: without iron the bone marrow is unable to produce hemoglobin. The red cell count falls and those that do enter circulation are smaller than normal (microcytic) and lacking in hemoglobin, hence they are pale (hypochromic). There are many symptoms of anemia. Each individual will not experience all the symptoms and if the anemia is mild, the symptoms may not be noticeable. Some of the symptoms are: Pale skin color, fatigue, irritability, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, sore tongue, brittle nails, decreased appetite (especially in children), headache—frontal. Iron deficiency anemia significantly impairs mental and psychomotor development in infants and children.
The average amount of iron in the average adult male is 4 gm and in the average adult female 2.5 gm. The normal North American diet contains approximately 15-20 mg of iron per day. Most is present in meat and green vegetables; approximately 1.0 mg is absorbed each day and just about an equal amount is lost in feces and sweat. As a result, the average adult's iron intake is in delicate balance, but is of little consequence as there is slightly more iron absorbed than lost and a store of iron is gradually accumulated. If for some reason the rate of iron loss increases, these stores can be depleted and an absolute iron deficiency develops. Such a deficiency requires large doses of supplemental iron to re-supply the body stores and sufficient monitoring to prevent iron overload. In developing countries, about one-half of all women and children suffer from iron-deficiency anemia. In the Unites States, 7% of toddlers aged 1-2 years and 9%-16% of adolescent and adult females aged 12-49 years are iron deficient. The prevalence of iron deficiency has been estimated to be two times higher among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American females (19%-22%) than among non-Hispanic white females (10%). (See www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5140al.) Iron may be added to foods and beverages to supplement the dietary sources. Insoluble iron compounds need to be added to products as a suspension.
Calcium is an essential nutrient needed throughout life for a number of important physiologic functions. It is reported that ninety-nine percent of the body's calcium is present in teeth and bones. Therefore, calcium is needed for both formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. The remaining one percent of calcium is located throughout the body in the blood and soft tissues and is ionized in part. In its ionized form, calcium is of great importance for blood coagulation, proper functioning of the heart, nerves, and muscles, and in the permeability of membranes. Scientific research shows evidence that calcium plays a role in protecting against high blood pressure and colon cancer. If there are inadequate amounts of calcium from dietary sources, skeletal calcium will always be sacrificed to satisfy the metabolic needs of the soft tissues. Thus, when dietary calcium intake is inadequate, skeletal metabolism is compromised. Under this circumstance, less bone is accumulated during growth and calcium is withdrawn from the adult skeleton with a concomitant reduction of bone strength.
In many parts of the world, calcium intakes fall well below the recommended amounts. Although nutritionists have stressed the importance of receiving the daily nutritional requirements of calcium in the diet, it is difficult to achieve the required amount of calcium through a regular diet. Calcium can also be obtained through a variety of dietary sources, but a major problem with calcium supplementation from foods and beverages is the solubility of the calcium. Insoluble calcium salts need to be added to products as a suspension, but this often leads to negative changes in taste and texture as well as suspension settlement. In addition, insoluble calcium sources are generally absorbed less than soluble forms. Calcium can also impart a biting or burning sensation in the mouth when consumed at higher levels, and can leave an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth depending upon the source of the calcium.
Iron and calcium deficiencies can be overcome by increasing the intake of foods naturally containing these minerals or by taking supplements. With respect to the former, there is obviously difficulty, particularly in developing countries, with increasing intake of foods that are high in iron and calcium. With respect to the latter, in many countries where the people suffer from these deficiencies, the economy is such that providing minerals as a supplement is expensive and presents significant distribution logistics problems. In addition, compliance, i.e., having the people take the mineral supplements on a daily basis, is a serious problem. Accordingly, the delivery of iron and calcium in a form that is bioavailable and at the same time has a non-objectionable taste and appearance, and in a form that would be consumed by a high proportion of the population at risk, is desirable.
Cereal grains have been fortified with many different vitamins and minerals, including iron and calcium. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,530, issued Dec. 12, 2000, Christiansen et al. describe processed cereal fortified with metal amino acid chelates, where the metal can be selected from various moieties, including iron or calcium. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,204, issued Mar. 27, 2001, Christensen et al. describe cereal grain kernels fortified with metal amino acid chelates, again where the metal can be selected from, for example, iron or calcium. However, the forms of calcium described therein are less soluble than the calcium forms described herein. In this regard, Applicants have surprisingly discovered that the calcium forms described herein exhibit increased solubility, such that enhanced levels of fortification can be achieved.
In view of the foregoing, it would be useful to provide improved cereal grain kernels that are fortified with iron and calcium. More specifically, it would be useful to provide fortified cereal grain kernels where the iron and calcium are incorporated to provide increased bioavailability such that smaller amounts of these materials may be used to fortify a cereal grain kernel, thereby reducing unwanted side effects and unpalatability.

Cereal grain kernels fortified with iron and calcium


Audio equipment and a method of controlling audio equipment include a switching power amplifier circuit and a controller controlling a switching frequency of the power amplifier circuit. The controller varies the switching frequency of the power amplifier circuit in accordance with a receiving frequency in a case of receiving at least a medium-wave broadcast wave.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to audio equipment and a method of controlling audio equipment, in particular, to a system having a switching type power amplifier circuit. According to the present invention, by varying a switching frequency of a power amplifier circuit in accordance with a receiving frequency, a user can surely listen to a desired program in a case where the audio system includes a switching power amplifier circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional audio equipment, a power amplifier circuit drives a speaker. The power amplifier circuit is sorted into two types: a linear power amplifier in which an input signal is linearly amplified, and a switching power amplifier in which a final transistor is switched in accordance with a pulse width modulation signal generated from an input signal.
In late years, the switching power amplifier circuit (so-called "class D power amplifier circuit) is employed in audio equipment including a car audio system or the like, since it has higher power efficiency and less heat emission compared to the linear power amplifier.

Audio equipment and control method of audio equipment


A medium and high voltage energy conversion system is provided. An input terminal of each of high-voltage isolated DC/DC converters in a phase circuit of the system is connected to a common DC bus. Each of the high-voltage isolated DC/DC converters converts, based on an open-loop control strategy or a closed-loop control strategy, a DC input voltage of a cascade module connected to the high-voltage isolated DC/DC converter into an instruction value related to a voltage of the common DC bus. A system controller of the system calculates, based on at least a voltage-current double loop control strategy, a three-phase modulation instruction to be sent to the cascade modules in three phases according to a parameter related to the voltage of the common DC bus, to implement grid-connected control on three phase circuits.

In the field of photovoltaic power generation, in order to output a medium and high voltage, output terminals of multiple H-bridge modules are usually cascaded; and high-voltage isolated direct current/direct current (DC/DC) converters are provided at input terminals of the multiple H-bridge modules, to implement maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control on connected photovoltaic panels. Moreover, in order to achieve current sharing, coupling control is required to be performed on the high-voltage isolated DC/DC converters, resulting in the complicated control strategy for the high-voltage isolated DC/DC converters, the high cost, and poor stability and reliability for the system output.

Medium and high voltage energy conversion system


A punching bag support device including a lower frame assembly, an upper frame assembly, a height adjustment pole assembly selectively attachable at an upper end to the upper frame assembly and at a lower end to the lower frame assembly, a punching bag support platform selectively and adjustably attachable to the upper frame assembly and a cross bar selectively attachable to the lower frame assembly or the height adjustment pole assembly.

The present invention generally relates to boxing training devices. More specifically, this invention relates to support means for tethered punching bag training devices.
Various support means for punching bag training devices are disclosed in the prior art which provide for free swinging and turning of a punching bag and/or vertical adjustment of a punching bag. Such devices facilitate the training of a boxer in the different punches of the sport. Vertically adjustable punching bags are also adaptable for the training of boxers of different heights. In U.S. Pat. No. 818,604 to Bierd a punching bag support is disclosed which comprises a bag supporting hanger threadedly attached to a bearing ring, said bearing ring being rotatably engageable with a support bracket that is fixedly attachable to a ceiling or other like surface. The bag supporting hanger is constructed in a manner to permit the suspension of a punching bag therefrom by a rope or rod. A similar punching bag support is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,050,501 to Walter which reduces wear on the suspended rope as it swings back and forth by securing one end of the support rope to a hollow ball seated within a tubular member. Vacuum cup punching bag mounting means are described in U.S Pat. No. 3,226,116 to Klingler. While these punching bag support means of the prior art permit pendulum rotation and axial turning of a punching bag, they are not adaptable for the training of boxers of different height or for training for opponents of varying height. Furthermore, training on punching bags so supported is generally limited to speed training due to the rapid pendulum movements of the bag.
Vertically adjustable punching bag supports and boxing training devices that permit striking of a bag from different positions are also known in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,851,649 to Schindler an adjustable punching bag is disclosed having a bag suspended from an elastic cord that is attached to a vertically adjustable support line by means of a slidably mounted carrier device. The support line is detachably securable at its ends to a wall or like surface and includes stops selectively disposed upon said support line to limit the lateral movement of said carrier device along said support line. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,356 to Kennedy et al. there is disclosed an adjustable punching bag training device comprising, in combination, a slidably mounted rod telescoped in a base post, a horizontally-extending platform attached to said rod, and a punching bag suspended from said platform. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,589 to Outlaw there is disclosed a handle and cleat adjustment structure for vertical adjustment of a suspended training device. Furthermore, none of the punching bag supports of the prior art, except for the Schindler invention, permit a bag to be punched while moving laterally. Generally, the adjustable punching bags of the prior art also change the bag's reflex time when the tethered supporting rope or rod is adjusted to various lengths. These and other limitations of the prior art are overcome by the invention of the present disclosure.


A vertebral replacement device for supporting adjacent vertebrae includes a vertebral body or vertebral body member having at least one of an upper or lower member adjustably engaged at one end thereof. A spacer can be engaged to the upper or lower member to further increase the height of the vertebral replacement device. The vertebral replacement device can have a chamber extending therethrough for fusion of the supported vertebrae.

The present invention is directed to devices for replacement of one or more vertebral bodies and/or one or more disc spaces between vertebrae of a spinal column.
The repair and reconstruction of bony structures is sometimes accomplished by directly fixing adjacent bony structures to each other, such as by a plate. In other instances, bone growth inducing material can be introduced between the adjacent bony structures, which over time results in a solid bony connection. In some instances, the adjacent bony structures are not sufficiently strong or stable as the bone heals or the bone grows between the adjacent structures through the bone growth inducing material. In these instances, mesh structures or cages have been provided to engage the adjacent bony structures to provide additional stability. The cages are generally hollow and can be configured to contact the harder cortical bone of the adjacent bony structures. The hollow portion of the cages can be filled with bone growth inducing material. Devices have also been provided to replace a removed vertebral body and to provide a support structure between the remaining vertebrae on either side of the one or more removed vertebral bodies.
There remains a need for improved devices for replacing one or more vertebral bodies and/or one or more disc spaces in a spinal column. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs, among others.

Height adjustable vertebral body and disc space replacement devices


A set of cooling air blowers for machines which require cooling air during operation. The blowers each include an outlet having an anti-reverse flow feature for preventing the flow of air into the blower from externally of the machine should the blower fail, thereby ensuring that the remaining operating blowers are able to maintain a normal and adequate flow of cooling air through the air inlet of the machine and outwardly through the outlets of the remaining operating blowers. Each blower generally includes a blower housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an internal cavity in which an impeller is rotatably disposed, the impeller driven by an electrical motor mounted within the blower housing. The outlet of each blower housing includes a plurality of louvers movable between a first, open position in which the louvers are positioned by contact with the airflow upon rotation of the impeller to allow heated exhaust air to exit the blower housing through the outlet, and a second, closed position in which the louvers are positioned by gravity to substantially block the outlet when the impeller is stationary.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blowers for circulating cooling air through machines, and in particular, the present invention relates to blowers which include an anti-reverse flow mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many electrically-powered machines include a housing in which electrical components such as circuits and motors are contained. During running of the machines, the electrical components within the machines generate heat which must be continuously vented from the machines to cool the internal electrical components. Typically, such machines include one or more internal blowers, each including an electric motor connected to an impeller which is disposed within a blower housing, the blower housing having an inlet in airflow communication with the interior of the machine housing and an outlet in airflow communication with an opening in the machine housing. In operation, rotation of the impeller by the motor draws cooling air from externally of the machine through an inlet in the machine housing, circulates the cooling air across and around the electrical components within the machine to cool the electrical components, and vents the heated exhaust air outwardly of the machine housing through the blower outlets. Many electrical machines include several such blowers to provide increased flow of cooling air, as well as redundancy should one of the blowers fail.
A problem with the foregoing arrangement is that if one of the blowers fails for any reason, the impeller within that blower becomes stationary, yet the outlet of the failed blower remains in airflow communication with the atmosphere externally of the machine. Continued operation of the remaining operable blowers induces a flow of cooling air into the machine through both the air inlet of the machine housing and through the outlet of the failed blower. The foregoing disrupts the normal flow of cooling air through the machine, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the cooling of the internal components of the machine, possibly leading to overheating. Additionally, when a blower fails, disruption of the flow of cooling air places additional operational strain on the remaining operating blowers.
What is needed is an improved blower for use with machines having internal components which require cooling.

Anti-reverse flow mechanism for centrifugal blowers


A control system including a mounting frame adapted to receive the exercise device and a base frame coupled to the mounting frame. This combination may provide a controlled, pre-defined movement of the mounting frame, and therefore the exercise device, relative to the base frame and a user. The control system may also include a platform mounted to the base frame and adapted to support the user. This platform may include a platform cushion, which may be comprised of a resilient mat and a foam cushion, positioned to support the bumper of the exercise device. The platform may also include a deck adapted to support the weight of the user. The deck may be positioned distal to the platform cushion as it relates to the base frame.

Functional strength training may be defined as training which involves movements which relate to functional activities found in certain activities. Functional training for athletes has gained attention as there is an increased value of training under more real world conditions, as opposed to the more "sterile" lifts performed only in the weight room. For example, a bench press may not be considered "functional" unless you are pushing a car off your chest, with your back supported. Therefore this arm extension movement is likely not found in most daily activities. On the other hand, picking up an object and carrying it, as we as a species have been doing for decades, could be considered functional.
One of the most complete, whole body functional movements is picking up one end of an implement and flipping it over. The most commonly used implement to be flipped is a large tractor or truck tire. There are inherent risks for injury with large tires, one of which is controlling the movement during the lifting phases of the flip as well as the inherent lack of control after the throwing movement of the flip as the object falls back to the ground. What is absent in the art is a system that allows an exercise device to be flipped or lifted and to be docked into a control system, thereby creating an exercise system that allows for explosive throwing movements by the user. By allowing for control of the exercise device, this dynamic and explosive movement of flipping an exercise device may be safely brought into the weight room, which it has not previously, even in potentially crowded conditions.


A pair of female and male housings 22 and 23 are inserted respectively from a front 21a and a rear 21b of an attachment panel 21 and engage each other, a housing 22 on the front 21a is covered with a grommet 25, the housings 22 and 23 are connected by a bolt 26 inserted from the grommet 25, and a fastening piece 27e separated from a cover main body 27a and detachably engaging the cover main body 27a is attached thereto, whereby the grommet 25 is covered on a peripheral end face with a grommet cover 27 so as to fasten the grommet 27.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a waterproof connector having a pair of male and female housings inserted from the front and the rear of an attachment panel, the housings being connected by a bolt and the front housing being covered with a grommet to make the housing waterproof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, for example, a door panel of an automobile (attachment panel) has been provided with a waterproof connector for electrically connecting various switches provided on the door panel and a power supply, drive devices, etc., on the body of the automobile.
A waterproof connector as shown in FIGS. 10-12 is known as a waterproof connector mounted on such an automobile door panel (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Hei 7-32873).
In FIGS. 10 and 11, a waterproof connector 2 mounted on an attachment panel 1 comprises a male housing 3 inserted from the rear of the attachment panel 1, a female housing 4 inserted from the front of the attachment panel 1, a grommet 5 covering the female housing 4, a bolt 6 being inserted from the grommet 5 side for connecting the male and female housings 3 and 4, and a grommet cover 7 covering the peripheral end face of the grommet 5 as shown in FIG. 12.
A panel engagement protrusion 3a is formed on one side of the male housing 3 positioned in the upper part of the car body and is engaged with a panel holder 8 disposed on one side positioned in the lower part of the car body in a state in which they penetrate the attachment panel 1, whereby the male housing 3 is temporarily held on the attachment panel 1. The male housing 3 contains a washer 9 engaging an annular groove 6a made in the stem of the bolt 6 for preventing the bolt 6 from being removed. As shown in FIG. 13, the type wherein a plate 10 is inserted into the male housing 3 in place of the washer 9 is also available (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Hei 5-41078).
The female housing 4 is inserted through an opening 3b of the male housing 3 and the housings 4 and 3 are connected by fastening the bolt 6 penetrating a bolt penetration tube 4a fitted into the female housing 4.
The grommet 5 comprises a derivation part 5a covering the end face to the peripheral surface of the female housing 4 positioned on the front of the attachment panel 1 and a tubular part 5b communicating with the derivation part 5a for guiding a harness (not shown), the derivation part 5a and the tubular part 5b being molded in one piece made of synthetic rubber, etc.
An open end of the derivation part 5a comes in elastic contact with the attachment panel 1 by fastening the bolt 6, whereby a seal property to the inside of the connector is provided. The cover part 5a has a lip part 5c sandwiched between parts of the male and female housings 3 and 4 positioned in the upper part of the car body from the axial direction of the bolt 6, thereby preventing water drops traveling on the attachment panel 1 from entering the derivation part 5a.
The grommet cover 7 comprises a plurality of holes 7a engaging a plurality of protrusions 5d projected from the outer peripheral surface of the grommet 5. The holes 7a are engaged with the protrusions 5d so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the grommet 5, whereby the grommet cover 7 is held on the grommet 5 and at the same time, fastens the grommet 5 from the outside, thereby providing hermeticity to the female housing 4 by the grommet 5 and preventing the grommet 5 from falling out from the female housing 4.
In the structure, a plurality of terminals (not shown) are inserted into the male housing 3, then the attachment panel 1 is temporarily held on the male housing 3, the female housing 4 is covered with the grommet 5, and the grommet 5 is covered with the grommet cover 7, then the unit is engaged with the male housing 3 for engaging the female housing 4. The bolt 6 is inserted through a bolt insertion tubular part 5e of the grommet 5 and is threadably engaged with a female screw member 11 disposed in the male housing 3, whereby the male and female housings 3 and 4 are coupled.
In the waterproof connector 2 of the structure as described above, the grommet 5 is covered with one grommet cover 7 and moreover fastening the grommet 5 depends only on the mold shape of both the grommet 5 and the grommet cover 7. Thus, the grommet cover 7 having an inner form smaller than the outer form of the grommet 5 must be mounted.
Therefore, the fastening accuracy does not become stable due to a mold error of the grommet 5 and the grommet cover 7; in addition, it is difficult and intricate to attach and detach the grommet cover 7 to and from the grommet 5.
In the waterproof connector 2 of the structure as described above uses a washer 9 for preventing the bolt 6 from being removed. Thus, if the bolt 6 is broken or parts are replaced accompanying an energization failure, it is hard to separate the bolt 6 from the washer 9.
Then, the plate 10 can be used in place of the washer 9. However, since the plate 10 is simply inserted into the male housing 3 (or the female housing 4), a problem occurs in plate 10 may be easily removed while the waterproof connector 2 is assembled or when the vehicle runs. In addition, a reasonable depth is required to prevent the plate 10 from being removed, causing a new problem of an increases in material costs to arise.
In the grommet cover 7 of the waterproof connector 2 of the structure as described above is the surface of the grommet 5 and the peripheral surface orthogonal to the surface (the face where a plurality of protrusions 5d are formed). Thus, for example, when the bolt 6 does not exist or is broken, if the pipe part 5b of the grommet 5 is extended unexpectedly, a part of the introduction part 5a of the grommet 5 peels off from the female housing 4 or the introduction part 5a is removed completely.
In the waterproof connector 2 of the structure as described above, when the bolt 6 is inserted in the bolt insertion tubular part 5e, the bolt insertion tubular part 5e is dragged in the insertion direction of the bolt insertion tubular part 5e due to load in the insertion direction and a clearance easily occurs between the bolt 6 and the bolt insertion tubular part 5e. If the bolt 6 is rotated to couple the female and male housings 3 and 4, the bolt insertion tubular part 5e is twisted due to load in the rotation direction and a clearance easily occurs between the bolt 6 and the bolt insertion tubular part 5e.
In the waterproof connector 2 of the structure as described above, it is feared that water drops traveling on the surface of the attachment panel 2 may pass through the space between the attachment panel 2 and the grommet 5 and enter the derivation part 5a from between the panel engagement protrusion 3a and the lip part 5c.


A composition and method are provided for detecting and isolating antigen associated cancer cells. The composition and method utilize an antigen specific, immunomagnetic composition as the detecting and isolating agent. An illustrative immunomagnetic composition comprises avidin or streptavidin conjugated to paramagnetic beads and further conjugated to antigen specific, biotinylated antibody. A fluidic admixture of the antigen associated cancer cells with the immunomagnetic composition in an affinity column disposed in a magnetic field produces a cancer cell immunomagnetic composition conjugate which is deposited onto the inner wall of the column.

As with all mammalian neoplasms, one of the main factors leading to a better outcome or cure is the earliest possible detection. More specifically, if a colorectal cancer (CC) is detected when it is classified as either Dukes' Class A or B, the patient has a nearly 80% chance of 5-year survival while if the CC is detected when it is classified as a Dukes' C or D, the 5-year survival drops to about 40%. Although adjuvant chemotherapy and local radiotherapy have improved outcomes from CC, no specific public health measure is more likely to benefit such patients than an effective early detection test.
Using analyses based on DNA-loss rates it is estimated that approximately 2.times.10.sup.11 epithelial cells are shed from the lining of the colon each day. The development of an effective cytological method for the detection of cells shed from tumors of the large bowel has been a topic of major interest for the past half century. The fact remains that after any type of cytological method, the sample is still contaminated to a great extent by stool and bacteria which greatly hamper diagnosis.
Heretofore, numerous methods of limited sensitivity have been employed in an attempt to detect CC as early as possible. The detection of occult blood in stool, for instance, was first held as a very sensitive marker for CC, but only 5% to 10% of the patients in whom occult blood is detected were ultimately diagnosed with CC (Kolata, Science 229:636, 1985; Bader, Diges Dis Sci 31:43s, 1986; Winawer & Miller, Bull WHO 65:105, 1987; Knight et al., JAMA 261:587, 1989). Other methods in common use for the detection of CC, such as sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and contrast enemas are fairly specific and accurate, but due to their invasive and expensive nature have not been suitable for widespread population screening. More recent cytological methods observed the efficacy of increased filtration and isopycnic centrifugation of the lavage or enema samples in Percoll gradients. These studies demonstrated an improvement in the clarity of the final sample, but the loss of cells during the many steps of the procedure makes the method impractical. The increased numbers of false-negative cases which is the result of not being able to see the lost neoplastically transformed cells limits this method greatly.
The complexity and/or invasiveness of the above mentioned methods require well-trained professionals (at least two one to carry out the test and the other to evaluate the results) throughout the procedure, which makes their use in population screening quite expensive. In addition, with these methods screening a single patient may take between six and eight hours. In the case that immunocytochemistry is also applied, the cytologic tests mentioned above are extended four to six hours (and that is if any cancer cells were left after the multiple previous steps of cell isolation and purification).
It would, of course, be advantageous to provide a composition and method for the early detection of colorectal cancer and other cancers which is not invasive, which is not based on multiple centrifugations that may lead to the death of cells crucial in ascertaining the correct diagnosis, and which is extremely specific to the cells under investigation.

Immunomagnetic detection and isolation of cancer cells


A PVDF membrane exposed to a quarternary ammonium hydroxide solution retains it hydrophobicity and resistance to corrosive environments, yet spontaneously and completely wets with concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids. The modified membrane is incorporated into filtration devices that are in situ integrity testable in concentrated inorganic mineral acids.

Many industries utilize as a processing fluid, among other things, a contaminant-free inorganic mineral acid such as sulfuric or nitric acid. Sulfuric acid, for instance, is considered the commodity chemical produced in highest quantity worldwide. The filtration of such processing fluids is a formidable task, replete with a number of problems. Inorganic mineral acids, by their nature, are highly corrosive, polar substances; properties that have made it difficult to design systems which offer efficient, economical, integrity testable filtration in a point-of-use filter.
In critical processes involving fluid filtration, e.g., the filtration of parenteral pharmaceuticals, ultra pure water, and microelectronics processing fluids, one must achieve the highest possible assurance of filter integrity and contaminant removal efficiency. An example of an industry-accepted non-destructive integrity test is the "forward flow test." A forward flow test provides an objective and quantifiable method of determining filter integrity during operating conditions (in situ). Unless integrity testing is performed under operating conditions, there can be no assurance that the filter functions as intended and as required. In order to perform an in situ forward flow test, the filter must spontaneously and completely wet with the fluid to be filtered. Thus an in situ integrity testable filter for inorganic mineral acids must not only remain inert to the corrosive action of the acid, it must also spontaneously and completely wet with the acid.
Prior to the present invention, no one has been able to develop a polymeric filter medium that is both resistant to the corrosive environment of a concentrated inorganic mineral acid and capable of spontaneously and completely wetting with the acid, thereby making it in situ integrity testable. The need for such filter devices has recently become critical in a number of industries. For instance, there is a need for in situ integrity testable filters for inorganic mineral acids in the integrated circuit industry. During the manufacture of advanced microelectronic devices sulfuric acid is utilized as a processing fluid, usually at high concentrations. For purposes of this disclosure, the term concentrated inorganic mineral acid is intended to include sulfuric acid having a concentration of about 85% and greater, or nitric acid having a concentration of about 70% and greater. Concentrations of 96% sulfuric acid are common and typical in the integrated circuit industry.
Integrated circuit production involves hundreds of steps in which silicon wafers are repeatedly exposed to processes such as lithography, doping, and deposition of materials. In addition, numerous etching and cleaning steps are carried out by direct contact of the wafer with concentrated sulfuric acid. Contamination alters the semiconductive nature of the silicon or disturbs the intended circuit design, thereby reducing the yield of integrated circuits. It is, therefore, imperative that the sulfuric acid be free from particulates and contaminants, and it is highly desirable that the integrity of the filters be tested in order to prevent the production of manufactured items with a high degree of defects. Consequently, this industry has developed some of the most stringent requirements concerning the purity of processing fluids. Filtration systems are employed at point-of-use as well as at the point-of-distribution of the sulfuric acid.
A point-of-use filter processes fluid which is to be utilized immediately in a localized manufacturing step. Point-of-use filters used for sulfuric acid must remove micro particulates without themselves adding contaminants, i.e., exhibit low levels of ionic and total organic carbon (TOC) extractables. In addition, the effluent sulfuric acid from point-of-use filters must approach a high level of purity as quickly as possible, for both economic and environmental reasons.
Concentrated sulfuric acid is highly corrosive. All components of a filter for sulfuric acid must be resistant to the chemical action of the acid during short term as well as long term exposure, so that the filter does not leach ionic or organic extractables. A colorimetric assay, wherein the transference of color to the filtered sulfuric acid is quantified, is a useful method for detecting if a filter leaches unacceptable levels of extractables.
For example, the American Public Health Association (hereinafter referred to as APHA) has published a standard method for the examination of water and waste water based upon the visual comparison of the sample with commercially available Hazen Color Discs. This method is also utilized by industry for the examination of various chemical reagents as described in ASTM standard method D 1209-69. For example, the American Chemical Society Specification for sulfuric acid (95% to 98%) is an APHA color grade of 10 or less.
It is also desirable that filter elements for concentrated inorganic mineral acids be comprised of polymeric membranes. Such elements offer ease and economy of use, safety, excellent flow characteristics, and the ability to remove very small contaminants due to the high filtration performance of such membranes. Several fluoropolymers are known to be resistant to the corrosive actions of concentrated inorganic mineral acids. These include, for instance, (poly) vinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and (poly) tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Microporous membranes made from such fluoropolymers are currently used for the filtration of sulfuric acid. For example, PTFE microporous membranes are used for concentrated sulfuric acid filtration. These PTFE filters exhibit a high level of resistance to sulfuric acid and, if appropriately designed, an acceptable level of extractables, as indicated by the APHA color test. However, the media of these filters do not spontaneously and completely wet with sulfuric acid, and are not, therefore, in situ integrity testable in inorganic mineral acids. PTFE membranes do not wet with high surface tension fluids, such as concentrated sulfuric acid, due to the hydrophobic nature of these membranes. Consequently, flow of concentrated sulfuric acid through these filters cannot be initiated without first employing complex and dangerous pre-wetting procedures.
The current procedure used to wet fluoropolymeric filter media with a concentrated inorganic mineral acid, e.g., sulfuric acid, is time consuming, expensive, contaminates the acid, and is dangerous. The filter medium must first be pre-wet with a fluid having a low surface tension in order to overcome the medium's resistance to wetting with liquids having high surface tensions. Typical pre-wetting liquids are alcohols, such as ethanol or isopropanol. Once the membrane has been pre-wet the alcohol must be removed by flushing with deionized water. If the alcohol is not removed from the membrane, sulfuric acid will react with the alcohol resulting in the introduction of undesirable chemicals. After flushing with water, the membrane must be wet with a dilute acid by replacing the water in the membrane pores with a dilute acid solution. Flushing with a dilute acid prevents the build up of extreme heat (having the potential to damage the membrane) that occurs when concentrated sulfuric acid is mixed with water. The last step involves wetting the membrane pores with concentrated sulfuric acid. Only after this pre-wetting procedure is completed, which results in a great deal of waste, can the filter be utilized to remove particulates and contaminants from the sulfuric acid. These filters are not in situ integrity testable, however, because they do not spontaneously and completely wet with the acid.
In the microelectronics industry, contamination of processing fluids leads to high rates of defective product. As a result, the necessity for point-of-use or point-of-distribution filters which overcome the problems associated with filtering concentrated inorganic mineral acids has grown. Filter devices currently available for filtering concentrated inorganic mineral acids do not spontaneously and completely wet with the acids, and are therefore, not in situ integrity testable. Furthermore, some of the filters leach significant levels of TOC or ionic species (demonstrable as a high level of color transmission to the effluent).

Filter device for acids and process for filtering inorganic acids


A method and apparatus for preparing essentially fat free chips such as potato chips and the like having an appearance and taste similar to conventional chips without the use of deep fat frying processes. The method of the present invention includes the steps of exposing sliced raw potatoes and the like to a high intensity microwave field that rapidly converts moisture within the slice into steam. These exposed slices are then dried by longer exposure to a lower energy microwave field. The apparatus of the present invention includes a meander waveguide with a microwave absorptive terminator at an end of the waveguide. Apertures are provided along portions of the waveguide for transporting the potato slices and the like through the waveguide. A belt link type conveyor belt having an open lattice structure is employed to convey raw product slices through the meander waveguide. Generally each conveyor belt link has a product slice supporting surface configured to define a hump so as to impart a potato chip-like shape to the raw product slices during the high intensity microwave exposure step. The crisp chip type food product produced by this method and apparatus has not had any fat added to the chip and is therefore low in calories though having the conventional texture and taste associated with deep fat fried chip foods.

A variety of methods are known in the food preparation art for preparing snack foods such as potato chips and other forms of vegetable and grain chips such as corn or tortilla chips. Most of these methods, however, rely on cooking techniques in which the potato or other chip is immersed in a reservoir of hot oil for a period of time. Known as "deep fat" frying, the effect of this cooking process is to substantially reduce the water content of the potato slice while allowing some fat uptake from the hot oil reservoir. The moisture content of fresh potato slices is typically about 85% of the weight of the slice while "deep fat" fried potato chips commonly have a moisture content of less than 5% by weight. The deep fat frying process, however, also typically results in a finished potato chip having a fat content from about 30% to about 45% of the total weight of the finished chip.
The high fat content of conventionally prepared potato chips is considered undesirable by many people because of the increased caloric value and the relatively short shelf life of the resulting chip. The fat stored in a potato chip can become rancid after long term storage, imparting an undesirable odor and taste to the chip. A number of cooking methods have been developed in the past to reduce the fat content of potato chips and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,301 to Lipoma et al., for example, discloses a process for making fried chips by partially cooking potato slices in an oil bath at higher temperatures and for shorter periods of time than normally used in conventional oil immersion cooking processes, with a final cooking step employing electromagnetic heating, such as microwave heating. The higher temperature and shorter time period of the oil immersion portion of the Lipoma cooking process is believed to result in a final chip having a reduced fat content. This approach, however, does not eliminate the uptake of fat by the chip during the first step of the cooking process. Another approach, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,425 to Yuan et al., is to prepare potato chips by coating a raw potato slice with globular proteins and an optional layer of edible oil on top of the protein coating. The potato slice prepared in this fashion is then cooked by microwave heating. While eliminating the step of deep fat frying, the Yuan approach still produces a potato chip having an exterior coating of at least globular proteins. At column 3, lines 47-59, the Yuan patent states the protein coating is an essential element in successfully microwaving the potato slices. Use of microwave heating alone to prepare potato chips has previously been considered unsuitable because of gelatinization, a tendency of starches in the potato slice to coat the exterior surfaces of the slice and to form a gummy seal which hardens with further heating. The Yuan patent, for example, notes at column 2, lines 45-50 that efforts to remove more than 3% of the moisture content of a potato slice by microwave heating causes starch gelatinization.
The present invention further relates to the use of a unique meander waveguide structure in conjunction with a novel conveyor belt. Various sorts of microwave waveguides are known as shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,996 to Endres and U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,425 to Stungis et al. The Endres patent shows a zig-zag waveguide configured to direct microwave energy downward through slots in a lower planar surface of the waveguide onto a conveyor belt passing below the waveguide in order to temper shortening carried on the conveyor belt. The Stungis patent discloses a serpentine waveguide repetitively engaging a conveyor belt, in order to expand tobacco stems and lamina.
The use of conveyor belts to convey raw and partially prepared food products is also known. In the field of conveyor belts, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,870,141 and 4,556,142 to Lapeyre, for example, show conveyor belts having links in the form of flat lattice type structures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,543, to Lapeyre, discloses a type of conveyor belt link having a protruding drive tooth. The drive teeth of the links engage a drive sprocket that powers the conveyor belt. These conveyor belt structures, however, possess only a flat conveying surface. Limp, raw food products conveyed by these belt structures would normally result in finished food products having a similarly flat shape.
Thus there still exists a need for an apparatus and method of preparing potato and like vegetable chips, as well as corn, tortilla and other grain chips, having all of the taste, consistency and shape of the widely known and broadly appreciated deep fat fried potato, corn and tortilla chips, but which are fat free or virtually fat free and which are curved.

Apparatus for preparing fat free snack chips


An arrangement of a side door on a body of a motor vehicle is provided. The side door is held on the body in a closed position that closes a door opening corresponding to the side door with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle with at least regional overlapping with a side sill of the body. The side door has a reinforcing element, with which the side door can be supported on the side sill in the event of an application of force, caused by an accident, acting on the side door from the outside in at least substantially in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an arrangement of a side door on a body of a motor vehicle.
Arrangements of side doors on corresponding bodies of motor vehicles, in particular personal motor vehicles, are known from the series construction of motor vehicles, wherein the respective side door is arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle with at least regional overlapping with a side sill of the body that extends at least substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with respect to a closed position of the side door, in which a door opening corresponding to the side door is closed.
It has been shown that, in such conventional arrangements of side doors on corresponding bodies, when there is an application of force on the side door, caused by an accident, which force at least substantially runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle and acts on the side door from the outside in, can lead to the side door being "pushed over" the side sill if no corresponding countermeasures are taken.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in such an arrangement of a side door on a body of a motor vehicle, in particular a personal motor vehicle, the side door is held to the body in the transverse direction of the vehicle with at least regional overlapping with a side sill of the body, with respect to a closed position of the side door, in which a door opening corresponding to the side door is closed. In other words, the side door is arranged with at least regional overlapping with the side sill with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle, at least when the side door is closed. Here, the side door, in particular a door part of the side door, overlaps the side sill at least regionally on the surface with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle.
According to the invention, the side door is provided with at least one reinforcing element, via which the side door, in particular in the overlap region, can be supported on the side sill when there is an application of force on the side sill, caused by an accident, which force at least substantially runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle and acts on the side door from the outside in. If this application of force caused by an accident occurs as portrayed, for example as a result of a side impact of a barrier or vehicle on the side door, the side door can be supported on the side sill, in particular via a door part of the side door and the reinforcing element. The side door, in particular its door part, is thus not pushed at all, or not pushed to an undesirable distance away, inwardly in the transverse direction of the vehicle via the side sill and thus does not penetrate the passenger space of the motor vehicle to an undesirable extent. A very good level of side impact protection is thus achieved, whereby vehicle passengers can be protected from serious injuries.
In particular when there is a so-called pole impact, wherein a pole strikes the side door from the outside as a barrier, this leads to the application of force portrayed, which is usually caused by an accident and at least substantially acts in the transverse direction of the vehicle from the outside onto the side door. When there is side impact the reinforcing element to be supported on the side sill preferably extends at least substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in particular on an entry flange of the side sill, and for it is wedged on the side sill.
Provision is furthermore preferably made for, when there is side impact, the reinforcing element to be screwed in around an axis of rotation that runs at least substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and for it to thus be supported particularly advantageously on the side sill and to be wedged on the side sill. Thus, the door being "pushed over", i.e. there being an undesirably deep penetration into the passenger space, can be avoided and a passenger sitting close to the side door can be protected from serious injuries.
It is thus possible to embody relatively large radii of the side door in order to be able to produce the side door in a timely and cost-effective manner. This is then particularly advantageous if the side door is formed at least substantially from a light metal, in particular from aluminium or from a light metal alloy (aluminium alloy). In this case, the side door comprises an inner door part formed at least substantially from the light metal or light metal alloy (aluminium or aluminium alloy), which can be formed with the relatively large radii described above.
Furthermore, as a result of the support of the side door or inner door part provided by the reinforcing element, during the application of force caused by an accident, it is possible to keep the overlap of the side door with the side sill particularly small. This creates an additional degree of freedom and thus a higher level of flexibility for the configuration of the side door. In this respect, the desired design can be implemented without interfering with the technical properties, in particular the security properties. At the same time, the portrayed advantageous accident performance of the side door can be implemented.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention arise from the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment below, as well as with the aid of the figure.
The features and combinations of features cited above, as well as the features and combinations of features specified in the description of the figures and/or in the figures alone below, can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Arrangment of a side door on a body of a motor vehicle


A method and a device are provided for the planar and spatial bending of rod-shaped components (2) having a longitudinal axis, such as pipes and profiles, including two roller systems A and B that are disposed behind each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein the component is driven by the roller system A and inserted into the roller system B, and is bent by a movement of the roller system B in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped components (2). A device is also provided for the planar and spatial bending of rod-shaped components (2) having a longitudinal axis, such as pipes and profiles, including two roller systems A and B, wherein feed along the longitudinal axis can be effected via the roller system A, and the roller systems A, B are disposed in at least one first plane E1 in a displaceable manner relative to each other, wherein at least one of the roller systems A, B can be pivoted about the longitudinal axis.

The invention relates to a method and a device for the two-dimensional and three-dimensional bending of rod-shaped components, such as tubes and profiles, by a device comprising two roller systems A and B disposed behind each other along the longitudinal axis.
At present, machines being employed for the bending of tubes are, above all, mandrel bending machines (Franz, W.-D., Maschinelles Rohrbiegen. Verfahren and Maschinen. [Mechanical Tube Bending. Methods and Machines.], VDI-Verlag, ISBN 3-18-400814-2, 1988). In order to perform 3D bending of a tube in these machines, the tube to be bent is turned by twisting the tube cross-section, and is thereby moved into another bending plane, in which bending is then continued. This change from one bending plane to another results in 3D contours. However, this enables only invariable radii that are predetermined by the bending tool. Furthermore, with such machines it is not possible to produce 3D bends in profiles since when bending a profile, the required tool cross-section changes when the bending plane is changed, unlike with tubes having a circular cross-section.
Furthermore, so-called "free-formers" are known, which are likewise utilized only for tubes and are frequently built into mandrel bending machines as special tools (Rasi Maschinenbau GmbH., Alles unter Kontrolle beim Rohrbiegen. Blech Rohre Profile [Everything under Control with Tube Bending. Sheet Metal Tube Profiles], p. 40 ff (09.2002)). These "free-formers" operate according to the principle of roll forming, wherein the tubes are guided between at least 3 rolls in a plane. To change the bending plane, the tube must first be twisted between the rolls. Here again, the circular cross-section of tubes is very helpful. Using this principle, it is not possible to spatially bend non-circular profiles, since these get jammed in the bending rolls.
Furthermore, free-form bending machines have become known in recent years that work with sliding guides (Neugebauer R.; Blau P.; Drossel W-G., 3D-Freiformbiegen von Profilen. [3D-Free-Form Bending of Profiles], ZWG, Nov. 12, 2001). Here, the tube or profile is pushed through corresponding guide bushes, which are offset relative to each other and which bend the profile in the process. A disadvantage here is that an additional, strong pusher is required and that the occurring large friction forces may damage the surface of the tube or profile. For this reason, as a rule, lubricants are being utilized in these machines, which have to be laboriously removed from the workpiece after the working. An additional disadvantage is that fitting bushes need to be manufactured for each type of profile, which bushes, due to the high contact pressures per unit area, consist of expensive ceramic materials. In these free-form bending machines, the spatial direction in which the profile emerges from the machine is always dependent on the contour of the bent component. For this reason, complex multi-axis kinematics of the guide bushes is necessary in order to exactly reproduce the spatial curve of the bent component at that location, making such a free-form bending machine very complex and expensive. In addition, if it is desired to measure the profile during the process at the outlet of the machine (e.g., for control purposes) this will require a complex sensor system that is capable of recording 3D coordinates.
All systems that are currently being used utilize a relatively complex pusher that pushes the profile positively via the longitudinal axis. Here, the profile has to be guided in a relatively elaborate manner to prevent the profile from buckling induced by the thrust load. This is furthermore disadvantageous because the pusher puts a limit on the total length of the tubes and profiles that can be worked.


A sheet music holder having a golpe board with a non-porous surface for gluing into a guitar body with a porous surface, a twist lock power-assisted suction device, a clamp with a single tightening nut, and a sheet tray to hold the sheet music. The twist lock power-assisted suction device allows a user to easily create a strong vacuum attachment that will last fro hours so a complete performance will not be interrupted. The golpe board is included where the guitar body has a porous surface that would otherwise frustrate the suction attachment. The double-ball-and-socket clamp and arm allows a variety of positioning possibilities for the user to best read the sheet music in the tray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to musical instruments and in particular to methods, systems, and devices for holding sheet music on an instrument where an artist can read it during a musical performance.
2. Related Art
Sheet music is rather awkward to hold and read while trying to play a musical instrument like a guitar. But being able to read the music while playing the instrument is a critical necessity. Sheet music stands are very familiar to most people, but such take up floor space, are top heavy, easily knocked over, and restrict the movements of the performer.
Attempts have been made to attach holders to guitars before, but the kind that clamp-on are heavy and can mar the instrument, and other devices that use suction cups don't really attach in a satisfactory fashion or remain in place for an acceptable period of time. Often the surfaces of the guitar are a little porous, and defeat any suction device applied. Other suction devices are cheap and flimsy, and just don't apply a high enough vacuum to really keep the attachment firmly in place. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,476 to Shiniti Kunyosi.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A containing and baling device for paper, paper board or any other flat stock that is being contained for binding and baling purposes. The invention both, contains and obscures the flat stock material and allows for the easy binding or baling using the human arms and hands, or a tool equivalent, to transport or pass the binding medium under and around the flat stock without in any way lifting, moving or removing it from the container during the binding and baling operation. The bound bales are removed from the invention and the device can be reused indefinitely. The invention utilizes one of three lid designs. The lid functions to both further obscure the flat stock accumulation and offer a utilitarian horizontal surface so that the invention can be used as a work surface or as a furniture item such as an end table or coffee table in the closed position. The device is designed so that paper or flat-stock products can be introduced into the device with the lids in the closed position.

This invention relates to a common problem that exists in the majority of homes and businesses in the United States; paper and other types of flat-stock are produced or accumulate through use, such as in production, the production of documents, waste or simply the accumulation of used papers, newspapers and magazines. The storing of this accumulated flat-stock, for the purposes of distribution, disposal or, more commonly, recycling presents a problem when the stored material must be moved. If the material has not been stored in a container of some sort, it has undoubtedly slid into a slump pile and must be gathered, organized and bundled or baled in some fashion to be acceptable to those who must move it. If the material has been stored in a container of some sort, then it either has to be moved from the container in order to then be bundled or baled or the container, itself, must be used as part of the moving process. In many instances this may add an unjustifiable expense and, in the case of recycling, add an unacceptable material to the recycling effort. Moving the material from the container, in order to bundle or bale it, is often the only choice available and this can be cumbersome, time consuming and messy.
The invention is a device that is both a rigid container for the flat-stock, holding the accumulation in a neat stack, and then once filled, functions as a baling device, allowing for the easy and secure binding and baling of the accumulation without lifting or moving it from the device in any way. The resultant bales are securely bound and easily removed from the device so that it can be filled again and another bale bound. The device can be made as a decorative furniture item, so that it can be part of any furniture decor and thus be immediately accessible for storing and obscuring used reading material or other flat-stock until it is time to bind and bale the accumulation for disposal or recycling. The device with its rigid support system transfers the flat stock load directly to the base. The invention also incorporate one of three lid designs. When in use the lids serve to both obscure the flat stock material and provide a flat horizontal usable surface. When in the open position the lids provide of access to and binding and baling of the contained paper or flat-stock material The device may also be made in a utilitarian mode, more acceptable in basements, plants, garages, mud rooms, store rooms, closets etc., but still holds the accumulation in a stack and allows for the easy binding and baling and removal when appropriate.

Container and baling device for paper and other flat stock


A method for minimal synchronized network operations includes making an initial connection between a client and a network, the initial connection being made through a first access point managed by a home controller, the home controller recording session information and authentication data for the client. A subsequent connection is made between the client and the network through a second access point managed by a second controller, the subsequent connection being made communicating the session information and authentication data between the home controller and the second controller, without client reauthentication, and without disrupting existing communication.

Wireless networks are becoming increasingly popular architectures that provide connectivity between computing devices and networks. Wireless networks allow client computing devices to maintain connectivity while moving from location to location within the network area. Wireless access points are distributed through the network area to maintain wireless connectivity with the client devices. The wireless access points typically include radio transmitters and a wired network connection. The wireless access points act as transfer points between the wired and wireless signal, and vice versa. The radios in the wireless access points communicate with radios in the client device. The wireless access points pass the data received from the client device through a wired connection into the network. The wireless access points may also forward traffic to other networks using radios. Access controllers support and configure the wireless access points to form a cohesive and robust network. For example, access controllers may be used for authentication, encryption, Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) support, and security functions.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Solvent extraction to quantify contamination of a sample by a hydrocarbon contaminant is performed by providing a defined quantity of the sample, providing a defined quantity of a siloxane solvent, mixing the defined quantity of the siloxane solvent and the defined quantity of the sample to extract the hydrocarbon contaminant from the sample to form a contaminant solution with the siloxane solvent, and separating the contaminant solution from the sample. A concentration of the hydrocarbon contaminant in the contaminant solution can be measured by vibrational spectroscopy. Siloxane solvents are CFC free, VOC exempt, odorless, colorless, low to moderately flammable, non-toxic, and safe for incidental skin contact. Some are even used in cosmetic products.

A common environmental measurement measures the concentration of a hydrocarbon contaminant, such as oil, in a sample, such as a sample of water, or a sample of a particulate matrix, such as soil. Several ASTM methods have been released for measuring the concentration of oil in water, including D7678-11, D3921, and D7066-04. These methods involve adding a defined quantity of a solvent to a defined quantity of a sample of water and agitating the resulting mixture. The solvent has low solubility in water and is a good solubilizer of the contaminant. The mixture is left to separate, and a defined quantity of a solution composed of the contaminant extracted from the water dissolved in the solvent is drawn off and put in the measurement cell of an infrared spectrometer. The spectrometer measures the absorption of infrared light by the solution at a defined infrared wavelength or in a defined infrared wavelength range. Software associated with the spectrometer converts the absorption measurement to a measurement of the concentration of the hydrocarbon contaminant in the sample. Alternatively, a method exists for liquid-liquid extraction followed by gravimetric determination, EPA 1664. Each of these methods can be used to measure of total oil and grease (TOG) and, after filtration, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and total grease (TG). TPH is highly regulated with respect to water discharge.
Solvent extraction methods originally used such solvents as carbon tetrachloride and carbon disulfide as the solvent. However, these solvents are harmful to the central nervous system and are harmful in other ways, so that their use was discontinued. Present-day solvent extraction methods use solvents that are either halogenated or contain volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOC). Halogenated solvents are expensive to purchase and to dispose of. Moreover, halogenated compounds are typically ozone depleting and are often toxic to marine life if they are released in waste water. Petroleum-based solvents are considered by many governments to contribute to global warming.
The newest technique specified in ASTM D7678-11 uses cyclohexane as the solvent. Cyclohexane has the disadvantage that it is also a hydrocarbon. ASTM D7678-11 measures the infrared absorbance of methyl groups (CH3) in hydrocarbons, since cyclohexane has no methyl group absorbance. The problem is that infrared absorption by the methyl group used in the cyclohexane methods is typically four times weaker than infrared absorption by the methylene groups (CH2) that can be used with other solvents. The weaker absorption results in more variability in the results at low contaminant levels. Furthermore, the solvents used in ASTM D7678-11 (cyclohexane) and EPA 1664 (hexane) are both highly flammable, unhealthy to breathe (personnel exposure limits must be complied with), their vapors may have greenhouse gas contributions, and are subject to U.S. Federal VOC regulations.
Accordingly, what is needed for use in solvent extraction methods is a solvent that is non-toxic, has low to moderate flammability, is inexpensive to purchase and to dispose of, and that does not harm the environment.

Solvent extraction using environmentally-friendly siloxane solvents


Augmented reality overlays for display to a user of an augmented reality device are managed. An object of is received. As received, the object is associated with an augmented reality marker within a field of view of the user. Information associated with the object is for display in an overlay. The speed of the augmented reality marker relative to the user is calculated. This speed of the augmented reality marker is compared with a threshold value. Responsive to the speed of the augmented reality marker being greater than the threshold value, the information is filtered out from the overlay, and the filtered overlay is displayed on the augmented reality device.

The present invention relates to augmented reality overlays, and more specifically, to filtering information within augmented reality overlays for display on augmented reality devices.
Augmented reality devices display overlays to a user to provide additional information on objects around the user. A well-documented problem with augmented reality devices is knowing which information to display to the user such that the user is not bombarded with irrelevant information on things that the user is not interested in.
Prior art attempts to solve this problem include means of analyzing the user's interests and history to rank potential displays on a smartphone in terms of relevance to the user. One such prior art solution is Google® Now (https://www.google.co.uk/landing/now/). Google Now is an intelligent personal assistant which uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of web services. Along with answering user-initiated queries, Google Now proactively delivers information to the user that it predicts she will want, based on her search habits. Whilst Google Now addresses the problem of only showing smartphone displays relevant to the user, it doesn't help reduce the number of overlays displayed on an augmented reality device that may be moving too fast or may be too small for a user to correctly digest.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,687,021 B2 discloses an augmented reality system which personalizes real-world experiences by overlaying or interspersing virtual capabilities (and data) with real world situations. Virtual world information can be filtered, ranked, modified or ignored based upon a particular real-world class, user identity or context.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,743,145 B1 discloses that augmented reality information to be displayed may be filtered based on user preferences and priorities for presentation as a real-time augmented reality overlay to the user.
U.S. Patent Application 2012/0038669 A1 discloses a user equipment, a server, and a method for augmented reality for selecting a filter, and more particularly, to a user equipment, a server for augmented reality (AR), and a method for selecting a filter to apply selective filtering to an object selected by the user.

Filtering information within augmented reality overlays

International Business Machines Corporation


An agricultural seeding machine, includes a seed hopper, a first frame member carrying a drive shaft, a second frame member carrying a driven shaft, a coupler, and a flexible shaft. The first frame member and the second frame member are foldable relative to each other between a folded position and an unfolded operational position. The coupler includes a first coupler half associated with the drive shaft, and a second coupler half associated with the driven shaft. The second coupler half and the first coupler half are configured for automatic engagement and disengagement upon movement between the folded position and the unfolded position respectively. The flexible shaft interconnects the first coupler half with the drive shaft or the second coupler half with the driven shaft.

A current trend in agriculture is that the number of operators has decreased while the number of acres farmed by an operator has increased. This in turn requires a higher efficiency of operation by the operator on multiple fronts. One way of increasing efficiency is to increase the size of the equipment which is used to farm the land. As the working width of various implements pulled by a traction unit (e.g., tractor) has increased in size, the attendant problems with transporting such large implements over roads has needed to be addressed.
One way of minimizing the frontal profile width of an implement is to construct the frame in multiple discrete sections, with at least one of the sections folding relative to another.
In the case of an agricultural seeding machine such as a row crop planter, the individual row units are typically ground driven from a main drive shaft. It is not desirable to separately ground drive the center section from the folding frame section since the operating variables such as tire pressures, etc. may vary and cause different ground drive speeds. As one frame section unfolds and aligns with the other, the main drive shaft generally is in end-to-end and coaxial alignment with the driven shaft carried by the other frame section. One solution for transferring power from the drive shaft to the driven shaft is for the operator to dismount and manually couple the drive shaft with the driven shaft.
Another example for coupling a drive shaft with a driven shaft in an agricultural implement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,260 (Landphair), which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Such a coupler is known as a "tomahawk" coupler and automatically engages and disengages the drive shaft and the driven shaft when the frame member is unfolded to the operational position. This type of coupler for automatic engagement and disengagement was a step forward in the art and is effective for the intended purpose.
What is needed in the art is an agricultural seeding machine having a coupler which automatically engages and disengages a drive shaft and a driven shaft where one frame member is not only moveable between a folded and an unfolded position, but is also moveable in a generally vertical direction corresponding to the contour of the ground.

Automatically engaging coupler with flexible shaft for a seeding machine