A carrying case is provided for storing and transporting a plurality of relatively flat, thin items such as compact discs or the like. The carrying case comprises an outer shell defining an enclosed compartment for housing a plurality of items and having a top shell member and a bottom shell member of complementary configuration. A pair of coaxially aligned, spaced apart annular members project from each of the top and bottom shell members and are coaxially alignable for defining a hinge axis therethrough about which the top and bottom shell members may be hingedly coupled for movement between an open condition and a closed condition for respectively accessing and closing the compartment. A plurality of similar, generally flat tray members configured for fitting within said compartment, each has a pair of coaxially aligned, spaced apart hinge knuckles located for positioning in coaxial alignment the hinge knuckles of each of the other trays and with the annular members of the top and bottom shell members for receiving a hinge pin therethrough, thereby aligning the tray members between the top and bottom shells in a facewise stacked condition when the top and bottom shell members are in the closed condition, and permitting individual hinged access to the trays when the top and bottom shell members are in the open condition.

This invention is directed generally to a carrying case, and more particularly to a carrying case for storing and transporting a plurality of like, relatively flat, thin items such as compact discs (CDs) or the like. While the present invention may have applications other than the carrying of compact discs, the ensuing description will be facilitated by specific reference to the problem of providing a carrying case for compact discs.
Compact discs have all but replaced vinyl long-playing records, and in many instances are also rapidly overtaking audio tape cassettes in popularity, primarily because of the quality of the audio sound produced by CDs. With increasing popularity and sales of CDs, has come an increasing popularity of portable CD players. These CD players range from relatively small compact players which may be carried on the person and listened to through earphones to relatively large units, often including AM/FM radio and extensive controls and incorporating loudspeakers. Such portable players may be arranged for operation either from AC household current or by DC batteries to achieve portability. Increasingly, automotive audio systems are also being provided with CD players.
Accordingly, there is an increasing need to provide suitable carrying cases for storing and transporting multiple CDs for use in home players, in portable players and in automotive players, at the option of the consumer.
A number of features are desirable in such CD carrying cases. Initially, the case must be capable of holding a plurality of CDs in a protected enclosure. Thus, the case should include a protective outer portion which completely surrounds the CDs carried therein and protects them against damage in the event the carrying case is roughly handled, dropped, or the like. Additionally, it is convenient for the CDs to be disposed within the case in such a way that the individual CDs can be reviewed and identified without removing them from the case, to aid in selecting a particular CD from those carried in the case. Depending upon the orientation in which the CD's are carried, such identification prior to removal may be facilitated or inhibited. While it is possible to view the titles by observing only the edges of the CDs when in individual cases or "jewel boxes" with printed labels or inserts intact and in place, in many instances, it is nonetheless somewhat difficult to distinguish one CD from the next when the cases are closely spaced in a parallel or stacked orientation. It is much more convenient to view the individual faces of the CDs to identify and review all of the information which is printed upon the face of the CD itself. Such "face-on" viewing is the only way to identify the CD itself, when not in its "jewel box" with the printed insert intact and in place.
The carrying case of the invention, in addition to the foregoing, provides further desirable features. For example, the carrying case of the invention provides positive retaining means for retaining the CDs in place during handling and transport of the case, even when the opened case is tipped or oriented in various orientations. Also, the carrying case of the invention provides storage space for a maximum number of CDs within the minimum amount of space while yet providing secure mounting of each of the CDs to carrying means or trays within the case. Additionally, the carrying case of the invention provides a convenient two-piece "clam shell" type outer case design utilizing relatively simple and few parts and avoiding mechanical hardware such as screws or other fasteners, complex handles, handle hardware, latching hardware and the like. Rather, the carrying case of the invention is constructed utilizing a minimum number of parts which are primarily of a molded plastic construction and may be relatively simply assembled and interengaged by hand, without the aid of specialized tools, fixtures, or the like, by relatively unskilled workers.
Furthermore, the carrying case of the invention is capable of opening in a flat condition for positioning on a flat surface to review the CDs carried therein. Conversely, the carrying case of the invention readily folds in a clam shell configuration and provides simple yet effective releasable latching means for holding the clam shell case together in a closed condition for transport and storage.


The present subject matter provides for albumin-binding prodrugs, maytansinoid-based compounds, and uses thereof.

Many drugs, particularly cancer therapeutics, have a narrow therapeutic window, wherein their side effects limit their beneficial effects. Systemic administration of such drugs often results in a limited therapeutic effect because the dose required to elicit a more robust effect results in unacceptable side effects to the patient. This is particularly critical in the case of those drugs, which possess a high cytotoxic potential, such as cytostatic agents, virostatic agents or immunosuppressive agents. This is even more critical in the case of certain cytotoxic agents that inhibit tumor cell growth in the picomolar range. These agents are generally too toxic for being used as chemotherapeutics. For example, the tubulin-binding maytansine is highly effective in inhibiting tumor cell growth but had failed in various clinical trials due to an unacceptable toxicity profile.
Numerous research endeavors have looked into delivering a particular drug at a particular site of action. Often, this approach results in a higher concentration of the drug at the site of action than would be achieved by systemic administration, while limiting the side effects.
Drug delivery in oncology is of particular interest owing to the narrow therapeutic window of agents used in such indication. Numerous research efforts have concentrated on conjugating anticancer drugs with a wide spectrum of low- and high-molecular-weight carriers including sugars, growth factors, vitamins, peptides, antibodies, polysaccharides, lectins, serum proteins, and synthetic polymers. In most of these drug delivery systems, the drug is bound to the carrier through a spacer that incorporates a pre-determined breaking point that allows the bound drug to be released at the cellular target site (Kratz et al., ChemMedChem, 3:20-53 (2008)).
Conjugates are known in which cytostatic agents are bound to serum proteins, predominantly to specific carrier molecules such as human serum albumin and human serum transferrin, and then administered. In other instances, conjugates comprising a therapeutically effective substance, a spacer molecule and a protein-binding molecule, bind covalently to circulating serum albumin upon administration, which results in the transport of the therapeutically effective substance to the target site where it is released (U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,771). In yet other instances, antibody drug conjugates (ADC) can transport the drug to the target site for local release (Kratz et al., ChemMedChem, 3:20-53 (2008); Panowski et al., mAbs, 6, 34-45 (2014); Chari et al., Angewandte Chem. Int. Ed., 53, 3796-3827 (2014)).
However, when designing drug delivery systems, the appropriate balance should be struck between preserving the targeting properties of the drug carrier while enabling a controlled release of the drug. The drug delivery system should have sufficient stability in the bloodstream, and yet allow effective release of the drug at the tumor site by enzymatic cleavage, reduction or, in a pH-dependent manner (Kratz et al., ChemMedChem, 3:20-53 (2008)). For highly potent cytotoxic agents from the class of maytansinoids (derived from maytansine), only drug delivery systems wherein the maytansinoid-based active species is released non-specifically or reductively were reported. Among these only those using a monoclonal antibody as the carrier molecule have entered a clinical stage of development and merely one antibody-maytansinoid conjugate, namely T-DM1 (Kadcyla®) has gained market approval against certain subtypes of breast cancer. Therefore, there is still a need for efficient and less complex drug delivery and release systems that release highly potent cytotoxic maytansinoid-based agents in an effective manner.

Maytansinoid-based drug delivery systems


An audio decoder which reproduces original signals from a bit stream including (i) a downmix signal of the original signals, and (ii) supplementary information indicating a gain ratio D and phase difference θ between the original signals. The audio decoder includes: a decoding unit extracting the downmix signal; a transformation unit transforming the extracted downmix signal into a frequency domain signal; a phase rotator determination unit determining two phase rotators having, as the phase rotation angles, angles α and β respectively obtained by dividing a contained angle by a diagonal of a parallelogram; a separation unit separating the frequency domain signal into two separation signals respectively indicating angles α and β as phase differences between the signals and the decoded downmix signal; and an inverse transformation unit inversely transforming the respective two separation signals into time domain signals so as to reproduce the two audio signals.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a decoder which decodes original signals from supplementary information indicating the relationship between the original signals and a downmix signal obtained by downmixing the original signals, and in particular relates to a technique for decoding original signals with high accuracy in the case where supplementary information indicates the phase difference and the gain ratio of the original signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a technique known as Spatial Codec (spatial coding) has been developed. This technique aims at compressing and coding realistic sounds from multiple channels using a very small amount of information. For example, the AAC format, which is a multi-channel codec widely used as an audio format for digital television, requires a bit rate of 512 kbps or 384 kbps per 5.1 channels. However, Spatial Codec aims at compressing and coding multi-channel signals using a very small bit rate of 128 kbps, 64 kbps or 48 kbps.
As a technique to realize this, Patent Reference 1, for example, discloses that it is possible to compress and code realistic sounds using a small amount of information by coding the phase difference and the gain ratio of channels.
On the other hand, some compression schemes which have been widely used partially employ such a technique of coding the phase difference and the gain ratio of channels. For example, the above-mentioned AAC format (ISO/IEC 13818-7) employs a technique known as Intensity Stereo.    Patent Reference 1: U.S. Patent Publication No. UP2003/0236583A1.

Geometric calculation of absolute phases for parametric stereo decoding


A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is configured to move a substrate stage in a scanning direction during the exposure process. The apparatus includes a projection lens for imaging mask structures onto a substrate during the exposure process with a manipulation device configured to change an imaging scale of the projection lens in at least two directions independently from one another. The apparatus also includes a control apparatus configured to perform different corrections of the imaging scale by way of suitable control of the manipulation device in the scanning direction and transversely to the scanning direction.

A projection lens with wavefront aberrations that are as small as possible is used to try to guarantee imaging of mask structures onto the wafer as precisely as possible. Therefore, projection lenses are equipped with manipulators, which render it possible to correct wavefront errors by changing the state of individual optical elements of the projection lens. Examples of such a change in state include: a change of position in one or more of the six degrees of freedom of a rigid body of the relevant optical element; application of heat and/or cold to the optical element; and a deformation of the optical element. To this end, the aberration characteristic of the projection lens is usually measured regularly and, if appropriate, changes in the aberration characteristic between the individual measurements are determined by simulation. In this regard, for example, lens element heating effects can be taken into account computationally. The manipulator changes to be carried out for the purposes of correcting the aberration characteristic are calculated via a travel-generating optimization algorithm. By way of example, such optimization algorithms are described in WO 2010/034674 A1.
If the correction of the aberration characteristic involves a correction of the imaging scale in the scanning direction, this is conventionally undertaken by adapting the scanning movement profiles of the substrate stage and of a mask stage. However, this regularly leads to the wafer image being "smudged", which is also known as "fading" in the art.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus


Novel cyclohexylmethyl compounds corresponding to formula I

The treatment of chronic and non-chronic pain is of great importance in medicine. There is a worldwide need for highly effective therapies for pain. The urgent need for action in respect of a specific treatment for chronic and non-chronic pain that is fair to the patient, which is to be understood as meaning the successful and satisfactory treatment of pain for the patient, is documented in the large number of scientific works that have appeared recently in the field of applied analgesia or fundamental research into nociception.
Conventional opioids such as morphine are highly effective in the therapy of severe to very severe pain. However, their use is limited by the known side-effects, for example respiratory depression, vomiting, sedation, constipation and the development of tolerance. In addition, they are less effective in cases of neuropathic or incidental pain, from which tumour patients in particular suffer.
WO 0290317 discloses compounds in which two substituted amines are linked directly to the cyclohexane ring, an aminomethyl group not being described. These compounds are suitable for the treatment of pain.

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5, have the meanings given in the description. Pharmaceutical formulations containing these compounds, as well as a processes for preparing these compounds and related methods of treatment are also provided.


The present invention provides pyrazole derivatives useful as production intermediates for isoxazoline derivatives having an excellent herbicidal effect and selectivity between crops and weeds as well as processes for producing the same.

As a process for producing an isoxazoline derivative useful as a herbicide, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 308857/2002 discloses Production Examples of isoxazoline derivatives having a pyrazole ring wherein starting material having an isoxazoline ring is reacted with sodium hydrosulfide hydrate, followed by a reaction with 4-bromomethyl-5-chloro-1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole in the presence of potassium carbonate and Rongalit.
An object of the invention is to provide useful production intermediates for the above isoxazoline derivatives and processes for production of the intermediates.

Pyrazole derivatives and process for the production thereof

Abstract: The pyrazole derivatives or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which are inventive compounds are represented by the general formula [I] or a salt thereof:

Abstract: wherein R1 represents a C1 to C6 alkyl group, R2 represents a C1 to C3 haloalkyl group, R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C3 alkyl group which may be substituted with one or more substituents selected from the following substituent group α, or a formyl group, R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C3 haloalkyl group, provided that R4 represents a C1 to C3 haloalkyl group in the case that R3 is a hydrogen or a formyl group, and R4 is a hydrogen group or a C1 to C3 haloalkyl group in the case that R3 is a C1 to C3 alkyl group which may be substituted with one or more substituents selected from the following substituent group α.


A memory array employing shared bit-lines. A memory is formed from an array of plural bit-cells organized as plural columns and plural rows. Plural word-lines are aligned with each for the rows, and each is electrically coupled to a discrete fraction of the bit-cells its corresponding row. The memory also includes plural bit-lines that are aligned with the plural columns. Every bit-line is electrically coupled to all of the bit-cells that lie along at least one column. In addition, at least a first one of the bit-lines is further electrically coupled to all of the bit-cells in an additional column. That bit-line is coupled such that every one of the plural bit-cells, that lie along any given row that are coupled to it, is coupled to a unique word-line from the other bit-cells coupled thereto. The shared bit-line invention is applicable to single and multiple port memory arrays. It is applicable to all memory array technologies including, but not limited to, SRAMs and DRAMs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital memories. More specifically, the present invention relates digital memory arrays organized in rows and columns and used in various digital devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computing devices utilize a variety of kinds of memory devices to store and access information. Several memory device technologies are familiar to those skilled in the art and include the general classes of random access memories ("RAM") and read only memories (ROM"). These classes further comprise static RAM ("SRAM"), dynamic RAM ("DRAM"), programmable ROM ("PROM"), erasable PROM ("EPROM"), electrically erasable PROM ("EEPROM"), as well as FLASH memory, smaller register files, and other memory types known to those skilled in the art. Most memory devices employ an internal architecture in the form of an array of bit-cells, comprised of plural rows and plural intersecting columns. This architecture is beneficial in allowing random access to the memory, and in minimizing the number of circuit components needed to implement any given memory array size. A memory bit-cell is placed at each intersecting row and column in the array. Activating a bit-cell's row and then reading or writing the state of its column provides access an addressed bit-cell. Some memory devices employ dual, or multiple, ports. When multiple access ports are provided in a memory, the number row and column conductors are increased proportionately to the number of ports implemented. Memory sizes are defined by the row and column architecture. For example, a 1024 row by 1024 column memory array defines a memory device having one megabit of memory bit-cells. The memory bit-cells are often times arranged into logical groups of memory bits, called words. A convention has emerged in the art, where the array row conductors are referred to as word-lines and the memory column conductors referred to as bit-lines.
Memory devices are most commonly implemented as semiconductor integrated circuits, which are built up in multiple layers on a semiconductor die. Such circuits are know to those skilled in the art and are comprised of ion doped semiconductor circuit devices, such as diodes and transistors, formed on a substrate and interconnected with metallic traces. During manufacturing, multiple layers of circuitry are built up upon one another, separated with insulating layers. In memory devices organized in the aforementioned array structure, the word-lines and bit-lines are formed with long metallic or poly traces that are electrically tapped at each array junction, where a memory bit-cell has been formed. During manufacture, transistors are formed by diffusing ions into the undoped substrate. By using masking techniques, the various parts of the active devices are arranged. A first metal layer above the diffused transistor layers is called "Metal-1". In addition, a contact layer is formed between the transistors and Metal 1 that includes holes in the insulating oxide between Metal-1 and the individual transistors' sources, drains and gates, which allows Metal-1 to connect down to the transistors. However, other semiconductor and passive devices are also used, as are known to those skilled in the art. Due to cost, yield, and performance issue that surround the design and manufacture of memory devices, designers are continually challenged to implement logic and schematic designs in an efficient design realizable in a physical memory device. In fact, the conversion of a schematic memory design to a physical device design is the essential challenge in memory design. For any given memory technology, there are a set of minimum design rules that establish the limits of element size and performance. For example, the width of FET channels, the width and thickness of conductive traces, the minimum spacing between layers and between parallel conductive traces, etc. In an efficient memory design, based on minimum design rules, every layer of the device will be fully populated and tightly arranged for maximum utilization of available semiconductor area.
In a typical memory array device, each memory cell is comprised of some number of semiconductor devices interconnected to form the memory bit-cell. For example, in a static memory, each memory cell is formed with four transistors that are interconnected to implement a bit-latch, which is then coupled to corresponding bit-lines with a pair of transistor pass-gates. Thus, each memory bit-cell is created using six transistors. Of course, other memory technologies use other numbers of transistor and/or passive devices. The nodes of the various transistors are interconnected through the aforementioned Contact layer, which is coupled to a first metallic trace layer, known as "Metal-1". More metallic trace layers can be added to the integrated circuit, each coupling down to Metal-1 layer. However, it is important to note the significant fact that only the "Metal-1" and "Contact" layers afford direct connection to the semiconductor device nodes. When designers generate memory integrated circuit layouts, the space available on the Contact and Metal-1 layers are at a premium and can be a limiting factor in device size and density. Several design rules known to those skilled in the art limit the degree of integration and miniaturization possible. At some point in the design, the only way to reduce the device size or increase its density is to somehow eliminate some of the circuit components or interconnecting metallic traces and connection nodes.
Another aspect in the design of high-density memory device is the complex nature of the interconnection of the array of bit-cells to the associated addressing, decoding and read/write access circuitry. Generally a large number or word-lines rows and bit-lines columns are routed on the upper metal layers of the integrated circuit die. The intersections of the rows and columns define the access locations for each of the plural bit-cells in the array. In particular, the intersection of one word row and one bit column are used to access a single memory bit-cell to either read the data therein or write new data thereto. In the case of multiple port memory arrays, the number of word row and bit column metallic traces is even greater. In the case of a static memory device, each bit column is actually comprised of two bit-lines, a bit-true and bit-compliment line. The differential voltage between the two being used to determine the memory cell contents during a read operation, as well as forcing the state of the bit-cell in a write operation. Access to a particular bit-cell is addressed by enabling that bit-cell's corresponding word-line and then reading its corresponding bit-line. With a large number of parallel metallic traces running crisscross through the chip, and given that fact that each word-line activation turns on all of the bit-cells in a given row, the magnitude of the capacitive load being driven is significant. In addition to the metal-to-ground and metal-to-metal capacitance that the metallic trace routing defines, there is the node capacitance of all the devices that are coupled to an activated row or column. The capacitance is significant because the current needed to drive the circuit depends on the magnitude of the capacitive load. Current flow, or power consumption, in a capacitive circuit is quantified as the circuit capacitance multiplied by the first derivative of the change in voltage with respect to time. Thus, power consumption in the active state of accessing a memory cell is proportional the number of traces and circuit elements that are being driven over the voltage change of the read or write operation in progress.
The problem of excessive capacitive load in memory array read and write operations has been addressed in a separate patent application made by the inventor of the present invention. Filed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/189,072 to Sheppard, entitled MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD WITH IMPROVED POWER AND NOISE CHARACTERISTICS, the invention describes a way to use multiple word-lines per row to access a fractional part of each row of bit-cells so that the capacitive load of each access is fractionally reduced. Hereinafter, this technology will be referred to as "Multiple Word Line" technology. The Multiple Word Line technology results in lower power consumption and improved noise characteristics over the prior art. The contents of the Multiple Word Line patent application are hereby incorporated in the present disclosure by reference thereto. The additional word-line traces in the related invention are not objectionable because they are implemented in the upper metal layers and do not generally compromise the designer's ability to tightly integrate and miniaturize the integrated circuit design.
Notwithstanding the improvements in the prior art, there still exist practical limits on memory array circuit density in the prior art. The advantages of reduced die size, including lower parts cost and higher manufacturing yields, cannot be realized because of the high number of traces and circuit interconnections required in prior art memory array integrated circuit designs. In the case of multiple port memory devices, this problem is exacerbated. The problem in the prior art is defined and bounded by the need to interconnect plural bit-lines with sense amplifiers, pre-charge circuits, write circuits, and the memory bit-cells themselves, as well as the practical limits on the number of circuits that can be interconnected through the Contact and Metal-1 layers. Thus, there is a need in the art to reduce the number of bit-lines, reduce the number of circuit interconnections and generally reduce the size and complexity of memory array layouts.

Shared bit line memory device and method


A nozzle orifice of a nozzle (1) includes a tapered segment (16) extending from an elliptical discharge orifice (15) and having a taper angle θ of 30 to 80°, and a large-diameter segment (18) continuing with the tapered segment. The ratio of the inner diameter of large-diameter segment (18) relative to the minor diameter of the discharge orifice (15) is not less than 3 and less than 7. Also, the discharge how from the nozzle spreads in a single direction (width direction) within a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the nozzle and the erosion thickness angle is 1.5 to 3° in the direction (thickness direction), perpendicular to the width direction. Such a descaling nozzle enables that scale is removed efficiently at low pressure and/or low flow rate while restraining the cooling of a steel plate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a descaling nozzle for removing scale from a surface of a rolled steel manufactured by hot rolling and a cemented carbide nozzle tip which is useful for this nozzle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hot rolled steel is manufactured by heating a steel slab to about 1100 to 1400° C. in a heating furnace under an oxidizing atmosphere and hot rolling the heated slab by a rolling mill. Due to the heating in the above-mentioned heating furnace, scale comprising iron oxide forms on the surface of the steel slab, and if hot rolling is performed without removing this scale, scale cracks are formed on the surface of the rolled steel and lower the product value. Descaling nozzles have been proposed for removing such scale by a high-pressure jet of water.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 24937/1996 (JP-8-24937A) discloses a steel plate surface cleaning method in which the surface temperature of a steel plate is heated to not lower than 850° C. and liquid droplets, generated in the liquid drip flow region of a discharged liquid flow from a nozzle, collide with the surface of the steel plate for cleaning. This literature also discloses that a liquid discharged from a nozzle is collided with the surface of a steel plate containing Si in an amount of not less than 0.5 weight %.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 334335/2000 (JP-2000-334335A) discloses a high-pressure jet nozzle comprising an elliptical opening which forms the entrance of an exit flow path, and a supply flow path which narrows towards the elliptical opening, in which only the side wall of the exit flow path in the direction of the major axis of the ellipse enlarges in the direction of flow, and the side wall in the direction of the minor axis of the ellipse extends substantially parallel to the axial line of the supply flow path.
However, according to these nozzles, water should be jetted with a high pressure and it is difficult to remove scale efficiently with a low pressure or a low flow rate.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 263124/2000 (JP-2000-263124A) discloses a descaling nozzle, for removing scale by discharging water from a nozzle at a discharge pressure of not lower than 40 MPa and for colliding the water onto the surface of a steel plate with a distance between a discharge orifice and the steel plate of not longer than 150 mm, in which the discharge direction of the discharge flow spreads in the width direction within a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the nozzle, and the discharge flow has an erosion thickness angle in the range of 1.5 to 2.5° in the thickness direction perpendicular to the width direction. This literature also discloses a flat spray nozzle for descaling, wherein an enlarged passage is provided at the upstream side of the discharge orifice, and the inner diameter of the enlarged passage is 7 to 10 times that of the discharge orifice and the length of the enlarged passage is not less than 100 mm. Further, the document discloses a method of descaling a steel plate surface in the hot rolling process of a high-Si-containing steel, in which water is discharged from the nozzle at a discharge pressure of not less than 40 MPa with maintaining a distance from the discharge orifice to the steel plate of 75 to 150 mm.
However, with the above-described descaling nozzle and descaling method, it is required to discharge water at a high pressure and a high flow rate in order to make the erosion amount large. Furthermore, since the inner diameter of the enlarged passage is large with respect to the discharge orifice, the nozzle size becomes large.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 73697/1994 (JP-6-73697B) discloses a scale removal nozzle comprising a rectifying flow path in which a rectifier is disposed therein and is substantially equal in diameter across the entire length, a constricted flow path formed at the downstream side of the rectifying flow path and becomes gradually smaller in diameter towards the downstream side, and a jetting passage formed at the downstream side of the constricted flow path and extends to a jetting opening which is opened at the bottom of a groove formed at the front end face of the nozzle.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 94486/1997 (JP-9-94486A) discloses a descaling nozzle comprising a flow path which becomes gradually smaller in diameter towards the downstream side, and a slit-like orifice communicating with the flow path and extending to a front end, the flow path and the orifice being formed in a main nozzle body made of a cemented carbide. This nozzle has a concave surface which is formed at the front end of the main nozzle body and has an inclined side wall that narrows towards the upstream side, and a jetting opening which is opened at the bottom of the concave surface and extends to the orifice. This literature discloses that the concave surface may have a circumferential wall extending in the axial direction from the upstream end of the inclined wall.
The nozzles described in these literatures are useful for improving the wear resistance of the orifice due to ultrahigh-pressure water. However, it is necessary to discharge water with a high pressure and a high flow rate in order to realize a high descaling efficiency.
DE No. 92U17671 Specification illustrates a nozzle comprising a discharge orifice formed at the front end of the nozzle, a first conical flow path spreading at an angle of about 50° towards the upstream side from the discharge orifice, a first cylindrical flow path extending in the upstream direction from the upstream end of the first conical flow path and having an inner diameter of about twice the inner diameter of the discharge orifice, a second conical flow path spreading at an angle of about 70 to 80° in the upstream direction from the upstream end of the first cylindrical flow path, a second cylindrical flow path extending in the upstream direction from the upstream end of the second conical flow path and having an inner diameter of about four times the inner diameter of the discharge orifice, and an inclined flow path spreading gradually and extending in the upstream direction from the upstream end of this cylindrical flow path (FIG. 1 in DE No. 92U17671 Specification).
However, even with this nozzle, water should be discharged at a high pressure and a high flow rate in order to realize a high descaling efficiency. Further, since two conical flow paths are formed, the nozzle has a complicated structure essentially. Furthermore, it is especially difficult to prepare a nozzle tip having two conical flow paths from cemented carbide.
Thus an object of this invention is to provide a descaling nozzle and a cemented carbide nozzle tip that realize efficient scale removal even at a low pressure and/or a low flow rate.
Another object of this invention is to provide a descaling nozzle and a cemented carbide nozzle tip that improve the descaling performance (or efficiency) with inhibiting the cooling of the steel plate.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a descaling nozzle and a cemented carbide nozzle tip that are compact and high in descaling performance (or efficiency).
It is a further object of this invention to provide a descaling nozzle and a cemented carbide nozzle tip useful for descaling of steel material in hot rolling.


A method for estimating blood pressure using a blood flow occlusion system applied to an artery includes receiving from a first sensor a sensed signal; processing at a processor the sensed signal to detect beats in a pulsatile signal; determining validity of the detected beats; storing the detected beats and data associated with the detected beats in the sensed signal as the pressure applied to the artery by the blood flow occlusion system deflates towards a level below a nominal level; determining baseline beat characteristics; evaluating the stored beats and associated data to detect change in beat characteristics as compared to the baseline beat characteristics; selecting a beat before the detected change in the beat characteristic as the last beat indicating the onset of the diastolic blood pressure for the artery; determining a value of the applied pressure at the last beat as the diastolic blood pressure for the artery.

Prolonged hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease, heart failure, heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure and shortened life expectancy. Frequently, individuals don't know that they have a problem due to infrequent or inaccurate blood pressure (BP) measurements. Traditional blood pressure measurement devices rely on brachial measurements using an arm cuff. The auscultatory method and the oscillometric method of measuring blood pressure using brachial arm cuffs are the most commonly used methods. Arm cuffs are bulky and can be uncomfortable to the users and the number of daily measurements that usually limited using these traditional methods.
Wearable device users can obtain feedback on the status of their own cardiovascular and mental health to enable them to make better near-term decisions to maximize their quality of life.

Noninvasive blood pressure measurement method and device


A guide wheel for use with the suspension assembly of a snowmobile vehicle is provided with an embossed rim surface. The later is formed of a succession of convex and concave surfaces, the convex surfaces contacting the inner side of the lower run of the snowmobile track while the concave surfaces are so disposed as to avoid contacting pressure on that part of the snowmobile track in which lies transverse reinforcing rods embedded in the track.

Present guide wheels of snowmobile suspension assemblies have a circular rim surface that applies continuous contact pressure on the inner surface of the lower run of a snowmobile track.
It has been found that, as a result of this contact pressure, reinforcing rods embedded in the track, become damaged. It has also been found that continuous contact pressure by these guide wheels is a source of noise.

Embossed wheel for snowmobile suspension assembly


According to one embodiment, a white light source includes a combination of a light emitting diode and phosphors. One of the phosphors is at least a cerium activated yttrium aluminum garnet-based phosphor. There is no light emission spectrum peak at which a ratio of a largest maximum value to a minimum value is greater than 1.9. The largest maximum value is largest among at least one maximum value present in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 500 nm in a light emission spectrum of white light emitted from the white light source. The minimum value is adjacent to the largest maximum value in a longer wavelength side of the light emission spectrum.

It has been about twenty years since the development of white LEDs, and their features, such as compactness, long life, low voltage driving, mercury free, etc., have been recognized in the market. White LEDs have taken the place of conventional fluorescent lamps (FL), incandescent bulbs and even halogen bulbs, and have become widely available as the most promising products in the lighting products market.
There are mainly two representative configuration types of white LED products: a combination of a light emitting diode emitting near ultraviolet to violet light (350 to 420 nm) with a phosphor which absorbs primary light from the light emitting diode and emits secondary light, and a combination of a light emitting diode emitting blue light (430 to 480 nm) with the phosphor.
Of the two types of white LED, the one that uses a near-ultraviolet to violet light (350 to 420 nm) emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as an ultraviolet to violet LED) obtains white light by using phosphors in three to four colors of blue, green to yellow, and red. The other one that uses a blue light (430 to 480 nm) emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as a blue LED) obtains white light by using phosphors in two to three colors of green to yellow and red, or by mainly using a yellow phosphor.
In the type that uses a blue LED, the combination of a blue LED and phosphors of at least two colors of green to yellow and red has a problem of large color unevenness and large variation in luminescent chromaticity, and the combination of a blue LED and a yellow phosphor has a problem that white light having poor color rendering and lacking in warmth can only be obtained. Furthermore, whichever phosphor is used, since the emission intensity of a blue LED is too strong, problems such as blue light hazards have been pointed out in the market. Exposure to strong blue light causes health problems to the human body, such as eye strain and upset circadian rhythm.
In contrast, the type that uses an ultraviolet to violet LED has advantages of wide color reproducibility and flexibility in obtaining white light with predetermined chromaticity, because there are many choices of phosphors that can be used in combination with an ultraviolet to violet LED compared to the type that uses a blue LED. Furthermore, almost the entire amount of sharp light emitted by the LED of this type is absorbed and converted into visible light by a phosphor; it is thus possible to obtain natural white light close to conventional white light emitted from, for example, fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps. Thus, a light source that well addresses problems such as blue light hazards can be provided.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

White light source including LED and phosphors


There is disclosed a container processing machine comprising a material handling surface for handling a sheet-like material through suction and a vacuum source in fluid connection with said material handling surface, the machine including means for detecting and transmitting a value of pressure of the gas being suctioned; a controllably operable flow valve; a control unit operatively connected with said detection and transmission means and with said flow valve; said detection and transmission means and said flow valve being arranged between said vacuum source and said material handling surface; said control unit being programmed to adjust the degree of opening of said flow valve in response to a signal which is a function of at least said value of pressure.

The use of container-processing machines, such as labelling machines for gluing and transferring labels onto the surface of containers, is very well known and widespread.
In these machines containers are typically carried by a carousel to come into contact with a labelling unit. The labelling unit comprises one or more so called "vacuum drums" by which a label material strip is received from a roll feeding system. The labelling system cuts the label off the label material strip at the appropriate length; glues the label by appropriate means (such as a gluing drum, spray and injector systems or the like); and finally transfers the glued label to a respective container. For performance of these operations, the label is, at different stages, retained on the outer surface of a vacuum drum by means of suction forces applied on the label. To this purpose, the surface of the vacuum drum comprises a plurality of orifices that are in fluid communication with a vacuum source.
On the one hand, the use of a thin film-like material as the label material entails a rather desirable reduction of production costs with respect to more conventional thicker alternatives. However, when a label material with reduced thickness and a low elastic modulus is used, a number of undesired issues are typically encountered, which are caused by an inherent weakness of such material.
It is a given fact that the labelling speed has become a key factor, especially in view of the high production requirements which are nowadays very common in canning and bottling plants. Speeds in excess of ten containers per second have regularly been achieved with certain labelling materials and label-handling processes.
However, while, in general, thicker materials with good elastic properties and low friction display a good resistance to stretching and are, consequently, relatively easy to handle at high said materials can withstand relatively great forces (i.e. a high degree of vacuum can be conveniently used for handling said materials throughout the process), when weaker label materials are run at high speeds and with high friction, a variety of undesirable events, such as splitting, stretching and misalignment of labels, often occur.
With roll-fed thin labels, when the labels are cut from the strip of labelling material, excessive tension on the label can cause the labels to split or tear instead of being cleanly cut.
Similarly, over-tensioning can cause thin labels to stretch as they are picked up by the vacuum drum. As the labels are transferred to a vacuum drum, excessive vacuum can cause the label segment to shift or snap, which is highly likely to cause a temporary crash of the machine, because the label shall get off its ideal path within the machine, glue may be spilled, and so forth. In other words, ripping of the label material typically results in an undesirable interruption of the overall labelling process.
Furthermore, some labelling materials may include coatings or have be subjected to other superficial treatments that result in higher coefficients of friction, which can also affect the labelling process. In particular, labels having a higher coefficient of friction tend to become over-tensioned more easily, which aggravates the problems associated with over-tensioning already described above.
Yet another problem encountered, when labels are supported by a vacuum drum during the labelling process, is that glue applicators for applying glue to the label segments can become jammed by labels, if insufficient vacuum is provided to prevent the labels from following the glue applicator.
As a result, a particularly thorough control of the operating conditions—mainly as concerns the degree of vacuum provided at the vacuum drum—is required in order for high speed labelling equipment to manage to effectively and reliably handle the weaker label materials referred to above, so that a fully satisfactory production performance may be attained in spite of lower elastic properties of the labelling material. To this purpose, in fact, a very specific degree of vacuum must be provided and maintained throughout operation of the labelling machine.
Also worth considering is the fact that labelling machines typically comprise a plurality of stations at which a vacuum drum or other vacuum-connected surface interacts with the labelling material. More often than not, for the sake of cost limitation and bulk reduction, these machines are generally equipped with a single vacuum source fluidically communicating with each and every vacuum drum through corresponding ducts, the flow along these ducts being alternately enabled and disabled, as a function of a number of processing parameters.
In particular, application (or suspension thereof) of vacuum to a portion of labelling material at a certain time shall depend on the position of the portion with respect to the overall labelling process (i.e. depending on which vacuum drum or surface in the whole of the machine is interacting with the portion of labelling material) and, even more particularly, on the angular position reached by the portion of labelling material upon rotation of a certain vacuum drum, so as to e.g. time the detachment of the label at a given station with the arrival of a container to be labelled at the very same station, and so forth.
To further complicate the picture, vacuum drums are often partitioned, i.e. a number of cavities are defined on their inside, each of which is independently connectable fluidically with the vacuum source, so that a single vacuum drum may be used for independently holding and handling several labels at a time, e.g. one for each separate internal cavity. In this case, the vacuum drum shall be designed so as to allow for alternate opening/interrupting of the fluidic connection of each internal cavity with the vacuum source, so that the supply of vacuum to each partition of the drum is timed with the intended interaction with the labels.
Start-up and shut-down represent particularly critical process phases, since, at those times, i.e. when the very first labels or the very last labels go round the system, a significant percentage of the holes in the vacuum drum are not covered by any labelling material, so a great amount of vacuum source power is potentially wasted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,958 discloses a fixed vacuum plate assembly with a plurality of cavities for providing different levels of vacuum to a rotating vacuum drum in a container labelling apparatus, wherein thin and stretchable films can be swiftly and accurately applied with limited wastage and reduced occurrence of over-tensioning label material during the labelling process. In particular, the different cavities in the plate assembly are configured to be supplied with different levels of vacuum, each of which is suitable for a specific operation involving the label material (e.g. picking a label segment which has just been cut, gripping a label segment while an adhesive is applied to its surface, etc.). By improving the seal between the fixed valve plate and the rotating vacuum drum at the point of high vacuum, vacuum loss is reduced, thereby providing a more precise control of the vacuum at the point of adhesive application and eliminating the spread of high vacuum to adjacent ports that can negatively affect the label cutting and application by changing the vacuum level in these adjacent ports and chambers on a random basis.
However, this type of solution is based on a specific design of the vacuum drum and is therefore lacking in terms of versatility, because, for the whole labelling machine to adjust to different production requirements, the vacuum drums would have to be redesigned accordingly.
The need is therefore felt, in the art, for a container-processing machine of the type where suction is used for handling a sheet-like material—and even more particularly a weak label material—which machine enables selective and accurate control of the amount of vacuum supplied to each and every vacuum drum of a plurality of vacuum drums. In particular, a container-processing machine is needed that shall allow to calibrate, at any time, the amount of vacuum supplied to each vacuum drum in view of the current processing stage and of design parameters (e.g., in the case of a labelling machine, number of labels borne by each drum, operational speed, thickness, elastic properties and dimensions of the label material in use, etc.). Even more so, it is desirable that performance of the container-processing machine be adjustable to varying design parameters (e.g. when different vacuum drums with different characteristics are used with the same vacuum source and control system) in a straightforward and effective manner.


An adjustable backrest is reinforced by a fixed frame that fits snugly into upper and lower bags affixed to the rear surface of the backrest cushion. One of the bags has a zipper assembly that can be operated to open the bag for easy insertion of the frame into the bag. A swingable support frame is hingedly connected to the fixed frame to support the backrest cushion at various different slant angles.

This invention relates to an adjustable backrest usable by a person who assumes a reclining position resting his head and back against the backrest. The backrest preferably comprises a soft air-inflated cushion or padded cushion supported in an inclined position whereby a person can rest his head and back on the cushion while reading a newspaper, watching the television, or taking a nap. An aim of the invention is to provide a comfortable back support that has an adjustable inclination angle, to eliminate pain or discomfort, e.g. lumbago, back pain, head soreness, or neck pain.
In a preferred form of the invention, the backrest comprises: a soft cushion having a lower edge and an upper edge, and a fixed frame spanning essentially the entire rear surface of the cushion. The frame fits within upper and lower bags affixed to the cushion rear surface, whereby the frame acts, as a stiffener that prevents the cushion from flexing, bending or slipping. A movable support frame is hingedly connected to the fixed frame for swinging motion around the hinge axis, to adjust the slant angle of the cushion. A flexible cable means is trained between the fixed frame and an adjustable anchorage on the movable frame, whereby the cable means supports the frames against collapse while permitting a desired adjustment or setting of the inclination angle between the two frames.


A laminated fabric material suitable for use in wiping human skin has two plies of fibrous material bonded together. Each ply of fibrous material is a nonwoven web of fibers having a fiber composition consisting of at least 50 wt. % thermally fusible plastic fibers to ensure efficient lamination. In particular, one of the plies consists of 100 wt. % thermally fusible plastic fibers. This enables the plies to be ultrasonically bonded together at sufficiently high bonding speeds. In addition, for the side or sides where an image, for example, a logo, is to be bonded into the fabric, the high percentage of thermoplastic fibers is reduced to ensure that the visibility of the image is not diminished due to swelling of the cellulosic fibers during saturation in aqueous solution. The surfaces of at least some of the thermally fusible plastic fibers of both plies are treated to render the plastic fibers hydrophilic, for example, by coating with surfactant. One ply may have fibers which are relatively coarse, while the other ply has fibers which are relatively fine.

It is known to construct skin care wipes from fabric material comprising laminated nonwoven webs of fibers. In one conventional material the fibers are chemically bonded together using acrylic latex. These wipes are soaked in an aqueous solution containing skin treatment chemicals. This conventional material has the disadvantage that formaldehyde can be produced in the end product. Due to the toxic nature of formaldehyde, this development is highly undesirable.
In a different skin care wipe material known in the prior art, two nonwoven webs are laminated by ultrasonic bonding over an area approximately equal to 25% of the web area. One web comprises 75 wt. % rayon fibers and 25 wt. % polypropylene fibers which are thermally bonded. The other web comprises 70 wt. % rayon fibers and 30 wt. % polyester fibers which are hydroentangled. A logo is embossed on the fabric using a customized anvil roll.
In another known skin care wipe material, two nonwoven webs are laminated by ultrasonic bonding over 12% of the web area. One web comprises a thermally bonded nonwoven web having a fiber composition of 69% rayon fibers, 25% polypropylene fibers and 6% cotton fibers. The other web comprises a hydroentangled nonwoven web having a fiber composition of 50% polyester fibers and 50% polyester/polypropylene (core/sheath) bicomponent fibers. Prior to lamination, the hydroentangled polyester fibers and bicomponent fibers are also bonded during the drying step as a result of radiational heat, causing the surfaces of the polypropylene sheaths of the bicomponent fibers to soften, if not melt, thereby thermally bonding at least some of the bicomponent and polyester fibers together.
This prior art material is disadvantageous in at least several respects. First, the layers having a high content of cellulosic fibers swell appreciably after the fabric is soaked for extended periods of time in an aqueous solution. As a result the visibility of the embossed image in such layers is diminished. Second, the rayon fibers partially insulate the polyester and polypropylene fibers from the heat generated by the ultrasonic vibration. As a result, the ultrasonic bonding is performed relatively inefficiently. Assuming that a constant level of ultrasonic power is available, the required dose of ultrasonic energy is attained by extending the duration of the ultrasonic bonding, resulting in slower production line speeds and increased manufacturing costs. Third, the high content of cellulosic fibers has the consequence that the peel strength of the ultrasonically bonded lamination is relatively low.

Two-sided skin care wipe material and method for its manufacture


For testing an RF device, such as an RF receiver/decoder chip that receives an RF signal via an antenna terminal and outputs a digital code at an output terminal, an inexpensive non-RF programmable tester is used. The programmable tester is a commercially available tester that need only generate and receive non-RF digital and analog signals. The RF signals needed for the testing of the RF device are totally supplied by RF generators on a single printed circuit board, external to the commercial tester housing. The board contains controllable RF generating circuitry whose possible output amplitudes and frequencies need be only those necessary for testing the particular DUT. The frequencies may be changed by switching in different crystal resonators mounted on the board.

Manufacturers of complex integrated circuits test each circuit using automatic test equipment. Commercial programmable testers are used for such testing. Such testers are programmable to carry out any test sequence on a device under test (DUT) and evaluate the resulting signals generated by the DUT. These highly flexible testers include a large number of input and output terminals to accommodate virtually any DUT pin count, and the appropriate tester terminals are temporarily connected to the terminals of the DUT during a test using automated positioning equipment. A test sequence typically lasts for a few seconds or less.
For DUTs that have RF inputs or outputs, such as an RF receiver/decoder chip, the tester must include RF generators and RF detectors and use RF cabling to and from the DUT. Such RF generators are very expensive since they must have a wide frequency range to accommodate a wide variety of DUTs. Programmable testers that include the capability for testing RF devices are typically three to five times more expensive than programmable testers that only test using non-RF digital and analog signals. An RF generator in a tester sometimes adds $30,000-$100,000 to the cost of the tester, and the RF cabling to couple the RF signals to the DUT requires costly connectors and a complex design to minimize noise and attenuation.
A manufacturer of integrated circuits must purchase many programmable testers, since each different circuit being fabricated needs a programmed tester and set up. It is desirable to reduce the cost of testing RF DUTs by reducing the cost of the test system.


A cable guide actuator apparatus is disclosed for guiding a conductor cable onto a wheel assembly, the actuator apparatus including a framework operatively coupled to the wheel assembly. A pair of roller assemblies is pivotally coupled to respective ends of the framework, each having a roller member capable of maintaining the conductor cable in the groove of the wheel assembly. Each roller assembly is pivotally movable between a deployed configuration at which roller members are adjacent the groove and a released configuration at displaced from the groove. A locking assembly extends between the pair of roller assemblies and is selectively movable between a locked configuration that maintains the pair of roller assemblies at the deployed configuration and an unlocked configuration that allows movement to the released configuration. The roller assemblies are biased toward the released configuration when the locking assembly is unlocked. The locking assembly may be unlocked remotely.

This invention relates generally to cable stringing equipment and, more particularly, to a stringer wheel and cable guide apparatus for maintaining a conductor cable, a communication line, or the like securely nested in the groove of a stringer wheel during stringing, especially when the cable is previously or subsequently at an angle relative to the stringer wheel.
Aerial cables are installed in many above ground applications, such as electrical conductive wires extending between poles or towers, telephone lines extending between telephone poles, fiber optic cables for data communications, and the like. Miles of these cables are typically installed by using motorized puller that pulling the wires from a spool through a series of stringer wheels to their eventual position atop spaced apart poles or towers. Each stringer wheel, also referred to as a pulley or stringer block, may define a groove or channel into which the cable is nested in order not to fall out and control over its alignment and direction.
Although the cables may extend for miles in generally linear arrangements such that a loss of cable alignment in the groove is unlikely, there are occasions when mild to sharp angles or turns are needed. The pulling of a cable at an angle to the stringing wheel increases the risk that the cable will jump out of the groove and completely lose contact with the stringer wheel—a condition that may require the entire pulling operation to pause while human effort is expended to physically realign the cable. In fact, a human line worker may have to be positioned at the location of the angled line to manually hold the cable in place—sometimes by use of a bucket lift or by climbing a tower.
Another troublesome issue experienced in aerial cabling is that roller assemblies properly positioned to maintain a cable in position in the groove of a wheel assembly may need to be intentionally moved or displaced from adjacent the wheel assembly so that a running board pulling multiple cables may pass across the wheel assembly without obstruction. In other words, the roller assemblies need to be temporarily or permanently pivoted out of the way so that a cabling operation can continue. Typically, movement of the roller assemblies has required a human to be hoisted into the air and manually actuate this movement—an event that can be dangerous, takes an inefficient and undesirable amount of time, and may result in damage to the stringing equipment.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cable guide actuator apparatus that enables one or more roller assemblies (configured to hold cables in the groove of a wheel assembly even during angular pulls) to be temporarily or permanently pivotally displaced from an immediate proximity to the wheel assembly so that a running board pulling additional cables over the wheel assembly is not obstructed. Further, it would be desirable to have a cable guide actuator apparatus that is capable of being remotely actuated so that a human operator is not needed to move the roller assemblies. In addition, it would be desirable to have a cable guide actuator apparatus that is biased to move to a released configuration immediately and automatically upon release of a locking assembly.


The regenerated hydrocracking catalyst according to the present invention is a regenerated hydrocracking catalyst prepared by regenerating a used hydrocracking catalyst including: a catalyst support containing zeolite and an amorphous composite metal oxide having solid acidity; and at least one active metal supported by the catalyst support, selected from noble metals of Group 8 to Group 10 in the periodic table, wherein the regenerated hydrocracking catalyst contains 0.05 to 1% by mass of a carbonaceous substance in terms of carbon atoms based on the entire mass of the catalyst.

Recently, from the viewpoint of increase in environmental consciousness, liquid fuels in which the contents of substances such as sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons are small have been demanded. From such a viewpoint, as a technique that can produce a base stock for fuel oil that substantially contains neither sulfur nor aromatic hydrocarbon, and is rich in aliphatic hydrocarbons, and particularly a base stock for kerosene and gas oil, a technique in which a synthesis gas (mixed gas containing carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas as a main component) is produced from a hydrocarbon raw material such as natural gas by a reforming reaction, hydrocarbons are produced from the synthesis gas by a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction (hereinafter, also referred to as an "FT synthesis reaction" in some cases.), and further the hydrocarbons are refined by hydroprocessing and fractionation to obtain a base stock for fuel oil has been attracting attention (for example, see Patent Literature 1.). The technique is referred to as a GTL (Gas To Liquids) process.
An synthetic oil obtained from the synthesis gas by the FT synthesis reaction (hereinafter, also referred to as an "FT synthetic oil" in some cases.) is a mixture containing aliphatic hydrocarbons having a wide carbon number distribution as a main component; the FT synthetic oil can be fractionated depending on a boiling point to obtain a naphtha fraction, a middle distillate fraction, and a wax fraction. Moreover, of the respective fractions, the middle distillate is the most useful fraction corresponding to the base stock for kerosene and gas oil, and it is desired that the middle distillate be obtained at a high yield.
A relative amount of the wax fraction contained with the middle distillate in the FT synthetic oil is hydrocracked; thereby, hydrocarbons whose boiling point is in the range of the boiling point equivalent to that of the middle distillate can be obtained; using the method, the useful middle distillate can be obtained from the FT synthetic oil at a high yield.
In hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon raw material oil containing the wax fraction, in order to increase the yield of the middle distillate, the cracking rate of the wax fraction needs to be increased; on the other hand, if the cracking rate is increased, there is a problem such that production of a light fraction due to excessive hydrocracking is increased while the yield of the middle distillate is reduced. Accordingly, it is demanded that a hydrocracking catalyst used for hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon raw material oil containing the wax fraction have a high hydrocracking activity, and simultaneously suppress production of a light fraction due to excessive hydrocracking to produce the middle distillate at a high selectivity. As such a hydrocracking catalyst, catalysts comprising: a catalyst support containing zeolite and an amorphous composite metal oxide having solid acidity; and an active metal supported by the catalyst support, selected from noble metals of Group 8 to Group 10 in the periodic table are known (for example, see Patent Literature 2 and Patent Literature 3.).
Usually, when the hydrocracking catalyst is packed in a reactor and operation of hydrocracking of the raw material oil containing the wax fraction is performed, the activity of the catalyst is reduced with a lapse of the operating time. Then, if the activity of the catalyst is reduced to a predetermined level, the operation of the hydrocracking step is stopped, and the catalyst is replaced. Moreover, the used hydrocracking catalyst taken out from the reactor (hereinafter, also referred to as a "used hydrocracking catalyst" or simply referred to as a "used catalyst" in some cases.) is regenerated and reused; thereby, cost needed for an expensive catalyst can be reduced, and disposal of the used catalyst as wastes can be avoided.
In the conventional regeneration of the hydrocracking catalyst, the used catalyst is calcined to remove substantially all the carbonaceous substances produced and deposited on the catalyst in the hydrocracking step, which are counted as a main cause of reduction in the activity.

Regenerated hydrocracking catalyst and method for producing a hydrocarbon oil

JAPAN OIL, GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION

NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINEERING CO., LTD.


A method and apparatus for high temperature treatment of particulate metal ore concentrate solids with a cyclone having a tangentially positioned burner directing a jet flame into the cyclone, an ore injecting nozzle positioned to inject a stream of ore with oxygen containing gas into the jet flame of the burner at a location at least one-third of the travel of the flame and into the hottest region thereof so that the particles are melted and do not abrasively impact the walls of the cyclone in an unmelted stage.

The invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for the high temperature treatment of fine grained particular metal ore concentrate to obtain molten ore treatment temperatures.
More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods and constructions of a melting cyclone which is provided with burners for melting nonferrous metal ore concentrates and is provided with means for introducing the particulate nonferrous metal ore particles into the cyclone wherein the melt is separated from the exhaust gases under the influence of the cyclone.
For pyrometallurgical treatment of fine grained sulfidic ore concentrates in a melting cyclone, it is known such as in DE-AS 20 10 872 and German Published Application 33 35 859 to pneumatically convey fine grained solids to the cyclone in pipe conduits. The solids are introduced as a suspension with conveying air into the melting cyclone at high speeds through nozzles tangentially arranged in the jacket of the cyclone. The ore concentrate is continuously cycloned and melted in the eddy currents of the melting cyclone at high temperatures. As a consequence of the intense mass transfer between the gas and solids, high volatilization rates of the volatile solid constituents and the high melting rates of the nonvolatile constituents can be achieved in the cyclone. This known suspension melting in a cyclone has achieved special significance for the pyrometallurgical direct production of materials such as, for example, copper from sulfidic copper ore concentrates as well as from complex concentrates, yielding a comparatively pure crude copper and a low copper slag.
When the suspension of solids and conveying gas is introduced into the melting cyclone at high speeds (above 35/m/sec), the situation exists that the introduction nozzles for the fine grained solids will prematurely wear. Also, the solids particle will be pneumatically hurled into the melting cyclone with an appropriate pulse and will cause noticeable wear at the impact location against the fireproof lining of the inside cyclone wall. This is particularly true when the solids particles do not proceed to melt as they are blown into the cyclone and as a result, the inner surface of the melting cyclone will deteriorate so that shut down and repair must occur. With a melting cyclone in which fine grained solid materials are injected at high speed, the reaction time required for the reaction and melting of the particles is very short. As a practical matter, only the flight path of the particles from the injection nozzles to the inside cyclone wall is available for this reaction time and this can become too short so that exothermic calcining reaction collapses.
The risk is also present, as may be seen from German Patent 29 22 189, that the fine grained solids are introduced into the melting cyclone without conveying gas and without a vertical pulse from above and only on the basis of force of gravity. The particles are seized but not completely seized in the melting cyclone by the eddy currents and the oxygenous gas which is tangentially injected at high speed, and this results in the particles being partly hurled unreacted against the inside wall of the cyclone.
In known methods for pyrometallurgical treatment of fine grained sulfidic ore concentrates, such as sulfidic ore concentrates, for example, in a melting cyclone, the combustion of sulfide sulfur and potentially of other oxidizable constituents contained in the charged material in the oxygen atmosphere, usually supplies adequate heat in order to allow the calcining and melting process to proceed autogenously. With this situation, separate burners for the injection of fuels are not required in known melting cyclones.
An object of the invention is to provide a means for the high temperature treatment of pyrometallurgical fine grained ore concentration, particularly oxidic ore concentrates, where the melting process does occur autogenously in a melting cyclone but requires the employment of separate burners with fuel injection.
A further object of the invention is to provide for an improved method and apparatus for the temperature treatment of particulate metal ore concentration in a cyclone melting device which provides improvements over arrangements heretofore available.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and structure for high temperature treating of particulate metal ore concentrates in a melting cyclone wherein the particulate material can react as completely as possible at high melting rates with the lowest possible melting cyclone wear.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the high temperature treatment of particulate metal ore concentrates in a melting cyclone wherein losses of the gas dust and reduced specific energy consumption are achieved.

Method and apparatus for the high-temperature treatment of fine-grained solids in a melting cyclone


In a method and circuit arrangement for level monitoring, a received or, respectively, absent data signal should be reliably recognized by the level monitoring equipment even given great fluctuations (.gtoreq.40 dB). To this end, a reference value is first calculated and stored. The reference value is then compared to samples of the received signal. The comparison result is summed and it is used to effect the output of a control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and to circuit arrangements for level monitoring for a data signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is frequently necessary to monitor the receiving level in digital data transmission. By so doing, one can determine whether a line is occupied by other subscribers or is free. A specific starting procedure in which only the subscriber side or the exchange side, respectively, transmit in succession is likewise frequently defined for a call setup. When switching, the level shut-off must first be monitored and recognized and the level cut in must be monitored and recognized later, for example, after the recognition of a prompter signal. The fault-free function must thereby be guaranteed for a great level range, since the level of the received signal is dependent on an extremely-different line length. Leveling monitoring disclosed up to now proceed on the basis of a fixed comparison value, as a result thereof a reliable operation is no longer possible given high-disturbed or noise-infested signals.

Method and circuit arrangement for level monitoring


The invention relates to a connection assembly between a support, for example a body part of an automotive vehicle, and a plate element, such as a wall covering, including a lower holding component insertable into an opening of the support. The lower holding component carries a center component whose upper portion comprises a spherical segment which can be clipped into an opening in a tubular section of upper component. The opening which receives the spherical segment has an internal prof ile defined by spring elements spaced about the interior of the tubular section. The spring elements hook behind the spherical segment, and between the spring elements there are arranged spacer elements acting upon the spherical segment to maintain it centered relative to the spring elements.

The subject invention is directed to a connection arrangement for joining a plate or wall element to a support base or frame.
The invention is especially suited for use in the motor vehicle art for joining a wall panel or covering to a body frame or base component and will be described with particular reference thereto; however, the invention is capable of broader application and could be used for joining similar structural elements in other environments.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,223 which is incorporated herein by reference, there is shown and described a connection arrangement for the noted purposes which includes a molded plastic, lower holding element that is connectable into an opening in the support frame. The lower holding element carries a head piece having spherical segmented form which clips into a correspondingly profiled opening in a tubular section of an upper connecting element that joins to the wall panel or covering. Preferably, the head piece of spherical segmented form is on an intermediate element which allows lateral adjustment to take place to compensate for misalignment between the lower holding element and the upper holding element.
The subject invention has as its primary objective the improvement of the connection between the upper element and the spherical segment head piece of the center component in such a manner that, on one hand, easy installation is achieved, while on the other hand, high withdrawal forces must be applied in order to separate the connection.

Connection between a support and a plate element


Method and apparatus for generating green electrical power. During a hydrogen gas storage mode, an electrolyzer generates a stream of hydrogen gas from water supplied by a water source and using power from an input power source. A hydrogen tank temporarily stores the stream of hydrogen. During a power generation mode, a fuel cell converts the stream of hydrogen gas from the tank into output electrical power by combining the hydrogen with oxygen. An inverter conditions and supplies the electrical power to a local load. A controller circuit uses a system parameter to adaptively switch between the storage mode and the power generation mode. In some cases, external power is supplied during the generation and storage of the hydrogen gas from an electrical grid or a local renewable source such as a set of solar panels. Respective grid-tied, solar-tied, grid-only, off-grid, and electric vehicle charging configurations are provided.

Sustainable energy (also sometimes referred to as renewable energy or green energy) generally refers to efforts to generate and utilize energy in an efficient manner such that present needs can be met without adversely affecting future generations. A variety of sustainable energy solutions have been proposed and implemented, such as through the harnessing of solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and other forms of available energy. In one definition, "green energy" can be viewed as energy that is produced cleanly with no carbon footprint during operation. The term "grey energy" is sometimes applied to solutions that utilize some amount of input energy from a non-green source, but is otherwise "green" in subsequent processes or in at least some modes of operation.
While a number of green energy solutions have been proposed, these and other solutions have not been widely adopted from a generation or storage perspective. One limitation is the inability to effectively store energy that is produced at one time (such as during a sunny or windy day) for use during another time (such as at night, during a cloudy or windless day, etc.).
Batteries have been proposed as a mechanism to chemically store energy for future use. However, large capacity batteries are expensive to manufacture, often utilize rare earth and toxic materials that make recycling/disposal environmentally undesirable, and as (as of now) do not provide an acceptable operational life. For example, some forms of modern high capacity batteries can lose as much as 70% of their charge carrying capability in just 2-3 years, and may not last much longer than 8-10 years even with degraded levels of performance. Batteries are also subject to other dangers as well, such as fire, the generation of noxious fumes, etc.
Other forms of energy storage have been proposed and utilized in the art, and these have likewise been met with various limitations. Examples include compressed air (e.g., store energy in the form of compressed air that is then released to spin a turbine), water movement (e.g. pump water to a higher elevation and then release the water to allow gravity to move the water against a turbine), etc.
Accordingly, various embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to improvements in the self-generation and storage of electrical power that overcome these and other limitations of the existing art.


An apparatus for laser drilling including a laser beam emitter disposed within a housing having at least one laser beam outlet and at least one purge fluid outlet. At least one actuated nozzle is disposed within the housing for providing a purge fluid through the purge fluid outlet and having functional control for synchronized programmable activation patterns. Laser beam control is provided for directing a laser beam over a target surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a laser-based tool for processing materials. In one aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for use in wellbore drilling. In another aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for material cutting. In another aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for material spalling. In yet another aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for material thermal treatment, e.g. annealing. In yet another aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for material curing. In yet another aspect, this invention relates to a laser material processing tool for material surface conditioning.
2. Description of Related Art
Fluid flow into a completed subterranean wellbore is initiated by perforation of the well casing or liner. Conventionally, such perforations are created using shaped charges for establishing flow of oil or gas from the geologic formations into the wellbore. This generally creates tapered, uneven shaped openings of relatively small diameter, i.e. less than about 1 inch. In addition, the perforations typically extend only a few inches into the formation. In addition to the limitations of opening size and hole depth, there are numerous problems with this approach. First, the melt or debris from shaped charges usually reduces the permeability of the producing formations resulting in a substantial reduction in production rate. Second, these techniques involve the transportation and handling of high power explosives and are causes of serious safety and security concerns. Third, the energy jet into the formation also produces fine grains that can plug the pore throat, thereby reducing the production rate. Water jetting can also be used for wellbore perforation; however, the opening that is created is generally not very uniform.
Additionally, other steps for initiating fluid flow may also be required, depending, at least in part, on the physical properties of the fluid in question and the characteristics of the rock formation surrounding the well. Fluid flow may be inhibited in situations involving highly viscous fluids and/or low permeability formations. Highly viscous fluids do not flow easily. As a result of the decreased rate of flow, efficiency is lowered and overall production rate decreases. The same is true for low permeability formations. In extreme cases, these factors reduce the flow rate to zero, halting production entirely.
The use of lasers for the purpose of producing boreholes to enable the extraction of liquid and gaseous fuels from underground formations is well-known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,138 to Salisbury et al. teaches an earth boring apparatus mounted above ground that directs an annulus of high powered laser energy downwardly for boring a cylindrical hole by fusing successive annular regions of the stratum to be penetrated at a power level that shatters and self-ejects successive cores from the hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,940 to Salisbury et al. teaches a method for perforating oil and gas wells. Using this method, a high-powered coherent light beam is axially directed along the borehole to a predetermined depth and deflected along a beam axis. The beam is focused to concentrate at each of a plurality of spaced focal points along the deflected beam. This, in turn, is said to provide a significant increase in the distance that calculated oil or gas bearing formations can be perforated, thereby increasing the yield by more conventional means.
With known laser-based devices for wellbore perforation, perforation depths have been limited to about 4 inches after which further penetration is hampered by hole taper issues and the lack of efficient debris removal. Hole taper occurs when a collimated laser beam is utilized because of the Gaussian beam shape distribution and attenuation of the laser beam with the debris column in the hole. The edges of the beam contain less irradiance than the center of the beam as a result of which, as the perforation gets deeper, the hole eventually comes to a point and the laser beam can no longer penetrate. In addition, once begun, hole tapering is difficult to correct with a laser processing beam oriented parallel to the perforation axis due to the increased surface area presented by the side walls. Furthermore, reflections from grazing angle incidence tend to reflect laser energy into the central regions of the opening/perforation, creating excessive heating in the center, causing uneven material removal, opening shapes, and opening quality. In rock/refractory applications, the central material could glassify before the sidewall material is spalled, thereby creating poor quality openings and reducing the efficiency of material removal.
Drill lasers emit short, high-frequency light pulses for creating boreholes. The high amount of local energy that is generated is used to remove the material or produced in the borehole due to abrupt vaporization while the molten phase is avoided. However, with conventional drill lasers, there is also the possibility that melt residue or slag deposits on the edge of the borehole. Such melt or slag residue deposits are undesirable because they can significantly influence the borehole quality.


A motor vehicle roof protection system includes a pair of magnetically attachable elongated roof standoffs to carry cargo above a car (or any motor vehicle) roof. One elongated roof standoffs may be positioned near a forward end of the car roof and another elongated roof standoffs may be positioned near a rearward end of the car roof. Magnets are embodied within the elongated roof standoffs to resist movement on the roof surface, with a layer of material under the magnets to protect the roof finish. The elongated roof standoffs have sloped tops, and the roof standoffs are positioned with the slopes facing forward to produce downward force on the roof standoffs, and thereby secure the roof standoffs with fewer magnets than otherwise required. The tops include a textured portion for contact with cargo. The cargo may be held against the elongated roof standoffs using straps, ropes, or any suitable fastener.

The present invention relates to standoffs for supporting cargo on a motor vehicle roof, and in particular to a roof standoffs system including two elongated lateral roof standoffs.
Although the primary purpose of most automobiles is personal transportation, there is also a frequent need to transport other items such as sporting equipment, luggage, or building materials. Often, these items are too large to fit within the automobile interior or within a trunk, or the items are likely to damage the interior if carried therein. Roof racks have been developed to enable carrying such items on the roof of a motor vehicle.
Unfortunately, roof racks are either permanent, or are so difficult to install and remove, that they are effectively permanent. Known removable roof racks often require manipulation of cumbersome hooks and latches, and as a result, users inevitably either leave the racks in place on the automobile roof long after they are needed, or are reluctant to install the rack at all.
When permanent roof racks are installed on motor vehicle roofs, the air flow around the racks both creates drag and wind noise. With increasing fuel costs, drivers are reluctant to add mileage reducing drag to their automobiles. Further, drivers of high end automobiles are accustom to a quiet driving experience, and find excessive wind noise to be unacceptable
A protective cover for truck roofs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,327 for "Protective Cover for Vehicle Surface." The cover of the '327 patent is a thin sheet-like article which preferably wraps around the rear edge of a truck roof, thereby allowing cargo, for example a ladder extended diagonally from the truck bed and over the cab, to be supported by the truck roof without damaging the truck roof. Unfortunately, the roof protector of the '327 patent relies at least partially on the roof edge to maintain position (and is thus limited in positioning), and does not provide adequate vertical stand-off to protect an arced roof if cargo is carried horizontally on the roof of a motor vehicle versus diagonally.
A car door protector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,176 for "Magnetic Car Door Protector." The protector of the '176 patent is shallow and held in place by a large number of magnets. While such a protector provides some protection for a car door, the shallow design is only suitable for longitudinal placement and does not provide a vertical standoff sufficient if spaced apart for use on a cars roof (i.e., will not carry cargo high enough to clear a convex car roof profile), and the large number of magnets in the device of the '176, while required for the intended use on a car door, make the device difficult to position on a car roof or remove from a car roof.
What is needed is a motor vehicle roof protection system including standoffs providing sufficient height to carry cargo above the roof, and not requiring so many magnets that the standoffs are difficult to position or remove.


A fertilized ovum is recovered from an upper portion of a magnum of an oviduct of a dead hen 60 to 80 minutes after oviposition. The fertilized ovum is placed in a container containing a thin albumen. A yolk of the ovum is covered with a sheet of gauze, and the ovum is cultured up to the blastoderm stage (stage X) in the container which is covered with a sheet of plastic film that is held by a rubber band.

The present invention relates to an in vitro culture method for culturing a fertilized ovum of a hen.
There is known a culture method where an ovum of a hen which has just been fertilized is submerged in albumen at a temperature of 41.degree. C. for the culture thereof. The ovum can be developed up to an early stage of cell division, but not up to the blastoderm stage (stage X).
In order to culture an undivided fertilized ovum of a hen, the ovum is placed in a glass container filled with a culture medium which is a mixture of thin albumen and salt solution mixed in the ratio of 3:2. The glass container is sealed with a sheet of transparent plastic film. The ovum is thereafter cultured at a temperature between 41.degree. C. and 42.degree. C.
The undivided ovum can thus be developed up to the end of the blastoderm stage (stage X). However, in this case it is necessary to take out the fertilized ovum with sufficiently formed thick albumen from a lower portion of the magnum of oviduct, 165 minutes after the oviposition, or 135 minutes after the ovulation.
The ovum which has just been fertilized is positioned in an upper portion of the magnum of oviduct. At that stage, only mucin albumen and a partical thick albumen are formed around the yolk, so that the fertilized ovum cannot be successfully developed up to the blastoderm stage (stage X) by the culture method mentioned above.

In vitro culture method for a fertilized ovum of a hen

Director General, National Institute of Animal Industry


An infant teether comprising a hollow teething unit defined in part by thin, flexible walls for holding hard teething foods such as cookies, pretzels, fruits, and the like. The walls of the teething unit are provided with a plurality of holes for allowing the food therein to be released into the infant's mouth in small, soft pieces, upon a repetitive biting action on the teething unit. The infant teether further comprises a cap for closing an opening in the teething unit to prevent food spillage during use. A ring-shaped handle is integrally attached to the cap for easy grip by the child or parent. The food placed inside the teething unit encourages the infant to repetitively bite on the unit in an effort to consume the food therein. This repetitive biting action upon the elastomeric teething unit can bring soothing relief to the infant during teething.

This invention relates to an infant teether. More particularly, the invention relates to an infant teether which serves to contain teething foods and is adapted to release small pieces of the food into the infant's mouth as the food inside the teether is chewed and sucked on.
Teething rings and teething foods have long been considered valuable items among the parents of infants who are undergoing painful teething. A repetitive biting action upon semi-hard items, such as teething rings and teething foods can often be soothing and relaxing to a baby during teething. Although the teething rings may be convenient to use, the traditional plastic and rubber teethers lack taste and are not appealing to babies. Consequently, the traditional teether are often tossed to the side and forgotten after only a few moments. Teething cookies and pretzels are much more compelling to children, in that they are deliciously flavored. However, teething cookies represent a potential choking hazard, and parents or caregivers must remain alert and periodically check for large, hard pieces of food inside the child's mouth. Therefore, there is still a further need to provide an improved infant teether. Such an infant teether should be appealing to a teething child and encourages a repetitive biting action upon the semi-hard teether to help soothe the pain of teething. Moreover, such an infant teether should enable an infant to enjoy consumption of delicious teething food without the risk of choking.
While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.