A lighting device contains a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The first circuit board has one or more connecting sections having overall at least two contact areas. The second circuit board has an opening through which the connecting section of the first circuit board can extend. At least two contact elements, which are electrically connected to conductive tracks of the second circuit board, are arranged on the second circuit board. Each contact element has a contact region by which the contact element butts against one of the contact areas of the first circuit board. As a result, an electrical connection is produced between the two circuit boards.

In LED light fixtures, two circuit boards (printed circuit boards) are often used: the LED (light-emitting diode) is, in particular, arranged on a first circuit board; and the components of an electronic driver, which provides the electrical energy necessary for operation of the LED with the required parameters (current, voltage), are arranged on another circuit board. The separation into two circuit boards is necessary for reasons of space, particularly in retrofit lamps, which serve for replacement of conventional filament or gas discharge lamps, the housing shape is predetermined.
It is known to solder the two circuit boards to one another, which is difficult because of the high thermal conductivity of the circuit boards. It is likewise known to provide one of the circuit boards with a plug into which the other circuit board can be inserted.
In known designs the two electrical connections (+ and −) are often made by means of separate connections. This increases the space required for connection of the two circuit boards.

Lighting device with plug connection for electrical connection of two circuit boards


A cooperative transmission system for single frequency digital broadcasting network and method thereof are disclosed, said system includes a first double-layer cooperative transmission structure with same frequency and a second double-layer cooperative transmission structure with same frequency, which are vertically aggregated; wherein each of the double-layer cooperative transmission structures with same frequency is made up of a main transmission layer including several main transmitters with same transmitting frequency and an auxiliary transmission layer including several auxiliary transmitters with same transmitting frequency; the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the main transmitters in the first double-layer cooperative transmission structure with same frequency and the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the main transmitters in the second double-layer cooperative transmission structure with same frequency have different frequencies. The present invention makes up the disadvantage of the single frequency network, and can greatly improve the spectrum efficiency of broadcasting channel, the coverage (especially the indoor coverage) of broadcasting signal and the effect of mobile receiving of broadcasting signal.

Single frequency networking technology applied in Digital Audio Broadcasting-Territorial and Digital Video Broadcasting-Territorial systems refers to the adjacent transmitters in the systems synchronically transmitting the same broadcasting code stream with the same frequency. In the Digital Audio Broadcasting-Territorial and Digital Video Broadcasting-Territorial systems applying single frequency networking, the adjacent transmitters do not interference with each other, instead, additive gain can be obtained. One factor resulting in this effect in the single frequency networking is the introduction of a protection interval to OFDM, by which, ISI can be effectively suppressed or avoided.
In the Digital Audio Broadcasting-Territorial and Digital Video Broadcasting-Territorial systems applying single frequency networking (SFN), networking gain can be obtained through the adjacent transmitters synchronically transmitting the same broadcasting code stream at the same frequency. This fact has been validated by field verification. The result of the field verification of the COFDM-based Digital Video Broadcasting-Territorial system (DVB-T) and Digital Audio Broadcasting-Territorial system which apply single frequency networking shows that, in audio and video broadcasting systems applying single frequency networking, when the powers of signals received by the receiver from each of the adjacent transmitters are comparative, the introduction of the signals transmitted by the adjacent transmitters can greatly increase the average power of receiving signal and effectively decrease the variance of signal fading and the bit error rate of the signal. The measurement shows that when the single frequency network consists of three transmitters, the maximal SFN gain (diversity gain) is close to 6 dB. Here, the SFN gain refers to, under the same receiving effect, the ratio between the power of receiving signal required by the receiver when there is a single transmitter and the power of receiving signal required by the receiver when it is a single frequency network.
As a further improvement on the performance of the single frequency network, time-frequency selectivity of the channel can be artificially increased through introducing specific time-varying phase rotation into a transmitting signal at a transmitting antenna, thereby improving the effect of SFN diversity gain. Moreover, the method is compatible with the existing DVB-T and DAB standards. With cyclic delay transmission and double-antenna maximal ratio combining technology, the SFN network gain can be significantly increased, and it is entirely compatible with the existing standards, such as DVB-T.
Space-time coding technique, which has gained more and more attention since its appearance, opens an entirely new field for the development of wireless communication techniques since it can emphasize on improving not only the transmission performance but also the transmission speed. The scheme of orthogonal space-time block coding can be applied to obtain extra coding gain and diversity gain, thereby improving the system performance; meanwhile, the structure of the transceiver is simple and practical. In addition, space-time coding techniques can obtain a better diversity effect than SFN macro-diversity.
At present, the WIMAX system has applied Multi-BS-MBS mode, which requires multiple BSs participating in the same Multi-BS-MBS service to synchronically transmit the same multicast/broadcast data. Due to the synchronous multicast service among multiple BSs, MS can receive multicast/broadcast data from the multiple BSs, thereby improving the receiving reliability and spectrum efficiency. The space-time coding method and the structure of the transceiver using Multi-BS-MBS integrate the ideas of layered space-time code and space-time block code, and enable a receiver with a different number of receiving antennas to have different transmission speed and error performance.
From the network structure's viewpoint, the single frequency network currently used in digital broadcasting applies the general structure as shown in FIG. 1: the signal transmitted by transmitters 101A˜101N covers the areas A˜N, and the broadcasting code stream is distributed to each of the transmitters 101A˜101N through feeding cable (or wireless link). For areas a˜n in remote regions or in special geographical environments in which the transmitters 101A˜101N can not cover well, relays 102a˜102n (or repeaters) are used as complement. In the single frequency network structure shown in FIG. 1, transmitters 101A˜101N and relays 102a˜102n (or repeaters) transmit the same information symbol at the same frequency according to the required synchronization relationship. In this single frequency network structure, only the edges of the covered areas, such as A1, A2 and A3, have relatively high SFN gain as in the orthogonal frequency-diversity multiplexing digital mobile single frequency network.
The present SFN technique only applies single frequency networking among base stations in the same system, and it has a disadvantage in that only some areas at the edge of the cell have SFN gain, while in most areas, there is little or even no SFN gain.
The existing Multi-BS-MBS relates to the joint space-time coding between different channels of a single base station or between the base stations in the same system (or within the single-layer network), but it provides no solution for interlayer cooperative space-time coding in a hierarchical system.

Synergetic transmitting system for digital broadcast SFN and method thereof


In a preferred embodiment, an accelerometer sensor system, including: a housing structure; a first acceleration sensor disposed in the housing structure at a first selected location along the vertical axis of the housing structure, the first acceleration sensor providing a first output; a second acceleration sensor disposed in the housing structure at a second selected location along the vertical axis, the second acceleration sensor providing a second output; and apparatus to combine the first and second outputs of the first and second acceleration sensors such as to simulate the output from a virtual acceleration sensor located at any selected location on the vertical axis, allowing one to reduce noise induced by pitch motion, at any desired frequency or across a desired frequency band.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to accelerometers generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel method and means for cancellation of accelerometer sensor noise due to dynamic pitch motion of the platform on which the sensor is mounted.
2. Background Art
A need has long existed for a method and means to reduce or eliminate flow noise and mechanically induced noise in directional hydrophones. This noise is predominant near the low end of the frequency range of interest (near 10 Hz), and generally increases in severity as the flow increases. The noise is due, in part, to mechanical vibrations induced by flow past various components of the system and, in part, to motion induced into the system due to surface waves. The directional sensor may be regarded as a very sensitive accelerometer which responds to these mechanical vibrations and perturbations. These vibrations are coupled to the sensor through the support cables and suspension components of the buoy system. The present invention relates to means by which the sensor's sensitivity to these motion induced vibrations can be reduced; however, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be readily applied to other types of accelerometer based sensors.
Many direction hydrophones, microphones or accelerometer sensors, operate basically as accelerometers whose main axis of sensitivity is in the horizontal plane. Such devices not only respond to the horizontal acceleration of the mounting platform due to the acoustic driving force (or acceleration of the platform on which the sensor is mounted), but also to other forces which accelerate the body in translational or rotational motion. Such an accelerometer based sensor will also respond to the component of gravity which acts along the sensitive axis of the device.
If the sensor platform is periodically tilted about a horizontal axis normal to the sensitive axis of the horizontal accelerometer, then the gravitational force component in the direction of the sensitive axis of the sensor will cause a periodic output from the sensor indistinguishable from the output caused by a periodic acceleration or from the output due to an acoustic excitation. This gravity induced output is one form of undesirable motion induced noise caused in this case by pitch motion about a horizontal axis.
There is also a component of acceleration in the output of the sensor caused by rotational accelerational effects as the sensor platform periodically tilts about a horizontal axis, the same motion described above. The amplitude of this acceleration component is given by the angular acceleration of the platform times the distance from the axis of rotation to the reaction mass of the sensor. At a singular position along the vertical axis of the sensor, these two noise sources cancel one another.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method and means to reduce noise experienced by accelerometer sensors.
It is another object of the invention to provide such means that is easily and economically constructed.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.

Accelerometer sensor noise reduction method and means


An apparatus for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from continuously connected ladder stock including an elongated side member having a plurality of T-bars interconnected by severable connectors. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a hollow, gun-shaped casing having a barrel portion and a handle portion. The front end of the barrel portion has an opening into which a hollow slotted needle is removably mounted. A triggering mechanism, which includes a pivotally-mounted trigger, is connected to the handle portion of the casing. A slider assembly, which is actuated by squeezing the trigger, includes a slider adapted to travel along longitudinally extending rails formed along the inside of the barrel portion of the casing. Movement of the slider is coupled to a feeding/severing/ejecting assembly, which collectively functions to feed a T-bar disposed at one end of the elongated side member into the hollow slotted needle, to break the severable connector connecting the inserted T-bar to the remainder of the elongated side member, and to eject the inserted T-bar from the hollow, slotted needle. In a preferred embodiment, the severable connector is broken by pivoting the rear portion of the connector away from the front portion of the connector.

The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for dispensing individual plastic fasteners from continuously connected ladder stock.
Plastic fasteners of the type having, for example, a T-bar at one end, a paddle at the other end, and a thin filament or cross-link connecting the two ends, are widely used in commerce to attach labels or other items to articles in a manner which minimizes the risk of inadvertent detachment therefrom. Typically, such plastic fasteners are manufactured in the form of fastener stock, a multi-unit assemblage of fasteners produced by molding or stamping from flexible plastic materials, such as nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene. One type of fastener stock, referred to as continuously connected ladder stock (or, more specifically, as continuously molded ladder stock), typically comprises a pair of elongated side members interconnected by a plurality of cross links or filaments. Typically, one side member is shaped to define a plurality of co-planar T-bars which are joined together by short severable connectors, the connectors being defined by indentations or notches formed along the side member.
Additional information pertaining to fastener stock in general or to continuously connected ladder stock in particular may be obtained from the following commonly assigned U.S. patents, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,475, issued Sep. 11, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,161, issued Jun. 26, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,487, issued Oct. 24, 1978; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,666, issued Sep. 17, 1963.
The dispensing of individual fasteners from fastener stock into desired articles of commerce is typically accomplished with an apparatus commonly referred to as a "tagger gun." Typically, a tagger gun includes a mechanism for cutting an individual fastener from the fastener stock and a mechanism for feeding the individual fastener through a needle at the front end of the tagger gun so that it may be inserted into the desired article of commerce.
In the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,365, which issued Jun. 18, 1991 and which is herein incorporated by reference, an improved system for dispensing a fastener through a slotted hollow needle from continuously connected ladder stock is described. The system includes an actuator slide with a central channel, such actuator slide being secured to the ejector rod and fastener stock feed mechanism to actuate these functions. The system further includes a shuttle assembly which reciprocates transversely to the needle axis to cause the cutting of a fastener from the ladder stock, and transport of the severed fastener to the needle axis . The cam bar is linked to the shuttle mechanism and pivotally mounted so that the pivoting of the cam bar causes the transverse shuttle motion. The cam bar passes through the actuator slide channel, whereby sliding of the actuator slide causes pivoting of the cam bar according to the profile of the cam. The apparatus, which is trigger-operated, further includes an antiback mechanism in the form of a catch lever which engages the trigger when it has been partially depressed and prevents its release, until the trigger has been fully depressed.
In the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,161, which issued Jun. 26, 1984, an apparatus for dispensing fasteners is described. The apparatus comprises a casing, a dispensing hollow slotted needle mounted on the casing, means for advancing a fastener to a position adjacent the rear of the needle bore with its end-bar transversely disposed to the longitudinal axis of the bore, means for aligning the end-bar with the needle bore, and means for dispensing the end-bar through the bore. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a feed wheel, an aligning means comprising a reciprocating cam slide which also actuates the feed wheel, a dispensing means comprising a plunger carried by a reciprocating support which also actuates the cam slide, and means for reciprocating the support.
Additional types of tagger guns are described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,121,487 and 3,103,666, which are referred to above.
Applicants have recognized that one disadvantage with tagger guns of the type described above is that such tagger guns are typically designed so that an individual fastener is cut from the fastener stock prior to its being loaded into the needle mounted at the front end of the tagger gun. This sequence of events occasionally results in jamming of the tagger gun as the severed fastener, which may possess slight deformities as a result of the cutting step, must be transported from the cutting station to the needle and then loaded into the needle for dispensing.
Applicants have also recognized that tagger guns of the type described above occasionally experience losses in accuracy and control during the feeding, cutting, and/or ejecting steps. These losses in accuracy and control, which may result in jamming of the tagger gun, appear to be attributable to use of the cross link or "filament" portion of the fastener to position the fastener during the feeding, cutting, and/or ejecting steps.

Apparatus for dispensing individual plastic fasteners from continuously connected ladder stock


Impact intrusion barrier device for a vehicle door of the type which includes spaced inner, outer and side door panels defining a door cavity therebetween, and which is movably connected between forward and rear door pillar members. The device includes a beam member positioned in the door cavity and adapted to extend between the pillar members. The beam member is curved outwardly along a longitudinal axis thereof and has a pair of beam end portions which are operable to move longitudinally away from one another on adjacent outwardly facing surfaces of the side door panels or the pillar members when an inward force is applied to the beam member until the end portions contact abutment surfaces on the side door panels or the pillar members, thereby absorbing energy therefrom and initially directing the force laterally away from the interior of the vehicle and into the pillar members either directly or through the side door panels. The beam member preferably includes an outer panel member and an inner panel member which are both curved outwardly along a longitudinal axis thereof. The inner panel member is positioned substantially directly behind and spaced from the outer panel member, and the inner and outer panel members have end portions which are secured together to define the beam end portions.

The present invention relates to an impact intrusion barrier device and, more particularly, to a barrier device which is particularly adapted for use in a vehicle door or the like for protecting vehicle occupants from side impacts with other vehicles.
There exist numerous safety devices for vehicle occupants which provide increased protection for the occupants when subjected to front or rear collisions, such as seat belts and air bags. However, there are a lack of effective safety devices which protect vehicle occupants from side impacts, particularly impacts to the front and/or rear doors of the vehicle.
Most motor vehicle doors include an outer door panel and an inner door panel in spaced relation such that a door cavity is defined therebetween. Disposed within the door cavity are various door systems such as locking mechanisms and window actuating means. Without further structural reinforcement, such hollow vehicle doors do not provide sufficient impact intrusion resistance to provide a desired level of safety protection for the vehicle occupants. Accordingly, when a vehicle of this type is subjected to a side impact from a collision or the like, the inner and outer door panels provide only limited resistance to door deformation and impact intrusion.
Such limited side impact resistance often results in serious injury to the vehicle occupants.
Therefore, a need exists for an economical and reliable impact intrusion barrier device which can be used in a vehicle door cavity or the like to provide increased protection from side impact intrusion. The impact intrusion barrier device of the present invention meets this need.


A protective coating is applied on a local region of a surface of a component on which direct deposit of a uniform coating of protective material is impeded due to a complex shape of the region to be covered or inaccessibility or inability to apply a uniform deposition or electrical field therefor. The coating is formed by a foil having a solder backing layer with a thin layer of uniform thickness of the protective material electrolytically deposited on the backing layer, the foil being cut to size corresponding to an area of the local region of the component to be protected. The cut to size foil is positioned and held on the local region of the component to be protected; and fixed in place by melting the solder to fuse the foil to the component and cover the local region.

When components are to be coated for various reasons only in local regions, usually the regions of the component that are not to be coated must be covered prior to coating, with a protective layer. For protection of components of titanium alloy from oxidation, DE 4,204,117 discloses applying an oxidation-resistant foil thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,447 discloses application of a sheet or mat to a substrate.
The type of protection layer applied to the regions not to be coated and the process of application essentially depends on the type of coating to be applied in the local region and in its process of application. For protecting the uncoated regions prior to applying an electrolytic coating thereon, wax layers are applied to the regions not to be coated, as disclosed in DE 4,411,677. Also usable are lacquer layers including photoresist layers. For applying gas-phase coatings in local regions of components of turbine drive units, extremely complex built-up protective layers have been developed. However, the larger the surface to be protected relative to the surface to be coated in the local region, the less economical is the employment of local or regional coating processes of the known type which employ protective layers on the surfaces of the component that are not to be coated.
The coating applied to local areas may also be adversely affected by the configuration of the components, particularly when projecting parts of the component that are not to be coated cover the regions that are to be coated during the coating process, such as vacuum metalizing or spraying whereas for coating processes, such as powder coating or electroplating, the regions to be coated are blocked or obscured so that the coating material may not reach the region to be coated, or the coating material may not be uniformly deposited due to irregularity of distribution of the electrical field. Furthermore, the coatings may be applied more thickly in the coating processes in the exposed areas of the component as compared to areas in which application of the coating is impeded, and particularly due to peaks in field intensity during electroplating or powder deposit. In the case of compound coatings, for example, comprised of a metal matrix containing ceramic, mechanically-resistant particles, there is also the danger that the composition of the coating will not be applied homogeneously. For example, the incorporation of mechanically-resistant particles may not be uniformly distributed and thus can vary in quantity in the coating.
A coating in regions of complex configuration of the component may thus lead to non-uniform thickness of the coating, coating anomalies, and an absence of coating, despite great technical effort with conventional costly covering technologies associated with the corresponding conventional regional deposition or application techniques.

Foil coating on a local region of a component and its method of production and installation

MTU-Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Munchen GmbH


A process and a corresponding device for determining the alignment of two rotatable machine parts, the alignment of two hollow cylindrical machine parts or for testing a component for straightness along one lengthwise side, with a first measurement unit with a light source for emitting a light beam which has been expanded in one plane, and a second measurement unit with an optical detector unit which has two linear sensors which are arranged parallel to one another, and with an evaluation unit to evaluate a light pattern which has been produced by the two-dimensionally expanded light beam for determining the misalignment of the axes of the machine parts relative to one another, or optionally, the straightness of the component, by the determination the points of incidence of the two-dimensionally expanded light beam on the sensors.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a process for determining the alignment of two rotatable machine parts, the use of the process for determining the coupling play between two coupled machine parts, a process for testing a component for straightness along a lengthwise side, a process for determining the alignment of two hollow cylindrical machine parts, and a device for determining the alignment of two rotatable machine parts, the alignment of two hollow cylindrical machine parts or testing a component for straightness.
2. Description of Related Art
In many technical fields, the object is to determine the spatial and/or angular location of two rotatable machine parts, especially two rotating shafts, relative to one another. Thus, for example, in the calibration and adjustment of machine tools, there is a demand for aligning the machine spindles relative to one another with high precision; this assumes exact determination of the relative spatial and angular locations of the spindles to one another. Furthermore, many drive systems have shafts which are coupled to one another for transfer of torque and/or force, and whose relative alignment must be optimized to keep wear of the drive systems as low as possible.
Often, the rotating machine parts to be measured are connected to one another by a coupling element. The relative alignment of the two machine parts thus has a great effect on the operating load of the coupling element. The higher the misalignment of the two machine parts relative to one another, the higher the forces and torques to which the coupling element is exposed during operation. Therefore, it is important to determine the relative alignment of the two rotating machine parts with high precision in order to be able to minimize the angular deviation and the spatial offset between the machine parts by adjustment of the axes of rotation.
Various processes and devices are known for checking, measuring and assessing the relative alignment of two machine parts. For this purpose, for example, reference is made to German Patent Application DE 38 14 466 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,348 B1, German Patent Application DE 101 22 321 A1 and European Patent Application EP 1 248 071 A2.
German Patent Application DE 39 11 307 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,998 disclose a process for ascertaining whether two successively arranged shafts are flush or offset with respect to their center axes. In accordance with this process, a first measurement unit is attached to the first machine part, and a second measurement unit is attached to the second machine part so that a light beam is incident on the detector unit and that a light pattern produced by the light beam is used for determining any misalignment of the axes of the machine parts relative to one another. For determining misalignment, the points of incidence of the light beam on the sensors is used. The measurement signals in the individual measurement angle positions are produced separately for each shaft as signals which are proportional to the distance components which the middle axes of the shafts have from one another in the plane (measurement plane) which is permanently assigned to the respective shaft and which is essentially perpendicular to it in the radial direction which is fixed by the respective measurement position, the measurement angular position. Furthermore, to produce the measurement signals in the individual measurement angle positions of each of the two shafts a measurement pointer is pointed at the shaft which is the other one at the time and which extends in the regions of the pertinent reference element on this acceptance shaft which delivers a signal which corresponds to the radial distance of the middle axis of the measurement pointer from the reference point in the plane of the reference element which is roughly perpendicular to the middle axis of this other shaft.
An especially precise measuring device for determining the alignment of two machine parts using an optical process is described in German Patent Application DE 10 2006 020 358 A1 and corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0253002. This device comprises a light source which emits a repeatedly expanded light beam so that the cross section of this emitted light beam has the shape of cross hairs. The device also comprises a detector unit with at least three sensor arrays or position-sensitive diodes for direct or indirect determination of the incidence points of the light beam which has been expanded in two or more planes. To measure the relative alignment of the two machine parts, the light source is mounted on the first machine part and the detector unit is mounted on the other machine part. If, at this point, the two machine parts are turned synchronously with the light source and detector unit mounted on them, the device of German Patent Application DE 10 2006 020 358 A1 allows high precision determination of the spatial and angular position of the first machine part relative to the second machine part.
European Patent Application EP 1 698 855 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 7,486,390 discloses a process for alignment of machines and machine elements or the like, especially of pipes or hollow cylinders, in one of two measurement phases for a fixed light emission and reception device rotation of one reflector prism taking place in at least three optionally selectable rotary positions together with the pertinent data acquisition and in the other of the two measurement phases with a fixed reflector prism rotation of the light emitting and reception device into either two predefined rotary positions which are at a right angle to one another or three or more optionally selectable rotary positions taking place together with the pertinent data acquisition.
However, the known devices are either relative complex or the accuracy of measurement is not especially high.
It also has been established that the measurement is sensitively distorted when there is coupling play between the two coupled machine parts. In this case, the coupling play adulterates the determined values of the relative spatial and angular positions of the two machine parts.

Process and device for determining the alignment of two rotatable machine parts, the alignment of two hollow cylindrical machine parts or for testing a component for straightness along a lengthwise side


Certain embodiments involve tracking incremental updates to graph data structures and thereby facilitating efficient data retrieval. For instance, a computing system services a first query for one or more segments of computing devices, online entities, or both. The computing system services the first query by searching of a set of nodes from a graph data structure. The computing system receives a second query after the graph data structure has been modified. The computing system identifies, from a change list for tracking changes to the graph data structure, a subset of the nodes impacted by the modification to the graph data structure. The computing system services the second query by searching the subset of impacted nodes in the graph data structure.

In a computerized data processing system, large datasets are stored using logical relationship among data elements designed that support certain data manipulation functions. For instance, a graph data structure is used to represent relationships among data objects, and are used by analytical tools that service queries regarded groups of data objects. A graph data structure includes nodes, which can represent different devices or online entities, edges that identify mappings between different devices and online entities, as well as traits associated with the devices or entities.
In some cases, querying a graph data structure can involve generating lookup tables that associate traits with groups of related vertices. If the graph data structure is updated, the lookup tables must also be updated to ensure that queries are serviced accurately. But updating such tables involves extensive batch-processing operation that process all nodes and edges of the graph data structure. This batch processing can require extensive computing resources that introduce latency when servicing queries, thereby decreasing the responsiveness of software that relies on the graph data structure.

Data retrieval via incremental updates to graph data structures


An apparatus for protecting and treating teeth including a mouthpiece and storage container is disclosed. The mouthpiece has an arcuate or U-shaped body and is molded from a thin layer of soft, absorbent, and pliable elastomeric material. A continuous U-shaped channel is dimensioned for receiving the upper teeth of a user and is formed in the body in a location adjacent its periphery for a length coextensive with the U-shaped periphery of the body. The body has an integral center portion which arches upwardly from the U-shaped channel to conform to the similarly upwardly arched or convex form of the roof of the mouth or palate of the mouthpiece user. The U-shaped channel may be enclosed and filled with encapsulated setting materials to form a permanent, form-fitting dental impression for the upper teeth of the user. A medicated pad may be adhesively positioned over the enclosed channel to relieve sore gums and teeth. The storage container is constructed of rigid polymeric material and has a U-shape complementary to that of the mouthpiece for receiving the mouthpiece and a treating fluid having sterilizing, mouth-refreshing, and medicating ingredients to soak the mouthpiece therein between uses.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to oral protective and treatment devices, and more particularly to an apparatus including a mouthpiece and a storage container for use in the prevention of teeth gnashing or gritting, the formation and build-up of decay-causing film on the teeth, as well as preventing the generation of unpleasant mouth odors and tastes commonly described as "morning mouth".
2. Description of the Prior Art
Grinding or gnashing of the teeth is a surprisingly common occurrence during sleeping. Since it is done instinctively and subconsciously, it is almost impossible to control. Accordingly, no effective devices are presently known to prevent and overcome this problem. Further, build-up of decay-causing film on the teeth and the related production of undesirable morning breath odors and mouth tastes also occur during the average sleeping period of eight hours. In the past, the treatment for this condition was brushing and rinsing with a mouthwash prior to retiring for the night. While this treatment causes some reduction of film build-up and mouth odors and tastes, its effectiveness is time limited, i.e. not adequate to be effective for the entire sleeping period to virtually eliminate the undesirable film build-up and mouth odors and tastes.
Various oral protective and treatment devices have been utilized in the prior art. However, the uses for these devices are primarily related to blow protection in contact sports and in conjunction with testing devices for analyzing the composition of breath samples. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,916 to Wolicki sets forth a protective mouthpiece for use in contact sports. The mouthpiece has a U-shaped base member which is formed of a soft and flexible elastomeric material and is provided with a channel to receive the upper teeth. A self-setting elastomer filler may be placed in the channel to form a permanent dental impression therein which bonds to the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,091 to Lerman discloses another mouthpiece for use in contact sports which is U-shaped and formed of elastomeric material and has a tubular body filled with a shock-absorbing fluid to protect the teeth. The fluid may be settable to provide a permanent record of the relationship between upper and lower occlusal surfaces of the teeth at initial contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,591 to Burroughs illustrates a mouthpiece used in conjunction with a breath testing device. The mouthpiece includes two elements, one element being a cup-shaped element having a wide open end for receiving the mouth of the user, and the other element comprising a stem inserted in the opposite end of the cup and connectable to an inlet of a testing device. Both elements are constructed of polymeric material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,978 to Guth illustrates another mouthpiece for use with a breath analyzing instrument comprising a hollow, dome-shaped housing formed of polymeric material and constructed in two parts which are permanently bonded together. A plurality of oppositely angled partitions are provided within the housing to direct the breath of a user along a serpentine path to remove any foreign matter, saliva, and/or water vapor from the breath prior to its entry into the analyzing instrument.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved oral protective and treatment device in the form of a mouthpiece and storage container which addresses both the problems of ease of use, portability, and effectiveness in construction, and in this respect, the present invention fulfills this need.

Custom fitted mouthpiece with medicated pad and container


A motor driven by pressure medium supplied from an external pressure source. The motor comprises a motor casing with a working chamber, a stator pail which forms an axial supply pipe for supply of pressure medium to the working chamber, a rotor part which is rotatably mounted on the stator part and eccentrically arranged in the working chamber, the rotor part and the stator being provided with inlet ports for supply of pressure medium to the working chamber, a hinge part mounted on the rotor part and provided with a pivotably mounted piston which divides the working chamber into a pressure chamber and a discharge chamber, and a constantly open discharge opening which is arranged in the wall of the motor easing from the discharge chamber through which the medium is discharged.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,337 and GB 1 578 644 disclose 4-stroke internal combustion engines. In both cases the engines are equipped with a rotor part which is rotatable in a circular cavity in the motor casing about an axis which is arranged concentrically to the motor casing's main axis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,337 four working chambers are illustrated, the extent of each being limited in a 90 degree area within the rotor part's radial dimension in the motor casing. The working chambers are subjected in turn to each of their four strokes in the internal combustion engine. In each working chamber there works a piston in the form of a flat plate part, each of which is hinged to the rotor part. The plate parts are each subjected to forcible swiveling movement forwards and backwards in a limited area in their related working chamber in the rotor part.
GB 1 578 644 illustrates a motor of a similar kind, provided with six working chambers.
The motor according to the invention involves an expansion motor, i.e. a simple single stroke motor, driven by pressure supplied by a pressure medium such as gas, air, steam or hydraulics. By means of a piston the rotor part is set in rotation, generating motive power from an outgoing drive shaft in extension of the rotor part. In a known per se manner the rotor part is rotatable about an axis that is eccentrically located in the motor casing, thus enabling the rotor part in a restricted area on the rotor part's periphery to form rotating sealing abutment against the motor casing's inner wall, while remaining areas of the rotor's periphery are uncovered against the remaining cavity that forms the actual working chamber. The piston divides the disposable working chamber into a pressure chamber and a discharge chamber by means of the said piston.
NO 107 036 illustrates a single stroke motor with a cylindrical cavity and a rotor part that is eccentrically mounted in a related cavity. The rotor part carries a piston-forming plate part, which by means of a pressure spring is pushed in the rotor's radial direction to sliding support abutment against the cavity's peripheral wall. As a result of the use of a radially movable, piston-forming plate part in the rotor part, the rotor part necessarily occupies a large portion of the motor casing's cavity, with the result that the volume of the working chamber is severely limited with correspondingly limited ability for axial movement for the piston-forming plate part.
WO 03/012259 discloses a single stroke motor with a non-cylindrical cavity in the motor casing. In the motor casing a cylindrical rotor part is rotatably mounted which forms the motor's piston and which is provided with rotational power from applied pressure medium. In addition, in the motor casing one end of a plate part is pivot-mounted, which is arranged to be pivoted with the opposite end inwards towards the rotor part in order to form a sealing abutment against the rotating rotor part, controlled by the pressure force in the pressure medium. The plate part is curved in the longitudinal direction, thus enabling it when pivoting backwards and forwards in the motor casing's cavity to form sliding sealing abutment against the rotor part. The plate part uncovers and covers a radially outer port opening for supply of pressure medium to the motor's pressure chamber, while the rotor part similarly covers and uncovers a radially inwardly located port opening for draining discharge medium from the discharge chamber. With its cylindrical peripheral surface, the piston-forming rotor part, which is cylindrical in shape, provides poor utilisation of the energy supplied to the motor. In addition, the solution requires a working chamber with a complicated shape, i.e. an approximate figure-of-eight shape. Moreover, the relatively large dimensions employed for the rotor part and for the plate part provide a relatively poor utilisation of the working chamber's volume.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simpler and more efficient solution than that derived from WO 03/012259, which represents the most obvious state of the art.

Motor driven by pressure medium supplied from an external pressure source


The subject invention relates generally to a golf bag which can be used to carry one or more golf clubs and/or other golf related items. The subject golf bag can be attached to a standard golf bag, for example mounted to a golf cart. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention pertains to a collapsible golf bag which can be significantly reduced in size when not in use, allowing the collapsible golf bag to be carried or stored in a smaller space such as a tote bag or pocket on another golf bag.

Many golfers ride a cart when playing golf. Managers of golf courses prefer that there be two people in one cart and two carts in one group. In golf course management, time is money because revenues are based on the number of golfers that will fit into the tee time slots. A group of golfers typically tee off every 10 minutes or so, and finish in approximately four hours. Courses have starters making sure golfers start on time. They may also have rangers to monitor the golfers and to make sure there are no delays in the procession of players across the entire course. The management can maximize revenues if they can fill these tee time slots and have players finish on time. Slow play has been the bane of cart playing golfers since the surge in golf's popularity.
Motorized cart golf has become a slower game. This is because two golfers are joined together by onegolf cart, making it difficult to move independently from one another. Unfortunately, the majority of golfers don't strike the ball down the middle of the fairway all the time. This would make riding in one cart more practical. Instead, the ball is often struck away from the center of the fairway. As a result, cart golfers tend to drive a zigzag pattern from one side of the fairway to the other chasing each other's shot.
Sometimes, conscientious golfers realize that they can "break away" from their playing partner by grabbing a collection of clubs needed to advance the ball to the hole. This speeds up the pace of golf. When a golfer walks independently from the cart, by necessity, the golfer often has to carry more than one club. If a golfer's intention is to finish the hole in this manner, at the minimum the golfer often has to carry at least two clubs, the putter and one other to advance the ball. It is not uncommon to see golfers carrying many clubs. Each shot requires a different club, depending upon which part of the fairway the golfer decides to play. This creates the added burden to the golfer who may have to carry four or more clubs.
There are at least two more situations concerning the transport of golf clubs away from the golf cart. First, a common occurrence after heavy rains or delicate course conditions is restriction of all motorized golf carts to travel only on the cart paths, often referred to as, the Cart Paths Only. In this instance, a method of transporting several clubs from the cart path to the golf ball would be helpful. The golfer can only assume the conditions surrounding the next shot, because the ball is some distance away. Factors such as lie, wind direction, angle to the green, or hazards are often apparent only after arriving to the ball. A prudent golfer would prefer to bring at least two clubs. Again, an issue here is transport, as well as the concern over laying a club down on wet ground, resulting in wet and/or dirty grips.
Another scenario in which one or more clubs need to be transported away from the cart is pitching and chipping. Golf course rules often restrict the presence of golf carts proximate to the greens. For example, golf carts may not be allowed within 50 yards of the green. If the golf ball is clearly resting on the putting green, the putter may be the only club which needs to be pulled from the bag. On the other hand, if the approach shot did not land on the green, the lie, its direction, and relationship to the hole, usually are not clear until the golfer is standing directly over the ball. In addition, it may not be clear how the golfer wants the ball to fly and land on the putting surface, for example, high and soft, low and fast, stop as it lands, or continue rolling towards the hole. The golfer may prefer to choose between several clubs after determining the desired shot selection.
One of golf's foremost experts on the short game, Dave Pelz, had this to say about scoring: "In golf, how you play inside of 100 yards is the prime determinant of how you score." This is the first sentence of the first chapter in his book, Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible. After 23 years of researching the game, studying golfers, and compiling data, Pelz results show that 60% to 65% of all shots occur inside of 100 yards. Pelz recommends that golfers carry a putter and four wedges within one hundred yards of the green. The four wedges include a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, a lob wedge, and an extra lofted wedge. Pelz's goes on to say that if you could develop three types of swings, a full, ¾, and ½ speed swing using the aforementioned clubs, a golfer could have 12 reliable shots from within 100 yards, 4 clubs×3 swings=12. Once a golfer can execute these shots and become more educated, a golfer can significantly improve scoring ability and enjoy the game more. The obstacle facing most golfers attempting to utilize this proven method is that the golfer must have these clubs in hand, carried loosely, around the green until the hole is finished. This is a difficult task and often results in wet dirty grips from having to lay the clubs on the ground or perhaps even lost clubs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a means for transporting one or more golf clubs away from a golf cart. The subject application relates to an apparatus for carrying a plurality of golf clubs and/or golf related items. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention relates to a collapsible golf bag which has a means for connecting to another standard golf bag. The subject invention can allow a golfer to "break away" from their golf cart by allowing the golfer to easily carry one or more clubs needed to advance the ball to the hole. The golf bag of the subject invention can be collapsed to a size for easy carrying or storage. When ready for use, the collapsible golf bag of the subject invention can be expanded to allow the golfer to carry a plurality of clubs to the ball and allow the golfer to complete the shot with the correct club. The subject golf bag can prevent the golfer from having to carry numerous clubs in hand and reduce the risk of leaving clubs on the green. When not in use the collapsible golf bag, for example, can remain attached to, or stored in, the standard golf bag. In this way, the subject golf bag will not impede regular is ready for use when needed. The use of the subject golf bag can speed up the pace of a golf game, reduce the occurrence of lost clubs, and reduce the occurrence of club grips getting wet or dirty when laid on the green.


A method and system for testing a circuit design. The method including generating a simulation model of the circuit design, the circuit design comprising one or more source latches, one or more destination latches and a logic function connected between the source latches and the destination latches; generating a modified simulation model of the simulation model by inserting random skew between an output of each source latch and an input of the logic function only in asynchronous data paths between the source latches and the destination latches of the simulation model; and running the modified simulation model.

Simulation of digital logic circuits is performed is using simulation models. The logic function of logic designs containing asynchronous logic boundaries wherein a signal is launched by a circuit element in a first clock domain and captured by a circuit element in a second clock domain, the first and second clock domains specified to be asynchronous to each other, can not be verified by current simulation models. Simply adding delay to current simulation models cannot be relied on to emulate asynchronous logic behavior because, for example, the delays cannot account for such effects as temperature or voltage shifts. Current simulation models also ignore the possibility of transition glitches between the sending of logic pulses. The problem is further complicated when the digital logic circuit includes both synchronous and asynchronous data paths. Current simulation models do not model circuits with both synchronous and asynchronous data paths correctly.
Therefore, there is a need for a simulation methodology for testing and verifying digital logic circuits having asynchronous logic paths.

Simulation testing of digital logic circuit designs

International Business Machines Corporation


The gain of a folded cascode operational amplifier is enhanced by connecting the current circuits of added compensation transistors to supply the current circuits of pre-existing gain transistors. Changes in the current through the primary gain transistor resulting from a change in the output load produce approximately equal changes in the base currents of both the primary gain and primary compensation transistors. The change in the compensation transistor's base current is transmitted through the amplifier circuitry to supply the change in the gain transistor's base current, rather than forcing a change in the input voltage differential to supply this current. The differential input signal is thus less sensitive to changes in the output, resulting in higher transconductance and gain. Providing a similar compensation loop for a second gain transistor through the second compensation transistor produces a circuit balance that lowers both the circuit's offset voltage, and the temperature dependence of the offset voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to operational amplifiers (op amps), and more particularly to a gain enhancement that is particularly useful for low voltage, single supply op amps.
2. Description of the Related Art
Amplifiers are being designed to work with lower and lower supply voltages. Whereas in the past positive and negative 15 volt supplies ("rails") were typical, amplifiers are presently being designed to work with +5 volt and ground rails, and even +3 volt and ground rails. A primary reason for the steady reduction in power supply levels is the need for lower power dissipation in battery powered electronic devices, such as laptop computers and cellular telephones.
An improved operational amplifier circuit is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,984 by the present inventor, "JFET Active Load Input Stage", which provides improvements in both common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and common mode voltage range (CMVR), and also is less likely to go into saturation or cut-off states during high slew rates. The circuit is known as a "folded cascode" operational amplifier, and has been used successfully in numerous applications. However, it has a limited transconductance (defined as the change in output current for a given change in input voltage), which limits the amplifier's gain and thereby makes it less useful for low voltage, single supply applications than it might otherwise be.

Folded cascode operational amplifier with gain enhancing base current compensation


Restocking cards with machine readable tags are placed on article packaging in a supply room. When an employee wishes to order an article, the employee removes the restocking card from the article packaging and presents the restocking card to a container equipped with a machine readable tag reader. The machine readable tag of the restocking card enables the container to generate an order for a predefined quantity of the identified article. The order is sent to a central stock server which processes the order and sends it to the appropriate fulfillment server.

Facilities like storage rooms in hospitals, fast food chains, retail store chains, logistics centers, group of purchasing organizations and the like use large quantities of consumable articles on a daily basis and thus constantly need to track the status of such consumable articles and make sure sufficient quantities of each product are ordered on time so that these articles are always available when needed.
In many cases, the consumable articles are stocked in a plurality of supply rooms in the facility (or in individual retail stores and the like) where they are readily available for use. Those articles are usually not controlled on a per "item level" but on a bulk level, and the usage of the individual article is not reported to the information systems, for example, a package of 100 napkins (or 40 toilet paper rolls) as opposed to tracking napkins or toilet paper rolls individually. As a result, not having usage information for an article can create a situation in which the store room faces Out Of Stock (OOS) situations for an article, including sometimes of critical articles. In order to avoid OOS, the organization typically needs to spend considerable time in counting and creating complex and inefficient reporting mechanisms for inventory control and on-time reordering. The daily counting or replenishment requests are usually sent to the organization's central storage area or logistics center for replenishment. A central supply room (or central storage area) may receive all the orders fulfilled by the different suppliers. The orders are then dispatched from the central supply room/center to the different supply rooms, retail stores etc.

System and method for managing inventory of consumable articles


A wristworn receiving device suitable for being worn about a wrist comprises a receiver (404) for receiving radio frequency signals on a particular operating frequency, a housing (142) for enclosing the receiver (404), a first wristband section (102) including a first wristband loop antenna portion (118) and a movable clasp member (122), and a second wristband section (104) including a second wristband loop antenna portion (134) terminated in a fixed clasp member (140). The first (118) and second (134) wristband loop antenna portions are partially resonated at the operating frequency. The second wristband loop antenna portion (134) is coupled to the first wristband loop antenna portion (118) and is positioned by the movable clasp member (122) at first (204) and second (202 or 206) positions along the first wristband loop antenna portion (118) so as to form a resonant loop antenna which remains substantially tuned to the operating frequency at the first (204) and second (202 or 206 ) positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of loop antennas, and more particularly to adjustable wristband loop antennas for wristworn receiving devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent advances in miniaturization of receiver components have made possible the development of wristworn receiving devices, such as wristworn pagers. Various antenna configurations have been developed using loop antennas which have been located within the wristband of the wristworn receiving device. Examples of such wristband antennas are as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,285 issued to Robitaille and U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,656 issued to Dickey illustrate loop antennas suitable for use in expansion type wristbands. U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,808 issued to Gaskill illustrates a basic wristband loop antenna configuration, which presumably requires retuning for different wrist sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,260 issued to Gaskill illustrates a wristband loop antenna which presumably must be cut to adjust the length and the corresponding resonance of the antenna to fit the wearer's wrist. U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,614 issued to Kurcbart illustrates an apparatus for adjusting the length of a single segment loop antenna while automatically compensating for the antenna tuning. And U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,527 issued to Tan illustrates a combination ferrite loop and wristband loop antenna arrangement. Such antennas, as described above, are generally suitable for use only at lower operating frequencies, such as below approximately 170 Megahertz. As the operating frequency is increased, such loop antennas can become more difficult to tune, become more directional, and become more difficult to provide an impedance match to the RF amplifier. There is a need to provide a wristband loop antenna structure which is capable of overcoming the deficiencies described above for operating at frequencies in excess of 170 Megahertz.


A process for selectively converting a dialkyl ether to the corresponding alkene and alkanol comprises contacting a feed containing at least one dialkyl ether with a catalyst comprising a mixed metal oxide which comprises at least one metal selected from Group 4 of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least one metal selected from Group 3 (including the Lanthanides and Actinides) and Group 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements.

The conversion of ethers to their corresponding alkenes and alkanols is an important reaction in a number of commercial processes. Thus, for example, this reaction is used to remove ethers, such as isopropyl ether, produced as the by-products of other processes, such as the hydration of propylene to produce isopropanol. In addition, an important route for the production of tertiary olefins involves reaction of mixed olefins with an alcohol over an acid catalyst to selectively produce a tertiary alkyl ether, separation of the ether from the remaining olefin stream, and then decomposition of the ether to the desired tertiary olefin. This latter process relies on the fact that tertiary olefins react with alcohols more rapidly than either secondary or primary olefins and hence provides an effective method for extracting tertiary olefins, such as isobutene and isoamylene, from a mixed olefin stream. For the purposes of this invention, a tertiary olefin or isoolefin will be understood to be an olefin containing at least one carbon atom that is covalently bonded to three other carbon atoms.
One commercial process for the selective decomposition of ethers, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,073 and employs a fluoride-treated clay, such as hydrofluoric acid (HF) treated attapulgite (HFA), as the catalyst. The process is typically operated at a starting temperature of about 340° F. (170° C.) but, since the catalyst loses its activity rapidly, run times are normally very short and the temperature has to be increased during the run to a final value of about 380° F. (193° C.) in order to maintain a constant MTBE conversion, typically around 90%. In fact, the cycle length of the HFA catalyst normally ranges from only a few weeks to 30+ days, which is a major disadvantage in that the loss of catalyst activity results in considerable losses in production time and leads to high catalyst replacement and disposal costs. Moreover, the relatively high temperatures required by the HFA catalyst tends to increase the concentration of impurities such as dimethyl ether (DME) and isobutane in the product, as well as promoting side reactions, for example, diisobutylene dehydrocyclization and isobutene oligomerization and polymerization, that lead to fouling of the catalyst.
Other solid acids have been proposed for the selective decomposition of tert-alkyl ethers to tertiary olefins. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,290 describes the use of solid acids such as SiO2/Al2O3, WO3/Al2O3, H2SO4-treated clay and acidic ion-exchange resins as catalysts for the decomposition of tert-alkyl ether alkanols. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,320,232 and 4,521,638, phosphoric acid on various supports is described as a catalyst suitable for the decomposition of tert-butyl alkyl ethers to isobutene and alcohols. The use of silica supported aluminum compounds as catalysts for the decomposition of alkyl tert-alkyl ethers is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,051, whereas intermediate pore zeolites, such as ZSM-5 are employed for this purpose in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,147.
An extensive discussion of catalysts for, and the mechanism of, the conversion of MTBE to isobutene is provided in an article entitled "Production D'Isobutene de Haute Puretépar Décomposition du MTBE" by P. B. Meunier et al. in Revue de L'Institut Francais du Petrole, vol. 46, No. 3, May 19991, pages 361 to 387. This document mentions the use of sulfonic resins, supported phosphoric acid, zeolites, silico-aluminas and modified silico-aluminas as catalysts for MTBE decomposition. According to this document, side-reactions can be limited by controlling the surface of the catalyst, its activity and the presence of impurities that can increase or decrease the catalyst acidity.
It is also known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,785, to employ calcium-exchanged zeolite Y as a catalyst in the conversion of dialkyl ethers to olefins. However, although pilot plant studies indicated that this catalyst would have a significantly lower aging rate than the HFA catalyst, the improved performance of the Ca—Y catalyst has to date never been achievable on a commercial scale.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,301 describes a two-step method for separating isobutylene from a C4 hydrocarbon fraction comprising (a) contacting the C4 fraction containing isobutylene with a glycol in the presence of a catalyst comprising a heteropoly acid on an inert support at a temperature of about 60° C. to 160° C. thereby reacting the isobutylene with the glycol to yield a glycol mono-t-butyl ether, and subsequently (b) reacting the glycol mono-t-butyl ether over the heteropoly acid on an inert support at a temperature of 150° C. to 220° C. to produce the separated isobutylene. Suitable heteropoly acids include 12-tungstophosphoric acid, 12-molybdophosphoric acid, molybdosilicic acid and 12-tungstosilicic acid on an inert support, such as silica, alumina, titania and zirconia.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,920 describes a process for obtaining a tertiary olefin, e.g. isobutylene, by decomposing the corresponding ether, e.g. methyl tert-butyl ether, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a silica support modified by the addition of at least one element or selected from the group constituted by rubidium, cesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, gallium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and uranium and optionally by the addition of at least one element selected from the group constituted by aluminum, titanium and zirconium. Modification of the silica support is effected by impregnating the support with at least one aqueous solution (or a solution in at least one appropriate solvent) containing the modifying element or elements it is desired to introduce.
Japanese Published Patent Application No. JP-A-06072904, published Mar. 15, 1994, describes a process for obtaining a tertiary olefin by decomposing the corresponding alkyl tert-alkyl ether over a catalyst composition having the formula SiaAlbZrcXdOe where X is an element selected from sodium, potassium, cesium, cerium, zinc, magnesium and calcium; a, b, c, d and e are the atomic ratios of their respective elements and when a is 1, b is 0.01–1, c is 0.001–1, d is 0.001–1 and e designates the number of oxygen atoms necessary to satisfy the valence of the other components.
In addition, Japanese Published Patent Application No. JP-A-59010528, published Jan. 20, 1984, describes a process for thermally decomposing a tertiary ether to a tertiary olefin in the presence of a titanium or zirconium oxide catalyst containing 0.1 to 20 wt % of SO4 groups. The catalyst activity is said to be high even at low temperatures thereby allowing co-production of the corresponding alcohol with negligible etherification.
It has now been found that certain mixed metal oxides comprising at least one metal from Group 4 of the Periodic Table of Elements, at least one metal from Group 3 (including the Lanthanides and Actinides) and Group 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements, and optionally at least one metal from Groups 7, 8, and 11 of the Periodic Table of Elements exhibit both high selectivity and long catalyst lifetime when used as ether decomposition catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,892 discloses a zirconium/cerium mixed oxide having a specific surface area of greater than 10 m2/g. The mixed oxide is produced by intimately admixing a zirconium sol with a cerium sol, wherein the ratio of the mean diameter r1 of the particles of the zirconium sol to the mean diameter r2 of the particles of the cerium sol is at least 5, adding a precipitating amount of a base, such as aqueous ammonia, sodium hydroxide, or potassium hydroxide to the mixture, recovering the precipitate thus formed and calcining the precipitate at a temperature of 700 to 1,000° C. The mixed oxide is said to be useful as a catalyst or catalyst support for carrying out a variety of reactions, such as dehydration, hydrosulfurization, hydrodenitrification, desulfurization, hydrodesulfurization, dehydrohalogenation, reforming, steam reforming, cracking, hydrocracking, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, isomerization, dismutation, oxychlorination, dehydrocyclization of hydrocarbons or other organic compounds, oxidation and/or reduction reactions, the Claus reaction, treatment of exhaust gases emanating from internal combustion engines, demetallation, methanation or shift conversion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,299 discloses a cerium- and zirconium-based mixed oxide containing sulfur, which is said to be active as an exhaust gas purification catalyst and which comprises 50 to 79% by weight cerium oxide, 20 to 49% by weight zirconium oxide and 1 to 5% by weight sulfate (SO4). In Example 1, the mixed oxide was produced by dispersing cerous sodium sulfate double salt (containing 75 g as cerium oxide) in 1,000 g of water and adding an aqueous solution of zirconium nitrate (containing 25 g as zirconium oxide). Then, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide was added until the pH of the mixture became 13.5, whereby a precipitate was obtained. This precipitate was separated from the mixture and heated in the air at 600° C. for 5 hours. Analysis showed the resultant mixed oxide to contain 73.9% by weight cerium oxide, 24.1% by weight zirconium oxide and 2.0% by weight sulfate.
International Patent Publication No. WO 03/37506, published May 8, 2003, discloses a promoter or catalyst support for an automobile exhaust gas system comprising a zirconium-cerium-based mixed oxide produced by reacting an alkali with an aqueous solution of a zirconium salt containing 0.42–0.7 mole of sulfate anion per mole of zirconium cation at a temperature not greater than 50° C. in the presence of a cerium salt to form a mixed cerium-zirconium hydroxide and then calcining the hydroxide at a temperature of 500 to 1000° C., such as 650 to 850° C.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,232 discloses a tungsten-modified zirconia catalyst produced by coprecipitating zirconia with an anion or oxyanion of tungsten in the presence of ammonium sulfate to obtain a sulfate-containing product, steaming the sulfate-containing product; recovering the sulfate-containing product by filtration, washing the product with water in order to remove the sulfate ions and calcining the product to produce a catalyst that is essentially free of sulfate ions. The catalyst is said to be active in the isomerization of paraffins.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,757 discloses a synthesis of a solid acid containing zirconium, in addition to a rare earth element, such as cerium, useful for isomerization of paraffins, ring opening of cyclics, hydrocracking, alkylation, hydrogenation of polynuclear aromatics, selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen peroxides, and oligomerization of light olefins.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,406 discloses a process for producing phenol and acetone from cumene hydroperoxide, in which cumene hydroperoxide is contact with a solid acid catalyst comprising a mixed oxide of cerium and a Group IVB metal.


The present invention is for a vehicle having an air bag system for impact restraint. The air bag system includes a gas emitting inflator for emitting inflation gas upon receiving a signal of an impact, a fill tube having a fill end in fluid communication with the inflator to port the inflation gas from the inflator, and an air bag cushion in fluid communication with the fill tube to receive the inflation gas from the fill tube and deployable in an interior space adjacent to a seat upon the impact. The air bag system also includes a tether operable to both a restricted and unrestricted length in conjunction with a dual depth mechanism. The air bag system may further include a vent operable to both an open and a closed state in conjunction with the dual depth mechanism.

Air bags are a known safety device installed in vehicles today. For supplemental occupant protection during a collision, air bags may be used. Air bag packaging is a continuing challenge. The need to position the air bag such that it will be deployable in the desired space must be reconciled with spatial constraints imposed by other vehicle componentry. For instance, frontal air bags are traditionally installed in the hub of the steering wheel for the driver and in a recess of the instrument panel for the front seat passenger. This allows the air bags to fill the space between the passenger and the front interior of the vehicle upon deployment in a frontal collision.
Frontal passenger air bag modules are relatively large and may drive larger than desired instrument panels from an interior volume stand point. Vehicle designers are exploring ways to provide more interior space for the passengers. One means is to design an "open cockpit", which could benefit from packaging the frontal air bag in a non-traditional location that is not within the instrument panel.
In addition, the art continues to investigate alternative ways to deploy air bags.


The present invention relates to operating a biopsy unit. In order to provide an enhanced and facilitated way of controlling a biopsy unit, a control device (10) for controlling a biopsy unit is provided that comprises a support structure (12) with a housing (14), and a user interface unit (16) with a plurality of control elements (18). The control elements are configured to control the movement of a biopsy needle device along at least three moving direction lines. At least two of the moving direction lines are aligned to axes of a Cartesian coordinate system (20) and one moving direction line is aligned to a needle axis direction (22) of an elongated needle device of the biopsy unit, the needle axis direction being inclined to at least one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. For each moving direction line, the housing is provided with a surface portion (24, 26, 28) that is aligned with a respective one of the moving direction lines. The control element for each moving direction line is arranged on the housing on a respective one of the surface portions; the control element for the movement along the needle axis direction being provided on an inclined surface portion (28) that is aligned with the inclined needle axis direction.

Biopsy is used in relation with breast examinations, and in particular with mammography interventions. For mammography breast biopsy procedures, a biopsy needle is controlled by a user, for example via control buttons, to adjust the needle coordinates. For example, control buttons are provided for three axes of a Cartesian coordinate system. However, it has been shown that mammography breast biopsy procedures, for example, are stressful situations. Further, an increasing use of inclined needle positions exists, for example in combination with X-ray imaging systems that lead to certain space restrictions. Thus, the user is faced with a more complex situation with regards to the operation of the biopsy system.