A process cartridge includes: an image bearing body; a brush member; a brush holder member; and a tension imparting portion. The image bearing body bears an image on its surface. The brush member removes deposits adhered to the surface of the image bearing body. The brush holder member extends along a longitudinal direction of the image bearing body and holds the brush member. The tension imparting portion imparts tension to the brush holder member in the longitudinal direction thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming device such as a laser printer and a process cartridge that is installed therein.
2. Description of Related Art
A process cartridge is installed in an image-forming device such as a laser printer. The process cartridge has components such as a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum based on image data. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing roller. The photosensitive drum and the developing roller are disposed facing each other, and are driven in rotation in predetermined directions. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum is developed into a toner image by toner supplied from the developing roller, when facing the developing roller. This toner image is then transferred to paper that is fed in between the photosensitive drum and the transfer roller, when the toner image faces the transfer roller that is disposed facing the photosensitive drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,735 B1 has proposed a paper dust removal device. The paper dust removal device is located in a process cartridge on the downstream side of the transfer roller in the direction of rotation of the photosensitive drum. The paper dust removal device removes paper dust that adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum after the transfer. The paper dust removal device includes: a brush member formed from a sheet on which fibers are embedded, for scraping off the paper dust; and a conductive plate that holds the brush member thereon. The conductive plate is fastened by a screw onto a frame that supports the photosensitive drum. The brush member rubs against the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Process cartridge and image-forming device with brush holder member


An acousto-optic modulator includes an acousto-optic bulk medium. A transducer is attached to the acousto-optic bulk medium and formed as a linear array of electrodes. A transducer driver is connected to each electrode and comprises a plurality of amplifiers connected to the electrodes such that each electrode is driven by a respective amplifier as a means to provide a low cost alternative to the use of higher power hybrid amplifiers in conventional AO device applications.

Acousto-optic modulators, sometimes referred to as Bragg cells, diffract and shift light using sound waves at radio frequency. These devices are often used for Q-switching, signal modulation in telecommunications systems, laser scanning and beam intensity control, frequency shifting, and wavelength filtering in spectroscopy systems. Many other applications lend themselves to using acousto-optic devices.
In such acousto-optic devices, a piezoelectric transducer, sometimes also referred to as an RF transducer, is secured to an acousto-optic bulk medium as a transparent optical material, for example, fused silica, quartz or similar glass material. An electric RF signal oscillates and drives the transducer to vibrate and create sound waves within the transparent medium which effect the properties of an optical field in the medium via the photo elastic effect, in which a modulating strain field of an ultrasonic wave is coupled to an index of refraction for the acousto-optic bulk medium. As a result, the refractive index change in amplitude is proportional to that of sound.
The index of refraction is changed by moving periodic planes of expansion and compression in the acousto-optic bulk material. Incoming light scatters because of the resulting periodic index modulation and interference, similar to Bragg diffraction.
A piezoelectric transducer can create the sound waves and the light beam is diffracted into several orders. It is possible to vibrate a bulk medium with a sinusoid signal and tilt the acousto-optic modulator such that light is reflected from flat sound waves into a first diffraction order to result in a high deflection efficiency.
In acousto-optic devices, light can usually be controlled by: 1) deflection, 2) intensity, 3) frequency, 4) phase, and 5) polarization.
In acousto-optic systems using deflection, a diffracted beam emerges at an angle depending on the wavelength of the light relative to the wavelength from the sound. When controlling light by intensity, however, the amount of light diffracted by sound depends on the intensity of the sound to modulate the intensity of the light in the diffracted beam. With frequency control over the light, the frequency of the diffracted beam is Doppler-shifted by an amount equal to the frequency of the sound wave, as compared to Bragg diffraction, in which light is scattered from moving planes. The frequency shift can also occur because the energy and momentum of photons and phonons is conserved. Frequency shifts can vary from as little as 20 MHz to as much as 400 MHz or with even greater ranges in some cases. Two acoustic waves can travel in opposite directions in the material and create a standing waves which does not shift the frequency. In systems controlling light using phase, the diffracted beam can be shifted by the phase of the sound wave. In systems controlling light by polarization, collinear transversal acoustic waves are perpendicular along longitudinal waves to change polarization. Thus, there could occur a birefringent phase-shift.
Acousto-optic modulators are preferred in many applications because they are faster than tiltable mirrors and other mechanical devices. The time it takes for the acousto-optic modulator to shift an exiting optical beam is limited to the transit time of the sound wave. The acousto-optic modulators are often used in Q-switches where a laser produces a pulsed output beam at high peak power, typically in the Gigawatt range. This output could be higher than lasers operating a continuous wave (CW) or constant output mode.
Examples of acousto-optic modulator devices and similar acousto-optic systems are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,256,362; 5,923,460; 6,320,989; 6,487,324; 6,538,690; 6,765,709; and 6,870,658, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Conventional acousto-optic devices typically rely on the use of large and costly hybrid output radio frequency (RF) amplifiers to provide the requisite drive power necessary for use in operation of the device. Usually a higher supply voltage is applied in order to accommodate the requisite output intercept point of the hybrid output radio frequency amplifiers. This results in the use of additional and/or more costly power supplies to meet both the integrated circuit (IC) and radio frequency amplifier requirements.
In other applications of conventional acousto-optic devices, the designs typically incorporate one or more monolithic piezoelectric platelets, which are bonded to the bulk medium for launching an ultrasonic strain field into the bulk medium. In some examples, a low compliance alloy bond fuses the two components together providing an interface, which results in lower acoustic losses, while accommodating broadband impedance matching between the platelet and the optical, bulk medium. The combination of different coefficient-of-thermal expansion (CTE) for the platelet and optical medium, coupled by the low compliance interface, may lead to stress causing localized shear CTE expansion mismatch induced fracture and failure of large platelet acousto-optic devices subjected to extended temperature conditions. These extended temperature conditions may occur both in a non-operable state, i.e., at a survivability storage temperature, or in some cases as a result of high-level signal conditions.
Some critical applications using acousto-optic devices modulate the intensity of an optical beam. This modulation can create small deviations in the output angle of the diffracted beam because of the local thermal transients introduced when the RF modulation waveform to the device is turned ON and OFF. These thermal transients can negatively impact the resolution of the focused spot, which can be produced.

Low cost system and method that implements acousto-optic (AO) RF signal excitation


The illumination device comprises a housing, a lampholder, a reflector and an electric lamp having a base rigidly connected to its light-diffusing lamp vessel. A light source within the lamp vessel is disposed substantially coaxially with an optical axis of the reflector. The reflector is polygonal in cross sections transverse to its axis and shapes the light generated into a beam, the intensity of which increases from I.sub.o along the optical axis to a value of 105 to 130% thereof at an angle of 5 to 25% to the axis. Scenes illuminated by the device yield evenly exposed photo, film and video images.

The invention relates to an illumination device comprising:
a housing, PA1 a lamp holder and a concave reflector having an optical axis in the housing; PA1 an electric lamp comprising a light-diffusing lamp vessel and light source inside the lamp vessel, arranged inside the reflector and substantially coaxial with the reflector; PA1 a lamp cap securely connected to the lamp vessel and accommodated in the lamp holder.
The invention also relates to a capped lamp/reflector unit suitable for use in this device.
Such a device is known from EP 0 168 016A. The known device is designed for use as a portable mine illumination device. Its electric lamp has an outer bulb which scatters light just as, or instead of the lamp vessel.
Without a light-scattering lamp vessel and/or outer bulb, the lamp in conjunction with the reflector would give a narrow light beam with a high intensity in the beam centre and a quick intensity decrease at small angles to the centre. If an envelope having a light-scattering surface obtained by sandblasting or chemical etching is used, the intensity in the beam centre is much lower and the intensity initially decreases slowly from the centre, and later more quickly. The beam as a result is much wider. A larger surface can be illuminated with the beam, but less brightly. A further intensification of these effects is obtained through the use of a second light-scattering envelope.
A disadvantage of an envelope frosted by sandblasting, and similarly of such an envelope frosted chemically, is that the frosting causes some reduction of the luminous flux, approximately 5 to 6 percents, as a result of light absorption.
Light-scattering means are also used in commercially available illumination devices of the construction described and designed for making video registrations. Thus, devices are known in which the luminous window of the reflector is covered by a frosted pane; other devices have reflectors whose concave surface is rough.
Light-scattering means not only yield a wider beam of a lower intensity in the centre thereof and a gradual decrease of this intensity outside the centre, but also a greater rotational symmetry of the beam. Deviations in the rotational symmetry of the lamp itself, for example, owing to a current supply conductor which runs alongside the light source, are reduced by such means, while the evenness of the beam is increased. A screen illuminated with such a beam has an illuminated field which is to a considerable degree rotationally symmetrical. The illuminated field has an illuminance which is very even, not only as regards rotational symmetry, but also diametrically: a comparatively high illuminance in the centre and a gradual decrease therefrom towards the outer edge.
The known illumination devices, however, have the disadvantage that video, film, or photographic shots of a poor illumination quality are obtained when these devices are used, in spite of the evenness of the beam formed by these devices and the even illumination of the field covered by this beam.

Illumination device and luminaire for use therein


By means of an extended nozzle head having several excentrical nozzle receptions although the cutting oxygen is in line with the cutting jet bores, rotation of the nozzle head or of the total lower part of the burner can bring the working cutting nozzle into correspondence with a determined cutting line; being manifold equipped the thickness of a sample slice can be between two cutting nozzles selected by rotation or a spare nozzle can be put into operation quickly in case of breakdown. The nozzles for sample cutting or replacement are covered behind a protection plate against splash and flames. The protection plate can serve as well as a guide for a save pilot flame. The flexible connection of the adjustable burner and its gas supply is performed by metallic piping accordingly shaped and dimensioned.

To heat, weld, oxy-cut and scarf in steelworks, ship yards, steel construction and machine building factories, burners are used which consist of a shaft tube and centrally inserted scarfing, heating or cutting nozzle. The burner head carrying the nozzle is supplied with heating gas, heating oxygen, possibly air and cutting oxygen by pipes going through an uncooled or cooled shaft tube. From there these gases flow into the screwed-in or clamped-in nozzle, to be brought into the proper mixture and exit velocity and to burn after the exit with the wanted heating efficiency or to exit as a well-formed cutting jet to separate work pieces of steel by burning with a suitable advance. This applies as well for heating and welding burners without a cutting oxygen jet, or with a softer and larger volume scarfing jet instead a cutting jet for scarfing burners to machine off steel surfaces with oxygen and gas.
When cutting thicker and warmer work pieces of steel, i.e. when separating billets, blooms and slabs in steel mills, especially for separation of hot continuously moving steel strands produces in continuous casting, requirements come up, which can only be answered with difficulties and incompletely by applying several or replacing commonly used burners in an operation interrupting manner.
Part of them is the occasionally added separation of test slices for quality control of the cast material. To improve the cutting efficiency, to avoid deformations or metallurgical changes sometimes additional heat is applied to the material to be cut by additional burners respectively nozzles.
During long lasting processes such as cutting or scarfing the cutting, scarfing and also the heating nozzles have to be replaced in rather short intervals because of wear and pollution by flying cutting slag and sparks.
In all three aforementioned cases, the main burner respectively main burners resp. their nozzles have to be replaced or exchanged, which is costly and difficult.

Long life and multipurpose high performance burner


A method and apparatus for evaluating the flowability of a core-forming material in which an airborne core-forming material is blown downwardly into a first, downwardly extending, long and confining passageway for a predetermined time, and the airborne core-forming material is allowed to escape the first long, confining passageway by diverting it into a short, transverse passageway, and further diverting it into a second, upwardly extending confining passageway, and the flowability of the core-forming material is evaluated from the quantity of core-forming material that has entered the second, upwardly extending confining passageway.

The testing of core-forming materials is an important part of foundry operations. Core breakage is a common phenomena in foundry practice, and the ability to compare the performance of various core sands and core sand-resin mixtures and to predict, in advance, core sand and core sand mixtures that will provide unacceptable performance is obviously beneficial. There are several test methods that are used to evaluate the ability of core sand and core sand mixtures to produce reliable cores. Several of the test methods used in the past to evaluate core-forming materials include the core tensile or dog bone method, the transverse disk, and the transverse load method in which cores 1″×1″×8″ (2.54 cm×2.54 cm×20.32 cm) are formed for testing. Such testing methods include testing of core strength, in which cores are made and broken in a transverse mode, core deflection, which is a measure of how much a core bends before breaking, which relates to core breakage attributed to core brittleness, core sand flowability, which evaluates the ease with which a prepared core-forming materials flow when blown into a core box, and core shrinkage, which relates to the ability of core sand mixtures to provide reliable casting dimensions.
The flowability of core sand mixtures is an important characteristic in the production of reliable cores. Core sand flowability is affected by a variety of variables, such as sand temperature, sand shape and size, resin percentage, and core additive types and amounts The ever-thinning core sections needed for modern castings make it especially important to determine the ease or difficulty with which a prepared core-forming material moves. How easily a prepared core sand mixture flows is important to good core formation, core density and strength. In the manufacturing of cores, prepared core sands must frequently flow downwardly, laterally, and then upwardly, to fill some small core area. An example of such requirements includes a water core jacket for an engine block head. The ability to determine in advance how well a core sand, core-sand-resin mixture, or other core-forming material will reliably produce a given core is important in choosing the right resin system or the right sand, or resin-sand mixture for use in production.
In the past, core sand flowability has been measured with a core box having a spiral core-forming passageway, and the flowability of core-forming materials in this system was measured by the distance core sand or core sand mixtures or other core-forming materials traveled down the spiral. While the results obtained with this prior core sand flowability test method were usable, a flowability testing method and apparatus that more closely represents what happens in actual production operations is desired.

Method and apparatus for evaluating the flowability of core forming materials

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC


Methods and structures and methods of designing structures for charge dissipation in an integrated circuit on an SOI substrate. A first structure includes a charge dissipation ring around a periphery of the integrated circuit chip and one or more charge dissipation pedestals physically and electrically connected to the charge dissipation pedestals. The silicon layer and bulk silicon layer of the SOI substrate are connected by the guard ring and the charge dissipation pedestals. The ground distribution grid of the integrated circuit chip is connected to an uppermost wire segment of one or more charge dissipation pedestals. A second structure, replaces the charge dissipation guard ring with additional charge dissipation pedestal elements.

When integrated circuits are fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates, an oxide layer lies between the bulk silicon and the silicon layer in which active devices are fabricated. The oxide layer effectively electrically isolates the functional circuits of the integrated circuit chip from the bulk silicon portion of the substrate allowing charge to buildup in various circuit nodes of the integrated circuit during and after fabrication.
While various schemes have been developed to dissipate this charge buildup, the increasingly harsh processing environments in terms of total charge that may be pumped into an integrated circuit and decreasing device robustness in terms of resistance to charge buildup have rendered these schemes ineffective. Thus there is a need for improved charge dissipation structures, methods of fabricating improved charge dissipation structures and a method for designing integrated circuit chips having improved charge dissipation structures.

Method and structure for charge dissipation in integrated circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


A fuel nozzle metering valve that includes a spool having an inlet port and an outlet flow port, and a retainer assembled to one end of the spool. A valve liner houses a portion of the spool. The spool is configured to move back and forth within the valve liner. The metering valve is biased in a closed position in which the outlet flow port is disposed entirely within the valve liner. The valve is opened when the spool slides within the valve liner such that some portion of the outlet flow port extends beyond an end of the valve liner. The retainer has a stepped portion configured to abut an end of the retainer at a fuel flow pressure below the expected maximum fuel flow pressure to be used in the fuel nozzle metering valve.

Gas turbines for jet engines typically incorporate fuel nozzles arranged in a circumferentially uniform pattern around the engine's axis where fuel is introduced into the combustor via the nozzles. Furthermore, fuel nozzles with a "wide" flow range may be equipped with flow metering valves to optimize low and high flow rate spray quality. Fuel is regulated with valve ports designed to satisfy customer required fuel flow rates. Flow passage geometric variation and valve displacement non-uniformity (hysteresis) contribute to flow variability in each fuel nozzle. Valves are typically spring loaded and are actuated with increasing fuel flow pressure, initially to open, and subsequently displacing in response to higher pressure values. Valve displacement is generally unimpeded throughout the full range of imposed fuel flow pressure.
Jet engine operation typically requires that the fuel nozzles have a minimum nozzle flow tolerance, especially at higher engine power settings. Embodiments of the invention described below provide a fuel nozzle which improves the state of the art with respect to minimum flow tolerance. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.


The present invention relates to a screw jack that has a thin metal bearing for supporting a main screw shaft of a jack body to lift the jack body high as possible so that a torque increase can be kept to a minimum. For this purpose, the metal bearing is mounted and configured to have a substantially large outer diameter, and also a small stepped sliding-surface is formed on the top or bottom surface of the metal bearing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a screw jack used for raising a structural object or a work piece, and more particularly to a screw jack that utilizes a screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional automatic three-stage screw jack, as shown in FIG. 6, is structurally designed to equip a ball bearing C on a bed B at a lower end of an external cylinder A to receive and support a screw shaft D on the ball bearing C. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the jack is able to raise an object only up to a level from which the thickness of the ball bearing has subtracted.
An object of the present invention is to provide a screw jack that is able raise an object up to a higher level in comparison with the conventional one.
According to the present invention, there is provided a screw jack that comprises a thin metal bearing arranged on a bottom surface of a jack body, where the thin metal bearing receives and supports a main screw shaft on the jack body. The thin metal bearing is constructed so as to have a large outer diameter while a stepped sliding-surface is constructed so as to have a small diameter and provided on the top or bottom surface of the large-diameter metal bearing.


In various method embodiments, a neural activity signal is sensed, a feature from the sensed neural activity signal is extracted, and a neural marker for the extracted feature is created. The neural marker includes information regarding the extracted feature. Various device embodiments comprise a port to receive a neural activity signal, and a feature extractor adapted to receive and process the neural activity signal to produce a neural marker that includes information for the neural activity signal. Various device embodiments comprise a display, a memory adapted to store a neural marker associated with a sensed neural activity signal, and a controller adapted to communicate with the memory and the display to provide a representation of the neural marker on the display.

Direct electrical stimulation of parasympathetic nerves can activate the baroreflex, inducing a reduction of sympathetic nerve activity and reducing blood pressure by decreasing vascular resistance. Sympathetic inhibition, as well as parasympathetic activation, have been associated with reduced arrhythmia vulnerability following a myocardial infarction, presumably by increasing collateral perfusion of the acutely ischemic myocardium and decreasing myocardial damage. Modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system with neural stimulation has been shown to have positive clinical benefits, such as protecting the myocardium from further remodeling and predisposition to fatal arrhythmias following a myocardial infarction.

Systems for providing neural markers for sensed autonomic nervous system activity


A device for compensating for a mismatch of a transmitter and a method of compensating for the mismatch is provided. The device for compensating for a mismatch of an up-converter in a direct conversion transmitter, comprises: a mismatch compensating unit for compensating for an input signal using a first mismatch compensation value to generate a mismatch compensation signal; a down-converter for down-converting a radio frequency (RF) signal to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) signal, the RF signal being generated by up-converting the mismatch compensation signal; a square unit for squaring the IF signal; and a controller for calibrating the first mismatch compensation value to determine a second mismatch compensation value such that a direct current (DC) component of the squared IF signal has a minimum value to compensate for the mismatch of the up-converter using the second mismatch compensation value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device for compensating for a mismatch of a transmitter and a method of compensating for the mismatch, and more particularly, to a device and method for compensating for a mismatch of a transmitter that occurs when up-converting a direct conversion transmitter.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a communication device using heterodyne conversion, baseband signals are converted to radio frequency (RF) signals, and vice versa via a plurality of stages of intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The communication device using the heterodyne conversion utilizes a number of RF components such as a SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) filter and an IF amplifier to reduce the cost and weight of the communication device.
In the communication device using direct conversion, baseband signals are converted to RF signals, and vice versa in a single step without an RF to IF conversion step. Thus, in such a communication device, for example, a mobile phone, the mobile phone's receiver or transmitter may be implemented using a small number of components or in a single chip. In addition, leaked local oscillation signals may be mixed between closely spaced circuit components, and high direct current (DC) offset levels may exist due to a mismatch of the transmitter or the receiver in such communication devices.
As a DC offset cancellation circuit for a direct conversion receiver has been disclosed in Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-0034472, there still exists a need for a DC offset cancellation circuit for use with a direct conversion transmitter.

Device for compensating for a mismatch of a transmitter and a method of compensating for the mismatch


The invention relates to a sub-ammunition object for vapor generation for a spinstabilized carrier projectile with axial sub-ammunition discharge, consisting of a stackable, flat, disk-shaped, stamped part of identical caliber, which, at a height/width ratio of about 1:1.5 to 1:5, contains red phosphorus as the primary active substance and is designed to retain its structural and form stability during firing, discharge, and stacking as a result of fibers embedded in the active substance and/or a shell, with the combustion time being chemically and/or physically adjustable through the height, compression pressure and/or composition of the active substance. It is preferred that the active substance be located in a container with at least one blower aperture and one oxygen donor as the energy supply needed for combustion of the red phosphorus in the container.

The current invention relates to a sub-ammunition object for vapor generation.
The manufacture of rotationally symmetrical sub-ammunition objects for vapor projectiles with a height/diameter ratio of about 1:1, where four to five sub-ammunition objects or fewer are integrated into a projectile shell, is known. As the sub-ammunition is centrally positioned in the projectile and the angular momentum of the projectile shell is transferred to the sub-ammunition, the sub-ammunition objects remain stable on a secondary flight path after being discharged, thereby avoiding excessive dispersion of the sub-ammunition objects on the ground.
The number of vapor sources on the ground can be increased by increasing the number of sub-ammunition objects per projectile. The development of a homogeneous vapor cloud is desirable in this regard. This is particularly important when the vapor effect in the immediate vicinity of the individual vapor object contributes substantially to overall coverage as is, for example, the case with vapors that are actively emitted in infrared zones.
Until now, the multiplication of sub-ammunition objects was achieved by designing the sub-ammunition objects in the form of cylinder segments or wedges (so-called "wedges"), which were radially arranged around the center axis of the projectile. Each of these objects had a weight of up to one bomblet. When the projectile is discharged, however, the secondary flight path of these segments or wedges is adversely affected by the angular momentum of the projectile in a manner similar to that of inserted bomblet projectiles. This results in high radial acceleration after discharge which, in turn, leads to the distribution of the vapor objects over a large area and, furthermore, is heavily dependent on the discharge height. Consequently, there is a risk that the vapor objects will be too widely dispersed, thereby creating a non-homogeneous vapor cloud.
For example, projection objects with vapor charges are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,301 (DE 29 08 116) and DE 28 30 119 Al in which at least a portion of the active substance is designed in the form of a plate with a central blasting/ignition charge or a central powder core.
Another known method involves adjusting the combustion time of a sub-ammunition through its height, compression pressure and/or the composition of its active vapor-forming ingredient. Thus, for example, the adjustment of the combustion speed of a vapor charge through the use of special recipes is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,521 (DE 33 26 884).
In another example, U.S. Pat. No 4,791,870 (DE 37 07 694) discloses an ignition charge containing a nitrocellulose propellant charge pellet and fibers made of a conductive material. A pyrotechnic mixture of red phosphorus and a binding agent is, for example, known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,870 (DE 34 43 778). In addition, many experiments have already been performed on the combustion of active vapor-forming materials based on red phosphorus. In these experiments, the ability to control combustion in terms of the homogeneity of the vapor being produced and in terms of localization of same represents a central problem. And a fire hazard and environmental damage cannot be fully ruled during conventional combustion.

Sub-ammunition object for vapor generation


A defoaming composition comprising about 1 to about 90% by weight of a mixture of at least three defoaming agents, (a), (b), and (c) and about 99 to about 10% by weight of at least two stabilizers (d) and (e) therefor, and optionally a carrier therefor, where defoamer (a) is selected from a hydrophilic, fumed, particulate silica; defoamer (b) is an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer; and defoamer (c) is a linear alcohol alkoxylate mixture of poly(oxyethylene/polyoxypropylene) mono- C.sub.6, C.sub.8, and C.sub.10 alkyl ethers; stabilizer (d) is an ethoxylated C.sub.12-18 fatty alcohol having a molecular weight of about 820; and stabilizer (e) is a cross-linked (meth)acrylic acid polymer.

Cleaning compositions for all sorts of purposes create suds or foam. This foaming action is a disadvantage in many contexts as it makes dealing with effluent wash baths difficult and bothersome. The foam can get in the way of the user and obstruct the user's vision of the item being cleaned so that the substrate must be rinsed just to see if it is now clean or needs further treatment, and, in situations where spacing is tight, the foam itself can get in the way of the cleaning solution reaching, cleaning, and rinsing away from the substrate tight spaces. Excessive foam will also cause cavitation of pump systems, greatly reducing the efficiency and effectiveness of spray systems. Excessive foam will also cause sump bath spill over with loss of active cleaning agents. Defoaming is also important in connection with heavy soil baths and in connection with water soluble cutting fluids based on soaps. For these reasons, low foaming cleaning materials and defoamers (to cut or eliminate the foam that is otherwise present) have found wide acceptance and usefulness.
Many different types of compounds have been used for defoaming purposes in different contexts. In general, it has been said that defoamers are "systems related" and that the characteristics of the formulation intended to act as the defoamer, as well as the characteristics of the liquid to be wetted, must be taken into account. Hence, it is extremely difficult to transfer the teachings and experience from one group of agents acting on one foaming system to the same (or another) group of agents acting on another foaming system. See Degussa Technical Bulletin #42, "Synthetic Silicas for Defoamers". This Bulletin also details the use of silica, both hydophobic as well as hydrophilic types, as defoamers.
Silicone oils are also used as defoaming agents and have been found to be extremely effective materials. However, the silicone oils suffer from a major drawback in that they tend to remain on the surface of the parts being cleaned, which can adversely affect post-process operations such as painting, plating, welding, bonding, etc.
Furthermore, once a suitable defoamer has been identified, it must also be formulated for suitable delivery without adversely affecting the defoaming properties. As multiple defoamers are incorporated into a single defoaming product, the ability to adequately and advantageously formulate them into a single product becomes much more difficult. Yet, it is extremely important that when more than one defoamer is to be employed, the various defoamers used, as well as the carrier formulation for them, do not adversely affect one another.
One difficulty is the possible result of multiple phases. When this happens, not all of the defoamers will necessarily reach all of the desired areas. For example, a highly hydrophobic defoamer in combination with a highly hydrophilic defoamer blended together to act on a particular foaming composition will frequently separate into distinctive layers. Attempts to remix these layers during or just before use are frequently ineffective, time consuming, and can be quite costly.
For all these reasons, and many more which are apparent to those of ordinary skill in this art, single phase multiple defoaming agent compositions would be extremely useful, either as separate cleaning aids or as components to be added directly to the cleaners. It is just as useful for the components of such a single phase defoamer to be invcorporated separetly as raw materials into a cleaning product rather than formulating a pre-blend of the multiple defoamers.
Furthermore, when used as part of the cleaning composition, the total elimination of foaming action may be just as undesirable as excess foaming action. Hence, it is critical that the defoamer action be matched carefully with the cleaning composition to which it will be added.


Improved supersonic laminar flow wing structure, on a supersonic aircraft, having strake extending forwardly of the wing inboard extent, and reversed fillet at strake junction with the wing leading edge. Plain and split flap structures may also be provided at each laminar flow wing.

This invention relates generally to efficient, supersonic, laminar flow aircraft wing configurations. More specifically it concerns improvements in the following configuration areas:
a) strake,
b) raked wing tip,
c) reversed fillet wing-strake junction,
d) inboard leading edge flap,
e) hybrid plain-split flap.
Certain prior Richard Tracy patents disclose a laminar flow wing for efficient supersonic flight (U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,242, U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,204, U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,076 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,101). Recent developments have led to five areas of improvement, principally benefiting low speed characteristics of aircraft using the wing. The wing described in the prior Tracy patents has a sharp, modified biconvex airfoil, with less than about 30 degrees leading edge sweep in order to maintain an attached shock at supersonic cruise conditions, and thickness-chord ratio (t/c) of about 2% or less as a span-wise average over the majority of the wing. The latter excludes a zone near the inboard end, which may be thicker, up to about 4% t/c in combination with fuselage area ruling.
There are several unique characteristics of the supersonic laminar flow wing which pose challenges, especially in low speed flight. These include its sharp leading edge which causes a separation "bubble" at almost any angle of attack in subsonic flight, its extremely thin airfoil which imposes a structural weight penalty as aspect ratio is increased, and the un-swept leading edge which limits the effectiveness of "area ruling" the wing-body for minimizing supersonic wave drag. These (and other characteristics) are unique to the supersonic laminar wing and are substantially mitigated by the herein claimed improvements, acting individually or together, in combination with this type of wing.

Highly efficient supersonic laminar flow wing structure


In accordance with the present invention, an aperture rectenna is provided where the substrate is transparent and of sufficient mechanical strength to support the fabricated structure above it. An aperture antenna is deposited on the transparent substrate and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diode is constructed on top of the aperture antenna. There is an insulating layer between the aperture antenna metal and the metal ground plane optimized to maximize the collection of incident radiation. The top of the structure is capped with a metal ground plane layer, which also serves as the DC connection points for each rectenna element.

Light energy is characterized by a dual nature both from a quantum point of view as photons and from a wave point of view as randomly polarized electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths from 400 nm to 700 nm. If the ultraviolet and infrared portion of the spectrum is included, the range of wavelengths is extended at both extremes. Presently all practical solar cell energy collection schemes use the photon nature of light in the explanation of operation. The conversion of solar energy to electrical energy using the photovoltaic effect depends on the interaction of photons with energy equal to or greater than the band-gap of the material. With continued research the maximum amount of energy captured using this mechanism is estimated to be around 30%. This is equivalent to an efficiency of 30%.
Another mechanism known in the art for converting solar energy to electrical energy is the rectenna. Rectenna technology relies on the electromagnetic nature of radiation and is not limited by the band-gap of the rectifying material. Advantages exist in the rectenna field because the rectenna approach is not fundamentally band-gap limited. Also, at microwave frequencies, 2.45 GHz, this concept has been demonstrated to be approximately 90% efficient.
Prior art exists in the field of rectenna technology. The idea of direct electromagnetic conversion of solar energy has been explored as early as 1973. The concept envisioned small cone type antennas with rectifiers mounted behind the cones and the cones arranged in an array as illustrated in FIG. 1. The work preceded the revolution in micro and nano scale manufacturing and was never realized. Other more recent researchers have replaced the cones with planar antenna elements such as half-wave dipoles, bow tie, and spiral antennas.
The previous efforts in researching rectennas for solar energy conversion have concentrated on either building the rectifiers on a supporting substrate and then building the antennas on top of the rectifying layer, or fabricating the antenna structure and the rectifier on a planar surface. The fabrication processes known in the art for rectenna elements rely on hybrid systems that incorporate different technologies for each component of the rectenna to optimize the system performance. While the incorporation of hybrid technologies often allows for a shorter development time, compromises must be made to ensure that each component can be fabricated without damaging components already existing on the substrate.
By contrast, monolithic device fabrication allows for all components of a system to be constructed on a single substrate utilizing one technology. Monolithic devices are typically more compact than hybrid devices, and more reliable due to the reduction in interconnections required. Additionally, once the fabrication process for a monolithic device has been developed, they can be manufactured more efficiently since less assembly is required. Monolithic technology minimizes relatively long, high-resistivity connections and high loss metal interconnects.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a monolithic rectifying antenna providing high efficiency solar energy conversion with improved reliability and manufacturability.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified need could be fulfilled.

Rectifying antenna and method of manufacture


Methods and systems for disrupting password attacks using compression are described. A user password may be stored on a mobile computing device. The password may be compressed, for example, using a Huffman compression algorithm, and may be subsequently encrypted using a short secret as a key. The user password may be stored as the compressed and encrypted key. The compressed and encrypted password may be stored such that a brute force password attack, for example, using every possible short secret, would reveal too may possible matches to allow an attacker to select the real password.

It is often useful to store a password or other secret on a device, such as s smartphone or tablet, in order to allow the device to easily connect to services in the cloud or in the enterprise. However, storing the password is a risk, because if the device is stolen the password might be maliciously recovered. This risk is often mitigated by protecting the password and storing it as an encrypted bit string using a short secret as key to the encryption.
However, if the device is lost, an attacker may be able to guess the password based on a brute force attack, such as using every possible shorter secret to decrypt the password and determining which of these decrypted passwords looks like a password. Accordingly, there is a need to store passwords offline in a more secure way.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention extends to systems, methods, and computer program products for recommending food items based on personal information and nutritional content. A registered customer has members in a customer group. The registered customer provides nutritional information for members of the group (e.g., family members) to a merchant computer system. The merchant computer system uses the nutritional information to recommend food items to the customer. As a customer shops, the merchant computer system compares the nutritional content of the shopping cart items with nutritional needs of the customer. Recommendations are furnished to the customer based on the shopping cart content and the nutritional needs of the customer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of nutrition management. More specifically, the invention relates to recommending food items to meet nutritional needs of a customer based on a nutritional profile for the customer and food item nutritional information.
2. Related Art
When a customer shops online or at a store for groceries, that customer may desire to purchase food items that meet their nutritional needs or the nutritional needs of their family. A food item's package generally has a nutritional table printed on the package. For a non-packaged food item, such as a produce item, it is possible to get nutritional information from an online source such as a government agency, a consumer group, a store or other entity. Thus, nutritional information for individual items is generally easy to retrieve and can be stored on computers, cell phones, tablets and other such devices.
Even more to customer useful is aggregated information that combines the nutritional information for multiple food items. Aggregated information can be used to help a customer meet their overall nutritional requirements. However, the time and effort required to aggregate nutritional information from different food items can be relatively time consuming. As such, many customers lack the time and/or desire to invest in aggregating nutritional information for multiple food items. However, without aggregated nutritional information, it can be challenging for a customer to determine what food items to purchase to meet their nutritional requirements.
In some cases, different family members may also have different nutritional needs based on age, height, weight, food preferences, and medical problems. As such, aggregating nutritional information to satisfy nutritional needs of a family can be even more burdensome. For some customers, cost is also a factor. Thus, in general, it is challenging for a customer to purchase food items that meet the nutritional needs of their family and do so while considering all the factors that influence that purchase.

Recommending food items based on personal information and nutritional content


A NOx storing catalyst (11) comprising a precious metal catalyst (46) and NOx absorbent (47) is arranged in an exhaust passage. When the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean, the storing catalyst cold stores the NO2 contained in the exhaust in the absorbent when the catalyst is inactive and hot stores the cold stored NO2 in the absorbent when the catalyst is made active. The NO2 contained in the exhaust is cold stored in the absorbent when the catalyst is not activated, and when a predetermined NOx storing catalyst restoring condition (107) is met, a NOx storing catalyst restoring control (109, 115) including raising the NOx storing catalyst temperature to a predetermined temperature to active it (109) is executed so as to restore the cold storing capability of the NOx absorbent.

As a catalyst for purifying NOx contained in exhaust gas when fuel is burned under a lean air-fuel ratio, there is known a catalyst comprised of a carrier made of alumina on the surface of which a layer of a NOx absorbent comprised of an alkali metal or alkali earth is formed and on the surface of which a precious metal catalyst such as platinum is carried (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-108826). In this catalyst, when the catalyst is activated and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean, the NOx contained in the exhaust gas is stored in the NOx absorbent, while when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is made rich, the NOx which had been stored in the NOx absorbent is released and reduced.
However, this NOx absorption and release action is believed not to be performed when the catalyst is not activated. Therefore, in the internal combustion engine described in the above publication, when the catalyst is not activated, the catalyst is heated by an electric heater.

Exhaust purification device and exhaust purification method of internal combustion engine


Systems and methods for detecting tampering with a pulse-producing component of an electrical device are disclosed. An example electrical device includes a pulse-producing circuit and a tamper detection circuit. The pulse-producing circuit is configured for generating at least one pulse. The pulse-producing circuit includes a pulse interface via which the at least one pulse is communicated from the pulse-producing circuit. The tamper detection circuit is electrically connected to the pulse interface. The tamper detection circuit can be connected between a pulse-counting device and the pulse interface. The tamper detection circuit is configured for communicating the pulse to the pulse-counting device via at least one electrical path in the absence of a tampering condition. The tamper detection circuit is also configured for simulating damage to the pulse interface by modifying the at least one electrical path in response to the presence of the tampering condition.

Metering devices are used to measure consumption of resources. Examples of metering devices include electricity meters, water meters, gas meters, steam meters, electronic volume correctors, etc.). A metering device may communicate consumption of a given resource through a pulse source communicating with a pulse-counting device via a pulse interface.
For example, FIG. 1 depicts a pulse source 102 communicating with a pulse-counting device 104 via a pulse interface 106. The pulse interface 106 may be configured to communicate a given unit of consumption by communicating a pulse corresponding to the given unit of consumption. A pulse source may be a metering device or any other device that produces pulses to indicate volume, consumption, events or alarms. The pulse-counting device 104 may be any electronic device configured to count or otherwise accumulate pulses received from the pulse-generating device. The accumulated pulses indicate total consumption. The pulse-counting device 104 may store counts and alarm events to be periodically read from the device. The pulse-counting device 104 may be included in a system such as an automated meter reading system that includes a radio transmitter for communicating alarms and other status reports.
The pulse source 102 may be geographically located in remote from the pulse-counting device 104. The pulse source 102 may connected to the pulse-counting device 104 via a cable 107 having one or more wires. These wires may experience damage from unintentional sources (e.g., storms and other natural events) and intentional source (e.g., deliberate tampering). Damage to the wires connecting the pulse interface 106 of the pulse source 102 with the pulse-counting device 104 may cause erroneous pulse counts.
Prior solutions for detecting tampering or other damage to the pulse source 102 or device including the pulse source 102 may involve connecting additional wires from the pulse interface 106 to the pulse-counting device 104. Signals on the additional wires are monitored by the pulse-counting device. For example, a magnetic tamper detection device using magnetic sensors may communicate a tamper condition detected by the magnetic sensors via additional wires connecting the sensors with the pulse-counting device. Another example of a tamper device involves detecting a "cover off" condition in which movement of one or more components (e.g., a housing or sensor) of a pulse interface 206 and/or pulse-producing device from its proper position is detected. A "cover off" condition may be detected with a magnet and reed switch, a tilt sensor, and/or a mechanical switch with spring lever, or some combination thereof. Such solutions for detecting the "cover off" condition may involve communicating one or more signals regarding the "cover off" condition-to the pulse-counting device via an additional wire. A deficiency of such solutions is that the additional wires may experience damage from unintentional sources (e.g., storms and other natural events) and intentional source (e.g., deliberate tampering).
Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for detecting tampering with a pulse-producing component of a metering device.

Tamper detection for pulse-producing device


The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for rate-based distribution of layer 2 packets for in-line processing at a layer 2 packet forwarding device. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for distributing layer 2 packets for in-line processing at a transmission rate less than a received transmission rate. The method includes receiving an input stream of layer 2 packets at an input port of a layer 2 packet forwarding device. The input port has a first transmission capacity. The input stream of layer 2 packets is divided into at least two substreams of layer 2 packets of different transmission rates. The first substream of layer 2 packets is layer 2 redirected to a first set of output ports of a slower transmission capacity than the input port. The second substream of layer 2 packets is flooded to a second set of output ports, with a transmission capacity equal to the first set of output ports. The transmission rates of the first and second substreams of layer 2 packets are selected to optimize the load sharing among the first and second sets of output ports.

In conventional networks, it may be desirable for layer 2 packet forwarding devices, such as bridges or switches, to be capable of interfacing with a variety of in-line processors. Yet many conventional in-line processors cannot process packet streams at the transmission rates typically employed by current high-speed networks. Therefore, conventional layer 2 packet forwarding devices typically divide high-speed packet streams of layer 2 packets into several lower-speed packet streams that are sent to several lower-speed in-line processors. In order to ensure that the low-speed substreams do not exceed the capacity of any individual in-line processor, the substreams may be load-shared using either software-based or hardware-based methods. Both conventional methods include receiving packets at a first transmission rate and forwarding them to a set of output ports of a transmission rate less than the first transmission rate.
Software-based methods for dividing streams of packets can include using hashing algorithms to divide high-speed packet streams by examining parameters within packets of an input packet stream. Typical software-based hashing algorithms utilize one or more bits included in the layer 2 and/or layer 3 fields of a packet, such as a portion of a media access control (MAC) address or an IP address, in order to generate a key (hash) and direct the packet to particular output port among a set of output ports. Generally, hashing algorithms employed in layer 2 packet forwarding devices extract information from the MAC address of a packet and perform a mathematical operation on the extracted information in order to generate a key that identifies the packet. Ideal hashing algorithms generate keys that uniquely identify each packet, while non-ideal hashing algorithms can generate a single key that identifies two or more packets. In such a case, a "collision" occurs and additional processing is required to identify the packet. In a layer 2 packet forwarding device using a software-based hashing algorithm to divide a packet stream, processing resources are dedicated to extracting information from each packet received and performing mathematical operations on the extracted information.
One problem with current layer 2 packet forwarding devices that use software-based hashing algorithms to divide packet streams is that these devices are not capable of dividing and load-balancing a high-speed packet stream into a set of output packet streams at wireline speeds. For example, a layer 2 packet forwarding device using a software-based hashing algorithm to divide a 10 Gb/sec input packet stream (received at a 10 Gb/sec input port) into 10×1 Gb/sec output packet streams (output to 10×1 Gb/sec output ports) could not divide the streams at the full 10 Gb/sec, without dropping packets. Moreover, imbalances in the output packet streams produced by the load-sharing algorithm would also result in dropped packets.
Hardware-based methods achieve wireline speeds by avoiding the mathematical operations performed by software-based hashing algorithms. Hardware-based methods typically divide and load-share a high-speed input packet stream into output packet streams by evenly dividing a portion of each packet's MAC address into the number of output streams. Typically, the 8 least significant bits of each packet's MAC address are used to divide layer 2 packet streams. The minimum number of bits examined must be sufficient to uniquely identify each output packet stream. For example, in Table 1 below, in order to divide a single input packet stream into 10 output packet streams, examination of at least 4 bits of a MAC address are required. The result is that 16 (i.e. 24) numbers must be reduced to 10 corresponding ports in order to evenly divide a packet stream into 10 output ports. If the resulting packet streams are not balanced, packets are dropped when all ports are under full load.
TABLE 112345678910000000010010001101000101011001111000100112345910111213141516100010011010101111001101111011115678910As illustrated in Table 1 above, the 16 possibilities generated as a consequence of expressing 10 in binary format cannot be evenly reduced to 10 output streams. The result is a set of unbalanced output packet streams resulting in dropped packets under the conditions described above. Thus, in order to maintain ideal load-sharing among output ports at wireline speeds, hardware-based methods require transmission capacities of the input and output ports equal powers of 2.
Thus, conventional packet forwarding devices cannot divide a stream of layer 2 packets into multiple substreams at wireline speeds unless the number of substreams equals a power of 2. Accordingly, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer program products for rate-based distribution of layer 2 packets for in-line processing at a layer 2 packet forwarding device.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for rate-based distribution of layer 2 packets for in-line processing at a layer 2 packet forwarding device at a transmission rate less than a received transmission rate


Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations.

The present invention relates to industrial controllers used for real time control of industrial processes, and in particular to an industrial controller architecture for implementing safety integrity levels (SIL) of 2 or more.
Industrial controllers are special-purpose computers used in controlling industrial processes. Under the direction of a stored control program, an industrial controller examines a series of inputs reflecting the status of the controlled process and changes a series of outputs controlling the process. The inputs and outputs may be binary, that is, on or off, or analog, providing a value within a substantially continuous range. The inputs may be obtained from sensors attached to the controlled process, and the outputs may be signals to actuators on the controlled process.
"Safety industrial control systems" are industrial control systems intended to ensure the safety of humans working in the environment of an industrial process. Such systems may include the electronics associated with emergency-stop buttons, light curtains, and other machine lockouts. Safety industrial control systems are not optimized for "availability", that is being able to function for long periods of time without error, but rather for "safety" which is being able to accurately detect error to shut down. Safety industrial controllers normally provide a predetermined safe state for their outputs upon a safety shutdown, the predetermined values of these outputs being intended to put the industrial process into its safest static mode.
Safety industrial control systems may be associated with a "safety integrity level" (SIL) indicating a given amount of risk reduction. Standard IEC EN 61508 defines four SIL levels of SIL-1 to SIL-4 with higher numbers representing higher amounts of risk reduction.
Industrial controllers that are part of a system providing SIL-2 and higher normally use diagnostic programs that run concurrently with the industrial controller to diagnose the operation of the hardware of the industrial controller to ensure that it is working correctly.
The process of developing diagnostic programs for industrial controllers has become increasingly difficult as more sophisticated processor architectures are adopted in the industrial controller industry. Advanced processor architectures include techniques such as out-of-order execution, speculative execution, cache snooping and the like which can greatly increase the speed of execution of the processor but which are extremely difficult to diagnose in real time.
Safety industrial control systems providing SIL-3 and higher preferably provide "full redundancy" in hardware, for example, using two different industrial controllers having separate microprocessors, memory systems, communication systems and the like. In such full redundancy systems, the industrial controllers execute in parallel and their results are compared. If these results do not match, a "safety fault" can be indicated, causing the control system to move to the safe state.
Full redundancy safety industrial control systems may also implement diversity in the hardware and software. Hardware diversity can be obtained, for example, using different microprocessor architectures. This hardware diversity helps to reduce the chance that a common mode failure of the microprocessors (for example, a design flaw) would occur providing matching erroneous outputs from the two microprocessors which would not be detected as a safety fault. Similarly, software diversity can be obtained by preparing two different control programs having the same functional specification using two different programming teams who each then produce programs with substantial variations in approach and logic.
Providing safety systems is relatively expensive and accordingly there is considerable interest in lowering the price point of such systems such as could increase their relative availability and thus overall safety of the community. One significant source of cost is the need for multiple microprocessors. Recent processor architectures used in industrial controllers have moved to "multicore" architectures in which multiple processing cores are contained inexpensively on a single integrated circuit die. These cores which share features such as an L2 cache, cache control circuitry and memory channels, however, are not sufficiently isolated for the purpose of "full redundancy" desirable to meet SIL-3 standards.
Preparing diverse software is also costly. While the approach of using separate development teams can be practical for commonly used programs having many users, many industrial control applications require custom written unique control programs where using this approach for single program cannot be cost justified.

Safety industrial controller providing diversity in single multicore processor


A memory system includes first and second memory devices, a memory controller configured to control the second memory device, to store a request signal to access the first memory device, and to generate an interrupt signal, and a host configured to receive the request signal in response to the interrupt signal.

1. Field
An embodiment of the inventive concept relates to a memory system, and more particularly, to a memory system configured to request data from a host (e.g. a memory controller) and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A host (e.g. a memory controller) generally operates to unilaterally access a memory device. The memory device merely responds to a request from the memory controller, but cannot itself request data from the memory controller.
For example, in a memory device that includes a plurality of internal memory blocks, the memory device is not allowed to request data from the host when a certain internal memory block and another internal memory block are exchanging data with each other.

Memory system having first and second memory devices and driving method thereof


The acquisition device of a discharge apparatus is operated by a servodrive, which has at least one control cam constantly engaging in a cam path. The control cam is directly provided on the actuating cap for the discharge actuator, while the cam path is located on the circumference of a fastening cap for the discharge feeder, so that no additional component is required for forming the acquisition device.

The invention relates to discharge apparatus for media, which is provided with a discharge actuating means for carrying out the discharge process. For the acquisition, storage and display of data, such as relevant data concerning the use of the discharge apparatus, one or more data acquisition or memory means are provided, which are appropriately located directly on and not separately from the discharge apparatus. The data to be acquired can be the number of uses which have taken place, the next planned use or other data, which can be rendered visible by one or more synchronously or separately connected displays. The data acquisition means is manually advanced with one or more actuating members by means of one or more control drives, the actuating member being separate from the discharge actuating means or can be formed by a member for discharging the medium through manual pressure or the like. The latter case leads to a positive actuation of the acquisition means with each discharge actuation. This can be brought about in that web-like control cams on the inner circumference of a discharge actuating or operating cap are engaged and disengaged relative to web-like countercams on the outer circumference of a data acquisition member rotatably mounted on a dispenser base, which is then rotated one cam division during each actuating stroke. In the past, the interengaging cams formed a servodrive, which in the releasing, starting position of the known discharge apparatus, is completely disengaged, so that the data acquisition member can only be secured by friction, catching, etc. with respect to the actuating member. This can be undesirable if a rotary part of the data acquisition device is normally accessible and could therefore be unintentionally adjusted.


An opening/closing apparatus includes: an apparatus body; a pivot body pivotable between a close position covering an upper portion of the apparatus body and an open position releasing the upper portion of the apparatus body; a rack member provided on the pivot body and having a rack gear extending in a radial direction from a pivot base end portion to a pivot front-end portion of the pivot body; and an arm body having one end portion connected to the apparatus body and the other end portion connected to the rack member and slidably movable relative to the rack member. The arm body includes: a housing; a rotary damper supported by the housing and having a damping gear receiving damping force from viscous fluid; and a gear section supported by the housing and transmitting the damping force of the damping gear to the rack gear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening/closing apparatus including a body of the apparatus (apparatus body) and a pivot body which is connected to and pivotable relative to the apparatus body, and an image recording apparatus provided with the opening/closing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an opening/closing apparatus including an apparatus body and a pivot body which is connected to and pivotable relative to the apparatus body. An apparatus provided with such an opening/closing apparatus is exemplified by an image recording apparatus configured to record an image, etc. on a recording medium such as recording sheet. In the image recording apparatus, the pivot body is supported by the apparatus body of the image recording apparatus, at an upper portion of the apparatus body. For example, in such a case that the recording sheet is jammed inside the apparatus, a user or repair service person causes the pivot body to pivot in a direction exposing (opening) the upper portion of the apparatus body so that the recording sheet jammed inside the apparatus body can be removed.
In the image recording apparatus as described above, in a case that the pivot body is made to pivot in a direction that the pivot body closes the upper portion of the apparatus body (closing direction) when a hand, etc. of the user or repair service person is located between the apparatus body and the pivot body, there is a fear that the user or repair service person might have his or her hand, etc. pinched between the pivot body and the apparatus body and consequently be injured. In order to solve such a problem, there is known an image recording apparatus including a rotary oil damper provided for the apparatus body. In the image recording apparatus including the rotary oil damper provided for the apparatus body, when the pivot body is made to pivot in the closing direction relative to the apparatus body, the pivot body receives the load from the oil damper. Consequently, the pivot body is made to slowly pivot, thereby lowering the possibility that the hand, etc. of the user or repair service person is pinched between the pivot body and the apparatus body. Even in such a case that the user or repair service person has his or her hand, etc. pinched between the pivot body and the apparatus body, the damage to the hand, etc. is not severe, and the possibility that the user or repair service person might receive any injury on his or her hand, etc. is lowered.

Opening/closing apparatus and image recording apparatus


The invention permits extension or elimination of the flying edge on disk surfaces of data storage devices with rotating disks to stabilize the gliding behavior of the read/write heads. The method and arrangement in accordance with the invention are advantageous above all for encapsulated rigid disk storage devices, which are generally known by the name "Winchester", and primarily also for such devices whose heads (4) touch the disk surface (3) and/or where the heads (4) perform lubricant distribution functions and remain on the disk surface (3) in rest condition. In order to obtain stable gliding conditions, the flying edge (9) is displaced beyond the electronic limits of the positioning unit (5) for the heads (4) up to the maximum mechanical limits during operation by wiping or conditioning of the disk surface using the read/write heads in certain cycles or at certain time intervals. In addition, further displacement beyond the mechanical limits is achieved by elastic restoring elements (12, 12'; 13, 13'). The flying edge extension or elimination performed means that the rail edge of the head (4) forming the flying edge does not come to rest against a flying edge (9) even at standstill. One-sided creeping-in of lubricant material at standstill is thus not possible.

The present invention is directed to an arrangement for significantly increasing the lifetime and recording density of magnetic disk storage devices having concentric data tracks or bands, limit bands and/or landing bands or zones as well as read/write heads located on or extremely closely above the surface of at least one disk independently of the operating state.
Magnetic disk storage devices have proven their suitability for storing large quantities of data in the field of data processing over a long period of practical use. Two basic types are essentially found in use. One type is the removable disk storage device, whose magnetic recording media, the disks, can be removed by hand without problems, whereby the read/write heads with positioning unit and motor disk drive are accommodated in a housing. However, this removability necessitates, among other things, a relatively large distance between the read/write heads and the surface of the disks, with the result that the recording density and recording capacity are limited. For this reason, the rigid disk storage device has established itself more and more, whereby its disks cannot be removed, but its read/write heads can remain in certain zones between the disks irrespective of the operating state. It is thus possible to considerably simplify the mechanical construction, to fully encapsulate the disks, heads and/or motor drive or to integrate these in a housing with air filter. This has in turn resulted in a considerable reduction in the distance between the read/write head and the disk and has increased the recording density. Such a storage device is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,800. An improved type of this storage device is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,411. In order to improve the storage capacity by way of a higher recording density, the head distance from the recording medium was further reduced and, in addition, the track density was increased, whereby this was made possible particularly through better design of the flying heads and carriers for the heads. Such embodiments are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,121 and EU-A1-0308527. These are intended above all to reduce the distance between the head and disk and prevent undesired contact with the disk surface during operation. Contact with the surface of the recording medium during operation leads to total information or data loss and also renders the storage device unusable. The fact that the economic damage caused by this is very great both for manufacturer and user is shown, among other things, by. the article "Oil slick mires IBM drives" in Electron. News Jun. 12, 1989. In addition, these topics and problems were discussed at the "EUROPEAN DATA STORAGE INTERFACE AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE III" on 25th and 26th Sep. 1991, without demonstrating a practicable solution. In this context, reference should be made to the "DISK ARRAY FORUM CONF. BOOK", issued by TECHNOLOGY FORUMS LTD., 15612 Highway 7, Suite 210, Minnetonka, Minn. 55345, USA. Gene E. Milligan of Seagate Technology Inc., in SESSION I, and Tom Glaser, IBM, "Future trends in rigid disk technology and their impact on disk arrays", Sep. 91 in SESSION VIII, discuss the problems of the low flying height of magnetic heads, the use of lubricants and the difficult process involved in contact between the head and disk during reading and recording. However, no publication shows a feasible solution, particularly with respect to avoidance of total failure due to undesired contact between the head and disk. On the contrary, only very complex methods and arrangements are suggested, as are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,981 and EU-A1-0294761; here, the magnetic head distance from the surface of the data medium is measured during operation, and reference signals are recorded, read and measured in order to prevent the destruction of data and disk and to thus also increase the lifetime of rigid disk storage devices. These methods and arrangements are technically complex and expensive, but do not solve the real problem. A method is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,832 which is intended to solve the said problem of the short operating time such that the disk storage device is slowly conditioned for continuous operation to a certain extent by running the assembly at low velocity in a dry gas atmosphere, whereby the heads fly over all tracks during a start-up time of between 1-4 minutes. Actual storage operation can commence only after this time has elapsed. Apart from the fact that these measures extend the access times, they also do not solve the real problem of increasing the lifetime by preventing destruction of the disks and/or heads.
The cause of undesired head crashes with resultant total data-loss in rigid disk units and destruction of the latter has not yet been fully clarified, since unambiguous reconstruction of the event is extremely difficult after destruction.
However, if the following observations are combined in order to create physically unambiguous conditions, it then becomes possible to master head crashes on the disk, particularly on the data tracks.
The following observations have been made in tests and studies over the course of many years:
A. "Flown-over" surfaces of exchangeable disks are shiny, "non-flown-over" surfaces are dull. However, at least 16000 running hours (2 years) are necessary before this effect can be observed; this is one of the reasons why this effect has not drawn attention to itself. PA1 B. Collections of dirt can be found on the head after continuous operation on one track. PA1 C. Sticking of the heads on the surface of the disk at standstill depends very greatly on the temperature and air humidity in the head/surface area. The lubricant on the disk surface also has a significant influence here. PA1 D. Undesired and destructive contact between the head and disk, i.e. CRASHES, mainly occurs on track 0 or the landing zone. PA1 1. If the flown-over disk=shiny surface and non-flown-over disk=dull surface, there must be a contamination pressure against the surface of the disk which is influenced by the read/write head and which produces a "flying edge" during operation. PA1 2. This conclusion can be transferred from the exchangeable disk to the rigid disk, although clean room conditions exist here through encapsulation and built-in filters. PA1 3. The "flown-over" surface of the disk is clearly defined in physical terms and the read/write head must encounter optimum, that is to say identical or uniform, gliding conditions.
The following conclusions have been drawn by inclusion of the observations made in A in the overall considerations:

Method and arrangement for significantly increasing the lifetime of magnetic disk storage devices


A piezoelectric resonator element includes a piezoelectric substrate formed of an AT-cut quartz crystal substrate in which the thickness direction thereof is a direction parallel to the Y′ axis; and excitation electrodes disposed so as to face vibrating regions on both front and rear principal surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate. The piezoelectric substrate includes a rectangular excitation portion in which sides parallel to the X axis are long sides thereof, and sides parallel to the Z′ axis are short sides thereof; and a peripheral portion having a smaller thickness than the excitation portion and formed around the excitation portion. Each of side surfaces of the excitation portion extending in a direction parallel to the X axis is present in one plane, and each of side surfaces of the excitation portion extending in a direction parallel to the Z′ axis has a step.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric resonator element and a piezoelectric resonator.
2. Related Art
AT-cut piezoelectric resonator elements use a thickness-shear vibration mode which is ideal for obtaining excellent temperature properties as their primary vibration mode. Such an AT-cut resonator element is processed by mechanical processing or photolithography.
JP-A-58-47316 discloses a piezoelectric resonator that vibrates in a so-called mesa-type thickness-shear vibration mode where an energy-trapping effect equivalent to a bevel or convex structure is obtained.
In recent years, there is a strong tendency to decrease the size of resonator elements, and there is a strong demand for a resonator having a small side ratio. In general, a resonator having a small side ratio is likely to be affected by a mode (contour vibration mode) associated with the contour of the resonator, and a thickness-shear mode is suppressed by being coupled to the contour vibration mode.
JP-UM-A-6-52230 discloses a mesa-type AT-cut quartz crystal resonator which is designed so as to solve a problem where in the boundary between a mesa portion and a thin peripheral portion, if the lateral walls of the boundary portion are at 90° to the primary surface, extraction electrodes (lead electrodes) extended from excitation electrodes are short-circuited. In the AT-cut quartz crystal resonator, the lateral walls of the boundary portion are configured as sloped or curved surfaces so as to prevent short-circuiting of the lead electrodes.
JP-A-2001-230655 discloses a mesa-type AT-cut quartz crystal resonator in which coupling of a thickness-shear vibration mode which is a primary vibration mode and a flexural vibration mode is suppressed by configuring the lateral walls of the boundary between a mesa portion and a thin peripheral portion so as to be sloped at 63° and 35° rather than being vertical (90°).
Japanese Patent No. 4341583 discloses a structure in which coupling of a thickness-shear mode and a flexural mode is suppressed by appropriately setting the mesa dimensions and the distance between mesa electrodes which are associated with the flexural vibration mode which is a contour vibration mode.
JP-A-2008-263387 discloses a mesa-type AT-cut quartz crystal resonator in which a spurious mode is suppressed by appropriately setting the amount of etching of a step.
JP-A-2010-62723 discloses a mesa-type AT-cut quartz crystal resonator in which a spurious mode is suppressed by appropriately setting the short side length of a piezoelectric substrate and the short side length of a vibrating portion.
JP-A-2-57009 discloses a structure in which vibration energy in primary vibration mode is effectively trapped by forming a mesa portion with multiple steps.
Japanese Patent No. 3731348 discloses a resonator of which the cross section has a staircase shape, which can be formed by chemical processing such as etching or mechanical processing such as sand blast while gradually changing the dimensions of a resist covering the resonator portion during manufacturing.
JP-A-2008-236439 discloses a structure in which the step between a thick central portion and a thin peripheral portion is formed in a staircase shape with plural steps, whereby it is easy to form the shape of a resist pattern, and to deposit an electrode material to a sufficient thickness, and make the thick central portion have a convex shape, thus enhancing an energy trapping effect.
JP-A-2009-130543 discloses a multi-step mesa-type resonator element in which entry of a conductive adhesive agent into a mesa portion is suppressed by a step which is used as a stopper for the adhesive agent.
JP-A-2010-109527 discloses a multi-step mesa structure which is precisely formed by etching a base material made of a quartz crystal using photolithography.
Japanese Patent No. 4075893 discloses a method of manufacturing a multi-step mesa-type AT-cut quartz crystal resonator in which a mesa structure is formed using a laser.
As described above, JP-A-2-57009, Japanese Patent No. 3731348, JP-A-2008-236439, JP-A-2009-130543, JP-A-2010-109527, and Japanese Patent No. 4075893 disclose a multi-step mesa structure in which the number of mesa steps is increased as a structure for suppressing coupling with a flexural mode through a strong energy trapping effect.
However, in a multi-step mesa-type thickness-shear-mode piezoelectric resonator element in which the extending direction of the longer side is parallel to the X axis, particularly in a piezoelectric resonator element in which the X-side ratio is small, it is obvious that a thickness-shear vibration mode couples to a spurious mode such as a contour vibration mode, and the CI (Crystal Impedance) value increases.

Piezoelectric resonator element and piezoelectric resonator


The present invention relates to a novel compound and use thereof, in particular to Antroquinonol B and Antroquinonol C isolated from Antrodia camphorata extracts which can effectively inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The compounds from Antrodia camphorata are first reported, which can be applied not only in inhibiting growth of breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatic cancer and prostate cancer, but also in anti-cancer medicinal compositions for the abovementioned cancer cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel compounds and use thereof, in particular to Antroquinonol B and Antroquinonol C compounds isolated from Antrodia camphorata extracts and their use in growth inhibition of tumor cells. The compounds from Antrodia camphorata are first reported, which can be applied not only in inhibiting growth of breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatic cancer and prostate cancer, but also in anti-cancer medicinal compositions for the abovementioned cancer cells.
2. The Prior Arts
Antrodia camphorata is also called Chang-Zhi, Niu Chang-Gu, red camphor mushroom and the like, which is a perennial mushroom belonging to the order Aphyllophorales, the family Polyporaceae. It is an endemic species in Taiwan growing on the inner rotten heart wood wall of Cinnamomum kanehirae Hay. Cinnamoum kanehirai Hay is rarely distributed and being overcut unlawfully, which makes Antrodia camphorata growing inside the tree in the wild became even rare. The price of Antrodia camphorata is very expensive due to the extremely slow growth rate of natural Antrodia camphorata that only grows between Junes to October.
The fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata are perennial, sessile, hard and woody, which exhales strong smell of sassafras (camphor aroma). The appearances are various with plate-like, bell-like, hoof-like, or tower-like shapes. They are reddish in color and flat when young, attached to the surface of wood. Then the brims of the front end become little curled tilted and extend to the surroundings. The color turns to be faded red-brown or cream yellow brown, with ostioles all over. This region is of very high medical value.
In traditional Taiwanese medicine, Antrodia camphorata is commonly used as an antidotal, liver protective, anti-cancer drug. Antrodia camphorata, like general edible and medicinal mushrooms, is rich in numerous nutrients including triterpenoids, polysaccharides (such as β-glucosan), adenosine, vitamins (such as vitamin B, nicotinic acid), proteins (immunoglobulins), superoxide dismutase (SOD), trace elements (such as calcium, phosphorus and germanium and so on), nucleic acid, steroids, and stabilizers for blood pressure (such as antodia acid) and the like. These physiologically active ingredients are believed to exhibit effects such as: anti-tumor activities, increasing immuno-modulating activities, anti-allergy, anti-bacteria, anti-high blood pressure, decreasing blood sugar, decreasing cholesterol, and the like.
Triterpenoids are the most studied component among the numerous compositions of Antrodia camphorata. Triterpenoids are the summary terms for natural compounds, which contain 30 carbon atoms with the pent acyclic or hex acyclic structures. The bitter taste of Antrodia camphorata is from the component of triterpenoids. Three novel ergostane-type triterpenoids (antcin A, antcin B, antcin C) Were isolated by Cherng et al. from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata (Cherng, I. H., and Chiang, H. C. 1995. Three new triterpenoids from Antrodia cinnamomea. J. Nat. Prod. 58:365-371). Three new compounds zhankuic acid A, zhankuic acid B and zhankuic acid were extracted from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata with ethanol by Chen et al. (Chen, C. H., and Yang, S. W. 1995. New steroid acids from Antrodia cinnamomea,—a fungus parasitic on Cinnamomum micranthum. J. Nat. Prod. 58:1655-1661). In addition, Cherng et al. also found three other new triterpenoids from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata, which are sesquiterpene lactone and 2 biphenyl derived compounds, 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole and 2,2′,5,5′-teramethoxy-3,4,3′,4′-bi-methylenedioxy-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl (Chiang, H. C., Wu, D. P., Cherng, I. W., and Ueng, C. H. 1995. A sesquiterpene lactone, phenyl and biphenyl compounds from Antrodia cinnamomea. Phytochemistry. 39:613-616). In 1996, four novel ergostane-type triterpenoids (antcins E and F and methyl antcinates G and H) were isolated by Cherng et al. with the same analytic methods (Cherng, I. H., Wu, D. P., and Chiang, H. C. 1996. Triteroenoids from Antrodia cinnamomea. Phytochemistry. 41:263-267). And two ergostane related steroids, zhankuic acids D and E together with three lanosta related triterpenes, 15 alpha-acetyl-dehydrosulphurenic acid, dehydroeburicoic acid, dehydrosulphurenic acid were isolated by Yang et al. (Yang, S. W., Shen, Y. C., and Chen, C. H. 1996. Steroids and triterpenoids of Antrodia cinnamomea—a fungus parasitic on Cinnamomum micranthum. Phytochemistry. 41:1389-1392).
Although Antrodia camphorata extracts were reported to have the anti-tumor effects from previous experiments (such as the reference mentioned above: Chen & Yang, 1995), further experiments are needed to identify the effective composition for tumor inhibition. The application in cancer therapy will be of great beneficial effects if the real effective compositions are found.


A method for producing a heat-resistant resin endless belt includes preparing a heat-resistant resin sheet including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; forming a first inclined thinned portion at an end of the first surface and a second inclined thinned portion at an end of the second surface as the inclined thinned portion is formed to be gradually thinned toward the end, the end of the first surface being opposite to the end of the second surface; applying an adhesive composition by a screen printing method on at least one of the first and second inclined thinned portions; joining the first and second inclined thinned portions of the sheet to each other; and hardening the adhesive composition, in which the adhesive composition is an additive polymerized silicon adhesive composition containing ferric (III) oxide at between 6.5 and 9.9 weight % of a solid content of the adhesive composition; a viscosity of the additive polymerized silicon adhesive composition before being hardened at 23° C. is between 50 and 100 Pa s; and an expanding rate at shearing of the adhesive composition after being hardened is 250% or more on a tensile shear test.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a method for producing a heat-resistant endless belt used as an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing belt, a paper conveying belt, or a paper drying belt which is used for an electrophotographic device such as a copier, a laser beam printer, a facsimile, or an ink jet printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
High pressure affects the paper conveying belt, the intermediate transfer belt, or the like among the heat-resistant endless belts used for the electrophotographic device. Also, high pressure and high temperature affect the fixing belt. Therefore, high heat-resistance and high mechanical strength are required of the heat-resistant endless belts used for the electrophotographic device. For those reasons, a polyimide resin has been used for a material to compose the heat-resistant endless belts. Japanese Patent No. 3411091 discloses a technique to produce a heat-resistant endless belt out of polyimide resin in which a polyimide endless belt is produced by heating polyimide varnish to imidize, after cast-forming polyimide varnish on a surface of an outer circumference of a metallic cylindrical body, for example.
However, there is a problem in Japanese Patent No. 3411091 in that a number of molds are necessary because an imidizing process takes a long time and the cost of molds is high; also, a high initial cost is required because a new mold is necessary every time a size gauge of the mold is changed.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei11-291348 discloses a technique to produce a polyimide endless belt by processing an inexpensive polyimide sheet, for example.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei11-291348 shows that the polyimide endless belt is obtained by adhering a non-thermoplastic polyimide film and a thermal plastic polyimide resin together and melt-bonding the thermal plastic polyimide resin.
However, there is a problem in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei11-291348 in that it is difficult to make uniform the layer thicknesses and stiffness between a melt-bonded joint and a non-joint, and also to bond without losing smoothness. As a result, a defective streaky line appears on a fixed image caused by the joint of such a belt, for example.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei10-000698 discloses a technique to produce a polyimide endless belt by forming groove shaped concavoconvex portions on each of surfaces of end portions of a heat hardening resin sheet or the like and joining the concavoconvex portions fitting each other.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei10-000698 exemplifies 1) silicon elastic adhesive, 2) urethane elastic adhesive, 3) hot-melt type silicon adhesive, 4) silane-altered polyimide adhesive, and 5) epoxy adhesive as an adhesive applied to the technique, where the adhesive may be used by itself or combined in order to strongly join a polyimide sheet so that the joined sheet can be applied to an intermediate transfer belt.
However, there is a problem in making a fixing belt from the polyimide endless belt in that a silicon elastic layer or a fluorine resin separation layer is formed on the surface of the polyimide endless belt. Here, because the temperature is as high as 300 to 350° C. when forming the fluorine resin separation layer, the adhesive of the joined portion is deteriorated by the heat. Therefore, the adhesive strength is deteriorated.
Here, there is a problem in that an upper temperature limit of a general adhesive of the above described 1) to 3) is 190° C. or less. Therefore, the adhesive strength is deteriorated when the adhesive is heated at 300 to 350° C. to form the fluorine resin separation layer. Another problem is that the adhesive is stiff after being hardened even though the heat-resistance is good; therefore, a defective streaky line appears on a toner-fixed image of a corresponding part of the joined part of the polyimide endless belt.

Heat-resistant resin endless belt producing method