In a floating gate memory that has a buffer that can be coupled to a set of floating gate memory cells in the memory, a method of writing to a selected portion of the set of floating gate cells. For example, a method of writing a byte to a floating gate memory where the memory uses a page buffer reads and writes to an entire row of cells at a time. Store contents of the set of floating gate cells into the buffer, store the data into a portion of the buffer corresponding to the selected portion of the set of floating gate cells, and store contents of the buffer into the set of floating gate cells. An improved floating gate memory is disclosed in which data may be loaded into a portion of the floating gate cells in a set of cells that may be coupled to a buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to integrated circuit memory devices based on floating gate transistor technology; and more particularly to schemes for writing to a selected portion of a page mode flash memory.
2. Description of Related Art
Flash memory is a growing class of non-volatile storage integrated circuit based on floating gate transistors. The memory cells in a flash device are formed using so called floating gate transistors in which the data is stored in a cell by charging or discharging the floating gate. The floating gate is a conductive material, typically polysilicon, which is insulated from the channel of the transistor by a thin layer of oxide, or other insulating material, and insulated from the control gate of the transistor by a second layer of insulating material.
To store data in a floating gate memory cell, the floating gate is charged or discharged using a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism, or a hot electron injection mechanism. The Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism is executed by establishing a large positive (or negative) voltage between the gate and source or drain of the device. This causes electrons to be injected into (or out of) the floating gate through the thin insulator. The hot electron injection mechanism is based on an avalanche process. Hot electron injection is induced by applying potentials to induce high energy electrons in the channel of the cell, which are injected across the thin insulator into the floating gate. To induce hot electron injection, a potential is applied across the source and drain of the device, along with a positive potential on the control gate. The positive potential on the control gate tends to draw electrons from the current in the channel of the device into the floating gate.
The acts of charging and discharging the floating gate in a floating gate memory device are relatively slow compared to writing other memory types, like static or dynamic random access memory, and limit the speed with which data may be written into the device.
Another problem associated with floating gate memory devices arises because the charging and discharging of the floating gate is difficult to control over a large array of cells. Thus, some of the cells program or erase more quickly than others in the same device. In a given program or erase operation, not all the cells subject of the operation will settle with the same amount of charge stored in the floating gate. Thus, so called program verify and erase verify sequences have been developed to efficiently ensure that the memory is being accurately programmed and erased. The program and erase verify operations are based on comparing the data stored in the floating gate memory array with the intended data. The process of comparing data is relatively time consuming, involving sequencing byte by byte through the programmed or erased cells. If a failure is detected in the verify sequence, then the program or erase operation is retried. Program retries are typically executed word-by-word or byte-by-byte in prior art devices. Thus, bits successfully programmed in a byte with one failed bit are subject to the program cycle repeatedly. This can result in over-programming and failure of the cell. One approach to resolving this issue is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,021, entitled Multi-State EEPROM Read And Write Circuits and Techniques, by Mehrotra
To improve the efficiency of program and program verify operations, so called page mode flash devices have been developed. In these devices, a page buffer is associated with the memory array. The page buffer includes a set of bit latches, one bit latch associated with each global bit line in the array. To program a page in the array, the page buffer is loaded with the data to be programmed, by transferring the program data into the bit latches of the page buffer. The program operation is then executed on the bit lines controlled by the contents of the bit latches. The verify procedure is based on clearing automatically all of the bit latches in the page buffer which are successfully programmed in a parallel operation. The page buffer is then read to confrrm that all bits have been cleared, indicating a successful program operation.
The page mode program process is described for example in commonly owned prior PCT Patent application entitled Advanced Program Verzi For Page Mode Flash Memory, filed Jan. 5, 1995, Application No. PCT/US95/00077. In this application, the program verify operation relies on the sense amplifiers in the memory, which are limited in number, typically to 16, to sense the state of the memory cells being programmed. If the cell is programmed to the proper state, then the bit latch is reset based on the sense amplifier output. The sense amplifier is used because of charge sharing issues which arise from attempting to sense the level of bit lines in the memory array by a latch structure. The bit latch structure typically requires a significant current to reliably reset the latch. The sense amplifier circuit is able to provide sufficient current to reset the bit latch, while the bit line current through the memory cells is normally low due to the small geometry of the cells. Another page mode programing device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,149, entitled Non-Volatile Semiconductor Memory Device Incorporating Data Latch And Address Counter For Page Mode Programming, by Kobayashi.
A problem with some prior page mode devices is that the devices require erasing and programming cells in an entire page or sector in order to change the contents of any of the cells in the page or sector. In such a device, it is not possible to address and program a portion of the cells of the page or sector. It may be desirable, however, to program only a portion of the cells of the page or sector. Thus, an improved flash memory which allows writing a portion of the cells in a page in page mode device is desirable.

Byte-wide write scheme for a page flash device


A valve includes a valve body (100) disposable within a chamber (103) of a housing (101) and capable of being fluidly sealed with respect to the housing (101) when the valve is closed. At least one radial passage (117) is disposed in the valve body (100). At least one axial passage (119) is disposed in the valve body (100) in fluid communication with the at least one radial passage (117). When the valve at least partially opens, a fluid path opens between the valve body (100) and the housing (101), which fluid path (301) in is fluid communication with the at least one radial passage (117), and fluid from within the housing (101) is capable of passing out of the at least one axial passage (119).

Internal combustion engines include a lubrication system that typically includes an oil pan, an oil pump, and a filter. The oil pump circulates oil from the pan through the filter. The filter and the oil are regularly replaced to maintain desired engine operation and reduce engine failures.
An oil filter may comprise a cartridge disposed in housing that is attached to the engine. A cap is often utilized to seal the filter and the oil in the housing, and to facilitate removal of the filter. In some implementations, the cap is disposed below the filter. Oil is likely to be present in the housing above the cap, and the oil may spill when the cap is removed. Spilled oil may be hot and slippery, and for obvious reasons is undesirable.
Oil plugs are known to seal a drain hole in a lubrication system. When the oil plug is unscrewed to allow oil to drain, the oil flows between the threads of the plug, often spilling oil on the tool and/or hand removing the plug and the floor. The plug may also fall into the container that catches used oil and then may need to be retrieved from the oil before new oil may be added to the engine.
Accordingly, there is a need for an oil draining system that permits oil to be safely and cleanly drained from a lubrication system for an internal combustion engine.

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC


Measuring oxygen concentration and monitoring changes in oxygen concentration within an enclosed space by applying a transmembrane photoluminescent oxygen probe to the external surface of the membrane forming the enclosed space, wherein the transmembrane photoluminescent oxygen probe has an oxygen impermeable support layer carrying a spot of an oxygen-sensitive photoluminescent dye and a layer of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on a first major surface of the support layer.

Solid-state polymeric materials based on oxygen-sensitive photoluminescent dyes are widely used as optical oxygen probes. See, for example United States Published Patent Applications 2009/0029402, 2008/8242870, 2008/215254, 2008/199360, 2008/190172, 2008/148817, 2008/146460, 2008/117418, 2008/0051646, 2006/0002822, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,569,395, 7,534,615, 7,368,153, 7,138,270, 6,689,438, 5,718,842, 4,810,655, and 4,476,870. Such optical probes are available from a number of suppliers, including Presens Precision Sensing, GmbH of Regensburg, Germany, Oxysense of Dallas, Tex., United States, and Luxcel Biosciences, Ltd of Cork, Ireland.
Such probes may be interrogated through many common packaging materials and therefore allow nondestructive measurement of the oxygen concentration within an enclosure by simply incorporating a probe within the packaging, typically adhered to the inside surface of the cover. Unfortunately, there are certain applications where incorporation of such a probe into the packaging is not acceptable—such as packages made from materials that interfere with interrogation of the probe, packages in which the presence of such a probe inside the packaging may be mistakenly perceived by consumers as an undesired contamination of the packaged product, or packages whose per package value or profit margin cannot accommodate the cost of incorporating a probe into every package or tracking those containing a probe when only select packages include a probe.
Hence, a need exists for a probe that can nondestructively sense the oxygen concentration within an enclosure from outside the enclosure.

Methods for transmembrane measurement of oxygen concentration and monitoring changes in oxygen concentration within a space enclosed by a membrane employing a photoluminescent transmembrane oxygen probe


A high voltage bipolar transistor fabricated on a CMOS substrate without adding any additional process steps. During the CMOS n-well mask and implant steps an n-well is formed for the transistor. Next, during the CMOS field and deep boron implant steps a circular p-field is formed within the n-well. Finally, during the CMOS p+ mask and implant steps the p+ emitter is formed. The presence of the p-field between the emitter and n+ base provides high voltage protection.

The method of making a high voltage bipolar transistor during the process of fabricating a CMOS (complementary metal oxide silicon) circuit on an n-substrate.
Bipolar pnp and npn transistors and CMOS field effect transistors (FET's) are normally fabricated in separate processes. For example, vertical pnp transistors are commonly fabricated on a p substrate using the ordinary industrial CMOS process. However, all three types of transistors can be made in one process, BiMOS. A high voltage npn transistor and a high voltage annular PMOS FET with a triple diffused conductive drift region can also be made by adding additional steps to this BiMOS process. This process is described in commonly assigned Patent Application "Bipolar Transistors with High Voltage MOS Transistors in a Single Substrate", Ser. No. 07/878,141, is incorporated herein by reference, and is described in detail below. A result of the basic CMOS process is a vertical pnp bipolar transistor with a breakdown voltage of approximately 20 volts in the inverse direction. However, in some applications such as in the output protection circuit of a high voltage driver, a higher breakdown voltage is required. At the same time, it would be preferred that no additional process steps are required beyond those required by the basic process.

Method of making high voltage PNP bipolar transistor in CMOS


There is disclosed a method of treating obesity in warm-blooded animals, including humans, as well as a method of increasing the muscle mass to fat ratio in farm animals. The methods entail administering to an animal in need thereof, an effective amount of certain 8-phenylxanthines substituted in the 3- or 4-position of the phenyl group by an alkenylene, alkenyleneoxy, alkynylene or alkynyleneoxy bearing a terminal acetic grouping.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,296, issued Nov. 7, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,857, issued Jan. 1, 1991, disclose purine derivatives of Formula I described below, which are useful in the present invention. Methods of preparing the compounds are disclosed in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,879,296 and 4,981,857. The patents also disclose that the compounds provided therein are useful in human and veterinary therapy, particularly for conditions associated with the cell surface effects of adenosine. Even so, there is no disclosure in either U.S. patent that the compounds provided therein are useful as anti-obesity agents, or as agents capable of increasing the ratio to muscle mass to fat in farm animals. Instead, both patents are concerned with using the compounds disclosed therein in the treatment or prophylaxis of AIDS and other retroviral infections and for pathophysiological disorders arising from the cell surface effects of adenosine. Such pathophysiological disorders caused by adenosine/cell surface interaction are disclosed in both U.S. patents as including those arising within the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal or neuroendocrine systems, including heart block, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome. U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,269 and 4,981,857 are each incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.

Methods of treating obesity with purine related compounds


A deodorant stick comprising: at least about 25% of a liquid triglyceride; at least one antimicrobial; a primary structurant with a melting point of at least about 50° C.; and less than 8% of secondary structurants having a melting point of at least about 60° C.; said stick being free of an aluminum salt; and said stick having a hardness from about 80 mm*10 to about 140 mm*10, as measured by penetration with ASTM D-1321 needle.

Many consumers are seeking more natural, aluminum-free deodorant offerings, often mostly free of silicones. Consumers also want a good glide, non-sticky, and non-greasy application. This is a challenge, because a mostly silicone-free formula will often use natural oils or natural oil-based triglycerides. But often natural oils, such as coconut oil, bring a large portion of wax with them, often making the resulting deodorant sticks too hard to meet a more preferable product application for both shaven and unshaven underarms. They are also often undesirably greasy due to the non-volatile nature.
Thus there remains a challenge to formulate an aluminum-free, mostly silicone-free deodorant stick that is not too hard.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A chimeric antigen receptor, comprising an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO. 1. A nucleic acid encoding the chimeric antigen receptor, a vector comprising the nucleic acid, an immune effector cell comprising the chimeric antigen receptor, the nucleic acid molecule and/or the vector, a method for preparing the immune effector cell, a composition comprising the immune effector cell, and use of the chimeric antigen receptor.

At present, clinical therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and B-cell lymphoma mainly include chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and biological therapy. Although such therapies can achieve certain efficacy, relapsed or refractory leukemia still remains as a major issue difficult to be tackled. As a new treatment strategy, cellular immunotherapy of tumor has become a hot topic in recent researches. CD19 is widely expressed on the surface of almost all the B-cell tumor cells, while being rarely expressed in other parenchymal cells and hematopoietic stem cells.
Tumor cells can produce immune escape by various pathways, e.g., down-regulating expression of the molecules that participate in T cell recognition and antigen responses, or reducing immunogenicity, thereby enabling the immune system of an organism to be incapable of removing tumors effectively. Studies have found that chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) can recognize antigens on the surface of tumor cells and specifically kill the tumor cells, and thus they are useful for the treatment of tumors.

CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor and use thereof


An ultrasonic transducer for generating and transmitting ultrasonic wave energy of a predetermined frequency to the surface of an object. The head mass and the tail mass are made from ceramic materials such as silicon carbide or alumina. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the transducer stack includes a resonance enhancing disc also made from ceramic material.

Ultrasonic transducers are used for generating and transmitting wave energy of a predetermined frequency to a liquid contained in a container. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,383 entitled ULTRASONIC CLEANING SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREFOR. Transducers of this type can be used, for example, in ultrasonic cleaning equipment. The transducer is typically mounted to the side or the underside of a container which holds liquid, or mounted in a sealed enclosure which is immersed in a liquid in a container made of metal, plastic or glass. A single transducer or a plurality of transducers are then used to energize the liquid with sonic energy. Once energized with the sonic energy, the liquid achieves cavitation.
This type of transducer is also referred to as a "sandwich"-type transducer because it has one or more crystals sandwiched between a head mass (or front driver) and the tail mass (or rear driver). A sandwich-type of transducer is used in applications such as plastic welding, wire bonding, cataract and other medical surgical devices, among others.
Currently, some of the transducer elements are made from metallic materials including stainless steel, aluminum and titanium. Applicant has proposed using an additional element, called a resonator, to enhance the output of the transducer relative to conventional transducers, as disclosed in co-pending application Ser. Nos. 08/644,843, and 08/792,568. In one embodiment, ceramic material is identified as a preferred material for the resonator element.
It has now been discovered, however, that even greater advantages can be obtained where ceramic materials are substituted for the metal components of a transducer and/or other structures used to generate and transmit ultrasonic energy.

Transducer assembly having ceramic structure


Methods and apparatus for analyzing, collecting, and presenting data in a communication network are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing collected data to generate gateway metrics representative of a user experience of a user-initiated communication within a network, the network comprising network elements, the gateway metrics comprising at least one of a number of termination attempts for a DS0 channel, a number of rejected attempts for the DS0 channel, a number of terminations answered for the DS0 channel, a number of attempts for a hunt group, a number of rejected attempts for the hunt group, or a number of terminations answered for the hunt group; determining an average upper transaction time per customer based on the collected data; and presenting the gateway metrics in a plurality of tabular views corresponding to service area levels, the views presenting performance data representing the average upper transaction times of the service area levels.

Communication networks such as, for example, public switched telephone networks, mobile phone networks, computer networks, etc. typically include a variety of node equipment (e.g., switches, servers, routers, computer terminals or interfaces, etc.) and link equipment (e.g., cabling, wireless transmission apparatus, etc.) Some communication networks include a monitoring system that enables a system operator or other designated personnel to monitor the operation of individual network elements such as node equipment and/or link equipment to troubleshoot and/or maintain the equipment.
Some known communication network monitoring systems or tools (e.g., software-based tools) collect information relating to the operational condition of individual network elements (e.g., node and/or link equipment components) using a data collection system (e.g., a server coupled to a database). Typically, the data collection system periodically polls individual network elements for operational information and/or receives messages containing operational information from the network elements. Such operational information is usually associated with operational faults, imminent operational problems, and/or other operational characteristics associated with the individual network elements.
Many known communication network monitoring systems or tools also provide one or more graphical interfaces or displays that enable system operators or other designated personnel to view the current operational conditions of individual network elements. Such graphical displays may include visual and/or audible alarm indicators to draw an operator's attention to network elements that have failed and/or which have reached an operationally problematic condition and, thus, may require service, replacement, reconfiguration, etc.
Generally, known communication network monitoring systems or tools typically only provide current operational information associated with individual network elements. As a result, a system operator can only understand end-to-end or end user or customer experience (e.g., perceived performance) of the communication network by attempting to mentally analyze, interrelate, and/or aggregate a relatively large amount of operational information associated with the individual network elements. Of course, the task of mentally analyzing such a large amount of operational information is difficult, if not impossible, for a system operator to accomplish. Further, even if system operators could somehow manage to mentally analyze such a large amount of operational information to glean end-to-end performance data therefrom, each system operator may perform such an analysis in a different manner, thereby leading to inconsistent results.
Many known communication network monitoring systems or tools are operationally focused and, as a result, typically only provide operational information related to individual network elements. Accordingly, many known communication network monitoring systems are well-suited to facilitate the maintenance of a given communication system topology, infrastructure, design, etc., but are not typically adapted to facilitate the correction of poor user experience or performance perception of the communication network and/or improvement of user experience or perception of communication network performance.
The monitoring of communication networks has become increasingly more difficult due to the increasing complexity and integration of communication services. Such integrated services typically involve heterogeneous networks including equipment associated with multiple vendors and/or services. For example, one well-known integrated heterogeneous communication network provides integrated electronic mail and voice services. The monitoring of such an integrated communication network is complicated by the large number and diversity of network elements composing the network. Likewise, a system operator's ability to determine (e.g., via mental analysis) end-to-end performance characteristics (e.g., characteristics of the communication network that are indicative of a user's experience or performance perception of the network) is greatly diminished, or completely prohibited, due to the increased diversity and complexity of such integrated communication networks.

Methods and apparatus for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data in a communication network


A grinding-disc device for power tools has an outer cover, a grinding tray and a grinding element. The outer cover has a casing and a mounting tube. The casing has a chamber, a connecting tube, at least one engaging hole and at least one engaging arm. The mounting tube is connected to the connecting tube. The grinding tray is detachably connected to the outer cover and has a body and at least one engaging element. The body is mounted below the casing and has a tube seat and a connecting board. The at least one engaging element is formed on the body, engages the at least one engaging arm to hold the grinding tray with the outer cover, and each one of the at least one engaging element has an engaging hook. The grinding element is detachably connected to the grinding tray below the outer cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grinding-disc device, and more particularly relates to a grinding-disc device for power tools that can reduce the cost of use, can improve the applicability and can be used safely.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a power tool can be used to clean and remove rust from the surface of metal by assembling a conventional grinding-disc device on the power tool. The conventional grinding-disc device is rotated with the power tool to grind or polish the surface of the metal to provide a cleaning and rust-removing effect to the metal. The conventional grinding-disc device has a grinding tray and a grinding element. The grinding tray has a top side, a bottom side and a mounting tube. The mounting tube is formed on and protrudes from the top side of the grinding tray and is connected to the power tool. The grinding element is detachably mounted on the bottom side of the grinding tray.
The conventional grinding-disc device for the power tool can be used to grind or polish the surface of the metal. However, the grinding tray of the conventional grinding-disc device only has a single size and is connected to a grinding element with a corresponding size. When a user wants to process a workpiece (such as a wheel rim etc.) in a different size or shape, the user needs to replace or buy another grinding-disc device in another size, and this will increase the cost of using the conventional grinding-disc device and reduce the applicability of the conventional grinding-disc device. In addition, the clamping force between the mounting tube of the grinding tray and the power tool is insufficient, and the mounting tube may be separated from the power tool when the power tool is operated during a high-torque condition and this is unsafe in use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a grinding-disc device for power tools to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


The present invention relates to a optimization method based on an evolution strategy according to which a model/structure/shape/design to be optimized is described by parameter sets comprising object parameters. The object parameters are mutated to create offsprings of the parameter set. The quality of the offsprings is evaluated. The parameter set furthermore comprises at least one strategy parameter representing the step-size of the mutation (f.e. the variance of the normal distribution) of associated object parameters. The number of object parameters as well as the number of associated strategy parameters can be adapted during the optimization process. The value of newly inserted strategy parameters can be estimated based on the information of correlated object parameters.

In the field of evolution strategy, basic principles of natural evolution are used for generating or optimizing technical structures. Basic operations are mutation and recombination as a method for modifying structures or parameters. To eliminate unfavorable modifications and to proceed with modifications which increase the overall quality of the system, a selection operation is used. Principles of the evolution strategy can be found for example in Rechenberg, Ingo (1994) "Evolutions strategie", Friedrich Frommann Holzboog Verlag.
With reference to FIG. 1 at first the known cycle of an evolution strategy will be explained.
In a step 1 the object parameters to be optimized are encoded as real numbers in a vector called individual or chromosome. One individual can alternatively also consist of several vectors or chromosomes. A number of such individuals are generated that comprise the initial parent generation and the quality (fitness) of each individual in the parent generation is evaluated. In a step S2 the parents are reproduced by applying operators called mutation and recombination. Thus, a new generation is produced in step S3, which is called the offspring generation. The quality of the offspring individuals is evaluated using a fitness function which is the objective of the optimization in step S4. Finally, depending on the calculated quality value, step S5 selects (possibly stochastically) the best offspring individuals (survival of the fittest) which are used as parents for the next generation cycle if the termination condition in step S6 is not satisfied.
In particular for this application the real number vector, the object parameter, represents the coding for a spline which describes a two or higher dimensional body. This mapping from the parameter vector to the spline encoded structure is usually referred to as the genotype (=the parameter vector)−phenotype (=the two or higher dimensional body) mapping. In order to determine the fitness in step S4, first the genotype is mapped to the phenotype and then the quality of the phenotype is derived. A particular example is the parameterization of an airfoil (=the phenotype) by a real-valued vector (=genotype) describing a spline which determines the geometry of the airfoil. Finally, the quality of the airfoil can be determined, e.g. by methods known from computational fluid dynamics.
The mutation operator for the reproduction in step S2 is realized by adding normal or Gaussian distributed random numbers to the already existing elements of the parameter set, the so-called chromosome. The step size of the mutation can be controlled by modifying the variance of the normal or Gaussian probability density function. The variances are called strategy parameters. In higher dimensions the strategy parameters can consist of all or some entries of the covariance matrix of the higher dimensional Gaussian probability density function. This method to control the mutation by means of strategy parameters particularly distinguishes evolution strategy from other evolutionary algorithms like genetic algorithms (GA) or genetic programming (GP).
Appropriate values for the strategy parameters are important for the convergence of the algorithm. The appropriate values depend on the problem and the actual position in the solution space. To adapt the mutation width online, different adaptation strategies are used. Some simple methods are the ⅕ rule (see Rechenberg) or the so-called mutative step size control. More complex methods are, for example, the de-randomized adaptation method or the co-variance matrix adaptation.
Evolution strategies have been shown to outperform other evolutionary algorithms like genetic algorithms or genetic programming for real-valued parameter optimization problems due to the above-mentioned possibilities of the adaptation or self-adaptation of the step size(s) of the mutation operator.

Strategy parameter adaptation in evolution strategies


Managing buffers in a hybrid system, in one aspect, may comprise selecting a first buffer management method from a plurality of buffer management methods; capturing statistics associated with access to the buffer in the hybrid system running under the initial buffer management method; analyzing the captured statistics; identifying a second buffer management method based on the analyzed captured statistics; determining whether the second buffer management method is more optimal than the first buffer management method; in response to determining that the second buffer management method is more optimal than the first buffer management method, invoking the second buffer management method; and repeating the capturing, the analyzing, the identifying and the determining.

Java Virtual Machine (JVM) implementations support the Java Native Interface (JNI) as a mechanism which allows Java code to call methods written in C and C++ (native code) and vice verse. Traditionally both the code written in Java and the native code is executed in the same process and by the same thread as execution transitions between the two.
It is possible, however, to construct a JVM such that the native code is run in one or more Remote Execution Containers which may be hosted in separate processes on the same or different machines from where the Java code is executed such that the native code is unaware that it is executing separately from the JVM. This separation prevents misbehaved native code from destabilizing the JVM and enables running the native code in a different environment (e.g., security context, bit width) than the main JVM.
In a split JVM, the cost of the calls between Java and native code has much greater overhead and latency resulting in the need to reduce round-trips where possible. With the standardized Java Native Interface (JNI), an application often has to make multiple calls to get the information needed to complete an action. In a traditional JVM, the overhead for a JNI to Java call is low enough to be acceptable. In the case of a distributed JVM, however, the latency of making a cross-process/cross-machine call may be magnitudes of order greater than required to run the method called. The JNI calls that are of particular focus are the ones associated with native buffers.
In one example use case, JVM Proxy technology can be used to realize the true potential of hybrid systems with transparent acceleration of Java workload running on a main machine (host) by running Java methods on another machine (accelerator) while leaving required native methods run on the main machine. When a native buffer is accessed from both Java and native methods, accessing the buffer from remote machine will cause a network round-trip overhead.
For instance, ByteBuffer instances, created by a call to static ByteBuffer java.nio.ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(int nbyte), create regions of non-heap memory which can be shared between native and managed code. Briefly, ByteBuffer is a Java™ class that defines input/output (I/O) operations upon byte buffers. Native code refers to code written in machine language or the like that can be executed on a native machine. Managed code refers to code written in language that requires another program to run it. Typically single address is used for the buffer in native and managed space: JVM on a single machine. In the hybrid environment, Java and native (JNI) code run on different machines. For example, native code running on the host machine could allocate a virtual address. Now the managed code on the accelerator machine will have to reach out to the host machine for two kinds of operations: to read and write the data at that address and to respond to address look up requests. This naïve allocation of direct byte buffers on the JNI-side (host-side) makes accesses expensive for some cases. Excessive roundtrips for data make this approach non-usable for real applications in which slowdowns have been observed in excesses of 50 times.

Optimization of native buffer accesses in Java applications on hybrid systems

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention discloses a cable connector assembly and method for manufacturing the same, the cable connector assembly includes a cable; a first connector and a second connector, the first connector includes a first plug, the first plug is inserted in the first port, the first plug is electrically connecting the cable via a printed circuit board; the second connector includes a second plug, the second plug is inserted in the second port, the second connector is assembled onto the first connector, the second plug is not electrically connecting with the second port. The second connector is assembled onto the first connector, therefore, the second connector plays the function of fixing the first connector, the cable connector assembly is less likely to be shaken or loosened during use, and the electrical connection between the first connector and the first port is more stable.

Cable connectors are widely used for signal transmission between electronic devices. Cable connectors typically include a plug and a cable, the plug is used to mate with an external electronic device for electrical connection. Most of the existing external electronic devices are provided with a plurality of interfaces for plugging in the cable connectors. As there are multiple interfaces, if a plug is plugged into one interface in separately, it is easily affected by external forces and loosened from the corresponding interface. The data transmission is interrupted, which brings great trouble to the users.
Therefore, there is a need to design a new cable connector and a method of manufacturing the same to overcome the above shortcomings.

Cable connector assembly having two plugs for providing a secure connection


A syringe plunger is formed by a two-shot molding process. A hard plastic core is formed in a first mold, and the distal portion of the hard plastic core is subsequently overmolded with soft rubber. The result is a fully automated manufacturing process increasing quality and lowering costs, and a unique plunger having a hard plastic core and soft rubber exterior which are molecularly and permanently bonded together.

Two-part molded plungers are available to drive and draw fluid through syringes. These plungers are made by fitting a molded soft rubber cover over a separately molded hard plastic core. The rubber cover is typically assembled by hand over the hard plastic core to form the completed plunger. When the plunger is inserted into a syringe, the soft rubber cover creates a seal with the inner circumference of the syringe so that fluid may drawn into or driven out of the syringe. The hard plastic core provides support for the rubber cover to prevent excessive deformation and possible leakage.
Typically, that portion of the hard plastic core which supports the rubber cover against fluid pressure, must have a smooth exterior profile conforming to the profile of the rubber cover. This is necessary in order for the hard plastic core to support the rubber cover against fluid pressure generated when the plunger is driven into the syringe. Otherwise, the rubber cover would extrude into voids or depressions in the hard plastic core, weakening or damaging the rubber cover.
Several problems have plagued prior art two-part plungers. First, hand assembly of the two parts of the plunger is expensive and time-consuming. Second, because the portion of the hard plastic core which supports the rubber cover against fluid pressure must have a smooth exterior profile, in some applications there are regions of the hard plastic core including large quantities of solid plastic. These large regions of molten plastic are difficult to adequately cool and cure in a conventional injection molding process, leading to delay in manufacturing and/or quality variations as a result of some cores being removed from the mold before the plastic forming the core is adequately cured.
It would be desirable to provide a plunger that can be manufactured by a fully automated process, in which there is reduced potential for manufacturing delay and quality variation resulting from regions of uncured plastic.


A system for holding golf tees on a hand of a golfer, comprising a tee holding device removably mounted on a securing flap of a glove, and including a mounting portion for mounting on the securing flap of the glove and a tee receiving portion mounted on the mounting portion for removably receiving at least one golf tee. The mounting portion defines a slot with closed ends for receiving the flap. The system may include a glove with a securing flap for selectively securing together sections of a back portion of the glove located on opposite sides of an expansion slit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf tee holders and more particularly pertains to a new glove mounted tee holding system for providing quick and convenient access to golf tees on a hand of a golfer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A golf tee is a wooden or plastic elongate device, less than four inches in length, used for elevating a golf ball above the playing surface. The benefits of elevating a player's golf ball for distance shots has been recognized for some time-before the invention of golf tees, golf balls were placed on mounds of sand, taken from "tee boxes." Modern golfers who follow the traditional rules of golf now use a golf tee to elevate their golf ball during the first shot of every hole. Because the golf tees are subject to extreme forces imparted by the head of a golf club, tees often break after use.
During game play, golfers can replace broken tees with spares that are stored in a compartment in a motorized golf cart or in a standard golf bag. These storage locations require the golfer to take the necessary steps to retrieve the stored tees when they are needed, however.
Golfers who desire access to a supply of tees on their person may maintain a collection of tees in a shirt or pants pocket. However, because tees are adapted for insertion into the ground with a sharp pointed end, storage in shirt and pants pockets can be uncomfortable. Not only are golfers subject to the hazard presented when tees pierce a pocket's wall, but they are also subject to injury incurred when the sharp end of a tee contacts a hand inserted into these storage pockets.
Furthermore, golfers who engage in the sport during inclement, wet weather must sometimes retrieve pocketed tees with a wet and soiled glove, imparting the moisture and dirt to the opening of the pocket.
With respect to these drawbacks, a number of tee holding devices have been devised. Specifically, implementations of tee holding devices have been created for attachment to golf gloves. The tee holding devices in the existing art, however, contain drawbacks that limit their usefulness by being bulky, awkward to use, complicated to manufacture and potentially hazardous to the user.
Prior to the instant invention, a number of attempts have been made to design tee holders that address the problems associated with storing and using golf tees. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,248 to Pommenville and U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,436 to Hoyt et al., devices for holding golf tees, pencils and other accessories are shown, featuring a clip to be received by a strap on a golf bag or on a golf shoe. The structures are such that one component of the device engages the surface to which the holder is attached, and the other component has some means for holding the tees.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 453,418 to Rippeon and U.S. Design Pat. No. 251,037 to Cudahy, III show golf tee holders with two major components-a tee holding component attached to a clip component, with the clip component frictionally engaging the material over which it is slid. These devices, when used in conjunction with a golf glove, impede wrist movement and add unnecessary bulk.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,412 to Antonious shows a carrier for golf tees and ball markers utilizing a flap which wraps around an object to which it is secured. This device is designed for carrying more equipment than golf tees, and is excessively bulky. The added structures for carrying ball markers also make this device more costly and complicated to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,609 to Herzog and U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0010956 show golf gloves with integral golf tee holding apparatuses. These devices are entire glove structures and cannot be attached to an existing golf glove. Thus, the tee holding apparatus must be replaced whenever the glove must be replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,674 to Jackson, Jr. shows a glove-attached tee holder that consists of small elastic rings positioned on the side of the glove, opposite the thumb. This device is a modification to a golf glove instead of an attachment, and thus must be replaced when the glove is replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,836 to Park and U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,588 to Shin show golfing gloves with attached tee carriers. These tee-holding devices are again integrated into the glove and are not removable or attachable to another glove.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,947 to Lanscioni shows a golf glove with a flap opposite the palm of the device for securing golf-related accessories. This device is not an accessory, but rather integrated into a glove.
In these respects, the glove mounted tee holding system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing quick and convenient access to golf tees on a hand of a golfer.


An inkjet head includes a flow-path unit. The flow-path unit includes a plurality of plates that are stacked and define a common ink chamber and a plurality of ink flow paths communicating with the common ink chamber. The plurality of plates include a first plate and a second plate that are bonded to each other by an adhesive. The first plate defines a plurality of ink supply holes that make up a part of the ink flow paths. The first plate defines a first groove in a second region other than a first region where the first plate and the second plate contact with each other. The first groove extends in a direction, which intersects with a longitudinal direction of the inkjet head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet head used for an inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink onto a recording medium to perform printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is an inkjet head constructed such that ink supplied from an ink tank to a manifold is distributed to plural pressure chambers, and pulse-like pressures are selectively applied to these plural pressure chambers so that ink is ejected from nozzles communicating with the pressure chambers. In such an inkjet head, a flow path unit including pressure chambers, manifolds, nozzles or ink flow paths for connecting these is constructed by laminating plural plates having openings and holes for forming the pressure chambers and the like.
The plural plates constituting the flow path unit are generally bonded by adhesive and are laminated to each other. When two plates are bonded to each other by applying adhesive to one surface of each of the plates, in order to prevent the surplus adhesive from flowing into openings or holes formed in each of the plates, there has been proposed that escape grooves for escaping the surplus adhesive are formed in the peripheries of the openings or holes (see, for example, JP-A-2002-96477 (FIG. 4)). That is, in the plural plates constituting the flow path unit, the plural escape grooves are formed around each of pressure chambers, manifolds, communication holes for communicating the pressure chambers and the nozzles, and through-holes for communicating the pressure chambers and the manifolds. All of these escape grooves are formed in a bonded area of each of the plates in which the adhesive is directly applied and which is bonded to another plate.


A torque balancing device applied to synchronous dual-shaft system for making the rotary shafts bear the same torque or pressure and avoiding slippage thereof. The torque balancing device includes a first rotary shaft, a second rotary shaft and a torque balancing unit. Each of the first and second rotary shafts has a fixed section mounted on an electronic apparatus and a drive section assembled with the torque balancing unit. The torque balancing unit includes a reactor and a responder assembled with each other. Each of the reactor and the responder has wing sections for together holding the drive sections of the first and second rotary shafts in normal state. When the first and second rotary shafts rotate, the wing sections are elastically forcedly biased and opened and the reactor and the responder are moved in an axial direction relative to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a torque balancing device applied to synchronous dual-shaft system, and more particularly to torque balancing device including a reactor and a responder assembled with each other. The reactor and the responder cooperate with the torque modules to make the rotary shafts bear the same torque or pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various electronic apparatuses provided with covers or display screens, such as mobile phones, notebooks, PDA, and electronic books. The covers or display screens are pivotally mounted on the electronic apparatuses via pivot pins or rotary shafts, whereby the covers or display screens can be freely rotated and opened/closed under external force.
In order to operate the display module (such as the screen) and/or the apparatus body module of the electronic apparatus in more operation modes and application ranges, a dual-shaft mechanism is provided between the display module and the apparatus body module, whereby the display module and/or the apparatus body module can be operated in different operation modes by different rotational angles.
One end (or so-called pivoted end) of the dual-shaft mechanism is generally assembled with a torque module composed of multiple gaskets with through holes and recessed/raised locating sections, frictional plates and springs. Two ends of the rotary shafts are respectively fixedly assembled in a case by means of retainer rings or retainer plates. The other end (or so-called fixed end) of the dual-shaft mechanism is mounted on the apparatus body module and display module of the electronic apparatus. The springs cooperatively store and release energy to rotate and locate the rotary shafts.
With respect to the above dual-shaft mechanism, an assembler needs to adjust the torque modules mounted on the two rotary shafts to have the same torque or pressure, whereby the two rotary shafts can be rotated by the same rotational angle and located in the same angular position. However, as well known by those who are skilled in this field, it is troublesome and time-consuming to adjust the pressure of the torque modules mounted on the two rotary shafts to the same value. Especially, after a long period of operation of the electronic apparatus, the torque modules of the two rotary shafts will be worn to different extents. In this case, the two rotary shafts can hardly synchronously rotate. Also, in operation, the rotary shafts are likely to slip to lead to delay of transmission of kinetic energy. As a result, the electronic apparatus cannot be truly operated and the locating effect will be affected.
The conventional dual-shaft mechanism and the relevant connection components thereof have some shortcomings in use and structural design that need to be overcome. It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a torque balancing device applied to synchronous dual-shaft system to eliminate the shortcomings existing in the conventional dual-shaft mechanism so as to widen the application range. For example, in comparison with the conventional dual-shaft mechanism, the pivot pin or rotary shaft is assembled with the torque balancing device. In response to the rotation of the electronic apparatus, the torque balancing device can keep the first and second rotary shafts having the same torque or pressure so as to enhance the stability and smoothness of synchronous move of the rotary shafts and minimize the possibility of slippage of the rotary shafts and ensure that the rotary shafts can truly synchronously rotate. In this case, the electronic apparatus can be more smoothly operated and truly located. Moreover, the torque balancing device of the present invention can be easily assembled. In contrast, it is troublesome and time-consuming to adjust the conventional torque modules.

Torque balancing device applied to synchronous dual-shaft system


A method of detecting heparin-induced antibodies to complete a diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia HITP is disclosed. In one embodiment, this method comprises binding human platelet factor 4 to a linear, non-glycosaminoglycan polymer carrying negative charges distributed along the polymer chain, wherein the negative charge carried by the polymer is less than 10 .ANG. from the polymer chain. In another embodiment, the negative charge is a strong negative charge. A complex having one or more epitopes recognizable by antibodies generated in a HITP immune response is formed. One then contacts blood plasma or serum from a human patient suspected of having HITP with the complex and analyzes the complex to determine if the HITP-related antibodies are present. In another embodiment of the invention, a kit for diagnosing HITP is disclosed.

Thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet levels) is most often caused either by defective platelet production or excessive platelet destruction. Defective platelet production is a common manifestation of many toxic, nutritional, and neoplastic disturbances of the bone marrow. Increased peripheral destruction of platelets is characterized by shortened platelet survival and increased proliferation of bone marrow megakaryocytes in an effort to compensate for the low platelet levels. Frequently, this process is immunologically mediated.
Certain drugs and their metabolites induce antibodies in some individuals which can cause immune platelet destruction. Implicated drugs include quinidine and quinine (stereoisomers of each other), sulfonamide antibiotics and many others (R. H. Aster, in Platelet Immunobiology: Molecular and Clinical Aspects. T. J. Kunicki and J. N. George eds., Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp. 387-435, 1989; N. R. Shulman, et al., "Platelet Immunology" in Hemostasis and Thrombosis: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice. R. W. Culman, J. Hirsh, V. J. Marder, E. W. Salzman, eds. Lippincott, Philadelphia, 2nd ed., pp. 452-529, 1989). A few of these drugs, such as penicillin, appear to bind covalently to platelet proteins and stimulate the formation of antibodies specific for the drug-protein complex (hapten-dependent antibodies) (D. J. Salamon, et al., Transfusion 24:395, 1984). More often, however, the sensitizing drug or one of its metabolites induces the formation of antibody by an unknown mechanism (Aster, supra, 1989; A. Salama, et al., Sem. Hematol. 29:54-63, 1992). The resulting antibodies bind to platelets only in the presence of drug to cause platelet destruction. Evidence obtained by the Applicants (D. J. Christie, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 75:310, 1985; D. J. Christie, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 70:989, 1982) and others (C. Mueller-Eckhardt, et al., Trans. Med. Rev. 4:69, 1990; A. Salama, et al., Semin. Hematol. 29:54, 1992) indicates that in such cases, the drug binds non-covalently and reversibly to selected platelet membrane proteins to induce conformational changes or form compound epitopes that are recognized by the antibodies. Drug-dependent binding of the antibodies to platelets causes the platelets to be destroyed. In the several forms of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia, platelet counts are often very low and bleeding complications are frequently severe.
A third type of drug-induced thrombocytopenia (heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or HITP) occurs in patients treated with heparin to prevent or treat thrombosis. Heparin is a family of polysaccharide species consisting of chains made up of alternating, 1-4 linked and variously sulfated residues of glucuronic acid or iduronic acid and D-glucosamine. (B. Casu, "Methods of structural analysis" in Heparin: Chemical and Biological Properties, Clinical Applications, D. A. Lane and U. Lindahl, eds. CRC Press, Inc. Boca Raton, Fla., 1989, pp. 25-49.) In man and animal species, heparin is normally found in storage granules of mast cells (tissue basophils) (L. Enerback, "The mast cell system." In Heparin: Chemical and biological properties, clinical applications, D. A. Lane and U. Lindahl eds. CRC press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., pp. 97-114, 1989). Heparin-like molecules, such as heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are expressed on the surface of endothelial cells that coat the luminal surface of blood vessels and in other tissues where they are coupled to a protein backbone (syndecan) to form a class of molecules known as proteoglycans (Ihrcke, et al., Immunology Today 14:500-505, 1993). The heparin-like residues on endothelial cell proteoglycans are thought to provide one means by which abnormal clotting is prevented, allowing the circulating blood to remain in a fluid state (J. A. Marcum, et al., "The biochemistry, cell biology, and pathophysiology of anti-coagulantly active heparin-like molecules of the vessel wall" in Heparin: Clinical and Biological Properties, Clinical Applications. D. A. Lane and U. Lindahl eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., pp. 275-294, 1989). Heparin acts as an anticoagulant by binding to a co-factor protein, antithrombin III, in such a way as to enable this protein to inhibit certain activated clotting factors, especially activated Factor X (Xa) and thrombin (IIa) (I. Bjork, et al., "Molecular mechanisms of the accelerating effect of heparin on the reactions between antithrombin and clotting proteases" in Heparin: Chemical and Biological Properties, Clinical Applications, D. A. Lane and U. Lindahl eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., pp. 229-255, 1989). Heparin of bovine origin appears to be more likely to cause HITP than heparin of porcine origin (W. R. Bell, et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 33:902, 1980).
Thrombocytopenia in patients with HITP is usually not severe enough to result in bleeding. However, patients with this condition often experience thrombosis in major arteries and/or veins which can be fatal or cause the loss of a limb or a stroke. After discontinuation of heparin in patients with HITP, the platelet levels generally return to normal.
HITP appears to be caused by IgG, IgM or IgA antibodies that develop after five or more days of heparin therapy (G. P. Visentin, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 93:81-88, 1994 and J. S. Suh, et al., Am J. Hematol, in press, 1995). These antibodies differ from those associated with other forms of drug-induced thrombocytopenia in that, in the presence of optimal concentrations of heparin, they activate blood platelets, causing the platelets to release the contents of their storage granules and to undergo membrane changes that create sites for the binding of a coagulation factor, fibrinogen, normally present in plasma (B. H. Chong, et al., Br. J. Haematol. 64:347, 1986). The Applicants and others have shown that antibodies associated with HITP are specific for complexes of heparin and platelet factor 4 (PF4), a basic heparin-binding protein normally present in platelet storage granules (Visentin, et al., 1994, supra; Amiral, et al., Thromb. Haemostasis 68:95-96, 1992).
On the basis of findings made in their laboratory, the Applicants recently proposed the following new hypothesis to explain the development of thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in patients sensitive to heparin (Adapted from G. P. Visentin, et al. J. Clin. Invest. 93:81-88, 1994): In a patient with IgG antibodies specific for heparin/PF4 complexes who is treated with heparin, a) minimal activation of circulating platelets by heparin alone (C. Eika, Scand. J. Hematol. 9:480, 1972) or by immune complexes consisting of heparin, PF4, and IgG, leads to release of PF4 from platelet alpha-granules in a complex with chondroitin sulfate (S. Huang, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 257:11546, 1982); b) circulating heparin displaces the chondroitin sulfate to form heparin/PF4 complexes (R. Handin, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 251:4273, 1980); c) antibodies bind to heparin/PF4 to form immune complexes in close proximity to the platelet surface; d) these complexes bind to platelet Fc receptors, activate platelets, and release more PF4; e) the additional PF4 released reacts with heparin and IgG to form new immune complexes, promoting further platelet activation and causing thrombocytopenia; and f) PF4 released from platelets in excess of the amount that can be neutralized by available heparin binds to heparan sulfate on endothelial cells to create targets for IgG, IgA, or IgM antibodies leading to antibody-mediated endothelial injury and a predilection to thrombosis or disseminated intravascular coagulation. IgM antibodies, because of their greater capacity for complement activation, may be more destructive to endothelial cells than those of the IgG or IgA classes.
Because of the morbidity and mortality associated with HITP, it is important that the diagnosis be made quickly and accurately in a patient who develops thrombocytopenia while receiving heparin. Failure to make a diagnosis in such patients can lead to continuation of heparin therapy and fatal outcome. Assays used to diagnose other forms of drug-induced thrombocytopenia, i.e., binding of IgG or IgM antibodies to normal target platelets in the presence of drug (R. H. Aster, The Immunologic Thrombocytopenias in Platelet Immunology. T. J. Kunicki and J. N. George eds., Lippincott, Philadelphia, Pa., pp. 387-435, 1989) are not useful in detecting antibodies associated with HITP (G. P. Visentin, 1994, supra; H. C. Godal, "Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia" in Heparin: Chemical and Biological Properties, Clinical Applications, D. A. Lane and U. Lindahl eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., pp. 533-548, 1989).
Accordingly, diagnostic techniques have been developed that make use of the ability of HITP-associated antibodies to activate platelets in the presence of optimum concentrations of heparin. One such test is the platelet aggregation test which is done by mixing the following reagents together in a test tube: normal platelet-rich plasma anti-coagulated with citrate, heparin at a concentration of about one unit per ml, and plasma or serum from the patient suspected of having HITP. The mixture is incubated at 37.degree. C. and stirred. In a positive reaction, the antibody activates the platelets, causing the platelets to aggregate. The extent of aggregation is measured by an increase in light transmission through the mixture (J. G. Kelton, et al., Blood 72:925-930, 1988 and B. H. Chong Thromb Haemostasis 69:344-350, 1993). The assay is then repeated using a much higher concentration of heparin, e.g., 100 units per ml. Aggregation with the lower dose of heparin and lack of aggregation with the higher dose constitutes a positive test for HITP antibody.
A second and more sensitive test, also dependent on the ability of HITP antibodies to activate platelets, is the .sup.14 C-serotonin release test (D. Sheridan, et al., Blood 67:27-30, 1986). In this assay, washed, normal donor platelets radiolabeled with .sup.14 C-serotonin are suspended in buffer and test serum. Heparin at a concentration of about 0.1 units per ml is then added and the mixture is agitated for about 30 minutes. In a positive test, .sup.14 C-serotonin is released from the platelets by virtue of their being activated by the HITP antibody (Sheridan, 1986, supra). As with the aggregation test, specificity of the reaction is confirmed by showing that .sup.14 C-serotonin release is inhibited by a high dose of heparin, e.g., 100 units per ml.
Another disclosed method is an assay for heparin-induced IgG antibodies based on their reaction with immobilized complexes of heparin and platelet factor 4 (PF4) (see Amiral, et al., Thromb. Haemostasis 68:95-96, 1992). PF4 is a protein component of platelet alpha granules which is positively charged at neutral pH and is known to be capable of binding to and inhibiting the function of heparin. PF4 for use in the assay can be obtained by cleavage or lysis of normal platelets (see PCT Application WO96/02833, 1992). PF4 belongs to a family of cytokines called "intercrines" or "chemokines" involved in the mediation of certain immune reactions and other activities (see Masushima, et al., Cytokines 1:2-13, 1989). PF4 has high affinity for heparin (see Handin, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 251:4273-4282, 1976) and is able to neutralize the anticoagulant properties of heparin (see Lane, et al., Biochem. J. 218:725-732, 1984, Machalski, et al., Br. J. Haematol. 38:561, 1978).
The heparin/PF4 assay described by Amiral (supra) is more convenient than the platelet aggregation test and the serotonin release test, which depend on activation of fresh platelets. However, discrepancies were observed when comparing results obtained with the heparin/PF4 assay with those obtained in a platelet aggregation test (see Greinacher, et al., Transfusion 34:381-385, 1994).
The assays and detection methods described above all relate to the formation and detection of heparin/PF4 or glycosaminoglycan/PF4 complexes by heparin-induced antibodies. Needed in the art is a method of detecting antibodies generated in a HITP immune response by use of a complex that does not contain heparin or other glycosaminoglycans.

Method of detecting heparin-induced thrombocytopenia


A head-mounted display (HMD) presented herein comprises an electronic display and an optical assembly. The electronic display is configured to emit image light. The optical assembly is configured to direct the image light to an eye-box of the HMD corresponding to a location of a user's eye. The optical assembly includes a multifocal optical element, e.g., a bifocal optical element. A first portion of the multifocal optical element has a first optical power that is associated with a first image plane. The second portion of the multifocal optical element has a second optical power different than the first optical power, the second portion associated with a second image plane.

The present disclosure generally relates to displaying content to a user wearing a head-mounted display (HMD) as part of an artificial reality system, and specifically relates to a bifocal optical assembly for the HMD.
Vergence-accommodation conflict is a phenomenon that occurs to users of virtual headsets such as HMDs. Typically, eyes converge (rotate toward one another) to focus on closer objects and diverge (rotate away from one another) to focus on objects that are further away. The vergence therefore represents the simultaneous movement of both eyes in opposite directions to obtain or maintain single binocular vision. Accommodation is coupled with vergence, and is the process where the lenses of the eyes focus on a close or far away object. During accommodation of an eye, a crystalline lens of the eye changes optical power to maintain a clear image or focus on an object as the object's distance varies. In HMD systems, vergence and accommodation processes are decoupled. In fixed-focused HMD systems, the user's eyes verge to a virtual object, but the accommodation stimulus is incorrect for near objects. The eyes may accommodate to the fixed focus distance of a display in the HMD, conflicting with the verged distance to the virtual object. More often the eyes will accommodate for a near object, which causes image blur since the virtual object distance is fixed. The decoupling of vergence and accommodation processes can cause the user to feel uncomfortable, disoriented, or nauseous. Furthermore, different users wearing the same HMD have different accommodation abilities, e.g., in accordance with an age of a user. In general, older people have less ability to accommodate than younger people, i.e., an accommodative range of older people is smaller than that of younger people. Therefore, it is desirable to design an optical assembly for integration into a HMD that can efficiently drive the accommodation for different users, which would also mitigate the vergence-accommodation conflict.

Bifocal optical assembly for a head-mounted display


A method manages a database system that includes a first database device whose memory content in a storage area is changed based on a command designated through a network from any business terminal device, and a second database device for storing the same memory content as the first database device as a backup. The method makes the first database device execute: creating and storing a logical log that correlates a command content with a memory content in the storage area every time the process is executed; creating a physical log that correlates a position information about the portion that is changed by the process, the memory content after changing by the process, and a class of the process every time the process is executed; and storing command specifying information that specifies the command corresponding to the physical log with the corresponding physical log every time each physical log is created.

The present invention relates to a method for managing a database system that consists of a plurality of database devices. Further, it relates to a database system that realizes such a management method, to a database device that constitutes such a database system, and to a backup program that makes a computer operate as such a database device.
Database devices are widely used to save a large amount of job data generated by daily operations so that users can freely search the job data. A replica of a database device is provided to avoid information loss due to a natural disaster, a power failure, or a system failure. The replica is located at a auxiliary center that is apart from a primary center where the database device is located, and saves backup of the job data. Further, if the replica can operate as a secondary machine when the database device at the primary center is out of operation, a job can continue with the database device at the auxiliary center until restoration of the database device at the primary center.
In the above-described database system, there are two ways to update job data in the replica on a daily basis. One is a full backup by which all the job data in the original database device is copied to the replica. The other is a differential backup by which differential information about the update in the original database device is passed to the replica through the network. The differential backup is generally used rather than the full backup. There are two methods to generate the differential information passed to the replica. One method uses a physical log that is recorded by the original database device for recovery of itself. The other method creates and uses a logical log that is a record of operation contents about update.
The former physical log is information that mainly defines correspondence between position information that shows physical position in a storage area of the database device and the updated data at the position. On the other hand, the latter logical log is information that mainly defines correspondence between an SQL (Structured Query Language) statement image and the updated data. Since the former physical log is the position information of the physical position in the storage area, the replica must be constructed as a database device having the completely same configuration as the original device in order to update the job data in the replica using the physical log. However, since it is difficult to construct such a database device, the latter method that uses the logical log as the differential information is adopted in general.
FIG. 8 is a functional constitution diagram about the function to create and save both a recovery log (a physical log) and a differential log (a logical log) in an original database device of a prior art.
As shown in FIG. 8, the database device includes a function 91 for executing transaction, a recovery log I/O buffer 92 for temporarily storing a recovery log, a recovery log file 93 for saving the recovery log, a function 94 for writing a recovery log, which is read from the recovery log I/O buffer 92, into the recovery log file 93, a differential log I/O buffer 95 for temporarily storing the differential log, a differential log file 96 for saving the differential log, and a function 97 for writing a recovery log, which is read from the differential log I/O buffer 95, into the differential log file 96.
When an application (not shown) executes processes of UPDATE, DELETE, and INSERT statements in SQL statements that constitute the transaction, the function 91 for executing transaction creates a recovery log (a physical log) and writes the recovery log to the recovery log I/O buffer 92 (step S901). Subsequently, the function 91 creates a differential log (a logical log) and writes the differential log to the differential log I/O buffer 95 (step S902). FIG. 9 is a flowchart that concretely shows the process (step S902) to write a differential log to the differential log I/O buffer 95. As shown in FIG. 9, this function 91 creates a differential log (step S921) and writes the differential log to the differential log I/O buffer 95 (step S923), if the differential log I/O buffer 95 is recordable (step S922; YES). On the other hand, if the differential log I/O buffer 95 is not recordable (step S922; NO), the function 91 requests a differential-log-file-writing process task 97 to write the differential log, which is read from the differential log I/O buffer 95, into the differential log file 96 (step S924). That is, the function 91 moves the differential log from the differential log I/O buffer 95 to the differential log file 96. After the differential log I/O buffer 95 becomes empty (step S925; YES), the function 91 writes the differential log to the differential log I/O buffer 95 (step S922; YES, S923).
When an application (not shown) executes a process of a commitment (COMMIT) statement in SQL statements, the function 91 for executing transaction requests the differential-log-file-writing process task 97 to write the differential log, which is read from the differential log I/O buffer 95, into the differential log file 96 (step S903). FIG. 10 is a flowchart that concretely shows the flow of a writing request process (step S903) that is issued to the differential-log-file-writing process task 97. As shown in FIG. 10, the function 91 requests the differential-log-file-writing process task 97 to write the latest differential log written in the differential log I/O buffer 95 to the differential log file 96 (step S931). Receiving a completion of the writing process (step S932; YES), the function 91 proceeds with the process to the next step.
Subsequently, the function 91 creates a recovery log about the commitment control and writes it to the recovery log I/O buffer 92. Then, the function 91 requests the recovery-log-file-writing process task 94 to write all the recovery logs, which are read from the recovery log I/O buffer 92, into the recovery log file 93 (step S904). Next, the function 91 creates a differential log about the commitment control and writes it to the differential log I/O buffer 95. Then, the function 91 requests the differential-log-file-writing process task 97 to write the differential log about the current commitment control, which is read from the differential log I/O buffer 95, into the differential log file 96 (step S905).
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a flow of the differential-log-file-writing process. Receiving a request of a process from any function (step S971; YES), the differential-log-file-writing process task 97 finishes the process when the request is "finish" (step S972; YES). On the other hand, when the request is "writing" (step S972; NO), the task 97 writes the differential log, which is read from the differential log I/O buffer 95, into the differential log file 96 (step S973), makes a space area in the differential log I/O buffer 95 (Step S974), and notifies that the writing is completed (step S975).
That is, when the original database device of the prior art includes the function for replication, the following two writings are guaranteed (committed). (1) Only differential logs about UPDATE, DELETE, and INSERT are written into the differential log file 96 before committing the saving of a transaction log by writing a recovery log to the recovery log file 93. (2) Only differential log about the commitment control is written into the differential log file 96 after committing the saving of a recovery log of transaction.
The commitment (COMMIT) method in the steps S903 through S905 is adopted in order to avoid committing the saving of a differential log before committing the saving of a recovery log when the database device aborts between the steps S903 and S904, and in order to recover a differential log of the commitment control from a recovery log saved in the recovery log file 93 even when the database device aborts between the steps S904 and S905.
This kind of art is disclosed in JP2003-015926A, for example.
However, the above-mentioned commitment (COMMIT) method includes waits for an I/O process in steps S903 and S905. Since a wait for an I/O process increases transaction processing time, the number of transaction processing per unit time decreases.
Therefore, the replication function by the method is hard to be adopted in a high traffic system that requires high transaction processing performance.

Database system management method, database system, database device, and backup program


A process for removing dissolved heavy metal from an aqueous solution is provided where the aqueous solution is mixed with a source of ferrous ion and dithionite ion in a first step at acidic pH to reduce and permit removal of the heavy metal. Solution from the first step is reacted in a second step with hydroxide slurrys obtained from third and fourth steps. A second solution from the second step is reacted in a third step with an alkali composition and a third solution. The third solution is reacted with a chelating agent for iron and an oxidizer in a fourth step. A solution of chelated iron from the fourth step is disposed of.

This invention relates to a process for effectively and completely removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions with iron hydrosulfite (ferrous dithionite). More particularly, this invention relates to such a process wherein heavy metals are reclaimed, hazardous sludge is eliminated and an effluent having very low biological toxicity is produced. The present invention is useful for treating heavy metal ion containing waste waters generated by industries such as metal plating, metal surface finishing or printed circuit board manufacturing.
Prior to the present invention, it has been generally accepted that plating waste metals removed from alkaline solutions as metal hydroxide sludges must be handled as hazardous wastes. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jurisdiction over these wastes is well established. When generated by an electroplating facility and shipped off site, such sludge materials are defined as categorical F006 hazardous waste. Transporting and receiving and processing of these materials, even for reclamation and recycling, are restricted to EPA or State licensed operators. Due partly to this, and also due in part to the low metal concentration in such sludges, high recycling costs are incurred that usually exceed the recoverable value of the metals.
Prior to the present invention, methods for producing ferrous dithionite (iron hydrosulfite) have been explored as a possible new way to make sodium hydrosulfite. Sodium hydrosulfite is manufactured by several methods and several hundred million pounds are used worldwide each year. It is mainly use for, 1) bleaching woodpulp for newsprint, 2) reducing textile vat dyes, and 3) reductive leaching of ferric oxide from kaolin clays. All these major uses for hydrosulfite are for whitening or enhancing the color stability of materials to which it is applied. Most iron compounds are black or dark colored, thus discouraging the use of iron hydrosulfite for any of these major applications of sodium hydrosulfite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,791 discloses improvements in making iron hydrosulfite and converting it to sodium hydrosulfite. More than 90% of the iron must be removed and replaced by sodium in order to use the resulting solution for leaching kaolin. A large volume of iron precipitate is produced which absorbs and wastes a large portion of the hydrosulfite, causing this process to be uneconomical. Prior to the present invention, no commercial use for iron hydrosulfite had yet been developed and efforts to develop iron chemistry in connection with hydrosulfite were abandoned.
Ferrous sulfate has been used to stabilize a sodium dithionite solution. In Japanese Patent JP 54029897, a 2% solution of sodium dithionite was used to decolorize dyeing wastewater containing Prussian Brilliant Red H3B [23211-47-4]. Adding some ferrous sulfate to the ditionite solution improves the stability of the decolored wastewater solution. There is no mention of any interaction or involvement by heavy metals existing in this prior work relating to ferrous ion and dithionite ion.
Metallic iron has long been known to react directly with certain other metals that are dissolved in acidic aqueous solutions. The iron dissolves into the acidic solution and the other dissolved metal deposits a metallic layer on the surface of the iron. Referred to as metallic replacement or cementation, this characteristic of metals has commonly been used in the commercial extraction of copper from ores and acid leaching of mine tailings. After some time, the surface of the iron is so covered with the other metal that the iron becomes unreactive and the reaction cases.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,896 addresses this limitation and discloses the use of a soluble thiosulfate compound to aid the cementation of such metals as copper, silver, gold, and platinum group metals from aqueous solutions. The patent discloses that the cemented metal flakes off the base metal, exposing fresh surfaces. Two properties of thiosulfate limit its utility for this purpose. In strong acid solutions, thiosulfate decomposes to form sulfur dioxide and elemental sulfur, which is colloidal and coats all surfaces it contacts. Also, dilute thiosulfate solutions are very corrosive on ferrous alloys, particularly on stainless steel materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,071 describes the use of sulfur dioxide for reducing ferric ions contained in recirculated ore leaching acid solutions. Some improvements in the cementation of copper using metallic iron were observed as relating to decreased oxidation of the iron and copper metals by ferric ions. No reference is made to dithionite. At the high sulfuric acid concentrations noted, it is very unlikely that dithionite ion could exist.
U.K. Patent Appliation GB 125828 A, filed June 16, 1983 discloses a process for removing copper ion from solution by contacting the solution with steel wool under controlled pH conditions. The copper cements over the surface of the fixed bed of steel wool, converting only a small portion of the iron into copper. This process is commercially undesirable due to 1) the uneconomically low conversion of iron to copper, and 2) the high cost of steel wool, and 3) the high labor cost for handling the materials. The recovered copper has a lower recycling value due to the cost of processing required for separating it from the residual steel wool fibers.
Many other methods exist for removing heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions, and which are commonly practiced in the pretreatment of industrial wastewaters containing environmentally toxic metals. When dissolved heavy metal solutions are free of chelating agents, they can be effectively treated by simply admixing an alkaline or caustic compound to precipitate the insoluble metal hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide, soda ash, lime or magnesium hydroxide slurry are all used to do this.
Frequently however, complexing ammonium ions or chelating compounds such as the sodium salts of ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (E.D.T.A.) and other having similar properties are present. They occur as ingredients in the used plating baths, cleaners and brighteners drained into the wastewater. In such cases, it is necessary either; 1) to use a strong chemical that breaks the chelant-to-heavy metal bond and forms a stable, insoluble compound or complex of the toxic metals, or 2) to add a substance that exerts a stronger attraction for the chelant than does the toxic metal ion, to free the heavy metal to precipitate as an insoluble hydroxide. Processes of both types are currently practiced.
Sodium sulfide is used to effectively precipitate heavy metals. Its sole advantage is the extremely low solubility of most heavy metal sulfides. Most are capable of existing in the presence of even the strongest chelating agents. Undesirable aspects of using a sulfide process include the extreme toxicity of hydrogen sulfide gas, which can be generated by contacting the sulfides with strong acids. Also, metal sulfide precipitates are slimy and difficult to filter. Large quantities of flocculants and filter aids are used, generating large volumes of sludge and corresponding high disposal costs.
Sodium borohydride is a strong, water soluble reducing agent that has an advantage of producing a compact, semi-metallic sludge. There are several reasons for its not having broad acceptance for heavy metal removal in wastewater treatment: 1) it is very expensive, 2) precipitated metals easily reoxidize and redissolve in the presence of dissolved ammonia, 3) dangerous concentrations of potentially explosive hydrogen gas can accumulate in the space above a reaction using sodium borohydride, and 4) at times when pH is not controlled perfectly, reactions occurring at an elevated pH of 8 or higher give off toxic fumes of hydrogen sulfide gas, dangerous to workers and sensitive equipment.
Hydrazine is another strong reducing chemical capable of breaking metal ion bond to chelants. It is used to a limited extent for heavy metal removal. But like borohydride, it too is very expensive to use and it too can generate dangerous volumes of hydrogen gas when acidified. Hydrazine has also been placed on a list of chemicals suspected of being carcinogenic. This has been a major impediment to its industrial use.
Several compounds have been used that form insoluble metal complexes with heavy metal ions. All exert a stronger attraction to the metal ion than the chelants normally occurring with the metals in the wastewaters. Insoluble starch xanthate is one such material, reportedly effective at complete removal of dissolved metal from the water. Its drawback is its generation of huge volumes of sludge, which retains a high water content and costs the user a severe penalty for disposing of same as a hazardous waste.
Other such complexing agents have gained widespread use including sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate (D.T.C.), and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (D.E.T.C.). These are fairly effective at completely removing the heavy metal ions from solution. However, D.T.C. products are quite expensive and generate quite high volumes of sludge which requires costly reclaiming in order to recycle the recovered heavy metal. The precipitate is light in density and difficult to gravity settle. The sludge often floats on the water and gives off a foul smelling odor that is characteristic of the D.T.C. products. In addition, the dithiocarbamate compounds exhibit acute biological toxicity toward aquatic plant and animal species. Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate is also used as the active ingredient in several EPA registered pesticide products.
At the present time, strict biological toxicity standards are being enforced upon industries by municipal sewerage authorities. Effluent toxicity is measured by placing live specimens of plant and animal species in diluted samples of such treated wastewaters. Recent data indicate that interactions exist between very low concentrations of certain heavy metals such as copper and silver, and certain anions such as nitrate, which produce more toxicity than is attributable to each component by itself. The implication of these developments is that even lower levels of removal of heavy metal ions from industrial effluents is required. A costly evaluation of background toxicity factors is required when an industry's effluent fails to meet specific toxicity limits.
All chemical methods for removing heavy metals from industrial wastes and wastewater that are of practical use and in actual practice involve chemical reactions that precipitate the metals from alkaline solutions. Certain of these processes involve chemical reduction to metallic form and others produce metal compounds, either insoluble organo-metallic complexes or metal sulfide or hydroxide sludges. The sludges of all these processes are fairly soluble in acidic water and the heavy metals are rapidly redissolved if the material is exposed to strongly acidic water.
The conventional wastewater treatment process, perhaps most frequently used by the largest number of industries, uses ferrous sulfate heptahydrate powder. Ferrous ion is substituted at a controlled acidic pH of about 2 to 3, to replace toxic heavy metal ions that are bonded by chelating agents. This allows the heavy metal ions to be rendered insoluble as hydroxides which are precipitated from an alkaline solution.
In the presence of strong chelants or free ammonia dissolved in alkaline solutions, a large excess of this source of ferrous ion is required. Normally, 5 to 10 ferrous ions are added for each copper ion being removed from chelated wastewaters. In heavily chelated streams, as many as 25 to 30 ferrous ions per heavy metal ion may be required in order to prevent the chelants from dissolving the heavy metal hydroxide. The commercial ferrous sulfate has seven waters of hydration and is only about 20% iron by weight. In some cases, for example, over 100 pounds of ferrous sulfate powder is added to the wastewater for each pound of chelated or ammoniated copper removed, thereby generating 60 to 80 pounds of sludge.
In typical treatment systems, each additional pound of iron used adds about 4 pounds to the weight of sludge made. This can be reduced to about 3 pounds of dry sludge per pound of iron used if a sludge dryer is used. When ferrous sulfate is dissolved into wastewater, it causes acidity in the water. Each mole of iron introduced this way requires using two moles of sodium hydroxide to neutralize the iron and form ferrous hydroxide. Therefore, when large excess amounts of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate powder are used, the total chemical cost for treatment is compounded. Higher hazardous waste sludge disposal costs are also incurred.
Sodium hydrosulfite is a strong, water soluble reducing agent. It can reduce heavy metal ions to zero valence and produce a metallic precipitate that is resistant to reoxidation and redissolving in acidic solutions. Commercial products are available as either a 13-14% buffered solution or as 85-95% powder. However, sodium hydrosulfite solutions are quite unstable and have a very short shelf life. Storage tanks need to be refrigerated and inert gas blanketed. The powdered products have an acid odor and a dust that is extremely irritating to a worker's eyes and nose. Damp or wet powder can spontaneously ignite into flames, creating a toxic smoke of sulfur dioxide. These objectionable properties have prevented sodium hydrosulfite products from gaining any major share of usage for heavy metal removal or for wastewater treatment in general.
It would be highly desirable to provide a safe, simple, reliable and economical process for removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions that would;
1) yield a superior quality aqueous effluent that is low in biological toxicity and compliant with all regulations for discharging into a public sewer or waterway, and, PA1 2) eliminate producing an F006 hazardous waste sludge that is normally generated at an alkaline pH and usually has a low metal content, and, PA1 3) reclaim the metals in a concentrated metallic form that yields a net positive value when recycled, and, PA1 4) use readily available and economical materials that are non-hazardous and do not cause irritating or foul odors or explosive gases.

Ferrous dithionite process and composition for removing dissolved heavy metals from water


A brush having bundles of wire bristles which extend from a retaining base wherein the brush also includes deflection support guides for the bundles with openings which surround and contact the active portions of the bundles when the bundles flex during use.

A need exists for an improved wire bristle brush which (a) has an active bristle length which provides desirable flexibility for cleaning non-uniform structures such as cooking grates, (b) has a significantly longer life, and (c) significantly reduces or substantially prevents bristle breakage and loss during use.
For outdoor cooking grills, the cleaning of the cooking grate or grate assembly that supports the food during cooking is a matter of continual concern. After cooking, the user will want to remove any partially cooked food debris and/or char that remains on the surfaces of the food support structure so that the debris will not contaminate or alter the flavor, aroma, or other characteristics of the subsequently cooked food items.
Many methods and devices have been proposed over the years for cleaning outdoor cooking grates, including wipers, scrapers, and brushes. Wire bristle brushes are commonly preferred because the bundles of wire bristles which project from the brush have a length and flexibility which are more effective for reaching and abrasively cleaning the irregular surfaces, apertures, and/or other hard-to-clean features typically encountered in cooking grates. Fixed scrapers and other implements often cannot reach and/or cannot provide a sufficient amount of abrasive force for quickly cleaning such surfaces and features. Metallic wires are also preferred due to their suitability for contacting warm or hot cooking grate surfaces.
Brushes having wire bristles formed of stainless steel, brass, steel, aluminum, titanium and other metals are known in the art. The brushes used for cleaning cooking grates typically have wire bristles of from about 0.005 to about 0.010 inch in diameter which are formed of stainless steel or brass and are gathered together in bundles of from about 50 to about 100 bristles. Each bundle is typically attached to a base retaining structure formed of wood or plastic by gathering the wire bristles tightly together and punching the bundle into the outer surface of the base, in much the same manner that a stapler inserts each point of a staple into a blind hole.
To ensure that the wire bristle bundle is of sufficient length for both (a) insertion of a base end portion into the base retaining structure and (b) the subsequent intended use of the brush, the overall length of each bundle prior to insertion into the base will typically be at least twice the active bristle length required for the intended use. As used herein and in the claims, the term "active length" means the projecting part of a bristle or a bundle which will flex under load during use. The "active length" of the bristle or bundle extends from an initial bend point of the bristle or bundle to the distal end of the bristle or bundle. The initial bend point of each bristle or bundle under load is typically located at or substantially at the outer surface of the base structure. Typically, the active length of the bristle bundle projecting from the base will be in the range of from about 0.5 to about 1.0 inches.
A significant shortcoming of the current art is that, for brushes having a sufficient flexible active bristle length for cleaning cooking grates or other structures of similar complexity, the repeated flexing of the bristles under the force load required for such use will exceed the endurance limit of the bristles, thus resulting in the premature failure, breakage, and loss of a significant number of individual brush bristles over time.
Given the size of a typical brush, the size of a typical grill, and the number of times the grill is used per year, the cleaning brush can accumulate several tens of thousands of back and forth brush stroke cycles in the course of several years. Materials such as stainless steel and brass have endurance limits related to these back and forth movements under load which are only a fraction of the ultimate tensile strength of the material. As illustrated in FIG. 1, when used at load and stress levels which are below this endurance limit, the material will normally have a life of at least 10 million fully reversed (i.e., back and forth) stress cycles. However, as also illustrated in FIG. 1, if the stress level to which the brush bristles are exposed is higher than the endurance limit, then the brush bristles will have a shorter, finite life which declines exponentially (per the logarithmic Cycles scale used in FIG. 1) as the stress level is further increased.

Flexible wire bristle brush with increased durability