A zipper-type wound closer attachable to the skin around a skin opening and zipped closed to pull the skin opening closed. The wound closer includes two elongated connecting strips whose feet are pre-coated with adhesive and attached to the skin around the skin opening. The edges of the wound are trimmed flush with the interior sides of connecting strips, and the strips are then zipped together by moving a slider along the connecting strips to join the strips together like a familiar zipper. The wound zipper forms a continuous, toothless seam to prevent seepage of fluid through the seam. By holding the freshly trimmed edges of the skin opening together immobile in a clean, firm, closely aligned connection, the wound closer recreates the conditions under which scar-free healing of the skin can occur naturally; useful for repairing wounds and removing existing scars.

It is an observable fact that some skin wounds leave scars while others heal leaving minimal scars or no visible scar at all. Even apparently serious wounds, such as a deeply cut finger or a puncture wound through the flesh, sometimes heal without leaving any scar detectable to the naked eye. In some cases, even the closest inspection only a short time afterwards shows no trace of the wound. To prove this assertion, it is sufficient to closely inspect one's own fingers where a cut was known to have occurred some time ago, and be unable to find a scar. This can also be demonstrated by stabbing a fleshy part with the point of a scalpel or lance, as is sometimes done by spring loaded lances used to produce bleeding for coagulation or blood sugar tests, and then attempting to find the cut area some two or three weeks later. Further, most clean needle injections leave no trace some time afterwards, although the skin was cut by the end of the needle (needle tips are constructed as small blades that actually cut the skin).
However, it is equally observable that some injuries and operations, such as surgical intervention for abdominal or thoracic problems, usually do leave unsightly and sometimes disfiguring scars. Scars from thyroid operations and breast reduction or enlargement surgery are seen as both practically inevitable and particularly unsightly. In most cases, coming out from a major laceration or surgical operation without a disfiguring scar is a rarity. It is an observable fact that in the case of many injuries and most operations, by the time the wound is closed and the skin joined back together, the edges of the skin have been handled or exposed to air for some time, often hours, and have long ago ceased to bleed, which indicates that the blood supply to the edges of the skin has been closed off. In effect, after a wound has been open long enough for the bleeding at the edges of the skin to have stopped naturally, the edges of the wound are bordered by dead tissue that is not receiving a blood supply.
In fact, it is almost always part of surgical procedure to "stop the bleeding" using various measures designed to stop the bleeding that does occur. These procedures can include cauterization (burning), which most definitely produces an area of dead tissue wherever it is applied to the wound. Thus, with accepted standard surgical practices, the edges of the skin opening that are not bleeding and hence are no long truly "alive," are joined together when the wound is closed with stitches or staples. In the state in which the wound is left to heal, the finished repair often resembles a series of hills and valleys. Where staples are used, it is not even the dried edges of the skin that are held together, but the undersides of the two edges of skin, which do not normally touch one another (in the absence of such a procedure), that are held to one another by the staples. When a wound is left to heal in this state, a scar always does occur and is often dramatic. All too often, when the staples are removed, an unsightly ridge of fibrous tissue is left as part of the unsightly scar. Despite known situations in which skin openings can and do heal naturally and invisibly under certain circumstances, conventional medical wisdom accepts that other wounds cannot heal without leaving significant, permanent and often disfiguring scars.
Hence, there remains a need for an effective and inexpensive method and device by which skin openings, such as cuts, wounds and surgical incisions, can routinely be closed in such a manner as to create the conditions under which nature routinely proves its ability to produce scar-free healing.

Scar-free wound closer with opposing knife guides


A method to eliminate program deceleration and to enhance the resistance to program disturbance of a non-volatile floating gate memory cell is disclosed. This method eliminates or minimizes the impact of the hole displacement current. This can be done, for example, by increasing the rise time of the high programming voltage applied to the high voltage terminal. Alternatively, the transistor of the non-volatile floating gate memory cell can be turned off until the voltage applied to the high voltage terminal has reached the programming voltage. This can be done, for example by delaying the voltage applied to either the low voltage terminal or to the control gate to turn on the transistor until the voltage at the high voltage terminal has past the ramp up voltage and has reached a level programming voltage.

Non-volatile memory cells using floating gate for storage are well known in the art. Typically, these types of memory cells use a conductive floating gate to store one or more bits, i.e. either the floating gate stores some charges or it does not. The charges stored on a floating gate control the conduction of charges in a channel of a transistor, with the transistor having a "control gate", "source" and a "drain," with the "source" and "drain" in a substrate and a channel region therebetween. Clearly the terms "source" and "drain" may be interchanged. The floating gate controls the conduction of current either in the entire channel region or in a portion thereof. Typically, "programming" is the act of adding electrons to the floating gate, thereby lowering the memory cell read current. Although there are various mechanism to program a floating gate non-volatile memory cell, the present invention is an algorithm to improve the speed of programming of a floating gate non-volatile memory cell which occurs by either the mechanism of hot electron injection from the channel region or by source side injection of electrons from the channel region. During programming, a "high" voltage is applied to one of the terminals of the transistor—hereinafter called the high voltage terminal. Intuitively, one expects programming to be more efficient, i.e. the memory cell read current after programming decreases as the programming voltage is increased. This is termed program acceleration. However, it has been found that at a certain point of the programming voltage, any further increase of the programming voltage would actually cause the memory cell read current after programming to increase. This is termed program deceleration. Between the range at which program acceleration levels off, and when program deceleration starts is a window of ideal programming voltages. This is termed Program Acceleration Deceleration (PAD) Window. As the scale of integration increases, i.e. the geometry for semiconductor processing decreases, the PAD Window narrows. Further, the PAD Window also narrows as temperature increases.
Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that for one example of a floating gate non-volatile memory cell, at a certain geometry size, the program acceleration at 20° C. ranges from below 6.5 volts to approximately 7.0 volts. The program deceleration ranges from approximately 8.4 volts and up. Thus the PAD Window is approximately from about 7.0 volts to about 8.4 volts. However, for the same non-volatile memory cell at 100° C., the PAD Window disappears and it narrows at approximately 8.25 volts. This limitation on the range for the PAD Window places a constraint on the accuracy of other electronic circuit components in a non-volatile memory device, such as charge pump and the like.
There are generally two types of non-volatile memory cells: stacked gate or split gate. In a stacked gate floating gate non-volatile memory cell, the floating gate is positioned adjacent to the entire channel region and controls the flow of current in the entire channel region. The control gate is capacitively coupled to the floating gate. In a split gate floating gate non-volatile memory cell, the floating gate is positioned adjacent to a first portion of the channel region and controls the flow of current in that first portion. A control gate is positioned laterally spaced apart from the floating gate and controls a second portion of the channel region. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,130 for an example of a split gate floating gate non-volatile memory cell, and array, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The present invention can be used in stacked gate or split gate types of floating gate non-volatile memory cells.

Method of programming a non-volatile memory cell by controlling the channel current during the rise period


In a jet pump (22) for delivering fuel for a vehicle, a pre-filter for a nozzle (30) is formed in that a duct (47, 50) is formed between the nozzle (30) and a receptacle (36) for the nozzle in a pump body, the diameter of which duct is smaller than a diameter of a nozzle opening of the nozzle (30).

The invention concerns a suction jet pump for delivering fuel, for example for a vehicle.
Many motor vehicles, such as for example cars, buses and trucks, have a fuel supply module which comprises a tank in which the fuel for the vehicle is stored. In the tank is a reservoir which is used to provide fuel even if the tank is almost empty or if the fuel is no longer evenly distributed in the tank due to centrifugal forces occurring during travel. A fuel pump can be located in the tank and for example is driven by an electric motor and delivers the fuel in the direction of the vehicle engine and in the direction of a jet pump. The jet pump serves to deliver fuel from the tank into the reservoir so that the reservoir always contains sufficient fuel. The fuel supply module thus has a reservoir actively filled by the jet pump.
The jet pump is a pump in which the pump action is generated by a jet of fuel which is produced by a small nozzle opening on the jet pump and which draws up further fuel from the tank, accelerates it and delivers it into the reservoir. The nozzle opening can have a diameter of around 0.6 mm and is usually protected by a pre-filter so that no particles in the fuel can clog the nozzle opening. For example the pre-filter can be provided as an additional part in the supply line to the jet pump.
In order to reduce the consumption of fuel by the jet pump as a propellant, which can reduce the energy consumption of the jet pump, the nozzle opening can be reduced. This can for example be achieved by a smaller diameter for the nozzle opening. Normally the jet pump is made of plastic, for example by means of injection molding, in particular as part of the reservoir wall. However on reduction of the nozzle opening, problems can arise since difficulties or errors can occur on forming a nozzle with a small nozzle opening in a large plastic mold. For example in this case the nozzle opening can break on removal of the formed jet pump from the mold.
The nozzle opening currently in general use, with a diameter around 0.6 mm, can be produced with a special part of the mold, which however creates an additional hole in the pump body of the jet pump. The additional hole must then be plugged with a further part, such as ball or similar.


The present invention relates to two groups of suicide hybrid genes in which genes from one group specifically activate the pyrimidine nucleobase analog 5-fluorocytosine and genes from the other group activate the pyrimidine nucleoside analog azidothymidine to derivatives toxic for mammalian cells.The present invention further relates to methods for the selective killing of transfected tumor cells or immune cells using a single suicide hybrid gene or the combination of two suicide hybrid genes selected for a complementarity in their antimetabolic action. The present invention also relates to eukaryotic vectors comprising two expression suicide gene units, the first permitting the sensitization of tumor cells to 5-fluorocytosine and the second permitting the sensitization of HIV-infected cells to Azidothymidine in a synergistic fashion.

The present invention relates to molecular therapies for cancer and HIV infections in which tumor cells or immune cells are stably transduced with a variety of genes introduced by high efficiency delivery systems, such as retroviral and adenoviral vectors.
One strategy for the treatment of localized disease is to render targeted cells sensitive to normally nontoxic chemotherapeutic agents using so-called "suicide genes" such as the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene, the related varicella zoster TK gene or the bacterial xanthine/guanine phosphoribosyltransferase gpt gene. HSV-tk, for example, converts the nontoxic guanosine analogue ganciclovir into a phosphorylated compound that acts as a chain terminator in DNA synthesis, selectively killing dividing cells.
The codA gene of Escherichia coli encoding cytosine deaminase (hereinafter referred to as CDase) represents another potential suicide gene to be used for the selective elimination of unwanted human cells. Cytosine deaminase is the first enzyme of the only metabolic pathway by which exogeneous cytosine or endogeneous cytosine from pyrimidine nucleotide breakdown is utilized by way of hydrolytic deamination to uracil and ammonia. Cytosine deaminases have been found in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes but appear to be absent in higher eukaryotes, both in mammals as well as in plants Koechlin et al., Biochem Parmacol. 15, 435-446 (1966)! Ross, C. Plant Physiol. 40, 65-73 (1965)!. Cytosine deaminase also deaminates the innocuous fluorocytosine (hereinafter referred to as FC) into fluorouracil (hereinafter referred to as FU), a highly toxic compound when efficiently converted to 5-fluoro-UMP. Cells lacking cytosine deaminase activity either as a consequence of a mutational inactivation as illustrated by codA and fcyl (genes coding for cytosine deaminase) mutants of Escherichia. coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae respectively, or because they are naturally deficient for this enzyme, as are mammalian and plant cells, are resistant to 5-fluorocytosine Kilstrup et al., J. Bacteriol 171, 2124-7 (1989)! Jund R. & Lacroute F. Journal of Bacteriology 102, 607-615 (1970)!. This property provides the basis for the use of the E.coli coda gene as a suicide or a negative selection gene in a number of recently reported experiments with mammalian and plant cells Huber et al., Cancer Res 53, 4619-26 (1993); WO 93/01281; Mullen et al., Cancer Res 54, 1503-6 (1994)! where transformed cells were shown to have acquired cytosine deaminase activity and to be sensitive to treatment with 5-fluorocytosine.
In the patent application WO 93/01281, Mullen and Blaese described a negative selection system comprising a modified bacterial gene for cytosine deaminase that has the ability to produce a toxic antimetabolite from FC in eukaryotic cells. In addition, Mullen and Blaese claimed a double negative selection based on a modified cytosine deaminase gene and the herpes thymidine kinase gene in a selection involving 5-fluorocytosine and ganciclovir an acyclic nucleoside analog of guanosine where triphosphate derivatives of ganciclovir compete with dGTP. However, it should be noted that a large majority of tumour cells are not sensitive to such a method of therapy.
The differential sensitivity to FC between parent cells and cells transfected by a cytosine deaminase gene varies greatly according to cell lines. Almost no sensitivity to fluorocytosine was observed in murine melanoma B16 clones transfected by a codA bearing vector and retained for high expression of cytosine deaminase activity (as illustrated in example 8 hereafter). The poor fluorocytosine sensitivity of cultured cells expressing high CDase activity, a situation encountered with many tumors, as reported by J. D. Harris in an oral communication at the 1994 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting on gene therapy, could be accounted for by at least two potential mechanisms.
One is related to the transport of cytosine. All natural nucleobases and their fluorinated analogs are hydrophilic and diffuse through the plasma membrane only very slowly. Their efficient permeation is dependent on special transport proteins. Fluorocytosine is taken up in E.coli by a cytosine specific permease encoded by codB. The crucial role of an active cytosine transport system in determining fluorocytosine sensitivity in this bacteria was demonstrated with mutants deleted for the codb gene. The normal situation appears to be the opposite in mammals. Although mammalian cells possess a uracil transport system, cytosine is not actively transported in various cell lines or in human erythrocytes, where entry seems to be entirely by passive diffusion Plagemann et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 947, 405-43 (1988)!.
The other mechanism is based on the existence and relative importance of anabolic and catabolic pathways that modulate fluorouracil concentration. In microorganisms, endogeneous uracil is directly converted to UMP by uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRTase) and may also be converted to UMP and dUMP through the concerted action of uridine phosphorylase and uridine kinase Munch-Petersen A. & Mygind B. In. Metabolism of nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases in microorganisms (1983)!.
However, this two-step route operates only if either of the substrates for uridine phosphorylase, i.e. ribose-1-phosphate or desoxyribose 1-phosphate, and uracil are present at high intracellular concentrations. In animal cells, uracil and fluorouracil are metabolized in two steps to UMP and F-UMP via the uridine intermediate Mulkins M. A. & Heidelberger C. Cancer Res 42, 965-73 (1982); Schwartz et al., Biochem Pharmacol 34, 3585-9 (1985)! in absence of uridine phosphoribosyl transferase activity Kornberg A. & Baker T. In DNA replication Freeman, W. M. and Company, New York, 53-100 (1992)!. In addition, a proportion of uracil and fluorouracil are catabolized to the atoxic dihydrouracil and dihydrofluorouracil respectively.
Therefore, the toxicity of FC on cells expressing an introduced cytosine deaminase gene depends on the amount of the formed FU which is converted to 5-fluoro-UMP and, through the de novo pyrimidine pathway, to 5-fluoro-dUMP, an irreversible inhibitor of thymidylate synthase and hence of DNA synthesis by deprivation of dTTP Kornberg A. & Baker T. In DNA replication Freeman, W. M. and Company, New York, 53-100 (1992)!.
Another drug whose operation concerns the pyrimidine metabolic pathway, is Azidothymidine, for the treatment of human immuno deficiency virus (HIV)infection.
AZT is one of the primary chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatement of HIV infection. AZT readily enters cells and is converted to the nucleoside phosphates AZT-MP, AZT-DP and AZT-TP by the sequential action of thymidine kinase, thymidylate kinase and nucleoside diphosphokinase. AZT is rapidly converted to AZT-MP by thymidine kinase but the resulting AZT-MP accumulates since it is a very poor substrate for human thymidylate kinase. The concentration of AZT-MP is typically >50 fold higher than that of AZT-TP in human cell lines Furman et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83, 8333-7 (1986)!. Although AZT-TP is an inefficient substrate for cellular DNA polymerases, AZT-MP is incorporated into DNA Copeland, J Biol Chem 267,21459-64 (1992)!.

Suicide genes and new associations of pyrimidine nucleobase and nucleoside analogs with new suicide genes for gene therapy of acquired diseases


A signal is described herein that provides light output for automotive, rail, ship traffic and/or illumination control that includes a light emitting diode (LED) array, wherein the LED array includes three groups of disparate colored LEDs. A power supply unit provides independent power to each of the three LED groups. Each LED group power supply unit includes an input controlled switch connected to a power line to provide power to the LED array. An input under voltage/over voltage circuit monitors the voltage level of the power line and for enabling and/or disables the input controlled switch according to the voltage level of the power line. A flyback transformer converts the power received from the power line from an alternating or a continuous current signal to a direct current signal output to the LED array. A dummy load draws power additional to the LED array and a dummy load detection circuit monitors the dummy load to insure that the power drawn by the load is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. A light out detection circuit monitors the light output of the LED array via an optical sensor.

The present exemplary embodiments relate to automotive, rail, ship traffic and illumination signals. They find particular application in conjunction with utilizing light emitting diodes with automotive, rail, ship traffic and illumination signals. One particular application for such an LED automotive, rail, ship traffic and illumination signal is to substitute a three lamp signal into a single integrated signal under one housing. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.
Automotive, rail, ship traffic and illumination signals are employed to regulate motorists and pedestrians via various commands. These commands are provided by various illuminated elements with particular colors and/or shapes that are each associated with an instruction. Elements are conventionally illuminated via incandescent bulbs which use heat caused by an electrical current to emit light. When electrical current passes through a filament (e.g., tungsten), it causes the filament to heat to the point that it glows and gives off light. Such illumination can be covered with a colored lens and/or template to provide a meaningful instruction that can be viewed in a variety of external lighting conditions.
The filament is a resistive element in the incandescent bulb circuit. The amount of current drawn by the filament is proportional to its impedance. This impedance value increases as the temperature of the filament increases. Thus, a conventional lamp has a larger initial current draw which drops in proportion to the increase in the filament impedance. This variation in current draw is known and a predetermined range can be utilized to monitor the lamp operation. As such, a lamp failure condition can be identified based on the amount of current drawn by the filament. In one example, the filament fails (e.g., breaks) causing the impedance to approach an infinite value and the current value to decrease to almost zero. If the current drawn is outside of the predetermined range, a responsive action can be initiated by a current monitor or other control system.
Unlike the incandescent-based lamps, LED-based lamps consist of an array of LED elements, which draw much less power. LED-based lamps have numerous advantages over incandescent lamps, such as greater energy efficiency and a longer lifetime between replacements than conventional signals. Some of the longer lifetime results since a plurality of LEDs are employed, wherein a light can be utilized even if some of the LEDs in the array have failed.
However, there are some drawbacks related to LED signal designs. Current designs require three lamps to fulfill signaling needs utilized with conventional incandescent lamp housings. In addition, current multiple color LED signals are susceptible to color mixing failure due to poor insulation design.
What are needed are systems and methods to provide multi-color signal designs with a single integrated signal to provide uniform light output.


An optical system operable to focus an annular beam of light onto a spot 16 comprises a paraboloidal reflector 10 with a lamp 12 at its focus, a coaxial annular convex lens 13 and a coaxial internally silvered conical mirror 15. A parallel beam of light formed by reflection by the reflector 10 of light from the lamp 12, if formed into a convergent annular beam by the lens 13 and reflected by the mirror 15 which is located between the lens 13 and its focus so that it converges to the spot 16.

In reflection densitometry there is often a requirement to illuminate a sample at 45.degree. with light of a narrow beam width, see International Standards Organization ISO Standard 5/4 "Geometric Conditions for Reflection Density". This ideally takes place over a full 360.degree. cone to ensure that the orientation of directionally reflective materials does not effect the resulting measurement.
If an optical system for forming a narrow annular beam converging at 45.degree. onto a spot on a sample to illuminate that spot is formed substantially as is described in GB-A-2191572 or, alternatively, comprises a lamp mounted at the center of the reflective surface of a paraboloidal reflector so as to produce a substantially parallel beam of light, a disc mounted co-axially with the axis of the paraboloidal reflector in the path of the parallel beam of light so as to restrict that beam such that the light that passes it is an annular, parallel beam of light co-axial with the axis of the reflector, and a simple verging lens mounted co-axially with the axis of the paraboloidal reflector on the other side of the disc remote from the paraboloidal reflector whereby the annular parallel beam is caused to converge and focus on the spot which is on the axis of the paraboloidal reflector, the required lens must have a large focal ration (f/no). This is difficult to achieve and, in addition, there is little space available between the lens and the sample to house the necessary detector which senses light reflected by the sample perpendicular to its plane.

Optical means for annular illumination of a spot


A motor assembly 30 includes an electric motor 32 having a rotatable shaft 40, the shaft 40 having a worm 38; and a gear unit 33 operatively associated with the motor, the gear unit has first and second opposing ends. The gear unit 33 includes a gearwheel 36 operatively coupled with the worm 38 of the shaft 40 such that rotation of the shaft rotates the gearwheel. A driver 42 is operatively coupled with gearwheel so as to rotate therewith. The driver 42 is constructed and arranged to provide a driving member 43, 44 accessible at each of the first and second ends of the gear unit.

Currently, with regard to window lift motor assemblies for vehicles, customers require both a left hand motor assembly 5 and a right hand motor assembly 6 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Thus, the customer needs to distinguish between two different motor assemblies. The need for two different motor assemblies increases tooling costs and set-up cost of an assembly line.
An exploded view of a conventional window lift motor assembly is shown in FIG. 3. An electric motor 10 is coupled to a gear housing 12. The gear housing contains a gear axle 14 that carries a gearwheel 16 for rotation. The gearwheel 16 is rotated via a worm 20 the motor 10. Rotation of the gearwheel 16 rotates a driver 18. The driver 18 is coupled to a customer's drumhousing to move a window. A shock absorber 22 between the gearwheel 16 and driver 18 acts as a dampener at the maximum torsional load. With this structure, it is possible that the motor 10 will lock-up if the gear axle 14 bends due to high torque generated from the motor since the center to center distance between the gear axle and worm shaft of the motor increases beyond a given specification.
Further, in the motor assembly of FIG. 3, to provide a leak proof configuration, a coverplate 24 is coupled to the gear housing 12 via an interference fit between plastic and rubber materials. This configuration requires very tight tolerances and thus adds to the cost of the assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a gear unit for a motor assembly that can be used in place of both left and right hand window lift motor assemblies, that eliminates the gear axle, and that has an improved cover connection.

Ambidextrous electronic window lift motor


A method is disclosed for the electric arc spraying of powder-filled cored wires to apply hard, wear-resistant coatings to various substrates. Inert gas, preferably nitrogen, is supplied to the arc spray gun such that the mass ratio of the wire feed rate to the gas feed rate is preferably between about 0.07 and about 0.11. Operation in this range yields an optimum combination of coating hardness properties and arc spray gun operating characteristics.

Thermal spray processes are used to apply corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant coatings to a wide variety of substrates and articles. Four types of thermal processes are used for different types of materials and applications: flame spraying, plasma spraying, detonation spraying, and electric arc spraying. Of these processes, electric arc spraying is preferred in many applications for its high deposition rates and economical operation.
The development of coating applications using the electric arc spray process to produce hard, wear-resistant coatings using cored wires which contain powdered metal or ceramic/metal components in a metal sheath has been initiated over the past several years. In the spraying process, usually carried out in a surrounding air atmosphere with compressed air as the atomizing gas, alloys and/or composites are formed between the sheath and core materials and are deposited on the substrate to form hard, wear-resistant coatings. Core powder materials can be selected from a variety of elements and compounds including combinations such as tungsten carbide-cobalt, nickel-chromium-boron, nickel-iron, boron carbide-iron-molybdenum, and chromium-boron-silicon. Likewise, sheath materials can be selected from a range of alloys comprising iron, nickel, and other elements. The use of cored wires allows the application of powdered components by the efficient and economical arc spray process; powdered components otherwise must be applied by the flame, detonation, or plasma spray methods.
The production of cored wires for arc spraying is discussed in a paper by H. Drzeniek et al in Proceedings, 10th International Thermal Spraying Conference, Essen, W. Germany, May 2-6, 1983, at p.136. Various cross-section types of iron wire filled with nickel powder are disclosed and the effect of spray parameters on coating properties are described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,974 discloses a composite wire for use in arc gun spraying formed of an alloy sheath comprising iron, nickel, or cobalt, and a core comprising boron-containing powder of boron, boron carbide, and/or a ferromolybdenum alloy powder. Coatings are formed with such wire using a standard arc spray gun using air at 60 psia for atomizing and 40 psia for air cap.
An article by H.-D. Steffens et al in Advances in Thermal Spraying, Proceedings of the 11th International Thermal Spraying Conference, Montreal, Sep. 8-12, 1986, at p.457 discloses the arc spraying of cored wire using a methane-air mixture to atomize the molten metal. The use of methane in this mixture reduces problems with burnoff (oxidation) of the powder material when air alone is used as the propelling gas. The article cites earlier work in which argon and hydrogen-nitrogen mixtures were used in an attempt to eliminate burnoff problems associated with the use of air as the propelling gas. It is stated that this approach was relatively ineffectual, and that the trend has been towards arc spraying using low pressure chambers or chambers filled with inert gases.
V. I. Pokhmurskii et al in Fiziko-Khimicheskaya Mekhanika Materialov, Vol. 22, No. 6, Nov.-Dec. 1986 at p.11 discuss the arc spray coating of powder-filled wires in which aluminum powder is added to reduce the oxidation losses of iron and titanium which occur when air is used as the propelling gas.
Arc spraying of cored wires containing powder comprising carbon, manganese, silicon, chromium, and titanium carbide is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,850 wherein the particle size of the core powder is controlled at between 20-300 microns. The control of the powder particle size is described as important to prevent burnoff of the particles, a condition which decreases the efficiency of the arc spray process and lowers the amount of alloying elements in the coating.
S. J. Harris et al in an article in Surface Engineering, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, Jun. 16-18, 1987 at p.447 describe the arc spraying of a low carbon steel wire filled with a tungsten carbide-cobalt powder and a nickel wire filled with nickel-boron and high carbon ferro-chrome powder. The arc spray gun is operated using compressed air as the atomizing gas.
The arc spraying of cored wires using air-methane mixtures for atomization is further described by H. Drzeniek and H.-D. Steffans in a paper in Proceedings of the National Thermal Spray Conference, Orlando, Fla., Sep. 14-17, 1987 at p.33. It is stated that since the atomizing gas is preferably air, the interaction of metal with air and the oxidation reactions therebetween are significant. The addition of methane to the atomization air reduces metal oxidation and thereby improves the coating properties compared with the use of air alone.
An overview of thermal spray coating methods and a description of electric arc spray coating using cored wires containing tungsten carbide-cobalt and nickel-chromium-boron powders are given R. C. Cobb et al in an article in Welding and Metal Fabrication, Vol.56, No.5, July 1988 at p.226. Air and inert gas are disclosed as potential atomizing gases, although air is preferred for actual applications.
The use of rare earth elements in cored wires used for electric arc spray coating applications is disclosed by H.-D. Steffans et al in Proceedings of the National Thermal Spray Conference, Oct. 24-27, 1988, Cincinnati, Ohio at p.325. It is pointed out that electric arc spraying of cored wires using air causes oxidation of particles during flight and after impact with the substrate, leading to reduction of adhesion of the coating. The use of unidentified rare earth alloys as powders in a low carbon steel sheath containing iron powder, when the cored wire is arc sprayed with air, gives increasing tensile and compressive strength of the coatings at increasing levels of the rare earth alloys up to 0.9 wt % in the core powder.
H.-D. Steffans et al in Proceedings of the National Thermal Spray Conference, Oct, 24-27, 1988, Cincinnati, Ohio at p.325. disclose the arc spraying of cored wires made from low carbon steel sheaths containing ferrochrome or chrome carbide powders to which carbides or borides are added in varying amounts. Spraying in an air atmosphere causes a loss of carbon and/or boron, but the authors teach that the content of carbon and boron in the coating can be controlled and oxidation reduced by adding additional carbon and/or deoxidizers such as phosphorous to the core filler material.
The background art discloses the desirability of electric arc spray coating using cored wires, and also discloses that the use of air as the preferred atomizing gas can cause oxidation of metal components during spraying and thus reduce the overall effectiveness of the coating process. Methods to reduce such oxidation losses have been disclosed, specifically the addition of deoxidizers to the core powder and the addition of methane to the atomizing air. Control of powder particle size is also a potential approach to control metal oxidation. The earlier attempt to use argon and hydrogen-nitrogen mixtures to reduce metal oxidation when arc spraying in a surrounding air atmosphere has been noted in the background art; this attempt was relatively ineffective, and led to the use of low pressure chambers or chambers filled with inert gases in which arc spraying is carried out.
Electric arc spraying for the application of wear-resistant coatings has important economic and operational advantages over other thermal spray coating methods, and therefore is expected to find increasing use in the future. Accordingly, there is a need for improving the effectiveness of electric arc spraying of cored wires for the application of high-quality, wear-resistant coatings. The invention described in the following disclosure and claims is directed towards such an improvement.

Electric arc spray coating with cored wire


A delivery system comprising a T cell comprising at least one antigen capable of loading antigen-presenting-cells with the antigen.

Gene transfer into human cells is being investigated for the treatment of a variety of genetic and acquired human diseases. Genetic diseases, due to a single-gene defect, were originally proposed as the primary targets of gene therapy. However, the majority of the human gene therapy trials approved so far involve treatment of acquired diseases, such cancer and AIDS. One approach to tumor gene therapy relies on the stimulation of the host immune system against tumor antigens by vaccination of the patient with genetically modified tumor cells, in which the transgene (cytokine, allo-HLA, etc.) is aimed at boosting their immunogenicity. An alternative approach is based on the adoptive transfer of ex vivo generated tumor-specific effectors. The infused effectors are usually autologous or HLA-compatible lymphocytes stimulated in vitro to proliferate by specific as well as non-specific stimuli. Amplification of the effector function of the infused cells has been achieved by their transduction with cytokine-encoding genes.
EP 0 904 786 discloses a method of tumor vaccination with at least two subsequent administrations of a compositions consisting essentially of autologous or HLA-related cells which are capable of presenting antigen in a patient, said cells being either tumor cells transduced with a foreign gene or antigen presenting cells transduced with a tumor antigen and a foreign antigen.
WO97/19169 discloses a tumor vaccine containing tumor cells at least a portion of which has at least one MHC-I haplotype of the patient on the cell surface, and which have been loaded with an antigen.
Thus, the prior art takes the approach of using a tumor cell as the delivery system for an antigen, or an antigen presenting cell which is understood as presenting the antigen directly to a T cell.
It will be however appreciated that there is a continuing need to provide vaccines and vaccination approaches. The present invention provides such an approach.

Antigen transduced T cells used as a delivery system for antigens


A caster supporting weight through a biasing device an elastomeric material, such as polyurethane, to elastomerically support the weight transmitted through the caster. The components are concisely related to each other, the elastic material is protected against damage, including excessive weight supporting forces, and in an embodiment of the invention, vertical caster adjustment is possible without affecting its elastomeric weight bearing characteristics.

A caster having a wheel pivotally supported upon arms wherein the arms are elastomerically biased to absorb shock and improve the caster rolling characteristics.
Heavy-duty casters are used to support relatively heavy loads transported by small lift trucks, material handling carts, and the like. By using biasing means to transmit the supported weight between the caster wheel and the caster body, the load bearing ability of the caster is improved resulting in smoother operation, ease of movement of the caster supported truck or vehicle, and improved truck travel operation due to caster wheel wear.
Steel compression springs have been used to bias resiliently supported casters, but such springs as are necessary to achieve the desired resilient supported characteristics are relatively large and not readily adaptable to many caster installations wherein the overall vertical dimension available for the caster is limited, and the vertical profile of the caster assembly must be concise.
Heretofore, it has not been possible to provide a low profile caster wherein the wheel is resiliently supported, the cost is relatively inexpensive, and the vertical caster dimension is relatively concise.
It is an object of the invention to provide a heavy-duty resiliently supported caster wherein the resilient caster characteristics are achieved through a torque transmitting polyurethane material wherein high loads may be elastomerically absorbed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a heavy-duty resiliently supported caster which is of a low vertical profile and may be installed in low profile environments without sacrifice of the elastomeric and shock absorbing weight characteristics of the caster.
The caster in accord with the invention includes a support plate affixed to the truck, forklift, or other structure to be supported by the caster. The caster body is mounted to the support plate either in a fixed relationship, or in a rotative relationship by the use of ball bearings if the caster is to be of the xe2x80x9cpivotedxe2x80x9d type. Such caster choices are well known.
The caster wheel is rotatably supported between a pair of pivoted caster arms mounted to the caster body. The upper end of the caster arms are attached to an insert which is part of the core of an elastomeric assembly wherein an elastic material, such as polyurethane, is bonded to an internal core, and is exteriorly bonded to a tubular housing, wherein a rotative relationship between the elastomeric material and the housing and the core is prevented.
The housing, which is of a non-circular transverse cross section, as is the core, is attached to the caster body intermediate the caster arms. The caster arms are attached to the ends of the core insert by a non-circular torque transmitting configuration, and held in this relationship by bolts threaded into the core ends. Stop projections are defined on the caster arms for engaging the caster body with excessive deformation of the elastomeric material takes place during operation.
The weight carried by the caster is transmitted through the elastomeric material in a torque transmitting manner, and in this way, the caster wheel is elastomerically related to the caster body to achieve the desired biased caster operation. As the ends of the elastic material are protected by the upper ends of the caster arms, the likelihood of damage to the elastomeric material is minimized, and the arrangement of components, as will be appreciated from the attached drawings, permits the entire caster assembly to be of a concise configuration and installable in applications wherein a low vertical profile is required.
In an embodiment of the invention, stop arms are bolted to the core insert in a non-rotative relationship and these stop arms will bear against the caster body if excessive elastomer deformation occurs. The upper ends of the stop arms include a torque coupling receivable within a slot defined in the upper end of the caster arms and a toothed washer mounted upon the insert bolts cooperating with teeth defined in the outer surface of the caster arms permits the caster arms to be adjustably positioned relative to the caster body and support. In this manner, the vertical height of the caster can be easily adjusted to accommodate the caster to a particular installation without requiring major modification.


A notch filter suitable for attenuating certain frequencies of a radio-frequency signal includes an input for receiving the radio-frequency signal and an output for the output of a portion of the radio-frequency signal, first and second capacitive means, at least one inductor and a negative resistance circuit suitable for compensating the resistive losses of said at least one inductor. The inductor and the first and second capacitive means are placed to produce a resonator and the filter comprises a control device suitable for controlling the negative resistance circuit. The input impedance of the filter comprises a pole and a zero, with the pole depending on the second capacitive means and the zero depending on both the first and second capacitive means. The first and second capacitive means are variable and the control device is suitable for controlling the first and second capacitive means.

Currently, with the development of wireless communications, there is a high market demand for receiver-transmitter devices suitable for transmitting and receiving a large quantity of data and equipped with a wide frequency band. Such transceivers must be integrated in a chip of semi-conductor material. For this reason various types of receivers like those with direct conversion have been produced that enable the problems in the traditional super heterodyne receivers to be overcome. The latter preferably comprise a band-pass filter, a low noise amplifier, a notch filter or notch filter and a mixer.
The sensitivity of the receivers can be degraded by spurious out-of-band signals due to various mechanisms. In superheterodyne receivers, the image signal has the same frequency deviation as the desired signal in regard to the clock of the local oscillator and has to be rejected. This operation can be facilitated through the use of a notch filter with programmable band, as the frequency of the image signal is known.
In some transceivers the signal transmission and reception circuits work simultaneously; the power of the transmitted signal is much higher than the power of the received signal and the insulation of the transmitted signal from the received signal is limited at the radio frequencies. In particular, if the receiver circuit is the type with direct conversion, its sensitivity can be greatly reduced by the lost fraction or leakage of the signal transmitted that overlaps the signal received. Considering the frequency of the transmitted signal, which can vary in accordance to the selected channel, is known, the rejection of the transmitted signal can be improved using a notch filter with programmable band.
Currently there are various transceiver devices that comprise a notch filter. However, such circuitry presents several inconveniences linked to the presence of noise during signal reception and to a limited accuracy of the frequency calibration.
The most common solution adopted to lessen the losses of the transmitted signal is to attenuate them at the input of the receiver or after the first amplification stage by using radio-frequency filters. Seeing the offset between the reception and transmission frequencies is rather low, the filters to use must be highly selective. These filters cannot be integrated into the same chip of the transceiver device, and the presence of the filters outside the chip of the transceiver device makes the solution very expensive, with a high consumption of energy.
In US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0219900, a notch filter with high Q factor is described which is integrated with a first and a second low-noise amplifier and is totally contained in an integrated chip; said filter is suitable for the image rejection in radio-frequency applications. The notch filter comprises two Q factor enrichment circuits that are combined together to generate a negative impedance such that it compensates the losses in the low Q factor inductors located on the chip. To improve the image rejection the notch filter uses a circuit of automatic calibration of the current that consists of an analog multiplier.

Notch filter and apparatus for receiving and transmitting radio-frequency signals incorporating same


A rapid exchange catheter system provides a delivery vehicle to carry a stent through a patient's vasculature and deploy the stent after a protective sheath covering the stent has been withdrawn. In order to facilitate the rapid exchange of catheters and specifically the backloading of a catheter onto the proximal end of a guide wire, the catheter includes telescoping sleeves within the guide wire lumen that translate relative to each other as the sheath is retracted to expose the stent. The telescoping sleeves align the catheter and the sheath when the catheter is backloaded onto the distal extremity of the guide wire by aligning the guide wire notch of the catheter with an opening in the sheath thus providing a continuous guide wire passageway.

The invention generally relates to vascular catheters suitable for maintaining the patency of a blood vessel after a vascular procedure therein, such as angioplasty. In particular, the present invention relates to angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges and a method for making rapid exchanges of angioplasty devices.
In typical percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures, a guiding catheter having a preformed distal tip is percutaneously introduced into the cardiovascular system of a patient through the brachial or femoral arteries and is advanced therein until the distal tip thereof is in the ostium of the desired coronary artery. A guide wire and a dilatation catheter having an inflatable balloon on the distal end thereof are introduced through the guiding catheter with the guide wire slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the dilatation catheter. The guide wire is first advanced out of the distal end of the guiding catheter and is then maneuvered into the patient's coronary vasculature containing the lesion to be dilated, and is then advanced beyond the lesion. Thereafter, the dilatation catheter is advanced over the guide wire until the dilatation balloon is located across the lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon of the dilitation catheter is filled with radiopaque liquid at relatively high pressures (e.g., greater than about four atmospheres) and is inflated to a predetermined size (preferably the same as the inner diameter of the artery at that location) to radially compress the atherosclerotic plaque ofthe lesion against the inside of the artery wall to thereby dilate the lumen of the artery. The balloon is then deflated so that the dilatation catheter can be removed and blood flow resumed through the dilated artery.
A common problem that sometimes occurs after an angioplasty procedure is the development of restenosis at or near the site of the original stenosis in the body lumen which requires a second angioplasty procedure, a bypass surgery, or similar procedure to reduce or remove the restenosis. In recent years, various devices and methods (other than bypass surgery) for the prevention of restenosis after arterial intervention in a patient's body lumen have become known which typically use an expandable graft (commonly termed "stent") on the distal end of the catheter designed for implantation in the body lumen.
Stents generally are designed for permanent implantation within the body lumen. By way of example, several stent devices and methods can be found in commonly assigned and commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,548 (Lau et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,399 (Lau et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,426 (Lau et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,154 (Lauetal.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,401 (Turnlandetal.); and U.S. Ser. No. 08/454,599 (Lam), which are incorporated in their entirety herein.
In recent years in practicing angioplasty, it is often desirable to exchange one dilatation catheter for another. In doing so, it is necessary to use extension wires or long exchange wires having a total length of approximately 200 to 300 centimeters, both of which typically require two operators. During the procedure, it is necessary that the operators communicate with each other to coordinate their efforts, which makes the procedure more involved and time consuming.
In addition, because the extension wires or exchange wires are long, they are awkward to handle. For that reason, they may come in contact with the floor or otherwise extend out of the sterile surgical field and become contaminated. If contaminated, the entire apparatus being utilized for the angioplasty procedure must be removed from the patient and replaced.
There have been improvements in the field of rapid exchange catheters to rectify some of the shortcomings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,982 to Horzewski et al. discloses a method and apparatus relating to a rapid exchange balloon dilatation catheter with slitted exchange sleeve. The sleeve has a slit extending longitudinally from the proximal extremity of the sleeve to a region adjacent the balloon to permit the guide wire, which is used to assist guiding the catheter in to a vessel of a patient, to be removed therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,548 to Yock discloses methods for performing angioplasty procedures within a patient's coronary artery to facilitate rapid exchanges of angioplasty devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,368 to Garrison discloses a rapidly exchangeable and expandable cage catheter for repairing damaged blood vessels. Garrison discloses an intravascular catheter having an expandable cage mounted on the distal end of a tubular member that is radially expanded and contracted by means of a control wire. The device includes a flexible tubular element extending through the expandable cage interior to facilitate the rapid exchange of the catheter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,273 to Yock discloses another angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges.
During rapid exchange catheter procedures known in the art, it is necessary for the surgeon to introduce the balloon dilitation catheter onto the guide wire already positioned within the body lumen by a backloading technique. Specifically, the guide wire remains stationary in the patient's vasculature while the distal extremity of the catheter is advanced over the guide wire proximal end. The guide wire proximal end exits through an opening on the outer surface of the catheter proximal to the balloon. However, threading the guide wire through this opening on the outer surface of the catheter is difficult and requires time and precision, especially when the catheter is covered by a protective sheath.
In addition, recent developments in stent delivery systems require use of a protective sheath to cover the stent during the delivery process, which sheath is retracted so the stent can be deployed. Use of such a sheath complicates the backloading of the guide wire during the rapid exchange catheter procedure because the guide wire must not only pass through the outer surface opening in the catheter, but it must also pass through a similar opening in the sheath. If the two openings are misaligned, backloading the guide wire becomes even more difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need for a rapid exchange catheter having a design that facilitates easy front loading and backloading of the catheter so that the guide wire passes through the catheter and sheath quickly and precisely without numerous attempts by the surgeon to align catheter and sheath openings to thread the guide wire therethrough.

Rapid exchange delivery system for stenting a body lumen


An emergency drag stretcher is disclosed that combines a base panel formed of a flexible sheet material and a harness. The harness securely restrains an individual and holds the base panel against the individual, allowing the individual to be dragged or vertically lifted using the emergency drag stretcher.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an emergency rescue device and method for operation thereof to enable rapid removal of an injured individual from hazardous locations and, more specifically, emergency rescue device that combines a base panel formed of a flexible sheet material and a harness coupled to the base panel to securely restrain the injured individual.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stretchers of various types have been developed to move injured individuals. Stretchers of different types and configurations have also been developed to safely and efficiently move an injured individual from an emergency situation, for example an individual found injured in a burning building or a soldier injured on a battlefield.
A conventional emergency stretcher is provided by Skedco, Inc. that combines features of a sled and a skid, and is often referred to as a 'SKED'. Components of the SKED are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,368 to Calkin. The SKED is manufactured from a single piece of material, can be stored flat, and is manipulated by a user into a functioning configuration. An injured individual is loaded onto the SKED device, which is then skidded across varied types of terrain.
However, the individual is secured within the SKED device using a plurality of pairs of conventional seat-belt style straps, and the plastic used to manufacture the SKED device has a shape memory. This arrangement creates an inefficient and time consuming process to secure the injured individual.
Moreover, the SKED device does not provide a self-contained packing arrangement to protect the straps and also position the straps for immediate deployment. Rather, a separate cover is needed to protect the straps of the SKED device. Use of such separate cover further delays deployment of the SKED device.
Accordingly, the SKED device does not ensure an efficient process for securing an injured individual. The delays in deploying the SKED device are undesirable, particularly if the SKED device is used in emergency situations.
Another conventional drag-style emergency evacuation stretcher is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,324 to Walkingshaw et al. ("Walkingshaw"). Like the SKED, the Walkingshaw device is manufactured from a single piece of material. The Walkingshaw device can be stored flat and is folded into a functioning configuration. Also like the SKED, the Walkingshaw device utilizes a conventional seat-belt style straps to secure an injured individual therein and fails to provide a self-contained packing arrangement that protects the straps from the elements while also maintaining the harness straps in a stored state that allows for immediate deployment.
Yet another conventional stretcher is U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,110 to Girard et al. ("Girard"), which discloses a transfer stretcher and harness for lifting, transferring or supporting a person—in particular an overweight person—via a single lift point, typically by use of lifting equipment. However, the transfer stretcher of Girard is not arranged for use as an emergency evacuation stretcher, particularly when immediate deployment is needed, such as for fire rescue or battlefield scenarios.
Another example of a conventional emergency stretcher is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,368 to Catkin, which a flexible drag stretcher that can be stored and transported in a tightly rolled, compact cylindrical storage condition for hand carrying and for mounting on a backpack, to be unrolled into an operative stretcher condition having a single center base panel formed of a flexible sheet material onto which a pair of opposite, flexible side torso flap members are mounted to cinch against the sides of only the torso portion of an injured person's body to secure the injured person to the stretcher during stretcher operation. However, like the other conventional stretchers, the emergency personal must follow numerous and time-consuming steps to secure the injured person in the device.


An apparatus for determining a critical level of soil humidity for plants including an external body, a soil recipient container hermetically sealed to the external body so as to receive a soil sample therein, a well positioned within the external body and containing water therein, a pressure cell connected to the well so as to controllably pass water from the well to the soil recipient container, and an air admitting pipe in sealed relationship with the external body. The pressure cell has a preestablished resistance to the passage of water. The soil recipient container has a collecting pipe thereon for passing water into the soil. The air admitting pipe has an end which opens exterior of the external body so as to allow air to pass into the external body. The air admitting pipe communicates with the pressure cell. The air admitting pipe serves to transmit air into the pressure cell when energy in the soil recipient container is higher than the resistance of the pressure cell. The pressure cell then urges water from the well into the collecting pipe of the soil recipient container.

Presently, there does not exist any apparatus to accurately measure the lowest limit of the useful water layer (UL), i.e., the humidity level of the soil from which the plant starts off a reduction in its production or "Productivity Depression Point (PDP)."
While growing crops based on irrigation techniques, two common questions are relevant: how much and when to irrigate? The answers have to be given instantly. As for the first one, an instrument has been recently developed to accurately answer the question in a few seconds. It is the HIDROCAPACITOR Yo (U.S. Pat. No. 8,903,754)/
The second question--when to irrigate? Water must be added to the soil when the potential of- such water is still sufficiently high (less negative), without exposing the plant to a water need that may affect its development and when the hydraulic conductivity of the soil is high enough (as per Darcy's equation) to meet the evapo-transpirative demand. Water must be supplied to the right quantity, avoiding losses either by superficial flow-off or by deep drainage. In practical terms, this criterion is usually simplified by meeting the conditions of each particular case. In an extreme case, the farmer irrigates the crop at his own discretion based on a subjective criterion acquired by experience. In case of a rational operation--when an optimization of the quantity of water is intended--adding water to the soil must obey a more scientific criterion.
The concept of water availability is complex and presents a big variability from situation to situation. All in all, however, most plants have their growth affected when the potential matrix of the soil water reaches values under -5 atm. Thus, to avoid water "STRESSING", the irrigation is recommended when the potential of the water in the soil reaches values close to -8 atm.
Yet, each type of crop has an optimum water potential interval for each growth stage.
In the lack of equipment or instrumentation to determine the critical humidity (PDP), experimental data is utilized. Such data, however, whose validity is arguable, are only valid for those hedapho-climatical conditions and the variety for which they were established.
For the temperate regions, there already exist experimental data for many crops. The estimates are obtained through experiments by submitting the crop to different levels of humidity and by verifying from which level of humidity the decline in production starts to occur. The method is rather complex, expensive and toilsome, with its results considered to be valid if restricted to the areas and conditions where they were obtained.
Aiming at the establishment of a simple, quick and economic procedure to eliminate the faults and errors in the estimates of the above described PDP, the present invention was developed.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.


A method and graphical user interface for selecting pad printing functions for an image output device. The user interface is provided to a user and displays a pad printing dialog box that enables selection of pad printing output. Selectable pad printing options are displayed, which include the number of sheets per pad and the total number of pads to be output. When the user selection of pad printing and pad printing options are received, the total quantity of sheets to be output based on selected pad printing options and organizing the sheets for pad printing output from the image output device are automatically determined. Availability of pad printing is determined based on finishing options selected.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide a user interface enabling job programming for the printing of pads, where multiple copies of one or more printed sheets of paper are organized and output to be bound to a heavier stock or cardboard backing.
Pads are typically a group of single sheet forms, often with a card stock back cover and a glue binding on the top edge. Forms can then be torn off when needed from the pad. Pad creation typically has proceeded as follows: The single sheet forms are printed as an uncollated job. The operator has to calculate and program the desired quantity, i.e., by multiplying the number of sheets per pad by the number of pads needed. To facilitate post-printing assembly with a card stock cover for each pad, the operator also programs subset offset and glue binds each of the assembled pads. This process is largely manual and requires offline finishing. The required calculations and programming of multiple features have a high potential for error.
Efficient pad printing programming has presented a challenge to digital publishing and printing workflow. Examples of such attempts can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/643,474 to Morales et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The current solutions on the market enable pad printing in either a very inefficient manner or a very inelegant manner. For example, current solutions oftentimes involve a printed form and copying the pages manually, separating the pages and then adding a back cover all manually.

Pad printing user interface dialog for copy or print


To simplify assembly of a bottom portion (4) with a cap portion (3) of a base to a compact fluorescent lamp, and permit automated assembly thereof, the cap portion is formed with inner axially extending projections (23-26), and current supply leads (27a-28b) are looped about the axially extending projections. A circuit board (8) located transversely across the bottom portion (4) has essentially U-shaped bow frames or arched or clip elements (35-38) located thereon which are positioned to engage by resilient surface contact with the end portions (31) of the current supply leads when the bottom portion and the cap portion are snapped together upon axial movement. Inwardly extending ribs (44, 45; 48, 49) projecting from the inner wall of the bottom portion support the bow frame or arched or clip elements, and ensure prestressed reliable contact engagement between the bow frame or arched or clip elements and the end portions of the current supply leads. Preferably, the end portions of the current supply leads and of the clip elements are made of tinned wires.

Compact fluorescent lamps in which a discharge vessel is coupled to a base are rapidly replacing incandescent lamps due to the low energy use with respect to available light output. The compact fluorescent lamp is formed by a pair of interconnected tubular elements which are secured into a cap portion of the base. The base has a further bottom portion which retains a printed circuit board on which suitable circuit elements are located, forming ballasts and/or other circuit components to operate the compact fluorescent lamp directly from electrical supply mains. These direct replacement compact fluorescent lamps are expensive, and a substantial portion of the costs is due to the complex manufacturing steps required in their manufacture. One of these manufacturing steps is the electrical connection of the current supply leads from the discharge vessel to the respective connections of the ballast or accessory circuit. In incandescent lamps, two leads connect directly to the supplies from the base. In fluorescent lamps, however, two electrodes are located at both ends of the fluoroscent lamp, resulting in four leads, which have to be connected to a ballast or an accessory circuit which, in turn, is connected to the base terminals, for example a screw-in or "Edison" base. Connections for compact fluorescent lamps, as previously used, provided for crimping the supply leads from the discharge vessel to the connecting leads of the ballast by a metal clip or crimping the supply leads to contact pins in the cap which in turn can be so placed that upon assembly of the cap portion to the bottom portion of the base, the pins engage into counter terminals on the printed circuit board in the bottom portion. The referenced publication, by the inventor hereof, European Published Patent Application 0 179 251, describes such an arrangement. The current supply leads to the electrodes are connected electrically to the contact pins, by crimp or similar connection. This type of making contact while at the same time assembling the cap portion, in which the discharge vessel itself is already secured to the bottom portion is expensive since terminals must be secured in the cap and bottom portion.

Compact fluorescent lamp and base combination, and method of lamp-base assembly

Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbH


A power supply system for a boat includes a generator, a rectifier circuit, a main electric system arranged to supply electric power to a control system that controls the boat propulsion system, the main electric system including a main battery, and an auxiliary electric system arranged to supply electric power to auxiliary equipment provided on the boat, the auxiliary electric system including an auxiliary battery. An operation signal supplied to an actuating device connected to the main electric system is detected, and in a case where it is decided, based on the detected signal, to prioritize the main electric system over the auxiliary electric system, current supply to the auxiliary electric system is restricted, to thereby attain a stable operation of the control system of the boat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply system for a boat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some boats are provided with a power supply system in which a three phase alternating-current generator provided for a boat propulsion system generates a current, and the generated current is supplied to a main electric system which includes a main battery for supplying electric power to a control system of the boat propulsion system and to an auxiliary electric system which includes an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to boat equipment or the like. In recent years, it has become common for the boat equipment to include auxiliary devices such as a bow thruster or an air conditioner, which consume a large amount of electric power. When a load is increased due to the boat equipment as described above, the generated current flows for the most part into the auxiliary electric system side, with the result that the main battery side suffers a voltage drop.
In view of the above-mentioned problem, there has been conventionally proposed a technology in which when a voltage drop in the main battery is detected, current supply to the auxiliary electric system is stopped, to thereby prevent the voltage drop in the main battery (see JP 2007-110855 A).
Meanwhile, in a case where the boat is equipped with an actuating device, such as a power steering device, which momentarily requires a high current while being required to have high system performance (hereinafter, a description is given by taking power steering as an example), it is necessary to cause the steering motor to instantaneously operate in response to the operation of the steering unit. However, as in the case of the conventional technology described above, when the auxiliary electric system is isolated after a voltage drop in the main battery is detected, the voltage of the main electric system has already dropped when driving the steering motor, which could affect the optimal drive performance of the steering motor.


A footpad and a carrying apparatus having the same are provided. The footpad can be applied to an electronic device to serve as a support for the electronic device. The footpad being disposed on a lower surface of the electronic device includes a hollow elastomer and a spiral structure directly formed on the inner surface of the hollow elastomer. The distance between an inner spiral portion of the spiral structure and the lower surface of the electronic device is greater than the distance between an outer spiral portion of the spiral structure and the lower surface of the electronic device. The footpad is able to physically change the shape thereof according to the weight distribution of the electronic device and provides a support force thereto so as to maintain balance and stability of the electronic device.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a footpad in particular, to a footpad having pre-press structure design and a carrying device having the same.
2. Description of Related Art
As technology progresses, notebooks are becoming to be more and more lightweight and compact. Taking Ultra-Book as an example, which only weights around 1 kg, causing the Ultra-Book prone to shake during operation and become unstable.
Along with the development of touch panel technology and the release of the Window 8 operating system, the touch-control wave for notebooks have aroused, and touchscreens have become the mandatory specification for new generation notebooks. However, when the opening angle of the display is too large, the notebook may start to tilt and become unstable as the result of unbalance weight distribution.
Stability is one of the critical design aspects for the casing of most electronic device. For instrument with high precision such as medical instrument, supporting structures with stability and anti-shock mechanism are the most critical considerations for the exterior structure. In view of U.S. Pat. No. 8,218,313, which provides a footpad design of electronic device however the invention does not provide stability and anti-shock effects therefore cannot resolve the issue of the electronic device becoming unstable and wobbly due to unbalance weight distribution.
Henceforth, the inventor believes that above mentioned problems can be improved, and through devoted research combined with application of theory, the inventor proposes a reasonable and effective design which can improve upon the above mentioned deficiencies.

Footpad and carrying apparatus having the same


A plastication unit for an injection molding machine, combining a heated plastication barrel with an entrance port and an exit port on opposing ends of the barrel; a hopper positioned to deliver ingredients to be compounded for injection molding to the entrance port of the barrel; and a helical plastication screw rotatably carried within the barrel and running the length of the barrel between the entrance and exit ports, which is operable to rotate and transmit the ingredients along the length of the barrel; wherein the plastication screw has at least one axial fluted extensional mixing element segment and the ingredients include at least one polymer for injection molding. Methods for injection molding with the plastication unit of the present invention and articles formed by the inventive methods are also disclosed.

The plastics manufacturing industry is typically required to compound one to five percent of a pelletized additives package into bulk polymer resin to fabricate plastic parts because of the poor mixing capability of single screw extrusion (SSE) and injection molding (IM) machines. The additives package is a pre-compounded concentrate of functional particles, such as a pigment, and base polymer resin that aids in mixing functional particles within the bulk resin. Pigment additive packages are more commonly known as a color masterbatch. Although the additives package is the minor component, it is typically more costly than the bulk resin.
The base polymer in an additives package is often a low molecular weight polymer with poor mechanical properties. In addition, the base polymer is subject to two shear and heat histories, once during the pre-compounding step, as in extrusion, and secondly during the part fabrication step, as in IM. Subjecting the polymer to multiple processing steps has its disadvantages. For example, every time a polymer is subject to heat and shear forces there is potential for degradation, chemical or otherwise. Multiple processing steps have been found to coarsen the morphology of a previously well mixed system. Mechanical properties are dependent upon morphology; and particles may tend to agglomerate during extrusion. Additionally, multiple processing steps increase manufacturing costs and time.
With injection molding, granular plastic is fed by gravity from a hopper into a heated barrel. The granules are slowly moved forward by a screw-type plunger, i.e., the plastication screw, by which the plastic is forced into a heated chamber, where it is melted. As the plastication screw advances, the melted plastic is forced through a nozzle for delivery to the mold.
Dispersing and distributing pigment, modifiers, filler, particles, reinforcing agents, and other various compounds within a polymer matrix for injection molding are difficult. In most cases, twin screw extrusion (TSE) is commonly used for pre-compounding in order to achieve good mixing. However, single screw extrusion (SSE) offers several advantages, including lower cost, rugged machinery more resistant to abuse, easy and inexpensive part replacement, widely available new or used equipment, easy operation, lower back pressures, and the ability to combine compounding and final product extrusion as a single operation.
Industrial SSE use has lagged because extruders with single screw flights have lacked the multiple elongational flow fields of multi-screw extruders (MSE), which provide simple upstream axial mixing and the ability to degas during mixing. To achieve good dispersion, surface treatments are employed with SSE to promote wetting by the polymer but have not been fully successful nor duplicated the effect of mixing alone achieved with multi-screw extruders. Controlled feeding/melting mechanisms are used with SSE to decrease agglomerate formation and reduce the dispersion necessary for good mixing. To enhance distributive mixing, starve feeding may be used, if the polymer is not subject to degradation. SSE is intrinsically limited in dispersive and distributive mixing but good dispersion can often be achieved by using specialized additives, whereas distributive mixing can equal any MSE compounder with retro-fitted mixing devices. The function of SSE has changed from only plasticating to both plasticating and mixing, achievable by adding a mixing element to the screw.
There are several types of mixing elements suitable for SSE, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. For homogeneity, a combination of both dispersive and distributive mixing is optimal, specifically dispersion followed by distribution. There are no standardized ways to evaluate the compounding ability of a mixer because this will vary with the additives being compounded. For example, it is difficult to quantitatively measure dispersion of filler particles in heavily filled thermoplastics. Comparative studies have been performed in which different types of mixing elements are investigated to improve mixing of hybrid materials systems in SSE. And, there have been attempts to reduce manufacturing costs by improving the compounding role of SSE used in final product manufacture, specifically examining powders in polyolefins and typical liquid additives in various polymers. However SSE is still considered generally unsuitable for dispersive mixing of powders and liquids into polymers, particularly during the plastication step of an injection molding cycle. There remains a need for an SSE capable of achieving distributive mixing of powder and liquid additives in a polymer melt during the plastication step of an injection molding cycle.

Just-in-time compounding in an injection molding machine

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY


A computing system contains a processor that is configured to receive, with the user interface, a registered access code and access permissions from a remote user of a property having a property location. The registered access code may be configured to provide access to the property. The access permissions may include a predefined access period that the access code is valid to provide access to the property. The processor may further be configured to receive a provided access code of a local user of the property in response to a user location of the local user being near the property location, match the provided access code with the registered access code, and grant or deny access to the property based in part on the provided access code matching the registered access code and being received within the predefined access period.

Keyless entry systems typically provide access to an area without requiring a physical key. However, traditional keyless entry systems require a user to carry a keyless remote control dedicated to providing access to that area. With increased use of mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, there is a need for programs such as web-based portals and mobile device applications to facilitate home and office security, for example, without requiring an additional keyless remote control. In particular, these devices may utilize a subscriber network to provide remote entry and locking to a subscriber with respect to a property. It may be desirable to provide a system allowing a subscriber to register, authenticate, and provide scheduled or on-demand access to an area, for example, personal or business property.


The calendaring techniques and interfaces described herein provide access to calendar data stored in a server hosted calendar store to applications. The calendar data includes calendar events and tasks. In one aspect, an application program interface (API) retrieves an occurrence from a series of reoccurring calendar data upon request from an application. In another aspect, the API sends calendar data provided by the application to a server program that manages a calendar store for storage and queries the server program to retrieve calendar data requested by the application from the calendar store. In yet another aspect, the API sends notifications that the calendar store has changed to interested applications.

The present inventions relate to interfacing applications to a calendar data store.
Modern data processing systems, such as a general purpose computer, a handheld computer, a cellular telephone, media players, etc. are typically used for a variety of purposes, including uses relating to maintaining lists of items to do or maintaining notes or information for the user and/or allowing the user to transmit electronic messages, such as email, to other users, often through a network. Certain data processing systems utilize one application program to provide email facilities and another application program to provide a calendar facility. An example of such a data processing system is the Macintosh computer from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. An email program known as "Mail" provides email functionality while a separate application program known as iCal provides calendaring functions. There are also examples of an application program which provides a combination of such facilities, such as the program Entourage from Microsoft Corporation, which program runs on a Macintosh computer. The program Entourage includes email functionality as well as a notes functionality, a calendar functionality and a task or To do functionality.
Because each application is designed to access a particular type of data and each type of data is typically stored in a different data store, it is difficult for one application to access a different data store. Moreover, one application may need to be aware of data changes made by a different application.


System for thermal and/or acoustic insulation of a tube intended, for example, to allow the outflow of hydrocarbons originating from an oil deposit, consisting of a sleeve surrounding the tube over at least a part of its length. According to the invention, the sleeve consists of an aerogel. A method for thermal and/or acoustic insulation of a tube is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for thermal and/or acoustic insulation of a tube and, more particularly of a tube intended to allow the outflow of fluids, for example hydrocarbons originating from any source, for example an oil deposit.
2. Description of Related Art
Acoustic insulation is of interest above all for tubes which are close to living environments: overhead and submarine pipelines or pipeline networks buried in the ground. By way of example, in the case of high flow rates with a significant quantity of gas, the tubes and their singularities, such as bends, tees, valves, etc., generate levels of sound which are detrimental to man and the environment. Although currently not very practical, acoustic insulation contributes to human comfort, occupational safety and environmental protection.
When an oil deposit is brought into production, hydrocarbons flow through a tube, referred to as the production string, from the bottom of the well to the surface. At the bottom of the well, the pressure and the temperature are relatively high, for example 100.degree. C. and 300 bar. When the hydrocarbons rise to the surface, this pressure and this temperature decrease, with the result that the output temperature of the well is, for example, of the order of 30.degree. C.
The effect of this decrease in the temperature of the hydrocarbons in the production string is to increase the viscosity and the weight of these hydrocarbons, which may lead to their flow being slowed down. Furthermore, the temperature decrease may sometimes cause the deposition of hydrates or paraffins on the wall of the string. If it accumulates in the tube, this deposit may cause serious operating problems, such as slowing down the hydrocarbons or completely obstructing the tube. In general, an operator desiring to avoid these risks has to treat this deposition phenomenon, either preventively by injecting a chemical product which inhibits the deposition, or remedially by wiping or scraping the tube using special equipment, or else by heating it using a means which may be available. In all cases, these operations lead to considerable expenditure. This type of problem also occurs in the pipelines which join a well head to a remote processing centre.
The requirement for the outflow to remain cold may also arise when, for example, water is injected into the deposit from the surface. It is sometimes beneficial for the water not to be heated by the surrounding formations along this path, for example in order to maintain its weight or to cause certain thermal phenomena which promote injectability into the deposit (weakening the rock as a result of the low temperature with a view to thermally fracturing it). In this case, thermally insulating the tube makes it possible to reduce the time taken for the thermal phenomenon to occur and to keep conditions more constant during shut-downs, or to protect, around the tube, all the equipment which may be sensitive to thermal variations (contraction of the jacket, fracture of the cementing, etc.).
Some wells are located in regions where the ground temperature is very low. It has already been proposed to equip the production string with an electrical heating system in order to keep the temperature of the outflows constant. However, production, implementation and power consumption for this type of installation are very expensive, which greatly limits its usage.
Fitting thermal insulation around a tube or a production string, optionally coupled to an electrical or other heating system, makes it possible to keep the temperature of the outflows at a high value during their transfer, thus reducing the deposits on the wall of the column and other problems associated with temperature. It is known to use double-jacketed tubes and to use pumping to introduce a liquid loaded with solid particles, or a liquid gel, between the two walls from one of the ends of the tube. In the case of a well, the two walls in question are inherently present, one formed by the tubing and the other by the jacket.
This formulation, intended to stop natural convection within the liquid occupying the space separating the two walls, is relatively inexpensive to use because it generally avoids an elaborate operation of withdrawing the piping. However, its thermal insulation performance is mediocre because of the high residual conductivity of the medium, which is of the order of 0.6 W/m.degree.C. when it is based on water and of the order of 13 W/m.degree.C. when it is based on hydrocarbons (oil, gas oil, etc.). Furthermore, long-term stability of these formulations at a temperature of above 85.degree. C. is difficult to obtain (sedimentation of the particles in the case of loaded liquids, loss of viscosity in the case of liquid gels).
It is also known to use a tube or a string with a double wall, constructed in sections in the workshop and in which, between the two walls, a high vacuum is made or a low-pressure rare gas (argon, xenon, or the like) is introduced. This type of tube affords a high degree of thermal insulation, but its complicated workshop construction is very expensive and its high external diameter considerably limits its usage. Furthermore, fitting it to a system which is already being used requires the existing tubes to be replaced, which considerably increases the cost of the insulation.


A method is provided for transferring a session between multiple devices by a target device, in which the target device selects a particular session of a source device and sends a request for session transfer for the selected session to a call server, the target device acquires from the call server data that has been transmitted from the remote party's device of the particular session and temporarily stored in the call server after the session transfer request, and the target device sends a message indicating completed acquisition of the temporarily stored data to the call server, and receives the particular session transferred in response thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to session transfer in a Converged Internet Protocol Messaging (CPM) System, and more particularly, to session transfer between devices based on temporary storage in a CPM system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the existing mobile environment, terminals send intermittent messages such as Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages. However, many users increasingly expect new messaging services in which they can easily have a dialog using the messenger application in the wired environment. Hence, an Instant Messaging (IM) service has been introduced in terminals and networks based on a Session Initiation Protocol/Internet Protocol (SIP/IP) Core network. Moreover, a Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) service and system based on the SIP/IP Core network has been developed to meet the needs of customers and businesses for Push To Talk (i.e., walkie-talkie). Along with the rapid change in the communication industry, many users increasingly desire to handle different types of received messages in an integrated manner.
Considering these facts, Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), a standards organization, which establishes international private standards of mobile solutions and services, is currently developing standard technologies for Converged IP Messaging (CPM) implemented based on the SIP/IP Core network.
The CPM service is an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based messaging service, and its concept provides the existing SMS and MMS services based on the Internet Protocol (IP) in an integrated manner. While the current messaging service enables transmission/reception only in limited networks and terminals, CPM may provide IP-based united messaging services regardless of the terminal type, media type (i.e., content of the message), network type and service type.
One of the many features of the CPM service is that users can access the messaging service using many different devices simultaneously. For example, one user may be provided with the service by using a device A-1 and a device A-2 at the same time. If the user is initially communicating with remote device B (remote user) using device A-1 but desires to continue communication using device A-2 while he is connected to the remote device B, the session that was connected through device A-1 (source device) needs to be transferred to device A-2 (target device). The described procedure is called "session transfer."
In order to maintain a high quality of communication services during the session transfer, a detailed operational procedure for seamless session transfer is required so that neither the source user nor the remote user are aware of the session transfer.

Method for transferring session in converged Internet protocol messaging system

Seoul National University Industry Foundation


A hinged dead front for an enclosure of an electrical panelboard, said enclosure defined by a rear panel, an operative left side panel, an operative right side panel and a door, wherein the rear panel of said enclosure is provided with hinged mounting bracket assemblies on which said dead front is hingeably mounted; and latch stopping bracket assemblies configured to engage with locking elements fitted on said dead front.

The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
Existing method uses a dead front for an electrical panelboard which is being installed on four standoffs further fixed on the mounting panel. The dead front covers all live components and restricts direct access to live parts. Such a dead front is disclosed in the Indian patent application numbered 201621018567.
Existing dead fronts allow a user to remove the dead front from the panelboard to obtain access inside to components for operation/maintenance.
The cut-out provided to access toggles are larger which exposes live terminals. For maintenance/servicing, the user needs to remove the entire dead front every time to access internal components. The dead front is mounted on dead posts, which makes it difficult for alignment during reinstallation. The dead front is secured on the dead posts with the help of loose nuts, which results in the possibility in falling out in panelboards or loss in the field. For removing loose nuts, tools are required and the tools need to be carried every time. Moreover, separate cut-outs need to be provided for wire routing.
Thus, there is a need of an arrangement for mounting for a dead front for an electrical panelboard, which ameliorates the aforementioned issues.

Base bracket and an arrangement for mounting a dead front for an electrical panelboard