A rear in-line bow sight for use in combination with a front bow sight assembly on an archery bow having a bow frame and an arrow-impelling string attached to the bow frame. The rear bow sight has an rigid construction which includes a support bracket, a sight member, and optionally, a sight guard. The support bracket is mounted to a portion of the bow, whereby an integral extension projects rearwardly of the bow frame to support a sight member intermediate the string and the bow frame. A sight head of the sight member has an aperture passing centrally therethrough to allow an archer to adjust the inclination of the bow by viewing a given sight pin of the front sight assembly through the aperture. The aperture has a diameter which is sufficiently small enough to receive the image of only one sight pin from the front sight assembly while the archer aligns the bow. Optionally, a sight guard is positioned adjacent the terminal end of the extension and rearward of the sight member to protect the sight member against misalignment caused by contact with a foreign object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bow sights for use with an archery bow. More particularly, the present invention relates to rear bow sights of the type that are intended to be used in conjunction with a front bow sight for aiming an archery bow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A bow sight is a necessity for aiming a bow to fire an arrow while hunting or participating in competition shooting. Typically a front sight is used which has one or more vertically spaced, horizontal sight pins for aligning the bow with a target. Such front sight pins, however, cannot alone compensate for all of the variables of a particular shot. For example, no matter how well a front pin sight is calibrated, it cannot always compensate for the vertical drop inherent in a shot fired at the target. Typically, the archer will adjust the inclination of the bow (i.e., select a particular sight pin) to compensate for the vertical drop particular to a certain distance to the target. When selecting a particular pin sight, however, the archer may not consistently align his or her line of vision with the intended flight path of the arrow. To avoid the variability associated with unassisted adjustments made by the archer, it is well known in the prior art to utilize a rear sight for aligning the front sight upon a target located a certain distance away from the archer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,193 which issued to Rodney D. Hacquet on Sep. 17, 1991, discloses a bow sight including a front sight having at least one sight pin and a rear sight having a pivotally mounted member with a V-shaped notch intended for alignment with the pin of the front sight. The pivotal rear sight member accommodates for variable distances to the desired target. Other prior art bow sights which utilize a V-shaped notch in conjunction with the rear sight are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,484 which issued to Robert F. Lauffenburger on Aug. 5, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,088 which issued to Reginald G. Powers on Apr. 10, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,678 which issued to Benny Sears on Dec. 18, 1990.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,591 which issued to Glenn Montgomery on Sep. 24, 1985, discloses a bow sight assembly having a front sight element consisting of a plurality of sight pins, and an integral rear sight element consisting of a smaller sight pin encircled by a sighting ring that aids in the alignment of the front and rear pins. The sighting ring, however, is used only to highlight which of the front sighting pins with which the rear sighting pin is aligned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,301 which issued to Charles L. Forbis on Aug. 20, 1991, discloses a rear bow sight that may be used in connection with a variety of front bow sights. The rear bow sight has a mounting bracket with top and bottom flanges, and a pair of parallel spaced sighting line members formed of a string loop or the like which extend between the top and bottom flanges. The mounting bracket has an open side that exposes the sighting line members to interference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,503 which issued to Leo Land on Jan. 8, 1991, discloses a bow sight comprising integrally connected front and rear sights. The front sight includes a bracket with an opening having a pair of cross hairs passing therethrough and a plurality of vertically arranged sight pins adjacent to the opening. The rear sight includes a bracket with an opening having a pair of cross hairs passing therethrough, whereby aiming an arrow requires alignment of the cross hairs of the front and rear sights upon a portion of one sight pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,169 which issued to Charles R. Keller on Oct. 3, 1995, discloses front and rear bow sights designed to cooperate together for aiming a bow. The front sight includes a loop frame having a vertically aligned sight pin pivotally mounted within the loop frame. Pivoting of the pin allows the front sight to gauge proper inclination of the bow during alignment for a shot. The rear sight includes a loop frame having a single, vertically disposed cross hair used for aligning the bow according to the pivotally mounted pin sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,300 which issued to Thomas H. Sheffield on Aug. 20, 1991, discloses an archery bow sight having a single element positively biased against a range adjustment mechanism. The element includes either a single peep sight or a pair of aligned front and rear peep sights. Adjustment of the range adjustment mechanism biases the front and rear sights so that proper alignment of the bow with respect to the target is accomplished upon viewing the target through both peep sights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,352 which issued to Manuel J. Leal on Feb. 18, 1986, discloses a bow sight comprising a front sight with a staircase configuration and a rear sight having an aperture provided with a pair of cross hairs. The cross hairs are intended to be aligned at various points along the staircase configuration of the front sight to accommodate for alternative distances to the desired target.
The rear in-line bow sight assembly of the present invention achieves the result of assisting an archer properly to align a bow by using a rear sight which makes apparent any significant deviation of the bow from its alignment with the target. An archer views a front sight pin through an aperture of the sight member on the rear bow sight whereby the aperture is large enough only to view a single sight pin for any given alignment of the bow. Thus, misalignment of the bow is immediately apparent to the archer.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


Devices and methods utilizing a catheter to remodel soft tissue of a patient and, in a preferred embodiment, to reduce the volume of the left ventricle of a heart. In one embodiment, one or more sutures are passed through a wall of the ventricle. The ends of the one suture and, more preferably, the multiples sutures are drawn together to draw tissue portions towards one another. In another embodiment, tissue remodeling clip is implanted into a wall of the ventricle. Ends of the clip are resiliently biased to move relative to one another to draw tissue portions towards one another. In yet another embodiment, a tissue remodeling anchor includes a base and a plurality of legs attached to the base. The legs of the tissue anchor are implanted into a wall of the ventricle and moved toward one another to draw tissue portions toward one another. A retaining member is positioned on the tissue anchor to prevent the legs from moving apart.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for remodeling soft tissue of a patient and, preferably, for remodeling the left ventricle of a patient's heart. The present invention also relates to systems for accomplishing the preferred methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Congestive heart failure is a description given to a myriad of symptoms that may be the result of the heart's inability to meet the body's demand for blood flow. Heart failure may be considered as the condition in which an abnormality of cardiac function is responsible for the inability of the heart to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolizing tissues, or can do so only at an abnormally elevated filling pressure. There are many specific disease processes that can lead to heart failure. Typically, these processes result in dilation of the left ventricular chamber.
The process of ventricular dilation may be the result of chronic volume overload or may result from a specific damage to the myocardium. In a normal heart that is exposed to long-term increased cardiac output requirements, for example, that of an athlete, there is an adaptive process of slight ventricular dilation and muscle hypertrophy. In this way, the heart compensates for the increased cardiac output requirements. With damage to the myocardium, or chronic overload, however, there are increased requirements put on the contracting myocardium to such a level that this compensated state is never achieved and the heart continues to dilate.
One condition that is likely to reduce the blood pumping efficiency of the heart muscle is ventricular dilation. As the chamber becomes enlarged, the internal surface area of the chamber increases rapidly. Blood flowing within the heart applies pressure to the internal surface of the heart chamber and because the blood applies pressure inside the heart chamber across an increased surface area, the force which must be produced by the heart in order to pump blood also increases. In many cases, the cardiac disease responsible for the ventricular dilation also limits the ability of the heart muscle to produce the increased force required to efficiently pump blood, which further compounds the problem.
In many cases, the dilation of the heart chamber becomes progressively worse and the blood pumping efficiency of the heart muscle progressively declines. As this situation worsens, the location area of compromised myocardium may bulge out as the heart contracts, further decreasing the heart's ability to move blood forward. When local wall motion moves in this way it is said to be dyskinetic. The dyskinetic portion of the myocardium may stretch and eventually form an aneurismic bulge.
There is no cure for heart failure, but it can be treated. The primary goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms and prevent worsening of the condition. Symptoms may be relieved by removing excess fluid from the body, improving blood flow and increasing delivery of oxygen to the body tissues. Medical treatment usually comprises lifestyle changes and medications. For example, diuretics have been used to reduce extra cellular fluid which accumulates in congestive heart failure patients, thereby increasing the preloaded condition of the heart. Nitrates, arteriolar vasodilators and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been used to treat heart failure through the reduction of cardiac workload by reducing afterload. Inotropes function to increase cardiac output by increasing the force and speed of cardiac muscle contraction. These drug therapies offer some beneficial effects, but do not stop the progression of the disease.
With respect to the situation of a dilated left ventricle or aneurism bulge, a variety of surgical studies have demonstrated some clinical success of ventricular remodeling and treatment of the dilation of the infarcted ventricle. One such remodeling procedure is referred to as the Batista Procedure. In the Batista Procedure, a small portion of the enlarged lower left ventricle chamber of the heart is removed to reduce the size of the left ventricle towards normal. Typically, the Bastista procedure involves the surgeon locating the left anterior descending coronary artery and making two small cuts down and outward to remove a wedge of the left ventricle. The remaining edges of the left ventricle are sewn together, returning the chamber to near its normal size. The incision is closed and the surgery is completed.
A variation of the Batista Procedure, referred to as the Dor Procedure, involves a lengthwise incision in the left ventricle along an area damaged by a myocardial infarction. The undamaged areas of the ventricle are sutured back together, eliminating the affected area. If the damaged area is too large, a patch may be used to cover the damaged area. However, in each of the Batista and Dor procedures, restoration of normal ventricular shape is a complex surgical procedure and very invasive for the patient. Furthermore, these procedures are not applicable to those patients that are not candidates for such invasive surgery.

Catheter-based tissue remodeling devices and methods


Apparatuses useful in printing onto media and methods for stripping print media from belts are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus useful in printing onto media includes a first member including a first surface; a second member; a fixing belt supported on the second member, the fixing belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first surface and the second surface forming a nip at which media are received; and a vibrating stripping device disposed between the second member and the inner surface of the fixing belt. The vibrating stripping device includes a stripping member including a stripping surface and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism produces vibration of the stripping surface and the fixing belt, and the vibration of the fixing belt assists separation of media passed through the nip from the outer surface of the fixing belt adjacent to the stripping surface of the stripping member.

Some printing apparatuses include a belt and a roll that form a nip. In such apparatuses, media are fed to the nip and contacted with the belt to fix marking material onto the media. The media are separated from the belt after they pass through the nip.
It would be desirable to provide apparatuses useful in printing onto media and associated methods that can be used to separate different types of media from belts more effectively.

Apparatuses including a vibrating stripping device for stripping print media from a belt and methods of stripping print media from belts


A covered casing assembly includes a fabric member made of an elastic material, such as a Spandex containing material, that is stretched over a casing and having at least one opening surrounding an accessible feature of the casing. The fabric member may be in the form of a tube having two openings, one at each end of the openings at each. end of the tube. An aperture adjustment feature is provided for sizing and shaping an aperture in the fabric member. Such a feature may be tabs formed by slits extending into the fabric member from around a periphery of the opening and the tabs are bent under the fabric member between the fabric member and the casing. Another more particular embodiment of the invention includes symbols or a design printed on an outside of the tube.. The present invention also includes a method for covering the computer monitor by stretching the tube over the casing and adjusting the opening to surround the screen using the features of the claimed assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a cover for computers and, more particularly, to a cover made of elastic fabric, preferably SPANDEX, which is stretched over a computer component such as a monitor and has size adjustable apertures to permit access features of the computer such as a screen of the monitor.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Personal computers have come into widespread use at home and in the office and with it a need for covering the computers for reasons ranging from protective to decorative. Many types of computer covers and other protective devices for computers have appeared on the market including covers which can be draped over computers but which must be removed during use. One type of cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,524 and overcomes this deficiency with a fabric member configured to conform to the general shape of the computer and which is sufficiently porous to permit effective heat dissipation and which is water resistant and static charge resistant. The fabric member contains at least one flap located in such a manner as to permit access to a disk drive access slot in the computer and which is capable of being closed after disk insertion and removal. The cover may also contain at least one opening which is located so as to permit access to external ports in the computer and to permit the cooling fan in the computer to vent without substantial interference. They must be removed, in order to permit the computer to be used. However, one problem with such a cover is its complexity and need to be tailored for each application. This problem is made worse because computer components are made by many different manufacturers and in many different sizes and shapes. A conventional computer cover or any of those found in the prior art do not fit both a monitor and a CPU case. Furthermore, many monitor covers do not fit different monitors having different shapes and sizes. This lack of universality drives up the cost of such covers, thus, making them less commercially appealing.
The present invention provides a more universal computer component and cover assembly having broad application such that one cover is easily adaptable for use with different components having different sizes and shapes.

Protective and decorative computer cover

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A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises at least two MISFETs formed on a semiconductor substrate and connected in series in a diode connection. Each of the MISFETs has a source, a drain, a channel extending between the source and the drain, and a gate disposed over the channel through a gate insulating film. One of the MISFETs has a first threshold voltage, and the other of the MISFETs has a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage. A portion of the channel of the semiconductor substrate of each of the MISFETs has an impurity concentration equal to or less than 6.times.10.sup.14 atoms/cc.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device necessitating a boosted voltage which is boosted from a power source voltage or the like, particularly to a voltage boosting circuit generating the boosted voltage.
Further, the present invention relates to electronic apparatuses to which the semiconductor integrated circuit device is integrated with regard to a method of utilizing the semiconductor integrated circuit device in an electric circuit.
FIG. 28 shows a schematic sectional view of a conventional MOSFET. The MOSFET formed on a semiconductor substrate 4 is constituted by a source 2, a drain 3, a channel 9 between the source 2 and the drain 3, a gate insulating film 8 formed on the channel 9 and a gate 1 and an impurity concentration of the channel 9 is equal to or more than 5.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cc.
In a voltage boosting circuit using the conventional MOSFET, the threshold is increased by the body effect of the MOSFET by which the voltage boosting efficiency is considerably deteriorated. Further, the higher the desired voltage, the more considerable is an increase in the threshold due to the body effect of the MOSFET and, therefore, a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a voltage boosting circuit with high function, high efficiency and low cost could not be provided.

MISFET semiconductor integrated circuit device


A concrete slab underlayment product is used at an excavation area at which a concrete foundation slab is to be poured. The underlayment combines a vapour barrier layer with a set of foam insulation bodies. The vapour barrier layer spans fully over the entire set of foam insulation bodies, which are spaced apart from one another at least at lower ends thereof opposite the vapour barrier layer. This leaves drainage/air spaces open between the foam insulation bodies when laid in an installed position atop the floor of an excavated area. In use under a concrete slab, the vapour barrier layer forms a gas and moisture barrier, and the foam insulation bodies and the drainage/air spaces therebetween form a combination of void spaces, drainage channels and insulation blocks between the concrete slab and the floor of the excavation area.

In construction of concrete foundations, void forms are employed for the purpose of creating voids in the underside of a concrete slab to accommodate swelling of expansive soil therebeneath, which otherwise can cause shifting and cracking of the slab. Existing void form products are typically block or box-shaped units formed of carboard, or a solid foam material such as expanded polystyrene. Such void form units are individually laid out over the floor of the excavated area in an appropriate pattern or array, followed by an overlay of hardboard placed atop the void form units, and a final layer of vapour barrier sheeting placed atop the hardboard. The concrete slab is then poured atop the vapour barrier sheeting. A shortcoming of cardboard void forms is the potential for premature degradation or collapse thereof if exposed to rainwater or other excessive moisture before the concrete is poured. Shortcomings of foam void forms include typically greater cost, environmental impact, and their lightweight nature making them susceptible to potential disruption in windy environments.
Regardless of the particular material composition of the void forms and the associated drawbacks thereof, the preparation of the area before paying the concrete is an inefficient multi-step process involving the placement of individual void forms in a first layer, followed by separate placement of subsequent hardboard and vapour barrier layers.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvements and alternatives concerning preparatory techniques for in-situ pouring of concrete slab foundations.

Vadir barrier: a concrete slab underlayment with all-in-one void form, air barrier, drainage plane, insulation and radon protection


Quinone methide derivatives such as 4-benzylidene-2,6-di-tert-butyl-cyclohexa-2,5 dienone are used to inhibit styrene monomer polymerization in the dehydrogenator portion of a styrene monomer production system. The inhibitor contacts the dehydrogenation effluent and does not partition in substantial amounts to the aqueous phase that is separated in the phase separator.

Styrene monomer is typically produced from ethylbenzene at temperatures from about 600° C. and higher by vapor phase catalytic dehydrogenation in the presence of steam. Known catalysts include palladium oxide, platinum metal, molybdenum-bismuth oxide and oxides of copper, zinc, arsenic, antimony, chromium, iron, and cobalt.
The hot gaseous effluent from the dehydrogenator contains primarily styrene, hydrogen, unreacted ethylbenzene, divinylbenzene water, and minor amounts of benzene, toluene, methane, ethane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and various polymeric components. The effluent gas from the dehydrogenation reactor may be partially cooled in a waste heat exchanger or the like and then is typically fed to a condenser wherein styrene, unreacted ethylbenzene, divinylbenzene, sundry polymeric materials and the aqueous component are condensed with the hydrogen, methane, ethane, carbon monoxide and dioxide and the benzene and toluene remaining in the gas phase.
The partially condensed effluent is next fed to the phase separator wherein the gas phase is separated and subsequently treated to recover benzene and toluene. The aqueous phase is separated and, in most cases, is used as boiler feedwater. The hydrocarbon phase comprising styrene monomer and ethylbenzene is then subjected to distillation or other purification processes for separating styrene monomer from the ethylbenzene.
In the purification or distillation process stream, polymerization inhibitors are commonly added to inhibit undesired styrene monomer polymerization. Examples of addition of polymerization inhibitors at the purification stage include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,894 (Arhancet) wherein a combination of quinone methides and hydroxylamine are used; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,800 (Bacha et al.) wherein quinone alkides are charged to the purification zone.
In addition to the desire to inhibit polymerization in the purification stage, styrene monomer polymerization may also occur at process locations upstream thereof. For example, the styrene monomer present in the hot dehydrogenation effluent may polymerize causing fouling of the condenser and separator equipment. In many cases, polymerization treatments that are effective when injected in the purification process do not function effectively as inhibitors in the dehydrogenation section of the process. These known inhibitors sometimes partition to the aqueous phase and are therefore not available to inhibit hydrocarbon phase styrene monomer polymerization in dehydrogenator process lines and equipment such as the main condenser and phase separator. Additionally, some inhibitors maybe carried as contaminants in the aqueous phase and, as such, are undesirable components of the aqueous phase as it may ultimately be used as boiler or other process feedwater.

Polymerization inhibitor for styrene dehydrogenation units


A heat-shrinkable film suitable for forming an easy opening cook-in bag is provided. The film comprises at least five layers, including an inner layer, an inner frangible layer, a barrier layer, an outer frangible layer, and an outer layer. The film is capable of being formed into a bag comprising a lap seal, a top end seal, and a bottom end seal, wherein the seals are heat sealed to a closed condition to contain and protect a product disposed therein. The lap seal, top end seal, and bottom end seal each are able to remain sealed during cook-in conditions. Additionally, the lap seal, top end seal, and bottom end seal each are peelable and easily openable by application of force.

Manufacturers and wholesalers use flexible thermoplastic packaging films to provide economical, sanitary containers, which help protect and/or preserve the freshness and wholesomeness of their products. These films are often sold in bag (or pouch) form. For example, a single or multilayer film is made into bags or pouches using a tubular film or one or more flat sheets or webs of film by well known processes involving e.g. cutting, folding and/or sealing the film to form bags and pouches. The term pouch is often used to refer to a bag made from at least two separate sheets of film or having two heat seals leaving a single open side whereas bag is often used to refer to tubular films that have a single seal transverse to the machine direction of the tube leaving an open side or generically to also include pouches or any packaging having a, typically single, open side. These films and bags may be printed and may also be uniaxially or biaxially oriented, heat shrinkable, irradiated, or may contain film layers which are abuse resistant or puncture resistant or which are crosslinked or which enhance or retard or prevent transmission of light, gases, or liquids therethrough. Frequently, multilayer films having one or more barrier layers to oxygen and/or moisture such as: saran (a polyvinylidene chloride copolymer); a modified saran e.g. MA-saran containing methyl acrylate polymer units; ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer; nylon; or acrylonitrile may be used with a heat sealing layer such as a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer or blends thereof to produce bags for packaging oxygen and/or moisture sensitive foods e.g. processed pork or fresh red meat. Such bags help preserve meat in its original condition by preventing or reducing moisture loss and chemical changes in the meat structure due to oxidation reactions.
A typical package has one, two or three sides heat-sealed by the bag manufacturer leaving one open side to allow product insertion. For example, a processor may insert fresh, frozen or processed meat, ham, poultry, cheese, primal or subprimal meat cuts, ground beef, fruits, vegetables, bread or other products making a final seal to hermetically enclose the product in the bag. This final seal may follow gas evacuation (i.e. vacuum removal) or replacement of the gaseous environment within the bag by one or more gases to provide some advantage such as to assist product preservation. This final seal is frequently a heat seal similar to the initial seals produced by the bag manufacturer although the actual heat sealing equipment may vary.
Thus, bags are made: by transversely sealing tubular stock of monolayer or multilayer film and cutting off the tube portion containing the sealed end; by making two spaced apart transverse seals on tubular stock and cutting open the side of the tube; by superimposing flat sheets of film and sealing on three sides; or by folding a flat sheet and sealing two sides.
After a product is inserted, the bag is typically evacuated and the bag mouth sealed to enclose the product. At one time, the standard method for sealing was to fasten a clip around the mouth of the bag. However, heat sealing techniques are now also commonly employed to produce the final closure of the bag. For example, a bag mouth may be either hot bar sealed or impulse sealed. An impulse seal is made by application of heat and pressure using opposing bars similar to the hot bar seal except that at least one of these bars has a covered wire or ribbon through which electric current is passed for a very brief time period (hence the name "impulse") to cause the adjacent film layers to fusion bond. Following the impulse of heat the bars are typically cooled (e.g. by circulating coolant) while continuing to hold the bag inner surfaces together to achieve adequate sealing strength. Other sealing techniques are well known in the art and are described e.g. in The Wiley Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology, 2nd Ed., Brody & Marsh editors, pp. 823-827 (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997) which is hereby incorporated by reference.
There must be a strong continuous seal to prevent unwanted egress and ingress of gaseous, liquid, or solid materials between the bag exterior and interior. This is particularly necessary when the package is made of heat shrinkable film and is to be heat shrunk e.g. by being immersed in hot water to shrink the film against the packaged article since such shrinkage increases the stress on these seals. It is even more critical where the packages are to be thermally processed at elevated temperatures i.e. heated at sufficient times and temperatures for pasteurization or cooking or surface pasteurization (sometimes referred to as surface post-pasteurization). Thus, there is a continuing need for films which can be made into bags having strong seals especially those formed by hot bar and/or impulse sealing. Such films should provide strong seals able to withstand a range of temperatures and also be able to make such seals over a wide sealing temperature range without burn through of the seal area which can lead to weak seals and/or seal failure.
A very demanding application for heat shrinkable, heat sealable thermoplastic flexible films is for thermally processing meats. Bacterial contamination during food processing e.g. by Listeria monocytogenes is of great concern. To address health and safety concerns with processed foods, some processors have adopted a surface heat treatment at elevated temperatures sufficient to kill bacteria on already cooked food.
In some demanding applications, a food product such as a ham is sealed inside a plastic processing bag or film in which the ham is cooked, refrigerated, shipped, and subsequently displayed for retail sale.
In a more common demanding application, food such as a turkey breast, ham, or beef is cooked in a pan, net, or processing film from which the cooked food is removed for further processing such as: slicing; smoking in a smokehouse; treatment with colorants and/or flavorants such as caramel, spices, liquid smoke, or honey; glazing; and/or removal of liquid (known as purge) resulting from e.g. the cooking process. Following this further processing, the food product is packaged, often in a printed bag, for shipment and sale. The cooked food is typically placed into a heat sealable, heat shrinkable bag which is then emptied of atmospheric gases by vacuum, heat sealed and subjected to a film shrinking operation usually in a water tank at elevated temperature for a brief period of time to produce a compact attractive package. During these steps that follow cooking and occur prior to packaging for shipment, and sale, the food product surface is subject to environmental contamination, for example, by airborne particles, microbes, and dust. The risk from contamination after packaging may be minimized by surface pasteurizing the encased sealed package, e.g., in a water bath or steam chamber held at elevated temperatures (and optionally at elevated pressures) for a time sufficient to provide the desired degree of protection from microbial contamination and growth. The time, temperature, and pressure of this post-cooking pasteurization step may vary widely.
Significantly, this surface treatment is in addition to the cooking or pasteurization process and follows hermetically sealing the cooked or pasteurized food in a plastic packaging film. In this demanding use, this "post-cooking pasteurization" surface treatment is performed after placing the food into the packaging film that will remain on the pasteurized product through sale to an ultimate customer. Often the films are printed with consumer information and brand identification and frequently at least a portion of the film is clear to allow viewing of the enclosed product. Therefore, optical properties and film appearance are important for consumer appeal and sale.
This "post-pasteurization" film must perform a variety of functions well. It must be puncture resistant and have strong seals at the elevated temperatures encountered in the shrinking operation, and also with the post-cooking pasteurization process. It should also keep tight conformation of the film around the product at refrigeration temperatures with an attractive appearance and act as a good barrier to oxygen, moisture, and environmental contaminates.
One particular problem during heat sealing the film of a package for cook-in or other thermal processing applications is that of excessively high tear propagation strengths. Although the strong heat seals provide protection against unwanted seal failure, such seals also make it difficult for the end user to open the package. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved film for a heat-shrinkable package that includes seals of sufficient peel and shear strength to survive the heat shrinking and cook-in or post-cooking pasteurization shrink forces, yet be readily openable by the end user without the use of a knife or cutting implement, and without uncontrolled or random tearing or rupturing of the packaging materials.

Easy open bag and film for use in thermally processing food at elevated temperatures


The present invention provides a Light Emitting Diode (LED) package, comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), an LED mounted on the PCB, a pillar placed higher than the LED around the LED on the PCB, a transparent plate disposed on the pillar, spaced apart from the LED, and configured to transmit light emitted from the LED, and a fluorescent layer formed on a surface of the transparent plate, facing the LED, and conformably coated with a substance for converting the light emitted from the LED into white light by changing a wavelength of the light, wherein an electrical pad of the LED and an electrical pad of the PCB are electrically connected to each other, and the LED and the fluorescent layer are spaced apart from each other.

In general, an LED including an epitaxial layer made of GaN, InGaN, or AlGaN has excellent characteristics, a long life span, lower power consumption, higher brightness, and less harmless environmental factors, as compared with the existing incandescent. The LED is used in various fields, such as automotive lights, traffic signal lights, common lightings, and backlight units for liquid crystal displays, because of the advantages of the LED.
Meanwhile, the LED is fabricated by coating a fluorescent substance, designed according to the wavelength of an LED chip, on a surface of the LED chip using a method, such as dispensing, in order to form white light.
The LED on which the fluorescent substance is coated, however, is problematic in that the LED is deteriorated by heat generated therein.

LED package and method of manufacturing the same


Techniques for managing video stream data and portions of video stream data are disclosed. In particular, the present invention enables the user to match portions of video streams against stored, previously characterized video streams using Canny edge detection filtering coupled with Hu invariant third moments of those edges. According to one aspect of the present invention, the video stream data is encoded with the following technique, which selects specific frames from the video stream, finds the edges of objects within these selected frames using Canny edge detection, separates each edge into a distinct object, calculates Hu invariant third moments for each edge, and stores each edge together with the video stream and frame identification and it's Hu invariant third moments in a database for later comparison. Similar encoding can then be performed for a query video stream to compare against the previously identified video streams stored in the database to identify a unique video stream. It is emphasized that the present invention applies to video stream data but can also be used for imagery data in any other form or taken in any spectrum.

Data acquisition and storage capabilities are growing exponentially with no signs of slowing. According to a recent study, more than 100 billion photographs are taken each year. To store them all digitally would require 500 petabytes of storage. With both digital cameras and cell phones that can capture video streams, this same content explosion is occurring with video. From the medical radiology field, the entertainment industry, the government agencies for the national security, to the NASA Goddard space center's earth science project, huge amounts of imagery data and video stream data are being created and stored every day. In recent years, annual doubling in data storage capability has been the rule. In contrast, resources such as experienced minds, money, time and patience to analyze data are relatively fixed.
Currently, one of the major challenges in managing the huge amount of video stream data is related to matching a specific video stream against a library of existing video streams. Using existing methods, the search is performed with user defined inefficient queries, color histograms, color moments or other simple image characterization methods for key frames within the video stream. This traditional search puts significant burden on users to define effective queries. In addition, the traditional method does not provide an efficient means for searching today's vast quantities of video stream data.
Another significant challenge is that of overcoming video pirating or the use of proprietary or classified video imagery data without approval. Many methods have been attempted to automatically classify video content so that unauthorized use can be detected and stopped, but all these methods have been cumbersome and inaccurate.
There is, therefore, a need for solutions that perform effective and efficient matching of video streams or portions of video stream against a library of video streams stored in a video stream database.

Method and system for rapid matching of video streams


The present invention relates to a system for updating settings of an apparatus through a network. The system comprise confirmation modification request generating means generating a confirmation modification request, and confirmation modification request transmitting means adding all or a part of the installation data to the confirmation modification request and the apparatus unique data and transmits them. On the other hand, the state of the apparatus is analyzed from the apparatus unique data by apparatus state analyzing means. New installation data generating means generates new installation data consisting of analysis result data corresponding to a confirmation request and modification data corresponding to a modification request. The installation data is updated with the new installation data by installation data updating means, thereby updating the function of the apparatus, operation of the apparatus, setting of the apparatus, state of the apparatus, data version, and the like.

Regarding apparatuses such as cellular phones, personal computers, data terminal equipment, mobile data terminals, office automation equipment, home electric appliances, game machines, it is known that an update of data concerning the function, operation, setting, and state of the apparatus is usually unfeasible. In order to receive various new services offered one after another, there is a need to install software designed for such new services. When reinstalling upgraded software to correct functional defectiveness, under present circumstances, there is no choice but to bring the apparatus to retail stores and ask experts to replace with the upgraded software because apparatuses are integrated at great packing densities.
By the way, the commonly used technology in the data updating system to upgrade software includes push technology and pull technology. With pull technology users access the Internet that is interconnected to computer networks and operate to retrieve information from the WWW (World Wide Web) or the like. On the contrary, push technology does not need operations by the users but allows the client's apparatus to automatically install information distributed by a server.
One of the typical data updating systems using push technology is a distribution system in which a news server on the Internet unilaterally delivers information including various kinds of news to apparatuses. JP 2001-75785A proposes a data updating system, using push technology, which is capable of fairly and surely updating information stored in every terminal to the information of a newest version by simple constitution with HLR (Home Location Register) for registering the position registration information without imposing burdens on users.
On the other hand, typical data updating system using pull technology includes a system for downloading application data such as music data, image data selected by the user to the apparatus; a system for downloading new application function selected by the user to the apparatus; a system for installing a driver with the aim of connecting office automation equipment or the like on a network.
The user usually has to bring his/her apparatus to a retail store to reprogram software in order to receive the frequently offered new services or to improve software.
In reality, however, the user coped with the offer of the new services by a newly developed late-model apparatus rather than by reprogram of software. There is a problem with economical inefficiency because the user needs to buy a new apparatus to receive the new services. There is also another problem of which scrapping still useful apparatus spurs profligate use of the resources.
In addition, the offer of the new services requires the apparatus to have advanced and multiple functions, which leads to a continuous increase in capacity of programs to perform the functions. This makes operations of the apparatus to perform the functions more complicated than ever.
With the increase in capacity of programs, a storage medium of the apparatus becomes larger, which hampers the apparatus from downsizing and lowering price. The complicated operations to perform the functions bring the user poor usability; therefore, the user sometimes may not be able to utilize all functions.
Also the complicated operations cause improper settings that likely cause failures or pseudo-failures. The user needs a support from the apparatus distributor to solve these troubles and cannot use the apparatus for a while, which also impairs the usability.
In order to support the user to operate the apparatus, an instruction manual is supplied with the apparatus to help the user's understanding of the operation method, but the instruction manual increases its descriptions and pages by growing and expanding in functions of the apparatus, thereby being difficult for the user to understand.
The use of push technology makes is possible to automatically update software installed in every apparatus. This resolves the financial problem, but an update of the software has to be broadcasted to offer fair services to every user.
When an apparatus is out of action, for example in the power-off state or the like, equipment needs to transmit the update again; such a retransmission function may result in complexity of the equipment. Furthermore with an increase in the number of users, registration information of the users becomes enormous. This complicates management and control of the registration information in a server.
Pull technology allows users to designate data of the server to update data of the users' apparatus. In the system using pull technology, however, the designated data are just used to update the data of the apparatus without being assessed whether the designated data are most suitable for the user's apparatus. This leads to wrong operations and improper settings, which likely causes failures or pseudo-failures. Users need support from the apparatus distributor to solve these failures and cannot use the apparatus for a while, which impairs usability.
The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems and has an objective to provide an apparatus and a system capable of updating operating settings and functional settings of the apparatus through the network.


A single mode laser implementation and associated method are disclosed. The laser may accommodate a frequency multiplying material to provide an intracavity doubled single frequency laser. The laser implementation includes an input mirror and an output mirror defining a resonant cavity and a light path within the resonant cavity and between the mirrors. A lasant material is positioned in the light path for lasing at a desired fundamental wavelength and possibly other, unwanted wavelengths. A first birefringent member is also positioned in the light path for refracting in different directions the different wavelengths of light which are present along the path. Also positioned in the light path is a second birefringent member which cooperates with the first birefringent member such that the first and second birefringent members together discriminate between the desired fundamental wavelength and the unwanted wavelengths so that one polarization of the desired fundamental wavelength is refracted in one direction which causes it to lase while certain portions of the unwanted wavelengths are refracted in other directions which cause all polarizations of the unwanted wavelengths to be extinguished.

The present invention relates generally to single mode lasers and more particularly to a single mode laser implementation which may accommodate a frequency multiplying material to provide an intracavity doubled single frequency laser.
In the prior art, a variety of single longitudinal mode (hereinafter SLM) lasers have been developed. One particular reason for the interest in SLM lasers resides in the ease with which an SLM laser can be converted to a frequency doubled configuration through the addition of a non-linear material within the laser cavity. In addition, certain problems have been encountered when attempts have been made to convert types of laser other than SLM lasers to the intracavity doubled frequency configuration, as will be seen immediately hereinafter.
The non-linear frequency doubling technique of the prior art has often been used to produce coherent radiation in the visible and ultraviolet spectral region. Acceptable optical conversion efficiency has been achieved in this manner. However, many of these frequency doubled lasers suffer a so called "green noise" problem which limits their usefulness in a number of applications. More specifically, the green noise problem introduces amplitude noise (i.e. variation in the intensity of the output beam at the doubled frequency) which is believed to due to gain competition introduced by the presence of additional modes other than one longitudinal fundamental mode in the laser's resonant cavity in combination with the phenomenon of longitudinal mode coupling through a nonlinear doubling process between the various modes which are present. One popular approach to solving the "green noise" problem is to eliminate the additional modes in the laser light (i.e., use an SLM laser) which excites the non-linear material and thereby eliminate longitudinal mode coupling so as to obtain a single doubled output frequency.
A variety of intracavity doubled single longitudinal mode (SLM) laser systems have been developed in the prior art. One approach in achieving SLM operation is through the use of a ring laser geometry. In a ring laser geometry, spatial holeburning is eliminated by a unidirectional traveling wave. SLM operation is thus achieved in a homogeneous broadened laser system. One example of an intracavity doubled SLM laser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,815, issued Oct. 1, 1991 to Nightingale et al. One of the principal drawbacks in using a ring laser geometry is that it is difficult to align and operate. Also, a ring laser is generally more complicated than a simple linear cavity because of the optical diode and reciprocal retardation compensator used. Further, beam pointing stability of a ring laser is usually not as good as that obtained using a linear cavity. Nevertheless, a ring laser is generally believed to be more efficient than a standing wave linear cavity since the traveling wave extracts all the available gain uniformly. However, in an intracavity doubled laser, a ring laser is not necessarily more efficient than a linear cavity simply because more intracavity elements are required in a ring cavity for unidirectional operation. These additional elements yield more intracavity losses in the doubled frequency ring geometry as compared with those in a doubled frequency linear geometry since intracavity doubled laser systems are extremely sensitive to cavity losses. Obviously, more losses result in less doubled power.
Another technique for producing an SLM laser is disclosed by Lukas et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,947, issued on Nov. 17, 1992. In this patent disclosure, a twisted-mode technique is employed to eliminate spatial holeburning so as to obtain SLM operation. The laser cavity comprises an input mirror and an output coupler which define a linear laser cavity. Inside the laser cavity, a lasant rod is inserted between two quarter-wave plates. A polarizer and a nonlinear optical crystal are also included in the laser cavity to define the polarization direction of the fundamental wave and to generate output radiation at twice the frequency of the fundamental wave. The laser mode is circularly polarized in the laser rod, resulting in a standing wave in which the electric field vector rotates through the gain medium and in which there are no standing wave nodes within the gain medium. Spatial holeburning is thus eliminated. However, this approach has its own limitations and is often difficult to implement. First, it relies on having two precise quarter-wave plates inside the cavity. Second, the laser rod has to be non-birefrigent. This requirement restricts the laser to a limited number of laser hosts. Further, as the laser crystal is optically excited, the thermally and stress induced birefringence will introduce spatial holeburning in the gain medium, again resulting in multiple mode operation. From the standpoint of implementation, the complexities of this laser design make it difficult to scale and operate.
A recent patent disclosure, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,421, issued to Wedekind et al. on Jan. 10, 1995, describes another way to achieve SLM laser operation in a linear laser cavity. In this approach, a Brewster polarizer and a birefrigent material form a Lyot filter which narrows the frequency bandwidth for single longitudinal mode operation. The major inconvenience of this approach resides in its use of a Brewster polarizer. As we know, the Brewster angle is usually greater than 45 degrees and, thus, is not convenient to work with. Also, a Brewster polarizer is not a perfect polarizer in that it only has about a 16% loss for the polarization which is discriminated against. For this reason the Brewster polarizer may not provide loss at levels sufficient to suppress longitudinal modes other than the fundamental. Further, any slight deviation from the Brewster angle will introduce additional insertion loss which may harm frequency doubling and selection. Similarly, another patent disclosure U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,754, issued to Suzuki et al. on Jul. 4, 1995 discloses a Lyot filter formed by an off-axially cut Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a birefrigent material such as KTP to generate SLM radiation. The limitation of this approach is its reliance on strong birefringence and long crystal length to enhance the Poynting vector walkoff. Also, in the case of Nd:YVO.sub.4, which is the preferred mode of operation, the Nd:YVO.sub.4 is cut 43 deg off of the cleavage plane. The fabrication of such an off-axially cut crystal is not trivial and, typically, is accompanied by a low yield. Moreover, in both of these Lyot filter approaches, a plurality of intracavity elements have surfaces substantially normal to the cavity axis. Residual reflections from these surfaces can lead to intracavity etalon and coupled cavity effects resulting in mode-hopping.
The present invention provides a heretofore unseen approach and associated method for producing an SLM laser which eliminates the problems described above and which is suitable for use in intracavity frequency doubled applications.

Single mode laser and method suitable for use in frequency multiplied


The present invention provides an antireflection film for transfer that can be transferred to the surface of plates or other less-flexible articles to form an antireflection layer with a uniform thickness that not only provides a high antireflection effect on a light in the visible light range but also offers a high solvent resistance. The present invention also provides an antireflection-treated article. An antireflection film for transfer comprising a support (1); an antireflection layer (2) comprising a low refractive index layer (2a) disposed on the support (1) and a high refractive index layer (2b) disposed on the low refractive index layer and having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the low refractive index layer; and an adhesive layer (3) on the antireflection layer (2), wherein the high refractive index layer (2b) contains metal oxide fine particles, and a photopolymerization initiator and/or a photosensitizer, the adhesive which constitutes the adhesive layer (3) is an active energy ray-curable adhesive and the high refractive index layer (2b) is impregnated with a portion of the adhesive, and the support (1) is releasable from the antireflection layer(21).

Conventionally, antireflection treatments to the surface of CRTs and other display devices have been performed using techniques such as sputtering and spin-coating. However, these techniques can process only a single surface at a time and are thus not sufficiently productive. For this reason, it is becoming more common, rather than to directly provide antireflection-treatment to the surface of CRTs and other display devices, to produce an antireflection film in a much more effective, continuous, roll-to-roll manner using a flexible film as a support and then use this antireflection film as a antireflection-treatment to the surface of CRTs and other display devices.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-225302(1995) describes a technique for laminating an antireflection film on the surface of an article. According to the publication, however, a supporting film for the antireflection film is located on the surface of the article and the antireflection layer is located on the supporting. The presence of the supporting film causes problems such as a decrease in the surface hardness, increase in haze, decrease in the light transmittance, and increase in the total thickness of the surface coating. These problems are significant as far as the surface of CRTs and other display devices are concerned.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-338306 describes a transfer material for use in the production of an antireflective antistatic plate. This material comprises a siloxane-based resin layer serving as a low refractive index layer on the surface of a base film that has a release property; a metal oxide-containing layer serving as a high refractive index layer on the siloxane-based resin layer; and an adhesive layer on the metal oxide-containing layer. The antireflection layer formed by using this transfer material, however, has a lower solvent resistance as compared to antireflection layers formed by sputtering.
In addition to being antireflection-treated, the surface of the various display devices must be highly resistant to solvents in order for the surface to be suitable for practical use.

Antireflection film and object having undergone antireflection treatment


The present invention is directed to vacuum skin packaging laminates. The laminates include a first film, a second film, an adhesive bonding the first film to the second film, and an adhesive-free interfacial section between the first and second films. The laminate is adapted to provide substantially horizontal first film-surface above the product for displaying product markings and a thermoformable second film-surface for conforming to the shape of the product. The present invention also is directed to vacuum skin packages formed from such laminates, and methods of packaging a product.

Vacuuming skin packaging (VSP) process is well known in the art and various apparatus and processes have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,835,618; 3,950,919 and Re 30,009, all issued to Perdue. The vacuum skin packaging process is in one sense a type of thermoforming process in which an article to be packaged serves as the mold for the thermoform. An article may be placed on a support member, such as a rigid or semi-rigid card, tray or other bottom support member; the supported article is then passed to a chamber where a film can be either heated and draped over the article, or drawn upwards against a heated dome and then, draped over the article. The movement of the film may be controlled by vacuum and/or air pressure; and in a vacuum skin packaging arrangement, the interior of the container may be evacuated before final sealing of the film to the support. Typically, thermoformable materials may be used as the draping film. Examples of vacuum skin packaging trays, films and processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,456 to Gillio-tos et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,582 to Mayfield et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,613 to Stockley III., which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Vacuum skin packaging applications may include packaging of perishable or non-perishable food products, such as, e.g., fresh red meat and sliced cheese, or frozen food products, such as frozen fish, poultry and the like. Typically, the packaging material for oxygen-sensitive food and non-food products require lower oxygen permeability compare to that for non-oxygen sensitive products. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0269707 to Otacilio Berbert, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes several multilayer thermoformable films suitable for use in vacuum skin packaging applications of perishable food products. The disclosure demonstrates that VSP films can be modified to provide an oxygen transmission rate of from about 0-2.0 cm3/100 in2/24 hours at 0% R.H. and 23° C. These films include an oxygen harrier layer comprising ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer and a surface-treated sealing layer comprising polyethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.
Generally, labels and printed indicia are located on a package where it may be viewed by the consumer. Typically, these markings are positioned on a relatively smooth, flat upper surface of the package which allows the consumer to read product information without having to handle the package. Indicia on vacuum skin packages become illegible when located on the upper surface of the packaging film formed to an irregularly shaped product. For this reason, vacuum skin packaging often includes an over-packaging technique, e.g., the use of an overwrap film, a paperboard sleeve or a carton box, which covers the vacuum skin package and provides a flat surface for printed information. However, over-packaging is an extra cost to the manufacturer, and labels and other printed information applied underneath the package are not attractive to consumers who are accustomed to viewing the product and product information together.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the labeling difficulties of the prior art.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a flexible packaging laminate for vacuum skin packaging applications.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a flexible packaging laminate which separates into two films when subjected to beat and differential air pressure thereby forming a substantially horizontal first film-surface above a product and a thermoformable second film-surface enclosing the product.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum skin package.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum skin package which provides a substantially horizontal film-surface disposed above the product and a thermoformed film-surface surrounding the exterior shape of the product.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a method of vacuum skin packaging a product using a single flexible laminate.

Vacuum skin packaging laminate, package and process for using same


A method of synthesizing layout patterns to test an optical proximity correction algorithm. The method comprises the steps of: embodying Walsh patterns in a set of Walsh pattern matrices; processing groups of matrices from the set of Walsh pattern matrices to form a set of test matrices; mapping the set of test matrices to a test pattern set.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to VLSI design, and more particularly relates to a system and method for testing optical proximity correction algorithms for VLSI design.
2. Related Art
Optical lithography for very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits is implemented by exposing resist on wafers in a pattern defined by designed shapes on a mask. However, the patterns produced on the wafer normally differ from those designed due to pattern dependent optical distortions when exposure wavelengths are greater than the feature line width. A variety of resolution enhancement techniques, including optical proximity correction (OPC) algorithms, have been devised to compensate for this effect. These OPC algorithms modify the designed layouts in ways so that the actual wafer layout more closely matches the original ideal layout. However, while such OPC algorithms may work for most layouts, they may fail or produce faulty layouts for certain inputted patterns.
To determine whether or not an inputted pattern will cause a faulty result, results can be modeled in software, and analyzed to determine if a faulty layout will occur. However, in order to effectively test an OPC algorithm, a wide variety of patterns must be tested. One problem that arises then is how to create an optimal set of patterns for this testing.
Conventional approaches to test programs include either a collection of actual designs that are used as a test suite, or synthesizing pseudo-random layouts. For the latter technique, a small seed layout is constructed, and variations are produced by making random copies, translations and orientation changes. In both approaches, however, it is unknown how effectively the layout covers the space of possible shape interactions that may reveal flaws in the OPC algorithm. Accordingly, a need exists for efficiently generating a set of test patterns to test OPC algorithms.

method for generating a set of test patterns for an optical proximity correction algorithm

International Business Machines Corporation


A mobile container or bin is provided with a vertically adjustable floor which is suspended by cables which pass through a plurality of supports or pulleys, and the cables are wound around a single cylindrical drive member coupled to a reversible motor with a power off brake. The cylindrical cable drive member is rotatably disposed about an axle passing through side wall members of the bin. The cylindrical cable drive member includes at least one pair of right hand and left hand spiraling grooves having a depth and width sufficient to wind the cables thereon in a single layer. An object level sensing sensor is mounted to the bin for sensing the presence or absence of objects above the floor at a pre-set access level. The sensor output is provided as an input to a control circuit for maintaining the highest most ones of the objects on the floor at the preset level so as to provide a constant object load and object unload floor level.

Modern libraries have experienced increased demands from patrons, in terms of needs for larger and larger holdings of books and other tangible materials. Accordingly, it is not uncommon for public libraries, for example, to handle collection and distribution of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of books and materials. Tasks of librarians in handling these ever increasing volumes are often overwhelming.
Particularly problematic librarian tasks involve receiving, sorting, and ultimately re-shelving material returned from patrons. Tasks of manipulating materials in receiving, sorting, and re-shelving, are tedious and have lead to repetitive stress-type physical injuries. These injuries result, for example, from repetitive bending of the librarian's body while reaching into a books and materials receiving area, then grasping each book or piece of material and lifting and/or moving it from the receiving area to a sorting area, and then finally again lifting and/or moving the material to a re-shelving area.
In attempts to minimize these problems, procedures have been developed to provide some degree of automation in such receiving, sorting, and re-shelving tasks. For example, librarians commonly employ wheeled carts to transport material to be re-shelved. However, use of such carts does not adequately address the "front end" problem associated with the aforementioned repetitive bending and lifting.
In general, aside from library applications, attempts have been made to respond to problems associated with repetitive bending, grasping, and lifting and/or moving materials.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,127 entitled "Apparatus For The Stacking Of Objects" issued to Kooiman provides an apparatus for stacking objects, such as trays, plates, and the like, in which an uppermost one of the objects in a stack is maintained at a height independent of a number of objects in the stack. Kooiman teaches the use of a stack carrier contained within a vertically arranged open top container, with the stack carrier being suspended within the container by means of tension springs. The tension springs react in proportion to a load imposed upon them by a stack, thereby maintaining uppermost objects in the stack at a desired height.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,463 entitled "Vertically Adjustable Picking Box" issued to Olovsson, a liftable and lowerable picking box for storing workpieces at a workplace is provided. Therein, a hydraulic foot-actuated pump provides a vertical lifting and lowering action on the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,072 entitled "Apparatus For Storing And Dispensing Stacked Articles" issued to Loew teaches the use of a torsion spring to provide presentation of an uppermost object in a stack at a predetermined height.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,275 issued to Futch, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,954,760 and 5,013,983 issued to Futch et al., each being entitled "Self Leveling Dispenser" disclose a rack supporting a stack of trays within a frame. A reversible motor connected to spiral shafts mounted at comers of the frame rotates the shafts in jackscrew-like fashion, to provide vertical movement of the rack. Further employed are sensors, which cause the reversible motor to be driven, with resultant shaft rotation and vertical movement of the rack. The sensors enable positioning of an uppermost tray in the rack to a desired vertical height position.
Yet another, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,206 entitled "Device For And Method Of Vertically Adjusting Parts In A Bin" issued to Weber et al. teaches use of a scissors-type jack or suitable lifting means for lifting a platform that supports parts in a parts bin.
The aforedescribed patents however, and particularly the spring-loaded devices thereof, rely upon initial spring calibration and mechanical integrity of the spring systems. Furthermore, the motor or hydraulically driven devices are noisy and are not well suited to handling library materials in a library environment.
Commonly, a library employs use of an outside "drop box" for receiving returned library materials both for convenience and after hours receiving of the returned library materials. A "drop box" is sometimes used inside the library. Usually, ordinary deep well receiving carts or boxes are positioned below a chute associated with the "drop box" for receiving the library materials. Since the library materials are generally non-uniform and of differing kinds of materials (i.e., books, audio tapes, video tapes, and the like), the library materials will stack in these receiving carts in a totally random order.
A problem with aforementioned receiving carts is that when empty, the first received object or library material will fall from the vertical entrance point (the top of the cart) until stopped by the fixed position of the floor of the receiving cart, possibly causing damage to the received library material. As library materials continue to be received, the materials will randomly stack. The quantity of materials that are received by the cart is, of course, dependent upon the height of the walls of the cart. However, the higher the walls, the more difficult is the process of emptying in the cart, i.e., bending and reaching for the materials at the bottom of the receiving cart.
Thus, there exists a need for library receiving bin or container which has a floor which is maintained at substantially a constant height or pre-set access level for both loading objects into, or removing objects from the floor of the bin, which is easy to operate, and that provides quiet operation, and which accommodates the non-uniform and differing types of library materials.

Library book bin with a vertically adjustable floor


Standard STEM drilling equipment is utilized to effect the electrochemical removal of material in multiple directions in order to produce cooling holes with turbulator ridges. An initial section of the cooling hole is drilled by displacing the electrode vertically into the turbine blade under conditions that produce a hole with an approximate clearance of 0.3 mm around the electrode. The electrode is then moved horizontally about 0.15 mm toward one side of the wall of the hole, thus leaving a clearance of about 0.45 mm on the other side. Vertical drilling of a second hole section is then resumed by the conventional electrochemical process. Because of the position of the electrode relative to the wall of the hole and the correspondingly different current densities in place along the circumference of the wall, a vertical inset is formed below the initial hole section, which creates a turbulator ridge. The process can be repeated in different directions to produce a hole with a common core and a plurality of insets drilled in different directions and having different lengths for each section, as desired. Thus, cooling holes with turbulators disposed in a variety of different configurations can be manufactured with standard equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of manufacture of cooling holes in the blades of high-temperature gas turbines.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known from basic principles of thermodynamics that the higher the temperature of combustion gases entering a turbine, the higher the efficiency of the turbine becomes. Therefore, over the years the design of turbines has evolved to include an increase in the gas inlet temperature as one of the changes to improve efficiency and performance. Since higher inlet temperature necessarily results in higher operating temperatures, the strength of the metal turbine blades and their tolerance to high-temperature operation have been a limiting factor to providing further improvements. At steady state operation, the temperature of turbine blades depends on the temperature of the gases flowing through the turbine as well as on heat transfer between the blades and the gases. Therefore, during the last ten years the construction of gas turbine blades has included cooling holes to increase heat transfer from the blade to the surrounding medium. These holes are typically 1.3 to 3 mm in diameter and 20 to 40 cm in length, bored as straight cylindrical apertures (as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b) across the thickness of the turbine blade by an electrochemical process known in the industry as the Shaped Tube Electrochemical Machining (STEM) drilling process.
In the continuing effort to improve the thermodynamic efficiency of turbines by further increasing the inlet gas temperature, the cooling efficiency of straight holes is no longer sufficient to maintain the temperature of the blades within acceptable limits. Thus, new hole designs have been employed to change the character of the gas flow through the holes in order to increase heat transfer. To that end, the gas turbine industry has recognized for some time the need to produce turbine blades with internal ridges to effect turbulent flow through the holes. These ridges, which are normally called turbulators, thus increase the efficiency of the turbine blade cooling.
An electrochemical method of producing cooling holes with circular ridges (such as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b) has been developed in the industry, but it involves the use of specially designed electrodes. In addition, if it is desired to maintain the drilling speed available while drilling straight holes, larger power supplies are required than are normally used for drilling holes by the STEM process. These ridges provide an improvement over straight holes, but are not necessarily optimal for all operating conditions. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a drilling system that permitted the drilling of holes with turbulators placed in a variety of configurations, especially if it could be done with existing equipment. Thus, there exists a need for a method of manufacturing cooling holes with turbulators using standard electrodes or modified electrodes in combination with standard STEM process equipment. This invention is directed as satisfying that need.

Method for drilling cooling holes in turbine blades


Nesting electrical connectors comprising a substrate and a silver-nickel-carbon electrodeposit atop the substrate. The electrodeposit is at least about 0.5 micrometers thick, and comprises about 10 to about 25 atomic percent nickel which is dispersed as a discontinuous phase throughout a continuous phase of the silver and has a Scherrer grain size less than about 5 nanometers. The carbon comprises about 5 to about 15 atomic percent of the deposit and has a non-crystalline graphite structure.

Automobiles have a continuing need for durable, low-resistance, economical and environment-resistant nesting electrical connectors. By nesting electrical connectors is meant electrical connectors which are characterized by male and female components/contacts which mate with each other such that the female component/contact engages the male component/contact sufficiently to prevent unintentional separation thereof yet permit easy coupling and decoupling thereof by simply pushing or pulling the components apart respectively. Typically, the male component/contact will comprise a blade, pin or the like, and the female component/contact will comprise a complementarily shaped sheath or socket for receiving the blade/pin. The basic requirements for such electrical connectors are that they have (1) a minimal engagement force between the mating contact components/contacts for ease of coupling/decoupling thereof, (2) low contact electrical resistance achievable by utilizing high contact forces, and environment-resistant materials, (3) the capability of multiple couplings/decouplings through the use of wear resistant materials, and (4) prolonged durability (i.e., fretting wear resistance) under micro-rubbing conditions at vehicle engine compartment temperatures. "Micro rubbing" is a condition that occurs in connectors used in vehicular applications such as cars, trucks or the like that undergo considerable vibration, jouncing and thermal cycling while in service which causes the components/contacts of the connector set to minutely move relatively to each other so as to promote fretting wear of the mating surfaces of the contacts.
Copper, its alloys, and stainless steel are often used to form vehicular current-carrying connector components. Copper and its alloys are preferred because of their low electrical resistance. However, copper is prone to oxidation which significantly increases the electrical resistance across the mating contact surfaces (i.e., the contact resistance). Accordingly, various coatings have been proposed for electrical contacts that serve to enhance the electrical conductivity as well as the temperature, chemical and wear resistance of the contact surface. Unfortunately coatings which are effective at low (e.g., ambient) temperature are often ineffective at engine compartment temperatures. A commonly used such coating is electroplated tin. However, tin coatings have a relatively high coefficient of friction making coupling and decoupling of the connector components/contacts difficult. Moreover, tin limits the use of electrical connectors made therewith to temperatures below about 125.degree. C. due to the tendency for interdiffusion of tin and copper which has a deleterious affect on the connector. As engine compartments become more compact, and underhood temperatures commonly exceed 180.degree. C., the relative number of underhood applications that are incompatible with tin-coated contacts is increasing. Electroplated silver has been used as a high temperature coating material for electrical connector applications (e.g, see Cowie et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,890). However, to be effective over a prolonged period of use, silver coatings have had to have thicknesses generally greater than about 2.5 microns. In this regard, silver coatings are relatively soft, and hence prone to erosion, particularly at temperatures above about 180.degree. C. Coatings that are too thin can readily wear through and cause early exposure of the underlying metal to oxidation which can produce a high coefficient of friction, and/or a high contact resistance. Multilayer coating systems that employ silver and its alloys as the contact surface for high temperature applications have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,667 to Shiga et al teaches a three layer electroplated coating system comprising a bottom layer of nickel, cobalt, chromium or palladium alloy, an intermediate layer of tin, cadmium, palladium or ruthenium alloy, and a top layer of a silver alloy. Rubbing movement of the connectors components/contacts together can eventually cause thin connector coatings, used heretofore, to fail and dramatically increase the contact resistant between the mating components which can ultimately result in circuit malfunction.
Copending United States patent application Cheng et al U.S. Ser. No.08/543,660 filed Oct. 16, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,471 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a thin, wear resistant, low friction, corrosion resistant, vapor-deposited silver-nickel coating for the contacts of nesting electrical connectors, which coatings comprise a nanocomposite of nickel-rich and silver-rich phases having a grain size greater than about 5 nanometers.
The present invention is directed to an electrodeposited silver-nickel-carbon nanocomposite coating which has the low friction and corrosion resistance of Cheng et al's Ag--Ni vapor deposited coating, but which is significantly more durable (i.e., more wear resistant) at elevated temperatures than Cheng et al's coating, as well as being easier and cheaper to form.

Electroplated Ag-Ni-C electrical contacts


A removable and portable manually operated windshield wiper assembly that attaches to the top side of a window or window frame of a boat, tractor, atv and the like not otherwise so equipped which can be easily operated by the simple rotation of a handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a portable and removable manually operated windshield wiper which can be easily clamped on to the windshield of a boat, tractor, atv o the like for safely, simply and quickly removing water or debris from a windshield.
When operating a small fishing boat, pontoon or pleasure boat, water will often times splash onto the boats windshield, thereby obstructing the operator's view. Small fishing boats and other pleasure craft typically do not come from the manufacturer with a windshield wiper. Thus, the pleasure craft operator is required to clean off the windshield by either stopping the boat or attempting to clean the windshield while also operating the boat. If the weather is inclement, it may be dangerous or, at the very least, inconvenient to stop the boat to clean the windshield. On the other hand, cleaning the windshield while also operating the boat is dangerous and could result in boats colliding or the boat hitting an object in the water. Hence, there is a significant need for a portable and removable windshield wiper that can be easily attached to the windshield of a boat thereby allowing the boat operator to safely clean the boat windshield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art portable and removable windshield wipers have focused almost exclusively for use on automobiles. While these prior art portable and removable windshield wipers are effective for use on an automobile, they are not able to be easily used on a boat, tractor, atv or the like. An example of a prior art portable and removable windshield wiper includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,303 to Penn which discloses the use of magnets or suction cups to attach the portable and removable windshield wiper to the metal surface of an automobile. However, the windshield of a boat or tractor typically lacks the requisite metal surface for the use of a magnetically attaching portable and removable windshield wiper. The use of suction cups creates the possibility of the cups losing their suction resulting in the entire assembly coming off of the windshield.
While the prior art portable and removable windshield wipers may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for use on a boat, tractor or atv. In these respects, the portable and removable windshield wiper assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of safely, simply and easily cleaning the windshield of a boat, tractor or atv.


A power take-off release mechanism for automatically disengaging a power take-off unit and accessory equipment powered thereby is disclosed. The power take-off release mechanism interconnects a clutch foot pedal mechanism of a vehicle having a manual transmission to a throw out arm on the power take-off unit. The power take-off unit includes a mechanical cable linkage which functions to engage the power take-off unit in a conventional manner. Thereafter, whenever the manual clutch foot pedal is depressed to put the vehicle in gear under normal driving conditions, the power take-of mechanism of the present invention is automatically actuated to disengage the power take-off unit thereby preventing the same from being operated at higher engine revolutions under normal driving conditions. In one embodiment, the power take-off release mechanism includes a mechanical cable linkage that interconnects the clutch foot pedal with the mechanical throw out arm on the power take off unit. In an alternative embodiment, the same functions are carried out by electro-mechanical components such as switches and solenoids.

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to foot pedal control mechanisms and apparatus, and more particularly, to a method for engaging and disengaging a power take-off unit associated with the transmission of a heavy duty motor vehicle.
It is well known to those skilled in the art to utilize a so-called power take-off unit in conjunction with a truck or tractor transmission to provide power to a take-off shaft independent of the drive shaft of the vehicle. The power take-off shaft is used to operate an accessory device such as a hydraulic pump or other equipment carried on the vehicle.
In the conventional practice, the power take-off shaft must be engaged and/or disengaged by manual operation of a control lever coupled to a mechanical linkage to actuate the power take-off shaft. An example of such a manually controlled power take-off control mechanism is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,188 to Fuller. This patent discloses a foot pedal operated linkage which directly controls cutting in of a power take-off shaft independently of the propulsion shaft of the vehicle.
A particular problem with such a power take-off control mechanism is that the same must be manually disengaged after operation of the power take-off is complete and normal operation of the vehicle's propulsion shaft is to be resumed.
Since the power take-off shaft is designed to operate at lower revolutions per minute (rpm) than the vehicle's propulsion shaft, the power take-off unit shaft and accessory pump can be severely damaged if the operator fails to disengage the same prior to operating the vehicle at normal driving speed.
Thus, the present invention provides a power take-off release mechanism that is interconnected with the vehicle clutch pedal to automatically disengage the power take-off shaft whenever the vehicle is to be operated at normal driving speeds.


A voltage reference circuit receives an input voltage at a first port and a time varying input signal at a second port. The voltage reference circuit includes a switching circuit that is responsive to the first and second ports, and that generates an AC signal from the input voltage. The voltage reference circuit further includes a voltage multiplier circuit, coupled to the switching circuit to receive the AC signal and to create a DC signal with a selected voltage level. The voltage reference circuit further includes a plurality of voltage reference modules, coupled together to form a voltage reference stack, and coupled to the voltage multiplier circuit to receive the selected voltage level and output a precise reference voltage.

Voltage references are used pervasively throughout electronics applications. They are used to supply stable unvarying voltages to other systems and circuits. For circuits such as instrumentation and test equipment, data acquisition systems, portable devices, medical equipment, analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, and sensors, precision voltage references constitute critical circuit elements.
Common problems that voltage references encounter comprise shifts in the output voltage. For example, a voltage reference may shift due to changing thermal conditions. Furthermore, a voltage reference is also susceptible to lifetime shifts, known as long term voltage drift, that occur gradually as systems and circuits are used. These problems can be exacerbated if the reference voltage circuit is designed to consume a minimum of power supply current. Many reference voltage circuits are also susceptible to voltage changes due to radiation. Where a voltage reference circuit is to be used in a radiation rich environment, maintaining the stability of the reference voltage becomes increasingly problematic.
Voltage references also suffer from other common limitations. For example, many voltage references are normally only used with small stable loads. Other voltage references are incapable of providing a stable high voltage output. Few voltage references can provide a load above a few milliamps and still maintain a stable precision output voltage. This introduces problems where larger loads are desirable or necessary. It also restricts or prohibits the use of reference voltage circuits where a changing load is necessary.
One application in which the mentioned problems are encountered is that of sensor equipment used where the atmosphere is thin or nonexistent, such as in space. Sensors require tight tolerances for their reference voltages to accurately detect the required phenomena. Therefore, even slight variations in the reference voltage may be unacceptable. A combination of the above design problems makes the use of reference voltages in high radiation environments problematic, particularly when used in sensor circuits. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for extremely stable, precise, high voltage references. This need is magnified in certain applications such as those used in space.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Precision, low drift, stacked voltage reference


A pharmaceutical preparation useful for alleviating or treating a pain, e.g., a chronic pain (particularly, a neuropathic pain) is provided. The pharmaceutical preparation contains (a) a propionic acid-derived nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent (e.g., ibuprofen), (b) a non-pyrazolone antipyretic analgesic agent (e.g., acetaminophen), and (c) an opioid analgesic agent (e.g., codeine phosphate, dihydrocodeine phosphate). The pharmaceutical preparation may contain 5 to 100 parts by weight of the antipyretic analgesic agent (b) or 0.5 to 500 parts by weight of the analgesic agent (c) relative to 100 parts by weight of the anti-inflammatory agent (a). The pharmaceutical preparation may be substantially free from a nontoxic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and may contain 20 to 80 parts by weight of the antipyretic analgesic agent (b) and 1 to 100 parts by weight of the analgesic agent (c) relative to 100 parts by weight of the anti-inflammatory agent (a).

Immediately alleviating a pain of which a patient with a disease or disorder complains is most important to most of the treatment for the disease or disorder in terms of the mitigation of the patient's physical pain as well as mental anguish. Pain is usually classified into acute pain and chronic pain. The acute pain results from a tissue damage caused by a stimulation such as a mechanical stimulus or heat. Heretofore, all of analgesic agents have been developed with the aim of alleviating the acute pain. The chronic pain means that a pain continuing for 6 or more months, which appears after a recovery of a tissue damage resulting in acute pain or due to lumbago, migraine, arthritis, cancer, and other factors and hinders patient's daily life, or which results from an unknown origin. Moreover, pain is classified into four categories according to the cause: nociceptive, inflammatory, neuropathic (or neurogenic), and psychogenic pains. These pains are treated depending on the respective causes thereof. For example, the invasive pain can completely subside by morphine or the like. The inflammatory pain can cease after inhibition or elimination of the cause using an anti-inflammatory agent. However, it is difficult to remove the neuropathic pain since the cause of the pain is specific. Specifically, the cause of the neuropathic pain is a temporary injury to the nervous system or an abnormal function of the nervous system. That is, the nerve itself has a trouble, and the plasticity in the nervous system becomes chronic. In addition, since the chronic pain induces a new plastic change in the neural circuit, it is difficult to remit the symptom, to say nothing of the cause. The neuropathic pain is a pain as represented by a sensuous expression such as "numbness" or "a shooting pain" and is also a continuous or sudden pain. Moreover, the neuropathic pain is known for its resistance to an antiphlogistic analgesic agent or a narcotic analgesic agent.
The effective method for treating the neuropathic pain includes, for example, methods described in Folia Pharmacol. Jpn., 122, 192-200 (2003) (Non-patent Document 1). In this document, treatments with an α2 adrenergic receptor antagonist, a sodium receptor antagonist, a capsaicin cream, a TrkB receptor inhibitor, or an Rho inhibitor have been examined.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 535833/2003 (JP-2003-535833A, Patent Document 1) discloses that a pharmaceutical composition containing a kappa-opioid (nalbuphine) and an opioid antagonist (naloxone, naltrexone, nalmefene) is useful for treating a pain including both inflammatory and neuropathic pains. Incidentally, the document does not disclose that a propionic acid-derived nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent and a non-pyrazolone antipyretic analgesic agent is further added or mixed to or with the pharmaceutical composition.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 512081/1999 (JP-11-512081A, Patent Document 2) discloses that a pharmaceutical composition containing an opioid analgesic agent (such as codeine or dihydrocodeine) as a first component, a nonopioid analgesic agent (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) as a second component, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (such as dextromethorphan) as a third component is useful for treating an acute or chronic pain (e.g., arthritic pain, lumbosacral, musculoskeletal pain, post-operative pain, and headache).
As described above, a variety of treatments for pain has been carried out. However, preparations or treatment methods which enable more effective alleviation and treatment for pain is desired still now. In particular, there are few reports concerning effective treatment methods for a neuropathic pain, which is one of chronic pains, and the development of methods for treating the neuropathic pain effectively has been desired.
[Patent Document 1] JP-2003-535833A (Claims 1, 8, and 9, paragraph number [0002])
[Patent Document 2] JP-11-512081A (Claims 1 and 15, page 8, lines 27-28 of Specification)
[Non-patent Document 1] Folia Pharmacol. Jpn. 122, 192-200 (2003), attributed to Ueda Hiroshi