A fuel injection system having a high-pressure side which includes at least one high-pressure reservoir, in which fuel is stored at injection pressure, and at least one injector communicating with the high-pressure reservoir for fuel injection at a cylinder of the engine. The fuel injection system moreover has a low-pressure side which communicates at least indirectly with a fuel tank. The high-pressure side has a communication with the low-pressure side, which communication is controlled as a function of the fuel temperature in the high-pressure side and at a high fuel temperature is at least substantially closed, so that the high-pressure side is disconnected from the low-pressure side, and that is open at a low fuel temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an improved fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One known fuel injection system known from the literature, such as Dieselmotor-Management [Diesel Engine Management], published by Verlag Vieweg, 2nd Ed. 1998, pages 280 to 284 has a high-pressure side, which includes a high-pressure reservoir and injectors communicating with it for fuel injection at a cylinder of the engine. The high-pressure side furthermore includes a high-pressure pump, by which fuel is pumped into the high-pressure reservoir. The fuel injection system also has a low-pressure side, which communicates at least indirectly with a fuel tank. The low-pressure side may be the fuel tank, a return to the fuel tank, or a supply communication by way of which the intake side of the high-pressure pump is supplied with fuel from the fuel tank. A low-pressure pump, by which fuel from the fuel tank is delivered to the intake side of the high-pressure pump, may be disposed in the supply communication. The high-pressure side is separate from the low-pressure side, to avoid fuel leakage. During engine operation, the fuel warms up, especially in the high-pressure side of the fuel injection system. If the engine is shut down after a relatively long period of operation, the fuel in the high-pressure side cools down, thus decreasing in volume, which can lead to the formation of vapor bubbles in the high-pressure side. As a result, the later re-starting of the engine is more difficult, because first the vapor bubbles in the high-pressure side must be positively displaced, before a fuel injection and hence combustion in the engine can begin.

Fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine


An electronic device has housing having plural inner surfaces, plural modules in the housing, and a communication section provided on each of the plural modules. The communication sections perform wireless communication to each other. One inner surface having the largest area among the plural inner surfaces of the housing has an electric wave absorber that absorbs an electric wave for use of the wireless communication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device containing plural modules in a housing which has plural inner surfaces. The present invention also relates to a method of reducing multi-path fading in a housing that has plural inner surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
In an electronic device, boards contained in housing have been generally connected to each other with wiring. Alternatively, the boards and/or circuit elements provided on the board have been connected to each other with wiring pattern.
In a case of using the wiring and/or the wiring pattern, it has been difficult to improve a transmission speed based on any interference between the items of wiring by spurious radiation, electromagnetic induction and the like as well as any variations in an amount of delay at respective items of wiring. If a space occupied with the wiring or wiring pattern is made small when downsizing the electronic device, large interference between the items of wiring may arise. According to an inner structure of the electronic device, a position where wiring is to be located may be set. This deteriorates flexibility in a design of the electronic device, so that it may be difficult to design the electronic device.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-220264 has disclosed an electronic device in which wireless communication can be performed without any wiring or the like to enable data transmission to be performed with a high speed.

Electronic device and method of reducing multi-path fading


The invention enhances or optimizes chromaticity of light in a light-emitting device that includes light-emitting layers. A light-emitting device includes light-emitting layers and electrode layers. The light extracted from the light-emitting device includes the light, which is incident from the light-emitting layers to the electrode layers. The film thicknesses of the electrode layers (transparent layers) are set so that the chromaticity of the extracted light approaches a predetermined value.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting device having light-emitting layers, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Light-emitting devices having light-emitting layers include, for example, organic electroluminescent (hereinafter "organic EL") display devices having organic EL elements. Generally, in the organic EL elements, organic functional layers having light-emitting layers are disposed between two opposing electrodes.
Organic EL display devices have light-emitting layers to emit light having predetermined chromaticities corresponding to the colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue) for color display. Further, the light-emitting layers corresponding to the colors are disposed in a predetermined array on a substrate.
The chromaticity of the light emitted in the light-emitting layers is obtained, for example, by selecting appropriate materials to form the light-emitting layers. However, in the case that the chromaticity of the extracted light differs from its target value, the chromaticity of the emitted light must be corrected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Light-emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus


Scan electrodes are provided separately in addition to sustain electrode pairs generating a sustain discharge. An Address-While-Display drive, in which a scan pulse and a sustain pulse are applied at the same timing, is conducted for each subfield. When scan pulses are applied to the scan electrodes, a wall voltage is generated by a wall charge formed on the dielectric layer located on the scan electrodes. This wall voltage is set higher in the negative voltage direction than the wall voltage generated by a wall charge formed on the dielectric layer located on the sustain electrode pairs. As a result, the display luminance level is increased, increase in the scale of power source circuit can be avoided, and a wide drive margin can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device and a drive method for use in a plasma display device, and more particularly to a plasma display device that can be advantageously used for improving the level of display luminance in a plasma display panel driven by a so-called subfield method and a drive method adapted for such plasma display device. In the subfield method, one field (period) of the display screen is divided into a plurality of subfields weighted based on the gray scale level.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma display devices having a plasma display panel (referred to hereinbelow as "PDP") as the main component possess a large number of merits such as a small thickness, comparative easiness of manufacturing a large-screen display, a wide view field angle, and a high response rate. For this reason, the plasma display devices have been widely used in recent years for wall-mounted TV sets and public display devices.
Based on the operation system, such plasma display devices can be classified into several categories. The most popular PDP uses an Address Display-period separate (ADS) drive system such that the scan period, in which the display data are written into cells, and the sustain period, in which the discharge is actually carried out and the display is conducted, are completely separated. With such an Address Display-period separation system, all the display data have been written within the scan period, and then the image display (screen display) is conducted by applying the sustain pulses to all the cells at the same time in the sustain period. Therefore, the internal circuitry can be rather simplified and a drive margin can be ensured because the write discharge for writing the display data into cells and the sustain discharge for causing the display do not exist together in the panel. Because of those advantages, the Address Display-period separate drive system is used in plasma display devices that are presently commercialized.
In plasma display devices of this type, for example, as shown in FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings, there are provided a surface discharge electrode group and n data electrodes 4 (Dj, j=1, 2, . . . , n). The data electrodes 4 extends perpendicularly to the surface discharge electrode group. The surface discharge electrode group includes m scan electrodes 2 (Scani, i=1, 2, . . . , m) and sustain electrodes 3 (Susi, i=1, 2, . . . , m) disposed parallel to each other in the row direction H of the screen on the inner surface of a front substrate (not shown in the figure) in a display panel 1. The n data electrodes 4 are disposed on the inner surface of a rear substrate (not shown in the figure) along the column direction V. One unit cell 5 (also referred to hereinbelow simply as "cell") is formed in each intersection region of the surface discharge electrode group and data electrodes 4, and a cell group is disposed in the form of a matrix extending in the row direction H and column direction V. In the case of a monochromic display, one cell constitutes one pixel, whereas in the case of a color display, three cells (light-emitting cells of red color R, green color G, and blue color B) constitute one pixel.
FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings is a cross sectional view of the unit cell 5, taken along the XV-XV line in FIG. 14.
In the unit cell 5, a front substrate 11 and a rear substrate 12 are disposed opposite each other via the prescribed gap. The front substrate 11 is a glass substrate or the like. A scan electrode 2 and a sustain electrode 3 are disposed via a discharge gap 13 on the front substrate 11. A transparent dielectric layer 14 is formed on the scan and sustain electrodes 2 and 3. A protective layer 15 is formed on the transparent dielectric layer 14. The protective layer 15 is composed of MgO or the like, and protects the transparent dielectric layer 14 from discharge. The rear substrate 12 is a glass substrate or the like, and data electrodes 4 are provided on the rear substrate 12 so as to be perpendicular to the scan electrodes 2 and sustain electrodes 3. A white dielectric layer 16 is provided on the data electrodes 4, and a phosphor layer 17 is provided on the white dielectric layer 16. Grid-like barrier ribs 18 are formed, so as to surround each cell, between the front substrate 11 and rear substrate 12. The barrier ribs 18 serve to ensure the discharge space 19 and separate the pixels. A mixed gas of He, Ne, Xe, and the like is enclosed as discharge gas inside the discharge space 19.
FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the principle of the gray scale display method with the Address Display-period separate drive method used in the PDP shown in FIG. 14. Time is plotted against the abscissa and the number of scan electrodes in the PDP is plotted against the ordinate.
In this PDP, as shown in FIG. 16, one field TF is divided into six subfields 1SF, 2SF, . . . , 6SF. Each subfield has its own weighting, depending upon a gray scale level. Each subfield is divided into an initialization period (also called "preliminary discharge period") T1, a scan period T2, and a sustain period T3. The inclined line in each scan period T2 represents the timing of scan pulses applied in linear succession to the scan electrodes 2. If the scan pulses and data pulses that are applied to the data electrodes 4 are applied at the same time, a write discharge is generated. The sustain period T3 is the period in which the unit cell 5 emits a display light.
In the sustain period T3, sustain pulses are alternately applied to the scan electrodes 2 and sustain electrodes 3, and the cells where the discharge is generated in the scan period T2 emit light with an intensity corresponding to the length of the discharge sustain period T3 (thus, to the number of sustain pulses). In FIG. 16, the lengths of sustain periods T3 of the subfields 1SF, 2SF, . . . 6SF are set to ratios of 1:2:4:8:16:32, and therefore a screen with 64 levels (0-63) of gray scale can be displayed by combining the emission triggered within these sustain periods T3. For example, when a screen with the 29th gray scale level is displayed, the control within the interval of one field TF is so conducted that the subfield 1SF (gray scale level 1), subfield 3SF (gray scale level 4), subfield 4SF (gray scale level 8), and subfield 5SF (gray scale level 16) emit light.
FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the main portion of a drive waveform used in the conventional Address Display-period separate drive system, and FIG. 18(1) to FIG. 18(7) illustrate schematically the arrangement of wall voltage on each electrode in the unit cells 5.
The drive method with the Address Display-period separate drive system will be described below with reference to those drawings.
As shown in FIG. 17, a voltage shown on the waveform Sus is applied to the sustain electrode 3 and a voltage shown by a waveform Scan1 and a voltage shown by a waveform Scan2 are applied to the scan electrode 2. In FIG. 17, the drive waveforms applied to the scan electrodes 2 for two display lines are shown. For the third and subsequent display lines, similar drive waveforms are created by successively shifting the scan pulses a in FIG. 17. A voltage shown by a waveform Data is applied to the data electrode 4. FIG. 18(1) to FIG. 18(7) schematically show the size of the wall voltage on each electrode. A white rectangle located below each electrode indicates a negative wall voltage and a gray rectangle located above the electrode indicates a positive wall voltage. The height of each rectangle indicates the value of the wall voltage. The wall voltage is a voltage generated in a dielectric layer by a wall charge formed on the surface of the dielectric layer located on the electrode by the discharge.
Prior to the initialization period T1 shown in FIG. 17, a sustain period of the previous (preceding) subfield is present and the formation amount of the wall charge, which is a charge accumulated by the discharge on the dielectric layers (transparent dielectric layer 14, white dielectric layer 16) located on each electrode in a unit cell 5, differs, depending on whether or not the sustain discharge has been conducted in the sustain period of that previous subfield. As shown in FIG. 18(1), if the write operation is conducted in a state in which the sustain discharge is still conducted in the sustain period of the previous subfield, the write discharge is sometimes difficult to conduct or it is conducted erroneously under the effect of the above-mentioned different amounts of wall charge formed. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 17, in the initialization period T1, a sustain erase waveform b is applied to the scan electrode 2 and the wall charge generated within the sustain period of the previous subfield is initialized (reset).
In this case, only when a sustain discharge is generated in the sustain period of the previous subfield, a weak discharge is generated between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, as shown in FIG. 18(2). Because the weak discharge is continuously generated by the application of a ramp waveform with gradually changing voltage like the sustain erase waveform b in FIG. 17, changes in the wall charge on the electrodes caused by the discharge are small. The weak discharge differs from the discharge at which a rectangular waveform is applied, a strong discharge is at once generated, and the polarity of the wall charge on the electrode is at once inverted. As a result, at the end of the sustain period of the previous subfield, the wall voltage arrangement shown in FIG. 18(3) is assumed, changing from the wall voltage arrangement shown in FIG. 18(2).
In the initialization period T1, a priming effect is produced so that a discharge can easily take place when data are written in a linear succession based on the display data in the scan period T2 following the initialization period T1. In the initialization period T1, also, the wall charge state assumes an optimum state for the write discharge. In this case, the priming waveform c and priming erase waveform d are applied to the scan electrode 2. Because of this priming waveform c, a weak discharge is generated, regardless of the generation of the sustain discharge in the previous subfield, and a state is assumed in which the write discharge is easily generated by the appearance of priming particles in the discharge space 19. Further, because of this priming waveform a, the potential of the scan electrode 2 gradually increases in the positive polarity direction with respect to the potential of the data electrode 4, a negative wall charge increases on the scan electrode 2, a positive wall charge increases on the data electrodes 4, and a wall charge arrangement shown in FIG. 18(4) is assumed. At this time, a state in which a write discharge is easily generated is assumed due to the appearance of priming particles and increase in the wall charge. When a no lit condition is continued for a long time in a certain cell, the number of priming particles decreases and the wall charge decreases. Because of the priming waveform a, however, the number of priming particles and wall charge are compensated (increased) with respect to this state.
The wall charge arrangement shown in FIG. 18(4) is adjusted by the priming erase waveform d, so that the correct drive is possible, and becomes the wall charge arrangement shown in FIG. 18(5). Because of the priming erase waveform d, weak discharges are generated between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 and between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4. Further, because of the priming erase waveform d, the potential of the data electrode 4 is fixed to a ground potential (GND) and the finally attained value of the potential of the scan electrode 2 becomes almost equal to the potential of the scan pulse a. In the final state of the weak discharge, the wall charge is changed by the discharges so that the two electrodes are at potentials which are almost discharge-triggering values but not the discharge-triggering values (i.e., it's close but the discharge is not generated). Therefore, under the effect of the priming erase waveform d, the quantity of wall charge between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 assumes a value at which no discharge is generated unless a data pulse e is applied when the scan pulse a is applied.
As for the state of the wall charge, if even a small positive pulse is applied to the data electrode 4, the discharge is generated, and the write discharge can be generated by even a data pulse e having a low voltage. However, a certain time actually elapses before a discharge is generated after the voltage is applied. Therefore, in order to generate a discharge within a short pulse such as a scan pulse a, the data pulse e is set to a voltage at a level at which this discharge is generated. Thus, in the initialization period T1, an optimum state is set inside the unit cell 5 with respect to the initialization of the wall charge and write discharge.
In the scan period T2, the state of the wall charge is changed and video information is written into the unit cell 5 by the generation or absence of the write discharge for each scan electrode 2 successively in response to the video signals.
Thus, in the scan period T2, the scan pulses a are successively applied to Scan1, Scan2, . . . , Scanm of the scan electrodes 2. The data pulse e is applied according to the display pattern to D1, D2, . . . , Dn of the data electrodes 4 in response to the scan pulses a. The inclined line of the data pulse e in FIG. 17 indicates whether the data pulse e is applied or not applied by the video signal.
The write discharge is conducted as follows. When the data pulse e is applied, the difference in potential between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 is Vd. At this time, in the initialization period T1, as described hereinabove, a negative wall charge and a positive wall charge are formed on the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4, respectively, and in the discharge space between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4, a wall voltage, which is the voltage applied to the dielectric layer due to those wall charges, is superimposed on the potential difference between the electrodes. As a result, a high voltage is applied. Thus, a write discharge is generated between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4. At this time, because of a large difference in potential between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, if a write discharge is generated between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4, a surface discharge is induced between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, as shown in FIG. 18(6), and a positive wall charge and a negative wall charge are accumulated on the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, respectively, as shown in FIG. 18(7). On the other hand, in the pixels to which the data pulse e is not applied, the difference in potential applied to the discharge space between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 does not exceed the discharge start voltage, so that no discharge is generated and the state of the wall charge does not change. Thus wall charge states of two type occur depending on the presence or absence of the data pulse e.
After the scan pulse a has been applied to all the scan electrodes 2, a transition is made to the sustain period T3. In the sustain period T3, the sustain pulse f is alternately applied to all the scan electrodes 2 and all the sustain electrodes 3. The voltage value Vs of the sustain pulse f is so adjusted that the wall voltage in the vicinity of the discharge gap 13 between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 is almost equal in the pixels where the write discharge is not generated, and only the Vs, which is the difference in potential between the two electrodes, is applied to the discharge space between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3. Thus, a surface discharge is not started between the two electrodes. On the other hand, in the pixels where the write discharge is generated, a positive wall charge is present on the scan electrode 2 and a negative wall charge is present on the sustain electrode 3. Therefore, those positive and negative wall charges are superimposed on the initial positive sustain pulse (first sustain pulse) applied to the scan electrode 2, and the voltage equal to or higher than the discharge start voltage is applied to the discharge space. Thus, the sustain discharge is generated. Because of this discharge, a negative wall charge is accumulated on the scan electrode 2 and a positive wall charge is accumulated on the sustain electrode 3. The next sustain pulse (second sustain pulse) is applied to the sustain electrode 3 and the above-described superposition of the wall charges occurs. Thus, the sustain discharge is here also generated and a wall charge of the polarity opposite to that of the first sustain pulse is accumulated on the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3.
Discharges are thereafter continuously generated based on the same principle. In other words, the difference in potential caused by the wall charge induced by the sustain discharge of the x-th cycle is superimposed on the sustain pulse of the (x+1)-th cycle and the sustain discharge is maintained. The luminance of light emission is determined by the number of continuous cycles of the sustain discharge.
The following problems are associated with the Address Display-period separation system.
In the Address Display-period separation system, the light emission discharge for display is conducted only in the sustain period T3, but one field for one screen display is generally fixed to 16.6 msec ( 1/60 sec). Therefore, when the number of scan lines is high, for example, as in high-resolution displays, the scan period T2 is large and the sustain period T3 shortens correspondingly. If the sustain period T3 becomes shorter, the number of light emission discharges is decreased and the display luminance is reduced.
An Address-While-Display (AWD) drive system is a drive system designed to resolve the above-described problems.
The Address-While-Display drive system uses a PDP of the same structure as that of the Address Display-period separate drive system illustrated by FIGS. 14 and 15, but the scan pulses are applied at the same timing as the sustain pulses. As shown in FIG. 19, one field TF is divided, for example, into six subfields 1SF, 2SF, . . . , 6SF, and one subfield include three pulses: initialization pulse, scan pulse, and sustain pulse. These pulses are applied with a successive shift of the subfields for each scan electrode.
FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the main portion of the drive waveform used in the Address-While-Display drive system.
As shown in FIG. 20, the voltage shown in a waveform Sus is applied to the sustain electrodes 3, and the voltage shown in a waveform Scan1 and the voltage shown in a waveform Scan2 are applied to the scan electrodes 2. FIG. 20 shows the scan electrodes 2 for two display lines only. Similar drive waveforms are applied to the third and subsequent display lines, with a successive shift of scan pulses a. A voltage shown on the waveform Data is applied to the data electrode 4.
FIG. 21(1) to FIG. 21(6) of the accompanying drawings are a series of schematic drawings illustrating the size of the wall voltage on each electrode in the Address-While-Display drive system.
The drive method with the Address-While-Display drive system will be described below with reference to FIG. 21(1) to FIG. 21(6) as well as FIG. 20.
FIG. 21(1) to FIG. 21(6) show the wall voltage in a cell at the six different timing when the Scan1 waveform shown in FIG. 20 is applied to the cell at the timing (1) to (6) in FIG. 20.
As shown in FIG. 20, a pulse of a negative polarity immediately preceding the initialization pulse g is the very last sustain pulse f of the previous subfield, and the very last sustain pulse f is applied at the timing (1). When a sustain discharge is generated in the previous subfield, a sustain discharge is also generated between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 at the timing (1) and the wall voltage arrangement changes from the state shown in FIG. 21(1) to that shown in FIG. 21(2).
Then, the initialization pulse g is applied. The state of the wall charge in the unit cell 5 before the initialization pulse g differs depending on whether or not a sustain discharge is generated in the previous subfield. Thus, if the write operation is conducted in a state in which a sustain discharge is generated in the previous subfield, then the write discharge is sometimes difficult to conduct or the writing is conducted erroneously under the effect of this different wall charge. The role of the initialization pulse g is to initialize a state of the wall charge on the dielectric layer in the unit cell 5 that differs depending on the presence or absence of the sustain discharge in the previous subfield. At the timing (2), a sustain pulse f is applied to the sustain electrode 3 at the same time as the initialization pulse g is applied to the scan electrode 2. As a result, a voltage larger than the voltage created upon application of the preceding sustain pulse f is applied between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, and a surface discharge is generated between the two electrodes. Then, as shown in FIG. 21(3), wall voltages larger than those during the usual sustain discharge are formed on both the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3.
In the case where only the usual sustain pulse f is then applied, the discharge is not generated during a rise at the pulse end. However, a large wall voltage is formed due to the application of the initialization pulse g. Thus, when both the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 assume a ground (GND) potential at the end point of the sustain pulse f and initialization pulse g, a voltage equal to or higher than the discharge start voltage is applied by the wall voltage to the discharge space 19 and the surface discharge is generated again. At this time, all the electrodes, including the data electrode 4, are at the GND potential. Therefore, after the discharge end, as shown in FIG. 21(4), the wall voltage is almost absent. In this state, the initiation ends.
Then, a scan pulse a is applied to the scan electrode 2 and writing is conducted. In this writing, the state of wall charges is changed in response to the video signal depending on the presence or absence of the write discharge generation and the video information is written into the unit cell 5 successively for each scan electrode 2. In this case, at the timing (4) shown in FIG. 20, the data pulse e is applied according to the video signal to the data electrode 4 synchronously with the scan pulse a. The inclined line in the data pulse e indicates whether or not the data pulse e is applied, based on the video signals. If the data pulse e is applied, a high voltage exceeding the discharge start voltage is applied between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 and, as shown in FIG. 21(4), an oppositely directed discharge is generated between the two electrodes. At this time, a large difference in potential is also present between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3, so that if a write discharge is generated between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4, a surface discharge is induced between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 and, as shown in FIG. 21(5), a positive wall charge is accumulated on the scan electrode 2 and a negative wall charge is accumulated on the sustain electrode 3.
On the other hand, in the cell to which the data pulse e is not applied, the difference in potential that is applied to the discharge space between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 does not exceed the discharge start voltage. Therefore, no discharge is generated and the state of wall charge does not change. Thus, the states of wall charges of two types can be produced depending on whether the data pulse e is present or absent. At this time, the scan pulse a is applied at the same timing as the sustain pulse f is applied to the other scan electrode. For example, at the timing (6) shown in FIG. 20, a sustain pulse f shown on the waveform Scan1 is applied and a scan pulse a shown on the waveform Scan2 is applied. Writing has to be conducted for each scan electrode. Thus, even if the scan pulse a and sustain pulse f are applied at the same timing, the write discharge has to be generated only with the scan electrode to which the scan pulse a is applied. For this reason, the voltage Vw of the scan pulse a is set to a value with a negative polarity greater than that of the sustain voltage Vs. Due to the increase in the voltage, write discharge is generated only at the scan electrode to which the scan pulse a is applied. However, in the case where the data pulse e is not applied, the generation of discharge has to be prevented. Therefore, the voltage Vw of the scan pulse a cannot be set to a value over the discharge start voltage between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3.
The pulse width of the scan pulse a is wider than the sustain pulse f and ends at the timing (5) the next sustain pulse f is applied to the sustain electrode 3. At the timing (5), if the scan pulse a rises, the data pulse e also ends at the same time, and a write discharge is generated, then a discharge in the opposite direction is generated between the scan electrode 2 and data electrode 4 by the wall voltage formed upon this write discharge. Separately therefrom, because the sustain pulse f is applied to the sustain electrode 3, a discharge is also generated between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3. As a result, the wall voltage arrangement changes from the state shown in FIG. 21(5) to that shown in FIG. 21(6). Then, the surface discharge is generated each time the sustain pulse f is applied, and the wall voltage arrangement states shown in FIG. 21(5) and FIG. 21(6) are alternately repeated.
On the other hand, when the data pulse e is not applied and the write discharge is not generated, the wall voltage remains in the state shown in FIG. 21(4), and no discharge is thereafter generated even if the sustain pulse f is applied. As described hereinabove, the states with and without the generation of the sustain discharge can be switched by applying or not applying the data pulse e. In such an Address-While-Display drive system, the scan pulse a can be superimposed in time on the sustain pulse f. Therefore, the interval in which the scan pulse a is applied to the other scan electrode can be allocated to the sustain discharge generation interval. As a consequence, all the pulses other than the initialization pulse g and scan pulse a of the scan electrode can be allocated to the application interval of the sustain pulse f. Furthermore, a major portion of one field can be allocated to the sustain period. Therefore, the display luminance level is increased by increasing the number of sustain pulses.
FIG. 22 illustrates the main portion of the drive waveform used in another Address-While-Display drive system.
In the drive method with this Address-While-Display drive system, as shown in FIG. 22, the sustain pulse f assumes a positive polarity. Furthermore, the initialization pulses h, j are successively applied to the scan electrode 2. The initialization pulse h is larger than the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse. When a scan pulse a is applied, other scan electrodes may be at a GND potential, and therefore a potential has to be decreased below the GND potential in order to generate the write discharge only with the scan electrode to which the scan pulse a is applied. However, similar to the case of the drive waveform shown in FIG. 20, the surface discharge must not be generated between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 merely by introducing the scan pulse a. Therefore, the sum of the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse f and the voltage Vw of the scan pulse a cannot be set so as to exceed the discharge start voltage. The states of the wall voltage at timings (1) to (6) in FIG. 22 are shown in FIGS. 23(1) to 23(6), respectively.
In addition to the above-described drive systems, there is a scan-sustain mix drive system. One example of the scan-sustain mix drive systems is a drive method for a gas discharge panel disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-open Application No. 2000-122603 (Abstract and FIG. 4). With the drive method described in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-122603, a scan pulse is applied between a certain sustain pulse and another sustain pulse, so as to avoid overlapping in time. In this case, because the scan pulse and sustain pulse are not applied at the same timing, the write discharge is generated only at the scan electrode to which a scan pulse is applied.
In the display device described in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2000-112430 (Abstract and FIG. 3), a drive method is employed that is similar to that described in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-122603.
The following problems are associated with the above-described conventional plasma display devices.
With the Address-While-Display drive system, the major portion of the one field interval is allocated to the sustain discharge and a high display luminance is obtained. However, because the scan pulse a is applied at the timing the sustain pulse f is applied to the other scan electrode, a voltage larger than the sustain pulse f has to be applied so that the write discharge is generated only at the scan electrode to which the scan pulse a has been applied. In other words, a voltage Vw of the scan pulse has to be set in addition to the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse f. Therefore, it is necessary to set more voltages than in the case of Address Display-period separate drive system, the scale of the power source circuit is increased, and the scale of the scan electrode drive circuit (not shown in the figure) is also increased. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20, the voltage Vw of the scan pulse is a negative voltage greater than the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse and has to be set to a voltage at which no discharge is generated when the data pulse e is not applied. Also, the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse has to be a relatively large value so that the sustain discharge continues each time the potential is inverted. Thus, the range of the voltage Vw of the scan pulse is significantly narrowed and the drive margin cannot be widened.
In the case shown in FIG. 22, too, the level of the scan pulse a is such that the potential difference (Vw) from the GND level is less than the scan pulse voltage Vw shown in FIG. 20, but the initialization pulse h becomes a positive voltage larger than the voltage Vs of the sustain pulse. Similar to the scan pulse a, the initialization pulse h is also supplied in a linear succession to each scan electrode, so that the output from the scan electrode drive circuit is necessary, and the scan electrode drive circuit has to withstand the voltage of the initialization pulse h. In either of the cases illustrated by FIG. 20 and FIG. 22, both application of the data pulse e and application of the scan pulse a should be required to generate the discharge; it is necessary to prevent the surface discharge from generating between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 when the scan pulse a is only applied. For this purpose, it is necessary to prevent the difference in potential between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3 from exceeding the discharge start voltage of the surface when scan pulses a are applied.
On the other hand, in order to conduct writing with scan electrodes to which scan pulses a are applied, the potential of the scan pulse a has to be lower than the potential of other scan electrodes. As a result, it is necessary to apply a voltage equal to or higher than the voltage of the sustain pulse between the scan electrode 2 and sustain electrode 3. The voltage of the sustain pulse has to be sufficiently high so as to maintain the sustain pulse. Thus, voltage setting of the scan pulse a can be conducted only within a certain limited range, which results in a narrowed drive margin.
With the scan-sustain mix drive system described in Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 2000-122603 and 2000-112430, the sustain pulse and scan pulse overlap in time. Therefore, the number of sustain pulses in one field is equal to that of the Address Display-period separate drive system and the luminance level is difficult to increase, as in the Address-While-Display drive system.

Plasma display device and drive method for use in plasma display device


The present application relates in general to an apparatus and to methods for testing the performance of an automotive catalytic converter under conditions simulating those which occur in motor vehicles over extended driving conditions. The application provides a novel swirl plate and a novel fuel injector which enable the burner to run stoichiometric for extended periods of time.

An automotive catalytic converter is an emissions control device which may be incorporated into the exhaust system of a motor vehicle between the exhaust manifold and the muffler. The catalytic converter contains one or more catalysts, such as those based on platinum, palladium, or rhodium, which reduce the levels of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gas, thereby reducing the amount of these pollutants which would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere from the vehicle. In a typical commercial catalytic converter, HC and CO in the exhaust are oxidized to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and water, and NOx is reduced to nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water.
As a result of recent regulatory initiatives, motor vehicle emissions control devices, including catalytic converters, are now required to have longer useful lives. For example the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1996 in 40 C.F.R. 86.094-2 increased the mileage for which automotive emission control elements must function from 50,000 to 100,000 vehicle miles. This requirement places severe demands on a catalytic converter, since a number of components introduced into the typical automotive internal combustion engine exhaust can act as a poison to the catalyst present in the converter.
In order to understand the effects of potential catalytic converter catalyst poisons, it is necessary to have a testing apparatus and procedure that will permit the evaluation of the long term effects of the individual variables which may affect the performance of the catalyst. Historically, an internal combustion engine has been used for such an evaluation, however, such an apparatus can be inconsistent, maintenance intensive, and expensive to operate. In addition, such an apparatus does not conveniently permit the separate evaluation of individual variables, such as the effects of constituents of the fuel and of constituents of the oil. Also, the engine oil consumption varies with engine age, operating temperature, speed and other variables, which are difficult to control.
A test apparatus and testing method are needed which overcome the foregoing deficiencies.

Method and apparatus for testing catalytic converter durability


A math teaching tool is provided which can perform teaching more efficiently. The math teaching tool is characterized in the followings. It includes a vessel and a plurality of marbles disposed inside the vessel; the vessel includes a partition defining a boundary of a plurality of regions and a communication part allowing the plurality of regions defined by the partition to communicate with each other; at least one region of the plurality of regions of the vessel is configured so that the plurality of marbles are arrayed into a plurality of lines per unit of five marbles along a first direction of the vessel; and the plurality of marbles include five marbles connected together.

As one example of teaching tools used for teaching numerical cognition, addition and subtraction, etc. to infants and children in the lower grades of elementary school, a math teaching tool disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known, for example. The math teaching tool includes a drawer member partitioned so as to form two regions communicating with each other and a plurality of marbles disposed inside the drawer member.
Referring to the math teaching tool, the marbles inside the drawer member are moved between the two regions and/or entered into or taken out from the regions to change the number and disposition of the marbles in the regions to contribute to infants' and children's numerical cognition and number calculation.


A plurality of elongated, generally side-by-side conveyor tubes (28) are positioned within a material container (10) to provide spaces (30) between the conveyor tubes (28). A drive mechanism (DM) is connected to ends of the conveyor tubes (28), for reciprocating the conveyor tubes (28). The drive mechanism (DM) functions to move the conveyor tubes (28) in one direction, for moving material that is on and between the conveyor tubes (28), and for retracting the conveyor tubes (28) in the opposite direction.

Reciprocating slat conveyors are in wide use in both vehicular and stationary installations for handling a variety of materials. For example, my U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,893, granted Jun. 7, 1988, and entitled Drive/Frame Assembly for a Reciprocating Floor has a substantial use in vehicles that haul garbage. My U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,708, granted Sep. 16, 1986, and entitled Reciprocating Channel Floor Conveyor discloses conveyors that are particularly suited for the conveying ice particles and refuse or garbage. The conveyor disclosed by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,893, utilizes both bearings for the conveyor slats and seals between the slats. The conveyors disclosed by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,708, include bearings for the slats but are designed to function without the need for seals between adjacent slats. An object of the present invention is to provide a new and unique conveyor for particulate materials that eliminates the need for seals and further either eliminates the need for bearings or provides for the use of bearings in the form of sheets of a self-lubricated plastic bearing material in place of individual bearings for the movable conveyor members.


This invention relates to a galenical gel formulation for nasal administration of neurotransmitters/neuromodulators such as dopamine, serotonin or pregnenolone and progesterone. The special lipophilic or partly lipophilic system of the invention leads to high bioavailability of the active ingredient in plasma and brain caused by sustained serum levels and/or direct or partly direct transport from nose to the brain.

A growing body of evidence suggests that brain-acting compounds, such as neurosteroids (e.g., androgens, progestins) or neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine, derived from 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA, or levodopa), serotonin, epinephrin, norepinephrine), have a modulatory role in the regulation of disorders influenced by receptors in the brain, such as depression, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, psychiatric disorders and even loss of libido and aggression.
Neurosteroids act as modulators, either as stimulators or inhibitors, of several neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a neuron and another cell. Some neurotransmitters are excitatory, while others are primarily inhibitory. In many cases, as with dopamine, it is the function of the receptor which determines whether the transmitter is excitatory or inhibitory.
The brain floats in about 150 ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which slowly circulates down through the four ventricles, up through the subarachnoid space and exits into the cerebral veins through the arachnoid vili. Since the brain has no lymphatic system, the CSF serves as a partial substitute. While the brain and CSF are separated by the somewhat permeable pia mater, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) represent substantial protection against undesirable blood substances.
The BBB creates a protected chemical environment wherein certain molecules are able to perform functions independent of the functions those molecules may perform elsewhere in the body. One example of such a molecule is the neurotransmitter dopamine. When applied as an infusion, dopamine may be used for the treatment of heart attacks or kidney failure, but this mode of administration of dopamine is not suitable for the treatment of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.
L-DOPA is typically used to increase dopamine levels in the brain for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Dopa-Responsive deficiencies because it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, whereas dopamine itself cannot. Once L-DOPA has entered the central nervous system (CNS), it is metabolized to dopamine by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.
Often, during treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, L-DOPA is administered to patients together with other compounds, including carbidopa, benserazide, and Entacapone/tolcapone. Further, other drugs or complimentary therapies may be administered to Parkinson's patients in concert with L-DOPA treatment, including dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, glial-derived neurotropic factor for gene therapy, and several neuroprotective agents.
To increase the efficacy of medicinal treatments of CNS disorders, delivery of molecules to the brain via delivery to the nasal cavity has been investigated. The inventors have recently provided evidence in Banks, et al. (J Drug Target. 2009 February; 17(2):91-7), incorporated herein by reference, that intranasal administration of testosterone is able to target the brain, and in particular, is able to target the olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, striatum, and hippocampus. Drug delivery to the brain via the nasal cavity potentially offers many advantages that include direct access to the brain, rapid adsorption into the nasal mucosa due to the abundant presence of capillary vessels in the nose, rapid onset of action, avoidance of hepatic first-pass metabolism, utility for chronic medication, and ease of administration. However, still little is known on factors controlling the nasal delivery of drugs to the brain. A drug can reach the brain by different ways, including olfactory neuronal pathway, extraneuronal olfactory epithelial pathway, trigeminal nerve pathway, systemic pathway. It is also possible that more of the aforementioned pathways may contribute to the delivery of the molecule to the brain. Once a drug is in the brain, it's amount can be further influenced by BBB efflux transporter systems.
Thus, there has been a long-felt need in the art for investigations into and the generation of formulations that facilitate molecular uptake into the tissue of the nasal cavity, thereby increasing the concentration of the drug in brain tissue.
However, maintaining clinically effective drug concentrations in vivo, particularly in brain tissue, has been a challenge. The time period during which molecules may become absorbed is reduced as a result of the rapid mucociliary clearance of a therapeutic agent from the site of deposition and the presence of enzymes in the nasal cavity, which that may cause degradation of the therapeutic agent.
Many efforts have been made in the art in attempt to overcome these limitations.
GB 1987000012176 relates to the use of bioadhesive microspheres to increase the length of time that molecules reside in the nasal cavity. It has also been found that the use of enhancers and stabilizers improves permeability of the nasal membrane and prevents drug degradation, respectively. PCT/GB98/01147 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,440) pertains to the use of in situ gelling pectin formulations for drug delivery.
Bayne, U.S. Reissue Pat. No. RE29,892 pertains to a method of increasing the dopamine concentration in brain tissue through administration of a composition comprising dopamine and a hydrazine compound. The method allows for administration of the composition topically, rectally, orally, or parenterally. Preferred compositions include hydrazine compounds such as L-α-hydrazino-α-lower alkyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl propionic acid and L-DOPA and its pharmaceutically accepted salts.
Haffner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,852, relates to the treatment of psychoses such as schizophrenia and discloses methods of administrating ergolinyl compounds to increase dopamine concentrations in mammalian brain tissue.
Additionally, Wenzel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,960, pertains to the treatment of Parkinson's disease through the oral administration of a composition containing levodopa and carbidopa (MK-486). Further, Mandel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,905, relates to the tightly modulated production of L-DOPA in the mammalian brain by gene therapy. In Mendel et al., modulators such as tetrahydropterin (PH4) are used to control the generation of dopamine.
Despite the latter attempts to develop an effective nasal delivery system, there remains a need in the art to identify a formulation that, inter alia, limits the rate of mucociliary clearance and degradation of molecules in the nasal cavity, thereby increasing the brain's availability to such molecules, particularly neurotransmitters. Preferably, the formulation should have physical and chemical properties that facilitates brain uptake of molecules/drugs, such as dopamine. The identification of a formulation that may increase the bioavailability of neurotransmitters to brain tissue would provide much-needed treatment options for diseases associated with, for example, dopamine or serotonin deficiency in the brain, including depression, Parkinson's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), addiction to drugs and alcohol, and various psychiatric disorders.
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.

Controlled release delivery system for nasal application of neurotransmitters


Method for determining loading of a filter. The filter has a first dielectric constant. The filter becomes loaded with contaminant material that has a second dielectric constant. The filter, such as a diesel particulate filter, is contained within a metallic enclosure forming a microwave cavity. The method includes establishing microwave energy in the cavity and monitoring changes in the cavity microwave response, the changes being related to filter loading.

This invention relates to determination of filter loading and more particularly to the use of microwave sensing to determine filter loading.
In many realms there is a need for accurate sensing of the amount of material that has been captured by a filter. An example is the need to determine filter loading of soot on a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The amount of loading on a diesel particulate filter must be known in order to determine appropriate conditions for start-up of regeneration as well as monitoring conditions to determine when complete regeneration has been achieved. The level of loading is important in this context because regeneration of a DPF is often through an uncontrolled burn in which soot is ignited by the presence of free oxygen and a combustion wave is generated through the filter. Under certain conditions, it is possible that regeneration will produce temperatures that are very high resulting in large thermal stresses that can result in limited fatigue life of the filter and ultimately its destruction. Thus, the level of soot loading is important for successful filter regeneration.
It is well known that there are several methods for determining the loading of a filter. The most commonly investigated method is by measurement of the pressure drop across the filter. This method can be combined with expert systems that calculate the amount of soot that has been captured through a cumulative calculation of soot production through an engine.
An object of the present invention is the application of microwave technology to the determination of the status of loading of traps or filters.

Microwave sensing for determination of loading of filters


A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer of SiC and an insulating layer thereon for insulating the SiC layer with respect to a metal plate constituting a gate and connectable to a voltage for creating a conducting surface channel at a SiC layer-insulating layer interface, wherein at least a portion of the insulating layer closest to the interface is made of a crystalline material which is substantially lattice-matched to SiC and has substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as SiC; and wherein the material has AlN as the only component or as a major component of an alloy with insulating properties.

All types of gate-controlled semiconductor devices having an insulated gate are included, such as for example IGBTs, MOSFETs, vertical MISFETs and MIS-gated thyristors.
Such devices are particularly used in applications in which it is possible to benefit by the superior properties of SiC in comparison with especially Si, namely the capability of SiC to function well under extreme conditions. SiC has a high thermal stability due to a large band gap between the valence band and the conduction band, so that it will have a stable function at much higher temperatures than Si, namely well up to 1000K. Furthermore, it has a high thermal conductivity, so that SiC devices may be arranged at a high density. SiC also has a more than 5 times higher breakdown field than Si, so that it is well suitable as material in high power devices operating under conditions where high voltages may occur in the reverse direction of the device.
There are over 250 polytypes of SiC, and the most important ones are 3C, 4H, 6H and 15R, since good species thereof may be produced without any complications. The CVD-technique may preferably be used for the production of such SiC crystals. SiO.sub.2 has until now primarily been used as a material for the insulating layer of semiconductor devices of the type defined above. However, the conductivity of the channel created at the interface in such devices is not as high as desired, so that the on-slate-current capability of such devices is limited. This is due to the comparatively high trapping density at the interface between the SiC and SiO.sub.2 layers. Accordingly, the charge carriers (electrons or positive holes) are scattered at the interface as a result of these traps. An increase of the gate voltage increases the carrier density in the conducting channel, but this advantage is counteracted by the resulting limited carrier mobility. Furthermore, increasing the gate voltage above a certain limit will besides an extensive scattering of the carriers at the interface procure tunnelling of the carriers into the dielectric reducing the current in the channel. SiO.sub.2 has thereto a breakdown field not adapted to the conditions under which SiC itself may function well.

Semiconductor device having an insulated gate


An LCD module includes a user connector part that receives power voltages, image signals and control signals from an external host system and outputs the power voltages, image and control signals through a first integrated type connector and an LCD module having a second integrated type connector connected with the first integrated type connector through an FPC. The LCD module receives power voltages and image and control signals through the second integrated type connector, provides image data signals and timing signals to data lines and provides scan signals to gate lines. Namely, the LCD can receive power voltage, the image signals and control signals through the integrated type connector instead of a plurality of connecting terminals, thereby providing an LCD having slim weight and compact size and reducing the size thereof.

In order to confirm the information processed in an information-processing device with the naked eye, a display apparatus that accomplishes an interface function is needed. In the display apparatus, the processed information is in an electrical signal type.
Recently, an LCD that is lighter, and smaller than a CRT type display apparatus has been developed. The LCD has a function such as a full color and a high resolution. As a result, the LCD is widely used as a monitor of a computer, a television receiver, and another display device.
However, the LCD requires a lot of terminals such as a D-SUB, a DVI and a video port, etc., to receive image signals and control signals supplied from an external host system. The terminals are fixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the LCD, so that the weight and size of the LCD cannot become lighter and smaller.
Further, since the LCD adopts a lot of connectors for electrically connecting between input terminals and output terminals and a user has to check connection status of the connector and operations of the LCD with other connectors, the throughput of the LCD decreases.

Liquid crystal display module and liquid crystal display apparatus having the same


A flashlight kit including a flashlight including a body including a light and a battery disposed in the body, which is electrically connectable to the light with a switch, and an attachment device for attaching the body to an attachment surface, the attachment device including a spike for jabbing the attachment surface. The spike may be shorter, the same as, or longer than the body.

Various types of flashlight accessories have been described in the patent literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,440 to Weinfield shows a portable, rotatable holder for a flashlight comprises a base structure, an upright housing secured thereto, a receptacle for receiving and releasably holding a flashlight and means for dual rotational movement of the clamped flashlight to a desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,769 to Hunley Jr. et al. shows a flashlight holder in a C-shaped configuration having an arm, which fits into a bracket and is held at the desired angle by a screw and a nut. Magnets may secure the holder to a car, truck or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,297 to Weinberger shows an article holder, which has a resilient gripping clip which may grip a flashlight. Spring blades also engage the lower part of the flashlight and may be rotated to form a supporting base.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,487 to Tucker et al. shows a holder to support a portable light, which includes a base, at least one strap attached to the base adapted to pass around the object to secure the object to the base, a magnetic portion to attach the holder to a steel surface so that the object secured thereto is located adjacent the surface, and a bridge portion attaching the magnetic portion to the base, such that the magnetic portion and said base are spaced from and parallel to one another. The magnetic portion extends in a first direction from the bridge portion and the base extends in a direction opposite to the direction of extension of the magnetic portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,697 to Accordino shows a flashlight accessory including a connector bar having two clamps rotatably mounted at each end of the bar. A magnet is mounted on the connector bar between the respective clamps.


A laser oscillation device includes a laser oscillation unit, which is a laser oscillation part that generates multiple first laser beams having different wavelengths from one another, multiple sensors having different sensitivity characteristics from one another each representing light-receiving sensitivity for the wavelengths of the multiple first laser beams, to each output first voltages dependent on outputs of the multiple first laser beams. The laser oscillation device includes a computing unit that corrects the multiple first voltages using the sensitivity characteristics of the multiple sensors, and controls the laser oscillation unit based on multiple second voltages which correspond to multiple first voltages obtained after the correction.

In recent years, attention has been given to a technique for an industrial laser machine tool, in which laser beams emitted from two or more semiconductor lasers that output laser beams having their respective wavelengths different from one another are combined together, thereby to provide a higher output. A laser device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes: a spectrum detector that is a laser output detection unit detecting outputs of two or more laser beams having their respective wavelengths different from one another, and outputting voltage values corresponding to the detected outputs of the laser beams; a multi-wavelength oscillation control mechanism that controls energies at wavelength peaks of the two or more laser beams; and a control unit that controls the said multi-wavelength oscillation control mechanism on the basis of the detection results obtained by the spectrum detector. The laser device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 controls the outputs of the laser beams based on the detection results of the single spectrum detector.


Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a carbon substrate for a magnetic disk capable of increasing the treatment rate leading to a lowering of the manufacturing cost, reducing the variation of the surface roughness of each substrate, and the variation of the surface roughness among the substrates in each lot. The surface of a carbon substrate is roughened to have a surface roughness Ra of 10-500 .ANG. by dry etching. The examples of the dry etching methods include chemical dry etching, barrel etching, plasma etching, RIE, RIBE, and ion milling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing carbon substrates for magnetic disks for data storage including a texture treatment process of roughening the surfaces of the carbon substrates, and particularly to a texture treatment process for carbon substrates which is applicable to manufacturing magnetic disks with low static friction or stiction to the magnetic heads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with an increase in the amount of information to be recorded, there have been strong demands on magnetic disks as external recorders with large storage capacity and high recording density.
For improvement of the recording density from the viewpoint of the magnetic head, the decrease in the flying height of the magnetic head is effective to obtain high density. However, to reduce the flying height of the magnetic head, the substrate is required to meet severe requirements in flatness and surface roughness. At the present time, flying height of 0.3 .mu.m or less is necessary for achieving high density recording. In this case, the surface roughness required for the substrate is one-tenth or less of the flying height.
However, for the surfaces of the commonly used aluminum alloy substrates themselves, it is impossible to obtain such a low surface roughness. NiP/Al substrates have been used for the t in-film media wherein the surfaces of the aluminum alloy substrates are plated with electroless NiP films for hardening the surfaces and reducing the defects. Surface roughness can be reduced by using this NiP/Al substrate.
On the other hand, if the surface roughness is excessively reduced, there occurs a problem that the magnetic head is attracted to the magnetic disk surface. This attraction phenomenon is based on the following cause: namely, when the slider surface of the magnetic head and the magnetic disk surface, which are finished to be extremely smooth, are opposed to each other with a micro-gap, the gap is buried by the molecules of O.sub.2, N.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and the like, to thereby generate a large attracting force due to the viscous forces and Vander Waals forces. The above attracting force causes the consumption of a large electric power at the starting of the motor, and further, in the worst case, causes damage to the magnetic head or magnetic disk. As a method of preventing such an attraction phenomenon, for the purpose of reducing the contact area between the slider surface of the magnetic head and the magnetic disk surface, there has been commonly adopted a texture treatment process of controlled roughening of the surface of the substrate. However, the roughening of the surface of the NiP/Al substrate by machining i difficult because of generation of the burrs peculiar to metal. Accordingly, achievement of low flying height of the magnetic head using the NiP/Al substrate i difficult. Further, for improvement of the magnetic characteristic, deposition at higher substrate temperature is preferable, but there occurs a problem due to the magnetization generated by the crystallization of the amorphous NiP at high temperatures.
Various substrates in place of the NiP/Al substrate have been proposed. One arrangement relates to use of a carbon substrate for the magnetic disk, which has the features of high heat resistance, non-magnetic property, lightweight and the like (Sato, and others; Abstract of 37th Associated Meeting of Japan Society of Applied Physics, No. 29a-Y-8, 1990).
In a known texture treatment process of the carbon substrate for the magnetic disk, a carbon substrate after surface polishing is heated at 400.degree.-700.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. hei 3-283018).
The above problems can be all solved by using the carbon substrate subjected to uniform surface roughening. Namely, by surface roughening of the carbon substrate, the attraction between the magnetic disk surface and the magnetic head is reduced and the generation of burrs observed in the NiP/Al substrate is eliminated, which enables the low flying height performance of the magnetic head. Further, since the carbon substrate has a high heat resistance, it is possible to improve the medium performance, and hence to manufacture the magnetic disk with high recording density.
However, the conventional roughening method of heating the carbon substrate after surface polishing a 400.degree.-700.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere is disadvantageous since it increases the manufacturing cost because of its longer treatment time. Also, since the temperature control is difficult, the surface roughness is locally varied in each substrate, thereby generating a variation of the surface roughness in the surface of each substrate, and generating a variation of the surface roughness among the substrates in each lot.

Manufacture of carbon substrate for magnetic disk


A releasable light adjustment mechanism is used in combination with a fiberoptic illuminator and a fiberoptic conductor that is communicably attached to the illuminator. The conductor transmits light from the illuminator to a distal second end portion of the conductor from which the light is emitted. The adjustment mechanism includes a housing having an inlet that is communicably and releasably interengaged by the distal end portion of the conductor, an outlet and an interior passageway communicably connecting the inlet and the outlet. A color wheel or an intensity wheel is mounted rotatably in the housing and extends across the passageway. By rotating the wheel, the light transmitted through the passageway is adjusted.

Providing adequate lighting for surgical and other medical procedures has traditionally proven to be quite difficult. In an effort to improve such lighting I have developed a number of devices including the intensity adjustable fiberoptic cable apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,510 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/834,530 filed Apr. 4, 1997. I have also provided a fiberoptic cable apparatus with an adjustable color filter as set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/010,413 filed Jan. 21, 1998, pending. These devices permit the surgeon or other medical personnel to quickly, conveniently, and accurately adjust the intensity and color, respectively of light used in surgery and other medical procedures. The descriptions contained in the foregoing references are incorporated in this application by reference.

Releasable light adjustment mechanism for a fiberoptic conductor


A printhead including a printhead body and a filter assembly that is removably attached to the printhead body with one or more mechanical fasteners. The filter assembly can include at least a first plate, a second plate, and a filter interposed between the first plate and the second plate. The removable filter assembly can be used to filter a single fluid, such as a liquid ink or a gas, or two or more fluids, using one or more filters. The filter assembly can be removed from the printhead body and replaced with a new or different filter assembly.

Drop-on-demand ink jet technology is widely used in the printing industry. Printers using drop-on-demand ink jet technology can include the use of a printhead that ejects an ink from a plurality of nozzles in a nozzle plate (i.e., aperture plate). Various ejection technologies may be used to eject ink droplets from the plurality of nozzles including, for example, thermal ejection, electrostatic ejection, or piezoelectric ejection.
The manufacture and storage of printheads and ink can generate an amount of debris and contamination within the printhead and ink that can block ink channels within the printhead and the nozzles in the nozzle plate. These blockages can result in poor printer performance and lead to replacement of the printhead. To reduce or prevent blockage of the ink channels and nozzles, the printhead is manufactured to include a particulate filter or "rock screen." The particulate filter is a layer within an interior of the printhead that includes a plurality of holes that are smaller than the anticipated size of the contamination. The particulate filter is typically manufactured as part of a printhead manifold, where the printhead manifold incorporates a plurality of laminated layers including the particulate filter layer. Thus, the particulate filter is built well within the printhead interior. The ink enters a printhead ink inlet from an ink reservoir where it is routed through the ink channels in the upper manifold, through the particulate filter, through the ink channels in the lower manifold, and then ejected from the nozzles in the nozzle plate during printing. The particulate filter is designed to last the lifetime of the printhead.
A particulate filter for an ink jet printhead that has advantages over a conventional particulate filter would be desirable.

Replaceable, high-temperature, multi-channel, externally attached fluidic filter


A contact pressure sensor (10) and method for manufacturing a contact pressure sensor for detecting contact pressure between two surfaces is disclosed. The contact pressure sensor disclosed comprises a substrate (40) for supporting the sensor and a contact pressure sensitive layer (26) sensitive to pressure applied to the contact pressure sensor. The method disclosed also comprises transferring a process post structure (8) that is formed on a first process support substrate (20) from the first process support substrate to a second contact pressure sensor support substrate (40).

Contact pressure sensors are used to measure contact pressures between two surfaces. Knowledge of the pressure that exists between two surfaces may be beneficial for many applications. One application exists between the flanges and gasket surfaces in a pipeline. Uneven tightening of bolts may distort the joints and cause leakage. Furthermore, due to various forces acting on the joint, the relaxation of joints etc., it is important to have real time information of the pressure distribution at the mating surfaces of the joints.
For epitaxial film materials such as AlGaAs, the material of substrate wafer used is Gallium Arsenide (GaAs). Contact pressure sensors are based on solid state physics of the pressure sensitivity of semi-conductor elements from columns IIIB and VB of the Mendeleev table. Different column elements are combined, and are grown epitaxially (lattice-matched) on a single substrate. Once contact pressure is applied to the material a difference in resistance can be measured. Additionally, linearity response can be detected to pressure variations by direct contact instead of by hydrostatic means.
Contact pressure sensors to date have typically been made using piezo-resistivity property of Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (AlGaAs) material, an epitaxial film. Of course, the wafer substrate that the epitaxial film is grown has the same lattice structure as the epitaxial film.
An example of a contact pressure sensor using materials with piezo-resistive properties is a meander resistor which is formed by the conventional fabrication processes, like photolithography, etching and metallization.
A type of solid state pressure sensor of AlGaAs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,697, however, the sensor is based on hydrostatic pressure principles and limited to configurations employing hydrostatic applications.
Various attempts have been performed to overcome the problem of limited pressure values achievable in contact mode. These include (a) thinning of GaAs substrate, (b) enclosing chips in a silicon gel-material to shield the devices and (c) reducing the chip size. However the problem of the chips breaking under high pressures still occurs. Thus, a need exists for a contact pressure sensor to monitor pressure distribution between two surfaces that can withstand direct contact pressures.

Contact pressure sensor and method for manufacturing the same


The present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which includes: a rear casing (2), a mold frame (4) fixedly mounted in the rear casing (2), a backlight module (6) fixedly mounted in the mold frame (4), and a liquid crystal display panel (8) mounted in the mold frame (4) and located above the backlight module (6). The mold frame (4) includes a bottom plate (42), two first side plates (44) perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate (42) to be opposite to each other, and second side plates (46) perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate (42) and each having two ends respectively connected to the two first side plates (44). The two first side plates (44) are each provided with a first receiving slot (442) and a second receiving slot (444). The backlight module (6) is fit into and retained in the first receiving slots (442). The liquid crystal display panel (8) is fit into and retained in the second receiving slots (444). The backlight module and the liquid crystal display panel are releasably mounted to the mold frame through fitting engagement. The structure is simple and mounting is easy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and in particular to a frameless liquid crystal display device.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus of wide applications. Most of the liquid crystal displays that are currently available in the market are backlighting liquid crystal displays, which comprise a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The operation principle of the liquid crystal display panel is that, with liquid crystal molecules interposed between two parallel glass substrates, application of electricity is selectively carried out to control the liquid crystal molecules to change direction in order to refract out light emitting from the backlight module for generating images.
The liquid crystal display generally comprises a rear casing, a front bezel mating the rear casing, a backlight module arranged in the rear casing, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame, wherein the mold frame functions to support the liquid crystal display panel thereon and the front bezel fixes the liquid crystal display panel.
The liquid crystal display panel comprises a color filter (CF) substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate, liquid crystal (LC) ad sealant interposed between the CF substrate and the TFT substrate. A step is formed between edges of the CF substrate and the TFT substrate for electrical connection with an external device in order to drive the liquid crystal display panel.
With continuous development of the manufacturing techniques of the liquid crystal display, the liquid crystal display is in a trend toward frame slimming and is further toward being frameless. However, fixing of a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module of a frameless liquid crystal display is still a challenge to overcome today.
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view is given to show the structure of a conventional frameless liquid crystal display, which comprises: a rear casing 100, a mold frame 200 arranged in the rear casing 100, a backlight module 300 arranged in the mold frame 200, and a liquid crystal display panel 400 arranged in the mold frame 200 and located above the backlight module 300. The liquid crystal display panel 400 is bonded to the mold frame 200 through a bonding means (such as glue, instantaneous adhesive, heat-curable adhesive, and photo-curable adhesive) 500 and the backlight module 300 is also fixed to the mold frame 200 through bonding so as to achieve fixing of the liquid crystal display panel 400 and the backlight module 200 of the frameless liquid crystal display. Further, a circuit accommodation section 600 is formed between one side of the mold frame 200 and one sidewall of sidewalls 120 of the rear casing 100 that is parallel to the side of the mold frame 200 for receiving therein a plurality of circuit films 700 and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 800 that are in electrical connection with the liquid crystal display panel 400 and decorative cover 900 is provided to cover the circuit accommodation section 600 so as to achieve fixing of the PCB 800 of the liquid crystal display panel. Such a known device does not include a front bezel that is commonly used in liquid crystal displays so that the thickness can be minimized with improved aesthetics by means of such a structure. Further, the PCB 800 that was previously arranged under the backlight module 300 is set at one side of the liquid crystal display panel 400 so as to further reduce the thickness of the liquid crystal display.
However, such a structure of liquid crystal display requires the liquid crystal display panel 400 and the backlight module 300 both be fixed by the bonding means 500. To securely fix the liquid crystal display panel 400 and the backlight module 300 to the mold frame 200, the bonding means 500 must have sufficiently strong adhesion. This makes removal of the bonding means 500 difficult in detaching the liquid crystal display panel 400 and the backlight module 300 and the liquid crystal display panel 400 and the backlight module 300 may thus get damaged, leading to a significant loss and being adverse to disassembling operations performed in after services and increasing the maintenance cost.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


Disclosed are methods for purifying polyols containing oxyalkylene units that is an alkali metal catalyzed alkoxylation reaction product of an alkylene oxide and an H-functional starter. The methods include neutralizing the alkali metal ions with an aqueous solution comprising water and sulfuric acid, in which: (i) the sulfuric acid is present in an amount of no more than 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution, and (ii) the sulfuric acid is used in an amount of 2% to 10% more than the theoretical amount necessary to neutralize all of the alkali metal ions present. The methods can produce polyols having a low content of 2-methyl-2-pentenal.

Polyether polyols are often manufactured using a catalyzed alkoxylation reaction of initiators having active hydrogen atoms with epoxides such as, for example, ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide. Alkalinity is often introduced into the resulting polyether polyol by using alkaline metal hydroxides as catalysts.
Potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) are some examples of typical alkaline catalysts used. In general, the metal hydroxide catalyst is added to the H-functional starter (usually a hydroxyl group containing compound), and equilibrium between the metal hydroxide and the starter occurs. This equilibrium is as shown in the following equation (using KOH as the alkaline catalyst):KOH+ROH↔H2O+RO−K+
Both the hydroxide and the alkoxide can react with epoxides. This is often acceptable for short chain (low molecular weight) polyols, but the reaction of water is undesirable in the preparation of long chain (i.e., high molecular weight) polyols. It is therefore, necessary to force the above equilibrium to the right by removing the water (i.e., dewatering). This converts hydroxide to alkoxide. The total amount of alkalinity remains constant and is equal to the amount of hydroxide originally added.
As polyether polyol synthesis is generally practiced, alkaline catalyst present in the polyether polyol is neutralized and/or removed prior to use of the polyol in the production of polyurethane foams. This is commonly accomplished by addition of an acid to neutralize the alkaline catalyst. This neutralization frequently results in the precipitation of a solid salt in the polyether polyol that may be removed by filtration. The removed solid is commonly called the filter cake. Traditionally, sulfuric acid has been used to neutralize polyether polyols. In order to ensure sufficient removal of the alkaline catalyst (which, if present in a sufficient amount, could undesirably catalyze a subsequent urethane-forming reaction) and to provide a filter cake that is easily handled, while still avoiding producing a polyether polyol with an undesirably high acid number (which could cause the polyether to decompose or which could also undesirably catalyze a subsequent urethane forming reaction) the sulfuric acid may be used in an amount slightly higher (such as 2 to 10% higher) than the theoretical amount necessary to neutralize all of the alkali metal ions present. In addition, for production flexibility and to minimize the amount of water that is used that must be later removed, such as by distillation, aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid having a sulfuric acid concentration of 10% to 20% by percent, are commonly employed.
Polyether polyol and polyurethane foam producers are under increased pressure to reduce the presence of odor bodies. One such known odor body that sometimes gives rise to complaints is 2-Methyl-2-Pentenal ("2M2P"), C6H10O, which is known to form by acid reaction of allyl alcohol to propionaldehyde, which then condenses to 2M2P and water. The problem of 2M2P formation is particularly pronounced in production of long chain, low hydroxyl number polyether polyols, which are often used in the production of flexible polyurethane foams. These flexible polyurethane foams are often used in consumer applications, such as foam mattresses and vehicle seating, where the presence of odor bodies is particularly undesirable.
As a result, while the presence of up to 20 ppm of 2M2P in a polyether polyol has historically been acceptable, it would be desirable to provide a method of producing long chain, low hydroxyl number polyether polyols, that routinely have a 2M2P content of 10 ppm or less and which have little or no residual alkalinity from an alkaline catalyst while still maintaining a low acid number.
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing.

Methods for purifying polyols containing oxyalkylene units to reduce 2-methyl-2-pentenal content


A film for stretch packaging comprising as a substrate a film of a linear low density polyethylene having a melt flow rate (190.degree. C.), as measured by an ASTM-D-1238E method, of 0.3 to 8 g/10 min., a density, as measured by an ASTM-D-1505 method, of 0.900 to 0.918 g/cm.sup.3, a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 2 to 6, two or more melting points existing as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter, a maximum melting point Tm.sub.1 of 118.degree. to 125.degree. C. and a ratio of the height Tm.sub.1 H of the peak of the highest melting point Tm.sub.1 to the height Tm.sub.1 H of the melting point Tm.sub.2 adjacent thereto (i.e., Tm.sub.1 H/Tm.sub.2 H), of 1.3 or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film derived from a linear low density polyethylene and used for stretch packaging.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stretch packaging methods have been proposed in which packaging is performed by winding stretchable band-shaped plastic film around articles to be packaged while stretching the films according to known stretching methods (e.g., Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) Nos. 57-13442 and 58-7524). In these methods, highly stretchable stretch films are used to effect high stretch packaging or irregular shape packaging.
Examples of such films used for stretch packaging in the prior art are low density polyethylene, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and linear low density polyethylene.
According to the prior art methods, the stretch packaging machines stretch films by only about 30% during packaging, and recently, to reduce packaging costs, a stretch packaging machine capable of stretching a film by about 300% has been proposed. But, a single layer or composite stretch film composed of the above-mentioned low density polyethylene or ethylene-vinyl acetate can be stretched to a limit of about 150%, and therefore, a problem arises in that the film may be broken at a higher degree of stretching.
Also, in the case of a film composed of a linear low density polyethylene, the setting of the conditions for stretching by 300% or higher is severe, and even if stretching by 300% or higher is possible, too much stress may be applied to the packaged article after packaging, and thus the packaged article is deformed, or the film stretched to an irregular shape, whereby the appearance after packaging becomes undersirable. To solve this problem, the density of the linear low density polyethylene can be lowered, but if only the density is lowered, the starting material pellets or the film may become very sticky, thereby causing problems during the production thereof and in the handling of the packaged product after packaging. Also, although the stretch film has an inherent tackiness, an excessive tackiness will cause problems during the production of the film, and thus the film yield may be lowered.

Stretch packaging method employing multi-layer film


A drain for a wet room, in particular for a shower, includes a drain housing at which an outlet for connecting a drain pipe. In order for a drain of this type to offer a higher drainage capacity in the case of a given drain pipe of standard diameter, the drain housing has a pump for conveying water towards the outlet. The pump is provided with a hydraulic drive. The wet room, in particular a shower, includes a water supply line and a drain of the above-mentioned type.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drain for a wet room, preferably for a shower, comprising a drain housing at which an outlet for connecting a drain pipe is provided. In particular, the invention relates to a shower or wet room comprising a drain of this type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drains for shower tubs or shower trays and floor drains for barrier free showers are known in a variety of configurations. These drains must have a relatively high drainage capacity. A high drainage capacity is required in particular for showers equipped with rain shower heads. Rain showers of this type are popular with many people and are in increasing demand. However, the drainage capacity of conventional shower drains is generally limited owing to various constraints.


Methods and structure for redirecting writes in Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) systems are provided. One exemplary embodiment is a RAID controller that includes a memory and a control unit. The memory is able to store mapping information that correlates Logical Block Addresses of a RAID volume with physical addresses of storage devices. The control unit is able to generate a request to write volume data to at least one of the physical addresses, to determine that a storage device has failed to complete the request, to alter the mapping information by correlating Logical Block Addresses for the request with physical addresses of a spare storage device, to redirect the request to the spare storage device, and to rebuild remaining Logical Block Addresses that are correlated with the storage device that failed.

In storage systems, data for a logical RAID volume is often striped across multiple storage devices to enhance data access speed and/or redundancy. Storage systems use parity information to provide redundancy for RAID volume data. Thus, if a storage device for the RAID volume fails, the parity information kept on other storage devices may be used to rebuild the lost data. In many storage systems that maintain RAID volumes, each time a stripe of volume data is written to storage, the stripe is decomposed into write requests that are each directed to a different storage device. One or more of these write requests may include parity information for the stripe. If a write request to a storage device fails, the storage device is dropped from the RAID volume. However, the corresponding parity information is still successfully written to storage (e.g., because it is directed to a different storage device). The storage system therefore uses this parity information when rebuilding RAID volume data for the dropped storage device.

Write redirection in redundant array of independent disks systems

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A method for creating and assigning categories to electronic messages and detecting the categories for a given message when the message becomes available to the recipient.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of exchanging messages on computer networks such as the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
Social networking on the Internet began with the advent of e-mail, continued with the development of Usenet (online bulletin boards), Web posting networks, including blogs, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and other interactive chat systems, and has since evolved into what has been termed "walled gardens": distinct online communities whose participants are typically paying members who are given access to the resources of the community for the purpose of engaging in social discourse with other members. Resources include the means of posting and viewing photos and videos, messaging with other members, posting comments, and so on. Facebook, MySpace and the various online dating sites, such as Match.com and Yahoo! Personals, are examples of social networks. Members of a given community generally cannot interact with members of other online communities without becoming a member of the other community, hence the term "walled garden".
Some communities, such as many of the online dating sites, are used primarily as filters: members provide a set of personal data, such as age, sex, occupation, income, hobbies, etc., as well as search criteria and the site matches personal—with search criteria, sending e-mail of the various "matches", along with a relative ranking of each match, to their members. The matching and ranking are done at the site and the member receives the results in an e-mail message.
The above messaging scheme maintains the "walled garden" paradigm in its dependence or the site for providing the matching and ranking, as well as a lack of interoperability with other, similar sites. Furthermore, the scheme has a static nature to it: once a message is received, changes in the search criteria by the recipient do not result in ranking changes in messages which had already been sent: one's only option is to submit the changes in the search criteria to the site and wait for it to perform filtering and, perhaps, send some new matches. Worse yet, the recipient of a message indicating, say, a high percentage of commonality between his or her search criteria and another member's personal data, usually has no way of knowing exactly where the commonality is without making extra effort. Also, the categories which make up the filters are fixed; the user has no latitude in creating or propagating his or her search categories.
Among social networks as a whole, one common shortcoming stands out: namely, the inability of the network to provide a mapping of message sender characteristics with message viewer filters. In the case of Usenet, one invention, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,269, attempted to alleviate this shortcoming. However, the invention only applied to Usenet and did not provide any level of privacy to the message sender's characteristics. The present invention provides the mapping described for messages sent anywhere in the entire Internet and is applicable to a broad class of social networks.

Managing message categories in a network


A load bearing device is disclosed, which includes a girder to support the load. The girder is accommodated in a housing connected to the load and can be pulled out from the house to engage a girder receptacle, which is fastened to a wall or the like. By means of this bearing device, it is possible to mount prefabricated structural elements such as stairway landings in easy manner.

The invention concerns a load bearing device, by means of which structural elements can be fastened to a wall or the like. In particular, the bearing device according to the invention is suitable for anchoring a stairway landing to a building wall.
Bearing devices for fastening of structural elements to walls are known in the most diverse form. Two-piece bearing devices are known for fastening stairway landings to building walls; these have a girder which is taken up by a girder receptacle. Usually this girder receptacle has solid-borne soundproofing, so that no solid-borne sound can be transmitted from the stairway landing to the building wall.
In order to achieve this, the girder receptacle is appropriately insulated in the areas which come into contact with the building wall. The following procedure is used to anchor a stairway landing. First, the girder receptacle is inserted into the building wall. Since stairwells are often made of mix-in-situ concrete, the girder receptacle is simply anchored in the formwork and then cast with the concrete. Of course, the girder receptacle can also be built into a brick wall.
When a sufficient number of girder receptacles for secure supporting of the load have been built into the stairwell walls, the formwork and the necessary reinforcement are constructed for the stairway landing. After this, the girders are inserted into the girder receptacles and positioned in the formwork so that a sufficient connection between the girder and the stairway landing is guaranteed. Next, concrete is poured into the forms, thus producing the stairway landing. The concrete binds with the girder and thus ensures the anchoring of the stairway landing to the walls of the building. In order to avoid bridges which carry sound, the stairway landing must be prevented from having direct contact with the walls of the building. Therefore, the connection of the stairway landing to the wall of the building should only occur through the solid-borne soundproofed girder receptacle or other insulating elements.
Corresponding bearing devices are used not only for anchoring stairway landings, but also for connecting any desired cantilever plates and also other structural elements.

MEA Meisinger, Stahl and Kunststoff GmbH