A high speed thrust bearing assembly is provided for use on a hand-held circular saw. The thrust bearing assembly is held in place within a plastic housing which has a through hole therethrough. The plastic housing further has a first counterbore which is larger than the through hole, and a second counterbore which is larger than the first counterbore. A high speed thrust plate is placed within the plastic housing. The thrust plate has a flange section and a bearing section. The bearing section has an indentation therein. The thrust plate is placed within the plastic housing so that the bearing section is disposed through the through hole of the plastic housing with the flange section being held within the first counterbore. A sleeve bearing is thereafter placed within the second counterbore and surrounds a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft has a terminal end with a cylindrical projection thereon which matingly fits within the indentation of the bearing section in the thrust plate.

This invention relates to a high speed trust bearing assembly, and more particularly to a high speed thrust bearing assembly which can be used in a circular saw.
Circular saws are used in both a commercial and residential environment to cut a variety of items. The blade of a typical circular saw is driven by an electric motor. The motor has extending therefrom an armature shaft that typically rotates at speeds of up to 25,000 rpm. This armature shaft must be axially supported, while allowing it to properly rotate. In the past, this has been done utilizing one of the two bearing assemblies shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
As shown in FIG. 3, it is known to insert the end of an armature shaft 10 through a cylindrical sleeve bearing 12. Shaft 10 will rotate within sleeve bearing 12 when the saw is in operation. Sleeve bearing 12 is held within a metal casting 14 in a press-fit relationship. Typical metals used for casting 14 include aluminum and zinc. Casting 14 is coupled to a plastic housing 16 with a suitable attaching means, such as screws 18. Shaft 10 has fixed thereon a commutator 20 that rotates shaft 10 through electromagnetic forces. Between commutator 20 and sleeve bearing 12 are one or more washers 22. In this prior art bearing arrangement, sleeve bearing 12 is axially supported within the metal casting 14. In particular, the contacting of commutator 20 with sleeve bearing 12 through washers 22 prevents axial movement of shaft 10 when the motor is in operation. However, the frictional contact between sleeve bearing 12 and commutator 20, acting through washer 22, occurs at a radially outward location relative to the axis of shaft 10. Therefore, the portion of commutator 20 in contact with sleeve bearing 12 will rotate at a high velocity, resulting in a large heat generation. Washers 22 and zinc casting 14 are employed in this bearing arrangement to dissipate this heat.
An alternative prior art bearing arrangement, as best seen in FIG. 4, eliminates the need for casting 14. In this embodiment, sleeve bearing 12 is held in place within plastic housing 16. Again, axial movement of shaft 10 is prevented by engagement of commutator 20 with sleeve bearing 12. The frictional contact between sleeve bearing 12 and commutator 20 still occurs at a radially outward location relative to the shaft center. Therefore, this embodiment also results in substantial heat generation. To dissipate the heat generated, one or more washers 22 can again be added. Because casting 14 has been eliminated from this arrangement, it is necessary to enlarge sleeve bearing 12 in an attempt to dissipate the heat generated. The use of a larger bearing increases the overall cost of the bearing arrangement, and therefore the overall cost of the product. Further, the generated heat, if not properly dissipated, can increase the wear rate experienced by sleeve bearing 12, thus inhibiting the overall performance of the saw. Neither of the above described prior art bearing arrangements provides a structure that can efficiently retain a high-temperature lubricant in the area of contact between the shaft, the commutator and the sleeve bearing. More specifically, lubricant placed in these areas is subject to a high degree of centrifugal force due to the radially outward location of these areas. Additionally, there is no defined structure to retain the lubricant. The use of a high temperature lubricant could further reduce the heat build-up and wear on the bearing assembly.
Therefore, a high speed thrust bearing assembly is needed that is simple in design, easily assembled and that results in lower heat generation so that metal castings and washers can be eliminated from the design. Further, a high speed thrust bearing assembly is needed that does not employ an oversized sleeve bearing. Still further, a high speed thrust bearing assembly is needed that provides a structure to allow a high temperature lubricant to be used to reduce heat and wear within the bearing assembly.


The invention is directed to a contact lens design and methods of manufacturing, fitting and using such lenses. The contact lens may be designed for use in a corneal refractive therapy (CRT) program. The lens provides a design which allows proper fitting of a patient, whether for corrective contact lenses or for a CRT program. Due to the rational design of the lenses according to the present invention, a minimal number of lens parameter increments can be identified to cover the range of common corneas. It is therefore possible to provide pre-formed lens buttons or blanks which are easily formed into a final design, thereby simplifying and speeding up the treatment process. Further, any adjustment of the lens design which may be required based upon trial fitting or the like, is easily envisioned and implemented by the fitter.

In the treatment of visual acuity deficiencies, correction by means of eyeglasses or contact lenses are used by a large percentage of the population. Such deficiencies include patients having hyperopia or being far-sighted, myopia or near-sighted patients as well as astigmatisms caused by asymmetry of the patient's eye and presbyopia caused by loss of accommodation by the crystalline lens. Although the use of contact lenses is widespread, there are potential difficulties in properly fitting a lens for a patient, which in turn could damage the patient's cornea or cause discomfort. More recently, to alleviate the burden of wearing eyeglasses and/or contact lenses, surgical techniques have been developed for altering the shape of the patient's cornea in an attempt to correct refractive errors of the eye. Such surgical techniques include photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), LASIK (laser in-situ keratectomy), as well as procedures such as automated lamilar keratectomy (ALK) or implanted corneal rings, implanted contact lenses, and radial keratotomy. These procedures are intended to surgically modify the curvature of the cornea to reduce or eliminate visual defects. The popularity of such techniques has increased greatly, but still carry risk in both the procedure itself as well as post surgical complications.
Alternatives to permanent surgical procedures to alter the shape of the cornea include CRT and ortho-K, where a contact lens is applied to the eye to alter the shape or curvature of the cornea by compression of the corneal surface imparted by the lens. The reshaping of the cornea in orthokeratology has been practiced for many years, but typically has required a series of lenses and an extensive period of time to reshape the cornea. It is also typical of orthokeratology treatment plans that the lenses used for reshaping of the cornea must be custom designed and manufactured, thereby greatly increasing the cost and complicating general use of such procedures. Further, orthokeratology lenses typically have various deficiencies, particularly relating to properly designing a lens for a particular patient to achieve best results in the treatment process. Specifically corneal abrasions from poorly distributed bearing, corneal warpage from decentered lenses, edema from tight fitting lenses and discomfort from excessive lens edge standoff are problems associated with an improperly fit lens. The design of orthokeratology lenses have not lent themselves to be easily fitted for a particular patient and their needs, requiring a doctor or other practitioner to have significant skill in complex geometric computation to properly mate the lens shape to the patients cornea and a high level of expertise in properly fitting a patient. Further, even with a high level of expertise, a lens designer many times will design a lens which will not work properly with a patient, and must be redesigned to account for the errors of the original design. Such a process is lengthy and increases the cost of the treatment correspondingly. It would be desirable to provide a lens for corneal refractive therapy which would allow a novice fitter to more easily select and arrive at a final design to simplify the fitting process.
Another deficiency of Ortho-K lenses is found in the complexity of the designs, which exacerbate the fitting problems mentioned previously. In the fitting process, if there is an aspect of the lens design which is not properly fitted for the desired treatment of the patients eye, or causes excessive discomfort to the patient, the lens must be redesigned accordingly. Unfortunately, in an attempt to redesign a lens, a practitioner may affect other aspects of the lens due to the interdependency between design features or may not anticipate manufacturing variances required by the altered design. It would be worthwhile to provide an CRT lens having independent features, which could be easily modified if required to attain a proper fit in a simpler and more cost-effective process. It would also be desirable to provide an CRT lens design which enhances the ability of a fitter and a consultant to discuss more clearly the lens cornea relationship, to enable parameters of the lens to be easily communicated to a finishing laboratory for forming a desired lens.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Contact lens and methods of manufacture and fitting such lenses and computer program product


An ultrasound system and method to measure an organ wall weight and mass. When the organ is a bladder, a bladder weight (UEBW) is determined using three-dimensional ultrasound imaging that is acquired using a hand-held or machine controlled ultrasound transceiver. The infravesical region of the bladder is delineated on this 3D data set to enable the calculation of urine volume and the bladder surface area. The outer anterior wall of the bladder is delineated to enable the calculation of the bladder wall thickness (BWT). The UEBW is calculated as a product of the bladder surface area, the bladder wall thickness, and the bladder wall specific gravity.

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and other disorders can cause mechanical bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). A marker for predicting BOO is determining the weight of the bladder wall. Using probing ultrasound, an ultrasound estimated bladder wall weight (UEBW) might be obtained in a non-invasive way. Existing methods for acquiring UEBW assumes that the bladder is spherically shaped and that the thickness of the bladder wall is relatively constant in near empty to nearly full bladders. Moreover, the existing 2D methods are manually based, utilizing leading edge-to-leading edge of opposing bladder walls laboriously executed upon a series of two-dimensional images, and are fraught with analytical inaccuracies (H. Miyashita, M. Kojima, and T. Miki, "Ultrasonic measurement of bladder weight as a possible predictor of acute urinary retention in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostate hyperplasia", Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 2002, 28(8): 985-990; M. Oelke, K. Hofner, B. Wiese, V. Gruneweld, and U. Jonas, "Increase in detrusor wall thickness indicates bladder outlet obstruction in men," World J. of Urology, 2002, 19(6), 443-452; L. Muller, T. Bergstrom, M. Hellstrom, E. Svensson, and B. Jacobson, "Standardized ultrasound method for assessing detrusor muscle thickness in children," J. Urol., 200, 164: 134-138; and Naya, M. Kojima, H. Honjyo, A. Ochiai, O. Ukimura, and H. Watanabe, "Intraobserver and interobserver variance in the measurement of ultrasound-estimated bladder weight," Ultrasound in Med. & Biol., 1999, 24(5): 771-773).
There is a need to accurately and non-invasively determine bladder wall weight by accurately measuring bladder wall volume to avoid incurring the errors invoked by the fixed bladder shape assumptions and those generated by the manual image processing methods of 2D acquired ultrasound images.

Systems and methods for determining organ wall mass by three-dimensional ultrasound


A compact beacon-detector type IFF system to be carried by individual soldiers. The system consists of a beacon and a special purpose detector. The beacon is a small, light-weight, battery powered device that is worn on the soldier's web gear. The detector consists of a small flashlight-like device that can be hand held or mounted on a weapon, similar to a rifle scope. The beacon's signal is not visible to those using existing night vision equipment nor is it otherwise exploitable by a potential adversary. The system achieves its covertness through the selection of the optical wavelength used by the beacon. Further signature reduction is achieved through the use of a Low Probability of Intercept ("LPI") spread spectrum waveform as the beacon output. This waveform utilizes a spreading code to encode the beacon output signal. Even if an enemy has a sensor capable of detecting the proper optical wavelength, it would not be able to detect or emulate the beacon's signal without prior knowledge of the specific spreading code used. The detector of the present invention is designed to despread the beacon output waveform, allowing the signal to be detected. This spread/despread code can be changed as frequently as required, so that capture of the beacon or detector would not be a serious risk to compromising the system.

The recent instances of death and injury of soldiers by "friendly fire" during Operation Desert Storm has all too poignantly stressed the need for the armed services to be able to accurately and rapidly identify those forces friendly to them. An accurate system of friendly force identification could have easily avoided much of the bloodshed from such unfortunate accidents.
Recent advances in surveillance technology have created a necessity for better systems for distinguishing friend from foe. In military applications, military aircraft and shipboard and ground stations are equipped with sophisticated radar systems which can detect the presence of other aircraft in its general vicinity long before anyone at the radar site can make a visual identification. The capability also exists at these radar sites, or at the command of the radar sites, for firing weapons at a radar target. In a combat context, there is a great need to make the earliest possible friend or foe determination of the detected aircraft. If the aircraft is fired upon before identification is made, there is a chance that friendly aircraft will be shot down. If too much time passes before a friend or foe determination is made, there is a chance of being attacked by enemy aircraft.
As previously stated and as illustrated by Desert Storm statistics, there is also a need for IFF capability for individual soldiers on combat missions. When numerous soldiers are deployed in territory in which there is a good chance that enemy soldiers will be present also, the opportunity for fratricide is great. A soldier who fires at any movement in a cotabat environment risks shooting friendly personnel. However, waiting until a positive visual identification is made puts the soldier at risk himself. This is particularly critical at night and in inclement weather, when visibility is accurate over a shorter distance. An IFF system for individuals is needed to avoid injury and death due to friendly fire. This system must be equally effective both during the day and at night, and also during adverse weather conditions. Because the system will be carried by an individual, it must be compact, lightweight, and easy to activate and deactivate. Such an IFF system would also be useful in signalling applications, such as in locating personnel downed in enemy territory.
Numerous IFF-type systems are known which are adapted for a variety of uses. Many of these systems involve an interrogator and a transponder. The interrogator "challenges" a person or vehicle with a coded signal. A friendly target having a transponder will recognize the coded signal as a challenge, or interrogation, and will transmit a properly coded reply to the interrogator. The interrogator will recognize the reply as friendly, and the user will act accordingly. An unfriendly target, or foe, will not recognize the coded interrogation, and will therefore not respond. The interrogator, upon receiving no reply after waiting a predetermined amount of time, will indicate to the user that the target is unknown and presumed hostile, and the user will act accordingly.
Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,769, issued to Robin et al. This is a classic IFF system utilizing an interrogator and a transponder. Other such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,478 to Strauss et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,742 to Morita et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,568 to Snaper, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,050 to Sauermann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,265 to Coester, U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,008 to de Corlieu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,146 to Lennington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,911 to Buser et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,101 to Titterton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,488 to Joguet, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,288 to Cleveland. These systems all include an interactive transponder. That is, the transponder only transmits a reply when it senses an interrogation. At all other times, no output signal issues from the transponder.
This type of interactive system is advantageous in keeping the communication between friendly entities secure. During the time that the transponder does not output a signal, unfriendly observers cannot detect the transponder's presence. However, transponders that are not interactive, that is, those that continuously transmit, have much more simple designs. A continuously transmitting transponder, or beacon, only requires a transmitter. An interactive transponder requires a receiver f or the incoming interrogation, signal decoding and recognition circuitry and signal generation circuitry for the reply in addition to the transmitter. A beacon-type transponder requires a less expensive design, is less expensive to build, is more reliable due to the less complicated design, and can be designed in a smaller package. The interrogator making up part of a system using a beacon transponder would employ a simpler design as well. The interrogator need only be a detector in this case, as only a receiver and signal recognition circuitry would be required. If designed properly, an IFF system comprising a beacon and a detector can also provide the security manifest in the interactive type transponder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,882, issued to Bassett et al. discloses a beacon and detector type signalling system. The output of the beacon is coded, but the coding is not used to verify the reply; the detector interprets the coded reply word to elicit information. U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,669 to Klingman, III discloses a recognition is system for robots. Beacons are placed on numerous objects and a robot is equipped with an optical detector. The beacon outputs are coded so that the robot can identify the objects. U.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H333 to Curtis discloses an infrared beacon on a target vehicle, along with a special purpose receiver on a surveillance vehicle. Different filters may be used on the beacon to change the output frequency within the infrared range. The pulse repetition rate of the output signal may also be changed. The surveillance vehicle then recognizes as friendly any vehicle emitting a signal having the predetermined wavelength and pulse rate.
The preceding inventions do not take full advantage of the size and money saving advantages of the beacon-detector type IFF system, nor do they provide the security necessary for modern military applications. The most sophisticated coding method in the previous references, that used in the Curtis invention, is too easily corruptible using today's military technology. The beacon signal transmitted at any one time has a constant wavelength and a constant pulse repetition rate. Anyone with a detector sensitive to the particular frequency used will immediately recognize the pulse rate. The beacon output signal would then be too easy to detect and mimic by unfriendly observers. Also, the unit's size would make it suitable only for use with vehicles, being too cumbersome to be carried by individual personnel who need covert identification means on the battlefield.
Recently, a series of field tests were conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School on various soldier identification systems in order to determine their utility as a means to prevent fratricide when employed by dismounted soldiers. One of these devices consisted of a near infrared (0.88 micrometer wavelength) light emitting diode ("LED") connected to a 9 volt battery and flashed at about 2 Hz. This wavelength is invisible to the naked eye, but falls within the responsivity range of current image intensifier ("I.sup.2 ") type detector devices.
The tests demonstrated that the system, when worn on a soldier's web gear and viewed from the front or side, was visible at ranges up to 1500 meters through currently fielded I.sup.2 equipment. When viewed from the rear, with the light obscured by the soldier's body, the device was detectable intermittently to 1500 meters, and was clearly visible to all, both friend and foe, up to a range of 700 meters (500 meters in the woods). Furthermore, if a soldier were standing near shrubbery, in a foxhole, or behind some object, enough infrared radiation was scattered from leaves, other nearby surfaces, or particles in the air that a "halo" was created that generally increased the device's signature. This provided a limited non-line of sight capability, and accounts for the visibility of the system's beacon from any angle, even when obscured by the soldier's body.
The tests therefore demonstrated that the system functioned as an ideal individual soldier identification device, but was too easily exploitable by potential adversaries. The frequency chosen and lack of adequate coding made it too susceptible to detection by imaging systems such as night vision equipment. For this reason, the system is not suitable for use in assisting the recognition of friendly dismounted troops or vehicles in a situation where security could be compromised.


The dice board game is played on a game board having two opposite peripheral sides defining rows of base positions. Each base position is an opponent's goal position. Each player designates the order and point value of his base positions before the start, with base position order and values and a “Game Over” designator being concealed from one another until the game is started. Each player controls a corresponding number of position markers, with dice determining which markers are advanced on each play. Either or both players may advance on any toss of the die, depending upon the outcome. Points are accrued as markers reach certain positions on the board. The winner acquires an agreed number of points by advancing markers across the board and taking points concealed beneath the opponent's base position markers along the opposite side of the board, or discovers the opponent's concealed “Game Over” designator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to board games. More specifically, the present game is played on a game board having two opposing rows of base positions, with the two players using specially configured dice to advance markers across the game board to the opposite base positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Board games (chess, checkers, etc.) and games using chance means (dice, etc.) have been known for centuries. Other games using chance means to determine the outcome have also been known for a considerable time. As these games were developed and modified, the use of dice to govern the moves of playing pieces across or around a game board was applied to various games. Most such games utilize a single peripheral or other playing path about the board, with play involving perhaps several circuits about the board. Such board games utilizing a peripheral playing path and chance means to determine advancement often include simulated currency or the like as a means of determining the scoring and winner of the game. Each player controls only a single position marker, however.
Other games have been developed that provide multiple playing paths and multiple position markers across the game board (e.g., Chinese checkers), with still other games utilizing dice to determine the advance of multiple position markers in various combinations over the surface of the board (e.g., backgammon). While many players place wagers on the outcome of such games, there is no provision for the accumulation of points or simulated currency for scoring as the game progresses.
The present inventor is not aware of any board games using dice for advancement across the board, which include multiple interconnected playing paths from multiple starting positions toward multiple opposing goals. Moreover, none of the games of which the present inventor is aware allow the players to select the designation and/or value of their own starting positions, with the opposing players being required to adjust their paths across the board in order to arrive at the proper corresponding goal across the board. The present inventor also is unaware of any games using dice or the like to determine position marker movement in which the dice may randomly designate movement for the markers of both players with each toss of the dice by either of the players.
Thus, a dice board game solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A latch mechanism is described having a housing comprised of a top plate having an aperture, side walls and an end wall depending from the top plate so as to leave a ledge adjacent its periphery, resilient tabs extending outwardly from said side walls and toward said top plate, slots in the side walls parallel to the top plate, a bolt suspended in said housing by wings extending into respective slots and a spring between the end wall of said housing and an end of the bolt.

Windows that are hinged on one side of the sash require latch mechanisms at the other to keep them shut. Such mechanisms are generally comprised of an elongated housing containing a bolt that is biased by a spring so that one end extends beyond an end of the housing. That end of the bolt has a biased striking surface that engages one side of a rail in the jamb when the window is almost closed so that further closure forces the bolt back into the housing. When the window is fully closed, the spring forces the bolt outwardly on the other side of the rail to hold it shut. An opening in the housing permits access to the bolt so that the window can be opened by withdrawing it into the housing.
By way of example, such latch mechanisms may be mounted in the outer edges of the top of a top sash member of a window that pivots about an axis through its bottom sash member so that ready access is provided to the outside of the window for cleaning.
When the sash is made of wood, the latch housing may be mounted in a groove that is routed in the tope of the top sash member that extends through the jamb side of the stile on that side and firmly held therein by screws. Firmly mounting a latch mechanism in a hollow sash made of metal or plastic is more difficult. It is customary to form an elongated opening in the top wall of the top sash member that is parallel to that member and that communicates with an opening in the outer wall of the adjacent stile.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,291, a latch mechanism is described that is adapted to be inserted endwise through the opening in the stile and slid along the elongated opening in the top sash member. The edges of the elongated opening serve as rails that slide into grooves formed between a top plate of the housing and ridges along the outsides of walls depending from the top plate. Special notches are required in the sides of the opening in the stile to permit the ridges to pass. The housing is rigid because of a bottom between the edges of the depending walls so as to form a rectilinear opening in which a spring biased bolt slides. A projection from the bottom engages the inside of the stile when the mechanism is installed so as to prevent it from being forced out of the opening in the stile through which it was inserted. Unfortunately, however, there must be play between the rails formed by the edges of the elongated opening in the top of the sash and the grooves in the sides of the housing to permit the housing to be installed as describe so that a firm mounting is not attached. Furthermore, there must be sufficient play to accommodate variation in the dimensions of the elongated opening.
Another latch mechanism that is produced by Ro-Mai Industries of Twinsburg, Ohio is installed by forcing its housing perpendicularly through the elongated opening in the top of the sash. The edges of the elongated opening fit between the top plate of the housing and rigid tabs on its side walls. In order to accommodate top sash walls of different thicknesses and variations in the dimensions of the elongated opening, fairly wide tolerances must be used so that the latch mechanism is not firmly mounted in all cases.
Furthermore, both the Ro-Mai latch mechanism and that of the patent are difficult to assemble so that the spring and bolt are properly positioned because their housings are four sided and rigid.
A latch mechanism is constructed in accordance with this invention is easy to assemble and can accommodate variations in the thickness of the material from which the sash is made as well as variations in the sizes of the elongated opening in the top of the sash in which they are inserted. Furthermore, special notches are not required in the opening of the stile.
A latch mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention snaps firmly into position when forced perpendicularly through an elongated opening in the top of a top sash that communicates with an opening in the adjacent stile. Its housing is comprised of a top plate that is larger than the elongated opening and a wall having spaced parallel sides and an end depending from the top plate and spaced from its periphery. Resilient tabs extending outwardly from the wall are pushed inwardly as the housing is forced through the elongated opening and snap outwardly when a portion of their tops is below the edge of the opening. The housing is held firmly in position in spite of reasonable variations in the thickness of the edge of the elongated opening and in spite of reasonable variations in its dimensions. Slots that are parallel to the top plate are formed in the sides of the wall.
A bolt of a latch mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention is an elongated member having a base and resilient walls depending therefrom that is adapted to slide between the depending walls of the housing described above with its base adjacent said top plate. The bolt is supported in the housing by wings extending outwardly from the respective resilient walls that are adapted to respectively pass through the slots in the depending walls of the housing. The lower surfaces of the wings slope away from the base so as to draw the walls of the housing toward each other if the base is forced away from the top plate, thus aiding in preventing the bolt from being lost in the hollow sash.
A spring is mounted between the closed end of the housing and the nearer end of the bolt. In the preferred construction, a post extends from the end of the bolt facing the closed end of the housing, and one end of a coiled spring is placed over the post. The other end of the spring bears against the closed end of the housing, and in order to prevent this end of the spring from falling out, the inside of the closed end of the housing is tapered or cup shaped.
In order to aid in accommodating wide tolerances in the thickness of the walls of a sash and in the dimensions of the elongated opening through which the mechanism is inserted, ridges are formed in the tops of the resilient tabs that are perpendicular to the side walls. The ridges make it possible for the tabs to snap outwardly even through the ridges are not entirely below the edges of the elongated opening because it can deform the ridges.

Snap on latch mechanism for a sash window


An integrated circuit (100) includes a firewall input terminal, a first circuit (110, 120, 170, 172), and a second circuit (220). The firewall input terminal is for receiving a firewall input signal. The first circuit (110, 120, 170, 172) is coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal (203) and has an output for providing a control signal. The second circuit is coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal (210), to the firewall input terminal (214), and to the first circuit (110, 120, 170, 172). When the firewall input signal is inactive, an activation of the control signal affects the operation of the second circuit. When the firewall input signal is active, an activation of the control signal does not affect the operation of the second circuit.

Low power consumption is an important requirement in the design of data processing systems. For example many applications such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, and the like are powered by a battery. In order to avoid frequent battery changes or the need to connect the battery to a charger, it is desirable that all integrated circuits consume a minimum amount of power. Modern digital integrated circuit fabrication techniques use complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors that facilitate low power consumption. CMOS logic circuits only consume significant amounts of power when they are switching and integrated circuits built using CMOS technology, or significant portions thereof, may be designed to operate statically, allowing the power to be reduced during periods of inactivity.
Early power reduction techniques were hardware based. For example in an electronic hand held calculator, the user would enable the arithmetic circuitry by depressing a key. The arithmetic circuitry would input the operands and perform the calculation before shutting down.
However these techniques proved to be inadequate for microprocessors which might, for example, perform periodic functions independent of any user input. U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,945 invented by James J. Remedi discloses two software-based techniques for power reduction. The first technique, known as WAIT mode, causes the clock signals to be interrupted between the oscillator and the data processing system in response to a WAIT instruction. WAIT mode takes advantage of the fact that clock signals provided to a static CMOS microprocessor can be interrupted without the microprocessor losing its state. The second technique is known as STOP mode. In STOP mode, not only are the microprocessor's clock signals interrupted, but the oscillator itself is also disabled. Thus even the power consumed by the oscillator circuit is saved. However exit from STOP mode requires a wake-up delay for the clock signals from the oscillator to stabilize before being driven to the microprocessor and STOP mode cannot be used in situations that require fast response to external events. In either WAIT mode or STOP mode, it is possible to continue to supply clock signals to an internal timer, known as a watchdog timer, to periodically wake up the microprocessor.
In MOS integrated circuits that have been placed in STOP mode, the only power consumed is due to leakage currents. In many battery-powered applications it is desirable to reduce power consumption further by eliminating even these leakage currents. However if operational power were removed from the chip, the watchdog timer would be unable to periodically reawaken the chip, and an external wakeup mechanism would be required. Furthermore such external wakeup mechanism requires additional components and adds to system cost. Thus there is a need for a new mode capable of reducing power consumption even further without increasing system cost.

Integrated circuit with a hibernate mode and method therefor


A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an outer liner having a first end interconnected to an opposite second end by an outer liner wall composed of a plurality of outer segments. The inner liner has a first inner end interconnected to an opposite second inner end by an inner liner wall composed of a plurality of inner segments. The outer liner wall and the inner liner wall define a combustion chamber, and each of the outer wall segments extend at an angle of at least 40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis. The outer wall segments includes a first segment, a second segment that extends at a second angle relative to the first segment, which is less than a third angle defined between the second segment and a third segment and is substantially the same as a fourth angle defined between the third segment and a fourth segment.

Gas turbine engines may be employed to power various devices. For example, a gas turbine engine may be employed to power a mobile platform, such as an aircraft. In a gas turbine engine, air is compressed in a compressor, and mixed with fuel and ignited in a combustor to generate hot combustion gases, which flow downstream into a turbine section for energy extraction. Due to the high temperatures in many gas turbine engine applications, it is desirable to regulate the operating temperature of certain engine components, particularly those within the mainstream hot gas flow path in order to prevent overheating. As such, it is desirable to cool the combustor components, to prevent or reduce adverse impact and extend useful life. In certain examples, the combustor may include effusion cooling holes to assist in cooling the combustor. Certain effusion cooling holes include a complex geometry, which is not capable of being machined or cast into the combustor.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a combustor a method for manufacturing the combustor with the effusion cooling holes to provide improved cooling for the combustor. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Combustor for gas turbine engine and method of manufacture


An OFDM transmission apparatus having minimal transmission delay comprises a training symbol storage and generation unit, a delay unit and a controller. The training symbol storage and generation unit stores training symbols for the preamble, and outputs the stored training symbols when a training symbol output request signal is received. The delay unit receives data for the signal field from the MAC layer, delays the received data by the data processing time of the scrambler, and outputs the delayed data to the convolution encoder. The controller outputs the training symbol output request signal, requesting the preamble of the frame, to the training symbol storage and generation unit when a frame transmission request is received from the MAC layer, and outputs a data request signal, requesting the signal field and the data field, to the MAC layer in consideration of total data processing time (TPROCESS).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmission technology and, more particularly, to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmission apparatus and method that are implemented to minimize the transmission delay of a frame when the frame received from an upper layer is transmitted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, Internet telephones have been popularized, and several wireless Internet telephones using Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technologies based on the IEEE 802.11 standard have been commercialized.
One of the factors that must be considered to apply WLAN technologies to voice communication is a transmission delay problem. If the transmission delay between transmitting and receiving parties in voice communication is long, an echo may be generated and degrade the quality of communication. Accordingly, efforts to minimize transmission delay as much as possible must be made.
An OFDM scheme, that is, one of the WLAN technologies, is a digital modulation scheme for improving a transmission rate per unit bandwidth and preventing multi-path interference, and is a multi-carrier modulation scheme using a plurality of carriers that are orthogonal to one another. Furthermore, the OFDM scheme allows many carriers to be multiplexed compared to a common Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) scheme, so that the OFDM scheme has high frequency use efficiency and a transmission rate per unit bandwidth can be increased when the number of carriers increases.
A typical implementation example in which a transmitter is implemented using such an OFDM scheme is shown in FIG. 1. Generally, in an OFDM transmitter, data to be transmitted are transmitted to a scrambler 101 with a transmission rate set thereon. The data scrambled in the scrambler 101 are input to an interleaver 103 through a convolution encoder 102. The data are interleaved with each other in the interleaver 103. A constellation mapper 104 maps the interleaved data according to a transmission data rate, and then transmits the mapped data to a Radio Frequency (RF) converter 108 through an inverse fast Fourier transformer 105, a guard-interval inserter 106 and a symbol wave-shaping filter 107.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the format of a frame that is transmitted from the OFDM transmitter of FIG. 1. When the frame shown in FIG. 2 is output through the OFDM transmitter of FIG. 1, a preamble 21 is output as ten short training symbols during the first 8 μs (microseconds) and then as two long training symbols during a subsequent 8 μs and a signal field 22 and a data field 23 are output as OFDM symbols on a 4 μs (i.e., a transmission interval basis) basis, as shown in FIG. 3.
In order to implement such a transmitter to have minimal transmission delay, it is required that the training symbols shown in FIG. 3 be output from the transmitter immediately after a data transmission request is generated. Although not particularly defined in the IEEE 802.11 standard, to fulfill the above-described condition, the transmitter must be constructed so that the training symbols corresponding to the preamble 21 are previously stored in a training symbol storage and generation unit 150, the training symbols are output from the training symbol storage and generation unit 150 immediately after a data transmission request is generated, and OFDM symbols that correspond to the signal field 22 and the data field 23 are output immediately after the output of the training symbols is completed, as shown in FIG. 4.
Conventionally, there is no particular requirement for how the OFDM transmitter is implemented so as to have minimal transmission delay. The construction of the OFDM transmitter shown in FIG. 4 may have a different purpose, and can be easily contrived by any person having a basic knowledge of electronic or communication engineering on the basis of the IEEE 802.11 standard.
An example of such construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat Appl. Pub No. 2004/0160892 A1 (published on Aug. 19, 2004) entitled "Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Transmitter System and VLSI Implementation Thereof." The system of the preceding patent is constructed in such a way that a time-domain preamble is previously stored in a memory, and is then transmitted without passing through other function blocks immediately after a data transmission request is generated. However, the preceding patent discloses only that very small transmission delay is achieved by causing the preamble to be directly output without passing through other function blocks, but does not disclose the time points at which a signal field and a data field will be output in consideration of the data processing of other function blocks. In other words, the preceding patent does not describe the time points at which the data of the signal field and the data field are requested from an upper layer while the training symbols of the preamble are output, in consideration of the data processing time of the function blocks. Accordingly, the implementation of an OFDM transmitter having minimal transmission delay, which the present invention attempts to achieve, has not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, an OFDM modulation/demodulation apparatus and method, which support a variable data rate in a WLAN system, are disclosed in Korean Pat No. 0375824 issued on Feb. 28, 2003. This patent provides the OFDM modulation/demodulation apparatus and method that can support a variable data rate prescribed in the IEEE 802.11a standard. In particular, the apparatus and method allow modulation and demodulation based on a data rate of 6 Mbps to 54 Mbps to be processed in a single device. However, this OFDM modulation/demodulation apparatus does not teach a method of implementing a transmission apparatus having minimal transmission delay.

OFDM transmission apparatus and method having minimal transmission delay

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


This invention relates to an internal support or support frame for a liner used to protect the inside surface of a container from coming in contact with the contents to be deposited therein. For example, garbage can liners are provided to protect the inside surfaces of garbage cans from coming in contact with and thus contaminated by the garbage that is deposited and stored therein. The internal support or support frame provides that the liner is contained entirely within the container, without having to lap or drape over the exterior of the container. This eliminates a problem associated with using plastic liners draped over the outside of containers such as garbage cans that usually result in an unsightly situation, especially in the case of decorative trash cans.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an internal support frame for supporting a liner, such as a plastic garbage bag, in a container such as a garbage can. The support frame supports the liner in a manner such that the liner is contained entirely within the container, without having to lap over the exterior of the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic garbage bags are a consumer product typically used as an inner liner to prevent the interior of garbage cans or containers from being contaminated by the garbage. The bags also facilitate easy removal, storage and dumping of the garbage.
A problem with using plastic liners is that they typically have to be lapped over the outside of the top of the container, and derive their support from the relatively rigid container, as in FIG. 1. This results in an unsightly situation, especially in the case of decorative containers and garbage cans.
One known solution to this unsightly situation is to provide a rigid container that fits within the garbage can. This type of inside rigid container is basically a garbage can within a garbage can. The inside container has a bottom and solid walls like the outside container and the shape of the inside container is the same as the overall general shape of the outside garbage can, i.e. if the garbage can is square or circular, the inside container is respectively also square or circular. This type of inside container is usually used in commercial or industrial locations, or as public garbage cans on streets or train stations. The fact that these are usually not for domestic use is because this system is a relatively high cost system.
Another related device that is available is a laundry hamper consisting of a frame used to hold a cloth bag that then can be used to hold laundry. The frame is usually used as a stand alone application, i.e. not inserted into another container. Some of these frames (e.g. in hospital applications, or used to hold large quantities of towels in a gym or poolside, i.e. by a swimming pool) are often on wheels, and the cloth bag is usually attached to the frame and not removable. In any case, the frame, with its related assemblies, is usually fairly rigid and is designed to support the full weight of the bag plus the contents without any outer container or supporting structure.
It is one object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, which supports a liner for a container without the liner extending over the outside of the container.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the unsightly appearance of containers by providing a means to support a liner with the container.

Liner support for a container such as a garbage can


The invention relates to a wiping device, in particular a wiping device for a motor vehicle pane, comprising a wiper blade adapter (12a-12c) that has at least one detent element (40a-40c, 42a-42c), said element being designed, when mounted, to prevent a movement of the wiper blade adapter (12a-12c) relative to a retaining element (10a-10c) in a longitudinal direction (22a-22c). According to the invention, the wiping device has at least one securing means (30a-30c, 32a-32c) that is provided in order to secure the at least one detent element (40a-40c, 42a-42c) when mounted.

There is already known a wiping device, in particular a motor vehicle pane wiping device, having a wiper blade adapter which has at least one catch element, which is provided to prevent a movement of the wiper blade adapter relative to a retention element in a longitudinal direction in an assembled state.


Polypeptides comprising variant vascular endothelial growth factor sequences are provided. The polypeptides are useful in cancer imaging, cancer diagnosis, monitoring and treatment as well as treatment of diseases characterized by excessive neovascularization.

Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation from preexisting vasculature, plays critical roles in both normal physiological processes such as wound healing, pregnancy, tissue regeneration and in the pathogenesis of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic microvascular disease (see Carmeliet P (2005), Nature 438, pp. 932-936), and is regulated by a large number of pro- and antiangiogenic cytokines and growth factors (Ferrara N (2000), Curr Opin Biotechnol 11, pp. 617-624). During adulthood, most blood vessels remain quiescent and angiogenesis occurs only in the cycling ovary and in the placenta during pregnancy.
However, when angiogenic growth factors are produced in excess of angiogenesis inhibitors, endothelial cells are stimulated to proliferate. A number of angiogenic growth factors have been described to date among which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) appears to play a key role as a positive regulator of physiological and pathological angiogenesis (Brown et al. (1997) in "Control of Angiogenesis" (Goldberg and Rosen, eds.), Birkhauser, Basel, pp. 233-269; Thomas K A (1996), J Biol Chem 271, pp. 603-606; Neufeld et al. (1999), FASEB J 13, pp. 9-22).
The focus on inhibition of angiogenesis for treatment of cancer and macular degeneration has largely focused on targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors due to the prominent role of this pathway in vascular formation. VEGF-mediated signaling is mediated through its interactions with two receptor tyrosine kinases, VEGFR1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR2 (Flk-1 or KDR). VEGFR2, which is expressed in vascular endothelial cells, monocytes, macrophages, and hematopoietic stem cells, is the primary mediator of the mitogenic and angiogenic effects of VEGF. VEGF is a homodimeric ligand that binds two molecules of VEGFR2, one at each pole, thereby triggering receptor dimerization and activation, with a KD of around 100 pM. The role of VEGFR1 is less clear, but it appears to function as a 'decoy' receptor that negatively regulated VEGF signaling by preventing VEGF from binding VEGFR2. VEGF-A is the main ligand for VEGFR2, but proteolytically cleaved forms of VEGF-C and VEGF-D may also bind to and activate VEGFR2. Hence, it may be beneficial to target VEGFR2 directly in order to best inhibit angiogenic processes.
Integrins are a diverse class of heterodimeric (α/β) receptors involved in cell adhesion to extracellular matrix ligands. In particular, integrin αvβ3 has been implicated as critically involved in tumor proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis, and there have therefore been many efforts to develop anti-cancer therapies that target integrin αvβ3. Interestingly, there may be a critical link between integrin αvβ3 and VEGF2-stimulated angiogenesis. Moreover, cross-talk and synergy exists between integrins and growth factor receptors. In particular, engagement of αvβ3 integrin on endothelial cells promotes phosphorylation and activation of VEGFR2, thereby augmenting the mitogenic activity of VEGF. It has been shown that β3 binds to VEGFR2 to potentiate its activity, and that αvβ3 antagonists decrease the β3-VEGFR2 interactions and VEGFR2 activation (though not VEGFR2 expression levels). These studies suggest that VEGFR2-mediated angiogenesis is potentiated by integrin αvβ3.
Numerous other factors are involved in angiogenic processes, including transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGF-α and -β), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Accordingly, blocking of single angiogenic molecules may have only modest effect on slowing tumor growth because there multiple angiogenesis pathways that can replace VEGF as the cancer progresses. Thus, there has been considerable interest in developing biological agents capable of binding to more than one set of ligand-receptor interactions in order to more efficiently block angiogenic processes.

Polypeptides targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and alpha V beta 3 integrin

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


Each sub word line is coupled to a gate of a transfer transistor of a memory cell. A first switch of a sub word decoder couples the sub word line to a high level voltage line when a main word line is in an activation level. A second switch couples the sub word line to a low level voltage line when the main word line is in an inactivation level. A third switch couples the sub word line to the low level voltage line when a word reset signal line is in an activation level. A reset control circuit disables the inactivation of the main word line or the activation of the word reset signal line during a test mode. One of the second and third switches is forcibly turned off, and thereby, an operation failure of a sub word decoder can be detected easily.

1. Field
The present embodiments relate to a semiconductor memory having a main word decoder and sub word decoders to select word lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor memory such as a DRAM, a word line is formed with a main word line and sub word lines directly coupled to a memory cell MC so as to reduce a resistance of the word line coupled to the memory cell MC and to improve an access speed. The main word line is wired to plural sub word lines in common, and it is selected by a main word decoder in accordance with an address signal. Any of the sub word lines corresponding to the selected main word line is selected by a sub word decoder in accordance with the address signal (for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-109398).
For example, the sub word decoder has a CMOS inverter and a reset transistor (an nMOS transistor) coupled to an output of the CMOS inverter (sub word line). The CMOS inverter receives a control signal changing to high level/low level at a source of a pMOS transistor, couples an input terminal to the main word line, and couples a source of the nMOS transistor to a low-level power supply line. In the reset transistor, a drain is coupled to the sub word line, the source is coupled to the low-level power supply line, and a gate receives a signal in which the control signal is inverted.
The sub word line changes to high level when the control signal is high level and the main word line is low level, and the memory cell is accessed. Besides, when the control signal is low level or the main word line is high level, the sub word line changes to low level.
In the sub word decoder, when an on-resistance of the nMOS transistor of the CMOS inverter or of the reset transistor is high, the sub word line is reset to low level by only one of the low level of the control signal or the high level of the main word line. The above-stated on-resistance becomes high, for example, when a value of a source-resistance of the transistor is high or when a resistance of a contact coupling the source of the transistor to the low-level power supply line is high. When the resistance is not normal, there is a possibility in which the resistance increases gradually by continuously using the semiconductor memory. In this case, an operation failure (reliability failure) of the sub word decoder may occur.
However, it is difficult to detect an abnormal state of one of the resistances because the nMOS transistor of the CMOS inverter and the reset transistor may turn on at approximately the same timing.

Semiconductor memory, test method of semiconductor memory and system


A thin film resistor with an insulating layer disposed between a substrate material and a resistor material is disclosed. Also, disclosed is a technique for fabricating this thin film resistor. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the thin film resistor employs an insulating layer of silicon nitride with a thickness of 2000 .ANG.. The insulating layer prevents the resistor layer from diffusing into the substrate material which, in turn, significantly reduces variations in the resistor value during accelerated life testing. Compared to thin film resistors with a resistor layer evaporated directly upon a substrate material, reliability is increased from a few hundred hours up to thousands of hours. Also, the maximum current handling capability is increased by greater than one order of magnitude, which results in a thin film resistor which requires less surface area of a wafer.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to thin film resistors, and more particularly to thin film resistors with improved reliability and higher current density capabilities
2. Discussion of The Related Art
Thin film resistors are utilized in integrated circuits in many important commercial applications They are frequently used where the integrated circuits are exposed to high temperatures such as in machine rooms, in interiors of automobiles, and in many other areas. In addition, thin film resistors are useful in "space" and "flight" applications which require a high degree of reliability. An important benchmark for such applications is that the resistors maintain constant resistance values over widely varying temperatures.
Currently, thin film resistors are manufactured with a resistor material evaporated directly onto the top surface of a wafer substrate. Electrically conducting contacts are then formed on designated areas of the resistor material and the remaining surface area is covered with a passivation layer of material such as silicon nitride. Unfortunately a thin film resistor produced according to this prior technology is susceptible to sharp increases in resistance value within the first few hundred hours of operation because the resistor material diffuses into the wafer substrate. Such increases in resistance, can render integrated circuits requiring specific resistance values inoperative or cause them to operate at a wrong frequency. These problems with thin film resistors are exacerbated by increasing temperature and current density.
Thus, it would desirable to provide a thin film resistor which would maintain a relatively constant resistance value when subjected to large current densities and high temperatures for extended periods of time. Further, it would be desirable to provide a technique for producing a thin film resistor with in which the resistor material does not diffuse into the substrate of the integrated circuit on which it is employed.

Reliable thin film resistors for integrated circuit applications


The invention relates to a circuit and method for sensing inverter current in a motor drive power train for purposes of detecting overload and fault conditions, based on the use of simple low cost ac current transformers and/or a low cost current-viewing resistor with non-critical inductance characteristics. The invention employs a current-viewing resistor in the negative dc bus of the inverter and a current transformer, connected in series with the current-viewing resistor, which is coupled to detect the current in the smoothing capacitor of the inverter circuit. If a motor braking circuit is included, the voltage developed across the braking resistor is summed with the inverter current signal to obtain a signal indicative of the total current in the inverter circuit. In accordance with another embodiment, a respective current transformer is coupled to each leg of the ac input line and a further current transformer is coupled to sense the filter capacitor current. The positive components of the three phase ac input line signal are added in an operational amplifier to the capacitor to obtain the total inverter current, which can then be compared to a reference signal.

The present invention relates generally to sensing output current of any rectifier circuit with a capacitor output filter and, more particularly, to improvements in circuitry for sensing the current in a motor control drive circuit for effecting current limiting and obtaining improved short circuit protection.
A conventional, basic motor control circuit 10 illustrated in prior art FIG. 1 receives ac line input power 12, 14 and 16 and converts them to output drive power 46, 48 and 50 for the motor 52. In well known manner, the diodes 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 rectify the ac line voltage to produce a dc rail voltage which exists between the positive dc bus line 30 and the negative dc bus line 32. This rectified dc voltage is filtered and smoothed by a capacitor 34.
The power switching transistors 35, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 comprise a pulse with modulated (PWM) inverter which responds to a control circuit (not shown) which drives the gates of these transistors to produce the aforementioned motor drive signals 46, 48 and 50.
The inverter dc line current generally requires sensing to provide the following four functions:
1) Regulation of normal operating current; PA1 2) Current limiting; PA1 3) Line-to-line short circuit protection at the outputs; and PA1 4) Output line-to-ground fault protection.
With the advent of smaller, more cost-effective power-train layouts incorporating surface-mount IGBTs, the need arises for more compact and more cost-effective ways of deriving the required current feedback signals.
In one known solution, a current-viewing resistor 60 is connected in series with the negative dc bus line 32 of the inverter, as shown in FIG. 2. The current signal at node 62 serves functions 1 through 3 above. The value of the current viewing resistor 60 typically is set so that it develops 500 mV-1000 mV at maximum operating current. The resulting power loss, for maximum operating currents of 10 to 15 amps, is tolerable. At higher currents, however, the power loss in the current-viewing resistor 60 becomes impractical.
The operating current could theoretically be increased by choosing the resistance of the current-viewing resistor 60 so that it develops 100 mV to 200 mV at full operating current, thus keeping the power loss to a tolerable level. A severe practical problem, though, is that the L/R (inductance to resistance) ratio of the current-viewing resistor increases as R decreases. This produces unacceptable distortion of the current signal, because of the high di/dt (rate of current change) of the inverter current. The problem is compounded as operating current increases, because both di/dt and the L/R ratio simultaneously increase.
FIG. 3 shows a comparison of the current signal waveform 64 from a commercially available "low inductance" 5 m.OMEGA. current-viewing resistor, versus the "real" waveform 66 of current. The distortion produced by the current-viewing resistor renders the signal unusable.
In another known solution, function 4 above can be satisfied with a current-viewing resistor 68, a limiting resistor 69 and an opto-coupler 70 in the positive dc bus 30, as shown in FIG. 4. The current-viewing resistor 68 must develop at least 1.0 V to activate the optocoupler 70. This is acceptable for operating currents of up to about 15 amps. At higher currents, the losses in the current-viewing resistor 68 become prohibitive.
Another common solution is to use a current transducer that employs a Hall-effect current sensor 72 in the dc bus 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The Hall-effect current transducer 72 is able to transmit dc, and delivers an isolated current signal 74 which is an acceptable replica of the actual inverter current.
The disadvantages of a Hall-effect current transducer are its relatively high cost (about $10-$15) and size. A typical 50A Hall-effect transducer which would be suitable for a 10hp drive is an LA 50-5 Hall-effect transducer available from LEM S.A. of Switzerland. The overall outline of the above transducer is approximately 1.6".times.0.7".times.1" high, for a total volume of 1.1 cubic inches.
In accordance with still another solution, a Hall-effect transducer can be modified to provide function 4 by using separate primary windings 78, 80 in the upper and lower dc buses respectively, as shown in FIG. 6. The two primaries 78, 80 buck each other, and have different number of turns. For example, if the upper winding 78 has three turns, and the lower winding 80 two turns, then there is one total effective primary turn for normal operation, two for a lower ground fault, and three for an upper ground fault. Logic circuitry (not shown) detects when an upper or lower ground fault occurs.
Again, the disadvantages of this solution are size and cost.

Circuit for sensing current in power trains for motor control


The present system is a payment network that implements an ecosystem in which banks can issue financial products (e.g. credit cards, debit cards, and the like) and customers are able to pay in any commerce without the need for card association networks. The streamlined nature of the system allows interchange fees to be substantially reduced over current systems. In addition, the system is all digital, so that physical security features are not required. The system provides an application for a customer that can be used on a mobile phone or other computing device, downloadable point-of-sale (POS) applications that can be used for commerce, and a web based POS application for commerce. The customer application includes a marketplace and an e-wallet in one embodiment. The customer can use the marketplace to acquire and link financial products produced by the banks with the customer's e-wallet.

Credit cards are provided by an Issuing Bank to customers. When a customer makes a purchase from a merchant with the credit card, the Issuing Bank funds the purchase by transferring the purchase price to the Merchant Bank (the bank used by the merchant who made the sale). The Merchant Bank is sometimes referred to as the Acquiring Bank. In some cases, an Acquiring Company is used in lieu of the Merchant Bank. The Merchant Bank pays a fee to the Issuing Bank in return for this service. This fee is referred to as the "Interchange Fee". The Merchant Bank then pays the merchant an amount that represents the sales price minus the Interchange Fee as well as additional fees such as a discount rate, add-on, or pass-through.
Currently, the interchange fees are increasing in a way that discourages the implementation of electronic payment mechanisms. The rise in these fees increases the merchants' discount rates or processing fees, discourages the acceptance of card payments, and generates an imbalance in competitiveness among financial institutions. These percentages may vary depending on the region and the regulations. For example, contactless cards (e.g. RFID, scanned symbols, etc.) may have a lower interchange fee than a card that is processed using the magnetic stripe. Debit cards may have a lower interchange rate than credit cards. Electronic ID may have a lower rate than use of a PIN or signature.
In the US, interchange fees are determined by card association networks and can range between 0.05% and 2.95% per transaction. In Europe, interchange rates are regulated by European Parliament and have caps of 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards. In Central America, rates can very between 1% and 4%, with some businesses paying discount rates of up to 8% per transaction.
Although technology has brought about efficiencies in the credit market, mobile technology has led to a proliferation of intermediaries in the payment process. FIG. 1 is an example of the credit ecosystem in the prior art. The system 100 includes an Issuing Bank 101 who provides a credit card to a customer. A Merchant Bank 103 receives money from a transaction and forwards funds to a merchant, minus interchange and other fees. In between the Issuing Bank 101 and Merchant Bank 103 are the Acquirers/Processors 102. These can include card networks such as Visa and Mastercard, and now, with the rise of digital and mobile technology, Virtual Cards, e-Wallets, and the like, with corresponding processing fees for one or more of those parties depending on the transaction.
In addition to the increases in Interchange Fees based on the complexity of the transaction, charges may vary based on the risk of the transaction. Credit card fraud is on the rise, so security is more important than ever. Currently, with the use of physical cards in many cases, security features rely on hardware and other physical barriers to reduce the possibility of fraud. All of this costs money and can add to the interchange fees, annual fees, processing fees, and other fees related to credit transactions.

Method and apparatus for a payment network


The present invention relates to a process for waterproofing leathers, furs and other fibrous materials wherein waterproofing is carried out with conventional water repellents in the presence of dispersing or stabilizing auxiliary agents at pH-values of 3.5 to 5. Alkoxy-groups-containing copolymers, synthetic or natural fatliquors and/or synthetic retanning agents (syntans) are preferably used as dispersing or stabilizing auxiliary agents.

Field of the Invention
A process for waterproofing leather at low pH-values and leathers manufactured thereby
The present invention relates to a process for waterproofing leathers, furs, and other fibrous materials wherein the use of dispersing or stabilizing auxiliary agents with the water repellent renders the previously usual, but undesirable high pH-values no longer necessary to achieve a good water repellent action.

Process for waterproofing leather at low pH-values and leathers manufactured thereby


A communication system has a main device capable of communicating with a destination station through a line and at least one subsidiary device connectable to the main device. The main device includes an operating state signal transmitting system that transmits an operating state signal representing that the main device is currently performing a predetermined operation when the main device receives, from the subsidiary device, a communication request signal requesting a communication from the subsidiary device through the line, while the subsidiary device includes a first notifying system that notifies that the main device is performing the predetermined operation when the subsidiary device receives the operating state signal from the main device.

The present invention relates to a communication system including a main phone (telephone) and a cordless handset wirelessly connected to the main phone.
Conventionally, a so-called cordless telephone connected to a public telephone line (hereinafter, occasionally referred to as an outside line) is provided with a cordless handset. In such a telephone, when a request signal to communicate with a destination telephone through the outside line is transmitted from the cordless handset to the main phone, if the main phone is used for a certain operation such as another outside line call, or transmitting or receiving facsimile data, signals are returned from the main phone to the cordless handset.
In the cordless handset, since no signals are transmitted from the main phone to the cordless handset in response to the request signal, a busy tone, which is usually output when there is a trouble in the wireless connection between the cordless phone and the main phone, is output. Because of the above configuration, the user cannot know, from the busy tone, whether there is a trouble in connection between the main phone and the cordless handset or the main phone is performing another function. If the busy tone was output due to an abnormal connection condition, the user may retry to connect to the main phone. On the other hand, if the main phone is performing another function, it would be better for the user to retry after a certain period has passed. However, in the conventional communication system as described above, the user cannot know the status of the main phone.


A modular lighting fixture includes an elongated support and a plurality of objects such as crystals attachable to and suspendable from the support. A plurality of the modular lighting fixtures may be readily assembled and attached to or supported from a ceiling in various configurations such as being spaced-apart, in an elongated curtain, in a rectangle, and/or in a zigzag configuration. In one embodiment, the support includes an elongated upper member having a first width and a first length, an elongated lower member having a second width and a second length and being spaced-apart from the upper member, and wherein the first length equals the second length and the first width is greater than the second width. In another embodiment, an elongated modular lighting fixture includes a plurality of cable grips connected to the support for hanging the plurality of objects from the support.

Lighting fixtures such as chandeliers typically include a central member with or without outwardly-extending arms that support crystal ornaments. Each crystal ornament is typically separately attached to an arm with a wire. For example, a crystal ornament is typically attached to a wire and an upper end of the wire is wrapped or hooked onto the central member or one of the arms. Conventional chandeliers are stand-alone units that are attached or supported from a ceiling.
There is a need for further lighting fixtures, and in particular, modular lighting fixtures and methods for forming lighting fixtures.

Modular lighting fixtures and methods for forming lighting fixtures


A hemodialysis machine comprising a fluid pathway for delivering a dialysate solution, wherein the fluid pathway comprises a pre-dialysis pathway and a post-dialysis pathway, a dialyser for dialysing patient's blood using the dialysate solution, the dialyser connected between the pre-dialysis pathway and the post-dialysis pathway, a first sensor system configured to sense a characteristic of the dialysate solution at a first location on the pre-dialysis pathway, a second sensor system configured to sense a characteristic of the dialysate solution at a second location on the post-dialysis pathway, and a control system configured to make a comparative analysis of the measurements taken by the first sensor and the second sensor for monitoring the composition of the dialysate solution.

Dialysis is a treatment which replaces the renal function of removing excess fluid and waste products, such as potassium and urea, from blood. The treatment is either employed when renal function has deteriorated to an extent that uremic syndrome becomes a threat to the body's physiology (acute renal failure) or, when a longstanding renal condition impairs the performance of the kidneys (chronic renal failure).
There are two major types of dialysis, namely hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In peritoneal dialysis treatment, a dialysate solution is run through a tube into the peritoneal cavity. The fluid is left in the cavity for a period of time in order to absorb the waste products, and is subsequently removed through the tube for disposal. It is common for patients in the early stages of treatment for a longstanding renal condition to be treated by peritoneal dialysis before progressing to hemodialysis at a later stage. In hemodialysis, the patient's blood is removed from the body by an arterial line and treated by a dialysis machine before being returned to the patient's body by a venous line. The machine passes the blood through a dialyser containing tubes formed from a semi-permeable membrane. On the exterior of the semi-permeable membrane is a dialysate solution. The semi-permeable membrane filters the waste products and excess fluid from the blood into the dialysate solution. The membrane allows the waste and a controlled volume of fluid to permeate into the dialysate solution whilst preventing the loss of larger more desirable molecules, like blood cells and certain proteins and polypeptides.
The action of dialysis across the membrane is achieved primarily by diffusion (the migration of molecules by random motion from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration). Fluid removal (otherwise known as ultrafiltration) is achieved by altering the hydrostatic pressure of the dialysate solution side of the membrane, causing free water to move across the membrane along the pressure gradient. The correction of uremic acidosis of the blood is achieved by use of a bicarbonate buffer. The bicarbonate buffer also allows the correction of the blood bicarbonate level. The dialysate solution consists of a sterilized solution of mineral ions. These ions are contained within an acid buffer which is mixed with the purified water and bicarbonate base prior to delivery to the dialyser.
In use, the dialysate solution may be passed through the dialyser once before being discarded to ensure that the composition of the dialysate solution remains constant. However, this requires up to 120 litres of dialysate solution for each dialysis session. Alternatively, a closed loop fluid path dialysis machine may be used so as to reduce the amount dialysate solution required for a single session down to 6 to 10 litres. The reduced amount of dialysate solution required can be provided in a pre-mixed supply thus removing the requirement to connect the hemodialysis machine to a permanent source of purified water, for example water purified by reverse osmosis from a mains supply. The composition of recirculated dialysate solution needs to be tightly controlled to keep the patient's blood at an optimal composition.
Monitoring of the dialysate solution can be done by a range of means such as temperature and conductivity sensing as well as other methods. Typically, such measurements are taken with respect to an absolute reference point which may result in slight errors or uncertainties in the measurements due to minor differences between the material/solution used to record the absolute reference point and the material/solution used in the dialysis machine.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved hemodialysis machine.


The present invention relates to a novel method for preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide and, more specifically, to a method for preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, capable of simply and economically preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, which is a lithium salt to be used in an electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery, in a high yield and with high purity. According to the present invention, the novel method for preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide can resolve the problem of a conventional technique by reacting a bis(chlorosulfonyl)imide compound, which is a starting material, with a fluorination reagent, and then immediately treating the same with an alkali reagent without purification or concentration, and has an effect of enabling lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide to be simply and economically prepared in a high yield and with high purity.

In recent years, with the commercialization of various mobile devices, the need for high-performance secondary batteries has increased, and with the commercialization of electric vehicles and hybrid electric motors and the development of electricity storage devices, secondary batteries having characteristics, such as high output, high energy density, high discharge voltage and the like, have been required. In particular, secondary batteries required for electric vehicles should be able to be used over a longer period of time than secondary batteries for small mobile devices, should be able to be charged and discharged within a short time during the use thereof, and should exhibit safety and high output. Therefore, the importance of lithium salts in electrolyte compositions suitable for these secondary batteries has been raised. In particular, it has been found that a lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide compound has excellent required performance compared to LiPF6 and the like.
Meanwhile, the proportion of secondary batteries in the cost structure of electric vehicles approaches 40%, and the proportion of lithium salts in the cost structure of secondary batteries is high. Due to this fact, there has an urgent need to cost-effectively produce high-purity lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide.
A conventional method for producing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide is represented by the following reaction scheme:

As shown in the reaction scheme above, in step (a) of the conventional production method, bis(chlorosulfonyl)imide as a starting material is reacted with zinc (II) fluoride (ZnF2), thereby producing a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide compound. Since lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, a final product obtained in step (2), corresponds to a lithium salt to be used as an electrolyte, metal components other than lithium should be controlled to ppm levels. Thus, removal of the zinc metal component from the reaction product is particularly important. However, the above-described reaction has problems in that expensive zinc (II) fluoride should be used and in that the poorly soluble zinc component should be removed and a large amount of wastewater containing the zinc component is generated. In addition, it has problems in that a portion of bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide is lost, and finally, the zinc metal in lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide should be controlled to ppm levels.
Furthermore, another conventional method for producing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide is represented by the following reaction scheme:

As shown in the reaction scheme above, when bis(chlorosulfonyl)imide as a starting material is reacted with NH4F(HF)n (n=1 to 10) which is a fluorinating reagent, ammonium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide salt is produced as an intermediate product. However, when the reaction is carried out using NH4F or NH4F(HF)n (n=0 to 10) as a fluorinating reagent, NH4F is merely converted into NH4Cl and NH4F(HF)n merely into NH4Cl(HF)n, but free-state ammonia (NH3) cannot be released. For this reason, the intermediate product ammonium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide salt cannot be produced. The reason is because the acidity of bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide ((pH=2 to 3) is lower than that of hydrofluoric acid (HF) or hydrochloric acid (HCl) (pH <0) which is a strong acid, and for this reason, the ammonia functional group cannot be released from NH4F(HF)n and NH4Cl(HF)n and cannot bind to bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide. Furthermore, the bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide compound is a liquid material having a relatively low boiling point (boiling point 68 to 69° C. at 25 mmHg) and is lost by evaporation during concentration, and thus cannot be obtained in high yield. In addition, NH4(HF)n (n=1 to 10) and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide have a problem in that they may cause corrosion of equipment during the production process due to their strong acidity.
In addition to the above-described methods, there are methods that use an As compound or a Bi compound as a fluorinating reagent or that use anhydrous hydrofluoric acid. However, these methods have problems in that they have to use toxic compounds, or cause corrosion that reduces economic efficiency, and thus are unsuitable in terms of commercial terms.

Method for preparing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide