The present invention relates to a class of compounds represented by the formula (I)

Integrins are a group of cell surface glycoproteins which mediate cell adhesion and therefore are useful mediators of cell adhesion interactions which occur during various biological processes. Integrins are heterodimers composed of noncovalently linked α and β polypeptide subunits. Currently eleven different α subunits have been identified and six different β subunits have been identified. The various a subunits can combine with various β subunits to form distinct integrins.
The integrin identified as αvβ3 (also known as the vitronectin receptor) has been identified as an integrin which plays a role in various conditions or disease states including tumor metastasis, solid tumor growth (neoplasia), osteoporosis, Paget's disease, humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, angiogenesis, including tumor angiogenesis, retinopathy including macular degeneration, arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease, psoriasis and smooth muscle cell migration (e.g. restenosis artherosclerosis). Additionally, it has been found that such agents would be useful as antivirals, antifungals and antimicrobials. Thus, compounds which selectively inhibit or antagonize αvβ3 would be beneficial for treating such conditions.
It has been shown that the αvβ3 integrin and other αv containing integrins bind to a number of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) containing matrix macromolecules. Compounds containing the RGD sequence mimic extracellular matrix ligands so as to bind to cell surface receptors. However, it is also known that RGD peptides in general are non-selective for RGD dependent integrins. For example, most RGD peptides which bind to αvβ3 also bind to αvβ5, αvβ1 and αIIbβ3. Antagonism of platelet αIIbβ3 (also known as the fibrinogen receptor) is known to block platelet aggregation in humans. In order to avoid bleeding side-effects when treating the conditions or disease states associated with the integrin αvβ3, it would be beneficial to develop compounds which are selective antagonists of αvβ3 as opposed to αIIbβ3.
The compounds of this invention are therefore selective αvβ3 integrin antagonist. The present invention includes compounds which inhibit the respective integrins and also includes pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. The present invention further provides for methods for treating or preventing conditions mediated by the αvβ3 receptor in a mammal in need of such treatment comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the compounds of the present invention and pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention. Administration of such compounds and compositions of the present invention inhibits angiogenesis, tumor metastasis, tumor growth, osteoporosis, Paget's disease, humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, retinopathy, macular degeneration, arthritis, periodontal disease, smooth muscle cell migration, including restenosis and artherosclerosis, and viral diseases.
Tumor cell invasion occurs by a three step process: 1) tumor cell attachment to extracellular matrix; 2) proteolytic dissolution of the matrix; and 3) movement of the cells through the dissolved barrier. This process can occur repeatedly and can result in metastases at sites distant from the original tumor.
Seftor et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 89 (1992) 1557–1561) have shown that the αvβ3 integrin has a biological function in melanoma cell invasion. Montgomery et al., (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 91 (1994) 8856–60) have demonstrated that the integrin αvβ3 expressed on human melanoma cells promotes a survival signal, protecting the cells from apoptosis. Mediation of the tumor cell metastatic pathway by interference with the αvβ3 integrin cell adhesion receptor to impede tumor metastasis would be beneficial.
Brooks et al. (Cell, Vol. 79 (1994) 1157–1164) have demonstrated that antagonists of αvβ3 provide a therapeutic approach for the treatment of neoplasia (inhibition of solid tumor growth) since systemic administration of αvβ3 antagonists causes dramatic regression of various histologically distinct human tumors.
The adhesion receptor integrin αvβ3 was identified as a marker of angiogenic blood vessels in chick and man and therefore such receptor plays a critical role in angiogenesis or neovascularization. Angiogenesis is characterized by the invasion, migration and proliferation of smooth muscle and endothelial cells. Antagonists of αvβ3 inhibit this process by selectively promoting apoptosis of cells in neovasculature. The growth of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, also contributes to pathological conditions such as diabetic retinopathy including macular degeneration (Adamis et al., Amer. J. Ophthal., Vol. 118, (1994) 445–450) and rheumatoid arthritis (Peacock et al., J. Exp. Med., Vol. 175, (1992), 1135–1138). Therefore, αvβ3 antagonists would be useful therapeutic agents for treating such conditions associated with neovascularization (Brooks et al., Science, Vol. 264, (1994), 569–571).
It has been reported that the cell surface receptor αvβ3 is the major integrin on osteoclasts responsible for attachment to bone. Osteoclasts cause bone resorption and when such bone resorbing activity exceeds bone forming activity it results in osteoporosis (loss of bone), which leads to an increased number of bone fractures, incapacitation and increased mortality. Antagonists of αvβ3 have been shown to be potent inhibitors of osteoclastic activity both in vitro [Sato et al., J. Cell. Biol., Vol. 111 (1990) 1713–1723] and in vivo [Fisher et al., Endocrinology, Vol. 132 (1993) 1411–1413]. Antagonism of αvβ3 leads to decreased bone resorption and therefore restores a normal balance of bone forming and resorbing activity. Thus it would be beneficial to provide antagonists of osteoclast αvβ3 which are effective inhibitors of bone resorption and therefore are useful in the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis.
The role of the αvβ3 integrin in smooth muscle cell migration also makes it a therapeutic target for prevention or inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia which is a leading cause of restenosis after vascular procedures (Choi et al., J. Vasc. Surg. Vol. 19(1) (1994) 125–34). Prevention or inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia by pharmaceutical agents to prevent or inhibit restenosis would be beneficial.
White (Current Biology, Vol. 3(9)(1993) 596–599) has reported that adenovirus uses αvβ3 for entering host cells. The integrin appears to be required for endocytosis of the virus particle and may be required for penetration of the viral genome into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus compounds which inhibit αvβ3 would find usefulness as antiviral agents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Substituted benzoxazines as integrin antagonists

Abstract: or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt, prodrug or ester thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the formula (I), and methods of selectively inhibiting or antagonizing αvβ3 integrin.


Methods for making high voltage IC devices utilizing a fin-type process and resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments include forming two pluralities of silicon fins on a substrate layer, separated by a space, wherein adjacent silicon fins are separated by a trench; forming an oxide layer on the substrate layer and filling a portion of each trench; forming two deep isolation trenches into the oxide layer and the substrate layer adjacent to the two pluralities of silicon fins; forming a graded voltage junction by implanting a dopant into the substrate layer below the two pluralities of silicon fins; forming a gate structure on the oxide layer and between the two pluralities of silicon fins; implanting a dopant into and under the two pluralities of silicon fins, forming source and drain regions; and forming an epitaxial layer onto the two pluralities of silicon fins to form merged source and drain fins.

Generally, an IC device may include high or low voltage devices (e.g., transistors) that can provide different functionalities and have different applications. Also, an IC device can be designed as a system on chip (SoC), which may include a combination of mixed-signal, digital, or analog circuits for implementing radio frequency (RF), memory, logic, high voltage interface, and the like functionalities. IC devices may have applications in automotive, mobile electronics, medical, or other technology areas, wherein various voltage or signal levels may be present. In some applications, digital circuits would require analog or high voltage interface circuits that would be associated with high voltage inputs as well as high gate drive voltages. Usually, high voltage devices, such as high voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices, are fabricated via different processes than processes used in the fabrication of lower voltage devices. For example, high voltage devices may require additional processing or masking steps as well as a need to be fabricated at a different scale (e.g., 180 or 130 nanometer (nm)) when compared to more advanced processes to fabricate FINFET type devices at 65, 55, 45 nm or lower scales.
FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically illustrate planar transistor and FINFET structure, respectively, in example IC devices. Adverting to FIG. 1A, a conventional planar metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) is illustrated, which includes a silicon substrate 101, a silicon layer 103, a source region 105, a drain region 107, and a logic gate that includes a poly-silicon layer 109 on a layer of gate oxide 110.
FIG. 1B illustrates an example IC device that includes a FINFET type transistor and a vertical fin 111, which includes a source region 111a and a drain region 111b, and a logic gate (e.g., a trigate) that includes a poly-silicon vertical structure 113 that wraps around a layer of gate oxide 110, which wraps around the top and sidewall surfaces of the fin 111 for controlling a current flow from the source region to the drain region of the fin.
FIG. 1C illustrates a cross-sectional view of the IC device of FIG. 1A along line 1A-1A′ where an application of a voltage to the logic gate 109 creates a channel between the source and drain regions that allows for a current 115 to flow from the source region to the drain region. An important parameter of the device can be its breakdown voltage, which is the voltage (e.g., between the source and drain regions) that the device can withstand without damage to its circuitries. Additionally, leakage current between the source and drain regions as well as between adjacent devices can affect efficiency of an IC device. The leakage current may be a function of application of a voltage, where a high voltage at a device may cause high leakage current in a surrounding area in the device. As noted, among considerations in designing and fabricating high voltage transistors are the additional fabrication process steps and the potential leakage currents in an IC device.
A need therefore exists for a methodology for designing and making high voltage IC devices utilizing a fin-type process with protection against potential leakage current and the resulting device.

Method for making high voltage integrated circuit devices in a fin-type process and resulting devices


An index structure and method are disclosed which employ, in addition to a main diffractive grating track of an encoder, a short diffractive grating track (the vernier or index track) having a different frequency than that of the main track. The phase of the index track is used to provide windows for the main track in a manner so that a preselected phase condition of the main track occurs in only one of the windows provided by the index track.

In a position encoder, an index mark is used to identify a fixed location within the encoder's position range. This index can be used to reset or initialize an incremental encoder's up/down counter, for example. In prior position sensors, index marks have been provided by image-plane tick marks or, as in position sensors designed by the assignee of the subject application, binary optic lenses. The difficulty with the former is that the sensing optics for the diffracted fringes and the image-plane tick marks are inherently different, making the system more complex and harder to align and tolerance. The difficulty with the latter is its limited resolution and reduced alignment tolerances.


The invention provides a finger follower body defining a downwardly opening dome at one end, the dome having a seat which is a spherical band having a center and being concentric about a center line. A downwardly facing and downwardly convex valve contact surface is provided at the other end of the follower, and a pair of side walls define openings aligned about an axis. The openings are positioned in the side walls so that a bearing mounted in the openings will be essentially above a first imaginary line drawn between the center of the spherical band and the valve contact surface. The center line converges with another imaginary line drawn through the axis and at right angles to the first imaginary line. A finger follower incorporating the body is also provided.

The present invention is particularly useful in automobiles which use internal combustion engines. Manufacturers of such engines have been concentrating for some time in making them more efficient while at the same time reducing the overall weight to improve the efficiency of the automobile generally. One source of lost energy is the valve train. The weight of the moving parts and the friction they exhibit both work to reduce the efficiency of the engine. More particularly, if the weight can be reduced, then the power lost in accelerating these parts through a cycle will also be reduced. Although some advances have been made, manufacturers still strive for improvement in this area because energy lost in the valve train can not be recovered.
In the past, stamped steel rocker arms have been used instead of heavier forged or cast iron, and it has become common practice to use roller bearings to reduce friction. With the advent of overhead cam systems, there has been a need for arms designed to be supported at one end and to respond to a cam engaging the central section of the arm to deflect the free end into engagement with a valve stem. Such devices are known generally as "finger followers" and this invention is directed to such structures.
Finger followers have developed to the point where it is common practice to mount a central roller bearing to act as a cam follower. The bearing is relatively large and this has caused some design problems resulting from the length of the follower and the need for rigidity despite the weakness created by accommodating the roller bearing.
Examples of state-of-the-art followers are to be found in U.S. patent Ser. Nos. 4,614,171; 4,697,473; 4,872,429; 4,995,281; 5,048,475 and 5,010,856.
Another consideration is the engine head. Overhead valve arrangements result in some complexity in the block due to the fact that hydraulic posts must be accommodated for one end of the finger followers in the general area of the valves themselves. If the posts and valves can be moved closer together, then the amount of material necessary in the engine head can be reduced because there is less material needed to accommodate the parts.
For these and other reasons, a short, light and rigid finger follower would be desirable.


A voltage source converter has a first inverter valve unit that has a first terminal and a second terminal, and a second inverter valve unit that has a first terminal and a second terminal. The first inverter valve unit and the second inverter valve unit are connectedly arranged in parallel. The first inverter valve unit and the second inverter valve unit are self-balancing through equal capacitance and parallel connection of the first inverter valve unit and the second valve unit.

Modern electric power grids are widely interconnected. The need for these interconnections, apart from delivery, is to pool power generation plants and load centers to minimize generation capacity and energy costs. Power transmission and interconnection requirements include accommodating a diversity of loads and power sources reliably and with lower cost. Further, the advent of large-scale distributed systems such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines, energy storage devices, and electric vehicles require high current transmission lines that operate in excess of a thousand of Amps current as well as functionality that changes in real time. These requirements create challenges for ensuring power safety, quality and reliability.
A smart grid differs from a traditional power grid such that they provide a system to interconnect different kinds of distributed power generation sources. Therein, increasing demands are being placed on the transmission network due to an increasing number of non-utility generators. It is also exceedingly difficult to acquire and deploy new rights-of-way. The increased demands on transmission, combined with a lack of long-term planning and a desire to provide open access to generating companies and customers create further issues such as reduced security and reduced quality of service.
A Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) provides control of one or more AC transmission parameters to enhance controllability and increase power transfer capability. FACTS improve transmission quality, efficiency, and reliability, as well as reduce power delivery costs of AC grids. They are widely accepted as an essential technology for implementing smart grids.
A single-phase, modular, Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) is an important component of FACTS. The SSSC injects a leading or lagging voltage into the AC transmission line, providing the functionality of a series capacitor or series reactor respectively, i.e. it pushes power away from or pulls more power towards the circuit on which it is installed. This capability is effective in highly meshed electric power grids where spare system capacity can be utilized to resolve overloads. Further, SSSC's can be installed on dedicated transmission towers within the transmission right-of-way or in banks inside or nearby existing substations. They are well-suited for mobile applications due to their compact and lightweight modularity and high MVAr output.
The SSSC comprises a voltage-source converter which operates in series with the AC transmission line. A VSC with gate-controlled switching elements acts as a DC to AC converter which exchanges active and reactive power with the AC system; it is used to generate and inject an AC voltage in series with the transmission line, and if the voltage is in phase quadrature with the transmission line current, it supplies or consumes variable reactive power. A VSC includes a plurality of gate-controlled switching elements and uses a DC capacitor as a current source. The unidirectional voltage of the DC capacitor is converted to an injected AC voltage through control of the switching elements. Further, the injected AC voltage is controlled in magnitude as well as its phase relationship to the AC system voltage. When the injected AC voltage is in phase quadrature with reference to the AC transmission current, leading or lagging, the VSC is used to absorb or supply reactive power. Since the VSC generates an AC voltage from a DC voltage it also referred to as an inverter, even though it has the capability to transfer power in either direction.
There are two commonly used VSC configurations: a Half-Bridge (HB) configuration and a Full H-bridge (FHB) configuration. The Half-Bridge (HB) configuration comprises a DC capacitor (C) and two switching elements. The two switching elements are driven by complementary signals and the corresponding (AC) voltage may be either equal to the DC capacitor voltage or zero. Alternatively, the Full H-bridge (FHB) configuration comprises a DC capacitor (C) and four switching elements. The generated voltage varies with the switching states of the switching elements. Compared with the HBM, there is at least one more capacitor ON state for the FHB such that the generated voltage is equal to the negative capacitor voltage (C) when two of the switching elements are switched ON. Another difference between the HBM and the FHBM is the energization state; the capacitor (C) voltage is inserted at the generated voltage of the FHB configuration regardless of the current direction. The circuitry requires bidirectionality since the DC voltage does not reverse, however the switching elements do not require having a reverse voltage capability since the direct current flows in two directions.
The VSC includes an inverter valve unit comprising a plurality of switching elements arranged in an FHB configuration. Examples of switching elements include but are not limited to, gate-controlled power semiconductor devices, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) or other similar devices. In the case of IGBTs, a diode referred to as a freewheeling diode is placed anti-parallel with the IGBT and conducts current in the opposite direction. The switching elements are connectedly arranged in series where each of the switching elements maintains a portion of the voltage applied to the inverter. A controller provides signals to drive the switching elements.
In one embodiment, IGBTs are the preferred semiconductor devices for the inverter valve unit. Their transistor characteristics require low drive power and they provide fast current turn-off capability. Progress in device and packaging materials allow for an increase in the power ratings and heat dissipation while reducing on-state and switching losses.
There is an ongoing need for improvements in the devices and systems described above.


A method and apparatus for an electronic artificial neural network, which serves as an associative memory that has a complete set of N-dimensional Hadamard vectors as stored states, suitable for large N that are powers of 2. The neural net has nonlinear synapses, each of which processes signals from two neurons. These synapses can be implemented by simple passive circuits comprised of eight resistors and four diodes. The connections in the neural net are specified through a subset of a group that is defined over the integers from 1 to N. The subset is chosen such that the connections can be implemented in VLSI or wafer scale integration. An extension of the Hadamard memory causes the memory to provide new Hadamard vectors when these are needed for the purpose of Hebb learning.

The invention pertains to electronic artificial neural networks, in which many simple electronic units are heavily interconnected such that they are capable of massively parallel computation. As is customary in the discussion of artificial neural networks, functional parts are given names suggested by neurobiology, and the adjective "artificial" is suppressed; hence we will speak here simply of "neurons", "synapses", and "dendrites".
With this understanding, a neural net may be described as a collection of functional units, called neurons, which are interconnected via junctions, called synapses, and input lines called dendrites. Each dendrite collects synaptic outputs into a sum, called activation, which is presented to a neuron for processing according to an output function, thereby producing a signal. In electronic neural nets, the signals are usually voltages, the activations are electric currents, and the neurons are operational amplifiers which have an activation current as input, and a signal voltage as output. The output function is usually of sigmoidal type, such as the hyperbolic tangent. The dendrite of the neuron is a conductor that collects the output currents of certain synapses. The synaptic inputs are signals from certain neurons.
Neural networks can be structured in such a manner that the net functions as an associative memory, i.e., a device that is capable of associative recall, in which an input vector x produces as output the stored vector that is closest to x. Undesirable consequences of correlations between stored vectors can be eliminated by encoding the stored vectors as orthogonal bipolar vectors, i.e., orthogonal vectors with components 1 and -1. Such vectors are called Hadamard vectors. Encoding the stored vectors q.sub..alpha., .alpha.=1 to L, as Hadamard vectors means that to every stored vector q.sub..alpha. is assigned a Hadamard vector h.sub..alpha.. These assignments may be expressed in an outer products matrix ##EQU1## where T denotes transposition.
The encoding is used in the following manner. From an input vector x one forms the vector ##EQU2## this is just a linear combination of Hadamard vectors h.sub..alpha., with coefficients c.sub..alpha. =q.sub..alpha. x.sup.T, the scalar products of x with the vectors q.sub..alpha.. The operation Bx.sup.T is performed by a device called Bidirectional Linear Transformer (BLT). The bidirectional feature will become clear presently. The BLT is followed by a device that selects, from the linear combination ##EQU3## the Hadamard vector that goes with the largest of the coefficients c.sub..alpha., if unique. Hence, if c.sub..beta. >c.sub..alpha. for all .alpha..noteq..beta., then the Hadamard vector h.sub..beta. is selected. The device has been named Dominant Label Selector (DLS), because the code vectors h.sub..alpha. serve as labels for the stored vectors q.sub..alpha.. The output h.sub..beta. of the DLS is returned to the BLT for a backstroke, in which the BLT produces the vector ##EQU4## where N is the dimension of the Hadamard vectors. The result holds because the Hadamard vectors are orthogonal and have the Euclidean norm .sqroot.N. Division by N or, in case of a bipolar x, thresholding with a sigmoidal function that ranges from -1 to 1, gives x'=q.sub..beta.. But .beta. is the index for which c.sub..alpha. is maximum. Since c.sub..alpha. =q.sub..alpha. x.sup.T, the vector q.sub..beta. is the stored vector which has the largest scalar product with the input vector x. Therefore, if the DLS indeed selects from u=Bx.sup.T the dominant Hadamard vector, then the device consisting of the BLT and the DLS has perfect associative recall of up to N stored vectors. The device has been called Selective Reflexive Memory (SRM) [1-4]. Its front end, the BLT, may be seen as a Bidirectional Associative Memory (BAM) [5-7], with the rear thresholding removed, and the front thresholding optional. The DLS in the rear may be seen as a distributed winner-take-all net; instead of selecting from an analog vector the maximium component, the net selects the largest term in the Hadamard expansion of the vector. Distributing the winner-take-all process improves fault tolerance, since there are then no grandmother cells.
Since the DLS output is the Hadamard vector that is closest to the vector u, the DLS may itself be seen as an associative memory with a complete set of Hadamard vectors as stored states. Therefore, this DLS is called a Hadamard memory.
A Hadamard memory cannot be constructed with the customary linear activation. Instead, one may consider a net with quadratic activation, so that the total current in the dendrite of neuron i is ##EQU5## where y.sub.i is the signal from neuron i, determined from the activation v.sub.i of the neuron by the output function s(.), EQU y.sub.i =s(v.sub.i). (2)
The function s(.) is restricted to be sigmoidal and antisymmetric, and to have the range [-1,1]. Hence, fully developed neuron signals are bipolar. All indices range from 1 to N, restricted to be a power of 2. In the simplest continuum model, the equations of motion are EQU v.sub.i =-v.sub.i +I.sub.i +r.sub.i, (3)
where dot denotes differentiation with respect to time, and the term r.sub.i expresses a threshold or an external coupling. The first two terms in (3) have unit coefficients, but that does not constitute a physical restriction, since this form can always be obtained by scaling of the time and activation, together with a related adjustment of the neuron output function s(.). In view of the quadratic form of the dendrite current (1), one has here a case of higher-order neurons [8,9]. A Hadamard memory is obtained by choosing the connection tensor as ##EQU6## where h.sub..alpha.i is the ith component of the Hadamard vector h.sub..alpha.. It has been shown [8] that a neural net with nonlinear activation is stable if the connection tensor is symmetric, and if all tensor components for which two or more indices are equal vanish. The connection tensor given by (4) is indeed symmetric. In order to satisfy the second condition, subtractions have to be applied, to give the tensor ##EQU7## where .delta..sub.ij is the Kronecker delta. The subtractions are correct for a choice of Hadamard vectors such that their first component is +1, and the vector h.sub.1 has all components +1. The connection tensor (5) is referred to as subtracted. It can be shown that all nonzero connection tensor components have the same value, which is positive; this is true for (4) as well as for (5). Hence, in a Hadamard memory, all synapses are excitatory, and they all have the same strength. Up to couplings, the structure of the memory is entirely determined by the connections.
The BLT output must be coupled to the Hadamard memory. This may be done in several ways. In initial value coupling, the BLT output u is used as an initial value of the activation v, after multiplying with a properly chosen coupling constant. The term r.sub.i in the equation of motion (3) is then taken as constant, usually zero. In the external coupling the activation is started out at zero, and the BLT output u.sub.i is applied to the term r.sub.i of (3), after multiplication with a coupling constant. Combined coupling involves a combination of these schemes.
Computer simulations have shown the Hadamard memory to have perfect associative recall, for N=8 and 16, for each of these couplings, for a range of coupling constants, and for unsubtracted as well as subtracted connection tensors, (4) and (5).
In practice, Hadamard memories become particularly important for large dimension N. For N a power of 2, and with well-chosen Hadamard vectors, the number of product synapses is N(N-1)/2 and (N-1)(N-2)/2 respectively for unsubtracted and subtracted connection tensors; these numbers of connections are about the same as for a fully connected Hopfield memory [10]. It is difficult to construct so many connections in electronic implementations for large dimension N. For instance, for N=1024, one would need 522753 connections in the subtracted case. Furthermore, each synapse must compute the product of its two inputs, and that requires a four-quadrant multiplier, with at least 9 transistors [11]. For the example mentioned above, that comes to 4.7 million transistors for the synapses alone! It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problem of the large number of connections and synapse transistors, for Hadamard memories of large dimension N.
With the Hadamard memory used as the rear stage of an SRM, many applications require the BLT to be adaptive. The connection matrix ##EQU8## of the BLT has outer-products structure, and it can therefore be modified by Hebb learning [12]. This requires that a new Hadamard vector be presented to the back of the BLT, whenever a new vector q.sub..alpha. is to be stored. An extension to the Hadamard memory is needed, that causes the memory to provide such vectors in a simple manner, when learning is required. It is the further object of the present invention to furnish such an extension.

Method and apparatus for associative memory


Augmented reality systems and associated methods, computer-readable media, techniques, and methodologies for improving contrast between projected or emitted computer-generated images and ambient light of a visible real-world environment are disclosed. Devices that incorporate such augmented reality systems are also disclosed.

Near-eye displays may be broadly categorized into two types: virtual reality displays and augmented reality displays. A virtual reality near-eye system may include a wearable device (e.g., a head-mounted display) that includes display optics, such as lenses, that are opaque to ambient light from the environment. Certain virtual reality near-eye systems may include two displays (e.g., one for each eye of a user) that project respective computer-generated images that are sized and focused for viewing by both eyes of the user. Other virtual reality near-eye systems may include a single display that projects a single computer-generated image that is visible to both eyes.
An augmented reality near-eye system may include a wearable device with display optics that are substantially transparent to ambient light. Such display optics may include, for example, narrow-band reflectors, partial reflectors, holographic reflectors, or other display optics that operate to redirect projected light into a user's eye while permitting a substantial portion of ambient light to pass through as well. This produces the effect of having the projected image appear as an overlay on a real-world environment.

Pixelated light shutter mechanisms for improving contrast between computer-generated images and an ambient visible environment


A driver drowsiness prediction system includes a vital signal detection unit, a control unit and a network bridge module. The vital signal detection unit detects vital signals of a driver. The control unit receives the driver's vital signs, and stores at least a feature signal. The feature signal represents the vital signal pattern of losing consciousness. The control unit continuously compares the detected vital signal with the feature signal. When the vital signal is similar to the feature signal, the control unit issues a pre-alarming command. The network bridge module receives the pre-alarming command and is triggered to perform a network connection process. The network bridge module logs into a pre-determined social website according to a login script, and then sends a pre-alarming message thereon, wherein the pre-alarming message includes an event indicating the driver is near unconsciousness.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a vital signal detection system, and more particularly to a driver drowsiness prediction system and method thereof.
2. Related Art
Driver fatigue is one of the major reasons for traffic accidents. When fatigued, the driver usually enters a dozing condition, resulting in traffic accidents.
FIG. 1 shows a basic process for a drowsiness preventing system in the conventional technology. Such a drowsiness preventing system must obtain and further analyze the driver's vital signs, as shown in Step 1 and Step 2. Such a drowsiness preventing system determines if the driver is dozing according the analysis result of the vital signals, as shown in Step 3. If the driver is dozing, such a drowsiness preventing system performs an awakening operation to awaken the driver, as shown in Step 4.
In the conventional technologies, the methods to detect drowsiness of a driver include: motion detection of the driver's head, as mentioned in Taiwan patent No. M363417; detection of the driver's eye blinking frequency; and detection of brain waves, as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,993. Among these methods, since the detections of the driver's head and the driver's eye blinking frequency usually have misjudging problems, drivers are unwilling to use such types of anti-drowsiness systems. The detection of brain waves has relatively higher accuracy since such method is adjustable according to the characteristics of brain waves of different individuals.
As shown in FIG. 1, even though Step 4 performs the awakening operation, such an awakening operation does not guarantee keeping the driver awake, and others cannot provide any assistance either. Consequently, the awakening processes shown in FIG. 1 still has the risk of failing to awaken the driver, and allowing the driver to keep dozing off

Driver drowsiness prediction system and method thereof


A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three elongated arms mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears that, when rotated, cause the elongated arms to simultaneously proportionally move relative to the clamp body. An attachment interface mechanically connected to the self-centering linkage is configured to engage with a rotational actuator. Alternatively, the wheel clamp includes an actuator mechanically coupled to the self-centering mechanism. Activation of the actuator causes the gripping portions of the arms to engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire.

Certain conventional vehicle wheel alignment systems use alignment elements referred to as "alignment heads" that are attached to the wheels of a vehicle to measure various angles of the wheels and suspension. These angles are communicated to a host computer system, where they are used in the calculation of vehicle alignment angles. In a standard conventional aligner configuration, four alignment heads are attached to respective wheels of a vehicle. Each alignment head comprises two horizontal or toe measurement sensors and two vertical or camber/pitch sensors. Each alignment head also contains electronics to support overall sensor data acquisition as well as communications with the aligner console, local user input, and local display for status feedback, diagnostics and calibration support. Other conventional alignment systems, referred to as "visual aligners," use optical targets attached to each vehicle wheel instead of sensors. The targets are imaged by cameras, and these visual images are used to calculate the vehicle wheel alignment angles.
Such alignment equipment usually includes a wheel clamp that attaches to a vehicle's wheel and carries the alignment element (i.e., the sensor equipment that measures the alignment angles, or the optical target). Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional wheel clamp 100, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,870,677, includes a pair of upper and lower sliding brackets 105, 110, respectively, for engaging the rim of the vehicle wheel, and a center bracket 115 for holding an alignment element, such as an optical target or an alignment head. Brackets 105, 110, 155 are all slidably mounted on a pair of guide bars 120, 125. A lead screw 130 threadingly engages upper and lower brackets 105, 110 for clamping the clamp 100 to the vehicle wheel. The vehicle being aligned is usually positioned on a vehicle alignment lift at heights from three to four feet for performing alignments. The vehicle can be raised even higher, up to six feet, for servicing the vehicle from underneath.
Attachment of the wheel clamp to the vehicle wheel is typically accomplished using a set of three or more gripping devices or grabbers which are part of the wheel clamp. The grabbers wedge thin metal fingers in the annular groove between the tire and the wheel rim at several locations around the wheel circumference. The grip is tightened by means of a screw thread driver or similar means that pulls the grabbers toward the wheel center. In an alternative methodology, used particularly on steel wheels, the grabbers are removed and the grabber supports are located against the inner surface of the steel wheel. The grabber supports are driven outward from the wheel center until they lock the wheel clamp in place. Either method requires metal to metal contact between the wheel clamp and the vehicle wheel rim, so some damage to the surface of the wheel is inevitable.
Speed of attachment is another critical aspect of wheel clamp functionality. Aligning the metal fingers of conventional wheel clamps into the small annular space between the wheel rim and tire is a challenge that requires precise placement. Once the grabbers are positioned properly, care must be taken to prevent one or more grabbers from popping out as the clamp is tightened. This process takes considerable time and care to prevent unnecessary damage to the rim surface.
Additionally, wheel clamps are typically manually operated, and require an operator to supply the actuation power by either rotating a knob, operating a cam, or some other manual operation to secure the clamp onto a wheel. A need exists for an improvement to the automotive service wheel clamp to improve speed of engagement and process efficiency. This need is especially pronounced because tires and rims come in a wide variety of sizes, such that adjustment of a wheel clamp onto wheels at the extremities of the size range can be time consuming.


Three-dimensional metal parts are fabricated by irradiating a thin layer of a mixture of metal powder and temperature equalization and unification vehicle to melt the metal powder and form a solid metal film. The vehicle also protects the molten metal from oxidation. The metal powder can contain an elemental metal or several metals, the vehicle can be an organic resin or an amalgam, and the irradiation can be selectively applied by a YAG laser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and compositions for making metal objects. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods, apparatus and compositions for making three-dimensional metal parts by irradiating a mixture of metal powder and a vehicle which provides temperature equalization and unification and a protective atmosphere for the powder.
2. Description of Related Art
Because conventional casting and extrusion techniques often cannot efficiently and cost-effectively be employed to produce prototypes or small runs of parts, those skilled in the parts production art have sought to develop techniques better suited for such purposes. In general, the techniques developed by those skilled in the art to produce small numbers of parts can be classified in one of two separate categories, each of which is discussed below.
The first category comprises "subtractive methods". In a subtractive method, material is cut away from a starting piece of material to create a smaller, desired piece. Examples of subtractive machine tool methods include milling, drilling, grinding, lathe cutting, casting, machining, finishing and flame cutting.
The second category of techniques that may be employed to produce small runs of parts comprises "additive methods". Typically, additive methods involve adding material to a starting substrate to create a larger, desired piece. Examples of additive methods include plating, cladding, casting and certain welding processes.
Both of the aforementioned categories of techniques for producing small runs of parts have deficiencies and shortcomings. Deficiencies and shortcomings of subtractive methods are well known and have heretofore been expressed at some length, such as in the description of the relevant art section of U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,816 to Beaman et al. These deficiencies and shortcomings include the facts that they produce a large amount of waste material requiring disposal, they involve a large initial expense for setting up the proper machining and tools, and they involve tool wear that requires tool replacement and which reduces machining accuracy as the tool wears. Further, subtractive methods often simply cannot be employed to make a desired part. Symmetrical parts and parts where only the exterior of the part is to be machined can usually be easily produced by a subtractive method; however, where a desired part is asymmetrically shaped or requires internal machining, a part must often be broken into segments, which requires labor intensive assembly and bonding stages, in order for subtractive methods to be readily employed.
With respect to additive methods, a primary shortcoming and deficiency heretofore has been a general inability to produce a small, solid object. There has been, however, some recent activity directed towards overcoming this primary shortcoming and deficiency. In general, those skilled in the art have made efforts to use laser beams to coat or deposit material on a starting article. Such efforts are articulated in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,117,302, 4,474,861, 4,300,474 and 4,323,756. These relatively recent uses of lasers have been basically limited to adding a coating to a previous machined article. Typically, in such laser coating methods the starting article is rotated and the laser directed at a fixed location with the coating material sprayed onto the article so that the laser will melt the coating onto the article.
Still further with respect to additive methods of producing prototypes and small runs of parts, very recently certain persons skilled in the art have devised a method for building up parts from a powder by selectively sintering with a laser. The objective of this method has been to produce three-dimensional parts of a general shape directly from a CAD data base without part-specific tooling or human intervention. This method is described at length in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,863,538, 4,938,816 and 4,944,817. Although the basic theory of this method appears to be sound, in practice this method has a number of serious shortcomings. For example, as powders are melted in air during practice of this method, there is little control over those powders and they tend to fly away uncontrolled and severly oxidized. Second, control of melting is relatively unrefined so that rough outlined shapes, rather than sharply defined shapes, are produced. Additionally, this method lacks refinements that make producing of metal parts, perhaps the most useful types of parts, practical. In summary, although this latter method of creating prototypes and small runs of parts has much promise, it has many shortcomings and deficiencies that render it yet relatively useless for certain applications, e.g., applications involving production of solid metal parts.

Three-dimensional metal fabrication using a laser

Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation


A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate a developer, a discharge opening configured and positioned to permit discharging of the developer from the developer accommodating portion, and a driving force receiving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force. In addition, a pump portion is capable of being driven by the driving force to alternately change an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion between a pressure lower than an ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure to discharge the developer through the discharge opening.

Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as an electrophotographic copying machine uses a developer of fine particles. In such an image forming apparatus, the developer is supplied from the developer supply container in response to consumption thereof resulting from image forming operation.
As for the conventional developer supply container, an example is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Sho 63-6464.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Sho 63-6464, the developer is let fall all together into the image forming apparatus from the developer supply container. More particularly, in the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Sho 63-6464, a part of the developer supply container is formed into a bellow-like portion so as to permit all of the developer can be supplied into the image forming apparatus from the developer supply container even when the developer in the developer supply container is caked. More particularly, in order to discharge the developer caked in the developer supply container into the image forming apparatus side, the user pushes the developer supply container several times to expand and contract (reciprocation) the bellow-like portion.
Thus, with the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Sho 63-6464, the user has to manually operate the bellow-like portion of the developer supply container.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-72649 employs a system in which the developer is automatically sucked from the developer supply container into the image forming apparatus using a pump. More particularly, a suction pump and an air-supply pump are provided in the main assembly side of the image forming apparatus, and nozzles having a suction opening and an air-supply opening, respectively are connected with the pumps and are inserted into the developer supply container (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-72649, FIG. 5). Through the nozzles inserted into the developer supply container, an air-supply operation into the developer supply container and a suction operation from the developer supply container are alternately carried out. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-72649 states that when the air fed into the developer supply container by the air-supply pump passes through the developer layer in the developer supply container, the developer is fluidized.
Thus, in the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-72649, the developer is automatically discharged, and therefore, the load in operation imparted to the user is reduced, but the following problems may arise.
More particularly, in the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-72649, the air is fed into the developer supply container by the air-supply pump, and therefore, the pressure (internal pressure) in the developer supply container rises.
With such a structure, even if the developer is temporarily scattered when the air fed into the developer supply container passes through the developer layer, the developer layer results in being packed again by the rise of the internal pressure of the developer supply container by the air-supply.
Therefore, the flowability of the developer in the developer supply container decreases, and in the subsequent suction step, the developer is not easily discharged from the developer supply container, with the result of shortage of the developer amount supplied.

Developer supply container and developer supplying system having pump operated developer discharge


The present invention relates to a system for growing mushrooms, comprising a shelving, comprising multiple support beds for holding compost and casing soil arranged above each other, a picking platform for harvesters, the platform movable with at least a vertical directional component along the shelving and a harvesting conveyor, comprising a harvesting conveyor belt that extends at least partially along the beds and is supported by a number of guides, along which the harvesting conveyor is movable, wherein at least one of the guides is coupled to the shelving; and at least one of the guides is coupled to the picking platform and is movable together with the platform with at least a vertical directional component.

The present invention relates to a system for growing mushrooms. At industrial scales, mushrooms are traditionally grown at indoor locations, often called growing rooms, wherein shelvings are placed that support beds for holding compost and casing soil, on which the mushrooms are grown.
The compost and casing soil are placed on pulling nets, that allow to fill and empty the bed with compost and casing soil easily. Usually, this is done after every two or three flushes of mushrooms, since the compost has lost its fertility and nutrition then.
The beds are placed at a mutual distance above each other in the shelving, and harvest of the mushrooms takes place manually by harvesters, standing next to the beds at various height levels and delivering the mushrooms to harvesting conveyors once they are cut. From there on they are further processed, either manually or in an automated way.
The beds have an average length of 10 to 100 meters, a width of 0.5 to 2 meters, and are usually placed 0.4 to 1.4 meters above each other. As a result, the harvesters cannot reach all mushrooms without stooping. Given the required speed of working and the total length of the beds, this makes harvesting a cumbersome job, with even certain health risks. Moreover, harvesters tend to stand straight to avoid a painful back, but in this position they only have sight to a part of the bed, with the result that part of the harvesting takes place on intuition, which may have a negative impact on the quality of the work, since a better selection can be made when an eye is kept on the work.
The harvesting conveyors are usually arranged in a frame, that can be lifted to approximately the height of the bed that is to be harvested, so that the harvested mushrooms can be easily transferred. This lifting can be done manually or be powered, but it remains a cumbersome task, which is worsened by the weight of the frames, that, additionally form a heavy load on the shelvings.


The present invention provides a method for producing 2-, 6-, 8- and 9-substituted purine compounds from 4,6-dihalo-5-nitro-2-alkyl-pyrimidine compounds in solution or by solid phase techniques. The present process provides for the sequential introduction of amine substituents at the 4- and 6-positions, displacement of an alkylsulfony group at the 2-position of the pyrimidine, reduction of the nitro group and formation of the imidazole portion of the purine compound. Furthermore, the methods of the present invention are ideally suited to the preparation of a library of purine compounds.

Purine compounds have a wide variety of pharmacological activities. For example, many purine compounds are kinase inhibitors. Therefore, a number of solution and solid-phase methods for synthesizing purine compounds have been recently advanced.
Conventional methods for synthesizing purine compounds generally involve displacing a leaving group in a preformed purine ring system with a desired nucleophile or producing the purine ring system from an appropriately substituted pyrimidine ring system. However, none of the methods currently available provides synthesis of highly substituted purine compounds, e.g., purines having substituents on the 2-, 6-, 8-, and 9-positions with the ability to vary the substituent on each position.
Synthesis of purines from a pyrimidine compound often requires reduction of a nitro group that is present in the pyrimidine ring system. Unfortunately, currently known reduction methods give only partial reduction, are not consistently reproducible, or yield a product that is contaminated with undesirable inorganic salts which are difficult to remove. See J. Comb. Chem., 2000, 2, 249–253.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for synthesis of a highly substituted purine compounds. There is also a need for a method for selectively reducing a nitro substituent on a pyrimidine ring on a solid support-bound pyrimidine compound which provides a solid support-bound amino pyrimidine compound that is substantially free of inorganic salts.


An embodiment closure module frame structure of a vehicle includes a platform extending from a front to a rear of the vehicle to form an outer floor surface; a first and a second cabin frame provided on the platform such that the first and the second cabin frame are spaced apart from each other while facing each other; at least one middle connection part placed between the first and the second cabin frame; load path units that are in contact with the first and the second cabin frame, and are connected to opposite sides starting from the middle connection part; and a cabin unit inserted between the load path units to be fastened to the first and the second cabin frame.

There are several types of car doors. For example, there is a swing type mainly applied to sedans, a sliding type mainly applied to mid-sized vans, and a hatchback type mainly applied to the tail doors of vans and RV vehicles.
Meanwhile, a Purpose Built Vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as PBV) has emerged as a future mobility that extends living spaces. For example, when a PBV consisting of a shoe store and a PBV consisting of clothing store are docked on a hub, the hub becomes a shopping center. According to the purpose of the PBV, functions and designs can be extensively expanded. PBV is neither a public transport such as a bus, nor a private car, but a new type of mobility, and PBV is used as a flexible space where the purpose of the hub itself varies depending on the purpose of the PBV docked on the hub.
As such, for higher utilization of a PBV, a frame structure that is capable of changing the door type according to the purpose is required. For example, when there is a space limitation, such as a case where only passengers get off the PBV or the ceiling is low, it is necessary to apply a sliding type or an opposing type door. In contrast, when loading a large volume of luggage, it is necessary to apply a door type that widens an opening. Among the types of tail doors, a 'clamshell type' door that is split in the middle and divided up and down requires less force for opening than opening and closing a single large tail door, and takes up less space in the rear. The clamshell type door is in the limelight because the PBV opening can be widened when both an upper door and a lower door are opened.
Meanwhile, a frame structure of a normal car is configured such that when a car collision occurs, an impact load is concentrated on a specific part such as a side member. When the impact load is concentrated on the specific part of the frame, there is a risk of increasing damage to the vehicle and injury to the occupants, which is problematic.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and is not intended to mean that the present disclosure falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

Closure module frame structure of vehicle


A camera includes: a photographic optical system that comprises a plurality of lenses; an image sensor that captures an image of a photographic subject formed through the photographic optical system; a projection lens unit that projects an image for projection via a projection lens unit, with at least one lens being common to the plurality of lenses of the photographic optical system and to the projection lens unit; and a shift mechanism that sets the at least one common lens to one of a first position upon an optical axis of the photographic optical system and a second position upon an optical axis of the projection lens unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera that is equipped with a projector.
2. Description of Related Art
A camera equipped with a projector is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2005-250392. With the camera described in this publication, the projector is installed in the main body of the camera, and an image is projected upon a screen by employing a projection optical system for the projector.


A freehand writing instrument will hold a writing tip. The instrument can draw the writing tip across a writing surface in one or more strokes. The instrument has a case sized to be handheld and has a longitudinal axis extending between a distal and proximal end of the case. Also included is a motor mounted at the case. The writing instrument also has an arm mounted at the proximal end of the case. The arm is driven by the motor to move periodically about a predetermined center, reaching a maximum transverse displacement from the center. With the distal end of the case defined as a vertex, this maximum transverse displacement is sized to subtend a displacement angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. The arm has a holder adapted to transversely hold the writing tip at an orientation displaced from parallel to the longitudinal axis no more than the displacement angle. The arm can produce a periodic pattern on the writing surface during the strokes. The arm has clearance to permit the writing tip to write with the case held at varying angles of inclination within a range of angles relative to the writing surface. This angle of inclination is adjustable to alter the periodic pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to freehand writing instruments, and in particular, to instruments that are motorized to alter the writing.
2. Description of Related Art
For a freehand writing instrument to maintain a comfortable feel, the angular orientation of the writing tip should be parallel or close to parallel to the centerline or longitudinal axis of the instrument. The tolerable amount of angular displacement from parallel depends on whether the writing tip lies on the centerline (longitudinal axis) of the writing instrument, or whether the writing tip is offset from this centerline (asymmetrical placement). For an asymmetrically placed writing tip, greater angular displacement of the writing tip is tolerable since the asymmetrical offset itself creates an inherent angular offset that can be compensated somewhat by tilting the writing tip. The tolerable angular displacement of the writing tip is a function of the inherent angle between the centerline (longitudinal axis) of the writing instrument and a line originating on the instrument""s centerline at the upper (distal) end of the writing instrument and running to the lower (proximal) end of the instrument, terminating at a distance from the centerline representing the asymmetrical offset of the writing tip from this centerline. In effect, asymmetrical writing instruments having a greater asymmetrical offset can tolerate a writing tip with a greater tilting from an orientation parallel to this centerline (longitudinal axis) of the writing instrument.
Writing instruments have been designed to alter the appearance of a writer""s normal strokes. Such devices have been designed purely for entertainment or to produce special effects needed for specialized drawings.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,972 a writing instrument 17 is connected to a spinning shaft 11a by a flexible coupler 18. In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, special effects are produced by pressing the spinning tip of the writing instrument 17 so it rolls or xe2x80x9cwalksxe2x80x9d back and forth across the writing surface (parallel strokes of FIGS. 7 and 12). Alternatively, the writing instrument can be held upright as shown in FIG. 4 so that the tip of the writing instrument can roll along a somewhat erratic spiral path, as shown in FIGS. 8-11. In any event, the speed of the writing tip is disadvantageously determined by the rolling properties of the tip. Also, xe2x80x9cwalkingxe2x80x9d the spinning writing tip in this way quickly wears the tip.
For the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,972, the writing tip follows a conical orbit, staying essentially aligned as a conical ray (subject to some skewing due to flexing of coupler 18). (FIG. 6 may be deemed a cone with a zero conical angle.) When the barrel is tilted in a natural way as shown, the writing pressure varies orbitally. A problem with this design is that the angle of the writing tip 17 is quite different from the angle of the barrel 10. Consequently, the feel of the writing tip is changed by the canting of the tip 17 relative to the barrel 10. If however, the angle between the writing tip 17 and barrel 10 were to be kept small, the amplitude of oscillations of the tip will remain too small.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,870 a toy moves along a surface to drive a wheel, while pens are thereby rotated to draw a pattern on the surface. The pens are held in a turret 57 (FIG. 6) and rotate about a shaft 51. This arrangement requires the wheels and other rollers to remain on the writing surface, so that the assembly maintains a constant parallel orientation to the writing surface. Thus, this device cannot be used like a simple freehand writing instrument. This apparatus lacks a free expressive quality, and must be moved about with a limited motion, much like a scrub brush. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,319 for a wheel-driven toy where the writing instruments are held on the toy, but not mechanically rotated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,874 a marking device attached to a ring gear can orbit inside a handheld device as it slides across a drawing surface. This assembly must remain flat on the writing surface and is pushed around that surface with a scrubbing motion. Thus, this reference does not allow the expressive strokes possible with a freehand writing instrument.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,390,460; 5,208,987; and 5,433,642 an eccentric weight is spun in the upper end of a writing instrument to cause oscillations about the writer""s fingers. These spinning mechanisms must generate substantial force to overcome the writer""s grip. Consequently, a substantial mass must be placed at the end of the writing instrument, which will tend to produce an off-balanced feel. Also, since the vibrations must necessarily be transferred through the writer""s fingertips, this device will quickly become uncomfortable and have a tendency to numb the writer""s fingertips.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a freehand writing instrument for holding a writing tip. The instrument is operable to draw the writing tip across a writing surface in one or more strokes. The instrument has a case sized to be handheld and has a longitudinal axis extending between a distal and proximal end of the case. Also included is a motor mounted at the case. The writing instrument also has an element mounted at the proximal end of the case. The element is driven by the motor to move periodically about a predetermined center reaching a maximum transverse displacement from the center. With the distal end of the case defined as a vertex, this maximum transverse displacement is sized to subtend a displacement angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. The element has a holder adapted to transversely hold the writing tip at an orientation displaced from parallel to the longitudinal axis no more than the displacement angle. The element is operable to produce a periodic pattern on the writing surface during the strokes. The element has clearance to permit the writing tip to write with the case held at varying angles of inclination within a range of angles relative to the writing surface. The angle of inclination is adjustable to alter the periodic pattern.
By employing apparatus of the foregoing type, an improved writing instrument is achieved. In a preferred embodiment a cylindrical case contains a battery and a motor driven by the battery. A motor-driven shaft extending from the case supports a claw-like arm that is connected, preferably, at right angles to the motor shaft. A pen, pencil or other writing tip can be held in the arm substantially parallel to the shaft and the longitudinal axis of the case. This orientation gives the writing instrument an overall proper feel.
By pressing a pushbutton on the case the motor can spin the arm, preferably, in a plane perpendicular to the motor shaft. Depending upon the angle of inclination of the writing instrument, the writing tip can write connected loops or successive disconnected marks. In some embodiments the writing tip may be allowed to wobble slightly in which case the writing pattern can be more complex and somewhat chaotic or random.


An oval-tracked exercise apparatus is provided which includes a main frame having a pair of connecting arms in a hinge joint with a traverse support. The traverse support is coupled with a mechanical system in a pivotal connection with a pair of planks. A resisting rotating mechanism is attached to an opposing end of the respective plank. Besides, an adjusting assembly is provided for adjusting the height of the traverse support. The resisting rotating mechanism formed by a flywheel, a belt wheel or a resistance mechanism includes a continually bent crank and is rotatably mounted on side walls of a base of the resisting rotating mechanism. Accordingly, both handles are synchronically movable with respective planks for simulating a climbing action and an oval exercise track. Moreover, a simulation of a movement on uphill, downhill and flat surfaces can be achieved. Furthermore, a reduction of the distance between both planks is also attainable.

1. Fields of the Invention
The invention relates to an oval-tracked exercise apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus in which both handles is synchronically movable with respective planks for simulating a climbing action and an oval exercise track. Moreover, a simulation of a movement on uphill, downhill and flat surfaces can be achieved as well. Furthermore, a reduction of the distance between both planks is attainable.
2. Description of the Related Art
People work for what they need. Meanwhile, they realize how important their health is. Therefore, they do exercise for keeping their bodies in good condition. The simplest way to exercise is the use of the exercise apparatuses. Among the exercise apparatuses, the oval-tracked exercise apparatus can best simulate the actual walking exercise. U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,898 ("Rehabilitation & Exercise Apparatus") teaches that a motor imparts motion to two treadle bars through a belt-driven toothed plate such that the treadle bars move in an offset position. However, it lacks means for keeping the body in balance. Therefore, the operator easily falls from the exercise apparatus due to the instability of his center of gravity.
Another prior art—U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,343 ("Stationary Exercise Device")—teaches that two rocker arms are pivotably connected to the base. The bottom of each rocker arm and the front end of the treadle bars are joined to each other in a movable state. The other end of the treadle bars is attached to the side of the flywheel. Both of the treadles are alternatingly treaded to simulate the movement of hands and feet in an oval track. Meanwhile, both rocker arms move in alternating way to aid the operator in keeping their bodies in balance.
Since the hands of the operators are synchronically movable with the rocker arms to perform the arched, reciprocating motion, this doesn't correspond to the actual coordinating movement of hands and feet during walking session. Due to the non-ergonomic design, the muscle function could be deteriorated, thereby causing the abnormality of the balance sense.


An end piece for a retrofit fluorescent lamp may include a housing section open on a first end face and a cover that can close off the first end face, wherein the housing section and the cover can be non-detachably interlocked.

LED retrofit fluorescent lamps are designed to replace conventional fluorescent lamps and use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources. The LED retrofit fluorescent lamp can be inserted in holders provided for the conventional fluorescent lamps and must have approximately the same shape and light output characteristic as the conventional fluorescent lamps. The LED retrofit fluorescent lamp therefore also has, along a longitudinal axis, a shape which typically does not essentially extend beyond the known cylindrical outside contour of the conventional fluorescent lamp. The LED retrofit fluorescent lamp requires a driver to operate the light-emitting diodes. In some LED retrofit fluorescent lamps, the driver is accommodated in an end piece which then also serves as a driver housing. Hitherto, the end piece has had a housing section open to one side and a cover closing off the housing section. The housing section and the cover are fastened together by metal screws, wherein the screws are covered by a plastic cap after being installed.
The disadvantage of the existing LED retrofit fluorescent lamps is that the screws can be undone using simple means and the cover can then be removed without difficulty. The driver electronics are then freely accessible, thus posing a shock hazard. Assembly is also relatively complex due to the need for a screwed connection and for mounting of the plastic caps.

End piece for a retrofit fluorescent lamp and retrofit fluorescent lamp


The present invention is a holder cup for a stick-type product that prevents the release of the stick-type product from the holder cup. The holder cup comprises a hollow housing which is closed at one end and configured to receive a stick-type product at the other end, said hollow housing having an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall containing one or more longitudinal grooves, each longitudinal groove having a first end which is tapered towards the center of the holder cup and a second end which passes through the closed end of the housing to form an aperture. A push-up is then provided, which comprises a base and one or more rods projecting axially outwardly from the base, said rods being positioned to align and dimensioned to fit within the longitudinal groove, and said rods having a length greater than that of the longitudinal groove.

When stick-type products are placed into their respective cases they are held in place with a holder cup. The means by which the stick-type product is held in the cup is via a friction fit between the stick-type product and the inner wall of the holder cup. These two elements, the holder cup and the stick product, are dimensioned so that a proper friction fit is obtained. The problem with this means of holding the stick-type product in the holder cup is that, over time, the dimensions of the stick-type product will change, thereby causing the friction fit between the cup and the product to be insufficient to hold the product in place during a shock to the case. The dimensions of stick-type products change due to the method of cooling of the product after molding or filling into the holder cup whereby the cooling causes product to shrink.
Also, with the increasing use of volatile ingredients within the formulations for stick-type products, shrinkage problems are a concern. These volatile ingredients tend to evaporate, which then causes the product to shrink. When this happens, a once proper fit between the holder cup and the product will no longer be sufficient to hold the product in place. Once shrinkage has occurred to the point where the fit between the holder cup and the product is insufficient to hold the product in place, a small shock to the case will cause the product to release. Once the product has released from the holder cup it is virtually useless to the consumer.
Current holder cups try to remedy this problem in a number of different ways. Some cups provide a holder wall which protrudes from the bottom of the holder cup, so that when the stick-type product is inserted into the holder cup a greater surface area of contact between the product and the holder cup is provided (see German Patent No. 3,319,031). Along the same premise of increasing the contact surface area, longitudinally extending internal ribs are added to the holder cup as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,680 to Fuglsang-Madsen et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,134 to Moore. U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,070, provides that the longitudinally extending internal ribs be a dove-tail design to further provide greater contact area and to hold the stick in place after shrinkage of the stick has occurred.
With the new formulations of stick products that contain a considerable amount of volatile ingredients, it has been found that the frictional forces created by these configurations of holder cups is not sufficient to hold the product in place after shrinkage of the stick has occurred and then the case experiences a shock. This insufficient frictional force is created after the stick shrinks because holder cups of the longitudinal rib style pre-form a groove within the stick product when the stick is inserted into the holder cup. The product then shrinks away from the pre-formed groove thereby lessening the contact surface and the frictional forces.
WO Patent No. 96/32031 to Bennett provides for a holder cup that employs the use of a spike which penetrates a lipstick to hold the lipstick in place. This spike is either attached to a snap-ring or an arm. Both embodiments allow the spike to pass through an aperture in the holder cup, thereby puncturing a lipstick. This type of holder cup is effective in holding a stick product in place after shrinkage because a groove is not formed when the product is inserted into the holder cup. Though effective in holding a lipstick in place within a holder cup, these embodiments require additional assembly or may be difficult to manufacture via known holder cup molding techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,727 to Vaupel, discloses the use of spring elements provided on the lipstick holder to aid in holding the lipstick mass in place. These spring elements are pressed into the lipstick as the lipstick holder is retracted into the case and form rear-engaging lugs. The disadvantage to this arrangement is that the rear-engaging lugs do not lock in place after they are pressed into the lipstick.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a holder cup which will secure a stick-type product in place when the case is exposed to a shock.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a holder cup that is simple to manufacture.
Another purpose of this invention is to provide a holder cup which will continue to hold a stick-type product in place even after the product changes its dimensions.
Further, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a holder cup which can be used with existing case components with little or no modification to the case.
It is still a further purpose of this invention to provide a holder cup which is a relatively simple device that avoids interference with package aesthetics.


Disclosed is a method of disposal of metallic aluminum-containing solid waste comprising the steps of reacting radioactive solid waste containing metallic aluminum with an alkali solution to generate a hydrogen gas and then mixing the resulting reaction liquid with a solidifying material containing a latent hydraulic material as a main component to solidify the liquid. According to the method of the invention, solidification of aluminum-containing radioactive solid waste in a highly filled state (high concentration) is feasible and a solid having excellent mechanical strength and properties of preventing oozing of radioactive nuclide can be obtained.

In facilities concerned to radioactive substances, such as atomic power plants, facilities for experiments relating to atomic power, nuclear fuel handling facilities, fuel reprocessing plant and ships using atomic power as motive power, a large quantity of radioactive solid waste is produced. For disposal of incombustible radioactive solid waste among the radioactive solid waste, a method of solidifying the radioactive solid waste with cement, a method of compressing the radioactive solid waste, and a method of melting the radioactive solid waste at high temperatures and solidifying the molten waste, etc. are known.
Most of the incombustible radioactive solid waste contains metallic aluminum. For example, high efficiency particulate air filters for exhausted gas, which are so called "HEPA filers" and are used in the system for purifying air inside buildings such as atomic power plants, comprise a glass fiber filter and an aluminum spacer.
In the disposal method by heating and melting the radioactive solid waste containing aluminum, the aluminum is oxidized to thereby form an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer on a surface of the sheet-like or massive radioactive solid waste. This layer is a protective layer, whereby the sheet-like or massive radioactive solid waste is not melted and remains unchanged as it is.
In the disposal method by solidifying the radioactive solid waste containing aluminum with hydraulic cement such as Portland cement, when the solid waste is mixed with the cement, calcium hydroxide in the cement reacts with aluminum to generate bubbles of a hydrogen gas, and setting of cement begins before generation of a hydrogen gas is completed. Therefore, no dense cement solid can be obtained, and the resulting cement solid has poor mechanical strength and insufficient properties of preventing oozing of radioactive nuclide.
For the disposal of the radioactive waste containing metallic aluminum by means of solidification, a method in which aluminum is previously reacted with an alkali substance or hydrogen peroxide to generate a hydrogen gas and thereby solidifying with cement has been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 32000/1986 and No. 28700/1992. In the use of Portland cement hitherto applied, however, if the alkali concentration is too high, quick setting reaction takes place in the mixing process. As a result, operations for the solidification become impossible, or if possible, any cement solid having good solid properties (e.g., compression strength) cannot be obtained.
It has been also proposed that lithium nitrate is added to inhibit corrosion caused by the reaction of aluminum in the radioactive solid waste with cement. However, whether the inhibition effect exerted by the corrosion inhibitor continues over hundreds years has not been clarified.
Under such circumstances as described above, the present inventors have earnestly studied methods of disposal of radioactive solid waste containing aluminum, and as a result, we have found that disposal of the radioactive solid waste can be efficiently made by previously reacting the aluminum with an alkali substance to generate a hydrogen gas and then adding a solidifying material containing a latent hydraulic material as a main component to the reaction liquid to solidify the liquid. The present inventors have also found that the solid thus obtained has excellent mechanical strength and properties of preventing oozing of radioactive nuclide. Based on the finding, the present invention has been accomplished.

Method of disposal of metallic aluminum-containing radioactive solid waste


Some embodiments herein comprise providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, an acid, a permeability modifier, and a permeability modifier deactivator; providing an injection well having a first treatment zone comprising a first aqueous formation permeability, wherein the first treatment zone comprises formation damage; introducing the treatment fluid into the injection well, so as to contact the acid, the permeability modifier, and the permeability modifier deactivator with the first treatment zone; reacting the acid with the first treatment zone so as to repair a portion of the formation damage; reacting the permeability modifier with the first treatment zone so as to cause the first aqueous formation permeability to adopt a second, lesser aqueous formation permeability; and contacting the permeability modifier deactivator with the permeability modifier so as to deactivate the permeability modifier and restore the first treatment zone to about the first aqueous formation permeability.

The methods of the embodiments described herein relate to acid diversion treatments in injection wells using permeability modifiers.
An injection well is a wellbore in subterranean formation used to pump fluids into a producing reservoir (e.g., a hydrocarbon producing reservoir). Injection wells are typically used for waterflood, pressure maintenance, and enhanced oil recovery purposes. Injection wells are often composed of multiple subterranean zonal portions that are not homogeneous in terms of permeability, porosity, and/or the degree of damage experienced in the particular zone compared to surrounding zones. These nonhomogeneous zones can impede fluid injectivity into producing wellbores and may require increased pressure to adequately inject fluids.
It is common to perform acid diversion treatments in injection wells to combat the nonhomogeneous nature of the well. An aqueous acid treatment may be injected into an injection well, where the acid is expected to dissolve portions of the formation rock in the near wellbore region, thereby reducing the lack of zonal homogeneity in the injection well. Acids, however, follow the path of least resistance and tend to flow to high permeability zones. In order to uniformly treat an injection well with an acid, diversion techniques are typically employed. Diversion techniques encourage the acid to flow from high permeability zones to low permeability zones.
Permeability modifiers have been effective acid diverters for hydrocarbon producing wells. They are capable of altering the relative permeability of a portion of a wellbore that they come into contact with, resulting in blockage of water production and/or diversion of aqueous fluids away from that portion of the wellbore. As such, they are particularly useful in hydrocarbon producing wells where they have no effect on hydrocarbon permeability and where there is no concern that the effects of the permeability modifier (e.g., reduction in water permeability) may remain in effect for a period longer than desired or permanently. Injection wells, on the other hand, typically involve injection of water rather than hydrocarbons and minimal pressure during fluid injection is desirable. Thus, the use of permeability modifiers, although effective acid diverters, in injection wells may result in undesirable or irreversible reduction in water permeability of the wellbore.
It is therefore desirable to provide an acid diversion treatment for use in an injection well comprising a permeability modifier, whose effects can be reversed after the treatment is complete.

Acid diversion treatments in injection wells using permeability modifiers


A locking device includes a threaded stud with a flat face cut through the threaded surface parallel to the axial direction of the stud, and a knob which locks over a forward section of the stud and includes a casing having an inner surface which defines a hole extending axially through the casing. The inner surface of the casing has a flat surface extending axially which receives the corresponding flat face on the threaded stud to prevent rotation of the casing with respect to the stud. The knob also includes a tumbler housing which is mounted in an axially-fixed position within the casing to rotate freely when a key is inserted into the tumbler housing, and to remain locked in a fixed position when the key is withdrawn. Fitted into the rearward end of the tumbler housing is a sleeve having a threaded axial hole which engages the threaded stud when the tumbler housing is turned by a key to thereby pull the forward section of the stud into the casing hole.

Various types of locking devices have been designed for a multitude of purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,457 to Foster and U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,291 to Geresy disclose trailer hitch locking devices which are used to lock a trailer hitch tongue to the ball of a conventional type of trailer hitch. Another type of device called a coupler lock has been used for locking together the central member and outer member of telescoping type utility hitches. In this type of utility hitch, the smaller central member fits telescopically into an outer member. Apertures through both members may be aligned so that a pin may be inserted therethrough to hold the central member within the outer member. If the pin is not locked onto these members in some manner it may be removed, and the vehicle which was connected to the hitch member, such as a trailer, could be stolen.
Other types of locking devices have been designed for securing attachments and accessories to vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 1,828,658 to Henke, Jr. discloses an anti-theft tire lock which utilizes band sections which wrap around a portion of the tire. U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,691 to Godshalk and U.S. Pat. No. 1,444,214 to Shultz disclose automobile spare tire locks utilizing a holding mechanism which presses against the tire rim to prevent removal of the spare tire from the vehicle. Spare tires for vehicles generally are mounted to racks affixed to the vehicle Since tires almost uniformly have stud holes for operably connecting the tires with studs to the vehicle, it would be desirable to use the stud holes in a tire in combination with the tire rack to lock the spare tire to the vehicle.
An improved locking device which can be used for the purposes described above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,106 to Johnson. This device includes a stud having a threaded axial hole extending rearwardly from the forward end thereof and a keyed portion having at least one key, and a knob which locks over a forward position of the stud and includes a casing with an inner surface including at least one keyway each of which receives the corresponding key on the stud to prevent rotation of the casing with respect to the stud. The knob also includes a tumbler housing which is mounted in an axially fixed position within the casing to rotate freely when a key is inserted into the tumbler housing and to remain locked in a fixed position when the key is withdrawn.


A ring-shaped magnet (19) is bonded on or secured to the outer peripheral side of a rotor (21) which is borne by a rotary shaft (13) which constitutes a radial pneumatic dynamic pressure bearing. A ring-shaped magnet (23) is disposed so that it is spaced at a given distance from the ring-shaped magnet (19). The rotor (21) is restricted from moving in the axial direction and is rotatably supported in the radial direction by the magnetic attracting forces of two ring-shaped magnets (19, 23). The rotor (21) is eccentric by 0.5 relative to the axis of rotation by the difference in magnetic balance between the ring-shaped magnets (19, 23). Accordingly, the radial pneumatic dynamic pressure bearing generates a high dynamic pressure. The herringbone pneumatic dynamic pressure generating grooves (15a, 15b) generate a high dynamic pressure. They provide a very high radial load bearing ability to enhance the accuracy of rotation.

1. FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high speed rotor assembly that is strongly required to stably rotate at a high accuracy, such as rotary bearing for polygon mirror.
2. RELATED ART
Polygon mirrors are used in, for example, laser printers, bar code readers, facsimiles and laser copy machines. Since the efficiency of the polygon mirror is enhanced as the number of rotations increases, the number of rotations of 20000 r.p.m. or more has been preferred . As the bearing for such a high speed rotor assembly, for example, precise ball bearings have heretofore been used. However, it is difficult to keep a stable accuracy of rotation for an extended period of time due to such problems as wearing and that the limit of the rotational speed is about 16000 r.p.m.
Accordingly, grooved pneumatic dynamic pressure bearings for bearing a rotor rotating at a high speed have been used. The grooved pneumatic dynamic pressure bearings have features of low noise and low friction loss since they bear a rotor via a gas film in a non-contacting manner. However, they are weak for external shocks and vibrations of the rotor are may occur since the load bearing ability of the bearing is low. Thus it is difficult to obtain a stable accuracy of rotation.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, there has been proposed, inter alia, a high speed rotor assembly in which the bearing rigidity is increased to suppress the vibration of the rotor 52 by enlarging the bearing 51 as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Tokkai Sho 60-98213 and shown in the sectional view of FIG. 8. Another proposed solution has been a high speed rotor assembly, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Tokkai Sho 63-266420 and as shown in the section view of FIG. 9, in which: thrust direction pneumatic dynamic pressure bearings 62a and 62b are provided at opposite ends of the radial pneumatic dynamic pressure bearing 61 to suppress the vibrations of the rotor 63 by the pneumatic dynamic pressure generated in a thrust direction; and the size of a rotary shaft 61 is reduced.
In these high speed rotor assemblies which use axially long pneumatic dynamic pressure bearing having an increased radial rigidity for bearing the rotor , the rotor is larger than the rotor in the high speed rotor assembly using conventional ball bearings, thereby resulting in an increase in the size of the assemblies. One the other hand, the pneumatic dynamic pressure bearings generally require precise machining in which the accuracy of shape such as degree of cylindricality, roundness and surface roughness should be in the order of 1 .mu.m to provide excellent accuracy of rotation. Therefore, the fact that the rotary shaft is long in an axial direction makes it difficult to perform machining. Although it is possible to perform machining, the manufacturing cost is so high that it is impractical.
Since the area of contact between the rotor and the thrust bearing surface is large in the rotor assembly in which the radial pneumatic dynamic pressure bearing is provided at both ends thereof with the thrust dynamic pressure bearings, a high starting torque is required for starting the rotor. As a result ringing effect (adsorption effect on the smooth face) mayoccur on the thrust bearing face which may prevent activation of the rotor assembly.
When the inner peripheral side of a cylindrical work piece is machined, the inner diameter at opposite ends tends be less or higher than that at the midposition thereof. In other words, the inner peripheral side of the work piece may be machined into arcuate shape as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Therefore, unstable dynamic pressure distribution is liable to occur at the both ends of the radial bearing due to the changes in the gap of the bearing and the resulting changes in the number of rotations. Vibrations in a conical mode may occur due to occurrence of unforeseen vibrations, amplification of the vibrations, of the rotor at a specific vibration frequency of synchronized vibration and resonation of the vibration with the magnetic force balance in a thrust direction. As a result, the bearing of the rotor may contact with the stationary shaft and the vibrations due to shock may not be dumped.
Therefore, the present invention was made in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a high speed rotor assembly which is compact in size; requires a less starting torque; and provides a superior stable accuracy of rotation in a wide range from the beginning of rotation to a high speed rotation to a high shock environment.