A coil component 1 includes a thin-film coil layer including spiral conductors and bump electrodes 12a to 12d formed on a surface of the thin-film coil layer. The thin-film coil layer includes internal terminal electrodes 24a to 24d connected respectively to corresponding one ends of the spiral conductors, and a fourth insulating layer 15d covering the internal terminal electrode 24a to 24d and having openings ha to hd. Both a top surface TS and a side surface SS of each of the internal terminal electrodes 24a to 24d are exposed through the corresponding opening. The bump electrodes 12a to 12d are each brought into contact with both the top surface TS and side surface SS of each of the internal terminal electrodes 24a to 24d in the corresponding opening.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component and a manufacturing method thereof and, more particularly, to a coil component such as a common mode filter and a manufacturing method thereof.
Description of Related Art
A common mode filter, which is known as one of electronic components, is widely used as a noise suppression component for a differential transmission line. Recent progress of manufacturing technology allows the common mode filter to be realized as a very small surface mount chip component, and a coil pattern to be incorporated is significantly reduced in size and space.
Further, in a common mode filter of so-called a thin film type, there is known a common mode filter in which an external terminal electrode is increased in thickness by plating (see, e.g., Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 2011-14747). In a common mode filter of this type, when the external terminal electrode and a planar coil pattern are connected to each other, an internal terminal electrode connected to an inner or outer peripheral end of the planar coil pattern is connected to the external terminal electrode. An insulating layer is interposed between the external and internal terminal electrodes, and the external terminal electrode is connected, in a planar fashion, to a top surface of the internal terminal electrode through an opening formed in the insulating layer.
With recent miniaturization of a chip size, an area of the internal terminal electrode has significantly been reduced. When the external terminal electrode is connected to the internal terminal electrode having such a small area, a joint strength between the internal and external terminal electrodes may be insufficient, so that an electrical connection failure can easily be caused due to thermal shock and so on. Such a problem occurs notably in the above-mentioned common mode filter; however, it occurs not only for terminal electrode connection in the common mode filter but also for terminal electrode connection in various electronic components, and a solution to this problem is desired.

Electronic component and manufacturing method thereof


A liquid fertilizer application system for efficiently dispensing and placing liquid fertilizer within a furrow to minimize germination injury. The liquid fertilizer application system includes a guard with an attached fertilizer tube having an input opening and a discharge opening. The discharge opening of the fertilizer tube is attached in front of the guard used to protect the implement seed tube. The discharge opening of the fertilizer tube forward of the seed tube allows for the application of the fertilizer into the prepared furrow prior to placement of the seed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fertilizer applicators and more specifically it relates to a liquid fertilizer application system for efficiently dispensing and placing liquid fertilizer within a furrow to minimize germination injury.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Fertilizer applicators have been in use for years. Typically, the placement of fertilizer in close proximity to seeds during the planting process is done to improve crop yields. Current applicators place fertilizer to the side of the seeds in the furrows, on top of the seeds in the furrows, in bands on the soil near the seed rows or broadcast on the soil above the seed rows. Unfortunately, current fertilizer applicators utilized in the farming industry directly apply fertilizer to the seed which results in burning of the seed thereby increasing germination injury.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently dispensing and placing liquid fertilizer within a furrow to minimize germination injury. Conventional fertilizer applicators tend to directly apply the fertilizer upon the seed thereby increasing germination injury.
In these respects, the liquid fertilizer application system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficiently dispensing and placing liquid fertilizer within a furrow to minimize germination injury.


In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an irrigation, commercial or municipal utility district high flow capacity water well is completed in a manner such that water is produced from a substantially horizontal lower portion of the well bore that is located in the lower 20% of the water saturated thickness of the aquifer.

As water is produced from an aquifer such as the Ogallala at a rate that is higher than the aquifer is being recharged by natural processes, the water saturated thickness of the aquifer decreases. Beyond a critical value of saturation thickness, the maximum rate widhdrawn from a well decreases proportionally. This value is directly related withdrawn from a well decreases proportionally. This value is directly related to the rate in gallons per minute of water withdrawal that is required, and inversely related to the permeability of the aquifer. When the pumping rate is increased beyond such critical value, air breaks through the water-air interface at the top of the water saturated zone and curtails water production. When break-through occurs, both air and sand or other sediments can flow to the pump and cause serious damage to it. Thus as the water saturated thickness of an aquifer that is not being naturally recharged in a sufficient manner decreases with time, the well operator is forced to reduce the water production rate, which for crop irrigation reduces the number of acres that can be farmed. When the well is used as a municipal supply, water use must be curtailed by rationing. Eventually, additional water wells will have to be drilled, completed, and put on production to provide the required supply of water. In most cases the drilling and completion costs and the additional power requirements for additional wells make the economics questionable.
It has been recognized, for example in connection with the Ogallala aquifer which accounts for about 30% of the national supply of ground water used for agricultural irrigation, that its water saturated thickness has been declining for many years. See Weeks et al, "Summary Of The High Plains Regional Aquifer-System Analysis In Parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming" USGS (1988). From this report it can be recognized that the average water production needed may require a doubling of the number of wells in order to sustain an agricultural area, over the coming 25 year period. The ground water source over a seven county area of Texas was at its critical saturation thickness as far back as 1956. Indeed nearly one-half of the Ogallala aquifer throughout the eight states covered by the Weeks' report had less than 100 feet of saturated thickness left in 1980. Heretofore, the only solution to the problem of reduced water production rates has been to drill, complete and put on production more wells, which will involve very large cost outlays that may not be economically feasible.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved agricultural, commercial or municipal utility district water well completion method which will extend the producing life of a recharge-deficient aquifer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved water well completion method where water entry into the well bore is over a horizontal or near-horizontal section thereof which substantially reduces the possibility of air breakthrough, thereby increasing the maximum flow rate of a single well.


A filter arrangement for filtration of a primary fluid, the filter arrangement having a filtration region and a bypass region. The bypass region is a sealed region containing a secondary fluid having a specific gravity different than a specific gravity of the primary fluid. The bypass region providing a bypass pathway for flow of the primary fluid during extended use of a clogged filter cartridge.

To maintain an ecological balance within an aquarium, it is necessary to clean the aquarium water. Cleaning is often accomplished by pumping water from the aquarium to a filter device, filtering the water through a filter medium, and returning the filtered water to the aquarium. As aquarium water passes through the filter media, various particulates trapped by the media can gradually slow or block the passage of water through the media. Thus, it is necessary for the user to periodically remove and replace the filter media.
In some conventional arrangements, the filter device is fully submerged. When the filter media of a fully submerged filter device clogs, circulation of water through the filter device can become highly restricted. That is, only a restricted amount of filtered water can pass through the blocked or clogged filter media, causing strain on the pump and reducing overall water quality by restricting water circulation within the aquarium.
Because the filter media of most filter devices is hidden from view, the user can be unaware that the filter media is clogged. Extended use of clogged filter media can eventually lead to pump damage or excessive component wear. In some arrangements, clogged filter media also results in poor water circulation. In general, improvement has been sought with respect to such filter devices, generally to prevent pump component damage and improve water quality during clogged filter media use.


A method for filling an ink reservoir of an ink-jet cartridge. A cartridge is provided which includes a frame structure having an external frame structural member fabricated from a first rigid plastic material and an inner frame member fabricated from a second plastic material, the inner member lining an interior surface of the external frame member. The cartridge has first and second impervious membranes joined to the inner frame member to form, with the inner frame member, an ink reservoir for holding a supply of ink, and an ink fill port comprising a passage-way defined through the external frame member, the passage-way lined with said second material of said inner member and communicating with the interior of the reservoir. Ink is released into the reservoir from an ink supply through the fill port, which is then sealed. A method for forming a leak-resistent joint between the first and second plastic materials includes molding the second material into a predetermined first structure including a cavity defining the external periphery of an interior standpipe member, positioning the first structure into a mold for injecting the first material, injecting the first material in a molten state into the mold wherein the first material fills the outer periphery of the cavity and molds against the first structure to define the external periphery of the standpipe member, permitting the first material to cool, thereby forming a leak-resistent seal between the first and second materials about the standpipe member.

The present invention is related to the following pending and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. applications: INK PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR A THERMAL INK-JET PRINTER, Ser. No. 07/928,811, filed Aug. 12, 1992, subsequently issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,632; COLLAPSIBLE INK RESERVOIR STRUCTURE AND PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE, Ser. No. 07/929,615, filed Aug. 12, 1992, subsequently issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,882; COMBINED FILTER/AIR CHECK VALVE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PEN, Ser. No. 07/995,109, filed Dec. 22, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,459; INK-JET PRINTER INCLUDING INK CARTRIDGE WITH OPTIMUM SNOUT AND ALIGNMENT SURFACES, Ser. No. 07/995,221, filed Dec. 22, 1992, subsequently issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,215; THERMAL INK-JET PEN WITH A PLASTIC/METAL ATTACHMENT FOR THE COVER, Ser. No. 07/994,810, filed Dec. 22, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,644; THIN PEN STRUCTURE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PRINTER, Ser. No. 07/994,809, filed Dec. 22, 1992, subsequently issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,502; RIGID LOOP CASE STRUCTURE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PEN, Ser. No. 07/994,808, filed Dec. 22, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,995; SPRING-BAG PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE WITH VOLUME INDICATOR, Ser. No. 07/717,735, filed Jun. 19, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,353, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to ink reservoirs for thermal ink-jet ("TIJ") print cartridges.
TIJ technology is widely used in computer printers. Very generally, a TIJ includes a print head typically comprising several tiny controllable ink-jets, which are selectively activated to release a jet or spray of ink from an ink reservoir onto the print media (such as paper) in order to create an image or portion of an image. TIJ printers are described, for example, in the Hewlett-Packard Journal, Volume 36, Number 5, May, 1985, and Volume 39, Number 4, August, 1988.

Method for filling and fabricating ink jet cartridge


The present invention provides the yeast genes SAS2, SAS3 and ESA1 and the proteins encoded thereby. SAS2, SAS3 and ESA1 genes of members of the genus Saccharomyces are provided, particularly the SAS2, SAS3 and ESA1 genes of S. cerevisiae. Also provided are yeast SAS2, SAS3 and ESA1 coding sequences. Specifically provided are the SAS2, SAS3 and ESA1 coding sequences of members of the genus Saccharomyces, and more specifically of S. cerevisiae. Genes of this invention comprise protein coding sequences as well as the regulatory regions that control expression of the encoded protein. Of most interest are SAS2, SAS3, and ESA1 genes of yeast including those of the genus Saccharomyces which are 90% or more homologous to the corresponding genes of S. cerevisiae. Specifically provided are DNA constructs comprising purified and isolated DNA molecules comprising SAS2, SAS3 or ESA1 coding sequences that encode proteins from a strain of S. cerevisiae.

Silencing is an epigenetic form of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes in which certain regions of chromosomes, e.g., certain genes, are made into transcriptionally inactive chromatin structures. [For reviews, see Loo, S. et al. (1995) Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 11: 519-548 and Pillus, L. and Grunstein, M. Chromatin Structure and Gene Expression (ed. Elgin, S. C. R.) (1995) IRL Press, Oxford University Press, pp. 123-146.] Silencers, which are specialized regulatory sites in DNA, and various proteins, including general DNA-binding proteins and silencing proteins, are responsible for silencing. Silencing is related, in part, to the (degree of) acetylation of histones, especially histone H4.
Silencing appears to involve at least three distinct phases or processes: establishment, maintenance, and inheritance. Establishment refers to the genetic switch from active to silenced (inactive) chromatin. Maintenance refers to the continuation of the silenced state of the chromatin. Inheritance refers to the propagation of the silenced state as the chromatin is replicated.
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a number of proteins and genes involved in silencing have been identified. Silencing in yeast is integral to yeast mating-type biology.
Yeast mating-type is determined by the allele present at the mating-type locus, MAT, located near the center of chromosome III. Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be one of three types: a haploid, .alpha. haploid, or a/.alpha. diploid. Cells with the a allele at the MAT locus are of the a mating-type. Cells with the .alpha. allele at the MAT locus are of the .alpha. mating-type. The MATa and MAT.alpha. alleles encode regulatory proteins which control genes specifying the functional differences between a and .alpha. cell types. Opposite type haploid cells can mate with one another to form diploid cells. The simultaneous expression of MATa and MAT.alpha. alleles leads to disruption of normal haploid cell functions, including the ability to mate.
In addition to the transcriptionally active MAT locus, S. cerevisiae cells also contain silenced (i.e., transcriptionally inactive) copies of the a and .alpha. genes at two other loci, HML and HMR, which are located near opposite ends of chromosome III. Upon transposition of an a and .alpha. allele from HML or HMR to MAT, yeast switch from a to .alpha., or vice versa. In haploid cells the silent mating-type loci are repressed. If these loci are not repressed, the simultaneous expression of a and .alpha. leads to the non-mating phenotype of a/.alpha. diploid cells.
Repression of the silent mating-type loci involves regulatory sites adjacent to HML and HMR [Hawthorne, D. (1963) Genetics, 48:1727-1729; Kassir, Y. et al. (1983) Mol. Cell. Biol. 3:871-880; Strathern, J. et al. (1979) Cell 18:309-319; Abraham, J. et al. (1984) J. Mol. Biol. 176:307-331; Feldman, J. et al. (1984) J. Mol. Biol. 178: 815-834]. The HML-flanking silencers are HM-E and HML-I; the HMR-flanking silencers are HMR-E and HMR-I. The E and I silencers comprise elements corresponding to an autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) consensus sequence, and Rap1p- and Abf1-protein binding sites [Brand, A. et al. (1987) Cell 51:709-719].
Four SIR (silent information regulator) genes silence HML and HMR [Haber, J. et al. (1979) Genetics 93:13-35; Klar, A. et al. (1979) Genetics 93:37-50; Rine, J. et al. (1987) Genetics 116:9-22; Rine, J. et al. (1979) Genetics 93:877-901].
SIR1 encodes the Sir1p protein, which is thought to play a role in establishment of silencing at the silent mating-type loci, HML and HMR; Sir1p is not involved in maintenance or propagation of silencing. Mutant sir1 cells are deficient in establishing silencing; however, after silencing is established, these mutant cells maintain and propagate the silenced state at HML and HMR [Pillus, L. et al. (1989) Cell 59:637-647].
SIR2 encodes the Sir2p protein, which is thought to be required for silencing. Cells with sir2 mutations are not only deficient in silencing, but also have an elevated level of recombination in ribosomal DNA [Gottlieb, S. et al. (1989) Cell 56: 771-776]. Sir2P also appears to play a role in acetylation of histones. Evidence suggests that Sir2p is, or regulates, a deacetylase or that it inhibits a histone acetyltransferase. Overproduction of Sir2p results in decreased acetylation of core histones H2B, H3 and H4 [Braunstein, M. et al. (1993) Genes Dev. 7:592-604].
SIR3 encodes the Sir3p protein, which is also required for silencing. Cells with sir3 mutations are deficient in silencing, and have increased rates of mitotic recombination [Palladino, F. et al. (1993) Cell 75:543-555]. Sir3p can form a stable complex with a protein (Rap1p) involved in DNA repair [Paetkau, D. et al. (1994) Genes Dev. 8:2035-2045]; hence Sir3p is thought to be involved in DNA repair as well as in silencing. Increasing SIR3 gene dosage leads to increased silencing [Renauld, H. et al. (1993) Genes Dev. 7:1133-1145]. Cells without Sir3p are completely deficient in silencing [Aparicio, O. et al. D. (1991) Cell 66:1279-1287; Rine, J. et al. (1987) Genetics 116:9-22].
SIR4 encodes the Sir4p protein, also absolutely necessary for silencing. Cells with sir4 null mutations are deficient in silencing, and have a fourfold increase in chromosomal loss. SIR4 is postulated to encode a structural component of chromosomes [Palladino, F. et al. S. (1993) Cell 75:543-555].
The Sir2, Sir3, and Sir4 proteins are also required for telomeric silencing, another type of silencing in S. cerevisiae which has many similarities to mating-type loci silencing. Null mutations in SIR2, SIR3, or SIR4 result in total loss of silencing, both mating-type loci and telomeric silencing. Sir1p, unlike the proteins encoded by SIR2, SIR3, and SIR4, is not necessary for silencing at the silent mating-type loci and apparently has no function at telomeres. Mutations in the SIR genes do not affect cell viability.
Evidence indicates that local chromatin structure is involved in regulation of silencing. The positively charged N-terminal regions of histones H3 and H4 are believed to facilitate silencing via both compaction of chromatin and through specific interactions with silencing proteins. Intact N-termini of histones H3 and H4 are required for complete silencing of HML and HMR [Thompson, J. et al. (1994) Nature 369:245-247; Johnson, L. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6286-6290; Kayne, P. et al. (1988) Cell 55:27-39; Megee, P. et al. (1990) Science 247:841-845; Park, E. et al. (1990) Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:4932-4934]. The positive charges of the N-termini of histones H3 and H4 appear to be important to their role in silencing. The DNA-binding properties of histones H3 and H4 are altered if the lysines in the N-termini are acetylated [Hong, L. et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:305-314].
The N-termini of histones H3 and H4 are often highly acetylated in transcriptionally active regions [Hebbes, T. et al. (1988) EMBO J. 7: 1395-1402; Lee, D. et al. (1993) Cell 72:73-84], and unacetylated in transcriptionally inactive (silenced) regions [Pillus, L. et al. in Chromatin Structure and Gene Expression (ed. Elgin, S. C. R.) (1995) IRL Press, Oxford University Press pp. 123-146]. Different patterns of acetylation are seen in heterochromatin versus euchromatin, as shown by immunological reagents directed to differentially acetylated lysines in the N-terminal regions of histone H4 [Turner, B. et al. (1992) Cell 69:375; Bone, J. et al. (1994) Genes Dev. 8: 96]. The H4 histones of the inactive X chromosome (Barr bodies) in female mammals are not acetylated [Jeppesen, P. et al. (1993) Cell 74: 281].
It is thought that acetylated histones bind DNA less tightly, making DNA more accessible to proteins involved in gene expression. Four nuclear histone acetylating enzymes and five deacetylating enzymes were recently reviewed [Pennisi, E. (1997) Science 275: 155-157]. Histone acetylases include: Tetrahymena, S. cerevisiae, and human HAT A (Gcn5p); human PCAF; human p300/CBP; and human, Drosophila, and S. cerevisiae TAF.sub.II 230/250. Histone deacetylases include: human, Drosophila, S. cerevisiae, and possibly Xenopus, mouse and nematode DHAC1 (RPD3); S. cerevisiae HDA1; S. cerevisiae HOS1; S. cerevisiae HOS2; and S. cerevisiae HOS3.
Because acetylation of histones affects gene expression, it is thought to affect cell cycle and proliferation, and therefore malfunctions of these processes can result in cancer. For example, trapoxin, a potential anti-cancer agent, inhibits cell growth and makes cancer cells revert to their normal, differentiated state. Trapoxin also inhibits histone deacetylation [Taunton, J. et al. (1996) Science 272: 408]. Blocking the removal of acetyl groups from histones is believed to be responsible for trapoxin's anti-tumor effect by restoring normal gene expression, e.g., transcription of a tumor-suppressor gene.
The present invention identifies novel genes encoding silencing proteins in S. cerevisiae. It further provides the proteins encoded by these genes. It also provides methods of using these genes and proteins in a screen for drugs useful in the treatment of mammalian, particularly human, diseases. It specifically provides a method of using mutant strains of S. cerevisiae in a method for screening agents for their ability to affect Tip60 expression and/or activity [Kamine, J. et al. (1996) Virology 216:357-366] and for their ability to affect the 5' translocation partner (protein) of the MOZ-CBP (monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein-CREB binding protein) chimeric oncogene [Borrow, J. et al. (1996) Nature Genet. 14:33-41].
The HIV-1 protein Tat is necessary for HIV replication and is a strong transactivator of HIV gene expression. Tip60, a 60 kDa protein which interacts with the cysteine-rich region of Tat, is postulated to be a cofactor of Tat-dependent regulation of gene expression in HIV [Kamine, J. et al. (1996) Virology 216:357-366]. Overexpression of Tip60 results in a fourfold increase of Tat transactivation of the HIV-1 promoter in transient expression assays. Nothing is known about the regulation of Tip60 in vivo.
The translocation t(8;16)(p11;p13) found in 4-7 patients per 1,000 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) fuses the MOZ gene to the gene encoding the CREB-binding protein [Borrow, J. et al. (1996) Nature Genet. 14:3314 41]. The CREB-binding protein is a transcriptional coactivator which connects the basal transcriptional machinery to other transcription factors. Moz (monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein) is a putative chromatin-bound acetyltransferase. Moz contains two C4HC3 (four cysteines, one histidine, three cysteines) zinc fingers, a C2CH (two cysteines, one cysteine, one histidine) zinc finger and an acetyltransferase consensus domain. The Moz-CBP oncoprotein may mediate leukemogenesis via abnormal acetylation of chromatin at promoters which require CBP bridging. This abnormal acetylation may thereby abnormally acetylate genes whose expression is inappropriate for normal hematopoiesis.
There is as long-felt need in the art for methods of screening agents for their usefulness in the treatment of AIDS and acute myeloid leukemia. Such needed methods are quick, inexpensive and easy to carry out compared to existing methods which do not focus on the genetic basis of these diseases, including tests on animal models.

Yeast silencing genes proteins and methods


A multi-well filtration or solid phase extraction apparatus is provided which generally includes a vacuum collar adapted to be interconnected between a conventional 96-well sample application plate, or separation plate, and a 96-well collection plate. The vacuum collar provides an interface chamber between these plates through which a vacuum can be applied to assist in the filtration process. The collection plate may include a vent opening providing a direct communication between the interface chamber and a vacuum assembly air intake, when the collection plate is disposed on top of the vacuum assembly in a stacked configuration, thereby eliminating any need for separate vacuum manifolds or connectors.

The present invention generally relates to filtration apparatus and more specifically relates to a multi-well filtration or solid phase extraction apparatus.
Multi-well filtration/solid phase extraction assemblies are well known in the art and are used for the assay of biological liquid specimens. Conventional filtration assemblies typically comprise a filtration plate, or separation plate, having multiple wells for receiving a liquid specimen, and a collection tray having a plurality of wells for collecting filtrate. The separation plate and the collection tray are disposed in a stacked relationship such that individual collection wells are associated each with a single filtration well. A conventional multi-well filtration plate has 96 wells for performing multiple assays simultaneously. Each well typically contains a separations media, for example a filter membrane, for separating a biological component from the liquid that is introduced into the separation plate, and allowing a liquid portion of the biological fluid to filter into the collection tray.
For many applications, a multi-well filtration/solid phase extraction assembly requires vacuum, positive pressure, centrifugation or other mechanical means to force the liquid through the separations media. A vacuum box useful for vacuum processing multiple biological samples in a multi-well filtration plate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,989 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,039, both to Aysta. Unfortunately, the Aysta vacuum box and other conventional vacuum assemblies that are designed to process multiple samples simultaneously, are costly, thereby discouraging many users from adopting the 96-well format for sample processing.
The present invention provides a low cost interface between a multi-well separation plate and the collection plate for enabling vacuum processing of multiple samples without need for an expensive vacuum assembly.
Accordingly, a multi-well filtration and solid phase extraction apparatus is provided by the present invention which is useful for facilitating vacuum processing of liquid biological samples using conventional multi-well separation plates and filtrate or waste collection plates. Advantageously, the present invention provides effective means for simultaneously vacuum processing multiple fluid samples without the need for a more expensive, conventional vacuum box. In one particular embodiment, the present apparatus generally comprises a unique vacuum collar that is adapted to be connected to, and in an interfacing relationship with, a 96-well separation plate and a 96-well collection plate.
The separation plate generally includes a plurality of filtration wells each including an inlet portion, and a relatively narrow outlet portion forming a nozzle-like tip. The filtration wells extend through a depth or thickness of the separation plate. A separation media is provided within each of the filtration wells for filtering a biological fluid sample to be assayed. Similarly, the collection plate includes a plurality of collection wells for receiving filtrate or eluate that is discharged from an associated one of the filtration wells.
Importantly, the vacuum collar, when interconnected between the separation plate and the collection plate, defines a substantially air-tight chamber. Means are provided for connecting the chamber to a vacuum source, such as an inexpensive vacuum pump assembly. For example, a hose barb connector extending through the collar and adapted to be connected to a vacuum hose is provided. In addition, means are provided for enabling manual control of pressure differential in the chamber in order to suit a particular application.
Preferably, the vacuum collar includes means, for example a keyed structure, for ensuring alignment between separation wells and collection wells. In another aspect of the invention, the vacuum collar is adapted to place each separation well discharge tip a specified distance into each collection well to ensure that eluates or filtrates will not contaminate adjoining collection wells. In addition, the vacuum collar may include other features which ensure proper connection of the separation plate and the collection plate each time the apparatus is used, thereby eliminating possibility of error in eluate or filtrate transfer.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, a multi-well filtration apparatus is provided in which the collection plate is adapted to be directly connected to a vacuum assembly in a stacked configuration. More specifically, the collection plate includes means, including a vent opening sized and structured to receive an air-intake member of the vacuum assembly when the collection means is disposed on the vacuum assembly in a stacked relationship.


A computer-implemented method for scaling an image is described. An image that depicts a device in contact with a user is obtained. The image depicts identifying information that is being displayed on a display of the device. A type of the device is identified based on the identifying information. A size of the device is determined based on the identified type of the device. At least a portion of the depiction of the user is scaled based on the determined size of the device.

Sales of prescription eyewear over the Internet have been limited in large part because users are unable to actually try on frames before purchasing. Systems are being developed to "virtually" try on different frames using a digital image of the user and digital images of the frames. The user typically uploads a digital image of the user's face. The user then selects different pairs of frames to "try on." Once the pair of frames is selected, an image of the selected frames is superimposed on the stored facial image. This combined image is then presented to the user so that the user can see his/her own image wearing the selected frames.
Another element in purchasing glasses over the Internet is preparation of the eyeglass lenses. The lenses are held spaced apart laterally with the frames. An important aspect of preparing eyeglass lenses is the pupillary distance, which is also referred to as inter-pupillary distance. This distance is the measurement from pupil to pupil and is required to properly prepare lenses for a particular set of frames.
Outside of Internet retail websites that sell glasses, the pupillary distance for the user is easily measured upon examining the user at any physical location where the user purchases glasses. In Internet-based sales, however, the Internet retail website must ask the user for his/her pupillary distance just as the website asks for the user's vision correction prescription. Since the pupillary distance measurement is not typically provided by eye care professionals as part of the user's prescription, it can be difficult for the user to understand and even obtain this measurement for submission at the website.
In many cases, users are intimidated with having to measure their own pupillary distance or with having to contact a physical retail site or their eye care professional in order to obtain this measurement. Opportunities exist for obtaining the pupillary distance measurement in ways outside of contacting a physical eyeglass retail site or eye care professional.

Systems and methods for obtaining a pupillary distance measurement using a mobile computing device


This disclosure relates to a process for preparing a treated inorganic core particle having improved dispersability comprising: (a) heating a slurry comprising porous silica treated inorganic core particle and water at a temperature of at least about 90° C.; and (b) adding a soluble alumina source to the slurry from step (a) while maintaining the pH at about 8.0 to 9.5 to form an alumina treatment on the porous silica treated inorganic core particle; wherein the treated inorganic core particle does not comprise dense silica or alumina treatments, and has silica present in the amount of at least about 7% up to about 14% and alumina present in the amount of about 4.0% to about 8.0%; and wherein the particle to particle surface treatments are substantially homogeneous.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a process for preparing treated inorganic core particles, typically titanium dioxide particles, and in particular to the preparation of treated inorganic oxide core particles, typically titanium dioxide particles, having improved dispersability.
Background of the Disclosure
Titanium dioxide particles such as pigment and nanoparticles are prepared using either the chloride process or the sulfate process. In the preparation of titanium dioxide pigments by the vapor phase chloride process, titanium tetrachloride, TiCl4, is reacted with an oxygen containing gas at temperatures ranging from about 900° C. to about 1600° C., the resulting hot gaseous suspension of TiO2 particles and free chlorine is discharged from the reactor and must be quickly cooled below about 600° C., for example, by passing it through a conduit, i.e., flue, where growth of the titanium dioxide pigment particles and agglomeration of said particles takes place.
It is known to add various substances, such as silicon compounds and aluminum compounds, to the reactants in order to improve hiding power and durability of the final product. Aluminum trichloride added during the process has been found to increase rutile in the final product, and silicon tetrachloride that becomes silica in the final product has been found to improve carbon black undertone (CBU), particle size and pigment abrasion. However the treatments added and the process used for the addition of these treatments result in treated titanium dioxide particles that do not disperse well.
A need exists for a efficient approach for adding elements to an inorganic core particle, typically a pyrogenically prepared metal oxide particle, and more particularly a titanium dioxide particle, to form a treated inorganic core particle having improved dispersability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Treated inorganic core particles having improved dispersability


The invention relates to an actuator (10) for generating high regulating forces and large regulating distances with a web (12) for the transmission of regulating forces, which actuates an internal pressure, which may be purposefully influenced, in an actuator cavity (14), sealed at least in an indirectly pressure-tight manner, wherein a tubular cavity profile (13) forms the active actuator cavity (14), the shell surface of which is heavily indented in linear form in the effective direction (11) of the regulating forces and in the longitudinal direction of the cavity profile (13) to receive and operate the web (12), and the cavity profile (13) is divided into two mirror-symmetric partial cross-sectional faces (15).

The invention relates to an actuator for generating high regulating forces and large regulating distances with a transmission element for the transmission of regulating forces, which actuates an internal pressure, which may be purposefully influenced, in an actuator cavity, sealed at least in an indirectly pressure-tight manner.
The term actuator is generally applied to a component at the output of a control or regulating section, which engages into energy or mass flows. The present invention relates to such an actuator, which additionally complies with the special requirements for installation into supporting structures, e.g. a support wing of a transonic commercial aircraft for carrying the support wing profile in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,900. This is not, of course, the only possible application.

Actuator for generating high regulating forces and large regulating distances


Device, system, and method of storage controller having simulated volumes. For example, an apparatus for data storage management includes: a storage controller to manage access to one or more physical volumes, the storage controller including a simulation module to simulate access to one or more simulated volumes.

In some computing systems, a host computer utilizes a storage controller in order to access data stored in storage units. For example, the storage controller receives from the host computer request to read or write data; and the storage controller read or writes the data, respectively, to or from one or more of the storage units. Optionally, the storage controller operates in accordance with data management schemes or structures (e.g., Redundant Arrays of Independent Discs (RAID)), for example, to divide and/or replicate data among multiple hard disk drives, to increase data reliability, or to increase Input/Output (I/O) performance.
An administrator of the computing system may consider adding a new physical volume (e.g., an additional hard disk drive) to a current configuration of storage controller. Such addition may result in changes in the overall performance of the storage controller and/or the computing system, for example, changes in latency, changes in error rates, or the like. Unfortunately, the system administrator may not be able to fully or successfully estimate in advance the impact of adding a new physical volume to a current configuration of storage controller.

International Business Machines Corporation


A motor vehicle tire carrier includes a housing having an aperture. A drive shaft is rotatably secured to the housing. A spool is positioned in the housing and is rotatably driven by the drive shaft. A flexible elongate member has a first end secured to the spool, is wound about the spool, and extends through the aperture in the housing. A wheel plate is secured to a second end of the elongate member and is configured to support a motor vehicle tire. A crash plate is secured to the housing and has an aperture through which the elongate member extends, with the housing being secured to the crash plate. A guide member on the crash plate has an arcuate surface about which the elongate member will bend when the tire carrier is subject to a lateral force.

Vehicles with inflatable tires such as passenger cars, light and heavy duty trucks, tractor trailers, buses, commercial delivery vehicles, among other motorized forms of transportation and trailers pulled by such vehicles are conventionally equipped with spare tires. Some spare tires are stored under the vehicle using a tire carrier that includes a tire winch for raising and lowering the spare tire between a raised or stored position and a lowered or accessed position. The winch typically raises and lowers the spare tire using a flexible elongate member such as a cable or cord, which is wound and unwound on a spool or reel.
During a crash, lateral forces may expose the cable to a 90° bend or more, which may cause the cable to undergo shear failure. The load required to cause failure of a cable under a shear load is significantly less than that under a tensile load, and harder to predict as compared to the tensile load. It would be desirable to provide a protective assembly that would prevent the cable from encountering sharp bends and failing under a shear load.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective assembly for a tire carrier that reduces or overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments.


A self calibrating system for measuring concentration of a material carried in a fluid medium. The system has a flow cell means for measuring the transmissivity of a fluid medium passing therethrough, a first means for delivering a first fluid containing material carried in fluid medium, and a second means for delivering a clear dispersant fluid. The system also has a switching means for selecting among the delivering means, the switching means connecting one of the delivering means to the flow cell means, a first memory means for storing a table of C1 concentration and associated voltage values corresponding to the transmissivity measurement of the first fluid, a second memory means for storing a table of C2 concentration and associated voltage values corresponding to the transmissivity measurement of the clear dispersant, and calculating means for adding a C1 concentration value from the C1 table to a C2 concentration value from the C2 table thereby determining the concentration of the material in the fluid medium being measured by the flow cell. The system can have additional delivering means as is required for color printing. Also provided is a method for measuring the concentration of toner particles carried in a fluid medium during a calibration period and during run-time use.

This invention relates to a system and method for automatically sensing, monitoring and adjusting the concentration of a material carried in a body of fluid. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for automatically sensing, monitoring and adjusting the toner concentration within liquid solution in an electrographic printing environment utilizing self calibration.
The electrographic recording process, for which the method of this invention is particularly applicable, includes the steps of forming an electrostatic latent image upon a recording medium and subsequently making the latent image visible. The recording medium, usually provided in web form, has a dielectric and a conductive surface and may be a coated paper, a polyester based transparent film, or other suitable material on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by means of a plurality of writing electrodes or styli physically positioned on one side thereof to electrically address the dielectric surface as the medium travels therepast through a recording station. Opposite the dielectric surface of the recording medium there is a conductive surface which in some cases is grounded. When the potential difference between the conductive surface and the recording elements is raised above a threshold level, on the order of several hundred volts, an electrostatic charge is deposited on the dielectric surface of the recording medium as the medium passes by the recording elements.
Subsequently the latent image is made visible during the development step by applying liquid or dry toner to the recording medium. The recording medium is contacted by a thin film of developer material out of which the toner particles are electrostatically attracted to the regions of electrostatic charge on the medium. These toner particles often are suspended in a liquid solution at a preferred concentration. As many images are developed, the particles suspended in the liquid become depleted causing the concentration of the particles in the liquid to be reduced. Therefore, as will become apparent, it is important to monitor the depletion of these particles as the concentration of the liquid changes and to compensate for such depletions as they occur.
Electrostatic plotters are available in a monochrome mode, including a single recording station and a single development station dispensing a single color toner, usually black. Also, electrostatic color plotters are available to produce full color plots by the sequential overlaying of a series of separate color images (yellow, cyan, magenta and black) to produce a full spectrum of colors.
There have been three basic approaches to color separation imaging. In the first, a series of images are formed sequentially each by means of a dedicated recording head and development station. In the second, a single recording head forms each color separation image on the recording medium which is then advanced past one of several development stations. Then, the recording medium is returned to the recording head for receiving the next color separation image and is advanced to the next development station. This process of advancing and returning the recording medium through the apparatus minimizes the number of recording heads and obviates the need for their critical alignment with respect to one another.
The third approach to color separation imaging is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,452 to Day, U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,429 to Finley et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,051 to Monkelbann et al. Here a single recording head forms each color separation image on the recording medium, as in the second approach described above, however only one toner fountain is used for development whereby all toners pass through the same fountain which is purged between colors.
Each of the electrographic systems described above have to compensate for the changes in the concentration of the toner. In liquid toner electrostatic plotters, toner concentration is often measured optically. The liquid toner is pumped between two closely spaced, parallel, clear windows, forming a thin layer through which light is passed. Toner concentration is proportional to the amount of light registered at an optical sensor. A full description of such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,497 to Lloyd et al. which is assigned to a common assignee and hereby incorporated by reference. Various other systems using this approach are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,981,362; 4,660,152; 4,166,702; 4,119,989; 3,807,872; 3,712,203; 3,698,356; 3,677,222; and 3,354,802. Typically, color electrographic systems have four such windows, one for each color (e.g. black, cyan, magenta, yellow).
The accuracy of concentration measurement is highly sensitive to the thickness of the toner layer, i.e. the "window thickness", as well as variations in the optical properties of the toner being measured. This requires very tight tolerances on the window (e.g. 20.+-.1 mil) which, realistically, can only be met by sorting parts. Calibration of a plotter would be performed on the assembly line to compensate for the initial properties of the elements being used in that plotter. This type of calibration process does not take into account element properties that change or degrade over time. In addition, any improvements in toner formulation which affect optical properties cannot be easily implemented. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method by which a plotter can automatically compensate, or "self calibrate" for variations in window thickness, and toner optical properties. This would improve the accuracy of concentration measurement, decrease the cost of manufacturing windows, and allow improvements in toner formulation to be easily implemented. Such a calibration could be performed upon request.
Another problem with optical toner concentration measurement is window staining by the toner over long periods of time. This causes attenuation of the light, which can be misinterpreted as increased toner concentration, leading to measurement error. The same effect is caused by variations and aging in the optics and electronics. Systems of the past have taken a measurement of the window in the absence of toner to get a measurement of the staining of the window. However, a preferred method for automatic compensation for these effects can be accomplished by measuring the light attenuation with 0% concentration toner (i.e. clear ISOPAR.RTM. from Exxon Corp.) being circulated through the window. Such a system could use one window for measuring all toner values, including the value for the clear solution, and problems of residual toner on the window would be decreased due to the flushing effect of the clear solution.
One skilled in the art knows that the attenuation of the light is a logarithmic function of the toner concentration. One way to determine toner concentration is to measure the light attenuation, then perform a logarithmic calculation. Electrographic plotters are typically stand alone machines which use a microprocessor, or CPU (Central Processing Unit) for control, therefore, the logarithmic calculation required would be done by the microprocessor. The toner concentration measurement needs to take place during plot generation, or run-time mode, because that is when the toner is flowing through the measurement window.
Unfortunately, taking logarithms takes much longer than simple calculations, like addition. The CPU is very busy doing other functions at the same time as the concentration measurement, for instance; moving paper, handling plot data and several other tasks. It is so busy that only a few milliseconds at a time can be devoted to sensing concentration. One possible way to handle the problem is to add a coprocessor chip to do the logarithmic calculation, but the cost of this type of solution is prohibitive.
Therefore it would be advantageous to have a method for implementing toner concentration measurement which requires no logarithmic calculations during the run-time mode. Such a method could implement a table look-up scheme which can easily be done in the few milliseconds the CPU has available. One approach could be to put log table information into the look-up table, but this would require a huge amount of memory. However, a preferred approach would be to have a method which uses a self calibration routine that measures the actual window, optics, electronics and toner in the machine and creates very small look-up tables during a calibration time. This calibration could be performed upon request when the machine is idle and the tens of milliseconds of computational time required for logarithms is available. The calibration routine could generate small tables which can be accessed quickly during the run-time operation.
These small tables could be specific to the calibrated properties for a given plotter, and also contain the information needed to compensate for further window staining and electronics aging. As will be seen, concentration measurement during plot generation could be reduced to looking up values in two tables and adding them together. This look up scheme and corresponding addition would require less memory and fewer computational cycles than a system calculating the logarithmic values on the fly. Furthermore, it will be seen that such tables can be recreated at power-on by storing several key parameters, used during calculation of the values for the look-up tables, thereby saving nonvolatile memory space.

Toner concentration sensing with self calibration


A hose or cable reel winder provides a handle for winding hose or cable onto a stationary reel and facilitates an orderly winding onto the reel. A guide is attached to an arm and the arm is free to rotate with respect to the stationary reel. The handle rotates in the guide allowing a user to wind hose or cable onto the stationary reel, and slides into and out of the guide to facilitate the orderly winding of the hose or cable onto the reel. The stationary reel does not require couplings between fixed source hoses or cables and a rotating reel, and allows releasing and collecting pairs or groups of hoses or cables.

The present invention relates to reels for storing hose and cables and in particular to an improved winder.
Hoses and cables are often stored on reels and frequently drawn from and returned to the reels, for example gas welding hoses. Such hoses may not tend to wind in an orderly manner, and require additional space, sometimes more space than available on the reel.
US Patent No. 848,239 for "Hose Reel" discloses a hose reel with a crank and a hose guide 11. The guide engages grooves in a drum to move the guide up and down to guide the hose onto the drum. Unfortunately, the hose reel of the '239 patent is only suitable for a single hose size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,713 for "Portable Reel for Flexible Conductors" discloses a guide 42 attached to an arm that rotates with the reel. Unfortunately the '713 does not allow guiding the flexible conductor in an orderly manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,605 for "Device for Winding/Taking Up Cables, Ribbons, or Other Coilable Structures" discloses a handle 134 and a driven guide 114 guiding a hose axially onto the reel. A threaded first track 118 coupled to a rotating drive 122, engages and drives the cable guide 114 controlling the winding of hose or cable onto the reel. Unfortunately, the hose reel of the '605 patent is only suitable for a single hose size. The 605 patent provides a handle to wind the reel, but does not facilitate an orderly winding onto the reel.
Many uses of hoses or cables requires a pair or multiple hoses or cables, such as acetylene welding hoses, or arc welding when a ground cable is required. Some uses also require electrical connections released or collected with the hoses. Known reels are not well suited to such pairs of cables and/or additional wiring.
Known reels rotate to release or collect hoses and cables. Such rotation requires a coupler between a fixed source hose or able and the hose or cable on the rotating reel. Such couplings add a failure mode and require maintenance.
The prior art thus fails to provide a simple device allowing a user to release and collect any size hose or cable, or groups of hoses or cables, onto a reel in an orderly manner while avoiding couplings between fixed source hoses and cables and hoses or cables released and collected on the reel.


A pivoting telemark binding is provided which includes a toe piece pivotally connected to a base plate and a mechanism for locking the toe piece relative to the base plate to prevent pivoting. An actuator for the locking mechanism is placed at the front end of the binding to be positioned over the ski. Also provided is a ski crampon for use with this binding, as well as a heel lifter device for use with any telemark binding.

Telemark ski bindings are used with boots that are capable of flexing in the metatarsal region ("telemark boots"). This permits the heel of the boot to lift when walking or during the performance of a "telemark" turn when sliding downhill. Telemark bindings comprise a toe piece adapted to engage the toe of a telemark boot. The boot toe is retained within the toe piece by one or more of a variety of means. Traditionally, the toe piece is fixed to the top of the ski and does not move relative to the ski. In the traditional arrangement, flex of the boot is what enables the boot heel to be raised and lowered relative to the ski surface. While the use of rigid materials in boot manufacture has permitted a greater degree of control while performing downhill maneuvers, such boots restrict flex and require more energy to be expended by the user while walking and climbing.
Some telemark bindings have been designed to be pivotally mounted to a ski which allows for greater freedom and ease of movement while walking and climbing. However, it is preferable that the toe piece be fixed relative to the upper ski surface and not allowed to pivot during downhill maneuvers. Several mechanisms have been proposed which enable the user to alternate between a free-pivot arrangement for use during touring and a "locked" position for use when performing downhill maneuvers (see: DE 20007032 of Eckart; FIGS. 7 and 8 of DE 10159732 of Zoor; and the binding sold under the trade-mark "7™ Tour").

Pivoting telemark ski binding, ski crampon, and heel lifter


The present invention is directed to a system for area efficient charge-based capacitance measurement requiring a minimum silicon area for probe pads. A structure block for the system includes several test structures coupled to a target test capacitance structure, a reference structure, and a logic block. Each test structure is coupled to a corresponding test capacitance structure. The logic block coupled to the several test structures selects a desirable test structure from the several test structures. The system may include several structure blocks and an additional logic block to select a desirable structure block. Each structure block includes a single output pin for busing each test output from the several test structures. In this manner, the silicon area may be minimized through reduction of the number of total pins and probe pads required.

The performance of today's deep sub-micron semiconductor processes is becoming more dependent upon the parasitic capacitances of metal interconnects. The parasitic capacitances are formed due to the coupling between a metallic interconnect and a substrate or between pairs of metallic interconnects. In order to properly calibrate CAD tools which extract interconnect capacitances from completed layouts, test chips are often designed and fabricated with many test structures composed of accurately controlled interconnect geometries. When the capacitance of these various structures is measured on the actual silicon, they are compared with the extracted results to assess the degree of correlation. If discrepancies exist, the information is taken back to the vendor of the CAD tool whereby enhancements can be made to improve the extraction accuracy.
One of the conventional test structures has been described in a paper, "A Simple Method for On-Chip, Sub-Femto Farad Interconnect Capacitance Measurement" by McGaughy, Chen, Sylvester and Hu in the IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 1997. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a test structure 100 described in the above mentioned paper which illustrates an example test structure design.
The test structure 100 consists of a pseudo-inverter driving the interconnect geometry which is a vertical Metal 2 line creating an overlap capacitance with the Metal 1 interconnect stub from the driver. The overlap capacitance is the desired measurement. It is called a pseudo-inverter because the P-channel gate and the N-channel gate do not receive the same signal. V1 and V2 are non-overlapping periodic waveforms as shown in FIG. 2.
The V1 positive-going pulse discharges the output net, and then the V2 negative-going pulse charges it to the value of VDD(Cap) again. This average charging current in the VDD(Cap) supply can be measured and will be proportional to the total capacitance on the output of the pseudo-inverter, the power supply value and the frequency, through the expression, lavg=C*VDD(Cap)*F, where F is the frequency of the periodic waveforms. The V1 and V2 pulses must not overlap so no current flows from the power supply to ground during the transitions. If several measurements of lavg (average charging current) are made at different power supply values for a fixed frequency and lavg is plotted against the power supply value, then the slope of the straight line result is CF. Dividing CF by the frequency yields the total capacitance. This value however, includes not only the cross-over capacitance desired but the capacitance of the driving stub and the drain capacitances of the transistors. In order to separate one from the other, a second pseudo-inverter is fashioned identical in layout to the first except the M2 line is missing. Capacitance of this reference structure is determined in the same manner as the test structure. The difference of the two capacitances is the cross-over capacitance desired.
The implementation of the test structure requires 6 pins for test such as VDD(Cap), VDD(NoCap), VSS, NWELL, V1 and V2. However, probe pad sizes and spacing are huge relative to the area required to implement the pseudo-inverters and interconnect structure, so this is a tremendous waste of silicon area. Large silicon area is very costly even for test chip work.
There have been efforts to reduce the number of required pins and minimize the silicon area. V1 and V2 can drive several test structures and reference structures in parallel and the reference structure with VDD(No Cap) can be common to several test structures, since it is not necessary to have one reference structure per test structure. For example, one of the conventional wafer probe pad patterns may be a 2×12 array including 2 columns×12 rows of probe pads. Assuming 24 probe pads, only 19 test structures may be able to be tested with a single 2×12 probe pad array since a total of 24 pins (including 19 pins for VDD_CAPs, a pin for VDD_NOCAP, and 4 pins for V1, V2, NWELL and VSS) are supported. With the growth of available metal layers on silicon, the number of test structures needed to fully characterize the metal system may be approximately 480. In other words, 26 of 2×12 probe pad arrays are required to fully characterize the metal system, assuming that 19 test structures are supported per 2×12 probe array. In such case, the silicon area required for all these probe pads is still excessively large. If the number of the test structures is limited to reduce the silicon area less than a prescribed or assigned area, the test chip may result in incomplete characterization.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system for measuring capacitance with a minimum number of probe pad arrays which represent the total minimum area to accommodate the full set of required test structures.

Method and system for area efficient charge-based capacitance measurement


A printing apparatus records a predetermined test pattern on printing paper, and reads the test pattern by means of a scanner. The scanner reads the test pattern at a resolution lower than the resolution of a recording head. This allows the automatic and fast reading of the test pattern. Additionally, the printing apparatus performs an interpolation process on read data, and judges whether there is an abnormality in nozzles or not, based on the read data subjected to the interpolation process. This reproduces the positions of and spacing between lines recorded on the printing paper with high accuracy to achieve the exact judgment as to whether there is an abnormality in the nozzles or not. Therefore, an inspection with a high degree of reliability is accomplished.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for inspecting nozzles for abnormalities in an inkjet printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
Inkjet printing apparatuses are conventionally known. An inkjet printing apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink, and records an image on printing paper by ejecting ink from each of the nozzles toward the printing paper while moving the nozzles and the printing paper relative to each other. Such inkjet printing apparatuses are widely used in the step of printing because of their relatively low running costs.
Since the inkjet printing apparatus ejects ink from the plurality of nozzles as mentioned above, the quality of images recorded by the inkjet printing apparatus deteriorates if an abnormality occurs in some of the nozzles. The quality of the recorded images deteriorates, for example, if ink is no longer ejected from some of the nozzles, a line printed by the ink ejected from some of the nozzles has a reduced width, or the ink ejected from some of the nozzles is not placed in proper positions.
Such nozzle abnormalities result from the entry of air into the nozzles, the deposition of dust onto the nozzles, and other factors. It has hence been difficult to automatically detect the nozzle abnormalities by effecting electrical control of the interior of the printing apparatus. For this reason, whether there is a nozzle abnormality or not has been judged by a user that views a predetermined test pattern printed on printing paper by the eyes.
However, viewing the printed test pattern by the eyes becomes an enormous burden on the user. In particular, it takes a considerable amount of time for an unskilled user to perform this viewing operation. Depending on the color of the ink ejected from the nozzles, there are cases in which viewing the test pattern by the eyes is difficult. In such cases, it has been difficult to reliably inspect the nozzles for abnormalities.

Printing apparatus, method of inspecting nozzles for abnormalities, and program


A pump gear for force-feeding of a non-Newtonian fluid has a pair of gears with intermeshing teeth, each flanked by members such as bearings with inner surfaces opposite to its side surfaces. The gaps that are formed between the side surfaces of the gears and the inner surfaces of the flanking members are tapered such that their width increases radially, making the speed of fluid flow substantially uniform throughout inside the gaps.

This invention relates to gear pumps and, more particularly, to gear pumps which are specially suited for use in a polymerization process or an extrusion molding line for all kinds of non-Newtonian fluid such as molten resins like polyethylene and polystyrene.
As shown in FIG. 3, a prior art gear pump for transporting non-Newtonian fluids has a pair of flat gears 6a and 6b having mutually intermeshing teeth and contained inside a casing 2. The casing 2 is comprised of a housing 3 having its open ends on both sides sealed with a front cover 5 and a rear cover 4. The gear shaft 7a which supports one of the gears (6a) is connected to a power source (not shown) and will be referred to as the drive gear shaft. The gear shaft 7b around which the other gear 6b rotates will be referred to as the driven gear shaft. These two gear shafts 7a and 7b are rotatably supported by bearing members 8a and 8b, respectively, which also serve as side plates for sealing the side surfaces of the gears 6a and 6b.
The drive gear shaft 7a penetrates both the front cover 5 and the rear cover 4, extending outward. Gland cases 12 are provided where the drive gear shaft 7a penetrates the front and rear covers 5 and 4 so as to prevent the fluid from leaking out of the casing 2. Numerals 11 in FIG. 3 indicate where the drive gear shaft 7a penetrates the front and rear covers 5 and 4. A suction port IN and a discharge port OUT are provided where the mutually intermeshing teeth of the gears 6a and 6b sequentially disengage from each other and engage with each other, respectively, as rotary power is applied to the drive gear shaft 7a such that a fluid is sucked in through the suction port IN and discharged out through the discharge port OUT in a well-known manner.
Liquid-pooling grooves 9a are provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of the bearing members 8a and 8b, reflux grooves 9b are provided on the inner surfaces of the covers 4 and 5, and reflux holes 9c are provided on the suction side of the casing 2 such that a portion of the fluid flowing out through the discharge port OUT will return to the oppositely situated suction port IN by passing through the liquid-pooling grooves 9a, reflux grooves 9b and reflux holes 9c, lubricating the bearing members 8a and 8b at the same time. Another portion of the fluid will flow through the side gaps S.sub.x between the side surfaces 6c of the gears 6a and 6b and the bearing members 8a and 8b in the direction normal to the page of the figure, returning from the discharge port OUT to the suction port IN, serving to lubricate the bearing members 8a and 8b and to slidingly seal the side surfaces of the gears 6a and 6b.
With a gear pump thus structured, however, it is difficult to accurately estimate the internal leakage and the power loss at the time of assembly, and errors are likely to occur in the discharge rate and required power at the time of actual operation. As a result, the user is likely to experience insufficiency in lubrication and insufficiency in power.
One of the reasons for this problem may be explained as follows. The magnitude of leakage per unit time q.sub.s at the side gaps S.sub.x is given by: EQU q.sub.s =(k.sub.1 +k.sub.2)PS.sup.3 /.mu. Formula (1)
where k.sub.1 and k.sub.2 are constants determined by the design of the pump, p is the pressure of the discharged fluid, .mu. is the viscosity of the fluid (that is, its kinetic viscosity related to its motion) and S is the width of the side gaps. The power loss w.sub.s of the gear pump due to the friction on the side surfaces 6c of the gears 6a and 6b is given by: EQU w.sub.s =(k.sub.3 +k.sub.4).mu.n.sup.2 /S Formula (2)
where k.sub.3 and k.sub.4 are constants and n is a coefficient determined by the design of the pump. On the other hand, the viscosity .mu. of a non-Newtonian fluid varies according to the speed of fluid motion (in the direction perpendicular to the page of FIG. 1) .gamma. of the fluid typically as shown in FIG. 5, but the speed of fluid motion .gamma. at a point at radial distance D from the shaft 7a or 7b is given by EQU .gamma.=.pi.DN/S Formula (3)
where N is the number of rotation per unit time of the shafts 7a and 7b. FIG. 5 indicates that .mu. increases as .gamma. decreases, and since the width S of the side gaps is constant radially (that is, independent of radial distance D) in the case of a prior art pump as shown in FIG. 3, this means that the kinetic viscosity .mu. of the fluid is lower at points at a larger radial distance D (or farther from the shaft 7a or 7b).
Accordingly, the results of calculations for leakage q.sub.s and power loss w.sub.s will vary significantly, depending on what value is used as the kinetic viscosity .mu.. One may attempt to simply take the average value between the maximum and the minimum, but the fluid does not flow smoothly if the speed of fluid motion .gamma. varies throughout the side gaps S.sub.x, and the actual viscosity of the fluid is likely to be very different from a theoretically calculated value. In other words, it is very difficult to design a pump which actually functions as theoretically predicted.


A family of isostructural compounds have been prepared having the general formula AnPbmBinO2n+m. These compounds possess a NaCl lattice type structure as well as low thermal conductivity and controlled electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the electrical properties can be controlled by varying the values for n and m. These isostructural compounds can be used for semiconductor applications such as detectors, lasers and photovoltaic cells. These compounds also have enhanced thermoelectric properties making them excellent semiconductor materials for fabrication of thermoelectric devices.

Semiconductor materials are at the core of current technological infrastructure and continuing advancements. Various semiconductors enable many technologies. For example, Si and Ge enable high speed computing, GaAs, InSb and their derivatives enable optoelectronics and communication devices, Si and GaAs are the vital components of solar energy converters, GaN and GaAs alloys enable solid state lasers, Bi2Te3 alloys enable thermoelectric cooling, and PbS, PbSe and HgCdTe are used in medium and long wavelength radiation detection.
Semiconductor materials used in solid state lasers, photovoltaic cells, optoelectronic devices and radiation detection, for example, must not only be excellent electronic conductors, but also have the appropriate energy band configuration or "band gap" for those applications. As more than one material is used in layers, the difference in the band gap between the various semiconductor materials used is also critical. For example, photovoltaic cells can use two semiconductor materials to produce a rectifying heterojunction. The advantages of utilizing this design include the ability to choose materials with properties appropriate for each component of the device and the reduced necessity for compromise with the property requirements of other components of the device. An example of this is the use of a wide band gap "window" semiconductor material as a barrier layer on a more narrow band gap "absorber" semiconductor material. The amount of radiation absorbed and therefore the electrical current generated in the device, increases with the decreasing band gap width, while the diffusion potential obtainable within the device, and therefore the electrical voltage generated in the device, increases with band gap width. Thus, the absorber material is chosen to maximize the solar radiation absorbed and affords a reasonable diffusion potential, while window material is chosen to absorb a minimum amount of solar radiation. Therefore, the closer the actual band gap to the desired, theoretical band gap of the semiconductor materials, the more efficient the photovoltaic cell. Many current semiconductor materials are limited in that they do not allow for fine adjustment of the band gap. Furthermore, some semiconductor materials contain volatile elements causing changes in the composition of the materials and consequently unwanted changes in the band gap.
In thermoelectric devices, it is also critical to have semiconductor materials that have specific properties. Such devices may be used for heating, cooling, temperature stabilization, power generation and temperature sensing. Modern thermoelectric coolers typically include an array of thermocouples.
Thermoelectric devices are essentially heat pumps and power generators which follow the laws of thermodynamics in the same manner as mechanical heat pumps, refrigerators, or any other apparatus used to transfer heat energy. The efficiency of a thermoelectric device is generally limited to its associated Carnot cycle efficiency reduced by a factor which is dependent upon the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) of the materials used in fabrication of the thermoelectric device. The figure of merit represents the coupling between electrical and thermal effects in a material. The basic thermoelectric effects are the Seebeck and Peltier effects. The Seebeck effect is the phenomenon underlying the conversion of heat energy into electrical power and is used in thermoelectric power generation. The complementary effect, the Peltier effect, is the phenomenon used in thermoelectric refrigeration and is related to heat absorption accompanying the passage of current through the junction of two dissimilar materials.
While thermoelectric materials such as alloys of Bi2Te3, PbTe and BiSb were developed thirty to forty years ago, the efficiency of such thermoelectric devices remains relatively low at approximately five to eight percent energy conversion efficiency.
Therefore it would be desirable to have semiconductor materials that are not only good conductors but have a range of band gaps to fit a wide number of applications. It would be further desirable to have materials in which the band gaps could be adjusted to give the desired band gap for the appropriate application. These materials should also be thermal and chemically stable.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to have thermoelectric materials that have a high thermoelectric figure of merit. Use of such materials would produce thermoelectric devices with high efficiencies.

Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University


A cellulose ester film exhibiting: a free volume radius of 0.25 to 0.31 nm and a half-width of 0.04 to 0.1 nm, the free volume radius and the half-width being determined by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy; and Ro of 0 to nm and Rt of −30 to +20 nm, Ro and Rt being defined by the following equations: Equation (a): Ro=(nx−ny)×d; Equation (b): Rt=((nx+ny)/2−nz)×d (Ro: in-plane retardation, Rt: retardation in the thickness direction of the film, nx: in-plane refractive index in slow axis direction, ny: in-plane refractive index in fast axis direction, nz: refractive index in the thickness direction of the film (refractive indexes being measured at wavelength of 590 nm), d: thickness of the film (nm)).

Along with improvements in performance and quality of liquid crystal displays, various demands have been made for polarizing plate protective films employed in polarizing plates.
Commonly employed as the polarizing plate protective film of liquid crystal displays is film which employs cellulose ester as a material. In view of assuring flatness, cellulose ester film is commonly produced employing a solution film-casting method, whereby the refractive index in the thickness direction of the film tends to be lower than that in the in-plane direction.
In Patent Document 1, described is a cellulose ester film which results in minimal degradation of the polarizer under high temperature and high humidity, and reduced optical anisotropy due to the incorporation of ethylenic polymers. However, when only ethylenic polymers are incorporated, rupture of the film tends to occur during the production process of the polarizing plates. Further, it is desirous to reduce the variation of retardation values. Specifically, it was found that in the horizontal electric field switching mode type or the in-plane switching mode (hereinafter referred to as an IPS type) liquid crystal display, when the image area luminance is adjusted based on the ambient brightness during viewing, visibility such as contrast or color shift varied.    Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Publication for Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as JP-A) No. 2003-12859

Method of producing a cellulose ester film


A light receiving and emitting element includes a substrate; a light emitting element formed on an upper face of the substrate; a light receiving element formed on an upper face side of the substrate; a light emitting element-side first electrode pad; and a metal lump joined to the light emitting element-side first electrode pad. The light emitting element-side electrode pad is disposed the upper face of the substrate through an insulating layer so that the metal lump blocks light emitted from the light emitting element and propagating toward the light receiving element.

Various sensor devices have been conventionally proposed in which light is projected from a light emitting element onto an irradiated object and then regular reflection light and diffuse reflection light of the light incident on the irradiated object are received by a light receiving element so that characteristics of the irradiated object are detected. Such sensor devices are employed in a wide variety of fields, for example, in various applications such as a photo interrupter, a photo coupler, a remote control unit, an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication device, an optical fiber communication device, and a document size sensor.
For example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2007-201360, a sensor device is used in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are arranged individually on the same substrate and a light-shielding wall for separating a light receiving region and a light emitting region is provided.
Nevertheless, in such a sensor device, since light emitted from the light emitting element is projected directly onto the light receiving element, a problem arises that improvement of the sensing performance of the sensor device is difficult.
An object of the invention is to provide a light receiving and emitting element having a high sensing performance; and a sensor device using the same.

Light receiving and emitting element and sensor device using same


One embodiment of a fastening apparatus may include at least one of a fastener and a collar having a code with information regarding the fastener and/or collar. The code may be communicated to one or more databases of a computer. The fastener and/or collar may be tightened, located, maintained, and/or inspected according to the code and/or database information.

Many of the existing fasteners and/or fastener collars are not marked with any manufacture information such as part number, lot number, and manufacturer, and are often only marked with a supplier name. The manufacture information is often only carried by the package containing the batch of fasteners. When the package is opened, this information is often lost or has to be manually transferred to a manufacturing record. Many of the existing methods of verifying compatibility of fastener elements rely on the manual checking of a table to verify compatibility. Similarly, many of the existing methods of ensuring that the fasteners are installed correctly rely on manually checking tables to determine proper loading settings. Likewise, many of the existing methods of locating, tracking, and/or monitoring fasteners rely on the use of manual tables. However, manually-entering and checking tables may be time-consuming, unreliable, expensive, prone to error, and/or may experience other types of problems.
A fastening apparatus, and/or method of installing, locating, tracking, and/or monitoring a fastener is needed to decrease one or more problems associated with one or more of the existing fastening apparatus and/or methods.

Intelligent fastener installation system


A system and method for confirming the proper placement of a penetrating catheter into a venous region using principles of oximetry in which blood is subjected to light of a plurality of wavelengths and detected for absorption levels. The result is analyzed by a processor and the level oxygen saturation of the blood is indicated. The characteristic level of saturation informs the practitioner whether oxygenated arterial blood is present due to an inadvertent puncture. The catheter is introduced using an introduction needle and thereafter removed to allow blood to communicate with sensing elements that consist of a light-emitter and opposed photodetector. Light in the infrared and visible red wavelengths can be provided by separate LED units. Aspiration of blood through the catheter by an attached syringe allows the processor to compute the level of oxygen saturation or other blood constituent, based upon detected light absorption of passing blood.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are placed in excess of ten million times annually in the United States. Access to the central venous compartment (e.g. Great veins interconnected to the cardiopulmonary system) by such CVCs is acquired to allow for the administration of fluids, nutritional support and medications that are not necessarily suitable for peripheral venous delivery. CVCs may also be employed to access the central venous compartment to enable measurement of certain hemodynamic variables that are otherwise unobtainable by accessing peripheral veins, or by non-invasive techniques.
There are certain risks associated with the insertion of CVCs, which include pneumothorax (the collection of gas in the space surrounding the lungs), hemothorax (the collection of blood/fluid in that space), failed insertion and inadvertent arterial puncture. Where a CVC is inserted via an internal jugular venous approach, the most commonly described, and very dangerous, complication is inadvertent carotid artery puncture. This is the second most commonly described complication in the subclavian venous approach.
There are several current approaches to percutaneous CVC placement. In Seldinger's Method, the skin is prepped, and under sterile conditions, the percutaneous vein is punctured with a thin needle (for example, 20-gauge, or approximately 1 mm in outer diameter). A flexible guide wire is then introduced through the needle lumen and the needle is removed. A larger diameter dilator is then guided over the wire to facilitate passage of a larger bore (for example, 8-9 French, or up to approximately 3-4 mm in outer diameter). An alternate insertion approach entails venipuncture by the thin needle followed by guidewire placement. The larger-diameter catheter is then inserted while the guide wire is removed. Other approaches may also be employed, depending upon the type of device being inserted. Each of these approaches requires perforation of the target vessel using a needle.
While inadvertent arterial puncture using the introducing needle is usually an obvious condition, because of the arterial bleeding that results from even a small puncture, it often is not. Subsequent placement of a large-bore catheter or introducer into the carotid artery or another arterial structure can have lethal consequences. There have been reports of thromboembolic sequelae (broken blood clots leading to stroke, embolism, etc.) as a result of such punctures. Once damage has occurred, the neck or other region may require surgical exploration to assess and repair the damage. This can lead to further risk, expense and delays in attending the initial surgical problem which necessitated the CVC insertion.
One approach to reducing the risk in placing a percutaneous CVC is to monitor the insertion using interoperative imaging with an ultrasound or another type of internal imaging device. In some situations, radiopaque markers on the catheter/needle can be employed to assist guidance under fluoroscopy or similar scanning techniques. However, the surrounding structures of the neck may obscure a clear view of the target vein. Thus, while the needle appears clearly, the walls of the vein may not. Hence, reports of inadvertent carotid artery puncture, subsequent arterial cannulation and morbidity persist, even when employing interoperative imaging.
Another possible approach to reducing the risk of arterial cannulation is to employ a scout needle, in which a short, 20-gauge catheter is operatively connected to a pressure transducer before insertion of a guidewire. A variation or differential in pressure may indicate a
A technique that more reliably ensures the needle is in communication with the vein, and not an artery is highly desirable.

System and method for measuring blood constituents using a catheter


A method of decontaminating porous surfaces contaminated with water soluble radionuclides by contacting the contaminated porous surfaces with an ionic solution capable of solubilizing radionuclides present in the porous surfaces followed by contacting the solubilized radionuclides with a gel containing a radionuclide chelator to bind the radionuclides to the gel, and physically removing the gel from the porous surfaces. A dry mix is also disclosed of a cross-linked ionic polymer salt, a linear ionic polymer salt, a radionuclide chelator, and a gel formation controller present in the range of from 0% to about 40% by weight of the dry mix, wherein the ionic polymer salts are granular and the non cross-linked ionic polymer salt is present as a minor constituent.

A "dirty bomb" is a conventional explosive such as dynamite packaged with radioactive material that scatters when the bomb goes off. A dirty bomb kills or injures through the initial blast of the conventional explosive and by airborne radiation and contamination. At present there are no non-destructive methods of cleaning porous surfaces, for example concrete, of the radioactive contamination. Present decontamination methods would mechanically remove or ablate the top several mm of a porous contaminated surface. Under the current threat of a dirty bomb attack, it becomes important to develop a method for the decontamination of large surface areas without resorting to mechanically altering the surface.
Cesium-137 is a radioactive material which might likely be one of the radioactive materials of choice for utilization in a dirty bomb because of its generally wide availability due to its use in industrial instrumentation. Cesium is very soluble and is often found in chloride powder form that is highly dispersible. Once in contact with a porous surface, the cesium is expected to be both attached as particulate to the surface and also dissolved into the pore structure or bound to ion exchange sites within the surface. Surface decontamination, other than mechanical removal, might consist of washing the surface with copious amounts of water, but this would require that the contaminated water be recovered to prevent further environmental contamination. A chelating agent might be added to the wash water to remove some of the contamination from the surface, but it might also promote ingress of the contamination deeper into the pore structure. Other radioactive elements include the actinides, more particularly, the transuranics, although not as readily available as Cs-137. Both Sr-90 and Co-60 are other radionuclides that are available for dirty bombs.

Composition suitable for decontaminating a porous surface contaminated with cesium


Gallium nitride material structures are provided, as well as devices and methods associated with such structures. The structures include a diamond region which may facilitate conduction and removal of heat generated within the gallium nitride material during device operation. The structures described herein may form the basis of a number of semiconductor devices and, in particular, transistors (e.g., FETs).

Gallium nitride materials include gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), indium gallium nitride (InGaN), and aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaN). These materials are semiconductor compounds that have a relatively wide, direct bandgap which permits highly energetic electronic transitions to occur. Such electronic transitions can result in gallium nitride materials having a number of attractive properties including the ability to efficiently emit blue light, the ability to transmit signals at high frequency, and others. Accordingly, gallium nitride materials are being widely investigated in many microelectronic applications such as transistors, field emitters, and optoelectronic devices.
Despite the attractive properties noted above, a number of challenges exist in connection with developing gallium nitride material devices. For example, gallium nitride material devices can generate significant amounts of heat during use which can have adverse effects on the performance of devices. For instance, increased device temperature can result in lower carrier mobility, lower sheet charge density, lower effective saturation velocity, and higher leakage currents, effectively limiting the ability of the device to produce RF power. Accordingly, it can be advantageous to remove heat efficiently from a device to keep device temperatures below a desired limit.

Gallium nitride material devices including diamond regions and methods associated with the same


A shutter assembly mounts to a building and includes a right stile and a left stile disposed in spaced opposing relationship with one another. A first bar is mounted to the right stile and presents at least one recess facing outwardly away from the right stile for receiving a decorative member. A second bar opposing the first bar is mounted to the left stile and presents at least one recess facing and opposing the recess of the first bar for receiving the decorative member. The first and second bars each have at least one biasing device extending into the respective recesses of the first and second bars and engage the decorative member for biasing the decorative member outwardly away from the respective stiles to prevent movement of the decorative member relative to the stiles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shutter assembly for mounting to a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common for a building to use shutter assemblies adjacent window openings to increase the aesthetic appearance of the building. An example of such a configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,880 (the '880 patent) to Wang. The shutter assembly disclosed in the '880 patent includes at least one decorative member coupled to and extending between a pair of stiles. Typically after assembly, the shutter is covered in paint, sealer, and/or stain. Thereafter, any movement of the shutter assembly causes the decorative member to move within the stiles which chips off paint and/or sealer disposed thereon or exposes unpainted and/or unsealed areas, thus decreasing the aesthetic appeal of the decorative member.
Therefore, there remains a need to develop a shutter assembly that prevents the decorative member from moving within the stiles and ultimately preserves the aesthetic appearance of the decorative member.