The present invention involves a system and method for superheating the refrigerant gas in a motor vehicle air conditioning system in order to minimize the amount of work required to be performed by the compressor. In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerant gas is diverted through the exhaust manifold immediately after passing through the compressor. As the refrigerant gas passes through the exhaust manifold, it is superheated by the surrounding hot exhaust gases thereby increasing the refrigerant gas pressure to reduce the amount of work done by the compressor.

(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and method for superheating air conditioning refrigerant in a closed-loop air conditioning system, particularly an automotive air conditioning system.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Air conditioning systems are almost universally sold with new automobiles, and it is well known that existing air conditioning systems substantially impact the fuel efficiency of motor vehicles. Improving the efficiency of air conditioning systems to conserve fuel is highly desirable, given the present high, rising costs of motor vehicle fuels as well as the general global environmental goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants associated with the operation of motor vehicles. Motor vehicles generate large amounts of waste heat, which represents a significant fraction of the energy of combustion much of which is vented into the atmosphere through the operation of the exhaust manifold. Is it therefore highly desirable to utilize this heat to perform useful work, thereby preventing waste and improving the efficiency of motor vehicles.
In current vehicle air conditioning systems, the purpose of the compressor is to convert low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant gas into high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant gas before introducing the gas into a condenser, where it is cooled and converted into liquid refrigerant. In a typical closed-loop vehicle air conditioning system, the liquid refrigerant is then converted back to a gas in an evaporator. The expansion of the liquid into a gas results in cooling of the gas prior to its introduction into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Through this closed cycle, refrigerant is continually recycled.
Typically, in a modern motor vehicle, the air conditioning compressor is linked to the drive shaft through a belt or other linking means, and the operation of the compressor is thereby operated by the direct application of work through the drive shaft. This system requires the combustion of fuels to provide the work necessary to operate the compressor. In these systems, the operation of the compressor can impact the fuel efficiency of a vehicle by as much as fifteen to twenty-five percent. It has been observed that in automobiles that have no automatic mechanism for increasing the energy consumption of the engine when the air conditioning system is activated that the revolutions-per-minute (rpm) may decrease as much as 25% when the compressor is activated.

Manifold-superheated air conditioning system


In cosmetic dispensers for fluids, such as for example deodorants or antiperspirants comprising a bottle, a flow regulator in a housing mounted on the bottle and a cap rotatably mounted on the bottle or particularly onto the flow regulator housing, there is a risk that the housing can part from the bottle or be moved out of alignment by fitting or removal of the cap. This problem can be ameliorated or eliminated by employing a plurality of sets of anti-rotation elements at or adjacent to the mouth of the bottle around its periphery, each set comprising a peg and a socket. Preferably, the housing is bifurcated inward of the flow regulator, one wall extending within the bottle and the other wall extending out side the wall, and desirably the bottle wall is of reduced wall thickness in the overlap so that the exterior of the bottle surface and housing surface can be flush at their line of contact.

Herein the term fluid indicates a material other than a gas which is capable of flowing without retaining its physical shape and accordingly excludes firm solids which retain their shape when subjected to mild pressure. The term includes liquids or creams which may be aqueous or anhydrous and flowable particulate solids. In particular, the present invention is directed to dispensers of a liquid of low viscosity.
One class of dispensers for cosmetic, including deodorants and/or antiperspirants is commonly called roll-ons. Such dispensers comprise a bottle that acts as a reservoir for a cosmetic fluid, a fluid dispensing outlet integral with or mounted on the bottle comprising a housing within which a roller, commonly a ball and preferably a spherical ball, is rotatable, and a cap mountable over the outlet.
In order to offer additional styling options for the dispenser, and if desired also to incorporate features within the housing that would render it more difficult to mould an integral bottle and housing, it can sometimes be convenient to make the housing separately from the bottle, but in such circumstances, the housing requires a suitable means for mounting on the bottle securely so that the two elements do not separate when the dispenser is used. The cap commonly has a cylindrical skirt which extends over an external cylindrical exterior face of the housing and is mountable on the bottle by rotation about an axis common to both the cap skirt and the cylindrical housing. When the cap is being either attached to or removed from the bottle, it imparts a turning force, so that if the point of attachment of the cap is on the housing rather than directly to the bottle, there is a risk of the housing being taken out of alignment with the bottle and in consequence impairing its styling, or even separating from the bottle. The force needed to twist the cap can be greater if, for example, contents of the bottle have spilled onto the twisting elements, e.g. co-operating screw threads, and dried. Furthermore, even if a means is introduced to prevent relative rotation of housing and bottle, the further risk can remain of the housing separating from the bottle (colloquially, popping off) as a result of rotation-induced deformation thereby risking spilling the contents of the dispenser and particularly if the bottle and housing are both moulded from thermoplastic materials.
Although the likelihood of a housing separating from a bottle is recognisable when the mounting is directly onto the housing itself, a risk can also be contemplated if there is a significant turning force applied to the bottle that is in the vicinity of the mounting of housing on bottle.
Although these are problems that are immediately apparent for dispensers of fluids, they can be seen to apply to related dispensers which likewise employ a flow-regulating outlet which is mounted on a cosmetic container that is closed by a cap that is applied or removed by rotation.
It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate or eliminate one or more of the problems with cosmetic dispensers described hereinbefore.
It is a further object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved or modified roll-on dispenser for cosmetic fluids.


The present invention discloses a mesh racket and its manufacturing method, comprising a handle (1), a frame (2) and a string (3), wherein the handle (1) is fixed to one end of the frame (2) along the horizontal direction of the frame (2), a plurality of holes (4) are arranged on the side wall of the frame (2) for installing the string (3), characterized in that the string (3) includes the first string set (301), the second string set (302) and the third string set (303) composed by a number of parallel strings respectively, wherein the said mesh holes formed by each string set are triangular. Such a mesh racket not only features the better face performance, but also the firmer triangular mesh holes. Therefore, it is not easily deformed, thereby reducing the string changeover frequency and maintenance costs.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a mesh racket.
2. Description of Related Art
With the improvement of people's quality of life, more people tend to choose healthy and fun sports in their spare time. With a pair of rackets and a net, you can play badminton, tennis, and other mesh hitting sports without the need of direct physical confrontation like basketball. Besides, such sports require less on the physical fitness of the person participating and simple equipments and place. Therefore, such mesh racket hitting games are increasingly accepted by people of different ages. Take badminton and tennis rackets as examples, traditional racket strings, formed by two sets of strings, are in grid-shape, namely the main and cross strings along the vertical and horizontal directions respectively. Such two sets of strings weave over and under with each other to form multiple square holes. Such strings are widely used due to their simple manufacturing process. With the development of the mesh racket, this stringing pattern weaving the main and the cross strings is very popular. In the prior art, the improvement is embodied in the performance of the string and racket frame materials rather than the racket structure and string pattern. It is known that the impact force of the ball to the racket string is not perpendicular to the racket face. After hitting multiple times with the racket, therefore, the two adjacent parallel main and cross strings will move left or right due to the effect of the horizontal force component. Consequently, the uniform square meshes formed by the string will become many meshes with different sizes and shapes after the racket is used for a while, thereby reducing the performance of the racket face. The said performance of the racket face means the elastic deformation of the racket string face. At this time, these racket strings need replacing by professional technicians. For professional athletes with a higher hitting intensity, the service life of the string is even shorter, requiring restringing the racket for every match. Therefore, such a racket weaving the main string and the cross string has poor racket face performance and high maintenance cost.

Ningbo Huanying Auto Accessories Co., Ltd.


A high power RF transmitter that uses high power modulators that perform quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) on a carrier signal after power amplification that is performed in the RF carrier source. The present invention transposes the locations of the modulators and power amplifier, and thus directly modulates a high power carrier signal. An RF carrier source generates a high power RF carrier signal that is split by a power splitter. A lookup table containing 2.sup.B words by K bits receives transmit data and mapping data and generates K-tuple modulating data. A plurality of phase key modulators are respectively coupled to outputs of the power splitter and to the lookup table and phase key modulate each of the signal components of the carrier signal using the K-tuple modulating data. A power combiner is coupled to outputs of the phase key modulators for outputting a high power QAM constellation from the transmitter.

The present invention relates generally to RF transmitters, and more particularly, to improved high power RF transmitters employing high power QAM modulators.
For very high data rate and bandwidth efficient transmission, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) has become a major waveform option. Many modulator systems have been developed to perform quadrature amplitude modulation and compensate for bandpass distortion and nonlinear effects so that very high symbol rates (in excess of 1 Gsps) may be achieved. Conventional data modulation is performed at low power levels and sometimes at an intermediate frequency, and then frequency shifted and amplified to a suitable power level.
More recently, the assignee of the present invention has developed a modulating array transmitter which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,651. This patent application teaches a method of combining the outputs of saturated power amplifier stages where each amplifier stage is driven by a QPSK modulator. The amplifier output signals are combined to form QAM high power signals. The invention disclosed in this patent application teaches that locating the modulation closer to the transmitting antenna reduces the number of distorting and performance-limiting elements of the transmitter.
Several patents were uncovered as a result of a computer search performed during the development of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,257 entitled "Spectrum Shaping Microwave Digital Modulators" spectral shaping of data NRZ (non-return to zero) waveforms with combined linear phase modulation methods as a substitute for phase keying modulation. This patent is not relevant to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,493 entitled "Very Wideband Linear Amplitude Modulation of RF Signal by Vector Summation" discloses the use of linear phase modulators followed by high power amplifiers, but does not discuss the basic vector combining application to high rate QAM digital modulation. The focus of this patent relates to amplitude modulation wherein linear phase modulated signal components are used to achieve only linear amplitude modulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,259 entitled "Efficient Amplitude/Phase Modulation Amplifier" discloses a means of creating QAM signals by using two constant amplitude vectors. This patent discusses the use of QAM waveforms. However, this patent is not specifically relevant to the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for improved high power RF transmitters employing high power QAM modulators.

High power transmitter employing a high power QAM modulator


Estimating a recovery time for a data asset is provided. A request is received to project a recovery time for a data asset that uses a repository. A determination is made as to whether there are one or more existing recovery times for other data assets and other repositories that have characteristics similar to the data asset and the repository of the request. The recovery time for the data asset is projected using the one or more existing recovery times in response to an existence of the one or more existing recovery times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to an apparatus and method for estimating the recovery time for data assets.
2. Background of the Invention
Within many enterprises, data assets may be comprised of different types of data depending upon how the data assets are used and the importance of the data assets to the enterprises. Some examples of data assets are applications, databases, servers, files, file systems, and the like. Similarly, there are many tools for managing these data assets and the data on these data assets. For instance, one known enterprise data protection product provides many different data protection techniques to protect data assets within an enterprise, corporation, remote office, or the like. Some of these data protection techniques are: progressive incremental backup, image backup, snapshot (orchestration and management), and continuous data protection. However, other known data protection management solutions do not provide a mechanism to plan for and orchestrate recovery operations based upon recovery objectives for an organization. Another data asset management tool is a storage resource management (SRM) product. The SRM product helps to monitor and manage storage resources within an enterprise including capacity planning and reporting, provisioning, replication management, and such.
However, the combination of data protection products and data asset management tools do not offer a holistic or integrated view with the focus on:                1. Protecting enterprise data assets; and        2. Ensuring that recovery operations for enterprise data assets meet a required recovery time objective (RTO) or recovery point objective (RPO).
That is, known data protection and storage resource monitoring systems are missing an integrated approach that offers analysis and assessment of "recovery readiness" for data assets. This existing deficit within the storage protection and management tools significantly increases the complexity of protecting and managing data. More importantly, known data protection and storage resource monitoring systems leave the determination about the readiness and efficacy of recovery to a manual process if readiness and efficacy of recovery are being considered at all.

Estimating recovery times for data assets

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and apparatus for interrupt signaling. A communication network is described comprising a master device and a slave device that are both coupled to a two wire serial bus for communication. The two wire serial bus comprises a serial data (SDA) line and a serial clock line. The master device controls communication between the master device and the slave device. The slave device is capable of generating an interrupt signal during an idle condition over the SDA line for requesting a communication transaction with the master device. Also, a method is described for recognizing an interrupt at the master device. During an idle condition over the SDA line, the master device reads the SDA line low. Previously, the slave device pulls the SDA line low during the idle condition. The master device recognizes the reading of the SDA line low as an interrupt signal from the slave device requesting the communication transaction.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communication bus interfaces. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the generation of an interrupt condition from a slave device in a communication network including the slave device and a master device.
2. Related Art
The I2C bus is a two wire serial bus interface and is comprised of a serial data (SDA) line and a serial clock (SCL) line. The I2C bus is controlled by a master device that coordinates communication between the master device and various slave devices over the SDA line. Because of its simplistic two wire bi-directional nature, the I2C bus maximizes hardware efficiency and circuit simplicity. The I2C bus provides more chip flexibility in function and lowers interconnecting costs by reducing board space and pin count. As such, the I2C bus is a desired choice for communication interfaces and is able to support an extremely broad range of I2C compatible chips and their corresponding devices.
Typically, the master device initiates a communication transaction with a particular slave device over the I2C bus. This can be accomplished by the master device by addressing a selected slave device with a read/write access request. A start condition may be generated over the SDA line by the master device to inform all of the devices coupled to the I2C that a communication transaction is under process. After the slave acknowledges initiation of the communication transaction, the master device can send data to the slave device or receive data from the slave device.
However, each slave device on the I2C bus may need to interrupt the master device upon an asynchronous event. For example, a slave device may inform the master device of the completion of a task, when a buffer is full or empty, etc. A typical I2C bus may handle up to 128 slave devices. Since each slave device may need to generate an interrupt signal for requesting service by the master device, the master device may require up to 128 discrete interrupt input pins.
Conventional Art FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a communication network 100A that is comprised of a master device 110 for controlling communication over the two wire serial bus 120. The communication network 100A can be comprised of a plurality of slave devices 130 coupled to the two wire serial bus 120. The plurality of slave devices 130 can be comprised of N slave devices, e.g., slave device 140, slave device 150, and slave device 160, etc.
The two wire serial bus can be comprised of a serial data (SDA) line 122 and a serial clock (SCL) line 124. Each of the plurality of slave devices 130 is coupled to the SDA line 122 in parallel. In addition, each of the plurality of slave devices 130 is coupled to the SCL line 124 in parallel.
The current practice for an I2C slave device to signal an interrupt is to use an extra interrupt (INT) pin. The INT pin is not a part of the I2C specification, but is a workable interrupt solution for implementation on a large multitude of I2C slave devices. However, the extra INT pin undesirably adds to hardware complexity and increases interconnecting costs by increasing board space and pin count.
The communication network 100A of Conventional Art FIG. 1A illustrates the implementation of an INT input pin at the master device 110 for each INT output pin in the plurality of slave devices 130. For example, INT output pin 142A of slave device 140 is coupled to the INT input pin 142B at the master device 110 via a dedicated input line 145. The INT output pin 152A of slave device 150 is coupled to the INT input pin 152B via a dedicated input line 155. Also, INT output pin 162A of slave device 160 is coupled to the INT input pin 162B via a dedicated input line 165. As such, the master device 110 would comprise N INT input pins, one for each of the INT output pins on each of the N slave devices in the plurality of slave devices 130.
The number of input and output INT pins can quickly increase within the communication network 100A. A typical communication network 100A may have three slave devices within the plurality of slave devices 130. The additional three input pins in the master device 110 represents a significant cost increase. In addition, each of the plurality of slave devices have an additional INT pin that greatly adds to their fabrication cost, or, otherwise reduces the available pin count, and ultimately the flexibility of the chip.
Assuming all slave interrupt outputs are active low, an alternative solution is to wire-AND all the interrupts together in parallel so that the master device 110 would only need one INT input pin. Conventional Art FIG. 1B illustrates a communication network 100B illustrates the implementation of an AND module 190 for signaling an interrupt. Network 100B is similar to communication network 100A in structure, except for wire-ANDing the independent and dedicated interrupt lines 165, 155, and 145.
The master devices 110 must still utilize an extra INT input pin. Also, even though the wire-AND'ing of the interrupt lines coming from the plurality of slave devices greatly reduces the input INT pin count in the master device 110, there still is a fifty percent increase to the pin count (2 pins) of the normal I2C interface, with the dedicated INT input pin at the master device 110, and each of the plurality of slave devices.
Another problem associated with the Conventional Art communication network 100B, is the tedious discovery process for the master device 110 implemented to determine which slave device may have requested an interrupt signal. After the master device 110 recognizes that an interrupt has occurred, it must read the status register of all the slave devices (e.g., 140, 150, 160, etc.) attached to the master device 110 to determine which slave device or slave devices have sent an interrupt. Multiple devices may have signaled interrupts at the same time.
The discovery process is long and tedious because each slave must be addressed and sent a status register address. Also, the master device 110 must wait for the return by the slave device polled for the contents of their interrupt status register. The process can take a minimum of three bytes per peripheral slave device. For example, at currently defined speeds (e.g., 100 kb/s, 400 kb/s, 1 Mb/s, etc) over the I2C bus, performing a possible three (1 slave) to 384 bytes (128 slaves) can take a significant response time.
One alternative solution is illustrated in Conventional Art communication network 100A, by using separate and dedicated INT pins for each I2C interrupt-enabled slave device. However, having more than one INT pin dedicated to I2C slave devices defeats the purpose of using the simplistic and efficient two wire serial bus. Also, this alternative is expensive to support in terms of hardware cost.

Method and apparatus for interrupt signaling in a communication network


A system and method for monitoring for a specified frequency band is disclosed. The technology initially utilizes a micro-electromechanical system (“MEMS”) based acquisition device to monitor an environment. The MEMS device receives a signal from the environment, and generates an input signal comprising an electronic representation of the received environmental signal. This input signal is then conditioned for at least one frequency band. Embodiments of the invention next allow the conditioned signal to be compared to various pre-defined events in order to determine the signal's origin.

Presently, computing systems are used throughout daily life including both work and entertainment. Examples of well known computing systems include personal computers, server computers and network computers. Many home computers are used for various forms of entertainment, such as listening to music and surfing the Internet. Many businesses provide their employees with computing systems in order to perform various office tasks, such as database entry and word processing.
Many modern computing systems are configured to input a signal through a user interface, such as a mouse or keyboard. However, these forms of data entry require affirmative steps on behalf of a person operating the mouse or keyboard. Presently, there exists a need for alternative methods of inputting data to a computing system such that the data may be adequately processed.

System and method for conditioning a signal received at a MEMS based acquisition device


A bandage dispensing device dispenses bandages with an upper protective layer of its packaging removed so that a person can dispense a bandage using only one hand. A separator placed near an opening in a wall of the housing of the device separates the upper protective layer from a roll of interconnected bandages so that only a bandage and a lower protective layer emerge from the housing of the device. The separator has at least one arm that protrudes from the side wall of the housing in a perpendicular direction and separates an upper protective layer of the packaging. The upper protective layer that has been separated by the separator gathers inside of the housing. In the roll of packaged bandages, the upper protective layer is releasably attached to the lower protective layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispenser for adhesive bandages that facilitates the removal of an individual adhesive bandage and its adhesive packaging from a roll of interconnected adhesive bandages.
2. The Prior Art
Adhesive bandages are widely used. They are generally comprised of a small square of gauze bandage attached to an adhesive strip. The adhesive portions have a removable backing to preserve the adhesive force of the bandage. The bandage is usually wrapped in a protective wrapping to help preserve its sterility prior to use, with the outer packing particularly preserving the sterility of the gauze that would otherwise be uncovered.
While these bandages are widely used, it is often inconvenient to attempt to remove an individual adhesive bandage from its packaging prior to use, especially when the injured person is the one trying to open the packaging, and more especially when the injury is to that person's hand or arm.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,753 and 4,735,342 to Goldstein disclose a housing for a roll of bandages with an opening in the housing through which an individual bandage can be passed. One bandage with packaging is removed from the roll of bandages as it free from the roll at a transverse line of weakness in the interconnected packaging. The bandage projects out of the end of the packaging so that removing the top and bottom parts of the packaging is easier, because any transverse seal of the packaging at that end is already broken.
This dispenser usually requires two hands to be used to separate one individually packaged bandage from the roll of bandages. The structure of the dispenser facilitates storing bandages, but separating one bandage will usually require pulling that bandage with one hand while steadying or supporting with the other hand the bandage meant to be left attached to the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,586 to Taulbee, deceased et al. discloses an adhesive bandage dispensing device with a roll of connected individual adhesive bandages hanging on a spool of a housing. The lead bandage is pulled through a slicer housing that has two vertical blades spaced apart so that the blades cut the bandage packaging on the side edges of the packaging. This cutting allows the individual bandage to be easily removed from the packaging. The slicer housing is placed on one top end of the device. After being cut by the slicer housing, the packaging can be cut transversely to be removed from the rest of the roll by a cutter comprising jagged edges or teeth placed along a top edge of the device on the opposite end.
However, proper functioning of the device of Taulbee, deceased et al. depends on the cutting of vertical blades which can become dull over time and require replacement. As the blades become duller, an increasing amount of physical force is required for pulling on the bandage to let the vertical blades cut the sides of the bandage packaging. Using blades to make this cut can also lead to jamming of the device.
Thus, a need exists for a bandage dispensing device that allows a one-handed removal of a bandage from its packaging without depending on physical cutting with blades.


An easily manufacturable optical disc drive that provides for accurate writing and reading of information signals to and from a disc loaded therein by maintaining the horizontal balance of its base during operation, and that provides for smooth loading and unloading of a disc. The optical disc drive includes a base formed of a single metal plate of 1.4–1.8 mm thickness. Major components of the base (i.e., a disc rotation driving mechanism, an optical pickup and a pickup feeding mechanism) are disposed on the base in such a way that the total weight of these components is nearly evenly distributed on the base. The optical pickup is adapted to move across an optical disc between its inner and outer circumferences, while the optical disc is rotated by the disc rotation driving mechanism. The base is supported by a plurality (i.e., at least three) of supporting members, each with an elastic support piece. These supporting members are disposed symmetrically with respect to a center line of the base along the direction of the optical pickup's movement. The symmetrical disposition of these supporting members, together with the vibration absorbing nature of the elastic support pieces and the balanced weight distribution on the base, eliminates weight shifts/imbalance caused by the optical pickup movement, thereby maintaining the horizontal balance of the base at all time during operation of the optical disc drive. The ease of manufacture can be achieved by selecting even numbers (e.g., four) of the supporting members for the base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disc drives and optical disc drives, and in particular, to disc drives and optical disc drives for loading and unloading discs and for writing and reading information signal to and from such discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a disc drive is used in which a disc-like recording medium such as an optical disc, magneto-optical disc or magnetic disc is used as the recording medium.
The disc drives of this type include an optical disc drive in which an optical disc is used as the recording medium. In the optical disc drive, there are installed on a common base a disc rotation driver to drive the rotation of an optical disc and an optical pickup to scan, by a light beam, a signal recording area on the optical disc being rotated by the disc rotation driver, thereby reading an information signal recorded in the optical disc.
The base is formed from a thin metal plate, fixed to a support frame by means of supporting members each provided with a vibration-proofing elastic member, and fixed to a support pedestal by means of the support frame.
The support pedestal has movably installed thereon a disc tray which holds an optical disc and carries it into and out of the optical disc drive body in which the support pedestal is housed. The disc tray is supported on the support pedestal to be movable horizontally between a first position where the optical disc is projected out of the optical disc drive body and a second position where the optical disc is placed opposite to the disc rotation driving mechanism and loaded on a disc table of the disc rotation driving mechanism. The second position is a reading position.
The support frame on which the base is installed is pivoted in a direction in which the disc table of the disc rotation driving mechanism is moved towards and away from the optical disc held in the disc tray as the disc tray is moved into and out of the optical disc drive body.
In the optical disc drive constructed as in the above, as the disc tray holding an optical disc therein is moved by a tray moving mechanism from the first position towards the second position, the support frame pivots the disc table towards the optical disc held in the disc tray. When the disc tray arrives at the second position, the disc table is projected into the disc tray, the disc tray is a little levitated and the optical disc held in the disc tray is loaded on the disc table. When the optical disc is loaded onto the disc table, a clamping member provided at the optical disc drive body to be opposite to the disc table is pressed to the optical disc, so that the optical disc will be rotatable along with the disc table.
After the optical disc has become rotatable along with the disc table, the disc rotation driving mechanism is driven to move the optical pickup between the inner and outer circumferences of the optical disc being rotated along with the disc table. A signal recording area on the optical disc is scanned by a light beam emitted from the optical pickup to read an information signal recorded in the optical disc.
In the conventional disc drive, however, since the optical pickup is moved between the inner and outer circumferences of an optical disc when reading the optical disc, the weight balance of the base is varied with the movement of the optical pickup. Among others, in case the base on which the optical pickup is installed is made from a metal plate, the base will be deflected depending upon a moved position of the optical pickup and there will take place a skew with which a light beam will not be irradiated perpendicularly to a signal recording surface on the optical disc, with a result that no information signal can be read accurately. Especially, in an optical disc drive with a large and heavy optical pickup having a plurality of light sources and a plurality of photo-detectors provided therein, the base will be deflected considerably. Further, even with a little skew, no correct read of information signal can be made from an optical disc having image information, etc. recorded therein with a high density.
In an optical disc drive, in which the base is supported by supporting members each provided with an elastic member, when the weight balance of the base is changed, the weight applied to each supporting member varies, the supporting members are elastically deformed differently one from another, so that the base cannot be supported horizontally relative to a reference plane. If the base cannot be kept horizontal in an optical disc drive in which when the base is pivoted as the disc tray is pivoted, an optical disc is loaded onto the disc table, the disc tray will collide with the disc table, so that the optical disc cannot be loaded smoothly onto the disc table.
Also in a disc drive for any disc-like recording medium other than the optical disc, if the base on which the disc rotating mechanism and write and/or read head are installed is deflected as caused by the movement of the write and/or read head and thus deformed, the write and/or read head will not be able to correctly scan a recording track on the disc-like recording medium and thus to write and/or read any information signal with good writing and reading characteristics.
To prevent the base from being deflected due to a weight imbalance caused by the movement of the optical pickup and write and/or read head, it has been proposed to use a base formed from a thick metal plate which can assure a sufficient strength of the base. However, to form a base from such a thick metal plate by pressing or the like, a large force is needed. During production of a base from such a thick metal plate, the large pressure applied will cause a large internal stress in the metal plate. The internal stress will make it difficult to make the base highly flat.
Still needed in the field, therefore, is a disc drive and an optical disc drive that provides for accurate writing and reading of information signals to and from a disc loaded therein by maintaining the horizontal balance of its base despite the weight shift caused by a movement of an optical pickup and a writing and/or reading means. In addition, the disc drives and the optical disc drives should provide for smooth loading and unloading of a disc. The disc drives and the optical disc drives should have a highly flat base and should also be easily manufactured.


A low-frequency loudspeaker system based on a dipole principle. In some implementations, the system includes an open frame rigging system and multiple subwoofers mounted in a dipole surface array configuration in the open frame rigging system to produce controlled sound dispersion in both horizontal and vertical planes. The subwoofers are operable to produce low-frequency sound dispersion below about 300 Hz. The subwoofers mounted in the dipole configuration include a first set of subwoofers facing a first direction and a second set of subwoofers facing a second direction, in which the second direction is facing a direction that is 180 degrees with respect to the first direction. The second set of subwoofers are wired out-of-phase with respect to the first set of subwoofers to reduce non-liner distortion. The first and second sets of subwoofers are configured to concurrently move in a same direction when a signal is applied to the subwoofers.

Traditional sound reinforcement loudspeaker systems may use "Line Arrays" and additional subwoofers to achieve a desired sound coverage and sound pressure level (SPL). In line arrays, low-frequency energy may be adequately controlled by adjusting the size of the array and by vertical splaying or vertically spreading the line array cabinets. If a very low frequency range is desired, additional subwoofer cabinets can be used, which are typically stacked on the ground. Subwoofer vertical sound dispersion can be attempted to be controlled by building stacks of cabinets of adequate height.


A poison ivy (and related dermatitis) treatment composition and method in which a novel composition containing a combination of active ingredients gives new and unexpected results over compositions of the prior art. The inventive composition includes three essential ingredients: extract (fresh sap) of jewelweed (Impatiens species); fresh sap of plantain leaf; and an aqueous colloidal dispersion of subdivided whole oat grains. It is believed that the amphiphilic nature of the aqueous colloidal oat dispersion both preserves the activity of the plantain and jewelweed enzymes, as a result of its oat oil fraction, and also enhances topical delivery to the epidermis due to its aqueous fraction and the stabilizing effect of the oat bran as bulking agent. At the same time the aqueous oat colloid dispersion provides an essential excipient and delivery agent for the jewelweed and plantain enzymes, it itself provides essential anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effect to minimize dermatitis exacerbation due to itching and scratching. In addition, the joint presence of the plantain and jewelweed saps is believed to give an enhanced anti-inflammatory effect as compared to the use of either plant sap alone.

The present invention relates to a novel composition for the treatment of Rhus dermatitis associated with exposure to the irritant urushiol oil and other irritating constituents of the sap of the stems, leaves and roots of poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and related plants and plant parts. Urushiol oil itself can contain for example 3-alkylcatechols and 3-alkenylcatechols in which the alkyl or alkenyl moieties are generally 15-17 carbons in length, and compounds such as these can be extremely irritating to the skin.
Exposure to urushiol oils can occur in various ways, and the oils are generally exuded to a greater degree by the stems, leaves and roots to the extent that these plant parts are crushed, cut or otherwise disintegrated such as by fire. Downstream smoke from a fire involving urushiol oil-containing plants is a well known cause of severe poison-ivy type dermatitis, and the oils can be carried by boots, shoes, clothes, tools and equipment in ways that can transmit skin irritants even to those who did not come in contact with the originating plant parts. Even though oxidation neutralizes urushiol oils over time, and despite the variability in potency of plants such as these depending on their season of origin, in some cases urushiol oils carried on shoes or other transmission vectors can remain active for years. It is believed that at least fifty percent of the population of the United States is sensitive to the active agents in urushiol oils, and the inflammatory response they stimulate, when brought in contact with the skin, is notorious--and in many cases severe.
Various prior art patents and publications have addressed poison-ivy type dermatitis (Rhus dermatitis) and its treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,342 discloses the use of a hydrophilic ion exchange material to absorb, upon contact with exposed skin, the phenolic compounds in the urushiol oils to minimize subsequent dermatitis. U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,301 describes a process for treating poison ivy dermatitis with tetraalkyl diamines. U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,331 discloses treating poison oak or ivy with 2-butanone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,772 describes a skin coating composition made of film-forming acrylic polymer which forms a barrier against topical exposure to urushiol oils. U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,318 discloses a "poison ivy relief" composition containing p-diphenol oxidase. U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,418 discloses an emollient topical composition which commercially incorporates calamine for the treatment of poison ivy, insect bites, chicken pox rash and etc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,151 discloses an aluminum chlorhydrate composition for preventing and/or treating urushiol oil-associated dermatitis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,847, discussed further below, discloses detoxification of urushiol with manganese salts.
Naturally-occurring chemicals are also known for treating poison-ivy type dermatitis, see Gibson, M. R. et al., "Activity of Jewelweed and its Enzymes in the Treatment of Rhus Dermatitis," Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, pp. 294-296, Gisvold, "The Effect of Some Adsorbents, Precipitants and Oxidants upon the Resin of Rhus Toxicondendron," Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, pp. 17-18, and Scarborough, J., ed., Folklore and Folk Medicines, American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, Madison, Wis., 1987. These three articles all address the general applicability of jewelweed extract as an ameliorating agent for Rhus dermatitis, and the latter identifies the utility of plantain extract in this regard also. It should be noted that the Gibson et al. article calls into question the efficacy of jewelweed alone to ameliorate Rhus dermatitis, see page 295, column 2, last full paragraph, as does Scarborough, at the bottom of page 102. U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,689 discloses the use of crushed plants of the genus Plantago, preferably broadleaf Plantain, to form a salve for treating poison ivy. European Patent Application 88116810 discusses an Impatiens capensis (jewelweed) extract for use in treating poison ivy dermatitis.
In general, prior art methods and compositions have not provided a combination therapy in which urushiol oils are neutralized, skin layers are soothed, skin healing is promoted, and dermatitis pain and itching are minimized or eliminated, all from the application of a single specialized topical composition designed to accomplish all these goals. Specifically, poison ivy treatment methods and compositions heretofore have not adequately addressed the need to control inflammation and itching themselves as well as to neutralize the contact dermatitis active agent. As with all contact dermatitis, when the patient scratches the affected skin both the inflammation per se and the active agent exposure itself are exacerbated. A need thus remains for a composition which effectively neutralizes urushiol oils while simultaneously reducing the pain and itch adequately to prevent scratching or rubbing of the affected skin area.

Rhus dermatitis treatment composition and method

Upper St. Clair Township, Allegheny County


An interface between a service provider application and a content providing application in a network printing system, comprising functionality for configuring the interface for the service provider to interface with the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises service provider administration properties, functionality for configuring the interface for a multi-service operator to interface with the content providing application on a second level, wherein the second level comprises multi-service level administration properties that comprise a portion of the service provider administration properties, and functionality for configuring the interface for an end user to interface with the content providing application on a third level, wherein the third level comprises end user level administration properties that comprise a portion of the multi-service provider administration properties. The service provider administration properties may comprise system maintenance, service maintenance and subscriber maintenance operations, the multi-service provider administration properties may comprise the service provider administration properties except system maintenance operations and service maintenance operations specifically relating to service provider level operations, and the end user administration properties may comprise the subscriber maintenance operations.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns content management in broadband printing systems. More particularly, the invention concerns interfacing between a printing service provider application and a content providing application on different hierarchical levels for communication by the printing service application, a multi-service operator, and an end user with the content providing application for managing content information.
2. Description of the Related Art
A broadband printing system (BPS) has been proposed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/357,433, filed Jul. 20, 1999 entitled "Internet-Based Push Printing Over Cable Network" in which a third party merchant (e.g. coupon provider) can push-print information across a high speed cable network to a set-top box in a user's home so that the information is printed on a printer connected to the set-top box. In the proposed BPS, the information to be printed on the user's home printer is transmitted via the Internet from the third party merchant to the user via a cable company (commonly referred to as a "cable head end"). The cable head end merely performs rasterization of the information utilizing a print driver corresponding to the type of printer connected to the set-top box in the user's home and then transmits the rasterized information via the cable network to the set-top box for printing on the user's home printer.
In the foregoing BPS system, a user generally enters into a subscription arrangement with the third party merchant to allow the merchant to push-print information onto the user's home printer. The cable head end merely acts as a channel of communication that receives the information from the merchant, processes the information with a print driver to prepare the information for printing on the user's home printer, and then transmits the processed information to the user's home printer via a cable network and a set-top box. Accordingly, management of the content information is provided by the third party merchant directly to the home user and different levels of hierarchy are not used.
While the foregoing system is effective as a broadband printing system, the inventors herein have found a technique for managing the content information in a way that is different from the foregoing approach.
Another system has been described in published PCT International Publication Number WO 00/75798, published on Dec. 14, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as the '798 publication). In the system described in the '798 publication, a document server manages content information for generating and delivering documents, including personalized publications requested by users. Content information is transmitted by content providers to the document server, which categorizes and stores the received content information in a content database. When a user wants to have a personalized publication delivered, the user activates a web page of a printing service provider (e.g. HP Instant Delivery) and completes a questionnaire to provide their name, address, areas of interest and scheduled delivery time. When the user has completed the questionnaire, the user's information is used to form a user profile which is stored in the document server. At the requested delivery time, the document server analyzes the user's profile to determine what content information stored in the content database is likely to be of interest to the user, retrieves the content information from the content database and assembles and delivers a personalized publication.
While the system of the '798 publication purports to provide for delivery of a personalized publication, the extent of the personalization is somewhat limited. In this regard, the foregoing system does not provide for the requesting user to interface with the content provider directly to select content information that he wants to receive. Instead, the user merely fills out a questionnaire that includes areas of interest and the document server selects the content information to be included in the personalized publication. As a result, the user has no way of knowing what content information he/she is going to receive until the personalized publication is delivered. Therefore, the lack of any direct link between the user and the content provider to allow the user to select the content information he wants to receive is one drawback of the '798 publication's system.
Another drawback with the '798 publication relates to multi-service operators, such as cable operators (cable head end). As described in the '798 publication, the delivery of personalized documents or publications is effected by the user requesting delivery of the document directly from the document server (via the Internet) and the document server delivering the document directly to the user (via the Internet). Therefore, the user enters into a subscription with the document server directly and does not subscribe with a multi-service operator. Therefore, there is no way for the multi-service operator to control the type of content information that their users can select for printing in the personalized publication.
As can be seen from the foregoing, the '798 publication lacks the ability for the user to communicate with the content providing application to select the content information they want to receive. In addition, the foregoing system lacks the ability for multi-service operators to control the accessability of the content information by their customers.

Content management in a broadband printing system


A steerable caddy trailer is provided that has an improved structure including a main frame assembly, spindle assemblies attached to each end of the main frame for attachment of a wheel, a pair of swinging arms forwardly extending from the main frame and pivotally attached to the main frame, and tie rods connecting the swinging arms with the spindle assembly such that pivoting of the swinging arms steers the wheel.

The invention generally pertains to trailers and specifically to trailers designed for a tight turning radius.
Prior art trailers have been designed which provide a tight turning radius; however, these trailers use complicated structures to turn the trailer's wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,635, issued to Isachsen on Sep. 21, 1926, shows an arrangement of a frame 11, and a steering rod 7 independent of the frame 11. The steering rod 7 is fastened to crank arm 3, then secured to a knuckle joint 4, and connected to a second knuckle joint 4′ using arms 5 and a connecting bar 8. This complicated structure functions to turn the wheels 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,450,215 issued to Wilson on Sep. 28, 1948, uses multiple arms and steering links 29 and 14. This complicated structure functions to turn the wheels 14.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,092,683, issued to Stidham on September 1937, shows a non-conventional system using parallel cable 32 and a draw frame system 21. These two systems must operate together in order to turn the wheels 14.
The above-subject patents are all structures which function to permit the wheels to turn on stub axles. Unfortunately, each is a complicated structure and includes multiple moving parts.
Therefore, there is a need to produce a simplified structure with fewer moving parts to reduce costs associated with manufacturing, tooling and assembly.
Additionally, the complicated structures limit the amount of weight that may be placed upon them. Accordingly, it is a still further objective of the present invention to provide a trailer that may have a high maximum payload for hauling a great amount of weight associated with farm products such as spray tanks, fertilizer, and seed.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following specification and drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


There is disclosed a single use, destructible, medical syringe in which the barrel and plunger are provided with structural elements which break of a portion of the plunger or lock the plunger in place in the barrel after an initial use. The syringe is simple in structure and made of a plastic, such as polyethylene.

As is well-known, the repetitious use of medical syringes without proper sterilization is in a large part responsible for the tragic spread of diseases, such as AIDS and Hepatitis B, among others. This problem has resulted in the attempted development of disposable syringes which are produced and made available to anyone requesting them. Unfortunately, these so-called "disposable" syringes are disposable in theory only and, in actual practice, are readily capable of re-use, as are conventional syringes. Moreover, since sterilization of reusable syringes requires special equipment and is time consuming and expensive, the use of the cheaper and so-called expendable disposable syringes has proliferated.
Syringes intended for a single use are also known. A wide variety of such syringes have been developed. However, most of them are complex in structure and thus, expensive to make. For example, one such device comprises a combined ampoule and syringe in which the piston or plunger is provided with a joint at the end placed inside the cylinder of the syringe. The joint, which is separable from the piston, is designed to remain in its final position at the bottom of the cylinder when the injection is completed. Other such devices of this sort have other drawbacks.
There exists, therefore, a need for a single use, destructible, medical syringe which does not exhibit the disadvantages and drawbacks of the known disposable syringes. The present invention fulfills such a need.

Single use, destructible medical syringe


A device-to-lead terminal connector for an implantable medical device is designed to positively lock the proximal lead terminal within a lead bore formed in the connector of the implantable device. Rather than using a conventional setscrew locking arrangement, first and second latching members are insertable through side ports in the device connector that intersect with the lead bore and that contain an elastomeric sleeve. When the latching members are squeezed together, they cooperate to expand the elastomeric sleeve against the proximal lead terminal to press it into intimate electrical and mechanical engagement with a contact in the lead bore of the device connector. The need for a tool to effect locking of the lead terminal in place is dispensed with.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to implantable medical devices for stimulating target tissue, and more particularly to, implantable pulse generators connecting to one or more elongated, electrode bearing leads and incorporating a locking mechanism for retaining a proximal end of the said lead in electrical and mechanical engagement with the input/output contacts of the pulse generator.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Dating back to the late 1950's and early 1960's, advances have been made in the treatment of patients through the application of electrical stimulation to target tissue from a pulse generator that is surgically implanted, subcutaneously or submuscularly, within a patient. A medical lead, comprising an elongated, flexible, insulating lead body and having surface electrodes thereon at a distal end and flexible conductors extending through the lead body for connecting the electrodes to a proximal terminal, is used to deliver electrical stimulation from the device to tissue abutting the electrodes and, in the case of cardiac rhythm management devices, to convey depolarization signals picked up by the electrodes back to the pulse generator.
In a typical prior art design, the proximal terminal of the medical lead comprises a rigid, straight pin having one or more electrical contacts disposed along its length. The pulse generator, in turn, has a molded plastic or epoxy connecter affixed to a hermetically sealed housing containing a battery power supply and electronic circuitry for delivering pulses in accordance with control signals provided by a microprocessor-based controller. The input and output nodes of the electronic circuitry are connected by feed-through wires that pass through suitable seals and connect to contact rings in a terminal receiving bore formed in the connector. The contact rings in the connector are adapted to mate with the electrical contacts of the lead terminal when the lead terminal is properly inserted and locked in place in the connector.
In the beginning, the implantable pulse generators were generally the size of a hockey puck. With improvements in circuit design and integrated circuitry, cardiac pacemakers and spinal cord stimulators are presently about the size of a silver dollar and about four times as thick. Efforts are still underway to further reduce the size and thickness of the implantable devices to render them less noticeable cosmetically. One design feature that has made it difficult to reduce the thickness dimension of such devices is the lead securing mechanism used in the header of the pulse generator.
In a typical prior art design, the lead locking mechanism comprises a block or blocks of metal disposed in the connector and having a longitudinal bore(s) for receiving the proximal end portion of the lead's proximal terminal therein. A threaded, transversely-extending bore that intersects with the longitudinal bore is also provided in the block for receiving a set screw. Once the proximal lead terminal is inserted into the longitudinal bore of the block comprising the locking mechanism, the setscrew is tightened down against the terminal in one or more locations. This forces the terminal pin into intimate contact with the wall of the longitudinal bore. Such a locking device mandates a connector whose thickness must be sufficient to contain the block of the locking member, the setscrew and a seal plug assembly used to prevent ingress of bodily fluids through the threaded bore. Such a construction typically drives a connector thickness of at least 7 mm. The prior art design also requires the use of a torquing tool to advance the setscrew.
It is also advantageous that one be able to replace a pulse generator without also having to replace the medical lead. Industry standards have been established for lead terminals in terms of their size (diameter and length), the location of contacts and location of insulation and seals. Therefore, any lead locking mechanism in a pulse generator should be such that it cooperates with a portion of the terminal that is in compliance with the standard, such as the proximal tip portion of the lead.
The present invention offers a lead lock mechanism that allows for a thinner connector than has heretofore been possible to achieve using setscrew technology. Moreover, the lead lock mechanism of the present invention does not require any special tools to effect locking. Also, the lead lock mechanism of the present invention is designed to accommodate any medical leads conforming to a given international standard.

Device-to-lead terminal connector for implantable tissue stimulators


A liquid detection sensor includes a first electrode, an insulating layer and a second electrode. The insulating layer is located on the first electrode. The second electrode is located on the insulating layer. A surface of the second electrode is provided with a first hole passing through each of the second electrode and the insulating layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be rendered conductive through liquid collected in the first hole. Accordingly, the liquid detection sensor and a liquid detector are provided that can reduce malfunctions.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-143895 (PTL 1) discloses a water detection sheet including a porous metallic sheet, a nonporous metallic sheet, and a permeable fabric sheet sandwiched between the porous metallic sheet and the nonporous metallic sheet. The water detection sheet is designed such that liquid flows through holes of the porous metallic sheet and diffuses in the permeable fabric sheet to render the porous metallic sheet and the nonporous metallic sheet conductive.
Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 61-158847 (PTL 2) discloses a water leakage detection structure including a water-absorbing tape, two parallel conductors provided on one surface of the water-absorbing tape, and an insulating layer provided on the parallel conductors. The water leakage detection structure is designed such that the two parallel conductors are rendered conductive as water diffuses in the water-absorbing tape.

Liquid detection sensor and liquid detector


A sampling tool for isolating and collecting a tissue biopsy includes a hollow sampling cylinder that includes a first end and an opposing second end. The first end being a sharpened, annular cutting edge and a central bore extending completely from the first end to the second end. The sampling tool also includes a plunger having a first end and a second end. The plunger includes an air evacuation feature in the form of an air evacuation channel that extends from one end of the plunger to the other end and is open at both ends. The sampling tool has particular utility in isolating and collecting cylindrical core placental biopsies of a standardized size that can be used for multiple downstream applications, including the sampling of other harvested solid, soft-tissue organs such as brain, liver, kidney, and spleen.

In many different settings and applications, there is a need to collect tissue specimens in larger quantities greater than available by fine-needle biopsy. Examples are the sampling of discarded tissues such as the placenta and tumors, but also, other solid organs isolated in the framework of a human surgical excision or autopsy or animal necropsy for clinical and/or research purposes (including tumor banks and registries).
Using the placenta as an example for an organ of interest, it governs the nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange of the developing fetus via maternal blood supply. The whole placenta has a thickness of about 2.0 cm-2.5 cm (¾″-1″) and is oriented by a maternal side and fetal side, with different layers that has specific associated functions. This temporary organ is of overwhelmingly fetal origin; however, at term, there is a thin layer on the maternal side that is an adherent layer of maternal tissue known as the decidua which was previously attached to the uterus prior to birth of the fetus. Furthermore, the blood that peruses the placenta is of maternal origin. This makes of the placenta a unique source of fetal tissue for the study of fetal development. The placenta is invariably discarded following the birth of an infant. The human placenta has a spongy, friable, and gelatinous consistency that makes it very difficult to handle. These characteristics make the consistent and reproducible excision of placental tissue particularly challenging.
Currently, placenta sampling is routinely carried out by using sterile disposable scalpels and forceps to perform full thickness sections that produce large, irregular cubically shaped biopsies. This method is tedious and bloody, thus presenting a safety issue for the operator/user collecting the tissue sample. Furthermore, the use of the scalpel does not allow for procedural standardization, and exposes the personnel to the risk of laceration by the protruding nature of scalpel blade in the setting of the slippery nature of the tissue and exposure to abundant maternal blood percolating through the incised placenta that obstructs the operator's view of the incision site. Use of a scalpel places the operator at risk for puncture and laceration with exposure to potentially infectious blood products.


A low energy mechanical operating cartridge has an inner regulator core (13) supporting a projectile (21) slidably engaged in a primer casing (19). The regulator core acts to control the velocity at which the projectile is propelled from a firearm (61), and the primer casing carries the explosive propellant (25) necessary to generate the required energy to launch the projectile. To improve the operation of the cartridge and ejection of the cartridge from the firearm, the primer casing is configured to efficiently slide on the regulator core in a rearward recoil action, while robust gas seals are maintained between the casing and regulator core.

The present invention generally relates to cartridges for firearms and more particularly relates to low-energy training cartridges capable of launching non-lethal projectiles designed for reality based training, such as for law enforcement and the military.
When training military and law enforcement personnel it is desirable to provide situational environments that are as realistic as possible without creating undue risks of injury or death. Such training most often involves the use of firearms and the shooting of firearms at targeted individuals that role-play the "bad guys." Use of conventional live ammunition in such training exercises creates unacceptable risks of injury or death. On the other hand, the use of blank ammunition inhibits the ability to create realistic "live" stress environments. To help create effective training programs, special cartridges have been developed which fire bullets from firearms at low, non-lethal velocities. Such cartridges allow more realistic situational conditions to be created during training exercises and provide a means short of lethal live ammunition of knowing whether shots fired by the trainees have hit their intended targets.
However, existing non-lethal low-energy training cartridges do not always function reliably or with consistent ballistic accuracy, and particularly consistent accuracy within the given distance parameters. Existing low energy cartridges can also be relatively difficult to manufacture within desirable cost constraints.
The present invention provides an improved low energy mechanical operating cartridge ("MOC") for use in firearm training exercises, which operates reliably and which can be manufactured at an acceptable cost. An MOC in accordance with the invention requires no propellant (ignitable powder) other than the propellant provided by a single primer staked into a primer casing of the MOC. MOCs in accordance with the invention further provide improved control over bullet velocity, and provide greater flexibility in the choice of materials used for the internal components of the MOC.

Low energy mechanical operating cartridge


The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger consisting of a stack of plates (21) clamped against each other in a sealed manner with a sealing joint being intercalated so as to create fluid flow channels between these plates, each plate comprising four holes forming with the holes of the other plates four manifolds (26,27), namely two inlet manifolds and two outlet manifolds, the ends of these manifolds being connected, on one side of the stack, to inlet or outlet pipework (28,29), so as to create two distinct fluid circuits, the joints enabling the channels to communicate with one or the other of the said fluid flow circuits, characterised in that at least one of the two inlet manifolds (26) is provided with a peripheral filtering cartridge (33), the mesh size of which is less than or equal to the distance between two contiguous plates (21), and is connected, at its opposite end to the inlet pipework (28), to the corresponding outlet pipework (29) by a pipe (31) controlled by a valve (32).. Application to the auxiliary cooling circuits of power stations.

Plate heat exchangers are well known for producing a heat exchange between two fluids. They consist of a stack of plates clamped against each other in a sealed manner with a sealing joint being intercalated so as to create fluid flow channels between these plates, each plate comprising four holes forming with the holes of the other plates four manifolds, namely two inlet manifolds and two outlet manifolds, the ends of these manifolds being connected, on one side of the stack, to inlet or outlet pipework, so as to create two distinct fluid circuits, the joints enabling the channels to communicate with one or the other of the said fluid flow circuits.
Generally, the channels formed between the plates are, by virtue of the abovementioned joints, allocated to one or the other of the fluid circuits with a configuration alternating from one channel to the other. The inlet and outlet pipes are arranged along a diagonal of the plates which have a rectangular shape. In addition, the inlet pipework of a circuit is arranged on the same small side of the rectangle as the outlet pipework of the second circuit such that the two fluids flow in opposite directions. The opposite ends of the manifolds to the connection with the inlet or outlet pipework are closed off.
These heat exchangers are very efficient but they have the disadvantage of being choked by the impurities conveyed by the fluids. In particular, in the case of the auxiliary cooling circuits of a power station, the cooling fluid consists of untreated water which contains impurities.
When debris having dimensions which are greater than the distance separating two neighbouring plates, that is to say the thickness of the flow channel, are trapped in the inlet manifold and when there is a considerable quantity of these debris, the exchanger is choked and becomes unusable.
The problem of periodically unchoking the plate heat exchangers of the abovementioned type therefore arises.
A first solution consists in reversing the flow direction of the fluid in the choked circuit; this first method greatly complicates the layout of the pipework and requires the installation of three valves.
A second solution involves an at least partial dismantling in order to extract therefrom the debris which have become caught between the plates. This last solution results in a considerable labour cost and in a relatively long time during which the exchanger is unusable.
Another solution consists in installing a filter upstream of the inlet manifold. This solution is relatively costly and complex to install.

Device for preventing choking in plate heat exchangers


Recording apparatus for recording video signal on a tape by helical scan heads has a special frame data detector for detecting a special frame data that can be processed during a reproducing operation, without any additional data, to reproduce an image, a memory for storing the special frame data, and inserting arrangement for inserting a selected track after a predetermined number of tracks. One selected track is written with a portion of the special frame data repeatedly, and another selected track is written with another portion of the special frame data repeatedly, and so on. During the high speed reproducing mode, various portions of the special frame data as obtained from a number of selected tracks are gathered to form an image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a helical scan-type recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing large volumes of data such as digital video signals, and relates particularly to a video cassette recorder or other recording and/or reproducing apparatus capable during data reproduction of reproducing data at a reproducing speed different from that used during normal data reproduction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The recording and reproducing method described in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2-094071 is one known method used for special reproducing modes in conventional digital recording video cassette recorders (VCRs). In this method, still image data extracted from the video signal for use during high speed reproduction is recorded to a specific tracing pattern across plural tracks. The tracing pattern of this method is compatible with only one non-standard special reproducing mode.
As a result, this type of VCR can only offer one special reproducing mode speed at which a stable still or slow-motion video image can be reproduced, and the availability of only one special reproducing mode speed is considered substandard (insufficient) in today's VCR market. Therefore, the problem with the method described above is that data must be recorded in duplicate to plural tracing patterns in order to provide plural special reproducing mode speeds. This makes recording and reproducing increasingly complex, and wastes recording space.

Recording and reproducing apparatus using basic data

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A wireless terminal identifier and an alternate routing identifier are associated with a wireless terminal. When an incoming communication is directed to the wireless terminal identifier, it is routed based on the alternate routing identifier when the wireless terminal is not available.

There is a general trend for people to use an increasing number and variety of communication devices. For example, a person may now communicate by a subscriber line phone, wireless cellular phone, wireless pager, wireless data terminal, and email. The variety of communication devices can provide more flexibility for how, when, and where a person can be contacted, but it can also increase the complexity of such communication. For example, each of these communication devices may have unique access requirements and a unique telephone number, data message address, or internet address. Contacting a person who has such a variety of communication devices may involve obtaining a list of the telephone numbers, data message addresses, or internet addresses of the communication devices and guessing as to the best way to contact the person and/or trying different devices until the communication is successful performed.

Methods, networks, and computer program products for selectively routing communications based on routing rules


There is disclosed composite material lay-up equipment 10 for applying a plurality of individual lengths of elongate fiber reinforcement material 14 to an article 12, the equipment 10 comprising: a support head 20; a cutting mechanism 22 carried by the support head 20 for severing a plurality of individual lengths of elongate fiber reinforcement material 14. The cutting mechanism 22 comprises a plurality of cutting elements 60 coupled to and moveable with respect to the support head 20 and a cassette 65 removably attached to the support head 20 and having a plurality of corresponding counteracting elements 76 statically mounted thereto. Each cutting element 60 is displaceable relative to the corresponding counteracting element 76 to perform a cutting stroke in which the respective cutting and counteracting elements 60, 76 cooperate to sever a length of elongate fiber reinforcement 14 material extending through the nip formed between them.

The invention relates to composite material lay-up equipment for applying lengths of elongate fibre reinforcement material to an article.
Fibre composite components are frequently used for applications requiring a combination of light weight and strength, for example in sports equipment and in aerospace components. Most fibre composite manufacturing processes require successive layers of fibre reinforcement material to be applied to an article or a mould in a lay-up process. A matrix material is either pre-applied to the fibre reinforcement material (pre-impregnated, or "pre-preg") or is subsequently applied to the reinforcement material before curing in or out of an autoclave. Recent manufacturing developments have allowed the lay-up process to be performed automatically.
Three exemplary automatic composite manufacturing processes are Automatic Tape Laying (ATL), Automatic Fibre Placement (AFP) and automatic filament winding. Briefly, ATL relates to the application of a tape comprising fibre reinforcement material to an article. The tape typically comprises unidirectional fibres which are pre-impregnated with matrix material (e.g. epoxy resin). Successive tape layers are typically applied at different orientations from one another to form a ply structure. The tape is typically applied to the article by an applicator roller.
In AFP, the fibre reinforcement material is applied to an article in the form of a "tow", comprising a plurality of individual fibres, or multiple "tows". A "tow" may be a narrow width of tape slit from a wider tape. AFP is typically more suitable for complex parts having a higher degree of curvature or non-uniform curvature. The fibres are typically pre-impregnated with matrix material or drawn through a bath of matrix material. A course or series of "tows" is typically applied to the article by an applicator roller.
Automatic filament winding differs from AFP in that the article typically functions as a rotating mandrel and the lay-up equipment typically traverses the mandrel to apply a tow of fibres in tension over the mandrel surface. The angle at which the tow is laid over the mandrel can be adjusted between successive passes of the mandrel such that successive layers lie at different orientations from one another to form a ply structure and to influence the properties of the component (e.g. improved compressive or tensile strength of the manufactured component). The tow of fibres is typically applied to the article by virtue of tensile forces in the tow between the mandrel and an applicator roller of the lay-up equipment.
In all of the above processes it is necessary to sever (or cut) the tow or tape of fibre reinforcement material (whether pre-impregnated or not) at the end of the process, or at the end of a stage in the process.
However, the cutting mechanisms used in known composite lay-up equipment are bulky, which causes the equipment to be bulky at the tip region. A bulky tip region may limit the complexity of the articles to which fibre reinforcement material can be applied by the equipment, since it may not be possible to manipulate the tip region over high curvature or other hard-to-access parts of the article.
It is therefore desirable to provide improved composite lay-up equipment which is less bulky in the tip region and to provide an improved cutting mechanism for use with the equipment.

Composite Technology & Applications Limited


This invention is based upon the unexpected discovery that cured rubber can be devulcanized by heating it to a temperature of at least about 150.degree. C. under a pressure of at least about 3.4.times.10.sup.6 Pascals in the presence of 2-butanol. The molecular weight of the rubber can be maintained at a relatively high level if the devulcanization is carried out in the presence of the 2-butanol at a temperature of no more than about 300.degree. C. This devulcanization technique does not significantly change the microstructure of the rubber and it can accordingly be used in the same types of applications as was the original rubber. In other words, the devulcanized rubber can be recompounded and recurred into useful articles in substantially the same way as was the original rubber. This invention more specifically discloses a process for devulcanizing cured rubber into devulcanized rubber that is capable of being recompounded and recurred into useful rubber products, said process comprising (1) heating the cured rubber to a temperature which is within the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. under a pressure of at least about 3.4.times.10.sup.6 Pascals in the presence of 2-butanol to devulcanize the cured rubber into the devulcanized rubber thereby producing a slurry of the devulcanized rubber in the 2-butanol; and (2) separating the devulcanized rubber from the 2-butanol.

Millions of used tires, hoses, belts and other rubber products are discarded annually after they have been worn-out during their limited service life. These used rubber products are typically hauled to a dump because there is very little use for them after they have served their original intended purpose. A limited number of used tires are utilized in building retaining walls, as guards for protecting boats and similar things where resistance to weathering is desirable. However, a far greater number of tires, hoses and belts are simply discarded.
The recycling of cured rubber products has proven to be an extremely challenging problem. This problem associated with recycling cured rubber products (such as, tires, hoses and belts) arises because, in the vulcanization process, the rubber becomes crosslinked with sulfur. After vulcanization, the crosslinked rubber becomes thermoset and cannot be reformed into other products. In other words, the cured rubber cannot be melted and reformed into other products like metals or thermoplastic materials. Thus, cured rubber products cannot be simply melted and recycled into new products.
Since the discovery of the rubber vulcanization process by Charles Goodyear in the nineteenth century, there has been interest in the recycling of cured rubber. A certain amount of cured rubber from tires and other rubber products is shredded or ground to a small particle size and incorporated into various products as a type of filler. For instance, ground rubber can be incorporated in small amounts into asphalt for surfacing roads or parking lots. Small particles of cured rubber can also be included in rubber formulations for new tires and other rubber products. However, it should be understood that the recycled rubber serves only in the capacity of a filler because it was previously cured and does not co-cure to an appreciable extent to the virgin rubber in the rubber formulation.
Various techniques for devulcanizing cured rubber have been developed. Devulcanization offers the advantage of rendering the rubber suitable for being reformulated and recurred into new rubber articles if it can be carried out without degradation of the rubber. In other words, the rubber could again be used for its original intended purpose. However, none of the devulcanization techniques previously developed have proven to be commercially viable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,205 discloses a technique for devulcanizing sulfur-vulcanized elastomer containing polar groups which comprises applying a controlled dose of microwave energy of between 915 MHz and 2450 MHz and between 41 and 177 watt-hours per pound in an amount sufficient to sever substantially all carbon-sulfur and sulfur--sulfur bonds and insufficient to sever significant amounts of carbon--carbon bonds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,625 discloses a continuous ultrasonic method for breaking the carbon-sulfur, sulfur--sulfur and, if desired, the carbon--carbon bonds in a vulcanized elastomer. Through the application of certain levels of ultrasonic amplitudes in the presence of pressure and optionally heat, it is reported that cured rubber can be broken down. Using this process, the rubber becomes soft, thereby enabling it to be reprocessed and reshaped in a manner similar to that employed with previously uncured elastomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,186 discloses a process for devulcanizing cured rubber by desulfurization, comprising the steps of: contacting rubber vulcanizate crumb with a solvent and an alkali metal to form a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture in the absence of oxygen and with mixing to a temperature sufficient to cause the alkali metal to react with sulfur in the rubber vulcanizate and maintaining the temperature below that at which thermal cracking of the rubber occurs, thereby devulcanizing the rubber vulcanizate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,186 indicates that it is preferred to control the temperature below about 300.degree. C., or where thermal cracking of the rubber is initiated.


The present invention provides a process for preparing a pyridine compound of the formula:

The tachykinin neuropeptide substance P is a naturally occurring undecapeptide that stimulates contractile action on extravascular smooth muscle tissue upon binding with the receptor Neurokinin 1 (NK-1). NK-1 receptors inhibit the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues of humans. The interactions of substance P and NK-1 are frequently associated with inflammatory conditions, such as migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, the modulation of Parkinson's disease and other disorders of the CNS and mediation of the emetic reflex are attributed to substance P/NK-1 contact.
NK-1 antagonists inhibit the interaction of substance P and NK-1 receptor site. These antagonists have previously been utilized for treatment of pain, headache, migraine, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, attenuation of morphine withdrawal, cardiovascular changes, edema, chronic inflammatory disease, asthma/bronchial hyperactivity, allergic rhinitis, inflammatory diseases of the gut, ocular injuries and ocular inflammatory disease. Such compounds are also believed to be useful in the treatment of various psychological disorders, including disorders of the CNS, as well as treatment of motion sickness, inducement of vomiting and reduction of cisplatin-induced emesis. See Stout, S. C., et al., Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. (2001) 41, 877, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The conventional processes for synthesis of the pyridine ring structure of Roche's NK-1 antagonists require functionalization of a 2,5-disubstituted pyridine. One of the current methods for producing N-[6-(4-morpholinyl)-3-pyridinyl]pivalamide from 2-chloro-5-nitropyridine involves displacement of the chloro group with morpholine, reduction of the nitro group and acylation of the resulting amine by a pivaloyl group, such as pivaloyl chloride or pivaloyl anhydride. Regioselective lithiation of N-[6-(4-morpholinyl)-3-pyridinyl]pivalamide followed by reaction with an iodide source (such as iodine) then provides a 4-iodopyridine compound, which is used in a Suzuki coupling with an arylboronic acid. The coupled product is then hydrolyzed to remove the pivaloyl group. N-Methylation and acylation of the resulting aminopyridine compound then provides a 2,4,5-tri-substituted pyridine compound. See European Patent No. 1,103,545 (Ballard, T. M. et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The cost of this process is relatively high due to the need for lithiation. In addition, this process requires production of nitropyridine, which presents a safety hazard.
Another process for producing pyridine ring system based NK-1 receptor agonist utilizes Hoffman rearrangement reaction of a nicotinamide compound. In this process, microbial oxidation of nicotinic acid is used to produce 6-hydroxynicotinic acid, which is then converted to 6-chloronicotinic acid. The carboxylic acid group is then converted to a tert-butylamide group by converting the carboxylic acid to an acid chloride and reacting the acid chloride with tert-butylamine. The resulting pyridine compound is then reacted with o-tolylmagnesium chloride, followed by an oxidation of the resulting product to produce a 4-(o-tolyl)substituted pyridine compound. The overall yield of this process is often low, and requires an excess amount of o-tolylmagnesium chloride. In addition, an oxidation reaction is required to regenerate the pyridine ring system. Removal of the tert-butyl group followed by Hoffman rearrangement of the amide group results in a formation of an isocyanate which is then trapped with methanol to yield a carbamate. The overall production cost of this process is high due to use of expensive starting materials. And furthermore, the overall production efficiency of this process is low due to variability in the success of the Grignard reaction.
Additional known methods for producing pyridine compounds include the Hantzsch, Kröhnke and Guareschi-Thorpe syntheses. Preparation of pyridine compounds via the Guareschi-Thorpe synthesis uses cyanoacetamide and an arylacetate (e.g., ethyl benzoylacetate) as starting materials. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,887, issued to Roch, J. et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This process results in a low yield (42%) of 2,6-dihydroxy-3-cyano-4-phenylpyridine with bezoylacetate and still a lower yield when an aryl group is ortho-substituted.
Trans-4-Aryl-3-cyano-6-ox-5-pyridino-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-2-olates can also be prepared by reaction of a pyridinium salt, an aromatic aldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate in the presence of a base. See, e.g., Shestopalov, A. M., et al. Synthesis (1991) 402; Shestopalov, A. M., et al. Khim. Geterotsikl. Soedin. (1990) 363; and Litvinov, V. P., Shestopalov, A. M. Zh. Org. Khim. (1997) 33, 975, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Another suitable starting material for the production of the NK-1 antagonist pyridine derivative is an amide of the formula:
This acetamide compound can be obtained in good yield by the reaction of 2-chloroacetamide with pyridine. See Katritzky, A. F., et al. J. C. S. Perkins I(1981) 1180–1185.
Regioselective displacement of chloride from the 2,6-dichloro-3-cyanopyridine by an amine and the conversion of the nicotinonitrile to a nicotinamide are well known to one skilled in the art. In general, unhindered primary amines attack at the 2-position, while hindered primary and secondary amines attack at the 6-position. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,642, issued to Fleckenstein, E et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,895, issued to Lamm, G. and Dehnert, J., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Hydrolysis of a nicotinonitrile to a nicotinamide compound can be achieved using a variety of reagents, including sulfuric acid, aqueous hydroxide, basic hydrogen peroxide or potassium trimethylsilanolate. See, e.g., Miyamoto, T., et al. Het. Chem. (1987) 24, 1333; Salem, M., et al. Heterocycles (2000) 53, 1129; Humphries, M., Ramsden, C., Sythesis (1999) 985; Merchant, K., Tet. Lett. (2000) 41, 3747, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
While methods are available for the production of pyridine derivatives, there exists a need for a pyridine compound production process that utilizes low cost starting materials. There is also a need for a process that avoids the shortcoming of the Grignard reaction's variability.

Process for preparation of pyridine derivatives of NK-1 receptor antagonist

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3 and a are those defined herein.