Method and apparatus for suppressing fluid flow separation from a surface of a body during flow of a fluid along the surface of the body. At least one barrier member (for example, at least one tab) is provided extending away from the surface of the body and into a separated flow region adjacent the body surface, but not into a smooth flow region beyond the separated flow region. Where a plurality of barrier members are used, the barrier members are located spaced from each other along the direction of flow of the fluid. The barrier member suppresses upstream movement of the separation point between smooth flow along the body surface and separated flow. A chamber extending from the body surface and into the body can be positioned at the barrier member, to provide a place for vortices in the fluid flow to settle down. The barrier member can be moved from a position where it is co-planar with the body surface to a position where it extends away from the surface into the separated flow region.

The present invention is directed to a method, and structure, which suppresses separation of fluid (e.g., gas or liquid, such as air) flow adjacent a surface of a body when passing the fluid along an exterior surface of the body, such as in the case of a fluid flowing across the wing of an airplane, or when passing the fluid along an interior surface of the body, such as in the case of a fluid flowing in a diffuser along a surface of the diffuser. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method, and structure, wherein instabilities or oscillations associated with separation of fluid flow adjacent the surface of the body is suppressed, and drag associated with this fluid flow separation is suppressed.
It is well known in fluid dynamics that when a fluid passes along a solid body, the fluid will form a viscous layer, known as a xe2x80x9cboundary layerxe2x80x9d, adjacent the body surface. This boundary layer possesses a much lower energy level than the flow outside it. Inside the boundary layer, the flow is distorted under viscous effects and there exists a large velocity gradient in the direction normal to the body surface.
When a large adverse pressure gradient exists, that is, when pressure increases in the direction of the fluid flow, the boundary layer may not be able to tolerate the pressure gradient, and will start to separate from the body surface, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, shown in FIG. 1 is surface 1 of the body, having fluid flow adjacent surface 1. The flow is shown schematically by reference character 3, and includes, initially, flow adjacent surface 1 of the body (attached flow, e.g., in an attached boundary layer flow region), shown by reference character 5, and separated flow, e.g., in separated boundary layer flow region shown by reference character 7, where the flow is separated from surface 1 of the body. The separation point, where the flow initially separates from the body, is shown by reference character 9 in FIG. 1. This point is defined as the point where the velocity gradient in the direction normal to the body surface is observed for the first time to be continuously less than or equal to zero.
FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b) respectively show, in more detail (with respect to fluid flow) than shown in FIG. 1, such separation from an external surface 1 of a body 2 (e.g., an airplane wing) and from an internal surface 1a of a body 2a (e.g., a diffuser). This phenomenon is called xe2x80x9cflow separationxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9cseparationxe2x80x9d. Shown in FIG. 18(a) is separation point 9, where the fluid first separates from surface 1 of body (airfoil) 2. Downstream from the separation point 9, in the direction of fluid flow, the fluid exhibits separated flow in a separated flow region 13 (separated boundary layer flow region), where the fluid flow forms eddies 17. Even downstream of separation point 9, in regions spaced from surface 1 or 1a of the body of the fluid exhibits smooth flow, e.g., smooth outer flow, in smooth outer flow regions 16 shown in each of FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b). The separated boundary layer flow region is defined as the region in which the local flow velocity is directed essentially in the direction opposite to the direction of the main flow prior to the separation point. This is compared to the smooth flow region (smooth outer flow region), which is the flow region outside (relative to the body) the separated boundary layer flow region.
Moreover, as the fluid flow continues over time this flow separation propagates upstream from an initial separation point, as seen in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), and as shown in more detail with respect to fluid flow patterns in FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b). That is, FIG. 2(a) shows an initial stage of fluid flow, and FIG. 2(b) shows a later stage (later in time). At the initial stage, separation point 9 is toward the rear end of surface 1 of the body, with respect to fluid flow direction 3. At a later time, separation point 15 has moved upstream, as shown in FIG. 2(b). And, as shown in FIG. 19(a) disturbance waves 11 propagate upstream from inside the separated flow region 13, exerting influences on the upstream flow region. Separated flow region 13 is extended upstream, so that separation point 9 changes to an xe2x80x9cadjustedxe2x80x9d separation point 15, as shown in FIG. 19(b).
In almost all cases, flow separation is associated with disadvantages, and is therefore to be avoided. If the body is the wing of an airplane, flow separation may cause the airplane to lose its lifting force, a situation known as xe2x80x9cstallxe2x80x9d. Flow separation also increases the drag force acting on the wing, which is particularly disadvantageous when the airplane is in a cruise condition. If separation occurs inside a diffuser, the diffuser loses its diffusing ability.
In many cases, flow separation also leads to the occurrence of unsteady phenomena, which may cause control problems. Aerodynamic unsteadiness could alternately lead to structural failure of the body in question. This is particularly true for an airplane flying in the flow regime known as the xe2x80x9ctransonicxe2x80x9d regime, or maneuvering a landing approach, where a phenomenon known as xe2x80x9cbuffetingxe2x80x9d can arise due to flow separations. Flow separation also often leads to other interfering phenomena, such as the disturbing wind noises around transport vehicles, or the noise interference to electrical/power transmissions through cables/power lines.
In the transonic regime, where the flow speed is close to the speed of sound, separation induced flow oscillations (usually in conjunction with the formation of shock-waves) can be very severe. One method that has been proposed to stop these oscillations is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,709 to Mihora and Cannon. In this particular patent a method is described in which flow oscillations are stopped by fixing simple devices at prescribed positions on the surface of the aerodynamic body. These devices force shock-waves to form prematurely at fixed locations, which are the locations of these devices.
In addition to the foregoing, many other methods have been proposed to suppress flow separation under specific flow conditions. These include, but are not limited to, vortex generators (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,828 to Cox), riblets (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,121 to Savill), large-eddy break-up devices, porous or slotted walls, fluid blowing and/or suction, moving surfaces, actuators (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,438 to Wygnanski), vibrating flexible structure (such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,080 to Sinha), and stepped body surfaces.
As mentioned previously, flow separation is associated with the existence of vortical structures (eddies) 17, of various sizes, inside separated flow region 13, as shown in FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b). These eddies 17 give rise to disturbance waves 11 (see FIG. 19(a)), which can travel in the upstream direction. The disturbance information in the disturbance waves 11 is received by the flow upstream of the original separation point. The flow will adjust itself to this information, and the separation point is shifted upstream, until some kind of balance (e.g., steady-state) is achieved. This adjustment of original separation point 9 to adjusted separation point 15 (see FIG. 19(b)), at an upstream location from original separation point 9 due to this disturbance information, has been previously mentioned. In the case that the disturbances are large, the whole flow field is said to be xe2x80x9cunsteadyxe2x80x9d, and the point of separation fluctuates about a mean position. The flow field then constitutes a feed-back system.
As mentioned previously, on the surface of the body the fluid particles form a very thin viscous layer, known as the xe2x80x9cboundary layerxe2x80x9d. Because flow inside the boundary layer is mostly much slower than the flow outside it, it is easier for disturbances to travel inside this layer. In the case that the flow outside the boundary layer is supersonic, upstream propagation can occur only inside the boundary layer. Therefore, preventing the disturbances from propagating upstream inside the boundary layer is important in controlling flow separation, especially in high-speed flows.
The present invention is intended to lessen this upstream propagation or upstream influences of disturbances that originate inside the separated flow region. It is meant not only to reduce drag associated with the flow separation, but also suppress the instabilities or oscillations associated with the flow separation. The method and structure of the present invention involve, as an illustrative embodiment, providing a barrier member (for example, a tab), or a plurality of barrier members (e.g., a plurality of tabs), on the body surface, each barrier member acting as a physical barrier extending away from the surface of the body, and which prevents the upstream propagation of the disturbances, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 3, and prevents upstream influences of the disturbances.
That is, FIG. 3 shows schematically barrier member (tab) 19 according to the present invention. Barrier member 19 blocks upstream propagation of disturbances, for example, those disturbances excited by eddies 17.
As can be seen from FIG. 3, barrier member 19 in FIG. 3 extends from surface 1 of the body into separated flow region, but does not extend beyond edge 21, the boundary of separated flow region 13, into smooth flow region 16. That is, in the absence of barrier member 19, there is a separated flow region 13 adjacent surface 1 of the body and smooth flow region 16 outside separated flow region 13 (with respect to surface 1). According to the present invention, the at least one barrier member extends into this separated flow region absent the barrier member, but not into the smooth flow region.
Due to barrier member 19 blocking upstream propagation of disturbances originating in separated flow region 13, separation point 9 is maintained substantially without moving upstream. This barrier member 19 penetrates into the separated flow region 13, but not into the outer, smooth flow region 16. The length and angle of deflection of barrier member or members 19, with respect to surface 1 of the body, can be varied according to the severity of the separation.
Thus, the present invention involves converting part of the surface affected by the fluid flow separation, from an originally smooth surface into one having barrier members, e.g., barrier members such as steps, tabs, etc. These steps, tabs, etc., act as barriers that prevent upstream propagation, or upstream influences, of disturbances. If the steps, tabs, etc. are kept within the separated region, they would not interfere with the outer, smooth flow.

Control of flow separation and related phenomena on aerodynamic surfaces


A balancing valve has a housing formed with a pair of inlet ports and a pair of coaxial tubes having outer ends seated in the housing at the ports and opposite confronting and axially closed inner ends. The tubes are each formed with a radially throughgoing aperture and a flexible membrane has a center sealingly engaged between and fixed to the inner ends and an outer periphery seated in the housing and defines a respective compartment around each of the tubes. A pair of like sleeves coaxially surrounding the tubes each have an inner end fixed to the membrane offset from the center and from the outer periphery and an outer end. Formations on the outer ends of the sleeves and on the tubes form annular valve openings of flow cross sections dependent on an axial position of the sleeves relative to the tubes. The compartments communicate via the respective valve openings and apertures with the respective inlets so that, when pressure at one of the ports exceeds pressure at the other port, the sleeves will be moved axially by deforming the membrane to increase the flow cross section of the valve associated with the other port and decrease the flow cross section of the valve associated with the one port.

A standard pressure-balancing valve as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,242 of Turecek or European 0,322,597 of Hochstrasser has a housing formed with a pair of inlet ports, a pair of coaxial tubes having outer ends seated in the housing at the ports and opposite confronting, axially engaged, and axially closed inner ends. The tubes are each formed with a radially throughgoing aperture. A flexible annular membrane has an inner periphery sealingly engaged around and the tubes and an outer periphery seated in the housing and defines a respective outlet compartment around each of the tubes. A pair of like sleeves coaxially surrounding the tubes each have an inner end fixed to the membrane offset from the center and from the outer periphery and an outer end. Formations on the outer ends of the sleeves and on the tubes form annular valve openings of flow cross sections dependent on an axial position of the sleeves relative to the tubes. The compartments communicate via the respective valve openings and apertures with the respective inlets so that, when pressure at one of the ports exceeds pressure at the other port, the sleeves will be moved axially by deforming the membrane to increase the flow cross section of the valve associated with the other port and decrease the flow cross section of the valve associated with the one port.
There is a sliding-seal joint between either the sleeves or the inner periphery of the membrane and the stationary tubes. Thus as the membrane flexes to equalize pressure in the two outlet compartments, some part slides on the tubes. This sliding must of course be allowed with minimal friction so that the valve can be as responsive as possible, and it must not allow any leakage across the joint. Thus O-rings are usually used in combination with a lubricated joint.
With time, however, the sliding action becomes stiffer and stiffer. The lubricant is washed away and the seals harden. In addition lime deposits on the surfaces make them rougher. Thus eventually the ability of the membrane to move is largely lost, along with the pressure-balancing function of the valve. The only solution is replacement of the membrane and core of the valve.


A pressure vessel with a flushing lance, a transport container with pressure vessels and methods of filling and producing this pressure vessel are disclosed which comprises an inner vessel, an outer layer applied on the inner vessel, a valve connection piece arranged on one of the terminal caps of the inner vessel and a hollow flushing lance that is open to the outside and is guided through the valve connection piece and held therein in a sealing manner, wherein the flushing lance protrudes into the storage volume and is provided with a perforation along its entire length up to a first end of the flushing lance facing the terminal cap that lies opposite the valve connection piece in the storage volume for a gas exchange with the storage volume, wherein the flushing lance extends to the terminal cap which lies opposite the valve connection piece.

The market for pressure vessels reinforced with fiber composite material grows continually. The increasing production of natural gas and fracking gas makes storage in pressure vessels indispensable, especially in countries without a corresponding pipeline network. In addition, there is the automotive sector, where the development of fuel cell vehicles is greatly promoted in which the fuel, in the form of gaseous hydrogen, is to be stored at high pressure in pressure vessels. For transporting the pressure vessels, lightweight vessels are desired since the transport of pressure vessels with high weight consumes an unnecessarily high amount of energy, leading to excessive transport costs.
Presently used cylindrical pressure vessels have a reinforcement layer made of fiber composite material with fibers embedded in a matrix material which is wound, as an outer layer, around an inner vessel (called a liner) of the pressure vessel, which acts as the winding core, by means of a winding method. While the inner vessel guarantees, for instance, the gas tightness of the pressure vessel, the reinforcement layer of fiber composite material provides the pressure vessel with necessary mechanical stability. In pressure vessels of type 3, a mechanical inner vessel (metallic liner), e. g. of aluminium or steel, is used; in pressure vessels of type 4, the inner vessel (liner) is made of plastic.
Pressure vessels are filled with filling gas which is to have a desired degree of purity. Since used-up pressure vessels are normally filled for return transport with a transport gas (for instance nitrogen) other than the respective filling gas (for instance hydrogen), or are to be filled alternately with different filling gases, depending on the requirements, the pressure vessels must be flushed many times before being filled with the desired filling gas so that the gas can be filled into the pressure vessel at the desired degree of purity (for instance purer than 99.9% or purer than 99.999%). The flushing procedures for achieving the degree of purity specified by the customer are expensive and require great effort since flushing and, if necessary, a plurality of fillings must be performed with the filling gas in order to achieve the specified degree of purity. Thus, the fillings carried out to achieve this degree of purity result in used-up gas mixtures and therefore in waste.
Consequently, it is desirable to have a pressure vessel and a corresponding filling method available by means of which the effort for flushing and the gas consumption for achieving the desired degree of purity can be reduced.


Some embodiments of the invention provide a computer-based application that allows its users to insert their pictures in a variety of different photo album books (called photo books below). Each photo book has several pages that have one or more picture fields for presenting pictures. Different photo books can differ in their size, themes, covers, page designs, page colors, picture-field designs, picture-field layouts, and/or other attributes. In some embodiments, the application also allows the users to modify photo books that they select. For instance, in some embodiments, a user can modify the page design, color, frame design, and/or other thematic aspects of a selected photo books. Also, in some embodiments, the user can add picture and text fields to the photo book. Once the user has completed designing the photo book and inserting pictures in the photo book, the user can order the photo book through an online transaction that is initiated through the application.

Digital photography has increased the number of images a typical user stores and manages. There is no longer the need to buy expensive, single use film. There is no longer the need to carefully manage this film both before and after development of the film into costly inconvenient prints. There is also no longer the need to carefully select shots to conserve film or money. Film has essentially become an unlimited resource.
Consequently, a typical user with access to widely available modern image acquisition technologies (e.g., a scanner, a camera, etc.) may store many thousands of images on even more widespread storage technologies (e.g., memory cards, magnetic disks, optical disks, etc.). As many photographers, both amateur and professional, have come to realize, the trick with snapping a few good shots is no longer simply having the right light or the right film. Although the traditional issues of image acquisition still exist, new complications of how to edit and manage the volume of image data accumulating on a typical computer hard drive now burden the typical computer user.
In the past, image collectors would develop, edit, and assemble hard wrought photo/journalistic creations into scrapbooks, photo albums, and other culminations or creative work of this sort. The development of computer applications for editing images and assembling the images have greatly reduced the effort needed to create a modern masterpiece out of a few pictures. However, the field of existing image management applications is still in its infancy. These applications suffer from lack of usability and may require users a high degree of technical knowledge and/or creative talent to produce a quality result or even any result. The existing applications may further limit a user's ability to customize their creations.
Thus, there is a need in the art to assist users in managing the volumes of their image data. There is also a need to allow users to edit and organize the image data into quality forms of expression. There is further a need to allow users additional means to custom tailor their creative works involving image data.


A device for suspending at least one component from a gantry, and a gantry that includes such a device includes a guide rail that can be secured on the gantry in an approximately vertical orientation, a carriage that is guided on the guide rail in a sliding movable manner and on which the component can be mounted, and a limit stop that is mounted on the guide rail beneath the carriage in a height-adjustable manner. The guide rail is divided into a lower part and an upper part, which are connected to each other by way of a pivot connection having a pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a device for suspending components, in particular cameras, radar devices, laser scanners or the like, from a gantry, which spans a road, for example. The application further relates to a gantry equipped with such a device.
2. Background Art
Gantries that span roads frequently carry heavy and complex components of the type mentioned above, which not only must be securely anchored in a suspended or salient position, but also require repeated cleaning, maintenance and adjustment. So as to gain temporary access to the components for these purposes, at present either the road must be blocked, or the maintenance staff must let themselves down from the gantry in a secured manner, or complicated mobile suspension constructions are required.

Apparatus and mounting gantry for suspending a component


A BLUETOOTH low energy mobile payments system may comprise a BLE beacon that is deployed at a merchant location. The BLE beacon may be associated with a specific merchant terminal. The BLE beacon may be configured to broadcast a unique beacon ID that is detectable by a user device. The user device may be configured to communicate the beacon ID to a payment system. In response to receiving the beacon ID, the user device may initiate a payment between a user and a merchant, via a user device and a merchant terminal.

Payment processing, point of sale devices, and payment capture systems are evolving. Some recent payment acquisition technologies have used near field communication, which includes communication protocols that allow user devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) with appropriate communication equipment to communicate with point of sale devices. However, not all smartphones are equipped with NFC communication capabilities such as, for example, the iPhone®. Moreover, NFC communication protocols require a tap or bump by the smartphone to the point of sale device making it inconvenient for some users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transactions using a bluetooth low energy beacon

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.


A cosmetics keeping case for storing cosmetics and cosmetic tools which includes an upper movable body, a lower movable body, reception compartments for retaining a number of cosmetics inside the lower movable body and a tool reception element for safely receiving and storing the cosmetic tools, wherein the tool reception element is caused to part 30 elastically rotate by a distortion spring, to a stand up position to make the cosmetic tools accessible, and at the same time, by using a V-shaped spring mounted in the tool reception element to prevent the cosmetic tools from contacting the inner side of the upper movable body and to prevent the brush portions of the cosmetic tools from being pressed flat when the upper movable body is closed on the lower movable body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cosmetic case for cosmetics and cosmetic tools, and more particularly, a cosmetic case for housing cosmetics and cosmetic tools including an upper movable body, a lower movable body, reception compartment for storing a number of cosmetics inside the lower movable body, and a tool reception element for safely storing and supporting cosmetic tools, wherein the tool reception element elastically rotates by a distortion spring causing it to stand up and make the cosmetic tools accessible when the upper movable body is opened. At the same time, the cosmetic tools are prevented from contacting the inner side of the upper movable body, when the upper moveable body is closed, by a 'U'-shaped elastic spring mounted in the tool reception element. Thus the cosmetic tools are prevented from being pressed flat when the case is closed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, it is known that women apply make-up before going out and adjust the makeup at any time. Typically employed is a makeup routine comprising the application of a basic foundation, such as tonic water and lotion for protecting facial skin, and then applying color makeup using mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, and the like.
The cosmetic case contains many makeup needs, such as a minor, brushes for mascara, eye shadow and lipstick, and the like. In addition, various alternative cosmetic tools required for the application of makeup can be employed.
Although some of such tools may form makeup sets together with respective cosmetics, they are mostly provided independently of the cosmetics and are only provided in a case for carrying or storing purposes.
Since commonly known cases for carrying cosmetic tools are used merely to store the cosmetic tools, problems are caused when the cosmetic tools adjacent to each other contact each other causing a contaminate appearance in the brushes, and making it difficult to reuse them. Also, it is sometimes difficult to remove the brushes with the hands because the different size brushes have been stored in deeper sections of the cosmetic case.
In recent years, a conventional cosmetic case, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the present application has been proposed which includes a reception case 110 formed with a bracket 110b having a first circular hole 110a at one end and a second circular hole 110c at the other end with a mirror 112 provided on the inner bottom side of the case 110. A tool storing part 114 rotates about a hinge pin 114a fitted into the first circular hole 110a of the case 110 and is formed with a tool receiving element 114 containing brush-securing grooves 114b fitted with grip portions for accommodating a plurality of brushes 116. A distortion spring 118 is operationally associated with the reception case 100 and the tool reception element 114 for applying force to cause the tool reception element 114 to stand up. A transparent cover 120 rotates about a hinge pin 120a attached to the lateral side 120b of the cover 120 which is fitted into a second circular hole 120c and covers the top surface of the case 110. A connection protrusion 120c as provided to hook into a connection groove 110d of the case 110 at one end thereof.
The cosmetic case with such a construction stores several brushes 116 by forcibly pressing the tool reception element 114 into the case 110 after fitting the brushes into the brush securing groove 114a of the tool reception element 114, and then closing the cover 120 while turning the reception element 114 to any desired direction. In the above cosmetic case, the tool reception part 114 can stand up by the elastic power of the distortion spring 118 attached to the hinge pin 114a when releasing the connection protrusion part 120c and opening the cover 120. Any one of a number of brushes 116 inserted and held in the brush securing groove 114a can be selectively drawn out and used.
Accordingly, the user can apply makeup at any time when desired while carrying the case 110. At such a time, by releasing the connection protrusion part 120c of the cover 120 from the connection groove 110d of the reception case 110 and pushing the cover upward to stand up position, the tool reception part 114 automatically stands up by the action of the distortion spring 118. Then, the user can select any one of the brushes to be used and can put on makeup while holding the grip portion 116a of the selected brush 116 and while gripping the reception case 110 with the other hand and looking into the mirror 112 attached to the bottom side of the case 110.
However, in such a conventional cosmetic case, the force pressing the tool reception element 114 is removed when the cover 120 is open and the tool reception element 114 rapidly stands up by the elastic power of the distortion spring 118 causing a rapid release of the brushes 116 stored in the brush securing groove 114a. In order to prevent such a release of brushes 116, the user must always gently press the tool reception part 114 while the case is opened thereby resulting in a difficulty in the use thereof.
Furthermore, when the tool reception element 114 is folded and stored in the reception case 110 by closing the cover 120, after fitting the used brushes 116 into the tool reception element 114, the brush portions of the brushes 116 stored in the tool reception element 114 are always placed in contact with each other and are pressed flat because of the elastic power of the distortion spring 118. Therefore, this conventional cosmetic case has the disadvantage of modifying the shape of the brush portions of the brushes 116 when the brushes 116 are held in the reception case 110 for a long time.

Cosmetics and cosmetic tool keeping case


A multi-stage incremental sheet forming system includes a forming tool, and at least one control unit in communication with the forming tool. The at least one control unit is configured to determine a convex hull of a target structure to be formed by the forming tool. The at least one control unit is further configured to operate the forming tool according to a first tool path in relation to an initial structure to form an intermediate structure having a shape based on the convex hull of the target structure. The at least one control unit is further configured to operate the forming tool according to a second tool path in relation to the intermediate structure to form one or more inward features into the intermediate structure to form the target structure.

Certain structures are formed through incremental sheet forming. In particular, incremental sheet forming provides a method of forming thin structures from metal. A forming tool typically includes a smooth, blunt operative head that is pushed or otherwise positioned against a surface of sheet metal that is suspended in a clamp, jig, or the like to provide a modified three-dimensional shape.
During an incremental sheet forming process, a forming tool (such as a forming stylus) traverses a tool path in order to incrementally deform a blank sheet of metal. It is common to generate the tool path from a stack of level sections of a geometry of the part to be formed, which is known as a Z level tool path.
Incremental sheet forming processes are known to be sensitive to a local wall slope angle. In general, structures having wall angles steeper than sixty degrees from a horizontal plane are typically not feasible candidates for incremental sheet forming. At sixty degrees and greater, the sheet of metal formed through an incremental sheet forming process typically thins to approximately one half of an original thickness. It has been found that attempting to form such structures through incremental sheet forming risks tearing the steep walls of the material.
Overall, single stage incremental sheet forming using a Z level tool path is often unsuccessful when applied to complex parts with features such as pockets, insets, and the like formed on steep walls (for example, walls formed at angles of at least sixty degrees). Using the Z level tool path approach, the steep walls cause excessive thinning during the forming process, which leads to (or at least risks leading to) tearing of the sheet of material. Structures having wall angles of sixty degrees or greater are typically not suited for incremental sheet forming.

Multi-stage incremental sheet forming systems and methods


A software defined network (SDN) system, controller, and controlling method, where the SDN system includes at least one Nth level controller and at least two (N+1)th level controllers belonging to the Nth level controller, where the (N+1)th level controller is configured to receive a first message sent by a node belonging to the (N+1)th level controller, and when the first message is a cross-domain message according to status information of each node that is managed by the (N+1)th level controller, forward the first message to the Nth level controller to which the (N+1)th level controller belongs, and the Nth level controller receives the first message, and perform decision processing according to status information of the (N+1)th level controller that is managed by and belongs to the Nth level controller and status information of boundary nodes of the (N+1)th level controller belonging to the Nth level controller.

A SDN is a new network architecture in which control and management are separated. In the SDN, a dedicated device deploys a high-level policy, and a network device forwards data under the guidance of the high-level policy such that many complex functions carried by the network device are reduced, and flexibility and an entirety of a network can be improved.
An OPENFLOW technology, as a southbound interface of an SDN architecture, is a key representative technology in the SDN field. In an OPENFLOW network, a topology and information of an entire network are managed using an OPENFLOW controller. In a large-scale data center architecture or a cross-operator OPENFLOW network architecture, the OPENFLOW network is divided into different areas, and a controller is configured for each area. When receiving a data transmission request, a controller calculates a network path according to networking information stored in the controller, and sends a path out of a local domain to each corresponding controller. After receiving path information, the corresponding controller directly sends the path information to a switching node in a domain of the corresponding controller.
Each controller in the foregoing network architecture can acquire the networking information, and when a controller is attacked, the networking information is leaked.

SDN network system, controller, and controlling method


In a parking support device, a distance measuring unit measures a quantity equivalent to a distance from an automotive vehicle to an object existing in a predetermined direction. A storage unit stores a sequence of points indicating results of the measurement performed multiple times. A first object specifying unit generates first object information based on the sequence of points when a length of the sequence of points has exceeded a first reference length. A second object specifying unit generates second object information based on the sequence of points when a length of the sequence of points has exceeded a second, larger reference length. A target parking position is determined based on the first object information in a stage where the first object information is generated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a parking support device which supports running of an automotive vehicle to a target parking position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the method of specifying an outline shape of an object or a parked vehicle by an approximation of a series of distance data (or a sequence of points) with a straight line, in which the series of distance data of the object or the parked vehicle is detected by a distance measuring unit, such as a laser radar, so that a target parking position and a target parking direction are determined for the self-vehicle is known. For example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-243857.
In the case of the above-mentioned conventional method, the series of distance data (or the sequence of points) to the object detected by the distance measuring unit is approximated with the straight line, and the target parking position and the target parking direction are determined based on the approximate straight line. Hence, if the distance measurement is performed at many detecting points on the object, the object information of the object with higher accuracy can be acquired, and the target parking position and direction with higher reliability can be determined.
On the other hand, the above-mentioned method requires many detecting points (the sequence of points with a sufficient length) to derive an approximate straight line, and it is difficult for the above-mentioned method to bring forward the start timing of parking support control (namely, the time the target parking position and the target parking direction can be determined).
In fact, in many cases, parked vehicles are on both the sides (the front and back sides) of a parking space, and in some case the sequence of points with a sufficient length cannot be obtained with respect to the parked vehicle on the back side of the parking space in the normal process of moving the self vehicle to the parking start position.


In order to miniaturize an image forming system, the present invention provides an image forming system which is provided with a sheet feed apparatus including a transport roller pair capable of transporting a sheet in a sheet transport direction S, and an image forming apparatus including an image forming section capable of forming an image on the sheet acquired from the sheet feed apparatus, including a switch member disposed on the downstream side of the transport roller pair in the sheet transport direction to be switched between a first position for guiding the sheet transported by the transport roller pair to the image forming apparatus, and a second position for guiding the sheet transported by the transport roller pair downward, and a storage tray disposed below the switch member predetermined space apart to be able to store the sheet guided to below the switch member positioned in the second position.

A generally known image forming system is provided with an image forming apparatus, and a sheet feed apparatus which is one example of a sheet transport apparatus and is arranged in parallel with the image forming apparatus. In order to be able to supply sheets to the image forming apparatus, the sheet feed apparatus includes feed cassettes for storing a plurality of sheets. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-279168, an image forming system is proposed to provide a retract tray above a sheet feed apparatus, and in the case of detecting an abnormality such as multi feed of sheets, discharge a plurality of stacked sheets to the retract tray.


A lamp-connection socket for a lamp for a display device, and a backlight unit and LCD device using the same are disclosed. The lamp-connection socket includes a body that includes a lamp receiving portion that supports an end portion of a lamp; a first terminal that extends from within the body to the outside of the body to receive a potential for driving the lamp; a balance device arranged within the body and electrically connected to the first terminal; and a clip arranged in the body that releaseably clamps a lamp electrode at the end of the lamp, the clip electrically connected to the balance device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates LCD devices and more particularly to a lamp-connection socket, and a backlight unit and LCD device using the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device displays desired images by controlling the transmittance of light emitted from a backlight unit.
Backlight units are generally classified as either edge-type backlight units or direct-type backlight units depending on the position of fluorescent lamp.
The edge-type backlight unit is generally used for small-sized LCD devices such as notebook computers, while the direct-type backlight unit is more commonly used for large-sized LCD devices such as televisions.
The related art direct-type backlight unit includes a plurality of fluorescent lamps where high voltage electrical power is provided from an inverter through a wire to each of the fluorescent lamps. The related art direct-type backlight unit uses a plurality of transformers to drive the fluorescent lamps, resulting in complicated structures and high fabrication cost.
To simplify the structure and decrease the fabrication cost in the related art direct-type backlight unit, the direct-type backlight units have been developed that use a parallel driving method in which the plurality of fluorescent lamps are driven in parallel.
The direct-type backlight unit using the parallel driving method is provided with an inverter that includes a common electrode and a transformer. The common electrode is connected to each of the respective fluorescent lamps, and the transformer applies a high voltage to the common electrode. However, the direct-type backlight unit of the parallel driving method has the disadvantage that some of the fluorescent lamps may not turn on upon application of power to the common electrode, because the current applied through the common electrode will flow largely to those fluorescent lamps having a low resistance value after being initially turned on.
In the case of the direct-type backlight unit employing the parallel driving method, a ballast capacitor is connected to an electrode included in each of the fluorescent lamps. Thus, a balanced current may be maintained within the respective fluorescent lamps, even when the plurality of fluorescent lamps is driven in parallel. The ballast capacitor may be included in the inverter connected to the transformer supplying the voltage to the electrode of each fluorescent lamp, or may be formed in a PCB substrate holding the common electrode.
Accordingly, the related art direct-type backlight unit using the parallel driving method has the following disadvantages.
In the related art direct-type backlight unit using the parallel driving method, the inverter or the PCB having the common electrode is increased in size due to the area occupied by the ballast capacitor and the connection structure of lamp is complicated.

Lamp connection socket, and backlight unit and liquid crystal display device using the same


The plasma torch produces a transferred arc and has only one electrode integrated in the torch with the counter electrode being provided by the material being treated. The torch includes an outer housing (3), a single hollow electrode (5) arranged in the outer housing (3) and a gas vortex generator device (7) connected with the electrode. The gas vortex generator device (7) includes a rotationally symmetric ring (R) provided with at least two rows of throughgoing holes (10) axially spaced from each other and an impact wall (P) associated with an upper row of the throughgoing holes, so that a satisfactory two-part gas vortex flow is formed. By varying the gas pressure in an oscillating manner, the spot of the arc is continuously displaced in an axial direction (A). An additional gas feed (8) is provided so that gas can be fed axially directly to the plasma jet.

The invention relates to a plasma torch with a transferred electric arc, a device for delivering the plasma gas in a vortex, thermal insulation on the outside of the torch, and an equal potential between the torch nozzle and the metal outer housing of the torch.
Plasma torches are realized by stabilizing an electric arc in a carrier gas. The simplest way to do this is to use a graphite electrode with an axial bore, through which the carrier gas flows into the electric arc that develops between the electrode and the material being melted. Along with these graphite torches, there are also cooled metal torches. They can be divided into two categories, torches with a non-transferred arc (indirect torches) and torches with a transferred arc (direct torches). In indirect torches, the electrode and counter electrode are integrated in the torch. In direct torches, an electrode is disposed in the torch, and the counter electrode represents the material to be treated. The introduction of the plasma gas is done either axially, thereby bathing a bar-like electrode, or tangentially into a gap that is located below a cooled hollow electrode. A gas vortex forms in a spiral in this hollow electrode. The bottom point of the arc is thereby moved over the inside surface of the electrode, and as a result the most uniform possible electrode abrasion takes place. The known embodiments are very vulnerable to malfunction and tend to form vertical electric arcs. This leads to rapid destruction of the electrode and to torch failure.
In addition, very high thermal losses occur. In some embodiments, the rotation of the arc is reinforced by auxiliary magnetic fields. These torches are available in an indirect embodiment (for instance from Union Carbide/Linde and Westinghouse) or in a direct version (for instance, Plasma Energy Corp., Retech).
In direct gas vortex plasma torches, the spacing between the electrode and the counter electrode in industrial application is generally not constant, since the material to be treated provides the counter electrode. This is true particularly for waste treatment, where the material to be treated is not distributed uniformly. When gas or dust is produced or when conductive layers develop because of dust deposits or condensation on torch parts, additional problems in operation arise. Disturbances in the gas vortex occur, with resultant local severe abrasion of the electrode that reduces its service life. Conductive layers lead to parasitic currents, which lead to secondary arcs that damage the torch. If the torch is accidentally extinguished during operation (for instance upon contact with a relatively large amount of nonconductive charge material), the local suction effect of the gas vortex can cause dust to be aspirated into the torch, which soils it and makes for deficient plasma gas supply; this makes further operation impossible, and the torch can be destroyed.

Plasma torch with a single electrode producing a transferred arc


A vehicle seat may include a seat back that has a back frame, a cushion pad attached to the back frame, and a massaging unit having a plurality of massaging elements. The cushion pad has a plurality of through bores that pass therethrough in the direction of thickness thereof. The massaging elements are constructed so as to be elastically deformed or compressed along moving axes and to be pneumatically expanded and contracted along the moving axes. The massaging elements are disposed in the through bores in a manner that the moving axes of the massaging elements extend along longitudinal axes of the through bores. The massaging elements have deformability or compressibility identical with or greater than the deformability or compressibility of the cushion pad when the massaging elements are not operated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seats for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to seats of a vehicle that have a massaging function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A seat of a vehicle having a massaging mechanism is already known. Such a seat (a power seat) is taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 63-46136.
In the known power seat, the massaging mechanism has a plurality of vibrating devices (hummers) that are provided to a cushion pad of a seat back. Typically, the vibrating devices are movably disposed within a plurality through holes formed in the cushion pad and are coupled to a drive unit having a drive motor.
The vibrating devices thus disposed can be driven by the drive motor so as to discontinuously push the back of a passenger, thereby providing a massaging function for the passenger. As a result, the power seat thus constructed may provide the passenger with a relaxing effect.
However, in the power seat thus constructed, the vibrating devices are typically formed from rigid elastic materials such as hard rubber. Generally, such vibrating devices cannot be easily deformed or contracted when subjected to a compression force. Therefore, the vibrating devices may sometimes provide strong discomfort to the back of the passenger when the passenger is sitting on the seat while the vibrating devices are not operated, in particular, when the passenger is relatively firmly pressed toward the seat back due to the rocking motion or vibration of the moving vehicle.
Further, a different type of massaging mechanism is also known. Such a massaging mechanism is taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-201804. The massaging mechanism taught by No. 10-201804 is intended to be used for a general massaging device. This massaging mechanism has a plurality of massaging elements each having an air bag that can be inflated or deflated by air supply and discharge.
It is considered that such a pneumatically movable massaging mechanism can be used for a vehicle seat. If the pneumatically movable massaging mechanism is combined with the vehicle seat (i.e., if in the power seat taught by No. 63-46136, the massaging mechanism utilizing the vibrating devices is replaced with the massaging mechanism taught by No. 10-201804), it is expected that the above described disadvantage can be overcome.
However, the pneumatically movable massaging mechanism may require complicated piping, correspondingly many fittings, or other such members. Therefore, labor-intensive and time consuming work is required to manufacture a power seat having such a massaging mechanism. This may lead to an increased manufacturing cost.

Vehicle seats with plurality of pneumatic massaging elements


Method for reducing deposition of cokes in heat-refining process of petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons, characterized in that heat-treatment in a heating unit is effected in the presence of at least one compound (I) having at least one mercaprtoalkylthio group:. HS--C.sub.m H.sub.2m --S--. in which "m" is an integer of 2 to 4.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvement in heating technique used in heat-refining process of petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons.
In particular, this invention relates to a method for reducing remarkably deposition of cokes which are produced heating units used in heat-refining process of petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons, by incorporating an additive for reducing deposition of cokes in the petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons.
This invention relates also to the additive for reducing deposition of coke in the petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons.
This invention also relates to a novel use of a compound (I) having at least one mercaprtoalkylthio group: HS--C.sub.m H.sub.2m --S--, in which "m" is an integer of 2 to 4.
2. Description of Related Art
One of objects of oil refinery is to increase the yield of lighter components such as kerosene and gas oil which are much value added products comparing to heavier components which are less value added products. In fact, in actual oil refinery processes, heavier components such as residual oil from atmospheric distillation column is heat-treated in vacuum distillation column, thermal cracking unit or visbreaking unit to obtain lighter components. These processes and apparatuses are well-known and are described in many books, for example "World Encyclopedia" 13, Heibon-sha, 1966, p 237-254.
The yield of lighter components can be increased by elevating operation temperature in the heating units. However, elevation of operation temperature in the heating units cause a trouble of increment of cokes which deposit on inner walls of heating unit or heat-exchangers, resulting in frequent stop of production plants for maintenance. In particular, in a case of thermal cracking process of heavy oil, heating tubes in a heating furnace are seriously contaminated and are choked with deposited cokes, so that production plant can not be operated continuously but must be stopped frequently for cleaning.
Due to this problem, actual oil refinery plants are compelled to be operated at lower operation temperature than such ideal operation temperature that assure higher yield of lighter components. In other words, operation temperature can not be elevated above certain limit.
Inventors found, surprisingly, such a fact that deposition of cokes can be reduced remarkably by incorporating an additive having speific mercapto alkylthio group in material of petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons to be refined in heating units used in a variety of oil refining processes, and completed the invention.

Method for reducing deposition of cokes in heat-refining process of petroleum high-molecular hydrocarbons, and additive used in the method


An electrolytic solution for use in nonaqueous electrolytic lithium secondary cells which contains a room temperature molten salt, i.e., an aliphatic quaternary ammonium salt of the formula (1), an organic solvent and a lithium salt of the formula (2), the electrolytic solution being characterized in that the organic solvent contains vinylene carbonate in an amount of 1 to 5 wt. % based on the electrolytic solution, and a lithium secondary cell using the electrolytic solution

Lithium ion secondary cells have been improved in performance in recent years for use as power sources for mobile devices. Lithium secondary cells are expected to be useful in the field of peak-shift power sources and motor vehicle assisting power sources from the viewpoint of the energy density of the secondary cell, and it is desired that these cells be further improved in service life and reliability. Lithium secondary cells presently available generally comprise a ceramic oxide serving as a positive electrode active substance for lithium ions to be inserted thereinto and released therefrom, metallic lithium or a lithium alloy, or a carbon material or silicon material for absorbing and desorbing lithium ions for use as a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt as dissolved in an organic solvent.
Electrolytic solutions comprising an organic solvent and heretofore in use are inferior in electric conductivity to aqueous electrolytic solutions for use in lead batteries or the like and still remain to be improved in the internal resistance of cells for uses wherein a high output is required.
Salts melting at room temperature (so-called, room temperature molten salts) are liquids consisting only of ions, have characteristics of being nonvolatile and flame-retardant and have been expected to be applicable to electrolytic solutions for lithium secondary cells.
Typical examples of room temperature molten salts include 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMI. BF4). However, the imidazolium salt decomposes at a nobler potential than lithium and is therefore difficult to apply to lithium secondary cells. Studies are under way in recent years on room temperature molten salts and remaining stable over a wider range of potentials.
For example, Nonpatent Literature 1 has revealed that salts comprising bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion and an aliphatic ammonium cation include compounds having a melting point not higher than room temperature and exhibiting improved electrochemical stability.
Patent Literature 1 further shows that aliphatic quaternary ammonium room temperature molten salts are applicable to lithium secondary cells. However, Patent Literature 1 merely discloses that lithium will deposit and dissolve on a nickel substrate in the aliphatic room temperature molten salt, but discloses nothing about any technique for using the salt for lithium secondary cells.
Nonpatent Literature 2 reveals that when graphite which is in wide use as the negative electrode material for lithium secondary cells is used as an electrode in a bath containing ammonium cations, the ammonium cations are decomposed or inserted in between graphite layers. In connection with these problems, Patent Literature 2 discloses a nonaqueous electrolytic secondary cell which is characterized by having a room temperature molten salt and having vinylene carbonate or like cyclic ester, and shows that the presence of the cyclic ester forms on the surface of the negative electrode material a protective film for inhibiting reductive decomposition of cations of the room temperature molten salt, consequently giving stabilized charge-discharge characteristics.
Patent Literature 3 and Patent Literature 4 disclose a nonaqueous electrolytic cell containing an aliphatic room temperature molten salt, and a nonqueous electrolytic lithium secondary cell having high safety and satisfactory charge-discharge characteristics.
Although the foregoing techniques suggest that stabilized charge-discharge behavior of high safety is available, the aliphatic room temperature molten salts and exemplified are all compounds having high viscosity, failing to afford electrolytic solutions which are fully satisfactory in electric conductivity even if the salts are used as admixed with an organic solvent of low viscosity. The use of the salts gives cells increased internal resistance especially over a low temperature range.    [patent literature 1] Japanese patent No. 2981545    [patent literature 2] JP 2003-373704 A    [patent literature 3] JP 2003-203674 A    [patent literature 4] JP 2003-288939 A    [nonpatent literature 1] Ionics,3,356(1997)    [nonpatent literature 2] Electroanalytical Chemistry and Interfacial Electrochem.,53, 329-333(1974)
An object of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolytic lithium secondary cell wherein an electrolytic solution of high electric conductivity is used and which has reduced internal resistance and stabilized charge-discharge characteristics.

Electrolyte solution and nonaqueous electrolyte lithium secondary battery

Abstract: wherein R1 to R3 are each a chain hydrocarbon having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R4 is methoxymethyl, ethoxymethyl, propoxymethyl or isopropoxymethyl, and X1 and X2 are each a fluorine-containing anion.


A method of fabricating an efuse, a resistor and a transistor includes the following steps: A substrate is provided. Then, a gate, a resistor and an efuse are formed on the substrate, wherein the gate, the resistor and the efuse together include a first dielectric layer, a polysilicon layer and a hard mask. Later, a source/drain doping region is formed in the substrate besides the gate. After that, the hard mask in the resistor and the efuse is removed. Subsequently, a salicide process is performed to form a silicide layer on the source/drain doping region, the resistor, and the efuse. Then, a planarized second dielectric layer is formed on the substrate and the polysilicon in the gate is exposed. Later, the polysilicon in the gate is removed to form a recess. Finally a metal layer is formed to fill up the recess.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of making a metal gate transistor, a resistor and an efuse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As semiconductors become smaller and more complex, semiconductor components are more easily influenced by impurities. If a single metal link, a diode, or a MOS is broken, the whole chip will be unusable. To tackle this problem, efuses can be selectively formed for increasing the yield of IC manufacturing.
An efuse typically includes a cathode, an anode and an efuse body. A plurality of contact plugs are formed to connect to the cathode and the anode. The efuse body consists of a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer.
To increase the performance of transistors, metal gates are popularly used in the semiconductor field. Metal gates with low resistance replace the traditional polysilicon gates. The metal gates are usually formed by the gate-last process.
Additionally, resistors are elements which are often used for providing regulated voltage and for filtering noise in a circuit. The resistors generally include polysilicon and silicide layers.
In the current semiconductor field, fabricating processes are being improved with the aim of reaching high yields. Integrated manufacturing methods of semiconductor devices are also important to decrease the fabricating steps and thereby increase yield. An integrated method for fabricating a metal gate transistor, a resistor and an efuse is needed.

Method of fabricating efuse, resistor and transistor


The new blueberry plant variety ‘C15-268’ is provided. ‘C15-268’ is a commercial variety intended for the fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of ‘FL12-082’ (unpatented seed parent) and ‘FL12-069’ (unpatented pollen parent).

The new variety 'C15-268' was selected from a population of seedlings derived from crossing the blueberry varieties known as 'FL12-082' (unpatented seed parent) and the variety known as 'FL12-069' (unpatented pollen parent). The cross was made in 2012 in Florida, USA and the seed was sown and grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia. The new variety was selected in 2015 from among plants located on land at Corindi Beach and assigned the breeding code 'C15-268'. Plants of 'C15-268' were propagated by cuttings for further evaluation and resulted to be uniform and stable. The new variety showed distinctive traits such as evergreen, with fruit of good flavor, large fruit size, and firmness.


A connector is characterized by comprising a T-shaped main body, three connecting components and two connecting tubes, wherein the connecting components are arranged on one surface of the main body and located at three endpoints of the T-shaped main body. Each connecting component comprises a concave groove body and a connecting column which is arranged in a cavity of the concave groove body, wherein a gap exists between the connecting column and the inner wall of the concave groove body. The two connecting tubes are arranged between two connecting components at the bottom of the T-shaped main body side by side. Each connecting tube penetrates through the main body. Connecting holes are formed in the other surface of the main body.

At present, ordinary pet cages are often fixed by welding or riveting, and thus not easy to disassemble, move and carry.
In recent years, researches on assembled pet cages has begun, which have the advantages that a fence is modularized and can be spliced randomly.
For example, the Chinese patent (publication No. CN109717085A) discloses a dog cage. A plurality of suckers is respectively arranged at two ends of the upper short edge of a cage body. Two ends of the cage body can attract together to form a barrel shape, or can also be adsorbed to a wall to form a semi-circular shape, such that an activity space can be expanded. However, the suckers are easy to fall off because of insufficient connection strength. In addition, two identical cage body cannot implement 90° splicing.
The Chinese patent (publication No. CN204393955U) discloses a fence capable of being spliced randomly, which comprises a plurality of fence pieces, wherein every two adjacent fence pieces are connected through at least one connecting device capable of being fixed at a plurality of angles. After the adoption of the structure, the angle between the adjacent fence pieces can be adjusted randomly during assembling. Therefore, the fence can be constructed into various shapes. However, the fastness of the fence is not enough after the splicing. In particular, the same horizontal plane part formed by splicing a plurality of fence pieces lacks rigid support.
Another example is the Chinese patent (publication No. 202118046U) discloses a tubing connector and a pet cage composed of the connector. The tubing connector comprises a connector main body, wherein at least three connecting joints are disposed on the connector main body, and the central axes of every two adjacent connecting joints are vertical to each other. The outer side surface of the first vertical connecting joint is a square surface or an arc surface. Each connecting joint is integrally moulded with the connector main body, and cooperatively connected with a tubing frame. In this patent, the pet cage is assembled by the interference fit of tubing and the connector with 3-6 connecting joints. This patent has the following technical problems: 1. the connection strength is not enough: since a wall of the tubing for the pet cage is generally thin, the pet cage spliced by inserting the tubing into the connecting joints for interference fit connection shakes seriously. 2. Real modularization cannot be achieved, and all splicing problems cannot be solved by one connector.
Yet another example is the Chinese patent (publication No. CN207574251U) discloses an assembled pet cage. The assembled pet cage comprises a plurality of baffles, a first connector, a plurality of connecting rod and a plurality of second connectors. The plurality of baffles form side walls of the pet cage. Sockets are respectively arranged at four corners of each baffle. Each second connector correspondingly cooperates with two sockets of the two adjacent baffles, such that the respective baffles are connected to form the side walls of the pet cage. One end of each connecting rod is arranged on one second connector. The first connector is located above the side walls of the pet cage. The other end of each connecting rod is arranged on the first connector. The first connector is connected with the respective second connectors through the plurality of connecting rods. This patent solves the problem in terms of the connection strength. However, the side walls of the pet cage need to be spliced according to a preset angle of the first connector, and thus cannot be changed and expanded randomly.


In a tandem mass spectrometer means are provided for molecular activation of ions prior to fragmentation. An embodiment of a tandem mass spectrometer comprises a first collision cell receiving analyte ions having an internal energy and a second collision cell situated downstream from the first collision cell wherein the first collision cell increases the internal energy of the analyte ions prior to entry of the ions into the second collision cell, the increase in internal energy imparted in the first collision cell alone being insufficient to fragment a substantial portion of the analyte ions. Another embodiment includes a collision cell with a heating device situated adjacent to the collision cell for controlling the temperature within the collision cell.

Tandem mass spectrometers (MS/MS) are used for elucidation of the structure of analyte molecules. In a typical MS/MS system, a parent, or "precursor", molecule is ionized and then selected out of an analyte sample using a first stage mass analyzer. The precursor ions are then transported to a region in which they are subjected to one or more activating influences that excite the ions, which induces fragmentation of the precursor ions into product ions and neutral fragments. The product ions can then be analyzed in the second stage mass analyzer, and the resulting mass spectrum of the product ions can reveal a great deal of information about the structure of the precursor molecule.
Product ions will be observed in the mass spectrum if they are generated by fragmentation at a high rate compared to the length of time that a precursor ion travels through the activation region. Regardless of the activation technique employed, the rate at which fragmentation occurs, referred to as the dissociation rate, is found to depend on the internal energy distribution of the precursor ions. FIG. 1 shows an expected distribution of internal energies of precursor ions in a mass spectrometer instrument. As can be discerned, the precursor ions at higher internal energies have a relatively higher dissociation rate, and are denoted as "unstable".
While FIG. 1 indicates that only a small portion of the total population of precursor ions have high internal energies and dissociation rates, the relative portion of unstable ions is not necessarily static since activation methods can be employed to increase the total internal energy of the ions, in effect shifting the entire curve to the right. There are a number of activation methods available, and one of the more commonly employed techniques is collision-induced dissociation ("CID") (also referred to as collision-activated dissociation (CAD)) in which the precursor ions are subjected to collisions with atoms of neutral particles in a chamber situated between the two mass analyzer stages. The neutral is typically an inert, noble gas such as helium or argon which does not interact chemically with the precursor ions during collisions.
When a precursor ion undergoes an inelastic collision with a neutral particle, part of the kinetic energy of the precursor ion is converted into internal energy, which, at low kinetic energies, usually causes excitation of vibrational states. However, the amount of kinetic energy that can be converted to internal energy is highly dependent on the relative masses of the ion and the neutral according to the formula:Econv=N/(mp+N)×KE  (1)where Econv is the maximum energy available for conversion, KE is the kinetic energy of the precursor ion and N and mp represent the masses of the neutral particle and the precursor ion, respectively. From equation (1), it can be seen that the total energy available for conversion per collision is proportional to the kinetic energy of the ion, that conversion efficiency can be increased by using high mass neutral species, and that the conversion efficiency decreases as the mass of the precursor ion of interest increases.
Ions produced in atmospheric ion sources typically undergo a supersonic expansion as they flow downstream into low pressure regions of the mass spectrometer. The supersonic expansion cools the ions, and their internal energy drops to a very "cold" state even though the kinetic energy of these ions may be high. As the ions are subjected to collisions, the kinetic energy of the collisions gradually thermalizes the ions, raising their internal temperature, and spreading energy among their various internal vibrational modes. As the internal temperature of the ions rise, incipient instabilities in the precursor ions can emerge as certain vibrational modes acquire more energy than they can hold.
Configurations for tandem mass spectrometers at present are often inefficient in producing product ions partly because precursor ions arrive at the collision cells of these instruments with insufficient internal energy due to the cooling effect of the supersonic expansion. Therefore, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for ensuring that the precursor ions are thermalized by the time that fragmentation of the ions is designed to occur. In addition, there exists a need to control the precursor ion activation process so as to enable a variation of the fragmentation patterns by selectively adjusting the internal energy levels of the precursor ions (with their corresponding vibrational modes and probable instabilities) as they enter the fragmentation region.

Molecular activation for tandem mass spectroscopy


A method is disclosed for mitigating fouling and reducing viscosity in primary fractionators and quench sections of ethylene plants by adding to a hydrocarbon stream a mono and/or a polyalkyl-substituted phenol-formaldehyde resin having a weight average molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 30,000 and at least one alkyl substituent containing from about 4 to about 24 carbon atoms, which alkyl substituent may be linear or branched.

In the primary fractionators or oil quench towers of ethylene plants, hot cracked gases from the cracking furnaces are cooled and fractionated to remove fuel oil, pyrolysis gasoline and lighter gases. Unfortunately, the temperatures in the quench oil section lead to the formation of heavy tar molecules via various condensation and polymerization mechanisms. The tar can plug process equipment such as exchangers, trays, etc., as well as reduce the run time of the fractionator column. In addition, coke fines from the cracking furnace may contribute to further heavy fouling in the flow lines and in the tower. In many instances, ethylene plant operators need to inject a lighter stream, such as light cycle oil, into the fractionator bottoms to control tar viscosity in an effort to meet final product specifications. This is always done at great economic expense. All of these problems occur commonly in gas oil crackers that process heavier feedstocks, but may also occasionally appear with lighter feedstocks, especially when increased severity of cracking is applied.
Such problems can be mitigated with specially-formulated antifoulants that will survive high temperatures and inhibit the heavy fouling type components of the quench oil from aggregation and deposition, thus improving the fluid flow characteristics.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved method for mitigating fouling and reducing viscosity in the primary fractionators and quench sections of ethylene plants. It would also be desirable to identify a series of additives that will act as fouling inhibitors, tar dispersants and viscosity reducers in cracked hydrocarbon fluids to improve flow characteristics and inhibit precipitation of deposits at high temperatures.

Method of mitigating fouling and reducing viscosity in primary fractionators and quench sections of ethylene plants


A suspension system adaptable for cross-flow operation includes a plurality of gas springs, a transfer passage in communication between the gas springs, and a transfer valve for selectively permitting gas flow along the transfer passage. A control system selectively actuates the transfer valve. A method of operation is also described.

The present novel concept broadly relates to the art of vehicle suspension systems and, more particularly, to a suspension system and method for reducing spring contribution to roll during articulated conditions of the vehicle.
Vehicle suspension systems are typically designed and constructed to include a balance of vehicle performance and ride quality or comfort. Depending upon the type and kind of vehicle upon which the suspension system is being used, this balance between performance and ride comfort may be more heavily weighted toward one condition than the other. In most cases, however, typical vehicle suspension systems are relatively well suited for operation under all normal driving conditions. For example, such conditions can include high-speed highway driving as well as traveling along a rough street or road at a relatively low speed.
Performance challenges for such typical suspension systems occur, however, under more extreme conditions. For example, a vehicle having a suspension system that is well balanced for performance and comfort is often not well suited for the very high speeds and accelerations associated with track usage. Similarly, such typical suspension systems are often not well adapted for conditions requiring large suspension travel, such as traversing off-road terrain, for example. Additionally, vehicle suspension systems that are well suited for either of such extreme performance conditions often do not provide a suitable balance of comfort and performance under normal driving conditions.
To overcome these and other issues and difficulties, vehicle suspension systems have been developed that provided balanced performance and ride comfort under normal driving conditions, but which are adaptable for use under conditions in which substantial wheel or axle articulation occurs. However, certain disadvantages exist with such known adaptable vehicle suspension systems, and these disadvantages can act to limit the application and use of such known adaptable vehicle suspension systems.
One example of such an adaptable vehicle suspension system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,047 to Heyring et al. More specifically, the Heyring patent discloses a passive vehicle suspension system for providing a high level of roll control while also providing minimal stiffness to cross-axle articulation motions. Another example of such an adaptable vehicle suspension system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,115 to Ivan. The Ivan patent discloses a vehicle suspension system that includes valves connected between air springs, which valves are open under normal operating conditions but which are automatically closed by the control system in Ivan to increase the effective spring rate under certain conditions. Still another adaptive vehicle suspension system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,612 to Burdock, et al. Though operating on substantially opposite principles to that of the Ivan patent, the Burdock patent is also directed to an adaptive vehicle suspension system. However, the system in the Burdock patent includes valves that are closed under normal driving conditions, but which valves are automatically opened by the control system to permit increased articulation of the suspension system.
While the foregoing documents are directed to significantly different inventions, one common disadvantage of such known systems is that the same provided for little, if any, manual control over the operation of the system. That is, in some application and/or conditions of use, it may be desirable to provide the operator with the ability to selectively activate and de-activate the cross-linking features of the suspension system. However, such known suspensions systems, which utilize either passive or fully automatic systems, provide an operator with little or no control of the system.
Accordingly, an adaptable vehicle suspension system and method of operating the same that overcomes these and other difficulties and disadvantages is believed desirable.


A NOx occluding and reducing catalyst 7 is arranged in the exhaust gas passage 2 of a lean burn engine 1. When the engine 1 is in operation at a lean air-fuel ratio, the operating air-fuel ratio is changed over to a rich air-fuel ratio for a short period of time to execute the rich spike operation for reducing and purifying the NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst. At the time of the rich spike operation during the lean burn operation being supercharged by a supercharger 45 provided in the intake air passage 4, an electronic control unit 30 of the engine so sets the richness degree of the engine operating air-fuel ratio as to decrease with an increase in the supercharged pressure. This prevents the HC and CO components from flowing out in large amounts to the downstream of the catalyst 7 due to blow-by, and prevents a decrease in the NOx reduction efficiency of the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst.

An NOx occluding and reducing catalyst has been known which occludes nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gas by absorption or adsorption when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing in is lean, and reduces and purifies the NOx which it has occluded with a reducing component such as CO or HC component in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas has turned into the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or a rich air-fuel ratio. When the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is used for purifying the exhaust gas, it becomes necessary to conduct the operation at a rich air-fuel ratio by changing the operating air-fuel ratio over to a rich air-fuel ratio for a short period of time every time when the amount of NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst has increased during the operation at a lean air-fuel ratio, to thereby execute a rich spike operation for reducing and purifying NOx occluded by the catalyst by supplying the exhaust gas of a rich air-fuel ratio to the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst.
However, the rich spike operation is accompanied by the operation for changing the operating air-fuel ratio from a lean air-fuel ratio over to a rich air-fuel ratio by increasing the amount of supplying the fuel into the engine for a short period of time. Therefore, if the rich spike operation is executed for unnecessarily long periods of time or too frequently, the fuel is consumed in increased amounts by the engine and this causes a problem in that excess of HC and CO components that were not used for reducing and purifying NOx are released into the air.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to efficiently execute the rich spike operation for the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst. A device for purifying exhaust gases taught in, for example, JP-A-2003-56379 utilizes the output of an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust gas passage downstream of the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst in order to efficiently execute the rich spike operation for the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst.
That is, according to the device disclosed in JP-A-2003-56379, the air-fuel ratio sensor is provided in the exhaust gas passage downstream of the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst to detect the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas, and the rich spike operation is terminated when the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor has changed from a value corresponding to a lean air-fuel ratio near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio over to a value corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio during the rich spike operation.
When the exhaust gas of a rich air-fuel ratio is supplied to the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst during the rich spike operation, NOx that is occluded reacts with HC and CO components in the exhaust gas on the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, whereby HC and CO components rob NOx of oxygen to reduce NOx. Therefore, while the reaction for reducing NOx is taking place on the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, HC and CO components in the exhaust gas are oxidized on the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas from the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst acquires a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (actually, an air-fuel ratio slightly leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio).
On the other hand, when NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is all reduced, HC and CO components in the exhaust gas are no longer oxidized on the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas from the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst quickly changes over to the side of the rich air-fuel ratio.
According to the device taught in JP-A-2003-56379, the rich spike operation is terminated when the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor on the downstream side becomes a predetermined judging value during the rich spike operation, and the judging value is varied in accordance with the operating conditions of the engine to optimize the moment for terminating the rich spike operation in accordance with the operating conditions of the engine.
In recent years, there has been used an engine equipped with a supercharger (so-called supercharged lean burn engine) which effects the supercharging even in the operation at a lean air-fuel ratio. In the supercharged lean burn engine, the supercharging is effected during the operation at a lean air-fuel ratio and the cylinders are filled with much air. Upon conducting the supercharged lean burn operation, therefore, it is allowed to maintain a lean air-fuel ratio while increasing the engine output by supplying fuel in an increased amount to the engine, making it possible to expand the region of lean air-fuel ratio up to a high-load region where the operation could not be conducted at a lean air-fuel ratio with conventional naturally-aspirated engines.
In the case of the supercharged lean burn engine, however, the amounts of air filled in the cylinders due to supercharging become large causing a problem at the time of executing the rich spike operation for the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst.
In the supercharged lean burn engine, for example, the amounts of air filled in the cylinders are larger than those of the naturally aspirated engines and, therefore, the amounts of exhaust gas increase. Therefore, the SV value (space velocity value) through the catalyst increases correspondingly, and some of the HC and CO components in the exhaust gas flow out to the downstream of the catalyst in increased amounts without reacting with the NOx on the catalyst; i.e., the so-called "blow-by" takes place.
When the "blow-by" takes place as described above, the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst becomes no longer capable of effectively utilizing the HC and CO components in the exhaust gas for the reduction of NOx, and it becomes difficult to efficiently reduce the NOx.
Further, when the moment of terminating the rich spike operation is judged based on the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor downstream of the catalyst as in the device of the above JP-A-2003-56379, the HC and CO components arrive at the air-fuel ratio sensor in relatively large amounts due to blow-by even though the reduction of NOx has not actually been completed on the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, and the air-fuel ratio that is detected often reaches a judging value.
In this case, the rich spike operation terminates before the NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is all reduced and purified. Therefore, the operation at a lean air-fuel ratio is resumed again in a state where the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is still occluding the NOx in relatively large amounts and this causes a problem of a decrease in the NOx occluding capability of the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst.
In the supercharged lean burn engine, further, the amounts of air in the cylinders are large during the operation at a lean air-fuel ratio, and the fuel must be supplied in increased amounts for conducting the operation at a rich air-fuel ratio.
On the other hand, the rich spike operation usually starts when the amount of NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst reaches a predetermined value. Therefore, the amounts of HC and CO required for reducing all of the occluded NOx become nearly constant.
The rich spike operation terminates at a moment when the HC and CO components are supplied in the above-mentioned amounts to the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, while the amounts of HC and CO components used for reducing the NOx in the exhaust gas are determined depending upon the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. That is, if an air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is defined as the ratio of the amount of the air taken in by the engine to the amount of the fuel supplied to the engine, then, a difference between the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas during the rich spiking (hereinafter called "richness degree") varies in proportion to the concentration of excess of HC and CO components in the exhaust gas (amounts of the HC and CO components contained in the exhaust gas without burning).
Therefore, the amounts of HC and CO that can be used for reducing the NOx during the rich spiking, as a whole, become a value obtained by multiplying the richness degree of air-fuel ratio during the rich spike operation (difference between the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio during the rich spike operation) by the flow rate of the exhaust gas.
During the supercharged lean burn operation as described above, the flow rate of exhaust gas of the engine becomes considerably large. The total amount of the HC and CO components necessary for reducing the NOx occluded in the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, on the other hand, remains nearly constant.
In the supercharged lean burn engine, therefore, the time for sustaining the rich spike operation that is required becomes much shorter than that in the case of the naturally-aspirated engine.
In the supercharged lean burn engine in practice, however, the flow rate of the exhaust gas is large, the SV value through the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is high and, therefore, the HC and CO components in the exhaust gas cannot be efficiently used. Accordingly, the time for sustaining the rich spike operation that is really required becomes considerably longer than the time that is usually required and, this causes a decrease in the fuel efficiency of the engine.
When the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is used for the device for purifying exhaust gases of the supercharged lean burn engines, execution of the rich spike operation in a traditional manner causes a problem of decrease in the NOx reduction efficiency.
In the foregoing was described the case of the supercharged lean burn engine. However, in the case of the naturally aspirated lean burn engine, too, though the intensity of the problem may be different, the problem of blow-by occurs when the amount of the air taken in increases and a problem of a decrease in the NOx reduction efficiency during the rich spike operation occurs.

Device for purifying exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine


Image recording devices, such as electrophotographic devices, laser printers, copiers, and fax machines, often have a cartridge that utilizes an encoder wheel assembly in addition to or instead of a chip for determining toner load. It may be desirable to alter the encoder wheel or part of the cartridge, either by the printer or the cartridge, to permit a deliberate end of life function situation that requires the replacement of the cartridge, encoder wheel, or encoder wheel assembly components. This thereby controls the remanufacture or replacement of the toner cartridge in a way that is desirable to the manufacturer and prevents unauthorized refilling of the cartridge.

Many electrophotographic output devices (e.g., laser printers, copiers, fax machines etc.) have traditionally required information about the print cartridge to be available to the output device such that the control of the machine can be altered to yield the best print quality and longest cartridge life.
Literature suggests several methods for detecting toner level in a laser printer. Most of these methods detect a low toner condition or whether toner is above or below a fixed level. Few methods or apparatus effectively measure the amount of unused toner remaining. As an example, some printers currently employ an optical technique to detect a low toner condition. This method attempts to pass a beam of light through a section of the toner reservoir onto a photo sensor. Toner blocks the beam until its level drops below a preset height.
Another common method measures the effect of toner on a rotating agitator or toner paddle which stirs and moves the toner over a sill to present it to a toner adder roller, then developer roller and ultimately the OPC drum. The paddle's axis of rotation is horizontal. As it proceeds through its full 360 degree rotation the paddle enters and exits the toner supply. Between the point where the paddle contacts the toner surface and the point where it exits the toner, the toner resists the motion of the paddle and produces a torque load on the paddle shaft. Low toner is detected by either 1) detecting if the torque load caused by the presence of toner is below a given threshold at a fixed paddle location or 2) detecting if the surface of the toner is below a fixed height.
In either method there is a driving member supplying drive torque to a driven member (the paddle) which experiences a load torque when contacting the toner. Some degree of freedom exists for these two members to rotate independently of each other in a carefully defined manner. For the first method 1) above, with no load applied to the paddle, both members rotate together. However, when loaded the paddle lags the driving member by an angular distance that increases with increasing load. In the second method 2), the unloaded paddle leads the rotation of the driving member, under the force of a spring or gravity. When loaded (i.e., the paddle contacts the surface of the toner), the driving and driven members come back into alignment and rotate together. By measuring the relative rotational displacement of the driving and driven members (a.k.a. phase difference) at an appropriate place in the paddle's rotation, the presence of toner can be sensed.
In the prior art, this relative displacement is sensed by measuring the phase difference of two disks. The first disk is rigidly attached to a shaft that provides the driving torque for the paddle. The second disk is rigidly attached to the shaft of the paddle and in proximity to the first disk. Usually both disks have matching notches or slots in them. The alignment of the slots or notches, that is how much they overlap, indicates the phase relationship of the disks and therefore the phase of the driving and driven members.
In many cartridges, a disk or an encoder wheel is provided (typically located on the side of the cartridge) whose function is to provide intelligence to the printer regarding the amount of new toner remaining in the toner hopper. This feature, along with the printed circuit board or "chip", provides the printer and operator with vital information regarding the cartridge life, page yield, and other related data.
The chip is typically replaced every time a cartridge is remanufactured. The encoder wheel, however, is currently reusable. It is a mechanical device rotated by a gear drive that transfers information by its speed of rotation and special features on the wheel that are scanned as it rotates. The scanned information is used to determine the amount of toner remaining in the toner hopper and ultimately the life of the cartridge.
It may be desirable to limit the life of the encoder wheel and thereby restrict reuse of the cartridge. Disabling the encoder wheel prevents unauthorized reuse of the cartridge or will prevent a cartridge from being reused beyond its expected lifetime. The encoder wheel may be permanently disabled or temporarily disabled.

Apparatus and method for destroying an encoder wheel


Driver circuits which reduce or remove flicker of solid state lighting SSL devices, notably at relatively low dimming levels are presented. The driver circuit comprises a power converter to transfer energy from an input of the driver circuit to the SSL device. The energy at the input is derived from an AC mains voltage at a mains frequency. A controller determines a dim level for the SSL device. and operates the power converter continuously in a first operation mode for supplying energy to the SSL device at a first energy level, if the dim level is above a pre-determined dim level threshold. The controller operates the power converter in the first operation mode at a time duration of PWM pulses, and operates the power converter in a second operation mode at a time duration in-between the PWM pulses, if the dim level is below the pre-determined dim level threshold.

Solid State Lighting (SSL) light bulb assemblies, e.g. Light Emitting Diode (LED) based light bulb assemblies, are expected to replace GLS (General Lighting Service) or incandescent lamps. SSL devices typically comprise a driver circuit and/or power converter in order to convert electric power from a mains supply to electric power suitable for an SSL light source comprised within the SSL device (e.g. an array of LEDs).
The driver circuit for an SSL device should be configured to convert the AC mains voltage into a possibly constant load voltage and a load current. Furthermore, driver circuits should be configured to drive an SSL device at different dimming levels.


There is a process for correcting a bone injury, an implant for correcting the bone injury and a kit for applying the implant for correcting the bone injury. The process can be made substantially uniform with the application of a standardized kit. In at least one application the process is for correcting a bunion on a patient. The process can include applying a first drill guide to a bone, and then a second drill guide. Once the drill guides have been applied and wires have been inserted into a bone, an implant can then be applied to correct a bone injury and to allow the bone injury to heal.

At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a bunion correction system which is configured to correct a bunion by realigning a metatarsal section of a foot. Many times, with bunions, there is a rotational deformity with a metatarsal wherein the angle should be closer to 10 degrees. With a bad bunion the angle of rotation could be closer to 20 degrees. Therefore, there is a need for an implant and a treatment process for treating a bunion on a foot.

Process, kit, and implant for correction of a bone injury