A reactance filter, which is constructed from BAW resonators, has at least one basic element that has a first resonator in a first branch and a second resonator in a second branch. In one branch, there is situated a resonator having a greater ratio of dynamic to static capacitance than in the second branch, so that a filter is obtained having a resulting passband in which one edge is set steeper than the other edge. The selection of the edge that is to be set steeply takes place through the allocation of the first branch to the serial or to the parallel branch.

The present invention relates to bulk acoustic wave filters (also known as BAW filters) that are constructed according to the reactance filter principle.
From an article by K. M. Lakin et al. in Microwave Symposium Digest, IEEE MTT-S International 1995, pp. 883–886, it is known to construct reactance filters from BAW resonators. Here, these resonators are used as impedance elements, and are for example wired or connected to form ladder-type or lattice filters. This type of wiring for the manufacture of filters is also known as branching technology.
According to FIG. 1a, in its simplest specific embodiment a BAW resonator R is made up of a thin film P of a piezoelectric material, which is provided with an electrode E1, E2 on its upper and lower side respectively. Ideally, this structure is surrounded by air on both electrode sides. When an electrical voltage is applied to the electrodes, an electrical field acts on the piezoelectric layer, with the result that the piezoelectric material converts a part of the electrical energy into mechanical energy in the form of acoustic waves. These waves propagate parallel to the field direction, as what are known as bulk waves, and are reflected at the electrode/air boundary surfaces. At a particular frequency fr, which is dependent on the thickness of the piezoelectric layer or on the thickness of the bulk resonator, the resonator exhibits a resonance, and thus behaves like an electrical resonator.
In the equivalent circuit diagram according to FIG. 1b, the BAW resonator R is made up of a series resonance circuit of dynamic inductance L1, dynamic capacitance C1, and dynamic resistance R1, as well as a static capacitance C0, connected thereto in parallel. The series resonance circuit reproduces the behavior of the resonator in the resonance case, i.e., in the range of resonance frequency fr. Static capacitance C0 reproduces the behavior in the range f<<fr and fr>>f. Dynamic capacitance C1 is thereby proportional to the static capacitance C0 of the BAW resonator.C1˜C0.  (1.1)For the resonance frequency fr and the anti-resonance frequency fa of a BAW resonator, the following hold:
                              f          r                =                              1                          2                            π                                                              L1                  ·                  C1                                                                                and                                    (        1.2        )                                          f          a                =                              f            r                                                                        1                +                                  C1                  C0                                                      .                                              (        1.3        )
According to FIG. 7, a reactance filter is made up of at least one basic element that has a serially connected resonator R2 having a resonance frequency frs and an associated anti-resonance frequency fas, and that has a second resonator R1 that is connected parallel to a second terminal, in particular parallel to ground, having a resonance frequency frp and an associated anti-resonance frequency fap. In order to produce a filter having a bandpass characteristic and a center frequency f0, the following relation holds for the two resonators in the serial or in the parallel branch:fap≈frs≈f0  (1.4).
FIG. 16a shows the curve of the impedance Zs of the serial resonator and of the admittance Yp of the parallel resonator, plotted over the frequency f. FIG. 16b shows the passband response of a filter made up of a basic element, whose resonance frequencies are selected as in FIG. 16a. FIG. 7 shows a basic element that is to be regarded in principle as a two-port network having terminals 3-1 or 3-2 as a port 1 and having terminals 3-3 or 3-4 as a port 2. At the same time, terminal 3-1 is the input and terminal 3-3 is the output of the series resonator. The input of the parallel resonator is connected with terminal 3-1. Terminals 3-2 and 3-4 represent the reference ground, given asymmetrical operation. The output 3-5 of parallel resonator R1, which faces the reference ground, is designated in the following as the output or ground side of the parallel resonator. The inductance Lser, which is situated between the output side of the parallel resonator and the reference ground, reflects the connection to the housing ground in the real construction.
The selection level of a reactance filter constructed from BAW resonators is determined on the one hand by the ratio C0p/C0s of the static capacitance COP in the parallel branch and the static capacitance C0s in the series branch, and on the other hand by the number of basic elements that are cascaded, i.e., connected in series with one another.
A plurality of basic elements can be wired together in matched fashion, whereby the structure of each of the second adjacent basic elements is mirrored. The output impedance of the first basic element (7-1 in FIG. 2, or 8-1 in FIG. 3) is then equal to the input impedance of the second basic element (7-2 in FIG. 2 or 8-2 in FIG. 3), so that only minimal losses are produced by mismatching. Many structures are known for the wiring of a plurality of basic elements. Some examples are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
Resonators of the same type (series resonators or parallel resonators) that are situated immediately one after the other in a circuit of a reactance filter can also be respectively combined to form a resonator, whereby the overall capacitive effect of the combined resonator remains constant.
From equations (1.2) to (1.4), it can be seen that both the maximum achievable bandwidth and also the steepness of the edges of such a reactance filter depend on the difference of the resonance and anti-resonance frequencies of the individual resonators. This difference in turn results from the ratio of dynamic capacitance C1 and static capacitance C0. Because these capacitances are proportional to one another, the capacitance ratio C1/C0 does not change when one of these capacitances is altered. For example, C0 could be varied by changing the size of the resonator. As a rule, all resonators of a reactance filter have the same relative bandwidth(fa−fr)/f0.
Curve 1 in FIG. 6 shows the passband response of a reactance filter that is constructed from uniform BAW resonators, with each resonator having a relatively large ratio of dynamic to static capacitance. The individual resonators thus have a relatively large bandwidth. Curve 2 is the passband curve of a corresponding reactance filter made up of resonators having a small ratio of dynamic to static capacitance, and thus a relatively low bandwidth of the individual resonators. In the first case (curve 1), a bandpass filter is obtained having a high bandwidth and a low edge steepness, while in the second case (curve 2) a bandpass filter is obtained having a low bandwidth and a high edge steepness.
If it is now attempted, in such a steep-edged filter, to increase the bandwidth to the level of the filter having the larger capacitance ratio by increasing the center frequencies of series resonators and/or reducing the center frequency of the parallel resonators, a strong mismatching results in the center of the passband, because now fap<<frs. Condition (1.4) is thus no longer fulfilled. For this reason, the losses in the center of the passband also increase more strongly.
Another possibility for broadening a steep-edged filter consists in a reduction of the ratio (C0p/C0s) of the static capacitance C0p in the parallel branch and the static capacitance C0s in the series branch. In this way, the bandwidth can be enlarged to a certain extent without losing the self-matching and the small losses connected therewith. However, with this measure the selection level of the BAW reactance filter is strongly reduced, so that the filter can no longer meet possible selection demands, and can for example no longer sufficiently attenuate undesired frequencies.

Reactance filter having an improved edge steepness


A solvent recovering system capable of recovering the solvent wetting solvent-cleaned articles, such as machine parts, electronic parts or medical instruments, without releasing the solvent into the atmosphere. A solvent vapor processing unit is connected by circulation passages to a closed chamber for accommodating solvent-cleaned articles. The vapor of the solvent evaporated from the solvent-cleaned articles is circulated through the closed chamber and the solvent vapor processing unit to subject the vapor repeatedly to adsorption or condensation to recover the solvent perfectly so that the solvent may not be released into the atmosphere to prevent air pollution and harm on health.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solvent recovering system for a cleaning machine for cleaning articles, such as machine parts, electronic parts or medical instruments, to remove the solvent from solvent-cleaned articles and to recover the same without releasing the solvent into the atmosphere.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been a conventional practice to take out cleaned articles from a cleaning tank and to subject the articles to natural drying or to forced drying to remove the solvent wetting the articles, so that the solvent is released in vapor into the atmosphere. Accordingly, injurious solvents, the dispersion of which in the atmosphere is not desirable, such as trichloroethylene and trichlorotrifluoroethane, are harmful to health and cause air pollution.
Known solvent recovering systems for recovering such solvents employ an adsorbent or a condenser. These known solvent recovering systems are unable to remove such injurious solvents perfectly from gases containing the injurious solvents because the gases containing the injurious solvents are passed only once through the solvent recovering systems.

Solvent recovering system for a cleaning machine


Low profile, self-expandable, blood flow restrictors include a hollow channel open at axial ends to allow blood flow through the restrictor installed in a blood vessel. The channel may include a mesh and have a narrowing, or sandglass, profile to reduce blood flow. The sandglass shape is in a central portion of the channel and may be surrounded by a blocking coating impermeable to blood flow or a suture that dissolves over time. The mesh may be formed of a memory alloy. Restrictors include a retrieval connector at an end that is permeable to blood flow and permits attachment for restrictor positioning with a catheter.

Minimally invasive devices relate to stents, occluder devices, pacemakers, and the like. Some minimally invasive devices relate to freeing the flow of blood, while some minimally invasive devices relate to occluding the flow of blood. Stents belong to the family of minimally invasive devices which free the flow of blood in a channel such as a blood vessel in which it is deployed. Occluder devices relate to the family of minimally invasive devices which restrict or prevent the flow of blood at the location where it is deployed.
A stent is a mesh 'tube' inserted into blood vessel/conduit in the body to prevent, or counteract, a disease-induced, localized flow constriction
In contrast to the function of a stent, an occluder is a percutaneous, transcatheter, device intended to permanently close all types undesired blood flow as seen in aneurisms, Arterio Venus Fistulae, or excessive bleeding from a blood vessel.
In certain conditions, there may be a need to restrict or govern or modulate or partially occlude the flow of blood.
According to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, one example relates to controlling blood flow to anatomical parts relating to the digestion system. The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and absorption of food takes place. The small intestine is where most chemical digestions takes place. Most of the digestive enzymes that act in the small intestine are secreted by the pancreas and enter the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. In human anatomy, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) arises from the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, just inferior to the origin of the celiac trunk, and supplies the intestine from duodenum through two-thirds of the transverse colon, as well as the pancreas. Acute complete occlusion of the SMA almost invariably leads to intestinal ischemia and often has devastating consequences, like small intestine gangrenous changes. Causes of the reduced blood flow in celiac, SMA, and Inferior Mesenteric Artery (IMA) can include changes in the systemic circulation (e.g. low blood pressure) or local factors such as constriction (stenosis) of blood vessels/stenosis or occlusion of the SMA (due to Atherosclerosis or Arteritis) leads to pain, which pain results in 'fear of food', otherwise known as cibophobia. This consequently results in weight loss over a period of time without causing intestinal gangrene. However, this weight loss is undesirable and can have debilitating effects on the patient.
According to this non-limiting exemplary embodiment, there is a need for a device, for use in obese patients which can induce mild doses of cibophobia by partially restricting the flow of blood in the SMA (supplying the intestine).
This results in the patient being compelled to reduce his/her food intake due to cibophobia, thereby causing weight reduction.
Prior art designs are bulky and non-retrievable, which may cause complications, especially in obese patient. Since the bulky devices (10F) has device has to be inserted through femoral artery, local grain complications like massive hematoma and femoral artery pseudo-aneurysm are common. Bulky and non-retrievable devices can also cause SMA occlusion or Intimal Hyperplasia. Such bulky devices cannot be inserted through the radial artery at the wrist joint since their sizes are more than 10 F in diameter.

Low profile, self-expanding, blood flow resisting device


A method and apparatus (10) for the controlled impact comminution of wood pieces (100) is described. The apparatus includes a housing (12) within which is located a comminuting chamber (14). The acceleration zone (14A) of the chamber has an impeller system (36) with flails (42). A fan (54) is also mounted adjacent the lower portion of the chamber. The comminution zone (14B) of the chamber includes first and second impact plates (26 and 30) and a funnel (34) having an outlet tube (34B) which is connected by a tube (56) to the inlet (54A) of the fan. The outlet (54B) of the fan is connected by an outlet chute (58) to a cyclone collector (60) positioned over a bin (62). To comminute the wood pieces, the pieces are fed into the impeller path (44). The flails of the impeller move the pieces around the path and accelerate the pieces into contact with the impact plates. As a result of the impact, the pieces are reduced into smaller pieces. Depending on the weight of the pieces, the pieces either reenter the impeller path for further comminution or if the pieces have been reduced to a predetermined size the pieces are drawn upward and out of the chamber through the outer tube to the cyclone collection and the bin by the fan.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing wood particles or fibrous elements of a uniform size from wood pieces through impact comminution controlled by separating extraction mechanics from disintegrating mechanics. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for comminuting wood pieces where the wood pieces are propelled by an impeller into contact with a first impact plate which causes cleavage of the wood pieces producing smaller wood pieces. Depending upon the weight of the remaining wood piece and the resulting wood pieces, the pieces are either impacted against a second plate for further comminution or are drawn upward out of the apparatus by a negative air flow mechanism.
In the lexicon of the smaller wood elements derivable from wood, the terms: flake, strand, splinter, sliver, fiberbundle and fiber are associated with definite products into which they are composed. Each element contributes characteristics to the composite and to its processing in accordance with the element's geometry. The fibrous strand or fibrous element is a combination element being composed of both a strand-like element and fiber-like elements. The strand part may be straight but is usually bent or curved. The fibrous parts are partially cleaved appendages that branch off in random directions from the strand part.
Fibrous strands, like other wood elements, can be produced and have utility over a wide range of sizes. Fibrous strands are three-dimensional particles, compared to two-dimensional flakes, and one-dimensional slivers or splinters. Strands (actually narrow flakes) as used in Oriented Strand Boards (OSB) are strictly speaking, two-dimensional but are used in a one-dimensional manner (oriented) to create strength in a given direction.
The three-dimensional configuration of the fibrous strand contributes uniquely to its further processing and to the properties of the resulting composite material. Unlike flakes and other linear or flat elements that depose themselves parallel to the surface upon which they fall, fibrous strands assume a more random orientation. Thus, flakes contribute strength primarily in the x-y plane, leaving the z plane relatively weak. Fibrous strands, however, because of their more random orientation, produce substantially greater strength in the z plane. The z plane figures heavily in the performance of overlays and in the general integrity of the composite material.
Fibrous strands also compose themselves into a rather open but cohesive mat. Such a mat is easy to transport between operations, is easily infused with gases, liquids and powders, has less edge defects in pressing, produces strength perpendicular to faces, (high internal bond) and allows low, as well as high density composite materials to be made.
The three-dimensional configuration of fibrous strands confers versatility in consolidation to many types of products. Flat, molded or post-formed commodities or consumer products can be made, sometimes with the same composition. Properties are related to density which can range from about 8 pounds per cubic foot upward, depending upon the pressure applied during consolidation.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various types of comminuting apparatuses that involve hammermill action or impact action. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,636,033 to Agnew; 3,065,919 to Burkett et al; 3,794,251 to Williams; 3,899,139 to Okada et al; 4,816,075 to Gruenewald and 5,472,147 to Doppstadt and also "Williams Hot Hog Shredders" Bulletin 871, and Hawkensen Enterprises brochure: Schutte Model 1390 Wood Grinder Hammermill.
Agnew describes an impact grinder which uses centrifugal force to throw the material radially outward at high velocity whereby the impact of the individual particles of the material against breaker rings causes the material to be shattered and pulverized into smaller sizes and extracted through a discharge spout at the bottom.
Burkett et al relates to a device for comminuting consolidated sedimentary rocks and recovering the mineral values therefrom. The machine includes a plurality of rapidly rotating, superimposed, axially-aligned discs which receive the conglomerate rock particles and throw them centrifugally and tangentially outward against an enclosing wall with an impact sufficient to comminute the particles into grains and to abrade, scour and polish the surfaces of the resulting grains to produce a valuable dust concentration which is constantly and permanently removed by downwardly flowing air.
Further, Williams and "Williams Hot Hog Shredders" Bulletin 871 show material reducing systems which use a positive air flow to move the particles through a venturi system to separate sizes.
Okada et al shows a hammermill where completely crushed matter is taken out through a screen below the hammermill and uncrushable matter is floatingly selected through ascending air currents and taken out of the housing through an exhausting route.
Gruenewald shows an apparatus for comminuting plant material for further processing. The apparatus includes an up front cutter and a shredder which are immediately adjoining and located at the end of an adjustable speed conveyor. The shredder is comprised of a series of beater tools. The shredder and up front cutter are covered by a material guide housing having several sections extending approximately vertically from the plane defined by the rotational axis of the cutter and shredder. The housing has a wall portion remote from the up front cutter and from the shredder which forms an impact and deflection baffle for the comminuted material ejected by the up front cutter for feeding this material to the shredder.
Doppstadt shows a comminuting machine having a rotary impact mechanism. A conveyor moves the material to the rotary impact mechanism which cooperates with an impact plate holding a sequence of teeth with decreasing clearance in disintegrating the material. The comminuted material is collected through comminuting grates adjacent the rotary impact mechanism.
The Hawkensen Enterprises brochure shows a wood grinder hammermill.
Also, of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,669,239 to Grindle; 3,329,350 to Wisgerhof et al and 4,087,052 to Rohrbach. Grindle shows a pulverizer for coal which uses a plurality of beating wheels of increasing diameter and thus increasing peripheral velocity to impact material against teeth for progressive disintegration. An air flow device is used to move the pulverized material from the machine through the exit port. Wisgerhof et al shows an apparatus for use in pulverizing rock using rotating blades that comminute material by combining cutting and impact. Extraction is effected through a lower port. Rohrbach describes an impact mill which stands vertically such that the grinding wheels of increasing diameter rotate horizontally at high peripheral speed to comminute friable material mainly by impact.
Only of minimal interest is U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,149 to Willems which shows a flow and mixing apparatus to improve efficiency of chemical or homogenization operations using a system of rotors and stators that produce pumping and shearing actions. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,294 to Radwanski et al which shows an apparatus for forming a fibrous web.
The art of disintegrating materials by impact forces has the general objective of reducing friable materials such as rock and coal and to some extent dry wood to a powdery or granular state. All of the currently known impact milling apparatuses introduce the material to be disintegrated at an infeed port and remove the disintegrated product through a discharge port. During transit, the material is usually subjected to increasing comminution until the final size has been reached at discharge. However, there are no means to interrupt the disintegration at intermediate stages and remove the product at some predetermined intermediate size. Moreover, it is not anticipated that these machines would accept high moisture content wood to produce a fibrous material. Without an efficient means of extracting fibrous material, which is in essence at an intermediate stage of comminution, the system becomes clogged. As a result, high moisture content wood is not a desirable feed for impact milling processes.
There remains the need for an apparatus and method for controlled impact comminution of wood pieces to produce fibrous elements from wood materials which uses an impeller to propel the wood pieces against impact plates and uses a negative air flow mechanism to remove the resulting particles or elements from the apparatus as soon as the particles or elements reach a desired size. Further, there remains a need for a wood comminuting apparatus which will permit the utilization of waste or unwanted wood to produce fiber-based, value-added products, thus providing another tool for managing our wood supply on a more sustainable and environmentally favorable basis.

Apparatus and method for controlled impact comminution of wood

Forest Products Development Laboratories, Inc. L.L.C.


A device contains a plurality of prestored program clips corresponding to portions of program information for presentation to a user. A comparator compares the program clips with with program information and causes selection of an alternate program in response to a match. In one embodiment, the program information corresponds to a television program and a program clip corresponds to a video frame at the beginning of an undesirable commercial, resulting in a television that automatically selects an alternate program in response an original program having an undesirable commercial. After a predetermined time associated with the video clip the television automatically returns to the original program. The invention also enables creation of new program clips based upon received program information.

Television and radio industry have developed and thrived with the advent of entertaining program information sponsored by commercial interests. The commercial interests underwrite production of entertainment portion of broadcasts in exchange for brief interruption of the entertainment portion with advertising program segments, commonly referred to as commercials. While some commercials are themselves entertaining to some viewers, or human users, other commercials are found to be more objectionable than entertaining. Therefore, what is needed is a device and method for eliminating commercials which may be objectionable to a user.
Prior methods have used changes in audio levels or picture characteristics to determine a change from the entertainment portion of the broadcast to a commercial portion of the broadcast. These methods have several disadvantages. First, the characteristics indicative of a commercial may also occur in the entertainment portion causing the method to improperly detect the presence of a commercial and interrupt the desired entertainment portion of a broadcast. Second, the duration of the interruption may be incorrect as differing commercials have different durations. And third, some of the commercials are themselves entertaining, and even could be undesirably eliminated. Finally, some prior methods have processed program information recorded and stored locally, on a video cassette recorder for example, to determine if a periodicity of the change in characteristics match a typical commercial duration in order to determine the presence of a commercial. However this method does not work in a real time broadcast of television information and also eliminates commercials which a user may find desirable.
Thus, what is needed is a method and device for selectively and accurately eliminating commercials, or other program information, having variable intervals during the broadcast of the program.

Selective commercial detector and eliminator apparatus and method


The invention uses a pair of opposed tabs on the charge holder to engage a groove in the case of the shape charge. The case is generally conical in shape. However, the front opening of the case has both a first and second circumferential ridge separated by a groove. The diameter of the groove generally matches the distance between tabs. The second ridge can have a flat milled thereon to allow case to be inserted until the tabs contact the forward or first ridge. This locates the tabs between the first and second ridges and over the groove. The case is then rotated so that the tabs are captured between the two ridges. Once installed, the detonation cord is attached to the case. The cord helps prevent any rotation of the case, thereby securing it into the charge holder. Thus, the use of easily milled tabs on the charge holder in conjunction with an easily milled groove and flats on the case provide an improved apparatus and method for securing the shape charge into the charge holder of a perforation gun. When the charges are all installed, and the detonation cord is properly linked between each charge, then the charge holder can be placed in a carrier.

The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for locking shape charges into a charge holder for use in well perforation operations. The improved apparatus eliminates the need to bend tabs on the charge holder to hold the charges in position.
The performance of an underground well, such as a hydrocarbon producing well, can be improved by perforating the formation containing the hydrocarbons. Well perforation operations involve the controlled detonation of shape charges within the well. The shape charges perforate the casing, if any, and the surrounding formation, thereby improving the flow of hydrocarbons from the well. A perforation gun is used to hold the shape charges. The perforation gun is lowered into the well on either tubing or a wireline until it is at the depth of the formation of interest. The gun assembly includes a charge holder that holds the shape charges and a carrier that protects the shape charges from the environment. A detonation cord links each charge located in the charge holder.
A shaped charge is inserted into a mating hole of the charge holder, and a charge retention apparatus holds the charge firmly within the mating hole. The charge retention apparatus normally include retaining rings, charge retention jackets, clips, or bending tabs, all of which are designed to secure the shaped charge in the charge holder. Thus, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for securing the shaped charge to the charge holder of a perforating gun without using a separate charge retention apparatus or bendable tabs.
An example of a common charge retention design is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. A perforation gun 10 is shown having a charge holder 12 and a cover (not shown). The charge holder has at least one opening 16 for receiving the shape charge 18. Each shape charge 18 has a case 20 that is generally conical in shape. An explosive charge is nestled into the case 20. Most cases 20 also have a pair of tabs 22 that retain the detonation cord 24. The detonation cord 24 can ignite the explosive charge through a detonation transfer passage 32 through the case 20. The carrier can have scalloping 26 that corresponds to the location of each charge. The scalloping is an area of reduced thickness used to minimize any resistance to the exploding shape charge.
The gun is assembled by sequentially placing the charges 18 into the charge holder 12. Once inserted, the charge must be secured in place. At least one deformable tab 30 can be used. The tip of a tool such as a screw driver is inserted into slot 28, as shown in FIG. 2, and the tab 30 is deformed until it is in contact with the front of the charge case. There are obvious drawbacks to such a retention scheme. For one, fabrication of the slot 28 is expensive and time consuming. The charge holders 12 are typically made of steel and the slots require an additional fabrication step to cut. Further, the deformation of the tab 30 takes additional assembly time. It also causes a minor deformation to the rest of the charge holder. When many tabs are deformed, the overall charge holder can experience a meaningful length increase. The deformation of the charge holder can also cause a misalignment of the charges and scalloping 26 on the carrier. Equally troublesome is the inability to easily disassemble the loaded charge holder. If the perforation gun is lowered into a well and for an unknown reason fails to fire, the gun is removed from the well and disassembled. This requires a worker to remove the charge holder from the carrier and then use a tool to undeform the tabs 30 to remove the charge. The use of the tool around the live charges introduces a safety concern. Also, once disassembled, the charge holder is unusable and must be scrapped.
A need exists for an easier and less expensive method to load charges into a charge holder. Such a method should use an improved charge holder design that does not require the use of deformable tabs. One attempt at making such a charge holder is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,603 to Parrott and entitled xe2x80x9cInsert and Twist Method and Apparatus for Securing a Shaped Charge to a Loading Tube or a Perforating Gun.xe2x80x9d Rather than the use of tabs, Parrott ""603 discloses the use of specially designed lugs on the charge case. In FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an embodiment of the Parrott ""603 design. A shaped charge case 52 is inserted into a mating hole 54 of a loading tube 50 prior to inserting the loading tube in a perforating gun carrier. The pair of retaining lugs 52a are inserted into slots 54a and 54b of the mating hole 54 and, simultaneously, the pair of shoulder lugs 52c are inserted into the first and second pair of grooves 54c and 54d, the lugs 52c being initially inserted into the large diameter groove L associated with the first and second pair of grooves 54c, 54d. At this point, a wrench is required. The wrench is secured to the pair of support lugs 52b and twisted clockwise. The clockwise torque provided by the wrench on the support lugs 52b moves the shaped charge case 52 in a clockwise circumferential direction.
In FIG. 7, during the movement of the shaped charge case 52 in the clockwise circumferential direction, an end portion of the retaining lugs 52a move underneath a surface of the loading tube 50. Simultaneously, the pair of shoulder lugs 52c move out of the large diameter groove L of the pair of grooves 54c and 54d and into the small diameter groove S of the pair of grooves 54c and 54d. In this position, the surface of the loading tube 50 prevents the retaining lugs 52a of the shaped charge case 52 from moving in an outward radial direction; and the small diameter groove S prevents the shoulder lugs 52c from moving in an inward radial direction. In addition, the small diameter groove S of the first and second pair of grooves 54c and 54d prevents the shaped charge case 52 from moving either clockwise or counterclockwise in a circumferential direction.
The Parrot ""603 design is exceedingly difficult and expensive to fabricate. For example, most charge cases are made of either steel or zinc. To place the lugs on a steel case requires a welding step or a very expensive lathing process. Zinc can be cast, and therefore to be cost effective, one is essentially limited to the use of a zinc case. Therefore, a need exists for a simpler and less expensive apparatus for holding shape charges in a carrier. Such an apparatus should not require expensive milling steps to construct and should quick to assemble and disassemble. In the event of disassembly, the carrier should be reusable.
The present invention addresses many of the drawbacks found in prior art retention schemes. In one embodiment, the invention uses a pair of opposed tabs on the carrier to engage a groove in the case of the shape charge. The case is generally conical in shape. However, the front opening of the case has both a first and second circumferential ridge separated by a groove. The diameter of the groove generally matches the distance between tabs. The second ridge can have a flat milled thereon to allow case to be inserted until the tabs contact the forward or first ridge. This locates the tabs between the first and second ridges and over the groove. The case is then rotated so that the tabs are captured between the two ridges. In another embodiment, there is no forward ridge, and the tab only contacts the rear ridge.
Once installed, the detonation cord is attached to the case. The cord helps prevent any rotation of the case, thereby securing it into the charge holder. Thus, the use of easily milled tabs on the charge holder in conjunction with an easily milled groove and flats on the case provide an improved apparatus and method for securing the shape charge into the charge holder of a perforation gun. When the charges are all installed, and the detonation cord is properly linked between each charge, then the charge holder can be placed in a carrier.
If a need arises for disassembling the perforation gun, the charge holder can be removed from the carrier. The detonation cord is then uncoupled from the charges to be removed. The charge case can then be simply turned until the tabs on the charge holder are aligned with the flats on the first ridge. The charge case is then pulled from the charge holder, leaving the charge holder in condition to be used again. No tools are required for this operation.

Method and apparatus for locking charges into a charge holder


A coating material to be evaporated in an evaporator cell disposed in a vacuum chamber is fed in the form of a wire to the evaporator cell in accordance with the depth of the molten bath, by a wire transport including a motor-driven shaft or roller and a counter-roller mounted on a movably journaled lever which in turn is movable via an electromagnetic actuator against the force of a spring means. A wire feed tube is arranged between the wire transport which draws fusible wire from a remote supply and feeds it to the evaporator boat where the wire is evaporated for coating a band-type substrate. The feed tube has a straight section which receives the wire concentrically from the transport and a gooseneck section toward said evaporator boat which twice deflects the wire to provide three points of contact with the inner wall of the tube, thus accurately positioning the wire while preventing clogging of the outlet orifice.

The invention relates to an apparatus for coating workpiece surfaces, for example condenser films, with a coating material that is to be evaporated, especially pure aluminum, the coating material being fusible in an evaporator cell disposed in a vacuum chamber and being fed in the form of a piece of wire from a supply spool of wire to the evaporator cell in accordance with the depth of the molten bath, and being delivered between a motor-driven shaft and a roller providing counter-pressure, in the manner of a capstan drive.
It is common in film vapor depositing apparatus to combine a plurality of evaporator cells to form a so-called evaporator bank and to dispose this evaporator bank in the vacuum chamber in the direct vicinity of the film that is to be coated, and to draw the material that is to be evaporated in the form of wires from supply spools and transport them and feed them to the evaporator cells with the aid of friction wheeldrives. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,214, German Patent Disclosure Document 34 28 651, U.S. Pat. No. 2,664,853, U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,820).
Experience shows that a particular difficulty consists in making sure that the wire feeding devices of all of the evaporator cells arranged side by side and forming the evaporator bank are controlled according to the depth of the molten metal in each evaporator cell. The mechanical and electrical devices necessary for this purpose are generally of very complex design (see the apparatus according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,820), especially because the individual feeding devices have to be electrically insulated from one another.
If the wire evaporator consists of a band coating apparatus consisting of a plurality of individual evaporators driven by a common shaft (see EP 0,084,126) the common drive shift feeding the wire must be insulated electrically between each pair of feeding devices; this is because of the different electrical voltages that are applied to the individual evaporator cells. The drive shaft is therefore generally divided into a plurality of sections (according to the number of evaporator cells provided on the evaporator bank) and these shaft sections are joined by couplings of an insulating material.
An apparatus for the continuous coating of substrates in band form is known (DE 40 27 034), which is equipped with a plurality of evaporator boats of about the same size and configuration, forming an evaporator bank and arranged lengthwise of the direction of band movement and parallel to one another at approximately equal distances apart. The evaporator boats are all made from an electrically conductive ceramic and can be heated by the direct passage of current through them, and a device is provided for the continuous feeding of the wire to be evaporated to the evaporator boats. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,500, incorporated herein by reference.
These individual evaporator boats of the evaporator bank are each arranged offset from one another, while all evaporator boats together cover a narrow coating zone running transversely of the direction of band movement.

Apparatus for the continuous feeding of wire to an evaporator boat


A pharmaceutical composition in the form of a solution, cream, lotion, spray, ointment, gel, aerosol, tablet, suppository or patch device for transdermal or transmucosal administration of alprazolam to a subject, which includes as a permeation enhancing mixture a fatty component in an amount of 0.1% to 20% by weight which is one of (a) a saturated fatty alcohol of formula CH3—(CH2)n—CH2OH, a saturated fatty acid of formula CH3—(CH2)n—CH2COOH, (b) an unsaturated fatty alcohol of formula CH3(CnH2(n−1))—OH, or (c) a fatty acid of formula CH3(CnH2(n−1))—COOH, wherein n is an integer of between 8 and 22; and a vehicle that includes a C1-C4 alkanol, a polyalcohol, and water.

It is well known that many drugs taken orally, are destroyed on the first pass through the liver. It is also well known that when many drugs are taken orally, their rate of absorption into the body is not constant. In view of such difficulties, a number of different drug delivery systems have been developed.
The transdermal or transmucosal route for delivery of drugs provides many advantages, and transdermal or transmucosal systems for delivering a wide variety of drugs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,991; 4,764,381; 4,956,171; 4,863,970; 5,453,279; 4,883,660; 5,719,197 or EP patent application number 0 271 983; 0 267 617; 0 261 429; 0 526 561; as an example, some of which are mentioned hereinafter.
A major drawback of this therapy however, is the limitation of the amount of drug that can be transported across the skin, in many cases, drugs which would appear to be ideal candidates for transdermal delivery are found to have such low permeability through intact skin that they cannot be delivered in therapeutically effective amounts from transdermal devices. This limitation is due to several factors. Since the skin is a protective barrier by nature, the rates of transport of most compounds through the skin is quite slow. It is generally accepted that a surface of patch beyond 50-100 sqcm would result in difficulty of application. Therefore the application of a transdermal semisolid dosage form such as a gel, cream, ointment, liquid, etc., augments the patient's compliance and the surface of application can be extended.
In order to increase skin permeability so that drugs can be delivered in therapeutically effective amounts at therapeutically effective rates, it has been proposed different systems or devices or mechanisms one of which is deliver the drug(s) in presence of permeation enhancers. Usually, using penetration enhancing compounds, processes or devices to increase drug penetration solve this problem.
Various systems were suggested for this purpose, as described in different patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,991; 4,764,381; 4,956,171; 4,863,970; 5,453,279; 4,883,660; 5,719,197 or W.O. patents number 97/29735; 98/17316 or in the literature "Pharmaceutical Skin Penetration Enhancement", J. Hadgraft, Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1993; "Tercutaneous Absorption", R. Bronaugh, H. Maibach, Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1989, etc.
To be accepted, a permeation enhancer or a combination thereof should have the ability to enhance the permeability of the skin for the drug, should be non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing on repeated exposure.
It is often difficult to predict which compounds will work as permeation enhancers and which permeation enhancers will work for particular drugs. In transdermal drug delivery applications, a compound that enhances the permeability of one drug or a family of drugs may not necessarily enhance the permeability of another drug or family of drugs. That is also concluded after careful analysis of the scientific literature relating to this specific topics, such as "Transdermal Therapeutic Systemic Medications, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1989" (see table on page 3).
Therefore, the usefulness of a particular compound(s) or mixture thereof as a permeation enhancer must be carefully analyzed and demonstrated by empirical work.
EPA 0 279 977 describes a transdermal device for administering progesterone and an estradiol ester alone or in combination, utilizing a polymer matrix which has the drug(s) with a penetration enhancer such as sucrose monococoate, glycerol monooleate, sucrose monolaurate, glycerol monolaureate, etc.
EPA 0 367 431 discloses that aliphatic alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol and isobutyl alcohol that are commonly used in topical transdermal formulation, thus, enhance the rate of transdermal delivery of steroid drugs.
WO 90/11 064 discloses a skin penetration enhancer composition. for transdermally administered pharmacologically active agents. The composition contains diethylene glycol monoethyl or monomethyl ether in addition to an ester component such as propylene glycol monolaurate, methyl laurate or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,991 discloses a composition, device and method for transdermal administration of an active agent using a novel dual permeation enhancer mixture comprising lauryl acetate and a monoglyceride, glycerol monolaurate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,381 discloses pharmaceutical preparations comprised of a pharmaceutically active ingredient and a carrier which comprises a percutaneous penetration enhancer comprised of 2-ethyl-1,3 hexanediol alone or in combination with oleic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,970 discloses penetration-enhancing pharmaceutical compositions for topical transepidermal and percutaneous application which are non-irritating to the skin and describes a binary system of oleic acid or alcohol and a lower alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,279 describes an enhancing transdermal absorption composition useful in transdermal absorption of progestins including progesterone and optionally an estrogen for contraceptive or HRT. The enhancing composition comprise a combination of a lower alkyl ester of a polycarboxylic acid, an aliphatic monohydroxy alcohol and an aliphatic diol.
EP 0 526 561 B1 relates to the use of chemical penetration enhancers to enhance the transdermal delivery of medicaments through the skin, said chemical enhancers are alcohols.
None of the above mentioned inventions or publications report a study of lauryl alcohol together with diethylene glycol monoethyl ether in a ternary vehicle composite in a semisolid dosage form, designed to administer transdermally or through the mucosal membrane the group of active agents mentioned in the present invention. None of the above mentioned inventions or publications describe an adequate transdermal or transmucosal formulation to deliver therapeutic plasma levels of different types of active compounds, as it is disclosed in the present invention.
One object of the present invention is to obtain a transdermal formulation that could deliver, at controlled rates, an active compound or a mixture thereof, combined with appropriate permeation enhancers. As it is well described in the literature of the art, there is not obviousness regarding the use of penetration enhancers to administer a drug(s) by transdermal route. As it is mentioned by W. R. Pfister in its chapter on "Transdermal and Dermal Therapeutic Systems: Current Status" in "Transdermal and Topical Drug Delivery Systems", Interpharm Press Inc., Buffalo Grove Ill., 1997, pages 33-112, no general guidelines exist that will ensure success in selecting an appropriate enhancer for a specific drug to be delivered from a transdermal device (Hsieh 1994). The science of optimizing topical formulations is not predictive from one drug to another and permeation enhancers can produce a wide range of enhancement factors across drugs having different physicochemical properties. Rather, this is a process that requires extensive experimental work.
It is also important to mention that transdermal permeability is mainly influenced by both physicochemical properties of the permeants and by the interaction of the permeants with the enhancers. Therefore a given enhancer could prove to be very adequate for a drug and simultaneously would not increase the permeability of the other compound. This is well illustrated by Chien, in its chapter on "Developmental Concepts and Practice in Transdermal Therapeutic Systems" in Transdermal Controlled Systemic Medications, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1987, pages 25-81, who states that a penetration enhancer increases the permeation of different compound to different degree.
There has not been known an enhancer or combination thereof which shows the transdermal penetration enhancement effect for any active agent or drug. As an example we can quote results of this author as wherein below indicated:
Enhancement of skin permeability of variousdrugs by different types of enhancersEnhancement factor (a)PropylDecymethylDrugsmyristatePropyl oleateAzonesulfoxideProgesterone4.565.365.9611.04Estradiol9.3314.6220.1712.59Hydrocortisone4.575.0161.325.23Indomethacin3.774.6714.4915.67(a) Enhancement factor = (Normalized skin permeation rate) with enhancer/(Normalized skin permeation rate) without enhancer
Additionally, another argument in favor of our position is sustained when the results reported by Chien are analyzed. He published the dependence of the enhancement factor for the skin permeation of progesterone on the alkyl chain length of saturated fatty acid in "Transdermal Controlled Systemic Medications". He found the major enhancement effect using caproic acid (C8), however the same author discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,682 that the better enhancer for estradiol is decanoic acid (C10). These results lead us to attain the same conclusion of Chien in "Transdermal Controlled Systemic Medications", Marcel Dekker, New York 1987, pages 25-81, that concludes that the efficacy of skin penetration enhancer for a specific active agent, is function of the type, concentration and, how the penetration enhancer release from the devices.
The prior art presented herein clearly prove that at least for some compounds, as shown in the present patent application, there is no such an universal penetration enhancer composition and the adequate permeation rate across the skin can be achieved only by testing different types of compounds at different concentrations. Although prior art was useful for the theoretical approach, the results herein disclosed emerged from the careful investigation of multiple variables.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composition for transdermal and/or transmucosal administration of active compounds that ensures adequate therapeutic levels


A method for error diffusion in digital printing. The method selects a base threshold value for printing of digital data, determines an offset value, and then calculates at least two threshold values from the base threshold value and the offset value. The thresholds are applied to the image along directional guided threshold lines, with each set of lines for each color having a unique angle to the lines for the other colors. The error diffusion process does not result in objectionable artifacts.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to error diffusion in printing, more particularly to error diffusion in color printing.
2. Background of the Invention
In digital printing, the output to the printing system that forms the necessary dots is binary, either ON or OFF. A comparison of the intended value to a threshold determines whether the output i s ON or OFF. For example, consider an 8-bit system with a range of possible values from 0-255. The threshold for ON or OFF is set to 127.5, or at the mid-point. Values above will be is turned ON, values below OFF.
However, the value given an ON dot will be 255, and OFF will be 0. Therefore, an error exists between the intended value and the printed value of the dot. For example, if a dot has an intended value of 200, it lies above the threshold and will be turned ON. Its printed value will be 255, so there is an error of +55 between its intended and printed values.
This error is typically handled with error diffusion, originally proposed by Floyd and Steinberg. The error value can be assigned to the next dot, since the dots are so relatively small in the perceived human eye response; the eye will tend to integrate the next several dots into one larger spot of color. Floyd and Steinberg suggested using four yet to be processed pixels that neighbor the pixel with the error value.
The Floyd-Steinberg approach 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The threshold is applied to the input color value, which in this example is 200. The threshold is 128, so that dot is printed. The resulting difference between the intended value of 200 and the printed value is +55. It will be diffused to the neighbors with the weights of 7 5 3 1, in the positions shown at 14. The sum of the weights is 16, so the error valued ed=55/16=3.44. The following table demonstrates the result error diffusion on the neighboring pixels. The original value for all pixels is 144.
It must be understood that the error values computed for each pixel are only those from the previous pixel. Other error values exist for the pixels from other neighboring pixels. For example, if X in the below diagram is the pixel with value 200 from the example, Y is the neighboring pixel. The pixel that has the 5 weight from X is the pixel that has the 3 weight from Y. The error diffusion for X is in parentheses ( ), the error diffusion for Y in the brackets [ ].
As mentioned above, the flowchart for this process is shown in FIG. 1. One problem with this method of error processing is directional hysteresis because of the scan line format. The error diffusion can lead to objectionable artifacts in the image. A significant artifact is a texture pattern in the mid-tone region.
These artifacts are especially noticeable in the color printing area. A perceived colored pixel is actually an integrated image in the eye that takes four separate dots that are so close together that they are resolved as one. Some attempts have been made to layer the different color dots on top of each other, but these are not usually successful. The problem with layering the dots on top of each other is that the slightest slip in registration between the colors leads to further artifacts.
Several solutions to this problem have been proposed. The mid-tone patterns can be deconstructed. Instead of printing the dots on top of each other, the dots can be offset slightly from the centroid of the pixel position. The human eye resolves it as one pixel. Alternatively, a good relationship can be established between the four color dot positions relative to the centroid of the pixel. However, even these techniques can leave artifacts in the image, especially in the regions with values between 64 and 192.
Therefore, a new technique is needed for artifact correction in error diffusion for the mid-tone regions of print images.
One aspect of the invention is a method of error diffusion in printing that uses at least two thresholds applied along directional guided threshold lines. The priority to print a dot for any given color depends upon its relationship to the threshold for that position and that color. The thresholds for each color are established along a different direction from the other colors. The series of thresholds is then assigned to the lines in the proper direction for that color. The input color value is compared to the threshold for that position and the priority is determined.
In one embodiment of the invention, three threshold values are used. The four color threshold line orientations use these three thresholds to determine the printing priority for that color at each position.

Enhanced error diffusion by using directional guided line thresholding

Sharp Laboratories of America, Incorporated


Provided is a display device. The display device includes a display portion configured to display an image, a photo sensor electrically connected to the display portion and configured to facilitate correction of an afterimage of the display portion; and a shutter portion disposed on the display portion and comprising a shutter positioned and configured to selectively block light over an afterimage correction pattern generated by the correction of the afterimage facilitated by the photo sensor, so as to selectively prevent a user from viewing a portion of the display portion upon which the afterimage correction pattern occurs.

The present disclosure relates generally to flat panel display devices, and more particularly to flat panel display devices capable of correcting afterimages.
A display device performs an afterimage correction process using a photo sensor after being powered off. During such afterimage correction, a user may perceive an undesirable afterimage correction pattern.


The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone, comprising a plurality of n-sided polygons where the surface area of the adjacent polygons in the transition zone is unequal. In one embodiment, the surface area of the polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially across the transition zone in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. The polygons are formed from two pairs of undulations which are connected by segments. The bending moment of the undulations is equal within each polygon and constant across the transition zone.

Stents are scaffolds which are positioned in diseased vessel segments to support the vessel walls. During angioplasty, stents are used to repair and reconstruct blood vessels. Placement of a stent in the affected arterial segment prevents elastic recoil and closing of the artery. Stents also prevent local dissection of the artery along the medial layer. Physiologically, stents may be placed inside the lumen of any space, such as an artery, vein, bile duct, urinary tract, alimentary tract, tracheobronchial tree, cerebral aqueduct or genitourinary stent. Stents may also be placed inside the lumen of non-human animals, such as primates, horses, cows, pigs and sheep.
In general, there are two types of stents: self-expanding and balloon-expandable. The balloon-expandable stent is placed in a diseased segment of a vessel by inserting an unexpanded stent into the affected area within the vessel. Prior to insertion, the stent is crimped onto a balloon which is inflated to expand the stent against the vessel wall. Inflation remodels the arterial plaque and secures the stent within the affected vessel. Balloon expandable stents may suffer from the collapse as a result of the natural elastic recoil of the vessel wall and lack of resilience of the stent itself.
Self-expanding stents are capable of expanding by themselves. There are many different designs of self-expanding stents, including helical, circular, cylinder, roll, stepped-pipe, high-order coil, braided wire, cage or mesh.
Self-expanding stents may be formed from super-elastic or shape memory metal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,854. In stents, nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys are commonly used. http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/cineplex/NiTi/indexhtml, April, 2009. Stents formed from NiTi alloys are highly resilient, even when compressed because of the superelastic properties of the alloy. When cooled below the transformation temperature such as by liquid nitrogen, the NiTi alloy transforms to a martensite phase, holding a new shape until it warms back-up. This transformation can be referred to as a change between a martensite phase (stable at low temperatures) and an austenite phase (stable at high temperatures). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_memory_alloy, April, 2009.
The self-expanding stent is placed in the vessel by inserting the stent in a compressed state into the affected region, e.g., an area of stenosis. Compression or crimping of the stent can be achieved using crimping equipment (see, http://www.machinesolutions.org/stent_crimping.htm, April, 2009). The stent may also be compressed using a tube that has a smaller outside diameter than the inner diameter of the affected vessel region. Once the compressive force is removed or the temperature raised, the stent expands to fill the lumen of the vessel. When the stent is released from confinement in the tube, the stent expands to resume its original shape, in the process becoming securely fixed inside the vessel against the wall.
Each of the various stent designs that have been used with self-expanding stents has certain functional problems. For example, because the helical windings forming the stent terminate unevenly, the last portion of winding expands at a different rate from other areas in the stent. This problem, differential expansion, may be solved, in part, by introducing a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,878,162, 6,969,402 and 7,169,175 for examples of various transition zones. However, because the transition zone joins two different, structural segments of the stent, an end zone on one side and a main body or helical portion on the other, the strut lengths of the transition zone vary. Such a variation can result in a change in stress or bending moment of the stent across the transition zone. This lack of uniformity affects the ability of the stent to be uniformly compressed and expanded which in turn impacts insertion of the stent into a convoluted vessel. Accordingly, there is a need to develop geometric designs which allow for uniform expansion across the transition zone, while still permitting maximal flexibility.
The present invention provides a geometric design for a stent that has both a high degree of flexibility and significant radial strength as well as provides for uniform expansion across the transition zone. The design of this stent also allows it to be inserted into small diameter vessels having complex geometry. The stent is further capable of responding dynamically to changes in blood pressure.

Self-expanding stent with polygon transition zone


A bidirectional inertial latch locks the position of a seat back of a seat on a motor vehicle during rapid changes in velocity. The inertial latch has a bracket mounted on the seat base or bottom. An arm is pivotably mounted on the bracket and securely attached to the seat back, and has a unitary arcuately toothed section for latching engagement. A pawl is pivotally mounted on the bracket and has a center of gravity offset from its pivot axis. The pawl has an arcuate toothed region for engaging the toothed region of the arm, and is pivoted by the inertial force experienced during either sudden deceleration or sudden acceleration to lockingly engage the arm to prevent the movement thereof Preferably the toothed sections of the pawl have at least three teeth.

Seats with adjustable seat backs have been widely used in motor vehicles. The adjustability of the angular position of the seat back allows positioning that provides the best support or comfort. The seat back of an automobile seat is typically pivotably mounted relative to a seat base or seat bottom, and a recliner is used for adjusting the seat back position. The recliner typically employs some form of ratchet mechanism and is mounted on the side of the reclining seat. To adjust the position of the seat back, the ratchet mechanism is disengaged so that the seat back can be moved to a new position. The ratchet mechanism is then reengaged to hold the seat back in the new position.
The ratchet mechanism of the recliner typically has engagement teeth. The teeth can be made large to withstand sudden changes in the velocity of a motor vehicle. Using larger gear teeth, however, is associated with the disadvantage of reduced resolution of the position adjustment, and there is increasing demand for ever finer increments of seat back adjustment. Additionally, on certain cars, such as many two-door vehicles, the seat backs of the front seats can be further folded down or dumped to allow access to seats in a second row. Such designs naturally do not lock the seat back when the seat back is being dumped, and increasingly original equipment manufacturers are requiring that seat backs be lockable at all times.
Uni-directional inertial latches have been employed in the recliner to lock or latch the seat back, principally in seats where the seat back may be dumped to allow access to a second row of seating. The inertia latch is typically responsive to gravity as the seat back moves forward to move the latch to a non-engaging release position and is responsive to sudden deceleration created by a rapid reduction in speed to move into a locking position which prevents the seat back from moving forward. To provide even load distribution across the seat typically a second recliner is mounted on the other side of the seat back, connected by a slave wire.
Previous designs for recliners with uni-directional inertia latches are unsatisfactory in that the mechanisms are not responsive to sudden accelerations, and the strength of the seat back and seat base must be enhanced, driving up costs and complexity of the design. A safety locking device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,923 to Dehler showing several versions of a mechanism for controlling the seat back in response to rapid changes in velocity in two directions. However, the locking devices shown in Dehler are complicated, costly, and require numerous separate components to achieve the desired bi-directionality of the locking device.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inertial latching device of a simple, elegant design for use on a reclining seat to securely lock the position of the seat back that is bi-directional, that is, the latch secures the seat back position during both rapid acceleration and rapid deceleration.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bi-directional inertial latch of a simple, elegant design that does not compromise the resolution of seat back adjustment. To that end, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bi-directional inertia latch device for a recliner that may be mounted separately from the recliner.
It is a related object of the present invention to provide such a latching device of simple and elegant design that automatically operates to lock the position of the seat back during sudden changes in speed, and automatically releases the seat back after the sudden change has passed so that it does not interfere with the seat back position adjustment under normal conditions.
It is yet another related object of the present invention to provide such a latching device that is highly reliable in operation.
It is yet another related object of the present invention to provide such a bi-directional inertia latching device on a simple and elegant design which, when the seat back is in a reclined position, engages the seat back during rapid deceleration before the seat back is returned to a full upright position.


A communication system including one or more host adapters connected to a host computer, each adapter having multiple serial communication ports for transferring data between the computer and several TTY devices. Several of the adapter's serial ports include a high speed serial link for communicating with a data concentrator. The adapter automatically detects the presence of a concentrator connected to a switchable port and switches to the high speed link. Each concentrator includes multiple serial ports for communicating with TTY devices, and a high speed serial link for communicating with the adapter's high speed link. The concentrators allow more than one TTY device to share a single adapter serial port. Data from all of the TTY devices is accumulated into an adapter data buffer during a configurable time period or until a certain amount of data is accumulated, at which time the adapter interrupts the computer and transfers the accumulated data to the computer in one transfer operation. Likewise, the computer accumulates data for the TTY devices and transfers this data to the adapter in one transfer operation. Communication between the adapters and concentrators through the high speed serial communication link is implemented using a small fixed-size addressed packet to achieve a low overhead, high performance communications protocol. Each high speed link between an adapter and a concentrator is implemented to provide inherent flow control of data. The concentrators include a fail safe global flow control mechanism to prevent overflow of data from the TTY devices.

In the field of digital data processing systems, as the computer capabilities of data processing devices have increased, both in terms of speed, efficiency, and complexity, the number of users or applications which may be concurrently supported by a single central processing device has also increased.
Often, the number of remote devices in a system exceeds the number of separate input/output (I/O) ports of the central processing device. In this case, a multiplexing communications system may be implemented which allows multiple remote devices to share a common one of the central device's I/O ports.
Remote or "peripheral" devices, such as user terminals, printers, modems, data storage devices, data acquisition devices, and the like, must frequently exchange information with a central processing unit, and as the number of remote devices increases, such communication of data between peripheral devices and a central unit must be highly efficient. The communications system must also allow the central device to selectively exchange data with any one of the remote devices, and each remote device must have a unique identity as seen by the central device. Accordingly, any communications scheme for multiplexed systems must include not only the hardware components for implementing the actual data link, but also a communications protocol for use with the hardware, for allowing data transferred on the link to be associated with a particular sender or receiver.
Maintaining the identity of devices and data in a multiplexed system can be accomplished in a number of ways. One method involves the assignment of a unique identification code to each device in the system, including identification of the sender and/or receiver of data within the data itself as it is transmitted along the shared data link. An example of this is the so-called address/packet protocol, wherein all information transmitted on the shared data link is of a standard format which includes device identification fields. Packets of data transmitted on a data link that is shared by multiple devices could be received by all devices at once; each device could then decode the identification field of the incoming packets to determine whether the data is intended for it.
In another type of multiplexing, called Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), the identity of data is determined by the time of its transmission on the shared medium. Each device sharing a common data link is allocated, in a regular and cyclical fashion, a fixed period of time during which it has access to the data link. If a first device needs to send data, it must wait until its allocated time slot before sending it. The identity of the sending device is thus implicitly known to the receiving device according to the time of transmission.
Alternately, access to a shared data link can be multiplexed on a demand, or First-Come-First-Served (FCFS) basis, in which a device is granted access to the data link not in a cyclical fashion, but according to its needs. Often, demand multiplexing is implemented through the use of a separate multiplexor unit, which receives requests for access to the shared data link from multiple devices, and allocates access according to a FCFS algorithm. With demand multiplexing, the multiplexor logic must be capable of informing each device of the source of data transmitted on the shared link, since time slices are not allocated in a repeating, cyclical manner.
Additionally, variations of demand multiplexing can be implemented wherein the FCFS algorithm is replaced by a weighted algorithm which considers other factors, such as varying levels of device priority, in allocating access to the multiplexed data link. In any non-symmetrical implementation in which one device may have temporary or permanent priority over another, care must be taken that low priority devices are not prevented entirely from gaining access to the shared data link by higher priority devices. Typically it is the duty of the multiplexing logic (either software or hardware) to ensure equity or near-equity of access to a shared communication medium.
The aforementioned methods of multiplexing each have their disadvantages. Multiplexing schemes typically require substantial hardware support for allocating access to the shared link in an efficient and equitable manner. In pure TDM schemes, inefficiency is unavoidably introduced if any devices are idle, because the shared link would go unused during an idle device's time slot. Though no bandwidth may be lost in demand and other priority-based access schemes, these methods may also suffer from inefficiency if the multiplexing algorithm allowed one very active device to dominate over all others. In address/packet protocol multiplexing, on the other hand, each participating device must provide hardware or software for "de-packetizing" all incoming data packets to determine the intended recipient. Hardware or software must also be provided in each device for "packetizing" all outgoing data. The processing overhead for packetization and depacketization is further increased if the packet size is allowed to be variable under a given protocol.
The addition of devices or user terminals to multi-user systems often requires a great deal of system reconfiguration. As the limits of the system's communications hardware are reached, new hardware must be added, or the existing hardware must be replaced by new, more densely packed hardware. Such hardware changes typically involve reconfiguration of the system software or firmware to accommodate the new hardware.

Data transfer system between a computer and a host adapter using multiple arrays


A soft magnetic structure substantially comprised of a plurality of magnetic field carrying particles molded and retained in a predetermined shape, bonded in that shape by an insulating binding agent, wherein said particles have grain alignment substantially parallel to a preferred direction, and wherein said preferred direction is parallel to a direct axis providing the structure with a high direct axis to quadrature axis reactance ratio.

Axially laminated synchronous reluctance motors have been shown to be highly efficient with high power factor and power densities. Known techniques for producing rotors for such motors include using anisotropic grain oriented steel with multiple laminations made in segments and assembled to a rotor machine from fiberglass. Segments are interleaved with aluminum sheets to provide transient torque to damp any oscillation during transience and provide some mechanical integrity to the segments. This manufacturing technique is expensive and limits the use of high efficiency motor to special applications where cost is warranted.
As an alternative to the use of steel laminations for magnetic cores, it has been suggested that cores can be formed from iron powder. An article in Powder Metallurgy, Volume 25, No. 4 (1982), Pages 201-208, entitled "Properties and Applications of Soft Magnetic Powder Composites" authored by Kordecki, Weglinski and Kaczmar, discloses magnetic cores that are formed of ferromagnetic powder. This article discloses so-called magneto-dielectrics that are comprised of iron powder and a dielectric.
Prior art soft magnetic powder composite structures have exhibited direct axis to quadrature axis reactance ratios as high as 4, and some as high as 6.
United States patents describing the use of powdered iron structures in dynamo-electric machines include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,947,065, 5,004,577 and 5,121,021.

Grain oriented composite soft magnetic structure


A modular heating, ventilation and air conditioning system including a rectangular sleeve that can be secured through an exterior wall of a building for moving air between an exterior of the building and the interior of the building, an electrical outlet fitted with an electrical outlet adapter pan that connects the outlet within the sleeve, a through-wall air conditioning unit fitted with an air conditioning adapter collar that connects the air conditioning unit within the sleeve, a heater unit fitted with a heater unit adapter pan that connects the heater unit within the sleeve and an electrical system control module including a thermostat and control pad assembly, a first switch and a second switch that selectively activates the sockets of the outlet.

Through-wall HVAC units are commonly used in motels, hotels, hospitals and commercial buildings for providing climate control. Typically, these units include a rectangular sleeve that extends through an exterior wall of a building and a single, massive integrated air cooling (AC) unit and heating unit assembly housed within the sleeve. The AC portion of the such assemblies must project on both sides of the wall with an evaporator on the inside of the wall and the condenser coil on the outside of the wall. If either one of the AC unit or heating unit fails or is damaged, the entire assembly must be replaced. This makes the repair and replacement of through-wall HVAC units costly.
The size of through-wall HVAC units also makes their maintenance costly. For example, the common commercial through-wall HVAC unit is 16 inches tall, 42 inches long and 14 inches deep. The large size of the unit usually requires at least two repairmen to remove the integrated AC unit and heating unit assembly from the sleeve so that it can be cleaned of bacteria and mold.
The shortcomings of prior art through-wall HVAC units can be avoided by replacing the single, massive integrated AC unit and heating unit assembly housed within a sleeve with independently connectable and removable modules tailored to fit within existing through-wall type sleeves.

Modular retrofit heating, ventilating and air conditioning system


An auxiliary device for a connector has a body, a wire unit and plug. The wire unit is mounted securely in the body and extends out of the body from a first end of the body. The plug is formed on a second end of the body and is perpendicular to the wire unit. Therefore, the position of the wire unit is fixed when the plug is inserted into a socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for a connector, and more particularly to an auxiliary device which is used to insert a plug into a socket.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of the industry, electrical devices are designed to be small to be portable.
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a conventional power supply has a base (60) and a cap (61). The base (60) has a socket (62) and a wire unit (70) with a battery (72) mounted in the base (60) to supply power. A plug (71) is mounted on an end of the wire unit (70), and connects to the socket (62) to conduct power.
However, the socket (62) is mounted on a bottom of the base (60) and is mounted between the battery (72) and a shell such that the plug (71) is difficult to be inserted into the socket (62) by a finger of a user. Furthermore, the wire unit (70) is not fastened, so that the position of the wire unit (70) is not fixed. When the cap (61) is closed on the base (60), the cap (61) is easy to be blocked by the wire unit (70).
Therefore, the invention provides an auxiliary device for a connector to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.