A system is used to transport wind turbines on railroad cars. The wind turbines are partially disassembled into four types of components—nacelles, blades, rotor hubs and tower sections. The blades are stored in cargo containers suitable for use in multi-mode transportation of freight by ship, rail and truck. The nacelles and rotor hubs are not stored in containers but are affixed to transport structures. Brackets are affixed to the tower sections. Then the components are mounted on railroad cars.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind turbines, and more particularly, to transporting wind turbines on railroad cars.
2. Background
Wind turbines are used to generate electrical power, and conventional wind turbine 1 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The turbine 1 is mounted on the ground 5 and includes a tower 6 comprised of a plurality of sections with a nacelle 10 mounted on top. A rotor 12 is affixed to the front of the nacelle 10 and blades 14 are connected to the rotor 12. The tower 6 is comprised of sections including base member 16, intermediate members 17 and a top member 18.
Turning now to FIG. 2 the components of nacelle 10 of a conventional wind turbine 1 are illustrated. The nacelle 10 is rotatably mounted on the upper flange 15 of the top tower member 18 through a bearing 19 having an inner race and outer race connected to flange 15. The inner race of the bearing 19 is connected to an annular nacelle mounting plate 20 having a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the top tower member 18.
The nacelle 10 has a cylinder-like configuration extending horizontally and both ends are closed. The nacelle 10 includes a front nacelle section 21A and a rear nacelle section 21B. The nacelle 10 has holes 22 and 23 disposed opposite to each other on the upper and lower surfaces thereof, respectively. The hole 22 provided on the upper surface of the nacelle 10 is closed by a lid 22a, after the nacelle 21 is mounted on the tower 6.
A front supporting member 24 and rear supporting member 25 are installed on the floor surface of the front nacelle section 21a and rear nacelle section 21b. The respective supporting members 24, 25 are connected through a plurality of L-shaped mounting members 26 with the mounting plate 20. In the front nacelle section 21A a rotation shaft 32 for supporting a rotor hub 31, a bearing box 33 for supporting the rotation shaft 32, a gear box 34 for changing the revolution speed of the rotation shaft 32, a brake 35 and a shaft 36, are disposed.
In the rear nacelle section 21B a generator 37 connected to the shaft 36, a controller 38, and hydraulic power sources 39 are disposed. A drive shaft 40 is disposed between the gear box 34 and the generator 37 to transmit power from the gear box 34 to the generator 37. A yaw motor 41 is mounted on the nacelle mounting plate 20 in order to rotate the nacelle 10. An output shaft of the yaw motor 41 is provided with a drive gear (not shown) and the drive gear meshes with the gear formed on the outer periphery of the outer race of the bearing 19 so that the rotation of the yaw motor 41 adjusts the direction of the nacelle 10.
Various components of a wind turbine are often manufactured in different parts of the world and then transported to a site and assembled and erected at the site. As one example, a manufacturer who wishes to assemble a tower in the United States may have the towers manufactured in Korea, the nacelles manufactured in Denmark and the blades manufactured in Germany. The components are shipped by ocean liners to the US and then loaded onto railroad cars and/or trucks for transportation to the assembly site where they are erected. Some types of wind turbines are relatively large structures which have some fragile components, and therefore they must be transported carefully to avoid damage.
Cargo containers, sometimes called intermodal containers, are commonly used for transportation of goods by a variety of methods. Such cargo containers are designed for shipment by ship, railroad and truck so that the cargo can be packed into the container at the beginning of the trip and then transported to the destination by more than one mode of transportation with out the need to load and unload the container when changing from one transportation mode to another. A conventional intermodal cargo container is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,561.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,561 the intermodal cargo containers each have eight corners, and mounted on each corner is a corner fitting which includes three standard sized and shaped slots, one at each face of the container. The corner fittings cooperate with twist locking devices which enable a user to connect and disconnect the corners of a container to corresponding corners of another container thus permitting two containers to be connected to one another in a stable manner during transit and then disconnected from each other as required.

System and process for transporting wind turbines


An electric chafer heater for a chafer is disclosed herein. The chafer heater is removably supported by a shelf disposed below a chafing dish. The chafer heater includes a base having a cylindrical bottom portion held within an aperture in the shelf sized for receiving a standard can heater. The chafer heater further includes a resilient member extending upward from the base, and an electric heating assembly coupled to the resilient member opposite the base. The heating assembly has a heating surface positionable above the base by the compression of the resilient member. The heating surface is biased against the chafing dish when the base is supported by the shelf to provide a thermal interface to transfer heat between the heating surface and the chafing dish. The heating assembly has variable (e.g., low and high) power settings selected by an input device (e.g., a switch). The heater includes a ballast at the bottom of the base, and a switch which cuts off the flow of electricity to the heating assembly in response to a sensed parameter (e.g., temperature; inclination). A visual indicator may provide an indication when the heating surface exceeds a predetermined temperature.

A chafer is a portable food or beverage warmer or heater which includes a chafing dish for holding foods or beverages and a shelf disposed below the chafing dish for supporting at least one heater for warming the foods or beverages. Chafers are used to provide food service in restaurants, dining rooms, hotels, institutions and the like, and are often used to provide buffet service. Different types of chafing dishes exist, such as food trays, water pans, coffee urns and soup servers. A full line of chafers is made, for example, by the Vollrath Company of Wisconsin.
Chafers typically require one or two chafer heaters, depending upon the capacity of the chafing dish. Chafer heaters are typically metal canisters (i.e., cans) filled with a flammable chemical fuel. A standard can heater of this type is the "STERNO" can heater, with a diameter of approximately 3.5 inches. Accordingly, chafers typically include a shelf configured to support one or two standard can heaters such that heat from the burning chemical fuel is directed onto the bottom of a chafing dish. The shelf often has an aperture (e.g., a hole or recess) sized for receiving a standard can heater. The shelf and chafing dish are separated by a leg assembly to provide clearance for the can heater and the flames. Many chafers designed to accept chafer heaters of the type described above have been manufactured and sold.
Flammable fuel chafer heaters, however, suffer from a number of drawbacks such as being relatively expensive and having poor temperature control. Flammable fuel chafer heaters also emit relatively high levels of smoke, pollution and odor, especially when used indoors, and are inconvenient to use because of the difficulty in determining when the fuel will burn out.
Several attempts have been made to provide chafer heaters without the above-listed drawbacks. For example, one portable food warming device includes a gas burner assembly and a control box for controlling the supply of gas from a fuel cartridge to the gas burner. This device, however, does not adequately solve the above-listed problems and, in addition, is relatively bulky and inconvenient.
For another example, some chafers are equipped with electric resistance heaters integral to the chafing dish. For example, The Vollrath Company manufactures electric chafers having integral electric heaters for use in areas where fuel cans are not allowed or desired. The electric heaters provide an efficient and reliable source of heat without the odor, smoke and pollution problems associated with flammable-fuel chafer heaters. However, electric heaters integrally attached to chafing dishes cannot be used by chafers designed to use can heaters.
The Electric Heating Unit made by Host Products of California can be used as a heat source by some chafers. Many chafers, however, cannot use the Host Products unit since its cylindrical body has a diameter different than that of a standard can heater and, thus, the unit will not fit within apertures sized to receive standard can heaters. Further, the heat from the Host Products unit is difficult to control since it has only a single power setting (i.e., on/off). In addition, the Host Products unit does not include ballast weight to lower the center of gravity and provide a stable heat source. Other electric heaters, similar to the Host Products unit such as the Yukima model CW-240, the Sanyo model RNW-300, and another heating unit believed to be made in Japan, are also not configured to be received within apertures sized for standard can heaters, have only a single power setting, and do not include a ballast.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an improved chafer heater which uses an electrical heating assembly. It would further be advantageous to provide an electric chafer heater having variable power settings such as low and high-power settings. It would also be advantageous to provide a universal electric chafer heater configured for use by a high percentage of chafers. It would also be advantageous to provide an electric chafer heater with a ballast for increased stability, and a switch assembly for cutting off the flow of electricity to the heating assembly under predetermined conditions. Further, it would be advantageous to provide an electric chafer heater which provides an indication when the heating surface reaches a predetermined temperature.


A spinal fixation system is provided that, in one form, includes a coupling member having a cam lock member that is fixed against translation as it is turned with turning of the cam lock member causing an elongate member such as a spinal rod to be pushed downward in the coupling member for fixing the rod therein. In another aspect, the rod is fixed against a low profile insert that seats in a recess formed in the head of an anchor member projecting from the coupling member. The insert has an upper surface against which the rod is fixed. In one form, the insert upper surface is flat to provide for line contact against the rod so as to minimize damage thereto. In another form, the cam lock member cams against a clamping member driving it downward in the coupling member for fixing the rod therein.

Spinal rods for immobilizing vertebral bones of the spinal column are typically anchored to the vertebrae via bone screws that extend through the pedicle into the vertebral bodies or by hooks that engage about the vertebrae. The rods are connected to the anchor members by generally yoke-shaped couplers that can be either integral with the anchor member head or separate components from the anchor member for use in polyaxial pedicle screw systems for spinal rod fixation. These prior systems employ some sort of compression member that is brought down into engagement either directly or indirectly with the spinal rod for securing it relative to the anchor member, and in polyaxial systems for securing the anchor member relative to the coupler.
For this purpose, the compression member and coupler typically are engaged via threading therebetween such that the compression member is threaded down into its locked position in or about the yoke-shaped coupler. Alternatively, wedge cam surfaces between radial flanges on the compression member and radial recesses in the coupler walls have also been employed to advance the compression member for pushing the spinal rod down into fixed position relative to the screw anchor member, see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0120272 to Yuan et al. The problem with the threaded or cam wedge systems of spinal rod locking is that to allow the compression member to advance relative to the coupler, the size or profile of the coupler as well as the compression member necessarily is increased. In other words, to have threads or cam surfaces formed on the coupler requires that the walls be provided with a sufficient axial extent for the advancement of the threaded or cammed compression member therealong.
In polyaxial spinal fixation systems, the use of inserts between the head of the anchor member and the spinal rod has been proposed, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,286 to Errico et al. The large hemispherical insert of Errico et al. is engaged on a concave recess formed in a screw head received in the coupler allowing the coupler to adjust relative to the polyaxial pedicle screw for receipt of the spinal rod in its desired position. However, the entire Errico et al. system has a undesirably large profile as it employs a threaded set screw for clamping on the spinal rod, and the hemispherical insert extends well beyond the top of the screw head into the coupler channel through which the spinal rod is received.


A fluid compressor or pump includes a driver such as a reciprocating piston or a voice-coil actuated diaphragm, which creates pressure waves in the fluid. The waves propagate through a tapered tube, in which the pressure increases as the waves move toward the small end. A valve at the small end of the tapered tube allows higher-pressure portions of the pulses of fluid to emerge. The pulses of pressurized fluid may be applied directly to a utilization apparatus, or they may be accumulated in a tank. The tapered tube may be more than one-tenth wavelength long, and preferably one-quarter wavelength long, to take advantage of the effects of reflections. A refrigeration unit including such a compressor dispenses with an accumulator, and provides heat-dissipating fins on the outer surface of the tapered tube.

This invention relates to compressors or pumps for fluids such as gases or liquids, and more particularly to fluid compressors in which an elongated, tapered tube is periodically pulsed with pressure waves from a low-pressure actuator, and in which the pressure associated with the wave is increased along the length of the tube. A refrigeration or air-conditioning unit uses such a compressor.
Air conditioning and refrigeration devices are widely used, and each uses a large amount of power. It is in the best interest of society and the consumer to provide high efficiency. Among the disadvantages of conventional motor-driven reciprocating-piston compressor units used for refrigeration and for air conditioning is the compressor noise. This noise arises in part because moving parts of the compressor, such as the piston, wrist pin, connecting arm, and crankshaft, are subjected to rapid pressure variations, and these variations can rise as high as the peak system pressure.

Tapered fluid compressor & refrigeration apparatus


In order to stabilize opening/closing operations of an apparatus shutter of a toner receiving apparatus utilizing rotation of a toner supply container, the toner supply container is provided, at a peripheral surface thereof, with a snap lock portion, which is engaged with the apparatus shutter to effect opening/closing operations of the apparatus shutter by rotation of the toner supply container. A release force F(N) required for releasing snap lock engagement of the snap lock portion with the apparatus shutter and an elastic repulsive force P(N) of the snap lock portion are set to satisfy the following relationship:P=kF where 0.25≦k≦1.

Conventionally, toner in the form of fine powder is used as a developer for image formation in the image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer or the like. It has been conventional that toner is supplied from a toner supply container set in the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus with consumption of the toner in the image forming apparatus.
With respect to such a toner supply container, it is proposed and implemented to keep the toner supply container set within the image forming apparatus, and to discharge the toner gradually.
As such a conventional-type toner supply container, it has been proposed that a toner supply container mounted an the image forming apparatus is rotated to open and close a shutter on the apparatus main assembly side (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. Hei 07-199623, Hei 10-48938, and Hei 10-55103). More specifically, an opening projection for opening the apparatus shutter and a closing projection for closing the apparatus shutter are provided at a peripheral surface of the toner supply container and the toner supply container is rotated to open and close the apparatus shutter in such a state that these projections are configured to interpose the apparatus shutter therebetween.
In order to simplify a constitution for opening and closing the apparatus shutter of the image forming apparatus compared with the above described constitution of the toner supply container, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. Sho 63-86652 has proposed a toner supply container, at a peripheral surface thereof, provided with projections for effecting both of opening and closing operations. More specifically, each of two projections provided at both longitudinal end portions of the toner supply container at a peripheral surface is engaged with an associated hole provided in an apparatus shutter of an apparatus main assembly. In such a constitution, the toner supply container is rotationally moved but the apparatus shutter is linearly moved vertically. However, it is difficult to design the constitution so that the projections of the toner supply container are engaged into the holes of the apparatus shutter with reliability. In the case where the projections are forcedly engaged into the holes, there is a possibility of breakage of a shutter mechanism. It is also similarly difficult to ensure such a constitution that the apparatus shutter is pushed up to be reliably closed and the projections of the toner supply container are released from the holes of the apparatus shutter with reliability.


Disclosed are methods and compositions useful in identifying an E3 ubiquitin ligase inhibitor and modulating cell growth, comprising contacting a cell with an effective amount of an inhibitor of an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and contacting the cell with an effective amount of a topoisomerase inhibitor, wherein the treatment with the E3 ubiquitin ligase inhibitor and topoisomerase inhibitor modulates cell growth in comparison to a cell treated with the topoisomerase inhibitor alone. The present invention further provides methods for identifying and making an E3 ubiquitin ligase inhibitor.

DNA topoisomerases are nuclear enzymes that regulate the conformational changes in DNA topology by catalyzing the breakage and rejoining of DNA strands during the normal cell cycle. They relieve torsional stress during replication and transcription.
Five human DNA topoisomerases have been identified and characterized: topoisomerase I (TOPI), topoisomerase IIα (TOPIIα), topoisomerase IIβ (TOPIIβ), topoisomerase IIIα (TOP3α), and topoisomerase IIIβ (TOP3β). TOPI reversibly cleaves a single strand in duplex DNA molecule, whereas TOPII breaks and rejoins both DNA strands. These reactions are believed to occur via transient reaction intermediates, known as "cleavable complexes," where the enzymes (or enzyme subunits) form covalent bonds involving a tyrosine and the cleaved phosphodiester bond of the DNA substrate backbone.
To date, TOPI, TOPIIα, and TOPIIβ have been demonstrated to be important molecular targets for antitumor drugs (Gurrieri, C., et al., J Natl Cancer Inst, 2004. 96(4):269-79). During the past few years topoisomerases have become important chemotherapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives are reported to act specifically at the level of the TOPI-DNA complex and stimulate DNA cleavage. Other agents, such as β-lapachone, act by blocking the formation of the topoisomerase I-DNA complex. Several novel compounds have been developed that can target either TOPI or TOPIIα/IIβ-isoforms, or that can target all three types of topoisomerases.
As described above, TOPI catalyzes changes in DNA topology via the formation of a reversible enzyme-DNA cleavage complex. Anti-tumor drugs targeting TOPI, such as camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives, lock the TOPI-DNA complex, resulting in cytotoxic DNA lesions that trigger cell cycle arrest and cell death.
CPT-mediated stabilization of TOPI-DNA complexes also induces TOPI proteasome-mediated degradation, which prevents topoisomerase inhibitor mediated cell death (Gambacorta, M., et al., Am J Pathol, 1996. 149(6): p. 2023-35 and Koken, M. H., et al., 10(7): p. 1315-24). In breast and colorectal cancer cell lines, there is a correlation between the extent of CPT-induced TOPI degradation and CPT resistance. For example, the breast cancer cell line ZR-75-1 is extremely sensitive to CPT and is completely defective in CPT-induced TOPI degradation, while the breast cancer cell line BT474 is insensitive to CPT and exhibits effective CPT-induced TOPI degradation (Zhang, P., et al., Int J Cancer, 2000. 85(5): p. 599-605). Supporting an essential role for ubiquitin-mediated degradation in the emergence of drug resistance, inhibiting proteasomes abolishes CPT-induced degradation of TOPI and selectively sensitized BT474 cells to CPT-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis (Zhang, P., et al., Int J Cancer, 2000. 85(5): p. 599-605). Human TOPII isozymes, TOPIIα and TOPIIβ, are targeted in cancer cells by anthracyclines, such as doxorubicin, Teniposide (VM26, Alexis Corp.) and epipodophylotoxins, such as etoposide (VP-16)(Sigma, Israel).
TOPII inhibitors act in two diverse mechanisms. The first mechanism is similar to the TOPI inhibitors (e.g. VP-16) (Gurrieri, C., et al., J Natl Cancer Inst, 2004. 96(4): p. 269-79), while the second mechanism (e.g. ICRF-193) inhibits the catalytic activity of TOPII without trapping the covalent ternary complex (Yu, J. H., et al., Cancer Res., 2004. 64(3): p. 928-33 and Son, S. H., et al., Cancer Gene Ther, 2004. 5: p. 5). Most inhibitors of topoisomerase II block the ligation step, leading to stabilized cleavable complexes between DNA and the enzyme. Most enzyme inhibitors function by docking into the enzyme active site or nearby allosteric site to block the reaction of the normal substrate. Inhibition of the topoisomerase II involves two parts: the aromatic part of the inhibitor molecule intercalates between DNA base pairs while another more polar portion interacts with topoisomerase.
Because many topoisomerase II inhibitors (e.g., doxorubicin, and etoposide) act as poisons rather than as classical competitive inhibitors, their action is dependent upon the level of the enzyme in cells. Rapidly proliferating cells, which contain relatively higher levels of topoisomerase II, appear to be more sensitive to these agents. On the other hand, differentiated cells have relatively low topoisomerase II levels and are much more resistant to the action of these inhibitors.
Similarly to TOPI, the TOPII-DNA-Drug complex becomes susceptible to proteasome-mediated degradation contributing to the emergence of drug resistance (Le, X. F., et al., Oncogene, 1998. 16(14): p. 1839-49 and He, D., et al., Chin Med J (Engl), 2003. 116(9): p. 1394-8). Proteasome inhibition can circumvent solid tumor resistance to TOPII-directed drugs (He, D., et al., Cancer Res., 1997. 57(10): p. 1868-72). Physiological cell conditions, such as but not limited to glucose deprivation and hypoxia, play a role in solid tumor drug resistance (Melnick, A. and J. D. Licht, Blood, 1999. 93(10): p. 3167-215). These tumor-specific conditions cause decreases in TOPIIα levels, rendering cells resistant to TOPII-targeted drugs such as etoposide and doxorubicin (Piazza, F. C. Gurrieri, & P. P. Pandolfi, Oncogene, 2001. 20(49): p. 7216-22).
There remains a continuing need for developing approaches and compositions that are useful for enhancing the therapeutic effects of topoisomerase inhibitors.

Methods for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of topoisomerase inhibitors


A Yb-doped cladding pumped fiber laser includes a reflective grating located at each distal end of the laser cavity. Each reflective grating can reflect light propagating inside a fiber core and at a desired wavelength range. A plurality of band-rejecting gratings are disposed between the reflective gratings, whereby the band-rejecting gratings can couple light at an undesired wavelength range and out of the fiber core. When the band-rejecting gratings are in an end-to-end relationship, they are separated by a distance of approximately L whereby L=[(.sigma..sub.e.sup.d +.sigma..sub.a.sup.d)ln 1/T]/[n(.sigma..sub.a.sup.d .sigma..sub.e.sup.u -.sigma..sub.e.sup.d .sigma..sub.a.sup.u)], n is a concentration of ions subject to excitation, .sigma..sub.a.sup.d is an absorption cross section at said desired wavelength range, .sigma..sub.e.sup.u is an emission cross section at said undesired wavelength range, .sigma..sub.e.sup.d is an emission cross section at said desired wavelength range, .sigma..sub.a.sup.u is an absorption cross section at said undesired wavelngth range, and T is a band-rejecting grating transmission factor. The number of band-rejecting gratings is given by N whereby N=d/L.gtoreq.dn (.sigma..sub.a.sup.d .sigma..sub.e.sup.u -.sigma..sub.e.sup.d .sigma..sub.a.sup.u)/[.sigma..sub.e.sup.d +.sigma..sub.a.sup.d) ln 1/T] and d is the length of the laser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cladding pumped fiber lasers and, more particularly, to an improved ytterbium (Yb)-doped cladding pumped fiber laser that operates at around 970 to 980 nm which is the absorption band of erbium doped fiber amplifiers. It also relates particularly to an improved method of wavelength discrimination to remove parasitic lasing that occurs at wavelengths longer than the desired wavelength in a cladding pumped fiber laser.
2. Description of Related Art
The continuing interest in fiber lasers over bulk lasers stems from the ability to achieve very long gain media that have negligible losses and a good overlap with pump beams. Fiber lasers also have lower pump thresholds. Another advantage of a fiber laser is that they operate at the lowest transverse mode that can be easily and efficiently injected into other fibers.
In fiber lasers, one goal has been to provide flexibility in operating wavelength, cavity length, and application. With more flexibility, there can be more useful applications of the laser. But in seeking maximum flexibility in those areas, a need to achieve wavelength discrimination arises. In the past, bulk elements such as prisms, gratings, and lenses inside the laser cavity have been used for wavelength discrimination. However, those elements not only use valuable space due to their bulk, they also create energy losses. To minimize losses, fiber gratings have been used as fiber mirrors to provide narrow linewidth operation at a given wavelength. Conventionally, reflective Bragg gratings have been photolithographically written into the fiber core to achieve lasing at a specific wavelength while suppressing another wavelength. But that technique provides less than adequate discrimination as the gain at unwanted wavelengths increases.
As a further example of an attempt to achieve wavelength discrimination, Vengsarkar et al., "Long-Period Fiber Gratings as Band-Rejection Filters, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 14, No. 1, pg 58 (1996) describe in-fiber, long-period fiber gratings that act as low-loss, band-rejection filters. However, Vengsarkar et al. teach that a single fiber grating be placed outside of a laser cavity after the light has been launched into a fiber. But doing so does not adequately address the problem of recurring, unwanted wavelength inside a laser cavity, which thereby results in lowering system efficiency at the desired wavelength or, ultimately, suppressing it completely.
Another desirable goal of fiber laser technology has been to achieve high power, multi-Watt output from the laser. Of course, with a greater range of laser output, there is a greater range of applications. But, in the past, it has been found that a cladding-pumped fiber laser geometry with multi-mode laser diodes as a pump source is the only practical means of achieving multi-Watt output. On the other hand, it is known that, in comparison to a non-cladding pumped geometry, a cladding pumped geometry increases the absorption length and so must the cavity length increase. Thus, if a cladding pumped geometry must be used, additional constraints are imposed in the construction of the laser.
Whether for cladding pumped or otherwise, it has been common practice in fiber laser construction to use rare earth elements as dopants. Any particular dopant will have a particular energy level transition scheme. When subjected to excitation, the dopant provides the lasing action which derives from its particular energy level transition scheme. Some of the common dopants are ytterbium (Yb), erbium (Er), praseodymium (Pr), and neodymium (Nd). The fiber materials have often been silica glass, germanosilicate or zirconium fluoride glass (ZBLAN).
The use of Yb for doping continues to gain interest over other dopants due to its high efficiency based on its simple energy structure. It has a ground manifold with four Stark levels and an excited manifold with three Stark levels, with the two manifolds being separated by about 10,000 cm.sup.-1. The relatively large separation of other energy levels from the two lowest manifolds eliminates excited state absorption (ESA) at either pump or laser wavelengths. The 10,000 cm.sup.-1 energy gap between the ground and excited manifolds also precludes nonradiative decay via multiphonon emission from the excited manifold, as well as precluding concentration quenching.
Yb-doped fibers exhibit broad absorption and emission bands--about 800 nm to 1064 nm for absorption and about 970 nm to 1200 nm for emission. There is a spectral range from about 970 to 1064 nm which comprises an overlapping area of absorption and emission. With a broad absorption band for Yb-doped fiber lasers, there can be a broad choice of pump wavelengths. Accordingly, Yb-doped fiber lasers provide an efficient and convenient means of wavelength conversion from different pump lasers, such as AlGaAs and InGaAs diodes, Ti:sapphire lasers, Nd:YAG lasers and Nd:YLF lasers.
Operation of Yb-doped fiber lasers has been achieved on a three-level scheme at around 970-980 nm and on a four-level scheme at around 1030-1200 nm. However, operation on a three-level scheme is considerably more challenging, since high pump intensities are required to bleach initial absorption. Also, ytterbium has often been used as a sensitizer ion to absorb pump power over a wide range and then transfer the excitation to an acceptor ion, such as erbium (Er), which acts as the laser-active ion.
The interest in Er-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) has been due to their operating wavelength of 1.55 .mu.m that falls within the low absorption window of telecommunications fibers. They are efficient, i.e., a moderate amount of pump is wasted. EDFAs have gain over a wide spectral range that supports many high-speed telecommunications channels and can achieve gain of up to about 35 to 40 dB. The noise output from EDFAs is relatively low. They have long upper carrier lifetimes that minimize cross-talk between different communication channels. They are also small and compact.
Because of the advantages presented by EDFAs, interest in them has been particularly high in the area of telecommunications and, more lately, in laser satellite communications. But EDFAs have the disadvantage of a low pump absorption cross-section which requires very intense single transverse mode pump sources operating at 980 or 1450 nm.
Given the fact that a Yb-doped laser can operate at 980 nm, it would be advantageous to pump EDFAs with Yb-doped fiber lasers. And because of the closeness of pump and lasing wavelengths, relatively high slope efficiencies (output power vs. input power) can be achieved in Yb-doped fiber lasers.
Notwithstanding the desirability of Yb-doped fiber lasers operating at about 970 to 980 nm, the inherent three-level scheme makes such pumping problematic. At about 1030 nm and longer wavelengths, a Yb-doped fiber laser operates on the quasi four-level scheme. That energy level scheme requires only moderate inversion (less than 10%) to overcome the laser threshold and achieve gain. In contrast, the three-level scheme requires more than 50% of all Yb ions to be excited to the upper manifold to overcome the laser threshold. Thus, since the quasi four-level scheme requires less inversion than the three-level scheme, threshold conditions are often met first for the four-level scheme as power is pumped into the laser. And, there is a resulting tendency for the Yb ions to operate at 1030 nm or longer wavelengths.
Accordingly, unwanted or parasitic lasing at more than about 1020 nm may preclude achieving the desired lasing wavelength at about 980 nm. It can be appreciated that even small laser cavity reflections at parasitic wavelengths greater than about 1020 nm can result in a lower threshold for the parasitic wavelength than that for the desired one. As a result, lasing is first achieved at the longer wavelength, thereby clamping or holding the inversion at the threshold level for the parasitic wavelength. With the inversion clamped at a parasitic threshold, the desired inversion for 980 nm cannot be achieved. Further, even if the pump power is increased, the result is that inversion only occurs faster and more photons are omitted at longer wavelengths at the quasi four-level scheme and to the exclusion of the three-level scheme. Such competition of shorter vs. longer wavelengths occurs elsewhere over the Yb gain spectrum. For example, a desired Yb operation at 1064 nm may be hindered by parasitic lasing at 1090 nm, or 1030 nm lasing may be suppressed by 1060 nm lasing, etc. This is generally the case since higher inversions are required for a shorter vs. a longer wavelength.
As can be seen, there is a need for improved cladding pumped Yb-doped fiber lasers that can provide multi-Watt output. Additionally, there is a need for a Yb-doped fiber laser that operates at about 970-980 nm, which is the absorption bandwidth for EDFAs. Further, a fiber laser is needed to overcome parasitic lasing that occurs at wavelengths longer than the operating wavelength.

Design for a Yb-doped CP fiber laser for operating near EDFA absorption band


Canine and feline 5T4 polypeptide sequences and nucleotide sequences encoding them are provided. A vector system comprising a nucleic acid encoding 5T4 and a 5T4-specific agent are also provided.

Tumors are relatively common in companion animals (see Mailto and Lagadic (1990) Recueil de Medacine. Veterinaire Special Cancerologie p937-947 for a descriptive epidemiology of canine and feline tumors).
Current methods for treating tumors in cats and dogs include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These methods are associated with a number of disadvantages. For example, they all involve a high level of trauma for the patient and they are not always effective in eliminating all the cancerous cells.
An alternative therapeutic approach is immunotherapy which involves the specific or non-specific stimulation of immune reactions of the patient in order to promote the immunological rejection of cancerous cells. There are several methods of immunotherapy:
Non-specific immunotherapy—non-specific stimulation of the immune system (e.g. by using an agent which acts like an adjuvant).
Specific Passive immunotherapy (serotherapy)—transferring anti-tumor antibodies to the patient.
Adoptive immunotherapy—transferring immunocompetent allogenic cells from a healthy individual (eg bone marrow cells)
Specific active immunotherapy—stimulating the immune defenses of the cancer patient by providing the antigens associated with the tumor (e.g. using irradiated cancer cells)
Immunotherapy may be a method of complementary treatment used in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. A study of immunotherapeutic chemical trials in cats and dogs is given in Hayes (1990) Recueil de Medicine Veterinaire 16(11).
An immunotherapeutic approach may be directed against an antigen which is peculiar to the tumor. One strategy for canine and feline cancer immunotherapy would be to identify a tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), expressed on cat or dog tumors, useful for eliciting an anti-tumor immunotherapeutic response.


A method and apparatus for presbyopia correction are disclosed. The disclosed preferred embodiments of the system consists of a beam spot controller, a beam delivery device, a slit lamp, a visible aiming beam and a selected solid state laser having a wavelength of (0.9-1.4) microns. Presbyopia is treated by the thermal contraction of the human zonnulas with a temperature increase of about (15-50) degree-C generated by the selected lasers. The near infrared laser is focused and delivered by a gonio lens to the target zonnulas area and viewed by a surgeon using a slip lamp. The selected laser having an optimal absorption characteristics is tightly focused such that only the target zonnulas is heated, while the cornea, the lens body and the adjacent areas are not damaged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for effecting controlled thermal contraction or shrinkage of zonnular tissue fibers to provide a non-invasive reversal of presbyopia , by means of a selective laser which is focused and delivered by a special device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Presbyopia has been a challenging disease for medicine. Eye glasses and contact lens are the most common method of compensating for presbyopia. Multifocal intraocular lens also have been employed but restricted to cataract patients. These procedures merely compensate for presbyopia, instead of restoring accommodation. Therefore, the suitable procedures for presbyopia patients to be cured are limited to those methods which involve reversal of presbyopia by acting upon the area of lens, zonnulas, ciliary body, and sclera. Reshaping the cornea with an excimer laser to form bifocal shape produces glare, halos and unacceptable monocular diplopia.
Procedures for presbyopic correction using insertion of rigid bands were proposed by R. A. Schachar in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,529,076, 5,489,299 and 5,722,952. In the prior arts of Schachar a multitude of claims were made, being the great majority restricted to abstractions. Specially in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,165 it claims to cover all lasers from the electromagnetic spectrum for contracting the zonnulas and reversing presbyopia. Contracting the zonnulas to reverse presbyopia is a tangible medical method. However the zonnulas are deprived of pigment and therefore can not be heated by many of the lasers cited by Schachar""s prior arts.
It is further believed that Schachar had incorrectly assumed that all lasers will act on pigment-free tissues such as the zonnulas. Many of the lasers cited by the prior arts of Schachar are photoablative and simply would not cause thermal effects on the zonnulas. Furthermore, in these prior arts, there was no mention of any specific laser parameters which is capable of causing the thermal shrinkage of the zonnulas and only abstract idea was suggested which covered all existing lasers. On the other hand, one of the present inventors (Martins), filed a U.S. patent application called xe2x80x9cLaserthermozonnuloplastyxe2x80x9d on Jan. 23, 1997, U.S. appl. Ser. No. 08/792,848, describing the idea of laser presbyopia reversal. This patent was abandoned later by the present author in virtue of the fact that, just as Schachar""s, it was only an abstraction and lack of specific laser parameters and the focusing means to restrict the laser thermal energy to the target tissue (zonnulas). Without specifying the laser parameters and its delivery means, the abstraction suggested by the prior arts will not provide a clinically useful system. Furthermore, non of the idea suggested by the prior arts has been tested by a device.
One of the present inventors (Lin) also proposed the use of lasers for presbyopic corrections by removal of a portion of the scleral tissue over the ciliary body, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/189,609 and 09/303,673. These methods, however, are invasive and laser ablation depth is critical for the clinical outcome and safety.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a laser system which offers a non-invasive method and apparatus to correct presbyopia. Our present invention came from the expertise of one of the inventors in ophthalmology (Martins) and the knowledge of the other in laser physics (Lin). It is specific in the mode and applicable principles. It describes the manner and process of making and using a laser and related accessories in order to achieve zonnular contraction, concisely and exactly. The proposed method shall apply to out-patients and involves no implanting, no tissue cutting or ablating, no suturing, no bleeding and can be performed easily and fast.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide the details of a mean to deliver the laser to the targeted-area without significant damage to the other surrounding tissues. Specific laser spot size, beam focusing and tissue absorption are critical in the proposed method for safety and clinical outcomes. The desire is to heat selected areas of rich in collagen tissue to a shrinkage level, but without damage or destruction of either the target or surrounding tissues. In other words, the selective laser is used to irradiate the zonnulas tissue with energy such that the temperature of the collagen tissue is raised sufficiently to cause the tissue to shrink but not so high as to cause any substantial damage. The thermal shrinkage of the selected zonnulas area of the eye will cause the zonnulas to change its shape, decreasing its length, and then reverse presbyopia.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a laser system which is portable, compact and easy to be integrated with a slip lamp.
Other than these above mentioned, no other author of our knowledge had ever proposed or designed a device for contracting the zonnulas for correcting presbyopia or presented anything beyond mere abstractions. To our knowledge we are the first ones to propose a practical medical device for successfully contract the human zonnulas.
The system proposed in the present invention consists of an infrared laser which is focused to the human zonnulas, where it will provoke a thermal contraction. It is attached to a slit lamp and shot through an ophthalmic gonio lens, aimed at the equatorial zonnulas and aided by a visible aiming laser that assists in focusing in the precise location. The laser has the characteristic of partial water absorption, not needing a chromophore (pigment) in order to produce a localized increase in temperature at the laser focual point. The increase in temperature in the beam pathway, due to partial water absorption, is far less than that obtained at the focal point due to the cone shape of the beam, which favors dissipation. In the present invention, the desire is to heat selected areas of rich in collagen tissue to shrinkage levels, but without damage or destruction of either the target or surrounding tissues. The thermal shrinkage of the selected zonnulas area of the eye will cause the zonnulas to change its shape, decreasing its lengths and reverse presbyopia. For the first time in medicine this process is being used and will be useful not only for correction of presbyopia but also any ophthalmic disease that requires focal heat in tissues with high water and protein content.
To achieve the proposed selected thermal shrinkage of the zonnulas and increase the accommodation of presbyopia patient, the system design must meet the following requirements: (1) the absorption of the laser beam in its propagation path inside the eye is optimal, not too high to cause damage other than the selected area to be shrinkaged, but high enough to cause the thermal effect on the selected area; (2) the laser beam shall be focused and enter the eye in a cone shape having the focal point near the selected target; and (3) the thermal shrinkage of the selected area shall cause the lens to change its shape such that the patient""s eye can accommodate to see both far and near. The zonnulas are considered to be relatively inert in its steady state, and while thermally induced contraction occurs by the process of this invention, temperatures are bellow the thermal traumatic or inflammatory thresholds. In absence of trauma, the dimensional collagen reconfiguration is believed to exhibit long-term stability .

Apparatus and methods for reversal of presbyopia using near infrared selective laser on zonnulas


A unit for compacting waste prior to disposal provides a waste compaction unit for fitting into a housing comprising a lid and an interior for collecting waste. The compaction unit comprises a plunger comprising bellows housed in the lid; a pneumatic locking mechanism housed in the lid; and a pump connected to the plunger via the locking mechanism wherein the pump is arranged in operation to activate the locking mechanism prior to inflating the bellows to extend the plunger axially towards the interior of the housing such that any waste collected therein is compacted.

Disposal of domestic waste is becoming more difficult in today's society, as more and more waste is produced, and the capacity of existing landfill sites is rapidly exhausted. Present methods of disposal of domestic waste are extremely inefficient due to the fact that the waste generally takes up so much volume in comparison to its weight. In general domestic waste is transported by waste disposal vehicles which carry between 10% and 20% of their potential capacity by weight, the total capacity being limited by the volume of the waste material. Some waste compaction is carried out by these waste disposal vehicles. In general the waste is subjected to compression during the journey, although due to the fact that most materials exhibit 'shape memory', once the waste material is emptied from the vehicle some expansion takes place and the waste material returns towards its original shape and therefore volume. Therefore landfill sites are filled up more quickly by this large volume waste than is strictly necessary.


A frequency multiplying circuit includes a plurality of frequency multipliers in a series array. The multiplying ratio of the initial stage frequency multiplier is the greatest compared with the remaining frequency multiplier or multipliers. Further, at least one of the frequency multipliers uses a voltage controlled delay circuit.

The present invention relates to a frequency multiplying circuit having a greater multiplying ratio and, in particular, to a circuit having a multiplying ratio of a few thousands of times as great and ensuring less jitter and high stability.
FIG. 11 shows a conventional frequency multiplying circuit using a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. An oscillation signal Fout output from a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 3 is supplied to an input terminal of a frequency divider (DIV) 4. The frequency divider 4 generates a divided signal Fout/N obtained by frequency-dividing the oscillation signal Fout by N. The divided signal Fout/N is supplied to a first input terminal of a phase comparator (PHC) 1. A reference signal Fref is supplied to a second input terminal of a phase comparator 1. The phase comparator 1 produces an error signal Verr corresponding to a phase difference between the divided signal Fout/N and the reference signal Fref. The error signal Verr is supplied to an input terminal of a lowpass filter (LPF) 2. The lowpass filter 2 integrates the error signal Verr and supplies a corresponding DC level output signal Vcont to a control voltage input terminal of the VCO 3.
The operation of the resultant circuit will now be explained below.
If the frequency of the signal Fout/N is lower than that of the reference signal Fref, the phase comparator 1 outputs a low level signal only during a time period in which the phase of the signal Fout/N is delayed behind the reference signal Fref. In the case where a lowpass filter 2 is comprised of an active filter to which negative feedback is applied, the output level of the lowpass filter 2 goes higher than its previous level and the VCO 3 oscillates with a frequency higher than its previous frequency. If the frequency of a divided signal Fout/N of a resultant oscillation signal Fout is lower than that of the reference signal Fref, then the VCO 3 oscillates with a still higher frequency through the same process. If, on the other hand, the frequency of the signal Fout/N goes higher than that of the reference signal Fref, the phase comparator 1 outputs a high level signal only during a time period equal to a phase difference between the divided signal Fout/N and the signal Fref. The corresponding high level pulse is integrated by the lowpass filter 2 and the output level of the lowpass filter 2 goes lower than its previous level. As a result, the VCO 3 oscillates with a frequency lower than its previous oscillation frequency. In this way, comparison is made any plurality of times between the signal Fout/N and the reference signal Fref and a loop operates ceaselessly without producing any phase difference. When the phase difference between the signal Fout/N and the reference signal Fref becomes zero, then the output of the phase comparator 1 becomes a high impedance state and the output of the lowpass filter 2 maintains the same level as its previous level. As a result, the VCO 3 oscillates with the same frequency as its previous oscillation frequency. If such a stable state is reached, then the output frequency Fout of the PLL circuit is given by: EQU Fout=Fref.times.N
where Fref denotes the reference frequency and N the dividing number of the frequency divider 4.
Further, if use is made of a frequency divider 4 having a programmable counter, the dividing number N becomes variable and it is possible to obtain any output frequency Fout with the frequency Fref as a unit. However, the output of the phase comparator 1 is normally produced in synchronism with the rise or fall of the reference frequency Fref. In consequence, when the multiplying ratio between the output frequency Fout and the reference frequency Fref becomes greater, a time interval from the outputting of the error signal from the phase comparator to that of the next error signal becomes longer from the standpoint of the output frequency Fout. As a result, the PLL circuit is not adequately controlled and the stability of the output frequency Fout is lowered. The extent of stability is evaluated by the phase error showing a phase shift between the reference signal Fref and the output signal Fout as well as the jitter representing a disturbance between the clocks of the output signal Fout. If, normally, the output amplitude of the lowpass filter 2 becomes greater in the PLL circuit, the phase error becomes smaller but the jitter becomes prominent. On the other hand, if the output amplitude of the lowpass filter becomes smaller, the phase error becomes greater but the jitter becomes smaller.
If the frequency of the reference signal Fref is constant, the greatest value of the multiplying ratio N of the PLL circuit is determined by the greatest oscillable frequency Fout of the VCO 3. In order to increase the multiplying ratio N, it is necessary to increase the greatest value of the VCO's output frequency Fout. This means increasing a conversion efficiency Kf (=Fout/Vcont) of the VCO 3. If, however, the conversion efficiency Kf becomes greater, the output frequency Fout of the VCO 3 varies greater when the control voltage Vcont varies due to, for example, noise. It has, therefore, been difficult to accurately control the VCO 3.
The ordinary VCO, even performing frequency control, never controls the duty ratio of the clock waveform of the output signal Fout. In the case where it is necessary to ensure 50% as the duty ratio of the clock waveform, a circuit as shown in FIG. 12 is used. Here, the same reference numerals are employed to designate parts or elements corresponding to those shown above and any further explanation is, therefore, omitted. In FIG. 12, a VCO 3 oscillates with double the frequency required. The output terminal of the VCO 3 is connected to the input terminal of a divide-by-2 frequency divider 8 and the output terminal of the frequency divider 8 is connected to the input terminal of a frequency divider 4. The output signal of the frequency divider 8 becomes a clock signal whose duty ratio is 50%. Since, in this case, the conversion efficiency Kf of the VCO 3 becomes still greater, it becomes difficult to control the VCO 3.
Further, if the multiplying ratio N of the PLL circuit becomes greater, a reference frequency Fref of the PLL circuit, being compared with an output frequency Fout of the VCO 3, becomes a considerably low one. When the reference frequency Fref becomes a lower one, the control period of a phase comparator 1 for controlling the VCO 3 becomes longer, thus making it difficult to accurately control the VCO 3.
In the case where the PLL circuit is built on an LSI chip, it is necessary to provide a margin two to three times the lock range required, taking that process variation into consideration. It is, therefore, difficult, in practice, to increase the stability of the PLL circuit by lowering the conversion coefficient of the VCO.
Further, the multiplier suffers a greater influence from noise from other circuits on the chip, such as a digital circuit system in particular to the PLL circuit. It is thus difficult to operate the PLL circuit stably.
If, in this way, the multiplying ratio N of the PLL circuit becomes greater, the stability of the oscillation frequency is lowered, resulting in a lowering in the phase error characteristic as well as in a jitter characteristic.

Frequency multiplying circuit having a greater multiplying ratio


A lithium air battery including: a negative electrode including lithium; a positive electrode using oxygen as a positive active material; and an organic electrolyte, wherein the organic electrolyte includes a metal-ligand complex.

1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to lithium air batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lithium air battery generally includes a negative electrode capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions, a positive electrode that oxidizes and reduces oxygen present in the air, and an electrolyte disposed between the negative and positive electrodes.
Since use of a lithium positive electrode makes it unnecessary to store air within a positive active material, the lithium air battery may have high capacity. Lithium air batteries have a high theoretical energy density per unit weight of 3500 Wh/kg or greater, which are about ten times higher than that of lithium ion batteries. However, because of polarization by a high overvoltage during charging and discharging, existing lithium air batteries have considerably low energy efficiency compared to lithium ion batteries.
To lower the charge-discharge overvoltage, various kinds of catalysts have been used; however, their effect has not been sufficient. Therefore, there is a demand for methods to further reduce the charge-discharge overvoltage for obtaining higher charge-discharge energy efficiency.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION MIE UNIVERSITY


A method and system are for sorting shredder residues of metal-containing wastes, in particular of body shells Shredder residues are separated into a shredder light fraction and a non-ferromagnetic fraction (shredder heavy fraction). During the sorting of the shredder light fraction and the shredder heavy fraction in preliminary processes and a main process, a crude-sand fraction is produced by separating out at least a ferromagnetic fraction, a fraction containing nonferrous metals, a fiber fraction, and a granulate fraction. In a refining process, the crude-sand fraction is separated into a residual fraction rich in organics, a dust fraction containing heavy metals, a sand fraction depleted in organics and metals, and a metallic fraction, using the sequential process steps of density separation and metal separation.

The shredding of scrapped vehicles for breaking down materials has been known for a long time. In carrying out the shredding process, process controls have been established in which the material mixture produced is divided up into different fractions. Thus, a so-called shredder light fraction (SLF) is initially separated from the material mixture produced, using a suitable suction device. The remaining fraction is subsequently separated into a ferromagnetic fraction (shredder scrap (SS)) and a non-ferromagnetic fraction (shredder heavy fraction (SHF)), using a permanent-magnet separator. The fraction of the metallurgically fully usable shredder scrap-metal fraction is often approximately 50 to 75 wt. %. Existing designs generally provide for the shredder light fraction being disposed of as waste or burned in waste incinerators. It is characterized by both a large fraction of organics and a large fraction of fine-grained material. The heavy fraction, which is not able to fly and is not ferromagnetic, i.e., the shredder heavy fraction, is distinguished by a large percentage of nonferrous (NF) metals. Special sorting systems have been developed for recovering the various NF metals, where, however, the remaining residue of organic and inorganic, non-metallic components is generally disposed of as waste. In the following, shredder residues should be understood as all material streams from the shredding process, which cannot be directly removed at the shredder as products that are metallurgically directly utilizable (shredder scrap).
Described in German Published Patent Application No. 44 37 852 is a method, in which the shredder light fraction is sorted, in particular to remove "unwanted components", especially copper and glass. In this context, the shredder residues are homogenized and mixed in a compulsory mixer with a fine-grained to superfine-grained material containing a magnetizable component, and the resulting mixture is conveyed through a magnetic separator. In this context, it has been shown that the metallic components of the shredder light fraction, which impede metallurgical use, may be separated out in this manner.
European Published Patent Application No. 0 863 114 provides for the production of a permanently plastic, backfilling material for mines, by adding an adhesive component, a filler, and a salt solution to the shredder light fraction. This is intended to provide a pressure-resistant, permanently plastic body.
It is described in German Published Patent Application No. 197 42 214 that the shredder light fraction is shredded further and subjected to a thermal treatment. In this context, metallic components should be sorted out during or after shredding, and the remaining mixture of materials should be melted in a smelting reactor and converted to a "harmless" solid by cooling it.
In addition, European Published Patent Application No. 0 922 749 describes a method for processing the shredder light fraction, where the shredder light fraction is calcined in a fluidized-bed gasifier amid the introduction of or in the presence of calcium carbonate.
In a further, thermal process, German Published Patent Application No. 197 31 874 provides for the shredder light fraction being compressed again in a further step, and then shredded, homogenized, and reduced in water content, in order to be thermally utilized in a subsequent step.
European Published Patent Application No. 0 884 107 provides for the shredder light fraction being converted into a metal-free fraction having a shredding or grinding size of <20 mm, by shredding, classifying, and sorting it. The sorting of the shredder light fraction should result in a thermally utilizable fraction.
In addition to the utilization methods shown, it is conventional that the shredder light fraction can be subjected to a pretreatment, in which residual ferromagnetic fractions of iron, stainless steel, and aluminum are separated. Similar methods have also been used for sorting the shredder heavy fraction. Furthermore, it is conventional that polyolefins can be separated from this fraction.
What the shown methods have in common is, that they are each only designed for processing the shredder light fraction or the shredder heavy fraction. Not provided is common processing with the object of separating the shredder residues as much as possible into at least partially utilizable end products, in particular into a sand fraction which is utilizable as a raw material or can be landfilled in accordance with the current requirements from the German Technical Instructions on Waste from Human Settlements taking effect in a new form as of the year 2005. Against the background of increasing legal requirements (EU End of Life Vehicles Directive, EU Directive on Incineration of Waste, and others), as well as increasing landfill costs and requirements for the material to be landfilled (Technical Instructions on Waste from Human Settlements), an increased utilization rate and an optional pretreatment prior to storage in a landfill is, however, desirable. Thus, the German regulation on end of life vehicles of Apr. 1, 1998 provides for over 95 wt. % of a scrapped car having to be utilized as of the year 2015. In addition, increased requirements from the EU Scrapped Car Guideline passed in September, 2000 specify that the fraction of material streams utilizable as materials and raw materials for mechanical and feedstock recycling should be increased to at least 85 wt. %. Therefore, utilization excludes the mere use as energy, e.g., in waste-incineration plants, in which a disposable, inert fraction would be produced as a secondary effect. The emphasis of the Technical Instructions on Waste from Human Settlements to be observed as of the year 2005 is the requirement for decreasing the organic fraction and the elution potential of heavy metals of the fractions to be landfilled. To be able to use the produced sand fraction as a raw material, e.g., as a loading material or an aggregate in cement plants or sintering plants of blast-furnace factories, or in an aggregate for the manufacture of backing brick in brickkilns, it may be ensured, in particular, that disruptive heavy metals and organic components were removed to the greatest possible extent.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and the system necessary for it, by which shredder residues may be processed, and by which, in addition to further end products, a high-quality sand fraction usable as a raw material or at least disposable in a landfill for human-settlement waste in accordance with future standards, may be produced in a mechanical sorting process.

Unit and method for processing of shredder residues and uses of a sand fraction produced thus


An additive composition may comprise at least one phosphorus- and boron-containing dispersant, at least one boron-containing dispersant, and at least one detergent. Such composition may be useful in power transmissions to provide improved anti-shudder performance and/or improved friction durability.

Compositions according to the present disclosure may be useful in a variety of lubricating and power transmitting applications, for example, in automatic transmissions, such as, continuously variable transmitting applications and/or automated manual transmissions, with or without start-up devices, such as torque converters.
There has been a steady growth in the number of automobile manufacturers using or planning to use continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) in place of conventional automatic transmissions. CVTs have been shown to impart improved fuel efficiency and driving performance as well as reduced emissions compared to conventional automatic transmissions.
CVTs may contain a steel push-belt and pulley assembly, a chain and pulley assembly, or a disk assembly (in the case of toroidal CVTs), in combination with a torque converter or some other form of a start-up device. Torque is transmitted through metal-metal contact between the pulley and the belt or chain or disk. Efficient transmission of torque requires relatively high steel-on-steel friction with minimal wear between the belt or chain and the pulley. Low friction can lead to belt slippage or catastrophic wear. Steel-on-steel friction is therefore a critical requirement for transmission of torque. The additive technology employed to raise steel-on-steel friction may lead to higher steel-on-paper friction. In CVT assemblies with torque converters as the start-up device, the presence of the torque converter clutch requires that CVT fluids have an appropriate level of steel-on-paper friction in order to avoid problems that plague transmission fluids with high friction. An example of such a problem is shudder. CVT starting clutches must provide the same functions as those in conventional automatic transmissions in addition to needing to meet the requirements for the CVT. Thus, one of the principal challenges to a formulator developing CVT fluids is balancing steel-on-steel friction requirements with those for steel-on-paper friction.

Methods for providing steel-on-steel friction and/or steel-on-paper friction with lubricant compositions for power transmitting fluids


A power management method for electro-chemical batteries in low capacity state is provided, including: obtaining battery information based on device hardware, to know in advance the maximum allowable current and maximum allowable power when the battery power is low; by detecting the changes in the voltage versus current, updating BCC curve; using BCC curve as power budget to control the ON/OFF of device function thread; and determining whether the minimum battery capacity and the control restriction are reached, and when the minimum battery capacity and the control restriction are reached, turn off the battery through normal shutdown process; otherwise, return to the step of obtaining battery information.

Even with all the advances of nowadays portable Information and Communications Technology (ICT) devices, such as, smart phone, tablet computer, system crash due to sudden power cut-off when the battery capacity is low is not uncommon. The main reason for such power cut-off can be explained as follows: the "polarization loss" and associated "impedance" of a Li-ion battery will become very high when the State of Charge (SoC) runs low. The same power fluctuations/surges resulted from running different programs and functions in an ICT device will cause bigger voltage fluctuations at low battery SoC stage. Battery low voltage protection will be activated to cut off the power when a voltage fluctuation reaches the lower voltage threshold. Such low SoC voltage fluctuation will be even bigger for an aged battery due to its impedance increase, and also results in the reduction of precaution lead time for an ICT system to make properly data save and system turn-off. Most of existing power management methods are based on electric/electronics considerations, while battery characteristic curve (BCC) is based on the electrochemical characteristics of a battery shown in FIG. 1. BCC transforms the electrochemical characteristics to a popular electronics control domain (Potential-Capacity domain) which enables a quantitative and simple control algorithm. BCC is particularly useful in the low SoC state when the concentration polarization loss is high.
A known problem of the contemporary batteries for electronic devices in low capacity state is that a power surge may occur during the operation to cause the system to shutdown before using up the remaining power in the batteries in low capacity state. The current power management technique it to restrict the user from using functions that consumes a large amount of power in order to prolong the use time of the electronic device when the battery is low. However, the imposed restriction in the power manage technique may cause great inconvenience because the user often intends to use functions that consume more power, such as, making phone calls, sending e-mail with attachments, and so on. At the point of peak power consumption, a battery in low capacity state may reaches the threshold defined for the minimum safe voltage, which will force the battery protection circuit to cut off the battery circuit and shutdown the system without warning when no other effective management is adopted. The observation shows that the peak power consumption often occurs when a function is started for execution, and therefore, the starting of execution of an important function often leads to a premature power shutdown when the peak power consumption exceeds the safety threshold. As a result, the remaining battery capacity is not appropriately utilized even when the remaining power may be sufficient to keep the system operating some important functions for a little longer.

Power management method for electro-chemical batteries in low capacity state

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A motor-driven compressor includes a compression unit, an electric motor, a housing that includes an accommodating chamber and a wiring connection port, a motor driving circuit that includes a substrate arranged in the accommodating chamber, wiring electrically connected to the substrate and extending out of the housing through the wiring connection port, and a resin sealing member fitted to the wiring connection port. The wiring includes a primary conductor, which has a first end connected to the substrate and a second end, and a secondary conductor, which is connected to the second end of the primary conductor and arranged outside the housing. The secondary conductor includes a wire portion and a sheath that is made of an insulating material and covers the wire portion. The sealing member covers the sheath and a junction between the primary conductor and the secondary conductor.

The present invention relates to a motor-driven compressor that includes a compression unit and an electric motor, which are accommodated in a housing, and a substrate of a motor driving circuit, which is accommodated in an accommodating chamber defined in the housing.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-144788 describes an example of a motor-driven compressor that is installed in a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 7, a motor-driven compressor 80 includes a housing 81 accommodating a compression unit and an electric motor 82. The housing 81 includes one axial end connected to an inverter housing 84.
The housing 81 and the inverter housing 84 define an accommodating chamber that accommodates a motor driving circuit 85. The inverter housing 84 includes a tubular connector coupler 86. The inverter housing 84 also includes an insertion opening 87 that communicates the connector coupler 86 and the accommodating chamber 83.
An inner connector 89, which includes a bus bar 88, is inserted in the insertion opening 87. The inner connector 89 also includes an insulator 90, which covers the U-shaped bus bar 88, and has a plate form. The bus bar 88 includes a first end 88a, which is inserted in the connector coupler 86, and a second end 88b, which is inserted in the accommodating chamber 83. The second end 88b of the bus bar 88 is connected to a substrate 85a of the motor driving circuit 85. A grommet 91 is arranged in the insertion opening 87 surrounding the inner connector 89. The insertion opening 87 is closed by a lid 92 attached to the inverter housing 84. The connector coupler 86 is connected with a connector 94, which extends from the vehicle. The connector 94 is connected to the first end 88a of the bus bar 88.
However, in the motor-driven compressor 80, the connector coupler 86 projects from the outer surface of the inverter housing 84. The projecting connector coupler 86 enlarges the motor-driven compressor 80. In addition, the connector coupler 86 is formed integrally with the inverter housing 84, and the connector coupler 86 is fixed. Thus, the connector coupler 86 may hinder installation of the motor-driven compressor 80 in a vehicle. Further, connection of the connector 94 to the connector coupler 86 may be difficult.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor-driven compressor that is free from a connector coupler formed integrally with a housing to avoid disadvantages resulting from such a connector coupler.
To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is a motor-driven compressor including a compression unit that performs a compression operation, an electric motor that drives the compression unit, a housing that accommodates the compression unit and the electric motor and includes an accommodating chamber and a wiring connection port, which communicates the accommodating chamber and the exterior of the housing, a motor driving circuit that controls driving of the electric motor and includes a substrate, which is arranged in the accommodating chamber, wiring electrically connected to the substrate and extending out of the housing through the wiring connection port, and a resin sealing member fitted to the wiring connection port. The wiring includes a primary conductor, which has a first end connected to the substrate and a second end, and a secondary conductor, which is connected to the second end of the primary conductor and arranged outside the housing. The secondary conductor includes a wire portion and a sheath that is made of an insulating material and covers the wire portion. The sealing member covers the sheath and a junction between the primary conductor and the secondary conductor.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.


A composite dunnage bag being an elastic inner bag enclosed in a paper outer bag for insertion between stacks of cargo in transit. The mattress shape of the outer bag (when the dunnage bag is inflated) enables the bag to apply a footprint against the cargo walls that is greater than bags of the same length and height of the prior art this is an especially advantageous feeature when the spacing between stacks of cargo is greater than 12 inches.

Products are commonly shipped as stacks of cargo on pallets placed in the cargo space of an enclosure such as a truck trailer or container. After placing the cargo in the cargo space, it is generally necessary to support the cargo in the cargo space to prevent damage due to shifting.
Common practice is to position two rows of cargo on pallets, each row extending from the front to the rear of the container. The space between the rows should contain braces to prevent shifting as described above.
"Dunnage bags", large inflatable bags made of paper or other synthetic material with an air tight plastic liner, have been used to prevent the shifting of cargo during transportation. These bags are placed in the space between the cargo and the walls of the container or between neighboring rows of pallets holding cargo and then inflated. The bags are typically inflated to a pressure of not more than 1½ to 2 pounds per square inch (psi). When the cargo arrives at its destination and prior to unloading, the bags are punctured and discarded.
The problem of damage to cargo during transport has such a commonality and severity that the American Association of Rail Roads has adopted standardized requirements for an acceptable protection system.
These requirements for dunnage bags include an "80% footprint" where a footprint is the area of contact of the interface between the wall of the cargo and the bag. This specification satisfies the two requirements that the interface of the bag exert sufficient force over a broad area of the bag to support the product without crushing the cargo such as when the cargo might be bags of fruit.
The A.A.R.R. has also developed a uniform testing procedure that any shipping system must pass in order that the participating company receive the required approval from that Association to apply that system as a basis for its shipping procedure.
The test, referred to herein as the AARR test, incorporated by reference into this specification, is described as follows:    1. A first railcar, loaded with 45,000 pounds, is positioned on a railroad track.    2. Additional railcars having a total weight of 275,000 pounds are accelerated to a speed of 3 miles per hour and caused to slam into the first car.    3. This procedure is repeated a total of 3 times at speeds of 6 miles per hour each time.    4. The spacers are examined to determine any damage that has occurred to the spacers such as rupture of dunnage bags, etc. The amount of movement is measured to determine the effetiveness of the air bags.
Various embodiments of dunnage bags have been disclosed for addressing requirements of dunnage bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,995 to Stafford discloses an inflatable dunnage bag system positioned between cargo and the end bulkheads of railroad cars. This disclosure does not address the problem of filling space between rows of pallets parallel to the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,788 discloses a dunnage bag made of layers of paper with flaps extending from the ends of the ply joined to the other wall. This invention suitable only where large overall thickness is required for extra protection, and the "pinched end of the bag results in diminished contact (footprint) can be tolerated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,887 to Reeves discloses a dunnage bag made of triangular sheets of kraft paper lined with polyethylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,519 to Liebel discloses an airbag for bracing made of a stiff paperboard having vertical stiffness when uninflated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,663 to Heinrick discloses joinable inflatable bladders for packaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,188 to Vanes discloses a dunnage bag constructed of welded rectangular sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,396 to Nahmen discloses a cargo bed liner with side panels pivotally attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,525 to Sansone et al discloses a dual air bladder air bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,163 to Hoover et al discloses a method for making inflated dunnage bags "on site" including unrolling a folded sheet and sealing step.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,868,534 and 5,788,438 to Boshorn et al discloses a sealed bag inserted into a paper tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,275 to Howlett discloses an inflatable bag comprising an inflatable inner bladder surrounded by a pair of paper plies.
None of the systems dunnage bags (inflated to 3 psi disclosed in the prior art provide a footprint that is greater than 80% when the space between the parallel pallets is greater than 12 inches. This is because the bags swell toward the ceiling. When the space is greater than 12 inches, an attempt to inflate the bag up to the 3 psi limit results in the bag not having enough surface area coverage against the carge and therefore not exerting enough force on the product.
Accordingly, the present practice for filling spaces having widths greater than twelve inches, is to occupy the additional space with "fillers". Sheets of "honey comb" panel are commonly used for such purposes. However, the use of filler panels presents a number of inconveniences including storage of the panel when not in use and the inconvenience associated with installing and removing the filler panels when loading and unloading the cargo space and extremely high cost of the fillers.
Rigid collapsible braces have been disclosed for supporting cargo in cargo space. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,854 discloses a brace having side rails and extensible side arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,331 to Wisecarver discloses a foot assembly and extensible element with lever locking member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,815 to Haberkorn discloses a collapsible bracing structure and rotatable latches for releasing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,627,488 B2 to Elze et al. discloses a dunnage bag with an outer mesh covering. The mesh bag is comprised of mesh panels stitched together so that the bag, when inflated, has a "mattress" shape. This shape ameliorates the ballooning problem and provides a greater footprint so that the bag with mesh cover can be used in spaces between cargo stacks that are greater than 80%.
However the mesh outer bag is comparatively expensive compared to paper. Furthermore, paper has an additional advantage in that indicia such as advertising can be printed on the bag.
In view of the above, there continues to be intense interest in improving the dunnage bags and systems presently on the market and disclosed above in terms of reducing expense and inconvenience for filling space between rows of pallets with product where the vertical walls of cargo are spaced by more than twelve inches.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided is a radio communication method including: notifying a reception-side radio communication apparatus of omitted-source-address information indicating a first source address permanently assigned to a source device of a first data frame to be transmitted to the reception-side radio communication apparatus; determining whether or not the first source address is identical to a second source address permanently assigned to a source device of a second data frame to be transmitted to the reception-side radio communication apparatus; and transmitting the second data frame to the reception-side radio communication apparatus after omitting transmission of the second source address and also adding, to the second data frame, an omission indication indicating that the second source address is omitted, if the first source address is determined to be identical to the second source address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication system, a radio communication apparatus, and a radio communication method that are capable of reducing the proportion of the overhead of a data frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional radio communication system such as a wireless LAN (for example, IEEE 802.11), a tradeoff relationship is generally established between communication reception quality of a radio signal and possible transmission rate. Accordingly, such a radio communication system has a problem that, as the communication reception quality of a radio signal is deteriorated, transmission efficiency decreases more significantly than in the case of a cable communication system.
Specifically, in such a radio communication system, there is a problem that the proportion of a header, that is, the proportion of the overhead, becomes large in a data frame, when the transmission rate decreases with the deterioration of communication reception quality. Here, the data frame consists of payload used for transmitting and receiving user data, and the header including control information and the source and destination addresses.
In view of the above problem, a method of omitting transmission of information included in the header has been proposed (for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-48115 (p. 11 and FIG. 4 of the patent document)) as means for reducing the proportion of the overhead of a data frame. Specifically, control information (such as information on communication parameter setting) included in a header is transmitted once in every predetermined number of (for example, three) data frames, instead of every single data frame. By means of this transmission method, it is possible to decrease information amount to be transmitted by using headers, and thereby to decrease the proportion of the overhead.
In recent years, along with development in radio communication technology, transmission rate, that is, channel capacity, in radio communication systems has been increasing. A widely known scheme for such a recent radio communication system is "High Capacity-Spatial Division Multiple Access (HC-SDMA) WTSC-2005-032 (ATIS/ANSI)," and iBurst (registered trademark) is provided as a radio communication system conforming to this scheme.
In addition, the increase in transmission rate has led to an ongoing discussion of the use of IEEE 802.2 LLC or the combination of IEEE 802.2 LLC and IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet, registered trademark), which are de facto standards in cable communication systems, as an upper layer protocol of the radio communication system.
However, even in the radio communication system, which is capable of providing high transmission rate, transmission rate decreases if the communication reception quality of a radio signal is deteriorated. Moreover, the proportion of the overhead in a data frame further increases in the case of using the above standards, IEEE 802.2 LLC and IEEE 802.3, as an upper layer protocol of the radio communication system.
To solve these problems, it is conceivable to use the above-described method of omitting transmission of information included in a header, for example. However, the method achieves only the reduction in the number of transmissions of control information (such as information on communication parameter setting). Hence, the method has a problem that it is not possible to omit transmission of the source and destination addresses, specifically, the MAC address (total 12 bytes) defined by IEEE 802.3 and the like, of a data frame.

Radio communication system with data structure change


A device for drawing out heavy loads including at least one drawing-out rail having a I-shaped cross-section and a vertical central plane of symmetry, running rollers provided on opposite sides of the drawing-out rail, and a pair of stationary rails or a pair of rails at least partially displaceable in a longitudinal direction, the rails of the pair of rails being arranged on opposite sides of the drawing-out rail for supporting the running rollers, with flanges of the rails forming tracks for the running rollers, and with the stationary rails, the drawing-out rail, and the partially displaceable rails being all formed of rolled steel sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drawing-out device including at least one drawing-out rail, and at least two stationary rails, with running or support rollers being supported at front in a drawing direction, and/or rear, with respect to the drawing direction, end portions of respective rails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many cases, it is desirable to have a possibility to displace horizontally heavy loads. E.g., fire-engines carry heavy motor pumps which should be unloaded and properly positioned. The heavy elements or loads need be taken off from the fire-engine and positioned on the ground. Conventional drawing-out devices with rails formed of sheet metal strips cannot perform this task.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of withdrawing out heavy loads and which would have, at the same time, relatively small dimensions.


Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for improved tracing code generation in template engines. Certain embodiments of the present invention may have a number of advantages as compared to many existing tracing engines. The creation of an execution log while generation code coupled with the tracing capabilities increases the convenience and turnaround time in generating code.

The present invention relates to code generation, and in particular, to systems and methods for tracing code generation in template engines.
As technology progresses, computer systems have taken on more duties than ever before. For example, computer systems control the behavior of everyday devices such as mobile phones, automobiles, and various government networks that we depend on. This has led to an increasing demand for properly designed, bug-free software.
Generally speaking, software programs are developed by a computer programmer writing source code in a specific language. This source code is written to perform a specific action. Depending on the task at hand, the length of the source code may range from a few lines to hundreds of pages. In some instances, the source code may span over multiple files. In FIG. 1, source code 110 is received by compiler 120. As shown, source code 110 has been broken into multiple files. Compilers receive source code in a specific language and compile the code into an executable to be interpreted as a program by a computer. Therefore, compilers serve as a bridge between source code that is easily understood by programmers and space-efficient executable binaries that are understood by computers. After receiving all the files, compiler 120 converts the source code into executable 130. This executable may then be received as an input to a computer system.
In the software development model illustrated in FIG. 1, the programmer is responsible for both the technical and creative aspects required in developing a computer program. One common way to alleviate this burden on the programmer is by introducing template engines. A template engine increases the level of abstraction in the software development model by allowing the application to be developed apart from the formalities of the source code. In FIG. 2, template engine 230 receives template 210 along with model 220 and generates generated code 240. Template 210 describes the formalities of generated code 240 while model 220 describes the behavior. Similar to code 110 in FIG. 1, generated code 240 may be received by a compiler and converted into an executable.
The use of template engines allows software development to be separated based on skill-set. For example, programmers with a high degree of creativity may develop the models while programmers with in depth knowledge of the programming language may develop the templates. Furthermore, template engines enhance productivity by reducing unnecessary reproduction of effort. However, debugging the templates and models can be extremely difficult with existing technology. The source of problems in generated code are difficult to discover because after generating the code, it is impossible to determine the portions of the template and model that went into generating a piece of code. While mechanisms for debugging generated code do exist, they are often very cumbersome and include the strenuous exercise of stepping through a debugger.
Thus, there is a need for the ability to trace code generation in template engines. The present invention solves these and other problems by providing systems and methods of tracing code generation in template engines.

System and methods for tracing code generation in template engines


Apparatus for cutting profile strips of rubber mixture produced by extrusion and/or calendering and transported to the cutting apparatus by a conveyor which is intermittently stopped for making a cut has a motor driven rotating knife which is moved transversely of the profile strip by a roll-ring drive and is raised to a height above the profile strip for return movement of the knife. In one embodiment, the knife, its driving motor and the mechanism for moving the knife transversely of the profile strip are mounted on a seesaw which is pivoted on horizontal axis and is moved pivotally by a pneumatic servo-motor to raise and lower the knife. In other embodiments the knife and transverse movement mechanism are mounted on a movable carriage, which is raised and lowered by a pneumatic servo motor while the motor for driving the knife in rotation is mounted on the frame of the apparatus and connected to the shaft of the knife by a flexible or telescopic connecting shaft. The carriage runs on a track or is supported by a parallelogram linkage.

In the production of single and multiple layer rubber strips for the manufacture of tires, for example protector or tire sidewall profiles, not only high quality but also high frequency of cuts per unit time must be obtained in order to meet the production requirements of tire production. The cut quality is of particular importance in the production of radial tires and the cut frequency is necessary in order to obtain economical production.
Cutting apparatus according to the state of the art, almost without exception, uses a fast rotating circular knife which during the cut must be lubricated with steam or by a liquid vapor. There are embodiments in which the circular knife is mounted directly on the shaft of the driving motor which then must be moved with the knife and protection devices transversely of the profile strip. In order to make a cut on a moving profile strip, such cutting machine had a carriage which through coupling to the transport device during the cutting operation moved synchronously with the rubber profile strip to be cut. With higher production rates, this cutting apparatus soon became inoperable because the return movement of the carriage with the cutting apparatus could not be accomplished in the short time period.
The further development of the cutting apparatus was to the effect that the rubber strip to be cut would be stopped for a short period of time for the cutting operation, which required braking and accelerating mechanism for the transport element and raised serious problems of precision which, however, could be solved. However, it showed the limits of performance in the transverse movement of the rotating cutting knife, since because of the relatively great mass, in particular of the knife motor, the speed of movement could not be as high as required for efficient operation, in particular the required cutting frequency desired for the extrusion apparatus. However, not only the weight of the driving motor for the knife set limits on increase in speed of production, but also the transport mechanism, for the most part rotating screw spindles, which were driven by brake motors and which, on account of the frequent acceleration and braking, were subject to serious abrasion. The starting and braking operations of the transverse movement involved strong forces which affect the entire cutting machine and are not endurable.
It has been sought to carry out the cutting operation in both directions by making one cut from left to right and the next cut from right to left. However, this gave dissimilar cut pictures which led to problems in the packaging of tires. It is, hence necessary, in the return movement of the knife, to raise the knife together with the knife holder over the profile strip to be cut at the end of a cut, then draw it back over the profile strip and then, for carrying out the next cut, again lower the knife, as is described for example in DE-OPS 11 86 209.
The apparatus known through this publication has, as the cross feed mechanism, a carriage which is displacable on guide rails and is shoved back and forth by a chain between two guide wheels. The carriage has a cradle with bearings for the knife shaft. The movement of the cradle is derived from a rocker arm which is linked to the chain and the carriage and which transmits the chain movement to the carriage. On account of the inexact cradle height adjustment, there are additionally provided pivot adjustments. The driving motor is connected wit the knife shaft by a flexible shaft. With this arrangement an exact cut is not possible. The nonuniformities which occur lie in somewhat like positions and hence largely compensate one another, but this is not sufficient for modern requirements of tire quality.
The use of pneumatic thrust cylinders instead of threaded spindles leads to an almost abrasion free method of operation but does not achieve the desired result, since, because of the short time of the entire operation, the thrust of acceleration and braking cannot be sufficiently damped. Moreover, these pneumatic transport devices have the objection that they cannot be brought to a uniform transverse velocity during the cut, since at the moment of cutting, the resistance-responsive forward velocity is decreased. This leads to unclean cuts. Hydraulic drives for the transverse movement of the knife are prohibited, not only by reason of cost, but also because of the hard thrust which occurs with hydraulic mechanism in fast acceleration and braking.

Apparatus for cutting profile strips formed of rubber mixtures