A reusable single-piece tamper-evident cover for protecting a drinking area of a beverage can before and after removal of the cover from the can. The cover includes: a cover top, a clasp ring positioned below and contiguous with the cover top, and a skirt being positioned below and contiguous with the ring. The ring includes at least one tamper-evident seal that includes two tear lines. The tear lines do not extend to the inner cover surface. Tearing along the tear lines results in tampering the seal, and does not tear the inner cover surface. An entirety of the inner cover surface is able to be continuous when the skirt extends along an entirety of the ring, as well as after removal of the cover from the can.

Tamper-evidence describes a device or process that makes unauthorized access to the protected object easily detected. Tamper-evident design is very widespread in the area of product packaging, where it is vital to know that the product has not been altered since it left the manufacturer. The utility of such seals arises from the fact that once the seals are opened, a consumer will know that a cover has been tampered with or opened. Such seals that regard to a tamper-evident cover for beverage cans are typically made of some form of plastic that is affixed to a beverage can or bottle in such a manner that generally precludes removing the tamper-evident cover from the beverage can without also tearing the plastic.
Examples that regard to a tamper-evident cover for beverage cans or bottles that lack at least one of the following elements: the beverage can includes a drinking aperture, the beverage can further includes an inner can surface and an outer can surface, the outer can surface having a circular seam with a first outer can diameter and a circular indentation with a second outer can diameter, the circular indentation being disposed below and in proximity to the circular seam, wherein the first outer can diameter being larger than the second outer can diameter, the cover includes an outer cover surface and an inner cover surface, wherein the cover is configured to be disposed on the beverage can, wherein the beverage can's contents does not come in contact with the inner cover surface when the drinking aperture of the beverage can is closed and when the cover is disposed on the beverage can. The cover includes a cover top including an inner cover-top surface and an outer cover-top surface; a clasp ring including a circular inner clasp-ring surface and an outer clasp-ring surface, wherein the clasp ring is positioned below the cover top, wherein the circular inner clasp-ring surface is contiguous with the inner cover-top surface, wherein the circular inner clasp-ring surface is positioned around the circular indentation when the cover is disposed on the can, wherein the circular inner clasp-ring surface has an inner clasp-ring diameter, wherein the inner clasp-ring diameter has a center point, wherein the circular inner clasp-ring surface includes a longitudinal center axis, wherein the center axis intersects the center point and is perpendicular to the inner clasp-ring diameter; and a skirt including an inner skirt surface and an outer skirt surface, wherein the skirt is positioned below the clasp ring, wherein the inner skirt surface is contiguous with the circular inner clasp-ring surface. The clasp ring includes at least one tamper-evident seal, wherein at least one of the at least one tamper-evident seal is configured to be breachable, wherein all the tamper-evident parts are in the cover itself, wherein the at least one tamper-evident seal including two tear lines, wherein tearing the tear lines results in the at least one tamper-evident seal being breached, wherein tearing the two tear lines and removing the cover from the can do not cause any part of the at least one tamper-evident seal to separate from the cover, wherein the cover may be a single piece cover. The skirt may extend 360 degrees around the center axis and along the clasp ring and, further, when the skirt extends 360 degrees around the center axis and along the clasp ring an entirety of the inner cover surface is able to be continuous, without any discontinuously in the inner cover surface. The at least one tamper-evident seal and the two tear lines extend from a region of the outer cover-top surface and a region of the outer skirt surface substantially adjacent to the clasp ring. The at least one tamper-evident element extends from the clasp ring outwardly away from the center axis and, further, the at least one tamper-evident element extends from the clasp ring in parallel to a virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane that is at least substantially perpendicular to the center axis. The two tear lines extend partially through the at least one tamper-evident seal such that neither of the two tear lines extends to the inner cover surface. A wall thickness of the cover top is able to be uniform, furthermore, a wall thickness of the skirt is able to be uniform, and, furthermore, a wall thickness of the cover top and the skirt is able to be uniform.
The at least one tamper-evident element may extend between a first, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane and a second, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane, wherein the first, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane is at least substantially perpendicular to the center axis, wherein the second, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane is parallel to the first, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane, and wherein the second, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane is position below and in proximity to the first, virtual, continuous, two-dimensional plane, are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 985,000 A; 2,064,167 A; 2,081,138 A; 2,179,879 A; 2,531,570 A; 2,806,620 A; 3,057,503 A; 3,204,805 A; 3,438,533 A; 3,465,906 A; 3,473,685 A; 3,612,323 A; 4,024,976 A; EP 595498 A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,103,798 A; 4,153,174 A; U.S. D252,984 S; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,354,610 A; 4,664,288 A; 4,815,628 A; 4,927,048 A; 4,942,974 A; 5,038,951 A; 5,048,706 A; 5,052,574 A; 5,119,955 A; 5,139,163 A; 5,207,783 A; 5,273,176 A; 5,307,948 A; U.S. D383, 978 S; U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,833 A; US-2003/0201266 A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,694,837 B2; 3,899,097; and 3,292,807.
Examples that regard to a tamper-evident cover for beverage cans that include at least one of the above elements, but where a tear occurs in their inner surface after the at least one tamper-evident seal being breached, are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 985,000 A; 2,064,167 A; 2,081,138 A; 2,179,879 A; 2,531,570 A; 2,806,620 A; 3,057,503 A. 3,204,805 A; 3,438,533 A; 3,465,906 A; 3,473,685 A; 3,612,323 A; 4,024,976 A; EP 595498 A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,153,174 A; 4,354,610 A; 4,664,288 A; 4,927,048 A; 4,942,974 A; 5,038,951 A; 5,048,706 A; 5,052,574 A; 5,119,955 A; 5,139,163 A; 5,207,783 A; 5,273,176 A; 5,307,948 A; U.S. D383, 978 S; U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,833 A; US-2003/0201266 A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,694,837 B2; and 3,292,807.

Reusable tamper-evident cover for beverage cans


In an embodiment, a spool for a trimmer head has a structure for guiding the trimmer line around a region for a driveshaft. In an embodiment, a component (e.g., a turn knob or a stop) is attached to the spool so that after determining the orientation in which to install the spool, the user is unlikely to install the spool in another orientation, even though the spool is invertible. In an embodiment, the turn knob also includes a structure that allows the turn knob to be used as a tool (e.g., as a wrench or screw driver) that facilitates disassembling the trimmer head.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. Unless otherwise identified as prior art, the subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Internal combustion engine and electric motor powered vegetation trimmers are commonly used to cut and trim grass, weeds, brush and other vegetation. The typical motorized trimmer may include an elongated handle to which is connected an internal combustion or electric motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. This machine is "handheld".
The trimmer head (e.g., a rotary cutting head attachment to a driveshaft of a trimmer), in turn, carries radially outwardly projecting cutting implements, which cut the vegetation as the trimmer head rotates. In addition to "handheld" vegetation cutting machines there are also wheeled type vegetation trimmers, which are gas powered, and utilize an engine that generates much greater horsepower than any "handheld" type machine, the trimmer and cutting machines are designed to cut very dense (e.g., thick) vegetation and brush. These trimmer machines use some types of cutting heads that are used with the "handheld" trimmer machines.
The trimmer head may include one or more flexible monofilament line or rigid cutting implements. Rigid cutting implements (a cutting means) typically assumes the form of blades fabricated from plastic and or metal and often have corrugations or scalloping about their peripheral cutting edges. They are a unitary one-piece cutting blade molded from a durable high strength plastic/metal material with plurality of cutting arms extending outward from the hub. The pivoting type rigid blades are attached to circular pins mounted vertically on the peripheral portion of trimmer head body, and the body is attached directly to the trimmer machine's driveshaft. The pivoting blades yield when they contact hard objects, thereby prolonging the service life of these blades. Other fixed rigid type blades mount directly to the trimmer driveshaft. Both of these above mentioned vegetation cutting blades are normally used to cut very dense and thick grasses, and weeds to include brush. Other forms of rigid type of cutting blades are used on handheld and wheeled type trimmer machines alike. A usage of rigid cutting blades is for cutting, weeds, small bushes, corn stalks, brush, saplings having a small diameter, 3″ thick, for example. Rigid blades may be made from a metal disc (e.g., a circular plate) that is attached to the driveshaft of the trimmer machine and mounted around the periphery of the metal disc is a series of chainsaw cutting teeth as used on a "Chainsaw." All of the above mentioned types of blades may cause considerable injury to the trimmer operator or other persons during operation of the trimmer, should the operator or other persons be accidentally struck by one of these types of blades, if they are made of metal or hard, rigid, sharp plastic material.
Generally, weeds growing on footpaths between rice fields etc. have to be cut several times a year because they tend to be nested by pests. The weed cutting is usually very laborious, and thus various automatic weed cutters have heretofore been proposed and put to practical use, among which shoulder-hung weed cutters are very popular because of their small size and handling ease. In most of the shoulder-hung weed cutters, a driving-force transmission shaft or driveshaft, which is passed through a pipe-shaped handling rod, is rotated via an engine provided at one end of the handling rod so as to rotate a cutter blade provided at the other end of the handling rod.
In most cases, a human operator hangs the weed cutter on his or her shoulder using a hanging belt, and cuts weeds with the rotating cutter blade by gripping a U-shaped handle provided on an intermediate position of the handling rod to swing the handling rod in front-and-rear and left-and-right directions.
Both in light duty, medium and heavy duty gas and electric powered trimmers, the cutting implements may be fabricated as a continuous strand flexible monofilament plastic line wrapped about a spool contained within the trimmer head. In such devices, the plastic line is typically selectively dispensed by the centrifugal force generated by rotation of the trimmer head.
A disadvantage common to these sorts of devices is that the line quite frequently becomes jammed when a user attempts to dispense fresh line from the spool and the line prematurely breaks off at the eyelet because the diameter of the line is small and has little tensile strength when making contact with hard objects and heavy vegetation. When this occurs, the user generally must stop the trimming operation, disassemble the trimmer head, fix the jam and or extend line through the eyelets and reassemble the trimmer head before resuming trimming. Such repeated disruption is very frustrating and time-consuming by the end user. It should be noted that spool heads of automatic and semi-automatic type, include a line cutting blade on the debris shield. When the head is bumped on the ground and dispenses the line, more line is generally extended from the storage spool than needed, and the blade on the shield cuts off the extra line.
Another species of vegetation trimmer cutting apparatuses are automatic spool trimmer heads. This type of trimmer cutting head is called "automatic trimmer head." The automatic trimmer heads require no tapping on the ground and automatic trimmer heads always feed out a set length of trimmer line.
Another species of vegetation trimmer, where trimmer line is selectively dispensed from a spool by an operator, is fully manual in operation. Devices of this sort include at least one or more, typically spring-biased, indexing pins or buttons that are connected to one or more internal trimmer line carrying spools. In order to dispense trimmer line, an operator displaces the indexing pins or buttons from a seating engagement with one or more holes provided in the trimmer head housing.
Once the indexing pin(s) or button(s) are separated from the housing, the user either turns the internal spool(s) or pulls on the trimmer line itself from the spool in order to pay out the line from the trimmer head. When the desired length(s) of trimmer line have been dispensed, the operator reseats the indexing pin(s) or button(s) into their associated indexing opening(s) in the trimmer head housing.
Another species of spool trimmer heads has surfaced, which is very distinctly and substantially different from prior art examples of spool trimmer heads described and reference above. Typically, reloading fresh line into a spool trimmer head is a difficult and time consuming process. All the prior art reference spool trimmer heads reference above, require some form of disassembly of the trimmer head components prior to loading or reloading new trimmer line onto the spool.
Spool type trimmer heads often have some form of anchoring means to secure one or more fixed lengths of line to the hub of the spool prior to wrapping the lengths of line onto and around the spool hub.
Another species of vegetation trimmer heads employs finite or fixed cut lengths of monofilament (nylon) plastic line or string that can be quickly and easily replaced as they become broken or worn, without need to resort to disassembly and reassembly of the trimmer head.
In this category of trimmer heads the finite length(s) of trimmer line are securely held in a fixed position within the trimmer head body by different methods (i.e., weaving means, different types and forms of clamping means with and without mechanical bias, special injection molded flails that have a special end portion of the cutting flail that holds the finite length of cutting line securely in the body of the trimmer head during cutting operations, etc.). All of the these fixed length types of line vegetation trimmer cutting heads provide the end user a more user friendly trimmer head product vs. the standard spool "bump and feed" product.
Fixed length trimmer heads have the benefit of making the replacement of worn flexible cutting line and the loading of new flexible cutting line much easier. These types of trimmer heads allow the end user the opportunity the ability to use a broad range of flexible lines having many diameters (e.g., diameters including 0.065″ to 0.155″). These trimmer heads typically weigh less and are less expensive to manufacture. Since fixed length type vegetation cutting heads can receive and hold a wide range of differently sized trimmer lines, a customer can select the size of line that works best with the size and power of the machine available. Too large of a flexible cutting line diameter and too long of a length extending from the exit ports of the head will deplete the rotational speed and power because of air drag caused by the size of the cutting line. There is a wide variety of electric and gas powered trimmer machines manufactured and they also have a wide range of power ratings per machine. It is important to select and use the right cutting attachment with different machines so that they will work efficiently and safely during operation.

Bi-directional trimmer head spool with curved trimmer line guide


Golf balls having a dimple pattern arranged in a tetrahedral layout are disclosed. The dimple pattern has four substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the four dimple sections have at least three different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least one additional dimple diameter. The resulting dimple pattern has a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.

The flight performance of a golf ball is affected by a variety of factors including the weight, size, materials, dimple pattern, and external shape of the golf ball. Golf ball manufacturers seek to maximize aerodynamic efficiency and improve the performance of golf balls by adjusting the materials and construction of the ball as well as the dimple pattern and dimple shape.
The aerodynamic forces acting on a golf ball are typically resolved into orthogonal components of lift (FL) and drag (FD). Lift is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting perpendicular to the flight path. It results from a difference in pressure that is created by a distortion in the air flow that results from the back spin of the ball. Due to the back spin, the top of the ball moves with the air flow, which delays the separation to a point further aft. Conversely, the bottom of the ball moves against the air flow, moving the separation point forward. This asymmetrical separation creates an arch in the flow pattern, requiring the air over the top of the ball to move faster, and thus have lower pressure than the air underneath the ball.
Drag is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting parallel to the ball flight direction. As the ball travels through the air, the air surrounding the ball has different velocities and, thus, different pressures. The air exerts maximum pressure at the stagnation point on the front of the ball. The air then flows over the sides of the ball and has increased velocity and reduced pressure. The air separates from the surface of the ball, leaving a large turbulent flow area with low pressure, i.e., the wake. The difference between the high pressure in front of the ball and the low pressure behind the ball reduces the ball speed and acts as the primary source of drag.
Recently, there has been an increased desire to manipulate these aerodynamic forces to produce reduced-flight golf balls (i.e., golf balls that are designed to travel a distance that is shorter than the distance traveled by standard golf balls). Advances in golf ball compositions and dimple designs have caused high-performance golf balls to exceed the maximum distance allowed by the United States Golf Association (USGA). Some industry experts have called for the USGA to roll back the distance standard for golf balls to preserve the game.
Golf ball manufacturers have developed ways to reduce the distance traveled by the golf ball. For example, some manufacturers have created inefficient dimple patterns or have modified the compositions of the golf ball core to reduce the flight of the ball. Inefficient dimple patterns with low surface coverages have been used for many years. For example, the Atti pattern, which is an octahedron pattern split into eight concentric straight-line rows and covering 66 percent of the ball, was the predominant pattern utilized on golf balls for most of the 20th century. These dimple patterns were composed of substantially uniform dimples (for example, dimples having only one or two dimple diameters) and lacked aerodynamic efficiency. As dimple designers moved toward patterns with increased surface coverages, many more dimple sizes (for example, dimple diameters) were needed to achieve increased coverages and improved aerodynamics, such as increased distance. While these high-performance golf balls have improved aerodynamic consistency, the golf balls will not adhere to a shorter USGA maximum distance.
Accordingly, there remains a need to fine-tune the dimple patterns and dimple dimensions on these high-performance golf balls to reduce the flight distance, while also maintaining the appearance of a high-performance trajectory.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A pump system includes a displacement pump whose oscillating fluid pressure variations are connected to drive a membrane pump. The membrane pump in turn oscillates fluid in a fluid-filled vertical pipe connected to a fluid-filled commuting pipe. The displacement of fluid in the commuting pipe induces intake of a fluid to be pumped into the commuting pipe during an intake portion of the oscillation and also induces expulsion of the fluid to be pumped during the remaining portion of the oscillation. The commuting pipe is made long enough so that fluid drawn in during the intake portion does not pass into the vertical pipe but stays in the commuting pipe. A heat exchanger about the vertical pipe dissipates heat that may be passed to the fluid therein by conduction or convection.

The invention relates to a pump system of the type included a displacement pump having a two-way pipe, said two-way pipe at one side being coupled, via a first non-return valve, to a supply pipe for sucking a quantity of medium from said supply pipe into said two-way pipe, said two-way pipe likewise being coupled at one side, via a second non-return valve, to a discharge pipe, in order to force a corresponding quantity of medium out of said two-way pipe, said pump system being provided with a curved pipe which is connected to the other side of said two-way pipe and which is coupled to said displacement pump.
Such a pump system is known from DE 30 12 028. The pump system known from said publication is provided with a dividing element disposed in the two-way pipe to the displacement pump, said dividing element being movable within a cylinder. At the side of the dividing element remote from the two-way pipe a working medium, which is stored in a storage vessel, is injected. The quantity of injected working medium is always larger than the losses through leakage along the displacement means. Towards the end of a delivery stroke of the displacement pump the excess working medium formed as a result of said injecting is forced through a gap between the dividing element and the wall of the cylinder, in the direction of the medium to be pumped which is present in the two-way pipe, and which may be hot. As a result of fresh and cool working medium being injected a required low operating temperature of the displacement pump is maintained, and it is prevented that the generally abrasive and hot medium comes into contact with the displacement pump. The disadvantage of the pump system described in the above-mentioned German document is inter alia that a continuous, usually undesirable dilution of the medium to be pumped takes place. A further disadvantage is that it is necessary to provide valves in order to inject fresh working medium, which valves also require regular maintenance. Besides, the storage vessel must regularly be replenished with working medium.
The object of the invention is to provide a pump system, wherein a membrane pump can be utilized for conveying in particular hot mediums, and wherein no working medium needs to be injected into the medium to be pumped at the location where the pump system is installed.
In order to achieve that objective the pump system according to the invention is characterized in that said displacement pump is a membrane pump, and that the pump system has an additional pipe, which is on the one hand connected to the curved pipe and on the other hand to the membrane pump, and that the pump system is provided with heat exchange means provided around said additional pipe.
It is noted here that the term membrane pump must be understood to mean a pump which derives its pumping action from the movement of a hermetically sealed element. The movement of said element which may have the shape of a membrane, a bellows, a hose and the like, may be imparted by means directly coupled to said element, e.g., hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically moved means, but it may also be done indirectly. By indirect is meant that the movement of a displacement body, e.g., a piston plunger, is transmitted to the hermetically sealed element via an intermediate medium, usually a fluid.
The advantage of the pump system according to the invention is that, in particular because an additional pipe is used, it can be achieved that the hot medium itself does not come near the membrane pump when periodically moving in and out of the two-way pipe, not even if the swept volume of the membrane pump is large. As a result of that the heat which is absorbed from the hot medium by the additional pipe will mainly be conduction heat, as a result of which the heat capacity of the heat exchange means can remain minimal, in spite of the fact that for pumping the hot medium from the supply pipe to the discharge pipe a membrane pump is used that is not resistant to the heat of the medium. In the pump system according to the invention the displacement pump may thus comprise a displacement body made of an elastomeric material.
No separate working medium is required with the pump system according to the invention. When a very hot medium is pumped, a cooling medium may injected near the membrane pump, if required, which medium may readily be a portion separated from the medium to be conveyed itself, in which case said portion must be slightly cooled first. It is not necessary, however, to use a working medium other than the medium to be pumped.
A further advantage of the pump system according to the invention is that because of the slightly elastically deformable angular pipe portion, which comprises the two-way pipe, the curved pipe and the additional pipe, it is possible to allow in particular said angular pipe portion to expand and to shrink when temperature changes occur, so that it is prevented that, when mediums having widely varying temperatures are pumped, high forces are exerted and that deformations occur in the pump system at places where this is undesirable.
One embodiment of the pump system according to the invention is characterized in that the swept volume of the displacement pump is smaller than the internal volume of the two-way pipe.
The advantage of this embodiment of the pump system according to the invention is that the point located closest to the membrane pump and bounding the internal volume of the two-way pipe, which pipe is filled with sucked-in medium each time, the so-called point of reversal, lies within the two-way pipe itself. Accordingly a large amount of heat will be transferred from the hot medium only to the two-way pipe itself, and the additional pipe will not come into direct contact with the hot medium. As a result of this the heat capacity of the heat exchange means may be further reduced, in order to be able to achieve a sufficiently low temperature near the membrane pump.
Preferably the radius of curvature the curved pipe at least equals one and a half times the internal diameter of the curved pipe.
A further embodiment of the pump system according to the invention is characterized in that the additional pipe is disposed substantially vertically.
Because of this it is achieved that the point of reversal remains within the two-way pipe, and does not move through the curved pipe in the direction of the heat exchange means and the membrane pump. As a result of the action of gravity the medium near the membrane pump rather tends to go down and thus drive the point of reversal towards the two-way pipe.
The invention and its further advantages will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of a pump system according to the invention.


A cleaning sheet adapted to be attached to the head (20) of a cleaning tool (2) and having a wiping portion (1A) adapted to be disposed on the lower side of the head (20). In the state attached to the head (20), the cleaning sheet has, in the wiping portion (1A) thereof, a plurality of tacky recesses (10) open to the front and the rear of the head (20). The cleaning sheet has pointed parts (10b) projecting to the front and the rear between borders (10a) of adjacent two of the recesses (10).

A variety of cleaning implements have been proposed for cleaning the surface of furniture, walls, and floors of houses, automotive interior trim, and the like. Amongst them is a cleaning tool having a handle and a head to which a cleaning sheet made of nonwoven fabric, etc. is attached.
The conventionally employed cleaning sheets are capable of entrapping hair, lint, soil or like dust and debris by entanglement in the fibers of nonwoven fabric but have difficulties in holding by entanglement all the dust and debris, from fine dust to solid particles of about 1 mm or greater in size, such as sand, pebbles, food crumbs, rice grains, and sesame seeds. Such large solid particles cannot be removed but with a dustpan or a vacuum cleaner.
Hence, a cleaning sheet or cloth having tacky parts disposed in the wiping portion thereof has been proposed in JP-A-9-164110 and JP-A-9-224895, which is capable of catching those dust particles that cannot be entangled in fibers by its tacky parts.
When the proposed cleaning sheet is used in a usual manner of cleaning, that is, when the cleaning sheet is slid on a surface to be cleaned, the dust and debris are not trapped onto the tacky parts. Therefore, a user must aim at the debris and press the cleaning sheet onto the debris with a certain force so that the debris may be trapped by the sticky parts. Even when a user presses a cleaning tool to catch debris, however, the dust trapping efficiency is low because the tacky parts are disposed in parts. Moreover, if large ones of various kinds of dust that have not been entangled in the fibers, i.e., large diameter dust particles or thick dust particles, are the first to be trapped by the tacky parts, the wiping part of the cleaning sheet is hindered by the large dust particles from coming into intimate contact with the surface to be cleaned. It can follow that the cleaning sheet fails to catch up not only the other kinds of dust that have not been entangled but also the dust that should otherwise be entangled in the fibers.
JP-A-2000-93373 proposes a cleaning sheet having a plurality of recesses along the edges (borders) between the wiping portion and the fixing portions so that relatively large dust particles may be led to the central region of the wiping portion through the recesses.
However, the borders contain straight linear parts along the length direction of a cleaning mop between every adjacent recesses. When the cleaning sheet is used in an ordinary sweeping operation (for example, sliding the wiping portion on a floor, etc.), the straight linear parts block the approach of dust. As a result, the cleaning sheet is incapable of catching dust sufficiently.
Merely having the recesses, the cleaning sheet has low capability of catching and holding the above-mentioned relatively large solid dust and is therefore incapable of trapping such dust sufficiently.
JP-A-10-5163 discloses a disposable wiping material which is substantially rectangle in its plan view, is made of fiber aggregates different in fiber density, and has a first surface and a second surface parallel to each other. The first surface is substantially flat. The cleaning sheet consists of side portions with a certain width and a high fiber density, each of which is along each of opposing parallel edges of the material, and a middle portion with a low fiber density between the side portions. The second surface is relatively low in the side portions and relatively high in the middle portion.
While the wiping material can keep the side portions a little distance away from the floor, etc., dust particles having a different size (height) from that distance are not brought into contact with the side portions, and the wiping material shows no collecting and trapping performance for the dust particles. When the wiping material is used in a usual sweeping operation (for example, sliding the wiping portion on a floor, etc.), it has difficulty in catching relatively large solid dust particles of the above stated size.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning sheet with which relatively large solid dust particles as well as fine dust particles can be trapped without fail in a usual sweeping operation on an object to be cleaned.


The present invention discloses light-guiding plate, backlight module and liquid crystal display device. The light-guiding plate includes first incident surface, light-emitting surface, bottom surface and side surface; wherein light-emitting surface being connected to first incident surface, bottom surface being connected to first incident surface, light-emitting surface being connected to side surface, bottom surface being connected to side surface, the angle between first incident surface and side surface connected to first incident surface being obtuse, and light-emitting surface including a plurality of trenches radiating from first incident surface. The radiating trenches disposed on light-emitting surface have certain converging effect on light propagating in light-guiding plate. The propagating light will propagate along the trenches. As such, the incident light can be distributed uniformly over the entire light-guiding plate, and the dark corner phenomenon is eliminated and the emission uniformity of the light-guiding plate is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal displaying techniques, and in particular to a light-guiding plate, backlight module and liquid crystal display device.
2. The Related Arts
Due to the advantages of reduced thickness, light weight, low power consumption and low radiation, the liquid crystal display (LCD) devices find wide applications in the field of displaying for computers, mobile phones, electronic dictionary, and liquid crystal televisions. With the recent light efficiency improvement in liquid crystal display devices, a new trend of the liquid crystal display device is to reduce the number of light sources so as to reduce the structure of the backlight module used in the liquid crystal display device. As shown in FIG. 1, a backlight module of liquid crystal display device usually comprises a light-guiding plate 11 and light sources 12. The light sources 12 are disposed at the sides of the light-guiding plate 11. The backlight module progresses from the original four-edge lit ((a) of FIG. 1) to the two-long-side lit ((b) of FIG. 1), two-short-edge lit ((c) of FIG. 1) and single-long-edge lit ((d) of FIG. 1), or even to the single-short-edge lit in mass production ((e) of FIG. 1).
As the luminance of the light source improves, the further development based on the short-edge lit will be towards the corner lit, that is, light sources disposed at corners of the light-guiding plate. FIG. 2 shows a plurality of possibilities for corner lit at the light-guiding plate. In FIG. 2, (a) is to dispose a light source 22 at a corner of the light-guiding plate 21; (b) is to dispose a light source 22 respectively at two diagonal corners of the light-guiding plate 21; (c) is to disposed a light source 22 respectively at two corners at the same side of the light-guiding plate 21; and (d) is to dispose a light source 22 respectively at four corners of the light-guiding plate 21. In the corner-lit design, an important issue is how to import the light from the corners of the light-guiding plate to emit uniformly from the light-emitting surface of the light-guiding plate. For small-sized liquid crystal display device, because of the short propagation distance of the light, the mesh dots can be disposed on the bottom (opposite to the light-emitting surface) of the light-guiding plate. For example, the uniform light-emission from the light-emitting surface of the light-guiding plate can be realized by change the size or the density of the mesh dots. However, for large-sized liquid crystal display device, because of the longer propagation distance of the light, the mesh dots disposed on the bottom (opposite to the light-emitting surface) of the light-guiding plate cannot realize the uniform light-emission from the light-emitting surface of the light-guiding plate.
In addition, the light source in actual application, such as, light-emitting diode (LED) usually has specific scattering angle. When emitting light at the corners of the light-guiding plate, the scattering angle of the light from the LED after entering the light-guiding plate is smaller than the scattering angle of the original light source. As shown in FIG. 3, the LED 32 as the light source usually has a scattering angle of 120°. The deflection ratio of a light-guiding plate 31 is usually larger than 1. For example, when the light-guiding plate 31 is made of PMMA, the deflection ratio is about 1.49. When the emitted light enters the light-guiding plate 31, the scattering angle in the light-guiding plate 31 is smaller because the light will be deflected (shown as arrow in the figure). As a result, the corner A and corner B neighboring the light-emitting corner on the light-guiding plate 31 cannot receive light and becomes dark, which severely affects the uniformity of the light-emission of the light-guiding plate 31.

Light-guiding plate comprising a plurality of trenches radiating from a first incident surface and a plurality of mesh dots, backlight module and liquid crystal display device

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A watering disc for use in a nipple assembly of a watering line system has an outer rim portion and an upper surface extending inwardly from said outer rim portion to an aperture provided through a center of the watering disc. The upper surface defines a plurality of separators and a plurality of individual compartments in an alternating manner about a circumference of the watering disc. The plurality of separators generally extend from proximate the center of the watering disc to the outer rim portion in order to define each individual compartment between the outer rim portion and two adjacent separators. Each individual compartment is substantially formed in a concave manner and are configured to receive and retain water from the watering line system. The watering disc is formed of plastic and has reflective particles integrally formed therein for attracting poultry to the watering disc.

Trigger pin watering devices are commonly used for delivering water to poultry in poultry houses. Such drinkers generally include a chamber through which the water flows. One end of the chamber is adapted to be fitted to a water supply line and includes an inlet for allowing water to pass from the supply line into the chamber. The other end of the chamber generally includes an opening to allow fluid to flow out of the chamber. A valve seat and valve member are normally disposed within the chamber to prevent water from flowing out when the drinker is not being actuated by a bird. A valve actuating member is normally housed partially within the chamber and extends through the chamber outlet. The valve actuating member normally includes a cylindrical trigger pin, which the bird pecks or lifts, thereby unseating the valve member from the valve seat and allowing water to flow through the chamber and out to the bird. When actuation ceases, the valve member returns to the valve seat, thereby shutting off the water flow.
In many instances, a drop of water will remain hanging from the end of the pin after the bird has finished drinking. Similarly, a drop of water may also collect on the pin if the drinker leaks. The residual drop of water on the pin serves a useful function in that it attracts birds to the drinkers. When a thirsty bird sees the residual drop of water on the pin, it knows that it should go to the drinker to get water. However, it may also happen that the residual drop of water is so large that it eventually falls from the pin onto the floor of the poultry house. Additionally, if the watering system is vibrated, such as when a bird bumps into it, the droplet may fall from the pin. Furthermore, if a large or strong bird pecks at the pin forcefully, the water drop may fly off the pin on the side opposite the bird. Accordingly, the bird does not receive any water and the floor of the poultry house does. Aside from the fact that the poultry do not receive as much water under these circumstances, the health of the poultry is also threatened by the increased wetting of the manure on the floor of the poultry house. The wetter the manure is, the easier it is for bacteria and disease to breed in the poultry house.
In order to combat the foregoing, different "disc" designs have been provided to be secured to the trigger pin in order to retain water on the disc such that the birds can drink the retained water and such that spillage of the water onto the floor of the poultry house is lessened or minimized.
One such prior art "disc" design is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,138. The '138 patent discloses a "disc" or enlarged body having an extension and a knob. The trigger pin is secured within the extension. The knob depends from the extension at a lower end thereof and has an upper horizontal surface and a lower rounded surface. Upon actuation, water flows down the trigger pin, down the extension and onto the upper surface of the knob such that a quantity of water is held thereon by cohesive forces and natural surface tension. The "disc" of the '138 patent has its limitations, however, primarily that while it has been found to be effective for use in providing water to chickens, it has been found to be ineffective for use in providing water to turkeys. It is believed that the reason for this is that it is not a big enough target (not really any bigger than the trigger pin assembly itself) to attract the turkeys to it and because it does not provide enough water thereon such that the turkeys still need to work hard to get enough water to drink. In view thereof, increased mortality rates have been found when the "disc" of the '138 patent is used in providing water to turkeys.
Another such prior art "disc" design is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,139. The '139 patent discloses a "disc" having a sleeve, a collecting surface and a lip. The trigger pin is secured within the sleeve. The collecting surface depends from the sleeve at a lower end thereof and provides an upper horizontal surface. The lip extends upwardly from the outer periphery of the collecting surface. As explained in the '139 patent, upon actuation, the disc will tilt in the direction of the bird such that water on the disc runs across the collecting surface and into the bird's mouth. Additionally, the collecting surface and the lip on the side opposite the bird swing upward when the bird actuates the drinker and act as a retaining wall, thus hindering water from flying off of the back side of the disc, such that the bird receives more water and the floor of the poultry house is kept drier. The '139 patent also describes adding three raised ribs to divide the collecting surface into three discrete compartments. In addition to the foregoing operation, the ribs hold water in the compartments other than the one at which the bird has actuated the disc such that the bird should only receive water from one of the three compartments, thus further reducing the wetting of the poultry and the poultry house floor.
The disc of the '139 patent, however, suffers from a number of disadvantages. Primarily, in actuality, the three ribs and the small perimeter lip provide poor control of the water retention and direction of water movement when triggered/tilted during drinking by the bird. Further, the ribs and the perimeter lip do not really slow the velocity of the water down when the disc is triggered/tilted which is important because if the water comes at the bird too fast it could splash onto the bird, thus preventing the bird from drinking the water, having it spill onto the floor of the poultry house, and possibly spooking the bird such that the bird would not want to drink from the disc again. Also, the disc is fastened to the trigger pin by knurling which does not provide for a high holding strength, which can be important when the disc is used by turkeys.
Another prior art "disc" design is marketed by Ziggity Systems Inc. and is referred to as the "Big Z Activator". The Big Z Activator disc is sold in two sizes that are much larger than the disc sizes of either the '138 patent or the '139 patent, namely of about two and one half inch (2.5″) diameter and of about three and three-quarter inch (3.75″) diameter. These discs are formed to provide a radial V-shaped trough between the connection of the disc to the trigger pin and the outer periphery of the disc. The actuation of these discs occurs when the bird goes to sip the standing water out of the radial V-shaped trough. The discs are designed such that the bird must push the disc with its neck and rest its neck on the water to drink out of the shape of the trough.
The Big Z Activator disc, however, also suffers from a number of disadvantages. For instance, as the birds get older, they of course become bigger such that a point is reached where the head size on the bird no longer will fit comfortably into the trough and it becomes difficult for the bird to drink out of and, thus, begins to hurt the birds' growth performance. The reason for this is that the birds do not have a full palate, such as humans do, so they cannot technically swallow without compressing water in their mouth and forcing it down their throat. As such, birds typically use a side scooping action (where they obviously need ample room for their heads) where they lay their head over to "push" water down their throat, letting gravity do the work, otherwise the birds prefer drinking from a drinker above their head such that the water flows down their throats by gravity. The Big Z Activator disc thus does not allow the birds to drink in their preferred manner once their head sizes become too large. Also, because the water in the Big Z Activator disc is held in the trough, the birds must get close to it in order to look down into it to see that there is water in it. Thus, the Big Z Activator disc does not make it unmistakably evident to the birds that there is water therein and thus, the water therein does nothing to attract the birds thereto.
Thus, it is desired to provide a disc that is configured to be secured to the trigger pin which retains water thereon such that birds, primarily turkeys, can drink and which reduces spillage of the water onto the floor of the poultry house, but which overcomes or minimizes the disadvantages associated with the prior art "discs".


The invention provides methods and apparatus for determining cross-sectional dimensions of body lumens, such as the diameter of a blood vessel. According to one exemplary method, the diameter of a blood vessel is measured by first inflating a balloon catheter within the lumen until the balloon diameter matches the lumen diameter. Inflation may be at a very low pressure and be constrained by the lumen, or may alternatively be controlled by monitoring the flow within the lumen. The balloon includes at least one measurement element which indicates the expanded balloon cross-sectional area, circumference, or diameter. Optionally, the measurement element provides a fluoroscopic, radiographic, or ultrasound indication of the cross-sectional dimension. In alternative embodiments, such dimensions may be transmitted to the distal end of the catheter, or determined after deflation and removal of the catheter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of medical diagnostics, and particularly to the field of determining physiologic characteristics of body lumens. In one particular aspect, the invention provides methods and apparatus for measuring the cross-section of a diseased vessel segment.
To properly treat many bodily diseases or abnormalities, certain physiologic characteristics, such as the size of a particular body member, often need to be determined. One example is in the treatment of vascular lesions, stenosed regions, and particularly vascular aneurysms, which often requires the endoluminal placement of tubular prostheses, such as grafts, stents, and other structures. Before the prothesis is placed in the vascular anatomy, the size of the lesion is measured so that a properly sized prosthesis can be selected.
Vascular aneurysms are defined as the abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually resulting from disease and/or genetic predisposition which can weaken the arterial wall and allow it to expand. While aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel, most occur in the aorta and peripheral arteries, with the majority of aortic aneurysms occurring in the abdominal aorta, usually beginning below the renal arteries and often extending distally into one or both of the iliac arteries.
Aortic aneurysms are most commonly treated in open surgical procedures where the diseased vessel segment is by-passed and repaired with an artificial vascular graft. Recently, methods for endovascular graft placement for the treatment of aneurysms have been proposed. One such method and apparatus for endovascular placement of intraluminal prostheses, including both grafts and stents, is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/290,021, filed Aug. 12, 1994, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. A suitable intraluminal prosthesis for such a method includes a radially compressible, tubular frame having a proximal end, a distal end, and an axial lumen therebetween. The prosthesis is delivered to the area of interest via a delivery catheter. The prosthesis is then partially released from the catheter into a blood vessel or other body lumen to allow the prosthesis to radially expand and conform to the interior surface of the lumen being treated. The prosthesis can then be repositioned by the catheter until it is properly placed within the vessel. Optionally, the prosthesis may be implanted within a vessel by expanding a malleable portion of the prosthesis with a balloon catheter. Exemplary graft prostheses are described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/255,681, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
As previously described, before the endoluminal placement of an intraluminal prosthesis, it is desirable to first determine the appropriate size for the expanded prosthesis so that the prosthesis will properly fit within the body lumen. For instance, in the case of vascular aneurysms, it is often desirable to determine the diameter of the vessel adjacent to the aneurysm so that the prosthesis will match the size of the vessel on either side of the diseased area. In other circumstances, the cross-sectional area or the circumference of a lumen would be helpful. For example, where a prosthesis will conform to a vessel which has an irregular cross-section, it is desirable that the periphery of the implanted prosthesis match the lumen circumference to seal along the periphery. Alternatively, the open cross-section area would be helpful in determining whether placement of a prosthesis is an appropriate therapy for a stenosed lumen. As a final example, it is desirable to select a properly sized balloon catheter to firmly implant the prosthesis within the vessel, but which will not over-expand the prosthesis and damage the healthy vessel walls.
Current methods for measuring the open cross section near an effected body lumen employ fluoroscopy. To determine the diameter of a vessel using fluoroscopy, a catheter is inserted into the vessel and a contrast agent is injected into the vessel through the catheter. The blood flow carries the contrast agent along the vessel so that the vessel can be radiographically imaged with a fluoroscope. The fluoroscope produces a planar (or two dimensional) image of the vessel which can be evaluated to determine the existence of a diseased or abnormal area within the vessel. The nominal diameter of the diseased or abnormal area is then estimated by measuring the diameter of the vessel in the area adjacent to the diseased area on the radiographic image. However, such a measurement is typically not particularly accurate since it relies on discerning an ill-defined boundary in a single plane. Such a measurement does not take into account that the vessel is usually not in the same plane as the resulting fluoroscopic image. Another drawback to such procedures in determining the diameter of a vessel is that the vessel is often irregular in cross section, i.e., is not circular. Hence, even if the vessel were in the same plane as the resulting fluoroscopic image of the vessel, it would still be difficult to measure the open diameter of an irregular vessel.
Alternative prior art methods for measuring physiological characteristics of lumens have stressed the diseased lumen being measured. To determine lumen wall compliance and internal diameter, it has been proposed that a balloon be inflated with relatively low pressure fluid within a lumen. By monitoring inflation fluid volume and pressure, wall compliance of an expanding lumen can be determined. By inflating the balloon with sufficient internal pressure to expand the balloon so that it is restrained by the lumen wall, lumen cross-sectional area or diameter can also be measured. However, the balloon must be inflated with sufficient pressure to ensure that it has contacted the lumen wall all along the periphery to obtain an accurate measurment. Additionally, the measurement balloon systems of the prior art have utilized generally cylindrical balloons of non-compliant materials. Hence, the prior art methods have stressed the target region of the diseased lumen by forcing irregular lumens towards a cylindrical shape and by distending the diseased lumen.
Improper determination of the vessel size can result in the selection of a prosthesis that is too small and hence cannot be properly grafted. The endoluminal placement of an improperly sized prosthesis can present a number of serious problems. One problem is that the prosthesis must be removed from the body lumen and replaced with another that is properly sized. This can often be difficult if the prosthesis has been radially expanded while in the body lumen. To remove the expanded prosthesis, the prosthesis must be radially compressed and then withdrawn from the body lumen. Such a procedure increases the risk of injury to the patient as well as unduly increasing operating time and expense.
Methods and apparatus are therefore needed for accurately measuring the cross-section of a body lumen, and in particular the diameter, circumference, and cross-sectional area of a vascular lesion. In one particular aspect, it would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for the measurement of blood vessels in the region adjacent aneurysms so that the proper size of intraluminal prostheses, such as grafts and stents, can be accurately determined. It would be further desirable if such methods and apparatus were simple to use and could be used with existing fluoroscopy technology. Finally, it would be particularly desirable if such measurements could be taken without causing unnecessary stress to the diseased vessel.
2. Description of the Background Art
As previously described, methods and apparatus for placement and repositioning of intraluminal prostheses are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/290,021, the disclosure of which has previously been incorporated by reference. Suitable graft structures for placement in body lumens are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/255,681, the disclosure of which has previously been incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,169 describes methods and apparatus for determining the internal cross-sectional area and compliance of a vessel by measuring the volume and pressure of an incompressible fluid within an inflated balloon catheter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,738 describes a system for monitoring the pressure-volume relationship during conventional angioplasty procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,299 describes a similar apparatus which displays balloon pressure and diameter based on internal balloon pressure during angioplasty. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,488 describes an angioplasty system having a microprocessor for controlling, monitoring, displaying, and recording balloon inflation data. The medical literature also describes such measurements. See, for example, Abele (1980) AJR 135:901-906; Dembe et al. (1991) J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 18:1259-1262. The use of computer enhanced radiographic imaging techniques for determining vascular lumen diameter is described in Serruys et al. (1984) Am. J. Cardiol. 54:482-488; and Nicols et al. (1984) Circulation 69:512-522.

Lesion diameter measurement catheter and method


A microetching composition for copper or copper alloys comprising, (a) nitric acid or sulfuric acid, or both, (b) ferric nitrate or ferric sulfate, or both, (c) at least one component selected from a group consisting of unsaturated carboxylic acids, salts of unsaturated carboxylic acid, and anhydrides of unsaturated carboxylic acid, and (d) water. The composition can produce a copper or copper alloy surface exhibiting excellent adhesion to resins such as prepregs and resists and superior solderability. The composition is suitable for the manufacture of printed wiring boards with highly integrated fine line patterns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microetching composition useful for treating surfaces of copper or copper alloys (the copper or copper alloys may be hereinafter collectively called "copper").
2. Description of the Background Art
In the manufacture of printed wiring boards, copper surfaces are polished prior to coating such surfaces with an etching resist or a solder resist to improve adhesion of these resists to the copper surfaces. Mechanical cleaning using a buffing or scrubbing machine, or chemical cleaning, known as microetching, are used for roughening the copper surfaces. Microetching is more popular for treating substrates with fine line patterns. The copper surface is etched as deeply as 1-5 .mu.m by the microetching treatment. This depth of etching is calculated from the weight of copper decreased by etching, the specific gravity, and the surface area of the copper.
The microetching is also applied to remove oxidized films from the surface of copper prior to a solder leveling process or prior to mounting electronic parts in order to improve solderability. An aqueous solution containing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide as major components or an aqueous solution containing persulfate as a major component is used for the microetching.
As the circuit density of printed wiring boards become higher, conventional heat curable solder resists are being replaced by UV curable solder resists which are superior in forming fine line patterns. The characteristics of the UV curable solder resists in adhering to copper surfaces, however, are weaker than those of conventional solder resists. The copper surfaces obtained by conventional microetching therefore exhibit insufficient adhesion to these UV curable solder resists. Resist films may be peeled or may swell during the subsequent steps of gold plating, solder leveling, or electronic part mounting.
The solderability of copper surfaces obtained by conventional microetching is also insufficient for the solder leveling process for printing wiring boards which has an increasing number of pads for surface mount devices. Soldering failures sometimes occur.
Therefore, development of a microetching agent which can produce roughened surfaces on copper or copper alloy with adequately deep irregularities exhibiting excellent adhesion of solder resists and the like has been desired.
The inventors of the present invention have undertaken extensive studies and found that the addition of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or an anhydride thereof to a microetching agent comprising nitric acid or sulfuric acid and ferric nitrate or ferric sulfate, can achieve this object.

Composition for microetching copper or copper alloy


A method of forming a trim panel is provided. The method including the steps of: placing a non-woven mat of material in a heating press; heating the material to a predetermined temperature; applying a decorative film to a first surface of the heated material to create a bilaminate; placing the bilaminate layer into a cavity of a tool such that the decorative film is facing the cavity; heating the cavity; and injecting a thermoplastic resin into the tool such that the thermoplastic resin is adhered to a second surface of the material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming nonwoven trim panels and trim panels formed by the method. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming trim panels for automotive interiors.
Recent industry demands have been directed to reducing vehicle weights though the many components used in a vehicle. One area of interest for reduced vehicle weight is in the area of vehicle interiors, which may include large interior substrate panels.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a vehicle interior trim piece that is aesthetically pleasing while also providing structural integrity and durability where desired.

Method and apparatus for nonwoven trim panels


A system for treatment of gait disorders reflects, with electrical stimulation patterns fed to electrodes (1, 8) arranged at the patient, on the event of heel-strike and heel-off, the events being generated by a wireless heel switch (5). The pulse generator (4) also transfers the electrical energy needed to operate the heel switch (5) wirelessly. The event signal from the heel switch (5) is modulated in order to achieve a longer operating range.

Electrical stimulation of nerves or branches of nerves is known to be effective in the treatment of a variety of neurological disorders in living beings spanning from treatment of incontinence to gait disorders.
Treating gait disorders, especially correcting drop-foot, electrodes are placed in the proximity of the peroneal nerve or its branches. A pulse generator connected to the electrode generates a pattern of pulses to stimulate the nerve which will cause the foot dorsiflexor muscles to contract. Thus the foot will be lifted and it will be possible for the patient to swing the leg in a more natural manner. An example of a system for correction of drop-foot is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,403,821 B2 to Neurodan A/S. The document covers the medical aspects and examples of various preferred embodiments are disclosed. For the triggering of the electrical stimulation of the nerve, according to the wanted reaction of the foot, the use of a foot switch is disclosed. Both the heel-off and heel-strike can be detected and used for input to the pulse generator in order to calculate and initiate the appropriate pulse pattern to be fed to the electrode. The foot switch can be connected to the pulse generator using electrical wires or the foot switch can include a wireless transmitter module for communicating the pulse generator.
Anyhow a disadvantage can be seen in that equipping the foot switch with a wireless transmitter module results in a quite voluminous device. This is especially the case taking into considerations that the foot switch when mounted on the foot has to be contained in or at least partly in the foot wear, partly protruding out of the foot wear. If the foot switch is kept in place under the foot by a sock or other means, e.g. bands, it presents even more of an obstacle. A voluminous device also tends to move its position in relation to the foot over time introducing another source of failure. Another disadvantage associated, is that a wireless module in the form of a wireless transmitter needs a source of energy in the form of a battery. Both the wireless transmitter and battery take up much space, and adds to the complexity of the housing and the costs of the mechanics. Additionally, the presence of a battery in itself introduces a limitation since it has to be replaced now and then or have to be recharged if the battery is rechargeable. The cost for a wireless transmitter module is also a factor that should be taken into account.

System for electrical stimulation of nerves


A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element with a pair of element electrodes as a first element electrode and a second element electrode positioned at the lower surface of the light-emitting element; a phosphor plate disposed on the upper surface of the light-emitting element; a first resin covering the lower surface and the peripheral side surface of the light-emitting element with the first element electrode and the second element electrode partly appearing from the first resin; and a second resin provided in the phosphor plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting device, a lighting device and an electronic device incorporating the light-emitting device, and a method for manufacturing the light-emitting device, and more particularly, to a light-emitting device including a light-emitting element and including a structure that indicates the arrangement of the anode and the cathode of the electrodes of the light-emitting element.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Light-emitting device (hereinafter referred to as the light-emitting device) including a light-emitting element that is a semiconductor element has been widely used. Such a light-emitting device can achieve a long service life, outstanding driving characteristics, a compact size, and an efficient emission of light, and even can provide vivid emission of light in various colors including white. Due to these features of light-emitting device including a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode element (LED element), light-emitting devices including LED elements have been widely used in applications such as backlights for color display devices lamps, lighting tubes or lighting systems. In particular, these days, to cope with reductions in the size of the parts to be mounted on portable devices such as cellular phones or personal digital assistants, there has been an increasing demand for reducing the size of the mounting structure of the light-emitting device to be incorporated into the portable devices.
On the other hand, the light-emitting device having an LED element is known to be constructed in a manner such that the LED element is mounted on a patterned electrode formed on a substrate, and then this LED element is sealed on the upper surface of the substrate with a light-transmitting resin. In the step of mounting this light-emitting device, the polarity of the electrodes of the light-emitting device has to be identified, for example, when the light-emitting device is mounted onto a feed tape, when the light-emitting device is automatically mounted on the motherboard (printed circuit board) of an electronic device onto which the light-emitting device is to be mounted, or when the light-emitting device mounted on the motherboard is visually checked. Accordingly, conventional light-emitting devices are provided with a polarity mark for identifying polarities (for example, FIGS. 1 and 2 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-258455, and FIGS. 2 and 3 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-152482.)
FIGS. 13 and 14 show a light-emitting device 100 disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-258455. The light-emitting device 100 includes a substrate 110 having a pair of electrodes as an anode electrode 112 and a cathode electrode 111; an LED element 50 disposed with the cathode element electrode of the LED element 50 in contact with the cathode electrode 111 of the substrate 110; a wire 116 connected from the anode element electrode provided on the upper surface of the LED element 50 to the anode electrode 112 of the substrate 110; and a light-transmitting resin 113 that seals the LED element 50.
The cathode electrode 111 and the anode electrode 112 mentioned above extend from the upper surface of the substrate 110 to the lower surface via the side surfaces. Furthermore, the upper surface of the substrate 110 is provided with a pair of polarity marks 115 which are formed, outside the sealing range of the light-transmitting resin 113, by cutting a part of the cathode electrode 111 that is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 110. These polarity marks 115 are intended to be used to identify the orientation of the electrodes when the light-emitting device 100 is mounted on an external motherboard such as of an electronic device. As described above, outside the sealing range of the light-transmitting resin 113, the cathode electrode 111 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 110 with the polarity marks 115, and thus, it is easier to recognize the orientation of the electrodes.
Furthermore, FIG. 15 shows a light-emitting device 200 disclosed in FIG. 2 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-152482. The light-emitting device 200 includes a substrate 210; a cathode electrode 211 and an anode electrode 212 which are formed on the substrate 210; an LED element 50 disposed at the center of the substrate 210; a wire 216a connecting between the cathode element electrode of the LED element 50 and the cathode electrode 211 of the substrate 210; a wire 216b connecting between the anode element electrode of the LED element 50 and the anode electrode 212 of the substrate 210; and a light-transmitting resin 213 for sealing the LED element 50.
The cathode electrode 211 provided on the substrate 210 extends to the lower surface of the substrate 210 via a through-hole 211b and is then electrically connected to a lower surface electrode 211a on the lower surface. Furthermore, the anode electrode 212 provided on the substrate extends to the lower surface of the substrate 210 via a through-hole 212b and is then electrically connected to a lower surface electrode 212a on the lower surface. Furthermore, between the opposing outside surfaces of an optically transparent resin 213 and both the sides of the LED element 50, there are each provided a deep groove 213a that reaches the upper surface of the substrate 210. The wall surface of a reflective white resin 214 filled in the deep groove 213a forms a white reflective frame 214a surrounding the LED element 50 . There is also formed a shallow groove 213b in the vicinity of the outside of one of the two deep grooves 213a provided on both the sides of the LED element 50, the groove 213b forming part of the reflective frame 214a, and the shallow groove 213b is filled with the reflective white resin 214 that provides a wall surface 215. The provision of the wall surface 215 enables one to recognize the arrangement of the cathode electrode 211 and the anode electrode 212 on the substrate 210.
However, the aforementioned light-emitting device 100 is configured to have the substrate 110 on which the LED element 50 is mounted and the polarity marks 115 which are provided outside the sealing range of the light-transmitting resin 113 for sealing the LED element 50 on the upper surface of the substrate 110. Thus, although the orientation of the electrodes can be easily recognized when the light-emitting device 100 is mounted on an external board, the size of the substrate 110 becomes larger than the sealing range of the light-transmitting resin 113. This will lead to an increase in the size of the light-emitting device 100 itself and cannot meet the demand for reducing the size of parts.
On the other hand, the aforementioned light-emitting device 200 has the substrate 210 on which the LED element 50 is mounted, and the polarity mark 215 which is formed in the upper surface of the optically transparent resin 213 for sealing the LED element 50 on the upper surface of the substrate 210. Thus, like the light-emitting device 100 mentioned above, the orientation of the electrodes can be identified with ease when the light-emitting device 200 is mounted on an external substrate. However, after the light-emitting device 200 has been completed, this structure requires an extra step of forming the additional shallow groove 213b in the optically transparent resin 213 with the reflective white resin 214 filled in the groove 213b, which is necessary to be disposed outside the white reflective frame 214. Accordingly, the size of the optically transparent resin 213 tends to be larger because of the groove 213b provided outside the white reflective frame 214, and this will lead to an increase in the size of the light-emitting device 200 itself.

Light-emitting device, lighting device including the light-emitting device, and method of manufacturing the light-emitting device


The inventions is drawn towards vectors and methods useful for preparing genetically transformed plant cells that express immunogens from pathogenic organisms which are used to produce immunoprotective particles useful in vaccine preparations. The invention includes plant optimized genes that encode the HN protein of Newcastle Disease Virus. The invention also relates to methods of producing an antigen in a transgenic plant.

Recombinant DNA technology has provided substantial improvements in the safety, quality, efficacy and cost of pharmaceutical and veterinary medicaments including vaccines. Plant produced mucosal vaccines were invented by Curtiss & Cardineau. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,654,184; 5,679,880 and 5,686,079 herein incorporated by reference. Others have described transgenic plants expressing immunoprotective antigens and methods for production including Arntzen, Mason and Lam. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,717; 5,914,123; 6,034,298; 6,136,320; 6,194,560; and 6,395,964 herein incorporated by reference.
Vaccines produced in plant systems offer a number of advantages over conventional production systems. Conventionally produced vaccines strains (live and vectored) may revert towards virulence or carry biological contaminants from the production process. Subunit vaccines may be difficult to produce and purify due to protein instability issues and will not be glycosylated when produced in prokaryotes.
Plant cell production avoids the need for animal-sourced components in growth media essentially eliminating the risk of transmitting pathogenic contaminants from the production process. Plant cells are capable of post translational glycosylation, and plant cell growth media is generally less expensive and easier to handle and prepare compared to conventional growth media presently used in the manufacture of vaccines.
Systemic immunity to a particular pathogen results from activation of the immune system in response to antigen presented by a particular pathogenic organism or via a vaccine designed to protect against a particular pathogenic agent. Exposure to a pathogen is often through mucosal surfaces that are constantly exposed and challenged by pathogenic organisms.
Mucosal and oral immunity results from the production of sIgA (secretory IgA) antibodies in secretions that bathe all mucosal surfaces of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary tract and in secretions from all secretory glands. McGhee, J. R. et al., Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci. 409, (1983). These sIgA antibodies act to prevent colonization of pathogens on a mucosal surface (Williams, R. C. et al., Science 177, 697 (1972); McNabb, P. C. et al., Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 35, 477 (1981) and thus act as a first line of defense to prevent colonization or invasion through a mucosal surface. The production of sIgA can be stimulated either by local immunization of the secretory gland or tissue or by presentation of an antigen to either the GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue or Peyer's patches) or the BALT (bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue). Cebra, J. J. et al., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 41, 210 (1976); Bienenstock, J. M., Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 107, 53 (1978); Weisz-Carrington, P. Et al., J. Immunol 123, 1705 (1979); McCaughan, G. et al., Internal Rev. Physiol 28, 131 (1983). Membranous microfold cells, otherwise known as M Cells, cover the surface of the GALT and BALT and may be associated with other secretory mucosal surfaces. M cells act to sample antigens from the luminal space adjacent to the mucosal surface and transfer such antigens to antigen-presenting cells (dendritic cells and macrophages), which in turn present the antigen to a T lymphocyte (in the case of T-dependent antigens), which process the antigen for presentation to a committed B cell. B cells are then stimulated to proliferate, migrate and ultimately be transformed into an antibody-secreting plasma cell producing IgA against the presented antigen. When the antigen is taken up by M cells overlying the GALT and BALT, a generalized mucosal immunity results with sIgA against the antigen being produced by all secretory tissues in the body. Cebra et al., supra; Bienenstock et al., supra; Weinz-Carrington et al., supra; McCaughan et al., supra. Oral immunization is therefore a most important route to stimulate a generalized mucosal immune response and, in addition, leads to local stimulation of a secretory immune response in the oral cavity and in the gastrointestinal tract.
Mucosal immunity can also be advantageously transferred to offspring. Immunity in neonates may be passively acquired through colostrum and/or milk. This has been referred to as lactogenic immunity and is an efficient way to protect animals during early life. sIgA is the major immunoglobulin in milk and is most efficiently induced by mucosal immunization.
The M cells overlying the Peyer's patches of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue are capable of taking up a diversity of antigenic material and particles (Sneller, M. C. and Strober, W., J. Inf. Dis. 154, 737 (1986). Because of their abilities to take up latex and polystyrene spheres, charcoal, microcapsules and other soluble and particulate matter, it is possible to deliver a diversity of materials to the GALT independent of any specific adhesive-type property of the material to be delivered.
Vectors and cells useful for producing transgenic plant-derived immunoprotective antigens, and improved methods of antigen production would greatly facilitate the development, manufacture and efficacy plant-produced vaccines.

Vectors and cells for preparing immunoprotective compositions derived from transgenic plants

Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research


A floodwall system comprises a plurality of wall panels detachably attached to a plurality of columns that are anchored to the ground. The plurality of wall panels include a plurality of chambers that receive water through perforations to increase the mass of these wall panels.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a floodwall system that provides protection against coastal flooding or storm surge and the installation method thereof.
2. Background Discussion
Coastal cities such as New York City have experience unprecedented damages caused by storm surge and flood water due to extreme weather conditions such as hurricane, super storms, and rising of sea levels. When super storm Sandy hit New York City, it forced a record 13-foot storm surge that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to nearly a million people. New York City had to shut down its mass transit system, schools, the stock exchange, tunnels, and Broadway. Thousands of new New Yorkers who lived close to the shore were ordered to evacuate from their homes, most of which were inundated by the storm surge.
Damage from flood water has been experienced by human beings for thousands of years. Permanent civil structures including walls, barriers, and levees have been traditionally used to provide protections against storm surge. However, they have several drawbacks in view of current development practices and weather threats. More communities have been developed along coastal areas and river fronts because of the attractiveness of the scenery view and lifestyle. Erecting permanent structures to stop flood water is not favored by local communities because those structures are not aesthetically appealing.

Removable floodwall system, components and method of installation


The present invention belongs to the field of medicine, and specifically discloses an amino alcohol derivative represented by Formula I, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, polymorph or prodrug thereof. In addition, the present invention also discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising the above substances, and a use of the substance in the preparation of a medicament for the prevention and treatment of an immune inflammatory disease, or a disease or condition associated with immunological competence such as multiple sclerosis, ALS, CIDP, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, polymyositis, etc.

The immune system is a self-defensive structure mainly consisting of lymphatic organs (thymus glands, lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils), lymphatic tissues within other organs, lymphocytes throughout the body, antigen presenting cell, and the like. The immune system also includes other leucocytes in blood, and plasma cells and mast cells in connective tissues. The key components of the immune system are lymphocytes, which endue the immune system with the capability of recognition and memory. The lymphocytes travel throughout the body via blood and lymph, migrating from one lymphatic organ or tissue to another lymphatic organ or tissue, and connecting the lymphatic organs or tissues scattered throughout the body to form a functional entirety. T cells and B cells are the most important immunocytes in human bodies. The normal functioning of each component of the immune system provides the guarantee for the relative stability of the body immune functions, and any deficiencies or hyperactions of the component would cause damage to the body.
The components of immune system reach the whole body widely and complicatedly, particularly with the continuous production, circulation, and regeneration of the immune cells and immune molecules. The immune system possesses a great recognizability, which can precisely detect a foreign substance and distinguish it from human's own healthy tissue in order to maintain body's relative stability. Simultaneously, the immune system can accept, transfer, enlarge, depot, and memorize the related immune information, and provide positive or negative responses and regulate the responsibility to the immune information. However, the malfunctions of the immune system are disadvantageous to human body: human's abnormal recognizability easily results in allergy phenomenon, or causes iterative infections conversely; the abnormal stabilizing ability may induce the immune system to give responses to self-cells, which gives rise to autoimmune diseases.
Immunosuppressive agent is a type of new medicine category, which developed from the foundation of the research on neoplasm-chemotherapy, organ transplantation, immunopathology, and clinical immunology, etc. It possesses immunosuppressive effects which inhibits abnormal immune responses, and is generally used in the therapy of organ transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases. Common immunosuppressive agent comprises cyclophosphamide (CTX), glucocorticoid, azathioprine, cyclosporine A (CsA), rapamycin, mycophenolate mofetil and the like. Due to the restrictions of selectivity and specificity, the above mentioned immunosuppressive agents will inevitably damage immune defense capacity of the patients when receiving the treatment, resulting in the descent anti-infection ability of patients, the increasing risk of malignant lesions, the injury of hematopoietic system, immune system, liver, kidney and gastrointestinal function, neural and endocrine function disorder, and inducing some allergic reactions, etc. Therefore, the development and optimization of a new immunosuppressive agent has become an important direction for new drug development.
An agonist (such as FTY720) binds with the target molecule of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1, a kind of GPCR), which leads to internalization of S1P1, down-regulation of the expression of S1P1 on the surface of T lymphocytes and suppression of signal transduction pathway of the target molecules. Therefore, the inflammatory immune response mediated by activated T lymphocytes is suppressed. The amino alcohol derivative has some structural similarities with the endogenous hemolytic lipid of sphingosine. Sphingosine is phosphorylated to form sphingosine-1-phosphate induced by sphingosine enzyme. Activation of the receptor leads to cells differentiation, growth and regulations of adhesion and morphology of cells. In the normal immune responses, the proliferation of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes is taken place in lymph nodes. They down-regulate the S1P1 expression when they are in the lymph nodes. Once they are activated, the number of S1P1 on cell surface will be up-regulated, which allowed T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes to leave the lymph nodes. S1P1 on the surface of lymphocytes may bind to drugs resulting in the down-regulation of S1P1 expression, and thus losing the function of separating from the lymph nodes. To the end, lymphocytes will adhere to the lymph nodes. The amino alcohol derivative does not destroy the immune function of the lymphocytes, but make the lymphocytes remained in lymphatic system and inaccessible to blood circulatory system so that the immune response is suppressed.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 agonist FTY720 has been successfully developed by Novartis. However, FTY720 acts on not only sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1), but sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1P3), which can cause side effects such as bradycardia. Therefore, the development of S1P1 agonist with better receptor selectivity is an important research in this field.

Amino alcohol derivative, pharmaceutical composition and application thereof


An RF envelope detection circuit that operations at low currents, high sensitivity, and high dynamic range. The circuit receives an AC signal at its input terminal and applies a signal on its output terminal that is a function of the envelope magnitude of the AC signal. To do so, a current source provides a current with an AC signal being superimposed thereon. A rectification circuit rectifies the AC component of this current. A voltage amplifier then amplifies the voltage for providing on the output terminal of the detection circuit. A current sink draws a current from the output terminal that has approximately the same magnitude as the current provided by the current source. A capacitor is coupled to the output terminal of the rectifier so as to store excess charge provided by the rectifier that is in excess of the magnitude of the current provided by the current source.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to analog circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to circuits and methods for detecting an envelope in a radio frequency signal.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Access to information is an essential need of mankind. In order to meet this need, information is often conveyed from one location to another. One particularly convenient way to convey information is to electronically transmit a signal representing information. The electronically transmitted signal may then be received by receiver circuitry, which is then capable of interpreting or rendering the information represented by the signal.
Conventional receivers often include a number of analog circuit components, each having a specific purpose. One often-used analog component is called a Radio Frequency (RF) envelope detector. As a radio frequency signal is transmitted, the magnitude of the radio frequency signal RF can vary widely. An RF envelope detector detects the magnitude of the outer bounds of this RF envelope defined by the peak amplitudes in each cycle of oscillation. RF envelope detection is useful, for example, in demodulating an amplitude-modulated signal in which the information is represented by purposefully varying the amplitude of the peaks in the oscillating signal. RF envelope detection is also useful, for example, when detecting signal strength.
Key performance characteristics of an RF envelope detector include current consumption, sensitivity, and dynamic range. Current consumption relates to the amount of current used. Sensitivity is the signal strength of the weakest signal the system can detect with an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio. Dynamic range is the difference between the signal strength of the strongest and weakest signals that the circuit can respond to.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional envelope detector 300 in accordance with the prior art. Conventional envelope detection of an RF signal often involves the rectification of the RF signal, followed by low pass filtering the rectified signal. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the signal RF is received at the input terminal 301 and is rectified with rectifying diode 302. The rectified signal is then passed through low pass filter 303 to remove residual RF content. In this case, the low pass filter is simply a resistor 311 and a capacitor 312 coupled in parallel between the output terminal of the rectifying diode 302 and ground. The filtered signal is then provided on the output terminal 304 of the envelope detector 300.
It would be advantageous to reduce current consumption of RF envelope detectors to thereby reduce the power requirements of the RF envelope detector. This would reduce the cost of operating the envelope detector. Furthermore, if the RF envelope detector is operating on battery power, the battery lifetime may be extended.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to increase sensitivity of the envelope detector so that the envelope detector may operate with very weak signals. It would further be advantageous to increase the dynamic range of the envelope detector.
Accordingly, what would be advantageous is an RF envelope detector that operates at low current, has high sensitivity (also referred to herein as "low signal" sensitivity), and has high dynamic range. It would furthermore be advantageous if the RF envelope detector could be fabricated using conventional CMOS processes, so as to reduce the cost of fabricating the circuitry containing the RF envelope detector.


An apparatus to drive a ribbon carrying a printing medium in an impact printer is implemented. The apparatus accommodates manual tightening of the ribbon by decoupling the drive motor from the ribbon cartridge without use of a clutch mechanism. A gear train effecting the required speed reductions between a drive motor and the ribbon cartridge spool also implements the decoupling. Reliability of the ribbon drive is improved thereby, and manufacturing and assembly costs are reduced over ribbon drives now used in impact printers.

Impact printers using an ink ribbon to carry the printing medium from which characters on the printed page are formed must employ a ribbon drive mechanism to advance the ink ribbon so that fresh portions of the ribbon are available for printing. The mechanism driving the ribbon must accommodate manual tightening of the ribbon.
FIG. 1 illustrates an impact printer, printer 100, in which the ink ribbon 104 is supplied in a ribbon cartridge, ribbon cartridge 101. Printer 100 also includes a ribbon drive, ribbon drive 102. Ribbon drive 102 may be a ribbon drive according to the prior art, or the ribbon drive of the present invention. A portion (see ribbon pinion 207 in FIG. 2) of ribbon drive 102 engages a spool (not shown) within ribbon cartridge 101 and advances the ink ribbon 104. In order to manually tighten the ribbon 104, ribbon cartridge 101 incorporates knob 103, illustrated in the inset. By manually turning knob 103 in the same direction as the cartridge is driven, the ribbon 104 may be manually tightened. An enlarged view of such a ribbon-tightening knob is shown in FIG. 6. Ribbon drive 102 must accommodate free rotation to permit manual tightening of the ribbon 104 while the ribbon cartridge is engaged with the ribbon drive 102. This is complicated by the large speed reduction that is effected between the speed of the driving means for driving ribbon drive 102, and the speed at which the ribbon 104 advances, which necessarily must be the rotation speed of an output of ribbon drive 102.
Refer now to FIG. 2, in which is depicted a ribbon drive, ribbon drive 200, in accordance with the prior art. Ribbon drive 200 includes ribbon motor 201 and gear mount bottom 202, which supports gear 203 (shown in normal and inverted views), gear 204 (shown in normal and inverted views), and pinion gear 205. These gears are enclosed by gear mount top 206. Ribbon pinion 207 (which engages the spool (not shown) in ribbon cartridge 101) passes through an opening 210 in gear mount top 206 and is coupled to pinion gear 205, through which it is driven. Gear 203, gear 204, and pinion gear 205 effect the speed reduction between the speed of ribbon motor 201 and the speed of ribbon pinion 207 which drives the ribbon 104. Because the speed at which the ribbon 104 advances is substantially slower than the rotational speed of ribbon motor 201, the speed reduction produced through gear 203, gear 204, and pinion gear 205 is also substantial. Consequently, the torque that would need to be applied to knob 103 in order to manually tighten the ribbon 104 would be considerable unless a means were incorporated to decouple ribbon pinion 207 from pinion gear 205. This is achieved in the prior art by the use of spring clutch 208. When ribbon pinion 207 is rotated manually through its engagement with knob 103, spring clutch 208 decouples ribbon pinion 207 and pinion gear 205, and thereby the rest of the ribbon drive 200. In this way, knob 103 and ribbon pinion 207 may be freely rotated, and the ribbon 104 manually tightened, without rotating the remaining portions of ribbon drive 200.
Achieving the required speed reductions through the use of a gear train employing multiple individual gears, and a spring clutch to decouple the gear train from the ribbon pinion increases manufacturing and assembly costs and decreases reliability. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved ribbon drive that incorporates fewer parts, thereby reducing manufacturing and assembly costs, and improving reliability.

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to benzoxazole compounds represented by the following formula (I):

As a similar compound of that of the present invention, there may be mentioned an aniline compound described in Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 139767/1998.
However, the compound of the present invention is clearly different from the above compound of the reference at least the structure connecting from the benzoxazole portion and a phenyl portion, and in a part of the embodiment of the present invention, the point of the aniline portion being replaced by a hereto ring is different.
Accordingly, the compound of the present invention is a novel compound and the use thereof is also not yet known.
An object of the present invention is to provide a herbicide containing a benzoxazole compound as an effective ingredient.

Benzoxazole compounds, process for producing the same and herbicides

Abstract: wherein R1 to R4 may be the same or different from each other, and each represent a hydrogen atom, alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, haloalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, haloalkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, halogen atom, nitro group, cyano group, R12S(O)n, alkoxycarbonyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, amino group, —NHCOR11 or carbonyl group, where R11 and R12 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n is an integer of 0 to 2,        A represents a single bond, CHR5—Y, CR5═CR6, CR5R7—CHR6 or CHR5, where R5 represents a hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, halogen atom or alkyl group, R6 and R7 each represent a hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, alkyl group, halogen atom or substituted sulfonyloxy group,        Y represents O, S or NH, and        W represents a substituted or unsubstituted benzene ring or hetero ring,and processes for preparing the same.