Apparatuses and methods backward compatible with existing card processing infrastructure are provided to furnish dynamically configurable data to a card reader to facilitate transactions such as credit card transactions. The inventive apparatuses and methods are operable even with card readers configured to read statically implemented data, such as statically implement magnetic stripe data and/or statically printed bar codes. Techniques are also provided to take advantage of features of the inventive apparatus and method to substantially reduce or to eliminate transaction fraud and to improve efficiency for cardholders, card issuers, and intermediary institutions.

Magnetic stripe cards, e.g., credit cards, debit cards, membership cards, and the like, have long been employed to facilitate commerce and for identification purposes. Generally speaking, a magnetic stripe card includes a plastic or metallic card base on which a magnetic stripe is affixed. The information necessary to conduct a transaction (such as a purchase of goods/services or an identification query) is embedded in the magnetic stripe on the card. Many cards also include visually perceptible or human-readable data embossed or printed directly on the card itself. The data embedded in the magnetic pattern and the visually perceptible data may be used alternatively or together by the cardholder to accomplish a transaction.
In this document, credit cards will be employed as examples. However, the problems and solutions discussed herein are not limited to credit cards and may apply to all magnetic stripe cards irrespective of the purpose for which they are employed.
Contemporary credit cards, which are representative of magnetic stripe cards, are widely employed to facilitate the purchase of goods and services by cardholders. To facilitate discussion, a description of a typical credit card transaction is provided. Suppose, for example, a cardholder wishes to purchase a book using his credit card. If the purchase is performed in a manner that does not require the physical handling of the card by the merchant or the physical presence of the card (such as an online purchase), the cardholder may provide the credit card information (e.g., credit card number, expiration date, security code, cardholder's name and address, etc.) by furnishing some of the required information off the surface of the card itself. If the purchase is performed at a point-of-sale terminal (such as at the cash register in the bookstore), the cardholder or the store's clerk may swipe the card through a magnetic card reader to provide the credit card information directly from the magnetic stripe itself.
The credit card information, along with the merchant's information and the cost of the book that the cardholder wishes to purchase, may then be communicated by the merchant's device via a telecommunication network (e.g., the Internet or some other network) to one or more transaction processing servers. The transaction processing servers of the acquiring bank work cooperatively with databases of the institution that issues the credit card to, for example, ascertain whether the account associated with the given credit card has sufficient available credit to cover the cost of the book, whether the transaction appears fraudulent based on fraud detection algorithms, etc. If the transaction is approved, the approval information is relayed back to the merchant, who then allows the cardholder to complete the purchase. If the transaction is not approved, the denial information is relayed back to the merchant, who then rejects the attempted transaction. The above-described sequence of steps and the infrastructure mentioned are typical today, although there may be variations on the theme depending on specific implementations.
Although credit cards are widely used and there exists an extensive magnetic stripe card processing infrastructure comprising card readers, communication infrastructure, transaction processing systems and issuing bank databases, etc., to facilitate commerce using credit cards, the current credit card implementation is inherently insecure and far from being convenient/efficient/secure for cardholders, merchants, and card issuers.
For example, the wallet of a typical consumer may contain half a dozen or more magnetic stripe cards, including credit cards, each of which is associated with a different account. Since these credit cards have expiration dates, they need to be reissued from time to time. There exists a non-trivial cost associated with the issuance, updating, and/or renewal of the multiple credit cards for card issuers. For the cardholders, it is burdensome to carry and keep track of multiple credit cards. The burden is felt most acutely if, for example, the wallet is stolen and the cardholder must remember the cards that he or she possessed, and must find the contact information of the individual issuing banks in order to contact the individual issuing banks and, in a timely manner alert the issuing banks to possible fraudulent use of the stolen or lost credit cards. The existence of multiple credit cards also complicates or renders difficult the process of replacing lost cards.
Furthermore, credit cards tend to be passive devices. In other words, the data that is printed on the card surface and embedded in the magnetic stripe of a credit card is fixed and cannot be changed without having the card reissued. Because the typical credit card is passive, the same data is designed to be furnished to different vendors and is employed by different vendors to facilitate different transactions at different times. For example, the same credit card information (e.g., credit card number, expiration date, cardholder's name, etc.) furnished to a bookstore today is also furnished to the grocery store next week to accomplish the purchase of books and groceries respectively.
Given the fact that the credit card information is in human readable form on the card surface itself (typically comprising no more than a few dozen alphanumeric characters to represent the aforementioned credit card number, expiration date, cardholder's name, etc.), such credit card information is highly vulnerable to being snooped by another human being nearby, thus potentially exposing the cardholder and issuing bank to fraud-related losses.
The fixed magnetic code pattern on the typical credit card is also inherently insecure. As mentioned, in a typical point-of-sale transaction (such as at the grocery store), the cardholder provides the merchant with the credit card information by either handing a clerk the credit card or by swiping the credit card through a card reader. This approach is inherently insecure because the magnetic code pattern, being a fixed pattern that is designed to be reused from transaction to transaction, can be easily stored and then cloned and/or copied onto a blank card by a dishonest merchant or sales clerk. Since the data pattern is fixed and intended to be reusable for different transactions, once the credit card information is stolen, the cloned card or copied card information can be used until the fraud is detected at some later time, typically by the cardholder upon receiving a large bill from the card issuer for items he did not purchase or, in some cases, by the card issuer's fraud detection software upon detecting unusual or suspicious patterns of transaction attempts.
Even if fraud is not involved, the magnetic stripes in today's credit cards are fragile and susceptible to damage. For example, cardholders have long experienced situations wherein their cards are inadvertently demagnetized by another credit card or a magnet or by a stray electromagnetic field.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, today's magnetic stripe card implementations leave much room for improvement.

Transaction cards having dynamically reconfigurable data interface and methods for using same


An asymmetrical golf bag is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the golf bag includes a top located at an upper portion of the golf bag and a base located at a lower portion of the golf bag. Additionally, the golf bag additionally includes a body coupled between the top and the base. Further, a stand is mounted to the top and the base at an off center position. According to another aspect of the present invention, the top has an asymmetrical shape about two perpendicular axes. The asymmetrical top may additionally include a pair of corresponding halves defined by a longitudinal axis. The right half may have a convex shape designed to comfortably cradle the small of a golfer's back. The left half may have a concave shape to increase the volume of a pocket, such as a clothing pocket or a ball pocket. The asymmetrical top may additionally include one or more integral dividers. The dividers slope downward from the left half of the golf bag top to the right half to encourage the clubs to gather in a position close to the golfer's center of gravity when the golf bag is being carried. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the base has an asymmetrical shape about two perpendicular axes. In addition, the base may include an off center, bi-planar cut away portion including two intersecting planes coupled by a radius to facilitate engagement of the off center mounted stand mechanism.

Existing golf bags designed for use as stand bags typically have symmetrical tops and bases and a stand mechanism that is mounted in a central position along the body. A top view of two exemplary prior art golf bag tops 105, 115 is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Both golf bag tops 105, 115 have symmetric elliptical shapes. The golf bag tops 105, 115 each further include divider bars 110, 120 allowing a golfer to separate and organize his/her clubs.
Some disadvantages of prior golf bags are now briefly discussed with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. A golfer 200 is depicted carrying a golf bag 205 containing a set of clubs 210. Due to the nature of the divider bars 110, 120, which are typically parallel to the ground when the golf bag 205 is being carried, the clubs 210 often noisily slosh about as the golfer 200 is walking. Additionally, the motion of the clubs 210 may induce movement of the golf bag 205. The movement of the golf bag 205 may in turn cause the golf bag 205 to repeatedly strike the golfer's back as it swings out and returns. This repeated pounding may result in back discomfort 215 unless the golfer 205 can manage to hold the golf bag 205 steady. In view of the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior art stand bags, what is needed is an improved golf bag design.


A method and system for improving the yield of integrated devices by adaptively selecting contact and via sizes is described. According to this invention, the drawn size of via holes in a design layout is selected based on its adjacent geometry objects. The invention comprises identifying the minimal space required for placing a via; analyzing available free space for potential via size increase; identifying the proximity configuration of the via with other vias; selecting an appropriate via size based on the free space and proximity configuration to create a new design layout; and fabricate the new layout with proximity correction on the photomask such that vias of a plurality of sizes are reproduced on silicon within predetermined tolerances.

An integrated circuit chip is fabricated according to a design layout. A typical design layout has polygonal shapes arranged in different layers, where each layer is associated with a certain step in manufacturing process. A modern integrated circuit chip has many layers comprising active devices, interconnecting conductors, and via layers. The active devices are responsible for amplification or switching while interconnect and vias are responsible for wiring the active devices together.
On an integrated circuit chip, interconnection resides in different wiring or routing layers sandwiched by layers of inter layer dielectric. Vertical electrical connections between interconnect layers are accomplished by forming via holes in the inter layer dielectric and then fill them with a conducting material. A special kind of vertical connection is the Ohmic contact, or contact in short, to the semiconductor active device. For the purpose of this disclosure, the terms contact and via are interchangeable. Both contacts and vias are represented by rectangular geometries drawn in a special contact or via layer that specify the size and position of the hole to be made on inter layer dielectric. A design layout typically has one contact layer and many via layers.
In chip manufacturing, the design layout of a via layer is first mapped to a corresponding photomasks plate. Vias holes on the wafer are formed by projecting the image of the photomask onto the wafer that is coated with photoresist. The portion of photoresist inside the via area is exposed by ultra-violet (UV) light. The exposed photoresist is dissolved in a subsequent development step, revealing the insulating material to be removed. An etch step that follows removes the insulating material inside via area and forms the actual via hole. To form the conductive path, the via hole is filled with conductive material that connects the top and bottom conductive layers. For the purpose of this disclosure, we call both contact holes and via holes as via holes.
In order to minimize the chip area, the size of via hole is made as small as possible. As the degree of integration increases, the number of vias on a chip has reached many billions. At these large numbers, even a very low failure rate can result in significant number of actual chip failures. As a result, via failure become one of the main causes for chip malfunction.
In order to improve the manufacturing yield, method such as via doubling has been employed in prior art layout [1]. In this scheme, more than one vias is inserted to replace a single via whenever space is available. This operation is performed without generating design rule violations or increases in chip area.
Conventional via doubling inserts additional vias of the same size into the available space. This means the available space must be large enough to accommodate at least two vias plus the minimal via-to-via spacing constraints. Locations where the area is not sufficient for two vias could not benefit from this approach. In addition, the area required for placing an additional via contributes to an increase the capacitance that slows down the circuit operation. Further, it is more difficult to manufacture a pair of small, closely spaced vias using photolithography than one via with an increased area.
The concept of improving yield using an enlarged via to replace a via of minimal size was proposed by Allen et. al. [2], where the size of a via is increased whenever there is space for it to expand without violating design rules. In theory, an expanded via would have better immunity to defects and easier to open in a lithography process.
In practice, however, using variable via and contact sizes lead to serious control problem in manufacturing. The actual contact or via sizes on the chip follows a nonlinear relationship with its drawn size. A larger contact in the drawing becomes even larger on the wafer if the minimal sized contact is to stay on target. Similarly, an increase in the dimension in one direction also causes the image to bloat in the perpendicular direction.
The reason for the non-linear relationship comes from the via size selection. In order to save chip area, via size is selected to be below the linear imaging regime where geometric optics ensures linear scaling. The size of a via hole in a layout drawing is typically smaller than the UV wavelength used for exposing the via. Although the physical size of the hole on the photomask is typically 4 to 5 times larger than the drawn value in the layout, the diffraction effect is very strong during the imaging of the contact and via holes. Under this condition, one can still control the recipe as long as only one type of hole is required.
The difference in size between the drawn and the actual wafer hole becomes even larger when we further consider the etching step in forming the hole on the inter layer dielectric. The etch rate for a bigger hole is faster as the transport of reactive species becomes less constricted as the hole gets bigger.
When vias of different drawn size distort in different ways due to complicated processing physics, it becomes very difficult to control the amount of overlap, or via coverage, on the bottom and top connections for the via. Vias could become only partially covered by the top and bottom conductor, which could potentially lower the chip yield.
The second difficulty is the lack of automatic means to determine the appropriate contact or via size during layout design. Due to the large number of contact and vias, the process of deciding their size on an individual basis becomes impractical. As a result, variable via size are not used for signal connections in circuits such as random logic.
In a highly repetitive product such as the cell bank of a dynamic random access memory, flash memory, and static random access memory, a few handcrafted cells are arrayed to cover a large portion of the chip. For these special, highly repetitive products, variable contact shape have been used to reduce electrical resistance in tight spaces [2].
This disclosure proposes methods for the implementing variable via sizes in an integrated device containing a large number of irregularly spaced circuit elements such as random logic circuits, data path circuits, an element of field programmable gate array (FPGA), radio-frequency circuits, and most of the analog circuitry.

Method and system for improving manufacturability of integrated devices


A method for removing hydrogen sulfide to produce elemental sulfur from a synthesis gas feed stream containing hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water using direct oxidation of hydrogen sulfide by contacting a feed stream containing synthesis gas with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprised of metal oxides to convert a substantial fraction of the hydrogen sulfide present in the feed stream into sulfur and water, followed by cooling the reaction products to a temperature below the dew point temperature of the water and sulfur, separating the reaction products into two streams, with the first stream containing elemental sulfur and water in liquid form and the second stream containing unreacted components from the synthesis gas, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water, and then recycling a portion of the unreacted components to the feed stream.

In recent years, the generation of electric power using fossil fuels, particularly hydrocarbon fuel gases produced from coal gasification processes, has received careful scrutiny because of the potential adverse impact on the environment of atmospheric emissions containing sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide. In the past, some processes for treating fossil fuels prior to combustion and/or gasification have achieved limited success in minimizing unwanted emissions. In addition, a number of post-combustion treatments of the gases (typically relying on complex solvent or other sorbent removal techniques to remove sulfur compounds) have proven technically feasible, although often not economical.
The use of high-sulfur content coal presents significant pollution concerns because the gasification process produces a raw fuel gas comprised of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and lesser quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and gaseous sulfur compounds, principally hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbonyl sulfide (COS). Small amounts of ammonia, elemental nitrogen, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide may also be present. From an environmental standpoint, it is important to remove such components from any emissions, particularly the sulfur compounds.
Many industries, such as refining and petrochemical plants, often generate waste streams that contain unconverted hydrocarbons, free hydrogen, sulfide, carbon oxides and inert gases. Such waste streams typically occur at the end of refining operations and have been used as residual fuel for other processes within the same refinery complex. Higher processing efficiencies can be realized if waste streams containing unconverted hydrocarbons (including olefin compounds) and hydrogen are economically converted to higher value hydrocarbon products for use as fuel or chemical feedstock, provided that waste components such as hydrogen sulfide are first removed.
Thus, processes capable of efficiently removing and then reusing waste streams containing sulfur compounds have become of considerable interest in the petrochemical, power generation and oil and gas refining industries. Environmental concerns over waste streams have also resulted in an increased interest in removing hydrogen sulfide and/or recovering elemental sulfur without adversely affecting the efficiency of an overall commercial process.
One known process for treating gas streams containing hydrocarbons and sulfur waste components relies on the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbon constituents to hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Examples of such processes include catalytic steam reforming, catalytic partial oxidation, and catalytic autothermal reforming and non-catalytic partial oxidation. These known processes (often referred to as "synthesis gas" or "SynGas" processes) produce various ratios of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and can contain sulfur contaminants.
Heretofore, the treatment of synthesis gas containing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide using direct oxidation of H2S has not been accomplished in a commercially efficient or economical manner. In the known modified Claus process, following the removal from the synthesis gas, a portion of the hydrogen sulfide is combusted with air or oxygen to form sulfur dioxide. The uncombusted hydrogen sulfide is then reacted with the sulfur dioxide to form elemental sulfur and water.
The following patents relate to the desulfurization of fuel gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,572, issued to Bechtel International, describes a method and apparatus for removing acid gases from a first gas stream rich in carbon dioxide and for desulfurizing a second gas stream lean in carbon dioxide but containing sulfur compounds as impurities. The '572 process requires contacting the first gas with a solvent capable of extracting carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds from the first stream and thereafter separating the carbon dioxide and sulfur.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,766 describes an adiabatic process for purifying hydrocarbon gases containing CO2 and sulfur compounds as impurities. A CO2-laden solvent is used to extract sulfur from the impure gas stream. After removal of the sulfur compounds, the partly purified gas stream passes to an expansion turbine where work is produced by the resulting gas stream. The residual CO2 is eventually removed using solvent extraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,598 uses a CO2-laden physical solvent to extract the bulk of sulfur compounds from an impure gas. The partially purified gas is then contacted with a fully regenerated solvent to extract the CO2 along with the remaining sulfur compounds, mostly comprising COS. The CO2 is eventually removed from the system using downstream stripping and solvent extraction techniques.

Direct oxidation of sulfur with carbon dioxide recycle


Methods may be providing for signal synchronization at a wireless terminal communicating with a radio access network. For example, a command may be received from the radio access network, and the command may be to add a first carrier on a first frequency as a link for communications from the radio access network to the wireless terminal. Responsive to receiving the command to add the first carrier, the first carrier may be synchronized and/or configured using signals of a second carrier on a second frequency different than the first frequency. Related wireless terminals, network nodes, and network node methods are also discussed.

The present invention relates to communications, and more particularly, to radio communications networks and terminals.
In a typical cellular radio system, wireless terminals (also known as mobile stations and/or user equipment units (UEs)) communicate via a radio access network (RAN) to one or more core networks. User equipment units may include mobile telephones ("cellular" telephones) and/or other processing devices with wireless communication capability, such as, for example, portable, pocket, hand-held, laptop computers, which communicate voice and/or data with the RAN.
The RAN covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, with each cell area being served by a base station, e.g., a radio base station (RBS), which in some networks is also called a "NodeB" or enhanced NodeB "eNodeB", which can be abbreviated "eNB." A cell area is a geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the radio base station equipment at a base station site. The base stations communicate over the air interface operating on radio frequencies with UEs within range of the base stations.
In some versions of the radio access network, several base stations are typically connected (e.g., by landlines or microwave) to a radio network controller (RNC). The radio network controller, also sometimes termed a base station controller (BSC), supervises and coordinates various activities of the plural base stations connected thereto. The radio network controllers are typically connected to one or more core networks.
The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation mobile communication system, which evolved from the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and is intended to provide improved mobile communication services based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) access technology. UTRAN, short for UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network, is a collective term for the Node B's and Radio Network Controllers which make up the UMTS radio access network. Thus, UTRAN is essentially a radio access network using wideband code division multiple access for user equipment units.
The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has undertaken to evolve further the UTRAN and GSM based radio access network technologies. In this regard, specifications for the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) are ongoing within 3GPP. The Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) comprises the Long Term Evolution (LTE) and System Architecture Evolution (SAE).
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) RAN 100. The LTE RAN 100 is a variant of a 3GPP RAN where radio base station nodes (eNodeBs) are connected directly to a core network 130 rather than to radio network controller (RNC) nodes. In general, in LTE the functions of a radio network controller (RNC) node are performed by the radio base stations nodes. Each of the radio base station nodes (eNodeBs) 122-1, 122-2, . . . 122-M communicate with UEs (e.g., UE 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, . . . 110-L) that are within their respective communication service cells. The radio base station nodes (eNodeBs) can communicate with one another through an X2 interface and with the core network 130 through S1 interfaces, as is well known to one who is skilled in the art.
The LTE standard is based on multi-carrier based radio access schemes such as Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in the downlink and Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT)-spread OFDM in the uplink. The OFDM technique distributes the data over a large number of carriers that are spaced apart at precise frequencies. This spacing provides the "orthogonality" in this technique which avoids having demodulators see frequencies other than their own. The benefits of OFDM are high spectral efficiency, resiliency to RF interference, and lower multi-path distortion.
FIG. 2 illustrates a resource grid for frequency and time resource elements (REs), where each resource element corresponds to one OFDM subcarrier during one OFDM symbol interval. In the time domain, LTE downlink transmissions may be organized into radio frames of 10 ms, and each radio frame may consist of ten equally-sized subframes of length Tsubframe=1 ms, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
One or more resource schedulers in the LTE RAN 100 allocate resources for uplink and downlink in terms of resource blocks, where a resource block corresponds to one slot (0.5 ms) in the time domain and 12 subcarriers in the frequency domain. Resource blocks are numbered in the frequency domain, starting with 0 from one end of the system bandwidth.
The LTE Rel-8 standard has recently been standardized, supporting bandwidths up to 20 MHz. 3GPP has initiated work on LTE Rel-10 in order to support bandwidths larger than 20 MHz and support other requirements defined by IMT-Advanced Requirements. Another requirement for LTE Rel-10 is to provide backward compatibility with LTE Rel-8, including spectrum compatibility. This requirement may cause an LTE Rel-10 carrier to appear as a number of LTE carriers to an LTE Rel-8 terminal. Each such carrier can be referred to as a Component Carrier (CC). In particular for early LTE Rel-10 deployments it can be expected that there will be a smaller number of LTE Rel-10-capable terminals compared to many LTE legacy terminals. Therefore, it can be particularly important to ensure efficient use of the wide carrier by legacy terminals, such as by enabling legacy terminals to be scheduled in all parts of the wideband LTE Rel-10 carrier. One way to obtain this may be by means of Carrier Aggregation. Carrier Aggregation refers to an LTE Rel-10 terminal being configured to receive multiple CC, where the CC have, or at least the possibility to have, the same structure as a Rel-8 carrier. The same structure as Rel-8 implies that all Rel-8 signals, e.g. (primary and secondary) synchronization signals, reference signals, system information are transmitted on each carrier. FIG. 4 graphically illustrates an exemplary 100 MHz Carrier Aggregation of five 20 MHz CCs.
Referring to FIG. 4, the number of aggregated CC as well as the bandwidth of the individual CC may be different for uplink and downlink. A symmetric configuration refers to the case where the number of CCs in downlink and uplink is the same whereas an asymmetric configuration refers to the case that the numbers of CCs in downlink and uplink are different. It is important to note that the number of CCs offered by the network may be different from the number of CCs seen by a terminal. For example, a terminal may support more downlink CCs than uplink CCs, even though the network offers the same number of uplink and downlink CCs.
During initial access a LTE Rel-10 terminal may operate similarly to a LTE Rel-8 terminal. Upon successful connection to the network, a terminal may—depending on its own capabilities and the network—be configured with additional CCs in the UL and DL. Configuration is based on Radio Resource Control (RRC). Due to the heavy signaling and rather slow speed of RRC signaling, a terminal may be configured with multiple CCs even though not all of them are currently used. If a terminal is configured for multiple CCs it may have to monitor Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for all DL CCs. However, such terminal configuration may necessitate use of a wider receiver bandwidth, higher sampling rates, etc. resulting in high power consumption.
With multiple CCs used to provide downlinks from a RAN to a wireless terminal over respective different frequencies, the wireless terminal may be required to synchronize and/or configure each of the multiple CCs received over each of the different frequencies.

Methods providing aided signal synchronization and related network nodes and devices


An in-line gate is provided for a conveyor for particulate lading. The gate comprises a gate plate which is movable between a raised position in which the gate plate engages a seal extending at least along the sides of the conveyor exit and a lowered position in which the plate is beneath the conveyor's trough floor. In the lowered position, the gate plate is moved parallel to the direction of the conveyor between a closed position in which the plate blocks the opening and an open position in which the gate plate is positioned beneath the conveyor trough.

This application relates to slide gates for conveyor systems, and in particular, to a conveyor slide gate in which the gate opens axially relative to the conveyor.
The use of conveyors to transport material is well known. Often, conveyors for flowable bulk material (such as grain, for example) will include a slide gate to allow the bulk material to exit the conveyor through an opening in the bottom of the conveyor trough. To allow for a gate to be moveable between an open and a closed position, the gate member must slide relative to the trough. Typically, the gate member is positioned beneath the conveyor trough and moves relative to the bottom of the conveyor trough. In such systems, the flowable material transported by the conveyor can become lodged between the gate and the trough, thereby interfering with the operation of the gate.


A complementary regenerative torque system exists for a vehicle including an engine having an accelerator pedal position sensor; a transmission unit; and a drive shaft for driving a pair of wheels for propelling the vehicle. The regenerative torque system selectively stores and supplies energy to the drive train to provide on demand complementary torque thereto. The regenerative torque system may be either hydraulic or electric in nature and may be disposed upstream or downstream of the transmission relative to the engine. A regenerative torque control module is disposed between the accelerator pedal position sensor and the engine control module and intercepts the accelerator pedal position signal and modifies it in response to the mode of operation of the regenerative torque system and forwards the modified throttle signal to the engine control module. Likewise, the regenerative torque control module intercepts signals from the engine control module and modifies the same prior to broadcasting them to the rest of the vehicle's control modules.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a controller for a complementary Regenerative Torque System (RTS) for a vehicle, the interface to the existing vehicle components, and the associated control thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional vehicles have an internal combustion engine as a single source of torque. FIG. 1 depicts a schematic flow chart of the signal and torque flow and associated control of a conventional four wheel drive vehicle. An Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) sensor is often employed to indicate desired engine torque while an Engine Control Module (ECM) controls the engine in response to the APP and other sensed conditions. The ECM communicates with a Transmission Control Module (TCM) which controls the transmission in accordance with APP, engine output torque, engine speed and vehicle speed, amongst other conditions. Such assemblies are well known in the art. These prior art systems do not have the ability to provide complementary or supplemental torque, or the ability to store or otherwise use the tremendous amount of energy wasted during vehicle deceleration.
The prior art has presented a wide variety of vehicular systems designed to capture and store a portion of the kinetic energy lost to brake heating in a decelerating vehicle, and to use the stored energy to re-accelerate the vehicle. Such systems often convert the torque of a drive shaft somewhere between the transmission and the axle of the vehicle drive wheels. Some systems employ electric hybrid components consisting of electric motor generators, batteries, and capacitors to convert kinetic energy while braking to electrical potential energy for driving the motor when torque is needed. Other systems employ hydraulic hybrid components consisting of pumps, motors and accumulators to convert kinetic energy while braking to hydraulic potential energy for driving the motor when torque is needed.
An example of a hydraulic RTS employs an integrated Pump Motor (P/M) which is driven by the drive train of the vehicle. The P/M shifts between a generative pump mode to charge a hydraulic accumulator and a motor mode which supplies torque to the drive train. Such pump motors are well known to those of ordinary skill on the art. Many such designs include a variable displacement P/M with a swash plate. When the swash plate is at zero angle, the pistons of the P/M are not reciprocating with respect to the cylinder block and the P/M is neither pumping nor motoring. The position of the swash plate is controlled in response to the mode of operation of the RTS. When braking, the P/M becomes a pump which charges a pressure accumulator. When accelerating, the pressure accumulator powers the P/M which then acts as a motor supplying torque the drive train.
All such prior devices and systems are costly and difficult to be installed with control systems of existing vehicles and are not especially adapted for simple integration with an existing control system and fail to provide the benefits associated with the assembly according to the present invention.

Complementary regenerative torque system and method of controlling same


Disclosed are lyophilized biologically active proteinaceous compositions containing low diol polyalkylene oxide, such as polyethylene glycol, covalently attached to a biologically active proteinaceous substance and combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lyophilized aqueous parenteral solutions of physiologically active proteins and polypeptides attached to low diol polyalkylene oxide combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.
More particularly, this invention relates to a lyophilized aqueous parenteral solution of superoxide dismutase attached to low diol polyethylene glycol combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.
2. Reported Developments
Biologically active proteins, particularly enzymes and peptide hormones, have been long considered as ideal drugs for the treatment of various diseases due to their specificity and rapid catalytic action. Such enzymes include:
Oxidoreductases such as: Urate: oxygen oxidoreductase (220.127.116.11; "uricase"); Hydrogen-peroxide: hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase (126.96.36.199; "catalase"); Cholesterol, reduced--NADP: oxygen oxidoreductase (20-.beta.-hydroxylating) (184.108.40.206; "Cholesterol 20-hydroxylase"). PA0 Transferases such as: UDP glucuronate glucuronyl-transferase (acceptor unspecific) (22.214.171.124; "UDP glucuronyltransferase"); UDP glucose: .alpha.-D-Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase 184.108.40.206). PA0 Hydrolases such as: Mucopeptide N-acetylmuramyl-hydrolase (220.127.116.11; lysozyme); Trypsin (220.127.116.11); L-Asparagine aminohydrolase (220.127.116.11; "Asparaginase"). PA0 Lyases such as: Fructose-1,6-diphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase (18.104.22.168; "aldolase"). PA0 Isomerases such as D-Xylose ketol-isomerase (126.96.36.199; xylose isomerase) and PA0 Ligases such as: L-Citrulline: L-aspartate ligase (AMP) (188.8.131.52). PA0 Insulin, ACTH, Glucagon, Somatostatin, Somatotropin, Thymosin, Parathyroid hormone, Pigmentary hormones, Somatomedin, Erythropoietin, Luteinizing hormone, Chorionic Gonadotropin, Hypothalmic releasing factors, Antidiuretic hormones, Thyroid stimulating hormone, Calcitonin and Prolactin. PA0 from about 150 to about 150,000 U/ml, preferably, PA0 from about 25,000 to about 150,000 U/ml, most preferably, PA0 from about 50,000 to about 150,000 U/ml of a covalently bound low diol polyethylene oxide/protein; PA0 from about 0.1 to about 20% w/v, preferably, PA0 from about 1.0 to about 15% w/v, and most preferably, PA0 from about 5 to about 10% w/v of cyclodextrin; and PA0 from about 0.01 to about 50 mM of a buffer at a pH of 5.7 to 6.5. PA0 Recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhuIL-4); PA0 Protease Subtilisin Carlsberg; PA0 Superoxide dismutases such as bovine, human, and various recombinant superoxide dismutases such as recombinant human superoxide dismutase (rhuSOD); PA0 Oxidoreductases such as: Urate: oxygen oxidoreductase (18.104.22.168; "uricase"); Hydrogen-peroxide: hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase (18.104.22.168; "catalase"); Cholesterol, reduced--NADP: oxygen oxidoreductase (20-.beta.-hydroxylating) (18.104.22.168; "Cholesterol 20-hydroxylase"); PA0 Transferases such as: UDP glucuronate glucuronyl-transferase (acceptor unspecific) (126.96.36.199; "UDP glucuronyltransferase"); UDP glucose: .alpha.-D-Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase 188.8.131.52); PA0 Hydrolases such as: Mucopeptide N-acetylmuramyl-hydrolase (220.127.116.11; lysozyme); Trypsin (220.127.116.11); L-Asparagine aminohydrolase (220.127.116.11; "Asparaginase"); PA0 Lyases such as: Fructose-1,6-diphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase (18.104.22.168; "aldolase"); PA0 Isomerases such as D-Xylose ketol-isomerase (220.127.116.11; xylose isomerase); and PA0 Ligases such as: L-Citrulline: L-aspartate ligase (AMP) (22.214.171.124). PA0 Insulin; ACTH; Glucagon; Somatostatin; Somatotropin; Thymosin; Parathyroid Hormone; Pigmentary Hormones; Somatomedin; Erythropoietin; Luteinizing Hormone; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Hypothalmic Releasing Factors; Antidiuretic Hormones; Thyroid Stimulating Hormone; Calcitonin; Prolactin; Interferons (alpha, beta and gamma); Antibodies (IgG, IgE, IgM, IgD); Interleukins 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7; Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (GCSF); Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF); Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF); Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF); Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF); Nerve Growth Factor (NGF); Bone Growth Factor (BGF); Growth Hormone Releasing Factor (GHRF); Papain; Chymotrypsin; Thermolysin; Streptokinase and Activase.
The peptide hormones include:
Therapy with physiologically active proteinaceous substances, particularly with non-human enzymes, has been less than successful due in part to their relatively short half-lives and to their respective immunogenicities. Upon administration, the host defense system responds to remove the foreign enzymes by initiating the production of antibodies thereto, thereby substantially reducing or eliminating their therapeutic efficacies. Repeated administration of foreign and of otherwise short lived human enzymes is essentially ineffective, and can be dangerous because of concomitant allergic response. Various attempts have been taken to solve these problems, such as through microencapsulation, entrapment in liposomes, genetic engineering and attachment of the enzymes to polymers. Among the attempts the most promising appears to be the chemical attachment of the proteinaceous substances to polyalkylene oxide (PAO) polymers and particularly polyethylene glycols (PEG). The following illustrates these attempts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,337 discloses the use of polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol coupled to proteins to provide a physiologically active non-immunogenic water soluble polypeptide composition in which the polyethylene glycol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as PEG) serves to protect the polypeptide from loss of activity without inducing substantial immunogenic response. The methods described in the patent for the coupling of polyethylene glycol to a protein involve either the conversion of a protein amino group into an amide or pseudoamide, with consequent loss of charge carrying capacity of the amino group, or the introduction at the amino group of the protein, or vicinal to it, of a heteroatom substituent such as a hydroxyl group or of a ring system that is not repeated in the polymer backbone.
Veronese, F. M., Boccu, E., Schaivon, O., Velo, G. P., Conforti, A., Franco, L., and Milanino, R., in Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 35, 757-758 (1983), reported that when bovine erythrocyte derived superoxide dismutase is modified with a polyethylene glycol carboxylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide active ester, the half-life of the enzyme in rats is increased over that of the unmodified protein.
European Patent Application 0 200 467 of Anjinomoto, Inc. describes superoxide dismutase that is chemically modified by a polyalkylene oxide (PAO) which is functionalized at both ends of the polymer with activated carboxyl coupling groups, each capable of reacting with protein. Because the activated coupling sites are located at opposite ends of the polymer chain, it is unlikely that the presence of an activated group at one of the polymer can have a significant effect on the reactive nature of the group at the other end of the polymer. These polymers are capable of reacting at both ends to cross-couple with proteins to form copolymers between the protein and the polyalkylene oxide. Such copolymers do not have well defined or molecularly stoichiometric compositions.
Veronese, F. M. et al in Journal of Controlled Release, 10, 145-154 (1989) report that the derivatization with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as MPEG) of superoxide dismutase (hereinafter sometimes referred to as SOD) gives a heterogenous mixture of products. Heterogeneity was demonstrated to depend on the presence of bifunctional polyethylene glycol (DPEG) in the monofunctional methoxylated molecules.
These attempts, in general, have resulted in somewhat longer half-life and reduced immunogenicity of the proteinaceous physiologically active substances. However, it appears that further improvements are necessary to successfully treat a variety of diseases with these promising biological substances.
In co-pending patent application Ser. No. 07/936,416 (which is incorporated herein by reference) it is disclosed that biologically active proteinaceous substances can be made to possess longer half-life and less immunogenic properties by chemically modifying them using low diol polyalkylene oxide, preferably polyethylene glycol. The formulations disclosed have distinct advantages over the prior art disclosed formulations of polyethylene glycol-modified, proteinaceous substances.
During storage in the liquid state, polyethylene glycol proteinaceous molecules are hydrolyzed to a mixture of free polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol-protein and succinate-protein moieties. To prevent such a destabilization process, the formulations may be lyophilized. With lyophilization, however, the concentration of protein and stabilizers is at high levels and, depending on the excipients employed, deleteriously influence the degree of intermolecular aggregation that occurs during storage.
It has been found that cyclodextrins inhibit the rate of intermolecular aggregation of covalently attached low diol polyethylene glycol-proteins during their storage, and therefore, provide for extended shelf-life.
Cyclodextrins are known in the art to possess the ability to form inclusion complexes and to have concomitant solubilizing properties. Derivatives of cyclodextrins are also known to possess these properties. Their use is illustrated by the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,795, relates to the administration of sex hormones in the form of their complexes with hydrophilic derivatives of cyclodextrin, such as poly-.beta.-cyclodextrin and hydroxypropyl-.beta.-cyclodextrin, by sublingual or buccal routes. The complexes were found highly water-soluble and effective by comparison to other cyclodextrin derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,064 discloses pharmaceutical preparations consisting of a drug having low water solubility and an amorphous water-soluble cyclodextrin-based mixture. The addition of the cyclodextrin-based mixture improves the dissolution properties of the drug. The cyclodextrin-based mixture is prepared form .alpha., .beta.- or .gamma.-cyclodextrin which were rendered amorphous through non-selective alkylation.
International Application No. PCT/US89/04099 (WO 90/03784) describes a lyophilized composition comprising a polypeptide and a stabilizing/solubilizing amount of cyclodextrin selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl, hydroxyethyl, glucosyl, maltosyl and maltotriosyl derivatives of .beta.- and .gamma.-cyclodextrin.
U.S. Pat. No., 4,983,586 discloses a method for decreasing the incidence of precipitation of a lipophilic and/or water-labile drug occurring at the injection site, when the drug is being parenterally administered, comprising administering the drug in an aqueous solution containing about 20% to 50% hydroxypropyl-.beta.-cyclodextrin.
A large number of drugs are claimed including: antineoplastics, sedatives, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, hypnotics, muscle relaxants, antisposmodics, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants, cardiotonics, vasodilators and anti-arrhythmics.
We have surprisingly found that lyophilized parenteral formulations comprising conjugated low diol polyoxyethylene oxide and a physiologically active protein or polypeptide in a complex with cyclodextrin provide stability on extended shelf-life to the formulations without intramolecular aggregation.

Lyophilized formulation of polyethylene oxide modified proteins with increased shelf-life


This variable-angle tubular connection includes a first tubular section (4) which has a flange ring (10), a second tubular section (6) which has an end flange (12) and a clamping device (8) for clamping the flange ring (10) against the end flange (12). The clamping device (8) has at least one linking segment (22), suitable for being applied against the flange ring (10), and components (24) for clamping the linking segment (22) against the flange ring. The end flange (12) has traversing recesses (20) through which the clamping components extend. The end flange is fixed to the second tubular section (6). Application to the sealed junction of tubing elements.

The present invention relates to a variable-angle tubular connection, of the type comprising:                a first tubular section which defines a first central axis and which comprises a flange ring oblique to the first central axis,        a second tubular section which defines a second central axis and which comprises an end flange oblique to the second central axis,
the flange ring and end flange forming an axis of rotation, and                means for clamping the flange ring against the end flange which are suitable to allow a relative rotation of the flange ring and the end flange of 360° about the axis of rotation.
A variable-angle tubular junction of the aforementioned type is known from document AU-A-4896369.
A variable-angle tubular connection comprising a first tubular section and a second tubular section, each of which comprises a terminal flange ring is also known from document FR-A-1,469,425. The tubular connection also comprises two sliding flanges, which are separate parts from the flange rings, and are suitable for clamping the flange rings against each other by means of bolts. This connection comprises a large number of constituent parts, and, consequently, is difficult to manufacture and costly to assemble.


A betatron, especially in X-ray testing apparatus is provided, that includes a rotationally symmetrical inner yoke having two interspaced parts, an outer yoke connecting the two inner yoke parts, at least one main field coil, a toroidal betatron tube arranged between the opposing front sides of the inner yoke parts, and at least one contraction and expansion coil. An individual CE coil is respectively arranged between the front side of the inner yoke part and the betatron tube, and the radius of the CE coil is essentially the same as the nominal orbital radius of the electrons in the betatron tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a betatron with a contraction and expansion coil, particularly for producing x-radiation in an x-ray inspection system.
2. Description of the Background Art
X-ray inspection systems such as the one illustrated in FIG. 5 are used, as is well-known, in the inspection of large-volume articles such as containers and motor vehicles for illegal contents such as weapons, explosives, or contraband goods. In so doing, x-radiation is produced and directed at the article (e.g., target 50). The x-radiation attenuated by the object is measured by means of a detector (e.g. x-ray detector 52) and analyzed by an evaluation unit (e.g., evaluation unit 54). Therefore, a conclusion can be reached on the nature of the object. This type of x-ray inspection system is known, for example, from European Pat. No. EP 0 412 190 B1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,418.
Betatrons are used to generate x-radiation with the energy needed for the inspection of more than 1 MeV. These are circular accelerators in which electrons are accelerated in a circular path. The accelerated electrons are guided onto a target, where upon impacting they produce Bremsstrahlung whose spectrum depends inter alia on the energy of the electrons.
A betatron disclosed in German Pat. Application No. DE 23 57 126 A1 includes a two-part inner yoke, in which the front sides of both inner yoke parts face each other spaced apart. A magnetic field is produced in the inner yoke by means of two main field coils. An outer yoke connects the two inner yoke part ends distant from one another and closes the magnetic ring.
An evacuated betatron tube, in which the electrons to be accelerated circulate, is arranged between the front sides of the two inner yoke parts. The front sides of the inner yoke parts are formed in such a way that the magnetic field produced by the main field coil forces the electrons into a circular path and moreover focuses them onto the plane in which the circular path lies. To control the magnetic flux, it is prior in the art to arrange a ferromagnetic insert between the front sides of the inner yoke parts within the betatron tube.
The electrons are injected, for example, by means of a electron gun into the betatron tube and the current is increased by the main field coil and thereby the strength of the magnetic field. An electric field, which accelerates the electrons in their orbit, is produced by the variable magnetic field. The Lorentz force on the electrons increases similarly simultaneously with the magnetic field strength. As a result, the electrons are held on the same orbit radius. An electron moves in an orbit when the Lorentz force directed at the center of the orbit and the opposing centripetal force cancel each other out. The Wideroe condition follows from this:
                    1        2                                    ⅆ                                                          ⅆ          t                                  〈                  B                                (                          r              s                        )                          〉              =                            ⅆ                                                          ⅆ          t                                  B                          (                      r            s                    )                                with                                              〈                  B                                (                          r              s                        )                          〉              =                  1                  π          ·                      r            S            2                                                      ∫          ∫                A                          B                          (          r          )                                            ⅆ          A                .
In this case, rs is the nominal orbit radius of the electron, A the area defined by the nominal orbit radius rs, and <B(rs)> the magnetic field strength averaged over the area A.
The disadvantage of the prior-art betatron is the fact that, for example, because of fabrication tolerances or the scatter of the electron gun, only a small part of the electrons injected into the betatron tube focuses on the desired orbit and is thereby accelerated to the final energy. This causes a reduced efficiency. In addition, there is the problem of deflecting the accelerated electrons, therefore, to guide them from the nominal orbit to the target.

Betatron with a contraction and expansion coil


A swiveling motor for a divided stabilizer in an area of a vehicle axle, in which a housing is closed off in a region of its end surfaces by lids. A differential pressure regulating valve located coaxially with the housing and having at least one electromagnet, and two springs of different spring load deflection characteristics directed opposite to one another. One of these springs has a lower spring load deflection characteristic in a region of the electromagnet.

The invention relates to a swiveling motor for a divided stabilizer in the region of a vehicle axle, comprising at least a housing, which is closed off in the region of its end surfaces by lids and accommodates a rotor as well as a valve.
The DE-A 19 754 539 discloses a swiveling motor for a divided stabilizer at a vehicle axle, including a cylinder, which is closed off at the ends by two lids, radial ribs extending axially at the internal diameter of the cylinder and a motor shaft with blades, which have the same axial extent as the ribs of the cylinder, the blades of the motor shaft and the ribs of the cylinder forming individual working chambers, as well as a connecting system between the working chambers, which has, in the swiveling motor, an on-off valve, which selects the connection between the individual working chambers in the sense of controlling the driving stability.
Only the starting and stopping states of the swiveling matter can be realized by this on-off valve. An active control is not possible. Such on-off valves require at least one valve block, in order to switch the swiveling motor on or off. As a result, more space is required in the peripheral region of the swiveling motor.


Disclosed is a method for analyzing biological samples by means of a scanning microscope. According to said method, at least one screen dot is repeatedly and successively illuminated with a manipulating light beam and an exciting light beam. The interval between the time of illumination with the manipulating light beam and the time of illumination with the exciting light beam is modified, and the fluorescent light yield is measured in accordance with said interval.

In scanning microscopy, a sample is illuminated with a light beam in order to observe the reflection or fluorescent light emitted by the sample. The focus of an illumination light beam is moved in an object plane with the help of a controllable beam deflector, generally by tipping two mirrors in an object plane, whereby the axes of deflection are usually positioned perpendicular to each other, so that one mirror deflects in the x-direction and the other in the y-direction. The mirrors are tipped with the help, for example, of galvanometric positioners. The power of the light coming from the object is measured dependent on the position of the scanning beam. Generally, the positioners are provided with sensors to determine the actual position of the mirrors.
In confocal scanning microscopy in particular, an object is scanned in three dimensions with the focus of a light beam.
A confocal scanning microscope generally comprises a light source, a focusing optic with which the light from the source is focused on a pinhole aperture—the so-called excitation aperture—, a beam splitter, a beam deflector to control the beam, a microscope optic, a detection aperture, and detectors to detect the detection or fluorescent light. The illumination light is coupled via a beam splitter. The fluorescent or reflection light coming from the object returns to the beam splitter via the beam deflector, passes through it, and finally focuses on the detection aperture, behind which are the detectors. Detection light that does not originate directly from the focal region takes another light path and does not pass through the detection aperture, so that pixel information is obtained that leads to a three-dimensional image as a result of sequential scanning of the object. In most cases, a three-dimensional image is achieved by layered data imaging, whereby the path of the scanning light beam ideally describes a meander pattern on or in the object. (Scanning a line in the x-direction at a constant y-position, then interrupting x-scanning and y-repositioning to the next line to be scanned, and then scanning this line at a constant y-position in negative x-direction, etc.). To enable layered data imaging, the sample table or the objective is repositioned after scanning a layer so that the next layer to be scanned is brought into the focal plane of the objective.
When analyzing biological samples with a so-called FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching), the temporal recovery behavior of a sample region after a bleaching process is analyzed. A scanning microscope is known from DE 102 33 549 A1 which may, among other things, be used for FRAP analysis. The scanning microscope has a light source that emits an illumination light beam for illuminating a sample. The illumination light beam passes along an illumination beam path and can be guided over or through a sample, as the case may be, by a beam deflector. A further light source that emits a manipulation light beam is provided, which passes along the manipulation beam path. Both the manipulation light beam and the illumination light beam are guided over or through the sample, as the case may be, by the beam deflector.
A laser scanning microscope with at least two light sources and two beam deflectors is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,300. Each of the light sources is assigned to a beam deflector. The laser light beams emitted by the light sources can scan the sample independently of each other with both of the beam deflectors.
A method for scanning a region of interest of a sample is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2002/0196535 A1, whereby different scan lines are scanned under various conditions of illumination.

Raster microscope and method for the analysis of biological samples by means of a raster microscope having a manipulation light beam and excitation light beam successively illuminated with a temporal interval


Communication between machines in an event-based manufacturing system. In an event-based manufacturing system, material-specific data obtained for a material produced during a first manufacturing operation is used to govern a second manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product.

In manufacturing, the realized capacity of a machine or production facility may be substantially less than the theoretically maximum capacity for any number of reasons, including machine stoppage or delay caused by quality problems, machine failure, inadequate manpower, unavailable raw materials, and the like. Previous systems have attempted to improve statistical process control of machines and plants to improve quality and productivity and to optimize machine maintenance. These previous systems, however, have failed to provide feed-forward control in an event-based manufacturing system for tracking, analyzing, and reducing delay and waste in manufacturing.
Feed-forward control in an event-based manufacturing information system is desired to address one or more of these and other disadvantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Feed-forward control in event-based manufacturing systems


In one embodiment, this invention presents a foaming additive that comprises at least one amidopropyl betaine having the formula:R—CONHCH2CH2CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−wherein R is a capryloyl, a capryl, an octyl, a decyl, a cococyl radical, or a mixture thereof. This foaming additive may be utilized in foamed treatment fluids, and those foamed treatment fluids may be utilized in fracturing and sand control treatments in subterranean operations. Associated methods also are presented herein.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating subterranean formations, and more specifically, to foamed treatment fluids, foaming additives, and associated methods.
Treatment fluids have been utilized in the treating of subterranean formations, e.g., for stimulation or sand control treatments such as fracturing or gravel packing, respectively. In fracturing treatments, a treatment fluid is pumped through a well bore into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure such that one or more fractures are created or enhanced in a portion of the formation. The treatment fluid may comprise particulates, often referred to as "proppant particulates," that are deposited in the fractures. The proppant particulates function to prevent the fractures from fully closing upon the release of hydraulic pressure, forming conductive channels through which fluids may flow to the well bore. Treatment fluids used in fracturing treatments may comprise, in addition to water, a gelling agent to increase the viscosity of the fluid and stabilize the foamed fluid, enabling it to carry more and/or larger proppant. In order to reduce the subsequent flowback of proppant particulates and other particulates with the produced fluids, the last portion of the proppant particulates introduced into the fractures has heretofore been coated with an adhesive substance. As used herein, the term "adhesive substance" refers to a material that is capable of being coated onto a particulate and that exhibits a sticky or tacky character which, when applied to proppant that is slurried in a treatment fluid, causes the proppant particulates having adhesive substance thereon to have a tendency to create clusters or aggregates due to the effect of the closer pressure and temperature. As used herein, the term "tacky," in all its forms, generally refers to a substance having a nature such that it is (or may be activated to become) somewhat sticky to the touch. Typically, the proppant particulates coated with the adhesive substance may be deposited in the fracture after a large quantity of uncoated proppant particulates have been deposited therein.
Treatment fluids are also utilized in completion operations such as gravel packing. In gravel pack treatments, the treatment fluid suspends gravel particulates for delivery to a desired area in a well bore, e.g., near unconsolidated or weakly consolidated formation zones, to form a gravel pack to enhance sand control. One common type of gravel packing operation involves placing a sand control screen in the well bore and packing the annulus between the screen and the well bore with the gravel particulates of a specific size designed to prevent the passage of formation sand. The gravel particulates act, inter alia, to prevent the formation particulates from occluding the screen or migrating with the produced hydrocarbons, and the screen acts, inter alia, to prevent the particulates from entering the production tubing. Once the gravel pack is substantially in place, the viscosity of the treatment fluid is often reduced to allow it to be recovered. The gravel particulates may be coated with an adhesive substance, inter alia, to help prevent formation fines and sand from invading the gravel pack and thereby reducing the production potential of the well. In some situations, fracturing and gravel packing treatments are combined into a single treatment to provide stimulated production and an annular gravel pack to reduce formation sand production. Such treatments are often referred to as "frac pack" operations. In some cases, the treatments are completed with a gravel pack screen assembly in place, and the fracturing treatment being pumped through the annular space between the casing and screen. In such a situation, the fracturing treatment usually ends in a screen-out condition, creating an annular gravel pack between the screen and casing. This allows both the fracturing treatment and gravel pack to be placed in a single operation.
In carrying out subterranean treatment operations, the treatment fluids often may be foamed, wherein the treatment fluid further comprises a surfactant and a gas. In addition to being lightweight, foamed treatment fluids may effectively carry particulates (e.g., proppant particulates, gravel particulates, etc.) and also may require a smaller amount of gelling agent, reducing the amount of residue left in the subterranean formation by the gelling agent. Additionally, foamed treatment fluids have low fluid loss properties, reducing or removing the need for a fluid loss control additive. Foamed treatment fluids generally include one or more additives that facilitate the formation of and stabilize the foam, especially at higher temperatures where the foam tends to break down. However, many of these additives may react with and destroy the adhesive substance that may be coated on the particulates within the foamed treatment fluid, inhibiting particulate deposit and thus decreasing potential hydrocarbon production.

Foamed treatment fluids, foaming additives, and associated methods


A resealable container lid assembly including a cap rotationally assembled to a lid. The cap rotates between storage, opening, removal and resealing positions. Various configurations of cams and ramps are used to generate and apply an opening force to a score line. An elastomeric sealing element is disposed between the cap and the socket so that when the cap is in the fully seated or sealed position, an substantially or completely airtight seal is created to prevent the contents of the container from leaking out. Further enhancements are disclosed that include a score line structure in the socket bottom wall that facilitates a predictable and repeatable opening of the container along the score line. A grip is provided that includes a gap or space into which a coin or other implement can be inserted to allow the consumer a better grip to provide adequate opening force.

The beverage and can industries have long sought to create a can that is both economical to produce and convenient for use by consumers. In the past, beverage cans were provided with a "pull tab" which the consumer would grab by a ring, and pull until the tab was removed from the can. This created a problem in that the tab became disposable waste for which the consumer was responsible to ensure proper disposal. Often the consumer failed to properly dispose of the tab, thereby creating not only litter, but also a safety issue, in that the tabs could be swallowed by small children. Moreover, the edges of the pull tab were sharp enough that they could, if mishandled, cut the fingers or hands of the consumer or anyone else who handled a loose pull tab. As a result of these problems, the industry moved in the direction of a tab that stayed on the can after opening, thereby preventing both litter and any sharp edges from coming into contact with consumers.
The present state of the art is to have a "stay on" tab that is attached to the can lid by a rivet formed in the can lid next to the opening. The opening is formed by a score line, or frangible "kiss cut" which breaks when the tab is pulled up by the consumer. The score line, when broken, produces a hinged flap that stays connected to the can lid, but inside the can.
Beverage cans with stay on tabs suffer from at least the following deficiencies. First, they are not resealable, so that once the consumer opens the beverage, the contents are subject to loss of carbonation, and the influx of foreign material due to the contents being open to the surrounding environment. Secondly, in order to form the rivet which is used to secure the stay on tab to the beverage lid, the lid needs to be made of a different material, typically an aluminum alloy that is stronger than the aluminum alloy used to make the sides and bottom of the can. Further, the tab itself is typically made of a different alloy than the sides and lid, reflecting the need for a still stronger, typically heavier material As a result, recycling of the aluminum beverage can is problematic because the different materials need to be separated. The use of three different materials also tends to add weight, and expense, to the finished container.
A need exists for improved beverage containers that are resealable, cost effective to produce, and "green" in terms of avoiding waste and facilitating the recycling of aluminum cans. Concurrently, a need exists for improved methods for manufacturing beverage containers that result in faster production time, lower production costs, and improved products.

Resealable container lid including methods of manufacture and use


A rigid container for a particulate product with enhanced top load support includes an interior volume formed by a base, a surrounding wall member upstanding from the base, and an opening formed in a top. A particulate product, such as coffee, is provided in the interior volume, and is provided in sufficient quantity to fill the interior volume up to a predetermined minimum headspace. The predetermined minimum headspace is that headspace which produces a top load ratio of at least 3:1; where the top load ratio is defined as a ratio of the top load force sufficient to cause a 0.30″ deflection in the container when filled to the top load force sufficient to cause a 0.30″ deflection in the container when empty. In a preferred embodiment, the container is made of plastic and includes a flexible closure attached to the top and spanning the top opening.

Containers for particulate products, especially (roast or ground) coffee particulate products, have many unique requirements which need not be considered for other containers. For example, coffee particulates give off gases while being stored, and are deleteriously affected by air. Thus, coffee particulate containers must prevent the ingress of air and hence be air-tight. In addition, such containers must also be suitably robust to withstand a build-up of pressure; or alternatively, the container must vent the built up gases before the pressure thereof damages (miss-shapes or breaks) the container or be subject to an initial vacuum so that any build up of pressure is not excessive.
While particulate coffee containers were previously generally made of metal formed into a cylinder with a top and a bottom (which was thus easily made robust and air-tight), new cylindrical and other shaped rigid plastic containers, particularly with layered walls, have now been found to be suitable for containing particulate coffee. However, while such plastic containers have sufficient size to store a desired volume of particulate coffee, typically in the range of 2-4 pounds and have diameters and heights of about 5-7 inches, such containers have been expensive to make. This expense includes the material needed to make the container walls sufficiently strong so that such containers can support a sizable top load, such as from other containers stored thereabove in a pallet during shipping.

Plastic coffee container with top load support by particulate product


A fluid flow device having a vortex generator in two or more channels, each channel having a section to scale the flow velocity to a desirable range of Reynolds number, and vortex shedding and/or vortex passing frequency. Said flow device may be used as a flow meter by measuring the vortex shedding/passing frequency from each vortex generator. Further improvement is had by selecting the highest usable frequency, with its corresponding scaling factor, as the most-precise and fastest-response measurement output of the flow-measuring device. Still further improvement is obtained by cross-checking all usable frequencies against each other to detect failure of one or more vortex shedding/passing sensors.

Sensing fluid flow using vortex street generation is simple, inexpensive, and robust, but it suffers from limitations in range of flow velocities; it also suffers from slow response and relatively large measurement error at low flow velocities.
Scaling the fluid flow velocity by using converging and/or diverging channels adjusts the flow velocity to a range suitable for production of measurable vortex streets.
Multiple channels with different velocity scalings for different vortex sensors greatly extends the usable range of the vortex sensor method by choosing the most-sensitive sensor which has not saturated (exceeded its maximum sensible flow velocity). Sensors in the same assembly, having fluid flows exceeding their ability to respond, are not damaged due to the rugged nature of the basic method. Using the most-sensitive sensor that has not saturated reduces both measurement error and measurement time; reduced measurement time speeds response to a change in flow rate.
Another improvement is using multiple channels with bluff bodies of differing widths or shapes to produce multiple vortex frequencies from the same flow. This provides extends the range of sensible vortex streets. This method can also be combined using different channel flow velocity scalings as desired.
Vortex flow meters are easily linearized and are very robust. They compete with methods such as hot-wire, hot-film, and moving-vane meters; these other methods have had greater dynamic range or speed-of-response, but are not as reliable and robust. Methods described here improve vortex flow meters' response characteristics to meet or exceed those of competing methods, while maintaining the robust and low-cost advantages of the vortex method.
Vortex flow meters are very commonly used to sense airflow into internal combustion engines, but they have applications in metering fluids in a wide variety of settings. They can also be used to measure coolant, lubricating oil, and fuel flow in engines. Vortex flow meters can be used to meter combustion or ventilation airflow in HVAC units (which currently use moving-vane detectors). They have also found applications in pipelines carrying diverse fluids such as water, natural gas, and other fuels.
Vortex flow meters, when used in piston engine intakes, frequently save significant fuel due to their excellent reliability as competing types of flowmeters frequently age and fail in ways that cause excess fuel to be metered out by the engine controller.

Multi-channel flow sensor with extended flow range and faster response


A percutaneous interspinous process device for treating spinal conditions includes a first section, a second section, and a locking mechanism. The first section defines a first lateral surface, a first medial surface and a first lumen extending from the first lateral surface to the first medial surface. The second section defines a second lateral surface, a second medial surface and a second lumen extending from the second lateral surface. The locking mechanism includes an elongate member protruding from the first medial surface of the first section and a medial recess defined in the second medial surface of the second section. The medial recess is configured for securely receiving at least a portion of the elongate member. The elongate member is configured to define a space between adjacent spinous processes and maintain a predetermined distance between adjacent spinous processes.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for treating spinal conditions, and more particularly, for treating spinal compression with percutaneous spinal devices implanted between adjacent spinous processes.
2. Background of the Related Art
A significant number of people suffer from a condition known as spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a progressive narrowing of the spinal canal that causes compression of the spinal cord. Each vertebra in the spinal column has an opening that extends through it. These openings are aligned vertically to form the spinal canal. The spinal cord runs through the spinal canal. As the spinal canal narrows due to spinal stenosis, the spinal cord and the nerve roots extending therefrom are compressed. The compression of the spinal cord, the spinal nerve roots, or both, generally results in pain, weakness, numbness, burning sensations, tingling, and, in particularly severe cases, may cause loss of bladder or bowel function, or paralysis. The legs, calves, and buttocks are most commonly affected by spinal stenosis; however, the shoulders and arms may also be affected if the stenosis is in the cervical spine.
Mild cases of spinal stenosis may be treated with rest or restricted activity, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., aspirin), corticosteroid injections (epidural steroids), physical therapy, or any combination thereof. A patient suffering from spinal stenosis may find temporary comfort or relieve from the pain by bending forward, sitting, or lying down. These actions may ephemerally increase the vertebral space and thus relieve nerve compression. Given that spinal stenosis is generally a progressive disease, the source of pressure may have to be surgically corrected (e.g. decompressive laminectomy) as the disease worsens. A surgical intervention may remove bone and other tissue that has been impinged or compressed the spinal canal. Two adjacent vertebrae may also be fused during the surgical procedure to prevent instability, improper alignment, or slippage. Surgical decompression may relieve pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots by widening the spinal canal and creating more space.
Minimally-invasive surgical procedures and devices have been developed over the years to treat spinal stenosis and other spinal conditions. Although scientists and engineers have made significant advances, improvements are still possible.

Percutaneous interspinous process device and method


The decoding depth of a multidimensional trellis-coding scheme with X-fold time diversity is reduced, or minimized. As a result, an improvement in error rate performance is achieved for the multidimensional trellis code, which can then be favorably applied to a fading channel application.

The present invention relates to trellis-coded modulation techniques and, more particularly, the use of these techniques in fading channel applications, e.g., in cellular mobile radio.
For communications systems that contain AWGN channels, i.e., channels that are characterized by additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), trellis-coded modulation methods have been found to provide a "coding gain" in signal power (compared to so-called "uncoded" modulation methods) with the result of improving the error performance of the system without requiring additional bandwidth. For example, trellis-coded modulation has proved to be a practical power-efficient and bandwidth-efficient modulation method for use in commercial telephone-line modems, i.e., data communications, and has resulted in an increase of line rates of those modems to as much as 19.2 Kbits/sec.
Trellis-coded modulation can be classified into two categories: two-dimensional (2 D) trellis-coded modulation and multidimensional trellis-coded modulation. Those working in the prior art have shown that when applied to an AWGN channel multidimensional trellis-coded modulation has many advantages over 2 D trellis-coded modulation. These advantages are higher coding gains, lower decoder complexities, and smaller constituent 2 D constellations.
Besides the use of trellis-coded modulation in AWGN channels, those in the art have been investigating the applicability of trellis-coded modulation to communications systems that contain "fading" channels, i.e., channels in which the received signal could be too weak to carry any useful information (a phenomenon called "deep fade"). An important example of fading channels is that of cellular mobile radio. In cellular mobile radio, the received signal can change from being very weak to very strong, and vice versa, within only a foot of driving distance (or a few tens of milliseconds at a vehicle speed of 20 miles/hour).
To apply trellis-coded modulation to fading channels, the code should exhibit a so-called "time diversity" property so that the transmitted information may still be recovered in the receiver even in the presence of deep fade. A code is said to have "X-fold" (X.ltoreq.2) time diversity if any pair of valid sequences of signal points of the code differ in at least X signal point positions in the sequence. Conceptually, this time diversity is manifested by an interdependence between the signal points that are produced by the coded modulation scheme. For example, consider the case where two 2 D signal points are produced over a time interval and there is a time-diverse interdependence between these points. As a result of this interdependence, the input data represented by the two 2 D signal points may be able to be accurately recovered even if one of the 2 D signal points is lost. To effectively use the time-diversity property of a code to cope with deep fade, which tends to be bursty, an interleaver is often used to further separate the time intervals in which the signal points that contribute to the diversity of the code are transmitted. The farther these time intervals are spaced, the better the error-rate performance of the coded system is. Generally speaking, for a given interleaver length, which is limited by the total amount of transmission delay that can be tolerated, the shorter the decoding depth (to be described below) of a code is, the farther the signal points that contribute to the X-fold time diversity of the code can be separated and the better the error-rate performance of the code is. Unfortunately, a multidimensional trellis code typically has a longer decoding depth than a 2 D trellis code and, hence, a poorer error-rate performance than a 2 D trellis code when applied to a fading channel.
In consideration of the above, it would be advantageous to minimize the decoding depth of a multidimensional trellis code with X-fold time diversity for application to a fading channel.

Multidimensional trellis-coded modulation for fading channels


Provided are embodiments of an optical sheet and a backlight assembly having the optical sheet. The optical sheet can include a body, a plurality of protrusions, and a plurality of embossed portions. The body can form a substrate. One surface of the body can be provided in a planar shape, and the other surface of the body can include the plurality of protrusions, where the protrusions have a triangular shaped cross-section. Each of the protrusions can be configured with the plurality of embossed, which may be formed by a microlens pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical sheet and backlight assembly, and more particularly, to optical sheets for optically enhancing brightness characteristics and view angle characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike other display devices, liquid crystal (LC) molecules interposed between a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a color filter substrate of an LCD device are not light-emitting materials emitting light in themselves, but light-receiving materials controlling an amount of light coming from the outside to display an image. Accordingly, the LCD device indispensably requires a separate device for illuminating light onto an LC display panel, i.e., a backlight assembly.
A backlight assembly may typically include: a mold frame in which a receiving space is formed; a reflecting sheet installed on a lower surface of the receiving space to reflect light to an LC display panel; a light guide plate installed on an upper surface of the reflecting sheet to guide light; a lamp unit installed between the light guide plate and lateral walls of the receiving space to emit light; optical sheets stacked on an upper surface of the light guide plate to diffuse and condense light; and a top chassis installed on an upper portion of the mold frame to cover a region ranging from a predetermined location at edges of the LC display panel to a lateral side of the mold frame.
The optical sheets typically may include: a diffusion sheet for diffusing light; a prism sheet stacked on an upper surface of the diffusing sheet to condense diffused light and deliver the condensed light to the LC display panel; and a protection sheet for protecting the diffusion sheet and the prism sheet.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a construction of a related art LCD device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art LCD device 60 includes a backlight assembly 50 for generating light, and a display unit 40 provided on an upper surface of the backlight assembly 50 to receive light from the backlight assembly 50 and display an image.
In detail, the display unit 40 includes the LC display panel 10, and an upper polarizer 30 and a lower polarizer 20 located on an upper surface and a lower surface of the LC display panel 10, respectively. Also, the LC display panel 10 includes a TFT substrate 11 including electrodes, a color filter substrate 12, and an LC layer (not shown) interposed between the TFT substrate 11 and the color filter substrate 12.
The backlight assembly 50 includes a lamp unit 51 for generating light, and a light guide unit for guiding light generated by the lamp unit 51 to an LC display panel 10.
The lamp unit 51 includes a lamp 51a for generating light, and a lamp reflector 51b surrounding the lamp 51a. Light generated by the lamp 51a is incident to a light guide plate 52 of the light guide unit. The lamp reflector 51b reflects light generated by the lamp 51a to the light guide plate 52, thereby increasing an amount of light incident to the light guide plate 52.
The light guide unit includes a reflector 54, the light guide plate 52, and optical sheets 53. The light guide plate 52 is provided on one side of the lamp unit 51 to guide light from the lamp unit 51.
The reflector 54 is provided on a lower surface of the light guide plate 52 to reflect light leaking from the light guide plate 52 back to the light guide plate 52.
In addition, a plurality of optical sheets 53 for enhancing efficiency of light guided by the light guide plate 52 are provided on an upper surface of the light guide plate 52. In detail, the optical sheets include a diffusion sheet 53a, a prism sheet 53b, and a protection sheet 53c sequentially stacked on the upper surface of the light guide plate 52.
The diffusion sheet 53a scatters light incident from the light guide plate 52 to make a brightness distribution of light uniform.
The prism sheet 53b has an upper surface in which a triangular prism is repeatedly formed to condense light diffused by the diffusion sheet 53a in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the LC display panel 10. Accordingly, most of light passing through the prism sheet 53b propagates in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the LC display panel 10 to have a uniform brightness distribution.
The protection sheet 53c provided on an upper surface of the prism sheet 53b protects a surface of the prism sheet 53b.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are a sectional view and a photo of the related art prism sheet of FIG. 1, respectively. FIG. 4 is a photo of the related art diffusion sheet of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the related art prism sheet 100 includes a body 110 to which light diffused by the light guide plate and the diffusion sheet is initially provided, and isosceles triangular prism-shaped protrusions 120 for allowing the diffused light to propagate in a predetermined direction. The protrusions 120 are linearly arranged in stripes on the body 110.
The isosceles triangular prism-shaped protrusions 120 have a pitch of 10-100 μm, and have a characteristic in that brightness increases and a view angle becomes narrow as an angle α of a vertical angle (generally, an acute angle) of the triangular prism decreases.
The diffusion sheet as shown in FIG. 4 scatters light incident from the light guide plate 52 to make the brightness distribution of light uniform and provide light having the uniform brightness distribution to the prism sheet 100.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in the case where the triangular prism-shaped protrusion 120 is formed to face a front side, that is, in the case where the protrusion 120 faces the LC display panel, diffused light introduced via the body 110 is refracted and condensed to the front side, but light incident to an inclined surface of the protrusion cannot contribute to brightness enhancement of the front side due to total internal reflection.
To address this problem, the triangular shape of the prism sheet 100 is formed in an isosceles triangular shape, or the prism sheet 100 is reversely arranged such that the protrusion of the prism sheet 100 faces the light guide plate as an alternative. However, even in these proposed related arts, it can be very difficult to obtain desirable results in both brightness and view angle.

Optical sheet and backlight assembly having the same


An electrical apparatus comprises a casing and a fan-fastening base. The casing has a first opening, at least one second opening and a first connecting portion. The second opening connects to a first side of the first opening. The fan-fastening base has at least one hook portion, a first surface and a second connecting portion. At least one fan is fastened to the first surface of the fan-fastening base. The hook portion buckles in the second opening. The first surface of the fan-fastening base faces to the first opening and the second connecting portion connects to the first connecting portion.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an electrical apparatus and, in particular, to an electrical apparatus having a fan, which is easily replaced.
2. Related Art
The electronic technology has been developed for a long time, so that the electrical apparatuses with faster processing speed are manufactured according to the progressed technology. The heat generated accompanying with the operation of the electrical apparatus must be dissipated with a heat-dissipation device installed inside the electrical apparatus, so that the operation performance of the electrical apparatus can be maintained. Regarding to the heat-dissipation device of a computer host, a fan is installed on the casing of the computer for dissipating the heat of the computer. If the fan malfunctions, the temperature of the electrical devices of the computer will increase. When the temperature reaches a threshold value, the computer may crash. To avoid this, the malfunctioned fan must be disassembled, and a new fan must be then installed.
In general, the conventional fan is installed on the casing of the computer with guiding rails or a pivot. With reference to FIGS. 1a and 1b, a fan 12 is fixed on a casing 14 with guiding rails 141 and screws 13. A first surface 111 of the base 11 carries at least one fan 12, and two protruding portions 112 are disposed at two edges of the first surface 111 respectively. In addition, two screws 13 are disposed at two edges of a second surface 113 of the base 11. Besides, the casing 14 has two guiding rails 141 located at the positions corresponding to the protruding portions 112, and has two screw holes 142 located at the positions corresponding to the screws 13. The protruding portions 112 of the base 12 carrying the fan 12 are then slid into the guiding rails 141. Finally, the base 11 is in contact with the casing 14, and the screws 13 are assembled with the screw holes 142 so as to fasten the fan 12 on the casing 14. This method for fastening the fan needs the guiding rails and screws, and the provided structure, which is complex and needs lots of assembling elements, usually has higher cost.
Alternatively, with reference to FIG. 2, the fan 12 is fastened on the casing 14 with a pivot 143. The first surface 111 of the base 11 carries at least one fan 12, and one edge of the first surface 111 is installed with cylindrical portions 114. The screw 13 is disposed at one edge of the second surface 113 of the base 11. The casing 14 has a pivot 143 located at the position corresponding to the cylindrical portions 114, and has a screw hole 142 located at the positions corresponding to the screw 13. After the fan 12 is carried on the base 12, the cylindrical portions 114 of the base 11 are assembled with the pivot 143. Finally, the base 11 is in contact with the casing 14, and the screw 13 is assembled with the screw hole 142 so as to fasten the fan 12 on the casing 14. This method for fastening the fan needs the pivot and screw, and the provided structure, which also is complex and needs lots of assembling elements, usually has higher cost.
It is therefore an important subjective of the invention to provide an electrical apparatus, which can solve the above-mentioned problems so as to make the assembling and disassembling procedures of a fan much easier for the customers or operating members of the manufacturer.