The present invention discloses improvements on an apparatus for reading a document by illuminating it with a beam of focused light, directing the reflected light to an array of optical sensors, digitalizing the resulting image and storing it for future use. It discloses several aspects of the light pipe element aimed at improving the illumination of the targeted area for the aforementioned purpose, including the shape of the light pipe ends, the use of a refracting coat on the back of the light pipe and the shaping of the light pipe front surface to focus the light rays on the target surface.

The typical contact-type reading apparatus features a series of standard elements that are herein detailed. First of all, the apparatus has a contact glass for keeping the surface of the document at a constant distance. A linear array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is used for illuminating the portion of the document to be read. Said LED array sends rays of light through a light guide, which purpose is to focus the light onto the surface of the document to be read. Usually the LED array and the light guide span the entire reading length of the apparatus. The incident rays of light are reflected by the illuminated portion of the document surface, and the reflected rays are focused by an array of optic fiber lenses onto an array of optical sensors. This optical sensor array comprises one or more solid state devices deploying multiple individual photo cells in a linear array. Said optical sensor converts the image focused onto it in electrical signals that are digitally codified, resulting in a digital image that can be stored in an internal memory for future use.
This same concept does not lend itself to application in smaller scales, namely for portable contact-type reading apparatuses. Properly even illumination of the document surface is critical to the performance of the device, and so an array of LEDs spanning the entire length of the reading apparatus is normally required. Such an array would entail a larger size incompatible with the desired small dimensions of a portable device. Furthermore, the amount of energy required to simultaneously power the range of LEDs would require sizeable battery storage capacity, again yielding incompatibility with a small sized device.
The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,928 by the same Applicant, which discloses a different approach wherein the linear array of LEDs is replaced by a light pipe. Said light pipe comprises a clear pipe made of glass or plastic, with a single LED deployed at each end. Considering as reference a plan containing the central longitudinal axis of the light pipe, the section above said plan is termed the back of the light pipe, while the other section is termed the front of the light pipe, where the contact glass is located and where the paper surface is positioned for reading. The use of only two LEDs overcome the power requirement problem, but introduces the need to properly direct the LEDs light rays towards the document surface. The inside back surface of the pipe is painted white, forming a reflective surface. As the LEDs discharge light rays through the pipe, part of said light rays is reflected by the white paint, causing the light to scatter and disperse evenly, therefore illuminating the document as it passes over the contact-glass. Then, the illuminated portion of the document is reflected by the surface of the document, passes through a waveguide and is focused by an optical lens array onto an optical sensor array integrated in the portable contact-type reading apparatus. The optical sensor array converts the image received into electrical signals to produce a digital image to be stored in an internal memory.
Although it addresses the basic problem of making the contact-type reading apparatus compact and reducing electric power demand, the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,928 still has some inconveniences. The illumination potential of the LEDs is not fully tapped, and the resulting image resolution—critical for the device performance—falls short of what would be afforded by better illumination.

Apparatus for providing even, focused illumination of a target surface


A convenient, inexpensive wrist blood pressure gauge whereby a cuff can easily be adjusted to the height of the heart merely by adding a simple structure. A lenticular sheet (display body (14)) whose visible image varies according to an angle in relation to a sight line (S) of a measurement subject is provided to a wrist blood pressure gauge (1) worn on a wrist (Mt) of the measurement subject (M), wherein a specific image is visible to the eyes (Ma) of the measurement subject when the wrist is set at the correct height in relation to the heart (H), and a different image is visible to the eyes of the measurement subject when the wrist is not in an appropriate height range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wrist blood pressure gauge that provides a way for a cuff worn on the wrist during blood pressure measurement to be adjusted to the height of the heart.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although not an issue when measuring blood pressure in the upper arm, when blood pressure is measured in the wrist, the height of the wrist in which the blood pressure is being measured must be substantially the same as the height of the heart. The reason for this is that the measurement results are affected by the water head pressure difference when the wrist and heart are at different heights, and an accurate measurement cannot be obtained.
Conventionally, when blood pressure is measured using this type of wrist blood pressure gauge in the past, the cuff is first placed on the wrist, after which the elbow is placed on a table, for example, the forearm is gradually raised until the height of the cuff is visually confirmed to be even with the height of the heart, and blood pressure measurement is started in this position.
However, when the heights are matched visually, the height can be uneven in each measurement, and there is a risk of fluctuation in the measured value.
In order to overcome these drawbacks, the wrist blood pressure gauge has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 7-289527 and 8-580, in which a device for detecting a tilt angle is provided to the cuff, and the bend angle of the elbow is detected by the detection device, whereby the height of the wrist is estimated when the elbow is bent.


An output system having an output device that performs output based on output data so that the output device performs the output after having acquired authentication. In the system, an operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing a power-saving state to be changed into an active state to a power-save switching unit after a device having an output data storing unit acquires the output data, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the output process of the output data is completed by an output process completion detecting unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system, a device, a program and a method for executing an output process by an output device having a power saving mode and, more specifically, to an output system, a printing system, a printing device management device, a printing device and a printing device management program, a printing device control program, and a printing method which are preferable for achieving both quick starting of the output process (such as printing) and power savings in an authentication output system.
2. Related Art
As a printing system provided with a security function, for example, an authentication printing system in which a user authentication device is provided in the vicinity of a network printer, so that the network printer starts printing when the user transmits a printing job from a host terminal to the user authentication device and then swipes an authentication card through the user authentication device.
In the authentication printing system in the related art, if the network printer is in the power-saving state, the network printer is kept in the power-saving state until the printing job is handed to an interpreter of the network printer. In such a case, the start of the printing process is delayed by the time (a duration) required for the warming-up process, and hence the user is obliged to wait for the printing process. On the other hand, in order to keep the warmed up state for starting the printing process quickly, consumption of a certain amount of power is necessary, which causes economical/environmental burden.
JP-A-2004-272596 discloses a technology to start the printing process quickly by a network printer having a power saving mode. The invention of JP-A-2004-272596 is the technology in which a warm up command is issued to the network printer registered in advance when a remote output button provided on a print set operation panel, whereby the network printer is warmed up.
However, when the invention disclosed in JP-A-2004-272596 is applied to the authentication printing system, the following problems arise.
Since the user authentication device is adapted to retain a printing job in the authentication printing system, there may be a case in which printing is not started immediately after the printing job is transmitted from the host terminal by the user, and the user authentication is performed after a while and then the printing process is executed. Therefore, even when the network printer is warmed up while the print set operation panel is operated on the host terminal as in the case of the invention disclosed in JP-A-2004-272596, power is wasted as long as it takes time from the transmission of the printing job until the user authentication is performed.
Information processing equipment and consumer electronics are recently configured in such a manner that power consumption is reduced by automatically halting functions of equipment when the equipment is not used for a certain period from the completion of usage of the equipment based on environmental standards such as the international energy program (ENERGY STAR).
However, when the network printer used for the authentication printing system is configured so that the warmed up state is maintained for a certain period after completing the printing process as described above, a state in which printing can be started immediately is maintained even though it is clear that the printing output will not be made. Therefore, power is consumed correspondingly, which causes economical/environmental burden.
Such a problem is assumed to occur not only when printing is performed by the network printer, but also when a display output device such as a projector or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is connected to the network for achieving display on the display output device.

Output system, printing system, printing device management device and printing device, print instruction program, printing device management program and printing device control program, and printing method


A signal generating apparatus and a signal generating method, for storing specific sampling data D.sub.M, wherein 0<M<N-1, selected among sampling data D.sub.i obtained by sampling a wave in sampling points P.sub.i, wherein i=0, 1, 2, . . . N-1, and differential wave data .DELTA.WD.sub.n, wherein n=1, 2, 3, . . . , M-1, M+1, . . . N-2, N-1, obtained by ".DELTA.WD.sub.n =D.sub.n -D.sub.n-1 ", consecutively generating wave readout address A.sub.M for designating the specific sampling data D.sub.M and wave readout address A.sub.n for designating the differential wave data .DELTA.WD.sub.n, storing the specific sampling data D.sub.M designated by the wave readout address A.sub.M in temporary storage, when the generated wave readout address is A.sub.M, or accumulating the differential wave data .DELTA.WD.sub.n designated by the wave readout address A.sub.n in the temporary storage, thereby to generate sampling data YD.sub.n, when the generated wave readout address is A.sub.n, and generating a signal on the basis of the obtained specific sampling data D.sub.M or sampling data YD.sub.n.

The present invention relates to a signal generating apparatus for generating a signal on the basis of specific sampling data and differential wave data stored in wave storage means, and a signal generating method therefor.
Conventional electronic instruments have musical tone signal generating apparatus. This musical tone signal generating apparatus generates a musical tone signal on the basis of wave data stored in a wave memory. For example, wave data of PCM format are stored in the wave memory. The wave data of PCM format are prepared by sampling a musical tone wave at a predetermined frequency, quantizing the sampling data and further coding the quantized data. The wave data of PCM format are consecutively read out from the wave memory according to tone-generating instructions, and a musical tone signal is generated on the basis of the wave data which have been read out.
In the musical tone signal generating apparatus, for generating musical tone signals corresponding to a great number of timbres, it is required to store a vast amount of wave data of PCM format in the wave memory. For decreasing the amount of the wave data, there is therefore employed, for example, a coding technique such as a DPCM (Differential Pulse Code Modulation) method and an ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) method. In these methods, for example, wave data of PCM format is converted to differential wave data and stored in the wave memory. And, when a musical tone is generated, the differential wave data from the wave memory is accumulated, and reproduced into the original wave data of PCM format.
For decreasing the amount of wave data to be stored in the wave memory, the following method is also generally employed. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, only wave data in a predetermined section (attack section) of the head of a musical tone wave and wave data in a predetermined section (repeat section) of the musical tone wave subsequent thereto are stored in the wave memory. When a musical tone signal is generated, the wave data of the attack section are read out from its top once, and thereafter, the wave data of the repeat section are repeatedly read out. The musical tone signal generating apparatus generates musical tone signals on the basis of these wave data which have been read out.
However, the above DPCM method and ADPCM method have been scarcely employed for musical tone signal generating apparatus of electronic musical instruments. That is because errors caused by preparing differential wave data of DPCM or ADPCM format are accumulated when the differential wave data of the repeat section are repeatedly accumulated.
Although having the above problem, the ADPCM method or the DPCM method is vigorously studied since the amount of the wave data can be decreased. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,996, corresponding to JP-A-62-242995, discloses "musical tone generating apparatus with reduced data storage requirements" for overcoming the above problem.
In the above musical tone generating apparatus, the wave memory (ADPCM data memory 2) stores differential wave data alone. When the differential wave data are read out for the first time, the wave data (PCM code) obtained by accumulating the final differential wave data of the attack section is latched. In the above musical tone generating apparatus, when the differential wave data at the top of the repeat section is read out subsequently to the final differential wave data of the repeat section, the differential wave data at the top of the repeat section is accumulated on the previously latched wave data, thereby to reproduce PCM code.
One variant of the musical tone generating apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,996 is provided with a memory in place of the above latch. This memory stores wave data (PCM code) equivalent to the wave data (PCM code) to be obtained by accumulating the final differential wave data of the attack section. When the differential wave data at the top of the repeat section is read out subsequently to the final differential wave data of the repeat section, the differential wave data at the top of the repeat section is accumulated on the wave data (PCM code) stored in the memory, thereby to reproduce wave data (PCM code).
In the musical tone generating apparatus and the variant thereof disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,996, the errors accumulated within the attack section cannot be removed. Further, when the differential wave data of the attack section and those of the repeat section are read only once, the accumulated errors cannot be removed. Further, the above musical tone generating apparatus has a defect in that its circuit is complicated since the apparatus is required to have latches 206, 218 for storing the wave data (d(n), E(n)+e.gamma.(n)) obtained by accumulating the final differential wave data of the attack section. The above variant has a defect in that its circuit is complicated since the apparatus is required to have memories 206A, 218A for storing wave data (PCM code) equivalent to the wave data to be obtained by accumulating the final differential wave data of the attack section.

Signal generating apparatus and signal generating method


An airfoil includes leading and trailing edges, a first exterior wall extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and having inner and outer surfaces, a second exterior wall extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge generally opposite the first exterior wall and having inner and outer surfaces, and cavities within the airfoil. A first cavity extends along the inner surface of the first exterior wall and a first inner wall and has an upstream end and a downstream end, and a feed cavity is located between the first inner wall and the second exterior wall.

Turbine engine components, such as turbine blades and vanes, are operated in high temperature environments. To avoid deterioration in the components resulting from their exposure to high temperatures, it is necessary to provide cooling to the components. Turbine blades and vanes are subjected to high thermal loads on both the suction and pressure sides of their airfoil portions and at both the leading and trailing edges. The regions of the airfoils having the highest thermal load can differ depending on engine design and specific operating conditions. Casting processes using ceramic cores now offer the potential to provide specific cooling passages for turbine components such as blade and vane airfoils and seals. Cooling circuits can be placed just inside the walls of the airfoil through which a cooling fluid flows to cool the airfoil.


The present invention provides nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences describing a novel canine cold- and menthol-sensitive receptor, herein named as canine CMR1 (cCMR1). The isolated nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule of the invention can be used in detection assays and screening assays.

Considerable efforts have been put into elucidating the biochemical mechanisms involved in the detection, transduction and transmission of hot and cold sensations in neuronal tissues. Thermal stimuli activate specialized receptors located on sensory neurons, such as those deriving from the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the trigeminal ganglion (TG). When these stimuli are in the noxious range (i.e, very hot or cold), they activate a certain subset of thermal receptors on a sub-population of sensory neurons called nociceptors (pain-sensing neurons). Upon activation, the thermal receptors (e.g., ion channels) transduce the noxious stimulus into an electrical signal that is propagated along the sensory neuron to the spinal cord, where it is relayed to the brain, ultimately leading to the perception of pain. Accordingly, these thermal receptors represent highly promising targets for developing drugs for the treatment of various painful conditions.
Several temperature-activated receptors have been implicated in sensing heat. TRPV1 (VR1: a capsaicin- and heat-activated channel) is activated near 43° C., a temperature most mammals perceive as noxious. Other TRPV channels with greater than 40% amino acid level identity to TRPV1 also have been cloned and characterized as thermosensors. These channels are activated at various heat thresholds, ranging from 39° C. (warm) for TRPV3 to 55° C. (high-threshold noxious heat) for TRPV2/VRL1 (See Story et al., Cell, 2003, 112:819-829, and references therein). In contrast, TRPV4 is constitutively opened at room temperature being activated at temperatures greater than approximately 27° C. (Güler et al., J. Neurosci. 2002). These temperature-activated receptors belong to the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of non-selective cation channels, which in C. elegans and D. melanogaster are involved in mechano- and osmoregulation. TRP channels are divided into three subfamilies designated TRPC (canonical or capacitive subfamily), TRPV (vanilloid subfamily), and TRPM (melanostatin subfamily). All have six putative transmembrane domains with a proposed pore region between transmembrane domains five and six. TRP channels are thought to have cytoplasmic N- and C termini (See Story et al., supra, and references therein).
More recently, proteins have been discovered that fall within the TRP family of proteins and modulate responses to cold stimuli. A rat CMR1 protein (for "cold- and menthol-sensitive receptor"; McKemy, D. D., et al., Nature, 416:52-58, 2002) and a mouse TRPM8 protein (for "transient receptor potential channel, melanostatin subfamily, type 8"; Peier, A. M. et al., Cell 108:705-715, 2002) appear to function as excitatory ion channels that are activated upon exposure to relatively low temperatures. The threshold of TRPM8 activation is approximately about 23° C. The rat CMR1 and mouse TRPM8 are also sensitive to compounds that provoke cold sensations, such as menthol and icilin. Interestingly, the rat CMR1 and mouse TRPM8 share over 90% sequence identity over the entire length of their amino acid sequences.
There is a need to identify additional thermal receptors, as they are potential targets for the treatment of pain. There is also a need to identify thermal receptors in different species, as they can be used as model systems to investigate the effects of test compounds. Particularly, there is a need for systems that can be used to test compounds that potentially increase or decrease the activity of a thermal receptor responding to cold stimuli. Identification and testing of such compounds would enable the treatment of various disorders associated with chronic pain or for uses in other conditions in which tissue cooling is desirable.

Canine cold- and menthol-sensitive receptor 1


A golf ball includes a spherical outer-layer core having a concentric spherical inner cavity and having a wall thickness of 5-10 mm. A spherical inner-layer core having a diameter smaller than that of the spherical cavity is disposed within the spherical cavity of the outer-layer core. A cover is formed on the outer surface of the outer-layer core. A liquid is charged into the space between the outer-layer core and the inner-layer core to thereby form a liquid layer having a thickness of 1-3 mm. The liquid has a specific gravity substantially equal to that of the material of the inner-layer core. In the golf ball, the inner-layer core and outer-layer core can rotate independently while the golf ball is traveling. Also, the golf ball has sufficient resilience and strength.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf ball comprising a spherical outer-layer core having a spherical inner cavity and a spherical inner-layer core disposed within the spherical cavity, wherein the outer core and the inner core rotate independently when the golf ball is traveling.
2. Related Art
Solid golf balls, such as two-piece golf balls, three-piece golf balls, etc. are usually produced by a process which comprises compression or injection molding for enclosing a solid core with a cover material and for forming dimples on the cover material, and finishing processing such as coating or mark stamping. In this case, a single-layer solid core or a multi-layer solid core composed of a plurality of solid layers has conventionally been used as a core of the solid golf ball.
In relation to the multi-layer solid core, the present inventors conceived a structure of a golf ball in which a spherical inner-layer core is disposed within a spherical cavity of a spherical outer-layer core, and a liquid is present in the space between the outer-layer core and the inner-layer core. With this structure, when the golf ball is traveling, the outer-layer core and the inner-layer core rotate independently and the inner-layer core rotates within the outer-layer core without receiving any air resistance, with the result that the golf ball can obtain a gyro moment. By virtue of this moment, the rate of spin is stabilized, the angle of fall becomes flat relative to the ground, travel distance is extended, and the straightness of the ball's trajectory is improved. Subsequently, the present inventors conducted a study in order to obtain such a golf ball.
As a result, the present inventors found that, depending on the thickness of the liquid layer between the outer-layer core and the inner-layer core, the inner-layer may not be able to rotate independently of the outer-layer core or lowers resilience of the golf ball; that, depending on the respective specific gravities of the inner-layer core and the liquid layer, the inner-layer core may not be able to rotate independently of the outer-layer core; and that, depending on the wall thickness of the outer-layer core, sufficient resilience and strength of the golf ball may not be secured.


A method and apparatus for determining a T-wave shock interval sense a cardiac electrogram (EGM) signal comprising a T-wave signal. A T-wave center is determined from the EGM signal, and a T-wave shock interval is determined in response to determining the T-wave center. A T-wave shock is delivered at the T-wave shock interval computed based on the T-wave center.

Delivery of a shock pulse during the vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle can induce fibrillation, providing the shock energy is greater than a patient-specific minimum value and less than a patient-specific maximum value. Such a shock pulse is generally referred to as a "T-shock" or "T-wave shock" because the time of the vulnerable period during the cardiac cycle generally corresponds to the T-wave of the ECG signal. The upper limit of vulnerability (ULV) is the shock strength at or above which fibrillation is not induced when a shock is delivered during the vulnerable period of a normal cardiac cycle. The minimum shock strength required to defibrillate the human heart, often referred to as the defibrillation threshold (DFT), corresponds quantitatively to the ULV.
In past practice, patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) have undergone DFT testing in order to ensure a reasonable certainty of successful defibrillation using shock pulse energies corresponding to the output capacity of the ICD. The DFT has been determined by inducing fibrillation through delivery of a shock during the T-wave, then delivering defibrillation shocks to verify successful defibrillation at shock energies at least a safety margin below the maximum ICD output.
Determination of the ULV as a surrogate for DFT affords the opportunity to significantly reduce the number of times needed to induce fibrillation in a patient in order to ensure the patient's DFT falls below the maximum ICD output. The ULV, which can be measured in regular rhythm, corresponds to a shock strength that defibrillates with a high probability of success.
However, a challenge remains in determining the proper timing of a T-shock delivered to determine the ULV. If a T-shock is properly timed during the vulnerable period, and is greater than or equal to the ULV, fibrillation will not be induced. However, if a T-shock that is below the ULV is delivered just outside the vulnerable period, failure to induce fibrillation may lead to an incorrect determination of the ULV. Correct timing of T-shocks during the vulnerable period can be determined using 12-lead ECG signals by manually measuring the time interval between a test pacing pulse and a selected point on the T-wave. The ICD is then programmed to deliver a shock at that time interval. However, such techniques using 12-lead ECG signals are time-consuming and require considerable skill. A need remains, therefore, for automated methods for determining the correct timing of T-shock delivery for reliable ULV determination and DFT estimation.

Automatic determination of T-shock vulnerable window


A method and composition which is rumen stable but intestine soluble, and therefore useful in dietary supplementation of ruminant animals with bioavailable but rumen stable forms of essential amino acids.

It is well known that ruminants are in need of bioavailable essential amino acids in order to perform well as domesticated livestock. In this regard, if the animal, for example a dairy cow, does not have its minimum requirements of essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine, the animal will not produce milk at optimum yield, and its health will generally decline.
Providing essential amino acids to ruminants is not as simple as it sounds. For example, the bacteria in the rumen of a cow are known to routinely degrade amino acid sources, like lysine and methionine. Put another way, the bacteria in the rumen metabolize the amino acid source and thus "rob" the animal of the benefit of the amino acid. By the time metabolized byproduct passes from the rumen into the intestine, the amino acid is gone. The challenge, therefore, is to develop products which will allow the amino acid to be stable in the rumen, but capable of absorption when it passes from the rumen into the intestine. In other words, the essential amino acids, such as lysine and methionine, are bioavailable only in the intestine, but remain stable and therefore not metabolized in the rumen.
In the past, this problem has been recognized, and feed developers have used fats, minerals, carbohydrates and binders to protect amino acids from rumen degradation. This technology involves simple coating of the material in hopes that the coated amino acid is rumen stable. Recently, Rhone Poulenc has provided a pH-sensitive polymer coating. The theory of a pH-sensitive polymer coating for the amino acid revolves around the pH differential between the rumen and the intestine. The rumen, for example, typically has a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, and the intestine a pH of 2-3. The theory of polymer-coated essential amino acids is that something which is stable as a coating at 6.5 to 7.0 (the rumen pH), but will solubilize at more acid pH's of the intestine (pH 2-3), should be stable in the rumen, but available in the intestine.
Both technologies used in the past, i.e. coatings, such as fat coatings, and the more recently developed pH-sensitive polymer coatings, have met with limited success and have some problems. The primary problem with any product relying upon coatings of any kind for rumen stability is that the coating can become abraded during handling and during chewing by the animal. If the process handler disturbs the coating, then the amino acid becomes available to microbes in the rumen and consumed, and therefore wasted by the animal. Likewise, if the animal abrades the coating during chewing, it then becomes available in the rumen for rumen bacteria to metabolize, and is therefore also wasted to the animal. Additionally, fat-protected or coated essential amino acids rely upon the fat resistance to enzymes in the rumen that are capable of digesting the protective fat coat, and, on the other hand, the ability of digestion by enzymes post-rumenally. However, if there is not a proper balance between resistance to attack in the rumen and digestion intestine, then the amino acid benefit to the animal may be lost.
From the above description, it can be seen that there is a real and continuing need for the development of products for delivery of essential amino acids to ruminant animals in a form that allows the material to be rumen stable, i.e. resistant to degradation in the rumen, but yet after delivery from the rumen to the intestine, highly absorbable and bioavailable in the intestine. It is a primary objective of this invention to fulfill this need safely, effectively, efficiently and at low cost.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide compounds which are stable to rumen environment which do not rely upon any coating or pH-sensitive material for the stability in the rumen, and therefore are not subject to risks of handling or abrasion of the coating during chewing to wear away the coating that is needed to provide rumen stability, but intestine absorbability.
A further object of the invention is to provide a rumen-stable form of essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine which relies upon the properties of chemical bonding between the metals calcium and magnesium, and the amino acids to provide rumen stability, but intestine absorbability.
A yet further objective of the present invention is to m: provide a method of dietary supplementation of ruminant animals which provides an intestine bioavailable form of essential amino acids which is also rumen stable.
The method and means of accomplishing each of these objectives will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows.


Process for making open celled (semi-) rigid polyurethane foams using as cell opening agent a fatty acid or a fatty acid amine or a fatty acid amide or a fatty acid ester.

This invention relates to cellular polyurethane materials having open cells and in particular to the use of certain cell opening agents to make these foams.
The production of foamed materials based on polyurethane and other polymer systems derived from organic polyisocyanates is well established. Depending upon the formulations used in their manufacture, the products can vary in texture from the soft flexible foams used as cushioning materials to the (semi-)rigid foams used as insulating or structural materials.
Whereas flexible foams are of the open cell type, (semi-)rigid foams can be either closed celled or open celled. An important use of open celled (semi-)rigid foam is as filler in evacuated insulation panels, as described, for example, in JP-A-133870/82, EP-A-498628, EP-A-188806. Another recently developed use of open celled (semi-)rigid foam is as filler for the core between the outer and inner walls of a thermal insulating device such as a refrigerator, a freezer or a boiler. To obtain good insulation properties the core is then afterwards evacuated and hermetically sealed. In order to maintain the required high vacuum it has been proposed to permanently connect the unit to a vacuum pump mounted in the unit itself (see WO 95/20136). Alternatively the foamed cavity after evacuation can be refilled with an insulating gas and then sealed, such as described in WO 97/21767.
Open celled (semi-)rigid polyurethane foam is made by reacting an organic polyisocyanate with a polyfunctional isocyanate-reactive composition in the presence of a blowing agent and a cell opening agent. Various cell opening techniques have been described in the past. These include the use of said cell opening agents such as polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene (as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,846, U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,632 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,579), the use of silicone and non-silicone surfactants (as described, for example, in DE 3928867 and DE 3122790), the use of steam and the use of isocyanate-reactive cyclic urea's (as described, for example, in EP-A-498628 and EP-A-498629).
In most of the applications of open celled (semi-) rigid polyurethane foam a high open celled content (>85%) is necessary. Particularly in the case of moulded foam (for example, when used to fill the core of a thermal insulating device) it has been proven very difficult with the existing cell opening techniques to obtain a high open celled content at high overpack and a minimum closed cell gradient (from the skin towards the core of the foam).
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a new cell opening technique for (semi-)rigid polyurethane foams not showing the disadvantages mentioned above.

Open celled cellular polyurethane products


An improved all composite bicycle frame has three integral mating portions for the main triangle, asymmetric bottom bracket, improved composite layup, wall thickness, and tube geometry providing lighter weight and increased strength in an economical manner, an improved telescoping seat attachment fitting an integral seat mast and a fork having improved strength, weight and performance properties.

1. Field of the Invention
An improved all composite bicycle frame and fork has three integral mating portions for the main triangle, asymmetric bottom bracket, improved composite layup, wall thickness, and tube geometry providing lighter weight and increased strength in an economical manner. An improved telescoping seat attachment fits an integral seat mast.
2. Description of Related Art
Basic principles of optimum compaction low void composite molding the bicycle industry are described in Nelson, et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,519 and 6,270,104, sharing a common assignee with this application. The disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,519 and 6,270,104 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Fiber reinforced plastic frame manufacture has evolved several alternative approaches. The above approach uses circular section tubes bonded directly to specially formed high strength lugs. This has an advantage of permitting concentration on the hard to mold, high strength pieces, and the use of standard dimension, machine made tubes, for a high performance, yet economical product. Other approaches were to make a single piece "monocoque" as in Trimble, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,355, which urged that joints in a composite structure were points of weakness, or to butt join and cover tubes, as in Calfee U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,071 or Colnago, Publication EP 0618395. The disclosures therein are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The frame avoids the drawbacks of the prior art using principles of optimum compaction low void composite construction specially adapted to the unique shape and structural requirements of high performance frames using a combination of laminates incorporating fibers at different angles relative to one another, while using the molding techniques to form optimal geometry adapted to maximize strength at minimum weight, improve ride quality and permit advantageous attachment of bicycle componentry. The fork additionally provides impact evidence to the user in the event selected stress levels are exceeded.

Composite bicycle frame with improved structure, geometry, seat attachment and fork


The invention provides a variable valve gear for internal-combustion engines, in which a control cam of a camshaft acts by way of an interconnected roller onto a swivellable or tiltable valve lever for actuating an upper valve, for achieving a continuous valve timing and stroke adjustment of the upper valve. In the case of a minimal stroke, the roller, by way of an adjustably controlled adjusting lever is positioned in the outer end area of this valve lever and is guided to be swivellable transversely to the cam lift of the control cam.

This invention relates to a variable valve gear for an internal combustion engine, of the type which is driven by a camshaft to achieve a continuous timing and stroke adjustment of the valve.
In the known valve gear such as disclosed in German patent document DE-A 42 26 163, to change the valve timing and the course of the valve stroke, the transmission ratio of the valve lever is changed by a controlled displacement of the roller in the longitudinal direction of the valve lever. However, in the case of a normal valve stroke of approximately 8 to 10 mm, by means of the known valve stroke change, no minimal strokes of approximately 2 mm for an intake valve can be achieved, such as is necessary for effective homogenizing of the fuel-air mixture.
It is an object of the present invention to further develop a valve gear of the above mentioned type, in which a normal valve stroke can be continuously reduced to predetermined low stroke values.
This object is achieved by the variable valve gear according to the invention, in which when the roller is positioned close to the valve lever axis (by means of an adjusting lever that is controlled into a first predetermined orientation), it performs no stroke-reducing effective relative movement with respect to the valve lever. On the other hand, when the roller is in a position remote from the valve lever axis (by means of the adjusting lever being controlled into a different orientation), by virtue of its swivel movement it effects a stroke-reducing relative movement with respect to the valve lever and the control cam. The advantage of the invention is that it achieves a continuous adjustment of the valve stroke over a range of, for example, from 10 mm down to approximately 2 mm.
Since the stroke adjustment according to the invention is kinematically accompanied by a change of the cam spread, as an additional important advantage, there is an opening of an intake valve controlled to a minimal stroke, which is possible long before the top dead center of the piston is reached. By using an intake valve that is controlled, for example, in a conventional manner, in a multi-valve combustion space in conjunction with an intake valve controlled according to the invention, the taken-in fuel-air mixture is effectively homogenized, on the one hand, while the gas dynamics are high, on the other hand.
In an embodiment of the invention, a structurally simple adjusting device with low space requirements is achieved by a curved displacement path for the swivel joint, in which the curvature center point of a preferably circular-arc-shaped path is situated on an axis close to the camshaft and in parallel at least to the axis of rotation of the camshaft. By selecting the position of the curvature center point on another axis, the spread and stroke variation can be selected freely with respect to their mutual assignment.
In a further embodiment, an advantageously low space requirement is achieved by providing, between the axis of rotation of the camshaft and an axis of the valve lever, a drive shaft of the adjusting device which is parallel to these axes. This drive shaft is used to drive a control lever which extends partially around the camshaft and has a swivel joint for the adjusting lever which is arranged in the free end area; it displaces the swivel joint in a controlled manner by way of the control lever along a circular-arc-shaped path between an end position above the camshaft and an end position below the camshaft.
By means of the end position of the swivel joint which is above the camshaft, as the result of the swivel direction of the adjusting lever which is thus determined according to the invention, a stroke-reducing relative movement of the roller with respect to the respective valve lever is essentially prevented in a simple manner. By means of the end position of the swivel joint which is below the camshaft, the swivellable adjusting lever causes a stroke-reducing relative movement of the roller with respect to the valve lever and the control cam, by the displacement of the roller in the direction of the free valve lever end.
For kinematic reasons, the roller guide in or on the valve lever is designed to be concentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the camshaft, and to further reduce the stroke, toward the free valve lever end the roller guide changes into a straight line and/or into an arc which is curved in the opposite direction.
A structurally simple and stable further development of a part of the adjusting device is further achieved by arranging the drive shaft of the adjusting device to be disposed between valves of the same type on the engine side, and by non-rotatably connecting it on both sides of this bearing with respective control levers. The control levers have the two swivel joints for the adjusting levers on a common pin.
In a further embodiment, an advantageously secure guiding of the respective roller is achieved by assigning one U-shaped adjusting lever to each of the two control levers, each adjusting lever having the respective roller which is rotatably disposed between the free end areas of its legs adapted to the camshaft in a curved manner.
The invention is preferably used in a valve gear with valve levers designed as rocker levers, in which case the rocker levers are connected by hydraulic valve clearance compensating elements to the respective valve. In this case, the clearance compensating element, which should be maintained in the case of a rocker lever in the conventional arrangement, is also used for the compensation in the roller guides.
The valve gear, which is designed to be variable according to the invention, can advantageously be used in connection with two valves of the same type, which are used as intake valves for adjacent cylinders of an internal-combustion engine. In a further embodiment, this makes it possible to equip each cylinder with an additional intake valve controlled in the conventional manner. While the first intake valve (which, according to the invention is controlled to a minimal stroke) is used to homogenize the mixture and/or to provide an internal exhaust gas return, in contrast, the second intake valve (which opens later and to the full stroke) is suitable to achieve the desired filling of the combustion space. When air alone is fed by way of the second intake valve, the valve gear according to the invention can advantageously be used for lean operation of an internal-combustion engine.
Since the above-described mechanism of the variable valve gear according to the invention is switched in parallel to the main frictional connection by way of the camshaft, the roller, the valve lever and the spring-loaded valve, the forces operating in the control and adjusting lever are relatively low. Thus, a relatively low-power driving motor is sufficient for the adjusting device.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Variable valve gear, particularly for internal-combustion engines

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A device for re-keying a lock that frees the locksmith from having to handle individual tumblers. A magazine is provided for each tumbler in the lock. Each magazine is numbered or coded to indicate the size of the tumblers within. The magazines fit into the top of a housing that temporarily holds the plug portion of the lock to be re-keyed. Upon alignment of the magazines with their corresponding holes in the plug, the tumblers fall into place and the lock has effectively been re-keyed. The plug is then removed from the housing and ready to be placed back in its original lock assembly.

The present invention relates generally to the field of locksmiths and more specifically to a method for quickly and efficiently re-keying a lock.
Locksmiths are skilled at working on locks of all kinds, including locks in the front doors of homes and businesses. When a homeowner or business owner wants to "change the locks" on their doors, they have the option of actually buying an entirely new lock assembly for each door and replacing the old assembly with the new one. This process can be expensive, since it involves purchasing a new lock assembly for every door. More often than not, the business owner will "change the locks" on his doors by having a locksmith re-key the old lock. Re-keying only involves replacing the old tumblers in the lock assembly with new tumblers, and allows the rest of the lock assembly to still be used. After the tumblers have been replaced, the old key can no longer be used to open the lock. This method of re-keying is generally more cost effective than replacing entire lock assemblies. When a locksmith re-keys a lock, he removes the old tumblers from the plug of the lock and replaces them with new tumblers having different sizes than the old tumblers. A new key, that has been cut to match the new tumblers, must then be used to open the lock. Re-keying a lock can be a tedious process, since the tumblers are very small and each tumbler must be placed into a corresponding hole in the plug. For locksmiths with large fingers or bad eyesight, the chance of dropping and losing the tumblers on the ground is great. Because a number of small items (multiple tumblers) must found, tracked and manipulated, re-keying a lock can be time consuming.
What is needed in the field is a device that allows a lock to be re-keyed quickly and efficiently. The ideal device would not require the locksmith to handle the individual tumblers, nor force the locksmith to try and fit each tumbler into a corresponding small hole in the lock's plug by hand.

Pin-a-plug time saving device for re-keying a lock


An internal loop-back architecture for a parallel serializer/deserializer (SERDES) includes a transmitter macro including a plurality of transmit elements arranged in a parallel architecture, and a receiver macro including a plurality of receive elements arranged in a parallel architecture, wherein at least a portion of the transmit elements and a portion of the receive elements share a communication channel and wherein any of the plurality of transmit elements in a row can communicate with any of the plurality of receive elements in a row, and wherein each of the plurality of transmit element includes a loop-back arrangement with each of the plurality of receive elements.

A serializer/deserializer (SERDES) circuit typically comprises circuitry configured to transmit parallel data over a serial communications channel. Typically, a multiplexer receives parallel data and converts the parallel data to serial data. A transmitter receives serial data and transmits the serial data over a serial communication channel. A receiver receives the serial data and forwards the serial data to a demultiplexer, which recreates and attempts to recover the original parallel data. Loopback testing is one of a number of different testing methodologies for testing transmitters and receivers associated with a SERDES circuit.
A SERDES circuit may be configured as a single channel SERDES, or as a parallel channel SERDES. In single channel SERDES circuits, loopback mechanisms were previously implemented to connect the receive (RX) channel to the transmit (TX) channel. Since, in a single channel SERDES, these circuits were located adjacent to each other, the connection was very simple. However for parallel SERDES architectures, the distance between the RX and TX devices, as well as the number of channels, complicates loopback testing.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a way to implement loopback testing in a parallel SERDES architecture.

Internal loop-back architecture for parallel serializer/deserializer (SERDES)

Avago Technologies Enterprise IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Several embodiments of noise reduction apparatus for a fuel injector are disclosed and include perforated tubes, side branch filters and expansion chambers strategically located between a respective injector and the fuel rail to target and reduce high frequency noise generated by the mechanical movement of the fuel injector.

Fuel injector systems, which deliver fuel to the combustion chamber of internal combustion engines, have been around for many years. The fuel injection system draws fuel from a fuel tank, through tubing, to a fuel rail mounted adjacent the cylinder bank or banks of the engine. The fuel injectors, typically one for each cylinder, extend from the fuel rail to inject the fuel in proximity to an intake valve for a respective cylinder. The fuel injectors are electro-mechanical devices which have moving parts that deliver the fuel in precise amounts and times to the respective cylinder. While the engine is running, the fuel injectors are essentially constantly working. Noise having various frequencies is thus generated by the fuel injectors. High frequency noise is generated by the mechanical movement of the injector and low frequency pressure waves are generated by the movement of the fuel itself. Both the high and low frequencies travel through the fuel rail and cause unwanted noise. Manufacturers are thus continuously looking for ways which effectively reduce or eliminate this noise. Prior art noise control measures are typically directed at reducing the component of the noise caused by the lower frequency pressure waves within the fuel rail, e.g., by providing flexible walls in the area of the fuel rail which act to absorb acoustic/pressure waves. Such methods which target noise generated by the fluid movement are not effective at reducing higher frequency noise caused by the mechanical movement of the fuel injector. Acoustic covers are also known which are applied to various places within the engine compartment in an attempt to absorb noise, however, they are not always effective at absorbing both high and low frequency noise which is generated by the fuel injectors. Furthermore, acoustic covers are bulky and may inhibit effective cooling of the engine compartment. There therefore remains a need for improved devices and methods that substantially reduce noise generated by fuel injectors and which are not bulky or costly, and which will not adversely affect the temperature of the engine compartment.


A Kapton element is terminated by bringing an element which is wrapped at a substantially fixed radius from a rotor out through a linear portion to the terminations. This causes the terminations to be at an angle to the line between the electrical connector and the rotor. A standard termination is then made without the need to bend a sharp turn in the Kapton element--an advantage that is more significant as the bend radius is increased for tighter package sizing. This concept also offers improved assembly, reducing the effort to automate production.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to electrical resistors generally, and specifically to mechanically variable resistors with flexible elements and associated termination structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
As evidenced by the explosion of micro-machined silicon, there is a continuing trend to smaller components that deliver the same or better performance than larger predecessors. This is true in the sensor industry as much as in any other. However, in the prior art to date, there have been factors that tend to limit the minimum achievable size of variable resistor type position sensors. The limitations are particularly acute where flexible elements are incorporated into the package.
In the prior art and in common use today there are many variable resistor configurations. Many of those accommodate flexible elements within a housing or other structure. Exemplary of prior art package designs is U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,293 by Driscoll incorporated herein by reference. A number of additional patents also illustrate flexible elements. Among these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,430,634 and 4,435,691 assigned to the assignee of the present invention and also incorporated herein by reference. Each of these prior art patents illustrate an element that is flexible and retained in position by the package and termination. The element is wrapped in a generally cylindrical configuration, concentric about the rotor or generally cylindrical or rod shaped actuator. The element may form an arc or may form a nearly complete 360 degree radius about the rotor structure.
As noted, somewhere within that flexible structure exist terminations. In the case of position sensors of the type pertaining to this invention, there will be a minimum of two terminations, but more typically three or more. Some sensors have been known to incorporate a dozen or more film terminations. Two of the terminations are typically at fixed locations on the film and a variable contactor traversing electrically therebetween may be used to connect to a third termination. Aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,691 is illustrative of one pattern and contactor arrangement.
In order to accommodate the necessary two fixed terminations the prior art has come to depend upon terminations either at one or both extremes of the flexible element. The use of terminations at both ends has proven disadvantageous, since the electrical connection must still be routed to bring both terminations together. In the referenced patent to Driscoll, the electrical terminations are each of unique geometry and so must be tooled with unique tools. The high cost of tooling has made this an impractical approach for most applications. Further, where materials and temperatures thereof are not always the same, any differences in expansion may result in undue forces being generated in the film and at the terminations. Such forces are certainly undesirable and may lead to immediate disconnection or slower cycled failures.
While routing is still practiced as Driscoll illustrates, more typically the electrical routing is performed directly upon the flexible substrate that carries the resistance element. This is particularly simplified where a material such as Kapton.TM. is used as a flexible substrate material. The resistor structure is then formed by screen printing, stenciling or other similar process upon a portion of the film. A conductor may also be patterned upon a separate portion of the film to bring the terminations to a common end of the film. Polyimides, polyesters and other various materials are in use as flexible substrate material.
The use of conductors to route to a common termination simplifies installation of the element, since only one end of the film must be captured to perform the termination. Furthermore, the terminations are then exactly positioned in very precise relation. The precision of the relative position between the terminations may be limited only by the precision of the patterning process.
The termination structure and film require alignment therebetween. This is typically achieved through some type of design features built into the envelope surrounding the flexible element. In addition, the terminations and the flexible element are of finite dimension. Each of the features incorporated to capture the element and the terminations consume additional space that forces the package size to larger dimensions.
In the specific case of a rotary variable resistor, the resistor element is typically terminated along an axis extending radially from and perpendicular to the rotor. To avoid using individually tooled terminations such as illustrated in Driscoll, the element is wrapped around the rotor and then bent first away from the rotor axis and then sharply curved back essentially tangential to circular dimension formed by the bulk of the element.
FIG. 1 illustrates on such prior art film type variable resistor. For the purposes of this disclosure, all extraneous or non-specific details have been removed for ease of description and clarity. Details of cooperative features are easily identified within the cited prior art including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,355,293, 4,430,634, 4,435,691 and the millions of similar sensors already in wide-spread application in automobiles and other machinery and equipment.
The sensor is generally identified by the numeral 1. A film 3 is illustrated as generally surrounding a rotor structure 2. The film is typically formed from Kapton and, when laid flat, takes a rectangular shape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,691 illustrates one example of the film as it would appear laid flat.
The film 3 has two extreme ends 10 and 9, with appropriate resistive and conductive material patterned therebetween. Electrical connections to the film are made at end 9, somewhere between the edge of the film and a bend 8 in the film, illustrated generally by outline 11. The connections may be made by solder, conductive adhesive, pressure wedges, wire bonding or other suitable technique, and typically lead to an electrical connector or pigtail and electrical connector.
Film 3 must travel from the termination end 9 to a sensor region. In the illustration of FIG. 1, this sensor region may exist from 15 line 4 through angle A to line 5. In the illustration, angle A approximates 270 degrees of rotation. It should be understood that this angle may be more or less, depending upon the particular application. Within this sensor region limited by angle A the element 3 is maintained at substantially fixed radial distance. For example, radial lines 4 and 5 will be of very similar length.
The termination structure and associated housing occupy some of the space between the rotor and termination 9, necessitating a pair of bends 7 and 8 in film 3 so that no obstructions exist between rotor 2 and associated sliding contact structure (not illustrated) and termination region 9 and associated housing and electrical terminations 11.
The two bends 7 and 8 are detrimental to film 3. As noted, there exists a pattern of resistor(s) and conductor(s) upon film 3. Bending may lead to cracking or separation within those films and a resultant failure of the device. Where the radius of bend is minor, as it is through angle A, there is no risk of damage to the conductive pattern. However, where sharp bends are required, as at bends 7 and 8, the number of failures is increased undesirably. Additionally, insertion of film 3 into a housing designed to retain film 3 is undesirably difficult, since the film must be carefully placed within guides in the housing to hold film 3 to the shape illustrated. This usually requires significant manual intervention, again affecting quality and cost undesirably. The present invention seeks to overcome these aforementioned limitations of the prior art through the use of a novel geometry and angle of termination.

Sensor with sloped termination for reduced element bend


A vehicular air intake system including a resonator for eliminate the possibility of dust and water droplets collecting in the resonator. An end portion of an air intake duct is branched into a resonator and an air intake section. In the air intake section, a chamber is formed having an air intake port for taking in outside air. The resonator is disposed upwardly of the air intake port. A branch pipe section and the chamber are positioned such that they are slightly inclined downwardly toward a main pipe section. In this arrangement, the air intake duct is disposed downwardly of a seat and a resin cover such that the air intake port is located a required distance away from a rear external surface of a fuel tank.

A vehicular air intake system is known wherein an air intake duct (air intake pipe) is provided with a resonator (expansion chamber) for reducing air intake noise.
The air intake pipe used in the vehicular air intake system has an air intake port provided at a highest portion thereof and a resonator provided in a portion thereof between the air intake port and an air cleaner. See, for example, JP-A No. 270559/2004, FIG. 3 on page 4.
The above vehicular air intake system is extremely suitable for reducing air intake noise. However, this system has caused the following problem that requires a solution.
More specifically, with the air intake pipe used in the conventional vehicular air intake system having an air intake port provided at its highest portion and a resonator provided at a portion between the air intake port and an air cleaner, dust and water droplets possibly collect in the resonator.
The resonator used in the conventional vehicular air intake system is detachable. Therefore, if dust and water droplets collect in the resonator, the resonator can be removed and cleaned. However, removing and cleaning the resonator every time dust and water droplets collect therein is bothersome.


An image forming apparatus comprises a cartridge equipped with a toner reservoir, and an apparatus body. The cartridge is attached to the apparatus body when used and developer in the toner reservoir is used for image development. The cartridge comprises a storage unit which is provided inside the toner reservoir and capable of communicating with the apparatus body. The apparatus body comprises a communication unit which is capable of communicating with the storage unit and communication state between the storage unit and the communication unit varies depending on amount of residual developer in the toner reservoir. Thus there is provided a developer cartridge and an image forming apparatus surely capable of carrying out both residual-toner-amount detection and transmission of cartridge information with space saving design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer cartridge for housing toner and an image forming apparatus wherein the developer cartridge is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a developer cartridge and an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known an image forming apparatus with a cartridge which is attached to and detached from the apparatus body and houses toner in its container. As typical examples of such cartridge, an imaging cartridge, a toner cartridge, and the like have been known. It is required for the image forming apparatus of this type to detect amount of residual toner in its cartridge at any time. Therefore, there have conventionally been applied a detection method by using a light emitter, a light receiving sensor, and a light guide as a set, or a detection method by using a reflecting sensor and a residual-toner-amount detecting window, or the like. Furthermore, JP Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-195791 discloses an image forming apparatus and a residual-toner-amount detecting method wherein contact state of a flexible film strip and a toner detecting electrode is detected to find out residual toner amount.
Some image forming apparatuses of the above-mentioned type have been designed on assumption that attachment and detachment of its cartridge is carried out by a user. It is required for such image forming apparatuses to prevent a cartridge mix-up and an erroneous insertion. For that purpose, some image forming apparatuses employ communication means between an apparatus body and a cartridge. Thereby, the apparatus body can receive information of the cartridge at the time of attachment and notify a user of an error in case of an erroneous attachment. For example, JP Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-169428 discloses a cartridge which is equipped with recording means such as IC chip or the like which enables the image forming apparatus to read information of the cartridge. According to the publication, the employment of recording means contributes to space saving design and design diversification.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional image forming apparatuses, residual-toner-amount detecting means and communication means as countermeasure for erroneous insertion are constituted separately. Both of them must be arranged inside or near inside of a cartridge. Furthermore, since it is required for them to secure a detection point, a communication path, and the like, positioning of them is restricted to some extent.
For example, in case an optical sensor is used as residual-toner-amount detecting means, any other composing members cannot be arranged on the detection line of the sensor. To secure detection accuracy of residual toner amount, it is required to secure positional accuracy of a holding member for holding the sensor or the like. It is desired that the communication means be arranged inside of a cartridge so as to prevent damage at the time of attachment. Furthermore, it is also required to arrange the residual-toner-amount detecting means and the communication means without intervention of each other.

Developer cartridge having different communication states with an image forming apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A method for producing 225A including: a method (X) for purifying a 226Ra-containing solution, including an adsorption step of allowing a 226Ra ion to adsorb onto a carrier having a function of selectively adsorbing a divalent cation by bringing a 226Ra-containing solution into contact with the carrier under an alkaline condition, and an elution step of eluting the 226Ra ion from the carrier under an acidic condition; a method for producing a 226Ra target, including an electrodeposition liquid preparation step of preparing an electrodeposition liquid by using a purified 226Ra-containing solution obtained by the method (X), and an electrodeposition step of electrodepositing a 226Ra-containing substance on a substrate by using the electrodeposition liquid; and a step of irradiating a 226Ra target produced by the method for producing a 226Ra target with at least one selected from a charged particle, a photon, and a neutron by using an accelerator.

In the field of nuclear medicine, radionuclide therapy has been performed in which a drug containing a radioisotope (RI) is selectively taken into a lesion such as a tumor for treatment. Among radiations, an alpha-ray has a characteristic that the effect of unnecessary exposure on the surrounding normal cells is small because the range is short. 225Ac being one of the alpha-ray emitting nuclides is a radionuclide with a half-life period of 10 days, and has been expected as a therapeutic nuclide in cancer treatment in recent years.
225AC is produced by a nuclear reaction of (p, 2n), for example, by irradiating a 226Ra target with a proton using an accelerator. Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for separation and purification of an 225AC component from a solution containing 226Ra ions and 225AC ions, which is obtained by dissolving the 226Ra target after irradiation.


A screening for separating a protected area has a plurality of vertical supports with removable panels between the supports. Upper attachment members on the supports have a vertical channel for slideably receiving a complementary attachment member on the panel. A hook on one attachment member engages a catch on the other to retain the attachment members together. The lower end of the panel is retained between parallel flanges on the vertical supports. A tool is provided to release the hook for removal of the panel from the vertical supports.

Industrial sites, such as factories and the like, may have a large portion of the floor area that contains equipment that presents a danger to unwary bystanders. The equipment may be in the form of machines that would endanger inexperienced or inadequately attired personnel, high voltage equipment, or toxic chemicals or compounds. The structure that encloses such restricted areas must be sufficiently strong to provide an adequate barrier to prevent unauthorized entry, and yet the enclosure must be reasonably attractive. Furthermore, such structures are subject to damage from vehicles and the like operating inside and outside the protected area, and therefore the panels of the enclosure must be replaceable. In many cases the enclosure surrounds machinery or equipment that requires little attention, and the replaceable panels permit entry into the protected area without requiring a more expensive door panel. Space limitations may also prohibit the installation of a door that swings open. It is therefore desirable that the panels be easily replaced. Once installed, however, the panels must be resistant to tampering from unauthorized personnel, particularly personnel outside the protected area.
To provide for easy replacement of the panels that make up a partition, it has become customary to provide a locking device for locking and unlocking a panel between parallel support members where operation of the lock requires a tool. Where the tool is a readily available such as an Allen wrench, an unauthorized personnel with access to such a tool can easily compromise the barrier and obtain unauthorized access to a restricted area. It is desirable therefore to provide an assembly device with a latch that will connect the parts together but can be easily unlatched to replace a panel. It is also desirable to provide a unique tool for disconnecting the parts for removing the panel.


A sheet (30) of polymeric material defines a cuff portion (A), a contact portion (B), and an interconnecting elongated lead portion (C). Using physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or other thin film deposition techniques, a plurality of electrodes (12), contact pads (16), and interconnecting leads (14) are deposited on the base layer. An elastomer covering layer (18) is laminated to the base layer. The elastomeric covering layer is stretched along direction (24) before lamination, such that at least the cuff portion is elastomerically biased to curl into a spiral. Windows (20) are defined in the elastomeric portion to provide for electrical conduction between the electrodes (12) and nerve tissue about which the cuff electrode is wrapped. The electrodes are arced (FIG. 6) such that they are more recessed adjacent sides of the window than adjacent the center in order to provide a substantially uniform flux density across the electrode surface.

The present invention relates to the biomedical arts, particularly implantable electrodes. The present invention finds particular application in conjunction with cuff electrodes which are self-biased to curl around and snugly engage a nerve trunk, and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention is also applicable to other types of implanted electrodes and biomedical devices.
Many types of nerve tissue damage do not heal. Such injuries leave a patient permanently without an appropriate nerve path for electrical signals or action potentials which travel from the brain to muscles or other biological tissue to cause a biological response. Similarly, such a discontinuity prevents action potentials from carrying sensory information or other biological feedback from the tissues to the brain. Moreover, there is also a tendency for action potentials to commence propagating naturally from below the injury site to the biological tissue causing an unconscious and unwanted biological response. Analogously, action potentials can propagate from above the injury site to the brain causing pain and erroneous sensory feedback.
Electrical potentials can be applied to nerve trunks and fibers to block the propagation of action potentials and for controllably initiating the propagation of action potentials in an upstream direction, a downstream direction, or both. Cuff electrodes, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,624 to Naples, Sweeney, and Mortimer controllably initiate and/or block action potentials in the nerves. Such cuff electrodes are self-biased to wrap around a nerve trunk in a spiral providing close contact. Because the electrode can be opened flat, it is surgically installed around the nerve fiber without cutting or damaging the nerve.
Although these prior art cuff electrodes have proven effective, they do have drawbacks. Primarily, the prior art cuff electrodes are labor intensive to manufacture. Metal foil strips are mounted and adhered to an elastomeric sheet. A second elastomeric sheet is stretched and laminated to the first elastomeric sheet. Apertures are provided in the second, stretched sheet to provide communication with the foil electrodes. Electrical leads are spot welded to the foil electrodes.
Interconnecting the leads with the electrodes at the cuff has drawbacks. First, the interconnection tends to increase the bulk of the electrode. Second, a failure of the spot weld requires removal of the electrode and the implantation of a new electrode.
Another drawback is that flat and annular sheet surface electrodes do not provide a uniform current density across their entire face. Rather, there tends to be a higher current flux adjacent the edges causing more rapid electrolytic degradation of the electrode edges. This concentration of the electrical flux at the edges accelerates edge degradation and corrosively reduces the size of the electrode. The size reduction, in turn, changes the electrical properties of the electrode.
The present invention provides a new and improved cuff electrode and method of manufacture which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.

Thin film implantable electrode and method of manufacture


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing redundant data forwarding or routing capabilities. In one embodiment, a network device includes a designated router and a non-designated router. The designated router generally provides layer 3 switching or routing for data received into the network device. Although the non-designated router is active, it generally does not provide forwarding capabilities until the designated router fails. The non-designated router's logical interfaces are disabled, while the designated router's logical interfaces are enabled. The non-designated router becomes the new designated router when the first designated router fails. In general terms, the routers of the network device provide redundancy with the network being aware of only a single router within network device. That is, the network is only aware of a single router. This is accomplished by having the routers share the same IP and MAC address on each logical interface. The routers do not each also use a unique IP and MAC address in addition to the shared IP and MAC address, in contrast to conventionally configured routers of the hot standby router protocol (HSRP).

The present invention relates to networking technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing redundancy in a network for forwarding data between different hosts within such network.
Local area networks (LANs) are commonly connected with one another through one or more routers so that a host (a PC or other arbitrary LAN entity) on one LAN can communicate with other hosts on different LANs. Typically, the host is able to communicate directly only with the entities on its local LAN segment. When it receives a request to send a data packet to an address that it does not recognize as being local, it communicates through a router (or other layer-3 device) which determines how to direct the packet between the host and the destination address. Unfortunately, a router may, for a variety of reasons, become inoperative (e.g., a power failure, rebooting, scheduled maintenance, etc.). Such potential router failure has led to the development and use of redundant systems, systems having more than one router to provide a back up in the event of primary router failure. When a router fails, the host communicating through the inoperative router may still remain connected to other LANs if it can send packets to another router connected to its LAN.
Various protocols have been devised to allow a host to choose a router from among a group of routers in a network. Two of these, Routing Information Protocol (or RIP) and ICMP Router Discovery Protocol (IRDP) are examples of protocols that involve dynamic participation by the host. However, because both RIP and IRDP require that the host be dynamically involved in the router selection, performance may be reduced and special host modifications and management may be required.
In a widely used and somewhat simpler approach, the host recognizes only a single "default" router. In this approach, the host is configured to send data packets to the default router when it needs to send packets to addresses outside its own LAN. It does not keep track of available routers or make decisions to switch to different routers. This requires very little effort on the host's part, but has a serious danger. If the default router fails, the host can not send packets outside of its LAN. This will be true even though there may be a redundant router able to take over because the host does not know about the backup. Unfortunately, such systems have been used in mission critical applications such as stock trading. The shortcomings of these early systems led to the development and implementation of a hot standby router protocol (HSRP) by Cisco Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. A more detailed discussion of the earlier systems and of an HSRP type of system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,599 (referred to herein as "the '599 patent"), entitled STANDBY ROUTER PROTOCOL, issued Dec. 5, 1995 to Cisco Systems, Inc., which patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Also, HSRP is described in detail in RFC 2281, entitled "Cisco Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP)", by T. Li, B. Cole, P. Morton and D. Li, which document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
HSRP forwards data packets from a host on a LAN through a virtual router. The host is configured so that the packets it sends to destinations outside of its LAN are always addressed to the virtual router. The virtual router may be any physical router elected from among a group of routers connected to the LAN. The router from the group that is currently emulating the virtual router is referred to as the "active" router. Thus, packets addressed to the virtual router are handled by the active router. A "standby" router, also from the group of routers, backs up the active router so that if the active router becomes inoperative, the standby router automatically begins emulating the virtual router. This allows the host to always direct data packets to an operational router without monitoring the routers of the network.
Although the host is only aware of a single virtual router, the routers within the HSRP group are aware of each other. All other routers in the network also see every router in the HSRP group. That is, the routers each have their own MAC and IP addresses through which they communicate with each other. The routers of a particular HSRP group communicate with each other, for example, to determine which router is to be the active router and which is to be the standby router. Managing multiple routers having unique IP and MAC addresses within an HSRP group results in an undesirable level of complexity. Additionally, managing and ensuring scalable growth with an ever increasing number of routers within each HSRP group will likely become a significant problem in the near future.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide an alternative redundant router scheme.


According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a data transmission method that uses first and second media devices which communicate with each other according to a predetermined transmission protocol and a control device which controls the first and second media devices based on a UPnP AV protocol, including: establishing a virtual connection between the first and second media devices under control of the control device; transmitting a real connection establishment request from the first media device to the second media device, the real connection establishment request including information of the virtual connection; establishing a real connection between the first and second media devices, the established real connection being related to the virtual connection; and transmitting media data from the second media device to the first media device or versa by using the established real connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission system, a data transmission method, and a media apparatus.
2. Related Art
Audio devices and video devices (to be referred to AV devices hereinafter) are coupled to each other through a network and exchange video data or audio data with each other. In order to couple the AV devices to perform data transfer between the AV devices, some protocol is necessary. For example, a protocol such as IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 scheme using a serial bus, HTTP (Hyper Text Transport Protocol), or RTSP (Realtime Streaming Protocol) is known. HTTP and RTSP are defined on TCP/IP protocol on an IEEE802 network.
Protocols used in the AV devices are various. Therefore, devices using various protocols can be arranged on the same network. Therefore, a procedure that controls transmission of data between the AV devices on the network is required to be compatible with the various protocols. One that realizes the procedure is a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol. In particular, a UPnP AV protocol is developed to associate the AV devices with each other.
In the UPnP AV protocol, AV data transmission between the AV devices is performed by using the concept of a virtual connection. Although the virtual connection is associated with actual transmission path or input/output plugs of the devices, the virtual connection is treated in the UPnP AV protocol in a way that the virtual connection does not depend on actual transmission path or transmission protocols. AV data transmission and control performed by the UPnP AV are managed by using the virtual connection.
However, a conventional virtual connection used in the UPnP AV is not always related to actual AV data transmission. For this reason, it is frequent that the management and the control of the AV data transmission cannot be effectively performed.
For example, in an IEEE1394 protocol, communication is performed by establishing a continuous connection between an input plug of an AV device and an output plug of another AV device. In this case, the real connection and a virtual connection can be easily related to each other. This is because a real connection is established in advance, and a virtual connection can be related to the real connection. More specifically, it can be understood that both the ends of the virtual connection are related to the input plug of an actual AV device and the output plug of another actual AV device, and it can be understood that data transmission is performed in a period in which a real connection continues so that the virtual connection also continues.
On the other hand, in an HTTP protocol, when a virtual connection is established, any real connection is not established. When a SetAVTransportURI( ) action of an AV Transport service of UPnP AV is performed after establishment of a virtual connection, a Play action is then performed, and a transmission request is then issued from a reproduction side or a transmission side of AV data transmission, the real connection is established. In establishment of a real connection, the virtual connection and the real connection can be related to each other on the basis of a virtual connection ID and a URI which are arguments of the SetAVTransportURI action in a media renderer or a media server, on the basis of control performed by a control point.
This problem has been pointed out. For example, in Chapters 5.4 to 5.6 of a reference "Designing a UPnP AV Media Renderer v1.0 Intel Corporation, 2003", it is described that a virtual connection and a real connection must be related to each other. However, any concrete method is not described in the reference. In addition, in section 5.14.1 of a reference "Designing a UPnP AV Media Server v1.0 Intel Corporation, 2003", it is described that when HTTP_GET is used in delivery of content, a virtual connection and a real connection cannot be related to each other. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-304333 "TRANSMISSION METHOD AND TRANSMISSION APPARATUS" explains procedures of content search, content transmission, and content reproduction which are employed in the UPnP AV. This reference does not refer to any relating between a virtual connection and a real connection.

Data transmission system, data transmission method, and media apparatus


For oblique track scanning of magnetic tape which is looped around a two-part drum (1, 2) separated by a gap (5) in which magnetic heads (11) affixed to a headwheel revolve, the rotary transformers connecting the magnetic heads on the headwheel to fixed parts of the scanning device are provided by inner and outer magnetic core rings in which windings are embedded for a number of transformers. One group of these rotary transformers (18, 19) is located above the headwheel disk structure (10, 25) in such a way that outer magnetic core rings are fixed in a bore of the fixed upper drum (1) and inner magnetic core rings (19) are affixed to a seating shell (25) that connects the headwheel disk (10) to its driving shaft. Another group of rotary transformers (10, 21) is located beneath the rotary headwheel disk structure (10, 25) and in this case the outer magnetic core rings (20) are affixed to the inner wall of the rotary headwheel disk structure (10, 25) and the inner magnetic core rings are affixed to the outer wall of the bearing (15) of the shaft (14) that drives the rotary headwheel disk.

A scanning device is known in which a two-part tape-guiding drum is provided and in which a rotary headwheel disk is in the gap between the two parts of the drum. At the periphery of the headwheel disk two magnetic heads are affixed. The signal transmission from and to these magnetic heads takes place over planar rotary transformers. One of the planar rotary transformers is located at the upper side of the rotary drum and the other is located at the underside of the rotary drum. Such a scanning device, however, is suitable only for recording and playback of relatively narrowband signals.
For recording and reproduction of broadband digital signals at a data transmission rate greater than 1 gigabit per second, the data stream is subdivided for transmission simultaneously over several channels. In order to limit the circuit expense resulting from the subdivision it is desirable that the individual rotary transformers all have the same signal transmission properties. In such a case the frequency bandwidth should accomodate a data rate above 100 megabits per second and the signal to noise margin between the individual rotary transformers should be greater than 80 dB.
Known devices with a number of planar rotary transformers (DE 33 42 493 C2) do not satisfy these requirements, because the individual transformer windings are concentrically disposed at different radii and the signal to noise margin is insufficient.
Another known kind of embodiment (DE 26 09 335 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,261), in which the individual rotary transformers are constructed with two magnetic core rings which are disposed one above the other, has the disadvantage that the signal to noise margin, especially for rotary transformers used respectively for recording and playback, is insufficient to meet the above-mentioned requirements. There is also the further disadvantage that replacement of the headwheel disk after wearing away of the magnetic heads is expensive.

Scanning device for magnetic tape with special disposition of rotary transformers for recording and playback magnetic heads


Electroplating electrolyte compositions including CA•(nAl(C3H7)3(2−n)AlR3) where n is 0 and less than or equal to 2; C is Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, NR′4, or mixtures thereof wherein R′ is H, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C4H9, C5H11, C6H13, C7H15, C8H17, or mixtures thereof; A is H, F, Cl, Br, or mixtures thereof; R is H, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C4H9, C5H11, C6H13, C7H15, C8H17, or mixtures thereof; and an aromatic hydrocarbon, aliphatic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof are described. Aluminum and magnesium/aluminum electroplating compositions including C•(nAl(C3H7)4(1−n)AlR4) where n is 0 and less than or equal to 1, where C is a cation such as, li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, or mixtures thereof; R is H or an alkyl such as, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C4H9, C5H11, C6H13, C7H15, C8H17, or mixtures thereof are also described. The aluminum and magnesium/aluminum electroplating compositions formulation can include a solvent such as, an aromatic hydrocarbon, aliphatic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof.

The invention relates generally to the field of electroplating and more specifically to aluminum and magnesium/aluminum electroplating.
The science of electroplating has been developed over a number of years, beginning perhaps with Ziegler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,349. This patent is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. Lehmkuhl et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,991 and 5,091,063, and Birkle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,954 likewise are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein.
While electroplating is not a new art, possible advances remain. Areas of possible improvement include, for example, throwing power and current density. Throwing power refers to the ability of an electroplating solution to deposit metal uniformly on an irregularly shaped object. Current density refers to the electrical current (amp/dm2) that can be applied across the anode and the cathode during the electroplating process.