An amplification medium is inputted thereto first lights and second lights, polarizations of which are orthogonal. A pumping means inputs first pump lights coinciding with the polarization of the first lights, and second pump lights coinciding with the polarization of the second lights to the amplification medium. The gain of a wavelength or wavelength band of a certain light can be efficiently controlled, simply and independently, without affecting the other wavelengths or wavelength bands.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Raman optical amplifier, an optical transmission system using the Raman optical amplifier, and a Raman optical amplification method. Particularly, the present invention relates to a technique suitable for improving optical gain controllability in a specific wavelength or wavelength band.
(2) Description of Related Art
As optical amplifiers used in wavelength division multiplexing transmission systems, well known are an optical amplifier [erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier (EDFA) or the like] doped with a rare earth element, and a Raman optical amplifier exploiting stimulated Raman scattering effect.
WDM signals are heretofore intensively amplified by an EDFA in a repeater amplifier. However, amplification by the EDFA can yield high gain, but generates a relatively large amount of noise components such as ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission) light and the like, which is one of factors that limit the transmission distance in the whole system. Namely, even though the optical receiving terminal can receive an optical signal transmitted for a long distance at sufficient level (power), there occurs a phenomenon that the optical receiving terminal cannot normally demodulate the signal because the optical SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) representing the quality of the received optical signal is poor.
In order to avoid such phenomenon, a Raman optical amplifier is placed before the EDFA, for example, to compensate a part of the transmission loss caused by the optical transmission line (optical fiber) by the Raman optical amplifier, the EDFA then intensively amplifies the optical signal. An advantage of such hybrid configuration, which is a combination of an EDFA and a Raman optical amplifier, is that it can amplify signals with less noise than the EDFA although yielding smaller gain than the EDFA because the Raman optical amplifier is an optical amplifier of a distributed amplification type distributively amplifying optical signals using the optical transmission line. Therefore, the hybrid configuration has an effect of improvement of the optical SNR as compared with a system configured with only the EDFA.
In the WDM transmission system, when the number of repeating amplifiers is increased, the optical SNR in a channel having a low gain is deteriorated, whereas the wavelength in a channel having a high gain is deteriorated due to nonlinear optical effect and the like. Accordingly, it is necessary to keep the optical amplifier gain in each channel constant.
The Raman optical amplifier inputs a plurality of pump lights at different wavelengths to an optical fiber (transmission line fiber), which is a nonlinear medium, to realize wide-band optical amplification that can be applied to a WDM transmission system. Namely, since it is known that the peak of the stimulated Raman scattering effect (Raman gain) generates at a wavelength shifted away from the pump light wavelength toward the longer wavelength by about 100 nm (nanometer) (at frequency of 13.2 THz), a plurality of pump lights at different wavelengths are used to widen the wavelength band that can be used as the main signal wavelength.
As other techniques relating to stimulated Raman scattering effect, there are techniques proposed in patent documents 1 and 2 below.
The technique in the patent document 1 relates to a wavelength division multiplexed optical transmitter. An object of the technique is, in a WDM transmission system using a plurality of wavelength bands, to decrease deterioration of the transmission characteristic due to non-degenerative four wave mixing occurring among signal lights in different wavelength bands, and cross phase modulation, decrease attenuation of signal lights at shorter wavelengths due to stimulated Raman scattering effect, and effectively use the bandwithout generating a dead band when a plurality of signal lights in different wavelength bands are coupled.
According to the technique described in the patent document 1, when a signal light in a short wavelength band (1530–1565 nm) is coupled with a signal light in a long wavelength band (1565–1605 nm) and sent to an optical fiber transmission line, the signal lights are polarization-combined so that the polarizations (directions of electric fields) of the signal lights in the respective wavelength bands are orthogonal. Since the signal light in a short wavelength band and the signal light in a long wavelength band are polarization-combined as above, the dead band at stake generating when a WDM filter is used does not generate, thus effective use of the band becomes possible. It becomes also possible to decrease deterioration of signals due to non-degenerative four wave mixing among the bands or cross phase modulation, and decrease the excessive loss of the signal light in the short wavelength band due to stimulated Raman scattering.
Since a polarization of two signal lights in one wavelength band and a polarization of one signal light on the other wavelength band are orthogonal among three signal lights relating to generation of non-degenerative four wave mixing, the generation efficiency of the non-degenerative four wave mixing becomes one-fourth. Since polarizations of two signal lights relating to cross phase modulation are orthogonal, the generation efficiency of the cross phase modulation becomes two-third. Since a polarization of a pump light and a polarization of a signal light to be amplified are orthogonal, the generation efficiency of stimulated Raman scattering becomes zero. The efficiency of attenuation of signal lights on the shorter wavelength's side due to the stimulated Raman scattering generating in signal lights on the longer wavelength's side is decreased (refer to paragraph 0010–0013 of the patent document 1).
A technique described in the patent document 2 relates to a pump light source unit, a Raman amplifier and an optical transmission system. An object thereof is to provide a structure which can adjust an output signal optical spectrum in an amplifying wavelength band. Any one of a plurality of pump lights is given a variable output pump light wavelength, whereby the pump light spectrum in the Raman amplification wavelength band can be adjusted (refer to paragraphs 0010–0011 of the patent document 2, for example). As shown in FIG. 13 in the patent document 2, two couples of pump lights are polarization-combined by two polarization combiners, respectively, and are depolarized by respective depolarizers to match the state of polarization of the two couples of the pump lights after the two couples of the pump lights are polarization-combined by the two different polarization combiners, whereby the polarization dependency of the Raman amplification gain is reduced (refer to paragraphs 0103–0107 of the patent document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2001-44934
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2003-86871
It is very important to realize a wide-band, high-efficient Raman amplifier. When a wide-band amplifier is configured using a plurality of pump lights at different wavelengths as above, the gain is controlled by varying the pump light power or varying the pump light wavelength as done in the technique in the patent document 2.
However, the gain characteristic generally has a certain width (band) with respect to a wavelength. For this, it is difficult to independently control the gain at a wavelength or in a wavelength band of a specific signal light (to control the gain without affecting the wavelength band of another signal light).
When a plurality of pump lights, in which neighboring pump lights are polarization-combined and depolarized in order to reduce the polarization dependency, are used for amplification in a system using a Raman amplifier as done in the patent document 2, the pump light power in the shorter wavelength's side is decreased due to an effect of pump lights at longer wavelength's side.
Further, the Raman effect occurs among the pump lights and the pump light power on the shorter wavelength's side is decreased by an effect of the pump lights in the longer wavelength's side, which causes difficulty with efficient amplification. This can be relieved by polarization-combining the signal light at a longer wavelength and the signal light at a shorter wavelength so that polarizations of the signal lights are orthogonal as described in the patent document 1. However, it is still difficult to independently control the gain at a wavelength or in a wavelength band of a specific signal light. Namely, even if the technique of the patent document 2 is simply applied to the technique of the patent document 1, it is extremely difficult to independently control the gain at a wavelength or in wavelength band of a specific signal light.

Raman optical amplifier, optical transmission system using the same, and raman optical amplification method


A semiconductor device (1) has a semiconductor component (2), a first electrode (6) and a control electrode (7) being arranged on the top side (4). The semiconductor device (1) furthermore has a circuit carrier (3) having a chip island (9) and a plurality of flat conductors (10). The rear side (5) of the semiconductor component (2) is mounted on the chip island (9). The first electrode (6) is electrically connected to a first flat conductor (13) via a first contact clip (16) and the control electrode (7) is electrically connected to a control flat conductor (14) via the second contact clip (19). The upper surface (33) of the first contact clip (16) is at least partly arranged in a plane which is further away from the top side (4) of the semiconductor component (2) than the entire upper surface (34) of the second contact clip (19).

Owing to the growing demand for increased chip power, inadequate heat dissipation is a growing problem in semiconductor devices, particularly in semiconductor devices having power semiconductor components. Said inadequate heat dissipation can lead to instability and to a failure of the semiconductor component. It is generally known that an additional heat sink can be arranged on the device housing or directly on the semiconductor component in order to distribute the heat better.
However, it is more complicated to mount a heat sink onto vertical power devices since the top side and also the underside of the semiconductor component have a contact connection. Consequently, contact elements are arranged on the top side and also on the underside of the semiconductor component, with the result that the semiconductor component is left with no or very little free surface area onto which an additional heat sink can be mounted.
DE 10 2004 021 838 discloses a semiconductor device having a single contact clip, which is in thermal contact with the surroundings in order to improve the heat dissipation from the device. However, this device has the disadvantage that the arrangement is not suitable for devices having a plurality of contact elements on the top side of the semiconductor component, for example for vertical power semiconductor components, since short circuits can arise between the heat sink and the plurality of contact elements.

Semiconductor device and method for producing the same


A device is described for a safety system on an installation in connection with the operation of a habitat (10) in which an object that is carrying out work which results in heat generation such as flames, sparks and the like, is isolated from the surroundings, and where an overpressure of air is set up in the habitat (10) to prevent ingress of flammable gases, and comprising systems for supply of electricity and overpressure air to the equipment inside the habitat, and also an alarm system which can warn of irregularities and the like. The device is characterized in that the safety system comprises a shut-down central (30) to which is connected a number of detectors (32-38) placed in or adjacent to the habitat, and that can register parameters such as gases, temperatures, changes in temperature, and also pressure conditions adjacent to or inside the habitat, and that the shut-down central (30) is arranged to shut down operation of the heat generating equipment when irregularities arise in the operation of the habitat.

The present invention relates to a device for a security system on an installation in connection with the operation of a habitat in which an object, in which work that involves heat production such as flames, sparks and the like is carried out and the like, is isolated from the surroundings, and where an overpressure of air is created in the habitat to prevent ingress of inflammable gases, and comprising systems for supply of electricity to equipment inside the habitat, and also air to establish an overpressure, and an alarm system that can warn of irregularities and the like.
A habitat means the same as a closed chamber, a utility tent, a house or the like where the object can be completely isolated from its surroundings. As a rule, such habitats are constructed from flame retardant cloth or aluminum or tin plates, adapted for the particular application case. The habitat can have a large number of different shapes, according to the specific objects the application.
In the following, the term habitat will be used for such closed room/chamber only.
Habitats are used in conditions where it is forbidden to use open fire or carry out work that leads to a danger of fire or explosions, such as heat generation, sparks and the like from welding, grinding, cutting and/or sandblasting. For example, typical tasks are when metal parts or pipes are to be welded together.
This is particularly the case for offshore oil-platforms where drilling for hydrocarbons is carried out and/or crude oil is produced. Such installations have as a rule their own separation system. If unintended heat generation of a given size arises in the relevant area, a risk of explosions can emerge due to ignition of oil and/or gas.
Therefore, the safety requirements are extra stringent for all such tasks on platforms. In spite of the stringent safety measures, today's habitats are still only equipped with a basic manometer to register the overpressure. Further it has been up to the operators inside the habitat to register this themselves and stop the welding process, etc., so that dangerous situations that can lead to fire or explosions do not arise. Occasionally, an additional system, which is related to the gas warning itself, is installed, so that the system will give out a warning if gas enters the area. However, there is no communication between these systems. One is still forced to rely on manual action by the operator to stop the welding.

Device for security systems for operation of habitats on installations


A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment determine when to switch between containers based on whether the current fill rate of the container is within a threshold of the slowest fill rate of the container and whether a current size of the container is between a soft threshold and a hard threshold. In this way, the switching of the container is based on a history of how fast the container is filling and how busy the system is in order to diminish the performance effect of switching on the application that is generating data to fill the container.

The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely sophisticated devices, and computer systems may be found in many different settings. Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware, such as semiconductors and circuit boards, and software, also known as computer programs. One of the primary uses of computer systems is for information storage and retrieval.
Database systems have been developed that allow a computer to store a large amount of information in a way that allows a user to search for and retrieve specific information in the database. For example, an insurance company may have a database that includes all of its policy holders and their current account information, including payment history, premium amount, policy number, policy type, exclusions to coverage, etc. A database system allows the insurance company to retrieve the account information for a single policy holder among the thousands and perhaps millions of policy holders in its database.
One very important concern in database systems relates to the recovery of data after a problem, such as a power outage or system failure, causes the loss of data. Mechanisms have been developed to log or journal changes to a database so that the database can be reconstructed from the log or journal if data is lost for some reason. These mechanisms are referred to herein as journal mechanisms, realizing that different names may be used to refer to the journaling function.
The database system journals or logs database object changes by sending information that describes the changes to a container, which is often called a journal receiver. Since a database may have many users and processes that can change data in the database, the information describing the object changes can quickly grow to be quite large. Since managing a single and very large journal receiver is unwieldy and cumbersome, database systems often use multiple, smaller, journal receivers and switch to a new journal receiver when the current journal receiver is full.
The database system needs a technique for determining when the journal receiver is full or nearly full. One current technique is to assign the journal receiver a hard threshold, which is an absolute number or size. Once the hard threshold is reached, the database system changes to a new journal receiver. This technique suffers from the problem that when many items are being stored in the journal receiver, the time needed to switch to a new journal receiver will temporarily slow down or even stop the incoming data until the new journal receiver is ready to accept the incoming data.
During this temporary stoppage, all the applications that are initiating the changes to the database that are causing the information to be sent to the journal receiver are also stopped. This temporary stoppage can have a dramatic effect on the users. Using the insurance company example from above, customers who call in wanting to buy insurance or inquire about their policy may experience a delay while the database system switches journal receivers. This delay annoys the customers and may prompt them to take their business elsewhere, causing the insurance company to lose money.
Without a better way to handle the switching of journal receivers, computers will continue to suffer with poor performance, which is annoying and expensive for the users. Although the aforementioned problems have been described in the context of switching journal receivers, they may apply to the switching of any type of container or data repository and to the transfer of any type of data to the container.

International Business Machines Corporation


A motor vehicle lock for a trunk lid or a tailgate of a motor vehicle. In this motor vehicle lock, two driver elements are provided on a disk-shaped driving element and they implement different speed reduction ratios with respect to the ratchet. In this way, an optimum, staggered starting characteristic is produced; moreover, construction effort and costs are minimized.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, and, more specifically to a motor vehicle door lock for a trunk lid or a tailgate of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Known motor vehicle locks, designed and suitable for a trunk lid or the tailgate of a motor vehicle as described in German Patent Application DE 195 05 779 A1 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,253) are advantageous because an electric motor drive can be controlled without a reset spring by a driving element which rotates in one rotational direction in blocking operation, and thus, without microswitches.
The known motor vehicle lock noted above is made such that, when the electric motor drive fails, emergency actuation by hand enables the ratchet to be moved, at any time, into the lifted position. Overall, for the mechanical background of motor vehicle locks of the type under consideration, and for the particulars in motor vehicle locks for trunk lids or tailgates, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,253, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
In the above-described known motor vehicle lock, a driver element is described as a cylindrical component. For the purposes of this application, however, a crank-like component or a component with some other shape, such as an elliptical shape, can also be regarded as the driver element. As in the prior art, the drive is provided with a degressive starting characteristic. This means that, upon starting, a large torque can be applied in order to release the ratchet from the engagement position on the latch. As the lifting motion of the ratchet continues, this torque is continuously reduced by the shape of the driver element. In particular, a control crank in the shape of a helical cam as a driver element has come into use as shown in German Patent Application DE 101 00 008 A1 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,805). In this respect, implementation of stepped reduction of the torque by lever action arms of different length is also known as shown in German Patent DE 41 19 703 C1. This is not implemented with the driving element of an electric motor drive in which the driving element rotates in one direction. However, in a motor vehicle lock with manual actuation, it is implemented via a gradually acting coupling of the opening handle to the ratchet.

Motor vehicle lock, especially for a trunk lid of a tailgate of a motor vehicle


A testing device for roller coaster tracks has a carriage adapted to move along tracks of a roller coaster and at least one multi-axis robot mounted on the carriage. The robot has at least one testing element. The at least one robot has at least six axes and is rotatably supported on the carriage on an axis that is transverse to a plane of the tracks.

The invention relates to a testing device for tracks of roller coasters.
It is known that tracks or rails of roller coasters must be continuously monitored and checked for safety reasons. This is done by the personnel operating the roller coaster; the personnel monitor the tracks, particularly the welding seams and the screw connections. This type of monitoring of the tracks or rails of roller coasters is complex and difficult, in particular because monitoring can be carried out only when the roller coaster is not in operation.

Testing device for tracks of roller coasters


An analyzer for the determination of the ABO unit and the phenotype, said analyzer comprising a rotatable plate carrying sample-bearing test-tubes and dilution test-tubes arranged along concentric circumferences; a dispensing needle which is movable by mechanical means between a washing position, a position for drawing a sample, a position for diluting the sample and a position for introducing the sample into a reading well; a station for washing said needle; a conveyor unit for conveying carrier members which are provided with 12 reaction wells to a position for receiving diluted or the undiluted samples from the dispensing needle; an automatic feeder that feeds small balls into each of the wells during the forward motion along the conveyor unit; mechanical means for transferring the carrier member to a reading zone; a unit that meters the specific antiserum or red cells into each one of the wells; and an optical reading device that horizontally reads the transmittance of each one of the wells, starting from the moment when antiserum or red cells are introduced; and a processor for functionally controlling the analyzer and for issuing an estimate of the results of the analyses.

This invention relates to an analyzer for the determination of the ABO unit and of the phenotype of blood.
More particularly, this invention relates to an analyzer of the type mentioned above, which is fully automatic and less expensive than the automatic analyzers available at the present time, though it is capable of performances similar to those of the latter.
As is well known, blood units are permanent characteristics of each individual and are determined by the genes that originate antigen and antibody systems.
An antigen represents a substance that, if introduced into an individual, stimulates an immune reaction characterized by the production of specific proteins: the antibodies. Thus, an antibody is a substance that reacts specifically with that antigen which has stimulated its production.
For the blood units, antigens are molecules which are immunologically reactive and are present on the surface of the red cells of each individual.
The blood unit antibodies are plasmatic proteins that can be classified as "natural antibodies", so that it is not possible to put into evidence a specific antigenic stimulus that has generated its product, and as "immune antibodies", which are synthesized by an organism in response to the introduction of a determined erythrocyte antigen.
The introduction of erythrocyte antigens with the subsequent production of immune antibodies and the consequent immune reaction can occur, in particular, during transfusion and pregnancy.
Accordingly, it is evident and well known to those who are skilled in the art that the determination of the antigen-antibody systems of blood unit is very important as regards the theory and practice of blood transfusion.
The most important blood units system, whose knowledge is fundamental for the efficiency and safety of blood transfusion, is the ABO system.
A further blood system of remarkable interest from an immunohematological standpoint is the Rhesus system (or Rh system), which collects together a wide series of different antigens.
Moreover, other minor antigen systems are present on the surface of the erythrocytes, said systems having less immune power than the blood unit systems mentioned above.
The contact between erythrocyte antigens and their corresponding antibodies can give rise to a reaction that is called agglutination and represents the most efficient and simplest way to make the antigen-antibody reaction visible.
Such agglutination reaction is exploited for the determination of blood units in normal laboratory practice.
In agglutination, two steps can be distinguished: in the first step the antibody molecule combines with the erythrocyte membrane antigens (the sensitization step), while in the second step the antibody forms bridge-links among different erythrocytes so determining the proper agglutination step.
At the present time, three methods are mainly employed for the determination of blood units. They are the manual method, the semi-automatic method (or the micromethod), and the automatic method.
The main manual procedures for determining blood units are:
the slide agglutination test: this is the test commonly adopted for the determination of the ABO and the Rh blood unit systems. It consists of a rapid test that is carried out with suspended red cells at 40-50% in plasma or an autologous serum, and is performed at room temperature if complete IgE type sera (reagents) are employed or if modified IgG type antibody-containing sera are employed, and at a temperature of about 37.degree. C. in the case of incomplete antibody sera which are made capable of giving agglutination by the hyperproteic medium;
the test-tube agglutination test: this is a test mainly employed for the determination of erythrocyte antigens with common incomplete sera. It is carried out with 5-10% suspended erythrocytes in a physiological solution, and the reading is performed after centrifuging the reagents.
Micromethods or semi-automatic methods make use of relatively concentrated erythrocytes suspensions containing very low amounts of the test-serum.
The procedure employed in micromethods is almost fully automatic.
In particular, a remarkable waste of time occurs with semiautomatic analyzers as the technician is to follow the various steps of the whole process, performing for instance the dispensing or pipetting operation and the transfer to the measuring operations.
The automatic method for determining the blood unit is carried out with very expensive analyzers, which as a consequence are inaccessible to the average or small laboratories.
Some analyzers of such type will be disclosed below, with particular reference to their technical features and performance.
GROUPAMATIC 2000 (KONTRON)
This is a 18-channel, automatic analyzer for the determination of blood units and of other immunohematological parameters, and is based on the photometric reading of agglutination.
The analyzing rate is 2,000 reactions/hour, with the possibility of analyzing 120 samples/hour over 18 channels, or 240 samples/hour over 9 channels.
It can be employed for:
A) The ABO determination, with discrimination of the weak variants of the antigen A (A3, Am, etc.);
B) The determination of Rh and of Du;
C) Screening of irregular antibodies by means of different techniques:
the saline medium PA1 the monomolecular medium PA1 bromelin-methylcellulose (BMC) PA1 trypsin-polybrene-citrate (TPC) PA1 low ionic strength hyperproteic medium (LIHP) PA1 1) the dilution station; PA1 2) the sampling and loading station; and PA1 3) the station for identifying the medium.
D) The determination of the anti A and anti B immune antibodies;
E) Screening of syphilis;
F) The determination of the Rh, Kell, Lewis, etc. phenotypes; and
G) The analysis of special antibodies (for instance, antitetanic antibodies).
Preparation of samples: Samples, collected together with EDTA into test-tubes, are centrifuged separately and put manually on the Groupamatic, in a driving system consisting of 120 containers assembled in series of 12:1 white and 11 black.
A sample tube and a dilution tube are associated with each container. A chain will take the samples through the following stations:
The dilution system: the dilution probe is inserted automatically into the sample tube. A pump sucks a volume of packed red cells, then it expels that volume together with a bromelin saline medium when the needle is positioned in front of the proper dilution tube.
The volumes of the red cells and of the physiological solution are adjustable by means of a computer program.
The washing operation between two samples is carried out externally by means of a washing ring and internally by the physiological solution employed for the dilution.
The sampling system: The samples go step by step towards the sampling station. There, the diluted red cells and the plasma are sucked through a double needle in the pipe and are taken to the proper cuvettes.
The reactants (antisera, special solutions, red cell-test) are stored in sets of a 9 beakers which are put on special racks.
The pipes carry the reagents which are removed from the beakers by the pump, into the proper cuvettes.
The recording of the identification number: The identification number of the samples is read by an optical system and transferred to the computer for storing the same.
The loading of samples: The immunohematological and serum reactions occur within the 216 cuvettes of the reaction disc.
There are 9 cuvettes and 24 sectors for each disc. The operator can make the decision of employing:
two sectors for each sample and 12 samples for each disc (up to 18 reactions for each sample); or
one sector for each sample and 24 samples for each disc (up to 9 reactions for each sample).
On the average, 10 reaction discs per hour are read.
The disc is loaded automatically by means of a "reagent" pump and a "sample" pump, said pumps distributing from 10 to 140.mu.liters per cuvette and from 1 to 5 reagents (optional).
An injection rotatable plate loads the first disc onto the first multitest station that causes in turn the loading of the second disc. Such a movable plate also allows the reagents to be loaded during the cycle.
The first stage consists in loading two sample sectors (diluted red cells and plasma) each time.
Two movable injectors deliver the selected volumes into each cuvette. The rapid loading of reagents occurs when the loading of the samples has been completed.
The processing occurring at the reaction disc: the multitest station generates at the disc:
a slow rotation (indexation);
a step-by-step motion for taking each cuvette sector below the injection plate and the photometers;
a fast rotation (centrifuging); and
a horizontal agitation.
The recording of reactions: at the end of each reaction cycle, the 9-cell photometer is positioned above the disc, where the reactions inside the cuvettes are read, one sector each time.
The photometric reading is based on the amount of light transmitted through the peripheral part and through the central part of the cuvette.
The results of such measurements are transmitted to the control unit and combined with the respective identification number.
The reactions are interpreted according to a pre-established logic that is shown on the display and is printed with its identification number.
The visual reading of the reactions: each sector on the disc corresponds to a specific reaction.
It is possible to observe the reactions both on the multitest station that can be lighted and on the disc itself after the same has been removed from the instrument.
The operator substitutes the disc with a clean disc and he starts a new cycle. The disc already employed can be rinsed or washed.
The photometric system: The control unit puts in correlation the contrast between the central and the peripheral light transmission measurements. The contrast is zero when the reaction is negative, and it increases when the reaction strength increases.
A set of thresholds is assigned to each channel, said thresholds discriminating the positive, the weakly positive and negative as well as the normal and abnormal reactions.
The abnormal reactions can be read visually by the operator and the result can be recorded on the file of the results by means of the video-terminal printer.
Such procedure keeps the number of samples to be tested again to a minimum.
The preparation of reactants: sera commercially available, once diluted in physiological solution or in macromolecular media, can be stored at 4.degree. C. for a week. The working schedule for determining the working dilution on a Groupamatic is as follows:
1) e.g.: anti-A titred 1/64 can be employed on said instrument when diluted to 4% concentration in saline medium or 2% in a macromolecular medium; and
2) anti-D titred 1/256 with bromelin-treated red cells is employed at 3% dilution in physiological solution.
TECHNICON AUTOGROUPER 16C
This is a 16-channel analyzer, which channels are programmed at the operator's choice for direct ABO and for indirect type determination; Rh type determination; phenotype determination; detection of irregular antibodies; detection of dangerous O donors; syphilis test. There is one channel for control functions.
It is possible to analyze 120 samples/hour and this analyzer allows complete computerization both of interpretation and of printing.
The identification of the sample occurs through the CODABAR system and laser scanning, and the possibility is provided of interfacing with a central computer.
The analyzer also allows flexible reagents and techniques to be employed on the basis of the selection of the reagents and of the agglutination temperature, i.e. 37.degree. C. or 18.degree. C.
This instrument is provided with dedicated automatic alarm systems and it shows a better monitor operation. Means are provided for signalling strong agglutinations.
The quantitative estimation of the single channel is also possible: if required, this is obtained through the measurement of the peak (height) of the channel selected.
The test-tubes containing the samples plus ACA or bar-marked EDTA are centrifuged and housed inside the chain "bandolier".
A probe double system sucks the upper portion (the plasma) and the lower portion (red cells).
Red cells are diluted automatically with physiological solution and are treated with enzymes in order to increase their sensitivity.
The main channel of the red cells is divided into sub-channels for determining ABO types and for direct determination of Rh.
The proper antisera are formed inside the channel together with PVP or methylcellulose in order to increase the formation of the agglutinate (rouleaux).
The suspension of samples is kept by air segmentation. The agglutinated materials formed within the reaction loops are dispersed by the successive addition of physiological solution and by a short resolution time.
The various agglutinates that are deposited into a button are sucked off (decanted) in two different moments.
The flow is then freed from air bubbles and the optical density of the remainder liquid is determined continuously by means of an optical device.
The plasma channel is in turn divided for the indirect type determination against red cells and for the determination of antibodies, the detection of dangerous O's and the ART test of syphilis.
Moreover, the "Filter Paper Backup" is provided, which is an optional system for the visual identification and backup of the ODU (Optical Detection Units) system in the case of electronic faults.
At the first decanting operation, the agglutinated materials are deposited onto filter paper instead of conveying them to the waste discharge point.
The selection of temperatures: the channels are kept at constant temperatures of 37.degree. C. or 18.degree. C. according to the operator's frequency.
The red cell suspension and the antisera are mixed and kept at a constant temperature of 12.degree. C.
The very brain of the unit consists of an INTEL microprocessor that is so programmed as to also receive signals from the 16 optical reading systems to decide about the ABO and Rh grouping and about the occurrence or not of an agglutination in each channel.
After making such decisions, the microprocessor correlates the results so obtained with the sample number which is read by a laser source on a bar code and transmitted from an interface to the same microprocessor.
The information is passed to the printer that gives a list of each sample according to the identification bar code and to its sequential number.
Similar signals for each channel are passed from the microprocessor to the recorder for their quantification.
The agglutination strength depends on the peak height. The positive signals are also transmitted to the event marker that acts as a monitor and points out the channel phase and as a second signal check.
Moreover, the microprocessor selects the sample washing time of the sampler, selects the discrimination levels of the optical units, functions as a monitor of the instrument performance with the carryover and phase check, and it can be interfaced with any other computer and can be programmed within quite wide limits according to the single uses.
OLYMPUS PK 7100
This automatic analyzer carried out the analyses of 120 samples per hour, and the first sample goes out after one incubation hour at 37.degree. C. It comprises microplates bearing 10 samples and 16 channels. Antisera after suitable dilution and the red cells in suspension are drawn and dispensed automatically by means of 16 syringes.
The twelve cuvettes containing the antisera and the red cells are stirred automatically by a comb-like system.
The sampling system is made up of two needles, the first one of which sucks the plasma while the other one sucks the red cells. The latter are then diluted automatically inside a well, whereas the plasma is diluted inside three different wells.
The analyzer is provided with various programs for defining the analysis profile to be exploited in the determination of the red cell type.
Once the automatic distribution of antisera and/or red cells as well as of the samples to be analyzed has occurred, the microplate is automatically taken into a chamber kept at a constant temperature of 37.degree. C. where the microplate will be kept for an hour.
The microplate is then transferred automatically into the reading seat.
The reading is carried out by means of a photocell (for each channel) that reads the difference in brightness between the central and the peripheral zone of the well (like GROUPMATIC 2000-KONTRON).
Moreover, there is an illuminated plane that allows the visual check of the results given by the machine. The plates can be employed again after accurate washing. There is no graphic detection for checking the existence of the agglutination reaction.
The final report gives just the identification number of the sample and the result obtained. Thus the analyzer in question is a very cumbersome apparatus that is sold at a very high price and that cannot carry out the Coembs test.
As a matter of practice, the automatic analyzers disclosed so far, that are capable of decidedly high technical performances, can be only employed in very large sanitary structures, in particular because of their high production costs that derive mainly from the complex realization of the analyzer which is to allow all analysis required to be performed.
Indeed, this is quite a severe problem, also because of the delicate character of such type of analysis and because of the consequences, which are also of penal kind, of an erroneous result.
Accordingly, it is quite evident that it is important to have an analyzer which, by quality and reliability, is capable of giving performances similar to those of the automatic analyzers commercially available at present, but which can be realized at a cost 3-5 times lower, so that such analyzers will be accessible even to small analytical laboratories.
The Applicant, in order to reach such a technical result, has investigated and realized a fully automatic analyzer, whose "philosophy" of reading of the results, which is completely new in the specific field, though it has been adopted in other fields, has allowed an analyzer to be technically achieved that, though lacking some technical performances of the best automatic analyzers, is structurally simpler and can be manufactured at remarkably reduced costs.
The reading of the results in the semi-automatic and automatic analyzers presently available is realized by determining the number of red cells that have become agglutinated and deposited onto the bottom of the test tubes. This type of reading requires a double determination on the bottom of the test-tube, with a vertical determination (the light coming from the bottom and the reading device being at the top) and a horizontal determination to obtain a complete result.

Analyzer for the determination of the phenotype and the ABO blood group

Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SRL


In a configuration in which a holder holding a controller is mounted on a seat part with a plate-shaped member, the exposure of the mounting part of the plate-shaped member on which the holder is mounted is eliminated. A seat device includes a pressure sensor measuring a value relating to the seated person's state a vibration imparting device performing a vibration imparting operation, an ECU controlling the vibration imparting device corresponding to the measurement result of the pressure sensor, a holder holding the ECU, and a mounting bracket fixed to a lower frame such that the holder is mounted on the lower frame of a seat part. The mounting bracket includes a mounting projection on which a side wall of the holder is mounted in a predetermined mounting direction. When the side wall is mounted on the mounting projection, the mounting projection is covered with the side wall.

Among seat devices having a chair or a seat part, such as a seat, there are some seat devices mounted with a sensor that senses the state of a seated person seated on the seat part (e.g. the wakefulness level). There are also seat devices including a device (a moving device) that performs a predetermined operation suitable for the state of a seated person. In such seat devices, a control mechanism is usually provided. The control mechanism controls the moving device corresponding to the measurement result of the above-described sensor.
In the seat device including the above-described control mechanism, the control mechanism is sometimes mounted at a predetermined position in the seat part. In specific description taking an example, in a chair of Patent Literature 1, an ECU (Electrical Control Unit) that is a control mechanism is held on a holder. The chair described in Patent Literature 1 is configured in which the holder holding the ECU is screwed on the under surface of the seat part and hence the ECU is mounted on the seat part through the holder.


Systems and methods for producing potassium sulfate. Such a method involves providing an industrial waste material that includes at least one metal sulfate or a metal product that has been reacted with sulfuric acid to produce metal sulfates, and then reacting the metal sulfate with potassium carbonate to produce a byproduct that contains potassium sulfate.

The present invention generally relates to production of potassium sulfate. The invention particularly relates to systems and processes for converting industrial waste into agricultural grade potassium sulfate fertilizer.
Potassium (K)-containing fertilizer is commonly added to improve the yield and quality of agricultural plants growing in soils that are lacking an adequate supply of this essential nutrient. Most K-containing fertilizers come from natural salt deposits located throughout the world. The word "potash" is a general term that most frequently refers to potassium chloride (KCl), but it can also apply to other K-containing fertilizers, such as potassium sulfate (K2SO4, commonly referred to as sulfate of potash, or SOP).
Potassium is a relatively abundant element in the Earth's crust, and production of potash fertilizer occurs in every inhabited continent. However, K2SO4 is rarely found in a pure form in nature. Instead it is naturally mixed with salts containing magnesium, sodium, and chloride (Mg, Na and Cl, respectively). Various processes have been used to produce K2SO4. For example, natural K-containing minerals (e.g., kainite, schoenite, leonite, langbeinite, glaserite, polyhalite, etc.) are mined and carefully rinsed with water and salt solutions to remove byproducts and produce K2SO4. Other industrial processes that have been proposed for producing K2SO4 from sources other than mined minerals are often commercially impractical due to the high cost of input materials.
In view of the above, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable if systems and methods were available for producing potassium sulfate that were capable of at least partly overcoming or avoiding the shortcomings or disadvantages noted above.

Marsulex Environmental Technologies Corporation


Sales Forecasting using Browsing Ratios and Browsing Durations is described. In one or more implementations, browsing ratios representative of how much users visited webpages associated with a product or service, and browsing durations representing how much time users spent visiting the webpages associated with the product or service are determined. Based on the determined browsing ratios and browsing durations, a sales forecast of the product or service can be accurately determined.

Accurate sales forecasting of products or services is used to increase efficiency in how business operations are conducted. Sales forecasting, for instance, can enable an e-commerce website to effectively manage operation of the website, supply chains, inventories, marketing activities, sales staff, and so forth. Accordingly, accuracy of sales forecasts also promotes accuracy of these operations.
Conventional techniques used to forecast sales of products and services, however, rely on simple calculations based solely on customers' purchase histories to forecast sales. This often leads to unsatisfactory results due to the conventional techniques' simplistic algorithms.
For example, a conventional sales forecasting model may forecast sales of a product or service by comparing a number of customers who purchased the product against a total number of customers that visited a webpage associated with the product. This may cause inaccuracies in a forecast of sales for the product or service because many of those customers may have visited the website without ever intending to make a purchase, i.e., "window-shoppers." Failure to account for window-shoppers may skew results and thus result in an inability to accurately determine who is actually likely to purchase a product. Since window-shopper traffic changes frequently, the sales forecasts that fail to account for "window-shopper" traffic often fail to produce accurate sales forecasts, which in turn, can negatively affect control of business operations.

Sales forecasting using browsing ratios and browsing durations


An automated system and method for analyzing a set of extracted strings from a binary is disclosed including processing the binary with a string-extraction logic that can locate strings within the binary and output an extracted string set for use in cybersecurity analysis. The logic retrieves a set of training data comprising a plurality of previously analyzed extracted string sets where each element of the previously analyzed extracted string set comprises at least one extracted string and a corresponding previously determined threat prediction score. A prediction model based upon the training data is generated and the extracted string set is processed by the prediction model to determine a threat prediction score for each string. Ranking of the located strings is based upon the determined threat prediction score, and an output of a ranked string list is generated.

Over the last decade, malicious software (malware) has become a pervasive problem for Internet users and system administrators of networks devices. To counter this increasing problem, computer files are often inspected to verify that they do not contain any malware. Malware analysts, reverse engineers, forensic investigators, and incident responders have developed an arsenal of tools at their disposal to dissect malware and examine it for potential threats or other indications of source.
A "string" is a data type that comprises any finite sequence of characters (i.e., letters, numerals, symbols and punctuation marks). Data types are frequently used in programming languages as a way of categorizing data. Data types can differ according to the programming language used, however strings are implemented as a data type in virtually every programming language. The characters within strings are typically encoded in accordance with the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) standard which establishes a relationship between the binary values stored within data and a pre-established set of characters. Other encodings and standards can be used to format strings including the Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) and UNICODE. Strings can be used for many purposes within computer files, including, for example encoding text relating to an error message that is displayed to the user upon triggering, a registry key, a uniform resource locator (URL) link, or a directory location for where to copy or store data within a computer system.
Malware analysis tools can examine strings contained within software binaries, namely any type of executable code including an application, script or any set of instructions. This examination may aide in gathering clues about the binary's function, threat level, design detection methods, and how containment of any potential damage may be achieved. For example, strings that contain filenames, internet protocol (IP) addresses, Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), domain names or the like may constitute indicators of compromise, and thus, are associated with a higher relevance to cybersecurity than strings that contain, for example, random sequences of characters. By analyzing suspicious binaries with a string extractor, a listing of the strings found within that binary can be generated. However, as the complexity of software and other binaries increases, the amount of strings to be reviewed as well as the effort required to determine relevance also increases. Hence, there is a need for a system to automatically locate and analyze sets of strings contained with various suspicious binaries under review.

Systems and methods for automated cybersecurity analysis of extracted binary string sets


A novel improvement in a crutch device allowing for the rotational movement of the arms and elbows of the user while supporting his/her weight on a pair of these crutches, by displacing the vertical support means, between the under-arm rest and the hand rest, rearward a sufficient distance. This improvement, combined with an all terrain crutch pad and easy adjustable crutch length allows an individual with severe restriction in mobility from the waist down to play active sports, such as golf, and engage in employment requiring the free movement of hands and arms while maintaining mobility of the total person.

This invention relates generally to an improved vertical support means for individuals who have reduced control over their lower extremities, such as paraparetics, so that they may engage in physical activities which require free movement of their upper extremities, such as golf, while maintaining their mobility on uneven and unprepared terrain. More particularly, this invention involves displacing the vertical support between the underarm and the hand rest rearward a sufficient distance to allow the elbows of the user to swing in full travel while the weight of the user is suspended by the underarm portion.
In the past, light weight crutches, such as the Tubular Crutch disclosed in C. E. Murcott's U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,551, combined with expanded foot pads, such as those disclosed in K. A. Wilkinson's U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,771, have allowed more mobility on unprepared surfaces to individuals with limited use of their lower extremities. However, there has not been a device to allow such individuals to engage in active pursuits which require free rotation of the arms while in an upright position.
Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide people who have limited use of their lower extremities the opportunity to engage in physical activities, such as golf, which require free rotation of the arms while the torso remains upright. This invention will allow said individuals to engage in other work and recreational activities wherein upright mobility is required combined with the need to be able to freely swing their arms from the shoulder.


The present invention provides a class of catalyst compounds that can safely and effectively release hydrogen gas from a chemical substrate without producing either noxious byproducts or byproducts that will deactivate the catalyst. The present invention provides catalysts used to produce hydrogen that has a satisfactory and sufficient lifespan (measured by turnover number (TON)), that has stability in the presence of moisture, air, acid, or impurities, promote a rapid reaction rate, and remain stable under the reaction conditions required for an effective hydrogen production system. Described herein are compounds for use as catalysts, as well as methods for producing hydrogen from formic acid and/or a formate using the disclosed catalysts. The methods include contacting formic acid and/or a formate with a catalyst as described herein, as well as methods of producing formic acid and/or a formate using the disclosed catalyst and methods for generating electricity using the catalysts described herein.

The background of this invention will address general topics involving hydrogen, formic acid and catalysts.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the first chemical element in the periodic table and with an atomic weight of approximately 1.008, it is the lightest element on the table. Hydrogen in the monatomic form (H) is the most abundant chemical in the universe, constituting around 75% of the elemental mass of the universe, making up a large portion of the mass of stars, gas planets, and molecular clouds. On Earth, hydrogen is the third most abundant element, with three naturally occurring isotopes, protium (abbreviated 1H), deuterium (abbreviated 2H or D) and tritium (abbreviated 3H or T).
The most abundant isotope of hydrogen (protium) has one proton, one electron and no neutrons, accounting for more than 99.98% of the hydrogen on earth. Deuterium is a less common isotope of hydrogen with one proton, one electron and one neutron, accounting for only around 0.0156% of earth's hydrogen. Tritium, a very rare hydrogen isotope, has two neutrons in the atom's nucleus, and accounts for an estimated one billionth of a billionth percent of hydrogen atoms. The primary difference between the three isotopes is mass, based on the presence or absence of the neutrons. Because of this mass differential, when deuterium (D) is substituted for hydrogen (H) in chemical compounds, it provides a means for hydrogen to be tracked through chemical reactions for analysis of reaction mechanisms and rate determining steps (RDS).
Under normal conditions, elemental hydrogen exists as a homonuclear diatomic gas having two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded together, represented by the formula H2. The gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Hydrogen is lighter than air, but it is also highly flammable in air. Being lighter than air makes hydrogen an attractive choice for applications requiring buoyancy in air; however, as evidenced by the explosion of the Hindenburg airship in 1937, use of hydrogen in buoyant applications can be extremely hazardous. While the flammability of hydrogen makes it unsuitable for airships, this flammability, along with the relative abundance of the gas, does make it a promising choice for energy production.
Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier that produces water as the only exhaust when combusted in engines or fuel cells. Notably, hydrogen has been used as a fuel to propel rockets and the space shuttle into orbit, and since no hazardous or radioactive materials are produced in the combustion of the hydrogen, and the water produced as a byproduct is pure enough to be useable by crews on the space shuttles.
Fuel cells utilizing hydrogen are a promising technology for use as a source of power for buildings, and potentially for electric motors propelling vehicles. Electricity, heat, and water can be produced through the combining of hydrogen and oxygen. Fuel cells are often compared to batteries in that both convert the energy produced by a chemical reaction into usable electric power. One advantage of fuel cells is the ability to produce electricity as long as fuel (hydrogen) is supplied, without losing charge. Potentially, hydrogen (H2) has a critical role in the future of renewable energy technologies.
While hydrogen is abundant on Earth, it is generally found in combination with other elements, such as carbon and oxygen, and must be separated from the compounds to be used for fuel. Hydrogen for fuel use can be produced from numerous and diverse processes. Electrolysis of water, where an electrical current is used to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen, is one means of producing hydrogen, but tends to be costly. Gasification of charcoal, where very high temperatures are used to release hydrogen from the carbon and water charcoal components, is another means for producing hydrogen, but requires a large input of energy to reach the effective temperature. An industrial means of hydrogen production is a natural gas reforming process, where methane (CH4) is exposed to heated steam to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide via a two-stage chemical reaction, however, this process requires natural gas as a starting material.
Formic Acid
Formic acid (FA), an adduct of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen, has the formula HCO2H, (alternately HCOOH) and is a major byproduct of the oxidation of biomass. Formic acid is a highly accessible, economical, nonflammable commodity liquid that is safe to transport and store, and as such, it has been considered as a potential liquid source and storage material for hydrogen. Dehydration of formic acid yields only gases—hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2)—which can be easily separated.
Formic acid's volumetric hydrogen capacity reaches 53 g H2/L, which is equivalent to an energy density of 1.77 kW·h/L. Thus, formic acid is an attractive high density energy source for automotive and mobile applications. A sustainable and reversible energy storage and utilization cycle can be accomplished by combining CO2 and H2 into formic acid to store hydrogen and remove CO2, and decomposing formic acid to release hydrogen.
The decomposition of formic acid has been shown to release hydrogen under mild conditions. However, this mild approach faces challenges when considered on a scale appropriate for industrially viable applications. In many existing systems, trace amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) are generated as a by-product, which can poison the formic acid or other material used to produce hydrogen in a hydrogen fuel cell, which can cause partial or total deactivation of the formic acid or other material used to produce hydrogen.
The lifetime of the formic acid or other material used to produce hydrogen (as indicated by the turnover number (TON)) is not satisfactory or sufficiently extended because of material instability due to moisture, air, acid, or other trace amounts of impurities which exist in most formic acid sources. Current sources and uses formic acid fail to provide formic acid that promotes a rapid reaction rate, possesses an acceptable lifetime (TON), or remains stable under the reaction conditions required for an effective hydrogen production system.
Catalysts
Catalysts are substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing permanent chemical change in the process. A certain amount of activation energy is required to start a chemical reaction, much the same as a spark is needed to start a fire. A catalyst works by providing an alternative route for a reaction to proceed which requires a lower amount of activation energy than the non-catalyzed reaction route. The energy barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to proceed is then lower in the catalyzed reaction than in the non-catalyzed reaction, allowing the reaction to proceed more rapidly.
Catalysts are of two general types—homogenous and heterogeneous. A homogenous catalyst is one where the catalyst is of the same phase as at least one of the reactants. A heterogeneous catalyst is in a phase that is different from any of the reactants.
Homogenous catalysts typically participate in one or more steps of the reaction mechanism, but are not part of the final product. The catalyst remains chemically unchanged after completion of the reaction. An example of a homogeneous catalyst involves an aqueous homogeneous catalyst added to an aqueous solution of reactants. In this type of catalysis, the catalyst interacts with the reactants forming intermediates that react more rapidly than the original reactants. The intermediates increase the interaction that can take place between reactants by providing a reaction route that requires less activation energy than if the catalyst was not present.
Heterogeneous catalysts typically involve a solid catalyst with liquid or gaseous reactants. These catalysts work by bringing the reactants close enough to one another to increase the interaction rate. Usually this happens when one or more of the reactants becomes adsorbed onto the surface of the catalyst, allowing the reactants to get close enough to facilitate interaction.
An example of a heterogeneous catalyst is a catalytic converter in an automobile. Carbon monoxide is a toxic by-product of the combustion reaction taking place in a gasoline engine, and can react spontaneously with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide; however, even though the reaction is spontaneous, the process is slow. A catalytic converter speeds up the process by providing a material which attracts the gases to the surface, usually a metal such as platinum. Once the carbon monoxide and oxygen are in close proximity, the reaction can proceed quickly enough to produce carbon dioxide, thereby reducing the amount of carbon monoxide exiting the exhaust system of the automobile.
Hydrogen (H2) is a clean burning fuel that potentially has a critical role in the future of renewable energy technologies; however, there exists a need for catalyst compounds that can safely and effectively release hydrogen gas from a chemical substrate without producing either noxious byproducts or byproducts that will deactivate the catalyst. Also, there is a need for a source and use of formic acid or another material used to produce hydrogen that has a satisfactory and sufficient lifespan (measured by turnover number (TON)), that has material stability in the presence of moisture, air, acid, or impurities, promote a rapid reaction rate, and remain stable under the reaction conditions required for an effective hydrogen production system.

Hydrogen generation from formic acid catalyzed by a metal complex under amine-free and aqueous conditions

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A ceiling panel support apparatus includes a base that includes a plurality of legs each with a first end and a second end. The first ends are attached together and the legs radiate outwardly from each other. A support guide is attached to and extends upwardly from the base. A support post is slidably mounted in the guide and is extendable upwardly from a top edge of the support guide. A lifting assembly is mounted on the support post and is mechanically coupled to the support post. The lifting assembly lowers or lifts the support post with respect to the support guide when the lifting assembly is actuated. A plate is attached to an upper end of the support post. A plurality of arms is attached to the plate. The arms extend outwardly from a perimeter edge of the plate. A ceiling panel is positionable on the arms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to panel supporting devices and more particularly pertains to a new panel supporting device for assisting a person in supporting and lifting a ceiling panel to be installed.
2. Summary of the Invention
The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a base that includes a plurality of legs each with a first end and a second end. The first ends are attached together and the legs radiate outwardly from each other. A support guide is attached to and extends upwardly from the base. A support post is slidably mounted in the guide and is extendable upwardly from a top edge of the support guide. A lifting assembly is mounted on the support guide and is mechanically coupled to the support post. The lifting assembly lowers or lifts the support post with respect to the support guide when the lifting assembly is actuated. A plate is attached to an upper end of the support post and lies in a plane orientated perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the support post. A plurality of arms is attached to the plate. The arms extend outwardly from a perimeter edge of the plate. A ceiling panel is positionable on the arms.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.


An improved shaped composite rebar is disclosed.

Rebar is commonly used to reinforce concrete structures such as roads, bridges, tunnels, airport runways, levies, parking decks, etc. In such structures, the rebar is embedded within the concrete where it mechanically and chemically binds therewith. The external surface of the rebar is often ribbed in order to enhance this binding. The concrete provides compression strength (roughly speaking, resistance to compression) and the rebar provides tensile strength (resistance to pulling).
Rebar products made out of composites of fibers and resin are known in the art, such as for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,650,220; 6,048,598; and 6,221,295, the entire disclosure of each being incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Such composite rebar products provide advantages over those made out of steel. First and foremost, composite-material rebar does not experience the corrosion and degradation that steel does in some concrete environments. As the steel rebar corrodes, it loses strength, thereby becoming less effective at carrying tensile, compressive, bending, or shear loads. Further, as the rebar corrodes, it expands substantially and "blows apart" the surrounding concrete mass, thereby rendering the concrete less effective at carrying compressive loads. Other advantages of composite rebar include being non-metallic (or non-magnetic) and non-conductive, having about two to three times the tensile strength and ¼ the weight of steel reinforcing rod, and having a co-efficient of thermal expansion more compatible with concrete or rock than steel rod.
Such composite bars are often produced by a pultrusion process and have a linear or uniform profile. Conventional pultrusion processes involve drawing a bundle of reinforcing material (e.g., fibers or fiber filaments) from a source thereof, wetting the fibers and impregnating them (preferably with a thermo-settable polymer resin) by passing the reinforcing material through a resin bath in an open tank, pulling the resin-wetted and impregnated bundle through a shaping die to align the fiber bundle and to manipulate it into the proper cross sectional configuration, and curing the resin in a mold while maintaining tension on the filaments. Because the fibers progress completely through the pultrusion process without being cut or chopped, the resulting products generally have exceptionally high tensile strength in the longitudinal direction (i.e., in the direction the fiber filaments are pulled).


On substrates 2a, 2b of a chiral nematic liquid crystal optical element 1, transparent electrodes 3a, 3b and electrical insulation layers 4a, 4b are formed, and further, resin layers 5a, 5b hating a pencil hardness of “B” or less are formed on the electrical insulation layers by a spin coating method so as to be in contact with a liquid crystal layer 7. When the surface hardness of the resin layers is to be measured, a glass substrate on which a resin layer is formed by screen-printing is prepared as a test piece, and the test piece is fitted to a pencil-scratching tester. The surface hardness is measured by scratching the test piece with two kinds of testing pencil selected from testing pencils having 17 grades of density.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal optical element provided with a liquid crystal which exhibits two or more optically stable states in a non-voltage-application time.
2. Description of the Background
A chiral nematic liquid crystal optical element (hereinbelow, referred to as CL-LCD) has a phase-change type mode. It provides selective reflection in a planar state (hereinbelow, referred to as PL), and provides a scattering state in a focalconic state (hereinbelow, referred to as FC). By applying a predetermined voltage across the electrodes, the liquid crystal can be transformed into PL or FC. For example, when it is transformed from FC to PL, the liquid crystal is once rendered to be a homeotropic state (a state that liquid crystal molecules are aligned vertically to the substrate plane, and hereinbelow, referred to as HO), and then, it is transformed into PL. Then, the liquid crystal is stable in PL or FC even in a non-voltage-application time, and either state can be maintained.
Description will be made as to an optical display state. In FC, a slightly scattering state of incident light is produced, and in PL, a selective reflection of incident light is produced. Further, by adjusting the helical pitch (λAVG) of the liquid crystal layer, an operation mode of "transmittance-scattering" or a color display utilizing colors of selectively reflected light can be effected.
OPTREX Corporation as the assignee of the application has tentative U.S. Ser. No.: 09/813988 (patent application No., filed on Mar. 22, 2001) regarding electrodes for CL-LCD, and a display state of it and so on; U.S. Ser. No. 09/822,344 (filed on Apr. 2, 2001) regarding the relation of a driving method and a display state thereof and so on, and U.S. Ser. No. 09/824,102 (filed on Apr. 3, 2001) regarding a liquid crystal material and a chiral agent. The present application refers to and includes portions in common with and relating to these applications.
Next, description will be made as to a unique problem of CL-LCD originated from a memory state. A first problem is an "image-sticking phenomenon". This phenomenon is caused under the following conditions, for example. The state of CL-LCD is made to be a memory state in FC or PL, and it is left for a predetermined time in a non-voltage-application state. Then, even when a voltage corresponding to a new image is applied so as to change the display, the previous image remains.
In the following, such image-sticking phenomenon will be explained by taking a dot matrix type CL-LCD having 160 row electrodes and 160 column electrodes as an example. In this case, it is assumed that "an alignment layer" in contact with the liquid crystal layer at an inner side of the substrates is made of the same material as the one used for a TN or STN liquid crystal display element. Generally, since a surface of an aligning layer in the TN or STN liquid crystal display element is subjected to an aligning treatment by rubbing, a material having a high surface hardness (for example, 3H-6H in a pencil hardness test method) is used. In CL-LCD too for example, the same technique is used. As a concrete example on an aligning layer in contact with the liquid crystal layer, there is known a case of providing polyimide or a case without using any aligning layer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,863).
Then, a background portion of a display area of dot matrix type is made to be FC, and portions corresponding to characters, figures and so on are made to be PL. An example of displaying a character of "A" is shown in FIG. 4(a). After such predetermined image has been provided, the application of a voltage is stopped, and the display panel is left for a long time in an incubator of 60° C.
Then, a voltage which makes the liquid crystal in the whole display area to be HO is applied. When the liquid crystal in the whole area becomes HO, the display in the whole area is extinguished. When a voltage is applied subsequently so that the liquid crystal in the whole area becomes FC, the whole area does not provide a uniform color but the character of "A" which has been previously displayed remains slightly as shown in FIG. 4(b). Further, even in a case that the liquid crystal of the whole area is made to be PL via HO after the panel has been left for a long time, the display of "A" remains.
On the contrary, the image-sticking phenomenon takes place even in the following case. Namely, the liquid crystal in the background portion is made to be PL, and the liquid crystal in the portions corresponding to characters and so on is made to be FC. The display panel in such states is left for a long time, and then, a display in the whole area is extinguished by applying a voltage by which the state of the liquid crystal in the whole area of display becomes HO (the liquid crystal itself is in a transparent state). Subsequently, the whole display area is changed to PL or FC. In particular, the image-sticking phenomenon is apt to be observed in a case that a display state wherein the liquid crystal corresponding to the background portion is FC and the liquid crystal corresponding to characters and so on is PL is left for a long time, and then, the liquid crystal in the whole display area is made to be FC.
Further, image-sticking takes place as well in a case of CL-LCD having segment type electrodes. For instance, the image-sticking occurs when a display state wherein a display portion is PL and a background portion is FC is maintained for a long time, and then, such display is changed to another display.
In FIG. 5(a), all 7 segments are ON to display a character of "8". A color display in combination of black in a background portion in FC and a selective reflection in a visible range in a segment portion in PL, is provided. In FIG. 5(b), when a character of "5" is newly displayed, upper right and lower left segment portions are lit weakly.
However, when a display is performed in combination of PL and FC in CL-LCD, a PL portion is generally light and the highest visibility is obtainable. Accordingly, in a case of the segment type display in FIG. 5, a possibility of causing erroneous recognition is relatively lower than the case of the dot matrix type in FIG. 4.
The image-sticking phenomenon remains slightly even after a voltage for providing HO has continuously been applied and a state that the entire display area is erased has been continued for several hours. Further, in some cases, a display state having the image-sticking phenomenon (hereinbelow, also referred to as image-sticking) cannot be completely erased even after an isotropic state which is caused by heating the liquid crystal has been continued for several hours.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide CL-LCD capable of preventing the occurrence of image-sticking even though the liquid crystal is left for a long time while the state of the liquid crystal is constant.
Next, a second problem is the brightness in display of CL-LCD. CL-LCD provides brighter display than TN-LCD or STN-LCD since CL-LCD can be basically used without using a polarizing plate. However, without carrying out alignment control, it is difficult to obtain sufficient brightness that is supposed to be exhibited. From this viewpoint, CL-LCD basically provides insufficient brightness in the "display" to be provided for a user in some cases.
This is because the brightness in the display is directly affected by the dispersion in the direction of helical axes in the entire liquid crystal layer in CL-LCD. Generally speaking, wider dispersions make a viewing angle wider and the display darker. Conversely, narrower dispersions make the viewing angle smaller and the display brighter. In principle, there is a contradiction between the size in the viewing angle and the brightness in the display in CL-LCD.
It is another object of the present invention to ensure a certain view and a certain degree of viewing angle but also attain bright display simultaneously in addition to prevention against the "image-sticking" stated earlier.
The inventors have conducted further research and development on the structure in a cell of CL-LCD and have found that CL-LCD capable of obtaining remarkably bright display having a high contrast ratio can be provided by collecting light in an observing direction by a user with a certain degree of viewing angle ensured.
Further, the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal optical element having excellent function without changing largely the conventional manufacturing method, and a test method for the liquid crystal optical element.

Liquid crystal optical element comprising a resin layer having a surface hardness of b or less


A hydraulic system for use in a work vehicle with a powered implement is disclosed. In one embodiment, the hydraulic system may include a first hydraulic circuit including a first hydraulic pump with a low pressure and low flow output, switch and valve; a second hydraulic circuit including a second hydraulic pump with a high flow and high pressure output, switch and valve; and a third hydraulic circuit including a third hydraulic pump with a high flow and high pressure output, switch and valve. The first, second, and third circuits each include an output selectively combinable with each other by an operator control which controls the switch and valve configurations. The hydraulic system has several configurations. A first configuration is selectable to provide low pressure and low flow output to the implement, a second configuration is selectable to provide high pressure and high flow output to the implement from one of said second and third hydraulic circuits, a third configuration is selectable to provide high pressure and high flow output to the implement combining the output from the second and third hydraulic circuits, and a fourth configuration is selectable to provide low pressure and high flow output to the implement from said first, second and third hydraulic circuits.

In normal use, a skid steer loader has a loader bucket pivotally attached to two front lift arms. Optionally, the loader bucket of a skid steer loader may be removed and alternate or auxiliary implements such as a flail mower, planer, saw, slot cutter, broom, tiller, auger, jack hammer, stump cutter, asphalt grinder, trencher, chipper, etc. may be attached. Some implements require a low pressure, low volume flow of hydraulic fluid to the implement. Alternately, certain hydraulic attachments, e.g. an asphalt grinder or trencher, require a high pressure and high volume flow. An under supply of pressure and flow volume will decrease an implement's effectiveness, while an over supply of pressure and flow volume will provide excess heat and wear on the components of a system.
It is desirable to provide an hydraulic flow control system so that an operator may selectively and easily choose a desired flow and pressure configuration supplied to an implement.


A coupler for a spiral membrane filtration element having a spiral membrane enclosed within a rigid outerwrap includes a center support, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the center support, a circular rim coupled with the spokes, with the face of the rim being perpendicular to the axis of the overwrap. The rim includes a channel on its face for receiving a compressible seal, and a plurality of receptacles around its outer surface for joining two face-to-face adjacent couplers when a pair of aligned keepers is place in each receptacle. Exemplary embodiments of the coupler and filtration elements and filtration assemblies are provided, as well as an associated method.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to filtration, and more particularly to a coupler for joining filtration elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Filtration membranes are used for the removal of unwanted particles or organisms from various types of fluids. Typical uses for filtration membranes include treatment and purification of drinking water, cleaning and treatment of wastewater for disposal or re-use, sludge de-watering, desalination, and clarification of juices, wines, and beverages. Filtration membranes include spiral-wound, hollow fiber, and tubular membranes. Most often, the spiral wound filtration membrane is enclosed in a hard outer wrap to form a filtration element. One or more spiral wound filtration elements are placed within a housing to form a filtration assembly. Fluid to be treated is forced under pressure into the inlet end of the filtration assembly and through the filtration membrane. Material is rejected by the filtration media while permeate passes through the media and is removed for use or further processing.
In one type of filtration assembly known in the art, two or more filtration elements, each comprising spiral-wound filtration membranes secured between two anti-telescoping end pieces, are placed end-to-end within a filtration assembly housing. The leading end, on the upstream side, of each element includes a circumferential brine seal around its outer perimeter that seals against the interior surface of the filtration cartridge housing. The brine seal also serves to position the element within the housing. Additional filtration elements may be placed end-to-end within the housing to provide a larger assembly.
However, the configuration of the known art imposes significant restrictions on filtration capability. For instance, the friction fit of the protruding brine seal on the outer perimeter of large diameter filtration elements makes it difficult to insert or pull the element into the housing, or to remove it when necessary for inspection or replacement. Since a larger diameter brine seal proportionally increases the contact area and correspondingly the friction, the larger the diameter of the element the greater the resistance to insertion of it into a housing. This drawback is compounded when attempting to insert or remove multiple filtration elements all having brine seals joined end to end into or from the housing of a filtration assembly. Increasing the force used to insert or remove the filtration elements may result in damage to the filtration elements.
Another factor in designing systems employing spiral-wound filtration membranes is the inherent tendency of the membrane to "telescope" under the system pressures present in the filtration process. When the system is designed for fluid to enter the end area of a spiral-wound membrane element, the end area is open to allow maximum fluid flow. Increasing the diameter of the filtration membrane proportionally increases the cross-sectional area of the membrane exposed to system pressure. Under pressure, the center portion of a spiral-wound membrane may be moved longitudinally, commonly referred to as "telescoping". The telescoping problem also increases with increasing diameters.
Additionally, the known art relies partially on the friction of the brine seal between the filtration element and the housing to position adjoining filtration elements within the housing, as well as to provide a seal between the elements and the housing. Thus, if a brine seal is damaged during the assembly process, not only is the sealing function compromised, the filtration element may be able to move relative to an adjoining element and the integrity of the separation process may be compromised. Large "wiper type" brine seals or large O-ring brine seals are subject to the deficiencies discussed above. Also, chevron or v-shaped brine seals when placed on multiple elements joined end to end require insertion at one end of the housing and withdrawal at the opposite end. This means substantial floor space at both ends of the housing must be left clear
The prior art also contemplates the use of a circumferential band which overlaps two adjoining filtration elements to further hold the elements in place as well as to retain a seal which may be placed between the ends of two filtration elements. This construction does not lock the elements together so they can be pulled through a housing, and it does not provide a positive compression seal between adjoining elements.
Thus there exists a need in the art for a filtration element that may be easily and securely interlocked to an adjoining element, and that also allows single or multiple coupled elements to be easily inserted into, and removed from, a filtration assembly housing utilizing a single brine seal.

Filtration element and method of constructing a filtration assembly


A charging technique (200) charges a battery pack (102) by taking into account the additional internal circuit impedance of the battery pack. An optimum pack voltage value for the battery pack is calculated (208) based on the rated internal cell voltage as well as the charge current and the internal battery pack circuitry impedance. The battery pack can now be charged such that the internal battery cell voltage is maintained at the rated voltage throughout the charging process. The optimum pack voltage is also updated (220) to account for variations in the battery pack circuitry impedance over temperature (216, 218) as well as variations in charge current (222, 224) during the charging process.

Lithium battery cells have become increasingly popular for use in electronic products. Lithium ion and lithium polymer technologies are particularly useful for powering small portable electronic products, such as radios, because of their lightweight and high energy density characteristics. Unfortunately, lithium cells tend to take longer to fully charge. For example, a 3.6 volt nominal, lithium ion cell being charged at a rate of 1 C takes approximately two and a half hours to fully charge as compared to a 1.2 volt nominal nickel metal hydride cell which takes approximately one hour to reach 90 percent capacity. Customers of rechargeable portable electronic products would prefer to have the advantages of both a lightweight product and a reduced charge time.
Hence, it would be advantageous to have a charge system which would reduce the charge time of a lithium battery.

Battery charging method using battery circuitry impedence measurement to determine optimum charging voltage


The invention is directed to a display stand which generally includes a series of stacked platforms with a means to attach figurines to the top of each platform. Each platform also includes a back surface composed of display columns and scenic cards which may contain appropriate scenery to the figurines. The platforms are stacked upon these display columns and support columns with each platform having attachment means on both upper and lower surfaces. The figurines can therefore be displayed on multiple levels with appropriate scenery.

The invention relates to a system for viewing and displaying figurines. More particularly, the invention relates to a system which provides an attractive and appropriate setting for displaying figurines on multiple levels.
The acquiring of various figurines has become increasingly popular in the last several years. These figurines can be acquired for the purpose of collecting and playing. The displaying of such figurines has also increased in popularity. The artful display of figurines in an appropriate setting has become recognized as a desirable and important part of collecting and playing.
It is generally known in the art to display figurines by placing them on a shelf-like structure. This provides a convenient format for viewing the figurines on multiple levels. It is also known in the art to secure collectibles onto a stand. These prior methods lacked appropriate settings to enhance the viewing and displaying of figurines.
Specifically the prior art includes shelf-like structures, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,230 by Ashton and U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,187 by Taub. These patents disclose vertically stackable trays for the display of commercial products. Ashton further discloses a means to support display panels on the outside of the stackable trays. What these inventions lack is a means to securely display products to be viewed with appropriate scenery.
What has been needed and heretofore unavailable is a means for securely displaying figurines on multiple levels with appropriate settings. The present invention satisfies this need.

Stackable collectible display stand with interchangeable scenic cards