Sintered iron alloy composition and method of manufacturing the same, the sintered alloy composition comprising: about 1.5 to about 2.5% carbon by weight; about 0.5 to about 0.9% manganese by weight; about 0.1 to about 0.2% sulfur by weight; about 1.9 to about 2.5% chromium by weight; about 0.15 to about 0.3% molybdenum by weight; about 2 to about 6% copper by weight; not more than about 0.3% by weight of a metal element material comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of tungsten and vanadium; an effective content of a first solid lubricant material comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of magnesium metasilicate minerals and magnesium orthosilicate minerals; and balance iron. This alloy composition is preferably used for making machine parts, such as slide members of valve operating systems for internal combustion engines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sintered alloy composition and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to a sintered iron alloy composition having excellent machinability and abrasion resistance under high bearing pressure, preferably to be used in making slide members for valve operating systems of internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, machine parts such as slide members of valve operating systems for internal combustion engines have been manufactured by using ingot material. However, in accordance with recent trends requiring high-performance engines, various sintered iron alloys have been developed and put to practical use. Such alloys have been provided for the purpose of improving abrasion resistance and machinability and lowering manufacturing costs of machine parts.
One example of sintered iron alloys with improved properties has been disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (Kohkai) No. S51-119419 filed on Apr. 11, 1975, by Hitachi Powdered Metals Co., Ltd. et al. This sintered iron alloy is composed of a pearlite iron base to which copper and tin are added in order to reinforce the iron base, which is characterized in that an iron-carbon-phosphorus ternary alloy is precipitated in the pearlite iron base, with free graphite being dispersed in the iron base. This sintered iron alloy has been employed as a material for valve guides for automobile engines.
Examples of other systemic sintered iron alloys have been suggested in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (Kohkai) Nos. S51-41619, S58-177435 and S61-243156. Disclosed in these documents are sintered iron alloys having an iron base to which components such as nickel, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, tungsten, vanadium, copper and the like are added for reinforcement of the iron base. Moreover, in these alloys, hard metal particles are dispersed in the iron base, as is needed, and a solid lubricant, such as a sulfide, lead or graphite, is dispersed in the iron base for the purpose of improving the abrasion resistance of the sintered iron alloy.
As described above, it is common to add additional alloy components to the alloy base when the iron base is to be reinforced so as to improve abrasion resistance under high loads in order to meet the latest requirement for high-performance internal combustion engines. Although this base-reinforcing method improves the abrasion resistance of the sintered iron alloy, it leads, for the most part, to lowered machinability of the alloy material. Accordingly, if such an alloy is employed as a material for slide members of valve operating systems for engines, difficulties arise in relation to the assembling process of internal combustion engines and the like. Namely, in the assembling process of the engine, the slide members, to which suction valves or exhaust valves are assembled, are provided on the cylinder head before machining is carried out, with the machining step being synchronized with other steps of the engine assembly. Consequently, low machinability of the slide members leads to increased machining time and further necessitates the use of several machining tools, thus hampering the total flow of the engine assembly process.


The present invention provides a water activating apparatus having a relatively simple structure without the possibility of water leakage and achieving highly efficient activation. An N pole of the permanent magnet and an S pole of the other magnet are vertically arranged above and below a water flow tube so as to be opposed to each other. Concave yokes are formed by molding magnetic metal or magnetic ceramic, with one yoke being attached to encase the N pole of the permanent magnet and the other yoke being attached to encase the S pole of the other permanent magnet. The vertically-arranged concave yokes have a gap therebetween so as not to make a contact at their ends with each other. Furthermore, a non-magnetic conductive metal layer is provided inside the concave yokes. Water is caused to pass through the water flow tube in a direction perpendicular to a direction of magnetic lines of force and a direction of an electromotive current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for activating water and, particularly, to a method of activating water over a wide range from supplied clean water and gray water to drain water and an apparatus for activating such water.
2. Description of the Background Art
A scheme of activating water by splitting molecular population of water with the use of a magnetic force to reduce the size of a cluster (molecular assembly) of water has been well known. For example, there have been a system for activation in which water reserved in a reservoir is processed by a filtration unit and a magnetic processing unit (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-254082, pp. 2–6, FIG. 1), an apparatus for activating a flow of water in which a permanent magnet is attached to the outside of a water flow tube and an image magnet is formed symmetrically to the surface of the water flow tube (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-192159, pp.2–3, FIG. 1), an apparatus in which counterclockwise magnetic lines of force and clockwise magnetic lines of force are alternately generated and a flow of water is allowed to pass through the generated magnetic lines of force for activation (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-66566, pp. 3–5, FIG. 4), etc. As such, in general, activation is performed by allowing water to pass between the S pole and the N pole of at least a pair of magnets.
In order to more efficiently perform activation by using these schemes, however, it is required to use strong magnets. Other than intensifying the magnetic force, there is no way to improve the efficiency of water activation. Therefore, the degree of activation is disadvantageously low and insufficient.
In order to solve the above disadvantage, the inventor of the present invention has previously suggested a water activating method in which the S pole and the N pole are opposed to each other and, for the purpose of efficient activation, a non-magnetic conductive metal plate is used to cause an electromotive current occurring in a direction perpendicular to a flow of water to repulsively act, thereby acting electrons and also a magnetic force upon the flow of water, and an apparatus for this method (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-138173, pp. 2–5, FIG. 1). This apparatus has a structural problem, however, that a carbon electrode has to be fitted into the water flow tube, thereby disadvantageously causing an inconvenience of adherence for the purpose of preventing water leakage.
As has been described above, the conventional water activating apparatuses have the problem that there is no way to improve the efficiency of water activation other than intensifying the magnetic force. In order to solve this problem, the inventor has previously suggested the above-described method and apparatus, which, however, have the problem in view of the structure for preventing water leakage.

Method and apparatus for activating water


A static random access memory (SRAM) cell has a decreased cell size and utilizes transistors disposed in a number of trenches. Four trenches generally contain six transistors associated with the memory cell. The transistors are provided as sidewall transistors which are coupled to buried bit lines, VSS nodes, and VDD nodes at the bottom of the trenches. A first trench includes a driver transistor and a load transistor which have gates coupled together by a bridge over the trench. Another bridge is provided over the bridge over the trench to couple the source of the load transistor to the drain of the driver transistor. The drain of the driver transistor is coupled to another drain of the access gate transistor. The access gate transistor is located in a trench with a access gate transistor from another cell. The buried bit line is located in the trench with the access gate transistors.

Semiconductor memory devices such as random access memory (RAM) devices typically include a number of memory cells coupled to at least one bit line. The memory cells often include at least one storage device, one storage node, and one access gate transistor. Generally, two storage transistors which are part of the storage device are coupled between two access gate transistors, and a bit line is coupled to each of the access gate transistors. Thus, each memory cell is often located between two bit lines.
The access gate transistors have gate electrodes which are coupled to word lines. A signal, such as, an address or a select signal, is provided on the word line associated with the memory cell to select or to access a particular memory cell. Once the memory cell is selected via the word line, the memory cell can be read or written to through the access gate transistors via the bit lines.
Semiconductor memory cells include static RAM devices (SRAMs). The memory cell of the SRAM often contains two inverters connected in anti-parallel. Basically, each cell is a flip-flop which has two stable states (e.g., a logic 1 or a logic 0). The memory cell is generally made of four or six transistors. In a four-transistor SRAM cell, a first resistor is coupled in series with a first pull down (e.g., storage or driver) transistor at a first storage node, and a second resistor is coupled in series with a second pull down transistor at a second storage node. A first access gate transistor is coupled between a first bit line and the first storage node, and a second access gate transistor is coupled between a second bit line and a second storage node.
In a six-transistor memory cell, the first and second resistors are replaced by first and second load transistors. The load transistors can be P-channel transistors, diodes, depletion mode N-channel transistors, or other load elements. The pull down transistors and the access gate transistors for both four-transistor cells and six-transistor cells are often N-channel enhancement mode transistors. The load transistors and the load resistors are coupled to a power node (e.g., VCC or VDD), and the driver transistors are coupled to a ground node (e.g., VSS). The power and the ground nodes as well as the bit lines are conventionally provided as metal conductive lines over the semiconductor substrate that are coupled to the memory cell by conductive vias. These metal conductive lines and vias increase the size of the integrated circuit which houses the memory cell.
To advance the storage capacity of memory devices, it has been desirable to house more memory cells on a semiconductor substrate. To house more memory cells, the space taken by the memory cell itself and its associated interconnections must be decreased. For example, in some prior art, six-transistor memory cells included six transistors formed laterally on the top surface of the substrate. This arrangement consumed valuable substrate area. Additionally, valuable space is also consumed by interconnections between the transistors, the bit lines, the power nodes, and the ground nodes.
Thus, there is a need for a memory cell of reduced size. Further, there is a need for a memory cell of minimal size which does not require extensive metal bit lines, power lines, and ground lines. Further still, there is a need for a compact memory cell optimized for internal interconnections.

Static random access memory cell having buried sidewall transistors, buried bit lines, and buried vdd and vss nodes


Embodiments of apparatus and methods for foreground object segmentation are described. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a color modeler to build a color model based at least in part on a boundary of a foreground object in an image frame. The apparatus may further include a segmentation processor to segment the foreground object from a background of the image frame, based at least in part on the color model. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

The background description provided herein is for generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art or suggestions of the prior art, by inclusion in this section.
Regions of interest in an image are usually objects, such as humans, animals, artifacts, text, etc. in its foreground. Segmentation of a foreground object from its background has many applications. As one example, the segmented foreground object may be used for further processing, such as object recognition or background subtraction.
Background subtraction has an interesting application in video conferencing. The speaker may be segmented from its original background and seamlessly placed into another scene. Monocular based approach for foreground object segmentation has long been studied by the computer vision community. Yet it remains unsatisfactory because at least this approach usually requires the user to step out of the scene to build a background model.

Apparatus and method for foreground object segmentation


The invention provides a tool which can be used with a punch press. On such tool includes a marking punch which has a recess; a marking punch magazine having a channel in which the marking punch is received and an external surface having a transverse groove therein which is in communication with the channel; a striker which strikes the marking punch to move the marking punch from its rest position to its marking position; and a resiliently compressible body received in the transverse groove of the magazine and in the recess in the marking punch. This compressible body desirably is compressed between the magazine and the marking punch when the marking punch is in its marking position, but resiliently biases the marking punch towards its rest position. The invention also provides a method of marking a workpiece, which method can employ such a tool.

Punch tools have long been used for the machining of various metal workpieces. Punches commonly are held in turrets configured so that rotation of the turret positions selected punches under a ram-driven striker. A punch tool assembly may itself have several punch tools circumferentially arranged with the punch assembly supported in a rotatable punch magazine so that desired individual punches can be rotated into position under a striker.
Of particular interest are punch assemblies used to mark workpieces with desired alpha-numeric indicia or other symbols. These marking punches, also known as letterstamps, are designed to mark a workpiece with a given character or string of characters. Selected characters can be represented by different marking punches housed within a punch magazine. In use, the magazine is rotated to place the selected marking punch in position to be contacted by the striker during the punch stroke.
During the punch stroke the ram momentarily forces the marking punch from a rest position to a marking position against the workpiece. After the marking punch marks the workpiece, it returns, under the influence of a biasing mechanism to its rest position.
The need for a reliable biasing mechanism to return the marking punch to its resting position within the magazine has made the manufacture, assembly, and maintenance of such multi-tool marking punch devices mechanically complex. It would be advantageous to provide a simple and flexible biasing mechanism structure enabling ready assembly of such a multi-tool punch magazine for use in press punch devices, particularly for use in multi-tool marking punch press devices.

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The present invention is directed to a composition comprising an antiperspirant salt suspended in a carrier vehicle thickened with a silicone latex. The composition typically comprises about 50 to 90% carrier vehicle, which is advantageously substantially comprised of a volatile silicone, about 3 to 30% antiperspirant salt, which is typically an aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum-zirconium chlorohydrate, and about 3-25% silicone latex. Preferably the composition will contain an auxiliary thickening agent such as a fumed silica, hydrated silica or trihydroxystearin, typically in an amount of 0.01 to 10%. The composition will preferably have a viscosity of about 12,000 to 20,000,000 cP. The present invention also embraces an apparatus for delivering the above-described composition when formulated with a medium viscosity of about 12,000 to 50,000 cP, said apparatus having a porous dome with a porosity of about 150 .mu.m to 400 .mu.m through which the composition is delivered.

This invention relates to antiperspirant and deodorant compositions which contain a silicone latex as a thickening agent. In particular it relates to such compositions which additionally contain an auxiliary thickening agent.
Silicone latex thickened solvents and cosmetic compositions containing such silicone latex thickened solvents are described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/596,853 filed on Feb. 5, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,804. The silicone latex is a high internal phase dispersion of crosslinked silicone rubber particles in water. When added to a solvent such as cyclomethicone, it swells and substantially increases the viscosity of the solvent. Antiperspirant compositions containing a silicone rubber powder are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,989.

Antiperspirant or deodorant composition with silicone latex


A system and method for generating three-dimensional (3D) color images with a simulated light sources. The operation of producing 3D images involves a complicated scheme of time consuming instructions issued by a controller to obtain 3D images. The present invention performs this result faster and more efficiently than conventional technology. The production of 3D color images according to the present invention is performed by a system. A controller manages the flow of data for the system. Control of the system generally occurs as follows: Signal characteristics representing light direction, view direction and a normal unit vector enter an input queue. The data is then written into a register file at assigned locations. After being written into the register file, light signals are pipelined into a floating point multiplier and accumulator (FMAC) for computation. Once the FMAC performs the requested computation it is either written back into the register file at a designated location in the register file or reused immediately in a next cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer graphics systems and methods, and more particularly, to the color generating of illumination produced by simulated light sources.
2. Related Art
The goal of most graphics systems is to humanize information. To realize this goal it is necessary to produce realistic three dimensional (3D) color images in real-time.
Producing local light illumination on an object is one of the most time consuming tasks for a graphics system. The basic lighting equation for one local light is: EQU C.sub.-- i=Ca.sub.-- i+Cd.sub.-- iLc.sub.-- i(L1.N1)!+Cs.sub.-- iLc.sub.-- i(H1.N1).sup.Oe !. (eq. 1)
In a computer graphics system, the color of an object can be denoted as a red, green and blue triple (RGB). The color of a lighted object is produced by one or more light sources. One type of light source is called a "local light source" or a "local light". Local light refers to the properties of color light at a particular point on an object.
Referring to FIG. 1, the lighted objects and local lights are placed in a 3 dimensional coordinate space which has 3 axes such as: x, y and z. According to the axes, a point P and a vector V in a 3 dimensional space can be denoted by their coordinate triples (Px, Py, Pz), and (Vx, Vy, Vz), respectively. C.sub.-- i, Ca.sub.-- i, Cd.sub.-- i, Cs.sub.-- i, and Lc.sub.-- i are components of RGB triples. In other words, "i" represents the red, green or blue component of light. C.sub.-- i is the final color of an object to be generated on screen. L1, H1, N1 are unit vectors in 3 dimensional space (unit vector is distinguished by the number "1" after the vector letter). L stands for light direction vector, V stands for view direction vector, H stands for the half angle vector (between vector L and vector V) shown in FIG. 1.
The unit vector L1 points from the object to the light. N1 is the unit normal vector of the object surface. H1 is the unit normalized H vector, where H=(L1+V1) (half angle vector between L and V), and V1 is a unit vector which points from the object to the viewer.
Ca.sub.-- i, Cd.sub.-- i, Cs.sub.-- i and Oe are the material property parameters of the object surface. These parameters are all simple predetermined coefficients. Ca.sub.-- i stands for ambient light, Cd stands for diffusion coefficient, and Cs stands for the specular reflection coefficient. Oe is a power exponent. Lc.sub.-- i is the light source color component (i.e., R, G, B).
L1.N1 is the vector dot product of L1 and N1. Other dot products are denoted in the same way. It should be noted that each vector consists of magnitude and direction. An in depth discussion producing color light is discussed in more detail in Foley, et al., Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice, pp. 721-734, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1990.
The bottle neck in most graphics systems involves determining L1.N1 and H1.N1 in (eq. 1). In conventional systems, normally, the vector L from the object to the light and V from the object to the viewer are generated first. In order to generate L1.N1 and H1.N1, the standard graphics system will then instruct the processor to normalize L and V to produce L1 and V1, then H=(L1+V1), and H.H, etc. If the processor is pipelined, it takes several cycles to generate the result after an operation is issued in hardware (execution latency). If the next operation needs to use this result as an input, then it must wait for the result of the previous operation. If there is no other operations that may be performed in the intervening cycles, many no-operation cycles are incurred. As a result, execution time is slowed. In other words, the graphics system will not receive RGB colors fast enough for real-time display of 3D color images. Additionally, the processors' ability to perform other functions in parallel is significantly reduced.
Therefore, what is needed is graphics system able to generate 3D color images with simulated light sources faster and more efficiency than is presently possible.

System and method for generating 3D color images with simulated light sources


An extractor having a cleaning solution line which extends from the solution tank to a non-self-priming pump and to the normally closed valve which controls the flow of liquid on to the cleaning head. The extractor uses a manually operated priming pump to draw cleaning solution from the solution tank through the cleaning solution line to the non-self-priming pump. Following activation of the manually operated priming pump, a check valve directs the cleaning solution to the operating non-self-priming pump to effect priming of said pump. Solution is then controlably pumped past the fluid flow control valve to the cleaning head. The check valve remains open while the pump is in operation.

The present invention relates to surface cleaning extractors. Such extractors are devices which apply a cleaning solution to a surface, such as carpet, upholstery and the like, and then vacuum the solution from the surface, extracting dirt and debris from the surface. Such extractors sometimes use built-in solution tanks (including "add on" tanks added to wet vacuums) and sometimes include attachment means with a long hose so the unit can obtain water from a faucet.
When a built-in solution tank is used, a pump is provided for pumping the solution from the tank to a cleaning tool. Often times such pumps are expensive, self-priming units. Alternatively, such pumps can be non-self-priming and positioned such that gravity feeds the solution from the tank to the pump for priming purposes While non-self-priming pumps are attractive from a cost perspective, their dependence upon gravity to move the solution from the tank makes them less attractive. The self-priming units are, of course, attractive, but their expense makes them unattractive for inclusion on a lower cost extractor. Therefore, there is a need to solve this problem of more easily priming an inexpensive non-self-priming pump.


A liquid dispenser comprises a fluid transfer body, a reservoir with plunger, and an extender selectively attachable to the reservoir; the elongated tube shaped member has at least one wall that forms a forward rim and extends in a tubular fashion to a rearward end; the at least one wall also forms a longitudinal slot for receiving the handle of the plunger, or a lever attached to said handle; and the slot is disposed to allow the handle or lever to travel when a user pushes the handle of the plunger towards or away from the fluid transfer body end of the elongated reservoir.

a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to paint sticks and devices for applying a liquid to a surface utilizing a piston operating within a reservoir. The invention relates generally to extendable devices and extension devices used to broaden the range of usability of existing paint sticks and similar liquid delivery devices.
b. Description of Related Art
The following patents are representative of the field pertaining to the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,176 to Simonette et al. describes a found applicator handle for providing a continuous supply of a liquid coating to an applicator head for application on to a surface. The fountain applicator handle includes an elongated hollow reservoir with sliding displacement pistons disposed therein. A valve body is attached thereto and adapted for attachment to a coating supply, with the valve body allowing the communication of the coating into the reservoir while preventing the outflow of the coating to the applicator, and controllably communicating the coating from the reservoir to the applicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,503 to Bader et al. describes an apparatus for applying a liquid to a surface comprising an applicator and a body member. The body member includes a piston member for exerting a force on the fluid in the reservoir, and two channels, a first channel being in fluid communication with a channel in the applicator and a second channel being in fluid communication with a area outside the body member. The body member further including a valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,302 to Simonette describes a liquid dispenser adapted for use to apply liquid coating. The dispenser has a first tubular housing in which is slide ability received a second tubular housing.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D551,819 discloses a fluid reservoir pole with dispensing wash head and squeegee.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,556,447 B2 to Bruggeman et al. discloses a metered twist paint stick. The metering device for incrementally metering paint on to the applicator from the tube. The metering device has a plunger reciprocating meter within the tube, with the plunger having a handle. The plunger can either be incrementally advanced within the tube by rotating the handle. Or, the plunger can be manually refracted within the tube to fill the tube with paint and manually advanced within the tube to dispense the paint. The plunger is helically grooved along its length and a converter translates rotation of the handle into linear motion of the plunger, there by advancing the plunger within the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,682,098 B2 to Sandhal et al. discloses a two stage double piston manual liquid applicator. A liquid applicator having a collapsible liquid reservoir with an elongated outer chamber wall having a characteristic length, and a liquid delivery piston having a length substantially equal to the characteristic length, were in the piston is telescopically received in the outer chamber wall and an elongated intermediate chamber wall having a length substantially equal to the characteristic length and were in the intermediate chamber wall is telescopically received in the outer chamber wall located circumferentially intermediate the piston and the outer chamber wall, were in the liquid reservoir an piston maybe telescopically expanded to either a fully expanded condition were in the combined length of the liquid reservoir and piston is about three times the characteristic length, or a partially expanded intermediate condition were in the combined length of the liquid reservoir and piston is substantially less then half the length of the liquid reservoir and piston in fully expanded condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,171 B2 to Vito et al. describes a squeegee with squeegee handle and remote spraying device, includes a squeegee section having an enclosed container for holding liquid, a sprayer head, which is in connection with the squeegee section, and a surface extending in a lengthwise direction. The enclosed container has a threaded neck. The sprayer head has a threaded cap adapted for engaging the threaded neck, as well as a dispensing means for dispensing the liquid. The dispensing means includes a trigger being in connection with a conduit, a nozzle at an end of the sprayer head, and pressure inducing means for inducing a pressure change in the conduit so as to draw spraying agent into the conduit and out of the nozzle. The conduit extends through the threaded cap and into the enclosed container. There is also a squeegee blade attached to the sprayer head and being nearly perpendicular to the surface of said enclosed container. In preferred embodiments, an extended handle further includes a plurality of sections in which each section extends to allow for longer reaching range.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,469 B2 to Vito describes a spray squeegee having automatic recipient surface wetting mechanism with extension and remote triggering system, which includes a squeegee section having an enclosed container for holding liquid, a sprayer head, which is in connection with the squeegee section, and a surface extending in a lengthwise direction. The enclosed container has a threaded neck. The sprayer head has a threaded cap adapted for engaging the threaded neck, as well as dispensing means for dispensing the liquid. There is a squeegee blade and at least one wiping mechanism. One wiping means includes a wiping support that a plurality of nozzles for wetting the wiping mechanism and is located on a side opposite the blade. Another wiping means, which may be on the blade side or the first wiping mechanism side, is it tillable and includes a clamp for holding a wiping material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,267 to Vito describes an extended squeegee and fluid delivery system for cleaning in places that are of high elevation. A squeegee is used in connection with an extended handle. The spray system has a pump that delivers a cleaning agent through a conduit in connection with the squeegee. There is a trigger in connection with the spray bottle and near the end of the handle where the user is holding the handle. The user may then deliver cleaning agent out the nozzle by squeezing on a trigger or pull cord in connection with the handle. The handle of the squeegee may be made hollow in order to deliver the cleaning agent from the source of the agent to the nozzle in connection with the squeegee. Notwithstanding the prior art discussed above, which is hereby incorporated by reference, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
Prior art paint applicators and liquid dispensers have been commercially successful. However, the plunger or piston handle is not truly a structural handle that is effectively used to operate the applicator or dispenser. The handle portion is difficult to grasp and use when operating the device. As a user pushes on the handle to move the device to apply the paint or liquid, the user also inadvertently dispenses the liquid with the same pushing force used to manipulate the roller or other dispensing head. This results in an unintended dispensation of paint or liquid when unneeded for application. Even when a user does use the piston handle to physically move the he paint stick head by grasping the reservoir with one hand and grasping the piston handle with the other, the handle gets shorter and shorter as the piston moves forward to dispense the liquid from the reservoir. For example, when the paint volume in the reservoir is exhausted, the user is left to paint with a stub or a fraction of the length the user has when the reservoir is full and the piston is fully pulled outward. Similarly, in tight places such as closets, bathrooms, and halls, a full paint stick is too long and painting becomes difficult. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device that addresses one or more of the aforementioned, as well as provide a device that allows a user with the flexibility to have an applicator that can be short enough to work in tight places, and can be extended to have a longer reach in bigger areas.

Liquid dispenser with interchangeable heads and extension poles


Enhanced delivery of compositions for treatment of skin tissue with photoactive plasmonic nanoparticles and light, with embodiments relating to delivery devices using, for example, ultrasound. Treatments are useful for cosmetic, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Field of the Invention
The field of the invention comprises nanoparticles and/or photoactive compounds for use in cosmetic, diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures, including ultrasonic delivery systems and methods for delivering the particles and/or compounds to a target tissue. Ultrasound, according to several embodiments, is low frequency ultrasound delivered by, for example, a transducer or sonotrode. In several embodiments, the invention relates to using laser or light energy combined with nanoparticles and/or photoactive compounds to modify, smooth, and/or resurface the skin (including tissue under the skin surface) of humans.
Description of the Related Art
Laser treatments of the skin have been highly touted for therapeutic and cosmetic utility. Therapeutically, potential uses for laser skin therapy include laser ablation of cancerous cells in cancer patients and laser ablation of damaged tissue in burn victims. Cosmetic applications for laser skin therapy are much more numerous, and include hair removal/reduction, treatment of dyschromia, shrinking of the skin following operations such as liposuction, acne treatment, chemical or physical abrasion of unwanted markings on the skin, surgical treatments including nose reduction and face- and neck-lifts, and other aesthetic skin remodeling purposes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Systems and methods are provided for presenting information. For example, a trigger command is acquired; one or more first points of interest are selected based on at least information associated with the trigger command; a first zone associated with the first points of interest is acquired from an electronic map, the electronic map being divided into a plurality of second zones including the first zone; a predetermined number of third zones are acquired from the plurality of second zones, the first zone being included at a center area of the third zones; one or more first messages published in the third zones and one or more first geographic positions corresponding to the one or more first messages are acquired; and the first messages published in the third zones and the corresponding first geographic positions are presented according to certain embodiments.

The present invention is directed to network technology. More particularly, the invention provides systems and methods for presenting information. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to client systems and server systems. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
With the development of network technology, people become more and more willing to publish information related to personal observations and feelings through the internet to share with others. For example, microblogs or on-line communities provide platforms for publishing such information.
Microblog is a form of blogs that allows users to post messages publicly, update information timely, and permit everyone or a particular group to read the published messages. Microblog may be transmitted in many ways, including short-message-service (SMS) messages, instant communication software, entails, webpages, etc. Therefore, users may form individual communities through microblogs via the Web, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and various client systems so that the users can publish and update information to achieve instant information sharing.
An online community is often a virtual community on the internet. Members of an online community may gather for a certain common objective, and any member can publish information in the online community. For example, text contents may be published in an online chat room. In another example, audio files, video files and/or text contents may be published in an online forum.
But it is often difficult for a user to view information published at a certain geographic position through a microblog platform or an online community platform. Hence it is highly desirable to improve the techniques for presenting information.

Information presentation method, system, client and/or server

Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited


A fuel injection valve includes a valve chamber, a control valve, an actuator, a control chamber, and a nozzle. The control valve is provided in the valve chamber. The actuator actuates the control valve. The control chamber is always communicated with the valve chamber through a communication passage. The nozzle has a needle for opening and closing an injection orifice, wherein the needle is biased in a valve closing direction for closing the injection orifice by pressure of fuel in the control chamber. High pressure fuel in a high-pressure fuel passage is introduced into the control chamber only through the communication passage in a state, where communication between the valve chamber and the high-pressure fuel passage is allowed by the control valve. The communication passage has a common orifice.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fuel injection valve to inject fuel to a heat engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional fuel injection valve disclosed in JP-A-2001-500218 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,193 includes a nozzle, a control valve, an actuator, and a control chamber. Typically, the nozzle has a needle that opens and closes an injection orifice. The control valve is provided inside a valve chamber for selectively connecting the valve chamber with a low-pressure fuel passage or with a high-pressure fuel passage. The actuator actuates the control valve. The control chamber is always communicated with the valve chamber through a communication passage. Fuel pressure in the control chamber biases the needle in a valve closing direction for closing the injection orifice. The control valve controls pressure in the control chamber for controlling the opening and closing the valve of the nozzle.
Also, the following structure is adopted such that a speed of nozzle for opening and closing the valve can be set independently. In other words, at the time of state, where the communication between the valve chamber and the high-pressure fuel passage is allowed, high pressure fuel in the high-pressure fuel passage is introduced into the control chamber only through the communication passage. More particularly, the fuel injection valve includes an out orifice in a low-pressure fuel passage, and an in orifice in the high-pressure fuel passage. According to this, a valve opening speed of the nozzle for opening the injection orifice can be set by the out orifice, and a valve closing speed of the nozzle for closing the injection orifice can be set by the in orifice. Thus, the speed for opening and closing the valve (injection orifice) of the nozzle can be set independently, and flexibility of setting the speed for opening and closing the valve of the nozzle is remarkably high.
However, in the fuel injection valve described in JP-A-2001-500218, as shown in FIG. 8, pressure pulsation is generated in the control chamber at a time of a valve opening of the nozzle. As a result, the needle resonates with pressure pulsation to oscillate, and thereby disadvantageously being lifted. At this time, a lift amount of the needle is not proportional to a drive pulse duration (corresponding to a command value for an injection period). As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, a characteristic curve of the fuel injection quantity with respect to the drive pulse duration disadvantageously is not linear.


Exemplary embodiments of apparatus, source arrangement and method for, e.g., providing high-speed wavelength tuning can be provided. According to one exemplary embodiment, at least one arrangement can be provided which is configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation that (i) has a spectrum whose mean frequency changes at an absolute rate that is greater than about 6000 (or 2000) terahertz per millisecond, (ii) whose mean frequency changes over a range that is greater than about 10 terahertz, and/or (iii) has an instantaneous line width that is less than about 15 gigahertz. According to another exemplary embodiment, at least one arrangement can be provided configured to, periodically and as a function of time, select at least one first electro-magnetic radiation based on a mean frequency of the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, with the periodic selection being performed at a first characteristic period. The mean frequency can vary linearly over time, wherein the apparatus can emit at least one second electromagnetic radiation that has a spectrum whose mean frequency changes periodically as a function of time with a second characteristic period. Further, the first characteristic period can be greater than the second characteristic period.

Considerable effort has been devoted for developing rapidly and widely tunable wavelength laser sources for optical reflectometry, biomedical imaging, sensor interrogation, and tests and measurements. A narrow line width, wide-range and rapid tuning have been obtained by the use of an intra-cavity narrow band wavelength scanning filter. Mode-hopping-free, single-frequency operation has been provided in an extended-cavity semiconductor laser by using a diffraction grating filter arrangement. To obtain a single-frequency laser operation and to ensure a mode-hop-free tuning, however, a complicated mechanical apparatus and limit the maximum tuning speed may need to be used, conventionally. One of the fastest tuning speeds demonstrated using the conventional systems has been limited to less than 100 nm/s. In certain applications, such as biomedical imaging, multiple-longitudinal mode operation, corresponding to an instantaneous line width as large or great than 10 GHz, may be sufficient. Such width can provide a ranging depth of a few millimeters in tissues in optical coherence tomography and a micrometer-level transverse resolution in spectrally-encoded confocal microscopy.
A line width on the order of about 10 GHz is achievable with the use of an intra-cavity tuning element (such as, e.g., an acousto-optic filter, Fabry-Perot filter, and galvanometer-driven diffraction grating filter). However, the sweep frequency previously provided has been less than about 1 kHz, limited by finite tuning speeds of the filters. Higher-speed tuning with a repetition rate greater than 15 kHz may be needed for video-rate (e.g., greater than 30 frames/second), high-resolution optical imaging in biomedical applications.
Further, a wavelength-swept laser has been described which can use polygon scanning filter, and that can provide high-speed wavelength tuning up to about 10,000 nm/ms. While the high-speed polygon based wavelength-swept light source facilitates high-speed imaging as fast as about 200 frames/s, wavelength tuning rate as fast as about 10,000 nm/ms, maintaining an instantaneous line-width narrower than 0.15 nm has already reached to the limit of the current polygon based wavelength-swept filter.
Indeed, one of the objects of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is to reduce or address the deficiencies and/or limitations of the prior art procedures and systems described herein above. For example, with respect to faster tuning, wide wavelength tuning range and narrow instantaneous line-width at fast tuning rate, there may be a need for an exemplary embodiment of wavelength scanning filter arrangement and procedure (e.g., a laser procedure).

Apparatus and method for utilization of a high-speed optical wavelength tuning source


A process for the preparation of toner including. (i) blending an aqueous colorant dispersion with a latex blend comprised of a linear polymer and a soft crosslinked polymer; PA1 (ii) heating the resulting mixture at about below, or about equal to the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the linear latex polymer to form aggregates; and PA1 (iii) subsequently heating said aggregate suspension about above, or about equal to the Tg of the linear latex polymer to effect fusion or coalescence of said aggregates.

The present invention is generally directed to toner processes, and more specifically, to chemical processes wherein there is accomplished the aggregation and fusion or coalescence of latex, colorants, preferably pigment particles, and optional additives to provide toner compositions. In embodiments, the present invention is directed to a chemical toner process wherein known toner pulverization and classification methods are avoided, and wherein in embodiments toner compositions with a volume average diameter of from about 1 to about 20, and preferably from about 2 to about 10 microns in volume average diameter, and narrow particle size distribution of, for example, less than 1.35, and more specifically, from about 1.10 to about 1.25, both as measured on the Coulter Counter can be obtained. The resulting toners can be selected for known electrophotographic processes, including digital processes, and particularly color xerographic imaging and printing processes.
In xerographic color systems, small sized toners of preferably from about 2 to about 7 microns are important to the achievement of high image quality. It is also equally important to have a low image pile height to eliminate, or minimize image feel and to avoid, or minimize paper curling after fusing. Paper curling can be particularly pronounced in xerographic color processes in which relatively high toner coverage as a result of the application of three to four color toners are utilized. During fusing, moisture is driven off from the substrate like paper due to high fusing temperatures of from about 150.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. With only one layer of toner, such as in a single black color, or in highlight color xerographic applications, the amount of moisture driven off during fusing can be reabsorbed back by paper and the resulting print remains relatively flat with minimal paper curl. In process color where toner coverage is high, the relatively thick toner plastic covering on paper can inhibit the paper from reabsorbing the moisture, and lead to substantial paper curling. These and other imaging shortfalls and problems are avoided or minimized with the toners and processes of the present invention.
It is preferable to use small toner particle sizes such as from about 2 to about 7 microns, and with higher pigment loading, such as from about 4 to about 15 percent by weight of toner, so that the mass of toner necessary for attaining the required optical density and color gamut can be significantly reduced to eliminate or minimize image feel and paper curl. The use of lower toner mass also ensures the achievement of image uniformity. Toners prepared in accordance with the present invention enable in embodiments these aforementioned advantages and permit the use of low fusing temperatures, such as from about 100.degree. C. to about 170.degree. C., which will also eliminate or minimize the paper curling.

Toner compositions and processes thereof


A microwave switch having a switch housing with side walls in which waveguide connections are arranged; a switch rotor rotatably arranged in the switch housing; a drive means arranged on the switch housing with a shaft for providing a moment for rotating the switch rotor; and a transmission arrangement arranged to transmit the moment of the drive means to the switch rotor. The transmission arrangement has a first link with a radially extended slot, and a second link fixed to the shaft and fitted with a guide member arranged to be slidably moved in the slot. Further provided is a first stop member fixedly connected to the switch rotor and arranged, in the respective switch position, to engage with a second stop member fixedly connected to the switch housing; and a means arranged to apply a torque to the switch rotor in order to press the stop members against each other.

In prior art microwave switches where the switch movement is achieved by the intermediary of a Maltese transmission arrangement, the angular position of the switch rotor has been defined by stopping the movement of the second link when this link forms a 90.degree. angle to the first link. In this position, the angular velocity of the switch rotor has fallen to zero. The angular position of the switch rotor is defined by a plurality of component parts, inter alia, the guide member, the slot and the location of the guide member on the driving link. A problem associated with these common Maltese mechanisms is that play occurs when the guide member is displaced in the slot.
A prior art microwave switch of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,631 and comprises a rotor, a rotor housing, two biasing means, a housing for the biasing means and an electronic circuit to control the biasing means. The rotor and the housing are of conventional design. The biasing means comprise two rotary solenoids which are mechanically linked to a Maltese transmission mechanism.
A problem associated with the prior art is that it is difficult to manufacture the components parts with sufficiently high precision to permit the accurate definition of the respective angular position.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved microwave switch which obviates the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a microwave switch which avoids the need for high tolerance in the above-mentioned parts of the Maltese mechanism.


A silver halide emulsion chemically sensitized by a compound of formula (1), (6-1), (6-2) or (7); and a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material containing the silver halide emulsion:

Silver halide emulsions for use in silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials are, in general, chemically sensitized by using various chemical substances to obtain, for example, desired sensitivity and gradation. As typical methods for the chemical sensitization, various sensitizing methods, such as sulfur sensitization, selenium sensitization, tellurium sensitization; noble metal sensitization using, for example, gold, and combinations of these sensitizing methods, are known. Various improvements in the aforementioned sensitizing methods have been recently made to cope with a strong need, for example, for excellent granularity, high sharpness, and high sensitivity of silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials, and further rapid processing promoted by accelerating development.
It is known that a serenocarboxylate; namely, a sereno ester, may be used as a selenium sensitizer in a selenium sensitization among the aforementioned sensitizing methods. Examples of disclosures showing specific compounds include U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,446, U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,447, and JP-B-57-22090 ("JP-B" means examined Japanese patent publication).
Although there is the case in which the selenium sensitizer has a greater sensitizing effect than a sulfur sensitizer used in the fields of the art, such a sensitizer largely tends to cause much fogging, to result softened gradation, and to cause increased variation of sensitivity during storage. Many patent publications have been disclosed aiming to improve these drawbacks. However, satisfactory results have not yet been brought by these improvements, and there has been a strong need for basic improvement; in particular, for greater suppression of the occurrence of fogging. Also, if sulfur sensitization, selenium sensitization, or tellurium sensitization is used in combination with gold sensitization, respectively, sensitivity is significantly increased in each case. However, fogging is increased at the same time. Although, particularly, gold-selenium sensitization and gold-tellurium sensitization result in greater sensitivity than gold-sulfur sensitization, they also result in much fogging, and they are apt to result increased gradation softness. There remains, therefore, a strong need for development of a selenium sensitizer and a tellurium sensitizer that give increased sensitivity, less fogging, and increased gradation hardness.
In this situation, the following compounds are described as examples of useful selenium sensitizers: diacyl serenide compounds, as described in JP-A-4-271341 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application); compounds in which two carbonyl groups are bonded with a selenium atom, as described in JP-A-5-11385; and selenocarboxylic acid (Se-ester) compounds, as described in JP-A-7-140579. Although these compounds are disclosed to enable suppressing fogging to a low level and achieving high sensitivity, they nonetheless remain unsatisfactory, and compounds that can better suppress fogging and attain higher sensitivity have been desired.
A known chemical sensitizer used is a compound in which gold (I) ion is coordinated with a selenourea, as a known selenium sensitizer. Example references disclosing specific examples of the compound include JP-A-2001-75215, JP-A-2001-75216, and JP-A-2001-75217. Although the aforementioned drawbacks can be improved using such a compound, its effect remains insufficient. It is also disclosed, in JP-A-9-269554, that compounds in which gold (III) ion is coordinated with phosphine selenides as known selenium sensitizers, are used as a chemical sensitizer. However, the effect remains insufficient. Moreover, a gold (I) halide compound coordinated with a chalcogeno ether compound is also disclosed, in JP-A-2002-268170. However, the level reached by this gold halide compound is likewise insufficient.
Further, a gold (I) compound (hereinafter referred to as a meso-ion gold (I) compound) containing a meso-ion ligand is known as a gold compound for use in gold sensitization. It is disclosed, in JP-A-4-267249, that the meso-ion gold (I) compound is useful to produce a highly sensitive and hard gradation (contrast) emulsion. It is, however, known that the meso-ion gold (I) compound has a problem concerning stability in a solution, as disclosed in JP-A-11-218870. It has been desired to improve the stability of the meso-ion gold (I) compound, because stability in solution is an essential condition to produce a light-sensitive emulsion having constant qualities, stably.
As a measure to solve this problem, a method of utilizing a gold (I) complex of a mercapto compound is proposed in JP-A-11-218870. Although this gold sensitizer has improved stability in a solution, it is still a compound that will be decomposed, and it remains only an insufficient solving measure.
It is also known that many selenium compounds and tellurium compounds generally have lower stability than corresponding sulfur compounds. Not a few selenium compounds and tellurium compounds to be used as chemical sensitizers have less comparative stability. When these compounds are stored in a solution state, they resultantly gradually decompose. There is, therefore, a tendency for there to be a large difference in sensitivity, fogging, gradation, and the like, between the case of producing a light-sensitive emulsion just after a solution of a selenium compound or a tellurium compound is prepared, and the case of producing a light-sensitive emulsion a while after the solution is prepared. Therefore, chemical sensitizers that suppress fogging to attain high sensitivity are desired to have higher stability.
In this background, there is strong need for development of a gold-chalcogen sensitizer that can largely increase the sensitivity and causes less occurrence of fogging.

Silver halide emulsion and silver halide photographic light-sensitive material

Abstract: Formula (1)E1-Ch-E2Formula (6-1)W1 . . . AuX2mFormula (6-2)[W1 . . . Au . . . W2]X2mFormula (7)E5-Ch-Au . . . (L2)1wherein Ch is a sulfur, selenium or tellurium atom; E1, E2, and E5 each are, for example, a specific methylene group having a substituent; Au is a monovalent or trivalent gold ion; W1 and W2 each are a specific chalcogen compound; X2 is a monovalent anion; m is 1, 2 or 3; L2 is a compound that can coordinate with gold through a nitrogen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium or phosphorous atom; and l is 0, 1, 2 or 3.


An organic electroluminescent component with a layer arrangement includes a first electrode layer, an inorganic layer which conducts electrons, one or several optoelectronically active layers with at least one light-emitting layer which comprises an organic emitter, and a second electrode layer. The inorganic layer which conducts electrons is an N-type conducting oxide of a transition metal chosen from the group consisting of zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, vanadium oxide, barium titanate, barium-strontium titanate, strontium titanate, calcium titanate, calcium zirconate, potassium tantalate, and potassium niobate.

The invention relates to an organic electroluminescent component, in particular a light-emitting diode (LED) for luminous signs, luminaires, solid-state image intensifiers, or picture screens, with a layer arrangement comprising a first electrode layer, an inorganic layer which conducts electrons, one or several optoelectronically active layers with at least one light-emitting layer which comprises an organic emitter, and a second electrode layer.
Prior-art LEDs are usually inorganic semiconductor diodes, i.e. diodes whose emitter material is an inorganic semiconductor such as doped zinc sulphide, silicon, germanium, or III-V semiconductors, for example InP, GaAs, GaAlAs, GaP, or GaN with suitable dopants.
Work has been going on for several years in the development of luminescent radiation sources in which the emitter material is not an inorganic semiconductor but an organic electrically conductive material.
Electroluminescent components with light-emitting layers built up from organic materials are clearly superior to light sources made from inorganic materials in a number of respects. An advantage is their easy plasticity and high elasticity which opens new possibilities for applications such as luminous signs and picture screens. These layers may readily be manufactured as large-area, flat, and very thin layers which in addition require little material. They excel through their remarkably high brightness accompanied by low operating voltages.
In addition, the color of the emitted light can be varied over a wide range from approximately 400 nm up to approximately 650 nm through the choice of the luminescent material. These colors have a striking luminance.
Such organic electroluminescent components may be built up in various ways. They all have in common that one or several optoelectronically active organic layers, among which the light-emitting layer, are arranged between two electrode layers to which the voltage necessary for operating the component is applied. At least one of the electrode layers is transparent to visible light so that the emitted light can emerge to the exterior. The entire layer construction is usually provided on a substrate which is also transparent to visible light if the emitted light is to issue from the side facing the substrate.
The layer sequence of the optoelectronically active organic layers is known in several variations. For example, the light-emitting layer comprising a thin stratum of organic pigment molecules and possibly conductive organic polymers may be embedded between two further electrically conductive organic layers which transport charge carriers from the two electrodes to the light-emitting layer. The electrically conductive organic layer between the light-emitting layer and the cathode conducts electrons whereas the corresponding layer between the light-emitting layer and the anode conducts holes.
The use of such organic charge carrier transport layers, however, also involves problems. The thermal load on the layers during operation and material interactions between the electrode layers and the transport layers lead to a deterioration of the luminous efficacy of the component in the course of time. The useful life of the organic electron-conducting layer is very short in this case, in particular when strongly reducing metals such as calcium or magnesium, which have a particularly low work function for the electrons, are used as the cathode material in order to achieve a high luminous efficacy.
It is accordingly proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,587 to choose a composition of an organic or alternatively inorganic semiconductor for the charge transport layer which transports electrons and lies between the electrode with low work function and the luminescent film. Inorganic semiconductors proposed here are Ge, Si, Sn, SiC, AlSb, BN, BP, GaN, GaSb, GaAs, GaP, InSb, InAs, InP, CdSe, CdTe, ZnO, ZnS, or ZnSe. The semiconducting layer may be amorphous or crystalline and it may be an N-type doped semiconductor or an intrinsic semiconductor.
A disadvantage of a component having a charge transport layer with an inorganic semiconductor of the kind mentioned above is that this layer absorbs light in the visible spectrum range.

Organic electroluminescent component with charge transport layer