A process for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the catalyzed condensation of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol comprises carrying out the condensation in the presence of bis-(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)amine HN(SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3).sub.2 ! or a metal salt thereof of the formula Met N(SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3).sub.2 !.sub.n (I), wherein Met signifies a metal atom selected from the group of lithium, boron, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, scandium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, rhodium, palladium, silver, tin, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, dysprosium, ytterbium, hafnium, platinum and gold and n signifies the corresponding valency (1, 2, 3, or 4) of the metal atom Met, as the catalyst or of a combination of a metal salt of formula I and a strong Bronsted acid as the catalyst system in an organic solvent. The product of the process is the most active member of the vitamin E group.

The present invention is concerned with a novel process for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the catalyzed condensation of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol. As is known, d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol is a diastereomer mixture of 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4',8',12'-trimethyl-tridecyl)-6-chromanol (.alpha.-tocopherol), which is the most active and industrially most important member of the vitamin E group.
Various processes for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the condensation of trimethylhydroquinone (TMHQ) with isophytol (IP) in the presence of a catalyst or catalyst system have already been described. These processes go back to the work of Karrer et al., Bergel et al. as well as Smith et al. see Helv. Chim. Acta 21, 520 et seq. (1938), Nature 142, 36 et seq. (1938) and, respectively, Science 88, 37 et seq. (1938) and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 61, 2615 et seq. (1939)!. While Karrer et al. carried out the synthesis of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol from TMHQ and phytyl bromide in the presence of anhydrous zinc chloride (a Lewis acid), not only Bergel et al. but also Smith et al. used TMHQ and phytol as starting materials. In the following years mainly modifications, e.g. alternative solvents and Lewis acids, were developed. From the work of Karrer et al. there was developed in the year 1941 a technically interesting process for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol, which was based on the condensation of TMHQ with IP in the presence of the catalyst system zinc chloride/hydrochloric acid (U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,969). Later publications, e.g. Japanese Patent Publications (Kokai) 54380/1985, 64977/1985 and 226979/1987 see Chemical Abstracts (C.A.) 103, 123731s (1985), C.A. 103, 104799d (1985) and, respectively, C.A. 110, 39217r (1989)!, describe this condensation in the presence of zinc and zinc chloride (ZnCl.sub.2) and a protonic acid, such as a hydrohalic acid, e.g. hydrochloric acid (HCl), trichloroacetic acid, acetic acid and the like, especially ZnCl.sub.2 /HCl, as the catalyst system.
The manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the reaction of TMHQ with phytyl chloride or isophytol in the presence of boron trifluoride (BF.sub.3) or its etherate (BF.sub.3 Et.sub.2 O) is described in German Offenlegungsschriften (DOS) 960720 and 1015446 as well as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,444,123 and 4,634,781. However, boron trifluoride has corrosive properties.
Also, the condensation of TMHQ with IP or phytol, which has been treated with ammonia or amines, in the presence of ZnCl.sub.2 /HCl or a Lewis acid, e.g. BF.sub.3 or aluminium trichloride (AlCl.sub.3), and hydrochloric acid as the catalyst system has been described in the patent literature, e.g. in DOS 2 606 830, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,781 and European Patent Publication (EP) 100471. Again corrosion problems occur.
A further interesting method for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol from TMHQ and IP comprises using isolated TMHQ-AlCl.sub.3 complexes (DOS 1909164). This process variant avoids to a large extent the formation of undesired byproducts because it involves mild reaction conditions. The yield of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol is given as 77% based on IP. The use of solvent mixtures, such as e.g. methylene chloride/nitromethane, is disadvantageous.
Using the reaction described in the literature of TMHQ with IP in the presence of ZnCl.sub.2 in combination with acids such as trichloroacetic acid, acetic acid or acidic salts, such as sodium hydrogen sulphate, d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol cannot be manufactured in the required purity (about 85%) (see, for example, DOS 1909164).
A further application of ZnCl.sub.2 - with the addition of bromine--in the condensation of TMHQ with IP is disclosed in Czechoslovakian Patent 205952.
A further method for the condensation of TMHQ with IP to d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol is effected using a mixture of silicic acid and aluminium oxide pre-treated with protonic acids (see DOS 2404621). This method gives d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol in 90% yield; the required excess of IP (based on TMHQ) is, however, disadvantageous.
The manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the condensation of TMHQ with IP using ion exchangers in combination with metal ions (Zn.sup.2+, Sn.sup.2+ and Sn.sup.4+) disclosed in Bull Chem, Soc. Japan 50, 2477 et seq. (1977) gives the product in 70-87.5% yield.
All processes using ZnCl.sub.2 in combination with Bronsted acids as catalyst systems feature as a disadvantage the occurrence of corrosion problems and a potential contamination of the waste water with zinc ions.
The use of ion exchangers (Amberlyst.RTM. 15) as the catalyst for the condensation of TMHQ with IP is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,773. However, the d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol could not be obtained in the requisite purity.
The manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol in liquid or super-critical carbon dioxide by the condensation of TMHQ with IP in the presence of ion exchangers takes place according to EP 603 695 in about 85% yield.
The condensation in the presence of a catalyst system which consists of iron(II) chloride, metallic iron and hydrogen chloride gas is described in DOS 2160103 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,086. The formation of less byproducts is advantageous compared with the aforementioned process using zinc chloride and hydrochloric acid. However, corrosion problems and chloride contamination are equally disadvantageous.
An interesting alternative for the condensation of TMHQ with IP to d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol comprises using trifluoroacetic acid (EP 12824). Of advantage in this process are the good recyclization of the acid and the avoidance of hydrochloric acid. Disadvantageous are the facts that trifluoroacetic acid is relatively expensive and suitable materials for a production process are difficult to obtain.
The use of heterogeneous silicate-based catalysts (clays; especially zeolites) for the condensation is described in C.A. 100, 22833 (1984) and gives d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol in a yield of about 92%.
The use of heteropolytungsten acids as catalysts for the condensation of TMHQ with IP has been described for the first time in React. Kinet. Catal. Lett. 47, 59 et seq. (1992). d, 1-.alpha.-Tocopherol could be obtained in 90% yield with this process using toluene as the solvent. The separation of the catalyst and more precise experimental details, such as e.g. the dosage of the isophytol, are, however, not described in this literature reference. The excess of IP based on TMHQ is a disadvantage.
A further process described in the literature for the synthesis of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol is based on the use of lathanide triflates, such as e.g. scandium trifluoromethanesulphonate. With a 10% excess of IP this process gives yields of 96-98% EP 658 552; Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 68, 3569 et seq. (1995)!.
The use of scandium chlorides and other chlorides (yttrium, lanthanum etc.) on a carrier, e.g. bentonite or montmorillonite, as the catalyst for the condensation of TMHQ with IP has as disadvantages the need for a large amount of catalyst and an excess (about 10%) of IP EP 677 522; Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 69, 137 et seq. (1996)!.
According to EP 694 544 the condensation of TMHQ with IP in isopropyl acetate catalyzed by ZnCl.sub.2 /HCl gives d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol in yields of 98.6% with a purity of 98.6%. Disadvantageous in this process are, in addition to the contamination of the waste water by zinc ions, the large "catalyst amounts" (e.g. 23.3 g of ZnCl.sub.2 for 67 g of product) and the isophytol excess.
From the forgoing explanations it will be evident that the previously known processes have considerable disadvantages. Thus, corrosion problems occur in the case of all processes, when boron trifluoride is used toxicity problems with the boron trifluoride adducts also occur and when iron or zinc is used there is a contamination of the waste water with iron or zinc ions which is today no longer acceptable. In the case of some processes the formation of undesired byproducts, e.g. phytyltoluene and chlorophytols, is an especially serious problem.


One embodiment includes a back-electromagnetic force (BEMF) sense system. The system includes a sense amplifier configured to measure an amplitude of a selected one of a plurality of phase voltages relative to a center tap voltage associated with a servo motor for the calculation of an associated BEMF voltage. The plurality of phase voltages can be provided to the sense amplifier via a respective plurality of control nodes. The selected one of the plurality of phase voltages on a respective one of the control nodes can be selected based on coupling the other of the plurality of control nodes associated with the other of the plurality of phase voltages to a voltage source configured to provide a predetermined voltage magnitude.

Many computer systems include disk-drive memory systems to store data, such as hard-disk drives (HDD) and/or peripheral disk-drive systems. The disk-drives can incorporate a spindle motor that can be configured as a servo motor. To provide proper function of the disk-drive system, such as for auto-start procedures, it can be necessary to monitor a rotational speed of the disk-drive spindle motor, such as by measuring a back electromagnetic force (BEMF) of the servo motor for a given phase of the servo motor. The BEMF of the servo motor can be proportional to the rotational speed of the servo motor, such that a servo motor control scheme can be properly adjusted to maintain the rotational speed of the servo motor at a desired rate of rotation.

Back electromagnetic force (BEMF) sense system


Methods and apparatus for propagating robust scanning signals in pixel addressing operations in a pixel-to-pixel sequence that produces a predetermined pattern of alternating colors in an image signal so that a single channel, sequential color signal is generated from the pixel addressing operations in optoelectronic image transducers to reduce complexity and improve image fidelity.

Most practical television systems comprise the dissection and reconstruction of an image that comprises a plurality of picture elements, or pixels. Dissection of the image is performed by an optoelectronic transducer that comprises an image sensor. An image sensor has, or simulates, a plurality of discrete sensor pixel elements arranged to allow each sensor pixel element to provide a brightness value that corresponds to the average brightness of a corresponding image pixel. The brightness values of the sensor pixels are sequentially transmitted as a sequential image signal over a single transmission channel to avoid the complexity of providing a separate transmission channel for each pixel.
The image is reconstructed by sequential distribution of the sequential image signal within an optoelectronic transducer that comprises an image display. An image display comprises, or simulates, a plurality of image display pixels, so that the brightness value of each sensor pixel controls the brightness level of a corresponding display pixel. If the image sensor or display comprises an array of truly discrete pixels, the pixels must be individually addressed as part of the image dissection or reconstruction process.
Methods and apparatus for individually addressing discrete pixels of image sensors and displays have attempted to reduce the inherent complexity involved in individually selecting each pixel in the array according to a predetermined sequence at a predetermined scanning rate. The earliest attempts to address an image display comprising an array of pixels, typically an array of neon glow lamps, involved addressing each of the glow lamps by sequentially switching the image signal to each glow lamp with a motor-driven commutator.
Of course, with arrays that comprise hundreds of thousands of discrete pixels, such a motor-driven commutator is not practical because the commutator would have to have at least one contact for each pixel. It would not only be very expensive, but the large number of contacts and associated connecting wires would result in serious image degradation due to variation of impedance over the frequency range of the image signal.
One relatively simple way to address, or scan, each pixel in a group of pixels is to make each pixel sensitive to a scanning signal, such as a pulse, wherein each pixel is responsive upon receipt of the scanning signal only for the duration of the pulse. If the scanning signal is propagated from one pixel to another at a predetermined pixel scanning rate, then each pixel in the group will sequentially become responsive in the proper sequence for the proper duration.
A later attempt to reduce the number of contacts in the mechanical commutator for an image display involved the use of such a pulse-like scanning signal. This system involved switching the sequential image signal from one line of pixels to another with a mechanical commutator, but turning on each display pixel in each line with the scanning signal. The scanning signal was propagated along a passive delay line, with each pixel in each line of pixels connected at a different point along the delay line so that each pixel would turn on at the proper instant for the proper duration.
Later attempts to sequentially address image display pixels eliminated mechanical switching by making each pixel sensitive only to the receipt of a pair of scanning signals, with a first scanning signal propagated from one line of pixels to another at a line scanning rate through a first delay line and a second scanning signal propagated from one pixel to another in each line at a pixel scanning rate through a second delay line. These various attempts involved combining the image signal with the line or pixel scanning signals so that the image signal would control the brightness of each pixel made responsive by the receipt of the two scanning signals.
These systems suffer from at least two serious problems when used for image displays that comprise a large number of pixels. First, the amplitude and waveform of the pulse-like scanning signal deteriorates as it travels down the delay lines, with the deterioration proportional to the number of delay line sections. Since at least one section is required for each line of pixels in the first delay line and at least one section for each pixel in a line of pixels in the second delay line, serious scanning signal deterioration is likely for dense arrays. This can lead to erratic scanning or brightness levels in at least a portion of the array.
Second, all prior systems have either required switching or combining of the image signal through the individual address lines for the lines of pixels or for the pixels in each line. This increases the likelihood of bleed-over of the image signal and scanning signal to adjacent address lines, thereby causing more than one pixel to become responsive at any instant. The wide-band image signal is also degraded by propagation through the address lines due to the inductive and capacitive reactances associated with the long, thin and closely coupled address lines required for dense arrays.
An early system used a complex arrangement of impedance networks in the delay line in an attempt to reduce degradation of the scanning signal waveform as the scanning signal propagated down the delay line. The use of delay lines with complex sections would make their implementation with dense arrays prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, the attenuation of such lines is usually greater than simple delay line configurations.
Another system compensated for the amplitude loss of the scan pulse as it was propagated through each delay line with the use of resistances of varying values at each tap in the delay line to reduce amplitude variation. As a result, the amplitude of the scanning signal generated for dense pixel arrays would have to be very large. Also, the resulting shift in load resistance at each tap would cause deterioration of the scanning signal waveform as it propagated down the delay line.
Because of the problems associated with the propagation of scanning signals to pixels through delay lines as described above, much effort has been directed to the use of binary counters or shift registers for activation of pixels in an array through similar addressing schemes. For instance, a first shift register system would be used to sequentially provide a first activation signal to each line of pixels and a second shift register system would be used to sequentially provide a second activation signal to each pixel in each line of pixels. In this case, each pixel is sensitive to the receipt of the combination of the first and second activation signals.
Although the use of shift registers provide a robust activation signal for each pixel in the array during the scanning process, the complexity of the circuitry for dense arrays is undesirable. Furthermore, the shift registers must be driven by suitable clock circuitry, and the clock circuitry must be synchronized to the image signal with special synchronization circuitry. The implementation of a scanning system for dense arrays using such shift registers would therefore be complex and costly.
The systems that have used such shift registers for the scanning process have all involved the switching or combining of the image signal with the activation signals to propagate the image signal down at least one set of address lines. This causes deterioration of the wide-band image signal required for dense arrays, and also creates the possibility of bleed-over of the image signal and scanning signal to adjacent address lines, thereby causing more than one pixel to become responsive at any instant, as described above for prior art delay-line systems.

Robust pixel array scanning with image signal isolation


There is provided a combined ceiling fan and light fitting (10) having blades (1-4) that when the ceiling fan is not in use retract and are stowed above an enclosure (12) containing a light emitting device and that when the fan is in use are extended under centrifugal force. The blades are formed in such a way as to both stow compactly above the enclosure and provide reasonable aerodynamic performance. Each blade partially overlies a neighbouring blade when in its stowed position and the blades are so formed as to permit such stacking while limiting the overall height of the assemblage of stowed blades.

Ceiling fans have long been recognized and used as an inexpensive way to provide movement of air within rooms of buildings. They can be simple to use and install, safe, and inexpensive to buy and run when compared to such alternatives as for example refrigerated and evaporative air conditioning units. They can often provide a surprisingly effective alternative to air conditioning as the air movement they generate can evaporate skin perspiration with a resulting cooling effect.
It is known to combine ceiling fans with lighting means, as firstly it is a common requirement to provide ceiling mounted light sources, and secondly it is convenient to provide a single power supply to operate a combined fan and light fitting.
Less commonly, it has also been known to provide a combined light fitting and ceiling fan with some form of folding or retracting blade arrangement. Le Velle has described three versions. U.S. Pat. No. 1,445,402 discloses a light fitting and ceiling fan in which blades move outwards under centrifugal force when the fan is switched on, and are retracted by springs when the fan is switched off. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,458,348 and 2,079,942 disclose improved versions, in which (unlike the early version of U.S. Pat. No. 1,445,402) the inward and outward movements of the blades are synchronized. Synchronizing blade movement is important for preserving satisfactory balance of the rotating parts of the fan. More recently, a combined light fitting and ceiling fan has been disclosed by Villella (see international patent publication WO 2007/006096) with a concealed and simple blade movement synchronizing arrangement that lends itself to modern design.
A problem in the design of a combined light fitting and ceiling fan is to provide blades that when in use can provide useful air moving performance without requiring excessive power and that when not in use can fold into a reasonably compact overall form. The present invention addresses this problem.
A fan blade having a single axis of curvature may exhibit improved aerodynamic performance over a flat blade but is still less than optimum. The present invention seeks to further enhance aerodynamic performance by providing a combined ceiling fan and light fitting having blades which are retractable and have biaxial curvature. The term biaxial curvature means that the blades have a shape such that they would be generated by a surface of revolution or non-linear movement of a curved line rather than a straight line.
The invention disclosed herein provides a combination ceiling fan and light fitting which has the advantages of blades which have biaxial curvature thereby providing enhanced aerodynamic performance and the feature of being retractable so that they can fold into a compact overall form so that they are concealed.
References above and elsewhere in this specification to certain patents are not intended as or to be taken as admitting that anything therein forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art in any place.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An ironing board for thoroughly ironing all parts of trousers, skirts and two-legged garments whether plain or pleated at the waist and having pockets, as well as blouses, dresses and jackets, including the whole of each sleeve. The ironing board is a long, thin board onto which the garment is passed and below which are two U-shaped supporting legs hingedly interconnected by their upper horizontal arms so that they can be folded out flat on either side of the board, and also can connect the lower horizontal arms of the two legs together so that they are further apart than the spacing between the two upper arms to ensure that the two legs remain stable in the erected position. The ironing board can be placed on an ordinary table or on a standard ironing board.

The invention relates to a board for ironing garments, namely pants, skirts, blouses, jackets, dresses, including the sleeves, that is, the whole garment in its entirety, to allow garments to be ironed perfectly in the least accessible areas. The inventive board has therefore been created for the purpose of ironing garments and could be associated with an ironing table, or larger ironing board, so that the two become one, and this would allow it to be used in all manner of ways depending on the difficulties encountered when ironing such clothing or garments.
Traditionally, there was the large ironing board which is composed of a fairly broad (about 30 to 45 centimeters) board approximately 120 centimeters long placed and fixed on long folding legs which, when placed on the high ground, stand approximately 90 to 110 centimeters high (depending on the height to which the ironing board is adjusted), and forming a large X. Said ironing board does not allow the garments to be ironed in the least accessible areas without creasing, that is to say does not allow pants, for example, to be slipped fully over the board as the legs and width of said board prevent this.
Likewise, there was the smaller sleeve board which allowed just a small bit of the sleeves of the garments to be ironed, whereas the inventive board allows the ironing of garments, and also, as compared with the sleeve board, allows the entire length of the sleeves to be ironed by the sleeves being slipped fully over the board, because it is longer than the former sleeve board.


A non-volatile semiconductor memory includes a memory cell array having a plurality of electrically-rewritable non-volatile memory cells. The memory cell array is provided with an initially-setting data area, programmed in which is initially-setting data for deciding memory operation requirements. The non-volatile semiconductor memory also includes an initial-set data latch. The initially-setting data of the memory cell array is read out and transferred to the data latch in an initially-setting operation.

The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory.
Large-scale integrated semiconductor memories are provided with redundant circuitry for remedying defectiveness. The same is applied to electrically-erasable (rewritable) non-volatile memories (EEPROM).
Well-known redundant circuitry has redundant raw and column cell arrays to a memory cell array and a fuse circuit for storing addresses at which defective memory cells are located (called defective addresses hereinafter). Such a fuse circuit mostly consists of laser-brown type fuses.
Defective addresses for defective cells detected in a wafer test are programmed onto a fuse circuit. Once the fuse circuit has been programmed, an input detective address is compared with the defective addresses stored in the fuse circuit. If they are met, a replacement control is performed such that a decoder is controlled to select a redundant cell in place of the defective cell.
In addition to storing address data for a remedy for defectiveness as described above, the fuse circuit stores several initially-setting data for deciding memory operation requirements. The initially-setting data includes adjustment data to chip internal voltages that vary among chips or wafers, setting data for data-programming voltage, control parameters for the number of loops for programming (writing) and erasing, and so on.
The fuse circuit, however, cannot be reprogrammed. Moreover, defective cell detection by a tester in a wafer test and laser-fuse blowing are different processes so that they cannot be performed as a sequential process.
In place of such a fuse circuit, an electrically-erasable non-volatile memory cell the same as a memory cell for an EEPROM has been proposed as an initially-setting data storing circuit because such a non-volatile memory cell can easily program data compared to a fuse blowing and is data-rewritable.
However, proposed so far is a system in which a non-volatile memory cell array for storing initially-setting data is provided separately from a data-storing memory cell array. Such a system thus requires circuitry specially for reading data from, programming data to and erasing data in a memory cell array for storing initially-setting data other than that for a data-storing memory cell array. This results in complex circuitry, increase in chip area and also complex control for data verification and reprogramming, etc.

Method of transferring initially-setting data in a non-volatile semiconductor memory


The disclosure provides a creep resistant alloy having an overall composition comprised of iron, chromium, molybdenum, carbon, manganese, silicon, nickel, vanadium, niobium, nitrogen, tungsten, cobalt, tantalum, boron, and potentially additional elements. In an embodiment, the creep resistant alloy has a molybdenum equivalent Mo(eq) from 1.475 to 1.700 wt. % and a quantity (C+N) from 0.145 to 0.205. The overall composition ameliorates sources of microstructural instability such as coarsening of M23C6 carbides and MX precipitates, and mitigates or eliminates Laves and Z-phase formation. A creep resistant martensitic steel may be fabricated by preparing a melt comprised of the overall composition followed by at least austenizing and tempering. The creep resistant alloy exhibits improved high-temperature creep strength in the temperature environment of around 650° C.

Creep behavior and degradation of creep properties of high-temperature materials are phenomena of major practical relevance, often limiting the lives of components and structures designed to operate for long periods under stress at elevated temperatures. In ultra supercritical steam turbines operating at temperatures up to 600° C., the rotors, airfoils, rotor casing, valve chest and other ancillary components are generally composed of high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steel. High Cr (9-12%) martensitic steel are generally comprised of iron with between 9-12 weight % (wt. %) chromium, relatively low carbon contents, and additions of alloying elements such as molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, vanadium, niobium, nitrogen, and others.
Creep is a time-dependent deformation of a material under an applied load which most often occurs at elevated temperature. Physical models of creep behavior in creep-resistant steels such as high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steel rely on a stable microstructure built from martensitic laths and organized into blocks, packets and prior austentite grains and stabilized by M23C6 carbides, which assume resistance to increments in creep strain depending on barriers to dislocation movement through climb and glide, where a dense dislocation network, fine particle dispersions, and elastic strain fields in the matrix are generally considered to present effective barriers to dislocation movement. Changes in the effectiveness of these barriers lead to changes in creep behavior of materials. Structural changes in the material usually accelerate the creep, which in turn accelerates the rate of appearance of intergranular creep damage. Creep terminates in rupture when unabated and has a significant impact on component lifetime.
In high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steels, structural changes usually accelerate the creep, which in turn accelerates the rate of appearance of intergranular creep damage. Correspondingly, microstructural stability during service is of great importance. The structural features generally expected to exert an influence on the creep rupture properties in high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steels include the martensitic lath and associated hierarchical structure (blocks and packets), the prior austenite grain structure, the formation of a three-dimensional network of M23C6 carbides associated with such structures, the dislocation density within the martensite laths, the polygonization conditions of the subgrains, the presence of fine, uniformly dispersed MX, nitrides, and carbonitrides within the martensitic lath structure, and the solid solution strengthening of the martensitic lath matrix by elements such as molybdenum, tungsten and cobalt. The high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steels are typically strengthened by a combination of matrix solute strengthening agents such as cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten, matrix transformation to martensite with heat treatments, and MX matrix precipitate and M23C6 particle formation on prior austenite/packet/block/lath/subgrain boundaries. Creep strength is generally achieved by a high dislocation density and the combination of frictional drag on dislocations from solute in the matrix and also MX precipitate formation impeding dislocation movement as discrete obstacles during creep. As is understood, the term MX particle denotes a nitride or carbonitride particle such as (Nb, V)(N, C), where M represents metal atoms such as titanium, niobium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, and others, and X represents interstitial atoms. The conditions under which different metal atoms form MX particles vary with the compositions of steel alloys. Similarly, as is understood, M23C6 indicates a carbide such as (Cr, Fe, Mo, W)23C6, where M is the carbide forming element such as chromium, iron, molybdenum, tungsten, and others. The M23C6 carbides primarily form at prior austenite boundaries, packet, block and lath boundaries while MX carbonitrides precipitate in the ferrite matrix, typically during the tempering process.
The standard heat treatments for high Cr (9-12%) martensitic steels generally involve austenization and/or normalizing and tempering. The austenization is usually carried out at high temperatures above the Ac1 temperature in order to dissolve most carbides and nitrides and obtain a fully austenitic microstructure. After cooling to room temperature, the microstructure generally becomes martensitic, with a relatively high dislocation density. The martensite is a distorted tetragonal form of the ferrite bcc crystal structure. Normally air cooling of 9-12% Cr steels is sufficient for martensitic transformation, because the high levels of chromium retard the diffusion of carbon and mitigates the formation of ferrite. This is typically followed by tempering in order to recover ductility.
With the necessary emphasis on creep behaviors at higher temperatures, heat resistant alloys providing improved creep performance provide obvious advantage.
Correspondingly, presented here is a creep resistant alloy comprised of at least iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), carbon (C), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), nitrogen (N), tungsten (W), cobalt (Co), tantalum (Ta), boron (B), and potentially additional elements. The overall composition strengthens the matrix with solute additions and precipitates, stabilizes the various grain and sub-grain structures using carbides, and engenders a high density of dislocations with thermo-mechanical processing (TMP) and heat treatment. The overall composition ameliorates sources of microstructural instability such as coarsening of M23C6 carbides and MX precipitates, and mitigates or eliminates Laves and Z-phase formation by positional control of composition. In an embodiment, the creep resistant alloy exhibits significantly improved high-temperature creep strength in the temperature environment of around 650° C. as compared to other creep resistant martensitic steels, such as COST FB2, COST E, and COST B2 steels.
Additional objects, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the accompanying description and claims.

Creep resistant high temperature martensitic steel


A light shield device, a light shield control method, an electronic device and a vehicle are provided. The light shield device includes a controller module and a light shield structure, the light shield structure includes an accommodating cavity, an electrowetting material being in the accommodating cavity and having a light-shielding property, and at least one fluid tube which is communicated with the accommodating cavity; and the controller module is configured to apply a voltage to the light shield structure, so that wettability of a surface of the at least one fluid tube is changed to allow the electrowetting material to fill the at least one fluid tube.

When the vehicle is driven at night, the high beam is usually used for watching a road ahead. However, the driver's abuse or non-standard use of the high beam leads to a hidden danger to road safety. For example, when a vehicle driven at night meets another vehicle in front of the vehicle, a driver does not switch the high beam to the low beam, so that a driver or a pedestrian in front of the vehicle is exposed to strong light, resulting in visual blind spots, which causes traffic accidents to occur frequently and seriously jeopardizes road safety. At present, there are no effective technical solutions to prevent or eliminate the abuse of the high beam. Thus, how to eliminate the impact of the high beam on the driver so as to avoid the visual blind spots and improve the safety of night driving has become a research hotspot.

Light shield device, light shield control method, electronic device and vehicle

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An inverter assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a first inverter, and a second inverter. The housing comprises a plurality of walls. The plurality of walls form an inlet for cooling fluid to enter the housing, an outlet for the cooling fluid to exit the housing, and a channel, and a channel for the cooling fluid to flow therebetween. The first inverter is disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel. The second inverter is also disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is also configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel.

Hybrid electric, fully electric, fuel cell, and other fuel efficient vehicles are becoming increasingly popular. Electric and hybrid electric vehicles utilize high voltage battery packs or fuel cells that deliver direct current necessary to drive vehicle motors, electric traction systems and other vehicle systems. These vehicles use thick electric current connectors to deliver high power direct current from battery packs, fuel cells, or other power sources to electric motors and other electric devices and systems of the vehicle.
In addition, these vehicles typically include inverters to convert the direct current provided by such battery packs, fuel cells, or other power sources to alternating current for use by such electric motors and other electric devices and systems of the vehicle. However, it may be difficult to provide optimal cooling for such inverters and any components used in conjunction therewith that may require cooling, for example to avoid overheating. In addition, such inverters and components consume space and weight within the vehicle systems. Such space and weight can often be at a premium in today's hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, particularly with the increasing complexity and additional features often included in such vehicles. Moreover, manufacturing inverters and assemblies relating thereto can result in substantial time and monetary costs, for example as specialized tools are generally used to manufacture such inverter assemblies.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved inverter assemblies for vehicles, for example that provide improved cooling of the inverters and other components of the inverter assemblies. It also is desirable to provide improved inverter assemblies that potentially consume less space and/or weight in a vehicle. In addition, it is desirable to provide improved inverter assemblies that are potentially less costly to produce as compared to typical inverter assemblies for vehicles. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Vehicle inverter assembly with cooling channels


Disclosed herein are cyclic oligomers comprising substituted or unsubstituted m-phenylene isophthalamide, complexes of these oligomers with selected metal salts, novel methods for their preparation, and polymerization of the cyclic oligomers to linear aramids. The aramids are useful, for example, as fibers for fire resistant clothing. Amino-functional cyclic oligomers may be reacted with polyfunctional acyl halides to produce polyamides.

Cyclic oligomers with repeat units corresponding to condensation polymers such as polyesters and polycarbonates are known. These cyclic oligomers can often be converted to their corresponding linear polymers by ring-opening polymerization. Cyclic oligomers of some aromatic amides have been made.
Cyclic oligomers of (substituted) p-phenylene terephthalamide have been prepared. See, for example, W. Memeger Jr., et al., Macromolecules, vol. 26, p. 3476-3484 (1993) and Polym. Prepr., vol. 34, p. 71-72 (1993). No cyclic meta-substituted aromatic amides are disclosed in this paper.
F. E. Elhadi, et al., Tetrahedron Lett., vol. 21, p. 4215-4218 (1980) reports the synthesis of N-substituted cyclic trimers of m-aminobenzoic acid. Cyclic oligomers of diamines and dicarboxylic acids are not mentioned.
T. L. Guggenheim, et al., Polymer Prepr., vol. 30, p. 138-139 (1989) report the attempted synthesis of the cyclic oligomer of m-phenylene isophthalamide by a high dilution reaction procedure, but they report no "appreciable amount of cyclic formation".
Y. H. Kim, et al., Abstracts of the 35th IUPAC International Symposium on Macromolecules, University of Akron, Jul. 11-15, 1994, report the synthesis of a nitro-substituted cyclic oligomer of m-phenylene isophthalamide. Also reported is a metal salt complex of this cyclic oligomer.

Cyclic oligomers comprising m-phenylene isophthalamide and polymers thereof


The present disclosure provides compounds and methods useful in the treatment of neurological disorders. The compounds of the invention, alone or in combination with other pharmaceutically active agents, can be used for treating or preventing neurological disorders.

An incomplete understanding of the molecular perturbations that cause disease, as well as a limited arsenal of robust model systems, has contributed to a failure to generate successful disease-modifying therapies against common and progressive neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Progress is being made on many fronts to find agents that can arrest the progress of these disorders. However, the present therapies for most, if not all, of these diseases provide very little relief. Accordingly, a need exists to develop therapies that can alter the course of neurological diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases). More generally, a need exists for better methods and compositions for the treatment of neurological disorders in order to improve the quality of the lives of those afflicted by such diseases.
Stearoyl-CoA desaturases (SCDs) introduce a double bond in the C9-C10 position of saturated fatty acids such as palmitoyl-CoA and stearoyl-CoA which are converted to palmitoleoyl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA, respectively. One SCD gene, SCD1, has been characterized in humans for which there are two isoforms, SCD1 and SCD5. In turn, there are two forms of SCD5, SCD5a and SCD5b, which differ at the C-terminus. The present inventors have discovered that inhibition of SCDs is capable of suppressing toxicity in cells related to protein misfolding and/or aggregation. Accordingly, inhibition of SCDs may provide new methods for the treatment of diseases and disorders related to toxicity caused by protein misfolding and/or aggregation.

Methods for the treatment of neurological disorders


An electronic authentication device has an authentication key unit for user authentication with respect to the target unit, which key unit communicates electronically with the target unit during an authentication communication process. An electronic authentication communication process is activated automatically when the key unit approaches the target unit or when a triggering element provided on the target unit is actuated. For increased protection against unauthorized authentication attempts, indicating apparatus are provided on the key unit to display the fact that an electronic authentication communication process is taking place. Also switching apparatus can be provided for allowing or blocking an authentication communication process, and a communication duration monitor can also be provided on the target unit to monitor the duration of an authentication communication process and block authentication if this duration exceeds a predetermined maximum duration.

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 19632025.9-53, filed Aug. 8, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an authentication device for electronic authentication communication.
Devices of this kind are used for example in door-locking systems and electronic anti-theft systems on modern motor vehicles in order to allow activation of these systems only by an authorized person or persons. The vehicle-mounted part of the door-locking system and/or the electronic anti-theft system constitutes the authentication target unit to which the user must identify himself as authorized. For this purpose, he is provided with a corresponding authentication key unit, usually in the form of a so-called electronic key. Authentication involves an electronic authentication communication in which an encoded signal transmitted between the target unit and the key unit is used by the system to check whether the individual key unit (and hence the user possessing it) is authorized to perform certain actions with respect to the target unit, such as for example unlocking the door locks of the door-locking system or disarming the electronic anti-theft system. Devices with additional or exclusive electronic authentication communication offer higher protection against manipulation compared to purely mechanical authentication devices, like that provided for example by mechanical key and lock systems.
Authentication devices are known in which an operating element on the authentication key unit must be actuated by the user to activate an electronic authentication communications process. For example, in a device of this kind disclosed in DE 42 34 822 A1, a momentary contact switch is connected to a control unit of a transmitter that functions as a key unit. Activation of the momentary contact switch causes the transmitter to transmit a recognition code for a receiving target unit that checks the code it receives against a stored code to see whether they match. A light-emitting diode is also connected to the control unit, diode indicating the operating state of the transmitter.
By contrast with these so-called operable systems, the authentication devices according to the species (known as "operationless systems") offer a higher degree of operating comfort since when they are used, the authentication communication process does not require operation of the key unit but takes place either automatically with sufficient proximity of the key unit to the target unit or by actuation of a triggering element provided on the target unit.
During an electronic authentication communication process for example, an interrogation signal is initially transmitted from the target unit to the key unit via a wireless communication link. Upon receiving this signal, the key unit sends back an encoded signal that is decoded and verified in the target unit and may then provide the desired authorization of further actions. The interrogation signal from the target to the key unit can serve, for example, only to trigger the signal output in the key unit; it can also contain, however, information such as a random number that is processed further in the key unit (in other words is encoded). In addition, this signal can also represent an energy supply signal for the key unit on which information may be superimposed by modulation for example.
If the authentication communication process is to be activated automatically as soon as the key unit has come within a certain distance of the target unit, the target unit must transmit the introductory signal at least certain time intervals, which means a comparatively high energy requirement. Therefore, alternative systems have already been proposed in which a triggering element on the target unit must be actuated initially to activate the authentication communication process. Preferably, this triggering element is part of a mechanical authentication process that is provided in addition in any case, so that as a result there is effectively no additional operating process for the user. For example, the triggering element is actuated in the case of a door-locking system when a mechanical key part of the key unit is inserted into the lock of the target unit, when a door handle is operated to open the door, or when a light barrier in front of the door lock is broken. Authentication devices of the above-mentioned various types are disclosed, for example, in EP 0 218 251 B1; DE 35 00 353 A1 and DE 28 38 056 B1.
All of these conventional authentication devices have in common the fact that the electronic authentication communication proceeds automatically as far as the key element is concerned and hence unnoticed and uninfluenced by the user. This results in the following theoretical weaknesses in this system as far as protection against manipulation is concerned.
In systems with unidirectional code transmission, the key unit is activated by a triggering or energy signal from the target unit and then delivers encoded information, with signal transmission preferably taking place by electrical or magnetic waves. However, an unauthorized person with a unit that is functionally identical to the target unit but has a higher transmitting and receiving power, could approach the holder of an authorized key unit when the latter is still far from the target unit. He could then use his unit to call up the code information from the key unit and store it without the authorized user noticing anything. Then the unauthorized person can use the recorded code information to perform an authorizing electronic authentication communication process with the target unit.
In systems with bidirectional code data exchange, for example using electrical or magnetic waves, a first unauthorized individual with a first unit could call up the initial code information from the target unit and use a suitable transmitter to switch to a signal carrier suitable for long distances and retransmit the code. A second unauthorized individual could then use a second unit to receive this signal, change it to the signal suitable for the legitimate key unit, and transmit to the latter when he is in the vicinity of the key unit. The key unit then delivers its response signal which is conducted along the reverse transmission path to the target unit. In this way, two unauthorized individuals could release the target unit without authorization.
An object of the present invention is to provide an authentication device of the type recited at the outset, which prevents unnoticed electrical authentication communication by the key unit with the target unit, so that no authentication by unauthorized persons is possible, especially as a result of the two unauthorized types of manipulation described above.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the authentication arrangement according to the invention, in which unauthorized callup of authorization codes from a key unit and their storage in the target unit by unauthorized persons is prevented by at least one of three measures. First, an authentication communication process that is taking place in the key unit can be indicated by corresponding indicating means to the holder of the key unit, so that he is warned in proper time if a communication process is taking place without his involvement. Second, switching means can be provided on the key unit for allowing or blocking an authentication communications process. That is, the device can be designed so that the holder of the key unit can lock the unit to keep it from actuating the switching means if authentication communication processes occur during periods of time in which he is certain that no such communication processes are to take place. It should be noted that these switching means do not serve to trigger an authentication communication process, but the latter takes place automatically instead or by actuating a corresponding element on the authentication target unit. Alternatively, the device can be designed so that the switching means are actuated automatically in suitable fashion when the key unit is used in a way that is required in any event, for example when using a mechanical key part of the key unit in a mechanical lock on the target unit, so that no separate operating process for the user is required.
Finally, in addition to or instead of the above means, a communication duration monitoring device can be provided on the authentication target unit, which monitors the duration of an authentication communication process. In the case of unauthorized communication attempts of the type described above, the communication duration will be lengthened in comparison with normal authorized communication processes, because of the longer transmission distance and/or the required signal conversion. By setting a suitable maximum duration for an authentication communication process, the monitoring means can recognize an unauthorized communication attempt, so that these means serve to block the authentication at the target unit.
In one embodiment of the invention, the display means incorporate an acoustic and/or optical signaling device which is activated during each authentication communication process for a certain space of time and informs the user of the key unit acoustically and/or optically that an authentication communication is taking place.
Another embodiment of the invention also includes mechanical authentication actuation of the key unit on the target unit as a prerequisite for subsequent activation of an electronic authentication communication process. A switching element is provided on the key unit that, as a result of the mechanical authentication actuation of the key unit on the target unit, is automatically actuated as well and thereby authorizes an electronic authentication communication process that it would otherwise block. In this manner, the key unit is protected against the elicitation of authentication information so long as it is not brought into active connection mechanically with the target unit.
In still another embodiment, the maximum communication time provided for the communication time monitoring device is set for a normal authentication process, in which the key and target units communicate directly with one another within a specified maximum distance. Unauthorized communication attempts over longer distances and/or with indirect signal transmission last longer, however, and thus can be detected by the communication duration monitoring means which then secure the target unit against this authentication attempt.

Authentication device with electronic authentication communication


A carbonyl compound represented by the following formula [1],

In order to disperse sludge and the like in engine oil to maintain cleanliness inside an engine, various lubricating oil additives represented by alkaline earth metal salts have been used. When these additives possess a high basicity, they are very economical due to a lower amount of required additive. However, the stability of these additives declines, resulting in problems such as gelling which forms a film on the surface of the engine and the like. For this reason, fatty acids are added to overcome these problems (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In regard to 2-cycle engine oils, since a portion of the engine oil is discharged along with the exhaust gas, engine oil used in outboard motors and so on has been required to possess biodegradability and heat stability.
As a carboxylic acid used as an additive in engine oil, tertiary carboxylic acids such as 3-methyloctane-3-carboxylic acid, secondary carboxylic acids such as 2-ethylhexanoic acid and isostearic acid, and the like can be used, and long-chain branched primary carboxylic acids having 20 or more carbon atoms are not known. These compounds do not fully exhibit the properties of low temperature fluidity, low volatility, biodegradability, and the like required for lubricating oil additives.
Various carboxylates are known to be used in the base stock of lubricating oils. For example, mineral oils are used in lubricating oils for chainsaws used in lumber logging. However, in recent years, in consideration of environmental problems, the use of biodegradable plant oils such as rapeseed oil (triglyceride of fatty acid) has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
Although these plant oils are biodegradable, they are unstable and possess poor low temperature properties due to unsaturated bonds contained therein, which limits their use as lubricating oils.
In order to improve thermal stability, the use of synthetic ester has been disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Document 3). However, good low temperature properties cannot be obtained.
An ester-type lubricating oil with improved flow characteristics at room temperature while ensuring biodegradability has been disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Document 4). However, since the carboxylic acid used possesses a comparatively short chain of up to 10 carbon atoms, the lubricating oil does not possess a satisfactory viscosity index, which is an important indicator of lubricating oil characteristics.
Although carboxylic acids used in paint coatings, epoxy resin reformers, plasticizers, cosmetic base materials, raw materials for stabilizers, and the like have been desired to be in a liquid state and possess a high boiling point in view of handling easiness, a compound satisfying these characteristics has not been known.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-1988-203645    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-1993-230490    [Patent Document 3] JP-A-1993-98276    [Patent Document 4] JP-A-2000-514470

Carbonyl compound containing long-chain branched alkyl group

Abstract: wherein X is hydrogen, a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group or a group derived from a polyol, and n, which is the same in each instance, is 4 to 30. Compositions comprising the compound, and method for making the compound.


A visualization system with audio capability includes one or more display devices, one or more microphones, one or more speakers, and audio processing circuitry. While a display device displays a holographic image to a user, a microphone inputs an utterance of the user, or a sound from the user's environment, and provides it to the audio processing circuitry. The audio processing circuitry processes the utterance (or other sound) in real-time to add an audio effect associated with the image to increase realism, and outputs the processed utterance (or other sound) to the user via the speaker in real-time, with very low latency.

As virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology matures, VR and AR visualization systems are starting to be introduced into the mainstream consumer electronics marketplace. AR Head Mounted Display (HMD) devices ("AR-HMD devices") are one promising application of such technology. These devices may include transparent display elements that enable a user to see concurrently both the real world around them and virtual content that is generated and displayed by the device. Virtual content that appears to be superimposed over a real-world view is commonly referred to as AR content.
VR and AR visualization systems can provide users with entertaining, immersive virtual environments in which they can visually and audibly experience things they might not normally experience in real life. In such environments, however, the perceived realism of the environment may be degraded if a user speaks or issues voice commands and the user's voice does not sound consistent with what the user sees, including the displayed virtual content.

Real-time remodeling of user voice in an immersive visualization system


A liquid dispensing device for use in the dispensing of micro-volumes of liquid for gas chromatography has a cylinder with an open end and has a piston slidable therein. The piston has a coaxial rod slidable within itself; and displacement member including a reversible stepper motor and clutch mechanism is provided to effect selectable linear displacement of the piston in the cylinder and/or the rod in the piston in order to vary to volume of the cylinder, the top end of which is in communication with the fluid sample to be injected.

Gas chromatography requires the preparation of controlled gas-vapor mixtures for the purpose of calibration and analysis. This procedure involves the introduction of a precise volume of liquid into a chamber containing a carrier gas of known properties, the liquid being instantly vaporized to form a gas-vapor mixture. Typically this procedure is carried out by manual injection using micro-syringes. There are obvious disadvantages to this procedure in that it requires a practiced hand to fill the syringe with a bubble-free sample and then inject repetitively so that consistent results are achieved. Both the calibration standard and the sample must be injected several times to ensure accurate results.
In a syringe there must be perfect sealing between the plunger or piston and the barrel along its entire length. This becomes a problem, particularly, in micro-syringes where the plunger is a very thin rod that can bend or deform easily after short usage.
The same criteria for standard and sample delivery into the chamber apply to high performance liquid chromatography. In some ways the procedure is more arduous in that samples must be degassed, and more care is required because of large sample volumes and larger syringes.
It is therefor an object of this invention to provide a liquid dispensing device which overcomes or at least minimizes these problems and provides repeatable delivery of a gas free sample.

Liquid dispenser with coaxial piston and rod for dispensing a precise volume

c/o University of Natal, Chemical Engineering, Private Bag X10, Dalbridge


The present invention provides a pancreatic islet transcription factor and methods of treating and diagnosing diabetes.

Insulin, a hormone required for metabolic homeostasis, is produced only in the pancreatic beta cell. Type I Diabetes is characterized by a rapid loss of beta cell mass and a sharp decrease in pancreatic insulin content. A decline in beta cell mass and function is also characteristic of Type II Diabetes. Intervention to improve beta cell mass and function is a major goal of diabetes therapeutics.
Perturbations in the expression or function of numerous islet transcription factors have been demonstrated to cause beta cell dysfunction. In humans, mutations in islet transcription factors HNF4alpha, HNF4beta, HNF1alpha, and pdx-1 lead to Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) syndromes via the resulting deficit in beta cell function. See, e.g., Froguel, P & Velho, G, Trends Endocrinol Metab 10: 142-146 (1999)). Functional deletion of other islet transcription factors (e.g. nkx6.1, nkx2.2, isl-1, neuroD/beta2, PAX6) in mice also lead to beta cell and insulin deficits and diabetes. See, e.g., Melloul, D. et al., Diabetes 45: 309-326 (2002); Sander M et al., Genes Dev 11: 1662-1673 (1997); Sander M et al., Development 127: 5533-5540 (2000). Overexpression of pdx1 in islets can lead to restoration of beta cell mass and function in the context of diabetogenic mutations in other proteins (Kushner J A et al., J Clin Invest 109: 1193-1201 (2002)). Overexpression of pdx-1 and isl-1in enteric stem cell populations confers on them the ability to produce insulin (Kojima H et al., Diabetes 51: 1398-1408 (2002)). It is clear that the proper complement of islet transcription factors is crucial for maintenance of a stable metabolic state, and that, in some cases, it is possible to confer on certain cells the ability to express insulin by providing for increased expression of islet transcription factors.
There are five known RFX genes in humans. RFX1, RFX2, RFX3 and RFX4 share conserved DNA-binding domains, dimerization domains, and domains of undefined function called B and C. The dimerization domains allow RFX1-4 proteins to homo- and heterodimerize. This dimerization function is involved in the transcriptional function of these proteins. RFX 1, 2 and 3 also have an additional conserved A domain. RFX5 has the conserved DBD, but lacks the dimerization and A, B, and C domains. RFX5 controls transcription from the MHC class II gene promoter, and mutations in RFX5 lead to the bare lymphocyte syndrome, a serious immunodeficiency disorder (Reith W and Mach B, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 19: 331-373 (2001)).
The molecular mechanisms that control a cell's ability to produce insulin remains poorly understood. The present invention addresses this and other problems.

Pancreatic islet transcription factor and uses thereof


A system and method for providing speed-regulated data transmission between two synchronous systems in different clock domains. A first synchronous circuit includes a memory device, and a second synchronous circuit includes one or more data-requesting devices. The first synchronous circuit operates at a greater clock speed than the clock speed of the second synchronous circuit. A read request buffer queues read request signals from the data-requesting devices, and outputs one of the read request signals to the memory device. A pulse generator receives the read request signal which was output from the queue, and generates a plurality of signal pulses in response thereto. Each of the pulses occurs at a different predetermined time from the occurrence of the read request signal. One of the pulses is selected to be the read acknowledge signal, and assertion of the read acknowledge signal allows the read request buffer queue to output another read request signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to data transmission systems, and more particularly to an asynchronous interface for allowing speed-regulated data transmission between two synchronous systems in different clock domains.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Connections of input/output (I/O) systems and central computing complexes (including processing units and memory devices) have often required the use of asynchronous interfaces. It is known that various I/O devices and systems are designed to be used in conjunction with these central computing complexes, however the I/O devices are typically independently designed, and operate at different system clock speeds than the central computing complex. The different system clock speeds of the I/O and the central computing complex have given rise to the use of the asynchronous interface, to allow these synchronous circuits to communicate effectively.
One asynchronous interface method is to use memory buffers in both the I/O system and the central computing complex. These memory buffers temporarily stored additional data transfer requests while waiting for current operations to be completed. Other memory buffers temporarily stored transmitted data which could not yet be handled by the recipient circuit. However, use of these buffers requires complex address counters and pointers, detectors for detecting whether the buffer is empty or full, and queue compression logic. Furthermore, these buffers require large amounts of valuable real estate on the chip. It is therefore desirable to provide an interface between the input/output devices and the memory without the use of the large amount of memory buffers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,657, issued to Ludwig et al. on Mar. 2, 1993, discloses an asynchronous bus interface interposed between independent synchronous buses. However, Ludwig et al. does not appear to provide for an asynchronous interface which can delay the transfer of data depending on the relative speeds of the different synchronous systems. The present invention allows this delay to be easily modified according to changing relative clock rates of the synchronous systems. This provides for ease in coupling a particular I/O system to various different memory systems, and further provides for a modifiable asynchronous interface that is greatly beneficial during clock margin testing.
There is a need, therefore, for an asynchronous bus interface that provides flexibility in changing data transfer rates between two systems clocked at different clock rates, and further for an asynchronous bus interface that avoids the need for large amounts of memory buffers which consume valuable chip real estate. The present invention provides a solution to these and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.

System and method for controlling data transmission rates between circuits in different clock domains via selectable acknowledge signal timing


A system, a method, and a computer program product for managing answer feasibility in a Question and Answering (QA) system. A set of candidate situations is established. The set of candidate situations corresponds to a first set of answers. A QA system establishes the set of candidate situations by analyzing a corpus. The first set of answers will answer a question. The QA system identifies a subset of the set of candidate situations. The subset of candidate situations corresponds to a portion of contextual data. The portion of contextual data is from a set of contextual data. The set of contextual data relates to the question. The question-answering system determines a set of answer feasibility factors. The set of answer feasibility factors is determined using the subset of candidate situations. The set of answer feasibility factors indicates the feasibility of the answers in the first set of answers.

The present disclosure relates to computer systems, and more specifically, to managing answer feasibility in a question-answering system. With the increased usage of computing networks, such as the Internet, humans can be inundated and overwhelmed with the amount of information available to them from various structured and unstructured sources. However, information gaps can occur as users try to piece together what they can find that they believe to be relevant during searches for information on various subjects. To assist with such searches, recent research has been directed to generating Question and Answer (QA) systems which may take an input question, analyze it, and return results to the input question. QA systems provide mechanisms for searching through large sets of sources of content (e.g., electronic documents) and analyze them with regard to an input question to determine an answer to the question.

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a method for manufacturing a substrate for liquid ejection head including an ejection energy generating element and a nozzle layer including an ejection port and a liquid channel. The method includes the steps of: forming, on the substrate including the element, a metal mold member made of metal and having a flat surface, the metal mold member making up at least a part of a mold for the liquid channel, and a planarization layer made of the metal and having a flat surface to planarize a surface of the nozzle layer; coating the mold for the liquid channel and the planarization layer with negative-type photosensitive resin, thus forming a negative-type photosensitive resin layer to be the nozzle layer; exposing the resin layer to ultraviolet rays, thus forming the ejection port; and selectively removing the mold for the liquid channel, thus forming the liquid channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a substrate for liquid ejection head such as a substrate for ink jet recording head configured to implement recording by ejection of ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid ejection heads are used for a wide range of purposes such as printers, manufacturing apparatuses of display components and medical inhalers, and the application thereof to a lot of industries are expected in the future. Especially for a liquid ejection head for printers, an ink jet recording head is available, which can eject liquid droplets densely and precisely.
A substrate for such an ink jet recording head is conventionally manufactured by a semiconductor manufacturing technique using a substrate made of silicon. Specifically, the manufacturing begins with the formation, on a silicon substrate, of an ejection energy generating element including a heat generating resistant element and the like configured to generate bubbles of ink for ejection and a driving circuit to drive the heat generating resistant element by methods such as photolithography, vacuum film formation and etching. Then, an ink channel mold member to be a mold for an ink channel is formed on this substrate by photolithography, on which photosensitive resin is applied by spin coating for film formation. The thus obtained photosensitive resin layer is then exposed to ultraviolet rays, for example, to form an ink ejection port, and the ink channel mold member is removed, thus forming a nozzle layer (nozzle plate) made of this photosensitive resin and thus manufacturing a substrate for ink jet recording head.
Unfortunately, due to a difference in thickness of an underlayer under (on the substrate side) this photosensitive resin layer, e.g., due to a difference in thickness at a part of the ejection energy generating element on the substrate, the photosensitive resin to be the nozzle layer applied by spin coating on the ink channel mold member may have a non-uniform film thickness. The film thickness of the photosensitive resin layer directly relates to the thickness of an ink ejection port (orifice), and so is an important factor affecting the ejection performance.
As another problem caused by a difference in thickness of the underlayer such as at the ejection energy generating element, reflected light of the ultraviolet ray exposed to the photosensitive resin layer, which occurs due to such a difference in thickness, deforms a shape of the ejection port unlike a desired shape, thus adversely affecting the ink ejection performance of the ink jet recording head.
To avoid this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-001809 (1997) proposes a method including an ink channel mold member formation step of disposing a dummy pattern made of the same material as that of the ink channel mold member at a region other than the ink channel as well, thus making the thicknesses of the ink channel mold member and a nozzle layer to be formed on this dummy pattern uniform. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-178906 proposes a method of forming an anti-reflection film on a substrate having an ejection energy generating element thereon, whereby an ejection port is formed while suppressing reflection from the underlayer, and then removing this anti-reflection film.

Manufacturing method of substrate for liquid ejection head


In one embodiment, a service receives a device registration request sent by an endpoint device, wherein the endpoint device executes an onboarding agent that causes the endpoint device to send the device registration request via a cellular connection to a private access point name (APN) associated with the service. The service verifies that a network address of the endpoint device from which the device registration request was sent is associated with an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) or international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) indicated by the device registration request. The service identifies a tenant identifier associated with the ICCID or IMEI. The service sends, based on the tenant identifier, a device registration response to the endpoint device via the private APN.

The Internet of Things, or "IoT" for short, represents an evolution of computer networks that seeks to connect many everyday objects to the Internet. Notably, there has been a recent proliferation of 'smart' devices that are Internet-capable such as thermostats, lighting, televisions, cameras, and the like. In many implementations, these devices may also communicate with one another. For example, an IoT motion sensor may communicate with one or more smart lightbulbs, to actuate the lighting in a room when a person enters the room. Vehicles are another class of 'things' that are being connected via the IoT for purposes of sharing sensor data, implementing self-driving capabilities, monitoring, and the like.
Today, the onboarding of cellular IoT devices is needlessly complex and typically requires a device to go through "staging" that requires human intervention. More specifically, onboarding of a cellular IoT device entails either customizing each device during manufacturing or requiring the end user to configure each device in the field before deployment. Customizing each device at manufacturing creates stock-keeping unit (SKU) proliferation and the associated back and forth workflow between the manufacturer and the end user. Due to the complexity of the backend process, end users often use shared secrets across devices. In addition, the secrets are often shared with the manufacturer, thereby weakening security. On the other hand, requiring that the end users configure each device before deployment, increases field deployment cost and time, decreases security, introduces human errors and increases operational complexity.
To allow mutually trusted secure operations of the IoT devices with IoT services, such as AWS IoT and Azure IoT, devices needs to be given a trust anchor (root certificates), per device secrets, Cellular APN and IoT service-related information. With embedded SIM (eSIM, or eUICC) customers are interested in choosing a service provider and downloading the respective SIM profiles during deployment as well. Enabling this level of per device customization without complex backend process and in the field customization in a secure and scalable manner is a critical problem to solve for wide deployment and adoption of (cellular connected) IoT devices.

Zero-touch deployment (ZTD) of cellular IoT devices and associated trust model


A belt device includes a belt as an endless belt that has a scale with a large number of scale marks formed along the whole circumference of the belt. A sensor reads the scale to obtain scale information. A control device provides control to correct a belt speed, based on scale information read. A scale-mark degradation determining unit determines whether the scale mark is degraded. A belt drive controller continuously provides control to correct the belt speed for a degraded portion until the scale-mark degradation determining unit determines that there is no degradation.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt device that detects an actual belt speed and corrects a belt speed based on the actual belt speed, an image forming apparatus including the belt device, and a method to control belt speed.
2) Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers capable of forming a full color image are increasing with the demands of the market. Such an image forming apparatus includes a so-called tandem type image forming apparatus. This type of image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photosensitive elements that are arranged in tandem, and a plurality of developing devices that develop toners of different colors corresponding to the photosensitive elements. In this image forming apparatus, toner images each having a single color are formed on the photosensitive elements, and the toner images of the single colors are sequentially transferred to a belt-shaped or a drum-shaped intermediate transfer element to form a full-color composite image.
The tandem type image forming apparatus may include a direct transfer system and an indirect transfer system. In the image forming apparatus with the direct transfer system as shown in FIG. 12, toner images formed on photosensitive elements 91Y, 91M, 91C, and 91K aligned in a row are sequentially transferred, by transfer devices 92, to a sheet of paper P (hereinafter, "sheet P") carried on a sheet conveying belt 93 that rotates in the direction of arrow A, and a full color image is formed on the sheet P. In the image forming apparatus with the indirect transfer system as shown in FIG. 13, toner images formed on the photosensitive elements 91Y, 91M, 91C, and 91K are sequentially transferred by superimposing, to an intermediate transfer belt 94 that rotates in the direction of arrow B. The toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 94 are collectively transferred to the sheet P, by a secondary transfer device 95. Note that a paper feed device 96 and a fixing device 97 are also shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13.
In the tandem type of image forming apparatus with the intermediate transfer belt as shown in FIG. 13, toner images of different colors formed on the photosensitive elements are superimposed on one another on the intermediate transfer belt to form a color image. Therefore, if positions on which the images are superimposed deviate from one another, color misalignment or a slight change in hue may occur in the color image. Thus, image quality degrades. Accordingly, the positional deviation (color misalignment) of the color toner images is a key problem.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. H11-24507 (pages 3 to 4, FIG. 1) discloses a technology to correct unevenness in speed of a transfer belt in a color image forming apparatus using a conventional transfer belt.
In this technology, a color copying machine includes an intermediate transfer belt (or transfer belt) that is rotatably supported by five support rollers including one drive roller. Toner images of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black are sequentially transferred by superimposing to the circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt to form a full color image.
A scale with finely and accurately formed scale marks is provided on the internal surface of the intermediate transfer belt of the color copying machine. An optical detector (sensor) reads the scale to accurately detect the moving speed of the intermediate transfer belt. The moving speed detected is fed back by a feedback control system so that the intermediate transfer belt is made to move at an accurately controlled speed.
However, the scale may be worn out, damaged, or even dirty due to deposition of toner thereon, when the color copying machine is configured. Further, the scale with the scale marks formed along the belt is read by a sensor, the speed of the belt is detected based on information for the scale read, and the result of detection is fed back to controller so that the belt is made to move at an accurate speed. If the scale is worn out, damaged or dirty, the sensor may erroneously detect the scale mark(s) of the scale, thereby making it difficult to accurately control the belt speed.

Belt device, image forming apparatus, and method to control belt speed


An image forming apparatus including: a body housing; a paper feeding unit accommodated in the body housing and providing a recording medium; an image forming unit accommodated in the body housing and forming an image on the recording medium; a fixing unit accommodated in the body housing and fixing the image formed by the image forming unit; and a cooling unit including a channel including an inhalation part and a discharging part which are formed in the body housing for air to flow, extending between the inhalation part and the discharging part and formed adjacently to the fixing unit, and an air purification module installed in the channel and generating ions reacting to foreign substances in air traveling through the channel to purify the air, and discharging heat generated in the fixing unit to the outside.

1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a recording medium with a developing agent, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which discharges air rising in temperature by heat generated in a fixing unit out of the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus is generally realized as a printer, a copy machine, a fax, a multifunctional device having two or more functions, etc. and conducts a printing process of forming a visible image on a recording medium with a developing agent or ink. An image forming apparatus employing a developing agent includes an image forming unit which forms a visible image on a recording medium by a developing agent and a fixing unit which fixes an image formed by the image forming unit on a recording medium.
Such an image forming apparatus necessarily generates heat therein in a printing process, and high-temperature air in the apparatus is discharged out of the apparatus through a vent formed at one side of the apparatus.
However, the inside of the image forming apparatus is generally blocked from the outside. Inside the image forming apparatus phenomena including heat and dust from several components and the developing agent are generated. These phenomena cause microorganisms such as bacteria, fine dust or nano-dust to accumulate in the apparatus. These microorganisms or fine dust are discharged from the inside of the image forming apparatus to the outside through the vent, thereby bring about air contamination in use environments.
In the image forming apparatus, temperature is the highest around the fixing unit which emits heat for fixing, and density of microorganisms and fine dust in the air is generally high near the fixing unit as well.

Image forming apparatus having cooling unit


A transmission fill gauge system for a vehicle transmission includes a fill gauge assembly and a vacuum adapter assembly, wherein the vacuum adapter assembly and the fill gauge assembly are configured to be simultaneously in fluid communication with a transmission drain pan of the vehicle transmission. A method of measuring a transmission fluid level in a drain pan includes fluidly connecting a vacuum adapter assembly between a fill port of the vehicle transmission and a constant vacuum source, applying an internal vacuum pressure to the drain pan via a constant vacuum source, removing a drain plug from a drain on the drain pan, attaching a fill gauge assembly to the drain, the fill gauge assembly having a primary fluid tube slidably mounted in an elongated body portion, sliding the primary fluid tube to a predetermined position, and discontinuing the internal vacuum pressure to the drain pan by closing the valve.

Many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have removed the dipsticks from their transmissions to save on cost and remove a potential source of water intrusion into the transmission. Due to this redesign, the process for checking the transmission fluid level on many of these transmissions can be complex and time consuming. In particular, transmissions today typically have an elevated drain tube in the transmission oil pan that will drain any excess transmission fluid above the intended fluid level. To determine if the fluid level is adequate in the transmission after a transmission or transmission component fix or replacement, or to check and/or refill the transmission fluid level after maintenance or monitoring, for example, a technician must first open the transmission drain plug. If there is an absence of draining transmission fluid upon opening the drain plug, transmission fluid is added through the refill port until the fluid fills the transmission oil pan above the level of the elevated drain tube. At that point, the transmission fluid will drain through the drain tube, allowing the technician to physically see, by way of the draining fluid, that the appropriate amount of transmission fluid is present in the transmission.
For the above method of determining the transmission fluid level to be most effective, and to maintain the safety of those inspecting the transmission, it is necessary that the transmission fluid be at or near a predetermined inspection temperature (e.g., 100° F.). The problem, from a technician's standpoint, for example, is that rarely vehicles requiring inspection and/or monitoring of the transmission fluid level are at the necessary temperature. Thus, long periods of time must be allocated to allow the transmission fluid to cool from an operating temperature of approximately 200° F. to the inspection temperature.
Transmission fluid levels are normally only checked due to a customer complaint about the operation of the vehicle, such as rough shifting, for example, which can often be the result of an improperly maintained transmission fluid level, whether too high or too low. However, when the customer takes their car into a service station for maintenance, the customer does not expect to be without their vehicle for several hours or more while waiting for the transmission fluid to cool to the required inspection temperature. A transmission level gauge and procedure are needed that will eliminate the downtime associated with waiting for the transmission fluid to cool. The present disclosure is directed to a transmission level gauge and methods for monitoring and/or replacing the transmission fluid in a transmission while the fluid is in an operating temperature range. The gauge is designed to prevent exposure of the technician to the hot transmission fluid, allowing for a safe and efficient means for checking and/or establishing the transmission fluid level in a transmission at operational temperatures.

Transmission level gauge and process for transmissions without dipstick


An operating system for a motor vehicle, having a first operating unit for detecting user gestures, at least one second operating unit for detecting user inputs, and an evaluation unit which assigns the user gestures and user inputs detected by the operating units to operating functions. The evaluation unit checks whether a user gesture and a user input have been detected at the same time within the same time window and within the same spatial area. The evaluation unit modifies or suppresses the operating function assigned to the user gesture in the event of a positive result of the check.

The possibility of using non-contacting operating elements based on gesture recognition is increasingly feasible through the implementation of optical sensors, and particularly camera systems, in motor vehicles. In hand or finger gesture recognition systems, the problem of false recognition of gestures arises, which is caused by the actuation of conventional operating elements that are located in the detection region of a gesture sensor, while e.g. motions for actuating switches or shift levers are detected and interpreted by the gesture recognition system as user inputs. The operating functions triggered in this manner can lead to undesirable or even dangerous situations.
In order to avoid this, it is known how to determine spatial limits for the gesture recognition system within which gestures should be recognized, and to avoid placement of additional operating elements in such a region. However, the problem also exists that for so-called multimodal operating concepts, gestures must also be recognized in places where other operating elements are located (such as e.g. a wiping gesture while operating a rotating pressure actuator.
Such an operating system with a multimodal operating concept is described in the German laid open patent DE 10 2007 040 A1. This document relates to a plurality of simultaneous operating actions that individually have no significance or one specific significance in combination with an additional operating action to assign a combined additional meaning Such precisely defined operating combinations are normally not critical.
It can be a problem, however, if the motion for a conventional operating action, such as for the actuation of a switch, is erroneously interpreted within the framework of a gesture recognition system as an operating gesture.


The present invention relates to a method and system for selectively blending buildings to improve route visibility in a 3D navigation system. A method for displaying a 3D map may include: detecting whether or not an object to be displayed on a map screen intersects with a route guiding line on the map screen with the object intersecting the route guiding line being blended therewith.

In a three-dimensional (3D) navigation system, all the digital maps may be three-dimensionally represented. Representing, for example, buildings, mountains, and hills on such a 3D map may be a good way to represent information. In addition, the 3D navigation system may display a route on a 3D map, thereby guiding a road on which a vehicle is to drive. However, the field of view of a display screen is occluded by, for example, buildings, mountains, and hills and thereby limited, which may cause predetermined information to be limitedly represented. For example, when displaying a route on a 3D map, the route may be occluded by an object having a height value, for example, a 3D object, for example, a building and other road facility. Accordingly, in many cases, a heading direction cannot be known.
To outperform the aforementioned phenomena, the 3D navigation system has employed a technology for 1) blending all the 3D objects present around crossroads, or 2) blending a 3D object present in a heading direction of a route among the 3D objects around the crossroads. However, many of the 3D objects around the crossroads may be blended and thus, the overall map display quality may be degraded due to unnecessary blending processing. In addition, referring to FIG. 1, in the case of a road having a relatively high curved level, not being around the crossroads, a route 101 is still occluded by neighboring sky-high buildings 103 and thus, the visibility of the route 101 is not secured.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for more effectively blending a 3D object.

Method and system for selectively blending buildings to improve route visibility in a 3D navigation system


Composition which can be used in structural adhesives, essentially comprising a polymer system suitable for being used in a methacrylate matrix, said polymer system comprising styrene-free block copolymers formed from at least two blocks and preferably from at least three blocks, and said polymer system being solubilized in a matrix of linear or branched acrylic and/or methacrylic monomers and/or of cyclic methacrylates and/or of aromatic methacrylates. Application by incorporation into an adhesive formulation of methacrylate type.

For such uses, adhesives called structural adhesives are known, composed of two components, stored separately, one of which is a catalyst intended to carry out the polymerization of the other component which contains monomers.
Structural glues and adhesives comprise three broad families of polymers, which give the bonded joint its structure. These three broad families cross-link in different ways, and are incompatible with each other. They can be classified according to their modulus, characterized by their tensile-shear strength (TS), and their elasticity. These are epoxide-matrix, polyurethane-matrix and methacrylate-matrix adhesives.
Epoxide glues (epoxy/amine polyaddition) have a high modulus and TS ranging up to 40 MPa, but a low elongation of 3-5%.
Polyurethane-based glues (polyol/poly-isocyanate polyaddition) have a low modulus, of the order of 5-10 MPa TS, while having an elongation capable of reaching 100%.
Methacrylate-matrix glues (radical polyaddition) have a high modulus (20 to 30 MPa TS), but a low average elongation, not exceeding 40%.
The methacrylate-based glues have the best compromise between a high modulus, giving the assembly a significant strength with respect to tensile stresses on the substrates, and a good fatigue resistance, contributed by the flexibility of the bonding joint.
Their resistance to ageing and to chemicals is excellent.
Furthermore, the application of the methacrylate-based glues is less demanding that that of the other structural adhesive products.
Document WO 98/23658 describes a curable composition that can be used for coatings or as an adhesive, comprising (a) a polymerizable monomer, (b) a core/shell polymer, and (c) a liquid polymerizable component capable of conferring strength when polymerized, while polymerizable monomers (a) and (c) must be different.
Document FR 07 02485 describes a structural adhesive composition comprising (a) at least one methacrylate ester monomer, (b) at least one elastomer block copolymer, (c) a selected elastomer, and (d) particles formed from a thermoplastic shell and an elastomer core, while component (b) must comprise at least one elastomer block copolymer containing styrene and at least one second monomer.
Document FR 06 11442 describes an adhesive composition that must comprise at least one methacrylate ester monomer; at least one elastomer chosen from polybutadiene, polyisoprene and polychloroprene; as well at least two elastomer block copolymers all comprising styrene among their monomer units.
Document EP 0 357 304 describes an acrylic structural adhesive composition comprising 50-75% of an methacrylate ester monomer; 0-15% of a polymerizable mono- or dicarboxylic acid having ethylenic unsaturations; 10-30% of a core/shell polymer; and 5-20% of an elastomeric polymer. However in practice, such a composition gives rise to problems, both as regards formulation, and also with respect to the application of the composition onto a surface.
Moreover adhesives exist that have a high elongation at rupture (ranging up to approximately 200-250%), but such adhesives have a low tensile/shear strength which prevents their use as structural adhesives.
More generally, the various conventional structural adhesives thus described or proposed have:                elongation at rupture that is too low to allow the assembly of materials that may undergo high expansion;        low elasticity, the corollary of which is polymer creep, an irreversible phenomenon that weakens the bonded joint and reduces its resistance to vibration or repeated stresses;        a cross-linking time that is difficult to accept in industrial installations because it cannot be adapted according to the application, and        joint thickness that is limited in practice to a range of 250 to 300 micrometers.
Thus there is remains a need to carry out bonding of various materials under cost-effective conditions, without primer or primary adhesive layer, with rapid curing and above all with a durability and resistance to mechanical and/or thermal stresses ensuring that the integrity of the bond and of the bonded pieces is maintained. This requirement is even more important for the decks and/or hulls of vessels, for which the bonding and/or caulking involves wood, particularly teak, and an assembly of metal substrates, polymer substrates and/or a substrate itself made of wood.

Structural adhesives, process for the preparation thereof, and application thereof