A sensor and bracket assembly designed for arrangement in the crush zone of a motor vehicle, is operative to determine when and if a crash of the vehicle is severe enough to deploy a passive restraint system (i.e., air bag or seat belt tensioner). The sensor is preferably of the crush switch type but may also be electronic of electromechanical. The bracket is designed to lie in the crush zone for a wide spectrum of crashes including those that involve only a portion of the vehicle front end including partial bumper over-rides and under-rides. The bracket may be either a separate part of the desired shape may be incorporated into the design of some part of the vehicle structure such as the radiator supports. The assembly may incorporate a single or multiple brackets and a single or multiple sensors. The essence of the invention is that the bracket is comprised of two ends and at least one deformable section which deforms in a predictable controlled manner upon the bracket being impacted in a crash condition desired to be detected. The bracket is placed a scientifically or otherwise predetermined distance back from the frontmost part of the vehicle depending on the crash and car specifications to be detected, or prescribed depth in order to timely deploy an air bag or the like. In an airbag deployment desired crash, the vehicle crushes to at least the "prescribed depth" at which time the bracket deforms predictably and the sensor detects this deformation and initiates deployment of the airbag.

Crash sensors for determining that a vehicle is in a crash of sufficient magnitude as to require the deployment of an inflatable restraint system, or air bag, are either mounted in a portion of the front of the vehicle which has crushed by the time that sensor triggering is required, the crush zone, or elsewhere such as the passenger compartment, the non-crush zone. This invention is concerned with crush zone mounted sensors.
The ball-in-tube crush zone crash sensor, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,974,350; 4,198,864; 4,284,863; 4,329,549; 4,573,706 and 4,900,880 to D. S. Breed, has achieved the widest use while other technologies, including magnetically damped sensors as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,515 to Behr et al and crush switch sensors such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,639 to D. S. Breed, are now becoming available. All of these sensors, except for some implementations of the crush switch technology, are point sensors. That is, they require that either the intruding object or material located in front of the sensor strike the relatively small front of the sensor in order for the sensor to function properly. These sensors can be called point sensors due to the small area covered by the sensors. Some implementations of the crush switch technology, such as ribbon switches, cover a much wider area of the crush zone and are line sensors, however, it has been found that there is usually insufficient available structure at the proper location in the crush zone to mount ribbon switches.
In some accidents, material in front of point sensors is not displaced rearward in time to impact the sensor and cause timely deployment of the restraint system. In these cases the sensor may either respond to the overall crash pulse in which case air bag deployment will be late, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,880, or the sensor may not trigger at all. If the sensor triggers late, the occupant may be out of position and even resting against the air bag when it deploys. In this case the occupant can be killed or seriously injured by the air bag deployment, as discussed in SAE Paper 826047 "Responses of Animals Exposed to Deployment of Various Passenger Inflatable Restraint System Concepts for a Variety of Collision Severities and Animal Positions", by H. J. Mertz et al.
In many point sensor implementations, the sensor is mounted higher than the bumper so that the material in front of the sensor above the bumper must be impacted during the crash in order to cause the sensor to deploy in a timely manner. Although these sensors work well in under-ride accidents where the bumper of the vehicle rides under the object being struck, many accidents do not result in a direct impact with the material in front of the sensor. Some accidents, such as impacts with guard rails, only involve direct impact with the bumper and other accidents, called "bumper over-ride" accidents, involve impacts with the vehicle below the bumper. Although these are common, accounting for about 2% of real world accidents, present day crush zone sensor systems can fail to sense these accidents in time.
The "crush zone" of a vehicle can be defined, for the purpose of this invention description, to include that portion of the front of the vehicle which has crushed up to the time that sensor triggering is required. In a frontal barrier impact, the material in the crush zone has substantially stopped while the material in the non-crush zone is continuing to move at nearly the pre-crash velocity.
The required sensor triggering time is frequently determined to be 30 milliseconds prior to the time that an unrestrained occupant has moved a total of 5 inches (about 0.128 m.) relative to the passenger compartment. By this definition, it can be seen that the crush zone will vary from crash to crash and from one part of the front of the vehicle to another. The crush zone in a frontal barrier crash might stretch 10 inches (about 0.26 m.) back from the front-most point of the bumper for a location above the bumper, while it might stretch 13.5 inches (about 0.3 ml) back for a location directly behind the bumper. This is because, at the time that sensor triggering is required, the bumper may have a crushed thickness of 4 inches (about 0.1 m.) while the material above the bumper, such as the grill, may have a thickness of only 0.5 inches. On the other hand, for a bumper under-ride crash where the required sensor triggering time is considerably later, the crush zone above the bumper might be 13 or more inches back.
An approximate surface can be defined by subjecting a group of identical vehicles to a series of 10 MPH (about 17 kilometers per hour) crashes, for example, at different angles and different vertical engagements with the vehicle. These crashes would include fixed barriers placed at a variety of angles from -45.degree. to +45.degree. and at different elevations so that sometimes the impact is only below the bumper (bumper over-rides), at others only at the bumper, and at still others only above the bumper (bumper under-rides). Assuming that 10 MPH was the marginal velocity at which deployment of a passive restraint was desired, this 10 MPH (about 17 kilometers per hour) crush zone boundary surface would define the location for mounting of crush switch crash sensors. It would also form the location of the most rearward mounting positions for velocity change crash sensors. In practice, velocity change sensors are almost always mounted at the boundary determined by full frontal barrier impacts only.
Because of the thickness of the bumper, the 10 MPH (about 17 kilometers per hour) zone boundary is usually several inches further rearward for locations in line with the bumper than for other locations for full frontal barrier impacts. Point sensors, which are usually mounted above the bumper so that they will catch under-ride crashes, must project several inches further forward than they would if they were able to sense the rearward motion of the bumper. In many cases this results in the sensors projecting forward of the radiator into the open space behind the grill leaving them vulnerable to being rotated or damaged by maintenance or through wear and tear on the vehicle over its life.

Automotive Technologies International Inc.


Construction of rotary machinery with a one-way clutch integrated pulley is achieved that is capable of reducing the manufacturing cost when the location in the axial direction of the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a with respect to the rotary machinery 1a changes. In construction where a sleeve 10a of a one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a is supported by and fastened to a rotating shaft 4 in a housing 2, by placing a circular ring shaped spacer 35 between one end surface of the sleeve 10a and the other end surface of a support bearing 3 for the rotating shaft 4, it is possible to position the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a in the axial direction with respect to the rotary machinery 1a without changing the length of the sleeve 10a for each type of vehicle.

As disclosed in JP 2001-349413 (A) and JP 2003-232433 (A), one-way clutch integrated pulley devices have been conventionally used as pulley devices for driving auxiliary machines, such as an alternator, for an automobile.
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of conventional construction of rotary machinery with this kind of one-way clutch integrated pulley. A rotary machine 1 such as an alternator normally has a housing 2, and a rotating shaft 4 that is supported inside the housing 2 by way of a support bearing 3 so as to be able to rotate freely. An inner ring 5 of the support bearing 3 is fastened with an interference fit around the outside of the middle section in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 4 and an outer ring 6 of the support bearing 3 is fastened with an interference fit on the inside of the housing 2. In this state, in order to position the support bearing in the axial direction, one end surface (right end surface in FIG. 8) in the axial direction of the inner ring 5 comes in contact with a stepped section 7 that is provided around the middle section in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 4, and the other end surface (left end surface in FIG. 8) in the axial direction of the outer ring 6 comes in contact with an inward facing flange section 8 that is provided on the housing 2. In other words, the support bearing 3 is held from both sides in the axial direction by the stepped section 7 and an inward facing flange section 8. The tip end section (right end section in FIG. 8) of the rotating shaft 4 protrudes to the outside of the housing 2. For example, when the rotary machinery 1 is an alternator, the rotating shaft 4 corresponds to a rotating shaft of the alternator, and when the rotary machinery 1 is an auxiliary drive apparatus during an idling stop of the engine or an electric motor, the rotating shaft 4 corresponds to a crankshaft of the engine or a drive shaft of the electric motor.
A one-way clutch integrated pulley 9 has a sleeve 10 and pulley 11 that are arranged concentric with each other. The sleeve 10 is such that by screwing a female screw section 12 that is formed around the inner circumferential surface in the middle section in the axial direction onto a male screw section 13 that is formed around the outer circumferential surface on the tip end section of the rotating shaft 4, the sleeve 10 is supported by and fastened to the rotating shaft 4 so as to be able to rotate in synchronization with the rotating shaft 4. With this kind of sleeve 10, by one end surface (right end surface in FIG. 8) coming in contact with the other end surface (left end surface in FIG. 8) of the inner ring 5 of the support bearing 3, it is possible to position the rotating shaft 4 in the axial direction. Moreover, the pulley 11 is arranged around the sleeve 10, and is provided with belt grooves 15 for a belt (continuous belt) 14 that is placed around a drive pulley (not illustrated in the figure) and that is rotated and driven by the drive pulley.
Moreover, a one-way clutch 16 and a pair of support bearings 17 are provided between the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve 10 and the inner circumferential surface of the pulley 11. The one-way clutch 16 is such that torque is transmitted between the pulley 11 and the sleeve 10 only when there is a tendency for the pulley 11 to rotate in a specified direction relative to the sleeve 10. The one-way clutch 16 has a clutch inner ring 18, clutch outer ring 19, a plurality of rollers 20, a clutch cage 21 and the same number of springs 22 as rollers 20. The clutch inner ring 18 is fastened with an interference fit around the outer circumferential surface of the middle section in the axial direction of the sleeve 10, and by providing long concave sections 23 called ramp sections, which are long in the axial direction and that become deeper while going in a specified direction in the circumferential direction, at a plurality of evenly spaced locations in the circumferential direction around the outer circumferential surface thereof, the outer circumferential surface functions as a cam surface 24.
The plurality of rollers 20 and the clutch cage 21, which supports these rollers 20 so as to be able to roll and to displace a little in the circumferential direction, are provided between the cam surface 24 and a clutch outer-ring raceway 25, which is a cylindrical surface that is formed around the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring 19. Springs 22 are provided between column sections, which are provided at a plurality of evenly space locations in the circumferential direction of the clutch cage 21, and the rollers 20, and these springs 22 elastically press the rollers 20 in a specified circumferential direction. Alternatively, it is possible to provide ramp sections at a plurality of location in the circumferential direction around the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring, and for this inner circumferential surface to function as a cam surface, and for the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner ring to be simply a cylindrical surface.
The outer diameter of the rollers 20 is less than the space between the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner ring 18 and the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring 19 in the portions where the concave sections 23 are formed, and is greater than the space between the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner ring 18 and the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring 19 in the portions separated in the circumferential direction from the concave sections 23. The rollers 20 are pressed by the springs 22 so as to bite like a stopper into the portions between the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner ring 18 and the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring 19 that are separated in the circumferential direction from the concave sections 23 where the spaces between these surfaces become narrow.
Moreover, the pair of support bearings 17 make relative rotation between the pulley 11 and sleeve 10 possible, while at the same time support radial loads that are applied to the pulley 11. In the example illustrated in the figure, a deep-groove ball bearing that in addition to being able to support radial loads that are applied to the pulley 11, is also able to support axial loads, is used as this kind of support bearing 17. In other words, the support bearing 17 comprises an outer ring 27 that has a deep-groove outer-ring raceway 26 around the inner circumferential surface thereof, an inner ring 29 that has a deep-groove inner-ring raceway 28 around the outer circumferential surface thereof, a plurality of balls 30 that are provided between the outer-ring raceway 26 and the inner-ring raceway 28 so as to be able to roll freely, and a cage 31 for supporting these balls 30. The outer rings 27 are fastened around the inside of both end sections in the axial direction of the pulley 11. Moreover, the inner rings 29 are fastened around the outside of small-diameter stepped sections 32a, 32b that are formed on both end sections in the axial direction of the sleeve 10. Opening sections on both end sections of the cylindrical space where the balls 30 are located are covered by seal rings 34, the outer circumferential edge sections thereof fitting in fitting grooves 33 that are formed around the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 27. These seal rings 34, together with preventing grease that is filled inside the cylindrical space where the balls 30 are located from leaking out, prevent foreign matter such as dust from getting inside the space.
In this kind of one-way clutch integrated pulley 9, when the clutch outer ring 19 rotates with respect to the clutch inner ring 18 in the same direction that the springs 22 press the roller 20, the rollers 20 bite between the outer circumferential surface of the clutch inner ring 18 and the inner circumferential surface of the clutch outer ring 19, and a locked state occurs in which the clutch inner ring 18 and the clutch outer ring 19 rotate in synchronization. On the other hand, when the clutch outer ring 19 rotates with respect to the clutch inner ring 18 in the opposite direction that the springs 22 press the rollers 20, the rollers 20 are located in the portions where the concave sections 23 are formed, and roll in those portions, and an overrun state occurs in which torque is not transmitted between the clutch inner ring 18 and the clutch outer ring 19.
This kind of one-way clutch integrated pulley 9, when assembled with the rotating shaft 4 of rotary machinery 1 such as an engine or auxiliary machine, is housed inside the engine room of an automobile. The size and shape of this kind of engine room differ depending on the type of vehicle. In other words, the positional relationship between the installation location of the rotary machinery 1 such as an alternator, and the location in the axial direction of the belt 14 that is placed around the pulley 11 differs depending on the type of vehicle. Therefore, the location in the axial direction of the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9 with respect to the rotary machinery 1 must be changed for each type of vehicle. In the case of this construction, positioning the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9 in the axial direction with respect to the rotary machinery 1 is possible by bringing one end surface of the sleeve 10 in contact with the other end surface of the support bearing 3 that supports and fastens to the middle section in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 4. Therefore, in order to change the location in the axial direction of the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9 with respect to the rotary machinery 1 for each vehicle model, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of different types of sleeves 10 having different dimensions for the small-diameter stepped section 32 that is formed on the one end as a special part. This causes a problem in that the manufacturing cost of the rotary machinery with a one-way clutch integrated pulley increases.

Rotary machinery with a one-way clutch integrated pulley


A blood-collecting apparatus comprises a lancet assembly composed of a lancet body and a protector, with the lancet body having a needle end which is protected by the protector. The apparatus further comprises a pricking device and an end cap, with the device separably holding the lancet body, while the end cap being formed with an opening through which the needle end can advance back and forth. The lancet body has a first locking means and an arm means corresponding to a first lockable means and a second lockable means of the end cap, respectively. The apparatus is easy to use, and those means cooperate with one another to eliminate the infection or other hygienic problems when taking a blood sample and also to render the used apparatus safely disposable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus used to collect human blood samples, and more particularly, relates to a blood collecting apparatus of the so-called pricking type which comprises a lancet and an end cap cooperating with the lancet.
2. Description of Prior Art
The number of diabetics is increasing worldwide, and the governmental or other organizations of many countries are making best efforts to establish a system f or earlier detection of diabetes. In general, the blood sugar test is necessary for the early detection. Owing to the recent rapid progress in electronics, the blood testing apparatuses and reagents for use to obtain the data relating to diabetes and other diseases have been made more compact, simpler and cheaper. Thus, the blood sugar test can now be conducted by people even in their houses, if so wanted. Since it is very difficult for a person to take his or her own blood sample for that test from his or her earlobe, the blood sample is usually taken from a fingertip.
"Finger-pricking devices" are widely used in hospitals and houses in order to take blood samples. Each of such devices comprises a throw-away lancet having a pointed needle end designed to pierce the fingertip (or other body portion, but the piercing of fingertip being the most cases). There have been proposed many types of such devices with the lancets.
The lancets of this kind made by, for example, Bayer A. G. (Germany), Miles Incorporated (U.S.A.) and Life Scan Corp. (U.S.A.), are commercially available. FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings schematically shows a prior art lancet 1 incorporated in the finger-pricking device, and FIG. 10 also illustrates in outline the finger-pricking device 11.
The operation when the device or lancet is used will now be described referring to FIGS. 9 and 10.
The lancet 1 shown in FIG. 9 comprises a lancet body 5 and needle protector 7, wherein the lancet body has a pointed needle end 3 projecting to pierce the fingertip, while the protector being a guard covering the needle so as isolate it from the outside. The lancet body 5 is a one-piece molded plastics member integral with the protector 7. The projecting needle end 3 is received in and shielded by the plastics material forming the protector.
The lancet body 5 may be wrung relative to the protector 7 so that the former is separated from the latter (in the so-called "twisting-off" manner). An end 9 of the thus separated lancet body 5 will then be secured to a lancet holder 13 formed in a lancet ejector 21 of the finger-pricking device 11. This ejector 21 is linked to a spring means (not shown) which comprises a spring lockable in its compressed state by an appropriate mechanism. After setting the lancet body 5 on the finger-pricking device, an end cap 16 will be fitted thereon so that its end deck 19 can be pressed to fingertip 17.
Then the locked spring will be released to take its uncompressed position, thus springing out the lancet body 5 towards the end deck of the end cap 15 (as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10). The fingertip 17 is pierced in this way. In detail, the pointed needle end 3 forms a small cut in the fingertip. A little amount of blood oozing from the little cut will be collected for various tests. FIG. 10 shows an instantaneous state of the pointed needle end 3 piercing the fingertip 17. Subsequent to this instant, the lancet body 15 whose needle end 3 has pricked the fingertip will automatically be retracted a little distance towards its home position, and will take a position where said needle end 3 is spaced apart from the cut surface of the fingertip.
In the described manner of collecting the blood sample by means of the lancet of the finger-pricking device, the lancet body 5 is replaced with a new one after every operation. However, the end cap 15 of the finger-pricking device remains unreplaced. The end cap, particularly its end deck 19 which has contacted the skin of fingertip as shown in FIG. 10 can hardly be removed therefrom without being stained with the blood oozing from the tested person. In a case wherein a through-hole formed through the end deck for passing the needle is small and tight, the possibility of the contamination of end deck will be much higher.
There may be another case wherein one and the same finger-pricking device is used in common by some persons. One of them may be apt to use it only by replacing the lancet body but without sterilizing the end deck 19 of the end cap. In such an event, the small cut in his or her fingertip is very likely to come into contact with the blood of the other persons who have used that device to take their blood samples. If said other persons were carriers of AIDS virus or B-virus of hepatitis, the one person who thereafter uses the same device would possibly be infected with the virus of said disease. Thus, the finger-pricking device must be used with the greatest possible care. Further, there is another problem that the sticking or residual blood of a person who used the device before another person would occasionally be mixed with the newly taken blood sample to thereby disable accurate blood tests.
The end cap of the finger-pricking device may be renewed every time when a blood sample is taken, in order to avoid such an infection or contamination. According to a proposal which was made, the lancet is built in each end cap when it is manufactured. This end cap with its internal lancet will be replaced with a new one whenever used for sampling of blood. An example of blood sampling devices of this type is disclosed on the Patent Laying-Open Gazette Hei. 3-30757 and are put in the market by Miles Corporation (U.S.A.). This proposed device is however somewhat complicated and sophisticated in its structure so that its higher price would cause an additional expense to users.
The finger-pricking device shown in FIG. 10 will bring about a still further problem when it is used. After used to take a blood sample, the end cap 15 has to be removed to expose the lancet body 5 in order to manually detach it from the lancet holder 13. The needle end 3 thus exposed will possibly pierce the skin of an operator removing the lancet body 5, or come into contact with his or her wound. The blood which has oozed out of a patient and is sticking to the needle end will cause the aforementioned virus infection between the operator and the patient, if they are not the same person (as is the case in the tests carried out within a hospital).
It is a still another problem that, when the bloodstained lancets are discarded as they are, the needle ends may cause a danger of injuring those who handle same, also resulting in the infection of virus.


An apparatus and method for capturing a color image and a depth image are utilized as a source of obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) image. The apparatus for capturing the color image and the depth image may include a filtering unit to employ a frame having a polarity which includes an external frame to support a plurality of filters which filter at least one of a visible ray and an infrared (IR) ray from a ray input via a lens, a driving unit to move the filtering unit by pushing or pulling the external frame based on a polarity of an applied signal, and a control unit to control a voltage to be applied to the driving unit based on a distance between the filtering unit and the driving unit.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the following disclosure relate to an apparatus and a method for capturing a color image and a depth image that are utilized as a source of a three-dimensional (3D) image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A depth image may refer to an image in which a distance between an object positioned in a three-dimensional (3D) space and a camera for photographing the object is expressed based on a black and white unit. The depth image is widely used for 3D restoration technology.
A 3D image camera using a time division scheme may sequentially capture a color image and a depth image of an object over a time. Here, the 3D image camera using the time division scheme may include a single lens and a single sensor as a basic configuration.

Apparatus and method for capturing color images and depth images


The invention provides a non-woven fabric comprising at least two separate but interconnected layers, each of the layers being provided with discrete interconnections so as to provide discrete voids between the two layers of fabric.

Nonwoven fabrics with a marked 3D structure are important in technical textile applications such as geotextiles, automotive components, upholstery and foam replacement, insulation (thermal and sound insulation applications) and civil engineering amongst others. A fabric with high compressive force resistance and high longitudinal and transverse load-bearing capacity is described by Seegar et al (2000). This fabric was manufactured using a modified stitch-bonding machine of the Malimo type. A maximum tensile strength of 150 KN/m was obtained with a fabric weight in the range 500-1500 g/m2 and a production rate up to 5 m/min was claimed. The fabric was intended for use in drainage applications, barrier and insulation products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,879 describes a 3D thermal-bonded nonwoven fabric made of a bulky layer comprising a highly crimped conjugated bi-component fibre with a plurality of peaks separated by channels. This structure has high resiliency and excellent absorbency. The web was formed using, either spunbonding, carding, air-laying or wet-laying followed by thermal bonding and fabric weights are in range 15-240 g/m2. Applications are in personal-care absorbent products. An air-lay system to produce 3D webs and shell structures from staple fibre has also been reported, (Gong et al 2000) using porous moulds on to which fibres are deposited. The web is consolidated using through air bonding. Other established methods for forming 3D nonwovens rely on orienting fibres perpendicular to the fabric surface, including high-loft air-lay technology (Lennox-Kerr 1998) and perpendicular-laid structures (Ward 2000). There are also methods involving the deposition of fibres on a contoured collecting surface (for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,580, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,874, U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,628, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,941, U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,058) followed by bonding. In contrast to normal 3D nonwoven fabrics the formation of nonwoven fabrics with discrete voids or cells within the cross-section of the structure is a further important variation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,904, Le Roy describes a method for producing 3D structures by joining two or three fibrous materials together with a space or void left between the basic layers. The layers of fibrous materials can be woven, knitted, nonwoven or a combination of these. Barbed needles operating between two stripper plates transfer fibres from one layer to another to form links or bridges between separate layers. Alternatively, it is claimed that joining the layers can be achieved by stitching or ultrasonic welding. The two layers are kept a predetermined distance apart by a spacer plate. The spacer plate and stripper plates are adjustable by hand wheels and allow structures ranging in thickness from 5 to 50 mm to be made. Filling materials can be introduced between the two basic layers, which may be resin, powder, fibres, tubes, wire, threads, and/or electrical conductors. It is claimed that various different structures can be more economically formed using this approach compared to conventional methods. The 3D materials produced can be used in drainage, reinforcement, and insulation applications.
Le Roy also describes the use of needlepunching to interconnect layers. However, this approach suffers from the disadvantage that the speed of production is limited to a maximum of about 10 m/min and generally there are limitations in simultaneously bonding and connecting layers in lightweight fabrics below 100 g/m2. Thus, a preconsolidated web structure is normally required which tends to increase the cost of production. A further disadvantage of the method of the prior art is the risk of needle breakage, which has a deleterious effect on fabric quality and product acceptance in critical applications (e.g. contact layers used in woundcare).
The bonding technology that is adapted by the prior art (e.g. needlepunching) does not permit light-weight 3D nonwoven spacer fabric structures to be produced and the fabrics of the prior art are comparatively thick. The dimensions and geometry of the voids are also limited.

Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Limited


A method is provided for assessing the quality of an optical transmitter and/or its interoperability with a receiver. The method includes obtaining an optical signal output by an optical transmitter and performing coherent optical-to-electrical detection of the optical signal to produce an in-phase receive signal and a quadrature receive signal. The method further includes a computing device emulating a worst-case configuration of an optical fiber with which the optical transmitter is to be used, based on the in-phase receive signal and the quadrature receive signal to produce a noise contribution associated with the worst-case characteristics of the optical fiber and determining a figure of merit of the optical transmitter based on the noise contribution.

To assess quality of an optical transmitter and/or its interoperability with an optical receiver, various performance measurements are performed. For example, a transmitter and dispersion eye closure quaternary (TDECQ) measurement may be used to assess the quality of the optical transmitter. The TDECQ measurement, as currently defined for O-band (1260-1340 nm) applications, requires that the transmitter is tested using an optical channel that meets the worst-case requirements listed in the Table 121-11 of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3bs. A test device, which includes an optical-to-electrical converter and a scope, receives an optical signal transmitted from the optical transmitter through the worst-case optical fiber and determines the TDECQ value of the optical transmitter.

Leveraging coherent detection to measure performance of optical transmitter


A solvent-free, cold-setting ternary organosiloxane composition is disclosed, which contains (A) liquid organopolysiloxane, (B) a cross-linking agent, and (C) a curing catalyst, said organopolysiloxane (A) being constituted by organosilicon group of X--Si (wherein X represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbyl group) and functional side chain of OR (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl group or an acyl group), said cross-linking agent (B) being one or more organometallic compounds selected from the group consisting of an organoaluminum compound, an organoboron compound, an organosilicon compound, an organotitanium compound and an organozirconium compound having at least one functional group selected from among an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group and an oxime group, and said curing catalyst (C) being a metal-containing organic compound, with the total contents of the metal elements of the ternary composition being 40% by weight or more in terms of MO.sub.y/2 (wherein M represents aluminum, boron, silicon, titanium or zirconium, and y represents a valency of the metal element). A transparent film, a coating material, a binder and a structure formed by using same are also disclosed.

This invention relates to a solvent-free, cold-setting organosiloxane composition containing liquid organopolysiloxane as a major component, and uses thereof. More particularly, it relates to a solvent-free, cold-setting organosiloxane composition of one-pack type which can form, when in contact with moisture, a polymer having polysiloxane bonds as a main chain and having a good flexibility, incombustible or fire-retardant properties, heat-resistant properties, alkali-resistant properties and water-impermeable properties, and which can be used for forming a transparent film, a coating material, a binder, a structure, etc. and uses of the composition.
Solvents have so far been important for preparing coating compositions, generally accounting for 45 to 50% of such paint compositions. More than 50 kinds of solvents are illustrated as major solvents. In particular, organic solvents are important and indispensable for dissolving or dispersing film-forming materials to impart a proper fluidity, coating properties and film-forming properties. Thus, organic solvents have so far been inevitable for producing coating compositions.
However, organic solvents can be described as dangerous objects due to their high combustibility and capability to induce various troubles (e.g., anesthesia, troubles of the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system, troubles of liver and kidney, and inflammation of skin or eye), thus requiring control and caution in handling.
The environment of the earth cannot afford the use of such combustible, dangerous organic solvents which induce human troubles in daily commodities. Thus it has been eagerly desired to develop solvent-free coating compositions. Although aqueous emulsion coating compositions and powder coating compositions have been developed as solvent-free coating compositions. These coating compositions have failed to have sufficient properties.
Organosiloxanes to be used as the major component of the compositions of the present invention are known as typical compounds of organo-silicon compounds and are represented by the structural formula of R.sub.3 SiO(R.sub.2 SiO).sub.n SiR.sub.3, (R.sub.2 SiO).sub.n, etc. As is shown by the structural formulae, organosiloxanes have a chemical structure wherein inorganic siloxane bonds of Si--O and organic groups (e.g., alkyl groups, phenyl groups, aryl groups, alkoxy groups, acyloxy groups, etc.) are bound to each other. Thus, organosiloxanes have both inorganic features of silanol bonds (Si--OH) and organic features of C--C bonds or C--O bonds.
On the other hand, atomic bond energy of a C--C bond is 84.9 kcal/mol and that of a C--O bond is 80.9 kcal/mol, whereas that of a Si--O bond is as large as 106 kcal/mol (about 25% larger than that of the organic bonds). Therefore, it can be seen that the siloxane bonds are more stable than the organic bonds against physical energy such as heat or light and chemical energy such as oxidation.
Further, organic resins are liable to undergo radical decomposition when irradiated with light rays of the ultraviolet ray region since they are sensitive to light rays of 300 to 350 nm in wave-length. On the other hand, methyl type silicone resins are known to absorb almost no light rays in the ultraviolet ray region, thus being suggestively inert against ultraviolet rays and strongly weatherable.
About 50% of the siloxane bonds are believed to be ionic bonds, and bond rotation is easier due to their longer atomic bond distance and lower electron density, and thus the bond angle can be changed by a comparatively small amount of energy. Accordingly, chains of siloxane bonds are more flexible than chains of C--C bonds, and are more resistant against heat or physical energy impact, thereby providing materials with a high flexibility.
As is described above, organosiloxanes having Si--O bonds are different in many points from organic compounds constituted by C--C bonds or C--O bonds. In particular, the organosiloxanes can be clearly differentiated from those organic compounds which are susceptible to oxidation or combustion.
Polymer siloxane compounds wherein organosiloxane units are cross-linked and polymerized to form a main chain composed of Si--O bonds are called silicones or silicone resins and are popularly used. Of these silicones, organopolysiloxanes having two different functional groups per molecule are generally called by the name of silane coupling agents and have been widely investigated and used as modifying agents for inorganic or organic materials and additives. In addition, the silicone resins are being widely used as electronic and electric products and daily commodities.
The reaction mechanism of polymerization of organosiloxane to form a cured product is considered a condensation reaction or addition reaction of reactive siloxane in the presence of water. With the organosiloxane of the present invention, too, functional alkoxy groups react with water at ordinary temperature to cause a dealcoholation reaction and produce silanol groups (first step). Then, the silanol groups in turn react with the alkoxy groups of a cross-linking agent in the presence of a metal-containing catalyst to undergo a condensation reaction (e.g., dealcoholation, deoximation, removal of acetic acid, etc.), resulting in polymerization and formation of a polymeric cured product having a three dimensional network structure (second step).
In general, varnishes, coating compositions, adhesives, and the like are mainly based on organic resins. Recent living environmental regulations have required incombustible or fire retardant, pollution-free materials in many fields. Under such situations the use of organic solvents which are dangerous and can cause environmental pollution has been brought into question. Hence, pollution free materials involving no such problems have eagerly been desired.
In film forming coating compositions or coating materials, materials requiring a heating step to cure are limited as to scope of their application. Therefore, materials which can form a film at ordinary temperature are preferable from the standpoint of general-purpose properties. Conventional techniques of a film forming at ordinary temperature have employed the evaporation solvent or the addition a curing catalyst. In the case of adding a curing catalyst, it must be added immediately before application in view of shelf life of the material and, therefore, the material must be of two-pack type. The two-pack type materials have the defects that the two packs must be mixed immediately before application, and that their storage, work control and application procedures must be complicated.
One-pack type coating compositions utilizing curing with moisture are retained in a container capable of excluding the contents from contact with moisture, such as a tube or a cartridge for ensuring enough shelf life and, upon use, the contents of the container are exposed to the air. Thus, there have been required, coating compositions or like materials having sufficient shelf life which are of one-pack type and permit application at ordinary temperature.
In order to meet the requirement, siloxane compounds which have Si--O bonds resistant against heat or light and which have good weatherability, high heat resistance and good flexibility as has been described hereinabove have widely been investigated, part of the investigation results having been put into practice. Typical examples of the results and remaining problems are described hereinafter mainly referring to coating compositions and coating materials.
As a popular example of applying organsiloxanes to coating compositions, there are illustrated zinc-rich coating compositions developed in World War II. These coating composition comprise a hydrolyzed product of tetraethoxysilane diluted with about the same amount of isopropyl alcohol and about two-fold amount of zinc powder. This type of compositions is being widely used as anti-corrosive paints capable of forming a coating film at ordinary temperature.
There have been developed coating compositions prepared by diluting, with an organic solvent, polymers of organosiloxane or modified organosiloxane or copolymers thereof with various organic compounds, together with or without other organic resins. Most of the conventionally developed techniques are based on the above-described compositions. For example, a technique of preparing a modified tetraalkoxysilane as a filming agent in the presence of the same or more amount of a solvent, and applying the composition to an object, followed by air-drying or hot-air drying to form a heat-resistnt, anti-corrosive coat is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. S-63-28942.
There have been many examples of merely combining organic compounds (organic resins) and organosiloxanes to prepare coating materials or the like. Most of them require heating upon film formation. Typical example thereof is described in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.S-55-41274, etc. wherein tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane are mixed with polyvinyl butyral butylated methylolmelamine, and an object coated by the mixture is heated to 130.degree. C. to form a coating.
Many studies have been made on utilization of organosiloxane as a filming agent for a heat-resistant coating. Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.S-63-35183 discloses one typical example thereof wherein a coating composition prepared by adding a slight amount of an aluminum chelate compound to 50-80% by weight of a heat-resistant inorganic material (e.g., aluminum phosphate, zinc molybdate, calcium carbonate, zinc silicate powder, etc.), and adding thereto 20 to 50% by weight of a modified silicone resin is applied to an object, followed by baking at 180.degree. C. to form a heat-resistant coating.
In addition, many techniques of preparing a coating composition using an organosiloxane in an organic solvent and filming the composition at ordinary temperature or elevated temperature have been disclosed, one example being disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.H-63-58191.
As an example of utilizing a pure organosiloxane, there is illustrated a technique of preparing a durable, stainproof transparent film composed of organosiloxane, an organotin compound and a volatile dimethylpolysiloxane (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.H-3-68676).
A technique of using a keto-enol tautomer compound for stabilizing a curing catalyst of a metal-containing organic compound in the polymer-forming organosiloxane has also been disclosed. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Application No. S-48-17859 discloses this technique with respect to a mixed system of a linear copolymer having carboxyl groups within the molecule, an aluminum alcoholate complex compound, and a solvent. As a similar technique, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. H-1-129066 discloses to use a keto-enol tautomer compound together with a curing agent of chelate compound in a mixed system of a resin having isocyanato groups, hydroxyl groups, epoxy groups, carboxyl groups and/or amino groups partly reacted with alkoxysilane group or hydroxysilane group, an epoxy resin and an organic solvent.
On the other hand, alkali silicates having silanol groups such as water glass are known as inorganic compounds having Si--O siloxane bonds. Many investigations have been made on water glass since it is inexpensive and can form a polymer having siloxane bonds when applied at ordinary temperature. Many application studies have also been made to produce acid- and heat-resistant coating materials and solidified products from the inorganic silanol compounds including water glass.
However, polymers having siloxane bonds formed by curing the alkali silicate involve many problems due to copresence of an alkali component in the polymer. Further, inorganic polymers are generally hard and non-flexible, and it is essentially impossible to expect flexibility of a cured product formed of the inorganic polymer.
Water glass contains water, and hence it is of a so-called hydraulic type. Therefore, cured products of water glass from which water has been removed contain many pores. The pores inevitably impart susceptibility to water and water permeability to the cured products. Therefore, it is impossible to protect iron- or concrete-made substrates from corrosion by forming a protective coating of the hydraulic inorganic polymer. No materials of this type have attained the protecting ability.
Further, Si--O bonds are so reactive with alkali metal ions, regardless of whether the bonds are formed by an inorganic material or an organic material, that the bonds are easily cleaved, in the presence of an alkali metal ion such as sodium ion to form alkali silicate compounds. Therefore, compounds having Si--O bonds tend to have a poor alkali resistance even in a highly polymerized state, and application of such compounds having siloxane bonds to an alkaline material such as portland cement or concrete or to a situation which requires sea-water resistance or alkali resistance is quite limited.
In addition, the above-described inorganic coating materials or coating agents have a poor compatibility with organic materials and have generally no adhesion property to organic materials. Therefore, maintenance of objects having an organic coating using a general-purpose inorganic coating must be conducted after completely removing the existing organic coating. That is, it is impossible to apply the inorganic coating composition to an organic coating formed as a prime coat.
As has been seen with the above-described prior art, the application of the organopolysiloxane as a coating component has mostly begun with auxiliary addition to an organic compound-based coating composition containing an organic polymer or an organic resin having a main chain of C--C bonds and being excellent in filming properties, dilution properties with a solvent and drying properties after being coated for the purpose of improving the coating composition.
Hence, these conventional coating compositions inevitably contain the dangerous, trouble-causing organic solvents, and there have been seen no positive attempts to produce solvent-free coating compositions mainly using organosiloxane having incombustible or fire retardant Si--O bonds.
Namely, there have been completed no techniques of producing a coating composition in which the main chain is composed of only polysiloxane bond, [(.tbd.Si--O--).sub.n ], and the content of a silicon component is as high as 50% by weight or more in order to make the polymer incombustible or fire retardant (Condition 1), in which the metal components of silicon, titanium, zirconium, boron and aluminum are stably contained in a high concentration of 40% by weight or more in terms of MO.sub.y/2 (condition 2), which can be provided as a one-pack composition (Condition 3), and which can be cured at ordinary temperature according to a moisture-curing method to form an effective coating (Condition 4).
In addition, there have been completed no techniques of producing a coating composition which provides a coating having a siloxane bond polymer formed in the absence of a solvent and yet having sufficient flexibility, heat resistance, alkali resistance and water impermeability.
There have been no attempts of developing an inorganic coating composition having high performance by combining an organopolysiloxane with a liquid organometallic compound, particularly liquid alkoxyborate.
Additionally, concentrations or contents of metal element components of aluminum, boron, silicon, titanium and zirconium are presented by % by weight in terms of oxides and are in some cases abbreviated as "MO.sub.y/2 % by weight" in this specification.
In the above-described prior art, the existence of water or silanol groups in the solvent-free liquid organosiloxane composition allows curing reactions such as gelation and solidification to proceed during storage. There has not been disclosed a definite process of subjecting an organosiloxane-containing coating composition to a preliminary step of keeping the temperature at 100.degree. C. or less for a predetermined period of time in the absence of water to previously remove water or silanol groups carried by the organosiloxane or fillers added to the composition for ensuring one-pack stability and enough shelf life of the composition.
Particularly, there have been disclosed no techniques of subjecting a colored coating composition containing a pigment, a colorant or like filler to a special preliminary step for previously removing water or the like carried by the fillers to thereby avoid the curing reaction caused by water in the course of production or storage of the composition.
The inventors have given attention to the following fundamental problems which conventional transparent films, coating compositions, coating materials, binders, structures, etc. utilizing the above-described prior art polymers.
1) In the case of using an organic compound having C--C bonds as the main chain: PA0 2) In the case of using a silicon compound having incombustible Si--O bonds as the main chain: PA0 (1) A liquid composition constituted by a particular liquid organopolysiloxane and a cross-linking agent of organometallic compound can form a coating composition without any solvent; PA0 (2) Preliminary treatment of removing water and silanol groups contained in the composition permits storage of the composition in the one-pack form even in the presence of a curing catalyst; PA0 (3) When a metal-containing organic compound is allowed to be present in the particular organosiloxane liquid composition, it can form a cured polymer product when brought into contact with moisture in the atmosphere at ordinary temperature; and PA0 (4) The polymer having a main chain comprised of Si--O bonds including B--O bonds, Ti--O bonds, Zr--O bonds, etc. can exhibit highly functional polymer performance that cannot be obtained by the prior art.
(a) use of an organic solvent which is dangerous and harmful is inevitable; PA1 (b) the composition is quite susceptible to oxidation by heat or fire; PA1 (c) a poisonous and harmful gas is produced upon combustion; PA1 (d) the composition provides quite poor weatherability. PA1 (a) the composition provides poor flexibility; PA1 (b) the composition provides poor alkali resistance due to its high reactivity with an alkali metal element; PA1 (c) cured products containing Si--O bonds formed due to hydraulic property contain many pores, thus the products lack water impermeability; PA1 (d) the composition cannot be applied to a material composed of inorganic Si--O bonds since organic materials have no adhesion property to the inorganic surface. PA1 Transparent film: Transparent film such as clear coating material and protective material; PA1 Coating material: Paint, varnish, undercoating material and protective coating material having a certain thickness; PA1 Binder: Adhesive, binder, sealer, fixing agent for various aggregates, cementing material and anchoring agent; PA1 Structure: Building material, flooring and wall material, reinforcing material for a structural component, such as mass material, plate like material, network material, fibrous material and a fabric material, and structural shape formed by unifying aggregate or molding.
In addition to the above-described problems with the prior art, the inventors have given attention to the following facts. That is, in the conventional techniques of using siloxane bond-containing polymers, (1) energy- and labor-saving techniques enabling a one-pack form and application at ordinary temperature have not been completed, though the technique of applying a coating composition and heating it has been completed; (2) materials such as coating materials and coating compositions which permit in-situ application to form a coating with a incombustibility and fire retardance and with beautiful luster have not been widely used; (3) inorganic coating films which, when combusted, do not produce any poisonous and harmful gas have not been completed; and (4) a solvent-free, organosiloxane-containing coating composition has not been completed. With the above-described situation in mind, the inventors have acutely felt a deficiency of energy- and labor-saving techniques which, at the same time, can maintain the earth environment and have given attention thereto.

Solvent-free, cold-setting organosiloxane composition and its use


A power supply including a transformer primary coil coupled to an input power source and a secondary coil coupled to an output terminal, a first switch coupled to the primary coil of the transformer, a duty cycle of the first switch controlling a voltage of the output terminal, first and second resistors coupled to the output terminal in series, a third resistor having a first terminal coupled to a node common to the output terminal and the first resistor, a second switch having a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the third resistor and having a second terminal coupled to a node common to the first and second resistors, the second switch controlled based on an accumulated driving time, and a switching controller configured to receive a feedback voltage varying according to an on/off of the second switch, and configured to control the duty cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate to a power supply and a plasma display including the power supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plasma display panel (PDP) is a flat panel display that uses plasma generated by gas discharge to display characters or images. It may include, depending on its size, several scores of pixels to millions of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern. One frame (1 TV field) of such a plasma display may be divided into a plurality of subfields having weight values, and each subfield may include a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period.
In the reset period, the status of each discharge cell may be initialized to facilitate an addressing operation in the discharge cell. In the address period, an addressing operation may be performed to select turn-on/turn-off cells, i.e., cells to be turned on or turned off. In the sustain period, a discharge operation may be performed to display characters or images based on the addressed cells. As the driving time of a plasma display accumulates, i.e., increases, characteristics of a magnesium oxide (MgO) layer in the PDP may change such that a discharge delay, i.e., a delay between application of a discharge voltage and the occurrence of the resulting discharge, is unduly increased.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and is not provided as prior art.

Power supply and plasma display including the same


An engine analyzer senses the electrical signals of a combustion engine and displays a representation of the signals on a display that is shared with a separately operable computer platform. The representation of the signals is digital and is in real-time. The display of the signals does not affect the computational burden on the separately operable computer.

The present invention relates to combustion engine analyzers. More specifically it relates to engine analyzers that can display a real-time digital representation of electrical engine signals on a stand-alone computer's display.
Engine analyzers are electronic diagnostic tools used to sense, display, and analyze electrical signals from combustion engines. An engine analyzer senses the electrical signals, which are usually in the form of time-varying voltage signals, through leads attached to portions of the engine. Analyzers are able to choose from a plurality of electrical signals created by the combustion engine and are also able to monitor selected signals for a variety of anomalies. These anomalies can be conveyed to a user along with a display of waveforms, showing the anomalies.
In addition, many analyzers are able to provide a real-time display of ignition signals. Initially, this was accomplished using the time varying voltage of a signal to directly control the vertical deflection of a display beam with a fixed horizontal scan rate. In more recent analyzers, the sensed ignition signal is converted into a series of digital values that are used to control the display beam.
In these "digital" analyzers, analog ignition signals are sampled at desired time intervals to create a series of digital values. The digital values are placed in a digital memory that is later accessed to create the display. Each digital value represents one pixel of the display so the values must be accessed in the order they are to be displayed. The display is created by rastering a display beam across the screen; beginning in the top left corner of the display and scanning across in successive rows until reaching the bottom right of the display. During the rastering, the beam, or beams in the case of a multi-color display, are activated by the values accessed from memory.
In prior analyzers, the display is dedicated to the analyzer. Thus, prior art displays are limited to showing analyzer waveforms and analysis, and can not display other useful information such as ideal waveforms, parts lists, or an engine's repair history. In addition, microprocessors within the analyzer are dedicated to displaying and extracting ignition signals. The analyzers do not include microprocessors that are free to execute programs unrelated to the display of ignition signals.

Engine analyzer with real-time digital display


Forming memory using high power impulse magnetron sputtering is described herein. One or more method embodiments include forming a resistive memory material on a structure using high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), wherein the resistive memory material is formed on the structure in an environment having a temperature of approximately 400 degrees Celsius or less.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory, including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), flash memory, and resistive, e.g., resistance variable, memory, among others. Types of resistive memory include programmable conductor memory, resistive random access memory (RRAM), and phase change random access memory (PCRAM), among others.
Memory devices such as resistive memory devices may be utilized as non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications in need of high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Non-volatile memory may be used in, for example, personal computers, portable memory sticks, solid state drives (SSDs), digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players such as MP3 players, movie players, and other electronic devices. Memory devices such as resistive memory devices may include a number of memory cells, e.g., resistive memory cells, arranged in an array. For example, an access device, such as a diode, a field effect transistor (FET), or bipolar junction transistor (BJT), of the memory cells may be coupled to an access line, e.g., word line, forming a "row" of the array. The memory cell material, e.g., memory element, of each memory cell may be coupled to a data line, e.g., bit line, in a "column" of the array. In this manner, the access device of a memory cell may be accessed through a row decoder activating a row of memory cells by selecting the word line coupled to their gates. The programmed state of a particular memory cell in a row of selected memory cells may be determined, e.g., sensed, by causing different currents to flow in the memory elements depending on the resistance associated with a programmed state for the particular memory cell.
Memory cells such as resistive memory cells may be programmed, e.g., written, to a desired state. That is, one of a number of programmed states, e.g., resistance levels, can be set for a memory cell. For example, a single level cell (SLC) can represent one of two logic states, e.g., 1 or 0. Memory cells can also be programmed to one of more than two programmed states, such as to represent more than two binary digits, e.g., 1111, 0111, 0011, 1011, 1001, 0001, 0101, 1101, 1100, 0100, 0000, 1000, 1010, 0010, 0110, or 1110. Such cells may be referred to as multi state memory cells, multi-digit cells, or multilevel cells (MLCs).
Resistive memory cells such as RRAM cells may store data by varying the resistance level of a resistive memory cell material, e.g., resistive memory element. For example, data may be programmed to a selected RRAM cell by applying sources of energy, such as positive or negative electrical pulses, e.g., positive or negative voltage or current pulses, to a particular RRAM cell material for a predetermined duration. RRAM cells may be programmed to a number of resistance levels by application of voltages or currents of various magnitudes, polarities, and/or durations.
RRAM, e.g., RRAM cells, may be formed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods, such as direct current (DC) sputtering or pulsed DC sputtering. However, RRAM formed using DC or pulsed DC sputtering may be formed in a high temperature environment, e.g. a PVD chamber having a high temperature, and/or have a low ionization, which may decrease the performance, consistency, and/or reliability of the RRAM. For example, the sensed resistance level of an RRAM cell formed using DC or pulsed DC sputtering may be different than the resistance level to which that cell was programmed. Further, RRAM formed using DC or pulsed DC sputtering may not be formed in a conventional PVD chamber, which may increase the cost and/or amount of time associated with forming the RRAM.


A movable joint bent sub for attachment to a well conduit for use in deviated drilling of a well. An elongated housing is provided having one end for attachment to a well conduit, a mandrel is telescopically movable in the bore of the housing, and a movable body is pivotally connected to the mandrel and is longitudinally movable in the housing. Coacting cam surfaces on the body in the housing pivot the body to a desired deviation when the mandrel is telescopically moved in the bore. A releasable lock may be provided between the mandrel and the housing.

The present invention is generally directed to a bent sub having a movable joint where the sub can be run in a straight position and can then be bent at an angle and used in a bottom hole assembly for changing the drilling direction.
In drilling oil and gas wells, it is sometimes desirable to deviate from the vertical or even drill in a horizontal direction. In order to drill deviated wells, a bottom hole assembly consisting of several tools for steering, guiding, orienting and drilling are used. The bottom hole assembly includes a bent sub which is a device that is bent at an angle, such as from 2.degree. to 7.degree.. Data is electronically transmitted to the surface for monitoring proper location and direction. If the direction or depth of drilling needs to be changed, the bottom hole assembly is rotated.
While the present invention is useful in conventional deviated drilling with rotary rigs, the present invention is particularly useful in drilling with coiled tubing which cannot rotate (only the motor and drill bit rotate). In particular, the present invention solves a problem of entering existing oil or gas wells having production tubing in place, and then drilling with coiled tubing out of the bottom of the production tubing and at angle to the vertical. However, in such an application, the bent sub must be straight as it enters the well at the surface in order to pass through the interior of the production tubing, and then bend to a specified angle as it exits the production tubing at the bottom in order to drill the deviated well. If direction or depth needs to be changed, an orienting tool is activated resulting in rotation of the bottom hole assembly.


A holographic display and method for displaying hologram are disclosed. The method and apparatus provides a compact display arrangement in which the light source for illuminating the display is integral with the display, or in other words, an external light source is not necessary. The hologram utilized in the display is formed as a rainbow hologram, with a converging reference beam utilized in forming the diffraction grating upon the holographic plate. The display includes a pair of spaced transparent glass sheets, with the light source disposed between the glass sheets. The holographic plate formed with the converging reference beam is then mounted upon one of the glass sheets, with the light source illuminating the holographic plate with diverging illumination light. A mirror is associated with each of the transparent glass sheets at a location adjacent to the light source, with the reflective surfaces of the mirrors facing each other. Thus, the light from the light source is reflected by the mirrors and the transparent sheets, and impinges upon the holographic plate to provide the diverging illumination light. The method and apparatus provides a compact integrated holographic display.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming and displaying rainbow holograms. In particular, the invention provides a hologram arrangement which can be displayed by a light source contained within the hologram display unit.
2. Discussion of the Background
Holograms are widely used for a variety of purposes including information displays and/or amusement devices. Holograms advantageously provide a three-dimensional display, with the image being displayed including the appearance of depth.
One type of hologram is referred to as a rainbow hologram. A rainbow hologram is typically a white light viewable hologram which is conventionally formed as shown in FIG. 1. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, a previously formed original hologram, often referred to as H1, is utilized for forming a holographic image on a second holographic plate, often referred to as H2. In forming the second hologram H2, the light source 20 illuminates the original or master hologram H1, often via mirrors 60, 62, 64 and a beam splitter 61, such that the light source also provides a reference beam directly upon the second holographic plate H2. As shown, H1 is typically disposed at approximately a 45.degree. angle with respect to the direction of the illumination light, with H2 parallel to H1. However, in forming the rainbow hologram, only a slit of the original hologram H1 is allowed to illuminate the second holographic plate H2 for each illumination. Confinement of the illumination to a slit is achieved either by utilizing a slit beam produced, for example, by a cylindrical lens, or by masking the first holographic plate H1 with a mask M having a slit aperture, with the arrow A representing light emanating from the slit in the mask M. As a result, illumination of the second holographic plate H2 not only reconstructs the image formed by illuminating H1, but also reconstructs the slit in space.
As shown in FIG. 2, when this type of hologram is reconstructed using white light 56' to illuminate the second holographic plate H2, a plurality of reconstructed images are formed, for example as shown at 65, 66, 67 corresponding to red, green and blue reconstructed images. Each of the reconstructed images will have a slit S therein such that a viewer must view the recorded object from an angle/position in which all three of the slits are aligned. If viewed from a position in which the slits are not aligned, the image will either not be visible, or may only be partially visible. Typically, a holographic display requires an external light source to reconstruct or illuminate the image. Such arrangements usually consume excessive amounts of space, and require precise positioning of the light source with respect to the hologram being displayed. This can severely restrict the applications for which a holographic display can be utilized, and when utilized, the display is often inconvenient.
Accordingly, a holographic display system is desired which can allow for the display of a holographic image, while minimizing the space requirements for the display. The display with such a system should be able to conveniently and reliably display one or more holographic images. Preferably, such a display should also be capable of providing a high quality full or pseudo-color holographic image, without requiring a great deal of space and/or coordination in mounting an external light source to illuminate the display.


Systems and methods are provided to improve performance in backup data storage systems by improving response to errors. The system and method provide for transferring data from a primary storage controller to a secondary storage controller, where the secondary storage controller is linked to the primary storage controller by a plurality of links. The system and method includes transmitting a first transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a first of a plurality of links. Then, in response to the first transaction crossing a first timeout boundary without completing, the system and method includes transmitting a second transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a second of the plurality of links, the second of the plurality of links preferentially selected to be on a different network failure boundary from the first of the plurality of links.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general computing systems, and more particularly to, systems and methods for improved response times in computing storage environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's society, computer systems are commonplace. Computer systems may be found in the workplace, at home, or at school. Computer systems may include data storage systems, or disk storage systems, to process and store data. Data integrity is a critical factor in large computer data systems. Consequently, backup data storage systems have been developed to prevent the loss of data in the event of various types of failures. Typically backup systems generally referred to as "synchronous mirroring" or more specifically as "peer-to-peer remote copy" (PPRC), maintain a separate, consistent copy of data. In general, in such systems data generated by a host device is stored on a primary storage unit. A copy of the data is also transmitted synchronously over a mirroring network and stored on a secondary storage unit. Because of the flexibility of network interconnections, the primary and secondary storage units may be physically located remote from the host. And, for additional data security, the primary and secondary storage units may be physically located distant from each other, thereby reducing the likelihood of a single disaster simultaneously harming both the primary and secondary units.
One issue in such backup systems is the ability to meet stringent input/output (I/O) response time requirements in addition to providing high availability. This is a particular issue where the secondary storage units are located relatively large distances from the primary storage units. While synchronous mirroring often occurs over very short network distances (campus distances of 10 km or less), in some applications longer distances of up to 100 km between primary and secondary storage units are increasingly common. In these systems failure of the mirroring network (including partial, intermittent, or complete failures) are more likely, especially as the mirroring networks become more complex or when the mirroring networks use shared or leased components. However, even at shorter distances the network components (e.g., physical fibre optic links, switches, routers, etc.) can fail or become congested.
Network failure can result in increased host response time, especially in synchronous mirroring environments, since the host writes are delayed by the completion of the mirrored write. If significant time is spent waiting for these mirrored writes to complete (due to timeouts, retry on alternate paths etc.), the normal response times can increase to multiple seconds, which is intolerable for many response time sensitive applications. Thus, what are needed are improved systems and methods for mirroring, and in particular for responding to errors in network mirroring.

System and method for improved error response in data mirroring

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An attention attracting article for a viewing device, such as a camera or a pair of binoculars, is preferably die cut from a single sheet of cardboard and folded around the viewing device to define an enclosure therefor, the attention attractor including a character with a head extending outwardly from the enclosure and hands on the enclosure so that from a vantage point facing the viewing device, it appears as if the character is holding the viewing device and looking therethrough. Particularly when the viewing device is a camera, the attention attracting article helps retain a child's attention when it is desired to take a photograph of the child, because the child believes that the familiar character is encouraging interaction with the camera, rather than concealment of the camera. When used with binoculars, the article attracting device is primarily for amusement, although it could also be used to encourage children to use binoculars and perhaps arouse their curiosity about optical principals.

It is known to attach an attention diverter to the front a camera to divert the attention of a child when the child is being photographed. Heinzelmann U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,220 discloses an "Attention Diverter For Camera," an attention diverter in the form of a fanciful person or animal with a body mounted to the front end of a camera. The legs of the person or animal hang down on the opposite sides of the lens, and have accordion style folds, for assisting in diverting the attention of a child. Barber U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,333 discloses a "Camera and Facade" which appears to be, in effect, a human face facade which is strapped onto the front surface of the camera. The lens of the camera aligns with one of the eyes of the human face facade.
For both of these structures, the attention diverter attaches to the front of the camera and includes at least some additional hardware, such as one or more straps, for securement to the camera. These devices primarily attempt to conceal the camera from the child to create the effect that a photograph is not being taken. This represents one way to divert the attention of a child when it is desired to take a photograph, by effectively concealing the camera.
As technology moves forward, many utilitarian devices have become lower in cost and simpler in structure. Known devices, such as cameras, have even become disposable, with a box-like cardboard housing used to surround the structural components of a typical portable camera. The device is bought as one package, used to take a predetermined number of photographs from a single roll of film, and then when it is time to develop the photographs, the cardboard housing is discarded or recycled, and the film is retrieved from the internal camera components for development. The camera components may then be reused within another `disposable` cardboard housing. Because of the typically box-like shape of such disposable cameras, such cameras do not readily lend themselves to use in conjunction with attention diverters of the type described above.


In a method for assaying an anticardiolipin antibody in a sample utilizing .beta.2-glycoprotein I, a polypeptide having the same amino acid sequence as domain IV of .beta.2-glycoprotein I or a polypeptide partially different therefrom but functionally equivalent thereto is used in place of .beta.2-glycoprotein I itself. According to this method, an autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome can be accurately assayed in a simple manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for assaying an antiphospholipid antibody and a kit for use in the method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for assaying an antiphospholipid antibody and a kit therefor characterized by using, in place of .beta.2-glycoprotein I, a polypeptide containing the same amino acid sequence as a specific domain of .beta.2-glycoprotein I, or a polypeptide different in the amino acid sequence from the specific domain but functionally equivalent thereto.
2. Description of Related
Various assay methods including radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for an anticardiolipin antibody, which is part of the antiphospholipid family, have been reported by Harris et al., Lancet, iii: 1211, 1983; Koike et al., Clin. Exp. Immunl., 56: 193, 1984; and the like.
However, those methods are not necessarily satisfactory, since they involve problems that an anticardiolipin antibody cannot be quantitatively assayed with a high accuracy, or that an anticardiolipin antibody from patients with infectious diseases cannot be assayed differentially from these patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.
Recently, Matsuura et al. have discovered that an anticardiolipin antibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome does not recognize an immobilized cardiolipin but a complex of cardiolipin and .beta.2-glycoprotein I (.beta.2-GPI, also called apolipoprotein H or anticardiolipin cofactor). Further, they have developed a new assay for the antiphospholipid antibody based on the new findings, which can overcome the prior art problems [Lancet, 336: 177, 1990; RINSHO MEN-EKI (Clinical Immunology), 22 (Suppl. 15): 170, 1990; WO 91/06006; and J. Immunol., 148:3855, 1992].
Further studies according to Matsuura et al. have revealed that an autoantibody (hitherto called an anticardiolipin antibody) from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome does not react with cardiolipin itself in the complex of cardiolipin and .beta.2-GPI but recognize an altered .beta.2-GPI, of which structure has been conformationally changed due to interaction with a hydrophobic surface on which an oxygen atom is present, such as a cardiolipin-immobilized plate [J. Exp. Med., 179, 457-462 (1994); and KANSEN, ENSHO, MEN-EKI (Infection, Inflammation and Immunity), 23, 9 (1993)]. When applying this new principle, it is unnecessary to use a phospholipid such as cardiolipin as used in the prior art assays. Thus, Matsuura et al. have developed a new method for assaying an autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome using a solid phase reagent wherein .beta.2-GPI alone is immobilized on a carrier with the surface on which a polar group has been introduced (WO 93/16387).
On the other hand, .beta.2-GPI is a known glycoprotein, and its amino acid sequence and nucleotide sequence have been already clarified [Int. Immunol., 3, 1217-1221 (1991); Biochem. J., 277, 387 (1991); and Gene, 108, 293 (1991)]. However, it has been considered that it is difficult to express and produce an active .beta.2-GPI according to a conventional expression system in E. coli or yeast, since processing and modification such as a formation of disulfide bond are not correctly proceeded for the following reasons:
(1) a native .beta.2-GPI has eleven cysteine-cysteine (S-S) bonds in the molecule, and has a characteristic primary structure called "sushi domain" composed of five domains as shown on FIG. 1; and PA1 (2) a nucleotide sequence encodes .beta.2-GPI as a precursor protein wherein a mature protein additionally has a peptide composed of 19 amino acids at the N-terminus, and such an additional peptide should be cleaved when secreted. PA1 (1) a phospholipid binding site is present in the fifth domain (domain V) of .beta.2-GPI as shown in FIG. 1; PA1 (2) an epitope (an antibody recognition site), which an autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome recognizes, is present in a region centering around the fourth domain (domain IV); PA1 (3) this epitope is usually cryptic, with domain V binding to a phospholipid or the like, resulting in that the .beta.2-GPI molecule undergoes a conformational change, whereby the epitope is exposed to be recognized by the autoantibody.
However, Igarashi et al. have recently reported that a baculovirus expression system can overcome the difficulty as discussed above, and that a recombinant .beta.2-GPI produced by the baculovirus expression system can be utilized for an assay of an autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome [Clin. Exp. Immunol., 93, 19 (1993); and Japanese Patent Application Serial No. 4-152619].
As stated hereinabove, it has been clarified that .beta.2-GPI is undoubtedly a protein necessarily required for an assay of an autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. Nevertheless, clinical significance of the autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome still remains unclear. Accordingly, it is considered as being an important problem to be solved in the future to clarify the reactivity of the autoantibody from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome with .beta.2-GPI, which may result in a clarifying mechanism regarding how antiphospholipid syndrome is a caused, and may result in establishing a more convenient assay system.

Method of assaying autoimmune anticardiolipin antibody and kit therefor


A method of reducing the appearance of skin conditions associated with loss of skin tightness, skin firmness, or dark circles under the eyes with topical compositions comprising compounds of any of the Formulae I or Ia as described herein, is disclosed.

Skin wrinkles and sagging of tissue are undesired reminders of advanced age to many people in our youth-conscious society. Skin problems in individuals can result from a variety of extrinsic or intrinsic factors such as harmful UV radiation from the sun, exposure to the environment, stress, fatigue, disease, aging, or a combination thereof. With age the epidermis thins, sebaceous secretions decrease, the skin becomes more susceptible to dryness, chapping, and fissuring, and the dermis diminishes with loss of elastic and collagen fibers. This results in wrinkling and other forms of roughness, including but not limited to, increased pore size, flaking, mottling, discoloration, wrinkling, and skin lines.
In addition to changes on the surface of the skin, aging muscles lengthen due to the effects of gravity and to a loss of muscle tone. The combination of sagging muscles and aging skin contributes to the overall cosmetic changes typically observed with age, such as wrinkling which involves the transition of a formerly smooth skin surface to one that appears unevenly shrunk, lined, and contracted. Present treatments of placid skin and muscles range from cosmetic creams, moisturizers, acid peels and dermabrasion to various forms of cosmetic or plastic surgery.
A large number of skin care compositions are known in the art and used to improve the health and/or physical appearance of skin. Romanian patents RO 108,529, RO 108,530 and RO 108,642 describe the use of a day cream for the use on different types of skin comprising 0.001-0.1% diethylaminoethanol. Some monosubstituted dialkanolpiperazines have been claimed as emulsifying agents in the cosmetic industry in U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,707. German patent applications DE 2,533,101 and DE 2,416,556 disclose the use of alkanolamines as moisturizers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,647 to Perricone discloses that aging skin and muscles can be treated by the topical application of a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, such as dimethylaminoethanol, monomethylaminoethanol, choline, or serine and mixtures thereof, as well as diethylaminoethanol, monoethylamino-ethanol, dipropylaminoethanol, monopropylaminoethanol, dibutylaminoethanol, and monobutylaminoethanol. U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,735 and US 2003/020951 relate to compositions containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) and tyrosine to reduce puffiness of the skin under the eyes and the appearance of dark circles around the eyes. These compounds have unpleasant odor characteristics that prevent them of being optimal for the use in cosmetics, particularly for cosmetics applied to the human face. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,913 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,943 relates to cosmetic compositions in general, and more specifically, to the use of derivatives of glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine: copper(II) (GHL—Cu) within skin treatment and cosmetic compositions.
While various agents have heretofore been provided for dermatological conditions, it has however been found that compounds of the present invention are odorless and provide superior benefits in reducing the appearance of skin imperfections and in their use as cosmetics.

Methods for treatment of dermatological conditions


The present application aims to provide a surface treatment method that is able to accurately control the rate of etching a single crystal SiC substrate and thereby enables correct understanding of the amount of etching. In the surface treatment method, the single crystal SiC substrate is etched by a heat treatment performed under Si vapor pressure. At a time of the etching, inert gas pressure in an atmosphere around the single crystal SiC substrate is adjusted to control the rate of etching. Accordingly, correct understanding of the amount of etching is obtained.

SiC, which is superior to Si, etc., in terms of heat resistance, mechanical strength, and the like, has been attracting attention as a new semiconductor material. Some single crystal SiC substrate may originally contain, in its surface, crystal defects or the like.
Patent Document 1 discloses a surface planarization method for planarizing (repairing) a surface of a single crystal SiC substrate. The surface planarization method includes forming a carbonized layer and a sacrificial growth layer on a single crystal SiC substrate, and etching the sacrificial growth layer, for surface planarization. This can produce a high-quality seed substrate for epitaxial growth. Patent Document 1 discloses performing etching under a high-vacuum condition.
In general, a seed crystal produced in the above-described manner is subjected to treatments including epitaxial growth, ion implantation, ion activation, and the like.
Patent Document 2 discloses a method for suppressing sublimation of Si and SiC during ion activation, by performing the ion activation after a carbon layer (graphene cap) is formed on a surface of a single crystal SiC substrate. In the method, subsequently, the carbon layer is removed, and the surface of the single crystal SiC substrate is etched to remove an insufficient ion-implanted portion.
The etching is performed for the purpose of removing a portion (insufficient ion-implanted portion) of the surface of the single crystal SiC substrate where the ion concentration is insufficient. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of controlling the rate of etching by adjusting the temperature and Si vapor pressure.

Surface treatment method for single crystal SiC substrate, and single crystal SiC substrate


Image-processing apparatus and methods to adaptively control a size and/or location of a visual search window used for feature matching in a machine-vision system are described. A search window controller may receive motion vector data and image recognition rate data, and compute a search window size and/or search window location based on the received data. The computed search window size may be a portion of an image frame. The motion vector data and image recognition rate data may be computed from one or more images in a video image sequence. By adaptively controlling search window size and location, an appreciable reduction in data processing burden for feature matching may be achieved.

Technical Field
The technology relates to machine vision, and to electronic processing of captured images to adaptively control search window sizes used for feature matching between successive images in an image sequence. The feature matching may be used to generate optical flow data.
Discussion of the Related Art
The detection of interest points within electronically-captured images and feature matching between images is useful for a variety of computer-vision applications. For example, interest point detection and feature matching may be used in machine-implemented methods for localization, mapping, tracking, and/or object recognition. Examples of interest points include, without being limited to, edges, corner, ridges, localized contrasted regions and blobs. Features associated with the interest points identified in a first image may be tested for matches with features of one or more other images based at least in part upon a comparison of descriptor data generated for interest points for the first and second images. For successful machine-vision applications, an appreciable number of interest points (e.g., hundreds or thousands) may be required to be identified and processed per image frame. When features are compared from image to image, a comparison of one feature from a first image may be compared against all features of one or more other images, and the process repeated for each feature of the first image. As may be appreciated, the comparison of features from image to image may entail a substantial number of numerical computations.

Adaptive search window control for visual search


The invention provides Saliva Binding Protein polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding Saliva Binding Protein polypeptides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing Saliva Binding Protein polypeptides to screen for antibacterial compounds.

The Streptococci make up a medically important genera of microbes known to cause several types of disease in humans, including, for example, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, sinusitis, pleural empyema and endocarditis, and most particularly meningitis, such as for example infection of cerebrospinal fluid. Since its isolation more than 100 years ago, Streptococcus pneumoniae has been one of the more intensively studied microbes. For example, much of our early understanding that DNA is, in fact, the genetic material was predicated on the work of Griffith and of Avery, Macleod and McCarty using this microbe. Despite the vast amount of research with S. pneumoniae, many questions concerning the virulence of this microbe remain. It is particularly preferred to employ Streptococcal genes and gene products as targets for the development of antibiotics.
The frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections has risen dramatically in the past 20 years. This has been attributed to the emergence of multiply antibiotic resistant strains and an increasing population of people with weakened immune systems. It is no longer uncommon to isolate Streptococcus pneumoniae strains which are resistant to some or all of the standard antibiotics. This has created a demand for both new anti-microbial agents and diagnostic tests for this organism.
The ssaB gene from Streptococcus sanguis 12 encodes a saliva-binding lipoprotein on the ell surface of that organism which is thought to be responsible for its ability to colonize the oral cavity. (Ganesbkumar, N., Hannam, P. M., Kolenbrander, P. E. and McBride B. C. Infect. Immun. 9:1099 (1991).)
Clearly, there is a need for factors, such as the compounds of the invention, that have a resent benefit of being useful to screen compounds for antibiotic activity. Such factors are also useful to determine their role in pathogenesis of infection, dysfunction and disease. There is also a need for identification and characterization of such factors and their antagonists and agonists which can play a role in preventing, ameliorating or correcting infections, dysfunctions or diseases.
The polypeptides of the invention have amino acid sequence homology to a known Streptococcus sanguis 12 saliva binding protein (ssb) protein.