Disclosed is a 12CaO.7Al2O3 compound, a 12SrO.7Al2O3 compound, or a mixed crystal compound of 12CaO.7Al2O3 and 12SrO.7Al2O3, which contains a negative hydrogen ion (H−, H2−, H2− at a concentration of 1×1018 cm−3 or more. A negative hydrogen ion comprising a primary component of a hydride ion is incorporated into C12A7 (12CaO.7Al2O3), so that a function of being converted from an insulative material to an electrically conductive material in a sustained manner by means of irradiation with light can be exhibited even in the normal atmosphere at a room temperature. The present invention also provides a solid electrolyte capable of conducting a negative hydrogen ion, and means for releasing a hydride ion from the inside of a solid into a gaseous phase using an electric field.

Heretofore, there has been known only a few solid inorganic materials capable of being converted from their normal state or an insulative material to an electrically conductive material by means of irradiation with light. Recently, as one of the few cases, it was reported that yttrium hydride (YHx) or lanthanum hydride (LaHx) can be converted from an insulative state to an electrically conductive material in a sustained manner by means of irradiation with ultraviolet ray (A. F. Th. Hoekstra et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86[23], 5349, 2001).
In 1970, H. B. Bartl et al. found out that a C12A7 crystal has an unique feature in which among 66 oxygens residing in a unit cell including two molecules, two oxygens are not included in a network but exist as "free oxygens" in the inner space of cages residing in the crystal (H. B. Bartl and T. Scheller, Neues Jahrb. Mineral., Monatsh. 1970, 547). Until now, it has been verified that the free oxygens can be substituted with various types of negative ions.
Based on the measurement of electron spin resonance, Hosono who is one of the inventors of the present invention, et al. found out that CaCO3 and Al2O3 or Al(OH)3 can be used as a raw material and synthesized through a solid-phase reaction at a temperature of 1200° C. in the air to obtain a C12A7 crystal clathrateing O2− at a concentration of about 1×1019 cm−3. They proposed a model such that a part of free oxygens exists within crystal cages in the form of O2− (H. Hosono and Y. Abe, Inorg. Chem. 26[8], 1193, 1987, pp. 171-172, 1996, Materials Science Society of Japan).
The inventors newly found out that a raw material prepared by mixing calcium and aluminum at the atomic equivalence ratio of about 12:14 can be subjected to a solid-phase reaction under a controlled temperature and atmosphere to obtain a C12A7 compound incorporating active oxygen species at a high concentration of 1020 cm−3 or more. The inventors filed a patent application for inventions concerning the compound itself, a production method therefor, means for extracting incorporated ions, a method for identifying the active oxygen ion radicals, and the uses of the compound [Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-049524 (Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-003218), PCT/JP01/03252 (WO0179115-A1)].
Subsequently, the inventors found out a method of controlling the concentration of an anion other than a negative oxygen ion, such as OH− ion in a C12A7, to incorporate or extract active oxygen species at about 700° C., and filed a patent application for inventions related thereto [Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-226843 (Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-040697)]. The inventors also found out that a electric field can be applied to a C12A7 compound containing an active oxygen at a high concentration to extract a high-density O− ion beam, and filed a patent application for inventions related thereto [Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-377293 (WO 03/050037A1)].
Furthermore, the inventors found out that a C12A7 compound powder subjected to a hydration reaction in water, water-containing solvent or water-vapor-containing gas can be burnt in an oxygen atmosphere to synthesize a C12A7 compound containing an OH− ion at a concentration of 1021 cm−3 or more, and filed a patent application for inventions concerning the compound itself, a production method therefor, a method for identifying the OH− ion, and the uses of the compound [Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-117546 (Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-316867)].
A 12SrO.7Al2O3 compound (S12A7) is known as a material having a crystal structure similar to that of a C12A7 compound (O. Yamaguchi et al. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 69.[2] C-36, 1968). As to a S12A7 compound, the inventors also filed a patent application for inventions concerning a synthetic method therefor, a method for incorporating an active oxygen ion and the uses of the compound [Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-045302 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-0238149)].

Hydrogen-containing electrically conductive inorganic compound


The developer replenishment apparatus includes a first developer container for accommodating the developer for replenishment, a first conveyance member disposed in the first developer container to discharge the developer for replenishment through a first opening of the first developer container, a second developer container for receiving the developer for replenishment discharged from the first opening, an agitating member disposed in the second developer container to agitate the developer for replenishment, a second conveyance member disposed in the second developer container to discharge the developer for replenishment through a second opening of the second developer container toward the developing apparatus, and a driving device which does not drive the second conveyance member but drives the agitating member when driving the first conveyance member. The bulk density of the developer is thereby stabilized to make possible replenishment with the developer at high accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer replenishment apparatus for supplying a developer to image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, facsimile machines and printers which form an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member by an electrophotographic or electrostatic recording method or otherwise, and turns this electrostatic latent image into a visualized image (toner image) with the developer accommodated in a developing apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus, whether it uses a one-component developer or a two-component developer, when the development of electrostatic latent images brings down the quantity of the developer in the developing apparatus below its prescribed level, a developing apparatus 208 is replenished with a toner from a developer replenishment apparatus in which a developer for replenishment (toner) is stored, namely, a hopper 200, as in one example shown in FIG. 14 appended to the present application.
Usually, the hopper 200 is provided with a toner cartridge (first developer container) 201 for supplying new toner to a developing apparatus 208 and a buffer part (second developer container) 202 for storing the toner supplied from the toner cartridge 201. When the quantity of the toner in the buffer part 202 has decreased, a toner sensor (not shown) disposed in the buffer part 202 detects the toner shortage, and toner is supplied from the toner cartridge 201 to keep the quantity of the toner in the buffer part 202 constant.
The conventional buffer part 202 is often oblongly shaped. In the hopper 200 of this type, the toner supplied from the toner cartridge 201 drops by gravity into and accumulates in the buffer part 202, and is supplied to the developing apparatus 208 via a toner supply inlet 204 by the bottom face of the buffer part 202 and a conveyance screw 205 provided within a replenishment pipe 203 communicating with this bottom face.
However, this system of filling the buffer part 202 with toner by gravity is susceptible to bulk density variations of the toner in the buffer part 202 while the toner is accumulating in the buffer part 202, and this could invite fluctuations in the quantity of the toner supplied to the developing apparatus 208.
A proposed solution to this problem is to circulate the toner in a shallow buffer part as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H03-2178789.
In this system, as shown in FIG. 15, after the toner is supplied from the toner cartridge to the toner supplying position 92 of the buffer part 202, the toner is evened up by being circulatively conveyed within the buffer part 202 by agitating screws 89a and 89b. The toner, which is then conveyed by a conveyance screw 89c to an opening 90, is further conveyed to the developing apparatus via a replenishment pipe (not shown). This system, since it can better suppress bulk density fluctuations within the buffer than the method of filling the buffer part by gravity, has an effect of reducing fluctuations in the quantity of toner supplied to the developing apparatus.
However, the hopper having the conventional buffer part to be filled with the toner by circulative conveyance involves the following problems.
In a color image forming apparatus, in order to suppress density variations of output images, fluctuations in the quantity of replenishment from the hopper to the developing apparatus have to be eliminated.
One of the means to achieve the purpose is the use of a less fluid toner, whose bulk density is not readily varied by external disturbance, such as a difference in environment or a state of being let stand for a long period. However, since the use of such a low-fluidity toner makes it impossible to even up the toner with agitating screws in the conventional circulative conveyance type buffer part at other times than when replenishing the developing apparatus with the toner, the heap of the toner will remain uncollapsed and build up in the toner replenishment position, sometimes blocking the toner flow.
Even if the toner flow is not blocked, it may be prevented from a position where it can be detected by the toner sensor with the consequence that erroneous emptiness of the toner cartridge may be detected even though there is some remaining toner in the cartridge.
Moreover, in spite of the use of the low-fluidity toner, the difference in bulk density between the toner replenishment position and elsewhere may become too large, rather inviting increased fluctuations of the quantity of replenishment.


A toothbrush including a head, a tuft of bristles positioned at the head, a piezoelectric film disposed within the head in such a way that a force applied to the tuft of bristles generates voltage in the piezoelectric film, and an indicator for indicating that a predetermined level of voltage is being generated in the piezoelectric film. Preferably the tuft of bristles is able to "float" within the head of the toothbrush. The indicator is constructed to provide a signal that is perceivable by a user of the toothbrush (e.g., a visible signal or an audible signal).

The present invention relates to pressure-sensing toothbrushes for sensing the pressure applied during brushing of oral surfaces.
The main cause of caries and marginal gingivitis is the formation of dental plaque. This soft adhering coating on the teeth results from the accumulation of bacteria and remnants of food, which build up preferentially at the edges of the gums. Toothbrushing has long been used for oral hygiene. While toothbrushing is generally effective in cleaning the tooth surfaces, its effectiveness is greatly decreased if the duration of brushing or force applied during brushing is inadequate. Vigorous brushing of the teeth with excessive force, however, can cause damage to tooth material and to gum tissue. Both the velocity with which the teeth are brushed and the pressure applied during brushing contribute to root surface abrasion and gingival recession.
Accordingly, there is a need to indicate to the user of a toothbrush the brushing pressure applied, brushing velocity, and, especially for children, when brushing has been performed for the proper duration.


A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a select gate over a substrate and forming a charge storage layer and a control gate over the select gate. The charge storage layer and control gate overlap a first sidewall of the select gate and the charge storage layer is between the select gate and the control gate. A protective spacer is formed, wherein the protective spacer has a first portion adjacent a first sidewall of the charge storage layer and on the substrate, and the protective spacer is thinned. After thinning the protective spacer, a sidewall spacer is formed over the protective spacer, wherein the sidewall spacer has a first portion on the substrate, and the first portion of the protective spacer is between the first sidewall of the control gate and the first portion of the sidewall spacer.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor memory cells, and more particularly, to non-volatile memory (NVM) cells.
2. Related Art
Non-volatile memories (NVMs) have a limited endurance and efforts are continually being made to improve endurance. Improvements are being made in life-extending techniques using improved circuit design and in improved manufacturing techniques. One of the problems is what is known as trap-up in which charge becomes trapped in a dielectric and the charge is not readily moved by typical program and erase techniques. The result is that the threshold voltage for an erased device, which is the relatively high conductivity state, increases with the trap-up accumulation due to usage. The threshold voltage for a programmed device, which is the relatively low conductivity state, also increases with trap-up accumulation but much less than the increase in threshold for erased devices of the same usage. The result ultimately is that the high and low conductivity states become too close together for reliable detection, especially at higher speeds.
Accordingly there is a need to provide further improvement in reducing trap-up in NVMs.

Method of making a non-volatile memory (NVM) with trap-up reduction


A monohydric alcohol-free composition for topical use on human lips and skin. The composition includes a commercialy acceptable carrier and solubilized ethylcellulose. The ethylcellulose is substantially solubilized in at least one solvent which may be a natural oil, a triglyceride, a propylene glycol ester, a neopentyl glycol ester, a fatty alcohol or mixtures thereof.

This invention is directed to a monohydric alcohol-free composition comprising solubilized ethylcellulose. Particularly, this invention is directed to a monohydric alcohol-free composition for topical use on human lips and skin comprising a commercially acceptable carrier and solubilized ethylcellulose. The ethylcellulose being substantially solubilized in at least one solubilizing agent which may be a natural oil, triglyceride propylene glycol ester, neopentyl glycol ester, fatty alcohol or mixtures thereof. The solubilized ethylcellulose is present in a quantity sufficient to enhance the composition's adhesiveness and durability on the lips or skin to which the composition is applied.
The solubilizing agent of the present invention may be substituted or unsubstituted and may be saturated or unsaturated. Additionally the solubilizing agent may be a compound having a solubility parameter .delta.a and .delta.d within the following range: EQU 15.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 .ltoreq..delta.d.ltoreq.18.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 EQU 8.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 .ltoreq..delta.a.ltoreq.10.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2
wherein .delta.a=.sqroot.p.sup.2 +.delta.n.sup.2 .
The composition of the present invention may comprise more than one solvent to form a mixture of solvents. Said mixture of solvents has a solubility parameter .delta.a and .delta.d within the above-described range.
The invention is advantageous in that the use of the above-described solvent or solvents in combination with ethylcellulose in a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition enables effective amounts of ethylcellulose to more easily be solubilized into the composition in the absence of monohydric alcoholic solvents, thereby forming improved formulations that are more tolerable by human skin or lips.
The present invention is also directed to a process for preparing cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions comprising said monohydric alcohol-free composition comprising solubilized ethylcellulose.
Ethylcellulose is an ethyl ether of cellulose, and comprises a long-chain polymer consisting of anhydroglucose units joined together by acetal linkages. It has been observed that solubilized ethylcellulose functions as a hydrophobic film forming agent and a water-insoluble polymer component of cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions. It has also been observed that inclusion of solubilized ethylcellulose in cosmetic or dermatological compositions enhances the adhesion, durability, viscosity and hydrophobicity efficacy of these compositions.
For instance, the inclusion of solubilized ethylcellulose in cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions for lips and skin has been found to enhance the adhesion efficacy of such compositions, and hence minimize or alleviate undesirable migration beyond the areas to which these compositions were applied. The extent to which cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions adhere to its intended surface is an important feature to consumers, particularly in lipstick, lip gloss, and other lip and skin care products.
Further, solubilized ethylcellulose has also been found to enhance the durability efficacy of cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions applied to lips or skin, and hence improve the wearability of those compositions and may lessen or minimize undesirable transfer to items which may come into contact with the area of the skin or lip on which these compositions were applied. Additionally, solubilized ethylcellulose has also been found to minimize undesirable migration of cosmetics beyond those areas to which the cosmetic was applied, such as lips or a specific area of the skin. Because many compositions for lips and skin contain color and other stain causing agents, the minimization or elimination of undesirable transfer of these compositions is a significant feature to consumers. Solubilized ethylcellulose has further been observed to enhance water resistance, increase film formation on the skin and increase Skin Protection Factor (SPF) activity for sun screens.
However, ethylcellulose has very limited solubility in most solvents found in cosmetic and dermatological compositions. Typically, monohydric alcohols having about 2-8 carbon atoms, such as ethanol, butanol, methanol or isopropanol, are used to more easily solubilize effective amounts of ethylcellulose in a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition. However, the drawback in using monohydric alcoholic solvents is that they are irritants and volatile, and consequently may be harmful to the skin after repeated use. There is, therefore, a need for a composition, more specifically a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition, free of monohydric alcohols and having effective amounts of solubilized ethylcellulose contained therein.
Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a composition adapted for topical use on human tissue which is free of monohydric alcohol yet enables substantially all of the ethylcellulose employed to be solubilized in said composition. This is advantageously accomplished by solubilizing the ethylcellulose using one or more of the following solvents, or mixtures thereof: natural oils, C.sub.6 -C.sub.30 triglycerides, propylene glycol esters, neopentyl glycol esters, C.sub.10 -C.sub.100 fatty alcohols, and compounds having a solubility parameter .delta.a and .delta.d within the following range: EQU 15.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 .ltoreq..delta.d.ltoreq.18.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 EQU 8.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 .ltoreq..delta.a.ltoreq.10.00(J/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2
wherein .delta.a=.sqroot..delta.p.sup.2 +.delta.n.sup.2 .
It is a feature of this invention that such compositions are useful in cosmetic applications such as compositions suitable for human lips or skin. Specifically, the lip cosmetic compositions of the present invention are long lasting and exhibit minimal undesirable migration above and below the lip line.
It is another feature of this invention that the compositions of the present invention are useful in pharmaceutical applications, including, but not limited to dermatological applications or compositions which may be used to deliver pharmaceutically effective ingredients via topical administration in humans or animals.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for preparing such a monohydric alcohol-free composition. This process is accomplished by admixing ethylcellulose and the above-described solvent or solvents so that substantially all of the ethylcellulose is solubilized, while again advantageously avoiding the use of monohydric alcohols to achieve such solubilization. It is another feature of this invention that the process is useful in the preparation of cosmetic compositions. It is yet another feature of this invention that the process is useful in the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions.
It is yet another feature of this invention to provide a process that is useful in the preparation of compositions with improved adhesion and durability efficacies. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method of enhancing the adhesion and durability of a composition on the lips or skin.

Monohydric alcohol-free composition for topical use comprising solubilized ethylcellulose


A method for time use analysis of a higher level language program is performed by displaying source code lines in descending order according to the amount of time spent by the program to execute machine code into which the source code lines have been compiled. Source code lines are displayed arranged in order according to the percentages of the amounts of time spent in execution during runs of the program, and the higher percentages identified for optimizing actions. A digital processing apparatus for performing the analysis includes a display for showing the source code lines that require the most time of execution, a selection apparatus for selecting those source code lines having the greater opportunity for significant corrective action, and displaying the various selected source code lines in the order in which the lines are kept in the program along with the corresponding time spent by the program to execute machine code into which the source code lines have been compiled. An improved method and apparatus identifies source code lines which a testing program does not test in its test procedure. A digital processing apparatus displays in different orders those source code lines identified as not having been used. Test programs are improved so that machine code instructions for all lines of source code are executed.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to the art of software development for digital computing, and more particularly to the arts of (1) debugging and optimizing higher level language programs, and (2) testing procedures for higher level language programs.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In the past, after computer programs are created, programmers must debug the program. Such programs are usually created out of many procedures and subroutines, each of which is a series of lines of source code intended to perform some specific task or function. "Subroutines," "functions" and "procedures" are self-contained segments of the program, comprising a group of source code lines that perform a specific function. Hereinafter in this specification, the term "source line" may be used from time to time as the same as and synonymous with the term "source code line" for ease and clarity in understanding and description.
Initially, a computer performs its tasks by "executing" machine code. Machine code is a series of machine instructions. Each instruction usually consists of a coded sequence of binary bits comprising a series of positives and negatives, ones and zeros or similar type of two level information. A digital processing apparatus responds to such machine instructions by operating upon other machine coded data stored in a memory, according to the program. A set of such machine instructions is loaded into a central processing unit of the digital processing apparatus, or computer from a memory called a machine instructions file. The memory device for both could be a disk, floppy disk, tape, read only memory (ROM), flash memory or the like. Thus, the central processing unit of the computer retrieves an initial machine instruction from the memory and carries out the tasks specified by the instruction. In carrying out or performing the specified tasks of the machine instruction, the computer is said to "execute" the machine instruction.
A machine instruction will not only operate upon the data in memory in accordance with the program, but will also instruct the central processing unit as to which machine instruction to retrieve and execute next. This process of executing one machine instruction after the next may continue indefinitely or until a machine instruction is executed that instructs the central processing unit to stop the execution process. Some digital processing apparatuses include improvements to speed up computer programs by allowing the computer to execute several machine instructions at once if it can do so, while still generally appearing to behave as if it is executing one at a time in sequence. Generally, such improvements do not change the fundamental sequential nature of the computer's execution process.
Machine code instructions can be represented in alpha-numeric expressions for display on display devices. Typically, moreover, computer manufacturers create a more human readable version of their machine code, called "assembly code" having its own "assembly language." The computer translates the assembly language into machine instructions for execution of the program. Assembly language makes it a somewhat easier task to program. However, such assembly languages are usually unique to that manufacturer's computers, and to make a program executable on another computer, the entire program must be rewritten in another's assembly language.
As a consequence, higher, or "high" level programming languages have been developed which are designed to run on all brands of computers. Using such higher level programs, a computer programmer can express general mathematical formulae and complex data relationships in a way that is independent of the actual brand of computer on which the program will be run. The computer programmer need not know what machine code language instructions will actually be used to implement his mathematical formulae. In this manner, the programmer can concentrate on the general specification of the algorithm without having to figure all of the detailed machine instructions necessary to carry out or execute his tasks. Among the more popular higher level programming languages are C, Fortran, Cobol, C++, Ada, Pascal and Lisp.
The indicia used to identify these higher level programming languages bear a resemblance to ordinary, written languages. Such indicia are usually written in alpha-numeric symbols, including various punctuation marks and characters, in a line from left to right. A single command created by a programmer in such a higher level language usually comprises a single line, but in any event is called a "source code line" or, more simply, a "source line." It is a series of such source lines of code that comprise the subroutines, functions and procedures that, collectively, will in turn comprise a complete program. Each of such subroutines, functions or procedures is itself a self-contained segment of the program, and each comprises a group of source code lines, source lines or instructions that performs a specific function or task. Such source lines are stored in a memory, called a source lines file. These source lines are stored in the source lines file in an order which, for purposes of this description, will be called the source order or, sometimes, the source code order. The alpha-numeric expressions or indicia representing each of such source lines can be displayed on a display device, and are usually presented in a column from top to bottom in the order in which the source code line or command is to be carried out in the fundamental sequence of the computer's run of the program. Generally, this order is coincidental with the source order.
Displays are usually provided which present the results of the computer's operations to the user. The display can take the form of a permanent medium, such as printed paper where the results of the computer are printed by a printer, as well as such media as magnetic implanted or recorded tapes, data disks and like devices which can be either human readable or understandable or machine readable. The display can be in the form of a transient medium, such a video terminal or screen. Video screens can be the usual cathode ray tube screen as well as liquid crystal displays, virtual reality displays, holographic displays and so on. Further, such displays are used not only to present the results of the computer's operation, but also to present various information from or through the computer, such as, for example, the data stored within the computer's memory, such as the machine code instructions, source lines file, diagnostic programs and other information kept in the computer's memory or in the memory of peripheral equipment attached to the computer. Hereinafter in this description, the term "display" shall be used and is intended to mean all of such display devices, as well as other media through or on which the results and other information from or through a computer can be presented to a user or another machine.
Most such digital processing apparatuses have some way of inserting codes, data and instructions into the computer. Such input devices include keyboards and/or some form of pointing devices. Pointing devices can be a light pen, a graphics tablet, arrow keys on a keyboard, a track ball or the "mouse" or "clicker" for positioning a pointer or cursor on the display screen or other output presentation.
"Interactive display" or "interactive display device" are terms that are sometimes used to refer to those displays that combine computer input and output functions. These devices allow the user to identify a location on the display so that the digital processing apparatus can then respond to that location identification as a command or instruction for further action or operation. Such a combination could be, for example, a video screen (cathode ray tube) and a pointing device, such as a "mouse" that moves a screen visible arrow or like cursor to identify a location among the indicia showing on the screen. Stylus sensitive liquid crystal display panels are another example of such an interactive display.
Another combination might be the screen display and a finger of the user's hand, where the screen display is sensitive to the finger's touch, and responds to that touch as if it were a command. Heads up displays, virtual reality displays and the like are additional such interactive displays.
The speed and reliability advantages afforded by higher level program languages cause most programs to be written in higher level languages. Many subroutines, functions and procedures can be very long, often containing hundreds and sometimes thousands of source lines. Furthermore, since the variations and permutations of possible functioning of these subroutines and functions is very large, it is impractical for the programmer to put the program through all possible tests, even assuming that he could know them all.
Instead, it is general practice to give a new program, after the programmer has performed rudimentary testing, to a number of testers who will exercise the program and all of its subroutines and functions more thoroughly in a variety of environments, applications, iterations and combinations. Typically, such testers identify those tasks and operations which the program cannot perform in the manner in which the tester has tried. In such testing, the tester usually identifies only those subroutines or functions which fail to perform their specific task assigned within the overall scheme of the program. Such testers normally are unable to thoroughly test all possible source code lines, many of which may malfunction under the circumstances which call for their use.
At the end of the testing, lists of these "bugs" are submitted to the programmer. The programmer can then make corrections to, or debug the program in light of the testers'feedback, and re-submit the debugged program to the testers for further testing. Sometimes, this process is repeated several times until an acceptably well functioning version of the program is achieved.
Generally, testers are unconcerned with the time that a subroutine or function takes in the run of the program. Programmers, however, have at least two circumstances in which the amount of time that it takes to execute the program can be important. The first circumstance is when a malfunction of a subroutine, function or procedure is identified that results in it accomplishing its assigned tasks too slowly so that the results of that subroutine, function or procedure are untimely for fitting into the remaining part of the program, which may depend on those results for performing the overall task. A second circumstance occurs when the subroutine or function performance time is too slow by comparison with alternative or competing products.
In the first circumstance, the program cannot be released until the problem is resolved. The subroutine, function or its component loop must be made faster or optimized, that is re-written. In the second circumstance, the program may be released, but its acceptance and use will likely be limited accordingly.
Where a subroutine, function or procedure, and likely the entire program malfunctions because some part of a subroutine or function is too slow for its assigned task in the scheme of the program, the subroutine, function or procedure must be made faster. Typically, programmers look to alternative subroutines and functions which are faster for substitution into the program.
Even after the program has been debugged and the problems fixed so that the program works correctly, it is often found that the program does not carry out its tasks at the speed desired. A user may complain that the program carries out its tasks too slowly, or that it takes too long to perform some of its tasks. Programs are sometimes written to take advantage of certain features of one make of computer. Although the program will run on most other makes of computers because it is written in a higher level language, the other makes of computers in many instances will run that particular program slower than on the make for which it was originally written. A user having a program that runs too slowly on his particular computer may desire greater speed in order that his computer may handle more programs, or handle more tasks.
One solution to this problem of time or speed is to acquire a new computer on which the program will be run at a greater speed. This solution, however, can be costly.
In the past, certain performance analysis hardware and software have been provided that give the amount of time used by the most often executed machine instructions. The higher level language programmer, however, usually does not know the machine instructions into which his source lines are translated. Most programmers are not helped, therefore, by knowing how much time was used by any one individual machine instruction.
Further, it has been known to provide hardware and software that identify those segments of the program, such as subroutines, functions and procedures that use the most time. However, as noted, such functions, subroutines and procedures often consist of hundreds, even thousands of lines of source code. Such hardware and software do not identify which of these source lines use the most time when their corresponding machine code instructions are executed.
It is an object of the present invention to identify source code lines for which the time of use, or the amount of time spent to execute the machine code instructions into which the source lines have been translated, is the most. It is a further object of the present invention to provide and display the amount of time spent in the execution of the machine instructions for their corresponding source code lines. It is another object of the present invention to identify the source lines that are used repeatedly. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which can make these identifications displayed to the programmer in order according to the amounts of time so spent. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which can present these identifications to the programmer in the source order provided by the source line file and in the likely order of sequential performance.
Testing procedures are frequently provided for testing a program, function or sub-routine. Such testing procedures often include running a program by or with test input and analyzing the results. However, many such testing procedures do not test all of the source code's lines. Indeed, frequently it is not known whether all of the source lines are used in a testing procedure. Therefore, the tester cannot verify whether every source code line is satisfactory. Worse, a program tester may develop an invalid belief in the operability of every code line in every application for which the program was designed.
It is another object of this invention to provide testers with a procedure for more easily ascertaining the completeness of a testing procedure, and to provide methods and apparatus for correcting deficiencies found.

Method and apparatus for optimizing time and testing of higher level language program


An automatic milking system controlled by receiving a parameter representing a measured flow of milk extracted from at least one teat of an udder of an animal being milked in a milking operation via at least one teatcup of the milking system, wherein the milking system is controlled to stop the milking operation based on a first criterion indicating that the flow has reached a decline phase, and a second criterion indicating that the flow decreases faster than a threshold slope, the milking operation being stopped in response to fulfillment of the second criterion on or after a point in time when the first criterion has been fulfilled. As a result, a particular amount of milk is left in the udder of the animal, irrespective of an overall milking time for the animal.

As new and more advanced milking equipments are developed, the milking process has become completely automated, or at least almost. In such automatic milking systems, the low involvement of human operators requires that the milking system is capable of taking adequate decisions as when to stop extracting milk from each animal. Due to the wide variety in milk flow characteristics between different animals as well as for a particular animal between different milking occasions, it is a far from trivial task to determine the optimal milking time.
DE 36 09 275 A1 describes a milk removal method, wherein the flow of milk is detected in at least one teat, and based thereon; a milk-flow profile is derived. The milk-flow profile indicates a temporal dependence of the quantity of milk obtained within individual pulsation cycles. This, in turn, serves as a basis for a vacuum application parameter for a following milking operation.
V. Tanc̆in et al., "Sources of Variation in Milk Flow Characteristics at Udder and Quarter Levels", Journal of Dairy Science, No. 89, American Diary Science Association, 2006, pp 978-988 discusses milk flow patterns and variations in milk flow characteristics throughout the lactation cycle. Inter alia, the longest duration of decline phase was found at the beginning and end of lactation in quarters with high peak flow rate and in rear quarters. It is also speculated if cow preparation for milking and vacuum modification plays a role in the duration of decline phase at quarter level.
However, there is yet no example of a fully automatic procedure for determining an individually adapted milking time that is optimal for each animal.

Control unit, method and computer program for a milking system


Embodiments of the present invention include a windshield wiper comprising preferably of a dual blade design wherein a portion of the outside surface of each blades has a specific scrubbing configuration molded within or attached to outside surfaces of the one or more protruding blade components. The inside surface of each blade protruding component preferably has a smooth finish but for certain applications, may include the specific scrubbing configuration molded within or attached to one or more protruding blade components. The primary embodiment utilizes a plurality of triangular scrubbing configuration the projects from the outside surface of each blade. The triangular scrubbing configuration functions by engaging and impinging a piece of debris with the tip or point of the triangular configuration. The piercing small radius is followed by the wider section of the triangular configuration, which functions to split and shatter the engaged piece of debris. It is contemplated by the Applicant that another plurality of scrubbing-configurations such as a diamond or hexagon shape can be utilized to achieve the advantages of the present Invention. Furthermore, it is also contemplated by the Applicant that different scrubbing configurations can comprise the plurality of scrubbing projections.

Windshield wipers are an important safety feature a automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, buses, trains, and any other vehicle that includes a glass or polymeric windshield and is subject to rain, snow, ice, insects, tree sap, dirt, mud and the like. Windshield wipers typically include a longitudinal frame and one or more flexible squeegees running along the length of the frame. The frame is usually held by a motorized arm that sweeps the wiper across the windshield with the squeegee in contact with the windshield surface in order to sweep away rain, snow, and other debris so that the driver has a clear view in front of their vehicle.
Wiper blades for cleaning glass and polymeric surfaces on vehicles are known in highly varied configurations. Among them the so-called flat wiper blades are particularly known; they consist basically of a wiper blade body manufactured from a flexible rubber material and of support splines or spring splines engaging in a lateral longitudinal grooves in the wiper blade body, which are then attached at both ends of the wiper blade body along with it to the wiper blade by means of end caps.
It is also known in the case of windshield wipers for the wiper blade body to he configured as an airfoil on its upper side facing away from the lip and thus from the glass or polymeric surface to he cleaned, that is to say, with an inclined surface whose plane in the particular application Includes an angle smaller than 90 degree with the plane of the glass or polymeric surface, or with a correspondingly concave curved incline.
It is additionally known for wiper blades to provide a distribution passage inside the wiper blade body extending in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade for a cleaning or washing fluid, where discharge openings are provided at the end caps at both ends of the wiper blade to discharge the cleaning or washing fluid onto the glass surface.
Furthermore, it is known that there are wiper blades that employ additional elements, such as a brush, to assist removing debris from the windshield. One such design comprises at least two longitudinally extending flexible squeegees and a longitudinally extending brush channel between the two squeegees on a front side of the molded frame.
Many vehicles also include a mechanism for providing a cleaning fluid to the windshield to assist the wiper blade in removing the debris. When the windshield compromises the driver's forward visibility, the driver cleaning fluid to be projected onto the windshield, and the wipers mechanically assist in the cleaning action. Cleaning fluid may be provided from a nozzle on or near the hood of the vehicle, or otherwise in proximity to the outside windshield surface. Or, some vehicles and after-market kits make it possible to provide cleaning fluid directly through the windshield wiper frame. In this way, the cleaning fluid is deposited directly to the windshield, and is less likely to he blown away from the vehicle by wind when the vehicle is moving, and is also advantageously distributed more widely across the windshield surface as the wipers sweep.
Additionally, many modern windshield wipers are employing aerodynamic technology by maintaining close contact between the windshield surface and the wiper blades. However, they do not take advantage of the wind available at moderate to high vehicle speeds to assist in the distribution of cleaning fluids and the removal of liquids from the windshield surface.
However, even with currently designed windshield wipers, ice, dirt, insects and other debris remain on the windshield despite the sweeping action of the windshield wiper, obscuring the drivers view. As a result, drivers occasionally are required to stop their vehicle, and manually clean stubborn debris from the windshield, in order to improve visibility through the windshield.
The invention described herein provides an improved windshield wiper that more effectively removes solid and liquid debris from the windshield, allowing for improved visibility, and thereby increased safety.

Wiper blade for cleaning glass or polymeric windshields


Methods and compositions for wastewater treatment. The compositions comprise CaCO3, MgCO3, lanthanum chloride, or chitosan, and can be applied easily with conventional wastewater treatment processes and equipments. The methods and compositions of the present invention significantly improve treatment efficiency and reduce amount of required chemical additives.

Wastewater treatment entails removing and treating many different types of pollutants or contaminants found in wastewater. Various processes are known and available in the art, but the basic approaches revolve around biological and/or chemical treatment processes. Generally, solid components in the wastewater are removed via mechanical separation, for instance with the aid of screens and grit chambers and by allowing the solid impurities to settle in a preliminary settling device. This is followed by a chemical treatment process and preferably also by a biological treatment process.
Chemical treatment generally involves the use of precipitation chemicals, such as iron salts or aluminum salts, which react with, flocculate, and/or precipitate impurities in the wastewater such as phosphates.
Flocculation, or coagulation, plays a central role in this process, where dissolved and colloid impurities are destabilized and large floc aggregate are formed, which can be removed from the water in subsequent clarification or filtration process. The speed of flocculation and the quality of the floc aggregates formed is central to the effectiveness of the treatment process, not only because it affects the removal of the soluble or colloid impurities from the water, it also affects the characteristics (e.g. sludge quantity, volume, compactness and water content) of the sludge formed, which must also be treated.
The chemicals or flocculation agents commonly used for municipal wastewater treatment include alum and lime as well as a range of synthetic polymers. It is important to add the minimum amount of chemicals possible and to obtain good contact with all of the wastewater to reduce costs, maximize efficiency and minimize the amount of sludge.
In the biological treatment process, which can take place, for instance, by an activated sludge process or by means of a trickling filter, the wastewater is purified by the actions of microorganisms.
Removal of phosphorus from wastewater is essential in any wastewater treatment process, because high bio-available phosphorus in the water, if discharged into natural water streams, will cause many adverse effects on the environment. Generally, bio-available phosphorus (e.g. orthophosphate) is the limiting nutrient in freshwater aquatic systems. Increased concentration of available phosphorus allows plants to assimilate more nitrogen before the phosphorus is depleted. Thus, if sufficient phosphorus is available, elevated concentrations of nitrates will render the water eutrophic and lead to algal blooms. "Algal blooms" refers to generally to nutrient-induced production of aquatic plants in both freshwater and estuaries. Detrimental consequences of algal blooms include odors and discoloration caused by algal mats and decaying algal clumps, which will interfere with recreational and navigational water uses; oxygen depletion which interferes with aquatic fauna and in extreme cases can lead to death of desirable fish species, and disruption of the composition of native flora due to altered nutrient profiles.
Phosphorus reduction is now an active target by the EPA. In some states, every wastewater operation is required to monitor daily levels of phosphorus in their effluent. Additionally, some operations are already permitted for phosphorus reduction at levels from 0.3 mg/litter (ltr) to 1.0 mg/ltr, with 1.0 mg/ltr being the most typical.
The current accepted approach involves the addition of certain chemicals, with ferric chloride and alum being the most dominant choices in the industry. It is generally accepted that the addition of sufficient volumes of either of these chemicals will guarantee acceptable phosphorus reduction. Typically, commercial suppliers suggest that 200 mg/ltr of ferric chloride or alum as being sufficient for adequate phosphorus reduction, to meet permit requirements. For example, in the state of Minnesota, addition of ferric chloride or alum are a "process requirement" for obtaining permits for wastewater operations.
Chitosan has been used in water treatment in the pool and spa industry, as well as in treatment of storm water, but not in the wastewater industry. Like currently available chemicals such as ferric chloride and alum, the high cost of using chitosan has restricted its use. In addition to cost concerns, the high volumes of these material required to achieve acceptable results have resulted in increased sludge volume in wastewater treatment plants where they have been used.
Additionally, when alum is applied regularly, the resulting aluminum-containing sludge is known to inhibit microbial and other biological and biochemical processes that are required for activated sludge to degrade contaminants in the wastewater. Paradoxically, the use of ferric chloride and alum also causes a condition referred to as 'chemical dependency' by operational personnel in municipal wastewater operations. In other words, when chemicals such as ferric chloride or alum are used, the microbial population in a wastewater operation tend to become dependent upon the continued use of the chemicals in order to function efficiently.
Chemical additions are also a concern because of their corrosive qualities and the risk in handling them. These corrosive effects lead to decreased life expectancy of equipment and other physical structures of the wastewater treatment plant, increasing the cost of operation.
Therefore, there are needs for improved methods and compositions that solve these problems.


A system and method for controlling and analyzing data storage systems, and more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling and analyzing performance and physical attributes of a sealed disk drive unit using an externally accessible but internally integral positioning system. A disk drive having a sealed housing utilizes a reflective planar mirror on the rotary actuator controlling the head drive assembly. A narrow beam directed through a window on the side wall of the housing onto the mirror is reflected off at angle dependent on the actuator position to a beam sensitive detector. A translator system driven by a positioner disposed at a distance from the rotary actuator axis which is substantially greater than the distance between the actuator axis and the head assembly, is used to vary the relationship between the directed and reflected beams. This system incorporates the rotary actuator in a closed loop servo that positions the actuator precisely at different locations relative to the recording medium, so that the data may be written and analyzed at off-track track position increments. The invention further provides, at an early or later manufacturing stage, means for calculating bias torque and friction without the need for prerecorded embedded servo information.

This invention relates to systems and methods for controlling and analyzing data storage systems, and more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling and analyzing performance and physical attributes of sealed disk drive units using an externally accessible but internally integral positioning system.
In the present state of the art pertaining to digital storage on movable media, extremely high track densities (of the order of 1000-2000 tracks per inch) have become feasible. Workers in the art have constantly sought to increase the number of usable tracks per disk, i.e. the track density, since it is intuitively recognizable that doubling the number of tracks per inch effectively doubles the amount of stored data. As track densities were increased, it was soon found that open loop systems, such as incremental positioning systems without actual head position feedback, could not meet the accuracy requirements. Such previously minor factors as thermal errors and manufacturing tolerances could not be accepted because of the very small track spacings. Consequently, developers went to embedded servo track systems, and sophisticated dedicated servo surface systems which may also be combined with some embedded servo track information. Embedded servo track systems have prewritten reference patterns within the data tracks which enable precise location of magnetic heads for writing and reading during operation. Dedicated servo surface systems have a single disk surface on which there is only recorded head position information. This information is continuously read in order to position the remaining read/write heads mounted on the common actuator. The constant quest for ever higher track densities has led to modern systems which have 2,000 to 4,000 or more tracks per inch, for magnetic media.
Some of the techniques heretofore used have written the required reference patterns by accurately positioning the head assembly by a separate apparatus which is typically not part of the final drive assembly. For example, an external rotary or linear actuator may be attached to the head assembly drive actuator. With the position of the external actuator being accurately controlled, the head assembly actuator correspondingly follows. This, however, can result in positioning inaccuracies due to various factors such as the friction in the coupling between the two actuators, the relative position of the external actuator and the servo head, and errors between the external position and actual internal head position.
A substantially more costly technique, but one which may be adequately precise, mounts a retroreflector assembly on the head assembly actuator, and directs reflected light to a fixed laser interferometer, which can give an extremely precise position signal for the head actuator in the form of a distance measurement to the retroreflector. Then, an external actuator can be used to position the head drive, or the drive's head actuator can be placed in a servo loop which uses the interferometer for position feedback. This expedient is, however, expensive and as usually practiced, involves an incompletely assembled drive, and clean room operation.
A serious disadvantage is the fact that the disk drive unit must be in an incomplete stage of assembly in order to obtain access to the head assembly actuator, and thereafter maintained in a clean room for the servo track writing operation. A clean room is required to provide the equivalent environment of a clean sealed disk drive assembly. A purified atmosphere without particulate contaminants is needed to "fly" the magnetic head assembly at the necessary close spacing (of the order of a few microinches) to the surface of the disk. Otherwise, particulates, such as ordinary dust, appear as relatively massive objects that affect both the head dynamics and recording.
It is evident, therefore, that none of the available expedients provides a suitably low cost, high precision, method for positioning and writing position reference information on a disk storage medium, or particularly for doing so with a sealed type of drive and under conditions and with procedures suitable for mass production operations.
There are circumstances in which it is desired to sense or control a part of the dynamic interior mechanisms of an open or a sealed disk drive, in terms of determining where the head mechanism is, or the angular position of the disk itself, or both. In preparatory testing of a newly assembled disk drive unit, it may be desirable to analyze the quality of the write/read circuitry and the media consistency without the need or use of servo tracks. For example, testing data amplitude, modulation or pulse width at a varying radii along the rotatable medium can identify defects in the recording medium and or a malfunctioning write/read head. Without a full operating system and servo information, this cannot redily be readily accomplished, if at all, by present techniques.
As a different example, it may be desirable to establish off-track or cross-track performance. To accomplish this, a track of data can be written and subsequently read from positions which are at small increments located increasing further away from the track location, wherein the increments are much smaller than the standard prescribed distance separating two concentric tracks of data.
Likewise, the head assembly can be positioned so as to write first and second tracks of data separated by a predetermined distance. The first or second track of data can then be read at small increments in the gap therebetween, moving from one track towards the other, so as to ascertain the cross-track interference between the first and second tracks. With present techniques utilizing servo information, this cannot readily be accomplished without a fully functioning system.
Yet still another advantage is the ability to determine the magnitude of any unwanted bias torques acting upon the rotary actuator as well as the magnitude of system friction without having a fully operating system. Again, present positioning techniques do not lend themselves to such measurements.

Method and apparatus for controlling and analyzing a data storage system


An image reader, which is capable of reading tone effects of a document precisely and can be miniaturized, includes a document glass, a light source for illuminating the document, an optical system for image formation of a reflected light from the document, an image reading section, a carriage, a driving motor for driving the carriage, a vertical scanning white reference board disposed outside an area, in which the document is mounted, within a range of reading and at least arranged apart from the carriage in a direction toward the document glass, a vertical scanning shading correction arrangement for correction to keep an image signal level at a constant level, and a locating section for locating a position in a horizontal scanning direction of the vertical scanning white reference board, whereby tone effects of the document can be read precisely and the image reader be miniaturized.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image reader such as an image scanner, a copying machine or the like that performs vertical scanning shading correction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image reader has been used as an input device of an image scanner, a copying machine or the like, and recently a need for a high-quality image of the apparatus has been increased.
FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a conventional image reader, and FIG. 14 is a top view of the conventional one. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the image reader comprises an image reader body 1, a document glass 2, a carriage 3, a supporting member 4, a shaft 5, a drive transmission member 6, a drive pulley 7, a follower pulley 8, a driving motor 9, a follower pulley supporting member 10, a spring member 11, a horizontal scanning white reference board 16, and a vertical scanning white reference board 17.
The document glass 2 is used to set a document manually. The carriage 3 is used to scan and read the document, and the supporting member 4, which contains bearings or the like, is fixed to the carriage 3. The shaft 5 supports the carriage 3 via the supporting member 4, and movement of the carriage 3 is restricted to a vertical scanning direction by the shaft 5. The drive transmission member 6, such as wire, a belt and the like, transmits a driving force to the carriage 3. The carriage 3 is connected to the drive transmission member 6, which is engaged with the carriage 3 via the drive pulley 7 and the follower pulley 8. The drive pulley 7 is connected to the driving motor 9 via a connecting shaft and a reduction mechanism (both not shown), and the carriage 3 is driven by rotating the driving motor 9. The follower pulley 8 is energized via the follower pulley supporting member 10 by the spring member 11, giving tension to the drive transmission member 6. The horizontal scanning white reference board 16 and the vertical scanning white reference board 17 shown in FIG. 14 are both fixed on the document glass 2 within a range readable by a line image sensor 14 described later.
FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram which shows an optical system of the conventional image reader. Since the document glass 2, the carriage 3, and the drive transmission member 6 in FIG. 15 are the same as those in FIG. 13, the same reference numerals are used for them and the description is omitted here. A light source 12 irradiates a document, and a reflecting mirror 13 reflects a reflected light from the document. The line image sensor 14 converts image information into electric signals, and an imaging lens 15 forms an image of a document on the line image sensor 14.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an image reading circuit of a conventional image reader. In FIG. 16, a driver 18 controls the line image sensor 14, which outputs image signals R, G and B for every line each time a line synchronizing signal LS is inputted. Image signals R, G and B, corresponding to each pixel received by the line image sensor 14 are outputted in synchronization with a pixel clock CK. Amplifiers 19, 20 and 21 amplify levels of pixel signals of image signals, R, G and B outputted from the line image sensor 14, respectively, and output the amplified image signals R, G and B. A CPU 25 controls the driver 18 by using an image range signal a, and controls gains from the amplifiers 19, 20 and 21 via signal lines 22, 23 and 24 which transmit amplifier control signals r, g and b, respectively. The image range signal a is a signal indicating a period in which an image signal is actually outputted in synchronization with a line synchronizing signal LS. The CPU 25, which contains at least 3 or more channels of A-D converters, converts image signals R, G and B outputted by the amplifiers 19, 20 and 21, respectively, into digital signals. Also, the CPU 25, containing at least 3 or more channels of D-A converters, converts digital amplifier control signals into analog amplifier signals r, g and b, so as to control the amplifiers 19 to 21 as described above. A memory 26 is connected to the CPU 25. The CPU 25 controls the entire image reader facilities, and for example, controls the rotation of the driving motor 9 and turning-on of the light source 12.
The operation of the conventional image reader having the above configuration will be described below by using FIGS. 13 to 17. FIG. 17 is a positional relationship diagram showing the positional relationship between the vertical scanning white reference board 17 and the line image sensor 14. First, immediately after the image reader is turned on, or at an appropriate time when the image reader does not perform a reading operation, if necessary, the CPU 25 rotates the driving motor 9 so as to move the carriage 3 to a position in which the horizontal scanning white reference board 16 is readable and turns on the light source 12. When the light source 12 is turned on, a reflected light from the horizontal scanning white reference board 16 is reflected back by the reflecting mirror 13, and an image is formed on the line image sensor 14 by the imaging lens 15. The analog signals R, G and B obtained from the line image sensor 14 are converted into digital signals through the A-D converter in the CPU 25, and transferred to the memory 26. The CPu 25 reads the values transferred to the memory 26 and specifies values for amplifier control signals r, g and b so that the levels of the image signals R, G and B reach predetermined levels, respectively. The specified amplifier control signals r, g and b are converted from digital signals into analog signals through the D-A converter of the CPU 25, and transmitted to the amplifiers 19, 20 and 21, and the gains of the amplifiers 19, 20 and 21 are adjusted.
Next, after receiving an instruction to read a document sent from an external host computer (not shown), the CPU 25 drives the carriage 3 as well as turning on the light source 12. When the carriage 3 arrives at a start position for reading a document, a read operation is started. Then, the image signals R, G and B obtained from the line image sensor 14 are converted to digital signals through the A-D converter in the CPU 25, and after being subjected to image processing, if necessary, the signals are sequentially transferred, directly or via the memory 26, into the external host computer.
Next, vertical scanning shading correction is described below. In general, an LED, a fluorescent or a halogen lamp is used as a light source for an image reader. If fluctuation of the amount of light or the spectrum of the light source 12 during a document read operation is smaller than a quantization step of the A-D converter, signal levels after A-D conversion obtained from the vertical scanning white reference board 17 are constant, and therefore the tone effects of image data obtained from the document are kept constant. If the tone effects of the colors R, G and B are multi-tone such as 256 tones, however, fluctuation of the amount of light and the spectrum of the typical light source described above may be greater than the quantization step of the A-D converter, and therefore the signal level during a document read operation varies according to the fluctuation of the amount of light and the spectrum of the light source.
In the vertical scanning shading correction, fluctuation of the signal level caused by fluctuation of the amount of light and the spectrum of the light source is corrected so as to secure the tone effects of the image data. In general, the number of pixels of the line image sensor 14 is greater than that of a readable document size. By using the extra pixels, data on the vertical scanning white reference board 17 are read to obtain image signals to be used in the vertical scanning shading correction. At this time, the positions of pixels on the line image sensor 14 to be used in the vertical scanning shading correction are determined by a layout such as a document reading range. First, the CPU 25 stores, in the memory 26, signal levels Ar, Ag and Ab of the colors R, G and B obtained from the vertical scanning white reference board 17 before reading a document. The signal levels Ar, Ag and Ab become reference signal levels of the vertical scanning shading correction. Next, during image read operation, the CPU 25 obtains signal levels Br, Bg and Bb from the vertical scanning white reference board 17 at constant intervals of time or distance, and specifies the values of the amplifier control signals r, g and b, respectively, so that the signal levels Br, Bg and Bb are the same as the corresponding signal levels Ar, Ag and Ab previously obtained. As described above, the specified amplifier control signals r, g and b are converted from digital signals to analog signals through the D-A converter of the CPU 25, and transmitted to the amplifiers 19 to 20, adjusting the gains of the amplifiers 19 to 21.
As described above, in the vertical scanning shading correction, feedback control is performed for adjusting the gains of the amplifiers 19 to 21, based on the signal levels obtained from the vertical scanning white reference board 17, by means of the line image sensor 14. Thus, the tone effects of image data obtained from a document can be secured.
The conventional image reader described above, however, has the following two problems in the vertical scanning shading correction.
A first problem is that a greater width in the horizontal scanning direction is required for the vertical scanning white reference board 17, whereby a greater size of an image reader is required. The width in the horizontal scanning direction required for the vertical scanning white reference board 17 will be described below.
As mentioned above, the number of pixels of the line image sensor 14 includes more pixels than the number of pixels corresponding to a readable document size though the number of excessive pixels is not so great. For example, the number of pixels of a line image sensor made by Toshiba, TCD2551D, is 5,340. Under this condition, assuming that the optical resolution of the image reader is 600 dpi and the readable document size is 216 mm (letter size), the required number of pixels is equal to 216.div.(25.4.div.600), that is, 5,102, whereby the number of excessive pixels equals 238 (10.08 mm) calculated by 5,340-5,102. However, all of 10.08 mm is not available to the vertical scanning shading correction. First, the read area of the document and that of the vertical scanning white reference board 17 cannot be positioned contiguously on the line image sensor 14, and an interval of about 4 mm is required between them. The interval is needed because, during scanning in the vertical scanning direction, the carriage 3 is not necessarily operated to perform scanning in parallel with the vertical scanning white reference board 17, but the scanning may be performed obliquely by about .+-.2 mm according to assembly precision, and because another 2 mm or so is required for mounting precision of the vertical scanning white reference board 17 and the document glass or for a margin for mounting with adhesive or the like. In addition, even if the precision of the mounted position of the line image sensor 14 is optically adjusted, about .+-.1 mm is required, and another .+-.1 mm or so is required for the precision of the mounted position of the vertical scanning white reference board 17. Furthermore, since the document glass 2, the light source 12, and the components arranged around the light source 12 have a certain degree of reflectance, a part of the light reflected by the light source 12 and then reflected by the vertical scanning white reference board 17 is reflected by the document glass 2, the light source 12, and the components around the light source 12, thus returning again to the vertical scanning white reference board 17, to intensify the apparent brightness of the vertical scanning white reference board 17. The apparent brightness of the vertical scanning white reference board 17, due to the influence caused by scanning obliquely by .+-.2 mm or so according to the assembly precision when the carriage 3 is operated to perform scanning in the vertical scanning direction as described above, fluctuates unless there is a certain width in the horizontal scanning direction of the vertical scanning white reference board 17. Therefore, in order to remove the fluctuation in the brightness of the vertical scanning white reference board 17, it is required to keep constant the apparent brightness, and to provide the vertical scanning white reference board 17 with an approximately 3 mm wider width in the horizontal scanning direction for an area, on which the vertical scanning shading correction is performed.
Thus, the area actually available to the line image sensor for the vertical scanning shading correction equals 10.08 mm-(4+1+1+3) mm, that is, 1.08 mm at an end. Therefore, the width required of the vertical scanning white reference board 17 in the horizontal scanning direction equals, as shown in FIG. 17, the sum of a width of an area A available to the line image sensor 14 for the vertical scanning shading correction, a width of an area B obliquely scanned, an allowance C for the precision of the mounted position of the line image sensor 14 or the vertical scanning white reference board 17, and a width D required to keep the apparent brightness constant. In the example above, the result of the formula above is 1.08 mm+2.times.(2+1+1+3) mm=15.08 mm, and therefore the size in the horizontal scanning direction of the document glass 2 and the length of the light source 12 become greater, thus leading to a larger size of the image reader. In FIG. 17, to simplify the explanation, the line image sensor 14 is directly associated with the vertical scanning white reference board 17. It, however, applies to an optical system which is an equal-magnification optical system, and therefore for a reduction optical system, it is assumed that data are converted to data based on either of scales of the document or of the image (the line image sensor 14). Also, in order to perform the vertical scanning shading correction, it is necessary for the line image sensor 14 to read not only the document, but also the vertical scanning white reference board 17 by forming an image on a position different from that of the document. However, in a typical line image sensor, the positional precision of read pixels for a foot of a lead frame, which is a reference for mounting, is .+-.0.8 mm or so, which is not so high. The value of 0.8 mm is a size in the line image sensor 14. Assuming that the magnification of the optical system is 0.2, it amounts to .+-.4 mm (.+-.0.8.div.0.2=.+-.4 mm) on a document.
Next, a second problem will be described. In the vertical scanning shading correction, the carriage 3 is operated to perform scanning so that the line image sensor 14 reads the vertical scanning white reference board 17. If there is dirt or the like on the vertical scanning white reference board 17 or a portion of the document glass 2 near the vertical scanning white reference board 17, the signal levels Br, Bg and Bb, which are referred to during the vertical scanning shading correction, fluctuate due to the dirt. Based on the signal levels Br, Bg and Bb, the CPU 25 specifies the values of amplifier control signals r, g and b so as to adjust the gains of the amplifiers 19, 20 and 21. Therefore, the CPU 25 has a problem of losing tone effects of image data obtained from the document due to the vertical scanning shading correction.
An image reader which can precisely read the tone effects of a document and which can be downsized would be desirable.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A folding baby carriage comprises a pair of seating surface supporting side bars extending back and forth along both sides of a seating surface in order to support the seating surface from beneath. Each seating surface supporting side bar has a rigid inward extending portion extending toward the inside so as to support the seating surface from beneath, at a rear portion thereof. The inward extending portion is formed by bending a rear end portion of the seating surface supporting side bar toward the inside.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding baby carriage folded so as to be reduced in dimension in the width direction, and more particularly, to a folding baby carriage in which a rear portion of a seating surface is prevented from being dented.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a baby carriage disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-58599. FIG. 1 is an opened state of the baby carriage and FIG. 2 is a folded state of the baby carriage. As can be clear when FIG. 1 is compared with FIG. 2, when the baby carriage 1 is folded, four wheels 4 and 6 approach back and forth and from side to side.
The illustrated baby carriage 1 comprises a body 2 mainly constituted by bar-shaped members, and a seat hammock 3 mounted on the body 2 to form a seat. The baby carriage body 2 comprises a pair of front legs 5 having front wheels 4, a pair of rear legs 7 having rear wheels 6, a pair of handrail members 8 positioned above both sides of the seating surface, a pair of inverting members 9 turnably mounted on rear legs 7, and a push bar 10 having an inverted U-shaped configuration, connected to rear end portions of the pair of handrail members 8 and extending upward.
The push bar 10 has a pair of side vertical bars 11 linearly extending in the vertical direction so as to be parallel to each other, and an upper connection member 12 connecting upper ends of the pair of side vertical bars 11. The upper connection member 12 has a pair of rotating members 12a provided so as to receive the side vertical bars 11 and rotate around the side vertical bars 11, and a center member 12b connecting the pair of rotating members 12a. The rotating member 12a and the center member 12b are connected so as to be allowed to be bent as shown in FIG. 2.
A lower frame structure positioned above the four wheels 4 and 6 and forming a seating surface portion of a seat is folded so that the four wheels 4 and 6 may approach back and forth and from side to side. The inverted U-shaped push bar 10 extending to rise upward from both sides of the seating surface portion is bent forward by protruding the center member 12b forward to reduce the dimension in the width direction, in the folded state shown in FIG. 2.
The seat hammock 3 has a seat portion 3a and a backrest portion 3b. Normally, the seat hammock 3 is made of a sewed cloth and has a core inside.
FIG. 3 is a top view showing the seat portion 3a of the seat hammock 3. The body 2 of the baby carriage comprises a pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 extending back and forth along both sides of a lower surface of the seat portion in order to support the seat portion 3a of the seat hammock 3 from beneath. As the baby carriage 1 is folded, the pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 approach each other.
In order to implement the above folding operation, the front portions of the pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 are connected by a bending link member 15 and rear portions are connected by a flexible belt 16. In the opened state of the baby carriage 1, the bending link member 15 takes a linear state to support the front portion of the seat portion 3a from beneath. In the meantime, in the folded state of the baby carriage 1, the bending link member 15 is bent upward so that the pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 approach each other.
In the opened state of the baby carriage 1, the belt 16 is pulled by the pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 and becomes in a tight state to support the rear portion of the seat portion 31 from beneath. In the meantime, in the folded state of the baby carriage 1, since the pair of seating surface supporting side bars 13 and 14 approach each other, the belt 16 becomes in a loose state.
According to the baby carriage disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-58599, the rear portion of the seat portion 3a of the seat hammock 3 is supported by the flexible belt 16. When a child is seated in the seat and weighs the rear portion of the seat portion 3a, the belt 16 is curved downward by the weight.
Therefore, while the baby carriage is used, the rear portion of the seat portion 3a is dented. As a result, the posture of the child cannot be appropriately maintained and a spine could be awkwardly bent or an abdomen could be pressed.


A wash-assisting brush device including a first wash-assisting body having a curved outer surface and a second wash-assisting body having a curved outer surface, the second wash-assisting body coupled to the first wash-assisting body. The first and second wash-assisting bodies together define an internal washing cavity sized and shaped to hold an article of clothing. The wash-assisting brush device also includes a plurality of bristles projecting outwardly from the outer surface of the first and second wash-assisting bodies.

It is well known that washing items, such as clothing, shoes, hats and the like, in a washing machine often proves insufficient to thoroughly clean particularly dirty items, especially shoes, which must be manually scrubbed in order to become clean. As an added problem, shoe laces must be removed from the shoes prior to being placed within the washing machine to prevent the shoe laces from becoming tangled with mechanical components in the washing machine, such as the agitator. As such, shoe laces must then be manually scrubbed in order to become clean.
Devices that may be placed in the washing machine to assist with the washing process are well-known. For example, at least one known device allows a user to place a clothes-washing ball within the washing machine. The clothes-washing ball includes a number of bristles that contact the clothes during washing to brush the clothes. This is not conducive for use with items prone to tangling, e.g., shoe laces, as the shoe laces would quickly become tangled around the clothes-washing ball. Other cleaning devices are made of material having different buoyancy, resulting in the cleaning devices being distributed throughout the washing machine, to aid in cleaning a majority of the fabric. Unfortunately, these devices also cause shoe laces to become tangled around the devices. Other known cleaning devices for use in the washing machine dissolve in water, thereby rendering them useless for scrubbing heavily soiled items.
Known clothing bags used within washing machines often prove difficult to insert and remove clothing. Such clothing bags also fail to include a scrub brush or bristles exposed on the outer surface of the bag to assist with scrubbing clothing items that may be located outside of the clothing bag. In the same vein, such clothing bags do not include inner protrusions that reduce or prevent friction when the clothing bag is exposed to the internal components of the washing machine, e.g., the agitator.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Wash-assisting brush device and method of use thereof


A system for clustering data objects includes a module for calculating an importance value of at least one member in a first data object represented as a variable length vector of 0 to N members and a clustering module for dynamically forming a plurality of clusters containing one or more data objects. The clustering module is configured to associate the first data object with at least one of the plurality of clusters in dependence upon the at least one member's similarity value in comparison to members in other data objects. The clustering module may be configured to cluster the first data object into a plurality of clusters if it has at least two members and each member belongs to a different cluster.

This invention relates to clustering data objects.
There are numerous situations where the clustering of data objects may be desirable. For example, instant messaging and chat systems may present text entries by users as a continuous stream of intermixed threads. When a number of users are participating concurrently in a chat session, there may be multiple threads covering different topics. For example, in an online group chat session, the discussion may start around a hobby and then quickly evolve to include discussions about other topics such as finance or sports. In this stream of intermixed threads, the questions, responses and comments may bounce back and forth between users and between different topics. A log of these intermixed threads may be difficult to follow, particularly for a new user joining the chat session with no previous context.
Various approaches to organizing data objects have been proposed, but improvements are needed.

International Business Machines Corporation


A glycol- and/or glycerin-based "universal" aircraft fluid (i.e., usable as any of Type I, II, III, or IV fluids), and having good resistance to degradation of viscosity and other critical properties caused by exposure to heat and/or shear, is disclosed. The fluid may optionally be prepared as a concentrate, and thereafter significantly diluted in the field for diverse uses. The improved performance is achieved by neutralizing a latex of a hydrophobe-containing, polymeric thickener with a base, preferably an alkali metal hydroxide, and preferably in combination with a weak base, such as a salt of a weak acid, and a surfactant which associates with the thickener.

Aircraft that are either parked on the ground or are on the ground between flights can accumulate snow, ice, freezing rain or frost on the aircraft surfaces in cold winter weather. The presence of such deposits, particularly on airfoil surfaces, is a generally unsafe airfoil condition in that it hampers and can thwart liftoff, or at least is highly undesirable during takeoff and early flight periods since even small accumulations can result in severe deterioration of the airfoil aero-dynamic performance characteristics, occasionally causing crashes on takeoff/liftoff resulting in loss of life.
Glycols have long been used in aqueous solutions of various strengths that are sprayed onto the aircraft, as a deicing agent, to remove snow, ice, freezing rain and frost deposits from aircraft surfaces. These glycol-based aircraft deicing fluids are usually applied heated to more effectively break the ice bond or to melt the snow. A typical aircraft deicing fluid is composed of an alkaline glycol (typically ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and/or diethylene glycol) and water (solvent) mixtures (roughly equal parts on a weight basis; the pH is about 7.3 to 9.0) that contains ionic corrosion inhibitors, flame retardants and surfactants that promote wetting of the fluid on the aircraft during spray application. Instead of glycol, these ADFs can optionally be formulated with glycerin in the same manner. As used hereinafter, it is intended that any reference to glycol-based ADFs or AAFs or UAFs will also include such fluids formulated with glycerin instead of, or in addition to, one or more glycols.
Providing the hot fluid is applied close to the aircraft's surface, using a heated fluid will minimize the amount required to remove the snow and ice. The deicing fluids can also be applied in a high-pressure stream to flush the snow and ice deposits from the aircraft's surface.
After this treatment, the ADF desirably remains as a film coating on the aircraft surfaces, to serve as an anti-icing agent that provides continued antifreeze protection and delays the further formation or accretion of snow, ice, freezing rain or frost deposits on the aircraft surfaces. The same AF, in various concentrations, may ideally be used for both deicing and anti-icing functions. However, without a thickening agent, the deicing fluids tend to run off the inclined surfaces of the wing and tail and the nearly vertical surfaces of the fuselage and tail fin. Therefore, without a thickening agent, the deicing fluids provide only limited anti-icing protection.
AFs for more effective anti-icing-protection, therefore, typically contain a thickening agent and desirably possess the following attributes (none of which precludes its use as a deicer):
(i) formation of an essentially continuous film coating, after its application by conventional spraying devices, even on non-horizontal aircraft surfaces critical to the aircraft's aero-dynamic performance during takeoff/liftoff such as the vertical tail fin, but not interferring with the smoothness of the fuselage surfaces; PA1 (ii) extended protective anti-icing action; and PA1 (iii) viscosity and rheology characteristics that promote formation of an effective tenacious protective film) coating, yet enable the fluid coating to flow off the aircraft airfoil surfaces as a result of wind-shear forces during takeoff, prior to aircraft rotation. PA1 (A) about 1-99.9, preferably about 10-70, weight percent of one or more alpha, beta-mono- ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, typically methacrylic acid; PA1 (B) about 0-98.9, preferably about 30-85, weight percent of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, typically ethyl acrylate; PA1 (C) about 0.1-99, preferably about 5-60, weight percent of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated macromonomers; and PA1 (D) about 0-20, preferably about 0-10, weight percent or greater of one or more polyethylenically unsaturated monomers, typically trimethylol propane triacrylate. PA1 (A) about 1-99.9% of one or more alpha, beta-monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids; PA1 (B) 0 to about 98.9% of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated monomers; PA1 (C) about 0.1-99% of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, preferably macromonomers, containing at least one pendant hydrophobe moiety, preferably a complex hydrophobe moiety; and PA1 (D) 0 to about 20% of one or more polyethylenically unsaturated monomers, PA1 (1) at least about 40% of one or more glycols or glycerine or mixture thereof, PA1 (2) at least about 0.05% of the thickener, PA1 (3) a hydroxide, preferably a monovalent hydroxide, more preferably an alkali metal hydroxide, and preferably in the absence of amines, in an amount sufficient to provide a pH of at least about 7, PA1 (4) a surfactant which associates with the thickener, in sufficient amount to increase the thickening effect of the thickener, PA1 (5) optionally an effective amount of a corrosion inhibitor PA1 (6) optionally one or more dyes, and PA1 (7) the remainder being water. PA1 each R.sup.2 is the same or different and is a substituted or unsubstituted divalent hydrocarbon residue; PA1 R.sup.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted divalent hydrocarbon residue; PA1 R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are the same or different and are hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon residue; and PA1 z is a value of 0 or greater. PA1 (i) the structure and concentration of the associative macromonomer, including: a) the size and structure of the hydrophobe; b) the moles of alkoxylation between hydrophobe and the double bond; c) the chemical nature of the bond between the alkoxylated portion and the reactive double bond (e.g., ester, ether, or urethane linkages); and d) the structure of the double bond itself (acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, styrenic, etc.); PA1 (ii) the structure and concentration of acid monomer in the polymer (e.g., acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, itaconic, etc.); PA1 (iii) the structure and concentration of the non-associative monomer, including monomers that cross-link the polymer during polymerization (e.g., trimethylol propane triacrylate), and those that leave cross-linkable functionality in the associative polymer without crosslinking during polymerization (e.g., 2-hydroxyethylacrylate); and PA1 (iv) the molecular weight of the polymer, as controlled by mercaptans during polymerization.
AAFs of the prior art are thickened typically with very large molecules (e.g., xanthan gum or various organic polymers, such as certain acrylics) which thicken by molecular entanglement and intermolecular friction. Such thickeners are deficient in that they do not provide optimal non-Newtonian behavior (i.e., their viscosity may not decrease sufficiently rapidly and/or extensively under wind-shear forces) for use under all weather conditions and on relatively slow-moving turboprop aircraft, such as commuter aircraft. Moreover, such thickeners are subject to undue degradation of viscosity as a result of severe shear forces imposed by the spraying nozzles used to apply an AF to the aircraft.
Important improvements in AAF technology were provided by compositions disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,100 and copending, co-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/065,237, filed May 20, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,882 both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Those inventions were based on the unexpected discovery that certain macromonomer-containing polymeric thickeners which thicken by association among hydrophobes possess particular efficacy as thickeners for glycol-based aircraft anti-icing fluids. These fluids provided anti-icing fluids with protection times significantly longer than those obtainable with previous AAFs but, like previous AAFs, they found limited use as deicing fluids because the protection time afforded tended to be decreased by heating for long periods of time at the temperatures encountered in deicing operations.
The present invention is based on the unexpected discovery that such anti-icing fluid formulations can be modified so as to significantly improve their thermal stability, making them much more useful as deicing (as well as anti-icing) fluids.

Process of making aircraft deicing/anti-icing fluids thickened by associative polymers

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation