A stacked plate chemical reactor in which simple plates are stacked together to form the reactor. When openings in adjacent plates are properly aligned, fluid pathways and processing volumes are defined for chemical reactants, heat transfer medium, and a product. In one embodiment of the invention, an n-fold internal array is achieved by providing a first group of simple plates defining a reaction unit that includes bypass fluid channels and reaction fluid channels for each reactant, such that a portion of each reactant is directed to subsequent groups of simple plates defining additional reaction units. A chemical reactor with variable output is obtained in a preferred embodiment by reversibly joining reactor stacks comprising irreversibly joined reaction units, these reaction units consisting of a plurality of simple plates. Other embodiments employ at least one of an array of parallel fluid channels having different widths, bifurcated fluid distribution channels to achieve a substantially even flow equipartition for fluids with varying viscosities flowing within the fluid channels of each reaction unit.

Methods of controlling and optimizing processes for producing chemical compounds are well known. The control of parameters such as temperature, pressure, mixing conditions, relative volumes of reactants, and uses of catalysts are generally well understood. Traditionally, newly discovered chemical compounds and processes involving either the production of such compounds, or processes involving the use of such compounds, have been initially carried out by researchers in "benchscale" environments. Particularly promising chemicals or processes may ultimately be produced in quantity by application to industrial-scale processes. Often, problems are encountered in scaling up a process from the laboratory to industrial-scale production.
Problems associated with moving from benchscale production to industrial-scale production often involve changes in process conditions between the benchscale environment and the industrial environment. For example, the temperature of the reactants in a small beaker or flask in a laboratory is much easier to keep constant than the temperature in a production tank having a capacity of hundreds of liters, as is often the case in a chemical processing plant. Variations in other process conditions within a large tank are also more difficult to control, and frequently affect the quality and yield of the desired product.
Another aspect of laboratory development of processes to produce chemical compounds is that often potentially dangerous chemicals are used to create the desired product. Fires and explosions in research laboratories and concomitant injury to personnel and property are well known risks in the chemical research industry. The risks are not limited only to research, since industrial chemical production facilities also may experience fires and explosions related to chemical production using dangerous chemicals. Often, due to the quantities of chemicals used in industrial-scale processes, such accidents are significantly more devastating in an industrial setting than similar accidents in a research setting.
Recently, much attention has been directed to the use of microscale reactors for both development and production of chemical processes. These types of reactors offer several advantages. As noted above, the control of chemical processes within very small reactors is much simpler than control in a large-scale production tank. Once a reaction process has been developed and optimized in a microscale reactor, it can be scaled up to industrial production level by replicating the microscale reactors in sufficient quantity to achieve the required production output of the process. If such reactors can be fabricated in quantity, and for a modest cost, industrial quantities of a desired product can be manufactured with a capital expenditure equal to or even less than that of a traditional chemical production facility. An additional benefit is that because the volume of material in each individual reactor is small, the effect of an explosion or fire is minimized, and with proper design, an accident in one reactor can be prevented from propagating to other reactors.
Safety in the research setting is also improved as such reactors generally require less exposure to hazardous substances and conditions by research personnel than traditional "batch chemistry," which typically requires that the researcher physically handle chemicals in a variety of glass containers, often in the presence of a heat source. Any accident in such an environment is likely to increase the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals, and cause significant damage to the laboratory. In contrast, small-scale or microreactors can be designed as self-contained units that minimize the researcher's potential exposure to chemical substances. When using a microreactor, the researcher is not required to physically manipulate containers of chemical materials to carry out a desired reaction, the reactor can be located in an area so that if an accident should occur, any resulting fire or explosion can be relatively easily contained.
Another area in which microreactors offer an advantage over conventional chemical process development and production is in the mixing of reactants. A mixing channel of the proper scale encourages a laminar flow of the reactants within the channel and is readily achievable in a microreactor. A laminar flow enhances mixing by diffusion, which eliminates the need to expend energy to physically stir or agitate the reactants and is an extremely fast and efficient mixing technique.
Microreactors are particularly applicable to the pharmaceutical industry, which engages in chemical research on many new chemical compounds every year, in the effort to find drugs or chemical compounds with desirable and commercially valuable properties. Enhancing the safety and efficiency of such research is valuable. When coupled with the potential that microreactors offer for eliminating the problems of moving from benchscale production to industrial production, it will be apparent that a microreactor suitable for use in carrying out a variety of chemical processes, and having an efficient and low cost design, will be in high demand.
Several different designs for microreactors have been developed. For example, such reactors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,328 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,763 (both listing Ashmead et al. as the inventors). These patents describe reactor structures for chemical manufacturing and production, fabricated from a plurality of interconnected layers. Generally, each layer has at least one channel or groove formed in it and most include orifices that serve to connect one layer in fluid communication with another. These layers are preferably made from silicon wafers, because silicon is relatively inert to the chemicals that may be processed in the reactor, and because the techniques required to mass produce silicon wafers that have had the required channels and other features etched into their surfaces are well known.
A disadvantage of the reactors described by Ashmead stems from the rather expensive and complicated process required for manufacturing the devices. While silicon wafer technology has advanced to the state that wafers having desired surface features can readily be mass produced, the equipment required is capital intensive, and unless unit production is extremely high, the substantial costs are difficult to offset. While Ashmead suggests that other materials can be used to fabricate the layers, such as metal, glass, or plastic, the surface features required (grooves, channels, etc.) must still be formed in the selected material. The specific surface features taught by Ashmead require significant manufacturing steps to fabricate. For instance, while forming an opening through a material is relatively easy, forming a groove or channel that penetrates only part way through the material comprising a layer is more difficult, as the manufacturing process must not only control the size of the surface feature, but the depth, as well. When forming an opening that completely penetrates through a material comprising a layer, depth control does not need to be so precisely controlled. Ashmead teaches that both openings, which completely penetrate the layers, and surface features (grooves/channels) that do not completely penetrate the individual layers are required. Hence, multiple processing steps must be employed in the fabrication of each layer, regardless of the material selected. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a microreactor comprising layers that do not require such detailed fabrication.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,523 (Bard) describes a modular microreactor that includes a series of modules connected in fluid communication, each module having a particular function (fluid flow handling and control, mixing, chemical processing, chemical separation, etc.). Bard specifically teaches that the plurality of modules are mounted laterally on a support structure, and not stacked, as disclosed by Ashmead. In a preferred embodiment of Bard, silicon wafer technology is again used to etch channels and/or other features into the surface of a silicon wafer. Other disclosed fabrication techniques include injection molding, casting, and micromachining of metals and semiconductor substrates. Again, the processing required to fabricate the individual modules goes beyond merely forming a plurality of openings into each component. Furthermore, the lateral layout of the reactor described by Bard requires a larger footprint (Basis Area) than a stacked plate reactor. In Bard's reactor, the more modules added, the larger the footprint of the entire reactor. In contrast, when additional plates are added to a stacked plate reactor, the footprint of the reactor does not change, which can be a distinct advantage, as in many work environments, the area an apparatus occupies on a workbench or floor is more valuable than the vertical height of the apparatus. It would be desirable to provide a reactor design that has a minimal footprint, while still providing the flexibility to add components to customize the reactor for a particular process or application.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,932 (Ghosh et al.), a reactor is described that is formed from a plurality of ceramic layers, which are connected in fluid communication, at least one layer including a permeable partition. In particular, Ghosh describes the desirability of sizing fluid channels appropriately to provide for laminar flow and mixing via diffusion, rather than mixing via turbulence. In his preferred embodiment, Ghosh describes that channels and passageways are formed in each layer. The particular process Ghosh describes to accomplish this task involves fabricating the layers from "green" or uncured ceramic, which once shaped as desired, must be sintered. Significantly, the sintering process changes the size of the ceramic layer, so that the sizes of the features formed into the ceramic layer in the initial stages of production are different than in the finished product. It would be desirable to provide a reactor design in which the dimensions of the individual components can be rigidly controlled during fabrication, and are not subject to shrinkage, which can negatively effect the dimensions of the finished reactor. This object is particularly important when a reactor design focuses on achieving a laminar flow, because precise dimensional control of fluid pathways in the reactor must be maintained to achieve a consistent laminar flow, precisely controlled pressure drops, and precisely controlled fluidic resistance.
In all of these prior art reactors, relatively complicated manufacturing techniques are required. The manufacture of layers of silicon material requires a large capital investment. Sintering of a ceramic material requires the precise control of the shrinkage process, or individual components of a desired size cannot be achieved. In all cases, the prior art teaches that complicated structures (for example, fluid channels and reaction channels) must be etched or otherwise fabricated in each layer. Additionally, orifices or passages also need to be formed in each layer, so that fluids can move between adjacent layers of the reactor. Thus, a series of different manufacturing steps typically must be performed for each layer. It would be desirable to provide a reactor design offering the advantages described above, which is relatively simple to manufacture, so as to minimize capital investment in scaling up production from the laboratory to the industrial production levels.
As indicated above, while a single microreactor can produce only a limited volume of product, additional microreactors can be added in parallel to increase production capacity. When additional modular microreactor units are added, additional systems for reactant supply, heat transfer media supply, and product collection are typically required, which not only increases the complexity of the system, but also requires more space for duplicative fluid systems. Furthermore, even minor differences in feed rates for some of the duplicate reactor modules can negatively effect product quality. Finally, more sophisticated control and monitoring are required to manage additional reaction modules and feed systems. It would therefore be desirable to provide a microreactor capable of n-fold parallelization without requiring that additional fluid and control systems be provided.
In an array of identical fluid channels having a single common reactant distribution channel and a single common product collection channel, with the reactant inlet and the product outlet located at opposite ends, where the common reactant distribution and the common product collection channel have the same cross sectional area, if the viscosity of the product relative to the reactants is substantially the same, then the pressure drop through the array can be considered the same, and the resulting flow distribution is fairly even, with only slightly lower flow rates in the central fluid channels.
However, the flow distribution through such an array is not even if the viscosity of the product is significantly different than the viscosities of the reactants. When such an array is employed to process a reaction whose product has a significantly different viscosity compared to the viscosity of the mixture of the unreacted reactants, broad residence time distributions result in the array due to the fact that the pressure drop in the common reactant distribution channel no longer balances with the pressure drop in the common product collection channel. The flow rates within each individual fluid channel in the array are no longer identical. If the viscosity of the product is significantly greater than the viscosity of the mixed but unreacted reactants, then the flow rates in the individual fluid channels in the array tend to increase across the array for channels closest to the common product outlet. Thus the highest flow rate is experienced in the fluid channel in the array that is closest to the common product outlet, while the lowest flow rate is experienced in the fluid channel in the array that is located furthest from the common product outlet. This phenomenon is different if the viscosity of the product is less than the viscosity of the mixed but unreacted reactants. Thus for lower viscosity products the highest flow rate is experienced in the fluid channel in the array that is closest to the common reactant inlet, while the lowest flow rate is experienced in the fluid channel in the array that is located furthest from the common reactant inlet. The greater the relative change in viscosity, the greater the variation in flow rates across the array.
This imbalance leads to different residence times being associated with different fluid channels, resulting in an undesirable residence time distribution within the whole reaction unit. In certain cases, the additional residence time can lead to undesired cross reactions, and even clogging of the "slowest" fluid channels. It would be desirable to provide a microreactor including a plurality of fluid channels that is capable of processing reactant mixtures undergoing a significant viscosity change without the above-described residence time distributions and related problems.
It should further be noted that for the specific residence time distributions discussed above, relative to reactant mixtures produced in fluid channels in which a plurality of different reactants are mixed, only one type of undesirable residence time distribution is of concern. Residence time distribution problems of this type can also arise in fluid channels used to direct reactants before mixing, as well as products for collection. It would be desirable to provide a microreactor that includes a plurality of fluid channels adapted to provide substantially equal residence time distributions for fluid flow within the microreactor.
In summary, it is desirable to provide a microscale reaction apparatus that can be economically manufactured, can maintain a desired relatively narrow temperature range for a process, has a relatively modest footprint, can provide efficient diffusion mixing using a precisely controlled laminar flow, is capable of n-fold parallelization without requiring additional fluid supply, removal and control systems, can process reaction mixtures that form a product with a significantly different viscosity, and can provide substantially equal residence time distributions for fluid flow within the microreactor. Currently, the prior art does not include such apparatus.

Enhancing fluid flow in a stacked plate microreactor


In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for providing a command from a keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) system of a first system to a graphics card of the first system via an existing system interface, sampling data from a frame buffer of the graphics card and providing the sampled data to a sample buffer of the KVM system, and processing the sampled data in the KVM system. Also, data to be displayed at a graphics card may be sent as out-of-band (OOB) data from the KVM system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) is a technology that allows remote control of a managed machine from another terminal or personal computer (PC). There are analog KVM switches that connect a remote terminal, keyboard and mouse (herein a remote console) to one of several PCs such that the KVM signals are switched and a single PC is controlled at a given time. Such switches are typically analog switches and are limited in the distance between the managed machine, and the console typically includes a graphics screen.
Another technology that allows a remote control from a larger distance is KVM over internet protocol (IP), also referred to as KVM redirection. This technology samples the analog signals of the screen into a frame buffer and relays the compressed frame buffer to a remote console where viewer software shows the captured screen content. Similarly, keyboard and mouse controls are sent through the network to the managed machine. The KVM hardware includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter if it supports analog video sampling or includes a serial digital output capture circuit.
In order to connect to the external graphics card's output signals as described above, a special connector or wiring has to be connected, and special input analog pins at the KVM system have to be added. Sometimes if the KVM system does not support analog signals, an external A/D chip has to be added to the solution, increasing cost and complexity.

Communicating graphics data via an out of band channel


An apparatus for removing foreign materials from the head of a video cassette recorder or a video camera wherein the foreign materials adhering to the head are repeatedly cleansed away by a head cleaner until the foreign materials are completely removed. A synchronizing signal detecting section 20 detects synchronizing signals from among video signals amplified by a video mechanism 10. The synchronizing signal detecting section 20 then converts the detected signals into a DC voltage. An envelope detecting section 30 detects envelope signals from among the video signals and converts them into a DC voltage. The output of the synchronizing signal detecting section 20 and that of the envelope detection section 30 are compared by a comparing section 40. A microcomputer 60 controls the head cleaner 12 in accordance with the output of the comparing section 40, thereby making it possible to completely clean the head with an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use.

A conventional head cleaning apparatus is generally activated by contacting a drum of a video cassette recorder or a video camera. Such a conventional head cleaner is activated only once and only for a certain period of time when the tape is either loaded or unloaded from the recorder or camera. Since such a conventional apparatus is activated only once during loading or unloading of the tape, the apparatus is ineffective in ensuring that foreign materials have been completely removed from the head. Whenever the foreign materials are not completely removed, however, the video picture becomes unstable, or no picture at all is displayed. As a result, the user may think that the video cassette recorder or video camera is out of order.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,617 discloses an alternative system in which dust and humidity adhering to the tape are cleaned while the tape is running and before the tape contacts the head. This technique, however, requires attaching a special mechanism for removing foreign materials, which is costly and burdensome.

Apparatus for removing foreign materials from the head of a video


The present invention is directed to an information processing system composed of plural information processing units adapted for mutually executing data communication, and for executing data processing in which communication data has been applied. The first entity A transmits error notification data on the basis of error detection to execute initial state return processing on the condition that data reception after error notification data has been transmitted is made, and the second entity B transmits error notification data on the basis of error detection to execute initial state return processing on the condition that transmit processing of error notification data is executed. Thus, the both entities A and B can return to the initial state in a manner synchronous with each other. As a result, it becomes possible to perform reliable error recovery and data processing restart.

Hitherto, systems of executing communication between plural information processing apparatuses or units to execute data processing in which communication data have been applied are utilized in various fields. Such systems are directed to a system of executing data processing in which communication data have been applied in plural information processing units adapted for executing data communication through, e.g., wired or wireless communication network, cable or bus, etc. to calculate final or ultimate processing result.
As one embodiment thereof, in the case of executing, e.g., communication processing between two information processing units or apparatuses A, B, one information processing unit A executes data processing to transmit processing result to the information processing unit B, and the information processing unit B executes data processing in which received processing result has been applied to perform such a processing to transmit the data thus obtained to the information processing unit A, etc. There are utilized, in various fields, systems of executing not only such communication sequence, but also data processing in which transmit/receive data has been applied while performing transmission/reception of data between plural information processing units.
In such configuration involving data communication and/or data processing, how to cope with the case where data processing error and/or data communication error take place becomes problem. Entities A and B as the information processing units repeat, plural times, executions of internal processing different from each other and data transmission/reception of the results thereof to thereby examine information processing systems for executing specific processing. In these systems, data processing within the entities A and B as the information processing units are executed so that transmission/reception of processed result data is performed. Further, new internal processing is executed on the basis of the transmission/reception data.
In the case where such data processing is performed, it is required that processing sequence is precisely maintained. Namely, the internal states within the respective entities are required to be synchronous with each other. However, in actual systems, there is the possibility that difference may take place between internal states of respective entities, i.e., asynchronization between internal states may take place by communication error at the time of transmission/reception of data and/or internal processing error in the case where the internal processing fails to be correctly performed, etc. In such case; there is required a mechanism to eliminate difference between internal states of respective entities to synchronize those internal states.
In the case where asynchronization of the internal states between apparatuses or units ordinarily takes place by internal processing error, etc., the entity A which has detected error notifies an apparatus of the opposite side in communication of occurrence of internal processing error, and the entity A itself returns to the initial state. Moreover, the entirety B which has received notification of the internal processing error returns to the initial state as it is to thereby have ability to synchronize both internal states in the initial state.
Such state synchronization processing can be applied only in the case where it can be recognized that error has taken place in data processing executed in one entity. Namely, in the case where the entity A has transmitted result data of correct data processing, but communication error takes place at the time of transferring such data, the entity A cannot recognize occurrence of error.
At the entity B, even if it is possible to detect communication error by parity check, etc., it is impossible to judge whether or not communication error has taken place with respect to normal data, whether or not communication error has taken place with respect to the internal processing error, and/or whether corresponding error is communication error or internal processing error so that the entity B returns to the initial state as it is.
As stated above, the entity A shifts to the internal state on the assumption that correct processing is executed, and the entity B returns to the initial state on the other hand. As a result, asynchronization of internal states would take place between entities A and B.
As a simplest technique of solving such problem, there is conceivable a method in which in the case where the entity B detects communication error, reception thereof is notified to the entity A. However, in the case where the entity attempt to continuously transmit data, the entities A and B are brought into the state where they transmit data each other so that there may take place cases where processing cannot be continued. In addition, even in the case where the entity A is data receiving wait state, when data length of error notification data that the entity B intends to transmit and data length of data that the entity A intends to receive are not in correspondence with each other, there may take place the problems where error notification communication data cannot be completely transmitted, and/or data receiving state at the entity A is continued even if data is transmitted, etc.

Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method and computer program


The invention provides small molecules that act as catalytic antioxidants and methods of use thereof. The compounds can repeatedly bind and destroy reactive oxygen species by serving as substates for enzymes of the methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) class. Some embodiments of the catalytic antioxidant compounds are derived from drugs with anti-inflammatory activity due to inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzymes.

Oxygen is involved in a wide range of normal metabolic reactions and is essential for the survival of all aerobic organisms, including human beings. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide, are produced in abundance as a byproduct of the incomplete reduction of oxygen that has entered the respiratory chain. Superoxide is the precursor of other damaging oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide, the hypochlorite ion and the hydroxyl radical. Oxidase enzymes in cells such as phagocytes and nitric oxide synthases are other sources of ROS.
While low levels of ROS are present under normal physiological conditions, in excess, ROS can cause oxidative damage to cells and tissues by, for example, oxidizing cellular macromolecules such as nucleic acids, lipids and proteins. Cumulative damage to cells in this manner can result in pathology. Not surprisingly then, oxidative damage has been implicated in a wide variety of diseases and conditions including chronic obstructive lung disorders such as smoker's emphysema, reperfusion damage, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), heart attacks, stroke, several autoimmune diseases, and aging.
Regarding the latter, oxidative damage to cellular macromolecules has been postulated to accelerate the aging process and shorten lifespan. For example, the level of oxidized methionine in proteins in an animal has been observed to increase with the age of the animal. Moreover, in Drosophila, greater resistance to ROS via over-expression of superoxide dismutase and catalase has been correlated with longer lifespan, whereas genetic disruption of superoxide dismutase and catalase has been correlated with shorter lifespan.
Although cells have evolved their own enzymatic antioxidant systems (e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) to neutralize ROS, such systems may not function at ideal levels to minimize the rate of aging and the development of disease. Accordingly, there is a clear need for non-naturally occurring compositions and methods that reduce oxidative damage to cells. One approach to increase the antioxidant activity in cells is to provide cells with compounds that directly scavenge ROS, e.g., vitamins C, E, and A, glutathione, ubiquinone, uric acid, carotenoids, and the like. Such conventional antioxidant compounds, however, lose activity after neutralizing only one or two ROS molecules. They are thus limited by the relatively small quantities of ROS that they can destroy.

Catalytic antioxidants and methods of use


A smooth-bore barrel semi-automatic shotgun include a frame comprising a breech. A barrel is slidingly mounted on the frame relative to the breech. A slide-bolt assembly, which slides relative to the breech, is adapted to close the barrel. A friction spring opposes the barrel's sliding movement relative to the frame.

In the hunting and sport shooting fields, several types of shotguns are known which differentiate for the technical features and/or the functional solutions which are adopted.
The gauge is a parameter indicative of the barrel inner diameter. According to conventional system for hunting, the gauge is indicated by a number (mostly 12 or 20, more rarely 28), which indicates how many lead balls with the diameter of the barrel are contained in one pound.
The chamber length is expressed in inches. It indicates the maximum length of the cartridge which can be contained in the chamber. The most common chamber lengths are 2¾″ (corresponding to 70 mm, also called Standard), 3″ (corresponding to 76 mm, also called Magnum), and 3½″ (corresponding to 89 mm, also called Supermagnum). The more is the cartridge length, the higher is the amount of pellets that it may contain. To a higher amount of pellets corresponds a higher amount of powder and, consequently, a higher firing power.
Other characteristics which the different types of shotguns are distinguished from are the weapon general configuration, with fixed or tilting barrel (break-action); the barrel length, typically ranging between 560 mm and 800 mm; and the mouth choke which determines the distribution of the pattern of the shot on the target.
Furthermore, in the hunting and sport shooting fields, alongside the manual loading shotguns, semi-automatic shotguns have long been known. Such shotguns relieve the user of the obligation of necessarily manually loading the weapon. In fact, in the step which immediately follows each firing, the semi-automatic shotgun autonomously proceeds to the recocking of the mobile masses (slide-bolt assembly), the ejection of the hollow shell, and the feeding and chambering of the new ammunition.
Several types of semi-automatic shotguns are known, the operation of which is based on different principles.
A first type of semi-automatic shotgun is that called "gas-operated". In such shotgun, the energy of the gases developed by the powder explosion is exploited. A small part of such gases is drawn from the barrel through one or more holes, in order to generate an expansion inside a cylinder closed by a sliding piston. The piston thrust generates, in turn, an impulse which recocks the mobile masses, ejects the shell, and loads the new ammunition.
The piston thrust is extremely variable as a function of the force of the primary impulse generated in the chamber by the powder explosion. Such primary impulse depends on the gram weight of the cartridge which is fired, where "gram weight" means the mass of the charge of fired pellets, therefore the power of the same cartridge. The mass of the powder charge and the mass of the pellets charge are typically proportional.
The gas-operated device, in order to be able to ensure the required reliability, must necessarily be dimensioned for the operation with those cartridges having the lowest gram weight which can be chambered in the shotgun. Once the device has been properly dimensioned, the variability of the cartridges gram weight and the consequent primary impulse translate in a variability of the recocking speed. The minimum speed is the one which is necessary in order to achieve a safe operation of the weapon when a cartridge having a low gram weight is fired. The maximum speed corresponds to the firing of a cartridge having the maximum gram weight which can be chambered in the shotgun.
However, the high recocking speeds translate in high stresses and, consequently, in a decrease of the working life of the shotgun components. In the whole, this results in a short duration of the same shotgun.
In the more modern gas-operated shotguns, it has been successfully attempted to obviate the problem of the high recocking speeds by adopting shutter or self-compensating valves, which are able to exhaust the excess gas associated to the firing of the cartridges having a higher gram weight.
However, such valves, or venting systems, involve an increase of the mechanics and the costs for the shotgun.
Furthermore, the gas-operated systems require a constant maintenance, since the gas which is vented tends to foul unburnt solids, which have to be removed after firing a number of shots.
Another type of semi-automatic shotgun is the one called the "inertial" type. In this type of shotgun, the compression and the subsequent relief of a spring that is arranged between the mobile masses and the shotgun frame are exploited. The spring compression is caused by the shotgun recoil, and it is exploited in order to confer to the same masses the required recocking speed.
The shotgun with inertial operation is appreciated because it allows limiting the maximum recocking speeds and the resulting reduction of the stresses of the mechanical parts.
Furthermore, the inertial shotgun is characterized by a pronounced constructive simplicity and a reduced maintenance of use. In fact, not requiring any gas drawing, the inertial device does not undergo any "fouling". Anyway, the standard cleaning is still necessary for the chamber and the barrel, which are contacted by the firing gas.
In contrast, the low recocking speed, which is intrinsic of the inertial shotgun, may be a problem, especially when the shotgun frame has a high mass, and the fired cartridge has a low or very low gram weight. The low recocking speed translates in a low shell ejection promptness and a high risk of jamming.
Furthermore, the operation of such type of shotgun is highly affected by the user's behavior, particularly by the type of reaction which the user opposes with his/her shoulder to the shotgun stock.
A further type of semi-automatic shotgun, historically the first to be developed, is that called "barrel long recoil" type or, more simply, "long recoil". In such type of shotgun, the natural recoil exerted by the gas thrust is exploited in order to backwardly accelerate the barrel and the slide-bolt assembly therewith, and all the masses involved in the recocking movement. Suitable unlock devices located between the barrel and the bolt provide to disconnect, at the right moment, the barrel from the locking members. The right moment to disconnect the barrel from the locking members is somewhat delayed compared to the moment when the shot leaves the muzzle and, as a result, the pressure inside the barrel is drastically decreased. Thereafter, a return spring brings the barrel back to the initial position, (called the battery position), while the slide-bolt assembly, provided with its own return spring, provides for the operations of shell ejection and reloading of a new ammunition.
In the long recoil shotgun, while awaiting the coming out of the shot from the muzzle, all the impulse of the gases in chamber is used in order to accelerate the barrel and the mobile masses. In fact, their recoil motion under the action of the gases extends during the whole recocking stroke, that is for many tens of millimeters. Incidentally, the recocking stroke must be approximately as long as the cartridge length, therefore ranging between 70 mm and 89 mm.
The exploitation of all the gases impulse in the chamber translates, in the case of the firing of cartridges having a high gram weight, in high recocking speeds. The high recocking speeds involve an elevated shaking of the shotgun, a high stress of the mechanical parts, and a high recoil for the user's shoulder.
In order to minimize the adverse effects of the long recoil, several devices have been proposed. Among these, for example, the friction brakes, to be actuated only in the case of the firing of Magnum or Supermagnum cartridges. Such devices, beside having a quite poor operational reliability, force the user to an additional burden, consisting in having to set the weapon as a function of the cartridge which is fired from time to time.


Embodiments disclosed herein describe keyless locking tremolo systems and methods for musical instruments that are configured to tune and restrain strings for a musical instrument without an external tool. Embodiments are configured to adjust the vertical positioning of a tightening post and string clamp without an external tool.

Field of the Disclosure
Examples of the present disclosure relate to keyless locking tremolo systems and methods for musical instruments. More specifically, embodiments relate to a string restraining system for a nut and tremolo bridge of a musical instrument that is configured to lock and unlock a string without an external tool.
Background
Conventional locking tremolo systems may include a tremolo bridge configured to anchor strings to a body of a guitar and nut of the guitar. Tremolo bridges are configured varying the tension of the strings by controlling a lever. The lever enables a player to quickly and temporarily change the tension of the strings, changing the pitch of the strings. However, guitars equipped with conventional locking tremolos systems are more difficult to re-string, intonate, tune, and keep in tune than non-locking tremolo systems. In order to remove or replace a string in a conventional locking tremolo an Allen wrench is required to rotate a cap screw clamping the string restrained in the tremolo string saddle. Prior to use the replacement string must first have the ball end removed before being inserted into the string saddle. The Allen wrench is then required to rotate the cap screw again to clamp the string between the saddle and a saddle block within it to constrain the string. This requires a considerable force to be exerted in order to prevent the string from being pulled out when tension is applied. This repeated application of force can cause string saddles and saddle blocks to crack as well as damage the cap screw and the Allen wrench itself. Without first locating then using the external tool, broken or worn strings cannot be removed for replacement. Additionally, on conventional locking tremolos there are no provisions to precisely intonate the string saddles to compensate for various string gauges to allow the musical instrument to play in tune. Intonation requires first comparing an open string 12th fret harmonic to the fretted 12th fret note. If the fretted note is sharp or flat in pitch relative to the 12th fret harmonic the string length must be shortened or lengthened by adjusting the saddle closer to or further away from the nut. First the tension on the string must be reduced, a screw holding the saddle in place loosened, the saddle's position altered slightly by an approximate amount and the screw retightened, the string retuned to pitch and the 12th fret harmonic again compared to the fretted note at the 12th fret. If the two notes are not identical the entire process must be repeated again. This tedious trial and error process can take a substantial amount of time and must be performed for each individual string.
Conventional locking nut systems include a string clamp, wherein conventional string clamp fasteners are configured to be rotated by the external tool. In one example, by rotating the string clamp socket cap screw using an Allen wrench, the string clamp may be moved towards a locking nut base to sandwich the strings between the string clamp and a locking nut base. This force restrains movement of the strings at the locking nut preventing the strings from becoming out of tune from tremolo use. This requires great force to be applied to the string clamp, strings, and locking nut base. This same force is required to loosen the string clamps. This repeated application of force can lead to string clamp socket cap screws or tools becoming damaged preventing removal of the strings. Furthermore, once the strings are tightened via the external tool, the user can no longer change the gross tuning with the headstock tuning keys or replace the strings without the use of an external tool.
Thus, with conventional string restraining systems and locking tremolo bridges, tuning must be performed with either fine tuners or by using the external tool to first loosen the locking nut string clamps, adjust the string pitch with a headstock tuning key, and then retighten the string clamps with the external tool. This process can take a sufficient amount of time, the socket of the string clamp fastener or the tool itself may become worn out, or the user may not be able to find the external tool.
Accordingly, needs exist for more effective and efficient systems and methods for restraining strings on locking nuts and tremolo systems without an external tool.

Keyless locking tremolo systems and methods


A method and apparatus for providing a network assisting switch function are disclosed. For example, the method receives a query for feature processing for a call from a switch deployed in a switched network, and determines if the feature processing for the call requires one or more switching services. The method determines if the switch is able to provide the one or more switching services, if the one or more switching services are determined to be required, and initiates a temporary connection to a network assisting switch function in a packet network, if the switch is unable to provide the one or more switching services.

A customer may subscribe to a service with a switch function from a network service provider. For example, a customer may subscribe to one or more of a Wide Area Telecommunications Service (WATS) such as a toll-free service, an automatic speech recognition service, a mass calling announcement service, a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) digit collection service, etc. The service processing, call processing, and call control for these types of services typically reside in a Class-4 switch that has Interactive Voice Response (IVR) functionality. However, with the growth of the Internet, Class-4 switches are becoming more and more unpopular, and comparatively more costly to deploy. It is currently necessary to maintain a large embedded base of the Class-4 switches due to the extremely high initial replacement cost.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for providing a network assisting switch function


The computer system and method described herein attempt to address the deficiencies by analyzing all relevant data points for each test and control location collectively determine outliers and then exclude the individual outlier data points from the data when analyzing an initiative during a relevant test period. Rather than exclude outliers at the site level, the particular time increment having the outlier data can be extracted and the site can remain in the analysis.

Many businesses have realized that they need to test their initiatives before rolling out the initiatives to their entire business networks. In conducting those tests, they often rely on test versus control analysis, where the business initiative is implemented at a small group of locations within their business network, and then the performance of those locations is analyzed against the performance of a set of "control" locations intended to match the test locations as closely as possible.
To get a clear understanding of the impact of the changes on the test sites, it becomes critical to compare the test sites with control sites where the same changes have not been made. These control sites should be as similar as possible to the test sites in order to lower the measurement error.
The business initiatives may intend to increase profits by a small margin—sometimes less than 2% or 3%. For a retail establishment, an increase in profits by just a few percentage points can have important impacts on the overall performance of the business. Indeed, a 1% increase in profits for a retailer with $2 billion in profit would yield $20 million, a result that could pay for the costs of the initiative many times over.
As a result, it is important to have an accurate reading of the test of the initiative and to ensure that strange or extraneous occurrences that impact a test or control location's sales or profits during the test period do not unduly influence the overall analysis of the test.
Conventionally, if there is a test or control location that experiences a extraneous occurrence, such as an extended closure due to a hurricane, the impact on the data from that location may result in all of the performance data for that test period being considered an "outlier," and the entire location will be excluded from the analysis. Excluding the entire location from the analysis may result in losing valuable data points associated with time periods where the extraneous occurrence did not have an impact on that excluded location and where the location did not exhibit outlier behavior. A user may not be able to accurately identify an outlier, or the user may not be able to identify every outlier.
Another problem can occur when a test or control location is subject to an extraneous occurrence that may affect one or more days within a test period, such as police activity near the location that curtails customer traffic to the location over a day or more, but the overall effect of that occurrence is not significant enough to make the overall data associated with the location during the test period appears as an outlier, even if the extraneous occurrence had a true impact on the location's performance. In this situation, an analysis of the test period might be inaccurate. If the extraneous event depressed sales in a test location, the results of the test might not show the true increase (or decrease) in sales attributable to the test.
Conventional solutions employ a computer system that uses a filter that excludes data points beyond a predetermined threshold. This automatic exclusion of data based upon a filter results in at least two problems. First, the data may actually be significant data that should be included in the analysis. For example, a promotion at a store may have a lot of success, which appears as a spike in the data, but should be included in the analysis. Second, a threshold for one location may not be an appropriate threshold for another location. For example, a store in an urban environment may have a higher magnitude of sales than a store in a rural environment, so a threshold for the urban store should be higher than a threshold of the rural store.
In order to address the deficiencies with these conventional solutions, a user must specially program the computer system to accommodate for different scenarios. This special programming relies upon the user's intuition to identify potential issues (e.g., reasons for sharply increased or decreased performance). Aside from being inefficient due to the high volume of data, an algorithm based upon a user's intuition is not accurate enough.

Computer system and method of initiative analysis using outlier identification


Provided are a method and apparatus for canceling noise from a track cross signal, a method for controlling an optical disc drive, an optical disc drive, and an optical disc reproducing apparatus. The method for removing noise from a track cross signal includes (a) removing noise from the track cross signal by binarizing the track cross signal with reference to hysteresis set values that are determined according to a command speed for a tracking actuator; and (b) removing glitch noise from the binarized track cross signal based on a predetermined time value. Accordingly, it is possible to effective remove noise to obtain information regarding the precise speed and position of a desired track.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-5217, filed Jan. 29, 2002, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to track searching on an optical disc drive (ODD), and more particularly, to a method and apparatus of canceling noise from a track cross signal generated when an optical spot (pickup) moves on an optical disc in the radial direction, i.e., it traverses tracks so as to search for a desired track, a method for controlling an optical disc drive, an optical disc drive, and an optical disc reproducing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, track searching on an optical disc is performed by a pickup included in an optical disc drive (ODD) by one of the following ways: (i) a direct search control method by which an optical spot reaches a desired track on an optical disc while searching all tracks that the optical spot passes through when it moves from a track in the radial direction; and (ii) a coarse seek control method by which an optical spot moves directly to a predetermined point on an optical disc, i.e., near a desired track, without searching any track, and then reaches the desired track by searching adjacent tracks. With the coarse search control method, it is easy to search for a desired track, but the total access time is long. On the other hand, although the direct search control method is complicated, the total access time is short. For this reason, recently, the use of the direct search control method has spread even for long-distance search of tracks on a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive, and so on.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of a conventional optical disc drive. Referring to FIG. 1, the optical disc drive includes a hysteresis comparator 100, a noise removing apparatus 200 for canceling noise from a track cross signal, a controller 300, a drive 400, and a tracking actuator 500.
Here, the track cross signal is a signal read when a pickup (not shown) moves from a predetermined point on an optical disc in the radial direction and then the optical spot transverses tracks on the optical disc. The track cross signal can be used in detecting the speed and position of the optical spot (pickup). The track cross signal is binarized by the hysteresis comparator 100 and its glitch noise is removed by the noise removing apparatus 200. The hysteresis comparator 100 binarizes the track cross signal based on two reference values, i.e., upper and lower levels determined according to hysteresis set values. Then, the controller 300 generates a control signal in response to the binarized track cross signal whose noise was removed, and outputs the control signal to the drive 400. Next, the drive 400 drives the tracking actuator 500 in response to the control signal so as to move the pickup to a desired point on the optical disc.
FIGS. 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) are timing diagrams explaining a conventional method for canceling noise from a track cross signal. Referring to FIGS. 2(a)–2(c), A denotes a track cross signal that contains noise and is detected by an optical disc. The hysteresis comparator 100 having upper and lower levels as reference levels are used to binarize the track cross signal A, thereby obtaining a track zero cross signal B. That is, it is possible to remove noise contained in the track cross signal A between the reference levels by binarizing the track cross signal A using two reference values determined according to hysteresis set values. In conclusion, the larger an interval between the two reference levels, i.e., the larger a difference between the upper and lower levels, the more the noise in a track cross signal is removed. However, reference levels, i.e., hysteresis set values, of the conventional hysteresis comparator 100 are fixed levels.
Meanwhile, the track zero cross signal B contains noise, i.e., glitch noise, which was not completely removed from the track cross signal A, by the hysteresis comparator 100. The noise removing apparatus 200 removes the glitch noise from the track zero cross signal B after one level of the track zero cross signal B changes into another level and then the changed level lasts for a predetermined time T, and outputs the result a signal C.
FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram of a track cross signal obtained by short-distance track searching at low speed, and FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram of a track cross signal obtained by long-distance track searching at high speed. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the frequency of the track cross signal obtained by low-speed track searching is long ranging from several KHz to tens KHz, whereas the frequency of the track cross signal obtained by high-speed track searching is very high ranging from several KHz to hundreds KHz. A track search signal is passed through a band pass filter to remove noise from a high-frequency signal. According to the high-frequency cut-off characteristics of the band pass filter, the amplitude of a track search signal generated in a section where an optical spot (pickup) moves fast, is less than that of a track search signal in a section where the optical spot moves slowly.
To increase the rejection ratio of noise during track searching at low speed, it is preferable that a hysteresis set value be set to be high so that a difference between these two reference levels is increased. However, in the event that an offset between these two reference levels becomes excessively increased, the amplitude of the track cross signal may not fall within a predetermined range during track searching at high speed. This makes it difficult to detect the track zero cross signal B. Therefore, hysteresis set values of the conventional hysteresis comparator 100 are set such that an offset between these two reference levels is relatively small in consideration of the amplitude of the track cross signal generated when searching a certain track at high speed. However, in this case, it is possible to completely remove noise from the track cross signal during track searching at low speed.

Method and apparatus for canceling glitch noise from track crossing signal


A plurality of closed structural metal cells are joined into an aggregate arrangement to form a composite material. Each cell encapsulates a fluid or fluid-like filler therein to provide controllable strength and shock-absorbing characteristics to the material. The resulting closed cell metal composite finds many advantageous uses including use as a prosthetic device, a casting, or an automotive component. The component material is elastically compliant or stiff, depending on the design, as well as lightweight and crush resistant. The material provides desirable physical properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity and shock-absorbing characteristics.

Cellular materials can be made to combine high strength to weight ratio, elastic resilience and energy absorbing properties. They are attractive for lightweight structures, packaging and insulating purposes. Nature provides an abundance of examples in wood, leaves, cork, bone and many other organically built structures that display a wealth of intricate and ingenious shapes, forms and designs. Bone and its growth response to stresses is an example of the versatility and of the adaptability of cell structures to mechanical requirements.
Manmade cellular materials have found many applications because it is possible to tailor the properties for a variety of purposes, such as for packaging, insulating, or structural purposes. Open cell structures such as foamed polymers constitute perhaps the most widely used manmade cell materials. Significant developments have also been made in the fabrication of cell materials from metals, glass, ceramics and graphite. Honeycomb structures may be considered as cell structures with designed architecture. They find use in structural applications such as for lightweight aircraft components.
A variety of methods exist for producing cell structures of less well defined design. Such are the foaming methods. Metallic foams are well suited for a variety of applications including impact energy absorbers, silencers, filters, heaters, heat exchangers and structural parts, but more cost effective competitive materials are generally used. Open metal foams were investigated by Ford Motor Company in the early 1970's, but they have not yet found significant use in motor vehicles. One reason for this may be that such foams can be easily crushed in compression due to buckling and plastic collapse of relatively thin cell walls.
Closed cell metal composites offer advantages over open cell metal foams. An object of this invention is to provide an artificial closed cell metal composite having desirable strength as well as damping or elastic properties. Depending upon the materials used in forming the closed cell metal composites, the resulting bodies can be compatibly adapted for use in a variety of applications ranging from biomedical prostheses to automotive brake disks, various castings and to structural parts.

Method of forming closed cell metal composites


An apparatus and method for rewinding large rolls of paper into smaller rolls, such as bathroom tissue rolls. The rewinder includes three rolls forming a winding cradle and winding control fingers operating adjacent to and in the winding cradle. Upper and lower winding rolls are spaced apart far enough to allow a core to be introduced between them by the winding control fingers. A rider roll moves relative to the winding rolls to control the diameter of the paper roll being wound. The lower winding roll is preferably equipped with two sets of winding control fingers which can orbit around the roll and introduce the core between the winding rolls, separate the web, guide the web around the core and remove the completed log from the winding cradle. Each of a plurality of winding control fingers is equipped with a core insert finger and a web separation finger so that each winding control finger can independently receive, transport and deposit a core in preparation for the winding process.

This invention relates generally to the field of paper converting, and more particularly to carefully controlling rewinding of a web of material from a large diameter roll into "logs" at very high speeds. The logs preferably comprise relatively small diameter rolls of paper that are subsequently cut into numerous short axial segments, resulting ultimately in rolls of bathroom tissue, kitchen towels or the like.
The highly competitive paper consumer product market requires manufacturers' rewinding processes to be highly automated and highly efficient at extremely high rewinding speeds. While some prior art rewinders have satisfactorily rewound high density products at average speeds, virtually every prior art device has difficulty rewinding low density product at average or high speeds. In most prior art rewinders, the low density products become unstable at higher speeds, decreasing product quality and sometimes ejecting the product from the rewinder.
Another difficulty with past continuous running surface rewinders has been the lack of efficient high speed separation of the web and the transfer of the leading edge of the separated web to the next core or mandrel at the completion of each log. Many systems for separation and transfer have been employed, but none have positively separated the web and transferred the leading edge at desired speeds. Further, prior reminders have typically not been able to precisely control sheet counts and product length on the rolls.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved rewinder method and apparatus.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel rewinder method and apparatus that positively separates a material web.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved rewinder method and apparatus that transfers a leading edge of a separated web to a core, mandrel or log formation process in a well controlled manner at high speed.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel rewinder method and apparatus that increases rewinding speed while maintaining or improving product quality compared to prior art devices.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved rewinder method and apparatus that increases rewinding speed while maintaining or improving cored and coreless product quality.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved rewinder method and apparatus that positively interacts with cores, mandrels or other winding initiation devices to prevent misfeeding and misalignment.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved rewinder method and apparatus that reduces the complexity and increases production capacity of rewinding machines.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method which further decreases acceleration rates required for operation.
It is yet another object of the invention to decrease the number of parts and components to manufacture and maintain.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a less expensive apparatus and method for rewinding.
The present invention provides a more positive system of separation and transfer than typical prior art devices and requires fewer moving parts as well. Highly preferred embodiments of the present invention include winding control fingers which can be located adjacent the lower winding roll. Preferably, one or more winding control fingers, each having at least one core insert finger, insert a core or mandrel upon which material is wound, separate the material web and remove logs from a rewinding station.
Other advantages and features of the invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the drawings.

Winding control finger surface rewinder with core insert finger

C.G. Bretting Manufacturing Company, Inc.


A fluid delivery apparatus includes controller hardware, a diaphragm pump, a positive displacement pump, and a fluid conduit extending between the diaphragm pump and the positive displacement pump. During operation, and delivering fluid to a downstream recipient, the controller hardware draws fluid into a chamber of the diaphragm pump from a fluid source container. The controller hardware applies pressure to the chamber of the diaphragm pump to output the fluid in the chamber of the diaphragm pump downstream through the fluid conduit to the positive displacement pump. During application of the pressure to the chamber and outputting the fluid in the chamber of the diaphragm pump downstream, the controller hardware activates the positive displacement pump to pump the fluid from the positive displacement pump to the downstream recipient.

Conventional techniques of delivering fluid to a recipient (such as a patient in a hospital or other patient care setting) using a diaphragm pump can include drawing a fluid from a fluid source into a chamber of a diaphragm pump via application of negative pressure. After the chamber is filled, a respective fluid delivery system applies a positive pressure to the chamber causing the fluid in the chamber to be delivered to a corresponding patient. The rate at which the fluid is delivered to the recipient may vary depending upon the magnitude of the positive pressure applied to the chamber. Eventually, after applying the positive pressure to the chamber for a sufficient amount of time, the fluid in the chamber is depleted and the chamber is refilled using negative pressure again.
In most applications, the amount of fluid drawn into the chamber of the diaphragm pump is substantially less than the total amount of fluid intended to be delivered to the patient. To deliver the appropriate amount of fluid to the patient over time, after emptying a previously filled chamber, the fluid delivery system repeats the cycle of drawing fluid from the fluid source into the chamber, and then applying positive pressure to the chamber to deliver the fluid to the recipient.
According to conventional use of diaphragm pumps, based on the amount of elapsed time between time successive operations of drawing fluid into the chamber and completely expelling the fluid out of the chamber in the diaphragm pump, the fluid delivery system is able to determine the rate at which fluid is delivered to a corresponding patient.
As previously discussed, one type of fluid pump is a conventional diaphragm pump. Typically, during use, a negative pressure is applied to the conventional diaphragm pump to draw fluid into a respective fluid chamber. Thereafter, a positive pressure is then applied to the conventional diaphragm pump to expel the fluid from the fluid chamber.
Another type of fluid pump is a conventional peristaltic pump. A peristaltic pump is a type of positive displacement pump used for pumping a variety of fluids. The fluid is contained within a flexible tube fitted inside a circular pump casing (though linear peristaltic pumps have been made). A rotor with a number of "rollers", "shoes", "wipers", or "lobes" attached to the external circumference of the rotor compresses the flexible tube. As the rotor turns, the part of the tube under compression is pinched closed (or "occludes"), thus forcing the fluid to be pumped to a recipient. Additionally, as the tube opens to its natural state after the passing of the cam ("restitution" or "resilience") fluid flow is induced to the pump.
Most currently available pumps used in healthcare such as infusion pumps and dialysis machines are open-loop, positive displacement style pumps. These conventional types of pumps are calibrated at fixed known conditions. If the actual conditions of use vary from the calibration conditions, the actual fluid delivery rate can deviate significantly from a desired flow rate. Since there is no way of measuring fluid flow in such systems, there is no way for a user to know whether there is a problem with the fluid flow rate. Flow rate of these types of conventional pumps can be affected by changes in inlet pressure (e.g., the height of the fluid source above the pump), outlet or back pressure (e.g., down stream flow restrictions from small diameter catheters), fluid viscosity (e.g. packed red blood is 16× the viscosity of saline). These and other environmental factors can drastically affect the operation of positive displacement pumps.

Fluid flow control and delivery via multiple fluid pumps


The present invention is a thermally sensitive recording medium containing a thermally sensitive color developing layer containing a colorless or pale colored basic leuco dye and a color-developing agent as the main components on a substrate, wherein the thermally sensitive recording layer contains an acrylic polymer obtained by the copolymerization of an alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate and vinylsilane as monomer components and a colloidal. Further, the present invention is a thermally sensitive recording medium, wherein the colloidal silica possesses a chain structure.

In general, a thermally sensitive recording medium which obtains a recorded image utilizing a color developing reaction by the heating of a colorless or pale colored basic leuco dye with a color developing agent has advantages that the coloring is very clear, noiseless during the recording process and the equipment is relatively cheap, compact and maintenance free, and is widely applied in the field of a facsimile, a computer field and a recorder for various measuring instruments. Further, currently, a use as an output medium for various printers or plotters such as a handy terminal for outdoor measurement or a delivery slip, besides a use for a label or a ticket, are rapidly expanding. These usages are characterized in being often used outdoors, therefore, qualities and property characteristics for being used under a more serious environment than conventional uses, for example, water and high humidity caused by rain, sunshine or high temperatures in a car during midsummer season. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a good printing aptitude in these different uses, especially, when used as a delivery slip, a good seal-ability is an important quality.
Regarding an improvement in water-resistance, for example, in patent document 1, a method of adding an isocyanate compound to an adhesive such as polyvinylalcohol is disclosed. In the meanwhile, a method to improve the water-resistance by using a hydrophobic resin emulsion such as a vinyl acetate emulsion, acrylic emulsion or SBR latex as an adhesive for a thermally sensitive layer is known, however, since these methods have a problem of causing the accumulation of dregs on a head or sticking during the recording process, actual use has not been sufficiently accomplished yet. Further, a method of using a composite of colloidal silica and an acrylic polymer as an adhesive is proposed in patent document 2 and a method of using a self-crosslinkable acrylic emulsion and colloidal silica is proposed in patent document 3. However, these methods cannot achieve a water-resistance satisfying outdoor use and the problem of accumulation of dregs on a head is not suppressed sufficiently.                [Patent Document 1] JP-A-S55-159993 publication        [Patent Document 2] JP-A-H09-207435 publication        [Patent Document 3] JP-A-H09-266711 publication
In patent document 4, a water-resistant coating composition prepared by blending colloidal silica with an aqueous emulsion containing a copolymer obtained by the emulsion-polymerization of a vinylsilane and an acrylic monomer is disclosed.                [Patent Document 4] JP-B-H03-47699 publication


High-speed scrolling is performed when an operating dial 35 is rotated taking a central button member 36 as an axis, and low-speed scrolling when pushing either an upper button 42A or a lower button 42C by pushing the operating dial 35 in the direction of an axis of rotation. It is therefore possible to include information it is wished to view, in an appropriate manner within a display range of a screen, with fewer operations by appropriately changing over the speed of scrolling. In addition, as it is possible to operate the operating dial 35 for both high-speed scrolling and low-speed scrolling, when changing over the speed of scrolling, it is possible to change over the speed of scrolling in a straightforward manner without operating members other than the member that has been operated so far.

With portable information communication terminals such as mobile telephones of the related art, information, etc. acquired via the Internet is displayed on a screen. When the amount of information that a user wants to display is substantial, there are situations in which it is only possible to display part of this information on a screen. It is then possible to display all of the information that the user wants to display by carrying out a so-called scrolling. "Scrolling" refers to, for example, moving an information display range up and down by one line by pressing a numeric key pad, etc. of a mobile telephone. By scrolling, it is possible for a user of a mobile telephone etc. to look through information that he wants to view in such a manner that the information is contained within the screen display range.
However, as the information display range is moved up or down one line at a time, it is necessary to perform repeatedly the same operation (for example, continually pressing the same key a number of times) in order to ensure that the information the user wants to view is contained in the display range. This is more prominent when the volume of information is large.
If the information display range is made to go up or down by one page at a time, the scrolling speed increases, and the number of operations required to ensure that the information the user wants to view is contained within the display range is reduced. However, if the portions of information displayed are moved one page at a time, then there are cases where the portions of displayed information change too drastically. As a result, there are cases where the information that the user wants to view does not appear at a position within the display range that is easy to view.
Therefore, the present invention solves the problem of including properly, with a reduced number of operations, information that the user wants to view within a display range of a screen such as that of a portable telephone and the like.

Portable information terminal, program, and recording medium having the program recorded therein

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc.


Panel presentation is described, including presenting a foreground panel over a background panel, detecting an input associated with the background panel, the input being configured to invoke the background panel, and rendering the foreground panel and the background panel in a substantially similar region of an interface, the foreground panel and the background panel being rendered without modifying the foreground panel.

Display or presentation ("presentation") of content is affected by a given user or set of users' preferences. Graphical user interfaces ("interfaces") are typically designed and implemented for use with various types of software, computer programs, or applications ("applications"), including web browsing, desktop or client applications, distributed applications, enterprise applications, customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), visual and graphical design, content portals, electronic commerce, and others. Interfaces facilitate how users interact with applications, often providing graphical, visual, or other media-based elements that allow intuitive interaction. Factors such as the design, style, fonts, color, layout, font type, format, and others are used to develop an interface. However, there are several limitations to conventional interfaces.
In some conventional interfaces, specific or customized programming or "coding" is required due to specific design, structural (i.e., integration with operating systems, other applications, or as part of an application), functional, or usability requirements. Conventional coding techniques typically require extensive time, labor, expensive development applications, and other resources to develop an interface for a specific set of needs. Customization of conventional interfaces often requires further time and labor, or even specialized resources such as elaborate web design applications. For example, to develop a "skin" or packaged graphical user interface appearance for a website may take substantial amounts of time and expert labor in order to support the individual needs of a particular group of users. If user needs change, then more time, labor, and, perhaps, additional specialized design applications may be required. Further, changing the appearance of an interface or substituting a new interface or skin to address different users or user groups is expensive and difficult, increasing in complexity in direct proportion with the number of users. Still further, conventional interfaces are limited in functionality and can restrict the amount of information that can be presented in a given window, screen, panel, or the like.
In other conventional solutions, the amount of information or data to be presented is limited by the design, layout, and appearance of a given interface. For example, using a particular background pattern may be appealing to some users, but distasteful to others, but can limit the amount of information presented on an interface for an application. As another example, the layout of an interface may be designed to appeal to a certain set of users. However, this may limit the amount or types of information that a user may see. Subsequently, users are forced to open multiple interfaces to retrieve or view additional information. Superfluous tabbed screens, windows, pop-up windows, or altogether new interfaces may be required. This results in disruptive user experiences, forcing users to open and switch between different or multiple interfaces, which is inefficient and time intensive. The limitations of conventional interfaces result in incomplete transactions on an electronic commerce site, reduced usage of a website (e.g., content portal, blog, or other type of content-oriented website), content, application, tool, or interface.
Thus, a solution for presenting information and data in interfaces without the limitations of conventional techniques is needed.


A flexible tubular food casing having a flat support material is provided which, on at least one side, has a continuous coating based on a hotmelt polymer, with the coating preferably situated on the outside. The continuous coating has a weight per unit area of 3 to 200 g/m2, preferably 15 to 50 g/m2. The hotmelt polymers have an MVR value in the range of about 25 to 500 cm3 per 10 min, measured at 190° C. with a load of 2.16 kg. The flexible tubular food casing is suitable as a synthetic sausage casing for raw sausage, scalded-emulsion sausage or cooked-meat sausage.

Flexible tubular food casings of the type mentioned at the outset are known and copiously described. They are produced by coating a fibrous support material, in particular a textile support material. Coating is generally performed using aqueous dispersions. Frequently, in this process, acrylic dispersions are used Such casings having a textile support material and coated with acrylic dispersions are described, for example, in DE 37 04 563 C2, whose United States equivalent is U.S. Pat. No 5,246,750, and in DE 31 47 519, whose United States equivalent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,418. After coating, customarily, a drying step follows. In further processing steps, the coated support materials are finally processed by stitching, gluing, sealing, or in other customary ways, to form flexible tubular casings.
Cellulose fiber skins having a PVDC inner coating are also known (see, for example, EP 0 904 700 A1, whose United States equivalent is United States Patent Publication No 2001/0048986). The inner coating is produced using an aqueous dispersion of a vinylidene chloride copolymer. Cellulose fiber skins contain a reinforcement of a fiber paper, in particular a paper made of hemp fibers or abaca fibers. A drying step is necessarily associated with the coating.
Finally, flexible tubular textile skins are also known, on the full surface of the inside of which a film made of thermoplastic sealable or weldable plastic is applied in layer form or laminated (DE 10 2004 048 057 A1). The film can consist of polyester, polyamide, polyolefin or other thermoplastics. They can be stretched or unstretched. The connection between the film and the textile support material is not satisfactory in all cases, however, since the polymers of the film do not enclose the fibers.
The dispersions used in dispersion coating generally contain 50 to 60% by weight of solid, the remainder consists essentially of water. Therefore, during the drying, a considerable amount of water must be evaporated off. This is highly energy consuming and expensive. In addition, dryers having a great length are required therefor. As a result, a high space requirement for such a dispersion coating plant is required. In addition, for operating such a plant, a plurality of persons are required. The coating dispersions must be made up before coating according to a defined formula. For this purpose, personnel are also required. Likewise, owing to the dispersion batch and the drying, environmental pollution is caused.

Flexible tubular food casing coated with meltable, thermoplastic polymers


When a disk unloading operation is made by mistake or when recording is suddenly required after the unloading operation in a conventional disk recording/playback apparatus which has no cancel function of the disk unloading operation, an important recording chance is often missed. This invention allows the user to cancel the disk unloading operation, and can quickly restore the state before the disk unloading operation, thus solving the above problem.

Conventionally, a disk recorder for recording image data on a disk medium such as an optical disk or the like is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 8-153040 and 2003-317389 (US Publication Number: US-2003-0227847)). An apparatus of this type records/plays back data using management information that manages recorded data on a disk. Normally, the apparatus stores management information, which is read out from a disk upon loading that disk, in a main body memory, updates the management information on the memory in correspondence with the recording/playback operation, and writes back the updated management information on the disk upon unloading the disk.
In recent years, a disk video camera which records/plays back sensed image data on/from a disk medium has appeared.
The aforementioned disk video camera normally must write date information and the like on a disk in addition to the management information upon unloading the disk. Upon loading the disk, the disk video camera must execute laser calibration of an optical pickup, free space detection, and the like in addition to the read processing of the management information.
Since these operations take as long as several ten seconds, if the user inadvertently unloads the disk or wants to record immediately after unloading, a considerable time is required until the disk video camera becomes ready to record, thus missing an important recording chance.

Information processing apparatus and its control method, program, and storage medium


A method of increasing carbon disc utilization in aircraft carbon brakes. A brake (10) is initially assembled with a heat stack (16) of alternating thick rotors (R1–R4) and thin stators (S1–S3). When the piston (20) is fully extended, it is retracted and a spacer (30) is inserted between the piston (20) and the original heat stack (16). The brake (10) is then subjected to a another half tour. After this half tour, the brake (10) is overhauled, and the now-thin discs (S1–S3, PP and BP) are replaced with thick discs to form another heat stack (50). For the next half tour, no spacer is used between the piston (20) and the heat stack (50). At the end of this half tour and the piston (20) is fully extended, a spacer (70) is inserted between the piston (20) and the heat stack (50). The heat stack (50) remains unchanged. For the next half tour, it is accomplished with the spacer (70). When this half tour is completed, the worn out rotors are replaced with new thick rotors and the process can be repeated.

Aircraft brakes typically include a plurality of stator discs and rotor discs which are compressed together during the braking operation of an aircraft. The stator discs and rotor discs are normally arranged in alternating fashion in order to form a brake disc stack.
The stationary, stator discs of the disc stack are arranged in a non-rotating position surrounding an aircraft brake structure or shaft. The rotating, rotor discs are secured to a periphery of the aircraft wheel or shaft and are normally free to rotate with the aircraft wheel when the brake is not in use.
A brake housing may include a plurality of pressure piston actuators that are arranged to provide the compressive, braking force that forces the stator discs and rotor discs of the aircraft brake's disc stack together. Brake adjusters may be employed within the brake to provide adjustment of the relative positions of the brake discs as these frictional components become worn during brake usage. Worn discs need to be replaced in order to maintain a certain level of heat stack mass, as well as ensure the piston stroke. Discarding still usable discs does not make good economic sense for aircraft owners.
In some conventional brake units, a "Balanced" design was adopted to keep the rotor weight approximately the same as the stator weight, so that neither component would get substantially hotter than the other component in the brake unit. However, upon completion of the tours, such "Balanced" design ended up producing many worn one-piece discs, which had to have a significant amount of material ground off if they were to be 2-for-1 refurbished with other one-piece discs. Grinding off usable carbon also does not make good economic sense for aircraft owners.
Due to the cost associated with carbon usage and resources needed to replace and/or refurbish the worn carbon discs, it would be desirable to have a disc brake unit that optimizes the degree of wear on each individual disc. In other words, it would be desirable to have a disc brake unit that makes the most utilization out of each disc before it is discarded or refurbished.
Therefore, there is a need for increasing carbon disc utilization in aircraft brakes to reduce overall operating costs for aircraft owners.

Method of increasing friction material utilization for carbon brakes


The present invention relates to a method and related devices for carrying out TBM excavation and expansion blasting, which uses a blast protector and a cart to expand a pilot tunnel by blasting after the pilot tunnel has been formed; and which specifically includes: a step of forming a pilot tunnel; a step of forming a horizontal or vertical blast hole; a step of installing a blast protector within the pilot tunnel; a step of blasting the upper and lower halves of the pilot tunnel to expand the upper and lower halves; and a step of removing the debris formed during the blasting of the upper and lower halves, by dumping the debris into a cart. Accordingly, the rail and cable are protected from the debris formed during the blasting, and working efficiency is improved.

In general, in order to reduce a vibration of a base rock and to improve an excavating speed, after first excavating a pilot tunnel using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), a tunneling work is performed with a construction method of enlargement blasting a periphery of the pilot tunnel.
According to such an excavating work, while first excavating a pilot tunnel using the TBM, a rail and a cable are installed at the bottom or a side wall of the excavated pilot tunnel. The rail is installed as a delivery means of a muck car for carrying out, for example mucks, and the cable includes, for example, a high-voltage cable for supplying power of the TBM, a water supply pipe for supplying water, and an air supply pipe for supplying air.
When together or separately performing excavation and enlargement blasting of the pilot tunnel, the rail and the cable are maintained or removed, and at the inside of the pilot tunnel, for enlargement blasting, a charge hole for injecting gunpowder into a base rock is drilled in a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction. As a tool for drilling the charge hole, a drill is used, and a leg drill or a jumbo drill is used according to a spot situation. The enlargement blasting using gunpowder is performed in a form of gradually enlarging from the inside to the outside.
When the enlargement blasting is complete, blasted mucks are put in a dump truck or a muck car and are carried out. Here, because the blasted mucks are stacked on the bottom of the pilot tunnel, the blasted mucks are put on the muck car using an equipment, for example a loader or a backhoe.
According to a TBM excavation and enlargement blasting method, i.e., enlargement blasting method simultaneously during TBM excavation of performing with a rail or a cable maintained, there is a problem that mucks may damage the rail and the cable while being stacked on the bottom of a pilot tunnel. In order to solve such a problem, by disposing the specially designed muck car on the rail at a tunnel face at which enlargement blasting is performed, mucks to be dropped to the ground may be put to the muck car, and in this case, when enlargement blasting is performed, the muck car directly receives an impact and may be damaged and a small muck may be jammed between the pilot tunnel and the muck car and thus it may be difficult to move the muck car.
Further, after the enlargement blasting is performed, until mucks stacked on the ground completely are removed, there is a problem that excavation of a pilot tunnel using the TBM is stopped. That is, while mucks are stacked on the ground by enlargement blasting, because the mucks completely block a passage, an excavation work of the pilot tunnel and a work of drilling a transverse charge hole are stopped.

Method and related devices for carrying out TBM excavation and expansion blasting using a blast protector and a cart


An error learning value Dqsol* in an idle running state is calculated based on a difference Dqsol0 between a command signal Qsol2A when the engine is in the idle running state and an estimated fuel injection amount Qsolib necessary to maintain the idle running state. An injection amount error Dqsol1 is calculated from the error learning value Dqsol* and an estimated real injection amount Qsol.sub.-- real is calculated from the current command signal Qsol2 and the injection amount error Dqsol1. By varying the estimated fuel injection amount Qsolib according to a loading condition of said engine, a fuel injection amount can be estimated precisely in various running states.

In a diesel engine comprising an exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR system), an exhaust gas recirculation amount (EGR amount) is controlled based for example on an amount of fuel injected in the engine.
Tokkai Sho 63-230994 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1988 discloses a fuel injection control device having a function to estimate a real amount of fuel injected in the engine.
A target fuel injection amount which this device applies for the control of fuel injection amount is generally determined based on the load and rotation speed of the engine. To perform control of the fuel injection amount, the opening period of a fuel injection nozzle is increased or decreased so that a real injection amount coincides with the target injection amount. However, the target injection amount and real injection amount may not coincide due to variation of the performance of a fuel injection pump. Hence when the EGR is controlled based on the target injection amount, there is a possibility that the EGR amount will be out of a preferred range due to the difference between the target injection amount and real injection amount, and cause increased generation of smoke.
In this context in the aforesaid control device, the EGR amount is controlled taking account of the difference between a preset target fuel injection amount corresponding to a predetermined target idle rotation speed and a real fuel injection amount in a state when this target idle rotation speed is actually obtained, i.e. a fuel injection amount error.
In this way, the effect of dispersion in the fuel injection pump performance on EGR amount control is eliminated.
Such control is not limited to the control of EGR amount, and may be applied also to control of a swirl control-valve or to the control of a fuel injection period.
However when a load due to air conditioner or power steering for example is exerted on the engine, the fuel amount required to maintain the same rotation speed also varies, and as these load variations are not reflected in the calculation of fuel injection amount error, the EGR amount control precision also falls when the load deviates from standard conditions.
Moreover an error of injection amount in the idle running state is also largely subject to a difference in the initial lift amount of the fuel injection nozzle due to manufacturing errors or time-dependent changes, or to a difference of the nozzle opening pressure. If this initial lift amount or nozzle opening pressure is not considered in calculating injection amount error under the aforesaid load, a suitable correction amount is not obtained under all running conditions.