The present invention provides a recording method for a phase-change optical recording medium. The recording method of the present invention contains the step of irradiating an electromagnetic wave having a multipulse pattern so as to perform recording on a phase-change optical recording medium containing a phase-change recording layer. This method is characterised in that a starting time of a front pulse of the multipulse pattern delays 0.5T to 1.25T from a starting point of the first reference clock relative to the recording mark, where T is a reference clock of the multipulse pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording method of a phase-change optical disk, namely, a rewritable optical disk. This method is suitably applied for a high volume optical medium, DVD+RW, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase-change recording media, which are used for CD and DVD rewritable recording media have rapidly become very popular due to their high capacity, high-speed recording, and high compatibility with ROM (Read Only Memory). In recent years, it is required that recording/reproducing of mass image data is carried out at high speed, and higher speeds are being demanded of phase-change recording media. However, it is desirable that a high linear velocity recording disk which can be recorded at a high linear velocity, should be able to be recorded also in a low-speed drive for low linear velocity recording disks which record at a low linear velocity. This is possible with CD-R, which can record over a wide range of linear velocity.
However, in the case of the above-mentioned phase-change recording medium, it is difficult to perform recording over a wide range of linear velocity. In order to perform recording at a high linear velocity, a high power laser which outputs a high recording power is required. The recording power of the laser light used in a low-speed drive is usually lower than the recording power of the laser light output in a high-speed drive for high linear velocity recording. Hence, it is difficult to record a high linear velocity recording disk in a low-speed drive.
The aforesaid phase-change recording medium is usually optimized for recording at a high linear velocity. In the case of a phase-change recording medium designed in this way, the recording power to record is higher than the optimal recording power for a low recording linear velocity. Thus, in order to perform recording at a lower recording power with this phase-change optical recording medium, the sensitivity of this phase-change optical recording medium must be increased. In order to increase sensitivity of this phase-change optical recording medium, the reflectance of this phase-change optical recording medium can be lowered. However, when designing this phase-change optical recording medium as a DVD, it is necessary to maintain compatibility with DVD-ROM. Thus, the above-mentioned reflectance cannot be made lower as desired.
The highest recording linear velocity in rewritable DVD currently commercialized in the past several years is 2.4×. A phase-change optical recording medium, which can be recorded at a higher recording linear velocity than 2.4× and also in a low-speed drive, namely, which is downward compatible, has not yet been provided.
In order to provide downward compatibility, it is required to select the composition of the above-mentioned phase-change optical recording medium and the material of the recording layer, and optimize the recording conditions of this phase-change optical recording medium, so that it is recordable at a low recording power and the recording power margin is large.
In the prior art, for example in Japanese Patent (JP-B) No. 3124720 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-322740, by controlling the pulse-width of a laser pulse-like waveform, it can be made CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) recording possible at 2.4×. In the case of rewritable DVD, however, there is a problem that it is difficult to realize a recording linear velocity higher than 2.4× together with downward compatibility so that recording can also be performed in a low-speed drive.
In JP-B No. 2844996, for example, instead of using a fixed erasing power for high speed recording, a method of modulating the erasing power by the reproduction power range is disclosed. However, in the case of this method, a sufficient erasure cannot be performed, and there is the problem that an amorphous phase may be formed depending on the level of the erasing power.
Also, for example, in JP-B No. No. 2941703, a method wherein a rear edge cooling pulse interval is basically eliminated when forming a record mark, is described. However, in the case of this method, there is a problem that it is difficult to form a record mark of predetermined length.
In the case of DVD, such phase-change optical recording medium and recording method thereof are required that recording can be performed at a recording linear velocity as fast as 4× (as 1× linear velocity is 3.49 m/s, this is approx. 14 m/s (13.96 m/s)), and also with a recording power below the optimal recording power of a phase-change recording medium for recording of a recording linear velocity of 1× to 2.4×.
In this regard, it is important to optimize the crystallization rate of the recording layer in the phase-change optical recording medium. In the recording layer, the overwrite characteristics, particular the characteristics of the first overwrite, deteriorate when recording is performed at a high linear velocity. Hence, to enable recording at a high linear velocity, it is important to optimize the elements and elemental composition of this recording layer so that the crystallization rate in this recording layer increases.
In order to form a record mark (amorphous phase) in the aforesaid recording layer in the case of the aforesaid phase-change optical recording medium, it is necessary to heat the material of this recording layer to near the melting point thereof and to perform quenching in a short time. The crystallization rate in the recording layer is larger, the larger is the temperature gradient over time, and the longer is the non-heating time (cooling time) required to suppress recrystallization is longer. However there is a limit to the heating time and cooling time. During recording at a high linear velocity where it is difficult to raise the temperature in a short time, therefore, the recording power must be increased. Also when recording at a low linear velocity, the aforesaid crystallization rate in the aforesaid recording layer is large, so the recording power must likewise be increased.
Accordingly, in a phase-change optical recording medium for recording at a high linear velocity, the aforesaid crystallization rate cannot be made too high. Consequently, if a fixed erasing power is irradiated, an amorphous phase is easily formed even if the erasing power is not so high, and the erasing power cannot be increased too much, the higher is the linear velocity. For this reason, the above-mentioned crystallization rate may be optimized at an intermediate linear velocity between a low linear velocity and a high linear velocity. However, in this case, the erasing power is not sufficient for a high linear velocity, and mark erasure properties during overwrite are poor.

Recording method for a phase-change optical recording medium


A slot apparatus for a memory module on a printed circuit board. The slot apparatus includes a first memory slot set, a second memory slot set, a terminal resistor, and a serial resistance. The first and second memory slot sets are disposed on the printed circuit board. The terminal resistor is disposed between the first and second memory slot sets. The serial resistance is disposed on the printed circuit board and is electrically connected to the first and second memory slot sets through the printed circuit board. The terminal resistor is respectively and electrically connected to the first and second memory slot sets through the printed circuit board. The terminal resistor and the first and second memory slot sets are connected to a terminator voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motherboard, and in particular to a slot apparatus for DRAM memory module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital information is often stored in dynamic random access memory (DRAM). One type of DRAM transfers information synchronously with a clock signal. This type of DRAM is referred to as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM). SDRAM provides a burst read access (when programmed for a burst length of 4). In the case of 64-bit data bus interface system, such a transfer involves 32 bytes of data per SDRAM access. Current PC systems, for example PC100 or PC133 systems typically use such an arrangement. SDRAM transfers information once during every cycle of the clock signal, for example, at the rising edge of the clock signal. Double data rate DRAM (DDR DRAM), however, transfers data at both edges of the clock signal (i.e., twice during every cycle of the clock signal), thus doubling the peak throughput of the memory device as compared with SDRAM. DDR DRAM thus provides a burst of eight data transfers on every burst read access (when programmed for a burst length of 4). As a result, the operating speed of the memory can be increased.
Therefore, DDR DRAM offers better performance and lower cost than SDRAM. Furthermore, DDR DRAM offers broader bandwidth than SDRAM, and the higher operating speed of DDR DRAM is highly applicable to multimedia and entertainment products. With DDR DRAM, the motherboard layout is redesigned and a dual channel type memory slot set is used for insertion of the DDR RAM. The dual channel type memory slot set means that two DDR DRAMs are inserted in a into each memory slot set of a dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The bandwidth of DRAM can be increased to 4.27 GB/s due to the dual channel framework effectively increasing the operational performance. When the primary frequencies of two DDR DIMMs are equal, and the difference between the phases of the two DDR DIMMs is ¼ clock cycle, the combined data can be read in one clock cycle.
FIG. 1 is a conventional motherboard 100 with DDR DIMM. The motherboard 100 includes a CPU slot 101, a control chipset 102, differential clock generator 103, memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107, terminator circuit 108, and terminal resistor 109. The DDR DIMM requires a terminator circuit 108 disposed at an end of the arranged memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107 to provide terminator voltage VTT for absorbing the reflecting electric wave. Meanwhile, the receiving data bus of DDR DIMM has full-up resistors.
FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of a conventional motherboard, wherein the same symbols are given in FIG. 2 for further description. The serial resistance 110 connects the control chipset 102 and the memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107 as a full-up resistor. The terminator circuit 108 is disposed beside the memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107. The terminal resistor 109, memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107, and the serial resistance 110 are connected to one terminator voltage VTT.
The memory slots 104 and 106 are a first memory slot set and the memory slots 105 and 107 are a second memory slot set. The memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107 of the conventional motherboard are alternately arranged, hence the distance is increased between two memory slots in one set. Meanwhile, the distance between the terminator circuit 108 and the memory slot sets is increased, and the distance of the reflecting electric wave is also increased. Another defect of the terminator circuit 108 disposed at an end of the memory slots 104, 105, 106 and 107 is that the distance between the control chipset 102 and the memory slot which has terminal voltage is increased such that the reflection of the electric wave is enhanced, and the noise is also increased. Finally, the stability of the DDR DRAM suffers.


A method for cultivating and processing microalgae includes directing a continuous supply of carbon dioxide into an enclosed photobioreactor containing microalgae. The enclosed photobioreactor is exposed to insolation for the cultivation of the microalgae by means of controlled photosynthesis chemical reactions. The microalgae are cultivated and the microalgae are processed to create an algae biomass and a gaseous mixture. The algae biomass is extracted to produce an essentially pure algae oil and oil free algae biomass. The gaseous mixture is separated into unreacted carbon dioxide and oxygen. The separated unreacted carbon dioxide is recycled to the photobioreactor and the oxygen in excess of export quantity is stored.

The worldwide industrial revolution of the past two centuries changed the energy scene from essentially total global reliance on renewable energy to global reliance practically entirely on fossil energy forms, with the consequence of elevated carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere with its potential for deleterious climate change. Consequently, worldwide concern exists toward developing means to protect the atmosphere by capturing carbon dioxide produced from fossil-fuel combustion in order to avoid its emission to the atmosphere. Two technologically-feasible options exist for avoiding emission to the atmosphere. One option lies in storage of captured carbon dioxide under high-pressure in underground geological formations and accepting the costs without compensating revenues. The other option lies in the use of captured carbon dioxide for enhancing the production of petroleum crude oil through its injection under high pressure into mature oil fields with the receipt of compensating revenues. These two options generally are referred to as sequestration of captured carbon dioxide.
The photosynthesis process by which microalgae can be cultivated from captured carbon dioxide involves a series of complex chemical reactions in which carbon dioxide, water, nutrients, and insolation are converted to an oil-rich algae biomass and essentially pure oxygen gas. Through recycling, the carbon dioxide is completely consumed.
Considerable intensive worldwide research and development activity currently exists aimed at two modes of algae cultivation: one in open ponds and the other in enclosed structures known as photobioreactors. The open-pond mode can be characterized as requiring large land areas in terms of their output, as subject to adverse impact in the form of invasion by unwanted algae species, as impacted by the effects of wind, evaporation, storms, and as losses of some of the carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Moreover, the oxygen produced by the photosynthesis reactions is not recoverable. Because of these disadvantages, the use of photobioreactors is a preferred means of using carbon dioxide.
Current world-wide research and development work in algae cultivation is largely based on the use of a diluted form of carbon dioxide in combustion gases from fossil energy power generating installations and its direct transport to algae cultivation installations. Emerging development in fossil-energy based power generating systems such as oxyfuel combustion promises by-product streams of virtually 100% content (neat) carbon dioxide as contrasted with the about 13-15 volume % conventional carbon-dioxide content in chimney gases. Chemical reaction rates in the photosynthesis process, like all chemical reactions, increase markedly when there is an excess of a key reactant, which the neat carbon dioxide can facilitate.
Given surpluses in the reactants, carbon dioxide and water, reaction rates will be determined by the availability of photons from insolation.

Method to optimize the utilization of captured carbon dioxide through the cultivation and processing of microalgae


A turret body is provided with a tool spindle for detachably attaching a complex tool so as to be freely rotated with an axial center as its center. The turret body is provided with indexing means for indexing the tool spindle, and clamping means for clamping the tool spindle at an indexed position indexed by the indexing means. The turret body has a function for indexing the tool spindle for attaching the complex tool thereto and a function for clamping, thereby using the complex tool in a turret lathe.

This invention relates to a turret for turret lathe, and more specifically relates to a turret for turret lathe (simply "the turret" hereinafter) useful for attaching a complex tool installing a plurality of cutting edges thereon.
In a turret lathe, the number of tool installing faces of a turret limits the number of tools to be attached to the turret. For this reason, an ATC lathe equipped with an automatic tool exchanger (ATC), expensive rather than the turret lathe, has been used when the number of the tools necessary for machining is more than the number of the tool installing faces.
In order to soften this limitation, a complex tool having a plurality of cutting edges located on a single body has been proposed. But, such complex tool can not be used in the turret lathe since the turret has no indexing function for selecting a desired cutting edge from the complex tool. Besides, high frequency in exchange of tool increases the time for exchange of tool in the ATC lathe, and the time necessary for machining excluding the time for cutting a workpiece is longer, and the machining efficiency is then lowered.
Under the above-mentioned circumstances, the development of a turret for turret lathe wherein the complex tool can be used, for exchanging a tool in a short time, has been desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Described herein is an exemplary system and related methods for cross-file DVR record padding playback. The exemplary system can recover program fragments lost by intentionally or unintentionally padding programs during recording.

In a digital video recording (DVR) environment, DVR software records multimedia programs for later replay or archiving (as described herein, digital video recording may include audio and other information, such as program metadata). Ideally, each recording of a program is stored in an independent digital file. For instance, a recording of the "The West Wing" television program is ideally stored in its own file on a hard disk. When multiple programs are recorded back-to-back on the same channel, each program from the multimedia stream is stored in a separate digital file despite the fact that the recording appears continuous from the perspective of a human user.
DVRs and personal video recorders (PVRs) sometimes add extra recording time before and after a program being recorded (pre-padding and post-padding) to ensure that the entire program is recorded. This automatic padding before and after a program is usually referred to as "soft" padding because it is added only if it would not interfere with the recording of another program. This pre-padding and post-padding can prevent lost program content due to inaccurate broadcaster scheduling, an inaccurate clock, and other irregularities. For instance, if the policy of the DVR software is to append five minutes of pre and post padding to a program that does not immediately follow or precede another program being recorded on the same tuner, then the DVR records for an additional ten minutes over the length of the program, five minutes before and five minutes after. Some DVRs also allow the user to select "hard" padding, in which a selected time period of pre and/or post padding can be appended to a recorded program, sometimes even regardless of programs to be recorded immediately preceding or following the subject program. This hard padding can give rise to prioritization of adjacent programs to be recorded and subsequent truncation of the programs with lower priority.
Usually, when two programs are scheduled to be recorded back-to-back using the same tuner, the DVR does not intentionally apply any padding but instead makes a "judgement call" regarding the point in time at which the first of the adjacent programs ends and its digital storage file is closed, and the subsequent program begins and its digital storage file is opened. The discernment of when a first program ends and the next program begins is usually satisfactory since it is based on the broadcaster's scheduled time listings. Not infrequently, however, the DVR places the demarcation between adjacently recorded programs at the wrong place. This can be due to inaccuracies in the schedule listings information, clock inaccuracies, or unpredictability of program length, for example, in the case of a live sporting event that extends past an anticipated finish time. When the temporal dividing line between programs is applied inaccurately, an unintentional padding occurs. If the temporal division between programs is made too early, then the ending of the first program is truncated from the digital file storing the first program, and this ending of the first program becomes unintended pre-padding for the following program. If the temporal division between programs is made too late, then the beginning of the subsequent program is truncated from the digital file storing the subsequent program and becomes unintended post-padding for the first program. In either case, the truncated portion of a program is generally lost to DVR tracking, unless the sequence of program recording is manually reconstructed by the user and the unintentional pre or post padding is located and played back to retrieve the lost part of the program.


This application discloses folding, compact support structure assemblies for supporting an article or receptacle including a simplified latch and a support assembly case that move together in tandem as an integrated unit in order to effect release of the support structure assemblies from their operative position, facilitating movement of the entire support assembly and shaft to a compact position inside the profile of the supporting article. The support structure shafts may attach skis, sleds, or wheels. A plurality of equipment engaging removable uprights stow horizontally in slots along the inside walls and a service shelf also conveniently stows flat along the underside or top of the article.

The applicant's United States patent applications, including but not limited to U.S. Nos. 7,819,408, 7,066,485 and 6,893,030 applied numerous types of "fold flat" stowable support structures or wheel structures, among other innovations. However, this application both improves upon and expands on the applicability of the stowable support structures to movable or stationary articles or receptacles, including support shafts that are convertible to a variety of articles, as well as movable articles or vehicles. The integrated housing/case and latch design are novel and not provided for in any of applicant's prior applications or in the prior art, and the repositionable service shelves are also new innovations. With regard to the novel support structure assembly design, the applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,408 disclosed a movable "faceplate" or "faceplate grip" design. In order to move the support assembly case from the operative position, a user would manually manipulate the movable faceplate grip, which mounted along one wall of the case, and the faceplate itself was a separate part from the support case, and the faceplate connected to a latch, so that the movable faceplate would cause movement of the latch, to release the case from its operative position. One improvement of this patent application is to eliminate the need for a movable faceplate, or for screws or connectors between the faceplate and the latch. The novel design presented here simplifies the assembly component parts, and integrates them into a simplified support structure assembly case/housing, and provides a new method for entrapment (latching) and release of the support structure assembly support shaft by the assembly parts and the article frame.

Fold flat article support assemblies with simplified release latches and stowable service shelves


A ring-cavity or linear-cavity all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system and method of operating the same are provided. The all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system includes a pulse pump light source, a gain fiber, a first fiber signal pump combining unit, a broadband optical isolator, a fiber saturable absorber, an assistant light source, a second fiber signal pump combining unit, and a light coupling output. The first fiber signal pump combining unit is respectively connected to the pulse pump light source and the gain fiber to emit broadband amplified spontaneous emission, then the broadband amplified spontaneous emission passes through the broadband optical isolator. The second fiber signal pump combining unit is respectively connected to the assistant light source and the fiber saturable absorber. An ASE signal actively provides passive mode locking of the cavity, and the light coupling output partially outputs the laser. A dispersion fiber controls the temporal width.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to an all-fiber-based laser system. The disclosure relates to an all-fiber-based laser system which can actively control passive mode locking.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pulse fiber laser has potential to be used in applications such as; machining of solid and brittle material, in medical examinations and in wavelength transformation. Maximum peak power output is mainly provided by an active nanosecond fiber laser and a passive mode locked laser. However, the above two lasers have the following disadvantages. The peak power of the active nanosecond fiber laser is not provided efficiently enough for machining of solid and brittle material. Furthermore, because the pulse duration is longer than a picosecond or a femtosecond of a short pulse, a great deal of heat is generated. The passive mode locked laser is easily affected by environment, is costly and can not be actively modulated, thus, it is not available for laser machining.
A conventional all-fiber-based high peak power nanosecond pulse laser uses a master oscillator power amplifier, MOPA. The MOPA with a seed and a multi-stage amplifier, and a plurality of light isolators are assembled to form a high peak fiber laser. However, when the pump light power is out of proportion to the seed power, the pump light is emitted to an Yb doped gain fiber, and a non-directive amplified spontaneous emission, ASE is generated. The ASE is suppressed to prevent the laser from proceeding along a former path to damage the seed. Because the all-fiber-based laser is serially connected via melt, prevention of ASE is more important.
Outer shell electrons of the Yb doped fiber are easily ionized and raised to a upper energy level and fast decay to meta-stable state. If the seed power is not enough, the power of the pump light increases, and disturbs the gain fiber, a spontaneous pulse is generated in a instant short time. The pump light can not enter the disturb bent fiber in a transient state. When gain fiber is interfered, energy is provided for the fiber laser to generate a spontaneous pulse in a very short time. The pulse repetition frequency is related to the lifetime of the Yb doped fiber. The lifetime of the Yb doped fiber is around 850 μsec.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional mode locked fiber laser. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is U.S. Pat. No. 7,317,740 "MODE LOCKER FOR FIBER LASER". The mode locked laser includes a laser unit 100, a mode locker 104, two collimators 104a and 104c, a pillar-shaped structure 104b, a rotator structure 104d, a light coupler 106, a gain fiber 102, and a wavelength division multiplexer 108. The laser unit 100, the mode locker 104, the light coupler 106, the gain fiber 102 and the wavelength division multiplexer 108 are connected in sequence. The mode locked laser is not an all-fiber-based laser, and the mode locker 104 is adjusted by a mechanism.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional mode locked fiber laser. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,664 "Nonlinear Polarization pulse shaping mode locked fiber laser". The mode locked fiber laser 200′ comprises a wavelength division multiplexer 210′, an Yb doped fiber 205, a coupler 230, a fiber output 225, two polarization controllers 204-1′ and 240-2′, a linear polarization isolator 235′. The wavelength division multiplexer 210′, the Yb doped fiber 205, the coupler 230, the fiber output 225, the polarization controller 240-2′, the linear polarization isolator 235′, and the polarization controller 204-1′ are connected in sequence. However, the mode locked fiber laser 200′ must be switched to lock mode by a mechanism, and the mode locked fiber laser 200′ is sensitive to the environment, thus, the mode locked fiber laser 200′ is unstable. Furthermore, the mode locked fiber laser 200′ does not actively modulate.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional mode locked fiber laser. Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,741 "Passive mode-locked fiber lasers". A fiber laser 300 includes a first reflector 310 with a grating 312 and a collimator 314, a gain material 330, a fiber coupler 340, a fiber 342, three fiber portions 340a, 340b and 344, two sections 364 and 362, a pump light 350, a fiber output coupler 360, a light isolator 370, a collimator 321, a lens 323, a saturable absorber 325 and a second reflector 326. This design is very complicated and needs many optical elements. The fiber laser 300 must be adjusted to lock mode by mechanism, and the fiber laser 30 is sensitive to the environment, thus, the fiber laser 30 is unstable. Furthermore, the fiber laser 30 does not actively modulate.

Ring or linear cavity of all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system and method of operating the same

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method and apparatus for producing a paper product having a surface with enhanced gloss. The method includes the following steps: applying a continuous layer of an impressionable coating material to a paper product; contacting the layer of coating material with a polymer release film having a smooth and glossy surface substantially free of defects, the surface having non-adhering and release characteristics; and solidifying the coating material during contact with the release film. Using this technique, a smooth and glossy surface of the release film is substantially imparted to a surface of the layer of solidified coating material. In the case of clay-coated substrates, the coating is solidified by heating, whereas in the case of polyethylene-coated substrates, the coating is solidified by cooling. The end product is a coated substrate in which the coating has a glossy surface to which the texture of a film has been imparted.

The quality of paper is determined by its smoothness and sheen. Smoothness is a measure of the evenness of paper surfaces. Sheen is a measure of the homogeneous optical reflectivity of paper, and denotes a range of characteristics from "high gloss" to "matte."
Enhancement of gloss characteristics is desirable for diverse paperboard and paper applications and for this purpose it is conventional to coat paper with various formulations including clay compositions and polyethylene. Clay formulations have particular application in papers used in publishing; polyethylene is conventionally employed in finishing paperboard used for liquid packaging of food products.
In the prior art, calender and supercalender apparatus have found wide application in the finishing of coated paper stock. In conventional gloss calenders coated paper is acted upon by polished cylinder surfaces under pressure and heat to impart gloss to the coated surface. This technique is not entirely satisfactory in that it densifies the paper in areas of nonuniformity in paperboard thickness diminishing the ink absorbency of the board for printing applications.
To overcome this deficiency in gloss calendering, the art has employed supercalender apparatus which include stacks of hard and resilient cylinders which cooperate to smooth and impart a uniform thickness through application of pressure. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,034. However, this technique further densifies the coating with a consequent reduction in paper printability. Moreover, such supercalenders require extensive tooling and capital investment which increase paper production costs.
In another conventional approach, "cast coating" processes are employed in which highly polished casting cylinder surfaces coact with an arrangement of coating rollers to impart a uniform finish to paper. Such a conventional process is disclosed in "Coating Equipment and Processes", Chapter 17, by G. L. Booth, Lockwood Publishing Co., New York (1970) which Identifies U.S. Pat. No. 1,719,166 to Bradner as an early patent in this field. Bradner discloses a process in which the coating surface, while in a plastic (i.e., molten) state, is contacted by a non-adhering high gloss surface and then cured. Use of a nonadhering surface permits release of the paper following the curing operation. This technique has application for use in the polymer coating of plastics which are molten and solidify when cooled, as well as clay coatings which change from a plastic to a solid state by application of thermal heat.
Highly polished metal surfaces employed in conventional cast coating processes impart a high-gloss surface to the paper without the densification associated with supercalendering techniques. Thus the coating has greater bulk and ink absorbency than is obtained by supercalendering.
In the case of clay coatings, the clay formulation is applied to one side of a paper substrate and that side is then pressed against a heated, highly polished surface of a cylinder until the coating dries. When the paper is released from the drying cylinder, the coating has a surface which mirrors the polished surface of the drying drum.
Conventional cast-coating paper formulations are similar in content to those employed in high-grade coated paper applications. However, the adhesive ratio in a cast coating is higher than for supercalendered coated paper. This increase in adhesiveness counters retention forces on the cast surface associated with separation of the paper from the casting surface and enhances the ink holding capability of the coating. Although excessive adhesive in non-cast-coated paper impairs the gloss and smoothness of the paper after calendering, high levels of adhesive in cast-coated paper has the opposite effect, that is, gloss enhancement.
Another conventional type of cast coating is referred to as cast calendering. This technique entails the production of a high gloss on supercalendered coated paper by rewetting the surface of the densified coating and then contacting the wetted surface with a highly polished, metal heated roll under pressure.
In the case of polymer coatings, cast coating entails the steps of applying polymer coating to a casting surface such as a stainless steel belt or coated casting paper and then transfer laminating the polymer coating to the substrate. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art apparatus for application of a polymer coating to a substrate using a specially coated casting or release paper.
Although cast coating imparts satisfactory gloss to paper, the high expense associated with the process limits its application to high cost paper or paperboards. It will be appreciated that the process is relatively slow and requires exacting tolerances in the coaction of the applicator rolls and casting surface. Such requirements increase production costs.
Various prior art U.S. patents teach the use of a band or belt to impart surface characteristics to a coated substrate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,494 to Oliva discloses a process for obtaining a shiny metallized surface on a plated or laminated material by coating the surface with varnish and applying a plastic film which has been covered with a metallizing agent. "The film acts as both a carrier and a glossing element . . . ." See Oliva patent Abstract. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,734 to Okita et al. discloses a process for producing a magnetic recording medium, wherein a magnetic coating composition is coated on a roller or band having a mirrored surface to form a smooth magnetic surface layer on a non-magnetic substrate. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,471 to Haigh discloses a method of transfer dying utilizing a polyethylene-coated heat transfer paper to transfer the dye.
There is a need in the art for apparatus and processes for gloss enhancement of coated papers which are less complex in tooling requirements than known in the art. Technology is required which has diverse application for gloss enhancement of high grade printing paperstock as well as paperboard for packaging applications. Such enhancement should preferably be obtained without undue compaction of paperstock with associated diminishment in printability.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved gloss enhancing process and related apparatus for production of coated paper and paperboard.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a gloss enhancement process having application for coating paper and paperboard with clay composition or polyethylene coatings.
Another object of the invention is to provide a gloss enhancing process for fabricating novel coated paper and paperboard products having improved printing characteristics.
A further object of the invention is to provide a gloss enhancing production line apparatus and processes which are less complex, obtain faster production speeds, and are improved over the prior art.

Apparatus for making paper and paperboard having enhanced gloss


A device for supporting and oscillating continuous casting molds in continuous casting plants includes at least one support suitable to support a continuous casting mold, the support including a fixed assembly restrained to a frame of the device and a movable assembly that is slidably restrained to the fixed assembly in a vertical direction and connected to a servomechanism suitable to move it in a reciprocating manner relative to the fixed assembly along the axial direction, the movable assembly including a plurality of channels suitable to allow a flow of a cooling fluid to and from a cooling circuit of the mold, the channels being supplied by supply pipes arranged along the vertical direction. The device further includes at least one connecting pipe suitable to allow to connect a supply pipe, the connecting pipe having a T shape and including a first duct rigidly connected to the movable assembly in a horizontal direction, as well as a second and a third duct extending from the first duct in opposite ways along the vertical direction, the second and third ducts being respectively connected to first and second end portions of the fixed assembly through further axially deformable ducts and being respectively a blind duct and a flow-through duct suitable to allow the cooling fluid to flow towards the first and the second ducts. The second and third ducts, and preferably also the first duct, of the at least one connecting pipe have the same diameter of the supply pipes.

Continuous casting is an industrial manufacturing process wherein a metallic material in the liquid state, for example steel, is poured by gravity from a ladle into a tundish and from this into a continuous casting mould. As known, the mould of a continuous casting plant comprises an open bottom and side walls preferably but not exclusively made of copper, which, during operation of the plant, are constantly cooled preferably but not exclusively with water.
Thanks to the presence of a cooling system, the liquid metal which contacts the side walls of the mould is solidified thus forming a slab having a solidified "shell" around a "liquid core". The shell provides the slab with a degree of stability suitable to allow its descent through a plurality of rollers arranged downstream of the mould, which preferably but not exclusively define an arc-shaped path the radius of which is a few meters long, wherein the solidification process of the slab continues. Once reached an horizontal position, the slab can be cut to a specific size or machined e.g. by direct rolling without solution of continuity in order to obtain a series of finished products such as sheets and strips. The latter process is also known as "cast-rolling".
Plants for the manufacturing of slabs obtained by continuous casting are disclosed, for example, in the European patents EP 0415987, EP 0925132, EP 0946316 and EP 1011896 and in the international publication WO 2004/026497, all in the applicant's name, which relate in particular to the manufacturing of steel strips.
It is known that during a continuous casting process the mould is oscillated in a vertical direction, i.e. along the casting direction, in order to prevent solidified metal material from adhering to the copper side walls of the mould and to allow the supply of a lubricating medium that can reduce friction forces therebetween. The oscillation of the mould in the vertical direction preferably but not exclusively follows a sinusoidal law of motion.
For this purpose, the mould is generally mounted on a supporting and oscillating device comprising at least one support to which a servomechanism, such as a hydraulic jack, is connected so as to allow it to oscillate vertically. The support comprises in particular a fixed assembly restrained to a frame in turn mounted on a foundation, as well as a movable assembly slidably restrained to the fixed assembly along the vertical direction. The mould is mounted on the movable assembly, so that it can be moved vertically therewith. The movable assembly is connected to the servomechanism, therefore the total mass subjected to oscillatory movements includes the mass of the mould, the mass of the movable assembly of the support and the mass of the cooling fluid contained therein.
Preferably, but not exclusively, the supporting device comprises a pair of supports arranged symmetrically at the sides of the mould. In this case, the servomechanisms associated to the supports are properly coordinated with each other so as to generate on the supports of the mould oscillations of equal magnitude and phase.
The enormous technical and technological progress in the field of continuous casting plants allows to achieve a higher and higher "mass flows", i.e. to increase the amount of steel per unit time coming out from the continuous casting. This involves the use of more and more powerful cooling systems for the moulds, which require high working pressures of the cooling fluid, for example in the order of 20 bar or higher, and high flow rates, which result in supply pipes having larger and larger cross-sections.
The cooling fluid, for example water, is supplied to the mould through channels formed in the supports of the oscillating device, and in particular in the movable assembly of each support. These channels generally extend in a vertical direction, so as to allow the connection of the pipes that supply the cooling fluid below the movable assembly. During the circulation of the cooling fluid, the combined effect of high operating pressures and large cross-sections of the channels generates hydraulic forces having a magnitude comparable to that of other forces normally acting on the mould during the operation of a continuous casting plant, in particular inertia forces related to the mass of the mould and pulsating forces generated by the servomechanism that causes the mould to oscillate. The hydraulic forces generated by in- or outflows of the cooling fluid tend in particular to lift the mould and its supports, thus being involved in the dynamic balance together with the pulsating forces intended to oscillate them. Therefore, the servomechanism must be designed by taking into account this dynamic balance of the forces, which results in solutions the construction and operation of which are not always satisfactory.
Another problem of known supporting and oscillating devices for continuous casting moulds is that oscillations imposed by the servomechanism to the elastic elements that hydraulically connect fixed pipes, which are generally arranged vertically upstream of the supporting device of the mould, and the movable assembly of the single support, generate pressure fluctuations in the channels formed in the supports and in the cooling circuit of the mould, thus altering the flow rate of the cooling fluid over time and potentially causing pulsating vaporization phenomena. This reduces heat exchange between metal and mould and thus penalizes the solidification process of the slab. A reduced heat exchange can also result in the formation of cracks in the copper side walls of the mould in contact with the metal passing therethrough, as well as thermal fatigue phenomena.
In order to solve this problem it is known to use hydropneumatic accumulators arranged along the branches of the cooling circuit of the mould. However, the use of hydropneumatic accumulators is problematic, because of their overall dimensions. Furthermore, in order to effectively reduce pressure pulsations that disturb the flow of the cooling fluid, hydropneumatic accumulators must be designed for specific frequency ranges and set at defined pressure levels, thus not being able to properly operate when the pressure of the cooling fluid varies e.g. at the discharge of the mould in function of its flow rate.

Device for supporting and oscillating continuous casting moulds in continuous casting plants


A system for bundling long ferrous products comprises a roller table for delivering the products longitudinally to a receiving station. A cradle is spaced laterally from the receiving station and is constructed and arranged to receive and accumulate the products in bundle form. A stacker is positioned between the receiving station and the cradle, and a pre-stacker is positioned between the stacker and the receiving station. A transport system laterally advances products from the receiving station to the pre-stacker, and the pre-stacker operates in concert with the transport system to pre-stack multiple layers of the products into sub-bundles and to transfer the sub-bundles to the stacker, which then operates to deposit the sub-bundles in the cradle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the handling of long products produced by a rolling mill, and is concerned in particular with the bundling of such products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As herein employed, the term "long products" is intended to include squares, flats, angles, channels, beams, and any other like products that are typically formed into layered bundles.
In the conventional bundling system, long products are delivered to a receiving station. A transport system then carries the products laterally to a stacker. In the course of being laterally carried, the products are subdivided into layers.
The stacker operates to transfer the layers individually into a cradle, where the layers are stacked to form a bundle. The bundle is then tied or strapped.
The stacker typically requires an average of about 12 seconds to transfer each layer into the cradle. This transfer cycle is substantially longer than the time it takes for the transport system to deliver successive product layers to the stacker. Thus, the stacker represents a bottleneck limiting the rate at which bundles can be formed by the bundling system.
The objective of the present invention is to relieve this bottleneck and thus increase the overall production rate of the bundling system.


A shipping container storage system includes mounting posts that are mountable within the inner or outer channels along the corrugated side walls of a shipping container for supporting various load supporting accessories releasably along the mounting posts. A first mounting bracket configuration allows one or both ends of the mountings posts to be fastened to a perpendicular end surface at the top or bottom end of a channel receiving the mounting post therein. A second mounting bracket configuration includes a hook that allows the mounting posts to be suspended from a rigid anchor loop at a top end of a channel in the shipping container side wall.

Intermodal shipping containers for shipping cargo over land and sea are also known to be used for storage as they are readily available and mass-produced in a cost-effective manner. A typical shipping container is generally rectangular in shape, having rectangular side walls formed of rigid, corrugated sheet material connected between beams extending along the edges of the container. Some of the channels in the corrugated side walls include anchor loops fixed at the top and bottom ends of the channel for securing cargo.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,065 by Sloan and U.S. Pat. No. 8,356,720 by Mathews disclose examples of shelving systems adapted to be mounted within a shipping container. Sloan (U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,065) hooks a mounting bar onto the anchor loops but the hooks can be readily dislodged from the anchor hooks by upward contact with the shelves when loading the shelving system. Mathews relies on flexible chains passing through the anchor loops to suspend the shelves of the shelving system, but the flexible nature of the chains results in the shelves being supporting in an unstable manner in which the loaded material can readily fall from the shelves when upwardly contacting the shelves during loading.


A method and apparatus for automatically collecting and exhausting drainage discharged from a semiconductor fabrication system, including a drainage collector for storing drainage discharged from the semiconductor fabrication system, a drainage tank for storing the drainage output from the drain collector, and a liquid separator provided between the drainage collector and the drainage tank. The drainage collector receives and stores the drainage output from the drain collector. The liquid separator, provided between the drainage collector and the drainage tank, receives and stores the drainage output from the drainage collector under a first condition in accordance with a difference between a vacuum pressure and the atmospheric pressure, and allows the drainage stored in the drainage collector to flow into the drainage tank in a second condition based on a difference between the vacuum pressure and atmospheric pressure. Chemical drainage, such as organic solvent, is exhausted from the system based on a difference in pressure between the vacuum pressure and the atmospheric pressure, enabling a small capacity drain collector to be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drain collecting apparatus for a semiconductor fabrication system, and more particularly to an improved automatic drain collecting and exhausting apparatus for a semiconductor fabrication system which enables discharge of drained chemicals such as organic solvents from the system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional automatic drain collecting and exhausting apparatus for a semiconductor fabrication system includes a drain collector 2 for temporarily storing discharged drainage from a semiconductor fabrication system 1 when a process is completed.
In the conventional apparatus, a low sensor 3 and a full sensor 4 are connected to an outside wall of collector 2, each sensing a level of drainage output from fabrication system 1. Adjacent to drain collector 2, a drain tank 5 is provided for storing the drainage transmitted from drain collector 2. A plurality of tubes connect drain collector 2 and drain tank 5, enabling drainage flow therebetween.
A connection structure for linking drain collector 2 and drain tank 5 includes: a first tube 6 connecting drain collector 2 to a port of an air pump 9 via a first air valve 11, a second tube 7 connecting air pump 9 to drain tank 5, and a third tube 8 connecting drain tank 5 to the exterior via a second air valve 12.
A first sub-tube 6a connects a thinner container 17 to a portion of first tube 6 that is positioned between first air valve 11 and air pump 9. A second sub-tube 7a is connected, via a valve 14, to a portion of second tube 7 that is positioned between air pump 9 and drain tank 5. Reference numeral 15 denotes an alarm sensor, reference numeral 16 denotes a full sensor, and reference numerals 11a, 12a, 13a denote air springs for supporting respective air valves 11, 12, 13.
The operation of the above-described conventional drain collecting and exhausting apparatus for a semiconductor fabrication system will now be described.
The level of drainage discharged from the system 1 and collected in drain collector 2 increases as a semiconductor fabrication process is repeated in the system 1. At some point, full sensor 4 is actuated in response to the increasing level of discharged drainage. When full sensor 4 is actuated, the first air valve 11 is opened. Air pump 9 creates an air pressure difference which causes the drainage stored in drain collector 2 to be transmitted through first and second tubes 6, 7 to drain tank 5.
When a sufficient amount of drainage is transmitted from drainage collector 2 to drain tank 5 and a drain level in drain collector 2 is lowered, the low sensor 3 attached to the outside wall of drain collector 2 becomes actuated to open the third air valve 13. When third air valve 13 is opened, thinner in the thinner container 17 flows into air pump 9 for a predetermined time (about 5 to 10 seconds), diluting any high viscosity drainage in the air pump 9. The second air valve 12 is subsequently employed to exhaust the drainage from drain tank 5 to the exterior.
The above-described drain collecting and exhausting apparatus for the conventional semiconductor fabrication system experiences frequent air pump breakdown. Following each such breakdown, the drainage must be manually collected and exhausted, during which time the fabrication system 1 is rendered inoperable.
Further, due to frequent inactivation of the full sensor and the low sensor, the drainage collector can easily overflow, effectively contaminating the surroundings of the system and increasing the amount of thinner required.
Still further, the conventional system is expensive since the ratio of the system to the drain collecting apparatus is approximately 1:1 or 2:1.

Automatic drain collecting and exhausting apparatus for semiconductor fabrication system


A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine has an airfoil including leading and trailing edges joined by spaced-apart pressure and suction sides to provide an external airfoil surface extending from a platform in a spanwise direction to a tip. The external airfoil surface is formed in substantial conformance with multiple cross-sectional profiles of the airfoil defined by a set of Cartesian coordinates set forth in Table 1, the Cartesian coordinates provided by an axial coordinate scaled by a local axial chord, a circumferential coordinate scaled by a local axial chord, and a span location.

Every compressor and turbine stage of a gas turbine engine must meet a plurality of design criteria to assure the best possible overall engine efficiency. The design goals dictate specific thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met pertaining to heat loading, parts life and manufacturing, use of combustion gases, throat area, vectoring, the interaction between stages to name a few. The design criteria for each stage is constantly being re-evaluated and improved upon. Each airfoil is subject to flow regimes which lend themselves easily to flow separation, which tend to limit the amount of work transferred to the compressor, and hence the total power capability of the engine. Therefore, improvements in airfoil design are sought.


The present invention relates to an artificial nipple. More particularly, the present invention relates to an artificial nipple, which has durability enough not to be torn with fatigue load resulting from teeth contact since fiber nets are embedded within the thickness of the artificial nipple, eliminates a difficulty in breathing by facilitating the flow of air, and prevents obstruction of the airway of an infant by distributing milk suction pressure when the infant sucks milk. The artificial nipple according to the present invention has a nipple body including a root portion, a teat portion with a feeding hole, and a narrow neck portion for making a connection between the root portion and the teat portion. The artificial nipple further comprises fiber nets (20) in the form of bands which are embedded within the thickness of the nipple body (10) such that they extend in a lengthwise direction L of the nipple body and are spaced apart form one another at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction A of the nipple body, and an air inflow groove (15) formed in a portion of a surface of the nipple body (10) which does not overlap with the fiber nets such that the air flow groove is connected to the feeding hole (12).

Artificial nipples are classified into thump type nipples and roman or round type nipples. In such artificial nipples (hereinafter, simply refer to as "nipples"), there is no change in the positions of feeding holes that are located at the centers of the nipples while there is a difference only in the sizes of the feeding holes according to infants' ages.
In case of a thumb type nipple, since a feeding hole 2 is merely located at a position offset slightly upward from the center of the nipple as shown in FIG. 1, the feeding hole 2 is considered as being substantially directed to the palate of an infant when the infant normally holds a teat portion 1 of the nipple in the mouth.
Since the feeding hole is not oriented directly toward the throat of the infant in view of the position of the feeding hole 2, this configuration may be understood as being a safe configuration for avoiding the throat. However, it should be noted that it is not true due to the following reasons.
That is, although the feeding hole 2 in case of the thumb type nipple is located approximately in the middle of the palate of the infant, this position can never be considered as a safe position in unspecified postures such as a lying posture except normal postures such as a sitting or standing posture of the infant when the infant sucks milk. When the infant lies on his/her back, it can be considered that his/her airway is opened. Even though the feeding hole 2 is oriented toward the palate of the infant, it is substantially impossible for the infant himself/herself to delay or block a linear flow of milk introduced from the palate into the throat of the infant in view of low reflexes of the infant. Therefore, a configuration in which the feeding hole 2 is in line with the throat as in the thumb type nipple can be considered as having low safety.
In case of a roman type nipple, the aforementioned problem becomes much severer. In this type nipple, a feeding hole 2 is formed at the vertex of a sphere-type teat portion 1 as shown in FIG. 2 and thus a direction in which milk is discharged from the feeding hole 2 is in line with the direction of the throat of the infant. Accordingly, since the milk is introduced directly into the throat when the infant sucks the milk, there is a very high possibility that a risk of respiratory disturbance may occur.
In cases of both the thumb and roman type nipples, air is not commonly introduced into the mouth of the infant. Thus, a high vacuum pressure is established in the mouth when the infant sucks the milk, and a high milk suction pressure is generated. This leads introduction of the sucked milk into ears, eyes or lungs of the infant, which may be a cause of various diseases and death. Therefore, there is a need for a countermeasure against such a problem.
Further, in such a conventional nipple, there is a high possibility that an indented neck portion 3 of the nipple with which teeth of the infant intensively come into contact may be damaged, as compared with the other portions of the nipple. Thus, there is the risk of safety accident due to tear of the nipple.
In this regards, the present applicant has proposed a silicon nipple with a fiber net embedded therein in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 137262. With the embedded fiber net 4 in the nipple as shown in FIG. 3, even though a portion of the nipple is torn, the torn silicon portion of the nipple is prevented from falling off.
Although the nipple with the fiber net embedded therein can be easily manufactured since the fiber net 4 is embedded throughout the nipple, however, a great deal of the fiber net is required, which leads in economic inefficiency and increase of the unit cost of the nipple.


A method and a plant for processing problematic, organic, chemical wastes for the disposal thereof. The different types of waste are collected in separate portions and the liquid waste portions are pooled, and the resulting liquid mixture is left to separate into a number of fractions. Each viscous or solid waste portions is subjected to a compatibility test with a liquid fraction. The waste portions are admixed with an amount of a compatible liquid fraction, ensuring that a workable mixture is obtained. The different mixtures are gradually mixed and a mixed and workable buffer portion is obtained. The buffer portion or a portion thereof is subjected to grinding at a high shear. A pumpable, combustible dispersion is obtained, which can be incinerated without any risk of explosions.

Today's industrial production leaves many types of waste materials, including chemical waste materials, which for environmental reasons have to be disposed of, i.e. converted into an environmentally acceptable form, by incineration, for instance in a rotary furnace. At incineration in a rotary furnace, the calorific value of the problematic waste can be utilized. If, after incineration, the waste type leaves ashes or cinders, the disposal of which may still cause environmental problems, it may be advantageous to incinerate the waste in a cement kiln, confer as an example WO publication No. nr. 94/09319.
Some of the problematic waste materials are difficult to handle, as they are in a solid or pastose form. Such materials are difficult to feed into a combustion furnace under stable conditions, so that a fairly constant and sufficiently high combustion temperature can be maintained. In order to ensure a uniform and adjustable feeding of the waste material, it is advantageous, if the material is easily converted into a pumpable material.
EP patent No. 73.787 discloses a method of processing a nonpumpable, solid or viscous problematic waste material, such as discarded paints, paint sludge, greasy wastes, distillation residues, which may contain oil sludge, organic compounds and the like, wherein the waste is subjected to a mechanical reduction in size and simultaneously or subsequently dispersed with water to saturation at mechanical mixing, whereby a pumpable dispersion is obtained, which can be used as a fuel. However, experience has shown that this method cannot be used for all types of waste.
Another problem when incinerating chemical wastes is that certain types of waste may be highly active, whereby explosions may occur, if high concentrations of said wastes are fed into a combustion furnace.
Certain types of particularly active wastes may cause problems in form of heavy exothermic reactions creating explosions merely by being vigorously ground.
WO publication No. 91/01185 discloses a method for utilizing residues and waste waters from paint shops and lacquer processing installations, in particular lacquer and paint sludges, and colorant waste from the automobile industry, i.a. by utilizing the calorific value of the organic compounds contained therein. By this method, the varying and possibly mechanically drained residues are collected separately in closed transport containers from the different places, in which the waste occurs, and transported to a central processing and utilization plant. In this plant, the residues, containing volatile organic compounds and/or water under the selected process conditions, are dried and ground in a heated, continuously driven contact drier at 120.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. under a slight vacuum and while being kneaded and mixed. For some types of waste, such a drying process at an increased temperature results in caking or hardening, which makes it impossible to convert the waste material into a pumpable form, which may be injected through a nozzle into a combustion furnace at a later stage. Moreover, there is a risk of explosions when drying at such high temperatures.
DE patent No. 3.900.482 discloses a method for the disposal of lacquer and paint sludges and colorant wastes, in particular from the automobile industry, wherein the wastes, subsequent to any thorough separation of volatile solvents and possibly while being cooled, are ground and mixed with at least the same quantity of coal dust and possibly with alkaline additives, preferably quicklime and/or limestone powder, whereafter it may be burnt. This method cannot either be used for the most difficult types of chemical wastes, in particular such wastes leaving a solid mass which is difficult to grind or cannot be ground at all, subsequent to removal of any solvents.
EP patent application No. 288.913 discloses a method for disposal of acid-soluble materials, wherein the materials initially are dissolved in a strong acid, whereafter the solution is fed into an incineration plant. However, this method is generally not usable with varying types of chemical wastes.
FR published specification No. 2.702,488 discloses a method for the preparation of fuel especially from industrial waste, in which portions of a reasonably homogeneous composition are prepared, a large number of chemical and physical analyses are performed on each portion, the amounts of material from the available, analyzed portions which can be combined to obtain pastose or viscous fuel are determined, solid wastes are ground to a particle size of between 10 or 25 mm and amounts thereof are added to the other constituents and admixed to a fuel material having a viscosity of preferably 150 poise, i.e. 15 Pa.multidot.s. Some of the analyses performed are chemical analyses of different harmful substance, such as chlorine, sulphur and heavy metals to ensure that the end fuel is within the the maximum limit values set by the authorities. The intercompatibility of the different solid and liquid waste portions is thus not tested, whereby such a possible compatibility cannot be utilized optimally to dissolve or swell the solid or viscous waste constituents to obtain an advantageous reduction in the viscosity. According to the French patent a piston pump, such as a concrete pump, is required for pumping of the prepared high-viscose fuel, as a high pump pressure is required, e.g. 150 bar (15 MPa). The material is thus not so liquid that it can be pumped at a considerably lower pressure, which is used in a single-stage centrifugal pump having a pump pressure of typically 3-4 bar (0.3-0.4 MPa).

Method of processing problematic, organic, chemical wastes, and a plant for carrying out the method


An apparatus and method for relieving stress on a heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber. A plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips are configured to be connected to the heart wall and disposed about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another. The elongate strips are bendable and are sufficiently resistant to elongation such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips.

The present invention deals with treatment of heart disease. More particularly, the present invention deals with a system and method for treating heart disease by regulating blood flow in the vasculature.
Congestive heart failure is a common heart disease. The prevalence of incidents of congestive heart failure has recently increased, and there is considerable morbidity and mortality associated with its diagnosis. In fact, congestive heart failure is an extremely lethal disease with an estimated five year mortality for a vast majority of both men and women who encounter the disease.
Congestive heart failure results from loss of, or impairment of, normal heart function. This loss or impairment reduces cardiac output. This, in turn, results in a reduction in both blood flow and blood pressure in the kidneys. This reduction in flow and pressure causes a renin-angiotensin response that exacerbates congestive heart failure.
Briefly, as blood flow and pressure is reduced in the kidneys, cells in the kidneys referred to as juxtaglomerular apparatus secret an enzyme referred to as renin into the blood. The enzyme renin cleaves a ten-amino acid polypeptide called angiotensin I from a plasma protein in the blood called angiotensinogen. A converting enzyme in the blood removes two amino acids from the angiotensin I polypeptide leaving an eight amino acid polypeptide called angiotensin II. Angiotensin II has numerous effects on the smooth muscle layers of arterioles, including causing vasoconstriction. Further, an indirect effect of an increase in angiotensin II increases blood volume. Blood volume is increased because angiotensin II stimulates secretion of aldosterone from the adrenal cortex which, in turn, causes an increase in salt and water retention in the kidneys. Angiotensin II also stimulates thirst centers in the hypothalamus causing more water to be ingested. The increase in blood volume and the corresponding vasoconstriction cause an increase in blood pressure and hence a volume overload on the heart which causes further deterioration of the heart condition.
Another response is also related to congestive heart failure. Baroreceptors, referred to as stretch receptors, reside in the aortic arch and carotid sinuses. The baroreceptors are essentially pressure sensors sensing blood pressure in that area. The baroreceptors provide physiological feedback in two ways. First, in response to a reduction in blood pressure, the baroreceptors provide a neurohormonal feedback response which acts to increase the heart rate in an attempt to increase cardiac output. The increased heart rate causes the heart to work harder which, in turn, causes the heart muscle to stretch further. Also, a reduction in pressure caused by a reduction in cardiac output causes the baroreceptors to provide a feedback response which acts to constrict the distal vasculature thus increasing pressure in that area.
It can thus be seen that impairment of heart function can lead to a cyclical feedback response which increases, rather than reduces, the impairment. Such a cyclical feedback response is sometimes referred to as a cascade.
For instance, if the heart muscle is stressed, the heart works harder and begins to stretch. This reduces the efficiency of the heart in the following way. Muscles are thought of as being composed of many fibers which contract and lengthen to accomplish muscular action. Each fiber includes many densely packed subunits referred to as myofibrils which are on the order of 1 xcexcm in diameter and extend in parallel from one end of the muscle fiber to the other. Each myofibril has spaced regions of thick filaments (about 110 xc3x85 thick) and thin filaments (about 50-60 xc3x85 thick) The thick filaments are formed of a protein, myosin, and the thin filaments are formed of a protein, actin. The actin and myosin filaments overlap in regions periodically spaced along the myofibrils. The units in the repeated overlapping pattern are referred to as sarcomeres.
Contraction of a muscle fiber results from shortening of the myofibrils which form the muscle fiber. The myofibrils are shortened, but the individual filaments in the myofibrils do not decrease in length. Instead, the actin and myosin filaments slide longitudinally relative to one another to shorten the overall length of the myofibrils. Sliding occurs as a result of cross-bridges extending from the myosin toward the actin attaching to the actin at bonding sites. The cross bridges are oriented to draw overlapping actin filaments on either longitudinal side of the myosin filament toward the longitudinal center of the myosin filament. When the muscle fiber is stretched such that the actin and myosin only overlap a short distance, only a small number of cross-bridges are available for bonding to the adjacent actin, and contraction is highly inefficient. When the muscle is stretched to a point where the actin and myosin filaments no longer overlap, contraction is rendered impossible.
This inefficient or impaired heart function causes blood pressure in the areas of both the kidneys and the baroreceptors to decrease. The feedback response generated by the kidneys causes further overload and stress on the heart. The feedback response generated by the baroreceptors causes increased heart rate. Both of these feedback responses cause the heart to work harder, causing further stretching of the heart muscle and thus leading to greater inefficiencies. In response, the feedback responses become even more acutexe2x80x94and the cascade continues.
This cascade effect, which is a natural progression of congestive heart failure, leads to increased muscle mass and stretching of the heart muscle fibers which, in turn, leads to muscular hypertrophy,of the left ventricle. The hypertrophy is a compensatory mechanism which, if maintained at a given level such that muscle fibers maintain inherent contractile properties (i.e., actin-myosin overlap), can be beneficial for maintaining proper heart function. However, prolonged and continuous stretching causes muscular fatigue and reduced muscle performance as explained by the known Frank-Starling mechanism.
An apparatus and method restrict elongation of heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber. A plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips are configured to be connected to the heart wall and disposed about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another. The elongate strips are bendable and are sufficiently resistant to elongation such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips.

System for stress relieving the heart muscle and for controlling heart function


The present invention provides, among other things, a copolymer comprising at least one donor monomer and at least one acceptor monomer. The polymer may optionally further comprise at least one additional comonomer. The polymers are useful as a charge-transport, semiconducting, electrochemical conducting, photoconducting, or light emitting material. Microelectronic devices comprising such polymers (e.g., as a heterojunction therein) are also described.

Tremendous research efforts have been devoted to the development of polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells during the last two decades due to projected advantages of these solar cells over their inorganic counterparts, including flexibility, facile processing and manipulation, low weight and low cost. The mechanism by which light is converted into electricity in these OPV devices consists of the following fundamental steps: light absorption, exciton generation, exciton migration, exciton dissociation and charge transport. The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) represents one of the most successful systems with reproducible efficiencies approaching 5% after careful optimization. Ma et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2005, 15, 1617-1622; Li et al., Nature Mater. 2005, 4, 864-868.
To further improve the performance of polymer-based BHJs, one has to carefully address the following issues. First, the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of the donor and acceptor components need to have optimal offset to maximize the attainable open circuit voltage (Voc). Secondly, the active layer should have compatible absorption with respect to the solar spectrum to maximize the efficiencies of exciton generation, which sets the upper limit for the short circuit current Jsc. Finally, the morphology of the active layer, which governs the physical interaction between the donor and the acceptor, should be optimized to promote charge separation and favorable transport of photogenerated charges and to maximize the attainable Jsc and fill factor (FF). Thompson et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 58-77; Scharber et al., Adv. Mater. 2006, 18, 789-794.
Fulfilling these requirements presents serious challenges in the design of new semiconductive conjugated polymers to be employed as active donors in polymer-based BHJ photovoltaic devices. For example, a number of low band gap polymers have been developed in recent years in the attempt to increase the device efficiency by improving light harvesting. Brabec et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2002, 12, 709-712; Muhlbacher et al., Adv. Mater. 2006, 18, 2884-2889; Peet et al., Nature Mater. 2007, 6, 497-500; Zhang et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2006, 16, 667-674; Andersson et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 91, 071108/1-071108/3; Slooff et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 90, 143506/1-143506/3; Wienk et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006, 88, 153511/1-153511/3; Yao et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006, 89, 153507/1-153507/3; Ashraf et al., Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2006, 27, 1454-1459; Blouin et al., Adv. Mater. 2007, 19, 2295-2300; Blouin et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 732-742.
However, none of them can outperform P3HT in terms of energy conversion efficiency, mainly due to high lying HOMO energy level with regard to the LUMO of the acceptor (usually PCBM), which reduces the Voc, or ill-defined morphology of the active blend, which reduces the Jsc and FF (or both). In our search for new donor materials, polycyclic aromatic moieties drew our attention. Their rigidly enforced planarity would benefit more effective π electron delocalization when incorporated into the conjugated polymer backbone, which would lead to decreased optical band gaps while providing π-π interactions between polymer chains in thin solid films, thereby improving charge carrier mobility in devices. Roncali, J. Chem. Rev. 1997, 97, 173-205; Tovar et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 7762-7769; Tovar et al., Adv. Mater. 2001, 13, 1775-1780; Polycyclic hydrocarbons I and II; Clar, E. Ed. Academic Press: London 1964; Watson et al., Chem. Rev. 2001, 101, 1267-1300; Shklyarevskiy et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 16233-16237.

Polymers with tunable band gaps for photonic and electronic applications

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


A spare tire-storage device incorporating a movable support basket capable of housing the tire, this basket being coupled to a housing used to store an object. The coupling arrangement (12) is configured in such a way as to permit positioning of the housing (6) in a space located between the support basket (1) and a car body component (17), so that the housing (6) cannot be removed when the support basket (1) is in the locked position.

FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a storage device of this type according to the prior art. It comprises a movable wire support basket 2 and capable of holding the spare tire (not shown). The support basket 1 is connected to the structure 3 of the vehicle on one side by jointing means 4 (of which only a single element is illustrated in FIG. 2) articulated around a substantially horizontal axis, and, on the opposite side, by conventional releasable locking means 5. The support basket 1 is fitted with means for coupling to a housing 6 used to store an object such as a jack. These coupling means include two wires 7, 8 made integral with the support basket 1 and comprising two parallel sections 7a, 8a, to which the storage housing 6 is detachably fastened. To this end, the lower portion of housing 6 comprises, two pairs of elastic clamps 9, 10, in which the two wire sections 7a, 8a are housed by clamping, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The two wire sections 7a, 8a are joined by a wire section 8b perpendicular to the sections 7a, 8a and forming part of the wire 8. The section 8b lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the two wire sections 7a, 8a, while being positioned above the latter so as to hold the storage housing 6 in place laterally. The section 8b is made integral at its free end, for example by welding, with a wire section 7b of the wire 7, which is bent substantially at a right angle. The bent section 7b connects the coupling portion 7a of the wire 7 to an upper portion 7c of the wire 7 disposed within the same plane as the coupling section 7a. The upper portion 7c extends above the storage housing 6 and branches off to connect to the support basket 1.
This conventional device has the disadvantage of being easily breachable in the locked position of the support basket 1.
In fact, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, to uncouple the storage housing 6 from the coupling wires 7a, 8a, one need only generate upward thrust in the direction of the arrow F1 on the storage housing 6, whose rear end portion is located at a distance from the floor allowing the storage housing 6 to be swivelled around the coupling wire 7a. This thrust releases the two substantially vertical elastic clamps 10 from the coupling wire 8a. Then as shown in FIG. 5, it is sufficient only to pull the storage housing backward to release the two other substantially horizontal elastic clamps 9 from the coupling wire 7a.
In other words, any ill-intentioned person can easily detach and abscond with the storage housing 6 and its contents.

Device for storage of a spare tire beneath a floor of an automotive vehicle and incorporating means for coupling a jack-storage housing


A method and system for playing a distributed game over a wireless telecommunications network is disclosed. The game is initiated when a game server sends a task (e.g., a question) to a first group of mobile terminals. Each mobile terminal may either respond to the task (e.g., submit an answer) or forward the task to another mobile terminal. Once a mobile terminal forwards the task, that mobile terminal no longer retains the task. The game ends when a mobile terminal submits a correct task response, when a global time limit ends, or when all mobile terminals have submitted incorrect responses. Responses and forwards can be sent using any known data messaging technique.

Corporate entities often use games and contests to promote their goods and services. For example, television networks broadcast TV game shows to entice viewers to watch that network's TV channel. Radio broadcasters often run contests where a listener calls in when a specific song is playing to win a prize, thus enticing listeners to tune their radios to that specific station. In addition, contests are often used to entice consumers to buy one product over another. For example, fast food restaurants often sponsor contests whereby consumers get a free contest game piece when they purchase a specific item at the fast food restaurant, thus enticing consumers to patronize that restaurant.
Team or relay contests are also known in the art. In other team contests, multiple team members each attempt, but only one team member actually performs, a single objective. For example, at certain instances during the game show FAMILY FEUD®, each team member may submit a response, but only one team member's response is submitted to the show host. During the game show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE, a contestant can ask a second individual for the answer to a question, but the contestant ultimately submits the response.
The advent of email, instant messaging, short message service (SMS) and other known data messaging services provide new interactive capabilities for personal communications and media delivery. For example, two or more personal digital assistants (PDAs) can each be used to play a peer-to-peer multiplayer game, communicating via each PDA's infrared communications port. In addition, mass media such as radio and television is becoming increasingly interactive. Digital TV is becoming more widespread and radio is routinely broadcast over alternative mediums, such as the Internet. In addition, the use of legacy methods such as SMS data messaging in wireless telecommunications networks is increasing.
However, there presently is no interactive game or contest for use with wireless telecommunications networks that allow contestants in a team or relay environment to take advantage of these newer messaging capabilities. Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a method and system for playing a game over a communications network in which users could forward a game task to new players or respond to the task themselves. It would be a further advancement in the art to develop an interactive game played over a wireless communications network, and that can be adapted for play in a cross-media environment.

Distributed game over a wireless telecommunications network


A method and system for assessing educator/student skills, managing the teaching, evaluating, verifying, and reporting of an instructional segment to a given user accessing the instructional segment via a computer system are disclosed. The system for skills assessment and knowledge, managing the instructional segment and providing the verification, evaluation, teaching, and reporting of the user""s activity with the instructional segment is implemented within a computer system, typically a network connected system that has access to the Internet. The managing system includes means for streaming or broadcasting the instructional segment to the user for review by the user, means for evaluating the user""s comprehension of the instructional segment, means for verifying whether the user has completed or accessed the instructional segment, and means for reporting the user""s evaluation results of the instructional segment to an administrator or administrators. Further included are means for granting the user access to the instructional segment via a user handle and a private password that are corroborated by the database system during the user accessing the instructional segment.

The present invention relates generally to multimedia data distribution via computer links and, more particularly, to interactive multimedia data events with recording and reporting capabilities in a computer-linked arrangement. More particularly still, the present invention relates to the ability to provide, modify, or interchange multimedia data to a computer user in an interactive learning mode and provide a report of the user""s activity level during a multimedia presentation session. The user is credited for reviewing and gaining proficiency in the session subject.
Computers have become pervasive in all aspects of the business and educational worlds. Computers allow for the generation, storage, retrieval, and interaction with data in useful ways. For example, business uses allow for large amounts of data to be correlated together in the form of databases or spread sheets that allow a user to categorize and view relationships more rapid than was previously possible without the aid of the computer.
Computers have also allowed for the dissemination of information either to limited groups or to large audiences via such communication channels as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. Within this transmission of information, multimedia presentations have expanded to broaden the information dissemination and educational opportunities available over LANs, WANs, and the Internet.
The multimedia capabilities of today allow for students or interested persons to view information at their own pace, without needing to attend a class in the traditional sense of a teacher directly teaching students in a classroom setting. A teacher can now video tape a lecture and place it on a communications server so that students can access the lecture according their own schedule. The computer system also provides interactive participation with the lecture so the student, after the lecture has been presented, or at any time during the presentation of the lecture, may pause and reflect upon the subject matter presented in the lecture. This is done by providing a brief question and answer session to gauge the student""s understanding. The student can view his or her results and review the lecture to fill in the gaps of information lacking during the evaluation.
Unfortunately, what has been lacking is the ability to obtain information from various users of the education system and report that information back to a supervisor, such as an instructor (such as a teacher or professor), principal, administrator, or employer of the users in a meaningful and helpful manner for evaluation or review of the user""s understanding of the subject matter. For example, educational systems require that teachers continue to improve their teachings skills and understanding of information taught by them in their classrooms. The ability to view a lecture and then evaluate on their own their understanding of the material presented in the lecture is helpful to the teacher, but does not convey to the teacher""s supervisor what level of understanding the teacher has obtained. Further, the supervisor of the user would also be interested in knowing more about how long the user took to review the information, how the user performed in the evaluation, what level of interaction did the user have with the lecture presented, how the collective group or groups of educators are doing, and so forth.
The Internet has provided interactivity where an Internet user is able to browse among various web sites for information. Upon finding a site of interest to the user, that site at times is able to glean information from the user that would be helpful for the web provider in a commercial or social context. For example, a user may visit a commercial site that sells widgets. The widget provider questions the user about what the user""s needs are in order for the widget provider to best serve the needs of its clientele. This information is reported back to the widget provider so the widget provider can provide the best commercial site possible based on the needs of its clients.
Likewise, in a social setting, an advocacy group may provide a web site that invites all to view its positions. The advocacy web site may also solicit input from those that view its web site in order to find out the views and values of those visiting to refine its approach in achieving its goals. Both of these situations are different from the training or educational situation previously described in that the individual providing feedback to the commercial or social sites is not directly associated with the organization, nor is the user being evaluated for comprehension and learning of the disclosed subject matter.
Instructors often need to evaluate the level of understanding or the skills of the participants in the class or program. Without knowing the level of understanding or abilities of the participants, the instructor cannot gauge in advance whether the information to be presented is adequate for the participants. Thus, the instructor must assess the knowledge and skills of the participants prior to actually implementing an instructional or training program so that the program will best suit the needs and level of those participants.
Accordingly, what is needed is an interactive process that allows for educational and professional development via a computer system coupled to an Internet channel that allows an end user to view a presentation, be evaluated on the understanding gained by the user after the presentation, and reporting the results of the user""s activity and evaluation to a supervisor that uses that data to verify, evaluate, and enhance educational or teacher development, which data can also be used for professional development credit or even college credit. Further still, what is needed is the ability to assess the knowledge and skills of particular participants within a program and customize the content to be provided to those participants in a seamless manner. Further still, what is needed is the ability to provide participant summary data from institutions, feeder zones, areas, districts, regions, or state levels in the evaluation of educational and teacher development.
According to the present invention, a method and system for assessing educator/student skills, managing the teaching, evaluating, verifying, and reporting of an instructional segment to a given user accessing the instructional segment via a computer system are disclosed. The system for skills assessment and knowledge, managing the instructional segment and providing the verification, evaluation, teaching, and reporting of the user""s activity with the instructional segment is implemented within a computer system, typically a network connected system that has access to the Internet. The managing system includes means for streaming or broadcasting the instructional segment to the user for review by the user, means for evaluating the user""s comprehension of the instructional segment, means for verifying whether the user has completed or accessed the instructional segment, and means for reporting the user""s evaluation results of the instructional segment to an administrator or administrators. Further included are means for granting the user access to the instructional segment via a user handle and a private password that are corroborated by the database system during the user accessing the instructional segment.
The streaming means comprise an electronic data communications channel connected to the user with the computer system. As previously stated, this electronic data communications channel can include a local area network connection, a wide area network connection, or an internet connection that can access such networks as the World Wide Web. The internet connection can be via a LAN connection or direct dial. The reporting means includes a database for organizing, storing and retrieving the results of an evaluation performed by the user. The evaluation means electronically generates an exam to be taken by the user and records the results of that evaluation for subsequent review. The reporting means is further capable of reporting the length of time required by the user to complete the evaluation, which is helpful in evaluating how quickly the user assimilates the reviewed materials. The report also includes the results of the evaluation, which may be reported back to the user for the user""s own understanding of his or her grasp of the subject matter.
The reporting means further reports whether the user completed the evaluation and how much of the evaluation has been completed, which instructional segment has been reviewed by the user, as well as whether the user completed the evaluation on the date the user viewed the segment materials. Where activities or projects are required to be performed within the instructional segment, the system can also verify completion of such activities or projects. The report can further include the date and time of the evaluation, the I.P. address of the machine on which the user reviewed the materials, whether the activity and response has been verified and when verified, and whether any response or feedback has been sent to the user. This response can be via email or posted on the network accessed by the user using the login and password scheme described earlier. The responses from the users participating in reviewing the sessions can be reviewed real time as the information is provided across the communications link, or it may be saved for offline review and evaluation by the instructional supervisor.
The method for managing at least one instructional segment to be accessed by a user for providing a teaching, evaluation, and reporting program of that management operation. The method includes streaming the instructional segment to the user for review by the user, evaluating the user""s comprehension of the instructional segment, and reporting the user""s evaluation results of the instructional segment to an administrator. Further, the reports can be accessed and reported to varying or more than one administrative levels with specific summary data appropriate to the reviewing administrator. At the school level this can include reports to the teacher, department/grade level, school level, which can be organized into feeder zones, area/subdistricts, districts, regions, and finally, state levels.

Method and system for accessing and interchanging multimedia data in an interactive format professional development platform