A device for controlling a vehicle for loading work and equipped with a plurality of hydraulic pumps of fixed capacity for loading work and a torque converter driven from an engine, an electronic control governor for optionally selecting output characteristic in steps for controlling output of the engine, changeover valves disposed in the circuit on the downstream side of one pump for changing over the flow of pressure oil to a drain circuit in response to working oil pressure or an electric signal, a selection switch for selecting the output characteristics, a governor controller for controlling engine the output characteristic as selected by the switch, and control circuits for actuating the changeover valves in response to the position of the selection switch.

A conventional control system of a device for controlling a wheel loader mainly for loading work is illustrated in FIG. 11.
With reference to FIG. 11, the output of an engine E is transmitted to a torque converter TC and a gear G and the output transmitted to the gear G drives hydraulic pumps P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 of a fixed capacity.
A bucket operation pilot valve AL is operated to actuate a bucket main operation valve AV to thereby turn a bucket A by way of a bucket cylinder AC, so that the bucket A tilts rearward or dumps forward.
A boom operation pilot valve BL is operated to actuate a boom main operation valve BV to thereby turn a boom B by way of a boom cylinder BC, so that the boom B lifts upward or lowers downward.
Designated at PP is a pilot pump.
The performance of the hydraulic pumps P1 and P2 of a fixed capacity in the conventional control system of a working machine is illustrated in FIG. 12(a).
In the same figure, P.sub.1, P.sub.2, Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 represent respectively the oil pressures and the flow rates of the hydraulic pumps P1 and P2.
A rectangle surrounded by O-P.sub.2 -P.sub.2 Q.sub.2 point-Q.sub.2 is a region where the hydraulic pump P.sub.2 alone operates and a hatching portion surrounded by O-P.sub.2 -P.sub.2 Q.sub.2 point-P.sub.1 Q.sub.2 point-P.sub.1 Q.sub.1 point-Q.sub.1 is a region where both the hydraulic pumps P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 operate.
FIG. 12(b) is a graph showing a torque curve of the output of an engine wherein T.sub.EM is a torque curve at the full throttling time, T.sub.EM G is a torque curve when an electronic control type governor operates, T.sub.T is an absorption torque curve of a torque converter, N.sub.C1 is an engine speed at the point where the absorption torque curve T.sub.T intersects the torque curve T.sub.EM G, T.sub.PA is an average hydraulic pump torque when the oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit of a working machine is low, T.sub.A1 is a torque at the point where the absorption torque curve T.sub.T intersects the curve of the torque obtained by subtracting T.sub.PA from T.sub.EM, T.sub.B1 is a torque at the point where the absorption torque curve T.sub.T intersects the curve of the torque obtained by subtracting T.sub.PB from T.sub.EM, and N.sub.B1 is an engine speed at that time.
Referring back to FIG. 12(a), designated at P.sub.A is a pressure at the point where the average hydraulic pump torque curve T.sub.PA at a low oil pressure intersects the vertical line connecting the P.sub.1 Q.sub.1 point to Q.sub.1 and P.sub.B is an oil pressure at the point where the average oil pressure pump torque curve T.sub.PB at a high oil pressure intersects the vertical line connecting the P.sub.2 Q.sub.2 point to Q.sub.2.
As is evident from FIGS. 12(a) and (b), according to the conventional control system of the working machine, the distribution of the output of the engine to the travel of the vehicle and the operation of the working machine are selected in two steps depending on the oil pressure, namely, a high pressure or a low pressure in the hydraulic circuit of the working machine.
That is, the hydraulic pump torque T.sub.PB, i.e. an oil pressure load T.sub.PB is reduced at the high pressure (e.g. at the excavating time) so that the torque curve T.sub.EM, i.e. the output T.sub.EM of the engine is much distributed to the travel torque T.sub.B1 and the hydraulic pump torque T.sub.PA, i.e. an oil pressure load T.sub.PA is increased at the low pressure (e.g. at the load lifting time) so that the output T.sub.EM of the engine is much distributed to the operation of the working machine, whereby the output of the engine can be effectively utilized.
In the conventional control system, since the engine torque T.sub.EM is fixed, the distribution of the torque at the travelling time and the working time is limited by the pump capacity (Q.sub.1 or Q.sub.1 +Q.sub.2) so that the output of the engine for the travel is difficult to be ideally set (actually an operator performs the throttle operation to thereby control the travel output).
There is such a serious problem in the conventional control system for selecting the pump capacity in two steps by the oil pressure alone that the variation of the output of the working machine, particularly the variation of the speed of the working machine occurs in the middle of working so that an unskilled operator can hardly operate the working machine.
There is another problem that the engine speed hardly increases when it is changed from a low speed to a speed burst and a heavy load working is required adding to that.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems set forth above.

Controlling arrangement for travelling work vehicle


This invention relates to the manufacture of a strain gauge sensor using the piezoresistive effect, comprising a structure (1) made of a monocrystalline material acting as support to at least one strain gauge (2) made of a semiconducting material with a freely chosen doping type. The strain gauge (2) is an element made along a crystallographic plane determined to improve its piezoresistivity coefficient. The structure (1) is a structure etched along a crystallographic plane determined to improve its etching. The strain gauge (2) is fixed to the structure (1) by bonding means capable of obtaining said sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a strain gauge sensor using the piezoresistive effect. It also concerns the process for manufacturing such a sensor.
2. Description of the Invention
A strain gauge is an element of a mechanical magnitude sensor which is deformed under the action of the mechanical phenomenon whose magnitude is to be measured, and this deformation causes a variation of its electrical resistance. This variation in the electrical resistance is used to deduce the value of the mechanical strain exerted. Semiconducting gauges based on the piezoresistive effect. have replaced metallic gauges due to their significantly better sensitivity.
At the present time, micro-machined silicon sensors are more and more frequently used due to their low cost and their high performances. The most developed of various types of sensors, since they are the best known, are undoubtedly those that use detection based on single crystal silicon strain gauges. They can be classified in two categories:
a first category includes sensors whose strain gauges are isolated from the substrate by an inverse pn junction and are made by diffusion of implantation of ions in the semiconducting substrate, PA1 a second category includes sensors whose strain gauge is isolated from the semiconducting substrate on which it is made, by a dielectric layer. The substrate used may be an SOI (silicon on isolator) substrate of the SIMOX, SDB or ZMR type, the dielectric layer being made of silica. PA1 etching of a first substrate of a semiconducting material with a given doping, along a crystallographic plane determined to improve its etching and to make up the said structure, PA1 manufacture of a strain gauge made of a semiconducting material with a freely chosen type of doping along a crystallographic plane determined to improve its piezoresistivity coefficient, PA1 operation in which the strain gauge is bonded onto the structure to obtain the said sensor.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 456,901, 4,739,298 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,671 describe embodiments of sensors in this second category. Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,298 describes a pressure sensor whose membrane and support frame are made of silicon. The membrane is covered by a thick layer of glass that is used for anodic gluing. The sensor is made by a set of plates. The strain gauge is made of highly p doped silicon, this choice being related to the use of a selective chemical etching step.
The advantage of sensors in the first category is their low cost, and the advantage of sensors in the second category is that they have high performance and can be used at a higher temperature. In each case, the crystallographic orientation of the strain gauge is necessarily identical to that of the substrate.
The authors of this invention concluded that these sensors, although very efficient, are not made in an optimum manner. The piezoresistance coefficient varies as a function of the orientation of the substrate plane, depending on the direction of this plane and on the type of doping of the semiconducting material. Furthermore, anisotropic chemical machining of the substrate to make the mechanical structure of the sensor also depends on the crystallographic orientation of the sensor. Therefore, there is a close interdependence between the support element and the sensor detection element. For a given crystallographic orientation of the substrate, it is possible to obtain a particular geometry for the machined mechanical structure and a particular direction for the sensitive axis of the strain gauge on this structure, consequently limiting optimization of the final component.
A reference on the behavior and the dependence of the piezoresistivity of silicon on its crystalline orientation is given in the article written by Y. KANDA entitled "A Graphical Representation of the Piezoresistance Coefficients in Silicon" published in the IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol ED-29, No. 1, January 1982. Anisotropic chemical etching of silicon is described in the article "Anisotropic Etching of Silicon" by K. E. BEAN published in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. ED-25, No. 10, October 1978.

Manufacturing process of strain gauge sensor using the piezoresistive effect


Methods and apparatus for debugging finite state machine are disclosed. The method includes implementing a debug logic circuit and connecting the debug logic circuit to a system on chip (SoC) voltage source. The method includes operating a finite state machine that sequences the SoC from a low power state to a next low power state and generating respective output signals corresponding to the low power states and wherein the finite state machine is connected to Always On voltage source. The method includes masking the output signals to generate respective masked output signals, and applying the masked output signals to SoC circuit elements to prevent from transitioning into low power states and hence keeping the debug logic circuitry alive. The method includes debugging the finite state machine in the lowest power state by the debug logic circuit.

Mobile phones, tablets and other portable electronic devices continue to offer higher performance and more features. Consequently, portable electronic devices consume more battery power. To prolong battery life without sacrificing performance or features, it is desirable to minimize active and leakage power consumption in portable devices.
In most portable devices, one or more System-On-Chips (SoCs) are implemented to perform various functions. During operation, SoCs may group or segregate logic circuitry into power domains that can be independently powered OFF when not in use. By grouping the logic circuitry into power domains, the logic circuitry may be sequenced through multiple low power states. Generally, one or more Finite State Machines (FSMs) are utilized for sequencing logic circuitry through various low power states. A finite state machine is a sequential logic circuit that moves from one state to a next state responsive to one or more input signals. At each state, the finite state machine may assert one or more output signals to be applied to other circuitry.
Typically, an on-chip Power Management Controller (PMC) implements the power sequencing Finite State Machines. In the lowest power state, the PMC is typically connected to always on (AO) power rails associated with an AO power domain. It will be appreciated that in the lowest power states, all power rails of SoCs are turned OFF except the AO power rails. The circuitry that resides on the AO power rail is referred to as AO circuitry.
To prolong battery life further in the lowest power states where all rails barring the AO rail are shut off, the AO circuitry is subjected to rounds and rounds of optimization. This optimization is done by eliminating unnecessary AO circuitry to reduce area so that it consumes minimal active and leakage power.
Generally, with multiple power domains, the sequencing of low power states becomes increasingly difficult, which requires complex power sequencing FSMs implemented in the AO domain. These complex FSMs are prone to errors/bugs in their design. And hence it is desirable to implement debug logic circuitry for debug and optimization of these FSMs. Since the logic circuitry that needs to be debugged is implemented in AO rails, the debug logic circuitry also must be implemented on the same power rail as the power sequencing FSM.
However, adding debug logic circuitry on AO rails increases area which increases leakage power and is hence undesirable. Even if some minor/simple logic is added to AO rails, it fails to provide sufficient visibility for complex debugs of the power sequencing FSMs.

Methods and apparatus for debugging lowest power states in System-On-Chips


An insulating jacket, that is removable and reusable, for insulating a hot or cold fluid distribution system is described. The jacket is made of a plurality of sections which mate and seal together to effectively seal the pipe section and/or fitting from the surrounding ambient atmosphere. Each of the jacket sections can be made of a clear thermoplastic material and the entire assembly is designed to employ the trapped air, between the inside wall of the jacket and the system element, as the insulator. Plural jackets are used to form plural radially spaced trapped air gaps.

The herein disclosed invention is that of a multi-piece plastic removable and reusable insulation jacket for insulating elbows and pipe sections in a chilled fluid piping system. More generally, this invention relates to an insulation cover for insulating any component in a fluid piping system including, but not limited to, valves, fittings and pipes for temperatures of both below and above ambient.
A significant void exists in the availability of effective insulation for pipes, valves and fittings for low (sub-ambient) temperature fluids. Currently, the most common and effective insulation applications for pipes, valves and fittings are for high (above ambient) temperature fluids. Differential temperatures in the majority of low temperature installations are on the order of 100 F. or less, compared to high temperature installations where differentials exceeding 1000 F. are not uncommon, with the majority of these installations having differentials between 200 F. and 700 F. One can easily recognize the cost savings that will accrue from insulating high temperature piping systems, while the actual cost savings of effectively insulating low temperature piping systems is not so obvious, because the comparatively small temperature differentials between a cold piping surface and a warmer and moist environment is misleading in that, unlike high temperature piping installations, the ambient humidity becomes a dominant factor.
In high temperature piping applications, ambient humidity is and remains in the vapor state, while in low temperature piping applications the ambient humidity or water vapor tends to condense or change state from a vapor to a liquid or solid on the low temperature piping system surface. As heat is withdrawn from the ambient environment through heat gain by the cooler low temperature piping system, ambient water vapor molecules lose energy and concentrate in the boundary layer of the piping system surface. As ambient air near the piping system surface reaches its dewpoint, moisture begins to condense or freeze on the piping system surface and then cools to the surface temperature of the piping system. This change of state or phase for water is the result of the heat transfer to the chilled circulating fluid in the piping system due to the water vapor's latent heat of vaporization, which typically doubles the apparent heat gain from the ambient temperature change alone. Thus the value of effective low temperature insulation is double, on a thermal gain basis alone, what is typically perceived from only the temperature differential. Therefore, if an insulation system on low temperature piping systems is to be effective, the insulation system must economically isolate the piping system from the ambient moisture laden environment. Another reason isolation is so important is because as insulation becomes wet with condensation the wet insulation loses its thermal resistance and the effectiveness of the insulation is diminished. Also, as ambient water vapor condenses on a chilled water piping system due to the insulation not totally isolating the piping system, a vapor pressure differential is developed between the inside and outside of the insulation. This vapor pressure differential is the force that causes the vapor migration to continue into the pipe insulation. Therefore, effective low temperature pipe insulation must not only provide thermal resistance, but also water vapor isolation and impermeability.
Today, low temperature or chilled water piping systems are insulated primarily for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Conservation of energy. PA1 2. Control and prevention of condensation. PA1 3. Optimization of equipment sizing. PA1 4. Process control. PA1 1. Dripping pipes that damage ceilings, walls, floors, equipment and/or furnishings. PA1 2. Initiation of mold and mildew and the potential for associated health problems. PA1 3. Corrosion of pipes, valves and fittings promoted by water condensation and/or chemicals leached by the moisture passing through the insulation itself. PA1 4. Heat gained from no or failed insulation. PA1 1. The efficiency of the sealing and latching system in preventing moisture intrusion within the air gaps. PA1 2. The efficiency of the system in preventing moisture from condensing on the outer surface of the covers.
By controlling and preventing condensation, designers also eliminate or minimize four problems commonly associated with chilled water insulation systems:
Due to the above problems, the importance of effectively insulating chilled water systems can not be understated.
Recent surveys have revealed that chilled water distribution systems have a high incidence of failure, as stated in an article entitled "Insulating Chilled Water Systems" in Insulation Outlook magazine, May, 1993. Failures occur even though many insulated chilled water distribution systems are typically indoors or in protected areas not subject to physical abuse or weather. The cause of failure is due to moisture which permeates the insulation material itself as well as the minor imperfections at joints and fittings. This moisture penetration is caused by driving vapor pressure differences prevalent between the outside of the insulation and the cold pipe surface. The results of failure in chilled water systems are dripping water from the insulated surface, pipe and fitting corrosion, increased operating costs due to lost efficiency, and mold/mildew formation.
While dripping condensation may be easily recognizable, moisture vapor intrusion is generally not obvious and can progress for relatively long periods of time before any visible evidence is noticed. During this period, not only has the insulation lost its thermal resistance due to moisture, but also the pipe and pipe fittings have been rusting and corroding. Disregarding the cost of replacing corroded valves, pipe and fittings, the insulation must be replaced and experienced engineers have suggested that replacement costs of the insulation can easily run two to three times the initial installed insulation cost.

Insulating jacket for hot and cold piping systems and method of use


A step of forming a first auxiliary groove in a semiconductor element structure provided on a semiconductor substrate, a step of forming a second auxiliary groove in the semiconductor element structure, and a step of dividing the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor element structure in a direction along the first auxiliary groove and the second auxiliary groove are provided, and in the dividing direction, a plurality of the second auxiliary grooves are arranged spaced apart from each other, and at least two first auxiliary grooves are arranged spaced apart from each other between at least a pair of adjacent second auxiliary grooves, and in the dividing step, a separation region interposed between the two first auxiliary grooves is divided, so as to improve such accuracy and suppress the problems such as a damage of the end surface due to cleavage of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element, and particularly to a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor laser element.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A nitride semiconductor is formed by a compound semiconductor of InxAlyGa1-x-yN (0≦x, 0≦y, and 0≦x+y≦1), various demands for the semiconductor laser elements using such a nitride semiconductor have been increasing, for use in optical disc systems capable of recording and reproducing large-volume, high-density information such as a next-generation DVD, and for use in electric appliances such as personal computers. For this, many studies have been conducted to manufacture the semiconductor laser elements using such a nitride semiconductor with a good reproducibility while maintaining their stable properties.
For example, in order to prevent chipping and cracking of the ridge due to propagation from a dislocation-concentrated region upon forming a resonator surface by cleavage so as to reduce damage to a nitride semiconductor laser element and to stabilize a current-voltage characteristics of the element, there has been proposed is a method of forming grooves which extend in the resonator direction of the laser element and cut from an upper surface of nitride semiconductor growth layers into an interface of a p-n junction, as described in JP 2004-327879A.
However, even if cleavage is performed by using such grooves (as in JP 2004-327879A), cleaved planes may deviate from the intended locations due to dislocation density and crystal defects and the like within the substrate or nitride semiconductor layers, making it difficult to achieve a stable product yield
In the cases where partial grooves in a shape of dotted line, cross, and the like, are formed on the intended dividing lines by laser processing as described in JP2004-165226A, JP2004-165227A, and JP2004-259046A, a high precision is not required, because a wider width is allowed to the predetermined cleavage lines by using the surrounding area of an LED as a margin for cutting. On the other hand, this method cannot be applied to a high-precision dividing. In the cases where the predetermined cleavage lines are formed by typical scribing or by laser processing, cleavage locations may be contaminated, damaged, or deformed by scribing. Also, because of their large processing width and low precision, stable dividing with a repeatable degree of high precision cannot be obtained, so that such scribing is not applicable to divide the element regions.
In semiconductor laser elements, typically, a two-step dividing process is employed, in which a wafer is divided into bar-shaped pieces (hereinafter may be described as primary cleavage) and then a bar-shape semiconductor element is divided into chip-shaped pieces (hereinafter may be described as secondary cleavage). Thus, a resonator surface is formed by cleaving into bar-shape and an end-surface protective film is disposed on the resonator surface. That is, laser beam is emitted from the resonator surface formed by the primary cleavage. Therefore, high accuracy, in other word, a smooth resonator end surface is required to be formed in the primary cleavage.
There has been a method of dividing, in which cleaving property of the semiconductor substrate used to form a semiconductor element structure is used for dividing. However, cleavage may depend on the crystallinity of the substrate and it may cause difficulty in control of cleavage. For example, in a nitride semiconductor substrate whose substrate crystal is formed by growths of different in-plane crystal orientations, such as by ELO growth, controlling of cleavage becomes significantly difficult.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor element


A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a read voltage generating circuit, a flash cell fuse circuit and a row decoder. The read voltage generating circuit generates a read voltage in response to a read enable signal and a trim code. The flash cell fuse circuit generates the trim code in response to a cell selection signal and a fuse word-line enable signal, the fuse word-line enable signal being activated after the read enable signal by a first delay time. The row decoder decodes the read voltage in response to a row address signal to generate a decoded read voltage, and to provide the decoded read voltage to a memory cell array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device capable of preventing fuse cells of a flash cell fuse circuit from being programmed by a static electric charges and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices may be classified into volatile semiconductor memory devices and non-volatile semiconductor memory devices. In a volatile semiconductor memory device, data can be stored or erased by changing logic states of a bi-stable flip-flop, or data can be stored or erased by charging/discharging a capacitor. The data is maintained while power is supplied to the volatile semiconductor memory device, and the stored data is erased when the power is off.
In contrast, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, such as a flash memory device, can preserve the stored data even when the power is off. Thus, the non-volatile semiconductor memory device is used for various devices, such as computers, mobile devices, and the like. The flash memory device is a non-volatile semiconductor memory device widely used as a secondary memory device for systems that need to be updated repeatedly. Generally, the flash memory device includes a flash cell fuse for generating a trim code.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an early stage of a read operation in a conventional flash memory device. Referring to FIG. 1, a power-up operation is performed (step S1), a fuse cell voltage is sensed (step S2), a pumping operation of a read voltage is started (step S3), and a read operation is performed (step S4) in the early stage of the read operation.
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram illustrating an early stage of a read operation in a conventional flash memory device. Referring to FIG. 2, an external power supply voltage EVC increases to a power supply voltage VDD in a first time region REG1 where a power-up operation is performed. A power-up signal PUP is generated in the first time region REG1. In response to the power-up signal PUP, a fuse word-line enable signal FUSE_WL is activated, and a delayed power-up signal PUP_D is generated. A read enable signal VREAD_EN is activated in response to a falling edge of the delayed power-up signal PUP_D. A read voltage VREAD is generated in response to the read enable signal VREAD_EN.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the conventional flash memory device, the read voltage VREAD is generated after the fuse word-line enable signal FUSE_WL is activated. A voltage between a gate and a source of fuse cells that constitute the flash cell fuse circuit may be increased enough for programming the fuse cells in the first time region REG1 when static electric charges are input into the conventional flash memory device through input/output (I/O) pads. Therefore, it is desirable to have a flash memory device capable of preventing the fuse cells from being programmed by static electric charges.

Semiconductor memory device having fuse circuits and method of controlling the same


A safety vein syringe with retractable standard needle, including a syringe barrel, a plunger, an injection needle and a guiding mechanism formed between the needle holder and the plunger. By means of the guiding mechanism, the plunger can be only axially moved within the barrel without rotation and two needle pulling members can be easily aligned with each other and latched together. A commonly used standard needle holder is replaceably connected with a second needle holder, whereby a user can replace the injection needle with another type of injection needle as necessary. The first needle pulling member is formed on the needle holder or the plunger, having at least one rotatable click. The second needle pulling member is formed on the plunger or the needle holder, having a detent. When the piston of the plunger is pushed to the bottom, the detent is easily and firmly engaged and hooked with the click. Thereafter, the injection needle and the needle holder can be together pulled into the barrel with the tip of the injection needle positioned under the shoulder section of the barrel. Then the plunger is further pushed to press the tip against the shoulder section and bend the tip so as to destroy the injection needle.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a safety vein syringe (intravenous needle ) in which the needle is retractable after injection.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various types of disposable syringes are widely used nowadays. After discarded, large amount of such syringes result in problem of pollution of environment. The used syringes often impale medical personnel and infect the personnel with viruses or bacteria carried by the patients. Especially, in case the medical personnel are infected with AIDS virus, the personnel may die innocently.
In order to solve these problems, various types of retractable syringes have been developed. For example, a spring is installed between the syringe barrel and the piston for pulling the needle back into the barrel after injection. However, due to the property of the liquid medicine, the material of the spring is strictly limited. Therefore, the structure of such syringe is complicated and the manufacturing cost is very high. Various types of safety vein syringes free from the springs have been also developed. In such syringe, a latch member is disposed at the bottom of the barrel, whereby when the plunger is pushed to the bottom of the barrel, the latch member latches the plunger with the needle. Therefore, when the plunger is pulled back, the needle is retracted into the barrel along with the plunger so as to avoid impalement of the medical personnel or other persons.
In order to avoid leakage of the liquid medicine and unexpected dropping of the needle from the barrel, the needle must be firmly assembled with the barrel. However, in the case that the needle is excessively firmly assembled with the barrel, it will be difficult to pull the needle back into the barrel. Therefore, it is troublesome to consider both situations.
With respect to the general syringe, many kinds of safety vein syringes have been developed, in which the injection needle can be retracted into the syringe barrel after injection. However, with respect to the intravenous syringe, the central line of the injection needle is disaligned from the central line of the syringe barrel. Therefore, after injection and when it is desired to engage a needle pulling member disposed at front end of the plunger with another needle pulling member disposed on the needle holder, it often takes place that the needle pulling member of the plunger cannot be aligned and engaged with the needle pulling member of the needle holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,402, Chen, shows a safety syringe with retarctable self-biased needle adapted for intravenous injection. It provide a needle pulling members of the plunger and the needle holder respectively as an annular flange and an annular groove, in order to connect together in a manner that the annular flange inserts in the annular groove after injection. However, it is difficult to engage the annular flange and the annular groove with each other and the engaging strength therebetween is insufficient. Therefore, it often takes place that the needle holder is loosened from the plunger and cannot be pulled into the syringe barrel.
Therefore, as of the present time, all the conventional safety vein syringes have the above shortcomings and can be hardly practically used.

Safety vein syringe with retractable standard needle


A new and improved process for printing a durable image prepared from sublimable inks on a substrate of natural or synthetic materials by first providing the substrate with a transparent polymeric top coating formed from an acrylic polyol or isocyanate resins or mixtures thereof and transferring onto the substrate the image formed from sublimable inks by sublimation.

Ink sublimation techniques are known within the printing industry. Ink sublimation refers to the process by which specialized inks are forced (by pressure, heat, diffusion, or some other means) into the open pores of a heated polymerized material. Once the polymeric material is cooled, the pores close, leaving the ink fused or amalgamated into the polymeric material. Ink sublimation processes result in very durable, wear-resistant, scratch-resistant prints since the ink is projected from within the polymerized material. In effect, the polymer is "tattooed" with ink. Printing, using ink sublimation techniques on polymers, can be overlaid on various substrates, including glass, metal, wood, stone, plastics, ceramics, and the like. After adhering an appropriate polymer to the surface thereof, sublimating appropriate inks or dyes into the polymer produces an image.
Using ink sublimation techniques on porous or stoney materials, such as stone, brick, concrete, or the like gives rise to several issues. First, polymers typically used within the masonry industry are sealants giving stone a lacquered or varnished look, thus making the stone appear unnatural. None of the traditional known polymers have proven suitable for maintaining the stone or masonry in a naturally appearing state, while accepting an image. Moreover, polymers traditionally applicable to stone or other masonry may insufficiently penetrate the stone surface, thereby providing an insufficient level of durability. Thus, ink sublimation images using traditional masonry polymers may only reside superficially upon the polymer lacquer and not penetrate the stone's surface. Thus, image and polymer may be easily worn or scraped away.
Images may be applied to a variety of items to increase their artistic appeal and appearance. Images intended for mere viewing or used in accordance with applications subjected to light wear may not require excessive durability. However, in certain stone and masonry applications that endure frequent wear, weather, and cleaning, methods and materials are needed to print durable images for applications such as stone counter tops, flooring, furniture, walls, steps, monuments, tombstones, statues, handrails, bathtubs, and the like. The traditional masonry polymers used are insufficient in this regard, do not penetrate the stone face, do not embed an image into the stone face, and may be easily worn from the surface thereof, thereby providing an unacceptable level of durability.
What is needed is a new class of polymers and techniques that may be applied to various materials such as stone and other masonry materials, while being imperceptible to a viewer, thereby maintaining the stone's natural appearance.
What is further needed is a polymer and method that sufficiently penetrates the stone surface and accepts a sublimated image penetrated into the stone, thereby providing durable prints that may not be easily worn from the stone's surface, since they are subsurface images and wear only at the same rate as the stone or masonry surface.

Natural-appearing, penetrating, ink sublimation printing process


A flashlamp-excited laser for producing a pulsed beam of laser light of long duration (e.g., greater than 500 microseconds) comprises a flashlamp driven by a pulse forming circuit which generates a ramp pulse having an amplitude generally increasing with time during substantially the entire duration of the pulsed beam of laser light produced by the laser.

Some medical techniques utilizing lasers can be performed with better and more optimal results by employing a laser which generates output laser light pulses having a relatively long duration. One such medical technique is selective photothermolysis which is used, for example, to treat cutaneous vascular lesions. In selective photothermolysis, targeted tissues are heated by laser light (e.g., light generated by a flashlamp-excited liquid dye laser) having a wavelength selected to be specifically absorbed by the targeted tissue. In treating cutaneous vascular lesions, the benefits afforded by a flashlamp-excited liquid dye laser (FEDL) which generates output laser light pulses of long duration include improved clearing of the lesion, fewer treatment sessions, reduced incidence of hyper pigmentation, and a reduced transient purpura.
Conventional flashlamp-excited lasers including flashlamp-excited dye lasers and FEDLs typically produce output laser light pulses lasting between approximately 0.1 and 100 microseconds. Attempts to extend the duration of the output light pulse of a FEDL beyond this range typically result in thermal optical distortions of a liquid dye medium of the FEDL which cause the laser action (i.e., "lasing") of the FEDL to self-terminate. These thermal optical distortions of the liquid dye medium are induced, in general, by the excitation provided to the flashlamp.

Method and apparatus for generating long output pulses from flashlamp-excited lasers


A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Duetemefi’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; semi-double dark red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Duetemefi'.
The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Zonal Geranium plants with dark green-colored leaves and attractive flowers.
The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2006 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium zonale identified as code number Z05-2629-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium zonale identified as code number F-22-09, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2007.
Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


The present invention relates to a light device with a heat-dissipating apparatus, including a bulb assembly and a hood positioned outside the bulb assembly to generate cyclone passing by the outer surface of the bulb assembly. The hood of the present invention further includes a plurality of blades and a neck. As the airflow passes through the hood, the blades and the neck divert the airflow into cyclone passing by the outer surface of the bulb assembly to facilitate heat dissipation. The present invention may further include a first heat-isolating board and a second heat-isolating board to isolate heat radiation.

The present invention relates to a light device and, more particularly, to a light device with a heat-dissipating apparatus.
Light devices currently tend to use high-watt bulbs. For example, bulbs in a projector may have such high power as 200 watts. In this case, it is desired to have a light device with a heat-dissipating apparatus, which works fast and efficiently.
Generally, a fan is used in a light device in order to dissipate the heat generated by the light device. However, the surface temperature of the light device without efficient heat-dissipating apparatuses may exceed the upper limit of the regular temperature. This kind of light device might hurt users and is not qualified to the safety examination.
To solve the heat-dissipating problems mentioned above, the present invention provides a light device with a feasible efficient heat-dissipating apparatus.
The present invention discloses a light device with a heat-dissipating apparatus, including a bulb assembly and a hood positioned outside the bulb assembly. Cyclone is generated when airflow passes through the hood. While flowing by the outer surface of the bulb assembly, the cyclone takes away most of the heat. The temperature of the outer surface is then lowered. The present invention may further include a first heat-isolating board and a second heat-isolating board to isolate the heat radiation.
The aforementioned hood preferably includes a neck, at least one accommodation portion, and a plurality of blades. The blades are located between the neck and the accommodation portion. As airflow is generated by a fan and passes through the blades of the hood, it turns into cyclone and flows by the outer surface of the bulb assembly. The cyclone then takes away the heat thereon.
There are many advantages of employing the hood for the light device. The cyclone generated by the hood has such a high speed that it quickly takes away the heat. Moreover, the hood increases the flow path and the flowing time of the cyclone so that the heat-dissipating efficiency is improved. Also, the cyclone may almost reach every single corner of the light device and therefore the heat-dissipating rate of the cyclone is increased. The surface temperature of the bulb assembly is uniformly distributed more easily.
The design of the hood disclosed in the present invention may dissipate the heat more efficiently and quickly, and the light device of the present invention can meet the safety regulation.

Light device with heat-dissipating apparatus


An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head, a cylinder having an opposed surface opposed to the cylinder head and including a water jacket, which is concave in an axial direction of the cylinder, and a piston provided in the cylinder. An oil ring is provided on the piston on a side that is farthest from the cylinder head. At least a portion between a cylinder inner surface and the water jacket in the cylinder is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than that of iron. A bottom wall of the water jacket is positioned in the cylinder axial direction between the opposed surface of the cylinder and a lower end of the oil ring when the piston is disposed at a top dead center position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine having a cylinder formed with a water jacket and a vehicle provided with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an engine in which a cylinder and a cylinder head are combined, the cylinder is exposed to high-temperature combustion gas in the same manner as the cylinder head. Conventionally, water-cooled type engines having a cylinder are frequently provided with a water jacket.
In recent years, the use of a cylinder made of aluminum alloy instead of a cylinder made of cast iron has been proposed in order to make an engine lightweight. Aluminum alloy is superior in thermal conductivity to iron. Therefore, a water jacket having the same shape and dimension as those in a conventional cylinder made of cast iron is conventionally provided in a cylinder made of aluminum alloy on the basis that sufficient cooling can be obtained with the same water jacket. See, for example, Abstract of Pamphlet of International Publication WO2002/053899.
The inventors of the present application have found that when using a material having an excellent thermal conductivity as a material for a cylinder, an overall desired performance for an internal combustion engine cannot necessarily be obtained with the same water jacket as a conventional cast iron cylinder.

Internal combustion engine having cylinder formed with water jacket and vehicle provided with the same


The described systems and methods are directed at defining web content navigation. The disclosed technique enables the development of web content for a scenario without having to create every navigational control that is needed to manage the flow through the web content in the scenario or to write non-declarative server-side logic to control navigation. This method determines a declaration in a source file for a web page. The declaration is associated with an object. The method determines the views associated with the object where each of the views includes a user-interface. A flow for navigating through the views is determined. The views are rendered in accordance with the navigational flow.

Pages in the World Wide Web (Web) are typically written in hyper text markup language (HTML). Server-side logic controlling navigation and performing data access and other server-side functionality is typically written in a procedural or object-oriented programming language to tie pages together, forming a web application. These web pages are stored on servers connected through the Internet. Each web page is associated with a uniform resource locator (URL) and a user/client can browse to a particular web page by requesting the web page from a server using the URL corresponding to the web page.
Web applications are increasingly being used to interact with users in a web-based environment. These web applications may include many different types of scenarios, such as login and logout operations, e-commerce, help wizards, and the like. To interact with users for a particular scenario, a web application typically has to include multiple web pages to present information to and receive input from the users. Web developers typically have to carefully design web pages and server-side procedural logic for a web application to manage the navigation of the pages through a scenario. Specifically, a web developer must incorporate multiple navigational controls in each web page and add server-side procedural logic to ensure that the navigational controls in all of the web pages allow a user to correctly navigate through the scenario. If web pages with dynamic content are used, the developer must also include server-side logic to accurately track and respond to the user-driven navigation flow through these dynamically changing pages. Web pages developed in this labor-intensive manner are expensive and error prone.
Thus, there is a need for an efficient web development technique for defining navigational flow in a scenario without the need to write procedural server-side navigational logic in each web page and to track the navigation flow through the web pages.

Systems and methods for defining web content navigation


A range recognition apparatus for an automatic transmission. A first contact is configured to generate a first range signal during a state of a range selector being within a first region. A second contact is configured to generate a second range signal during the state of the range selector being within a second region overlapping with the first region. A controller is configured to recognize that a first gear range of the automatic transmission is selected, when the first range signal is present and the second range signal is absent; to recognize that a second gear range of the automatic transmission is selected, when the first range signal is absent and the second range signal is present; and to recognize that the first gear range is selected, when the first range signal and the second range signal are both present.

The present invention relates generally to automatic transmissions, and more particularly to apparatus for recognizing a selected gear range of an automatic transmission.
A typical automatic transmission includes a shift gate on which a plurality of gear ranges are indicated with letters, such as P, N, R, D, S, and L, and a select lever operable or movable in a groove of the shift gate for selecting the gear ranges, such as a P range for parking, an N range for stop etc., a D range for normal driving, and an L range for engine braking etc. A Published Japanese Patent Application No. H10(1998)-329568 (hereinafter referred to as "JP10-329568") shows a device for recognizing each selected gear range of an automatic transmission in accordance with a range signal from an inhibitor switch for outputting a single signal for each gear range. On the other hand, a Published Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-294134 (hereinafter referred to as "JP2003-294134") shows a device for an automatic transmission which includes an inhibitor switch including a plurality of contacts for each gear range, and a controller configured to recognize each selected gear range in accordance with a combination of the range signals of the plurality of contacts.

Range recognition apparatus for automatic transmission


Within the field of advertising, a data-driven solution is proposed that enables attribution to use a two-stage model, to account for (1) the timing of a purchase occasion, and (2) a prediction of the quantity purchased. This allows for an accurate forecast of quantity purchased, which is meaningful to media teams and advertisers. Attribution is the process of assigning credit to marketing activities for their contribution towards driving a desired marketing result.

Statistically-driven attribution models make it possible to understand which media touchpoints are most effective in driving conversions, in order to more efficiently allocate media budgets and maximize return on media investment. This invention discloses a specific area of variables in attribution models that account for (1) the timing of the purchase occasion; and (2) a prediction of the quantity purchased during the purchase occasion. Such an approach is commonly known as a two-stage model. The solution for the timing of purchase occasions has already been addressed in a previous patent, Haynes et al., 2016, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/097,969, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Method and system to account for timing and quantity purchased in attribution models in advertising


Interaction with a chatbot of a computer system is facilitated by receiving, by the chatbot, a request from a user of the chatbot, where the request establishes a user-chatbot interaction. Based at least in part on the request, a plurality of predicted chatbot paths are generated, forming a hierarchy of predicted chatbot content for the user-chatbot interaction. A graphical chatbot interface including, at least in part, the hierarchy of predicted chatbot content for the user-chatbot interaction is provided for display on an electronic device, and a selection by the user of one predicted chatbot path of the graphical chatbot interface is received, via the electronic device, as part of the user-chatbot interaction, where the providing of the graphical chatbot interface facilitates user interaction with the chatbot along the selected predicted chatbot path.

A chatbot (or smartbot, talkbot, artificial conversational entity, interactive agent, etc.) includes a computer program or artificial intelligence (AI) software that can simulate a conversation with a user in a natural language. For instance, a chatbot can conduct a conversation via auditory or textual methods through, for instance, a messaging application, a website, mobile application, or other user device. Chatbots are used in a variety of dialog systems for various practical applications, including customer service, and information acquisition. A chatbot can be accessed via a virtual assistant, or via an individual organization's application and/or website. Chatbots can be classified for use in any of a wide variety of categories.

Graphical chatbot interface facilitating user-chatbot interaction

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A magnetic bearing (10) is provided for supporting a rotor (12) for rotation about an axis (14). The magnetic bearing (10) includes a plurality of actuator cores (16) spaced circumferentially about the axis (14), and a plurality of non-magnetic spacers (18A, 18B). Each of the cores (16) has a pair of circumferentially spaced end surfaces (28). Each of the spacers (18A, 18B) is positioned between the end surfaces (28) of adjacent pairs of the cores (16) and has an interference fit with the end surfaces (28) to form a circumferentially preloaded ring (19) of the cores (16) and spacers (18A, 18B) centered on the axis (14). At least one of the non-magnetic spacers is a multi-piece assembly (18A) including a shim (32, 49) having a width selected to provide the circumferential preload within a predetermined range.

Magnetic bearings for supporting a rotor for rotation about an axis are well known in the art. Commonly, such bearings have one or more pairs of magnetic actuator cores that are assembled to form a ring centered on the axis of rotation. Typically, each of the actuator cores is formed from a stack of thin laminations of magnetic material, which serve to reduce eddy currents in the magnetic bearing. In some applications, magnetic isolation may be required between each of the actuator cores in the assembled ring. Magnetic isolation has been accomplished in the past by the insertion of non-magnetic spacers between each of the cores. The non-magnetic spacers are then welded to the cores to form the assembled ring of cores and non-magnetic spacers. The outside and inside diameters of the assembled ring are then ground to provide the accuracy required for satisfactory operation of the magnetic bearing. While such constructions have worked well for their intended purpose, there is room for improvement.
For example, each weld joining a non-magnetic spacer to one of the actuator cores is in reality a plurality of lamination to spacer welds, which may require additional inspection, thereby increasing manufacturing time and cost. Further, some laminations may be magnetically and electrically shorted together in the weld zone, thereby reducing the performance of the magnetic bearing. Additionally, material properties of the non-magnetic spacers and the actuator cores may be affected by the heat of the welding operation. Further, volatile materials trapped between the laminations of the actuator cores may prevent achievement of the vacuum environment required for some welding methods. To overcome this, extraordinary cleaning of a large number of laminations may be required, thereby further increasing manufacturing time and cost.


Connecting element (10) retains cam follower (2), which actuates gas-exchange valve (4) of an internal combustion engine, on support element (6). Support element (6) has spherical end (7) on cylindrical section (22) and on which cam follower (2) is mounted, so as to be pivotably movable in the direction of gas-exchange valve (4) about center of rotation (9). Connecting element (10) has elastically deformable projections (21), which proceed from central webs (19), parallel to the pivot axis of cam follower (2) such that connecting element (10) is connected to cylindrical section (22) in a frictionally-engaging manner. Projections (21) are embodied as lugs (20) which angle away from central webs (19) and extend in a direction pointing away from cam follower (2), so that projections (21) are elastic in shape.

Connecting elements of said type permit, in a known way, the generation of a module which contains for example a rocker arm as a cam follower and a support element With a module of said type, the risk of potential incorrect assembly in the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine is minimized. Said incorrect assembly could inter alia consist in that the rocker arm is mounted in the valve drive rotated through 180°. In this case, the contact partners the ball head of the support element and spherical cap of the rocker arm, and the valve shank end and corresponding mating surface on the rocker arm, would be interchanged. This would result at least in valve drive malfunction, and in the worst case, even in serious engine damage.
In contrast to connecting elements which engage in a form-fitting manner into an annular groove below the ball head, connecting elements which act in a frictionally-engaging manner can advantageously be used in cases in which the annular groove cannot or cannot economically be produced as an undercut. Further demands on a connecting element of said type are not only that a separation of rocker arm and support element by transport influences is reliably prevented, but also that the rocker arm and the support element remain aligned with respect to one another, corresponding to the operational state, by means of the connecting element even during the assembly of the module into the internal combustion engine. In this respect, the connecting element also performs the task of largely preventing the rocker arm from tilting about its longitudinal axis by means of suitable lateral support on the support element in order to ensure correct transverse alignment of the rocker arm on the camshaft which is to be installed. A tilting of the rocker arm about its longitudinal axis is referred to below as a tilting movement in contrast to its pivoting movement in the direction of the gas-exchange valve.
The prior art has already proposed connecting elements which are connected to the support element in a frictionally-engaging instead of form-fitting manner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,675 A, which is considered as being generic, discloses a connecting element which is composed of flat material and which is connected in a frictionally-engaging manner to a support element which has no undercut in the region of the spherical end. Said connecting element has projections which are aligned towards the cylindrical section below the spherical end and which engage around the support element in such a way that a tilting movement of the rocker arm which is mounted on the support element is largely prevented, while the pivoting movement of said rocker arm in the actuating direction of the gas-exchange valve is permitted.
The connecting element proposed in the cited document nevertheless has some significant disadvantages. For example, the projections of said connecting element are of flat design and extend merely in a plane parallel to the pivot axis of the rocker arm. This firstly has the result that a lever arm, which promotes the correct transverse alignment of the rocker arm on the support element, between the contact points of the projections and the centre of rotation of the rocker arm is disadvantageously small. Secondly, on account of the not only flat but also short projections, as a result of their limited material elasticity, it is necessary for the splaying of the projections, which is required for the assembly of the connecting element, to be imparted largely by means of elastic deformation of the webs from which the projections proceed. However, there is the risk here of an undesired warping of the webs, for example in the form of corrugation, torsion or twisting. Such deformation of the connecting element can likewise lead, on account of projections being offset in terms of height, to misalignment of the rocker arm. In connection with said short lever arm, there is additionally an increased risk of the connecting element slipping in the tilting direction of the rocker arm.
Said disadvantageous effect can be further intensified taking into consideration the component tolerances. The cause for this is likewise to be considered the planar, short and consequently comparatively rigid projections, so that both a production-related change in spacing of the projections relative to one another and also a fluctuating diameter of the cylindrical section as a result of additional deformation of the web sections from which the projections proceed must be compensated.
A rocker arm which is aligned correctly on the support element can finally be of significance not only for the transport and assembly of the module but also for fail-safe operation in the internal combustion engine. For example, in the event of a loss of contact between the rocker arm and the actuating cam, the action of the cam which aligns the rocker arm can be lost. Causes for a loss of contact of said type can be undesired subsidence of the most-used support elements with hydraulic valve play compensation, or lifting of the rocker arm from the cam as a result of an excessively high rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. In the phase of contact loss, a "skewed" connecting element would then force the rocker arm in the tilting direction. In this regard, rocker arms with a very narrow cam contact face are to be given particular consideration. These are used in multi-valve engines with restricted installation space or also in variable valve controllers in which a cam pack composed of a plurality of cams of different lift is movably mounted on its camshaft and is placed in engagement with the rocker arm by the cam suitable for the operating state of the internal combustion engine. The rocker arm is then at particular risk with regard to a further tilting movement or completely tilting away from the support element, since in the event of renewed contact with its cam, said rocker arm can no longer be aligned on the cam to a sufficient degree on account of the narrow cam contact face.

Connection element for the secure fixing of a lever-type cam follower


A satellite attitude control system includes a programmed processor system which includes a gyroscopic actuator first control stage for changing the attitude of the satellite and a reaction wheel second control stage for assuring that pointing of the satellite is accurate and stable. The method is intended to be used for a satellite including the two control stages indicated above, which it uses selectively for the operations indicated above.

The invention relates to a system for controlling the attitude of a satellite in orbit, which system is more particularly intended to be used when great agility is required of the satellite. It also relates to a satellite control method employing the system.
Operating a satellite in orbit in space requires the satellite to be equipped with a system for controlling its attitude so that it can be oriented in a particular manner and stabilized when it is correctly oriented.
In some forms of operation which require great agility of the satellite, for example a remote sensing satellite, it is important for the attitude control system to be able to change the orientation of the satellite quickly and to stabilize the satellite quickly after such changes.
A satellite can be oriented and stabilized with relatively low expenditure of energy by an attitude control system entailing the satellite reacting to a moving mechanism within the satellite. This is known in the art. The energy employed can be renewable energy.
One example of a control system of the above kind is described in U.S. Pat. No 3,452,848. The system described uses gyroscopic actuators each including a motorized rotor which is used to create angular momentum of constant amplitude and a gimbal system for modifying the orientation of the rotor and consequently its angular momentum. Angular momentum can be exchanged very quickly between a gyroscopic actuator and the satellite carrying it. This is known in the art. However, actuators of this kind are somewhat inaccurate unless the specification is very severe, in particular with regard to the motors. The ratio between the accuracy of the output torque of a gyroscopic actuator and that of its gimbal motor is a function of the angular momentum. Also, a gyroscopic actuator generates a rotating torque, although a fixed torque would be preferable. The guidance law for a satellite equipped with a control system using gyroscopic actuators is therefore generally relatively complex and leaves room for singularities which correspond to situations in which the system is incapable of supplying a torque in a given direction, which can lead to loss of control over the satellite. However, despite those drawbacks, gyroscopic actuators of the above kind are used because they have a high torque capacity, enabling a satellite equipped with them to be rotated quickly, at the cost of a particularly severe specification and uprating of their control system, and even though they are consequently of high cost. This is known in the art.
Reaction wheels have the advantage of being mechanically less complex than gyroscopic actuators but the disadvantage of producing only a relatively low torque, compared to that which can be produced by a gyroscopic actuator. This is also known in the art. A reaction wheel can produce a torque of the order of 1 Nm, for example, compared to a torque of several thousand Nm for a gyroscopic actuator.
The invention therefore proposes a satellite attitude control system.
According to a feature of the invention, the system includes a programmed processor system which includes a gyroscopic actuator first control stage for changing the attitude of the satellite and a reaction wheel second control stage for assuring that pointing of the satellite is accurate and stable.
The invention also proposes an attitude control method for a satellite equipped with a gyroscopic actuator first control stage and a reaction wheel second control stage.
According to a feature of the invention, the method uses the actuator first stage to perform changes of attitude of the satellite on command, and it uses the reaction wheel second stage to point and stabilize the satellite.
According to the invention, the method also uses the reaction wheel second stage to accumulate unwanted torques which affect the satellite.

Satellite attitude control system and method


Generalized key indexes enable a first table of a relational database to be indexed using an index key and index conditions, wherein either or both of the index key and index conditions may reference multiple tables of the database or may be an expression using fields of one or more tables other than the first table. The generalized key indexes directly associate generalized index key values with record identifiers of records of the first table, thus enabling efficient storage and data retrieval.

The invention relates generally to relational database systems, and more particularly to indexing in relational database systems.
Users perceive a relational database as a collection of tables, each of which arranges data for items and item attributes in rows and columns: a table row corresponds to an item (referred to as a record); a table column corresponds to an attribute of the item (referred to as a field). A table record can generally be identified by a record identifier (RID), indicating the page and offset within the page where the record is stored.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate examples of tables in a relational database. Data stored in the tables can be accessed using indexes such as those illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, which aid in accessing data by providing a logical ordering of the table records. FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional index 400 on the CUST table 100 of FIG. 1, using the customer name 410a as the index key. Index 400 provides an alphabetical ordering of the records of CUST table 100 by customer name 120, and associates each name 410a with record identifiers 410b for table records having the customer name in their cust.sub.-- name field 120.
A query for phone numbers of customers named Smith would normally be processed by searching index 400 for an entry having the key value "Smith" 440a, using the associated record identifier 440b to retrieve a record in CUST table 100, and extracting data in the cust.sub.-- phone field 140 of the retrieved record. Because index 400 is ordered by customer name, the index search is faster than the linear search of CUST table 100 that would be required without an index. Indexes may be implemented using various methods such as B-Trees and hash functions.
As exemplified by index 400, index entries generally have two attributes: an index key value, and record identifiers of table records. An index key generally is a field or a combination of fields from a table, and each index entry associates a key value with record identifiers of table records.
Conventional indexes are single-table, associating key values based on table fields with record identifiers of records of that same table. Index 400 of FIG. 4 is an example of a single-table index. Various types of single-table indexes exist. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a "virtual column" index, created by defining the index key as an expression using one or more fields of a table record. For example, to order the records of the order table ("ORD table") of FIG. 2 by price including discount, a virtual column index is created using the index key (ORD.price-ORD.discount).
Another type of single-table index is a "partial index," which indexes only those table records satisfying a specified condition. For example, FIG. 8 illustrates an index associating values for ORD.date only with record identifiers of table records having a price of at least $50,000.00.
In relational database systems, an index may also be multi-table, using fields from a first table in its index key, and associating index key values with record identifiers of records of a second table. Multi-table indexes are generally referred to as join indexes.
FIGS. 4-6 together illustrate an implementation of an index for retrieving index records based on customer name, created on the ITEM table 300 (FIG. 3), using the name field 120 from the CUST table 100 as an index key (CUST.cust.sub.-- name). As shown, this index has three levels. The first level (index 400, FIG. 4) associates values for CUST.cust.sub.-- name 410a with record identifiers of records of the CUST table 410b; the second level (index 500, FIG. 5) associates values for CUST.cust.sub.-- no 510a with record identifiers of records of the ORD table 510b having the same value for ORD.cust.sub.-- no; and the third level (index 600, FIG. 6) associates values for ORD.ord.sub.-- no 610a with record identifiers of records of the ITEM table 610b having the same value for the ITEM.ord.sub.-- no.
Indexes 400-600 aid in retrieving item records corresponding to a customer name. For example, to retrieve item records for a customer Smith, index 400 is used to retrieve the CUST.cust.sub.-- no (1002) of the CUST records corresponding to Smith (002); index 500 is used to retrieve the ORD.ord.sub.-- no (002, 003) of the ORD records (101, 102) corresponding to the CUST.cust.sub.-- no (1002); and finally, index 600 is used to retrieve the ITEM records (201, 202, 203) corresponding to the ORD.ord.sub.-- no (002, 003).
Although such multi-table indexes do simplify accessing data in relational database systems, conventional indexing for relational databases has limitations. For example, a conventional index associating key values of fields of a first table with record identifiers of records of a second table generally has more than one level, as illustrated by FIGS. 4-6.
A consequence of having multiple levels in multi-table indexes is that such indexes require more memory space than single-table indexes. Another consequence of having multiple levels is that more processing is required to handle queries. For example, retrieving item records corresponding to a customer name "Smith" requires multiple processing steps.


A crystal ball ornament includes a holder base, a light source mounted in the holder base, a transparent ball mounted on the holder base, the transparent ball holding a liquid and ornamental means in the liquid, a porous ornamental plate mounted on the holder base and spaced between the light source and the transparent ball, the ornamental plate having tiny holes showing a pattern, and a reflector mounted in the holder base to reflect light from the light source onto the transparent ball through the tiny holes on the ornamental plate.

The present invention relates to a crystal ball ornament, and more particularly to such a crystal ball ornament which uses a liquid in a transparent ball to refract light, that passes from a light source in a holder base through tiny holes on an ornamental plate on the holder base, so as to produce a lighting effect.
A regular crystal ball is a solid sphere that magnifies the image of an object. When light from a light source is projected onto a crystal ball, light rays are refracted in all directions, thereby causing a fantastic lighting effect to be produced. Because this kind of crystal ball is expensive, its decorative value is limited.


Rectangular piezoelectric substrates each of which has main surfaces opposed to each other, measures 50 .mu.m thick by 1 mm wide by 8 mm long, and is made of lithium niobate (LiNbO.sub.3), are directly bonded on the main surfaces so that their axes of polarization are set in directions reverse to each other, thereby composing a piezoelectric element. Electrodes which are 0.2 .mu.m thick and made of chromium-nickel are formed on the two main surfaces of the piezoelectric element opposed to each other, thereby resulting in a precision displacement control actuator of a bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter element. This configuration makes it possible to provide a compact precision displacement control actuator which has a large displacement and extremely small variations of characteristics such as displacement and resonance frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a displacement control actuator which has a relatively large displacement while maintaining the high reliability and is capable of controlling displacement with great precision.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional piezoelectric actuators are classified into a linear displacement type and a flexional displacement type: the linear displacement type being classified into a single-plate type and a laminated type, and the flexional displacement type including a bimorph type. Though the linear displacement type piezoelectric actuator, of the laminated type in particular, cannot provide very large displacement, it is used as a fine motion actuator for precision machines, etc. since it can provide strong power. However, this piezoelectric displacement actuator is apt to be an expensive actuator since it is made by laminating a large number of piezoelectric elements and electrodes. Further, the flexional displacement type piezoelectric displacement actuator of the bimorph type is made by bonding mechanical-electrical converter elements to one another and bonding the mechanical-electrical converter elements to metal plates. This actuator is utilized in a large number of fields since it has an extremely large displacement and is inexpensive.
Speaking concretely, a bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter element 50 of the bimorph type actuator is made by bonding piezoelectric ceramic plates 51a and 51b on which electrodes 52a and 52b are formed with a bonding agent 53 such as an epoxy resin as shown in FIG. 28. Further, the bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter element 50 has a cantilever structure wherein an end of the bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter element 50 is bonded and fixed to a fixing member 55 with an electrically conductive bonding agent 54 or the like as shown in FIG. 29. Since resonance frequencies of bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter elements which have the cantilever structure vary from converter element to converter element, these mechanical-electrical converter elements are employed in fields where they are used at low frequencies far from the resonance frequencies and other fields where driving frequencies can be adequately selected for individual converter elements. As an example where a piezoelectric ceramic is used in a light deflector, there is conventionally known a light deflector wherein a mirror is attached to an actuator which is made by laminating piezoelectric elements and a direction of the mirror is changed by applying a voltage to the actuator. (V. J. Fowler & J. Schlafer. Proc. IEEE., VOL. 54 (1966), p. 1437). Due to the fact that the light deflector uses the laminated type actuator, however, it has the drawback that it cannot provide a large deflection angle relative to the applied voltage.
Further, another light deflector (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-95710) rotates a mirror by utilizing bimorph type actuators. However, this light deflector has the drawback that it has an extremely complicated structure due to the fact that a plurality of bimorph type actuators are coupled mechanically with a rotating shaft of the mirror.
Furthermore, still another light deflector (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-189618) is configured so as to divide an electrode for piezoelectric elements of a bimorph type actuator into a plurality of sections, and control the deformation degree of the piezoelectric elements by controlling the number of electrodes to which a voltage is applied. However, this light deflector has the drawback that the control of the degree of deflection is complicated.
A precision displacement control actuator which uses such a piezoelectric ceramic poses the problem that it cannot well control a displacement because it exhibits a remarkable non-linearity in relationship between applied voltages and displacements at applied voltages higher than 10% of a breakdown limit, even when the driving frequency is set at a level far lower than the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric elements. Another problem is that the displacement of the precision displacement control actuator is largely variable, since the piezoelectric ceramic per se is manufactured by mixing and burning various material, and has a material constant larger than that of a single crystal material.
Furthermore, such a conventional actuator poses the problem that it reduces displacement since it ordinarily uses, for bonding the piezoelectric ceramic, a bonding agent containing an epoxy resin or the like which has a Young's modulus not exceeding 0.5.times.10.sup.10 N/m.sup.2 far smaller than the Young's modulus of 5.times.10.sup.10 N/m.sup.2 to 15.times.10.sup.10 N/m.sup.2 of the piezoelectric ceramic and absorbs distortion of the mechanical-electrical converter element caused by the application of the driving voltage.
Moreover, such a conventional actuator poses still another problem in that it allows the characteristics of the mechanical-electrical converter element, displacement and resonance frequency, to be variable since it is difficult to bond the piezoelectric ceramic with a layer of the bonding agent having uniform thickness.
For stabilizing the displacement of a rectangular bimorph type piezoelectric converter element, it is additionally necessary to stabilize its resonance frequency. Though it is necessary to stabilize the fixed condition of the mechanical-electrical converter element for this purpose, a portion of the bimorph type mechanical-electrical converter element which is supported or fixed with a supporting or fixing member made of a metal or the like deviates due to stresses produced by mechanical or temperature variations. When the mechanical-electrical converter element is fixed with a bonding agent, for example, its fixed position is changed depending on the application ranges of the bonding agents, thereby varying the resonance frequency of the mechanical-electrical converter element. Further, it is difficult to maintain the stable fixed condition of the mechanical-electrical converter element since the fixed condition varies by temperature the variations of the bonding agent.
The light deflector which utilizes such a mechanical-electrical converter element also poses problems in that it requires a high driving voltage for obtaining a large deflection angle due to the characteristics of the mechanical-electrical converter element described above. Another problem is that it allows a deflection angle of the light deflector to vary markedly.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to the GnRH-R genes and proteins. The DNA sequence disclosed herein may be engineered into expression systems designed for the production of GnRH-R and/or cell lines which express the GnRH-R and preferably respond to GnRH induced signal transduction. Such cell lines may advantageously be used for screening and identifying GnRH agonists and antagonists. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the GnRH DNA, antisense oligonucleotide sequences, the GnRH expression products, and antibodies to such products may be used in the diagnosis and therapy of reproductive disorders associated with abnormal expression of the GnRH-R; e.g., overexpression, underexpression or expression of a dysfunctional mutant receptor. Transgenic animals containing the GnRH-R transgene may be used as animal models for the evaluation of GnRH analogs in vivo.

The GnRH-R is a key mediator in the integration of the neural and endocrine systems. Normal reproduction depends on the pulsatile release of physiological concentrations of GnRH which binds to specific high affinity pituitary receptors and triggers the secretion of the gonadotropins luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Whereas physiological concentrations of GnRH orchestrate normal reproduction, high levels of agonist lead to an opposite response, the suppression of gonadotropin secretion. The capacity of GnRH analogues both to activate and to inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis has led to their wide clinical utility in the treatment of a variety of disorders ranging from infertility to prostatic carcinoma.
The responsiveness and capacity of the gonadotrope GnRH-R is influenced by agonist, concentration and pattern of exposure (Clayton, 1989, J Endocrinol 120: 11-19). Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that low concentration pulsatile GnRH is trophic to the receptor and that a high concentration of agonist induces receptor down-regulation and desensitization. The binding of GnRH to its receptor stimulates phospholipase C and generates inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate and diacylglycerol (Huckle & Conn, 1988, Endocrine Reviews 9: 387-395). These second messengers, in turn, release calcium from intracellular stores and activate protein kinase C. Receptor up-regulation appears to involve both protein kinase C and calcium (Huckle & Conn, 1988, Endocrine Reviews 9: 387-395; Huckle et al., 1988, Journal of Biological Chemistry 263: 3296-3302; Young et al., 1985, Journal of Endocrinology 107: 49-56). It is not certain which effectors underlie down-regulation.
While great progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms underlying GnRH-R regulation and desensitization through receptor is binding studies, direct measurement of GnRH-R gene transcription and biosynthesis has not been possible. Cloning of the GnRH-R cDNA would advance the evaluation of GnRH-R activation, regulation and uncoupling. Determining the primary sequence of the receptor would facilitate the directed design of improved analogues. However, despite intensive interest, heretofore, the GnRH-R gene has not been cloned and expressed in any species.

Cloning and expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor

Mount Sinai School of Medicine of The City University of New York


The disclosure provides a coating composition comprising a treated inorganic core particle, having improved dispersability, prepared by a process comprising: heating a slurry comprising porous silica treated inorganic core particle and water at a temperature of at least about 90° C., more typically about 93 to about 97° C., still more typically about 95 to about 97° C.; and adding a soluble alumina source to the slurry while maintaining the pH at about 8.0 to 9.5 to form an alumina treatment on the porous silica treated inorganic core particle; wherein the treated inorganic core particle does not comprise dense silica or alumina treatments, and has silica present in the amount of about 7% to about 14% and alumina present in the amount of about 4.0% to about 8.0%; and wherein the particle to particle surface treatments are substantially homogeneous.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a process for preparing treated inorganic core particles, and in particular to the preparation of treated titanium dioxide particles, having improved dispersability; a process for their preparation; and their use in coating compositions.
Description of the Related Art
Coating compositions of interest in the present disclosure are water-dispersible coating compositions such as latex coating compositions, e.g. acrylic, styrene acrylic, vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, alkyd dispersion etc; and solvent based such as alkyd coating compositions; urethane coating compositions; and unsaturated polyester coating compositions, acrylic, styrene-acrylic compositions typically a paint, clear coating, or stain. These coatings may be applied to a substrate by spraying, applying with a brush or roller or electrostatically, such as pigment coatings, etc. These coating compositions are described in Outlines of Paint Technology (Halstead Press, New York, N.Y., Third edition, 1990) and Surface Coatings Vol. I, Raw Materials and Their Usage (Chapman and Hall, New York, N.Y., Second Edition, 1984).
Inorganic particles may be added to the coating compositions. In particular, titanium dioxide particles have been added to coating compositions for imparting whiteness and/or opacity to the finished article. However, the flat grade pigments used in some coating compositions have poor dispersability and are difficult to handle.
A need exists for treated inorganic core particles, such as treated titanium dioxide particles, that have improved dispersability and that are easier to handle in use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Treated inorganic pigments having improved dispersability and use thereof in coating compositions


The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline—earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

Sodium hydroxide production is generally produced using the chlor-alkali process, which is energy intensive, requires rare metal anodes and cathodes, and produces hydrochloric acid, which has a limited market and cannot be discharged into the environment. Commercial applications of hydrochloric acid often involve employing hydrochloric acid in a reaction with a carbonate salt, which may result in the release of CO2 and may counter any CO2 emissions reduction benefit. Additionally, if hydrochloric acid is released into the environment, it will react with carbonate or bicarbonate salts present in the environment, emitting carbon dioxide and acidifying water bodies, such as the ocean. There is a significant need for a low energy consumption, low CO2 emissions, environmentally friendly process for producing sodium hydroxide.

Processes producing alkali hydroxides, alkali carbonates, alkali bicarbonates, and/or alkaline earth sulfates


A post hole digger includes a pair of blades that face one another, a pair of shaft handles attached to the blades, and a pivot member that pivotally couples the shaft handles together. A pair of gripping handles are attached to, and are generally perpendicular to, the shaft handles, which provides a second gripping location for the user and enhances the ability to thrust and rotate the tool in the ground. The blades are off-set by at least ¼ inch from each other in order to improve a user's ability to rotate the post hole digger and remove soil from the hole. The blades include an angled distal edge, which has a leading edge portion, an intermediate edge portion and a trailing edge portion. The leading edge extends downwardly further than the intermediate portion, which in turn extends downwardly further than the trailing edge portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of post hole diggers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a post hole digger that enables a user to produce a vertical hold in the ground by pivoting the blades towards each other in a conventional manner and/or rotating the blades into the ground.
2. Description of the Related Art
Post hole diggers are frequently used for manually digging a hole within the earth for placement of a post therein. Traditional post hole diggers include two concave blades that face one another to form a cylindrical region generally about six inches in diameter. The blades are pivotally connected to one another proximate the top portion of the blades. Extending from each blade is a fixture or cap supporting a shaft handle extending approximately four feet in height. The blades are spaced apart from one another such that each shaft is proximate the inner surface of each of the blades. By thrusting the blades into the ground, the earth is secured between the blades by moving the upper end of the handles away from one another forcing the blades to pivot about the pivot toward one another.
Although assembly effective for their intended purposes in many soil conditions, they are less effective in dense, hard soils, such as clay. First, the vertical orientation of the handles may cause difficulty for some users to maintain a secure grasp when thrusting the post hole digger into the ground. The hard soil causes the post hole digger to come to an abrupt stop, requiring significant hand strength to keep the handles from sliding through the user's hands. Consequently, the user quickly fatigues and blisters result.
Also, traditional post hole diggers are not particularly effective in hard soil since repeated thrusting of the tool into the ground only minimally advances the intended hole. That is, prolonged inefficient effort is the only way to overcome the blunting away of the post hole digger.
Another disadvantage of traditional post hole diggers is that it is often difficult to force the handles away from each other in order to secure soil between the blades. Forcing the blades into the ground often does not sufficiently disrupt the earth so that it may be captured and removed from the hole. This problem becomes more pervasive as the hole gets deeper since the ability to manipulate the handles away from each other becomes diminished.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for continued improvement of post hole diggers. Particularly, it would be desirable to have a post hole digger that is well-suited for use in hard soils. Additionally, it would be desirable to have a post hole digger that allows the user's hands to be positioned in a vertical and/or horizontal orientation in order to reduce user fatigue and improve downward force when thrusting the tool into the ground. Further, it would be desirable to have a post hole digger that improves the user's ability to capture and secure earth between the blades.