In a crossbow-style tube bender, a curved bending mandrel having a channel into which the tube in bent to form the bent tubing length has at least one relief surface forming a localized recess or depression in the surface of the channel. A forming bar or cross bar adapted to cooperate with a bending mandrel has on a first side of the forming bar a least one first pair of forming mandrels configured for a first tubing size, and on a second side of the forming bar has at least one second pair of forming mandrels configured for a second tubing size. The bender has a quick connect-disconnect mechanism permitting quick disconnection from and connection to the forming bar to utilize either the at least one first or at least one second pairs of forming mandrels.

Crossbow-style benders are used to bend tubing or piping for a variety of applications. Crossbow benders are helpful in achieving the desired bend angle with accuracy. However, the inventors have discerned a number of disadvantages of previously known crossbow benders.
One disadvantage is that such benders are difficult to set-up and operate. To accommodate different tubing or piping sizes, shapes and bend radii, the forming bar, which acts against the side of the tubing opposite the mandrel, must be changed or adjusted for the particular tubing to be bent. Typically, hand-operated benders utilize two or more forming bars. For example, one forming bar may be utilized for ¼″-⅜″ tubing, and another forming bar for ½″-⅞″. The forming bar is typically attached to the bender by a screw or bolt. To change out forming bars, the user must remove the screw or bolt to remove the attached forming bar, and then screw or bolt on the other forming bar.
This procedure to switch out forming bars can be time-consuming and cumbersome. In addition, as only one of the forming bars is attached to the bender, the other forming bar(s) may become lost or difficult to find in a toolbox, which may be full of different tools. Further, it may be unclear or not easy to identify which forming bar is to be utilized with particular tubing.
A bender sold by Rothenberger USA of Rockford, Ill. addresses the use of multiple forming bars. The Rothenberger device utilizes one forming bar for a range of tubing sizes. However, the forming mandrels on the forming bar must be removed from the bar and repositioned to different locations on the bar for different tubing sizes. Thus, the Rothenberger device still requires time-consuming and cumbersome rearrangement of the mechanism.
Another problem identified in previous crossbow benders is that, after bending, the tube can be difficult to remove from the bending mandrel. This occurs, at least in part, due to cross-sectional deformation of the tubing during bending. Not only does removing a tube that is "stuck" in the bending mandrel take time and effort, but the force required to remove or unstick the bent tube can damage or distort the tube, or alter the bend or shape of the tube, which is undesirable. This is particularly so if tools are required, e.g., a hammer or pliers, to remove the tube.

Tube and pipe benders and methods of bending same


The present invention relates to a process for preparing a solid laundry detergent composition comprising: (a) from 1 wt % to 40 wt % light density silicate salt having a bulk density of less than 200 g/l and a weight average particle size of less than 300 micrometers; (b) from 5 wt % to 60 wt % detersive surfactant; (c) from 0 wt % to 50 wt % carbonate salt; (d) from 0 wt % to 40 wt % sulphate salt; (e) from 0 wt % to 30 wt % phosphate builder; (f) from 0 wt % to 5 wt %% zeolite builder; and (g) from 0 wt % to 15 wt % water; wherein the composition has a bulk density of 600 g/l or less.

There is a recent trend in the solid laundry detergent business to chemically compact the formulation by removing at least most, and preferably all, of the zeolite. However, it has proved difficult to make these chemically compacted solid laundry detergent compositions.
The Inventors have found that the incorporation of low density silicate salt into these chemically compacted formulations enables them to be produced using traditional batch processes, and even a batch single mixer processes. Whilst it is known to incorporate silicate salt into laundry detergent compositions, it was not known, prior to the present invention, to incorporate a silicate salt that has a low bulk density and a very small weight average particle size into a formulation that has been chemically compacted by removing at least most, and preferably all, of the zeolite with the expectation that such chemically compacted detergent compositions can be produced using traditional batch processes, and even batch single mixer processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,784 relates to a free-flowing particulate detergent composition that is prepared by mixing a liquid acid form of an anionic surfactant with a water-soluble alkaline material; a silicate salt is incorporated into the exemplified detergent compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,361 relates to a method of producing agglomerates of dry detergent ingredients; liquid sodium silicate is used in the exemplified method.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,902 relates to a method of producing agglomerates of detergent ingredients; liquid N-silicate and magnesium silicate are incorporated into the exemplified agglomerated home automatic dishwashing composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,499 relates to an agglomerator, which is allegedly useful for uniformly agglomerating a feed consisting of a dry mix of fumed silica and sodium carbonate and a wet mixture of non-ionic detergent and polyethylene glycol, for forming an agglomerated detergent when mixed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,847 relates to a particulate detergent composition; the exemplified compositions comprise a silicate salt.
WO96/04359 relates to a process for the manufacture of detergent powders wherein LAS acid is neutralized in a fluid bed; an alkali silicate is incorporated into example composition 10 and is also described as being one of several materials that are suitable flow aids in this fluid bed process.
WO97/12956 relates to a process for making a low density detergent composition by agglomeration with a hydrated salt; silicate salts are described along with numerous other ingredients as being suitable adjunct detergent ingredients.
WO97/22685, WO98/58046, WO98/58047, WO99/00475, WO03/016453 and WO03/016454 relate to a fluid bed processes wherein crystalline or amorphous alkali metal silicates are described as being one of several materials that are suitable flow aids and/or layering agents in such fluid bed processes.
WO97/30145 relates to a process for making a low density detergent composition by agglomeration with an inorganic double salt. Silicate salt is one of numerous ingredients that are mentioned as being suitable builders that can be used in the process.
WO97/43399 relates to a process for making a low density detergent composition by agglomeration followed by dielectric heating; silicate salts are described along with numerous other ingredients as being suitable adjunct detergent ingredients.
WO98/14549 and WO98/14550 relate to non-tower processes for continuously preparing low density granular detergent compositions; crystalline layered silicate is described as one of several suitable fine powders that are used as a coating material in the process.
WO99/03966 relates to a process for making a low density detergent composition by controlling the nozzle height in a fluid bed dryer; sodium silicate is incorporated in the exemplified composition.
WO00/24859 relates to detergent particles and processes for making them; silicate salts are exemplified as a suitable ingredient for incorporation into the example detergent compositions.
WO00/37605 relates to a process for making a low bulk density detergent composition by agglomeration; silicate salts are described along with numerous other ingredients as being suitable adjunct detergent ingredients.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for the preparation of a solid laundry detergent composition comprising light density silicate salt


A switchable optical birefringent filter for polarized light incident thereon includes first and second retarder networks in optical series and a switch associated with at least one of the first and second retarder networks for selectively altering one of the polarization state and the angular orientation of the polarization state relative to the angular orientation of the second network, of light as it is received by the second network. In one operating mode, the filter produces a spectral filtration of light passing through the filter and in another mode transmits all light within a specified range of wavelengths without significant alteration.

Techniques for synthesis of birefringent filters have been extensively described in the literature, as for example in "Optical Network Synthesis Using Birefringent Crystals. I. Synthesis of Lossless Networks of Equal-Length Crystals", 54 J. Opt. Soc. Am. 1267 (1964), by S. E. Harris, E. O. Amman, I. C. Chang; "Optical Network Synthesis Using Birefringent Crystals. III. Some General Properties of Lossless Birefringent Networks", 56 J. Opt. Soc. Am. 943 (1966), by E. O. Amman; "Optical Network Synthesis Using Birefringent Crystals. IV. Synthesis of Lossless Double-Pass Networks", 56 J. Opt. Soc. Am. (7), 952 (1966), by E. O. Amman; and "Synthesis of Optical Birefringent Networks", Progress in Optics IX 1971, pp. 123-177 (North-Holland, Amsterdam) by E. O. Amman. The birefringent filters disclosed in the literature consist of N optical retarders placed in series and positioned between an entrance polarizer and an exit polarizer, with each element oriented at a specific angle. Taking the transmission axis of the entrance polarizer as 0.degree., each retarder element i has its fast axis at an angle .phi..sub.i, and the exit polarizer is oriented at angle .phi..sub.p. The optical retardance may be different for each element, and together the retardances form a set R.sub.i with N members.
The prior art describes methods, based on time impulse-response analysis, for determining the values .phi..sub.i and R.sub.i so that the resultant filter has a desired response. The resulting filter response is an N-point harmonic function, where the harmonic coefficients are selected to achieve some particular optical response. Often, coefficients are chosen to yield a best approximation to some desired function, and are selected by, e.g., equating the harmonic coefficients to the terms in a Fourier expansion of the desired function, or by some similar method.
The synthesis procedure utilizes a set of harmonic coefficients C.sub.i and provides one or more sets of angles .phi..sub.i that will achieve the desired filter response. In general, the solutions are not unique, and there can be several equivalent sets of angles .phi..sub.i which yield the desired filter action. When this occurs, it is possible to construct a filter in one of several ways, depending on which solution set of angles .phi..sub.i is chosen. This procedure thus provides a powerful synthesis technique for developing optical filters with a wide variety of bandpass and filtration shapes.
Although in this analytical procedure each of the retarders is considered as having the same retardance R, this does not lead to a loss in generality. For example, one may construct a retarder of value 4R by placing four retarders of value R in series. A set of retarders with arbitrary rational retardance values may thus be built up from a number of equal-value retarders. The selection of equal-value retarders in the analytical procedure is essentially one of notation, rather than one of practical limitation.
Others have employed the birefringent filter synthesis method to design filters with equal passband and stopband widths for use in optical multiplexers; see, e.g., "Flat Passband Birefringent Wavelength Domain Multiplexer", 23 Electronics Letters 106-7 (1987), by W. J. Carlsen and C. F. Buhrer. This synthesis procedure permits independent choice of passband and stopband ripple by selection of the harmonic coefficients, which in turn determine the angles .phi..sub.i. Edge sharpness is a function of the number of retarder elements, with more retarder elements yielding greater sharpness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,349 to Scheffer describes the use of birefringent films in conjunction with twisted-nematic cells and a neutral linear polarizer to achieve color switching. A birefringent filter may be used together with an optical polarization switch, such as a twisted-nematic liquid crystal cell, to create a switchable filter which can select between a certain filter state and its complement. Such a filter is shown by way of example in FIG. 1. The switch element is placed immediately adjacent to the entrance or exit polarizer, and effectively rotates it by 90.degree. or, in its alternate state, not at all. Hence the two filter states are a color and its complement. Similar results may be achieved with liquid crystal half-wave plates or ferroelectric liquid crystal cells. The switch member may also incorporate retarder elements to achieve its switching action, as is described in "A New RGB Tunable Filter Technology" 2650 Proc. of S.P.I.E., 98 (1996), by Sharp and Johnson. However, the essential function of such retarders is to selectively rotate the plane of polarization as part of the switch, rather than to define a passband as part of the birefringent filter.
On the other hand, one may also rotate individual retarder elements to change the orientation angles .phi..sub.i and thereby alter the filter response. However, such a system would be expensive and mechanically intricate.
Buhrer has described how mechanically rotating elements may be used to tune a multiplexer to all its possible settings ("Synthesis and Tuning of High-Order Solc-Type Birefringent Filters", 33 Applied Optics 2249-54 (1994)). Electro-optical methods have been explored in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,008 to Pinnow et al. using a stack of doped crystals. A similar approach is possible using a series of planar-aligned smectic A* liquid crystal cells, which exhibit fixed retardance with a voltage-adjustable crystal orientation. Neither approach, however, has been widely used to date because of the limited crystal orientation ranges available.
Amman described a method for synthesizing filters that may be used in a double-pass mode. These filters include a mirror disposed at one end of a series of N retarder elements so that light passes through the retarders twice: once on its way in toward the mirror, and the second time on its way out after reflection. This arrangement is optically equivalent to a stack of 2N retarders with their fast axes oriented at angles {.phi..sub.1, .phi..sub.2, . . . .phi..sub.N-1, .phi..sub.N, .phi..sub.N, .phi..sub.N-1, . . . .phi..sub.2, .phi..sub.1 }.
In some designs, polarization couplers are used so that light is admitted into, and extracted from, the retarder stack without interference between the two beams. Although not all filters can be constructed in this way since the harmonic coefficients of the filter response must meet certain criteria to realize this design, it is possible in many cases to employ this double-pass scheme to achieve the resolution of a filter with 2N retarders while actually using only N such components.
Amman has written various theorems pertaining to networks of retarders, along with proofs. These are useful in understanding and designing such filters, and will be referred to below.
The use of a pair of high-order retarder elements between crossed polarizers at 0.degree. and 90.degree. has been described by Evans in "The Birefringent Filter", 39 J. Opt. Soc. Am. 229-42 (1949). These elements have their axes crossed, at .+-.45.degree. and -45.degree.. A retarder with its axis at 0.degree. (or 90.degree.) is placed between the elements; this middle retarder can be a simple .lambda./2 plate, or it may be a retarder which contributes to defining a passband constructed as an (N+1/2).lambda. order waveplate. The positioning of the intermediate retarder between the outer two members dispenses with the need for a separate polarizer associated with the intermediate element thus reducing the number of polarizers and increasing the filter transmission relative to the usual Lyot design. The former arrangement is termed a wide-field filter, and the latter a split-element filter. Evans also considered adding further retarders about the split-element stage to create a doubly-split stage. In all cases, the retarders have their fast axes oriented at an angle of 0.degree., +/-45.degree., or 90.degree. relative to the entrance polarizer.
Tunable versions of the wide-field filters are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,378 to Miller, with continuously variable nematic liquid crystal retarders as the tuning element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,393 to Sharp and Johnson describes both wide-field and split-element filters which use ferroelectric smectic C* or smectic A* switches to obtain a discretely or continuously tunable bandpass, respectively. These switches have a fixed retardance and an electrically switchable crystal orientation. Sharp and Johnson also describe a reflection-mode split element filter where a mirror is placed after the central element so that light traverses the elements in both directions. This system is said to allow the same function to be achieved using a reduced number of components.
At present, however, no birefringent filter allows for selection between a white-state in which all wavelengths are transmitted and a desired complex filtration state. Nor is there a practical birefringent filter which offers non-mechanical switching between several complex transmission states, other than between a filter response and its complement.

Cambridge Research & Instrumentation Inc.


An acoustic antenna element for receiving and/or emitting low-frequency underwater waves comprises an acoustic panel formed by at least one acoustic pick-up enclosed in a flexible jacket, the acoustic panel being generally rectangular and being mounted against a curved support by a mounting device including a clamping device comprising at least two flanges the ends of which are mounted on the support, the respective flanges comprising at least one tie between the two ends thereof, and the clamping device capable of adjusting the tension in the ties between the two respective ends thereof, the flanges being arranged so that the support is bent between the two respective ends of the ties and so that the panel is clamped against the support by the ties when they are under tension.

Such an antenna is intended to detect and to locate underwater sources of acoustic noise, for example. To obtain good performance both in detection and in location, it is necessary to work over a spectrum of low or medium frequencies and to have an antenna the gain of which is high in order to obtain a satisfactory signal to noise ratio (in numerous applications a gain of 20 dB is necessary). By medium frequencies is meant frequencies lower than 12 kHz.
At present, acoustic antennas for receiving underwater waves include acoustic sensors that will be referred to as acoustic panels in the remainder of the text. These acoustic sensors include at least one acoustic pick-up enclosed in a flexible material coating. The assembly thus constituted forms an acoustic panel referred to as an acoustic panel. An acoustic panel has a globally rectangular shape.
The acoustic panels are mounted on a support, for example on the hull of a submarine. The acoustic panels have a degree of freedom in bending so as to be able to mate with the shape of this hull.
The panels are held against the wall by clamping them by means of two flanges attached along the longer sides of the acoustic panels. The acoustic panels are sandwiched between the flanges and the hull of the submarine. The ends of the flanges are mounted on rails on either side of the panels extending longitudinally in the direction of the width of the panels.
The flanges have a curved shape approximating the curvature of the submarine, which enables them to clamp the acoustic panels against the hull of the submarine.
Now, at present, rigid metal flanges are used. They provide effective clamping of the acoustic panels only on a hull having a predetermined curvature.
This clamping solution has a certain number of disadvantages. Because of manufacturing tolerances in respect of the hull of a submarine and also the flanges, it can happen that the clamping of the acoustic panels is not efficacious. If the curvature of the hull is less than foreseen (radius of curvature greater than foreseen) or if the curvature of the flanges is greater than foreseen (radius of curvature less than foreseen), the acoustic panels are not correctly clamped against the hull of the submarine. Knowing also that the acoustic panels may be deformed because of hydrodynamic disturbances, there is therefore a risk of the panels escaping from their fixing flanges.
On the other hand, if the curvature of the hull is greater than foreseen (radius of curvature less than foreseen) or if the curvature of the flanges is less than foreseen (radius of curvature greater than foreseen), the acoustic panels clamp the panels too firmly, which leads to premature wear of the panels.
Moreover, it is necessary to provide different flanges for different submarines the hulls of which have different radii of curvature or for a single submarine the hull of which has a varying radius of curvature.

Acoustic antenna element for emitting and/or receiving waves under water and associated acoustic antenna


A method and system for allocating bandwidth in a communication network is disclosed. Processing a request for bandwidth includes evaluating potential paths. Configuration rules and propagation rules may be applied to eliminate non-viable paths. A path quality indicator for remaining paths is derived based on calculations and signal characteristic measurements. A path having a suitable path quality indicator is selected and may be validated using existing representative or new signals.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to optical communication networks and in particular to methods and systems for allocating bandwidth in an optical communication network.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical communication networks use optical to electrical to optical (OEO) conversion to regenerate signals on the network. Although such OEO regeneration maintains signal quality, there are significant costs associated with the process. These costs appear as equipment expense, increased power consumption, and increased space requirements.
In order to avoid unnecessary OEO regeneration points in Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) networks, it is desirable to route wavelengths such that the number of OEO sites is substantially reduced. Regeneration of an individual wavelength is not required if the optical signal maintains sufficient quality to insure an error rate at the receiver below a specified threshold. Further, changing network traffic demands will require establishing new optical paths for wavelength signals. However, the anticipated signal quality at the ultimate receive node for the new path is not known in advance due to the analog nature of optical signal propagation. Thus, it is difficult to determine if such a desired path would be viable.

Method and system for allocating bandwidth in an optical communication network


An automatic tank closure for a motor vehicle tank with a housing having a penetrating input opening and having an opening and closing closure flap with pivotal bearings, which is subjected to spring loading in the closing direction is provided. The closure flap is located within the input opening for the closing of the same and whereby in the closed position between the closure flap and the housing is placed a sealing surface with a sealing seat, which conically widens itself toward the interior of the tank and coacts with a sealing ring. The sealing ring is designed with at least one lip seal and sealingly coacts with the sealing surface.

Tank closure devices, such as have been disclosed by DE 198 37 783 A1, possess a housing which is penetrated by an opening for the filling of a tank, whereby the opening can be closed internally by a shut-off flap, which is spring loaded in its closing direction. On the closure flap is to be found, in the known closure device, a sealing ring serving as an O-ring, which coacts with a sealing-seat, which seat is conical and widens toward the inside of the tank. In order to achieve a high degree of sealed off tightness (for example LEV-II or PZEV-Norm), the sealing ring must be pressed against the sealing seat at a relatively high pressure. In a multitude of cases, the conventional tank closure devices accordingly operate with strong springs. It then becomes quite possible, that a greater expenditure of force is required of the user for the opening of the closure flap, and that, from the standpoint of evaporation measures, it is required to avoid, on the snapping shut of the closure flap, a wide spread spraying of fuel or indeed even a danger of traumatic personal harm. In the case of other known modes of fuel tank closure design, somewhat similar to DE 198 37 783 A1, weak springs were allowed, which permitted an easy opening of the closure flaps. In this case, however, it is still expensive in time and effort, to bring the sealing ring against the locking mechanism which presses against sealing seat, in order to achieve the necessary pressure for sufficient sealing action.


The present invention relates to stilbene and quinone compounds related to combretastatin A-4 and their use as anticancer compounds and prodrugs. The compounds include those with an alkyl group on the double bond of cis or trans-stilbenes, compounds with one or more (and preferably 2 or 3) alkyl group substituents on the stilbene A ring, compounds with an alkoxy group other than methoxy at position 3, 4, and/or 5 of the stilbene A ring, compounds (or prodrugs) in which BOC amino acid esters are formed with the phenolic hydroxyl at the 3-position of the B ring and compounds (or prodrugs) based on a benzoquinone B ring. The present invention further relates to the photochemical reactions of stilbene compounds, either the above compounds disclosed for the first time herein or compounds based on prior art stilbenes. These reactions include the photochemical release of an active form of the compound from a prodrug conjugate and the photochemical isomerisation of the compounds, especially from a trans to cis form of compounds. The reactions can be used alone or in combination to convert inactive or comparatively less active forms of the compounds to more active forms, thereby allowing the compounds to be selectively targeted, e.g. activating them at the site of a tumour.

The stilbene cis-combretastatin A-4 Z-1, isolated from the African bush willow, Combretum caffrum shows exciting potential as an anticancer agent, binding strongly to tubulin and displaying potent and selective toxicity toward tumour vasculature (U.S. Pat. No: 4,996,237, Arizona Board of Regents, Pettit et al, Experimentia, 1989, 45, 209; Lin et al, Mol. Pharmacol., 1988, 34, 200; Grosios et al, Brit. J. Cancer, 1999, 81, 1318; Lin et al, Biochemistry, 1989, 28, 6984; Woods et al, Brit. J. Cancer, 1995, 71, 705; McGown et al, Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol., 1990, 26, 79; El-Zayat et al, Anti-Cancer Drugs, 1993, 4, 19; Dark et al, Cancer Research, 1997, 57, 1829.).

Cis-combretastatin A-4 Z-1 is able to inhibit cell growth at low concentrations (IC50, P388 murine leukaemia cell line 2.6 nM). The potency of trans-combretastatin A-4 E-1 is much lower and inhibits cell growth in the μM range. Arguably, it is the ability of Z-1 and Z-2 to destroy tumour blood vessels, effectively starving tumours of nutrients, which makes them such exciting molecules. Tumour vasculature and the formation of neovasculature were first identified as a target for cancer therapy by Judah Folkman some 30 years ago. The work of Folkman and others has clearly identified angiogenesis and blood supply as necessary requirements for primary tumour growth, invasiveness and metastasis. It is now becoming clear that the selective destruction of tumour vasculature will have a significant impact on the clinical treatment of cancer. Angiogenesis is subject to a complex process of regulation and thereby offers a multitude of molecular targets for drug design.
The use of Z-1 as a clinically useful anticancer agent has been severely hampered by its poor water solubility (Brown et al, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1995, 577). The phosphate salt Z-2 is more soluble in water than Z-1 and is soon to enter phase II clinical trials (Pettit et al, Anti-Cancer Drug Des., 1995, 10, 299). Nevertheless, both Z-1 and Z-2 are not targeted towards cancer cells and their therapeutic efficacy would be improved if their selectivity were better. The low solubility of cis-combretastatin A-4 in water and saline has led to attempts in the art to make related compounds or prodnugs which retain the activity of cis-combretastatin A-4 as an anticancer agent and which have enhanced solubility. These attempts focus on forming salts or derivatives at the phenolic hydroxyl group of combretastatin. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No 5,561,122 (Arizona Board of Regents) discloses the sodium and potassium salts of cis-combretastatin A-4 and a hemisuccinic acid ester derivative, and WO99/35150 (Arizona Board of Regents) discloses the lithium, caesium, magnesium, calcium, manganese and zinc salts of cis-combretastatin A-4, and ammonium cation salts with imidazole, morpholine, piperazine, piperidine, pyrazole, pyridine, adenosine, cinchonine, glucosamine, quinine, quinidine, tetracycline and verapamil.
At the molecular level, both compounds target tubulin, binding strongly at or close to the colchicine (3) binding site, preventing polymerisation of α,β-tubulin heterodimer to microtubules. Their inhibition of microtubule formation prevents mitosis and is important in disrupting the growth of new vascular epithelial cells. In addition, disruption of the intracellular microtubule networks by combretastatin A4 leads to the destruction of microvessels within the tumour. This antivascular activity offers exciting therapeutic possibilities as the destruction of microvessels results in the death of all tumour cells which depend on the vessel for nutrients and oxygen. The multi-functional role of tubulin in both healthy and cancer cells highlights the need for selectively targeted drugs.
We have previously investigated the tubulin-binding properties of agents related to Z-1 and 3 and as part of this effort, we have designed many related compounds that behave in a similar fashion to Z-1 (Ducki et al, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 1998, 8, 1051; Zhao et al, Eur. J. Nuc. Medicine, 1999, 26, 231; Aleksandrzak et al, Anti-Cancer Drugs, 1998, 9, 545). However, it remains a problem in the art in designing effective compounds and especially those which can be selectively targeted.

Substituted stilbenes and their reactions


Processes are disclosed for the oxidation of alkanes such as, for example, propane, to form unsaturated carboxylic aldehydes and acids such as, for example, acrolein and acrylic acid. The processes utilize oxygen and recycle alkanes, e.g. propane, to the aldehyde reactor. The presence of the alkane-to-aldehyde reaction can enhance the efficiency of the processes.

This invention relates to the oxidation of alkanes such as, for example, propane, to form unsaturated, carboxylic aldehydes and acids such as, for example, acrolein and acrylic acid.
Processes for producing acrylic acid by vapor phase catalytic oxidation of propylene using molecular oxygen are known and used on an industrial scale.
One of the typical processes for industrial production of acrylic acid is as follows. Propylene is converted mainly into acrolein and a small amount of acrylic acid in a first reaction step by supplying a mixture of propylene, air and steam to produce the acrolein. The acrolein product is supplied to a second reactor without separation of products for the subsequent reaction of acrolein to form acrylic acid. Additional air and steam for the second step are supplied as required.
In another typical process, the product gas containing acrylic acid obtained from the second reactor is introduced into a collecting apparatus to obtain acrylic acid as an aqueous solution and a part of remaining waste gas containing unreacted propylene from the collecting apparatus is recycled to the first reactor inlet together with the starting gas mixture of propylene, air and steam.
Various improvements to the above-mentioned processes have been proposed to produce acrylic acid efficiently by vapor phase catalytic oxidation of propylene. Many such improvements have been directed to the use of certain catalysts. Examples of catalysts used for industrial production are Moxe2x80x94Bi composite oxide catalysts for the first step, i.e., acrolein production, and Moxe2x80x94V composite oxide catalysts for the second step, i.e., acrylic acid production. There are many reasons why the characteristics of these oxidation catalysts affect the economy of the processes. Primarily, the selectivity of the catalysts for the reactions affects the quantity of propylene used, and the catalyst activity in the reactions affects the space time yield of acrylic acid.
Further enhancements directed to the use of propane as a feed source are desired because propane is more readily available and less expensive than propylene. It would be desireable if the propane could be simultaneoulsy utilized to enhance the reaction efficiency of the processes in addition to being a feed source.
By the present invention, improved continuous processes are provided for the conversion of alkanes such as, for example, propane, to unsaturated aldehydes such as, for example, acrolein, and acids such as, for example, acrylic acid.
In the processes of the present invention, an alkane having from about 2 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule, e.g., propane, is first converted to an alkene having the same number of carbon atoms as the alkane, e.g., propylene, and then alkene is converted to an unsaturated aldehyde having the same number of carbon atoms as the alkene, e.g., acrolein. The aldehyde is then converted to an unsaturated carboxylic acid having the same number of carbon atoms as the aldehyde, e.g., acrylic acid.
By operating at low propane-to-propylene conversion in accordance with the present invention, the selectivity to propylene can be made unexpectedly high, e.g., between 80 and 100 mole %. Since the presence of propane has been found to enhance the efficiency of the propylene-to-acrolein reaction, the low propane conversion is not detrimental to the process. Indeed, even though the feed to the acrolein reactor may contain propylene in low concentrations, e.g., 5 to 20 mole %, the low-conversion, high-selectivity mode of operation can be highly efficient provided unreacted propane is recycled to the propane oxidation reactor. Recycle operation is particularly feasible in accordance with the present invention because oxydehydrogenation catalysts, which are preferred for use in the present invention, are substantially unaffected by species such as carbon oxides and water which are formed in the acrolein reactor. Hence, after recovery of the acrolein, the noncondensed gases containing propane may be recycled without significant, additional purification steps.

Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Technology Corporation


A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes an outsole defining a first aperture, a cushioning member disposed on the outsole and defining a second aperture, and a plate disposed between the cushioning member and the upper. The plate includes an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region, a posterior-most point disposed closer to a heel region than the anterior-most point, a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) point disposed between the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point, and an anterior curved region having a radius of curvature extending through the forefoot region and a mid-foot region and including a forefoot curved portion extending from the MTP point to the anterior-most point and a mid-foot curved portion extending from the MTP point toward the posterior-most point. Overlapping portions of the first aperture and the second aperture expose a region of the plate.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Articles of footwear conventionally include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to receive, secure, and support a foot on the sole structure. The upper may cooperate with laces, straps, or other fasteners to adjust the fit of the upper around the foot. A bottom portion of the upper, proximate to a bottom surface of the foot, attaches to the sole structure.
Sole structures generally include a layered arrangement extending between a ground surface and the upper. One layer of the sole structure includes an outsole that provides abrasion-resistance and traction with the ground surface. The outsole may be formed from rubber or other materials that impart durability and wear-resistance, as well as enhancing traction with the ground surface. Another layer of the sole structure includes a midsole disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole provides cushioning for the foot and is generally at least partially formed from a polymer foam material that compresses resiliently under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground-reaction forces. The midsole may define a bottom surface on one side that opposes the outsole and a footbed on the opposite side that may be contoured to conform to a profile of the bottom surface of the foot. Sole structures may also include a comfort-enhancing insole or a sockliner located within a void proximate to the bottom portion of the upper.
The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the foot is known to absorb energy as it flexes through dorsiflexion during running and jumping movements. As the foot does not move through plantarflexion until the foot is pushing off of a ground surface, the MTP joint returns little of the energy it absorbs to propel the foot forward, thus, is known to be the source of an energy drain during athletic movements, such as running and jumping movements. Embedding flat and rigid plates having longitudinal stiffness within a sole structure is known to increase the overall stiffness thereof. The use of flat plates can increase a mechanical demand on ankle plantarflexors of the foot, thereby increasing a resultant impulse as the foot pushes off of the ground surface. Generating a greater horizontal impulse as the foot pushes off of the ground can increase the distance traveled during a horizontal jump. It is also known to embed curved and rigid plates within the sole structure to increase the overall stiffness thereof and alleviate the mechanical demand on the ankle plantarflexors of the foot. While curved plates may be particularly well-suited for improving the efficiency of the foot during running movements, intensifying the curvature of curved plates about the MTP joint of the foot may shorten the horizontal jumping distance when the foot propels forward during athletic movements.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.


A gas turbine control system is disclosed which operates to stabilize the system frequency in a case of transitional variations of the system frequency without making the strength of hot gas path parts of the gas turbine below a maximum stress value of the hot gas path parts. When a system frequency abnormality is detected, the output of the gas turbine is adjusted to recover the system frequency by making a gas turbine combustion gas temperature control inoperative. For this purpose, there are provided a logical circuit operative to make the gas turbine combustion gas temperature control disabled or inoperative in response to an abnormal system frequency detection signal, and a recovery circuit that operates to cancel the inoperative state of the gas turbine combustion gas temperature control. The detection of an abnormal system frequency may be carried out by an outside signal. An abnormality detection unit may be provided in a combined cycle plant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas turbine control system which can prevent instability in the operation of a gas turbine which occurs when the system frequency increases or decreases in a short time from normal operational frequency due to disconnection of a load, an emergency stop of a generator and so on, and which can prevent an unstable operation as well as stoppage, which is the worst, of the gas turbine as a principal driving source of a thermal power generator, thus contributing to stabilizing the frequency of the electric power system during a transitional period.
2. Description of the Related Art
In gas turbine power generating plants, fuel and compressed air are supplied to a combustor and the combustion gas produced in the combustor is supplied to a gas turbine to operate the same. FIG. 36 shows a schematic view of a gas turbine power generating plant.
A gas turbine unit generally designated by reference numeral 100 in FIG. 36 is composed of a compressor 2, a combustor 4 and a turbine 7. Air introduced into the air compressor 2 through inlet guide vanes or blades 1 is compressed in the compressor 2 into a high-pressure air, which is sent through an air passage 3 into the combustor 4 and used as combustion air for fuel. On the other hand, the fuel is supplied through fuel control valve 5 and a fuel burner 6 into the combustor 4 and combusted therein to produce a combustion gas at high temperature and high pressure. The combustion gas flows into the turbine 7 to rotate a gas turbine shaft 8, which drives a generator 9 to produce output of electric energy. Exhaust gas from the turbine 7 flows directly into a chimney, or, in the case of a combined-cycle power generating plant, flows into a chimney after being used as heat source for an exhaust gas heat recovery boiler.
A gas turbine control device 10 is provided for controlling gas turbine unit 100. The gas turbine control device 10 gives a fuel control signal FREF to the fuel control valve 5 to adjust the fuel flow rate, in response to a gas turbine speed N derived from a gas turbine speed sensor 12 provided adjacent to a gear 11 at the end portion of the gas turbine shaft 8, a compressor inlet air pressure PX1 derived from an inlet air pressure sensor 103 provided adjacent to the inlet portion of the air compressor 2, a compressor outlet air pressure PX2 derived from an outlet air pressure sensor 13 at the outlet portion of the air compressor 2, an exhaust gas temperature TX4 derived from an exhaust gas temperature sensor 14 provided at the outlet portion of the gas turbine 7, and a generator output MW derived from a generator output sensor 15.
FIG. 37 shows a block diagram of the gas turbine control device 10. The control device 10 includes: a speed-load control section 16 that controls the speed of the gas turbine unit 100 and the load of the generator 9 connected to the gas turbine unit 100; combustion gas temperature control section 18 that controls the combustion gas temperature in the gas turbine unit 100 so as to be at or below a predetermined upper limit value; and a fuel control signal selection unit 17 that receives both a speed-load control signal FN from the speed-load control section 16 and an exhaust gas temperature control signal FT from the combustion gas temperature control section 18 and selects a smaller one of these received signals to output it as a fuel control signal. The combustion gas temperature control section 18 shown in FIG. 37 does not control the combustion gas temperature directly but controls the combustion gas temperature indirectly by detecting the temperature TX4 of the exhaust gas from the turbine 7.
The gas turbine unit 100 is started by increasing its rotational speed to a rated rotational speed with the fuel flow rate adjusted at a start control unit not shown. At the start of the turbine, the fuel flow rate is small so that the combustion gas temperature is low, and the speed-load control signal FN from the speed-load control section 16 is smaller than the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT from the combustion gas temperature control section 18. As a result, the speed-load control signal FN is selected at the fuel control signal selection unit 17, as a fuel selection signal FREF. Therefore, the gas turbine, which has increased in speed to the rated rotational speed by the start control unit, is maintained at the rated rotational speed by the speed-load control section 16.
The speed-load control section 16 maintains the gas turbine unit 100 at the rated rotational speed when the generator 9 is not loaded, while when the generator 9 is connected to the electric power system the speed-load control section 16 carries out a control so that the generator 9 outputs a set value in a load setting unit 24. A rated rotational speed is set as an initial set value in a speed setting unit 19 of the speed-load control section 16, and a speed deviation NE from the rotational speed N of the gas turbine unit 100 is calculated in a subtracter 20. Proportional calculation of the speed deviation NE is carried out in a proportional control unit 21, and a no-load rated speed bias signal from a signal generator 22 is added to the proportional-calculated value to generate the speed-load control signal FN. The no-load rated speed bias signal is a signal corresponding to flow rate required to maintain the gas turbine unit 100 and the generator 9 under no-load condition to the rated rotational speed.
When the generator 9 is connected to the electric power system in the above condition, the generator 9 is rotated in synchronism with the system frequency and loaded operation takes place. In the loaded operation, a subtracter 25 calculates a generator output deviation MWE which is the difference between a generator output MW and a load set value in the load setting unit 24. When the generator output deviation MWE is negative, a comparator 26 closes a switch 27, while when the generator output deviation MWE is positive, the comparator 29 closes a switch 30.
When the generator output deviation MWE is negative, a positive value set in a signal generator 28 is input to the speed setting unit 19. The speed setting unit 19 has an integrating characteristic and increases the set value in the speed setting unit 19 at a change rate corresponding to that positive value, thereby changing the speed-load control signal FN so as to make the generator output deviation MWE null. Similarly, when the generator output deviation MWE is positive, the set value in the speed setting unit 19 is reduced at a change rate corresponding to a negative value set in a signal generator 31, thereby changing the speed-load control signal FN so as to make the generator output deviation MWE null.
In a condition in which the generator 9 is connected to the electric power system and is gradually taking a load, the generator output deviation MWE is negative, so that the comparator 27 closes the switch 27 and the set value in the speed setting unit 19 is increased at a change rate corresponding to the positive value set in the signal generator 28, whereby the generator output MW increases gradually. As a result, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 increases gradually and therefore the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT from the combustion gas temperature control section 18 is made smaller gradually.
As the fuel flow rate increases, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 increases, so that an exhaust gas temperature deviation TE decreases gradually. When the exhaust gas temperature TX4 reaches a predetermined upper limit value TXR4, the exhaust gas temperature deviation TE becomes null. When the exhaust gas temperature TX4 exceeds the predetermined upper limit value TXR4, the exhaust gas temperature deviation TE becomes negative, which causes generation of an alarm or trip of the gas turbine unit 100. Due to reduction of the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT, the value of the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT becomes smaller than the value of the speed-load control signal FN. As a result, the fuel control signal selection section 17 replaces the speed-load control signal FN with the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT, which becomes the fuel control signal FREF. Thus, the fuel control signal FREF controls the fuel flow rate to make the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the turbine unit 100 correspond to the predetermined upper limit value TXR4.
The combustion gas temperature control section 18 has a function generator 32 for calculating an upper limit value TXR4 which is determined as a function of the compressor pressure ratio PX2/PX1. Thus, the combustion gas temperature control section 18 executes a control function to make the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the turbine 7 equal to the predetermined upper limit value TXR4.
FIGS. 38, 39 and 40 show quantitative changes in the state of the gas turbine unit 100 using the gas turbine control device 10 shown in FIG. 37. As shown in FIG. 38, the fuel flow rate GFX increases in proportion to increase of the generator output MW. Until the generator output MW reaches a time point t1, the angle of the inlet guide vanes or blades 1 is maintained constant by means of an inlet guide vane control device, so that the compressor air flow rate GAX is maintained constant. As the generator output MW increases from the time point t1 through a time point t2 to a time point t3, the angle of the inlet guide vanes or blades 1 is increased gradually by means of the inlet guide vane control device in such a manner that the compressor air flow rate GAX is increased as shown.
As shown in FIG. 39, the combustion gas temperature TX3 increases as the generator output MW increases. When the generator output MW reaches the time point t2, the combustion gas temperature TX3 increases to the upper limit value TXR3. The reason why the compressor air flow rate GAX is maintained constant until the generator output MW reaches the time point t1, is to increase the combustion gas temperature TX3 as quickly as possible, thus raising the thermal efficiency of the gas turbine. Even when the generator output MW increases from the time point t2 to the time point t3, the combustion gas temperature TX3 is maintained at or below the upper limit value TXR3. As the generator output MW increases, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 also increases, and when the generator output MW reaches the time point t1, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 reaches the upper limit value TXR4. Even when the generator output MW increases from the time point t1 to the time point t2, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 is maintained at the upper limit value TXR4 because of the increase in the compressor air flow rate GAX by increasing the angle of the inlet guide vanes or blades 1 and because of the fuel control by the combustion gas temperature control section 18. When the combustion gas temperature TX3 is maintained constant during the increase of the generator output MW from the time point t2 to the time point t3, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 is reduced linearly as shown.
FIG. 40 shows the characteristics of the function generator 32. The compression ratio PX2/PX1 is calculated from the inlet air pressure PX1 of the compressor and the outlet air pressure PX2 of the same, and the exhaust gas temperature upper limit value TXR4 shown in solid line in the figure is generated as a function of the compression ratio PX2/PX1. The control of the exhaust gas temperature TX4 at or below the upper limit value TXR4 by means of the combustion gas temperature control section 18 is equivalent to the maintenance of the combustion gas temperature TX3 at or below the predetermined upper limit value TXR3 as shown in FIG. 39. The broken line in FIG. 40 shows an alarm issuing value for the exhaust gas temperature or a trip value for the gas turbine unit 100.
How the upper limit value TXR3 of the combustion gas is determined will be explained with reference to FIG. 41. This figure shows a relationship between the combustion gas temperature TX3 and a long-term creep strength of a material used for hot gas path parts composing the gas turbine. The temperature of the hot gas path parts increases and decreases in proportion to the temperature of the combustion gas, and the proportional constant is shown as C in this figure. As the combustion gas temperature increases, the long-term creep strength of the material drops. In order to prevent damage of the hot gas path parts, it is required to so control the combustion gas temperature that the creep strength of the material is above a maximum stress produced in the hot gas path parts.
FIG. 41 shows an example in which the upper limit value TXR3 is a value in the case where the long-term of the creep strength is a hundred thousand (100,000) hours. This means that if this value of TXR3 is adopted as the combustion gas upper limit temperature, the hot gas path parts for gas turbines can be used for a hundred thousand (100,000) hours without replacement. The upper limit value TXR4 of the exhaust gas temperature can be determined on the basis of the relationship of TXR3, TXR4 and PX2/PX1 as shown in FIGS. 38 and 39. As stated above, gas turbines that use the conventional gas turbine control device are operated within a range of allowable combustion gas temperature in which hot gas path parts of the gas turbines can be used for a long term without replacement.
The conventional gas turbine control device involves the problem described below. That is, when frequency variations occur in the electric power system, the speed-load control section 16 operates to a great extent to recover the system frequency through a high proportional gain of the proportional control unit 21, so that there occurs a great variation of the fuel flow rate with a resultant great variation of the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the gas turbine unit 100.
Especially, in a case where a system frequency variation occurs while the gas turbine is operated with the gas turbine exhaust gas temperature TX4 being in the neighborhood of the predetermined upper limit value TXR4, the operation of the speed-load control section 16 gives a large disturbance to the control of the gas turbine fuel and air and the control of the combustion gas temperature. For example, when the system frequency is increased, the gas turbine speed N is also increased. Thus, the speed-load control section 16 operates to correct this, so that the speed-load control signal FN is decreased from the value taken immediately before the system frequency increase. This results in that the speed-load control signal FN is lower than the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT, whereby the speed-load control signal FN is selected in the fuel control signal selecting section 17 and the fuel flow is throttled. Consequently, the fuel flow rate is reduced and the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the gas turbine unit 100 is reduced with a delay of several seconds.
If the system frequency recovers rapidly in this state, the gas turbine speed N recovers rapidly to the rated rotational speed. In this case, since delay in detecting the gas turbine speed N is negligibly small, so that the speed-load control signal FN increases rapidly. Since the fuel control signal selecting section 17 is selecting the speed-load control signal FN as the fuel control signal FREF in this state, variation in the speed-load control signal FN results in variation in the fuel flow rate and consequently the fuel flow rate increases rapidly. This is because there occurs a delay in increase of the exhaust gas temperature TX4 responsive to the rapid increase of the fuel flow rate due to a several minute delay in detecting the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the gas turbine unit 100 in relation to the negligible small delay in the detection of the gas turbine speed N.
For this reason, an excessive amount of fuel has been supplied when the exhaust gas temperature TX4 has reached the predetermined upper limit value TXR4 because of the rapid increase of the fuel flow rate. At that time, the fuel control signal selecting section 17 carries out switching from the speed-load control signal FN to the exhaust gas temperature control signal FT as the fuel control signal FREF, to reduce the fuel flow rate. However, since the excessive amount of fuel has already been supplied, the exhaust gas temperature TX4 continues to rise.
For a reason of operation of the gas turbine at high efficiency, the gas turbine unit 100 is run with the combustion gas temperature TX3 maintained at as high a temperature as possible, and therefore the upper limit value TXR4 is close to the alarm issuing value or the gas turbine trip value of the combustion gas temperature TX4. Under such a condition, a further temperature increase sometimes results in an undesirable situation of gas turbine trip. Further, also when the generator output MW is controlled in the condition where the exhaust gas temperature TX4 of the gas turbine unit 100 is somewhat smaller than the upper limit value TXR4 and the speed-load control signal FN is selected as the fuel control signal FREF, an abrupt drop of the system frequency causes the same undesirable situation as stated above since the speed-load control signal FN increases rapidly.
In a large-scale service interruption accident that occurred in Malaysia in 1996, a combined cycle and a gas turbine generator were disconnected successively as a result of trip that occurred in a trunk transmission line. This shows that the power plant in operation under high-load condition became unstable in relation to system frequency reduction. During high-load operation, air flow rate can be increased only slightly because of a limit to the operation of the inlet air guide blades. Furthermore, the fuel supply cannot be increased because trip occurs in the power plant when the gas turbine exhaust gas temperature increases and exceeds a limit value.
The flow rate of air to be supplied is a function of the rotational speed of the gas turbine, and when the system frequency drops, the air flow rate also decreases. Further, there is a limitation to increasing the fuel supply because of the above-mentioned limitation to the exhaust gas temperature of the gas turbine. Therefore, as the system frequency drops, the output of the combined cycle power plant decreases, which causes further drop of the system frequency, leading to a large-scale service interruption. This is reported in a thesis entitled "Dynamic Behavior of Combined Cycle Power Plant during Frequency Drop", (The transactions of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Vol. 122-B, No.3.2002) and in a thesis entitled "Dynamic Study of Power System including Combined Cycle Power Plant" (Thesis No. 6-070, 2002, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan).
In the above situation, the system frequency drops when the generator in operation, connected in parallel to an electric power system is disconnected or when a load such as a generator-motor in the pumped-storage power plant or an induction motor is started. On the other hand, the system frequency increases when the load is disconnected in the system rapidly. During a large-scale system frequency variation in which trip of a combined cycle Power Plant occurs, for example, control is carried out to stabilize the system frequency by disconnecting a load in the system or by adjusting the output of the generator in operation. In this case, it is possible to quickly take a measure to reduce the output of the generator, but increasing the generator output requires several tens seconds depending upon the characteristics of the plant because the output of the exhaust heat recovery boiler must be increased to increase the generator output. Therefore, it is required to provide the gas turbine with a capability of continued operation with as high an output as possible.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas turbine control system which contributes to stabilization of the system frequency in cases of transitional or temporary variations of the system frequency without making the strength of hot gas path parts of the gas turbine at below a maximum stress value of the hot gas path parts.


The present disclosure describes pharmaceutical compositions and methods for reducing duration, intensity, and/or bothersomeness of common colds in humans and for reducing severity or duration of common cold symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, dry/scratchy throat and sneezing in humans exhibiting such symptoms. The compositions herein comprise extracts of at least one of Luffa Operculata (L. operculata), S. officinale (V. sabadilla), and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and in various embodiments, comprise a mixture of all three Luffa Operculata (L. operculata) 10% extract MT, S. officinale (V. sabadilla) 3× extract, and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) 10% extract MT in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The common cold is one of the most widespread viral diseases infecting mankind. It is universal and frequently contracted, infecting children and adults throughout their lives, and is one of the most common causes of doctor visits and absenteeism from school and work. The common cold is responsible for more widespread economic loss than perhaps most other medical conditions as measured by direct costs of $17 billion per year and indirect costs of $22.5 billion per year in the U.S. alone, (see A. Fendrick, et al., "The Economic Burden of Non-Influenza-Related Viral Respiratory Tract Infection in the United States," Arch. Intern. Med., 163(4), 487-494, 2003).
Currently there is no universally accepted, proven medical intervention that is widely available for treatment of the common cold. Most consumers use over-the-counter medications that reduce the inflammation associated with viral infections, in order to reduce the severity of their symptoms. These over-the-counter medications include analgesics, decongestants, mucolytics, and antihistamines, all of which reduce specific mediators of inflammation associated with colds symptoms. A product that is effective in the treatment of the common cold could markedly reduce the negative impact and economic losses otherwise incurred. A greater clinical benefit may be possible by interrupting the viral infection at more proximate points in the infection thereby mitigating the process and avoiding its evolution.
Rhinovirus infection is the most common cause of the common cold, (see R. Dolin, "Common Viral Respiratory Infections and Severe Acute Repiratory Syndrome (SARS)" in A. e. Fauci, Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, pp. 1120-1126, New York: McGraw Hill, 2008). The virus is typically introduced into the nasal passage where it quickly infects cells in the nasal mucosa, reproduces, then spreads to other epithelial cells through ciliary transport of new virions shed into the lumen. This process of viral replication and spread takes place within the first 8-24 hours, at which point symptoms of the colds illness begin to manifest, (see M. Terajima, "Rhinovirus Infection of Primary Cultures of Human Tracheal Epithelium: Role of ICAM-1 and IL-1β," Am J Physiol—Lung Physiol. 273 (4), L749-L759, 1997). Therefore, it is important to clinically intervene in the colds illness within the first 8-24 hours following infection.
Most researchers believe that intervening very early in the course of viral illness with compounds that interfere with viral replication, virus spead and infection provide the best chance of reducing its overall symptom burden. Few drugs have proven to work in relieving the common cold by interfering with the process of viral infection.
Therefore, new products usable during the manifestation of the colds illness are needed. For example, new pharmaceutical compositions usable for early intervention and reduction of duration of common colds are desirable.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising plant extracts and methods for reducing duration of a common cold using same


A transformable toy is presented. The toy includes a first member, a second member and a third member. A first surface of the first member is a first part of an exterior surface of a substantially spherical structure in a first configuration. A second surface of the second member is a second part of the exterior surface of the substantially spherical structure in the first configuration. The first member and second member are positionable in a second configuration in which at least a portion of the second member is further from at least a portion of the first member. The at least portion of the second member includes an edge which includes an arc-shaped portion. The first member, second member and third member are positionable in a third configuration.

Toys provide excitement and enjoyment for children. Toys come in several different sizes, shapes, configurations and perform many different functions. Some toys have a limited number of functions. Toys with a limited number of functions or uses tend to quickly lose childrens' interest.
Accordingly, there is need for toys with multiple functions and different uses to enhance childrens' excitement, enjoyment and interest with the toys.


Methods and apparatus to provide an improved package on package (PoP) design are described. In one embodiment, a central processing unit (CPU) package substrate and an embedded package (which may include one or more heat removal channels) are molded. Other embodiments are also described.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of electronics. More particularly, an embodiment of the invention generally relates to a package on package design.
A computer system generally includes various components that may communicate with each other during operation of the computer system. Sometimes these components may be located on different dies. Hence, communication speed of these various dies may be paramount to the performance achieved by a computer system.
In some current computer systems, dies may interlink via relatively long traces through a computer system motherboard and various substrate levels. Long vertical paths may minimize the extension of current motherboard system architecture, introduce signal propagation delay, and generation of additional heat. Some current computer systems aim to reduce the length of interlinks between various dies by stacked die technology and direct silicon via technology for direct die interlink. Utilization of direct silicon via technology for stacked dies may, however, require one die to carry the power source for another die. This approach creates thermal stress on the die that is responsible for carrying the power source.

Package on package design to improve functionality and efficiency


A light-emitting element display device includes a substrate, one or a plurality of thin film transistors, a light-emitting element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate includes an insulating material. The thin film transistors are in each pixel of a display area on the substrate. The light-emitting element emits light by current flow in each pixel. The first electrode is between the substrate and the thin film transistors, and overlaps at least two of the thin film transistors when viewed in plan. The second electrode includes a conducting material, and is arranged across the first electrode from the substrate via an insulating film so as to form a capacitor together with the first electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting element display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, light-emitting element display devices including self-luminous elements, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), have been in practical use. An organic electro-luminescent (EL) display device, including such a self-luminous OLED, is excellent in visibility and response speed compared with liquid crystal display devices known in the art. Additionally, such a self-luminous OLED eliminates the need for an auxiliary lighting device, such as a backlight, from display devices, and allows them to be thinner.
JP 4989415 B discloses an organic EL display device including thin film transistors and capacitors that compensate for a threshold voltage of a driver transistor arranged in each pixel.
Recent increases in definition of light-emitting element display devices, such as the organic EL display devices described above, have led to decreases in their pixel size. Such an organic EL display device controls current in each pixel by holding a potential difference corresponding to a grayscale value of the pixel. A decrease in the size of the pixel, which causes a decrease in the size of the corresponding electrode, results in a decrease in a capacitance for holding the potential difference. When the capacitance for holding the potential difference is small, noise or a weak leakage current may change the potential difference, and thus cause uneven brightness across different pixel positions. This may result in deterioration in the display quality.


Provided is an improved sorter assembly that is capable of directly receiving articles from multiple upstream sources and directly sorting to multiple downstream destinations, and that can sort a wide variety of articles, including heavy, bulky articles. The sorter assembly includes a carrying conveyor having a conveying surface that carries the articles being sorted. The carrying conveyor carries articles in a longitudinal direction between an upstream end and a downstream end of the carrying conveyor. The sorter assembly also includes a diverter that extends perpendicularly from and moves across the conveying surface to define a plurality of diverting orientations. While the articles are being conveyed by the carrying conveyor, the diverter engages and directs the articles at least partially laterally across the conveying surface toward the articles' destinations. The diverter pivots about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the conveying surface, and that axis of rotation can be moved laterally across the conveying surface. The axis of rotation of the diverter can also be moved to be proximate to or between the opposite ends of the diverter. The diverter can also translate across the conveying surface. The ability to translate, rotate and move the axis of rotation allows a single diverter to easily and efficiently divert from multiple upstream sources to multiple downstream destinations.

Package delivery companies pick up millions of packages daily from thousands of locations over a large geographical area and transport them to sorting facilities, primarily by truck and airplane, so they can be routed to a correspondingly large number of scattered destinations. To meet a rigorous schedule and provide accurate deliveries, a package delivery company must use automated transfer systems in the sorting facilities to match incoming packages with proper outgoing transport headed for the packages' destinations. Because deliveries are time sensitive, the sorting equipment must be very fast, yet provide gentle and accurate handling of packages.
Belt and roller conveyor systems have often been used in package sorting systems to move packages from incoming loading docks to outgoing transport. Sorting of packages traveling along a conveyor may be accomplished by diverting packages from the conveyor based on their destinations, or based on their size or another characteristic. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,104,755; 4,711,357; 4,295,559; and 5,400,895 each disclose sorting assemblies that include a horizontal conveyor with a diverter that moves in close proximity to and across the surface of the conveyor to divert articles off of the conveyor toward their destinations. In some cases the diverter is simply an elongate paddle. In other cases the diverter is elongate, pivots across the surface of the conveyor, and includes an endless belt driven about pulleys whose axes extend perpendicularly from the conveyor.
Many sorter assemblies can directly receive incoming articles from only one or two upstream sources and can sort directly to only two or three downstream destinations. As a result, numerous sorters are often employed in a single conveyor system or at a single sorting facility, which increases the cost and complexity of the conveyor systems and sorting facilities.
Additionally, many of the sorter assemblies that are currently used by package delivery companies have difficulty sorting certain bulky articles, such as large car tail pipes, bags, tires, ladders, and other large or heavy articles. As a result, many of these types of articles have to be sorted manually. Manual sorting can be much more expensive and time consuming than sorting articles with automated sorters, especially when the articles are heavy.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a sorting assembly that possesses greater flexibility in the number of upstream sources from which it can directly receive articles and the number of downstream destinations to which it can directly sort articles, and that possess greater flexibility with respect to the articles, such as bulky articles, that it is capable of sorting.

Automated diverter capable of sorting bulky articles


A racquet stringing machine includes a base, a racquet mounting frame attached to the base for mounting and securing a racquet to be strung with string, a string clamping device which holds the clamped end of the string in place relative to the racquet frame while tension is being applied to the tensioning end of the string and a string tensioner having a string tensioner frame mounted to the base in offset relation to the racquet mounting frame, a tension setting mechanism movably mounted to the string tensioner frame for applying a desired amount of tension to the strings and a string gripper mounted to the tension setting mechanism for holding the tensioning end of the string while tension is applied. The racquet stringing machine is improved by providing a rotational string guide mounted in a fixed relation to the string gripper which guides the tensioning end of the string into the string gripper such that the line of action of the force from the string being tensioned against the string gripper remains the same regardless of the elevation of the clamped end of the string relative to the string gripper. In addition, the tension in the string on the string tensioner side of the string guide is the same as the string tension in the string on the string clamp side of the string guide.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to machines or devices for stringing sports racquets and more particularly is concerned with a tensioning device for stringing sports racquets having a rotatable string guide for maintaining a constant string line of action to a string gripper of the tensioning device.
2. Description of Prior Art
There have been various types of devices and machines for stringing sports racquets which utilize a manual or electrical means to apply tension to the racquet strings by pulling and stretching the string. Some of these devices include an automatic means for stopping or braking the pulling action when the desired string tension is achieved by using a predetermined tension setting device, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,275 to Held, U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,713 to Kaminstien and U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,055 to Longeat. Other devices use a visual scale which indicates when the desired tension is achieved, and the stopping or braking action is applied manually such as that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,609 to Miyagawa.
In the disclosures of the Held and Kaminstien patents, the string tensioner relies on a counter force system where the string force from tensioning the string is applied via a string gripper device to a tension setting mechanism, comprised of a lever arm pivotally mounted to a frame. The lever arm is counter balanced on the end opposite to the string gripper by a counter force, such as that generated by compressing a spring. As the string tension increases, the leverage to the string tension side of the lever arm increases and causes the lever to rotate. After rotating a predetermined amount, based on the tension setting of the string tensioner, a braking device is activated that causes the string tensioner to stop pulling the string. In the event the angle in which the string enters the string gripper device of the string tensioner described in the above referenced prior art is altered due to a different elevation between the clamped end of the string and the tensioning end of the string, the leverage produced by the string tension against the lever arm, of the string tensioning mechanism, which opposes the leverage applied by the compression spring on the opposite end of the lever arm, will be different. Since the predetermined tension setting, which establishes when to activate the braking device is based on a fixed correlation between the leverage produced by the string tension and the leverage produced by the counter balance spring, a difference in the leverage produced by the string tension will cause the braking device to activate prematurely, resulting in less than desired tension in the strings, or will cause the braking device to activate late, causing more than the desired tension in the strings.
In other devices known to exist in the art, such as that disclosed by the Miyagawa patent, the string tensioner involves a string gripper mounted on one side of a tension setting mechanism, comprised of a connecting arm which is mounted to a frame via a shaft and bushing arrangement or a slide and block arrangement, that will only permit linear translation of the connecting arm. As the string is pulled and tensioned, a force sensing device, attached to the pulling side of the connecting arm between the connecting arm and pulling mechanism, senses the force applied to the connecting arm and converts this force into a tension reading. When the force applied to the connecting arm reaches an amount that corresponds to the desired amount of tension in the strings by way of a predetermined tension setting based on a fixed correlation between the measured force on the connecting arm and the tension in the string, a braking device is activated causing the tensioning mechanism to stop pulling the string. Once again, if the line of action of the string tension on the string gripper is at different angles relative to the connecting arm, the correlation between the string tension in the racquet and the force measured by the sensing device will be different causing the string tensioner to stop pulling the string either prematurely or later which will result in less or more tension in the strings than desired.
In all the above cited cases, the angle in which the string enters the string gripper of the string tensioner effects the line of action of the string force on the tension setting mechanism, and will influence correlation between the predetermined tension setting of the string tensioner which achieves the desired tension in the string, and the counter balance force system of the tension setting mechanism, or the correlation between the predetermined tension setting of the string tensioner which achieves the desired tension in the strings and the force sensing system. The counter balance force system and the force sensing system both have a fixed correlation to the tension settings of the string tensioner which sets a reference point as to when to stop tensioning the string in order to achieve the desired tension in the string. In the cases where the string might enter the string gripper at various angles relative to the tension setting mechanism, due to different elevations from the point where the string is clamped relative to where the string enters the string gripper, the line of action of the string force relative to the string gripper will change, and will effect the correlation between the desired string tension and the predetermined setting of the string tension on the string tensioner. In these situations, the braking mechanism will be activated too late or too soon resulting in more or less than the desired tension in the string. In this situation, the racquet stringing machine is said to be out of calibration and requires some adjustment.
The Longeat patent teaches the use of a circular shaped guiding device to guide the string from the racquet into the gripper of the string tensioner. However, the guiding device is permanently attached to the string gripper and tension setting mechanism, and effectively becomes part of the string gripper and tension setting mechanism. Therefore, the line of action of the string force from the racquet to the guiding device will change as the angle of the string entering the guiding device is changed. As mentioned previously, the change to the line of action of the string force on the tension setting mechanism effects the calibration of the racquet stringing machine.
While the prior art stringing devices can be adjusted, or calibrated, to compensate for the different lines of action in which the string force is applied to the string gripper and tension setting mechanism, this adjustment or calibration process, is tedious and inconvenient, and must be done prior to stringing every racquet.
Therefore, there exists a need to improve the current racquet stringing devices to overcome the stated disadvantages associated with how the string is guided to the string gripper and tension setting mechanism of the string tensioner.

Tensioning device for stringing sports racquets having a string guide for maintaining constant string line of action to string gripper


A method for increasing oil recovery from a subterranean formation, the method consisting essentially of injecting a slug of water equal in volume to at least about 20% of the hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation into the formation, thereafter injecting a slug of solvent, the solvent consisting of materials selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane, hydrocarbons containing from 2 to about 5 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, into the formation in a volume equal to from about 2% to about 10% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation, thereafter injecting a water slug in an volume equal to from about 0.5 to about 3.0 times the volume of the preceding solvent slug, and repeating the solvent and water injection steps for a plurality of cycles with the amount of hydrocarbons containing from 2 to about 5 carbon atoms in the solvent decreasing from about 90 to about 100 mole percent in the initial solvent to about 30 mole percent in the final solvent and with the volume of solvent in each slug after the first being from about 0.5% to about 2.0% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation, and injecting after the last solvent slug, a slug of water equal in volume to at least about 20% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an alternating water/solvent/gas injection method for increasing the recovery of oil from a subterranean formation.
2. Background
Water alternating gas (WAG) processes have been used heretofore to recover hydrocarbons from subterranean formations. In such processes, water is first injected into the formation followed by a quantity of gas which is, in turn, followed with an additional slug of water with the steps being repeated a number of times. The sizes of the gas slugs typically used vary from 20% to 40% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation. Gas compositions are usually maintained at a constant level and may be followed by either water or, in some instances, another gas. Such processes are generally used to improve the mobility control of the injected fluids in the formation. In other words, the water has a lower injected fluid/oil-mobility ratio than does the gas. Desirably, the ratio of rate of injected fluid flow through the formation to the rate of oil flow through the formation is less than 1. Values greater than 1 are undesirable since, in such instances, the injected material moves through the formation faster than the oil and tends to bypass oil in the formation, thereby channelling through the formation and bypassing many of the areas which it is desired to contact. Gas typically has an even higher mobility ratio which may be as high as 10 to 100. Obviously, gas will quickly channel through a formation bypassing many of the areas it is desired to contact.
Further, the use of pure component gases, such as carbon dioxide, tends to result in a multi-contact miscible environment in the formation. The term "multi-contact miscible environment" refers to an environment in which it takes multiple contacts for the gas and oil to mix, thereby eliminating the interfaces between the gas and oil to the point where the oil can be more easily recovered from the formation. This process generally takes multiple gas contacts with the oil and the like.
In a variation of this process, rich gas mixtures which consist of hydrocarbon gases containing from two carbon atoms to about five carbon atoms, are used. These rich gas mixtures are frequently liquid in the formation environment and function more as a solvent. The result is an environment referred to as a "first contact miscible environment". In such an environment, the solvent and oil mix on first contact and then the oil is more readily flowed from the formation. Such processes result in much better efficiency but they require the use of more expensive materials and as a result are used less frequently.
Multi-contact miscible environments using lean gases, i.e. pure component gases such as methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or mixtures thereof, which require multiple contacts or longer contact periods are used more frequently.
Since the recovery of additional oil from a subterranean formation is, in most instances, an expensive process, a continuing search has been directed to the development of more effective and efficient ways to recover additional oil from subterranean formations economically.

Method for improving the recovery of oil from a subterranean formation by solvent concentration grading


The present disclosure provides a method for identifying a clique network using a Pregel graph computing framework. The method includes determining, according to a data transfer feature of a target clique, a transmitting direction of attribute values of nodes; transmitting, an edge vector of the edge and an attribute value of the first node to the second node along the transmitting direction in a constructed data transmission relationship network, the edge vector comprising a plurality of data transfer eigenvalues; performing, weighted calculation on the edge vector received by the second node to obtain an optimal weighted edge; iterating, the above operations; and determining, according to attribute values of the nodes after the one or more iterations, nodes in the target clique, and determining attributes of the nodes in the target clique.

With development of relationship networks, different types of cliques gradually form in a data transmission relationship network. Mining a clique with a target feature in a data transmission relationship network is extremely important to supervision of the relationship network information.
Currently, relationship sub-network mining in the data transmission relationship network is mainly implemented by using a tag diffusion algorithm, which often cannot distinguish data transmission in a clique with a target feature and data transmission in a clique without a target feature.

Clique network identification method and apparatus, computer device, and computer-readable storage medium

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


Scalable presence distribution system and method are described. In one embodiment, a presence distribution system comprises a plurality of presence servers and a centralized management function for coordinating registration of a presentity with one or more of the plurality of presence servers.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to distribution of presence information. More particularly, and not by way of any limitation, the present invention is directed to system and method for enabling scalable distribution of such presence information.
2. Description of Related Art
Presence distribution systems are currently implemented using a single presence server; that is, each presentity registers with and publishes its presence information to only one presence server. FIG. 1 illustrates such a prior art presence distribution system, which is designated in FIG. 1 by a reference numeral 100. As shown in FIG. 1, all presentities, represented by a presentity 102, in the system 100 register with a single presence server 104, as represented by an arrow 105. Similarly, all watchers, represented in FIG. 1 by a watcher 106, subscribe to one or more of the presentities 102 via the presence server 104, as represented by an arrow 107. After it is registered, the presentity 102 publishes its presence information to the server 104 when any of its attributes change, as represented by an arrow 108. The server 102, in turn, notifies the watchers, such as the watcher 106, that have subscribed to the presentity 102, as represented by an arrow 110.
The centralized presence distribution system, such as the system 100, suffers from a number of significant limitations. In particular, due to the lack of scalability inherent in the system, performance capacity will become saturated as the number of users grows. Moreover, centralization, or lack of distributed mechanisms for presence servers, results in problems for organizations with large divisions located in geographically separate areas. Finally, the system 100 lacks redundancy, which will result in users being unable to access system services should the server 104 crash or be taken down to undergo maintenance.
Therefore, what is needed is a presence distribution system that is scalable and overcomes the above-noted deficiencies of currently available systems.


A kit for connecting precast panels is disclosed herein. The kit includes at least two male member having a plate and a post projecting from the plate. The male member is operable to be embedded within a precast panel. The kit also includes at least two female members having a plate and a slot defined by the plate. Each female members is operable to be embedded within a precast panel. The post is received in the slot when the first precast panel and the second precast panel are slidably engaged with one another. Also disclosed is a precast panel formed using the kit and a method of connecting precast panels formed with the kit.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to precast panels, such as concrete panel used in the construction of structures.
2. Description of Related Art
Precast concrete panel construction is a common construction technique in which precast concrete panels are shipped to and assembled at the building site. One common method of connecting the panels is to weld them together which is costly and very time consuming. Welding also does not allow for seismic movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,404 discloses a PRECAST CONCRETE WALL PANEL. The '404 patent discloses a wall system comprising a plurality of wall panels. Each panel has a vertically extending pilaster formed integrally with one end, defining a vertically open hollow core area of sufficient size for forming a concrete cast-in-situ column for supporting the panel in an upright position. The pilaster further includes an outwardly open groove communicating with the hollow core area. Each panel also has an integrally cast tongue projecting from its other said end, which is received in the groove of an adjoining panel to enclose the hollow core area. A concrete column is cast-in-situ in the hollow core area. Preferably, the pilaster is positioned on a concrete foundation or footing, which includes reinforcement members that project up into the hollow core area such that, when the column is cast, the reinforcement members are embedded in the concrete column. Adjoining panels may be positioned in end-to-end relation, at an angle relative to one another, or stacked.

Kit for precast panels and method of assembling panels


Various examples with respect to visual depth sensing with accurate and full-range depth fusion and sensing are described. A control circuit of an apparatus receives a plurality of sensor signals that are heterogeneous in type from a plurality of sensors. The control circuit generates first depth-related information of a scene and second depth-related information of the scene based on the plurality of sensor signals. The control circuit then fuses the first depth-related information and the second depth-related information to generate a fused depth map of the scene.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims listed below and are not admitted as prior art by inclusion in this section.
There are currently a number of techniques for range sensing and depth estimation to achieve computer stereo vision. For instance, some of the existing techniques include structured-light, passive stereo, active stereo, and time-of-flight. However, there is not a technique that combines some of those techniques. Moreover, in applications where infrared (IR) projectors and IR cameras are used for depth sensing, the components in use are often expensive. It would be desirable to have a solution that allows computer stereo vision with stereo matching by using off-the-shelf and relatively inexpensive components.


An accommodation system for an accommodation space for storing rollable containers in a vehicle. After a front container, which is arranged at the insertion opening, has been removed in the conventional manner, it is possible, through the use of the accommodation system, to remove the rear container which is arranged considerably spaced apart from the insertion opening in the interior of the accommodation space. For this purpose, a rail system is provided in the floor region of the accommodation space. A transfer plate is movable on the rail system in the floor region of the accommodation space and can assume a storage position and a removal position for the rear container.

Vehicles which serve for transporting a multiplicity of passengers are commonly equipped with cabins with passenger seats, one or more on-board toilets and optionally one or more galleys. In particular in the context of the design of galleys in passenger aircraft to be more compact, concepts exist in the case of which parking locations for trolleys are utilized in which multiple trolleys are arranged one behind the other. This commonly relates to the use of trolleys according to ATLAS, ARINC or KSSU standards, and the combined use of a trolley with full structural depth ("full size trolley") and of a trolley with a halved structural depth ("half size trolley") or two trolleys with full structural depth (two "full size trolleys"). It is also the case for supply containers which must be stored as boxes in the galley that, owing to the structural depth for the storage space, stowage of two boxes or more one behind the other can be possible.
For the removal of trolleys from such a parking location, it is commonly the case that a handle situated at a top side is gripped by a user and is pulled out of the parking location. For this purpose, the trolley is equipped with rollers which are provided for the movement within the galley area and also for the movement of the trolley in the aircraft aisle from seat row to seat row for the serving process within the aircraft cabin. For trolleys on the rear parking locations, a removal device is necessarily provided. In particular if a full size trolley is parked in a rear parking location, it is possibly difficult for the flight attendants, in terms of a relatively high expenditure of force and also in terms of the accessibility, to move the full size trolley out of the rear parking location.
Such removal devices for trolleys are known from WO 2016 034 531 A1 or also WO 2014 125 046 A1. Here, a forward and backward movement of the trolley in the parking location space is provided by means of rods and engagement devices with respect to the trolley body. For catering containers in boxes, too, a removal from the rear parking location by means of cable systems is known. However, the operability and handleability of a trolley/of a box specifically for parking locations arranged one behind the other can be improved.

Accommodation system for rollable containers in a vehicle, and a vehicle having such a system