A method for performing a process on a target in a chamber. A gas discharge unit includes a first space having a discharge hole for discharging a first gas, a second space having a discharge hole for discharging a second gas and a third space having a discharge hole for discharging a gas generated between the first and second spaces. A distribution unit includes a first distribution pipe communicating with the first space, a second distribution pipe communicating with the second space and a third distribution pipe communicating with the third space. A valve group includes a first valve opened or closed to the first distribution pipe and a second valve opened or closed to the second distribution pipe. The method includes switching, without mixing the first gas and the second gas, the gas discharged from the discharge hole in the third space by opening or closing the valve group.

In order to improve process uniformity in a surface of a processing target object such as a semiconductor wafer, there has been proposed a method of changing a supply amount of a processing gas at a central portion and an edge portion of the wafer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In Patent Document 1, in order to change the supply amount of the processing gas at the central portion and the edge portion of the wafer, a circular ring-shaped partition wall is provided in a buffer room (gas diffusion space) of an upper electrode configured to discharge the processing gas. The buffer room is partitioned into a central buffer room and an outer buffer room, and the processing gas is supplied into the respective buffer rooms at different supply amounts.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-165399
In Patent Document 1, the circular ring-shaped partition wall is placed at a position capable of obtaining highest process uniformity in the surface of the wafer.
Since, however, the position of the circular ring-shaped partition wall is fixed, if there is a change in the process, e.g., a change in processing conditions, a margin for obtaining desired uniformity in the surface of the wafer would be reduced or best uniformity in the surface of the wafer may not be obtained. In such a case, a discharging position of the processing gas discharged to the central portion in the surface of the wafer and a discharging position of the processing gas discharged to the edge portion in the surface of the wafer need to be changed each time. For example, in Patent Document 1, the position of the circular ring-shaped partition wall needs to be changed or the circular ring-shaped partition wall needs to be replaced manually. Alternatively, the upper electrode itself, i.e., a processing gas discharge unit itself needs to be replaced manually.
The same problems as mentioned above may also occur when a new process is employed in order to manufacture a next-generation device as well as when there is a change in the process. For this reason, a conventional processing apparatus has low compatibility with or applicability to a next-generation device or process.


A power protection device protects electronic equipment from AC supply system disturbances. An electronically controlled relay circuit passes power to connected equipment if the electrical supply system, to which the equipment is connected, is properly wired for continuity and correct polarity of line, neutral, and ground conductors, and the line voltage is within twenty-five percent of nominal levels. Thermal cut-offs are used as a back-up to the over-voltage protection provided by the electronically controlled relay circuit. These thermal cut-offs are connected in a way that when either or both trip, the relay of the electronically controlled relay circuit is de-energized and power is disconnected to the device output stage and connected equipment.

For more than 20 years, companies have been developing and marketing products that are connected between the AC supply system and electronic equipment, in an attempt to protect the connected electronic equipment from a variety of power-line disturbances. Currently, many designs incorporate hybrid technology that combines both filter circuits, such as passive LC filter networks, and suppressor technologies, such as metal oxide varistors (MOVs), and gas discharge tubes (GDTs), in an attempt to protect against a broader range of disturbances than either technology on its own.
In order to divert common mode disturbances away from connected equipment, all protective products, regardless of technology, (i.e. filter, suppressor, hybrid, transformer based, etc.), must be connected to a properly wired supply system with continuity of the safety ground conductor. Loss of ground continuity results in loss of common mode protection for connected equipment. Without ground continuity common mode disturbances, such as ground-referenced transients, can find alternate paths through connected equipment to ground via network cabling and other properly grounded equipment. In the process, disruption and possible damage can occur to both the improperly and properly grounded equipment. In addition to causing potential power quality problems, loss of ground continuity increases the risk of electrical shock for operators of electronic equipment.
In the prior art, diagnostic devices such as power-line monitors exist that can be used to check wiring as well as the power quality conditions of supply system outlets and, if available, can be an important aspect of an overall power quality program. Power quality, however, is a dynamic condition that needs to be addressed for the life of the protected equipment. Facility renovations, for instance, can result in wiring faults such as loss of ground continuity for an outlet that was previously checked and found to be correctly wired. In addition, movement of equipment from one outlet to another outlet can result in potentially disruptive/damaging wiring faults.
In the applicant's experience, most conventional power protection designs pass power to the connected equipment and allow for continued equipment operation after loss of continuity of the safety ground conductor. Some available designs contain diagnostic indicators that turn on or off in response to various wiring fault conditions such as loss of ground continuity. The problem with this approach is that the operator must recognize and understand these diagnostic indicators before a potential problem can be rectified. Because most power protection products are installed behind the equipment to be protected, it is unlikely that the operator will ever notice the diagnostic indicators and a potentially problematic wiring fault.
Virtually every power protection design of which the applicant is aware uses several MOVs to suppress various modes of transient over-voltages. While MOVs can be very effective at suppressing transients, they are vulnerable to failure as a result of extended over-voltage conditions that cause one or more MOVs to conduct and continue to conduct for the duration of the over-voltage condition. Continued conduction causes these suppressor components to heat up and eventually fail. Failures of MOVs can be both a shock and fire hazard, and growing concern about this problem has resulted in significant revisions to applicable CSA and UL safety standards. In particular, so-called abnormal over-voltage tests have been added which simulate these extended over-voltage conditions. Compliance with the revised standards requires that the design respond to the abnormal over-voltage tests in a way that does not present a shock or fire hazard; that is components cannot fail short across supply system conductor pairs and failure of components cannot cause ignition of surrounding flammables.
To comply with revised CSA/UL safety standards, most power protection designs have been modified with the addition of one or more thermal cut-offs (TCOs). These TCOs are usually connected in series with one or more MOVs across various supply system conductor pairs, (that is shunt connected). During over-voltage conditions one or more MOVs will go into conduction and heat up. One or more TCOs, preferably sandwiched between the MOVs, will in turn heat up and will trip when its trip temperature is reached. Tripping of a TCO will, therefore, disconnect one or more MOVs from across various supply system conductor pairs and, designed correctly, can prevent potentially dangerous MOV failures.
While the above approach usually satisfies revised CSA and UL standards, it can result in continued operation of connected equipment after loss of some or all of the transient protection. Operation of one or more TCOs, in this type of design, will disconnect one or more suppressor components from across the line while allowing power to pass to the connected equipment. This allows for continued equipment operation after loss of this mode of transient protection. While some designs contain diagnostic lights that indicate loss of protection, similar to the problems associated with wiring fault indicators, these indicators may not be noticed on a product that is typically installed behind the connected equipment.
An alternative approach that has been used is to electrically connect the TCO in series with the line conductor on the supply side of the MOV(s) to be protected. With this configuration, tripping of the TCO will not only disconnect one or more MOVs from across various supply system conductor pairs, but will also disconnect power to the connected equipment. This will immediately notify the operator of a failure of the protection product. One of the difficulties with this approach stems from the fact that series connected TCOs must carry connected equipment load currents. The steady-state current carried by the TCO causes self-heating of the component that requires selection of a TCO with a much higher trip temperature in order to avoid nuisance tripping. This increases the difficulty of coordination of the TCO with the MOVs that it is protecting.
While the series connected TCO configuration can be used to break continuity of the line conductor, CSA and UL do not allow for a similar TCO configuration that breaks neutral continuity. The reason for this is that breaking of neutral continuity will shut off the connected equipment but will still pass line to ground voltages to the protection product outputs which could be a potential shock hazard for anyone servicing the equipment. CSA and UL, therefore, do not allow for breakage of neutral continuity unless it occurs simultaneously with breakage of line continuity, (such as a double pole circuit breaker).
As a result, designs that contain a "line-connected" TCO will also require at least one "shunt-connected" TCO in order to protect all modes of suppressor components. In such designs, tripping of shunt connected TCOs will disconnect one or more modes of transient protection while still allowing power to pass to connected equipment, leaving it vulnerable to subsequent transient and extended over-voltage conditions.
In addition to the problems described above, TCO-only designs provide a one-time solution to extended over-voltage conditions. Every time a TCO functions, the power-protection product must be returned to the manufacturer for repair or replacement. For a product that is designed to improve equipment uptime, this repair/replacement related downtime is a significant nuisance.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,682 purports to teach a device that contains circuitry that "senses the incoming voltage and electrically disconnects its output to the office equipment if a voltage surge above an established level is sensed." In the applicant's view, the problem with the design disclosed is that it only responds to line voltage levels above 165 VAC, a level that far exceeds the 130 VAC rating of the MOVs that are used in the device. In addition, the design contains no transient protection on the supply side of the sensing circuitry and relays. This may leave the supply side circuitry vulnerable to transient related damage when the line-connected relay disconnects power to the device output. Finally, the design contains no backup to the sensing/relay circuitry. Failure of the sensing/relay circuitry may result in a potentially dangerous failure of one or more device MOVs.


A unit for performing light blocking and dust proof is disclosed. The light blocking and dust proof unit is fixed to a first optical unit, and is mounted to a second optical unit. The light blocking and dust proof unit is mounted to the second optical unit so as to be movable in the optical axial direction relative to the second optical unit, and to be regulated by different regulating portions of the second optical unit between cases where the light blocking and dust proof unit is contracted and where the light blocking and dust proof unit is expanded. The size of the light blocking and dust proof unit having such a structure can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a lens barrel mechanism which includes a bellows-shaped unit for performing light blocking and dust proof, and which is capable of being installed to a camera and the like.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional collapsible mount type camera lens barrels and zoom type camera lens barrels, there have been proposed cameras in which an expandable and contractible bellows-shaped member for performing light blocking and dust proof is provided between optical units or driving mechanisms for the purposes of preventing leakage of light and entering of sand and dust through between a variety of kinds of optical units movable in the optical axial direction, or driving mechanisms for moving these optical units in the optical axial direction.
As a method for fixing the bellows-shaped member, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,212 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-147352, it is general to use a mechanism in which front and rear ends of the bellows-shaped member are fixed to respective optical units or driving mechanisms, and the bellows-shaped member is moved interlocking with relative movement in the optical axial direction between these units or mechanisms while the entire length of the bellows-shaped member is changed.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-347085, an end portion of a bellows-shaped member on an object side is fixed to a frame of a lens barrel, but the other end on a side of an image surface is only brought into contact with a flange portion of a lens supporting frame. In the apparatus disclosed in this Japanese reference, the bellows-shaped member is formed of an elastic rubber, and the bellows-shaped rubber member is assembled by compressive charging, using its rubber elasticity, such that its contact with the flange portion cannot be released even in the event that the lens supporting frame is moved in the optical axial direction relative to the frame of the lens barrel, due to expansion or contraction of the bellows-shaped rubber member in accordance with the relative movement.
In recent collapsible mount type cameras and zoom type cameras, however, downsizing increasingly advances, and it is accordingly essential to reduce sizes and thicknesses of individual components of the camera. On the other hand, a large zoom magnification is needed. Accordingly, the following lens barrel structure is required. In such a lens barrel structure, various optical units and driving mechanisms for moving these optical units in the optical axial direction can be largely moved while small components are used. In such a lens barrel structure, it is naturally inevitable for some components to be moved largely relative to each other (the amount of a distance between these components is largely changed).
As the downsizing proceeds as discussed above, a space for containing the bellows-shaped member in the camera decreases. Accordingly, the length of the bellows-shaped member in its contracted state needs to be reduced, as the result of which the length of the bellows-shaped member in its expanded state is also liable to decrease.
Therefore, in the construction in which both opposite ends of the bellows-shaped member are fixed as in the above-discussed U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,212 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-147352, it is difficult to satisfy required amounts of relative movement of the optical unit and the driving mechanism to which ends of the bellows-shaped member are fixed.
Further, in such a construction as disclosed in the above-discussed Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-347085, the amount of the relative movement is not restricted since one end of the bellows-shaped member is only put under a contact condition while the other end thereof is fixed. However, in the event that the components are spaced from each other more than a freely-expanded length of the bellows-shaped member, it is likely that the bellows-shaped member cannot achieve functions of light blocking and dust proof.


A parenteral fluid administration apparatus is provided as an assembled sterile kit which can be placed in use rapidly without danger of contamination. Means are provided for automatically supplying a predetermined amount of parenteral fluid through the conduit between the parenteral fluid supply and the needle adapter to remove entrapped air therein as the apparatus is set up for use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in parenteral fluid administration apparatus, and more particularly relates to new and improved assembled parenteral administration fluid apparatus which is self-priming and can be placed in operation rapidly and safely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently apparatus for administering parenteral fluid are assembled from components by the user at the site of use. These components may be purchased from several vendors and manufacturers even though large hospital suppliers offer for sale a complete line of components of one manufacture.
When doctors, nurses and paramedical technicians require assembled parenteral fluid administration apparatus, it is assembled from components. After the apparatus is assembled, the air is purged from the conduit, manually employing part of the prescribed parenteral fluid solution for purging and priming the system.
Usually the type of liquid parenteral fluid solution, the amount of solution and the rate of administration is prescribed by a person other than the person who prepares the administering apparatus for use. Further, the person who prepares the administering apparatus may or may not be the person who administers the parenteral solution to the patient.
Most users of parenteral fluid administration apparatus are well trained in general parenteral fluid administration procedures. However, many hospitals use apparatus and/or components of different manufacture. The steps and procedures recommended by various manufacturers vary in completeness and are limited to components.
There is some confusion created by the existing situation and while progress has been made in the safety procedures for administering parenteral fluid solutions the possibility still exists for injury to patients either human or animal.
Presently, the number of steps required for setting up parenteral fluid administration apparatus is time consuming and conducive to errors and the possibility of contamination. It is not uncommon to assemble the apparatus at the site of an emergency, in an ambulance or a hospital room just prior to its use where the stress of the situation is further conducive to errors.
Heretofore, it has been suggested that partially assembled parenteral administration apparatus could be employed to overcome most of the prior art problems. Such prior art apparatus has required manual connection of components followed by manual priming.
It would be desirable to eliminate the common problems of the prior art apparatus such as exposure to non-sterile environment and the possibility of omitting or improperly performing a step in the correct procedure of preparing the apparatus for use including purging the conduit of the apparatus of air and priming the drip chamber with fluid.

Self-priming parenteral administering apparatus


Positive form overlays are used to make composite images with a positive mode xerographic printer having a laser scan exposure mechanism. The laser scan or electronic exposure mechanism uses an oscillating galvanometer mirror to sweep a scanning spot over a cylindrical shape photoconductor. The xerographic processor includes a transfer drum able to recycle a sheet relative to the photoconductor to transfer at least two sequentially generated xerographic toner images to the same side of the same support in registration. One image is made in response to electronic signals and the other from the positive overlay thereby yielding a composite toner image.

This invention relates to impactless electronic printing method and apparatus. Specifically, the invention relates to an electronic xerographic printer having a non-electronic overprinting capability known as a "form overlay" feature.
Form overlays are particularly suited for printing tasks where variable data or images are to be added to fixed data or images. For example, the thousands of bank statements provided to depositors are fixed images to which the variable debit and credit data of the many individual depositors is added or integrated. However, the bank statement printing chore is comparatively straight forward because the form contains blank or white spacers for receiving the variable debit and credit data. That is, the variable data doesn't overlie the fixed data. A more complex task is overprinting a travelers route onto a complex map where two images or sets of data are printed in the same area on the paper or other support member.
The forms overlay technique is advantageous to electronic printing and computer printing in particular because its use saves the electronic memory storage space required to electronically print the form for other electronic control functions. Often this saving in memory space yields a meaningful cost improvement to the entire printing system.
Prior art forms overlay electronic impactless printers are negative on negative printers. The Xerox Corporation Xerox 1200 Computer Printer, the Siemens Corportion Siemens 3352 Laser Printer and the International Business Machine Corporation IBM 3800 Printing Subsystem are examples of negative on negative or negative overlay electronic printers. Briefly, in each, a latent electrostatic image is generated in response to electronic signals on a charged photoconductive surface by exposing the charged surface to electromagnetic radiation (hereinafter "light") thereby discharging the surface in areas struck by the light. The discharged areas against the undischarged background define the negative latent electrostatic image. (The inverse defines a positive latent electrostatic image.) The discharged areas are analogous to white markings on a black background for a reflection image or transparent markings on an opaque background for a transparency image. The negative latent image is made visible or developed by depositing black toner onto the discharged areas and transferring the black toner to white paper. The development and transfer steps convert the negative latent electrostatic image to a positive reflection image. The toner image printed from the electronic signals is herein referred to as an electronic image or print.
The "form overlay" print or image is created by the above commercial computer printers by exposing the charged photoconductive surface to a light image of a negative reflection print or negative transparency print or overlay. When the negative overlay is flooded with light and the reflected or transmitted light strikes the photoconductor a negative latent electrostatic image is created. The overlay latent image is composed of discharged areas representing markings on a charged background. The development and transfer of the overlay latent image inverts or converts the negative sense of the image to the positive sense as in the case of the above described electronic image.
The overlay and electronic images are generated during a single cycle of the above xerographic computer printers. Each of these printers employ a rotating photoconductive drum and the electronic and overlay images are generated during a single cycle or rotation of the drum prior to the development step. This means that one image is superimposed over the other on the same area of the photoconductive drum. This superimposition is possible because of the negative mode of operation. The first image, e.g. the electronic image, discharges the drum only in information areas and not background areas. Statistically, the information areas occupy significantly less space than the background areas. Consequently, the second image, in this example the overlay image, is recorded in the charged background regions of the electronic image. In other words, the second image can be produced only if the first left significant areas of charge on the drum surface on which the second image can be recorded.
The foregoing explains one reason why a positive form overlay capability analogous to the negative form overlay is not used in a positive electronic image recorder such as that of the Xerox Corporation 9700 Computer Printer. In the Xerox 9700 machine, the discharged regions of a photoconductive member (a belt in this machine) are the background areas and the charged regions are the information areas. Here, once the electronic image is created, there is effectively no charged region on the drum in which to record the subsequent overlay information except that information areas of the electronic image which is normally inadequate. Also, writing the overlay image in the information region of the electronic image is likely to destroy its content.
A significant disadvantage of prior art negative on negative overlay computer printers is the fundamental problem that negative prints are expensive if for no other reason than their unavailability. The majority of the world's images are black marking on white backgrounds, i.e., positive images. This disadvantage is amplified when an electronic printer is employed in an application where many different forms are to be printed on by variable information. Also, when the original document is a color image the negative image sense of it may not be appropriate for an overlay.

Positive overlay electronic xerographic printer


A system for producing a mixture comprising nitric oxide and air for treatment of medical conditions. The invention enables unlimited production of nitric oxide at any location using only air and a source of electricity. An electric arc chamber 4 is provided with electrodes 5 separated by an air gap 9. An electric circuit 7 supplies a high voltage potential to the electrodes 5 and induces an electric arc discharge across the electrodes 5. The electric arc discharge produces nitric oxide mixed with air. The mixture of nitric oxide and air is further purified and blended with other gases and/or pulmonary therapeutic agents, and the therapeutically-effective gas mixture is delivered to different organs of a human body using organ specific attachments.

This invention relates to a method and a system for producing nitric oxide mixed with air or other gases for use in medicine.
Nitric oxide (NO) is crucial to many biological systems (G. Kolada, The New York Times, Jul. 2, 1991, p. C1.). Kolada indicates that nitric oxide mediates the control of blood pressure, helps the immune system kill invading parasites that enter cells, stops cancer cells from dividing, transmits signals between brain cells, and contributes to the large scale death of brain cells that can debilitate people with strokes or Huntington's disease.
It was shown that nitric oxide mediates relaxation of gastric smooth muscle (K. M. Desai et al., Nature, Vol. 351, Jun. 6, 1991, p. 477). Desai et al. demonstrated that adaptive relaxation in isolated stomach of the guinea pig is mediated by a non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) neurotransmitter. Furthermore, they showed that this NANC neurotransmitter is undistinguishable from nitric oxide derived from L-arginine. The authors concluded that it is likely that nitric oxide is a final common mediator of smooth muscle relaxation.
Smooth muscle is present, for example, in the walls of the blood vessels, bronchi, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract. Administration of nitric oxide gas to the lung by inhalation could produce localized smooth muscle relaxation without systemic side effects. This characteristic can be used in medicine to treat bronchial constriction and pulmonary hypertension, pneumonia, etc.
Nitric oxide is now known to be an important naturally occurring local cellular hormone, the so-called endothelium derived relaxing factor. This factor is produced in many cells (i.e., endothelial cells lining blood vessels, bronchi, intestines, bladder, uterus, and other hollow organs) by the enzyme nitric oxide synthetase (now known to be a family of at least six enzymes) from arginine. Once NO is released, it binds rapidly to the enzyme guanylate cyclase in smooth muscle cells, increasing cyclic guanylate monophosphate (cyclic GMP), reducing intracellular calcium levels and thereby causing smooth muscle relaxation.
Inhaled nitric oxide, as demonstrated by a number of pilot studies in animals and humans, is a potent local pulmonary vasodilator and bronchodilator with no systemic effects. NO has the remarkable ability to improve the matching of ventilation with perfusion, thereby increasing the injured lungs oxygen transport efficiency and raising the arterial oxygen tension. To date, NO is the only pulmonary vasoactive agent known with such selective properties and thus has enormous potential in the treatment of acute and chronic lung diseases with pulmonary bronchoconstriction and vasoconstriction.
Bronchodilators are drugs which are used to reduce airway reactivity and to reverse bronchospasm caused by a variety of diseases, such as asthma, exacerbations of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, allergic and anaphylactic reactions and others. Several classes of bronchodilators have been employed, each with its own mode of action, tolerance and undesirable side effects.
Beta agonists, represented by epinephrine and isoproterenol, induce bronchodilation by stimulating receptors that increase adenyl cyclase concentrations and the production of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP). They can be delivered by aerosol, orally or parenterally. Administration of these agents causes significant adverse cardiac effects such as tachycardias, heart palpitations, changes in blood pressure and also other side effects including anxiety, tremors, nausea and headaches. Newer, beta.sub.2 -selective agonists, for example, albuterol have fewer side effects and somewhat slower onset of action.
Theophylline preparations are less potent bronchodilators than beta agonists and have a narrower therapeutic toxic window. The mechanism responsible for the bronchodilator effect of theophylline is probably via cyclic AMP. Side effects commonly caused by theophylline are nervousness, nausea, vomiting, anorexia and headache. Furthermore, if taken at very high levels, theophylline can cause cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.
Anticholinergic drug such as atropine methylnitrate and ipratrobium bromide administered by aerosol are effective bronchodilators with relatively few side effects. However, they have a slow onset of action, and 60 to 90 minutes may be required before peak bronchodilation is achieved.
Nitric oxide is unique in that it combines a rapid onset of action occurring within seconds with the absence of systemic effects. Once inhaled, it diffuses through the pulmonary vasculature into the bloodstream, where it is rapidly inactivated by combination with hemoglobin. Therefore, the bronchodilator effects of inhaled nitric oxide are limited to the airway and the vasodilatory effects of inhaled nitric oxide are limited to the pulmonary vasculature.
This unique ability of nitric oxide to dilate pulmonary vessels selectively can be used also in the treatment of either acute or chronic pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is defined as an elevation of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure over the normal levels of 12 to 15 millimeters Hg.
Acute pulmonary hypertension is produced by vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels in response to sudden hypoxia due to, for example, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, or acidosis. Acute pulmonary hypertension is a potentially reversible phenomenon and successful treatment of the precipitating condition leads to normalization of the pulmonary pressures. Persistent hypoxia, however, induces permanent structural changes in the pulmonary vasculature, and chronic pulmonary hypertension ensues. The main causes of chronic pulmonary hypertension are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, recurring multiple small emboli, heart disease such as mitral stenosis or atrial septal defect, and idiopathic primary pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension has also been implicated in several other life-threatening conditions such as adult respiratory distress syndrome and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
To date, treatment of pulmonary hypertension has been attempted with several vasodilator drugs including nitroprusside, hydralazine, nifedipine, captopril and others. Major limitation of these agents has been their non-selective reduction of both pulmonary and systemic blood pressures. In contrast, inhaled nitric oxide produces vasodilation limited to pulmonary vessels and thus offers a revolutionary therapeutic advantage.
An inhaler designed to deliver nitric oxide is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/767,234, filed Sep. 23, 1991, assigned to the same assignee as this application, and incorporated herein by reference.

Generation of nitric oxide from air for medical uses


Methods and apparatuses for deferring, or delaying, the throwing of exceptions are disclosed. In one aspect of the present invention, an exception is raised during an invocation of a first object within an object-based system. The exception may be processed by catching the exception and making a first copy of the exception. Making the first copy of the exception includes storing the first copy of the exception in a dynamic memory. The first copy of the exception may then be processed by creating a runtime copy of the exception that is stored on an execution heap. The runtime copy of the exception may is then caught. The first copy of the exception is deleted from the dynamic memory, and the caught runtime copy of the exception is reprocessed. In one embodiment, processing the first copy of the exception includes throwing the first copy of the exception as a system exception. In such an embodiment, throwing the first copy of the exception as a system exception causes the runtime copy of the exception to be created.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to object-based systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for deferring the throwing of exceptions in an object-based system.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In distributed object systems, client objects may invoke server objects. A client is typically an entity that requests that an operation be performed on an object, e.g., a server object or servant. Requests are often passed from a client to a servant through an object request broker (ORB) implementation, as defined under the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) specification from the OMG, Revision 2.0, dated July 1995, and updated July 1996, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Within the CORBA specification, an object model, ie., a CORBA object model, is defined over a programming language in which objects, or servants, which are implemented by servers, have references which may be exported to clients. The programming language over which the object model is defined may include, but is not limited to being, a programming language such as C++ or Java.TM., which was developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a particular program may serve as both a client and a server.
The CORBA object model defines an Interface Definition Language (IDL) which enables interfaces to be defined for object references that are associated with servants. Once proper interfaces are defined for object references, an IDL compiler is then typically used to translate IDL definitions of the interfaces into programming language definitions. By way of example, in the C++ programming language, the programming language definition can be a C++ class. Alternatively, in a Java.TM. environment, the programming language definition can be a Java.TM. interface.
After a programming language definition is generated by the IDL compiler, the programming language definition can be used to implement the servant associated with the programming language definition. The programming language definition may also be used to connect the servant with an appropriate object request broker (ORB) implementation, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
The CORBA object model generally supports non-local invocations on servants. A client from a process different than the servant, which is in a server process, may invoke on an object reference associated with the servant. The client ORB implementation typically marshals, e.g., "packs," an invocation request and dispatches, or otherwise transfers, the invocation request to the server process. In general, an interprocess communication primitive, which complies with a protocol defined by the client and the server, is used to transfer invocation requests between the client and the server.
Once a server process receives an invocation request from the client process, the server process unmarshals, e.g., "unpacks," the invocation request, and identifies the servant within the server process which is suitable for servicing the invocation request. When the appropriate servant is located, the invocation is forwarded from the client process to the servant. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the invocation request is generally forwarded with parameters which are specified by the client.
An invocation is performed on the servant in response to the invocation request from the client. After the invocation on the servant is completed, the server ORB implementation typically accumulates any results, e.g., output values, generated by the invocation, and transfers the results back to the client. The server process marshals the results for transport to the client, which, when the results are received, unmarshals the results.
Within an object-based system such as a distributed object system, exceptions may arise when objects are invoked. Exceptions can generally arise for a variety of different reasons. By way of example, exceptions often indicate that an exceptional condition, or an error, has occurred. Exceptions are typically raised either by the servant that is "servicing," or otherwise fulfilling, the request of a client, or by an ORB implementation. When an exception is raised, the exception is passed back to the client. In general, passing, or throwing, an exception, to a client serves the purpose of informing the client that an exceptional condition or error has occurred.
In some environments, such as a C++ environment, an exception is typically an exception object that resides on a call-stack for holding exceptions. The lifetime of such an exception object is generally limited by the programming language scoping of the exception handing clause in an associated skeleton structure, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. A skeleton, which is generated by an IDL compiler, serves as a link between an ORB implementation and a servant which is performing invocations or, more specifically, non-local invocations. While a skeleton may generally perform a variety of different tasks, the skeleton is often responsible for informing an ORB about the parameters associated with an invocation, and for invoking the servant for an object reference.
Within a C++ environment, an exception object must often exist beyond the scope of an exception handling object. Many exceptions are temporarily stored and thrown later at an appropriate time. An exception is often not immediately thrown when it arises. Rather, an exception raised by a servant, for example, may be stored and thrown to a client at a later time, as for example after "mandatory" code is executed. To delay the throwing of an exception, a copy of the exception is generally made. The C++ run-time environment allocates a copy of the exception, e.g., a dynamic copy, which is stored and eventually thrown when appropriate. In order to throw the exception, the type of exception that is being thrown must generally be known.
Code associated with making a copy of an exception, keeping track of the exception in terms of what type of exception it is, and enabling the copied exception to be thrown, is often significant. By way of example, such code often includes sections which are essentially duplicates from other sections. Hence, the overall process of throwing exceptions may be inefficient, as duplicate code must often be processed, and exception types must often be tracked. By way of example, inlining duplicate code may lead to excessive code bloat.
In addition, when copies of exceptions are made, if the copies are not released, the copies may cause memory leakage to occur. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, memory leakage generally occurs when memory is dynamically allocated, but is not being freed. To prevent memory leakage, memory may be periodically released. However, when memory is periodically released, a copy of an exception may be released before it has been used, i.e., thrown. Therefore, what is desired is an efficient method and apparatus for throwing exceptions in an object-based system.

Method and apparatus for deferred throwing of exceptions in C++


The transmission comprises: a primary shaft; a secondary shaft; a gearing of first speed comprising a first driving gearwheel carried by the primary shaft and a first driven gearwheel carried by the secondary shaft and permanently meshing with the first driving gearwheel; a gearing of second speed comprising a second driving gearwheel carried by the primary shaft and a second driven gearwheel carried by the secondary shaft and permanently meshing with the second driving gearwheel; an overrunning clutch associated to one of the first driving gearwheel and first driven gearwheel to allow the transmission of the torque via the gearing of first speed only in the direction from the primary shaft to the secondary shaft; a first coupling device arranged to connect either of the first driving gearwheel and first driven gearwheel, namely the gearwheel to which the overrunning clutch is associated, for rotation directly with the respective shaft, so as to allow the transmission of the torque via the gearing of first speed also in the direction from the secondary shaft to the primary shaft; and a second coupling device arranged to connect either of the second driving gearwheel and second driven gearwheel for rotation with the respective shaft. The first and second coupling devices are both shiftable between an open condition and a closed condition independently of each other. The first coupling device is normally open, whereas the second coupling device is normally closed.

The present invention relates to a two-speed transmission intended to be used on electric vehicles. The expression "electric vehicles" is used in the following description and claims to indicate all those vehicles which use an electric machine as prime mover, the electric machine being the only prime mover (it is the case of purely electric vehicles) or being associated to an internal combustion engine (it is the case of hybrid vehicles).
Transmissions having more than one speed, in particular two-speed transmissions, for use on electric vehicles are known and have the advantage, over single-speed transmissions, of allowing the electric machine to work at the optimal number of revolution per minute, that is to say, at the number of revolutions per minute corresponding to the maximum efficiency of the machine, over a wider speed range of the vehicle. This advantage applies both to the traction operating mode, in which the electric machine operates as a motor to generate the power required to move the vehicle, and to the regeneration operating mode, in which the electric machine operates as a generator to convert the kinetic energy of the vehicle, when this latter is decelerating, into electric energy.
In order to avoid interruption in the transmission of the torque (the so-called "torque hole") when shifting from the first speed (i.e. the low speed) to the second speed (i.e. the high speed) in a two-speed transmission for electric vehicles, it is known from DE4212324 the use of an overrunning clutch associated to the driven gearwheel of the gearing of first speed. More specifically, the two-speed transmission known from this prior art document comprises a primary shaft, a secondary shaft, a gearing of first speed comprising a first driving gearwheel carried by the primary shaft and a first driven gearwheel carried by the secondary shaft and permanently meshing with the first driving gearwheel, a gearing of second speed comprising a second driving gearwheel carried by the primary shaft and a second driven gearwheel carried by the secondary shaft and permanently meshing with the second driving gearwheel, an overrunning clutch associated to the first driven gearwheel, a first coupling device arranged to couple the second driven gearwheel for rotation with the secondary shaft, and a second coupling device arranged to couple the first driven gearwheel, to which the overrunning clutch is associated, for rotation directly with the secondary shaft, so as to allow the transmission of the torque via the gearing of first speed also in the direction from the secondary shaft to the primary shaft. According to such a known solution, both the coupling devices are of the normally open type, that is to say, at rest (no command actively applied to the device) they are in the open condition in which they do not couple the respective gearwheel for rotation with the respective shaft. Moreover, the two coupling devices are controlled by a single control mechanism which alternatively closes either of the coupling devices.

Two-speed transmission for electric vehicles


A removable hard disk device includes a handle, a first holder, a hard disk drive located between the handle and the first holder, and two second holders pivotally connected to ends of the first holder and detachably connected to ends of the handle with the two second holders firmly holding the hard disk drive there between and detachably connected to the disk drive. When the second holders are forced to pivotally move outwardly relative to each other, the second holders will be separated from the first holder and the handle such that the hard disk drive can be dismounted from the first holder without using any tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hard disk drive, and more specifically to a removable hard disk device including holding means that can be mounted with and dismounted from a hard disk drive conveniently.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional removable hard disk drive is screwed to a hard disk box that is detachably mounted in a computer case, such that the hard disk drive and the hard disk box have to be taken out of the computer case together if the hard disk drive needs to be removed out of the computer case.
When the hard disk drive needs to be repaired or replaced, a maintenance worker has to use a screwdriver to remove screws one by one so as to dismount the hard disk drive from the hard disk box. After the repair or replace work of the hard disk drive is completed, the maintenance worker must place the hard disk drive in position inside the hard disk box and tighten the screws one by one again to fasten the hard disk drive to the hard disk box. It can be seen that the hard disk drive and the hard disk box are inconvenient in assembly and disassembly works, thereby adversely influence the efficiency of repair or replace work of the hard disk drive.

Removable disk drive mounting device including a first holder pivotally connected to second holders which in turn are detachably connected to a handle

Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd.


Thermally crystallizable silicon oxynitride glasses containing substantial quantities of MgO, thermally crystallizable to fine-grained glass-ceramic products comprising forsterite, clinohumite and/or a beta-silicon nitride solid solution as the predominant crystal phase, are described.

The present invention relates to novel silicon oxynitride glass compositions containing substantial amounts of magnesium oxide, and to the production of glass-ceramic articles therefrom.
Predominantly oxide glasses and glass-ceramics containing structural nitrogen, that is nitrogen bound up in the structure of the glass or glass-ceramic rather than present merely as gaseous inclusions, are known. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,307 a procedure resulting in the incorporation of a small amount of nitrogen in an alkali boroaluminosilicate glass was described, that procedure involving bubbling nitrogen through the molten glass under controlled atmosphere conditions. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,021, and in related patents referred to therein, thermally crystallizable glasses containing substantial nitrogen concentrations are disclosed.
The glasses of the latter patent can be converted to glass-ceramics comprising such nitrogen-containing crystal phases as nitrogen-mullite (Al.sub.3 Si.sub.2 O.sub.7 N), silicon oxynitride (Si.sub.2 ON.sub.2), and beta-silicon nitride (.beta.-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) solid solution as well as crystal phases normally observed as silicates but in this case containing small amounts of structural nitrogen. Some of these nitrogen-containing crystal phases had previously been observed in the course of research into conventional nitride ceramics, but not in thermally crystallizable glasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,971 provides the earliest disclosure in the field of glass-ceramics. That patent describes the manufacture of a predominantly crystalline article (a glass-ceramic) through the heat treatment of a glass article fabricated from a thermally crystallizable glass. The crystallizable nature of the glass derives from the inclusion therein of a small amount of a nucleating agent which promotes crystal nucleation and growth in dense, homogeneous fashion throughout the volume of the glass during heat treatment.
Following this initial disclosure, the bulk of experimental work in the glass-ceramic field has involved the development of new thermally crystallizable glasses, formable into glass articles by conventional glass-forming techniques but thereafter crystallizable in situ by an appropriate heat treatment to glass-ceramics containing new crystal phases and exhibiting new properties. However, most of this work has been concentrated in oxide glass-forming systems.

MgO-Containing oxynitride glasses and glass-ceramics


A solar energy collector comprising a plurality of heat absorbing modules formed by deforming two plates into intimate contact with parallel metallic pipes disposed intermediate the plates. The plates are secured together by rivets which are spaced along and traverse the deformed portions of the plates, thus providing a spring section to absorb unequal expansion of the plates and the fluid conducting pipes. The uppermost surface of the pair of plates is provided with a black body coating to emit infrared radiation when sunlight is incident thereon. A glazing is provided over such black body surface to freely transmit incident light to the black body surface but to reflect infrared heat energy emitted by the black body surface. Water or other heat transfer liquid flowing through the pipes is maintained at a sufficiently high pressure to produce a turbulent flow through the pipes to increase the efficiency of the heat transfer. Any size unit can be fabricated by assembling the modules in side by side and/or end to end relationship. Preferably, the collector encompasses horizontally parallel pipes with the inlet and outlet of the collector being on the same side.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a collector for absorbing heat from incident solar energy and removing the absorbed heat by a heat transfer liquid, and particularly to a design and method of fabrication of a linear solar collector which substantially reduces the cost of manufacturing such units.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Literally hundreds of patents have been issued on apparatus for collecting and transferring solar heat energy. In the common forms of such apparatus, the solar energy is incident on and absorbed by a metallic plate having a so-called "black body" coating thereon which effectively converts it to a black body type heat radiator. This black body surface is encased within a glazing of a transparent ceramic or plastic material and the inner surface of such glazing permits the transfer of light therethrough, but reflects back towards the heat absorbing black body plate substantially all infrared radiation emitted by the black body plate. Thus, the heat energy of the incident sunlight is trapped between the glazing and the heat absorbing black body plate. The heat developed in the black body plate is then transferred to a fluid which is generally conducted through metallic tubes or pipes lying in adjacent relationship to the black body heat absorbing plate. A layer of insulation is provided surrounding the lower surface of the black body plate and the pipes to prevent loss of heat in that direction.
Examples of common solar collectors are REDMOND, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,213; HARDER, U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,921; FRIES, U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,359; GOOLSBY, U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,909; and HEYMAN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,311.
In each of the prior art patents, the need for an economical, yet efficient heat transfer solar collector is emphasized, but in every case, the prior art designs end up utilizing complicated shapes of plastic and/or metal for defining the heat absorbing clement and the conduits for transmitting a heat transfer fluid in intimate relationship with the heat absorbing element. If a substantially wider or larger unit is desired for a particular installation, the solution was to hook up a plurality of small units by complicated plumbing connections or to custom design and manufacture a larger unit of the desired dimensions. Either way, the total cost was excessive. The prior art clearly indicates the need for a modular design of solar heat collector wherein a plurality of identical modules may be readily assembled to provide a large collector of any desired width or length, for use on large school, office, and similar buildings for the heating of the entire building or a large quantity of hot water, which may be readily fabricated without involving the use of a plurality of separate self contained heat absorbing modules interconnected by complex heat transfer fluid conduits, or having separate conduits leading to the source of heat transfer fluid and to the heat storage or utilization apparatus.


A high frequency heating apparatus is provided with a hood so constructed as to limit infrared ray energy reaching an infrared ray detecting element for detecting infrared rays radiated from an object to be heated within a heating chamber. In heating apparatus, the influence by the reflection of infrared rays is minimized by making the absorption factor approach to about "1" with blackening the inner surface of the hood. Also, the rotation of a chopper to detect infrared rays radiated from the object through chopping operation is detected by a mechanical switch. The output signal from the infrared ray detecting element is synchronous-rectified in synchronism with the switching operation of the mechanical switch.

The invention relates to a high frequency heating apparatus or a microwave oven with a function for properly heating food stuffs and, more particularly, a high frequency heating apparatus or a microwave oven in which infrared rays radiated from food stuffs within a heating chamber is detected so as to control an optimum time of high frequency heating.
In a conventional high frequency heating apparatus such as a microwave oven, a microwave radiation time is set by using a timer switch in accordance with an instruction described in a cookbook or depending on an experience of a user. However, it is very difficult to always set a proper time. For this, a user frequently sets an improper cooking time so that victuals are dehydrated excessively, resulting in impared taste. When a cooking time set is insufficient, the victuals must be reheated.
With a view of overcoming those problems, there have been many proposals in which infrared rays radiated from food stuffs being cooked are detected and, when the temperature of the food stuffs reaches a proper value, the heating is automatically stopped or is continued for a given time while keeping the temperature of the food stuffs at a proper value. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,938 to Akihiko Ueno issued Sept. 20, 1977 discloses a microwave oven including infrared ray detecting means for detecting infrared rays from at least two detection points within a heating chamber of the microwave oven. In spite of its complicated electrical circuit construction and expensive parts, the apparatus of this type has poor accuracy in temperature detection as well as in temperature control.
The amount of infrared rays radiated from food stuffs depends on the surface area of the food stuffs as well as the temperature of the same. The amount of infrared rays radiated from the food stuffs increases proportional to the surface area of the food stuffs. If the temperature detection is conducted without taking a proper countermeasure for such surface area dependency, the temperature detected changes depending on the surface area of the food stuffs, thus resulting in poor accuracy in the temperature detection. To solve this problem of the poor accuracy in temperature detection, an infrared detector has been experimented by the inventors which is provided with a cylindrical hood in order to make incident or incoming infrared ray energy constant. However, this attempt has failed to attain an expected effect because of the presence of reflected infrared rays from the hood inner surface. To eliminate the adverse influence of the reflected infrared rays, some approaches have been made such as shortening the diameter of the hood or elongating the length of the hood. When such an approach is employed, however, the incident infrared ray energy decreases so that S/N ratio is deteriorated thus attaining insufficient control.


Keypad apparatus and methods are described herein. An example keypad includes a keypad support having a first surface defining a cavity, and an electrical switch assembly coupled to the keypad support. The electrical switch includes a printed circuit board having at least a portion repositioned relative to a second surface of the printed circuit board. The repositioned portion is located in the cavity and the second surface is located on the first surface of the keypad support when the printed circuit board is coupled to the keypad support. The repositioned portion is attached to the second surface of the printed circuit board. A dome switch is aligned with the repositioned portion of the printed circuit board and is at least partially positioned in the cavity of the keypad support.

Electronic devices, including portable electronic devices, have gained widespread use and may provide a variety of functions including, for example, telephonic, electronic messaging, and other personal information manager (PIM) application functions. Portable electronic devices include, for example, several types of mobile stations such as simple cellular telephones, smart telephones, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers with wireless 802.11 or Bluetooth capabilities.
Often these portable electronic devices include physical keyboards or keypads to input information. One benefit of a physical keypad is that it typically provides tactile feedback to a user. The tactile feedback from the keypad can be achieved in a variety of ways including the use of one or more collapsible dome switches associated with or corresponding to depressible keys of a keypad. To provide tactility, conventional keypads typically include a flexible or printed circuit board disposed between collapsible dome switches and a keypad support or tray (e.g., a housing).
Additionally, some keypads include a light source to illuminate the keys of the keypad to facilitate identification of the keys when using the portable electronic device in a dark environment with reduced visibility. A light guide film or panel is often used to deflect, reflect or channel light from a light source to illuminate the keypad. The light guide film is often placed over the dome switches. Thus, the light guide film typically has a convex or dome shape to accommodate for the shape or profile of the dome switches. For example, some conventional light guide films include a plurality of dome shaped surfaces to cover each dome switch of the keypad.
However, a dome shape light guide film provides a non-linear path through which light travels. In some instances, a non-linear light path due to the dome shape of the light guide film may cause light to be unevenly distributed, causing hotspots that receive too much light and dull spots that do not receive enough light to effectively illuminate the keypad. In some examples, the dome effect of the light guide film may cause light emitted from the light source to seep and erroneously highlight other keys of the keypad, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the light guide film. Moreover, a light source having a greater intensity or luminance is often required due to the dome effect of the light guide film, thereby requiring more energy to power the light source. Further, the dome shaped light guide film significantly increases tactility restricting forces, thereby reducing the tactility of the keypad.


An apparatus and method is provided for determining if the signal received from an underground beacon (10) at a locator (22) is a true signal or a ghost signal. Orthogonal horizontal antenna (38) and vertical antenna (40) are used and a ratio is computed of the signal strengths measured by the two antennas. At the true location, the signal strength in the horizontal antenna (38) will be maximum and the signal strength of the vertical antenna (40) will be a null. If the ratio of the signal strength sensed by the horizontal antenna and vertical antenna is large, exceeding a predetermined value, the locator is receiving a valid signal from the beacon and a display of this fact is made on a display on the locator and the depth of the beacon is calculated. If the ratio is less than the predetermined value, a ghost signal is being received and this fact is displayed on the display on the locator (22).

Subsurface boring is increasingly important because it allows rapid placement of gas and water lines, sewers, electrical service, cable television service, and similar utility connections with minimal disturbance of roads, landscaping, buildings, and other surface features. Subsurface boring allows placement of pipe and utility connections where conventional surface installation by trenching is impractical or impossible as, for example, when utility connections must cross rivers, canals, major highways, or rail lines. Significant practical and economic advantages are derived from the ability to provide pipe and utility connections with minimal surface disturbance or to provide subsurface crossing of surface barriers.
However, realization of these advantages is dependent on the ability to properly locate and control the boring tool bit during operation. Accurate location of the boring tool is an especially important problem. In many boring tool systems, a small transmitting device called a beacon is installed immediately behind the drill bit. The electromagnetic field generated by the subsurface beacon is detected at the surface using devices variously called trackers or locators. The beacon's electromagnetic field is often modulated to convey subsurface information from the beacon to the system operator. Beacon signal amplitude, measured by one or a plurality of surface antennas, can be used to calculate distance between the underground beacon and the tracker.
Those familiar with the art recognize that the interaction of the antenna and the beacon's electromagnetic field can produce false, or "ghost", locations as indicated by the tracker. Locating on a ghost signal can be inconvenient and even dangerous as it presents a false picture of the beacon's location to the boring machine operator.

Avoiding ghosting artifacts during surface location of subsurface transmitters


A clock monitor circuit and method for providing an indication at the output thereof of the presence of an input clocking signal. If the clock input is operating properly, two charge storage nodes will be charged and the output of the circuit will be high. If the clock input is stuck, the output of the clock monitor circuit will be low.

The present invention relates, in general, to a clock monitor circuit and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an integrated circuit and method for monitoring an input clock signal and providing an indication of the loss thereof to a microprocessor (MPU).
In an MPU controlled system, loss of an input clocking signal to the MPU may result in undesirable continued operation. This continued operation despite the loss of the clocking signal will, in turn, result in erroneous system operation which, in certain instances such as automotive or aircraft applications, could have potentially disastrous ramifications. Therefore, it is highly desirable to closely monitor the input clock signal to insure reliable system operation.
In this regard, there has been described a "Clock Failure Monitor Circuit Employing Counter Pair to Indicate Clock Failure Within Two Pulses", U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,361 issuing to Holden on Feb. 15, 1983. However, the system therein described is unduly complex, depending as it does on several different inputs and the use of six JK flip-flops. By the use of such circuitry, the device therein described is also not readily integratable with the microprocessing unit itself.


An apparatus for improving engine performance at wide-open throttle or full load by supercharging the induction system. An expanded/enlarged volume plenum is divided into two chambers. each containing a group of three openings for flowing air past inlet valves to three cylinders of a six cylinder engine, for example. A pair of adjustable length intake runners are connected to the upstream end of the plenum and are adjusted with changes in engine speed to resonantly tune the induction system for the speed changes to effect greater input of air to the cylinders. A valve can be opened to communicate the chambers with each other to further resonantly tune the system at intermediate speeds. At the higher engine speeds, resonant tuning in conjunction with the ram induction of air into the cylinders further increases the mass flow of air.

The indicated power of an internal combustion engine at a given speed is proportional to the mass flow rate of air. Thus, inducting the maximum air mass at wide-open throttle or full load and retaining that mass in the cylinders will provide the greatest volumetric efficiency. Supercharging the engine is one way to increase the air flow and hence power density. This can be done by turbocharging, which requires external apparatus, or by resonant tuning the induction system over a wide engine speed range and/or using inertial or ram tuning at the higher engine speeds.
The resonant effect occurs as a result of the pressure waves set up by each cylinder reflected from the inlet valve back towards the intake which can be controlled to reinforce the process, and, therefore, become tuned over a wide engine speed range, which will increase the inducted air mass.
The use of resonant tuning and the inertial effect to supercharge an engine is known in general. Wide-open throttle output of an engine with a fixed geometry intake system is characterized by one or more local maxima in torque due to tuning of the induction system in a very narrow speed range. Various variable intake geometry schemes have been suggested as a means to produce a broader torque curve with improved performance over the entire speed range. These devices use adjustable components to change the primary runner geometry to affect the natural frequency of the induction system and thereby provide tuning over a broader engine speed range.
The invention utilizes both resonant and inertial tuning to maximize the mass input of air into the engine cylinders. It is known in the prior art to utilize resonant tuning to supercharge an engine by changing the effective length of the intake runner that provides the mass flow of air to the cylinders. The inertial effect at higher engine speeds is also known. However, the prior art does not provide a construction that utilizes both resonant and inertial tuning in the manner to be described in combination to maximize the mass intake of air to provide the most efficient supercharging.


An apparatus for measuring the range of angular body motion about at least one axis of rotation. The apparatus includes a base with a first portion having means for engaging the body to provide a first reference point for measurement. A second portion of the base extends outward from the body generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. A measurement member is positioned adjacent to the second portion of the base and is rotatably mounted to the base at the first reference point. The measurement member moves relative to the second portion of the base as the measurement member is pivoted about the axis of rotation. A slide arm is slidably mounted on the measurement member for sliding movement along a line substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the measurement member. The slide arm has an outer end which is spaced from the measurement member and engages the body at a second reference point on an opposite side of the axis from the first reference point and there is measurable pivotal movement of the measurement member as the body is moved about the axis of rotation. A second portion of the apparatus uses angle indicators for measuring rotations of the spine about an upright axis and side to side pivotal movement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices that measure the motion of one human body part relative to another. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the range of angular body motion about at least one axis of rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Measuring the motion of a portion of a human body relative to another has been done utilizing compass-type angle indicators and pendulum-type inclinometers. Caliper-type devices, such as a spondylometer, used in combination with a protractor, also have been used to measure the motion of the thoracic and lumbar spine relative to the sacrum. However, the development of devices which are removably and stably mountable to the spine or other human body parts, and that do not require any repositioning of the device during the measurement process, while yielding accurate, verifiable, and reproducible data has not been accomplished by the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,915 discloses a device for determining the relative displacement of vertebrae through auditory signal analysis. The device uses a compass and a bubble level to orient the device and applies auditory signals to be transmitted through the vertebrae column and received by sound receivers.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,921,620, 3,943,912, and 4,587,956 disclose devices which comprise a magnetic body attached to a belt which is wrappable about the human torso or other body limb. The devices provide a magnetic field which is used to apply a magnetic flux to the human body for therapeutic purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,164 discloses a device that measures flexural movement of the human torso. The device has a jacket with an angle sensing means, whose output is sensed by an electrical measurement device and which measures the angle of tilt of portions of the spine during the human act of leaning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,204 discloses a device for measuring scoliosis. The device is comprised of a frame with several laterally spaced parallel finger-like members situated to mimic the lateral curvature of the spine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,825 discloses an instrument for measuring the positions and relative displacements of portions of the human body, including joints and the spinal column. The device uses a belt or suction cup to mount the instrument to the human body. The instrument includes a pendulum-type inclinometer and a compass-type angle indicator. To measure the motion of a body part relative to another, one instrument is placed on each of the cooperable body parts. Then compass and inclinometer readings are taken from each instrument before and after a controlled movement of a body part. The data is compared to measure the relative displacement of body parts. The device is also capable of measuring rotation of the spinal column by manipulating the compass device to a horizontal plane. This instrument is usable in a range of motion measurement method, such as the two inclinometer technique as disclosed in an article by Mayer et al., in SPINE, Vol. 9, No. 6, 1984.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,227 discloses a device used to determine mechanical injuries of the spine. The device is comprised of a computerized system whereby a mathematical model of a spine applicable to the five lumbar vertebrae and their respective structures, is compared to the actual movement of the spine measured by the use of a camera and an associated computer program.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,928 discloses a device used to measure the range of motion of multiple body parts relative to one another. The device is comprised of several pendulum-type electronic goniometers which are mounted to belts circumferentially wrappable about a human body part. The measurement output of the goniometers is read by a computer, which analyzes and compares the relative readings of the goniometers to determine the range of motion for a body part relative to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,625 discloses a device for monitoring the posture of a human and includes a shirt worn by the subject with an electronic sensor connected to a resistive element on the shirt. Upon a change in posture, the resistance of the element changes and the sensor indicates that a change in posture has occurred.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,965 discloses a device for measuring the range of motion for the cervical spine about three axis of rotation. The device utilizes a common eye- glass frame releasably securable on a human subject by means of nose pads and ear pieces. The device includes a pendulum-type angle finder situated about a horizontal axis and a compass-type angle finder situated about a vertical axis such that the two angle finders are mutually perpendicular to each other. The pendulum-type angle finder and compass are rotatable 90 degrees to permit tri-planar angle measurements of the cervical spine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,809 discloses a device for measuring human ambulatory turning behavior. The device includes a compass means which generate electronic signals thereby indicating the degree and direction of ambulatory rotational movement of the subject.
Thus, the use of compass-type devices, pendulum-type devices, and caliper-type devices have been used to measure the motion of one body part relative to another. In particular, spinal range of motion has been measured for flexion and extension relative to the sacrum, as well as lateral bending and rotation of the spine in the pelvic area.
However, these devices generate a variety of errors within the measurement method. For example, in spinal measurements the inclinometer-type device may rock on the sacrum or on measurement points located on the human torso. Likewise, if the single inclinometer technique is used, then the inclinometer must be repositioned several times to measure range of motion for both flexion and extension. This repositioning introduces measurement errors because of shifting reference points. Another significant problem is relocating the prior measurement point or location on a human torso if a range of motion test is desired to be replicated at a subsequent testing period. The single or double inclinometer technique also presents difficulties in distinguishing pelvic motion from torso motion. Rotation measurements of the torso using a singular compass-type device also have been plagued with measurement errors because it is difficult to isolate true torso rotation from unwanted pelvic rotation.
There is a continuing need for an improved device measuring the range of motion for body parts. The device should be designed in such a manner that it is removably mountable to the spine or body part in a stable fashion to minimize rocking of the device on the measurement locations, thereby permitting the measurement of reproducible and verifiable data. The device should be of a simple, lightweight, mechanical design.

Range of motion instruments for the spine


The present disclosure provides a gated range scanning linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) radar structure, including: a frequency synthesizer, a first mixer, a second mixer, a first filter, and a third mixer. The frequency synthesizer is configured for generating a first local oscillating signal and a second local oscillating signal, a frequency of the first local oscillating signal varying in a frequency range, each frequency corresponding to a sub-range of a coverage range scanned by the LFMCW radar structure. The first mixer is configured for mixing a copy of a transmitted signal and the first local oscillating signal to generate a first output signal (the receiver's first local oscillator). The second mixer is configured for mixing the first output signal and a received signal from a receiving antenna to generate a second output signal that includes an intermediate frequency (IF) signal being received by the first filter.

Conventional linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) radars include wideband-type radars and gated-type radars. A wideband LFMCW radar often covers a large distance range and has a wideband receiver. The wideband receiver often has a high noise floor. As a result, a wideband LFMCW radar often requires a high-power transmitter. A gated LFMCW radar often has a narrowband receiver, but it only covers a small distance range at any instance. The abovementioned issues limit the application of LFMCW radars.

Gated range scanning LFMCW radar structure


A shaving unit having a handle which accepts razor cartridges of various lengths is provided. The handle of the unit includes a head with a razor cartridge receptacle. A cartridge kit is provided containing razor cartridges with blades of two or more different lengths. The razor cartridge receptacle of the shaving unit is designed to detachably retain any one of the cartridges selected, regardless of blade size.

This invention relates to a unique shaving system, and more particularly, to a shaving kit with multiple razor cartridges of various sizes.
Most manufactured razors have a blade length of approximately 35 mm. Even though there are various types of blades (i.e., double), as well as various types of handles, that are made and are otherwise being used, the blade cartridge itself is always the same length (35 mm). The reason for this is unclear, but may have been to satisfy industry needs regarding shaving a man""s face.
For women, a 35 mm blade or cartridge is less than desirable. In general, women shave two bodily areas, the underarm and the leg. These bodily areas have very different contours and surface areas. Accordingly, shaving these areas may be facilitated by using blades of different lengths or size. For example, the underarm is quite narrow, and a conventional 35 mm blade often nicks the user""s skin during shaving. The underarm would obviously be better served by using a shorter sized razor blade. On the other hand, the leg of a women, particularly the area near the knee, has a wide, rather flat surface contour that could be shaved more efficiently by using a longer length blade.
One possible solution in shaving the body areas of a woman is to design a blade unit which could expand or contract in length as needed. However, such a design would be less than desirable, since it would most likely require placing a pair of blade elements next to each other, possibly causing skin injury when used during shaving. Another possible solution would be to have blades with different lengths on each end of the handle. The obvious problem is that such a design would be very dangerous to use.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a shaving system which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a shaving unit having a handle which accepts razor cartridges of various lengths is provided. The handle of the unit includes a head with a razor cartridge receptacle. A cartridge kit is provided containing razor cartridges with blades of two or more different lengths. The razor cartridge receptacle of the shaving unit is designed to detachably retain any one of the cartridges selected, regardless of blade size.
Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide an improved shaving unit.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shaving unit with a plurality of interchangeable removable cartridges of various lengths.
A further object of the invention is to provide a shaving unit especially designed for shaving the bodily areas of a woman.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the following description.

Shaving system with variable sized razor cartridges


The present invention is directed to a novel solvent-free process for preparing amine terminated compounds by reacting a polyfunctional acetoacetic acid ester with either ammonia or an organic compound which contains one or more primary amino groups in the presence of an acidic catalyst selected from the group consisting of (i) boron trifluoride etherate and (ii) organic acids having pKa values of from 0.1 to 0.8.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing amine-terminated compounds. More specifically the present invention relates to a solvent-free process for preparing amine terminated compounds by reacting polyfunctional acetoacetic acid esters with ammonia or primary amine containing compounds.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The art known processes for the preparation of amine-terminated compounds by reacting polyfunctional acetoacetic acid esters with ammonia or amines, invariably, involves the use of solvents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,112 (and the corresponding German Offenlegungsschrift 1,935,484) describes the preparation of compounds by reacting a polyfunctional acetoacetic acid ester with ammonia or an aliphatic or aromatic primary or secondary monoamine. The reaction is conducted in the presence of a solvent (hydrocarbons, such as benzene and toluene, and halogenated hydrocarbons, such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, are disclosed) and a catalyst. Suitable catalysts are described as "acids, for example hydrochloric acid, formic acid or glacial acetic acid, or other compounds such as iodine, cation exchangers or active alumina."
U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,726 (and the corresponding German Offenlegungsschrift 1,935,485) describes the preparation of similar compounds by reacting a polyfunctional acetoacetic acid esters with aliphatic aminoalcohols or diamines of different reactivity towards acetoacetic acid esters, e.g., those which contain primary and secondary or, alternatively, aliphatic and aromatic amino groups in the molecule. All of the diamines disclosed contain at least one aliphatic amino group. The reaction is conducted in the presence of a solvent (hydrocarbons, such as benzene and toluene, and halogenated hydrocarbons, such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, are disclosed) and a catalyst. Suitable catalysts are described as "acids, for example hydrochloric acid, formic acid or glacial acetic acid, or other compounds such as iodine, cation exchangers or active alumina." The reference does not describe the use of any specific polyamines where the amino groups are all directly attached to aromatic groups.
Commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/562,293 discloses a process for preparing amine terminated compounds by reacting a polyfunctional acetoacetic acid ester with either ammonia or an organic compound which contains one or more primary amino groups in the presence of a solvent and an acidic catalyst selected from the group consisting of (i) boron trifluoride etherate and (ii) organic acids having pKa values of from 0.1 to 0.8.
By this invention, there is provided a solvent free process for preparing amine terminated compounds.

Process for the preparation of amine-terminated compounds


A firearm target is specially adapted for the purpose of sighting in a scoped firearm. The scope has a reticle with horizontal and vertical lines forming crosshairs. The target has a cross pattern in contrasting colors with a cross shaped gap. The gap is highly visible and may even be in a reflective color. The gap size is selected to match the crosshair thickness and the targeting distance. Aligning the crosshairs to the gap significantly or completely hides the gap. Misaligning the crosshairs to the gap causes the gap to become more visible because of the gap's highly noticeable and contrasting colors. The target thereby provides a lock-on functionality for a marksman.

Targets for projectiles have existed since prehistoric times with occasional advances in the art providing targets that are more appropriate for specific uses. Among those advances are printed targets where a target pattern, such as the notoriously familiar bullseye pattern, is printed onto a substrate such as paper, card stock, or plastic. More recently, firearm targets have been developed with frangible or separable ink over a brightly colored substrate for causing the point of impact to be highly visible. The point of impact is highly visible because a separable ink or layer breaks away from the substrate in a ring or halo around the point of impact, thereby revealing a halo of brightly colored substrate material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,371 titled "Reusable Projectile Impact Reflecting Target for Day or Night Use" issued to Edwards on Feb. 23, 1993 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,371 discloses a firearm target having a paper bottom layer colored with a photo-reflective ink, the bottom layer underlying a polypropylene film that is printed with a contrasting ink that contrasts with the photo-reflective ink on the bottom layer. For example, the bottom layer can be bright, even reflective, white, yellow, or orange and the polypropylene can be black. A projectile penetrating the target causes the contrasting ink to separate in an area that is larger than the hole left by the projectile. The reflective ink is thereby exposed and highly visible at the area of projectile's impact. It is for its teaching of targets and targets that show highly visible indications of a projectile's impact point that U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,371 is herein included by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,063 titled "Reusable Projectile Impact Reflecting Target for Day or Night Use" issued to Edwards on Dec. 3, 1996 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,063 discloses an improvement over Edwards' earlier target which is patented as U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,371. The improvements are in the replacement of certain parts of the target, the reuse of other parts of the target, and improvements directed to the visibility of projectile impact points. U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,063 also provides further disclosures relating to the target itself. It is for its further disclosures and improvements over those of U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,371 that U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,063 is herein included by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,467 titled "Highly Visible, Point of Impact, Firearm Target-Shatterable Face Sheet Embodiment" issued to Kandel on Mar. 26, 1996 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,467 discloses a target that produces highly visible indications of projectile impact points that is similar to Edwards' targets. It is for it teachings of targets and highly visible impact points that U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,467 is herein included by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,877 titled "Firearm Targets and Methods for Manufacturing Firearm Targets" issued to Zara on Dec. 15, 2009 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,877 also discloses a target that produces highly visible indications of projectile impact points but with refined layers, gaps in layers, and other improvements. It is for it teachings of refined layers, gaps in layers, and other improvements to targets having highly visible impact points that U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,877 is herein included by reference in its entirety.
The targets described so far provide highly visible indications of a projectiles point of impact. Yet earlier targets were typically light and dark patterns printed directly to a single substrate. None of the prior targets or technologies provide for improvements in aiming. System and methods providing for improvements in aiming at a firearm target are needed.


A self-raising form control system and method is provided that that may be used to form elevator shafts and other vertical building structures. The apparatus includes one or more form elements for defining an area to receive a formable material, such as concrete. Each element is attached to the form structure. A lift apparatus is provided for lifting the form elements. The lift apparatus comprises a measurement device for measuring the position of said lift apparatus relative to a fixed point. The lift apparatus is connected to the form structure. A control unit is provided for controlling the lift apparatus. The control unit is signal connected to the measurement device and is signal connected to the lift apparatus.

Hydraulically lifted concrete form systems for elevator cores are presently known and used on building construction sites. In leveling these hydraulically lifted concrete forms from floor to floor, several systems are presently used, and they each have significant drawbacks.
The first known raising system utilizes water levels. The problems with water levels are that they must be maintained and serviced prior to every lift to be sure they are operational. The accuracy of the lift is determined by the operator of the system. The accuracy of how even the form is lifted is dependent on how quickly the water levels respond in the tubes and how quickly the operator responds to variances. Often times the operator will ignore or not be aware of variances that can be critical to the loading of major form components creating an unsafe condition.
The water lines used in a water leveling system can often become kinked and/or clogged causing the readings to be incorrect. During winter conditions, precautions have to be taken to be sure that the water or other liquid in the lines does not freeze. In summer conditions, the water or other liquid in the lines can evaporate, requiring the operator to top off the liquid prior to starting. Because of the length of the water lines and the routing that often times must be taken, the lines are prone to damage. All these factors contribute to inaccuracy in the lifting process. Frequently the water levels are ignored, and the concrete form is lifted with no leveling assistance.
A second type of system used to coordinate lifting the system involves having men located at each of the critical lifting points to physically measure the progress of the lift from the previous pour as it progresses. The progress is often shouted out to the operator or communicated via radio. The operator analyzes what each of the measurements mean and turns the power units on or off accordingly. The system is very labor intensive and inaccurate requiring many men to measure at once and is only as accurate as the men doing the physical measurement and the ability of the operator to analyze the information and respond quickly to it.
A third method depends on the operator's ability to sense that the concrete form is rising. In this method, the operator uses reference structures that are close by to coordinate the rise of the system. This method is the most inaccurate since no actual measuring devices are used.
A fourth method depends on the repeatability of mechanical pump valves or sensors. This method operates on the theory that if all cylinders are pumped an equal volume, they will all ascend equally. This is often not true because the equipment used cannot guarantee repeatability. For instance, there may be leakage in the system or there may be variances in the construction of the items employed in the lift. The number of hydraulic cylinders coordinated at once is limited.
Monitoring the system in order to achieve the desired lift height on all four systems depends on a physical measurement by the operator or a helper of the operator.
The present inventors recognize a need for a form control and monitoring system that coordinates all hydraulic cylinders quickly, safely and precisely.

Self-raising form control system and method


According to one embodiment, a sheet processing device includes a moving member, an extrusion member, a first motor, a second motor, a first power transmission unit, a second power transmission unit, and a shaft. The first motor drives the moving member. The second motor drives the extrusion member. The second motor is a motor separated from the first motor. The first power transmission unit includes a first rotor. The first power transmission unit transfers power from the first motor to the moving member. The second power transmission unit includes a second rotor. The second power transmission unit transfers power from the second motor to the extrusion member. The shaft supports the first rotor and the second rotor.

There is known a sheet processing device which performs a post processing such as sorting and stapling on a recording medium (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "sheet") of a sheet shape conveyed from an image forming device. For example, the sheet processing device includes a standby unit, a processing unit, and a discharge unit. The standby unit temporally retains the sheet. The standby unit sends the retained sheet to the processing unit at a defined timing. The processing unit performs the post processing on the sheet received from the standby unit. The processing unit discharges the sheet subjected to the post processing to the discharge unit.
For example, the processing unit performs sorting and binding on a sheet bundle. The processing unit includes an ejector which supports the rear end of the sheet subjected to the sorting and the binding. The ejector moves from a home position to a downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction while pressing the sheet. The processing unit extrudes the sheet toward the discharge unit by an extrusion member when the ejector is moved up to a predetermined position. In other words, the ejector delivers the sheet to the extrusion member after the sheet is conveyed up to a predetermined delivery position. The ejector returns to the home position when the sheet is delivered to the extrusion member at the delivery position. If a spring is used as a power source for returning the ejector to the home position, there is a possibility to cause an impact noise when the ejector is stopped at the home position. If the impact noise occurs in a housing, the impact noise is propagated and increased, and becomes offensive to a user. Therefore, the ejector is configured to be driven by a motor to decelerate the ejector in front of the home position, so that the impact noise generated at the time of stopping can be suppressed. However, if the motor for driving the ejector is newly provided, the device is likely to be increased in size.

Sheet processing device and image processing system