A system and method is provided for enabling collaborative electronic presentations and annotation of graphic information. The method includes the operation of taking a snapshot of an active application. A snapshot can be initiated by a user accessible snapshot control. The snapshot of the active application can be transferred to the electronic whiteboard in response to activation of the snapshot control. A further operation is storing the snapshot in a whiteboard sheet of the electronic whiteboard. Each loaded snapshot may be stored in a separate whiteboard sheet in order to provide a plurality of whiteboard sheets. Another operation can be enabling graphical annotation of the plurality of whiteboard sheets in the whiteboard annotation area by the user.

Electronic collaboration and conferencing tools allow individuals in many locations to share desktop display and content. These collaboration and conferencing tools enable users to present and share slides, applications, files or the user's desktop to a large (or small) group of people in real-time using a web browser or networked application. Using networked conferencing as a meeting alternative or to enrich face-to-face meetings is quickly becoming a part of business communications.
Such virtual collaboration tools can reduce the amount of time people spend traveling to and from meetings. Although meetings are an essential part of business, meetings can take up the majority of time in the average business person's day. When meetings are more productive, this can enhance the business value of the meetings.
Scheduled or ad-hoc electronic meetings can reduce costs and increase productivity. Electronic sharing tools encourage collaboration, expedite decision-making and enhance interactions with customers, partners, and colleagues. In addition, software under development or products can be demonstrated to anyone quickly without significant expense. For example, virtual collaboration can allow users to show electronic slideshows, demonstrate product features, show videos, and review documentation.
Virtual collaboration environments enable users to provide a number of valuable functions due to the nature of electronic sharing. For example, users can jointly view, annotate, or edit word processing documents in real time. Users can collaborate on presentation material and communicate without the expense of traveling. In addition, users of conferencing systems can deliver high quality, time-critical training without generally worrying about hardware or software issues.
When electronic desktop and application sharing meetings take place, the users may desire to use an electronic whiteboard in the presentation. This allows all the meeting participants to draw or make notes using the whiteboard. In addition, images that are displayed on the whiteboard can be annotated upon.
Another function of collaboration and conferencing tools is the ability to share and transmit a live shared application to participants of a conference. For example, software developers may demonstrate a beta version of their product for customers to allow them to see the current version and provide feedback to the development team. Collaboration tools allow meeting participants to see the live shared application actually running on the presenter's desktop while the presenter is using, demonstrating, and discussing the shared application.
Unfortunately, switching between shared live applications and whiteboard annotation during virtual collaboration meetings or electronic learning sessions is rather difficult. Not only can it be difficult to switch between live content and whiteboard content but the complexity of switching back and forth can interrupt the flow of the presentation or interaction. With many types of collaboration tools, this type of switching is not even possible and it is overly difficult in others.
One difficulty in moving back and forth between a live shared application and a whiteboard is that collaboration tools allow users to run application sharing or use the snapshot tool but these two tools cannot generally be run simultaneously. Particularly, a user of a collaboration tool will have to stop live application sharing in order to use other functions in a collaboration tool. This also means that the participants receiving the shared application will not see the shared application from the presenter during a time period where another collaboration function is being used. For example, the live application sharing pane may turn black when another function is used.
Stopping the application sharing tool allows the presenter to switch to a snapshot tool and take a snapshot of the live application while the application is not being shared. The snapshot may then be opened in a whiteboard tool and the participants of the presentation can make whiteboard annotations. Finally, when the presenter wants to demonstrate the live application again, then the live application sharing is restarted by the presenter. All of these steps may take several minutes and severely interrupt the flow of the presentation.
If a presenter wants to reduce the time it takes to load an application snapshot into a whiteboard, then the presenter may save images to a storage location or hard drive in advance. Then the users can load the saved images into the whiteboard for annotation. This method usually means that the users prepare information before a conference and then drag and drop or open the graphics files into the whiteboard during a meeting. This process can be relatively burdensome and the pre-created snapshots may not exactly match up with what ends up being presented in the live demonstration. Moreover, the application sharing functions still have to be shut down to use the whiteboard functions using this approach.

System and method for enabling electronic presentations

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention relates to a new crystalline phase of (3S,3S′) 4,4′-disulfanediylbis(3-aminobutane 1-sulfonic acid) (ABSD) with L-lysine and its use, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, and to processes for preparation thereof. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one crystalline phase of (3S,3S′) 4,4′-disulfanediylbis(3-aminobutane 1-sulfonic acid) (ABSD) with L-lysine and to the therapeutic or prophylactic use of such crystalline phase and compositions comprising the same.

ABSD is a dimer of the selective aminopeptidase A (APA) inhibitor 3-amino 4-mercaptobutanesulfonic acid. ABSD has been proven to be an efficient anti-hypertensive agent, as described by Bodineau et al. in Hypertension 2008 51, 1318-1325. ABSD and use thereof as anti-hypertensive agent were disclosed in the patent application WO 2004/007441. The formula of ABSD is the following:

ABSD was first isolated under the form of the bis-hydrochloride of its sodium salt as described in WO 2004/007441. Said compound is not described to be crystalline and is clearly described as highly hygroscopic.
As described in the international patent application WO 2012/045849, ABSD was isolated also under its non-salified form as zwitterion. This zwitterion was found to form several hydrates. It typically exists as mixture of mono, di and tri-hydrate forms. The ratio of each hydrate form within ABSD zwitterion was found to be dependent of the storage conditions (temperature, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity (RH)). Indeed, the mixture of hydrated forms can evolve toward the trihydrate phase in less than two days when stored at circa 20° C. and RH>50%. The trihydrate phase appears to be the most stable phase under ambient conditions. Nevertheless, its dehydration more particularly toward the dihydrate form starts appearing at temperature below 30° C. This partial dehydration is often associated with a swelling effect, which may jeopardize the possibility to make tablets with that Active Principle Ingredient (also called herein API). Thus, the lack of thermal stability, the presence of water and the sensitivity to relative humidity in the zwitterionic form of ABSD could be a bar to its pharmaceutical formulations. Furthermore, processing and storage difficulties are likely to jeopardize the future development of ABSD zwitterionic form as viable API of pharmaceutical compositions. Although therapeutic efficacy is the primary concern for a therapeutic agent, the salt and solid state forms (i.e., the crystalline forms and/or amorphous states) of a drug candidate can be critical to its pharmacological properties and to its development as a viable API. To prepare pharmaceutical compositions containing ABSD for administration to mammals, there is a need to produce this compound in a form having physical properties amenable to reliable formulation. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide improved forms of ABSD having enhanced properties, such as improved solubility or bioavailability and stability to heat, moisture, and/or light. Finding the most adequate form of the API for further drug development can reduce the time and the cost of that development.
In this context, the Applicant has now found that a particular crystalline phase with highly interesting properties can surprisingly be obtained by contacting ABSD with L-lysine, in particular in a 1:2 stoichiometry (ABSD:L-lysine).

Crystalline phase of (3S.3S′) 4,4′-disulfanediylbis(3-aminobutane 1-sulfonic acid) with L-lysine


A method is provided for supplying data to represent the availability value of a plurality of resources that includes receiving a request for presentation of an availability value for a plurality of resources and determining at least two resources having representative values that can be received, two representative values are received each corresponding to a respective one of the two resources and supplying data to represent the calculated availability value. The method includes receiving two criticality coefficients corresponding to the two resources, and calculating the availability value from the two representative values and the two criticality coefficients.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of telecommunications between users, and more particularly the field of supplying a system with means for extending the concept of the availability of a user of a mobile or fixed network.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous situations in the world of telecommunications make use of the concept of the presence of a user of a mobile or fixed network.
Such concepts are in widespread use in applications such as Windows Live Messenger, GoogleTalk, AIM, or Pushchat. Those applications make it possible for the presence of a first user to be shown in a list of contacts, thereby enabling contact to be made with that first user if some other user seeing that list of contacts so desires, with the first user's availability being visible in the list.
Such presence defines a logical or physical state of the connection between the user and a network and/or of the user's desire to specify availability. The most frequent states that are determined by systems or indicated by users are the following:                Available        Not connected        Busy        Unavailable.
Those availability states may be accompanied by messages provided by the user, making it possible to specify a special situation to people consulting that user's status, for example "on holiday" or "driving".
In more advanced manner, the system may make available a method for indicating a user's preferences for communicating. This enables the user to specify that short message service (SMS) messages are preferred on a mobile telephone while voice type conversations using the Skype application, for example, are preferred on a computer.
That type of operation is particularly well developed by the Pushchat application from the supplier Pushmessenger that enables a user to be connected to the service via a plurality of distinct terminals. U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,045 describes a method of that type.
Very recently, and in particular in association with the appearance of equipment that enables the positions of terminals to be located by the global positioning system (GPS), users of such applications that already make use of presence can also be located and they can communicate their locations to third parties.
The user of one of the above-mentioned applications can thus be informed about the real or chosen state of availability of a given user, with that user's preferences for communication and with that user's location, whether in a fixed situation or a mobile situation.

Method of providing data to represent the value of availability of a plurality of resources


The invention provides a method and apparatus for an anti-aliasing process that allows for super-sampling at a high subpixel resolution, but does not require the process and memory resources typically required for conventional super-sampling at this subpixel resolution. Each pixel is partitioned into an array that provides for a large number of subpixels, and a smaller set of super-samples from this set of subpixels are sampled and used to determine the resultant pixel values. Because the set of super-samples is substantially smaller in number (less than half) than the number of subpixels, the processing and memory requirements are substantially reduced. The set of super-samples are preferably determined so as to provide for a uniform sampling frequency in each of the major axes, and along each diagonal, even though the super-samples may not provide an uniform sampling of each pixel area.

This invention relates in general to the field of computer graphics, and in particular to the processing of images to reduce the aliasing effects of pixel sampling.
Computers are known to include processors, memory, and display devices. With ever increasing advances in computer applications, the need for improved display quality continues. Computer displays must be able to present high resolution, high quality images at rapid refresh rates. Video graphic circuits and systems must be able to provide the data for such displays efficiently and effectively, often within highly competitive cost and compatibility constraints.
Computer displays, and other high resolution display devices such as high definition televisions (HDTV), projectors, printers, plotters, and the like, present an image to the viewer as an array of individual picture elements, or pixels. The individual pixels are each given a specific characteristic, such as the color of the image at the particular pixel""s location. The pixels are closely spaced, and the viewer""s visual system performs a filtering of the individual pixel color values to form a composite image. If the partitioning of the image into individual pixel elements is performed properly, and the pixels are close enough together, the viewer perceives the displayed array of pixels as a virtually continuous image. Despite the viewer""s visual filtering, the viewer remains sensitive to aberrations in the image, and video graphic systems must be designed to minimize these aberrations.
If the image is insufficiently sampled, visual aberrations will be produced. A highly detailed image with numerous changes within a short span of points will have a high frequency of change; a blank image has a zero frequency of change. If the frequency of pixel value sampling is less than twice the image""s frequency of change, aliasing will occur, and visual aberrations will be introduced into the image. That is, not only will the displayed image not contain the detail of the original image, but additional components, not contained in the original image, will be added. In addition to being visually disturbing, the introduction of sampling artifacts, not contained in the original image, can be particularly problematic if the display is used for mapping or medical applications (x-rays, MRI scans, etc.)
Aliasing will occur whenever the sampling rate is less than twice the highest frequency change in the image. Traditionally, the pixel sampling rate is equal to the pixel spatial frequency. That is, if there are 640 pixels per line of display, a full screen image will be sampled at 640 points across its horizontal dimension. If the image being sampled has a highest frequency that is greater than half the pixel sampling rate, then either the image highest frequency must be reduced, or the pixel sampling rate must be increased. These techniques, of reducing the image frequency, or increasing the pixel sampling frequency, are termed xe2x80x9canti-aliasingxe2x80x9d techniques. Filtering the image to remove the high frequency components before the image is sampled for display reduces the image highest frequency. Increasing the number of pixels per line of display, i.e. increasing the display resolution, increases the pixel sampling rate. High resolution displays, however, are significantly more costly than lower resolution displays. A preferred alternative for increasing the number of pixel samples per line is to obtain multiple samples of the image within each pixel; that is, by super-sampling at a subpixel resolution. The value presented to the display as the pixel value corresponding to the image will be the average of the multiple sample values obtained within each pixel.
To effect super-sampling, multiple points within each pixel are selected as sampling points, and the image is sampled at each of these points. To display the pixel, a single value is assigned, based on a composite of the multiple super-samples. Typically, the single value determined for a pixel will be the average of the values assigned at each super-sampled point within the pixel, although other means of forming a representative statistic may be employed. The averaging of the super-samples has the effect of reducing the high-frequency changes in the image. Consider, for example, a pixel that lies on the border of two objects, such that some of the super-sampled values contain the first object""s value, and some contain the other object""s value. The pixel will be assigned an average value of the sampled values, producing a smoothing, or blending at the transition between the two objects, thereby effectively reducing the high frequency components of the image.
The super-samples are conventionally uniformly distributed about the pixel area, thereby assuring that the average is an unbiased estimate of the object values within the pixel area. To obtain 4 super-samples per pixel, the pixel is divided into a 2xc3x972 grid, forming 4 subpixels, and each super-sample value is obtained at the center of each subpixel. Similarly, to obtain 16 super-samples per pixel, the pixel is divided into a 4xc3x974 grid, forming 16 subpixels. FIGS. 1A-1E illustrate, respectively, subpixel partitionings for providing for 1, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 super-samples per pixel in a conventional super-sampling process. The number of subpixels per pixel is termed the subpixel resolution. Each pixel is sampled at each of the subpixels identified by dots in FIGS. 1A-1E. Because the dots are uniformly distributed, a uniform sampling frequency is assured.
Because super-sampling effectively increases the sampling frequency, super-sampling provides an effective anti-aliasing solution, but it requires significant additional processing and memory resources. Consider, for example, a common 640xc3x97480 pixel display, wherein each pixel is super-sampled based on a 4xc3x974 subpixel resolution (FIG. 1C). For each of the 307,200 (640*480) pixels, 16 sample values will be determined, each requiring data access and computation time and resources. In three-dimensional graphics, because one object may block another from view, it often cannot be determined which objects are visible until all the objects are processed, and therefore, in general, the 16 sample values for each of the 307,200 pixels must be stored. The composite value for each pixel is determined from these stored values after all the objects in the image are processed, requiring a substantial number (16 * 307,200) of data accesses to form the composite image. With an ever increasing need to improve video graphic processing speed while at the same time reducing costs, the significant amount of processing and storage required for subpixel sampling places a limit on the practical application of this anti-aliasing technique.
Therefore, a need exists for an anti-aliasing technique that provides the anti-aliasing qualities of a high super-sampling frequency, but does not incur a correspondingly high computation and memory resource requirement increase. A need also exists for a technique for storing super-samples that minimizes data access time.

Method and apparatus for antialiasing using a non-uniform pixel sampling pattern


An encoder includes a light illuminating device, an optical scale and a photosensor, and detects information of relative displacement between the scale and the illuminating light. A birefringent element, such as a Savart plate or the like, is disposed in the optical path between the light illuminating device and the photosensor to generate a plurality of images of the scale having different phases. A plurality of output signals having a phase difference are obtained using the images of the scale.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the technical field of optical measurement for optically measuring, for example, displacement information of an object.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional optical encoder is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, there are shown a light source 1, such as an LED (light-emitting diode) or the like, a lens 2, a moving scale 3, a fixed scale 4, and a photodetector 5 comprising detector elements 5-A and 5-B. The interval between the detector elements 5-A and 5-B is set so that periodic signals having a phase difference (in general, 90 degrees) are output from these elements in order to increase resolution by determining the direction of the movement of the moving scale 3 or performing signal interpolation. Such signal processing is performed by a signal processing circuit 15.
Accuracy in the phase difference need not be high for the purpose of determining the direction. However, if the signals are used for the purpose of increasing resolution, accuracy in the phase difference is important, since the accuracy relates to final accuracy in position detection. In conventional methods, the accuracy depends on accuracy in the assemblage of the encoder. Hence, much time is needed for the adjustment of the encoder, causing an increase in the production cost of the encoder.

Encoder using a birefringent element and a system including the same


A clamp is provided that has a pair of clamp bodies which each have an inner surface. The inner surfaces of each clamp body are oriented to face one another in a spaced parallel relationship. A pair of parallel scissors linkages are coupled to the device that operate to move the clamp bodies in parallel relation relative to one another. Each scissors linkage extends from one side surface of one clamp body to a corresponding side surface of the other clamp body. A threaded rod is coupled to the pair of scissors linkages between the clamp bodies and is oriented with its axis of rotation parallel to the inner surfaces of the clamp bodies. The threaded rod is operable to move the clamp bodies either towards one another or away from one another in spaced parallel relation by rotation of the rod. By operation of the rod, the device may be used as either a clamping device or an expansion device.

This invention relates to a clamping device, and more particularly to an easily positionable clamping device that can be operated with one hand and which can also be used as an expansion device.
Mechanical clamping devices have existed for many, many years. These devices are useful for holding materials while work is being performed upon them, and for holding two objects together, such as when an adhesive is curing. Many improvements have been made to these clamping devices over the years, but deficiencies still exist and have not heretofore been adequately addressed.
When a prior art clamp is used, the jaws of the clamp are separated to accommodate the material to be clamped. The material is then placed intermediate the jaws of the clamp, and the clamp is operated to exert a clamping force on the material by moving the jaws closer to one another. This operation can be somewhat awkward. For example, many of the prior art clamping devices require both hands of a user to operate the clamp. This can obviously be disadvantageous because the user of the clamp will often desire to use one hand to perform work on the material being clamped. Prior art clamping devices also suffer from the disadvantage that they often tend to apply a great deal of clamping force to a particular area of the object while leaving other areas of the object subject to a lesser force. It is generally desirable to more evenly distribute the clamping force across the object being clamped. This is particularly true when the clamp is used to hold two objects together, while an adhesive is curing. Further, prior art clamps are often awkward to maneuver and do not always fit into the space where they are needed, and cannot be used in a variety of orientations.
Prior art clamps are also typically designed only to exert a clamping force on an object or objects. More specifically, the prior art clamps had heretofore not been designed to alternatively provide an expansion force between two objects without rearranging components parts of the clamp. When performing work, it may become desirable to separate two objects from each other, or to elevate one object with respect to another. Prior art clamping devices have not been useful for this purpose.
Another disadvantage of prior art clamping devices is in the configuration of the clamping jaws. In order for a clamping device to be useful in a number of applications, a number of different clamping jaw configurations should be optionally provided. These clamping jaws, in prior art clamping devices, may be serrated to provide a better clamping surface. However, the clamping jaws in prior art clamping devices do not allow for effective clamping of a large number of oddly shaped objects.
Therefore, a clamping device is needed which overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of the existing clamping devices discussed above.


A screwing device (1) and a screwing method use a multi-member (12, 13, 14, 15) robot (6) having a driven rotational axis. The robot (6), on its last member (12), carries a rotational device (7) with a rotational tool (8). The rotational device is driven independently and is provided and designed for rapidly screwing a rotating part (3) on or off. The screwing tightening or untightening of the rotating part (3) is performed by the robot (6) and in particular by the robot end member (12).

Screwing robots, which consist of a conventional articulated-arm robot, which carries at its end member, e.g., a multiaxially movable robot hand, a screwing device, which carries out the entire screwing process. The robot and the screwing device have drives of their own and controls of their own. In addition, a system control with a sequence program is present. Such screwing robots require a great construction effort and a large amount of installation effort, and their flexibility is limited. The required safety efforts with safety fence, etc., are great.


A slave assembly is provided to protect an anodic workpiece joined to a shuttle from stray electrochemical machining. The assembly includes a slave having a support flange joined integrally with a sacrificial flange positionable adjacent to the workpiece for being electrochemically machined along with the workpiece to prevent stray electrochemical machining between the sacrificial flange and the workpiece. A retainer is positionable on the slave support flange to clamp the slave to the shuttle.

Electrochemical machining (ECM) channels an electrolyte in liquid form between a cathode tool and an anode workpiece to electrochemically erode or machine away material from the workpiece for obtaining a desired shape. The workpiece is typically mounted to a shuttle which fixedly mounts k in an ECM machine and provides a good electrical path for the high electrical currents channeled therethrough during ECM operation. The ECM machine typically also includes various electrical insulators and seals for confining flow of the electrolyte so that only the workpiece is machined and stray electrochemical machining of unintended material is prevented. Stray electrochemical machining, for example, may unintentionally damage portions of the workpiece itself rendering the workpiece unusable as a finished product.
An exemplary workpiece is a gas turbine engine stator vane having an airfoil and integral outer and inner shrouds. The shrouds, also known as platforms, provide flowpath boundaries for the motive fluid such as compressed air or combustion gases channeled over the airfoil during operating in a gas turbine engine. In order to electrochemically machine the workpiece into its final stator vane configuration, it is desirable to simultaneously electrochemically machine both the airfoil portion of the workpiece as well as at least one of the shroud portions of the workpiece with a common cathode tool.
One exemplary method and apparatus for electrochemically machining such a stator vane is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/879,791, filed May 6, 1992, entitled "MultiCathode ECM Apparatus, Method, and Product Therefrom," by N. A. Bruns et al, assigned to the present assignee. In the Bruns et al ECM machine, the cathode tool is moved simultaneously towards both the airfoil and the shroud held in a workpiece shuttle for simultaneously electrochemically machining both portions in a single operation. However, the original workpiece typically is prefinished below the shroud or platform top surface and must be suitably protected from stray electrochemical machining thereof which would damage the shroud and render it unusable. Furthermore, the corners formed between the shroud top surface and its side surfaces are typically very sharp, 90.degree. corners which are required for assembly in a complete ring in the gas turbine engine. Stray electrochemical machining of these corners which causes them to be rounded off is undesirable and can also render the part unusable.


An original feeding apparatus is structured with a first housing and second housing to enable the second housing to be opened and closed, and is provided with a feeding member for carrying an original respectively in the first housing and second housing. The original feeding apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by providing the aforesaid first housing with an original inlet for inserting an original and an original outlet for exhausting the original and at the same time, arranging the first housing to serve dually as an upper guiding plane when an original is fed while the second housing to serve dually as a lower guiding plane at the time of the original being fed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus with a first housing and a second housing which constitute the exterior of the apparatus and serve dually as an original feeding guide.
2. Related Background Art
Traditionally, a facsimile apparatus is structured with a main body frame which serves to be a nucleus to fabricate the apparatus wholly by combining three parts, an upper cover, a lower cover, and the main frame as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,100.
Also, recently, there has been disclosed an apparatus structured with two parts, an integrated body of the main frame and the lower cover, and the upper cover which is incorporated therewith, to fabricate the apparatus wholly such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/710,836 filed on Jun. 5, 1991.
In a facsimile apparatus, a cover serving as its upper cover, on which an operation panel constituting the external body of the apparatus, is installed on the cover for the main body of the apparatus, a lower cover, in which an original reading system and recording system are incorporated. In the above-mentioned cover and the cover for the main body of the apparatus, the original reading system, recording system, and others are installed per unit, and the structure is arranged so that the fabrication of an apparatus is completed through a multistage assembling process.
In the above-mentioned apparatus, an original which is inserted into an original inlet provided between the operation panel and the cover is carried to be reading unit while being guided by a guide member separately provided between them. Then, subsequent to the image of the original having been read, the original is exhausted again from the original outlet provided between the operation panel and the cover to an exhausted sheet tray arranged outside the apparatus.
However, according to the prior art described above, a guide member for guiding the conveyance of the original is separately provided between the operation panel and the cover. Consequently, the number of parts is increased with the resultant increase in the number of the assembling processes. In addition, the assembly is required per unit, leading to a higher cost and a larger size of the apparatus as well.


A frame unit for a bicycle may include a left frame body in which a part of an adjusting portion, a part of a seat tube, a part of a frame, and a left stay are integrally formed; and a right frame body in which a part of the adjusting portion, a part of the seat tube, a part of the frame, and a right stay are integrally formed, in which the seat tube and the frame are integrally formed by adjusting a length of the adjusting portion, and the left frame body and the right frame body are coupled integrally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame unit for a bicycle and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a frame unit for a bicycle which includes a head tube, a seat tube, a frame, and left and right stays and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a frame unit for a bicycle is a constituent component that forms an overall structure of a bicycle, and manufactured by mutually joining constituent components such as a head tube, a seat tube, a frame, and left and right stays.
Regarding the frame unit for a bicycle, securement of differentiation in design and rigidity for safety are core factors, and to this end, the respective manufacturers actively conduct researches on development of technologies, process methods, materials, and the like.
Recently, in order to secure differentiation in design and rigidity for safety, materials such as aluminum, chromium-molybdenum steel, carbon, and titanium are used instead of a high tensile steel material that is generally used.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a frame unit for a bicycle according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a frame unit 100 for a bicycle of the related art includes a head tube 101, a seat tube 103, an upper frame 105, a lower frame 107, and upper and lower stays 109 and 111 disposed at both sides.
A steering shaft to which a steering handle is connected is installed on the head tube 101, and a seat pipe connected to a seat is installed on the seat tube 103.
The upper and lower frames 105 and 107 connect and support the head tube 101 and the seat tube 103 at front and rear sides thereof.
Rear ends of both the upper and lower stays 109 and 111 are connected to each other so as to form a rotating body fork 113 to which a rear wheel is mounted.
A front end of the lower stay 111 is connected to a pedal assembly 115 that is configured at a lower end of the seat tube 103.
Meanwhile, the frame unit 100 for a bicycle mostly includes both the upper frame 105 and the lower frame 107, but in some cases, only a single frame, that is, only the upper frame 105 may be applied between the head tube 101 and the seat tube 103.
However, according to the frame unit 100 for a bicycle of the related art, which has the aforementioned configuration, when the head tube 101 is joined to the upper frame 105 or front ends of the upper and lower frames 105 and 107 by a welding process, residual stress due to welding heat is distributed to joining portions, and particularly, impact loads are directly applied when the bicycle runs, thereby causing a serious problem with respect to safety such as cracks or damage occurring at the periphery of the joining portions.
In addition, since the process of welding the joining portions is manually performed, an inferiority rate is high because there is a difference in welding quality in accordance with skill of workers and working environment, and thereby, there are drawbacks in that an excessive working time is required and productivity deteriorates.
In addition, because the frame unit 100 for a bicycle of the related art is manufactured to have various sizes for each specification, a mold corresponding to each size lineup for each specification needs to be separately manufactured, and thereby, there are drawbacks in that manufacturing costs are increased and productivity deteriorates.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Frame unit for bicycle and method of manufacturing the same


The present invention relates to the use of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) oligomers as markers of RTK activation and signalling. Methods are described based upon determining the presence of RTK oligomers and/or determining the nanometre spatial separation between RTK molecules assembled as RTK oligomers at the cell surface. Such methods are directed to the monitoring of RTK activation in cells and the detection of mutations in RTKs. Methods are also described for determining prognosis for subjects having diseases characterised by aberrant RTK activation and for selecting subjects for treatment with RTK inhibitors.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a family of integral cell surface receptor proteins having intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity (Lemmon and Schlessinger, Cell. 2010 Jun. 25; 141(7):1117-34). There are approximately 60 RTKs found in humans and although significant diversity exists between different members of the family, there is a basic architecture common to all RTKs. In particular, all RTKs possess an extracellular region allowing for ligand binding, a single transmembrane helix and an intracellular or cytoplasmic domain, a portion of which possesses the intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity.
RTKs are involved in the transmission of signals from the outside of cells to intracellular compartments, and play a key role in regulating fundamental physiological and cellular processes such as development, proliferation, differentiation, cell survival, metabolism, cell migration, cell cycle control, and wound healing. RTKs typically exist in the cell membrane in an inactive state and become activated upon ligand binding to their extracellular region. Different RTKs are responsive to different ligands but in all cases, ligand binding results in receptor dimerisation, i.e. the association of two receptor subunits as a complex, and/or receptor activation.
The precise means by which ligand binding brings about dimerisation and/or receptor activation varies between different members of the RTK family. However, activation of all RTKs is characterised by a stimulation of the intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity present in the intracellular or cytoplasmic region of the receptor. Activation is also accompanied by autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues in the intracellular region of the receptor. This phosphorylation typically triggers activation of one or more intracellular signalling pathways that serve to relay information from the cell membrane to the nucleus and other intracellular cell compartments.
Almost certainly as a result of the fundamental role played by RTKs in controlling processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, dysregulated RTK signalling has been linked to the development of a variety of diseases and disorders. These diseases include cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, bone disorders and inflammatory disorders. Aberrant RTK signalling has been associated with the development of numerous cancers and several tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed and approved for use in the clinic as anti-cancer agents (Takeuchi et al. Biol Pharm Bull. 2011; 34(12): 1774-80 and Arora et al. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2005 December; 315(3): 971-9). Researchers continue to study RTKs as key therapeutic targets in cancer with recent efforts focussed on understanding how resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors develops in some cancer patients.
The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor or "EGFR" was one of the first RTKs to be identified and the gene was cloned in 1984 (Ullrich et al. Nature 1984 May 31-Jun. 6; 309 (5967): 418-25). The EGFR is often considered the "prototypical" RTK and plays a fundamental role in the regulation of several key cellular processes including cell growth, metabolism and differentiation. The EGFR is one of a subfamily of four RTKs in humans known as the EGFR or ErbB family. The other three receptors in this family are ErbB2/HER2, ErbB3/HER3 and ErbB4/HER4.
Dysregulation of signalling via the EGFR family of receptors has been linked to the development and progression of a number of cancers including lung cancer (Mok TS Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2011 Aug. 23; 8(11): 661-8), breast cancer (Arteaga et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2011 Nov. 29; 9(1): 16-32) and glioblastoma (Lee et al. PLoS Med. 2006 December; 3(12)). Receptor overexpression and/or mutations in the receptor have been identified that correlate with elevated signalling, constitutive activation and/or ligand-independent signalling via EGFR in cancer cells. Given the importance of dysregulated EGFR signalling in cancer, a number of anticancer drugs have been developed to target members of this family including the antibody Trastuzumab (Herceptin), which targets the HER2 receptor, and the small molecule drugs Gefitinib (Iressa) and Erlotinib (Tarceva), which target the EGFR.
In recent years, structural studies have shed light on the precise mechanisms by which receptor dimerisation leads to activation of receptors of the EGFR family. More recently, a new high-resolution imaging technique has been developed allowing for the detailed study of EGFR organisation at the cell membrane (Needham et al. PLoS One. 2013 May 1; 8(5)). This imaging technique, referred to as Fluorophore Localisation Imaging with Photobleaching or "FLImP", has revealed the clustering of EGFR molecules into oligomers i.e. clusters of associated receptors consisting of more than two receptor molecules. The presence of these EGFR higher-order oligomers at the surface of cells has been observed previously. However, the precise architecture and role of these oligomeric structures in RTK activation and downstream signalling is unknown.


There is provided a laminate membrane for an implant, comprising: an inner layer having an inner layer thickness; a first covering layer disposed on one side of the inner layer, the first covering layer having a first covering layer thickness; and a second covering layer disposed on another side of the inner layer, the second covering layer having a second covering layer thickness.

Embolisation devices for occluding a bodily lumen are disclosed in WO 2014/140325 A1 and WO 2016/041961 A2, which are both hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Such embolisation devices may have a core and a plurality of flexible bristles which extend radially outwardly from the core. The embolisation device may also be provided with a membrane having a contracted delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration. The contracted delivery configuration is such that the embolisation device may be loaded into a delivery catheter allowing the embolisation device to be translated through the delivery catheter for delivery to a bodily lumen.
However, during translation through a delivery catheter, the membrane of the embolisation device may deform, for example, by folding from the initial contracted delivery configuration due to forces acting on the membrane during translation. Such forces may be exerted by the bristles of the embolisation device and/or the inner wall of the delivery catheter. Furthermore, due to this deformation of the membrane during translation through the delivery catheter, expansion of the membrane from the contracted delivery configuration to the expanded deployed configuration upon delivery to a bodily lumen may not occur in a reliable manner. In such cases, the membrane may not expand completely to its intended expanded deployed configuration or may exhibit undulations in its surface. In addition to this, the bristles neighbouring the membrane may also not expand in a reliable manner upon delivery. For example, the bristles may clump together such that they are not evenly distributed around the circumference of the device. These issues result in less occlusion of the bodily lumen, and, due to the uneven distribution of the bristles, also result in lower anchoring forces.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved embolisation device in which deformation of the membrane during translation through the delivery catheter is minimised whilst also allowing reliable expansion of the membrane and adjacent bristles to their expanded deployed configurations.

Laminate membrane, an implant comprising the laminate membrane and a method of manufacturing the same


A method is provided for increasing a temperature of oil in a continuously variable transmission during engine start-up, the transmission including a fluid pump and motor, and a mechanical transmission. The method includes starting the engine, maintaining the fluid pump at substantially zero displacement, and heating the transmission oil by relative rotation of a first clutch disc and first clutch hub of a first clutch assembly and by relative rotation of a second clutch disc and second clutch hub of a second clutch assembly. The method further includes maintaining a substantially zero net torque from the transmission during the heating of the oil by the first and second clutch assemblies.

Hydraulic fluid, e.g., oil, in a transmission typically has a low temperature, e.g., −10° C., under cold start conditions. At such a low temperature, there is increased flow resistance owing to an increased viscosity of the oil. As a result, the magnitude of the load imposed on the engine is substantially great. Furthermore, stroking a variable displacement pump in the transmission to maximum displacement under such conditions can damage the pump. Specifically, because maximum displacement from the pump is required to engage the clutches, at zero ground speed the machine cannot move until the oil is warm enough to stroke to maximum displacement.
Methods for warming oil in a transmission under cold start conditions are well known. One method of warming the oil in a transmission is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,694 (the '694 patent) issued to Sasaki et al. The '694 patent describes a warming-up operation for an engine in a transmission that starts in cold conditions. Hydraulic fluid, e.g., oil, is supplied from a pump driven by the engine to a hydraulically actuatable coupling of the transmission, i.e., clutches and brakes, for varying a gear ratio of the transmission. If the temperature of the oil in the transmission is below a predetermined threshold, then the hydraulic pressure of the oil supplied by the pump is decreased temporarily to a minimum value. Since the magnitude of the line pressure is temporarily decreased, the load on the engine imposed by the pump is decreased and the oil may be subsequently warmed up. After temporarily decreasing the line pressure to warm the oil, the line pressure may be increased to a maximum value.
Although the warm-up strategy of the '694 patent may warm the oil in the transmission under cold start conditions, the '694 patent warms the oil by decreasing line pressure in the oil supply, thereby decreasing the amount of oil circulating in the transmission.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


A hydraulic press is provided that includes a frame having a base, an upper member positioned above the base and a pair of laterally spaced side members extending upwardly from the base to the upper member. The hydraulic press also includes a cross-member extending between the pair of side members, with the cross-member being configured to support a work piece and moveable along the side members.

Conventional hydraulic presses include those having a stationary frame and a member that is moveable relative to the frame and is configured to support a work piece. The moveable work-piece-support member is typically restrained from downward movement during operation of the press by one or more pins that are positioned below the support member, with each pin extending through one of the side members of the frame. The work-piece-support member is supported by the pin(s) during operation of the press.
The pins typically include a blunt distal end that can be somewhat difficult for the press operator to insert through apertures formed in the frame. Also, the configuration of the proximal end, typically a cylindrical rod, may not facilitate a secure or comfortable grasp of the pin by an operator.
It can be necessary to relocate the moveable work-piece-support member in a generally vertical direction relative to the frame between operations of the press to accommodate work pieces having different shapes and/or sizes. If the support member must be relocated downward, the pin(s) positioned below the support member must be removed. In certain conventional hydraulic presses, when the pin(s) are removed, the press operator must continuously support the work-piece-support member to prevent it from free-falling downward.


A well casing perforator for efficiently recovering available water in a previously drilled well by perforating the well casing. The well casing perforator generally includes a frame adapted to be inserted within a well casing and move in a direction parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the well casing, at least one perforator pivotally connected to the frame and including a plurality of spikes extending therefrom for engagement with the well casing and at least one spring to impart a bias force upon the perforator so that the spikes automatically grab the well casing and rotate through the well casing with a change in directional movement of the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a well and more specifically it relates to a well casing perforator for efficiently recovering available water in a previously drilled well by perforating the well casing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Wells are used by many individuals as a means to provide water. Over time, the holes or perforations in the well casing can become clogged due to settling of the surrounding dirt or material among other causes. This can substantially slow or stop the flow of water through the well, which forces the individual to drill a new well. This can be a costly and time consuming process, wherein the individual is generally without running water during this time. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved well casing perforator for efficiently recovering available water in a previously drilled well by perforating the well casing.


The present invention relates to a composition of pH in the range 2.0 to 4.5 comprising at least one fluoride source and at least one other agent for use in prevention and/or treatment of dental erosion.

Tooth enamel mainly consists of minerals and the primary mineral is hydroxyl apatite (HA), which is a crystalline calcium phosphate with the formula Ca5(PO4)3(OH). Demineralisation of HA starts when the local pH goes below 5.5. The saliva is supersaturated with various ions (see M. J. Larsen et al., "Saturation of human saliva with respect to calcium salts", Archives of Oral Biology (2003) 48, 317-322). These ions act as a buffer, keeping the acidity of the mouth within a certain range, typically pH 6.2 to 7.4. This normally prevents the minerals from dissolving. Some of the mineral loss can be recovered/remineralised from the ions in the saliva if the pH is buffered and stay above 5.5.
Dental/acidic erosion is defined as the irreversible loss of tooth structure (enamel, dentine and cementum) due to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacterial origin. Dental erosion is thus different in both ethology and pathogenesis from dental caries that is an infectious disease caused by certain bacteria in the dental plaque (biofilm). The most common cause of dental erosion is by acidic foods and drinks but can sometimes be caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux. It is the most common chronic disease of children aged 5-17 years according to the U.S. Department of health and Human services (8. Aug 2007).
Dentists have no established good ways to mend already eroded enamel. The best way is to prevent erosion but there are no effective products on the market today.
The use of topical products containing fluoride will result in formation of calcium fluoride (CaF2) precipitate in contact with the enamel. The calcium (Ca) originates from salvia and teeth. CaF2 formation on dental hard tissues during topical fluoride treatment depends on many factors such as the solubility of the tooth, sound or demineralised surface, length of fluoride exposure time, the fluoride concentration and the pH of the topical agent (see Bjørn Øgaard, <<CaF2 Formation: Cariostatic Properties and Factors of Enhancing the Effect>>, Caries Research 2001; 35(suppl 1):40-44.).
Fluorapatite formation following the CaF2 material has been suggested. Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F can be formed in neutral or acidic conditions above pH 4.5 and will dissolve and thus not protect from acidic situations below pH 4.5 such as fruit juices, energy drinks and sodas etc. resulting in erosion of enamel.
An acidic topical product (i.e. below pH of 4.5) containing a small amount of fluoride will after a minor etch release Ca from HA and then instantly be followed by deposition of a thin protective layer of CaF2 on the teeth. The formed low phosphate contaminated CaF2 is only slightly soluble in water and in acidic solutions and much less in saliva (as saliva normally already contains at least 100 mg Calcium/L). CaF2 is much less soluble in acids such as citric acid than the normal enamel hydroxyapatite or fluorapatite. Thus, said low phosphate contaminated CaF2 forms a mechanical barrier that protects dental enamel from acidic erosion.
International patent application with publication no. WO 2005/110347 relates to a composition for inhibiting dental erosion comprising an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid (HF) in a concentration of 0.05 to 2.00% in which the pH of the aqueous solution is between 2.5 and 4.5.
C. Hjortsjö et al., "Effect of Stannous Fluoride and Dilute Hydrofluoric Acid on Early Enamel Erosion over Time in vivo", Caries Research 2009; 43:449-454, reports a study made in order to evaluate the longer-term protective effect of aqueous solutions of HF (0.2%, pH 2.0) and stannous fluoride (SnF2) (0.78%, pH 2.9) (both˜0.1 mol/l F) on enamel solubility. It was concluded from this study that treatment of sound enamel with a 0.2% HF solution had a protective effect against citric acid attack that lasted for at least 1 week. In contrast, the SnF2 solution containing the same low fluoride concentration had no effect after only 1 day.

Composition for preventing or treating dental erosion


A bone screw apparatus and method of implantation provides a bone screw having an elongated shaft of an oversized length with proximal and distal end portions. The distal end portion of the shaft has a cutting head. The proximal end portion of the shaft is sized and shaped to accept a driver tool, such as a drill chuck. The shaft is externally threaded along a majority of its length. A pair of opposed longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced flat surfaces are provided along the shaft. A removable head with a central opening enables the head to slide along the shaft proximally to distally. A ratcheting mechanism prevents movement of the head along the shaft in but one direction. A central opening of the head is shaped to conform to the shaped surfaces of the shaft, so that the head and shaft can be rotated as a unit by engaging and rotating the head. The tool receptive surface portion of the head includes intersecting external surfaces of the head spaced radially away from the shaft during use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to orthopaedic bone screws and more particularly to an improved orthopaedic bone screw apparatus that can be custom fitted to a patient's bone tissue by two moving parts of the bone screw apparatus that include an elongated shank and a shaped head portion that slides over the shank. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved orthopaedic bone screw apparatus having an elongated shank and sliding head portion with a ratcheting washer that fits over the shank and enables movement in one direction toward the patient's bone tissue but disallows sliding movement in the opposite direction.
2. General Background of the Invention
During orthopaedic surgery, bone screws are often employed. Some bone screws are embedded deep into a patient's bone tissue for affixing implants to the patient's bone tissues such as intramedullary nails. The surgeon does not always know exactly the thickness of a patient's bone tissue will be such as for example of thickness of a patient's femur. Therefore, it would be desirable for the surgeon to be able to custom size a bone screw to fit a particular patient during a particular operation.
A published PCT application PCT WO98/01079 discloses a cortical bone screw assembly comprising a shaft with a threaded section and a cutting and self-tapping end section. The assembly includes a nut which includes a resilient body. The resilient body can expand to allow translational movement of he nut along the shaft, but when such radial expansion is prevented so is such translational movement. However, the nut can still be moved along the shaft by rotation on the trhead. This enables the nut to be advanced rapidly along an exposed length of shaft, but when it enters a restricted volume which prevents expansion of the resilient body, further advance can only be achieved by relative rotation.


A magnetic bearing assembly utilizes repulsive magnetic forces between components, having magnetic sources, of the bearing at two or more gaps which are angled with respect to an axis of the inner component. Each gap provides force vectors in two directions, while allowing for relative movement of the components in a third direction. The gaps collectively provide a stable equilibrium in the first two directions, meaning that, in response to relative movement of the components in the first or second direction causing a decreased gap width, magnetic repulsive forces at the decreased gap width urge the components away from each other to return to equilibrium. The components of a radial magnetic bearing according to the invention move relative to one another rotationally, and the components of a linear magnetic bearing according to the invention move relative to one another longitudinally.

Mechanical bearings necessarily involve mechanical contact between the components, leading to well-known problems associated with friction and wear. Repulsive magnetic forces have been utilized in magnetic bearings, for example, to provide a non-contact, low-friction bearing. However, magnetic bearing structures require a design which may become quite complicated; for example, for radial magnetic bearings, it is necessary to maintain the rotating component aligned axially with the non-moving component, such as by providing a second magnetic gap to maintain such alignment. Nevertheless, the use of magnetic forces to provide a non-contact, low-friction bearing avoids the drawbacks attendant to mechanical bearings, thereby providing an attractive alternative.
In any magnetic suspension element that utilizes static magnetic forces between a stationary and a rotating component in a first direction, a stable state of equilibrium against external forces, e.g., gravity, in a second direction cannot exist. In other words, if such a bearing element is designed to be stable against transverse displacements, it will be unstable against axially directed displacements, and vice versa. This instability may be addressed by undesirably complicated and expensive electronic and magnetic control systems or the provision of a second magnetic gap, as mentioned above. U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,274 discloses a magnetic bearing utilizing two magnetic gaps, extending perpendicularly to one another, to keep the moving component in place relative to the non-moving component.

Magnetic bearing assembly using repulsive magnetic forces


A table dolly apparatus and method for using same which allows folded tables to be vertically stacked tin two adjacent side-by-side columns, such that the planar folded tables are inclined slightly from horizontal to reduce the dolly's transverse width such that it can pass through doorways.

It is well known to provide folding tables which include a main planar body and typically two sets of folding leg assemblies foldably attached relative to the underside of the main planar body. When in use, the folding leg assemblies are extended to provide support for the planar bodies. However, when the folding tables are not needed, the folding leg assemblies can be folded into their more compact "retracted" positions, such that the folding tables can be stored away in a remote location. When so folded, the tables are typically substantially planar, and if so desired can be stacked on the floor, for example, in vertical stacks (with the bodies being substantially horizontal), or stacked side-by-side leaning against a wall, with the bodies being inclined slightly off vertical.
In the hospitality industry, such as the hotel industry, it is not uncommon for a particular business or organization to own and use a large number of such folding tables. It is also not uncommon for a multitude of tables to be required in a large room such as a conference room and ballroom during the day, yet these same tables must be removed to a remote location (such as a storage closet or room) to make room for dancing or other social activities in the evening. Such a conversion often must take place within just a few hours, and in such an instance time and manpower is of the essence.
It may be therefore understood that there is a need to provide an effective method and means for so transporting the folded tables, especially in an environment where "set up" and "take down" of a large number of tables is required on possibly a daily basis. There is also a need to so transport such tables with a high degree of manpower efficiency and safety. If an apparatus is to be used to accomplish such a task, there is a need to provide such and apparatus which is easily loaded and unloaded, has a relatively high capacity, and can be readily maneuvered by a single operator around the set up area and also through relatively narrow doorways while fully loaded. Finally, worker safety is always a high priority, so any such apparatuses should be safe to operate in that the tables stacked thereon should not tend to fall off.
The prior art has attempted to accomplish the above-referenced objectives, although it is submitted that the prior art has shortcomings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,310, to Goetz, entitled "Mobile Sheet Pack", issued Feb. 5, 1953, discloses a mobile sheet rack which is configured to accept a plurality of sheets such as stainless steel in a pair of stacks without marring or buckling the sheets. U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,310, to Blake, entitled "Dolly Apparatus", issued Sep. 2, 1980, likewise discloses an apparatus for maintaining sheet material in a stable configuration, but in a single stack.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,699, to Beyrle, entitled "furniture truck", issued Jul. 19, 1960, discloses an apparatus, which accepts a number of folding chairs, either on their ends or on their sides. On column 2, beginning at line 55, the Beyrle reference discloses that when the chairs are loaded on their sides instead of their ends, the innermost chair on each end of the truck rests "against the small supporting frame formed by the members 23 and 25".
U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,310, to Hershburger, entitled "Folding Table Caddie", discloses the concept of loading folding leg tables atop a "caddie", which folds flat for storage. Locking bars are used to keep the first table in place. A good example of the stacking method is shown in FIG. 4.
Although the prior art may include advantages, it also includes deficiencies. For example, the prior art described above does not appear to provide a stable yet easily mobile apparatus for stacking two side-by-side substantially vertical columns of stacked folding tables each at an orientation slightly inclined from horizontal with their long edges substantially vertically aligned and in position for easy loading and unloading.


Described are catalyst composites containing mechanically fused components, methods of making the catalyst composites, and methods of using the catalyst composites such as in pollution abatement applications. The catalyst composites contain a core and a shell at least substantially covering the core, the shell mechanically fused to the core and comprising particles mechanically fused to each other, wherein a size ratio of the core to particles of the shell is at least about 10:1.

Pollution involves the undesirable introduction of contaminants into an environment. Pollution, sometimes referred to as contaminants, cause numerous detrimental effects including instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the physical systems or any living organisms within the environment. Pollution takes many forms including chemical substances, particulates, odors, and the like. Pollutants or contaminants can be foreign substances (such as man-made substances) or naturally occurring. Typically naturally occurring pollutants are referred to as such when natural levels are exceeded.
Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution from a mobile pollution source. Stationary pollution sources include chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, large livestock farms (dairy cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), PVC factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industry. Poor air quality due to pollution can harm or even kill many organisms including humans. For example, air pollution is suspected of causing or exacerbating one or more of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion.
Pollution control involves minimizing and thereby controlling the amount of emissions and effluents that are introduced into the air, water and/or soil. Pollution control is important because without pollution control, the waste products from consumption, heating, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and other human activities, whether they accumulate or disperse, continue to degrade the natural environment. Various attempts to control and decrease pollution are currently being implemented. Despite attempts to control pollution, pollution remains a significant problem.

Mechanically fused materials for pollution abatement in mobile and stationary sources


Provided herein are a gas sensor element in which deformation of a sensitive portion due to stress may be reduced and a method of manufacturing the gas sensor element. A base insulating layer 9 including a heater wiring pattern 19 is formed on a front surface 3A of a support 3. The base insulating layer 9 includes a fixed portion 15 fixed to the front surface 3A of the support 3, and a nonfixed portion 17 located over an opening portion 5. A cavity portion 7 having the opening portion 5 is formed in the support 3. An electrode wiring pattern 27 and a sensitive film 31 are formed over a central portion 21 of the nonfixed portion 17 of the base insulating layer 9. The nonfixed portion 17 includes the central portion 21 and a plurality of connecting portions 23 connecting the central portion 21 and the fixed portion 15. Four connecting portions 23 each include a base portion 33 and an extended portion 35. The base portion 33 of each connecting portion 23 is formed to extend along an edge portion 5A of the opening portion 5. Each extended portion 35 is formed to extend from the base portion 33 to the central portion 21 to be connected to the central portion 21. The connecting portions 23 are formed such that the maximum width W1 of each base portion 33 is larger than the maximum width W2 of each extended portions 35.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-132814 discloses a structure of a gas sensor element in which four bridges 3 disposed at equal intervals outside a stage 2 including a heater connect a silicon frame 1 and the stage 2. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-58389 discloses a structure of a gas sensor element in which a gas sensitive portion 11 including a detection electrode 12 is formed on an insulating layer 13 including heating means 14 (on a supported substrate portion 10), and a supporting substrate portion 30 mounted on a base member 31 and the supported substrate portion 10 with the gas sensitive portion 11 formed thereon are connected by bridge portions 20. The bridge portions 20 have an inverted swastika shape.

Gas sensor element and manufacturing method of the same


An orthopedic brace includes a first strap, a second strap, and a support member. The first strap is covered on one side with loop material from a hook and loop-type fastener. A section of hook material is secured to the opposite side of the first strap. Similarly, the second strap has loop material secured to one side thereof, and a hook portion secured to the opposite side. The second strap is shorter than the first strap. The support member includes a body segment with a support pad removably secured thereto. A pair of support straps extend from the body. One side of each support strap includes both loop material and a segment of hook material secured thereto. The side of the body opposite the hook and loop material of the support straps is likewise covered with loop material and includes two hook material portions. In use, the first strap is wrapped around one portion of the limb above a joint and the second strap is wrapped around another portion of the limb below the joint. The support member is then wrapped around the limb such that the support pad is disposed adjacent the joint and one support strap is secured to the first strap above the joint and the other support strap is secured to the second strap below the joint.

The present invention relates to orthopedic braces and, in particular, an orthopedic brace with improved force distribution.
Numerous orthopedic braces are known in the prior art. Examples of such braces used to support a human patella are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,296,744; 4,423,720 and 5,277,697. Each of these patents discloses a patella brace in which straps are used to secure the brace about a person's leg. In each device, the straps, after wrapping around the person's leg, are secured, directly or indirectly, to the same portion of the brace from which they originate. Thus, although the braces are intended to apply pressure to one side of the patella, the manner in which the straps are secured to the device actually creates a force on the brace in the opposite direction. This reduces the effectiveness of such a brace.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic brace to provide support to a portion of the human anatomy.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a brace that will lessen forces applied to a portion of the human anatomy that run counter to the force intended to be applied.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a flexible brace.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a brace that is easy to secure to a human limb.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a brace having a first strap and a first fastener for securing the first strap to a limb and a second strap and a second fastener for securing the second strap to a limb. The brace further includes a support member including a body portion and a support pad secured to the body portion. First and second support straps extend from the body portion. Third and fourth fasteners are provided for securing the first and second support straps to the first and second straps, respectively.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a knee brace includes a first strap encircling a portion of the leg above the knee, a second strap encircling a portion of the leg below the knee and a support member providing a support pad for engaging the patella. A first support strap extends from the support member and encircles a portion of the leg above the knee. A second support strap extends from the support member and encircles a portion of the leg below the knee. The first support strap is attached to the first strap and the second support strap is attached to the second strap. The support member is reversible to allow the support pad to engage the patella from either the lateral or medial side.
According to another aspect of the invention, hook and loop-type fastener is used for attaching the first support strap to the first strap and the second support strap to the second strap.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first and second straps are independent of the support member. The support straps may be elastic.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first support strap extends spirally up the leg to attach to the first strap and the second support strap extends spirally down the leg to attach to the second strap.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first support strap encircles a portion of the leg, attaches to the support member and extends spirally up the leg to attach to the first strap and the second support strap encircles a portion of the leg, attaches to the support member and extends spirally down the leg to attach to the second strap.
According to another aspect of the invention, a knee brace includes a first anchor for attachment to the leg above the knee, a second anchor for attachment to the leg below the knee, a support member providing a support pad for engaging the patella, a first support strap for attaching the support member to the first anchor, and a second support strap for attaching the support member to the second anchor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the first and second anchors are independent of the support member.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first support strap extends spirally up the leg to attach to the first anchor and the second support strap extends spirally down the leg to attach to the second anchor.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first support strap encircles a portion of the leg, attaches to the support member and extends spirally up the leg to attach to the first anchor and the second support strap encircles a portion of the leg, attaches to the support member and extends spirally down the leg to attach to the second anchor.


A new and distinct cultivar of Cotinus coggygria named ‘Old Fashioned’ that is distinguishable from all other varieties of Cotinus by its medium green foliage topped by the contrasting greyed-purple of the younger emerging leaves.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Smoke Bush known botanically as Cotinus coggygria and referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'Old Fashioned'.
'Old Fashioned' was discovered by the inventor in a cultivated area of Boskoop, The Netherlands in 1989. The inventor selected 'Old Fashioned' as a single-seedling which was growing in a bed of seedlings of Cotinus coggygria which the inventor had raised from seed collected by the inventor from plants grown at the inventor's nursery.
Cotinus coggygria is a deciduous shrub that is used in the landscape. 'Old Fashioned' is distinguished from all other existing varieties of Cotinus coggygria known to the inventor by its mature blue-green leaves contrasted with the young emerging leaves which are greyed-purple in color and which first attracted the inventor as a novel characteristic. This growth coloration continues through the summer before becoming deciduous as winter approaches. The inventor considered that 'Old Fashioned' was further distinguished by the large size and pronounced roundness of its foliage compared to other varieties of Cotinus known to the inventor. 'Old Fashioned' blooms in the early summer although the yellow green flowers are of limited interest and lasting only a few days.
The first asexual propagation was carried out by the inventor in the summer of 1990 at the inventor's nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands, using softwood cuttings. Since that time under careful observation, 'Old Fashioned' has been determined stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.


A shift transmission includes a first shaft, a second shaft arranged parallel to the first shaft, a gear group arranged at least partially on the first shaft, and a range group arranged at least partially on the second shaft. The gear group includes at least two gear units and the range group comprises at least three range units. Moreover, the gear group and the range group are configured such that a first and a second range unit in each case are shiftable with at least one gear unit indirectly by a third range unit.

Power shift transmissions are a specific type of vehicle transmission in which the gear ratio may be altered under load, i.e., during travel, without interrupting the torque. As a result, even during the shifting process propulsive forces may be transmitted so that the vehicle may accelerate forward even during the shifting process. Thus, during the shifting process there is no loss of driving comfort. Power shift transmissions are primarily used in agricultural utility vehicles, in particular in tractors, since they permit more rapid work such as when working in hilly terrain and on variable types of soil, and also help to save fuel. In addition, some tractor transmissions are only able to be partially power shifted, which means that it is only possible to shift between some gears without interrupting the tractive force, while others (for example, a group change) are associated with an interruption to the tractive force.
It is known to configure these transmissions in combination with planetary transmissions and clutches in a modular system so that the shift transmissions may be operated by a corresponding configuration and arrangement of gearwheel pairs of the planetary transmission in different operating modes, such as fixed drive mode, gear reduction mode and reversing mode. Thus, power shift transmissions are used on tractors, e.g., the agricultural machine manufacturer John Deere, as a preliminary transmission stage which, depending on the configuration of a stepped planetary set, may be operated either in the operating modes of fixed drive mode or reversing mode, or in the operating modes fixed drive mode or gear reduction mode.
In EP 0 745 198 B1, a power shift transmission for mobile working machines is disclosed, as well as a method for controlling this power shift transmission. In this case, hydraulic motors which are connected together via a clutch are used. In a low speed range the hydraulic motors are connected together in order to combine the torques. One of the hydraulic motors is reconfigured via a further clutch so that the hydraulic motors may be operated combined together at a rotational speed in an upper speed range.
A power shift transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft arranged coaxially thereto is disclosed in WO 2013/064371 A1. The power shift transmission has a planetary transmission set. The planetary transmission comprises a planet carrier which is connected to the input shaft. The first output shaft is able to be connected by a shift element to the sun of a stepped planetary set on the output side. The first output shaft is able to be connected directly to the input shaft by a second shift element. The sun gear of the stepped planetary set on the input side is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to a housing part of the power shift transmission.
Proceeding from this prior art, the present disclosure specifies a shift transmission which, on the one hand, is able to be implemented with a high number of gear variants, with at the same time a compact size, and which, on the other hand, is able to be used for a wide field of application.


A highly versatile optical shutter for industrial and scientific applications is disclosed. The has a aperture which defines a light path through the shutter, and a shutter vane or blade that is moved into and out of the light path using a precision, microprocessor controlled motor, such as a stepping motor. Preferably, the motor is mounted on the shutter housing using a shock absorbing material. A control unit associated with the shutter comprises the microprocessor, a motor driver, preferably one which is capable of microstepping the motor, and a non-volatile memory device, such as EEPROM, which stores a plurality of shutter control programs defining different trajectories of the shutter vane. Different programs may be used, for example, to maximize shutter speed or frequency, or to minimize vibrations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to optical shutters, and is specifically related to a precision controlled optical shutter for industrial and scientific applications.
2. Background
Optical shutters are used to switch the transmission of light on and off. Controlling light exposure in a camera is the most widespread and best-known shutter application, and the art associated with camera shutters is highly evolved to meet the specific needs of that use.
Shutters are also used in a wide range of other applications. Optical shutters used in scientific or industrial applications, hereinafter referred to as industrial shutters, are typically electronically controlled. Electronically controlled or actuated mechanical industrial shutters have been widely used in various optical applications for decades. They act quickly, they can be driven by simple electronics, and can be made quite thin. Industrial shutters generally give better light transmission when open, and better light attenuation when closed than other means of controlling light. Industrial shutters may be used to control transmission of light from a lamp or other source, or to protect sensitive materials from excess exposure to light. Such shutters are widely used in microscopy, for example, to control bleaching of dyes or pigments due to light exposure, or to select between multiple light sources or light paths, such as transmitted light versus fluorescence excitation.
Camera shutters are highly specialized and are generally designed as part of an integrated camera system, all the parts of which are designed to function together in a single application. On the other hand, industrial and scientific shutters are designed and sold as stand alone items which may used in a variety of applications by end users and, therefore, must be highly versatile and robust. Thus, the design and use of industrial shutters is significantly different than camera shutters.
The typical electronically controlled or actuated mechanical industrial shutter comprises a solenoid linked to one or more vanes that move into or out of a light path when the solenoid is activated. Normally, the solenoid action is opposed by a return spring, so that the vanes will return to a resting position when the current through the solenoid coil is turned off. The linkage of the solenoid to the vanes may be designed so that the solenoid acts either to open or to close the shutter. Such shutters are restricted to either fully open or fully closed positions.
In many industrial and scientific applications it is critical to provide very quick switching times, i.e., the time required to open or close the shutter. In order to obtain a fast open or close time, industrial shutters the vanes or blades and other moving parts of the shutter are made to be very light. In addition, in order to maximize the quickness of the solenoid action, typically the current to the solenoid coil is briefly increased to a level that, if sustained, could damage the coil. The combination of light construction and quick action associated with prior art industrial shutters results in the production of undesirable vibration and noise. In addition, while such shutters can produce short bursts of operation at frequencies above 20 Hertz, they are susceptible to overheating and failure if operated for extended periods at or near their optimum rate. Due to the light construction, these units fail frequently and, in order to obtain light but strong construction the components are typically spot-welded together, making repairs impractical. To avoid bouncing at the end of an opening or closing stroke and to reduce vibration and wear, mechanical dampers are employed. A typical damper comprises a bumper made of rubber or plastic attached at the end of a spring. Such dampers are subject to wear, requiring frequent replacement, and can stick to the shutter blade.
Solenoid shutters rely on a return spring to move the shutter vane to its resting position when current to the solenoid is removed. The action of the return spring is much slower than the solenoid. Accordingly, two versions of such shutters are normally made, normally open and normally closed. In order to provide a shutter which is equally fast opening and closing it would be necessary to use two solenoids, increasing the cost and complexity of the device.


A method for displaying images in a display apparatus is provided herein. In the display apparatus, an image is displayed during each frame period of a plurality of contiguous frames. At first, original images are received, and each of the received original images is composed of M number of contiguous image rows. A predetermined amount of frame periods are grouped as a frame group. During each frame period, one of M number of image rows is selected as an initial image row. From the initial image row, N number of image rows are selected from the M number of image rows according to an image row selection rule to constitute an image for displaying. In each frame group, at least two different initial parameters are used within two frame periods in order to output different images.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image display method for adjusting image size.
2. Description of Related Art
At present, most of the portable consumer devices are at least equipped with a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). When user views contiguous images, since human vision system can adapt to and adjust itself to the quickly updated frames, therefore displays usually operate at a frame rate of more than 25 frames/second. If the frame rate is lower than 25 frames/second, user will see flickering images when viewing contiguous images.
In the current digital display systems, the frame rate is usually higher than 50 frames/second. In fact, a rate of 25 frames/second is enough for users to view contiguous images. Therefore this nature characteristic of human eyes can be used to develop an image size adjusting device which provides preferred viewing quality without using the line buffers. The Line buffer is used to maintain a series of image rows to perform high level real time vertical image adjustment. However, since some SRAMs (Static Random Access Memory) are required to maintain each row of pixels in LCD arrays, therefore the line buffer usually takes the cost of occupying a portion of silicon area. In order to save the memory space used by the line buffers, a known simple line-duplicate or line-drop technology is used to adjust (enlarge or reduce) image vertical size. However, such known technology may result in low image quality.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a known digital camera capturing system. Under image capture mode, the reflection light from a subject travels through a lens module 10, and the image sensor 11 converts the reflection into electronic image signals to depict the image of the subject. An image signal processor 12 receives and saves the electronic image signals into DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 13. In addition, the image signal processor 12 can also process the electronic image signals depending on the system requirement, and the processed electronic image signals are saved in memory 14. Before the digital camera captures image, a display panel 15 is used to preview the image of the subject. After digital camera captured and saved the electronic image signals in DRAM 13, digital camera can switch from capture mode to play mode to view the captured image of the subject. Under the play mode, the electronic image signals stored in DRAM 13 can be read out by an image signal processor 12 which enlarges or reduces the image size to fit in the size of display panel 15.
More specifically, since the size of original image depicted by the electronic image signals is not necessary the same size with the display panel 15, therefore the electronic image signals need to be processed to adjust the size of the original image. If the size of the original image is larger than the size of the display panel 15, then the size of the original image need to be reduced. When the image signal processor 12 adjusts the image vertical size bases on the known simple line-duplicate or line drop technology, an image distortion may occur.
For example, with reference to FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, the original image 20 in FIG. 2a is reduced by half to form the image 21 in FIG. 2b. It can be seen from FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, a portion of the image rows of the original image 20 are ignored and the characteristic of which doesn't show on image 21, especially for the characteristic of the upper half. Similarly, in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, the original image 30 of FIG. 3a is reduced by half to form the image 31 in FIG. 3b. It can be seen from FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, a portion of image rows of the original image 30 was omitted. As a result, comparing with the original image 30, image 31 was totally distorted. Next with reference to FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, the original image 40 is enlarged by one and half times (3/2 times) to form the image 41 in FIG. 4b. It can be seen from FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, a portion of image rows of original image 40 was duplicated and a serrated edge was resulted.
Therefore the present invention provides an image display method which provides a resized image with preferred viewing quality through controlling image rows selection without using line buffer.

Method for displaying images and display apparatus using the same