Methods for the diagnosis and treatment of articular disorders comprising the use of fluorocarbons are disclosed. The methods provide for the introduction of a fluorocarbon into an articular region to replace or augment natural synovial fluid. The introduced fluorocarbons, which may be in various forms including liquids, gels or emulsions, provide articular lubrication and cushioning which is effective for the treatment of disorders such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, the methods of the present invention may be used to provide high resolution articular images, reduce articular inflammation and introduce bioactive agents to the articular region.

One of the most significant events in the evolution of animal physiology was the internalization of the skeletal framework. In a broad sense, it allowed for substantial increases in size while retaining the mobility necessary to exploit new environments. Moreover, in higher organisms the skeletal system carries out several important functions. Fundamentally, it provides mechanical support for the tissues of the body and assists in the maintaining the body's natural mineral balance. It also exhibits a protective nature, reducing the potential for harm to delicate internal organs. Perhaps most importantly, the skeletal system is a dynamic structure incorporating numerous joints and providing a framework on which muscles can act to allow motion. Responsive to neural signals, this coordinated interaction is the basis for all voluntary movement.
The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 individual bones. The sites where the bones come together are commonly called joints (arthroses) or points of articulation. In normal operation, joints efficiently function to provide smooth, painless, stable, force transmission between one bone and the next with little effort. For the average adult individual, the joints cycle more than one million times a year, typically without injury or mishap. The hip, knee and ankle joints transmit forces of three times body weight with the simplest of activities such as walking, and over seven times the body weight when undergoing motion related to climbing stairs. Because much of the force transmitted across a joint is due to agonistic muscle contraction, the force per unit area carried by all extremity joints is similar.
Based on the nature of their connective tissue, joints are generally classified as belonging to one of two principal groups. In the first group, connective tissues remain solid (synarthroses). These solid joints are further classified as being fibrous joints or cartilaginous joints based on the most prevalent type of connective tissue. Fibrous joints tend to be articulations in which the surfaces of the bones are fastened together by intervening fibrous tissue. Such joints, including those between cranial bones, tend to allow little appreciable motion. Cartilaginous joints include synchondroses (primary cartilaginous joints) and symphyses (secondary cartilaginous joints) each of which may allow limited movement. The former are essentially growth mechanisms and are found where two separate but adjacent regions of ossification occur within a continuous mass of hyaline cartilage. In most cases, the cartilage is converted ultimately to bone and the synchondrosis is replaced by complete bony union, i.e. a synostosis. Symphyses, including the intervertebral discs, consist of two well-defined, hyaline cartilage-covered bones bonded by a strong, solid connective tissue such as fibrocartilage.
The second major group of joints, the predominant form of joint in the human body, are termed diarthroses or synovial joints. Synovial joints, which allow for a wide range of motion, incorporate a fluid filled cavity (the articular cavity) having a membrane known as the synovium. The synovium (or synovial membrane), richly supplied by both blood vessels and lymphatics, terminates at the margin of articular cartilage and is supported by the fibrous tissue defining the cavity or capsule. Only a few cell layers thick under normal circumstances, the synovium helps regulate the amount of liquid in a joint by secreting and absorbing synovial fluid. The synovial fluid plays an important role in lubricating and separating the bone and cartilaginous surfaces comprising the joint. More specifically, the bone surfaces are typically covered by articular cartilage, a specialized form of hyaline cartilage, which has a very low coefficient of friction. Sliding contact is facilitated by the presence of the synovial fluid, which, among other functions, provides for lubrication and maintenance of the living cells in the cartilage. Where the congruity between the bones is low there may also be an articular disc or meniscus of fibrocartilage. The purpose of this fibrocartilage is uncertain although it has been suggested that it plays a part in shock absorption, improvement of fit between surfaces and spreading of weight over a larger area. In any case, the synovial joints allow an impressive array of movements while successfully supporting immense loads.
The presence of healthy cartilaginous tissue is critical for the effective operation of synovial joints. Bathed by synovial fluid, cartilage provides a smooth, relatively malleable surface allowing for almost frictionless movement. Histologically, articular cartilage is avascular and lacking in nerve structures. It contains a relatively small number of cells (chondrocytes) in a stiff, gel-like extracellular matrix that is permeated by a network of collagen fibers. Synthesis, and to some extent degradation, of the cartilage matrix is undertaken by the chondrocytes. The unusual mechanical characteristics of cartilage are a result of the unique architectural combination as well as chemical interactions between the components. Mechanically, articular cartilage can be considered to be a fluid-filled, permeable, porous solid. It is efficient at resisting the large compressive forces generated by weight transmission during movement and its elasticity dissipates the effect of concussion. During normal joint operation, the cartilage is subjected to both mechanical distortion of the matrix and, as a result of movement of interstitial fluid in and out of the tissue, changes in volume. The movement of synovial fluid, both within the cartilage and in the articular cavity, is extremely important to proper joint function.
Synovial fluid is a dialysate of blood plasma into which hyaluronate, a glycosaminoglycan of high molecular weight is secreted by the synovial membrane. The high levels of hyaluronate dissolved in the synovial fluid tend to make it fairly viscous under normal physiological conditions. In humans, the volume of synovial fluid found in the joints is typically on the order of a few tenths of a milliliter to several milliliters which is deposited on, and permeates, the cartilage and other surfaces within the articular cavity. Besides providing the articular cartilage its smooth texture and appearance, synovial fluid is found in the bursa (small synovium lined cavities associated with ligaments) where it provides lubrication for the tendon sheaths. Collectively, the bursa and articular cavity are known as synovial cavities. The dispersion of the fluid on the critical parts of the joint plays a decisive role in transmuting the dry resistant surfaces into effective load bearing structures exhibiting very low friction. For instance, it has been reported that the friction between articular cartilage surfaces is one third that of ice on ice. Yet, the efficiency of the lubrication depends, at least in part, on the quality and smoothness of the cartilage. In joints exhibiting damaged or degenerate cartilage, surface irregularities impair the lubricating properties of the synovial fluid and increase the rate of wear. Accordingly, while the initial disruption of the cartilage may occur for any one of a number of reasons, destruction of the joint is often due to a reduction in lubrication efficiency and repetitive insult to the tissue.
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the degree of lubrication and/or cushioning provided by the synovial fluid. For example, fluid film lubrication, involving a relatively thick layer of liquid interposed between the surfaces, is generally accepted to play a role in joint function. Different forms of fluid film lubrication that act in synovial lubrication, depending on the loading of the joint, include hydrostatic, hydrodynamic, squeeze-film and elastohydrodynamic. It has also been proposed that, under certain conditions, boundary layer lubrication may occur. In this case, it is believed that a layer of water and glycoproteins adheres to each surface thus reducing the amount of direct contact. Moreover, solvent cohesion during boundary layer lubrication allows the synovial fluid to function as an adhesive, thereby promoting joint stability. Solvent cohesion is apparently the result of hydrogen bonding where the bonds have a relatively high tensile strength but little or no resistance to shear. Such a system enables opposing surfaces to slide freely across each other but limits their distraction.
Although normally functioning joints provide pain free, efficient movement, this is not generally the case when the joint has been damaged. Deterioration of joint function may lead to chronic pain, lack of mobility and, in extreme cases, total disability or even death. Unfortunately a multitude of diseases can affect the joints. Some may occur due to infection while others are the result of autoimmune disorders. In yet other cases, the joints may be functionally impaired or damaged by congenital disorders, age, trauma or repetitive mechanical stress over an extended period of time. Irrespective of the etiology, progressive and irreversible physiological degeneration often results. Quite often the synovial fluid in the joint (or joints) is lost or reduced in volume, thereby exacerbating the problem. Typically, degenerated cartilage is shed into the bursa or articular cavity where it is engulfed by the synovium. This leads to chronic reactive hyperemia in the synovial membrane with corresponding fibrosis and loss of elasticity in the subsynovial tissue. Gradually adhesions obliterate the synovial space and reduce or eliminate the synovial fluid. The loss of structural integrity leads to swelling, inflammation, and a reduction of joint mobility, a condition commonly known as rheumatism or arthritis.
In the past, rheumatism was the generic name for pain and stiffness associated with joints, muscles and related structures. Arthritis is more properly used where degeneration results in the inflammation of joints or connective tissue. However, the term is still often used generically to describe cases where inflammation does not occur. It is estimated that up to 33% of all adults are currently affected, at least temporarily, by some form of articular disorder. Of the more than 100 different types of articular disorder commonly termed "arthritis", the most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout and ankylosing spondylitis. These five conditions account for more than half of all types of joint disease diagnosed today. Other less common, though still serious, types of arthritis include juvenile arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, chondromalacia patellae, and infectious arthritis. Still other types of articular disorders involve inflammation or irritation of the structures supporting the joint, such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. These condition include bursitis, tendinitis, fibrositis and polymyositis.
By far, the most prevalent articular disorders are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis which is also known as degenerative joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, thought to be an autoimmune disorder, is the result of an inflammation of the synovial membrane. Peak onset of the disorder occurs in the 30s and 40s and afflicts women three times more often than men. In extreme cases, chronic inflammation erodes and distorts the joint surfaces and connective tissue resulting in severe articular deformity and constant pain. Moreover, rheumatoid arthritis often leads to osteoarthritis, further compounding the destruction of the joint. The most common articular disorder, osteoarthritis is characterized by degenerative changes in the surface of the articular cartilage. Alterations in the physicochemical structure of the cartilage make it less resistant to compressive and tensile forces. Finally complete erosion occurs, leaving the subchondral bone exposed and susceptible to wear. Joints of the knees and hands are most often affected, followed by the spine, hips, ankles and shoulder. In both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, degeneration of the weight bearing joints such as the hips and knees can be especially debilitating and often requires surgery to relieve pain and increase mobility.
No means currently exist for halting or reversing the degenerative changes brought about by these disorders. At the same time, approximately 37 million Americans seek symptomatic relief in the form of prescription drugs. In such cases nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are most often prescribed. While these compounds often alleviate the arthritic symptoms, they are not without side effects such as nausea and gastrointestinal ulceration. Another class of commonly prescribed compounds are corticosteroid such as triamcinolone, prednisolone and hydrocortisone. Yet, the long term use of such measures increases the chance of undesirable side effects and is often contraindicated. In addition to difficulties in determining effective dosages, a number of adverse reactions have been reported during intra-articular steroid treatment. As a result, the use of corticosteroid treatments in the management of articular disorders is currently being reassessed.
Formulations of hyaluronic acid, including gels and slurries as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,724, have also been proposed for use in the treatment of arthritis. However, the use of such treatments has been limited as hyaluronic acid is reported to lubricate only the soft tissues of the joint which are not subject to heavy loading. Further, as with more conventional treatments, adverse side effects have been observed following the intra-articular administration of the formulation. Significantly, patients with clinical histories of local adverse reactions to the hyaluronic acid treatment are reportedly susceptible to severe permanent joint damage. Accordingly, widespread use of the disclosed formulations has yet to be achieved.
In addition to the intra-articular injection of natural polymers such as hyaluronan, the administration of synthetic polymers has also been used for the management of articular disorders. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,828 discloses methods of treating degenerative joint disease through the intra-articular injection of meth(acrylamide) (co)-polymers in the form if a gel. However, acrylamide monomers are known to be potent neurotoxins making such gels undesirable for long term therapeutic administration. Questions involving breakdown products and bioincorporation of the constituent material complicate necessary regulatory approval. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,653 describes a method of treating osteoarthritic joints with polysiloxanes. While the disclosed materials possess some of the desired qualities for the proposed use, the presence of free silicone and silicone derivatives have recently been associated with immune disorders and connective tissue disease. In particular, silicone breast implants incorporating polysiloxanes have been implicated in the etiology of autoimmune disorders, immune suppression, connective tissue disease and, perhaps most importantly, rheumatoid arthritis. As such, it is possible that the intra-articular administration of siloxane polymers will exacerbate any preexisting arthritic condition.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods for the treatment of articular disorders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide methods for the reduction of articular inflammation.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods for the articular administration of therapeutic compounds.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide methods of imaging an articular region providing enhanced contrast.

Use of fluorocarbons for diagnosis and treatment of articular disorders


The invention describes a device for preparing infüsions, suitable for preparing infüsions in a micro wave. The device comprises: a lowertank transparent to electromagnetic radiation, with a valve; an upper tank screwed to the lower tank; a funnel that connects the tanks; an extraction área containing material to be extracted with filtering means; a cover; and means for making the device leak tight, the device comprising áreas for shielding against electromagnetic waves in the extraction área, the upper tank and the cover. In the preferred embodiments, the device comprises a float, needles and thermal reinforcement áreas. The device allows infüsions to be obtained without the volatile compounds degrading.

It is known that the preparation of infusions is carried out by the vapour-liquid extraction of the solid to be extracted (coffee, tea, mate, chamomile, aromatic herbs . . . ). A stream of extractant fluid (liquid or vapour) penetrates the extraction area that contains the bed of the solid to be extracted and flows into a condensation tank that stores the infusion.
The extraction process requires that the fluid temperature be close to the boiling temperature of the extractant liquid in order to obtain the maximum performance in the extraction and to be able to extract all the compounds from the solid, especially the volatile compounds that are responsible for the aromas of the infusions. On the other hand, the higher the fluid pressure, the better the extraction of volatile compounds. In addition, it is necessary that the temperature of the infusion in the condensation tank is not high because volatile compounds would degrade. In addition, a high temperature in the extraction area carbonizes the material to be extracted. Finally, it is recommended that the infusion once prepared is at a temperature around 40° C.
The state of the art describes different methods for preparing infusions:                by ascending ducts through which the hot extracting fluid is taken to the upper container in which the solid to be extracted is located,        by a liquid stream under pressure that pierces and passes through a capsule containing the solid to be extracted.        by immersing the solid to be extracted in a single container.
Extraction by a stream of a liquid is carried out at a pressure comprised between 6-15 bar to extract volatile compounds, but it has the disadvantage that the infusion falls into an open container and the infusion cools rapidly. This procedure to obtain infusions requires specific devices for each type of capsule. In addition, it should be avoided that channels are formed in the bed of the solid to be extracted. On the other hand, it is common that, due to poor cleaning, fungi and yeasts grow on the seal.
The devices used for the extraction by means of ascending ducts have a metallic lower tank wherein the extraction fluid that heats up to the boiling temperature is introduced. When the fluid reaches the boiling temperature, the energy source must be cut to prevent the carbonisation of the solid to be extracted and the degradation of volatile compounds. However, the infusion obtained cools rapidly and an auxiliary container is needed to pour the infusion. These devices work under pressure at a pressure comprised between 1-1.2 bars. The prepared infusion is at a temperature comprised between 60-80° C. The infusion must be cooled to be drunk.
The document closest to the invention describes an device suitable for preparing infusions in a microwave made of a material transparent to electromagnetic radiation, but the quality of the infusions is of poor quality because the infusion obtained is overheated losing the volatile components responsible for aroma of the infusion, and has an unpleasant taste.


An embodiment of the invention involves a method for servicing a choke valve that includes disconnecting a choke actuator and at least one internal valve component engaged therewith from the choke valve body of the choke valve and moving the same in a generally linear path away from the choke valve body along the axis of the choke valve body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in servicing hardware used in the drilling and production of fluids from petroleum wells. More particularly, the present invention relates to a field servicing apparatus for lifting, manipulating, and handling the heavy components of hydraulic choke valves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydraulic choke devices are commonly used in the oilfield when drilling or treating wells. Herein, the term "hydraulic choke" is taken to refer to a device typically used as a pressure reducing valve with a variety of fluids, such as drilling mud, salt water, oil, gas, and other chemicals that are injected into or withdrawn from a well. "Hydraulic" does not herein refer to the choke actuation means. The service conditions for hydraulic chokes are typically severe, so that the units require frequent field servicing in order to minimize drilling or production downtime. Since the primary components of the choke system, namely the choke valve itself and its associated actuator, are very heavy and field working conditions are often difficult for handling the choke valve, an auxiliary manipulation means is needed to ease choke servicing.
Manipulator devices are use for simplifying the servicing of blowout preventers. However, easy-to-use manipulators for hydraulic choke valves have not been available previously.
Kunkle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,154, discloses a pair of telescoping tubes supported in a fixed relationship to a valve. One tube provides a mounting location for a linear actuator, while the other tube is stationary.
Hewitt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,538, discloses a valve operation system wherein a linear actuator is provided with a rod in a housing. The system components are held in place by a mounting plate that may be secured to a number of different valves through a valve stem adaptor.
Hewitt, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,617, discloses an apparatus mountable on an irrigation pipe for use in controlling valves within the pipe. The apparatus includes a mounting bracket attachable to the valve mechanism and mounting plates for various components of a drive mechanism, including an electric motor, a gear box, a main gear, and a drive chain.
None of these references disclose equipment that will simplify the lifting and manipulation of the heavy components of a choke valve. Power Chokes of Cypress, Texas has used a primitive manipulator for choke valves based on horizontally telescoping support tubes, wherein one tube is mounted to the body of the choke valve and the other tube has its end attached to the separable actuator of the choke valve. The first tube is able to pivot about a nominally vertical axis to permit adjusting the actuator alignment relative to the choke valve. However, this apparatus requires that the tubes remain in the horizontal plane so that high side loads do not cause inadvertent misalignment. Further stick-slip motion of this Power Chokes actuator made manipulation difficult.
A need exists for a simple to install, robust field service device for hydraulic choke valves which is insensitive to stick-slip behavior and misalignment.

Apparatus and methods for servicing a hydraulic choke


A speed sensor for measuring a speed of an object moving relative to the speed sensor, including: a speed sensor housing for providing sliding and/or frictional and/or positively locking insertion into a fixed receptacle, wherein the speed sensor housing houses an injection molded part which is made of plastic and into which at least part of a speed sensor element is injected; wherein the injection molded part has at least one outer recess, on its outer circumferential surface facing an inner face of a wall of the speed sensor housing, wherein an empty outer chamber is formed between each boundary surface of an outer recess and the inner face of the wall of the speed sensor housing, and/or wherein at least one inner recess, which forms an empty inner chamber, is formed inside the injection molded part. Also described are a related driver assistance system and a motor vehicle.

Such speed sensors are provided for measuring the speed or rotational speed of moving machine parts, such as e.g. gearwheels, and feeding a corresponding signal to electronics for further processing via a connected electrical lead. Such a speed sensor can be represented, for example, by a wheel speed sensor which senses the rotational speed of a vehicle wheel of a motor vehicle within the scope of an anti-slip brake control operation.
Passive speed sensors and active speed sensors are believed to be understood. Active speed sensors are measuring pickups which contain internally amplifying or signal-shaping components and are operated with a power supply. The sensor signal can output a square-wave signal directly by its electronics which are integrated in the sensor. Passive speed sensors are, in contrast, sensors which contain only passive elements (such as an induction coil with inductance, capacitance and resistance). The signals are in most cases output as an analogue voltage and usually follow a sinusoidal voltage whose frequency changes in accordance with the rotational speed.
Rotational speed sensors in the case of an anti-slip brake control operation can accordingly be "passive" or "active". Rotational speed sensors without a permanently applied power supply ("passive" induction coil) are therefore referred to as "passive". Rotational speed sensors whose "active" electronic component is continuously applied to the power supply with e.g. the effective principle of the "Hall effect" are referred to as "active".
A speed sensor of the generic type is discussed in DE 43 31 969 C2.
In this context, when such speed sensors are used it may be found that a relatively large amount of thermal energy is transmitted to the speed sensor from the surroundings (e.g. in the case of installation near to a brake disk) or from the moving object, which is disadvantageous in particular in the case of the above-described active speed sensors in which the sensor element comprises integrated evaluation electronics. As a result of overheating, such speed sensors can cause incorrect measurements or can fail.

Speed sensor including insulating inner and outer recesses

KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH


A distributed printing process which involves intercepting a print-job data stream, dividing that stream into data components on the basis of a pre-assessment made with respect to the availabilities and performance capabilities of plural computing devices and printer resources in a network setting, with divided components being sent for plural-peer-device implementation of at least one of the steps of rendering and rasterizing, and delivering such rasterized/rendered components to one or more selected target printers for printing.

This invention pertains to rendering and rasterizing of document print data in a printing environment network setting, and in particular, to a system and method for distributing the implementation (distribute-process implementation) of these tasks on a peer-to-peer basis to plural devices in order to increase the speed and efficiency of execution of multiple-page print-jobs.
In the flow stream of document data which resides between a creation source of that data, such as an application in a computer, and one or more printers which are going to be called upon to implement a printing job, it is typical that functional steps known as rendering and rasterizing (one or both) must typically be performed before printing can take place. It turns out that in the usual management of document print data in a flow stream, such as that mentioned above, the steps of rendering and rasterizing each requires typically a significant amount of processing time, and it is to address this issue that the method and system of the present invention are focused.
Generally speaking, and with respect to practice of the present invention, at around the time that a multiple-page print-job is defined and called for, and thus on a dynamic document-by-document basis, an assessment is made of available resources, typically, one or more computers, one or more servers, and one or more printers. More specifically, an assessment is made to review the availabilities and functional capabilities for rendering and rasterizing offered by print drivers, spoolers, print processors, and print assist, where print assist is any component added to the print subsystem, that are made available by system resources, in order to select a group of these resources to which to distribute and direct one or both of the seriatim tasks of rendering and rasterizing. Such a distribution, performed according to the invention on a peer-to-peer basis, yields a very efficient and speedy process for handling large, multi-page print jobs. Featured in the present invention is the concept of most appropriately distributing, to plural, peer-to-peer, interconnected resources (a grid), either one or both of the usual, very time-consuming tasks of first-stage rendering followed by second-stage rasterizing of print data on its way to delivery to one or more printers for execution of a print-job.
The various significant features and operational advantages afforded by the present invention will become very fully apparent as the description which now follows below is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Peer-to-peer, plural-computing-device rendering/rasterizing structure and methodology for grid-distributed printing


A light irradiation apparatus and a method of manufacture a photo-aligning layer are disclosed. A mask included in a light irradiation apparatus according to one embodiment is configured to irradiate the light having straightness at a high level of illumination to a subject that is apart from the mask with a certain distance. A photo-aligning layer with a desired alignment pattern can be fabricated using the mask.

The present invention relates to a light irradiation apparatus and a method of manufacture a photo-aligning layer.
A liquid crystal panel includes a photo-aligning layer, a compensating film using the liquid crystal, an optical filter, liquid crystal and the like. Among them, the photo-aligning layer aligns the liquid crystal in a desired direction. The photo-aligning layer may be formed by irradiating, for example, linearly polarized light to a layer of a photo-aligning material.
As a liquid crystal panel increases in size, an optical functional film included in the liquid crystal panel also increases in size and accordingly a light irradiated surface for a photo-aligning layer is larger. Accordingly, various methods have been studied to give uniform alignment to a larger photo-aligning layer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The pump includes a piston slidably mounted in a metering chamber, the piston including a support, a diaphragm made of a first material and forming a check valve that allows fluid to flow into the metering chamber, and a presser element for pressing the diaphragm against the support, the presser element including a skirt carrying seal enabling the piston to slide in leaktight manner in the metering chamber, the presser element being made of a second material different from the first material of the diaphragm, being fitted against the diaphragm, and having a diaphragm presser surface that holds the diaphragm deformed against the support in order to close the check valve.

In a pump example described in document FR 2 885 890, the pump comprises a resilient diaphragm having a portion that forms a check valve so as to prevent the fluid returning from the metering chamber back into the reservoir. The resilient diaphragm is fitted on a support through which a feed channel passes, the support serving as a seat for the portion that forms the check valve so that the valve is pressed against the seat to block the liquid, or is spaced apart from the seat so as to allow it to pass. The diaphragm is slidably mounted in the metering chamber of the pump in leaktight manner in order to expel out from the chamber any fluid contained in the chamber. More precisely, the resilient diaphragm comprises a transverse wall forming the valve for closing the chamber feed channel, and a cylindrical skirt having one or two peripheral sealing lips in sliding contact with the inner wall of the metering chamber.
It is also known that certain pumps are configured to deliver fluid without intake of air, thereby making it possible in particular to avoid using preservatives. In such devices in particular, any introduction of air into the pump or the reservoir is to the detriment of the accuracy with which doses are delivered and to the sterility of the fluid that is delivered.

Pump for delivering a product, comprising a piston sliding in the metering chamber


An air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor of the type that is constructed of a premixing chamber and a centerbody porous plug premixed flame stabilizer. Such structures of this type maintain very low flame temperatures and, ultimately, low NO.sub.x emissions.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x gas turbine combustors of the type that are constructed with a fuel/air premixing chamber and a centerbody porous plug premixed flame stabilizer. Such structures of this type achieve stable combustion over a wide range of fuel-to-air ratios and low flame temperatures in the combustor resulting in low emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x).

Air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor


Bi-directional and uni-directional optical communication and transmission modules minimize crosstalk during use by diffusing reflected and returned stray light. A bi-directional module includes a transmission optical element for transmitting light into the module, a reception optical element for receiving light in the module, an optical fiber for guiding light to and from the transmission and reception optical elements, respectively, a beam splitter for allotting light received from the transmission optical element and the optical fiber, and a light non-return chamber for receiving and diffusing stray light reflected by the beam splitter from the transmission optical element and the optical fiber. A uni-directional module includes a light non-return chamber for receiving and diffusing return light reflected by a beam splitter from at least one optical device arranged in the module. In other aspects of the invention, a variety of optical modules are provided wherein component parts are either aligned along a central axis of a through-hole of the module, are adjustable to maintain an optimum optical axis for light transmission through the module, or are arranged to mutually correct for the axial shift of light in any given component to minimize the total axial shift of light entering and exiting the module.

The present invention relates to a module for optical communication where optical elements for transmission and for reception are used in directional communications, or to a module for optical communication provided with optical receiving elements for monitor use.
A module for directional communication shown in FIG. 5 is arranged in the body 7 so that the optical element 1 for transmission use and the optical element 2 for reception can become orthogonal in their mutual optical axes. A beam splitter plate 3, as an allotment body for light signals in the crossing portion of the mutual optical axes, is included at 45.degree. with respect to the mutual optical axes. A ferrule 6 having retained an optical fiber 5 is arranged in the optical axis direction of the optical element 1 for transmission.
The transmission light 20 outputted from the optical element 1 for transmission use passes through a lens 4, and is partially reflected by a beam splitter plate 3 to transmit the remaining portion of it. The transmitted transmission light 20 is guided out by the optical fiber 5. The received light 21 introduced from the optical fiber 5 is partially transmitted by the beam splitter plate 3 and is reflected in its remaining portion. The received light 21 reflected becomes incident into the optical element 2 for reception, thus making it possible to communicate in both directions.
The beam splitter plate 3, a glass plate, partially reflects the light signal and conducts a distribution operation through transmission of the remaining portion. As a distribution body of light signals, a prism type splitter or a hologram is used.
However, the module for bi-directional communication shown in FIG. 5 has a problem in that the component, reflected by the beam splitter 3, of the transmission light 20 outputted from the optical element 1 for transmission includes further stray light 22 transmitting through the beam splitter 3 by reflection by the inner wall face 7c of the body 7, and the stray light 22 becomes incident into the optical element 2 for reception to make the crosstalk characteristics worse.


A computing device is connected to a measurement machine. The measurement machine measures an object to obtain images of measured elements of the object by using a measurement program. The computing device divides the measurement program into two or more program segments. An icon for each program segment is generated according to a type of the program segment. The computing device generates a title state and an opened state for each program segment. If a program segment is in the title state, the icon, a name, and a first line of program codes of the program segment is displayed on an interface provided by the electronic device. If the program segment is in the opened state, the computing device displays all program codes of the program segment on the interface.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to program management systems and methods, and particularly to a system and a method for displaying measurement program.
2. Description of Related Art
A measurement machine measures an object to obtain images of measured elements of the object by using a measurement program. The measurement program includes a plurality of program segments. If a user wants to check or edit program codes of a program segment, the user has to search the program codes of the program segment from amongst the total program codes of the measurement program. The program codes of the measurement program are always very complicated. It is time-consuming for the user to check or edit the program codes. If the user edits a program code with a minor error, all the program codes of the measurement program may be affected.

System and method for displaying measurement programs

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


A method of producing animal feed pellets wherein solid and liquid ingredients of the feed are premixed except for a liquid binder ingredient which is mixed in last. The resulting mash is extruded in a ring die pellet extruder without steam conditioning and the extruded pellets are cooled and/or dried as may be required. The liquid binder will have viscous and cohesive properties and preferably will be a condensed liquid byproduct from the grain, food or feed processing industries.

Pelleting was introduced into the United States feed industry in the mid-1920's to improve feed utilization, increase the density of the feed and improve handling characteristics. Prior to about 1930 several different types of pelleting machines were utilized. Toward the end of the 1920's the so-called "flat die" pelleting machine and "ring die" pellet mill were developed in some of their prior forms. While the flat die machine is still in use in certain applications, the ring die pellet mill quickly became the preferred design and was quickly adopted by the animal feed industry and remains the form of pelleting machine of choice today. In addition to the ring die pellet mill itself, auxiliary equipment was developed including conditioners, cooler/dryers, and related process equipment.
The early pelleting process involved mixing the feed ingredients and pelleting them with no further treatment. The rationale for this approach was to prevent alterations to vitamins and proteins due to the addition of heat to the feed mix. In the late 1930's some processors began subjecting pellet-forming mixtures of animal feed to water and steam by passing the mixtures through a conditioner prior to introduction into the pellet extruders. The addition of steam improved production rates, reduced die wear, and improved pellet quality. Steam conditioning was quickly adopted by the industry and has remained an integral part of the pelleting process to the present time.
In the conditioning step, live steam is injected into the feed mash as it is conveyed through the conditioner which generally consists of a cylindrical tube with a rotating shaft upon which numerous paddles or picks are mounted. The condensing steam increases the temperature and moisture content of the mash. Since the steam is injected directly into the feed mash, the boiler treatment chemicals must be FDA approved.
The focus on research into the pelleting process since the 1960's has been on improving the conditioning operation, with emphasis on increasing the retention time and increasing the temperature to which the mash is conditioned. One of the more recent developments was a pressure pelleting system in which the conditioner and pelleting die cavities were pressurized. This allowed use of higher temperatures and longer conditioning times to improve pellet durability and increase the production rate. However, the use of increased temperatures and conditioning times militates against the inclusion of heat sensitive or labile ingredients which are desirable in complete animal feeds.

Animal feed pelleting process and animal feed pellets produced therefrom


An online method and apparatus for determining state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH) of batteries on platforms that present dynamic charge and discharge environments is disclosed. A rested open circuit voltage (OCV) may be estimated online using a battery dynamic model along with measured terminal voltage, current and temperature. The SoC and SoH can then be determined from this estimated OCV. The apparatus and methods may estimate SoC and SoH of a battery in a real-time fashion without the need to a) disconnect the battery system from service; b) wait for a predefined rest time; or c) depolarize the battery.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for determining battery state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH) and, more particularly, apparatus and methods for determining online battery SoC and SoH in a dynamic charge and discharge environment.
The rechargeable battery is a critical element of recently emerging micro-grid, electric vehicle (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and more electric aircraft (MEA) systems. These platforms require frequent charging and discharging of the batteries. For reliable operation and to preserve battery life, it is mandatory that accurate knowledge of battery state-of-charge (SoC) and prevailing battery state-of-health (SoH) are known. The prevailing battery capacity is the leading indicator of SoH.
Prior art provides several SoC and SoH determination techniques. However, these techniques can only be applied when the battery is in the off-line mode, i.e., in the laboratory environment, or when it is not being used to support the charge and discharge functions within the host environment. Due to the anomalous behavior of the battery under dynamic charge/discharge conditions, which occur in the online mode, these technique are either inapplicable or cannot provide accurate results.
The most basic technique for determining SoC is based upon the battery open circuit or rested voltage (OCV) measurement. The OCV is typically defined to be the battery terminal voltage after it has been rested at no load or charge for a predetermined time, from a minimum of 30 minutes to several hours. In case of many Li-ion and other battery chemistries, the OCV varies with the SoC and consequently cannot be used to compute the SoC. FIG. 1 provides an example of OCV-SoC correlation for the GS Yuasa 28V, 40Ah Li-ion battery at 0, 25 and 45° C. The Figure indicates a near linear relationship between the SoC and OCV in the approximately 10% SoC to 100% SoC range. The OCV vs. SoC plots are commonly available from the battery/cell suppliers, or can be developed through lab tests. Using this approach, algorithms have been developed with better than +/−5% SoC accuracy. However, this approach is unsuitable for online SoC determination in a dynamic charge/discharge environment where due to the polarization phenomenon, rested battery voltage is rarely available. The polarization phenomenon is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, which shows battery response to a repetitive 10A load pulse. The inset magnified plot of the battery voltage depicts a sudden jump in voltage upon removal of the load followed by much slower voltage recovery resulting in a long wait time for capturing the rested battery voltage. The wait time is usually not practical in the online environment.
The battery capacity fades with use and calendar time. If a battery's capacity has faded by 50%, at 100% SoC it will only have half the energy compared to when it was first fielded. Therefore, the SoC measurement alone is not sufficient to ensure effective operation of the battery within the system. Battery capacity which the main indicator of SoH should also be monitored.
In the prior art, methods which predict the battery capacity exist, but all these methods can only be implemented offline and require the wait time for battery to reach the equilibrium state. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,576,545, the full capacity of the battery can be determined through partially charging/discharging. This method starts with a known SoC state and, after a known amount of energy is added or subtracted, the rested open circuit voltage of the battery is measured to compute the new SoC. The full capacity (Cfull) can then be obtained by correlating the charge/discharge energy (ΔE) with the change in SoC (ΔSoC) by equation (1)Cfull*ΔSoC=ΔE  (1)where ΔSoC=|SoCafter−SoCbefore|. But, after partial charging/discharging, rested open circuit voltage needs be obtained through depolarization/predefined rest time, thus interrupting the system operation. This is not practical when the battery is online.
As can be seen, there is a need for an online technique for determining SoC and SoH of a battery.

Method and apparatus for online determination of battery state of charge and state of health


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A transmitting device may identify a set of allocated resource blocks and a number of the allocated resource blocks. The transmitting device may determine a bit sequence length corresponding to the number of allocated resource blocks. The transmitting device may generate a reference signal based on a bit sequence having the bit sequence length and transmit the reference signal within the allocated resource blocks. The transmitting device may modulate the bit sequence using a π/2 binary phase shift keying modulation scheme. The transmitting device may modulate a data bit sequence using the same modulation scheme to generate a modulated data bit sequence, where a peak to average power ratio (PAPR) of tones transporting the modulated data bit sequence satisfies a PAPR threshold and a PAPR of tones transporting the reference signal also satisfies the PAPR threshold.

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to reference signal sequence design for new radio systems.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
In some wireless communications systems, a transmitter, such as a UE or a base station, may transmit one or more reference signals to provide a receiver, such as a UE or a base station, with an amplitude and phase reference for performing channel estimation of a wireless channel. The receiver may use the channel estimate to remove amplitude and/or phase distortion to a signal caused by transmission of the signal via the wireless channel. In LTE systems, for example, a transmitter may generate a reference signal by performing quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation on a Zadoff-Chu sequence. An issue with conventional reference signal generation is that pilot tones that transport a QPSK based reference signal may have a large peak to average power ratio (PAPR), and may not be suitable for use in NR systems. Moreover, LTE systems apply different modulation schemes for modulating reference signals and data, resulting in tones that transport reference signals having a PAPR that may significantly exceed a PAPR of tones that transport data. Conventional techniques for generating reference signals are thus not suitable for NR systems.

Reference signal sequence design for new radio systems


The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hand-held electronic device and a display method, the hand-held electronic device comprising an image processor configured to provide image data; a first display configured to display the first image based on the image data; a first optical system configured to receive light emitted from the first display and change the light path of the light emitted from the first display to form a first magnified virtual image, wherein the length of the light path between the first optical system and the first display is shorter than the focus of the first optical system; a first window configured to allow a viewer to see the first magnified virtual image through the first optical system when the viewer comes close to the first window.

The present disclosure relates to a hand-held electronic device and a display method for a hand-held electronic device.
Presently, a hand-held electronic device with a big screen, such as a smart phone or the like, is very popular among users. The size of the screen of a hand-held electronic device is limited by the portability characteristics, which generally are not beyond 4 inches or 5 inches. However, with the development of technology, the processing capacity of the processor is enhanced, thus functions provided by the portable electronic device to the users are improved continuously, such that the screen size of the existing hand-held device can no longer meet the increasing diverse functional demands by the users. For example, the image size of the existing hand-held electronic device is small and the resolution of the display screen is low. The user would have a poor experience when watching a video through the hand-held electronic device. Accordingly, it is desired that a portable electronic device provide the user with a better visual experience while ensuring the portability of the electronic device.

Hand-held electronic device and display method


An image reading device includes a tray, a paper feed roller that conveys a sheet, a first sensor that detects a front end and a rear end of the sheet, a second sensor that detects the front end of the sheet, and a scanner that reads an image on a front side of the sheet and reads an image on a back side of the sheet. A controller determines a first time duration that elapses from the detection of the front end of the sheet by the first sensor to the detection of the rear end of the sheet by the first sensor and operates the scanner to read the image on the back side of the sheet over a second time duration equal in length to the first time duration. The second time duration begins after the front end of the sheet is detected by the second sensor.

In the related art, when reading a sheet with an image reading device, the sheet is read according to the sheet size. However, when copying by specifying a magnification or reading a sheet of a size different from a standard size, the reading extends beyond the length of the sheet, such that a shadow at the rear end of the sheet is read and the image includes streaks. In order to remove these streaks, if the rear end of the sheet is detected by the image reading device, the streaks on the rear end of the sheet are removed by forcibly masking the image data to white from the front of the rear end portion to be read.
In the image reading device of the related art, the front end and the rear end of the sheet are detected by a sensor, the reading of the sheet is started by the detection of the front end, and the masking of the read image is started by the detection of the rear end. However, after the sheet passes through a front-side reading roller, the behavior of the rear end of the sheet becomes unstable, and the rear end of the sheet on the back side cannot be detected correctly. In this case, the rear end streaks could not be removed, or the image was removed in some cases.

Image reading device and image reading method


A vehicular anti-theft device is provided including a steering wheel having a central portion coupled to a steering column and an outer annular portion coupled in concentric relationship with the central portion. A security mechanism is provided for encompassing the outer annular portion of the steering wheel. Next provided is a gripping arm fixed with respect to the security mechanism for precluding the rotation of the steering wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to steering wheel mounted anti-theft devices and more particularly pertains to a new vehicular anti-theft device for preventing the severing of a steering wheel thereby precluding the removal of a steering wheel-mounted anti-theft device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of steering wheel-mounted anti-theft device is known in the prior art. More specifically, steering wheel-mounted anti-theft devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art steering wheel mounted anti-theft devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,030; U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,679; U.S. Patent Des. 316,025; U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,438; U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,029; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,652.
In these respects, the vehicular anti-theft device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing the severing of a steering wheel and further precluding the removal of an airbag.


A first member includes a first fixing portion on which a sheet edge is fixed, a holder continuous with an end of the first fixing portion, a first recess that is defined in the holder and has an opening in a continuous direction of the first fixing portion, and a support portion that is formed opposite the first fixing portion across the opening of the first recess of the holder. A second member includes a second fixing portion on which the other sheet edge is fixed, a held portion continuous with an end of the second fixing portion. When the held portion is inserted into the first recess, the support portion is brought into contact with a surface of the second fixing portion.

A sheet fastener has been typically used for fastening overlaid edges of a covering material.
For instance, a seat surface, a back surface, a headrest, an armrest and the like of a vehicle seat are finished with a cushion material such as a synthetic resin foam (base material) and a sheet-like top cover (covering material) over a surface of the cushion material. The top cover is three-dimensionally sewn in advance in a manner to fit to an outer shape of the cushion material. The top cover is put over the cushion material through a partly remaining opening of the top cover and is finished by lastly closing the opening. With this arrangement, a seam line and the like are unlikely to be exposed, thereby ensuring an excellent appearance. The opening is lastly closed by fastening the overlaid edges of the top cover using a sheet fastener made of a continuous molding material, thereby enhancing the appearance.
Such a sheet fastener is applicable to, in addition to a seat of a vehicle such as an automobile and a train, a seat of an airplane and a ship, a seat used at school and office, a cushion of sports gears and furniture such as a sofa and a bed for residence and medical care.
Moreover, in addition to the top cover such as the seat and the cushion, the sheet fastener is also applicable for fastening sheet edges of a structural object such as a tent, fastening cover edges of a package during transportation, and the like.
As a specific arrangement of such a sheet fastener, arrangements described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 are known.
A sheet fastener of Patent Literature 1 includes a first member and a second member, each of which is a continuous member made of a synthetic resin by extrusion molding. The second member includes a U-shape part in cross section. A sheet edge is fixed to an end of the U-shape part while a bead is provided at the other end thereof. The first member is formed to have a U-shape part similar to the second member in an inverse direction.
When edges of a pair of sheets are fastened with the above fastener, the second member is pulled to a position where the first member is covered with the sheet. While openings of the U-shape parts of the first member and the second member face each other, the bead of the second member is inserted into the first member, where tension of the sheet of each of the first member and the second member works so that the first and second members respectively go into the innermost parts of the mutually facing U-shape parts thereof, thereby maintaining mutual engagement.
The sheet fastener of Patent Literature 2 includes a first member and a second member to which a sheet edge is fixed. The second member is formed in a plate having bulging ends and a bendable intermediate. The sheet edge is fixed to a base end of the second member. The first member includes a U-shape part in cross section, into which an end of the second member can be inserted and engaged.
When edges of a pair of sheets are fastened with the above fastener, the edge of one of the sheets is initially fixed to a base end of the second member. Then, the second member is rotated and a tip end thereof is inserted into the first member, so that the first member and the second member are engaged. At this time, while the sheet edge is wound around the base end of the second member, the intermediate of the second member is bent, so that the U-shape part of the first member can be covered.


A protective overload device (POD) that absorbs energy and reduces the damage to transmission towers resulting from sudden conductor, shield wire, insulator, or conductor suspension failures is herein disclosed. The POD is positioned between the non-energized end of the insulator and the tower or support structure, or between the energized end of the insulator and the conductor. The POD consists of a top lid, a bottom plate, and a ductile load fuse refill disk. The top lid is slotted at regular intervals to allow for transverse deformation of the individual fingers that hold the bottom plate. The ductile load fuse refill disk consists of a filler material in which a steel cable is embedded. The POD acts as a passive rigid link under normal conditions. In the event of a dynamic shock that could fail a tower or tower arm, the fingers of the top lid will move outward along the sliding plane of the bottom plate until the bottom plate separates from the top lid. At this time all the load is transferred to the refill disk which will disintegrate as the steel cable is pulled through the refill disk's material. Once the device has been activated, the POD can be reset by fitting the device with a new refill disk and reassembling the device by pressing the top lid and bottom plate together.

The utility industry is finding it more difficult to meet the increased demand for electric power and at the same time to obtain right-of-ways on which to build new transmission lines. Hence electric utility companies are compelled to seek methods of transmitting more energy over existing rights-of-way. One means of accomplishing this objective is by replacing existing conductors with larger conductors, but this imposes larger mechanical loads upon the towers than their original design accommodates. If, as a result, the tower should fail, the failure would damage or destroy a number of towers which, in turn, would cause long delays in getting the line back in service. In order to avoid replacing towers to handle the larger loads imposed, various load limiters have been used to limit the horizontal component of force to which the tower is subjected and which allow the line to drop to the ground when the pre-selected force is exceeded, thereby avoiding damage to the tower.
Therefore, various types of mechanical load limiters have been used. However, some of the prior art load limiters have not functioned satisfactorily in that they sometimes release before the safe load is exceeded and sometimes do not release until damage to the tower has occurred. In previous load limiting devices, once the load limiter is released, the entire device needs to be replaced. Often, the replacement of the load limiter is a costly and time consuming ordeal. Accordingly, the need exists for a load limiting mechanism that overcomes these shortcomings.


A combination bail and tip for a pole used in snow skiing. The combination bale and tip is formed from a rigid material such as metal or plastic. The combination bale and tip is rectilinear on its outer surface and curvilinear on its inner surface. The outer surface is substantially in the form of a right angle with one surface being parallel with the longitudinal center line and the outer surface being normal to the longitudinal center line of the pole. The lower end of the parallel portion of the bale or tip is in the form of substantially a right triangle wedge with the inner surface angled from the rectilinear surface toward the curvilinear surface. An opening is formed in the top surface to receive the distal end of a ski pole which is fixedly attached therein.

The invention is directed to ski poles and particularly to the bales and tip end of the ski pole.
Ski poles are commonly used by a skier to aid skiing maneuvers in Alpine, in down hill, slalom, competition and cross-country activity and in cross-country skiing, for pleasure, competition, long-distance skiing and the like. The ski pole provides balance, facilitate turning and are used to propel the skier and even assist in braking the forward movement of the skier.
Generally the skier holds one pole in hand and each pole can comprise a shaft or shank which can be composed of metal or synthetic resin or either solid or the more preferable tube like form, and which is provided with a grip at its upper end and a point at its lower end.
The grip may be formed as a sleeve around the shaft and thus has a axis coincident with that of the shaft. A flexible or resilient open loop or closed loop or strap can be affixed to the head or distal end of the grip to be fitted over the wrist and thereby prevent loss of the poles by the skier.
Generally, the pointed end is adapted to bite into the snow or ice and project somewhat beyond a bale (basket) in the form of a disk or ring adjacent to or near the lower end of the pole to prevent excess penetration of the poles into the snow and to enable the pole to gain a more effective purchase of the snow.
The grip can be molded from any suitable resilient material such as plastic, rubber or the like.
Improved skills of the skiers have required more sophisticated skiing equipment and particularly poles which allow the skier better balance and a greater ability to maneuver and stop.
The loop or strap is always a problem in that in falls or the like the poles remains attached to the arm of the user via the loops or straps. This can be a dangerous condition as the poles can cause injury the user, for example, cause an arm to be broken or tip penetration into the body of the skier.
In some circumstances, the bale (also sometimes referred to as a basket or disk) can be come detached and lost thereby rendering the pole less useful as to limiting snow depth penetration of the pole.
Applicant's invention covered in application Ser. No. 07/913,881 filed on Jul. 16, 1992 and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,223, teaches a new and unique ski pole bale and tip which is quite successful in spring or summer skiing where the snow surface is soft and penetratable. It was found, however, that in icy conditions the tip did not sufficiently penetrate frozen snow or ice in the manner desired. This invention solves this deficiency of pole tip penetration in frozen snow and ice.
There has not been a completely successful way to overcome these last mentioned problems until the emergence of the instant invention.


In a parallelogram linkage system whose swingable outer end supports a platform turnable between horizontal and vertical positions, the parallel arm has a hub to rotatably support a crank member. The companion lift arm of the linkage carries an actuator pin engaged with a cam surface of the crank member. The cam surface is disposed generally radially with respect to the hub and oppositely to a pin carried at the other side of the crank member. One end of the drive link is pivotally connected to the crank member pin with the opposite end pivotally connected to a short link whose upper end is coaxially pivotally connected at the pivot axis of the load platform. The platform mounts a stop member that is movable between active and inactive positions. In the active position, the stop member abuts the outer end of the drive link whereby upon cammed rotation of the crank member the platform is turned between horizontal and vertical positions.

A common type of truck tailgate lift comprises a rectangular load platform pivotally connected at a forward edge to the swingable rear ends of a pair of parallelogram linkages. The forward ends of the linkages are secured to the bed, frame or chassis of the truck and a power means, typically an electrical hydraulic system, is provided for raising and lowering the load platform relative to the bed of the truck. The parallelogram linkages maintain a substantially horizontal, active attitude of the load platform during freight handling operations. When not used for loading purposes, the load platform is turned upwardly to substantially vertical attitude to a transit position in which it may also serve as the closer for the tailgate opening of the truck body.
In the past, a variety of mechanisms have been developed for turning the load platform between horizontal and vertical positions by the use of either the power cylinder or cylinders that raise and lower the liftgate or the use of a dedicated, separate power cylinder or cylinders. One commonly used approach in the former arrangement uses a spaced apart pair of cam blocks on the rearwardly facing vertical surface of the sill of the truck bed which are engagable by a spaced pair of cam followers mounted to the forward edge of the load platform. The present invention is an improvement over all of these systems.

Mechanical platform closer for cantilever style liftgate


A process for the production of a diesel fuel includes contacting a feedstock comprising cracked stocks in the presence of hydrogen under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure with a first catalyst comprising a Group VI hydrogenation metal component and a Group VIII hydrogenation metal component on a substantially non-acidic carrier, and then contacting at least a portion of the effluent from the first catalyst with a second catalyst comprising a Group VI hydrogenation metal component and a Group VIII hydrogenation metal component on an acidic carrier. This process can produce diesel fuels having an improved cetane index and API gravity. The effluent from the second catalyst bed may be contacted with a third catalyst bed which contains a catalyst comprising a Group VI hydrogenation metal component and a Group VIII hydrogenation metal component on a substantially non-acidic carrier.

As a fuel for internal-combustion engines, diesel fuel ranks second only to gasoline. Further, the importance of diesel as fuel is expected to grow, due to reasons of fuel economy.
A good diesel fuel should meet certain specified requirements. One of the most well known is the cetane index. The cetane index of a diesel fuel is a measure for the ignition quality of a diesel. In general, high cetane fuels eliminate engine roughness or diesel knock, permit an engine to be started at lower air temperatures, provide faster engine warm-up without misfiring or producing white smoke, and reduce the formation of coke deposits. Cetane, which has a high ignition quality represents 100 on the cetane index scale. The cetane index of a fuel depends mainly on its hydrocarbon composition. In general, paraffins have a high cetane index, followed by olefins and cycloparaffins, while aromatics have the lowest cetane index. Another parameter which is of importance for a diesel fuel is its API gravity, which is a measure for the density of fuel. Diesel fuel is sold by volume. The greater the volume swell (density decrease), the greater the increase in product value.
We have now developed a process for the production of a diesel fuel with an improved cetane index and API gravity. In addition, this desired effect is obtained without a substantial increase in hydroconversion activity.


A surgical theater system includes a boom rotating about a hub and coupled to a counterbalance arm assembly having a counterbalance arm and a monitor mount assembly configured to permit a monitor or other device to be positioned horizontally and vertically within a surgical suite and maintain the vertical elevation selected. The counterbalance arm includes a proximal hub, a first parallel link, a second parallel link, a spring link, a spring and a distal hub. First, second and third proximal pivot axes extend through the proximal hub with the third pivot axis being movable along a radial line forming an angle with a line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes. The spring link is coupled to the third proximal pivot axis, spring and second parallel link.

This invention relates generally to support arms for surgical theater systems and more particularly to support arms having a counterbalance arm to balance the weight of the supported object so that it can be suspended at a selected height without locking the arm.
Surgical theater systems are floor, wall, or ceiling mounted systems including devices which can be positioned in desired locations within a surgical suite to maximize there accessibility, utility, and/or viewability. Examples of surgical light systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,012,821 and 6,132,062 and U.S. applications Ser. Nos. 09/050,265; 09/050,529; 09/050,534 and 09/747,605 which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Such surgical theater systems support devices such as surgical lights, monitors, cameras, and electronic instruments utilized by surgeons and operating room personnel during the performance of surgical procedures. The above identified patents demonstrate that it is well known to provide surgical theater systems which facilitate the positioning, both horizontally and vertically, of the devices attached thereto to maximize their utility. In order to maintain the proper orientation in space of the device mounted to the counterbalance arm, the counterbalance arm includes a parallelogram linkage.
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/747,605 shows a surgical theater system with a counterbalance arm which seeks to minimize vertical movement of a device after it has been positioned at a desired height by providing a counterbalance arm having frictional brakes engaging pivot pins about which the arm rotates. Counterbalance arms are well known devices incorporating counterweights or spring mechanisms which provide a vertical upward force to the distal end of a cantilevered arm to counteract the downward force exerted on the distal end of the cantilevered arm by the object supported. The forces create torques about the lower pivot axis of the counterbalance arm. Ideally, the torque exerted on the counterbalance arm will be equal in magnitude to, but Opposite in direction to, the torque exerted on the counterbalance arm by the weight. Recognizing that the ideal situation cannot always be achieved, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/747,605 compensates for the inequalities by applying a frictional force to the pivot axis which permits the torques of the weight and the spring members to be slightly unbalanced.
The torque exerted by a weight hanging freely suspended from a fixed point on an arm is proportional to the sine of the angle formed between the vertical plane and the longitudinal axis of the arm. Thus the greatest torque is exerted by an object freely hanging from a fixed point on a beam when the longitudinal axis of the beam is horizontal, sin 90 deg=1.
Springs and gas springs typically obey Hooke's law, at least while in the region of elasticity, so that the force exerted by the spring is proportional to its displacement from equilibrium. In counterbalance arms, the spring is typically not mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm but rather couples to the distal end of the arm and to an end of a spring link. The spring link is typically pivotally mounted at a first end to a fixed location relative to the pivot axis of the proximal end of the counterbalance arm and mounted at the other end to slide within a slot formed in the counterbalance arm. The spring is typically pivotally mounted to the sliding end of the spring link and pivotally mounted to the second end of the counterbalance arm. Thus the spring exerts a force directed substantially along the longitudinal axis which is converted by the spring link into components of force parallel to and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring link. The component parallel to the longitudinal axis creates strain along the link which is assumed to be incompressible. The component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring link induces the pivot pin sliding in the slot into engagement with the upper edge of the slot so that the perpendicular component reduces to a component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the counterbalance arm and a component parallel to the longitudinal axis of the counterbalance arm. In the disclosed embodiment of a counterbalance arm, second parallel link is formed so that a pin extends through the longitudinal slot and a roller which engages an upper wall of the second parallel link to transfer this force to the second parallel link through the roller rather than through engagement of the pin with the upper wall of the slot. The component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the counterbalance arm creates a torque about the pivot axis at the proximal end of the counterbalance arm which is preferably substantially equal in magnitude to, but opposite in direction to, the torque induced by the weight.
Unfortunately, gas springs do not always obey Hooke's law precisely throughout the full stroke range, so it is difficult to design a counterbalance arm that cancels out the torque induced by the weight of the object suspended by the arm. Hooke's Law provides a linear equation relating the force exerted by an elastic medium to the displacement from equilibrium of the medium. In: gas springs the displacement can be represented by the stroke length of the piston. Hooke's Law states that force (F) of a spring is equal to the displacement of the spring from its equilibrium position (x) times a spring constant (k) or:F=kx.However, it has been found that gas springs are typically manufactured so that near the ends of their stroke lengths, the gas spring is no longer operating in the linear region of the displacement v. force curve.
In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed surgical theater system, a counterbalance arm is provided which includes an adjustment pin set at an angle to the vertical for modifying the offset of the proximal end of a spring link from the proximal end of a first parallel link so that the proximal end of the spring link is not mounted at a fixed location relative to the pivot axis at the proximal end of the counterbalance arm. The angle that adjustment pin forms with the vertical introduces a mechanical disadvantage to the spring link/spring/slot combination to compensate for increased spring forces generated when the counterbalance arm is lowered from the raised to a lowered position.
In accordance with one embodiment, the counterbalance arm includes a first parallel link, a second parallel link, a spring link and a spring. The first parallel link is mounted at the proximal end to pivot about a proximal pivot axis and mounted at a distal end to pivot around a distal pivot axis. The second parallel link is mounted at its proximate end for pivotal movement about a second proximate pivot axis and at its distal end for pivotal movement about a second distal pivot axis. The displacement between the first and second proximal pivot axes and the displacement between the first and second distal pivot axes is substantially equal to maintain the parallel relationship between the first and second parallel links. The spring link is mounted at its proximal end to pivot about a third proximal axis and at its distal end to slide relative to the second parallel link. The third proximal axis extends through a pivot pin which is movable relative to the first proximal pivot axis to adjust the displacement between the third and first proximal pivot axes.
Additional features and advantages of the support arm for a surgical theater will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed descriptions exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the apparatus as presently perceived.

Support arm for a surgical theater system


A core for inductance elements is formed of a sintered body of .alpha.-ferric oxide. The core has a flexural strength of at least 6 kgf/mm.sup.2 as measured by a three-point bending method, a specific resistance of at least 10.sup.6 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, a Vickers hardness of 800 to 1,500, and an iron content of 75 to 99.9 wt %, calculated as Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. The core is produced by granulating, and forming a ferric iron powder, and holding a formed body for sintering at 950 to 1,500.degree. C. for 5 min. to 5 hours in an atmospheric environment.

Recent size, and weight reductions of various types of electronic equipment have accelerated to diminish the size, and weight of electronic parts of which they are made up. This is also true of coils, transformers or the like, and so their size, and weight are now reduced. To reduce the size, and weight of electronic equipment on the one hand, and to enable the equipment to be used at higher frequencies on the other hand, coils or other inductance elements are designed to be used at higher frequencies. In drastically popularized mobile communication fields in particular, coils are now used at a frequency band of 100 MHz or higher.
Magnetic materials, and non-magnetic materials are available for inductance elements, and spinel ferrites are used for the magnetic materials while dielectric ceramics such as alumina, and glasses are used for the non-magnetic materials. In particular, the spinel ferrites have permeability due to their cubic crystal structure, and so are advantageous over air-core coils or inductance elements built up of non-magnetic materials because the number of turns can be decreased with an increased inductance. For this reason, various inductance elements inclusive of coils, and transformers, for the most part, are made up of spinel ferrites.
However, the permeability of spinel ferrites has close relations to frequency, and has a characteristic feature of decreasing sharply from a certain frequency. Thus, their inductance, too, drops at a band exceeding that frequency. Here note that the relation "Snoek's limit line" exists between the permeability of ferrites and frequency. In other words, if a ferrite of low permeability is used to extend permeability to a high frequency region, it can then be used as an inductor for high frequency purposes. Ni-based spinel ferrite material having relatively low permeability is used for such an inductor for high frequency purposes. To make an inductor element for high frequency purposes in particular, Ni-based spinel ferrite material having a permeability as low as about 1 to 3 is used, as set forth in JP-B-7-24242. In this case, a ferrite with its Curie point lower than a practically usable temperature is typically used as material having a permeability of 1.
A spinel ferrite, because of being a solid solution of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and an oxide with a divalent metal ion, is produced by mixing Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 powders with powders of the oxide with a divalent metal ion, and firing the mixture. As the divalent metal ion for Ni systems, Cu, Zn, etc. are used in addition to Ni. However, oxides of Ni, Cu, etc. are expensive, ending up with an increase in the cost of ferrite. A particularly grave problem with such ferrite is that its high frequency characteristics are insufficient, and its Q value is low at 200 MHz or higher as well.
Besides ferrites, alumina, glasses, and resins are primarily available as materials for high frequency inductance elements. However, these materials offer the following problems.
Alumina or a substance having the chemical formula Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 excels in various properties such as heat resistance, resistance to thermal shock, chemical resistance, wear resistance, electrical insulating properties, hardness, and mechanical strength, and so find applications in wide fields inclusive of substrates, grinding chips, crucibles, and building materials, to say nothing of inductance elements. This alumina has also the properties required for core materials for coils used even in a high frequency region, i.e., low permeability and high electrical resistance. For this reason, the alumina is employed as core material used in a high frequency region, as set forth in JU-A-5-7211. However, the temperature at which pure (high-purity) raw material powders are sintered is very high (about 1,800.degree. C.), posing a problem in connection with the durability of equipment, etc. Consider here that sintering is carried out at 1,200.degree. C. or higher with the addition of SiO.sub.2, CaO, MgO, etc. Then, an additional step of blending these components is needed. Furthermore, the high hardness of alumina poses some problems; for instance, it wears away the production equipment used for such blending, e.g., media, and gives rise to contamination due to debris resulting from the wear of such media, and equipment. This wear problem also holds for other equipment, for instance, molds and punches in molding equipment, and causes the overall durability of a production system to become worse. Especially when cores for inductance elements are produced, molds, etc. are likely to wear away, producing an adverse influence on core products, and so posing a grave production problem. This is because it is preferable for such cores to have collars at both their ends, or take E, F, and irregular forms, rather than simple cylindrical, and columnar forms. In a mass-production system, on the other hand, wire materials are automatically wound on cores. In particular, recent electronic parts are increasingly provided in the form of surface mount devices (SMDs), and are often packaged by means of an automated packaging machine. When an automated winding machine is used to wind a wire material on a core for coil production, however, not only does a portion of contact of a core-fixing jig with the core wear away, but also a portion of contact of the wire material with the core wears away during winding, resulting in defects such as winding failure, short-circuiting, and disconnection. In the automated packaging machine, too, a portion of contact of its chuck (handling area) with cores wears away during part packaging, again posing a similar problem.
A glass is a non-crystalline substance, and refers generally to a silicate glass comprising SiO.sub.2 and a metal oxide. Glasses, because of excelling in optical properties, are utilized for not only inductance elements but also window glasses, optical fibers, optical lenses, etc. Typical of glasses used for inductance elements is a borosilicate glass comprising boron oxide (B.sub.2 O.sub.5) and silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2), and obtained by melting a mixture of B.sub.2 O.sub.5, SiO.sub.2 and the like. However, these glasses have fragile mechanical strength in themselves. For this reason, they fail during chucking or the like by an automated packaging machine, and so are practically disabled, resulting in low product yields.
A resin is a substance comprising complicated organic acids, and their derivatives, and now find applications in wide fields. The resin has a characteristic feature of melting, and burning at relatively low temperatures, and so being poor in heat resistance. A problem with using the resin as an element is that difficulty is involved in the direct soldering of the resin onto a substrate. Another problem is that the resin is weaker in mechanical strength than ceramics.

Core for inductance elements and its production method


Burial containers to be power installed in non-horizontal positions without the need to dig large holes and subsequently replace the dug out material, and which greatly save land area, plus can be interred in high water table areas and even under shallow water.

A common current interment practice is to first move a body to a mortuary where it is prepared for funeral services. In cases where a body is unclaimed, it is usually provided with minimum preparation and burial, paid for by public funds. A claimed body, after mortuary preparation, is usually placed in an ascetically pleasing casket and either displayed in an open casket funeral service or the casket alone is visible in a closed casket service. Often, after an indoor service the body and casket are moved to a prepared grave site in a cemetery, where a final service is performed.
At the prepared grave site the casket containing the body is set either on or in a box like crypt during a grave side funeral service, if one is conducted. None of these burial services need be changed for the use of a Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container. Several types of these burial containers are designed to be set on a floral or otherwise decorated boxes for open or closed casket funeral services in an in door or out door environment.
Currently the prepared grave is often a rectangular excavation approximately four feet wide by seven and a half feet long by six and a half feet deep. Walkways are left on all sides of the grave for later visitors, making a total of over 50 square feet of ground area to be set aside for each grave. The Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container method requires only about one third of the land area used for current burials.
The removed earth or other receiving material from the current-type grave excavation is usually piled next to the grave site and covered during a grave side funeral service, if one is conducted. After funeral services, the casket and or box like crypt is lowered to the bottom of the prepared grave excavation and the removed receiving material is shoveled back into the excavation. In a Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container interment there is not a large volume of earth or receiving material to dig out and later replace, as from a current type grave excavation.
In current type burials, the removed receiving material is replaced and continuously tamped to slightly above the ground level of the excavation to reduce later settling and the showing of a depression. The extra material, left over because of the displacement of the coffin and or box like crypt, is hauled away. Ground cover, such as grass, is then restored over the site. In a Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container burial, the receiving material from a far smaller hole is all that is left over and can be easily removed or scattered lightly over the surrounding area.
In current type burials, additional digging and preparation is often undertaken to provide for the installation of a headstone, plaque marker or monument and the installation of flower and flag receptacles for persons to later pay respects and honor the deceased. Provisions for plaques, markers, monuments, flower receptacles and flag receptacles are regularly built into Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Containers. With an eye to future grave site maintenance, a number of tops and end pieces, which will show at the grave site, are made very low to insure power mower clearance and some even have small channels around their outside edges for weed killer to mitigate the normal encroachment of the cemetery's ground cover.
Cemetery properties are usually selected and developed in costly, but pleasant areas with level and softer earth or other receiving materials. Roads, landscaping, fences, monuments, statues, trees, ponds and other items are added for utility and aesthetics. The cost of each grave site, and thus each burial, is relative to the number of grave sites on the developed cemetery property. The future business of a cemetery is based not only on maintenance of filled graves, but on the number of empty grave sites remaining within the cemetery. With the Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container method a cemetery has about three times the grave sites as in current practice. In addition, these containers can be readily installed in ponds, steeply sloped land and very near to trees, adding greatly to the available grave site total in a cemetery.
The labor currently required to prepare a grave, perform a burial and return a site to a finished condition adds significantly to the high cost of each burial. The Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container method eliminates the need for a large rectangular excavation, the extensive subsequent refilling, and the later excavation for installation of grave markers and plaques.
It should be noted here that many cemeteries are discouraging the erection of monuments which rise above ground cover level, because of the difficulty of mowing around them with the presently used large power mowers. These cemeteries usually charge more for a grave site with a monument, with the additional amount going into the ongoing maintenance fund.
All in all, the Edged Non-Horizontal Burial Container method significantly reduces the cost of each grave site and each burial and approximately triples the business potential for each existing and new cemetery.


A casing or tubing segment or segments are disclosed which can be used to create a parasite annulus during drilling. The cased wellbore receives a string containing valves and the drillstring operates through it. As the mud circulates, the segments of the tubing or casing provide communication at various depths from the parasite annulus (i.e., the outermost annulus) into the circulating mud, which is the innermost annulus. Each valve is adjustable to alter the amount of differential pressure required in order to open it. The valves are also in hydraulic pressure balance so that only the pressure added by the injected gas acts to open them. The valves close by a spring bias.

Drilling mud is circulated in the borehole through the drill bit to facilitate the drilling process. The circulating mud takes away the cuttings formed by the drill bit and brings them to the surface, where they are separated from the drilling fluid and the drilling fluid is recycled. As the well is drilled deeper, the column of mud acting on the formation at the bottom of the wellbore grows longer, thereby exerting a greater pressure on the formation. In certain formations, the presence of pressure on the pay zone, even during drilling, can adversely affect the ultimate performance of the well when it is brought in, due to formation damage caused by the drilling medium invading virgin formation.
In the past, the techniques that have been employed to address this problem have involved an insertion of a tubular with gas injection behind the tubular in an annular space at the periphery of the wellbore. The gas is inserted at the surface and must pass to the bottom of the tubular in order to come up and around inside the tubular back to the surface. Thus, attempts to lighten the pressure exerted on the formation by the column of mud in the wellbore being drilled have been limited due to the inability to inject gas at any other point except close to the bottom of the wellbore. The density of the circulating mud changes during the drilling operation and, thus, the ability to only inject gas very near the drill bit at times does not permit proper control to maintain the balanced or underbalanced condition. Underbalanced drilling has been attempted using nitrified drilling fluid or other light drilling fluids. However, these techniques had problems.
Various designs of tubing valves used downhole are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,583,481; 4,602,684; 4,257,484; 3,407,830; and 3,398,760.
Accordingly, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide access from a parasite annulus along the length of the annulus so that injection can occur at various depths. Another objective is to provide adjustability for each of the communication valves through from the parasite annulus to allow more control of the distribution of gas from the parasite annulus into the mud column for better controlled drilling conditions.

Balanced or underbalanced drilling method and apparatus


A terminal apparatus and a base station apparatus efficiently continue communication with each other. A terminal apparatus is configured to perform a handover from a source cell to a target primary cell, the terminal apparatus includes: a receiver configured to receive a handover command; and a transmitter configured to transmit an RRC complete message after starting synchronization with a downlink of the target primary cell, in which, in a case that a parameter MobilityControlInfo included in the handover command includes a parameter associated with a TA and in a case of detecting, in the target primary cell, a PDCCH to which a CRC parity hit scrambled by a C-RNTI is attached, a T304 timer is stopped.

In the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a radio access method and a radio network for cellular mobile communications (hereinafter referred to as "Long Term Evolution (LTE)" or "Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (EUTRA)"), and a radio access method and a radio network that achieve further high-speed data communication using wider-band frequency (hereinafter referred to as "Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A)" or "Advanced Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (A-EUTRA)")) have been studied (see NPLs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). In LTE-A, a base station apparatus is also referred to as an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), and a terminal apparatus is also referred to as User Equipment (UE). LTE-A is a cellular communication system in which multiple areas each covered by the base station apparatus are deployed to form a cellular structure. A single base station apparatus may manage multiple cells.
In LTE-A, one downlink component carrier and one uplink component carrier are combined to constitute one cell. Note that, even only one downlink component carrier can constitute one cell. To a mobile station device, a cell is allocated by a signalling of an RRC layer from a base station apparatus (Configuration is performed). Additionally, the cell that is allocated to the mobile station device has two states of an inactive state in which radio transmission cannot be performed and an active state in which the radio transmission can be performed. Although the mobile station device communicates with the base station apparatus using one cell called a primary cell and zero or more cells called secondary cells, the primary cell is always in the active state. Additionally, all the secondary cells that are allocated to the mobile station device are made into the inactive state at a time of a handover, and are made into the active state by an explicit activation signalling (Activation command) from the base station apparatus after the handover.
At the time of the handover, a handover delay (Handover (HO) latency) may occur, and communication may temporarily be disconnected by the handover delay. In 3GPP, a study to reduce the handover delay has also been made (see NPL 7).

Terminal apparatus, base station apparatus, communication method, and control method