An abrasive blasting device provides for both “cold” and “hot” processing. It includes a nozzle gun, an abrasive vessel, a batcher, an ejection-type mixer, a fuel tank, and a receiver. The nozzle gun includes a combustion chamber (108), a tubular element (114) for air/abrasive mixture feeding, a nozzle (128), swirlers of the fuel blend (122) and of gaseous oxidant (124). The combustion chamber (108) at a perforated wall area (110) has variable cross-section. The batcher includes independent regulation of a seat position with respect to a position of a slide-valve rod, and abrasive loosening and blow purging.

The efficiency of abrasive blasting is to a considerable extent determined by the energy-related factors of abrasive particles, namely, speed of ejection, uniform density of the generated gas/abrasive mixture flow and its temperature, and the possibility of its onstream regulation in the course of the process. That is why the bulk of publications consider optimization of the route "nozzle gun—means for air-abrasive mixture generation" to be a predominant factor in determining the quality and the capacity of the abrasive blasting.
Normally, two modes of abrasive blasting of surfaces are employed, namely, blasting using cold air/abrasive jet, and thermal abrasive blasting. In the first case, the flow of abrasive is being generated using high-velocity compressed air jet incoming directly from a compressor or another source, the main acting agent at that being the kinetic energy of the abrasive particles excited by this jet (cf., e.g., SU 0221534, Pichko, 01.08.1968; SU 1703425 A1, Marchuk et al., 07.01.1992; WO 99/39874, Seitter et al., 12.08.1999). In the second case, the device comprises a means for generating of high-temperature gas jet and its mixing with abrasive medium flow, usually located in the nozzle gun (cf., e.g., SU 0344977, Meerovich et al., 14.07.1972; WO 88/05711, Krivorozhsky ore and mining institute, 11.08.1988; U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,342, Evdokimenko et al., 04.03.1997; WO 01/81044 A1, Danilov et al., 01.11.2001; EP 1155781 A1, Thermo Blast International SA, 21.11.2001; UA 36316 A, Shpaket et al., 16.04.2001).
The common constituent parts of all surface abrasive blasting devices, irrespective of temperature mode of processing, are the nozzle gun and the mixer of abrasive with the carrier gas (air), connected to each other with a flexible hose. The mixer for abrasive is connected to the vessel for abrasive through a batcher. The feeding is carried out from a receiver connected to a compressed air source. The overpressure is also created in the abrasive tank, for which purpose the latter is also connected to the compressed air source for generating motion of the abrasive flow (cf., e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,800, Fring, 07.09.1999).
In the invention WO 88/05711 the nozzle gun of the device for surface thermal abrasive blasting comprises a body equipped with delivery pipes for liquid fuel and compressed air, a combustion chamber with radial through-holes being installed along its direct axis. The input to the combustion chamber is equipped with a swirl for swirling of the fuel blend. The nozzle for discharging of the high-temperature jet is installed at the output of the combustion chamber, the output orifice of gas/abrasive jet being located in its critical section. Liquid fuel and compressed air feeding pipes are located radially.
There is also a known jet device for thermal abrasive blasting comprising a body, which further comprises a combustion chamber with a prechamber, air flow swirlers located concentrically, a spray burner and a fuel blend homogenizer. The device comprises also a cooling jacket and a replacement nozzle embodied as a confuser and a choke tube conjugated on a curved surface. The jacket is connected to the chamber through radial holes (RU 2158197 C1, Danilov et al.; WO 01/81044).
There is also a known jet device for thermal abrasive blasting comprising an annular radial choice tube for fuel feeding to the combustion chamber providing for buildup of a protection film on its walls (RU 2163864 C2, OAO PO "Energoprom-Stroyzashchita", 10.03.2001).
The device (RU 2167756 C2, Kostritsa et al., 27.05.2001) comprises a pipeline of abrasive/air mixture with a swirler located around it. It further comprises a body, a regeneration pipe, a nozzle, a combustion chamber formed by the flue tube with radial holes and a swirler. Integrated in the case is a mixing chamber connected to fuel feeding channel and communicating with the oxidant feeding channel and the swirler. The end of the abrasive mixture feeding pipeline is located between the last row of radial holes and the input section of the nozzle. Fuel ignition is performed with an electric spark plug.
The jet device described in EP 1555781 is featured by a cylindrical body comprising concentrically located air cooling chamber formed by the sleeve and the solid wall fastened to each other forming a maze. The combustion chamber possesses a perforated wall and a tubular element for air/abrasive feeding equipped with feeding pipes for gaseous oxidant, liquid fuel and gas/abrasive mixture, respectively. It further comprises a swirler embodied as spiral channels for gaseous oxidant feeding for creation of the fuel blend, orifices for fuel input connected to the liquid fuel feeding pipe located between the combustion chamber perforated wall at its blank end and a tubular element. The output nozzle embodied as a Laval nozzle is equipped with a means for axial displacement and fastening to the cylindrical body. The ignition spark plug communicates with the combustion chamber.
Means for metering of abrasive input to the mixer to provide for uniform abrasive density in the jet device flow are described in a number of publications (cf., e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,653, Friess, 18.06.1995; EP 0694367 A1, Kegler, 31.01.96; EP 0950469 A2, Rickling, 20.10.1999). The publication (EP 0950469 A2, Rickling, 20.10.1999) describes the design of a blast valve using a movable choke remotely controlled by a pneumoengine. In the device described in another publication (EP 0694367, A1, Kegler, 31.01.96) the discharge orifice of the abrasive vessel comprises a regulating needle installed on a lever, the position of which is remotely controlled by a jack with a reducing gear. Such means for metering and transporting of an abrasive material to a mixer and further to a nozzle gun could only be employed for specially desiccated and prepared abrasive media with no caking trends. Otherwise, whirlwind formation and violation of abrasive feeding to the gas flow could occur, which makes the processing uncontrollable, hence irreproducible. Such violation of the technology would play the most essential role in case of thermal abrasive blasting due to uncontrollable abrasive feeding to the work area.
The analysis of the cited publications demonstrates the described devices to implement the modes of only either "cold" or "hot" abrasive jets. At the same time, there exists the demand in an abrasive blasting device that would provide for operation in both modes and would possess enhanced efficiency in both power requirements and operational features, namely, convenience of control, reduced consumption of abrasive, tool life in the thermal abrasive blasting mode, and stability of the abrasive jet. Of no less importance for a hand-held jet device are its weight and dimensions—these should be rather small.


The present invention discloses compositions, means and kits thereof for treating neuronal clinical indications in a mammalian subject. The composition comprises, inter alia, a synergistic combination of an anti-inflammatory drug and a DICER activator. The present invention further discloses methods for treating neuronal diseases including Motor neuron diseases (MNDs), ALS, FTD (Frontotemporal Dementia), macular degeneration (AMD) autism, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are an etiologically heterogeneous group of disorders that are characterized by muscle weakness and/or spastic paralysis, which results from the selective degeneration of lower motor neurons and/or upper motor neurons, respectively.
The MNDs currently being investigated are: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and lethal congenital contracture syndrome (LCCS), while ALS is the most common adult-onset of the MNDs. Some examples of central disorders include cerebrovascular accident, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Spinal muscular atrophies are disorders of lower motor neuron while amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a mixed upper and lower motor neuron condition, see Dion, P. A., Daoud, H., & Rouleau, G. A. (2009). Genetics of motor neuron disorders: new insights into pathogenic mechanisms. Nature Reviews Genetics, 10(11), 769, incorporated herein as reference.
ALS, provided herein as an example of the MNDs, is a neurodegenerative disease marked by neurodegeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons and progressive muscle impairment, atrophy and death within approximately five years from diagnosis.
Clinically indistinguishable forms of ALS occur as sporadic disease in the absence of known mutation, or can be initiated by genetic mutations. About two-third of familial cases are triggered by mutations of four genes that are chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS), TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP43), see Volonté, C., Apolloni, S., & Parisi, C. (205). MicroRNAs: newcomers into the ALS picture. CNS & Neurological Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-CNS & Neurological Disorders), 14(2), 194-207, incorporated herein as a reference.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative condition which is characterized by progressive neuronal loss predominantly involving the frontal and/or temporal lobes, and typical loss of over 70% of spindle neurons, while other neuron types remain intact. Several recent findings have provided notable insights into the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and have revealed mechanistic links between ALS and FTD, as well as between ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, such as the cerebellar atrophies, myotonic dystrophy and inclusion body myositis, see Robberecht, Wim, and Thomas Philips. "The changing scene of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Nature Reviews Neuroscience 14.4 (2013): 248 incorporated herein as reference.
The etiology of ALS is still not clear. Some etiological factors include involvement of inflammation, and of MicroRNAs, as detailed in the following sections.
Inflammation: Animal and pathological studies suggest that inflammation may contribute to ALS pathology and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might be protective A typical characteristic of ALS is neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is promoted by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and the activity of COX-2 can be inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs have prolonged survival in transgenic mouse models of ALS, but results from a clinical trial did not find a protective effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor Celecoxib on ALS disease progression (see Cudkowicz M E, et al (2006). Trial of celecoxib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol.; 60:22-31, incorporated herein as a reference). Additionally, assessing whether NSAID use before symptom onset can reduce risk or delay the onset of ALS, by a case-control study on NSAID use and ALS (n=111 cases) yielded inconclusive results, see Popat R A, et al. (2007), Effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications on the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler.; 8:157-63, and see Fondell, Elinor et al. "Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results from 5 Prospective Cohort Studies." Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: official publication of the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases 13.6 (2012): 573-579, incorporated herein as a reference.
MicroRNAs: The cause of ALS is not known, as is the reason why it affects some people and not others. However expert consensus is that molecular alterations in different cells are involved in the development and progression of the disease. For example, motor neuron death is caused by a variety of cellular defects, including the processing of RNA molecules.
During normal aging or neurodegenerative diseases, neuronal survival and function depend on protein homeostasis, which is regulated by multiple mechanisms, including the microRNA (miRNA) pathway. MicroRNAs are a subset of endogenous, small, non-coding RNA molecules involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. Produced as long primary transcripts, they are exported to the cytoplasm and further modified to obtain the mature miRNAs, with each step of their biogenesis being a potential step of regulation. Dysregulation in miRNA-related pathways in the central nervous system (CNS) is associated with severe neuronal injury and cell death, which can lead to the development of neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), see Rinchetti, P., Rizzuti, M., Faravelli, I., & Corti, S. (2017). MicroRNA metabolism and Dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Molecular neurobiology, 1-14, incorporated herein as a reference.
Furthermore, in different cells types, the absence of DICER, a key miRNA processing enzyme, leads to neurodegeneration through cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. Loss of certain miRNAs also causes neurodegeneration in some model organisms. On the other hand, miRNA expression is misregulated in patients with different neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the miRNA pathway appears to be essential in the pathogenesis of several age-dependent neurodegenerative conditions; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism remains rudimentary. Gascon, E., & Gao, F.-B. (2012). Cause or Effect: Misregulation of microRNA Pathways in Neurodegeneration. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 6, 48, incorporated herein as a reference.
Loss of miRNA biogenesis has been shown to cause spinal motor neuron degeneration in vivo (H see Haramati, Sharon, et al. "miRNA malfunction causes spinal motor neuron disease." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107.29 (2010): 13111-13116, incorporated herein as reference). Additionally, it was demonstrated that reduction in miRNA levels is a common molecular denominator for multiple forms of familial and sporadic human ALS and that enhancement of DICER activity by a small molecule, enoxacin, is beneficial in vivo in two independent ALS mouse models. See Emde, Anna et al. "Dysregulated miRNA Biogenesis Downstream of Cellular Stress and ALS-causing Mutations: A New Mechanism for ALS." The EMBO Journal 34.21(2015): 2633-2651, incorporated herein as a reference
Treatment: Patient management is largely mediated by symptomatic therapies, such as the use of muscle relaxants for spasticity and speech therapy for dysarthria, see Hardiman, O., et al (2017). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3, 17071, incorporated herein as a reference.
Riluzole treatment was approved in 1995 after clinical trials showed that it modestly slowed ALS progression. Twenty-two years passed before another agent, Edaravone, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of ALS. See Brooks, B. R., et al (2018). Edaravone in the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Efficacy and Access to Therapy—A Roundtable Discussion. The American journal of managed care. 24(9 Suppl), S175-S186, incorporated herein as a reference.
Age-related macular degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a principal cause of blindness in the United States and other industrialized nations. An estimated 10 million Americans are afflicted with AMD, which is comparable in scope to the 12 million living with cancer (Hayat et al., 2007) or the 5 million with Alzheimer's disease. The prevalence of AMD steadily increases with age, affecting 2% of the population at age 40, and one in four people by age 80.
There are two types of AMD, the "dry" and "wet" forms. Dry AMD is a chronic disease that usually causes some degree of visual impairment and sometimes progresses to severe blindness. In contrast, wet AMD affects only 10%-15% of AMD patients, emerges abruptly, and rapidly progresses to blindness if left untreated. Since AMD patients typically develop the dry form first, wet AMD occurs on a background of dry AMD; as such, dry AMD can be considered a risk factor or even precursor state for wet AMD
In the early stages of AMD, which is asymptomatic, insoluble extracellular aggregates called drusen accumulate in the retina. The late stage of dry AMD, which is also known as geographic atrophy (GA), is characterized by scattered or confluent areas of degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and the overlying light-sensing retinal photoreceptors, which rely on the RPE for trophic support. The other late stage form of AMD, the wet form, is typified by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) wherein newly immature blood vessels grow toward the outer retina from the underlying choroid. These immature blood vessels leak fluid below or within the retina.
The miRNA-processing enzyme DICER1 is a key determinant of RPE cell health.
The DICER1 has a role in governing RPE cell health and function via several mechanisms, including its influence on inflammation and global (coding and noncoding) RNA expression. DICER1, a ribonuclease, was specifically reduced in the RPE of GA patient); moreover, this pathological decrease in DICER1 was accompanied by the aberrant overabundance of the noncoding Alu RNA, which is toxic to RPE cells, see Ambati, J., & Fowler, B. J. (2012). Mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration. Neuron, 75(1), 26-39, incorporated herein as a reference.
Additionally, in GA, which is associated with reduced expression of Dicer, Inhibition of Dicer leads to accumulation of Alu repeat RNAs of ˜300-nt derived from short interspersed elements (SINEs). This accumulation is cytotoxic and triggers interferon-mediated, caspase 8-dependent apoptosis. Injection of Alu repeat RNA into mouse eyes generates GA. This condition is rescued by Dicer cleavage of Alu repeat RNAs, suggesting that Dicer-dependent degradation of the RNAs is critical for detoxification. Dicer processing of Alu repeat RNA prevents activation of the host inflammasome. The DR2 Alu repeat RNAs are processed into 28-65-nt repeat-induced small RNAs (riRNAs) under DCIER-dependent conditions. These riRNAs are stabilized by binding with AGO3 and recruit mRNA-decapping complexes, which block translation and degrade key stem cell transcripts like Nanog and Tdgf1 mRNAs, see Song, M. S., & Rossi, J. J. (2017). Molecular mechanisms of Dicer: endonuclease and enzymatic activity. Biochemical Journal, 474(10), 1603-1618, incorporated herein as a reference.
The rarity of the ALS disease, along with the significant inter- and intra-patient variability in clinical course and a lack of reliable biomarkers, have rendered the development of effective agents to treat ALS a challenge. The need for a safe and effective treatment for ALS is still unmet.
Treatment of AMD is also largely an unmet need: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant cause of global visual morbidity and is projected to affect 288 million people by the year 2040. The advent of treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs has revolutionized the treatment of neovascular AMD (but there have been no similar breakthroughs for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) to retard its progression. The advancements in imaging and new understanding of disease mechanisms, based on molecular and genetic models, have paved the way for the development of novel experimental treatment options for GA that aim to cater to a thus far largely unmet need, see Kandasamy, R, Wickremasinghe, S., & Guymer, R. (2017). New Treatment Modalities for Geographic Atrophy. Asia-Pacific journal of ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 6(6), 508-513, incorporated herein as reference.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and compositions of anti-inflammatory drug and dicer activator for treatment of neuronal diseases


Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for improving graphics abilities while switching between graphics processing units (GPUs). Some embodiments may include a display system, including a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs) and a memory buffer coupled to the GPUs via a timing controller, where the memory buffer stores data associated with a first video frame from a first GPU within the plurality of GPUs and where the timing controller is switching between the first GPU and a second GPU within the plurality.

Electronic devices are ubiquitous in society and can be found in everything from wristwatches to computers. The complexity and sophistication of these electronic devices usually increase with each generation, and as a result, newer electronic devices often include greater graphics capabilities their predecessors. For example, electronic devices may include multiple GPUs instead of a single GPU, where each of the multiple GPUs may have different graphics capabilities. In this manner, graphics operations may be shared between these multiple GPUs.
Often in a multiple GPU environment, it may become necessary to swap control of a display device among the multiple GPUs for various reasons. For example, the GPUs that have greater graphics capabilities may consume greater power than the GPUs that have lesser graphics capabilities. Additionally, since newer generations of electronic devices are more portable, they often have limited battery lives. Thus, in order to prolong battery life, it is often desirable to swap between the high-power GPUs and the lower-power GPUs during operation in an attempt to strike a balance between complex graphics abilities and saving power.
Regardless of the motivation for swapping GPUs, swapping GPUs during operation may cause defects in the image quality, such as image glitches. This may be especially true when switching between an internal GPU and an external GPU. Accordingly, methods and apparatuses that more efficiently switch between GPUs without introducing visual artifacts are needed.

Display system with improved graphics abilities while switching graphics processing units


A novel medical device, SNOPPER--The Snoring Stopper.TM. anti-snoring mouth device, is inserted into the mouth. The device comprises a denture-like(10) apparatus for supporting electrodes(12) in such a manner that the electrodes make contact with the roof of the mouth. Electrical stimulation induces contraction of relaxed muscles, thereby preventing or stopping snoring. Electrical energy is provided to the device via wires for connection to an external stimulator(16) or via a self-contained, battery-powered, microminiturized electronic stimulator(20). Stimulation can be constant or intermittent. Wave shape, amplitutde, length, and frequency is controlled by the individual for comfort and is automatically induced via a feedback mechanism.

1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to medical devices, and more particularly to a novel device inserted into the mouth to prevent or stop snoring.
2. Description of Prior Art
Snoring is caused, in part, by relaxation of muscles during respiration while asleep. Various devices have been introduced to alleviate snoring. One device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,459 to Spiewak, 1987) provides pressure to the muscles, and another (U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,737 to Toone, 1990) provides an open mouth position. Other devices attempt to keep the tongue protruded, for example, the Samelson and Gardy devices, NJ Medicine, Vol. 88 No. 11 Nov. 1991. Still other devices (such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,330 to Dowling, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,533 to Mequignon, 1988) attempt to stop snoring by sound feedback. One device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,010 to Crossley, 1969) provides electrodes that attach to the skin of the neck via a neck band to shock the sleeper and condition him against snoring. One device, (U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,506 to Liberati, 1991) attempts to train the muscles to prevent snoring. Continuous positive air pressure breathing devices (U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,310 to Sullivan, 1990) and surgery are currently used to treat severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

Snopper-the snoring stopper anti-snoring mouth device


A slide rule comprises, to calculate the parameters of a stairway to be installed between lower and upper floor surfaces, (a) a first scale on a stationary body denoting the number of risers, (b) a second scale on a first slide denoting the elevation of the upper floor surface above the lower one and associated with a first arrow on the body, (c) a third scale on the body denoting tread depths and associated with a mark on the first slide, (d) a fourth scale on a second slide denoting the horizontal spread of the stairway and associated with a second arrow on the body, (e) a fifth scale on the body denoting the number of treads, and (f) a sixth scale on the second slide denoting the length of the stairwell and associated with a third arrow on the first slide. The first arrow indicates on the second scale the height of the risers when the number of risers on the first scale is aligned with the elevation of the upper floor surface on the second scale. The mark then indicates on the third scale a suggested range of tread depths. By indicating with the second arrow the depth of the treads on the fourth scale, the slide rule aligns the number of treads on the fifth scale with the horizontal spread of the stairway on the fourth scale. Finally, the third arrow indicates on the sixth scale the length of the stairwell.

The present invention relates to a device, of the slide rule type, capable of calculating the various parameters of a stairway to be installed between a lower floor surface and an upper floor surface.
In the past, slide rules for numerous purposes have been designed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,750 granted to Kelly on Jan. 12, 1982, proposes a tactical nuclear slide rule for a plurality of environments, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,809 (Frost et al.) issued on Aug. 1, 1978, illustrates a slide rule to make calculations necessary for navigational purposes. French patent application published under No. 2,244,211 on Apr. 11, 1975 (Bousseau) describes another type of slide rule calculator.
The prior art therefore fails to propose a slide rule calculator capable of computing the height of the risers, the depth of the treads, the horizontal spread, the length of the stairwell, etc. of a stairway.


When step parts are formed such that the surfaces of a capacitor element drop down on both the sides of a part served as a gap and the capacitor element is soaked into a conductive paste, the step parts are designed to interrupt the conductive paste to flow up. And, the conductor film is adhered also on the step parts. Thereby, the edges of the electrodes made of the conductor film are not only opposed each other with the gap interpolated therebetween, but also opposed electrodes are formed on the parts of the step parts. Thereby, a high capacitance can be acquired. Further, a resin is coated on a part where an insulating coating is formed, and the resin flows into recessed parts adjacent to the step parts. Therefore, the outside diameter of the insulating coating does not extremely increase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitor in which at least one or more pairs of opposed electrodes are formed so as to interpolate a gap therebetween on the surfaces of a capacitor element made of a dielectric substance or the like, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A capacitor having a pair of opposed electrodes formed so as to interpolate a gap on the surfaces of a dielectric substance is disclosed, for example, in the Japanese Patent Application Laid Open no. 3-232211. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 illustrate this example. Such a conventional capacitor is formed such that a ceramic dielectric substance 1 of a cylindrical shape or the like is provided with a pair of electrodes 2, 2 on both the sides of a gap 3 formed on the center of the circumference thereof. The gap 3 and the electrodes 2, 2 are formed all along the circumference of the dielectric substance 1, and the electrodes 2, 2 are separated completely by the gap 3. Further, in the example of FIG. 12, an insulating coating 1 made of a resin or the like overlies a part near the edges of the electrodes 2, 2 as to oppose with the gap 3 interpolated therebetween. The electrodes 2, 2 on both the end parts of the dielectric substance 11 are exposed as the terminal parts from the insulating coating 4, however, these terminal parts can be overlaid with the other conductor layers, or can be engaged with conductor caps.
Next, the method of manufacturing this type of capacitor will be described. First, a cylindrical capacitor element 1 of a dielectric substance is prepared, on the whole surface of which a conductor film is overlain. This conductor film is formed such that a conductor paste is applied on the surface of the capacitor element 1 and baked, or the conductor film is made by plating. Next, this conductor film is trimmed by the laser trimming, and a narrow gap 3 is formed along the whole circumference of the capacitor element 1. Thereby, the conductor film is separated into a pair of the electrodes 2, 2. FIG. 13 illustrates a state thus separated. Thereafter, the insulating coating 4 and the like are formed as needed, thus producing a capacitor as shown in FIG. 12.
Further, another method of forming the electrodes 12, 12 is adopted, in which both the ends of the capacitor element 1 are soaked into the conductive paste so as not to soak the part of the gap 13 therein, and the capacitor element 1 having the conductive paste applied is baked to form the electrodes.
In the former method of manufacturing a capacitor, the conductor film formed on the surface of the capacitor element 1 has to be removed with a high preciseness by the laser trimming on the center along the whole circumference. In performing this, it is necessary to hold and rotate a small chip capacitor element 1, which needs an additional man-hour on the process.
Further, in the latter method of manufacturing a capacitor, due to the dispersion of the dimension of the capacitor element 1 or the dispersion of the soaking depth when the capacitor element 1 is soaked into the conductive paste or the like, the dimension of the gap 3 is dispersed, which does not give a high preciseness to the dimension. In this type of capacitor, the part of the gap 3 where the electrodes 2, 2 are opposed makes a capacitance, and if the dimension accuracy of the gap 3 is insufficient, the accuracy of the capacitance becomes also insufficient which is an important characteristic value for a capacitor.
Further, the foregoing insulating coating 4 is formed such that a resin is applied usually by the roll coating method and is hardened. However, due to the surface tension of the applied resin, the center part of the resin swells, and the resin is hardened as it is. Therefore, the center part of the insulating coating 4 swells in thickness, which makes the outer shape of the capacitor into the so-called barrel shape. Accordingly, when mounting the capacitor on a circuit board and soldering the electrodes 2, 2 of both the ends of the capacitor on land electrodes on the circuit bord, defective solderings are apt to be created such that the electrodes 2, 2 are placed afloat from the land electrodes to cause both the electrodes 2, 2 not to be soldered, and one of the electrodes 2, 2 is not soldered to make the one electrode 2 face upward.

Capacitor having step parts, a gap, and recessed parts


An apparatus for exercising a joint, the apparatus includes a movable platform for supporting a portion of a patient's body including the joint, and a manually-powered system for moving at least a portion of the platform to flex the joint, wherein the patient selectively operates the manually-powered system to control the flexing of the joint.

Continuous passive motion applied to an injured or post operative leg is the primary rehabilitative treatment chosen by most doctors and therapists. Many leg and joint exercising devices are known. Generally, these machines have a motor driven leg support, with the leg support capable of being set to periodically move the leg in a preset range of positions, for a preset length of duration, and at a preset speed. Once these angles, speed, and duration have been chosen, the machine automatically moves the leg from a straightened position back and forth into these pre-chosen positions at the pre-chosen speed for the pre-chosen duration.
Resetting positions and safety cutoffs are available for the user of current machines. However, because all variables are preset and constant, typically, initial therapy cycles of the machine are often too severe and painful, whereas, later therapy cycles are insufficient due to the limbering of the joint and the joint's capability of greater movement as the therapy session progresses. Further, current machines do not allow for total knee joint isolation, but require hip joint movement in order to achieve knee movement.
Current machines and therapists do not sense the pain of the patient at all and do a limited job of sensing stiffness. A machine is needed that will allow total flexibility in the treatment of the leg, including flexion, extension, duration, and speed, but in doing so, the machine needs to be sensitive to the pain threshold of the patient and the flexibility of the joint being exercised.

Human self-powered joint exerciser apparatus


A game is played on a generally semicircular top surface of a table that carries markings that define five wagering areas bounded by the markings and an arcuate edge of the surface. Each of the wagering areas carries three circular indicia therein. The game is started by a player placing checks representative of a High Card wager, a Black Jack wager and a Poker wager, respectively, upon the three indicia of a wagering area. The player and the dealer are each dealt a first card face up. The player wins the high card wager when the rank of the player's first card is higher than the rank of the dealer's first card. A second card is dealt face up to the player and face down to the dealer, whereby the dealer and the player each have two cards of a Modified Black Jack holding. The Black Jack wager is resolved in a manner similar to the way a Black Jack wager is resolved in the prior art with the exceptions that neither the dealer nor the player may receive more than five additional cards and the player may not go down for double. After the Black Jack wager is resolved, the player and the dealer receive additional cards until each holds seven cards. The player wins the poker wager when the player's holding includes a five card poker hand that is higher than any five card poker hand included in the dealer's holding.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is in the general field of casino gaming and, more particularly, is a method of simultaneously playing a plurality of card games in a casino.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Efforts to attract patrons to a casino include offering opportunities to play two of the most popular card games in the world. One of the card games is Poker; the other is Black Jack. More recently, the patrons have been offered an opportunity to play a card game called War.
Poker is the most frequently played card game in the United States. A player in a Poker game is permitted to wager against all other players in the Poker game that he holds a Poker hand that is superior to Poker hands respectively held by the other players.
An invariant feature of almost all Poker games is that a Poker hand is comprised of five cards. The value of the Poker hand is determined by its rank. The player with the highest ranking Poker hand is usually the winner. The rankings of Poker hands, in descending order, are given as:
ROYAL FLUSH, (Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit);
STRAIGHT FLUSH, (five cards in sequence in any suit, i.e. Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, of the same suit);
FOUR OF A KIND, (four Aces is highest);
FULL HOUSE, (THREE OF A KIND plus a PAIR, i.e., 10, 10, 10, King King);
FLUSH (Five cards of the same suit);
STRAIGHT (five cards in sequence but of different suits, i.e., (Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7);
THREE OF A KIND (Three cards of the same rank, i.e., three Aces);
TWO PAIRS (i.e., two Kings and two 10's);
ONE PAIR (two 5's); and
NO PAIR.
When Poker hands of equal rank are compared, rankings of cards comprising the Poker hands determine the highest rank. Thus, for example, a Poker hand that comprised of a pair of 10's has a higher rank than a Poker hand that is comprised of a pair of 9's.
The casino usually tries to promote games of the type where the player makes wagers against the casino rather than against the other players. By having the player wager against the casino there is an increase in the casino's revenue. Accordingly, Poker is not a game that casino management regards as highly desirable.
Black Jack is a game where one or more players make wagers against the casino. Accordingly, Black Jack is a game that the casino management regards as highly desirable.
An essential feature of a Black Jack game is that values are assigned to the cards. An ace is valued at a count of either 1 or 11 at the discretion of a player who is dealt the ace. When the dealer is dealt the ace, it is valued at the count of either 1 or 11 in accordance with rules of the casino which are described hereinafter.
Kings queens and jacks (referred to as court cards) are valued at a count of 10. All other cards are valued at a count that equals their face value.
The Black Jack game begins with each player making a wager. After the wagers are made, the dealer deals one card, face up, to each of the players and to himself. The dealer next deals another card, face up, to each of the players and one card face down to himself.
When the dealer's face-up card is an ace, a ten or a court card, the dealer must look at his face-down card. When the dealer's two cards have a total count of 21 (known as a natural 21), it is announced to the players. A player holding a natural 21 is permitted to retrieve his Black Jack wager. All other players lose their Black Jack wagers.
When the dealer does not hold a natural 21, a player to the extreme left of the dealer plays first. When the first player holds a natural 21 he wins his Black Jack wager.
When the first player does not hold a natural 21, he may:
1. receive a dealt card face up when he wants to increase the count of his holding. The first player may choose to receive additional dealt cards until he is either satisfied with the count of his holding or the count of his holding exceeds 21 (known as a bust). When the first player's hand is not a bust, he has an active holding.
2. choose not to receive any additional cards because he is either satisfied with the count of his holding or believes that an additional card would cause his holding to be a bust.
When the first player's holding is a bust, he loses his Black Jack wager and his holding is inactive. All other players may either draw cards or not as described in connection with the first player.
After all of the players have either received additional cards or chosen not to receive additional cards, and there is at least one player with an active holding, the dealer turns up the face-down card. When the dealer's holding has a count of 16 or less, the dealer is required to deal himself an additional card and continue to deal himself additional cards until the dealer's final holding exceeds 16. When the dealer's final holding is a bust, the player with the active holding wins his Black Jack wager.
When the dealer's holding has a count that exceeds 16, the dealer may not receive an additional card. It should be understood that when the dealer's holding includes an ace that, when valued at a count of 11, causes the dealer's holding to exceed the count of 16, the dealer may not receive an additional card.
The player with the active holding wins his Black Jack wager when the active holding has a count that exceeds the count of the dealer's final holding. Correspondingly, the player with the active holding loses his Black Jack wager when the active holding has a count that is less than the count of the dealer's final holding. When the count of the active holding equals the count of the dealer's holding, there is what is known as a push, whereby the player with the active holding is permitted to retrieve his Black Jack wager.
When, for example, the first player's holding is initially comprised of two cards with the same count, the player is said to hold a pair. In what is known as splitting the pair, the first player may treat each of the two cards as a first dealt card in two separate holdings. In a similar manner, all other players may split pairs.
In what is referred to as going down for double, the first player, for example, after receiving the initial two card holding may choose to double his Black Jack wager and receive only one additional card. In a similar manner, all other players may go down for double.
In war, after a player makes a high card wager, the dealer and the player are each dealt a card. When the player's card has a higher rank than the dealer's card, the dealer wins the high card wager. Correspondingly, when the player's card does not have a higher rank than the dealer's card, the player loses the high card wager.
It should be appreciated that Poker, Black Jack and War have features that differ from each other that attract the casino patron. Accordingly, it is not unusual for the casino patron to go from a Poker game to a Black Jack game or from a Poker game to a game of War. Accordingly, there is a need for a game that combines features of Poker, Black Jack and war.


The present invention provides a thermos bag, which includes a container bag and an built-in thermos device. The thermos device includes a frame, a conductive plate, a printed electrothermal plate, an automatic temperature control device, an insulating lining and a bottom plate as a cover unit. After placing it inside the container bag, with the fixation ring sleeve, foot mount and bolts, it is positioned between the thermos device and container bag. The thermos bag made of this structure provide provides the traveler with a thermos bag that is easy to assemble, easy to carry, energy saving and easy to take off for cleaning.

When people travel, they usually carry some food with them in case of hunger, and among the selections of food they carry, some of them may need to be heated or be kept warm to maintain the taste, however, in terms of traveling in the car, people obviously are not going to carry an oven that is huge and heavy, and not to mentioned it uses lots of electricity.
For this reason, some businesses have developed some thermos products that are easy to carry to meet the demand, except, the typical spatial structure of the current thermos bag usually places the part with thermos device in it by a cover base, then assembles the cover base on the outside of the bottom of the bag, and in so doing, besides causing the difficulty between the cover base and bag and the problem of increasing the components, it affects the look of the bag because of the design of the cover base being exposed on the outside; therefore, there is still room for improvement.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement if the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve the efficacy.
To this end, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.


An improved current source having high output impedance, low saturation voltage, and less sensitivity to process parameters is achieved by having enhancement P-channel transistor devices used as current mirror, while depletion P-channel transistor devices are provided as the cascode devices. A "diode connected" depletion device may be inserted between the enhancement gate and the drain of the current reference transistor to reduce saturation voltage. The "diode connected" depletion device keeps the drains of the enhancement devices at a similar voltage even when the enhancement and depletion device threshold, i.e. V.sub.T, do not track over temperature or process. Thus, the current mirror circuit provides not only higher output impedance, lower saturation voltage, but is also less sensitive to process variation.

Current mirrors are well known, and prior art current mirror designs have been implemented both in bipolar and MOS circuit technology. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a typical prior art P channel MOS current mirror. Ideally, the function of current mirror 10 is to match channel current I.sub.O through transistor M.sub.2, to channel current I.sub.R through transistor M.sub.1, in order that current I.sub.O "mirrors" current I.sub.R. In current mirror 10, diode-connected MOS transistor M.sub.1 is in saturation, since V.sub.DS1 .gtoreq.V.sub.GS1. With the gate of transistor M.sub.2 connected to the gate of transistor M.sub.1, and the sources of transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 connected, the gate-to-source voltages of transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are equal (V.sub.GS2 =V.sub.GS1). Therefore transistor M.sub.2 also operates in saturation with channel current I.sub.O through transistor M.sub.2 equal to channel current I.sub.R through transistor M.sub.1. This is true for devices operating both above threshold (V.sub.GS .gtoreq.V.sub.T) and in the subthreshold region (V.sub.GS<V.sub.T). For devices operating above threshold, current I.sub.R through transistor M.sub.1 is expressed as: ##EQU1## and current I.sub.O is expressed as ##EQU2## where V.sub.A is due to channel modulation (Early Voltage).
Transistors on the same integrated circuit are fabricated simultaneously and thus transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 have essentially identical process parameters V.sub.TH, u.sub.o, C.sub.ox, etc. Moreover, with V.sub.GS2 =V.sub.GS1 due to the circuit connection shown in FIG. 1, the current matching ratio of I.sub.O to I.sub.R may be expressed in simplified terms as ##EQU3## where W.sub.1 =channel width of transistor M.sub.1 ;
W.sub.2 =channel width of transistor M.sub.2 ; PA1 L.sub.1 =channel length of transistor M.sub.1 ; and PA1 L.sub.2 =channel length of transistor M.sub.2.
Thus, the task of selecting a desired I.sub.O /I.sub.R current ratio is simplified to selecting transistor geometry in accordance with Equation (3). Typically, L.sub.1 =L.sub.2 in order to avoid matching problems, and thus ##EQU4## However, factors such as channel length modulation; ##EQU5## threshold voltage mismatch between transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2, and imperfect matching of transistor geometry also result in deviation from the ideal current ratio I.sub.O /I.sub.R.
The higher the output resistance Ro of a current source, the more perfect it is. Output resistance is proportional to channel length. Ideally R.sub.o =.infin., in that the output current will remain constant for varying output voltages. I.sub.O may also fluctuate due to the fact that V.sub.DS (M.sub.1) need not necessarily equal V.sub.DS (M.sub.2). Thus, the modulation of drain current as the drain voltage varies causes a variation of I.sub.O : ##EQU6##
FIG. 2 shows a prior art P channel current mirror commonly known as the "Wilson current mirror." Utilizing negative feedback, Wilson current mirror 20 provides an increased output resistance as compared with current mirror 10 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the sources of transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are connected together to positive supply voltage V+, and the gates of transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are connected together. Therefore, the source-gate voltage of transistors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are equal. The gate and drain of transistor M.sub.2 are connected together, forcing transistor M.sub.2 into saturation. Transistor M.sub.1 therefore mirrors the current flow through transistor M.sub.2 or, since I.sub.R is made to flow through transistor M.sub.1, current I.sub.O flowing through the channel of transistor M.sub.2 equals I.sub.R. Transistor M.sub.4 isolates the drain of transistor M.sub.2 from the voltage applied to the drain of transistor M.sub.4, thereby preventing any variation in M.sub.4 drain voltage from affecting current I.sub.O. Also, transistor M.sub.4 provides negative feedback to current mirror 20, thereby providing a high output resistance.
FIG. 3 shows a prior art improved Wilson current mirror 30. Current mirror 30 operates similarly to current mirror 20 of FIG. 2, and the addition of transistor M.sub.3 matches V.sub.DS1 to V.sub.DS2. This provides an improvement as compared with the Wilson current mirror of FIG. 2 in that the Wilson current mirror 20 allows V.sub.DS1 to be different than V.sub.DS2, providing another source of error.
FIG. 4 shows another well known current mirror commonly known as a cascode current mirror. Cascode current mirror 40 minimizes variations in I.sub.O /I.sub.R due to output resistance R.sub.O. Cascode current mirror 40 is, in effect, a cascade series of 2 current mirror 10 of FIG. 1. In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, assuming all operational parameters of transistors M.sub.1 through M.sub.4 are identical, i.e. the threshold voltages of the devices are identical and L.sub.1 =L.sub.2 ; L.sub.3 =L.sub.4 ; W.sub.2 /W.sub.1 =W.sub.4 /W.sub.3, drain voltage V.sub.D1 of transistor M.sub.1 equals drain voltage V.sub.D2 of transistor M.sub.2. If there is a voltage fluctuation increasing the drain voltage of transistor M.sub.4, drain current I.sub.O through transistors M.sub.2 and M.sub.4 remains relatively constant. Current ratio I.sub.O /I.sub.R is thus maintained. Table 1 shows the minimum saturation voltage (V.sub.satmin) of each of the current mirrors of FIGS. 1-4. The current mirror of FIG. 1, being the simplest, has the lowest V.sub.satmin equal to simply dV.sub.2, where dV=(V.sub.GS1 -V.sub.T1), and dV is the overdrive voltage above the threshold voltage V.sub.T. All of the remaining current mirror of FIGS. 2-4, being more complex, result in greater V.sub.satmin, a distinct disadvantage. However, this is the tradeoff for achieving a high output impedance as provided in the current mirrors of FIGS. 2-4.
FIGS. 5-10 depict additional prior art current mirrors which attempt to achieve high output resistances and a relatively low V.sub.satmin, although necessarily resulting in a V.sub.satmin greater than the V.sub.satmin of current mirror 10 of FIG. 1. Furthermore, the prior art current mirrors of FIGS. 5-10 require an additional reference current or are unduly affected by process variations and changes in operating temperature. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a more efficient current source circuit which provides high output impedance, low saturation voltage, and which is unaffected by process variations and changes in temperature.

Enhancement-depletion mode cascode current mirror


An equipment and method for charging a secondary battery are provided to quickly and surely charge a secondary battery (secondary batteries) while preventing the secondary battery (batteries) from overcharging or insufficient charging. Special charging voltage Es is applied to a secondary battery for a predetermined time, and then the applied voltage is switched to equilibrium voltage Eeq for establishing equilibrium cell potential of the secondary battery in its fully charged condition, wherein the special charging value Es is larger than the equilibrium value Eeq. Electric current i is detected while application of the equilibrium voltage Eeq. If the detected electric current i is larger than standard electric current J for finishing charging, the above detection and charging are repeated; otherwise, charge of the secondary battery 1 is halted.

Recently, the range of use of a secondary battery is remarkably increasing. For example, the secondary battery is used as power source of an electrical appliance, e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, and a notebook computer; a communication device, e.g., a cellular phone; a power apparatus, e.g., an electric power tool and a vacuum cleaner; or the like. The term "the secondary battery" means a rechargeable battery that can repeat charge and discharge cycles, and during charge, electrical energy is transformed into chemical energy stored in the secondary battery. The stored chemical energy is converted back into electrical energy so as to be used. A nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a lithium ion battery, a NAS battery, etc. are listed as practically used secondary batteries.
Incidentally, the electromotive reaction and the discharge reaction inside the secondary battery include chemical reaction, electric reaction, and complicated energy conversion and energy transfer where the chemical reaction and the electric reaction are mutually concerned. There lies time element among these various reactions. Accordingly, the secondary battery must be charged in consideration of the reactions, and when excessive current flows through the secondary battery in the process of charge, the internal structure of the secondary battery is sometimes damaged by irreversible chemical reactions, including unexpected exothermic reaction, swelling reaction, or the like. Even if the internal structure of the secondary battery is not damaged, it is degraded so that the battery life becomes shorter, and effective cycle of the battery is decreased.
Conventionally, as disclosed in many patent applications, to charge the secondary battery appropriately, a program for changing voltage to the secondary battery with the passage of charging time is programmed into a charge control device of a charging equipment for the secondary battery, so that the voltage controlled according to the program is applied to the secondary battery. The end of charge of a battery is judged and controlled on the basis of detection of the battery voltage as a variable controlled by a charging equipment, where a voltage detection device for detecting voltage of the secondary battery is provided.
For example, the charging equipment for a secondary battery disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid Open Gazette Hei. 8-9563 comprises a voltage detection circuit for detecting the minus potential difference of charging voltage applied to a battery with constant current, a temperature detection circuit for detecting change of the battery temperature per unit time (temperature differential value) generated in the charged battery with constant current, and a charge control circuit for controlling an on-off switching for charging basing on comparing the minus potential difference detected by the voltage detection circuit and the temperature differential value detected by the temperature detection circuit with their respective preset standard values. If the minus potential difference and the temperature differential value reach their preset standard values thereof respectively, charging of the battery is halted. In this way, there is such well-known conventional charging control device which observes the charged condition of a battery on the basis of detection the battery voltage or the temperature serving as a controlled variable and judges whether charge of the charging battery should be finished or not.
However, when the method for deciding end of charging basing the above-mentioned variable is simply applied in disregard of the charged condition of the secondary battery, various problems arise as follows: The characteristic property of the secondary battery during its charging varies according to variation of an electrode, an electrolyte, a structure, or another element of the charged secondary battery. Even if the secondary batteries are of the same kind or marked with the same type code, the characteristic property thereof varies with the difference of an environmental condition during charge, a use history, an electrochemical itinerancy in the secondary battery, and the like. Therefore, a battery charged according to the conventional control method may be overcharged, where the problem arises that abnormal chemical reactions (irreversible chemical reactions) occurs inside the secondary battery so as to generate heat, that is, electrical energy is transformed into heat energy, whereby the charging efficiency may be decreased, and gas may be generated in the secondary battery so as to increase the internal pressure thereof and cause the leak of liquid from the secondary battery. Therefore, the solid internal structure of the secondary battery required for repeating charge and discharge cycles is so damaged as to decrease effective battery cycles of the secondary battery.
Moreover, it is desirable that the charging time of the secondary battery is as short as possible. However, as mentioned above, the conventional charging control device using the fixed charge control pattern applies the same voltage to any type of secondary. Therefore, if a secondary battery is charged by voltage lower than its rated voltage, it takes quite a long time to fully charge the secondary battery. In addition, the conventional device inconveniently has no means for informing a user how much electricity the secondary battery to be charged stores, and how long it takes to charge the secondary battery.

Secondary cell charger and charging method


A flexible portable device holding and cradling apparatus that overcomes limitations of the prior art by providing a flexible portable device mounting apparatus provided by a frame that is structured for being coupled to an external mounting device, the frame having a mounting surface and a plurality of first and second passages provided adjacent to each of opposing side edges thereof; a plurality of substantially resiliently flexible clamps each having a leg portion, a finger portion extended from the leg portion, and a substantially resiliently flexible urging portion coupled between the leg portion and the finger portion; and coupling means operating between different ones of the first and second passages of the frame and the leg portion of each of different ones of the clamps for coupling the leg portion relative to the mounting surface.

Device holding apparatus are generally well-known and commonly used to mount and securely cradle hand-held pocket-sized personal computers, commonly referred to as "pocket PCs," and other mobile electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, mobile global positioning system (GPS) receivers, Personal Digital Accessories (PDAs) and other mobile electronic devices of this type.
One example of such mounting platforms is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,959, entitled MOUNTING BRACKET FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, issued Aug. 6, 2002, to Kalis, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, which includes a cradle adapted for being releasably secured to the electronic device and also includes a support adapted for being mounted to a surface. The cradle is adapted to move along its longitudinal axis relative to an electrical connector that is slidably connected to the cradle. A user can fix the position of the cradle relative to the mounting surface by means of a pin and locking mechanism on the back of the cradle to the support.
Other mounting platforms are also currently known. However, current mounting platforms are inefficient for effectively securely releasably cradling a pocket-sized cellular telephone, personal computers or other mobile electronic device.


A method and apparatus for safely controlling fluid flow comprises a safety control valve that automatically stops fluid flow upon a fluid pressure failure, requires two-handed manual operation to open the valve, and the valve being biased to prevent being left in the open position in the absence of fluid pressure. The safety control valve comprises a valve body that coaxially receives therein a slidable spool manually operable in an axial direction between a closed valve position and an open valve position. The valve further comprises a spring and a spring biased coaxial safety piston capable of axial movement along the spool and being pneumatically connected to a fluid supply line. In the absence of fluid pressure, the spring biases a safety piston against a contact surface of the spool so as to bias the spool into the closed position thereby preventing fluid flow through the valve. In the presence of a sufficient fluid pressure in the fluid supply line, the fluid pressure biases the safety piston against the spring and away from the contact surface of the spool so as to prevent movement of the spool between the open and closed positions.

Valves are used to control fluid flow between two points, such as between an air supply line and an air driven motor. Conventional valves require one-handed manual operation to open or close the valve and give virtually no visual indication to an operator as to whether the valve is in the open or the closed position. Additionally, conventional valves may be left open and do not automatically stop fluid flow upon a loss of fluid pressure.
These conventional valves expose operators, therefore, to hazards such as allowing an operator to open the valve while having one hand positioned adjacent the motor, and unknowingly leaving the valve in an open position, resulting in surprise starting of the motor upon the application of air pressure. Such conventional valves also expose operators to hazards such as surprise restarting of the motor upon the reapplication of fluid pressure.

Method and apparatus for safely controlling fluid flow


Line edge roughness or line width roughness of a feature on a sample may be determined from incident radiation scattered from the feature. An amount of ordered scattered radiation characterized by a discrete diffraction order is determined and a diffuse scattered radiation signal is measured. A ratio between an intensity of the ordered scattered incident radiation and an intensity of the diffuse scattered radiation signal is determined. The line edge roughness or line width roughness is determined from the ratio.

It has been shown that the line width roughness (LWR) and line edge roughness (LER) of the features of a device have an impact on the device performance. As the critical dimensions (CD) of devices shrink to 35 nm and below, control and monitoring of LWR and LER become increasingly more critical. For example, nano-scale LER and LWR have a significant impact on transistor performance and on the performance and reliability of advanced interconnects. Specifically, the roughness on the sidewall of a dielectric feature of a back end of line (BEOL) structure will transfer to a copper interconnect at the interface. As a result, the copper conductivity may be adversely affected because of the enhanced electron scattering. There are currently several viable techniques that measure LWR and LER, but most of them cannot be used in-situ with existing process control metrology tool.
Thus, there is need in the art, for a fast, nondestructive, noninvasive, and production worthy metrology tool, which is capable of meeting the process monitoring requirements for 32 nm nodes and beyond.
In prior art, attempts were made to measure LER and LWR by optical methods in dark-field, or combination of dark and bright field modes. (Microelectronic Engineering 84, 619 (2007); Proc. SPIE vol. 5752, 192 (2005)). However, the prior art fails to teach that the diffuse scattering depends on the roughness and the feature shapes and dimensions, and not just on the roughness alone. Thus the prior art does not provide sufficient teaching for quantitative interpretation of the signal in terms of the roughness.

Bright and dark field scatterometry systems for line roughness metrology


Systems and methods may be used to generate and use intent predictions to enhance user experience. The intent predictions may describe the data required to resolve a user request included in a user input (e.g., question, search query, and the like) submitted by a user. The intent predictions may be generated using a machine learning model that comprises a model framework for extracting features and classifying user inputs into intent classes based on the extracted features. The intent predictions may be integrated into an information service to improve business metrics including contact rate, transfer rate, helpful rate, and net total promoter score.

Software platforms may offer a wide variety of products and services to many different types of users. Despite careful design, some aspects of the products and services offered on a software platform may not be intuitive to some users. To provide a better experience for users and maximize the likelihood users will continue to use a particular software platform, it is desirable to efficiently address a wide variety of questions and other requests from users. Thus, it would be advantageous to predict the intent of each question (i.e., the information the user is attempting to elicit by submitting the question) or request (i.e., the information that will resolve the user's request) submitted by a user. Once known, the predicted intent could be leveraged to streamline various customer service and user experience work flows.

Intent prediction by machine learning with word and sentence features for routing user requests


A crossover manifold system for hot and cold water faucet pairs arranged back to back on opposite sides of a partition, the system comprising a pair of manifold tubes, wherein each tube comprises a central section; a first intermediate section and a second intermediate section, wherein each intermediate section is adjacent to and angled with respect to the central section; and a first distal section and a second distal section, wherein each distal section is adjacent to and angled with respect to the first and second intermediate sections, respectively. The first and second distal sections are approximately parallel to one another, and the manifold tubes cross over one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plumbing fittings in general and in particular to a manifold assembly for aligning hot and cold water supply lines for back to back basins on opposite sides of a partition.
2. Related Art
In the plumbing trade and in particular in commercial buildings, plumbing fixtures are often situated directly opposite one another on opposite sides of a partition such as a wall in order to reduce the amount of plumbing lines that must be installed. Such arrangements might also be put in place on every floor of a multistory building so that the hot and cold water supply lines as well as drain/waste/vent pipes can run from floor to floor connecting to each fixture at each level with a minimum of plumbing lines.
Given the standard supply line arrangement for a basin wherein the hot water faucet is always on one side and the cold water faucet on the other (generally hot is on the left and cold is on the right), when there are back to back basins the supply lines must be crossed over for one of the basins in order for the supply lines to be properly oriented on each basin. Given that the opposing basins will also be sharing a common drain pipe system, the basins and their respective supply lines will be exactly lined up with one another. Therefore the hot and cold supply lines will protrude from opposite sides of the partition in exactly the same positions, i.e. with hot on the left and cold on the right on each side of the partition.
Any crossover manifold solution must be able to fit within the constricted space inside of the partition. This space is constricted due to the small area between the structural materials such as the studs and wallboard. Furthermore, other plumbing components such as drain/waste/vent (DWV) pipes are also usually in this space, since the drains for the basins are generally situated between the hot and cold supply lines. The remaining space between a two-inch DWV pipe and the wallboard is often less than one inch. Thus it is important that any manifold device for crossing over the supply lines must be made to strict tolerances in order to fit between the wallboard and DWV pipe. A further consideration is that the manifold device should preferably be convenient to install, having a bracket or other hanging component to hold the manifold in place during assembly and usage.
One traditional solution to this crossover requirement has been for a plumber to assemble a series of pipes, from individual components, into a manifold that crosses over the hot and cold water supply lines. While being expedient, this assembly of parts is costly in terms of parts and especially labor and thus is undesirable. Furthermore, such an assembly must have a high degree of accuracy in order for the manifold components to fit within the partition. In addition, every joint that is made has a chance of failing and leaking, and therefore the numerous joints required for producing a hand-made crossover manifold increases the overall chances that the manifold will leak. Finally, such a do-it-yourself solution does not provide a convenient mechanism for holding the manifold in place during installation.
Another solution for plumbers has been a single component crossover manifold such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,004. However, such a manifold is very expensive such that the purchase price approaches the cost of a plumber's time to assemble a self-made manifold from individual components. Furthermore, such devices are extremely heavy, typically having two ends cast from brass, making installation difficult. Among the difficulties associated with installation is the fact that the heavy brass end fittings require application of a considerable amount of heat to solder copper pipes onto them. In use, the heavy brass fittings also absorb a great deal of heat when running hot water through them and thus require running hot water longer to produce acceptably hot water at the basin. In addition, installation of this prior art device requires the hot and cold water supply lines to be on opposite ends of the manifold and is not easily adapted to situations where the hot and cold water supply lines are on the same side of the manifold. Finally, these prior art manifold systems are not readily compatible with newer push- or press-to-fit connectors, further reducing their versatility.
A manifold for back to back basins is more likely to be required in a commercial setting, for example where there are adjacent bathrooms for men and women, than in single-family homes. As such, there is a strong preference among commercial builders and plumbers for plumbing pipes and fittings to be made from copper, as opposed to plastics, because of the perceived quality of copper and because of the compatibility with the rest of the plumbing network and familiarity of plumbers with using the material. Thus, given this strong market preference in the commercial sector for fittings made from copper rather than other materials such as plastics, any manifold solution should preferably be made of copper.
Thus, what is needed is a hot-cold crossover manifold that is pre-made with a minimum of connections, easy to install, inexpensive, and is preferably made of copper.

Hot cold water supply crossover manifold


A base substrate includes an insulator board comprising through holes penetrating between two opposed principal surfaces, penetrating electrodes provided within the through holes, and intermediate layers sandwiched between inner surfaces of the through holes and the penetrating electrodes and having surfaces with smaller concavities and convexities than those of the inner surfaces at the penetrating electrode sides.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a base substrate, an electronic device, and a method of manufacturing the base substrate.
2. Related Art
In related art, electronic devices in which electronic components such as piezoelectric elements are housed in packages have been known. A general electronic device air-tightly houses a piezoelectric element in a housing space (internal space) of a package formed by bonding a base substrate and a lid. Further, the base substrate has a ceramics board, connecting electrodes formed on the upper surface of the ceramics board, mounting electrodes formed on the lower surface of the ceramics board, and penetrating electrodes formed through the ceramics board for connecting the connecting electrodes and the mounting electrodes.
Further, as the configuration of the base substrate, a configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2007-180924) has been known. A base substrate in Patent Document 1 has a board in which through holes are formed, connecting terminals formed on the upper surface of the board, mounting electrodes formed on the lower surface of the board, and penetrating electrodes formed on the inner surfaces of the through holes for connecting the connecting electrodes and the mounting electrodes. In the base substrate, the penetrating electrodes are formed in films, and the through holes are not filled depending on the penetrating electrodes. Accordingly, in Patent Document 1, the through holes are filled with sealing members and air-tightly sealed.
However, in the base substrate, there is a problem that gaps are easily caused between the through holes and the penetrating electrodes and between the penetrating electrodes and the sealing members, and the outside and the inside of the housing space communicate via the gaps and the air-tightness of the housing space is lost. Further, there is another problem that the penetrating electrodes are formed in thin films, and disconnection is easily caused. Particularly, on the inner surfaces of the through holes, minute concavities and convexities caused at the formation exist and, when the penetrating electrodes are formed by sputtering or evaporation, it is hard for the materials to attach to the concavities behind the convexities and it is impossible to form uniform films. On this account, the problem that disconnection is easily caused becomes more significant.

Base substrate, electronic device, and method of manufacturing base substrate


Techniques for operating a computing system to perform neural network operations are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises receiving a neural network model, determining a sequence of neural network operations based on data dependency in the neural network model, and determining a set of instructions to map the sequence of neural network operations to the processing resources of the neural network processor. The method further comprises determining, based on a set of memory access operations included in the set of instructions, a first set of memory references associated with a first location of an external memory to store the input data and a second set of memory references associated with a second location of the external memory to store the output data, and generating an instruction file including the set of instructions, the first set of memory references and the second set of memory references.

Artificial neural networks are computing systems with an architecture based on biological neural networks. Artificial neural networks can be trained, using training data, to learn about how to perform a certain computing task.
A neural network may include a set of processing nodes. Each processing node can process a piece of the input data based on a weight to generate an output, and the final decision can be generated based on a combination of the outputs of the set of processing nodes. As part of the processing, each processing node can perform a set of arithmetic operations such as, for example, floating-point multiplications and additions involving the weights and the input data. A neural network may be implemented by circuitries and data paths, such as a systolic array, to perform computations including the arithmetic operations. The neural network processing can also be supported by memory circuits to provide storage of input data, output data, as well as intermediate output data for the computations. The throughput of neural network processing may depend on how efficiently various computation and memory resources are allocated and placed for the neural network processing.

Allocation and placement of resources for network computation


An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, an optical writing unit, a plurality of developing units, a transfer member, a transfer unit, an image sensor, and a control unit. In at least one embodiment, the image sensor is configured to sense a positional displacement detection pattern including visible images on the transfer member to detect a positional displacement between the visible images on each of the plurality of image carriers. The control unit is configured to execute a positional displacement correction control to calculate an amount of the positional displacement and determine respective target drive speeds of the plurality of drive sources. The control unit is also configured to control so that the positional displacement detection pattern is formed when the plurality of drive sources are driven at substantially identical speeds and the positional displacement detection pattern thus formed is sensed by the image sensor.

Image forming apparatuses include copiers, printers, facsimiles, multi-function devices thereof, etc. Some image forming apparatuses include a plurality of photoreceptors serving as image carriers and a belt member serving as a transfer member. The belt member endlessly moves while passing through transfer points facing the plurality of photoreceptors.
Some image forming apparatuses employ an electrophotographic method to form toner images of different colors on respective surfaces of the plurality of photoreceptors. The toner images on the respective surfaces of the plurality of photoreceptors are superimposingly transferred to a recording medium, which is carried by the transfer member so as to sequentially pass through the transfer nips. Through the transfer process, superimposed color toner images are formed on the surface of the recording medium.
For such configuration, a temperature change in an optical system for optically scanning the photoreceptors may cause a change of a light path of the optical system. Further, once the photoreceptor is demounted from and mounted to the image forming apparatus, a poor fit may be caused between the photoreceptor and the image forming apparatus.
Thus, a relative positional displacement may be caused between toner images formed on the respective photoreceptors. Consequently, such a displacement may cause a superimposition displacement between toner images of different colors on the recording medium, thereby deteriorating image quality of the resultant superimposed color toner images.
Hence, a conventional image forming apparatus conducts a positional displacement correction control to calculate an appropriate linear velocity difference between the photoreceptors of different colors. The conventional image forming apparatus also sets the calculated linear velocity difference between the photoreceptors so as to suppress the superimposition displacement between toner images of different colors.
For the positional displacement correction control, the conventional image forming apparatus first forms reference toner images on each photoreceptor at a given timing. Then, the conventional image forming apparatus transfers the reference toner images to the surface of a belt member to form a positional displacement detection pattern.
Unless a relative positional displacement occurs between the reference toner images formed on each photoreceptor, the reference toner images are transferred at a certain distance along a moving direction of the belt member.
Then, the conventional image forming apparatus detects the reference toner images by a photosensor and calculates a relative positional displacement amount between the reference toner images on each photoreceptor based on detection time intervals thereof. Further, based on calculation results, the conventional image forming apparatus determines a drive speed of each photoreceptor so as to cancel the calculated relative positional displacement amount.
Further, on executing a print job, the conventional image forming apparatus drives the respective photoreceptors at the drive speeds thus determined. Thereby, the conventional image forming apparatus drives the photoreceptors with the linear velocity difference being set therebetween.
Thus, the conventional image forming apparatus attempts to superimposingly transfer toner images of different colors from the photoreceptors to the recording medium while suppressing the relative positional displacement.
Furthermore, for the positional displacement correction control, the conventional image forming apparatus first roughly corrects a positional displacement between toner images of different colors in a sub-scanning direction, i.e. a moving direction of the photoreceptor surface by correcting a start timing of optical writing for each photoreceptor. Then, the conventional image forming apparatus calculates an appropriate correction amount of the drive speed of each photoreceptor to accurately correct the positional displacement.
Specifically, according to an optical writing manner, a main scanning operation is conducted by deflecting respective light beams by a single polygon mirror to write latent images on the plurality of photoreceptors. The conventional image forming apparatus adjusts the start timing of optical writing for each photoreceptor in unit of time for writing one scan line. In such case, even when the start timing of optical writing is adjusted, a positional displacement of less than half a dot may still remain in the sub-scanning direction.
Suppose that, if a positional displacement of substantially a ¾ dot in the sub-scanning direction occurs between two photoreceptors, a start timing of optical writing to any one of the photoreceptors is shifted before or after by the writing time for one scan line. Then, the positional displacement amount in the sub-scanning direction can be reduced to substantially a ¼ dot.
However, if the start timing of optical writing is further shifted before or after by the writing time for one scan line, the positional displacement amount in the sub-scanning direction may be increased to substantially a 5/4 dot, which is larger than the original displacement amount of a ¾ dot.
Then, if the start timing of optical writing is furthermore shifted before or after by the writing time for one scan line, the positional displacement amount of substantially a ¼ dot remains again.
Hence, the conventional image forming apparatus attempts to reduce the remaining positional displacement amount of substantially a ¼ dot by setting a linear velocity difference between the photoreceptors.
However, the positional displacement between toner images of different colors may be caused by a change in light path or a poor fit between the image forming apparatus and each photoreceptor as described above. Further, the positional displacement may be caused by an eccentricity of a drive-force transmission rotation member, such as a photoreceptor gear or a coupling, which transmits a drive force to the photoreceptor while coaxially rotating therewith.
If such an eccentricity occurs in the drive-force transmission member that coaxially rotates with the photoreceptor, the eccentricity may generate first and second points on the photoreceptor surface that move from the optical writing position to the transfer position at relatively higher and lower speeds, respectively, than any other point thereof. At this time, the first and second points occur in substantially 180 degrees opposite to each other on the photoreceptor.
Thus, a first dot on the first point reaches a transfer nip at an earlier timing than a normal timing, while a second dot on the second point at a later timing. If the first dot of a first photoreceptor is transferred on a recording medium and then the second dot of a second photoreceptor is superimposed onto the first dot, a superimposition displacement may occur between the first and second dots.
Hence, in order to suppress a superimposition displacement as described above, another conventional image forming apparatus conducts a speed variation detection control to detect rotation speed variations of the plurality of photoreceptors and a phase adjustment control to adjust phases of the rotation speed variations.
For the speed variation detection control, the conventional image forming apparatus forms a plurality of toner images at a certain distance along the moving direction of the surface of photoreceptor to form a speed variation detection pattern. After transferring the speed variation detection pattern to a belt member, the conventional image forming apparatus detects the toner images of the speed variation detection pattern by a photosensor, and then determines a speed variation during rotation of each photoreceptor based on detection time intervals.
On the other hand, the conventional image forming apparatus detects a mark, which is provided on a photoreceptor gear, etc., by another photosensor, and thus determines a timing at which each photoreceptor reaches a given rotational angle.
Thus, a time difference can be obtained between the timing at which each photoreceptor reaches a given rotational angle and the timing at which the surface speed of each photoreceptor reaches a maximum or a minimum value. After the speed variation detection control is finished, the conventional image forming apparatus conducts the phase adjustment control before executing a print job, and thus adjusts phase differences in speed variations between the photoreceptors.
Specifically, first, as described above, the conventional image forming apparatus determines a timing at which each photoreceptor reaches a given rotational angle. Based on the timing and the time difference previously calculated in the speed variation detection control, the conventional image forming apparatus temporarily changes drive speeds of a plurality of drive motors that separately drive the photoreceptors. Thus, the conventional image forming apparatus attempts to adjust a phase difference in speed variations between the photoreceptors.
Alternatively, after finishing a print job, the conventional image forming apparatus stops the drive motors so that the phase difference in speed variations is appropriately adjusted between the photoreceptors. Then, the conventional image forming apparatus starts another print job with the phase difference being appropriately adjusted.
Thus, the conventional image forming apparatus performs the phase adjustment control so that a plurality of dots reaching a transfer position at an earlier timing than a normal timing or a plurality of dots reaching at a later timing is synchronized with each other. Thereby, the conventional image forming apparatus attempts to suppress a superimposition displacement between toner images of different colors.
When a distance between each adjacent pair of a plurality of photoreceptors is set to an integral multiple of a circumference of each photoreceptor, each photoreceptor rotates the integral multiple number of times while a recording sheet is conveyed from a transfer nip to an adjacent transfer nip. Thus, dots that are in an appropriate relationship to each other may be synchronized with each other by adjusting a phase difference in speed variations between the photoreceptors to zero.
On the other hand, a distance between each adjacent pair of the plurality of photoreceptors may be different from an integral multiple of a circumference of each photoreceptor. In such a configuration, dots that are in an appropriate relationship to each other may be synchronized with each other by setting a given time for each photoreceptor corresponding to a phase difference in speed variation.
However, even if the positional displacement correction control or the phase adjustment control as described above is conducted, a positional displacement may still occur between toner images of different colors. Then, the inventors have conducted various experiments and analyses to find a possible cause of the positional displacement.
According to the results of experiments and analyses, setting a linear velocity difference between photoreceptors may result in another linear velocity difference between the belt member and the photoreceptors. When the positional displacement detection pattern or the speed variation detection pattern including reference toner images is formed under such condition, unevenness in density may be caused between the toner images of different colors.
Suppose that, when a first photoreceptor drives at a higher linear velocity than a belt member, a toner image is transferred from the first photoreceptor to the belt member. Then, the toner image has a relatively higher density on the upstream side than on the downstream side in the moving direction of the belt member.
On the other hand, suppose that, when a second photoreceptor drives at a lower linear velocity than the belt member, a toner image is transferred from the second photoreceptor to the belt member. Then, the toner image has a relatively higher density on the downstream side than on the upstream side in the moving direction of the belt member.
Thus, when the positional displacement correction control is conducted with such a linear velocity difference being set between the photoreceptors, unevenness in density may be caused between the toner images of different colors. Such unevenness in density may deteriorate accuracy in the position detection of toner images, the positional displacement correction, or the phase adjustment.
Hence, a need exists for an image forming apparatus capable of effectively suppressing deterioration in accuracy of the positional displacement correction, the phase adjustment, etc, which may be caused by forming the positional displacement detection pattern or the speed variation detection pattern with a linear velocity difference being set between a plurality of photoreceptors.

Image forming apparatus capable of effectively forming a quality color image


A freestanding coin holder capable of displaying a coin such that all sides, namely the front, back, and circumferential edge are viewable. First and second panel members are connected in opposing face-to-face relation such that a coin may be received in a generally cylindrical and laterally projecting coin-receiving chamber defined by optically transparent portions so that the front and back of the coin (e.g. heads side and tails side) as well as the circumferential edge of the coin are clearly visible. A base functions as a stand thereby allowing the coin holder to be disposed in a vertically free-standing manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coin holders for collectable coins, and in particular, to coin holders having optically transparent portions adapted to display coins such that the opposing sides of the coin as well as the circumferential edge may be viewed and inspected.
2. Description of Related Art
Coin collecting is a popular hobby. Those involved with numismatics, including collectors and dealers, require safe storage and attractive display for their coins. The prior art reveals a number of coin storage and display devices. Among those devices are relatively simple books containing cardboard sheets which incorporate circular openings defining coin receiving depressions wherein coins may be insertably disposed for display. In addition, a variety of rigid plastic holders are available. Typical of these plastic holder devices are holders wherein one or more coins are sandwiched between opposing clear plastic layers. The opposing plastic layers may be connected by fasteners, snap-fit, adhesive or plastic welding techniques.
There are a number of disadvantages present with plastic coin holders known in the background art. One significant disadvantage is that such conventional coin holders are limited in that they provide for visual inspection of the front and back of the coin, but generally do not provide for any visual inspection of the edge portion of the coin. Since the quality of the edge portion of the coin effects value there exists a need for a coin holder that provides for a full 360 degree visual inspection of the edge of the coin in addition to the front and back sides. Another disadvantage present with conventional coin holders of the background art is that such holders are not adequately adapted to permit the holder(s) to be displayed in a vertically freestanding manner. Accordingly, there further exists a need for a freestanding coin holder that is capable of being displayed in a vertically upright, self-supporting manner.


Hauling vehicles, fixtures and methods for loading heavy cargo are provided by this invention. The fixture enables such cargo to be loaded on a trailer, boat or railway with a minimum "effective width". Such fixtures include a support frame and an arm swively mounted to the support frame for enabling the cargo to be tilted from a first loading position to a second transporting position to reduce the degree to which the cargo extends beyond the width of the trailer. Transportation costs are significantly reduced through the use of this invention.

Prefabricated assemblies have become increasingly popular in the construction trade. Such assemblies can include precast concrete structures, frame supports or even manufactured homes. The transport of these assemblies is highly regulated by the states. Transporting over-sized loads involves speed and weight restrictions, frequent escorting by warning vehicles and high tariffs. Over-width vehicles may be completely barred from entering narrow roadways, bridges or tunnels during certain hours of the day. Such additional detours and delays can increase the cost of transportation of such items by hundreds of dollars and can postpone the timing of delivery to the construction site. Since construction workers often begin their day at a set time every morning, delivery delays can further increase labor costs to contractors as workers wait idly for essential building materials.


The present invention relates to a mechanism for reinforcing a fascia including at least one reinforcement structure and at least one strengthening feature. The reinforcement structure is attached to the fascia so that at least a portion of the fascia is covered by the reinforcement structure. The strengthening feature is on at least one side of the reinforcement structure.

Typically motorized vehicles have a fascia which extends along the front end and/or the rear end in order to absorb energy from front and/or rear end impacts. Furthermore, the fascias are designed to improve the aesthetics of the vehicle by covering up components of the vehicle with an exterior surface that complies with the class A standards set by car manufacturers for OEMs. When the fascia is mounted to the vehicle, it extends along the front end and/or rear end and is curved towards the wheel base. The section between the front end and/or rear end in the wheel base is known as a wing, and a wing typically has a reduced structural integrity due to the shape of the wing. This area of the fascia is also referred to as a featureless area due to the wing having less structural integrity then other portions of the fascia.
Car manufacturers have a standard known as the "firm feel guidelines" in which a vehicle component must have adequate structural integrity to support a force applied by a person. Due to the size and shape of the wing portion of the fascia, the wing must be reinforced in order to satisfy the firm feel guidelines. However, it is time consuming and costly to increase the structural integrity of the wing. The thickness of the wing can be increased in order to add structural integrity to the wing, however, to do this the injection molding or forming tooling must be altered to accommodate the increased size of the wing. Thus, the retooling for this improvement adds to the time and cost of manufacturing the fascia. Increasing the thickness of the fascia wing using the same material used to produce other portions of the fascia, can be costly due to the material cost typically used to manufacture the fascia.
One alternate design involves using a second material placed behind the fascia which is less expensive while adding the necessary structural integrity. However, due to the location of the wing, it is difficult to place materials between the fascia wing and the vehicle. For example, an expandable foam can be injected between the fascia wing and the vehicle in order to increase the thickness of the wing. However, it is difficult and time consuming to inject the foam in the confined area between the fascia wing and the vehicle.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a mechanism for reinforcing the fascia wing in which a secondary component is placed on the interior side of the fascia.

Vacuum-formed “firm-feel” reinforcement for bumper fascias