A system and a process for energizing loads through a control unit, said loads being energized from a power network, said system comprising: connecting elements, each including a processing unit operatively connected to a respective power switch so as to lead the latter to opening and closing conditions, de-energizing and energizing a respective adjacent load that is electrically coupled to the connecting element; a pair of electrical conductors connected to a power network for energizing the loads and which are disposed so as to define an energizing means which is common to the connecting elements and to the control unit; and a signal conductor not galvanically isolated from the power network and which is common to the processing units and to the control unit, connecting them so as to allow the control unit to instruct, through the processing units and through coded electrical signals, the opening and closing of each respective power switch.

Most electrical household appliances have a large number of electrical loads distributed throughout the system, such as for example lamps, fans, valves, motors, etc., which are essential to the operation of the equipment and typically commanded by a control unit, which supplies or not voltage thereto as a function of the process requirements. The energization control of the loads is effected by semi-conducting electromechanical or triac AC switches, such as the electromagnetic relays, which are typically located in a power unit that receives the voltage from the power network and distributes it to the loads through adequate electrical cables. FIG. 1 shows a typical diagram of the electrical connections of a refrigerator 1 operatively connected to a power network 2 and comprises a control unit 3, a power unit 4, a fan 5, a defrost resistance 6, an internal lamp 7 and a compressor 8. As it can be noted, the existence of several loads in the system requires a large number of cables 9 distributed throughout the appliance, increasing the electromagnetic noise, the cost of the wirings and making difficult the mounting process, bearing in mind that the larger the number of loads and wirings the higher the complexity of the system.
In order to reduce the aforesaid problems related to the distribution of loads, the automobile industries have developed serial communication standards, aiming at eliminating the individual cables for each load of the system. Among said standards, CAN standard is the best known. For applications in which the system does not require high speed or high data flow, the so-called LIN standard has been developed. In said applications, the voltage is directly supplied to the load, which has a local power switch and the control unit 2 commands the selective energization of the load through serial communication. In both serial communication standards, the level of the signal used in the communication is different from the level of the voltage of the AC power network. Thus, for applications in household appliances, special circuits for conversion of signals should be used, as well as the installation of two additional conductors exclusively for the serial communication.
A serial communication standard known as X-10 specifies the serial communication directly through the power network by modulating a high frequency signal over the network, which signal is normally used for establishing communication between appliances in a home or to access the Internet, dispensing the installation of telephone or network cables. The great disadvantage of said standard is that it requires a usually complex and relatively expensive filtering circuit for separating the communication signal from the power network.
There is also the industrial communication standard known as AS-i, whose principle is similar to that of the already described X-10, in which supply voltage and communication travel through the same conductors, in different frequency spectra, in which case the supply voltage is in DC, usually of 24 Vdc. AS-i standard is widely used in industrial networks for communication with sensors and actuators.
It can be concluded from the basic description of some of the existing communication standards that all of them require complex dedicated electronic circuits to execute the tasks of separating and/or treating the signals, but which become infeasible in systems in which cost is a preponderant factor and which do not require high speed or transmitted data high flow.

Systems and process for energizing loads through a control unit


A bird bath includes a bird bath basin adapted to hold water, a base adapted to support the basin, a water reservoir contained within the base, an electrically operated pump contained with the base, and a mechanism, such as a timer or photocell, for controlling operation of the pump. The pump has an inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir and an outlet in fluid communication with a flow opening positioned in the lowest part of the base. When the pump is operating it pumps water from the reservoir, through the flow opening, and into the basin. When the pump is not operating water in the basin drains under gravity flow through the flow opening, through the pump and into the reservoir. As a result, the basin may be automatically filled and drained at selected times during the day. The bird bath may include a heater mounted in the base for heating the water reservoir.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
A local bird population will remain faithful to a particular area if a ready source of water and food is available. Consequently, bird baths are popular for attracting birds to residential homes, for example, and they may promote an interest in, and the well being of wild birds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,998 discloses a bird bath having a base supporting a bird bath basin. The base includes a water chamber that extends upwardly through the center of the basin. Openings extend between the chamber and the basin to allow gravity flow of water from the chamber and into the basin. Regulating the water level in the chamber controls water level in the basin. To this end, the chamber includes a float-operated valve for controlling the supply of water from a remote source and into the chamber. The float rises and falls depending on the level of water in the chamber. The float is attached to the valve such that the valve is closed when the water reaches a predetermined maximum level within the chamber and is opened when the water level in the chamber falls below a predetermined chamber to refill the chamber to the desired level. As water in the basin is depleted, e.g. by use or evaporation, the float moves downward, thereby opening the valve and restoring the water level in the chamber and in the basin. A similar design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,312.
Both of these bird bath designs suffer from several drawbacks. First, because there is no continuous flow of water into the basin, the water will freeze easily in cold weather. In order to prevent freezing in cold whether, such designs would require some type of mechanism for heating the water. In this respect, the ""998 patent discloses a heater positioned within the chamber. However, because the water does not continuously circulate between the chamber and the basin, the ability of this heater to effectively prevent freezing of water in the basin is limited, particularly in extremely cold weather.
As a result, many bird baths rely on heaters that directly heat the water in the basin. Such heating mechanisms typically take one of two forms. First, they can be in the form of an immersion heater which is placed directly in the basin during cold weather. Electricity is delivered to the heater by a power cord, which is draped over the edge of the basin and connected to a remote source of electricity. Besides being unsightly, such heaters must be installed and removed on a seasonal basis.
Alternatively, bird baths have heaters embedded in the wall of the basin or disposed within a double walled basin, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,226. Such designs are undesirable from a manufacturing standpoint because they limit the materials that can be used to construct the basin. In particular, the designs of the ""226 patent will work with plastic, for example, but they are not feasible when using materials such as concrete.
Additionally, the bird baths disclosed in the ""998, ""312 and ""226 patents remain full all of the time. This is undesirable because birds typically only use the bath during the day. However, at night a full bird bath tends to attract nuisance undesirable animals such as raccoons and possums. In addition, the constantly full water basin serves as a breeding ground form mosquitoes and other insects.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,951 describes a bird bath having a water reservoir, a bird bath basin, a water control valve for admitting fresh water into the reservoir and an air lift pump for pumping water from the reservoir to the bird bath basin. The design of the ""951 patent suffers from several drawbacks. First, it requires a remote air compressor for delivering air to the air lift pump. The tubing which extends between the air compressor and the pump must be arranged to form a loop above the highest water level in the reservoir to protect against siphoning. As a result, it is not feasible to mount the air compressor within the bird bath. Additionally, the ""951 patent does not provide for heating the water in the bath, or for draining the bath basin at night.
According to certain aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, a bird bath includes a base, a bird bath basin adapted to hold water and which is mounted on the base, a water reservoir contained within the base, an electric pump contained within the base and being adapted to continuously pump water from the reservoir to the bowl, and an overflow means for channeling overflow water from the bird bath basin and into the reservoir. The overflow mechanism may include a water inlet positioned in the basin at the desired maximum water level and a water channel extending between the water inlet opening and the reservoir. The water reservoir may be separately or integrally formed with the base. The bird bath may include means for refilling the reservoir with water from a remote source so as to maintain a predetermined amount of water in the reservoir. The bird bath may also include a means selectively operating the pump and means for draining the basin into the reservoir when the pump is not operating.
According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a bird bath includes a basin adapted to hold water, a base adapted to support the basin and a water reservoir contained within the base. An electrically operated pump is contained within the base and is adapted to continuously pump water from the reservoir to the bowl so long as electricity is supplied to the pump. An overflow means for channeling overflow water from the bird bath basin and into the reservoir so as to prevent the water level in the basin from exceeding a desired maximum level. A means is provided for draining the basin when the pump is not operating. The bird bath also includes means for selectively delivering electricity to the electric pump so as to selectively fill and drain the basin. The means for draining may include a drain extending between the lowest portion of the basin and the reservoir. The drain is adapted to drain water from the basin and into the reservoir when the pump is not operating. The means for selectively delivering electricity to the pump may include a timer or a photocell.
According to yet another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a bird bath includes a bird bath basin adapted to hold water, a base adapted to support the basin, a water reservoir contained within the base, and an electrically operated pump contained with the base. The pump has an inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir and an outlet in fluid communication with a flow opening positioned the base, and preferably in the lowest part of the base. When the pump is operating it pumps water from the reservoir, through the flow opening, and into the basin. When the pump is not operating, water in the basin drains under gravity flow through the flow opening, through the pump and into the reservoir. The bird bath also includes a means for selectively delivering electricity to the pump so as to selectively fill and drain the basin. The means for selectively delivering electricity to the pump may include a photocell. Alternatively, the means for selectively delivering electricity to the pump may include a timer.
According to still another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a bird bath includes a base defining a hollow interior having a top opening. A bird bath basin adapted to hold water is mountable on the base at a location overlying the top opening. A pump module is sized for insertion through the top opening and into the hollow interior of the base. The pump module includes a housing defining a reservoir adapted to hold water. A pump is contained in the housing and is interconnectable with the basin for pumping water from the reservoir to the basin. A power cord has a first end interconnected with the pump and a second end extendable through an opening in the base and terminating in a male electrical plug. The bird bath may also include an overflow port positioned in the basin at the desired maximum water level. The overflow port is interconnectable with the water reservoir to recirculate overflow water from the basin to the reservoir.


A draft shield (5″) is provided for a laboratory balance (1) with a base body (2), a weighing chamber (10) with a weighing chamber floor (3) and a weighing chamber rear wall (4). The draft shield has a top wall (6), first and second side walls (7, 8) and a front wall (9). The draft shield, the weighing chamber floor and the weighing chamber rear wall enclose the weighing chamber. A drive unit (19) connected to the top wall serves to open and close the top wall (6). The weighing chamber rear wall has a base module (15) and a top module (16″), at least a portion of which is configured as a compartment. The drive unit is arranged in the compartment-shaped portion.

A state-of-the-art draft protection device for a laboratory balance described in US 2010/0288566 A1 has planar panels, i.e. a rear wall, a front wall, two sidewalls, a top cover, and a floor, which together enclose a weighing chamber. The front wall and sidewalls are suspended from the edges of the top cover and overhang the front and sides of a base housing of the balance. The top cover with the suspended front- and sidewalls can be raised and lowered, with the front- and sidewalls sliding up and down over the front and sides of the base housing, whereby the height of the weighing chamber can be adjusted. The sidewalls are horizontally slidable along the guide tracks from which they are suspended. The possibility of a drive motor for the horizontal movement of the sidewalls and the vertical movement of the top cover panel is mentioned. However, the question of horizontal mobility for the top cover panel is not addressed.
As another example for the current state of the art, an analytical balance according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,809 B2 has a draft shield with sliding side wall panels and a sliding top cover panel that are actuated by a motor drive mechanism, wherein the latter is installed in a housing that is arranged adjacent to the draft shield, particularly in the top compartment of the housing. The side wall panels and the top cover panel have individual clutch elements connecting them to the one motor drive mechanism. The main focus in U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,809 B2 is on a concept of integrating a sliding guide of the top cover panel into a carrying handle of the balance.
In regard to the area that is of particular interest in the present invention, i.e. an optimal design arrangement for a motor drive mechanism for actuating the sliding movements to open and close a sliding top wall of the draft shield, the applicant has found no information in the prior art. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a laboratory balance with an arrangement for the motorized drive mechanism of the sliding top wall of the draft shield, wherein said arrangement is optimized from a manufacturing and servicing point of view.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Laboratory balance with a motorized sliding top wall of the draft shield


A system and method for providing a post-passivation opening and undercontact metallization is provided. An embodiment comprises an opening through the post-passivation which has a first dimension longer than a second dimension, wherein the first dimension is aligned perpendicular to a chip's direction of coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch. By shaping and aligning the opening through the post-passivation layer in this fashion, the post-passivation layer helps to shield the underlying layers from stresses generated from mismatches of the materials' coefficient of thermal expansion.

Generally, a semiconductor die may be connected to other devices external to the semiconductor die through a type of packaging utilizing solder bumps. The solder bumps may be formed by initially forming a layer of undercontact metallization on the semiconductor die and then placing solder onto the undercontact metallization. After the solder has been placed, a reflow operation may be performed in order to shape the solder into the desired bump shape. The solder bump may then be placed into physical contact with the external device and another reflow operation may be performed in order to bond the solder bump with the external device. In such a fashion, a physical and electrical connection may be made between the semiconductor die and an external device, such as a printed circuit board, another semiconductor die, or the like.
However, the material that comprises the undercontact metallization is merely one more type of material placed onto a stack of many different materials, such as dielectric materials, metallization materials, etch stop materials, barrier layer materials, and other materials utilized in the formation of the semiconductor die. Each one of these different materials may have a unique coefficient of thermal expansion that is different from the other materials. This type of coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch can cause problems if the semiconductor die is subjected to elevated temperatures.
Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated. The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Electrical connection for chip scale packaging

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


The present invention relates to a fiber product treating agent composition containing (a) a nonionic surfactant containing 1 to 3 polyoxyalkylene groups having the number-average addition mol number of the oxyalkylene group of 50 to 200 and 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 14 to 32 carbon atoms and having an HLB of 16 or more and a melting point of 30 to 80° C., and (b) an amino-modified silicone compound in a mass ratio of the component (a)/the component (b) of 4/1 to 1/4.

Softeners and sizing agents are typified as fiber product treating agents for general domestic use. The softeners serve to soften fiber products such as clothes to make these fiber products have soft and comfortable finish. The sizing agents serve to give tenseness to fiber products to make these fiber products have comfortable feel near to that of new products to the touch. These softeners and sizing agents are each used in proper way according to user's preferences and the type of fiber product to be applied. However, there is a current tendency that finished feel obtained by a softener is preferred to that obtained by a sizing agent and the demand for sizing agents tend to be decreased year by year. This is considered to be because there is a tendency not to prefer rough feel and starchy feel obtained by a sizing agent. On the other hand, there is a present situation where the preference of users cannot be satisfied by only the soft finish obtained by a softener for the diversified types of clothes. In view of this situation, there is a strong demand for a treating agent that gives fiber products a finished feel to the touch which has not been accomplished by a softener or sizing agent alone, specifically, such finished feel as tensile feel, no starchy feel and smooth feel to the touch.
Also, another reason why the sizing agent is not preferred is that it requires a lot of time and effort for treatment. In the use of a conventional sizing agent, it is preferred to sort fiber products into those treated with a sizing agent and those treated without a sizing agent during a washing process and time and effort are required for the sorting. Also, usual sizing agent bases are all film-formable, and when an automatic charge port of a washing machine is used, a high-molecular compound of the sizing agent base adheres to the charge port and significantly spoils the appearance of the washing machine. Therefore, it is general to avoid the use of the automatic charge port. When a user charges a sizing agent, it is necessary that he charges it by hand and chooses the timing of charge, which requires considerable time and effort. It is therefore desired to develop a treating agent that requires no sorting operation and permits the use of the automatic charge port without any particular problem.
Moreover, when clothes such as shirts and polo-shirts are washed, washing wrinkles are formed through washing/rinsing/dewatering/drying and in the case of particularly, clothes containing cellulose type fibers such as cotton, wrinkles are formed to the extent that these clothes cannot be worn if omitting the pressing of these wrinkled clothes. Also, a shirt or the like that has been treated to stabilize its shape has been recently spread. However, these products lose its shape-stabilizing effect when they are worn/washed repeatedly and therefore do not reach the stage in which ironing is omitted. However, because this ironing is among troublesome housework, there is a strong desire to develop a method making it possible to remove wrinkles simply to the extent that clothes can be worn without ironing.
The inventors of the present invention disclosed treating agents that contain a water-soluble high-molecular compound, a silicone compound and a nonionic surfactant and restore the original shape and feel of clothes in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2000-129577, 2000-129578 and 2000-239970.
Also, fiber product treating agents containing a quaternary ammonium compound, a silicone compound and a nonionic surfactant as softener components are disclosed in JP-A Nos. 2000-64179, 2000-110068, 2000-110077, 2001-172878 and 2002-371474.
Besides the above prior art, JP-A Nos. 2001-49582, 2001-192973, 2002-80603, 8-209543, 10-131054 and 11-343402 disclose technologies using a nonionic surfactant as an emulsifier of a silicone compound.


A universal lock is provided for attachment to a conventional quick release mechanism of a bicycle, a bicycle carrier, or a bicycle seat post. The lock includes a conventional key operated plug lock mounted within a lock adaptor which in turn is rotatably mounted upon a lever housing. The lever housing includes an aperture for attachment of the conventional lever bore at the end of the shaft of the quick release mechanism. A camming mechanism with stop points is used to control rotation of the lock adaptor on the lever housing. In the locked position, the lever housing blocks movement of the lever arm. In the unlocked position, the lever housing may be rotated to enable operation of the lever.

Quick release mechanisms and locks for quick release mechanisms are known in the prior art. Bicycles typically include a quick release mechanism to enable the rider to quickly remove a wheel without tools. Riders may desire to remove a wheel to transport the bicycle, store the bicycle, or prevent theft of the bicycle.
Conventional quick release mechanisms include a manually operated lever which operates a cam shaft to secure or release the fork of the bicycle frame from the wheel. The ease of release requires a method for securing the wheel to the bicycle for security reasons. Additionally, it may be desirable to secure the wheel to the bicycle when riding to prevent accidental release of the wheel.
Several prior art locking devices exist in the prior art for quick release mechanisms. One such combination locking device and quick release mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,915. The device includes a lockable housing and cover which prevents operation of the lever. The housing and cover must be removed from the device to operate the lever.
Another prior art lock assembly for a bicycle quick release assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,409 to Scire. The Scire device employs a shaft extension member that attaches to the end of the quick release lever. A housing containing a conventional lock and a device that clamps to the fork of the bicycle frame attaches to the opposite end of the extension member.
One other prior art quick release mechanism and integral lock is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,873 to Weinstein et al. The device includes a conventional lock and a spring operated pin. In the locked position, the pin is engaged within a hole formed in the lever arm to prevent operation of the lever.
A heretofore unsolved need exists in the art for a universal lock that may be used with any conventional quick release mechanism, that does not require removal to operate the quick release mechanism, and that is small and light weight to enable the rider to leave the lock on the quick release while riding the bicycle.

Universal lock for quick release mechanism


A process for making an abrasive composition. In the first step of this process, from about 50 to about 85 weight percent electric arc furnace dust is mixed with at least about 10 weight percent of silica to prepare a thermally crystallizable mixture; the electric arc furnace dust has a particle size distribution such that at least about 70 weight percent of its particles are smaller than about 20 microns, and it contains from about 35 to about 65 weight percent of at least an iron material selected from iron, iron oxide, and mixtures thereof. Thereafter the mixture is melted by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 2,300 to about 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit to form a glass melt, the glass melt is quenched by reducing its temperature at least 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than about 5 seconds to form a quenched glass, and the quenched glass is crushed by subjecting it to a pressure of at least 1.0 MegaPascal.

In the electric arc furnace (or "EAF") process used to make various grades of steel, a considerable amount of dust, known as "EAF dust," is generated. In addition to containing iron oxides derived from the steel making process, this dust also contains significant amounts of toxic substances, such as compounds of lead, cadmium, chromium, and other heavy metals. These toxic substances are contained in the dust in a potentially soluble condition, and the EAF dust thus has to be treated as a toxic material for waste disposal purposes. As is disclosed at lines 13-15 of column 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,111 of Scott W. Frame, "EAF dust is classified as a hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency and is designated the identification K061."
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,152 of Charles L. Smith, discloses that there " . . . are few effective, environmentally acceptable options for disposal of . . . hazardous waste compositions containing electric arc furnace dust . . . " (see lines 13-17 of column 1). This Smith patent teaches that the EAF dust may be fixated and/or stabilized in compositions containing lime, Portland cement, or class "C" fly ash, which are alkaline in nature but that, when such fixated and/or stabilized compositions are subjected to acid rain, the pH levels within the compositions will decrease, thereby allowing many of the heavy metals in the EAF dust (such as lead, nickel, and chromium, to be re-solubilized in water (see lines 15-25 of column 2).
The prior art also teaches that the danger from materials such as EAF dust can be substantially reduced by incorporating the materials into a vitreous composition. Thus, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,566 of Gerald P. Balcar et al. discloses that (at lines 39-45 of column 2) "The principal danger from inorganic wastes is from heavy metal oxides and certain other oxides which may be considered `hazardous.` Heavy metal oxides readily react when exposed to strong acids or alkalies to produce soluble compounds. Vitrifying the metal oxide in a glass substantially reduces the oxides' solubility in acid." The identical disclosure also appears in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,570 of Gerald P. Balcar et al.
The vitrification process is energy intensive and relatively expensive, and it generally produces a product whose only commercial utility is for use in an landfill. It would be desirable to be able to make a useful, salable product from the vitrified EAF dust such as, e.g., a hard abrasive.
The prior art does teach that one can make an abrasive material of unspecified properties from vitrified electric arc furnace dust. Thus, for example, at lines 32-35 of column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,694 of George W. Ford, Jr. et al., it is disclosed that "EAF dust has also been processed by blending with silicate materials, such as silica sand, clay, or cullet, and heated in a furnace to form a vitrified ceramic product. The ceramic is useful as an abrasive . . . "
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,511 of Leonard S. Sarko et al. discloses a process which, according to the patentees, produces a finished product which may be used " . . . to make grinding wheels, stones, sandpaper, shot blast material, and other abrasives . . . " (see column 17, lines 4-7). As was indicated by an amendment filed in the case (U.S. Ser. No. 07/471,042) on Aug. 21, 1990, the process of this patent " . . . comprises three key steps (1) oxidation-reduction reaction, (2) blending with silicate, and (3) vitrification. The oxidation-reduction reaction is necessary in order to place the inorganic hazardous waste components into a form for chemical reaction. The blending step is necessary to intimately mix the oxidation-reduction product with the silicates so as to ensure a complete reaction of the inorganic hazardous waste components with the silicates. The vitrification step is necessary in order to effect the chemical reaction which will chemically bind the inorganic hazardous waste components to the silicate matrix. These steps must be carried out in the aforementioned order . . . "
However, the aforementioned Balcar et al. patents teach that one cannot make a hard abrasive from vitrified oxide-containing material, such as vitrified EAF dust. Thus, e.g., in the section of Balcar et al.'s U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,566 starting at line 66 of column 2 (and extending to line 5 of column 3), Balcar et al. discuss U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,511 of Sarko et al. and state that "The Sarko et al. reference teaches a mobile system for fixing a hazardous waste in a silicate matrix . . . Although this reference teaches a vitrification process for disposal of hazardous wastes, it is directed to stabilizing those wastes in a silicate matrix. Further, while this type of material is acceptable for use in stabilizing wastes, it is inappropriate for fabrication of a high hardness, abrasive material."
The Balcar et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,566 was issued in 1993. However, for many years prior to such issuance, it was widely known that vitreous materials were not suitable for making high hardness abrasive materials. Thus, for example, in 1964 U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,545 issued to Samuel S. Kistler et al. This patent disclosed (at lines 21-26 of column 2 ) that "It is well known that glassy materials are fragile and readily susceptible to fracture and disintegration and at least partially for this reason, the abrasive industry has intentionally avoided glassy compositions in abrasive grains up to the present time." Thus, by way of yet another example, in 1931 U.S. Pat. No. 1,830,757 issued and disclosed that glass is a "comparatively weak non-abrasive particle."
It thus is an object of this invention to provide a process for preparing an abrasive composition made from EAF dust which is environmentally safe and, additionally, does not exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Leaching Procedure regulatory limits.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for preparing an abrasive composition which is economical to produce.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for preparing an abrasive composition with good hardness and fracture toughness properties.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process for preparing an abrasive composition which is effective. As is known to those skilled in the art, the mere fact that a material might have good hardness and fracture toughness properties does not necessarily mean that it will be a good abrasive. Thus, as is disclosed at page 5 of Richard L. McKee's "Machining With Abrasives (Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, N.Y., 1982), "It has been observed that all abrasives are hard, but not all hard substances are abrasive. Indeed, there are several materials which are harder than either silicon carbide or aluminum oxide, but no so abrasive. Other factors than relative hardness enter into the picture in determining which abrasives to use on what materials. Diamond is harder than CBN, and more effective on carbides, but less effective on steels . . . Aluminum oxide is more effective on most steels and less so on nonferrous metals and nonmetallic substances than is silicon carbide. The best explanation of the problems of diamond an silicon carbide on steel is that there is a chemical reaction between the abrasive and the steels which in effect `melts` the abrasive and causes excess wear."

Process for making an abrasive composition


A pneumatic tool has an outer casing, a selector valve, a switching button and a cover. The outer casing has two elongated holes formed through an external surface of the outer casing, and facing and communicating to each other. The selector valve is rotatably mounted in the outer casing and has a communicating hole and two connecting blocks. The connecting blocks are axially formed on and protrude from an external surface of the selector valve, align with each other and respectively face the elongated holes. The switching button is detachably connected to one of the connecting blocks and extends out of one of the elongated holes. The cover is detachably connected to the outer casing to cover the other elongated hole and has a shape corresponding to a shape of the external surface of the outer casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tool and, more particularly, to a pneumatic tool that can be operated and adjusted conveniently.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, conventional pneumatic tools are used to fasten or loosen bolts or nuts by driving and controlling the flow direction of compressed air in the conventional pneumatic tools.
With reference to FIG. 5, a conventional pneumatic tool 70 has an outer casing 71, a cylinder, a selector valve and a switching button 60. The outer casing 71 has a rear end, an external surface and two elongated holes 711. The elongated holes 711 are formed through the external surface of the outer casing 71 at an interval near the rear end of the outer casing 71. The cylinder is mounted in the outer casing 71. The selector valve is rotatably and adjustably mounted in the outer casing 71 and selectively communicates with the cylinder.
The switching button 60 is movably mounted in the outer casing 71, is connected to the selector valve and has two pressing tabs 61. The pressing tabs 61 respectively extend out of the elongated holes 711 of the outer casing 71. Then, the conventional pneumatic tool 70 can control the flow direction of the compressed air by pushing the pressing tabs 61 of the switching button 60 to rotate the selector valve relative to the cylinder.
However, the switching button 60 of the conventional pneumatic tool 70 can be used to control the flow direction of the compressed air. With reference to FIG. 6, in use, one of the user's hands (either right hand or left hand) holds the outer casing 71 of the pneumatic tool 70. When the user wants to fasten or loosen a bolt or a nut, one of the pressing tabs 61 of the switching button 60 is pushed to move relative to the outer casing 71 by the user's thumb, and the other pressing tab 61 will be moved with the switching button 60 in a reverse direction. Therefore, when the user's thumb pushes the corresponding pressing tab 61 to move upwardly relative to the outer casing 71, the other pressing tab 61 will be moved downwardly relative to the outer casing 71 and may hit the other fingers of the user's hand, and this is inconvenient in use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a pneumatic tool to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A method includes inserting a light source into an item of head apparel, such that the light source is substantially contained within a volume of the item of head apparel. An apparatus includes a light source and a head apparel bill. The head apparel bill is configured to receive the light source, such that the light source is substantially contained within a volume of the head apparel bill and a user's vision can be assisted by light emitted from the light source.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to light emitting devices worn on a user's head, and more specifically to apparatuses and methods used to provide vision assistance from head apparel.
2. Art Background
Devices that produce auxiliary lighting and that are worn on a user's head are known by various names, one such device is a head lamp. A head lamp is a device that attaches a light source, such as a light bulb, and a power source, such as a battery, to a structure that can be worn on a user's head; thereby, aiding the user's vision when light is emitted from the light source. Generally, such devices can be worn directly on the user's head or over a hat or helmet if properly configured. Such devices have a defined volume, and are often heavy, having one or more canisters for housing batteries, light bulbs, and switches, while weighing between several ounces and up to a pound or more. Often weight and volume of such a device present a problem to the user.
In some cases, use of existing head lamps during activities undertaken in low light environments and/or during activities undertaken at night, including, running, jogging, walking, backpacking, mountain climbing, hunting, fishing, etc., present problems to a user. Use of existing head lamps during some low light activities can make the user feel uncomfortable and self-conscious since it is generally not culturally acceptable to wear a head lamp in some situations. Some situations that might make a user feel uncomfortable wearing and/or using an existing head lamp are riding on public transportation (bus, taxi, plane, and train), reading in bed, reading while watching a movie, etc. Use of existing head lamps during some sport activities can present a health hazard to a user. Ultra Marathon Mountain running can necessitate running for many hours at a time with a head lamp suspended from a user's head, which can present a physical problem to the user due to the suspended weight. A static weight, resulting from a head lamp suspended from a user's head places a static load on the user's anatomy, such as the user's vertebrae and associated muscular system. When the user undertakes activity that imparts impact loads to the user's anatomy dynamic loads are generated. These dynamic loads are larger in magnitude than the static loads and can load and strain the user's anatomy to an unacceptable level. Activities such as Marathon Mountain running, running, and jogging can present a problem to some users when conventional head lamps are used.
An effort to incorporate a light into a form of head gear, such as a cap, is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,413, titled "Cap Lamp," to Urso [Urso]. Urso teaches pivotally mounting a light source to a visor of a cap. Another effort to integrate a light with a cap is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,384, titled "Pocketed Headwear," to Von Schlemmer [Von Schlemmer]. Von Schlemmer teaches a means for removably holding a flashlight in a pocket of a visor. Both of these attempts have produced devices that attach a light to a cap. The light still requires either a separate canister to contain its volume and to package the light as a suitable attachment to the hat or the light is an existing flashlight having its own volume and weight. Such canisters are conspicuous to an observer of the cap which can make a user self-conscious and not want to use the cap in some situations. The canisters are also susceptible to impact and damage through handling, this may present a problem.

Apparatuses and methods for vision assistance


A phase standard position signal generator generates a phase standard position signal of a predetermined period indicating the phase standard position of an image signal of 24 frames/second format, for recordation into a recording reproducing medium. In reproducing from the recording reproducing medium, a phase standard position sensor senses the phase standard position signal. A counter performs frequency quintuplication of the phase standard position signal and counts the period of the frequency-quintupled signal. A time code reader reads a 24 Hz time code value from the recording reproducing medium. A time code generator calculates a 30 Hz time code with the use of the counted value given by the counter and the 24 Hz time code value. Thus, the time code of 24 Hz period is converted into the 30 Hz time code with high precision even in variable-speed reproduction.

In movies or the like, a progressive-form image signal made of successive images of 24 frames per one second is used. On the other hand, in television image signals, an image signal made of successive images of 30 frames/second format is often used. In television image signals, both a progressive form and an interlace form are used.
The 2-3 pulldown conversion method is known in the art as a technique for converting a progressive image signal of 24 frames/second format (hereinafter referred to as 24 progressive signal) into an image signal of 30 frames/second format.
Hereinafter, a conversion process using the 2-3 pulldown conversion method will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Here, as one example thereof, a process of converting a 24 progressive signal into an interlace-form image signal of 30 frames/second format (hereinafter referred to as 30 interlace signal) will be described.
First, referring to FIG. 14(a), frame images of a 24 progressive signal located at the first image position (frame A) are subjected to a conversion process by being allotted to two field images of a 30 interlace signal at the first image position (the first field images F1, F2), as shown in FIG. 14(b). Further, frame images of the 24 progressive signal located at the next image position (as viewed from the first image position) (frame B) are subjected to a conversion process by being allotted to three field images located at the next position of the 30 interlace signal (the next field images F1, F2, F1).
Such a conversion process is repeated every 1/12 second, thereby two frames of the 24 progressive signal (images for 2/24 seconds) are arranged to correspond to five fields of the 30 interlace signal (images for 5/60 seconds). Then, a conversion process including this corresponding process as one sequence is repeatedly executed. Hereinafter, an image signal obtained by such a conversion process will be referred to as a 2-3 pulldown interlace signal.
A general signal form used for editing work or the like is a 30 interlace signal. However, the time code used in reproducing and outputting from a recording reproducing medium having a 24 progressive signal recorded thereon (hereinafter referred to as 24-time code) cannot be used in an image process of a system that uses a 30 interlace signal. For this reason, in carrying out the 2-3 pulldown conversion process, the following process becomes essential. Namely, a 24-time code is extracted from a recording reproducing medium having a 24 progressive signal recorded thereon. The extracted 24-time code is then converted into a time code used in reproducing and outputting from a recording medium having a 30 interlace signal recorded thereon (hereinafter referred to as 30-time code).
In the meantime, a technique of generating and outputting a 30-time code in ordinary reproduction of a 2-3 pulldown interlace signal is known in the art. However, in a system that involves variable-speed reproduction, one cannot output a 30-time code ceaselessly and accurately in correspondence with a 24-time code that is output by variable-speed reproduction from a recording reproducing medium having a 24 progressive signal recorded thereon. For this reason, the system construction will be difficult.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Techniques for allowing access based online charging in cases of multiple user agents (multi-UAs) scenarios where the instances are registered to different telephony application servers (TASs) are discussed herein. For example, a user device may support a native number and multiple virtual numbers linked via a user account. When servicing a call, the user device may determine a served number to service the call from. If the served number is not the native number but a virtual number, the native-line server may handle the call session, but the online charging session will be handled by the virtual-line server. The native-line server may use session initiation protocol (SIP) information to send updated information for charging parameters to the virtual-line server including network access transfer for accuracy in online charging logic.

Traditionally, a single mobile phone is associated with a single number. However, as the number of mobile phones, each with a different number and/or service provider, associated with a single user has grown over time, service providers may allow multiple numbers to be linked by a single user account, which may be registered on multiple devices.
Many user devices configured for telecommunications ("terminals"), such as smartphones, are capable of communicating via various types of networks. For example, cellular and other portable terminals may connect with circuit-switched (CS) networks such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or more recent packet-switched (PS) networks such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or other Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks. In addition to the types of networks, the user devices may also be configured to work with various types of service plans. For example, the user device may use a subscription service or a prepaid service. Online charging is used to charge the prepaid services. However, with multiple numbers and various types of networks, determining which service provider to charge and the amount to charge may depend on the served number and network access type.

Online charging for multi-user agent instances served by different telephony application servers


A single-use security bar seal assembly for containers, comprising an elongated bar member having first and second ends, a support assembly, and a receiving bracket. The receiving bracket, support assembly, and bar member have transparent plastic covers. The single-use security bar seal assembly has bar-codes on all individual parts and electrical means for determining severance of the elongated bar member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security systems and more particularly, to security bar seals for containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Millions of shipping containers flow through ports all over the world on a daily basis. It is imperative to keep the contents of those shipping containers secure and not have them compromised. In addition to theft of contents, there is a need to ensure that shipping containers are not used as vehicles to transport illegal narcotics, illegal weapons, and otherwise unauthorized matter.
Several bar seals have been developed in the past. However, Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to Applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,512, issued on May 16, 2006 for Bar seal for shipping container. However, it differs from the present invention because the present invention includes non-obvious innovation detailed in the following specification, including a single-use security bar seal system having transparent plastic covers integrally mounted thereon and identification matching codes on all individual parts and electrical means for determining severance of a bar assembly.


Disclosed are chemical agents with unexpected activity to inhibit the interactions between human immunoglobulin E (IgE) and its receptor (Fc.epsilon.RI) which interactions are known to be involved in triggering allergic responses. The agents may be used to module the allergic response in the treatment of various clinical conditions, including rhinitis, asthma, urticaria, atopic dermatitis, and anaphylacric shock. The agents can be formulated for oral, topical or parenteral administration.

Some allergic individuals produce antibodies from a particular class of immunoglobulin called IgE against harmless allergens (Shearer, W. T. and Huston, D. P., Allergy, Principles and Practice, 1:15-17, 1993.) Most of the allergic reaction is the result of the interactions between IgE, the corresponding allergen that this particular IgE is specific for, and the high affinity IgE receptor, Fc.epsilon.RI. Fc.epsilon.RI is expressed at the surface of basophils in the blood and mast cells in solid tissues (Adamczewski, M. and Kinet, J-P, Chemical Immunology, 59:173-190, 1994.) When an allergen interacts with its specific IgE already bound to Fc.epsilon.RI on a cell, the cell is activated. This activation results in the production and release by the cell of allergy mediators, such as histamine, scrotonin, lipid mediators. The mechanism is responsible for a variety of clinical syndromes, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, anaphylactic shock.
Fc.epsilon.RI is a tetrameric receptor composed of an IgE-binding .alpha. chain, a .beta. chain and a dimer of .gamma. chains (Adamczewski, M. and Kinet, J-P, Chemical Immunology, 59:173-190, 1994). Both the .beta. and .gamma. chains are responsible for generating cell-activating signals when an allergen binds to a receptor-bound IgE molecule (Scharenberg and Kinet, Human Basophils and Mast Cells; Biological Aspects, 61:72-87, 1995). The IgE binding site is located in the extracellular portion of the .alpha. chain (Hakimi et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265:3822079-22081, 1990, Blank et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266:2639-2646 1991), as shown by the binding of IgE to the soluble form of the .alpha. cabin, termed herein Fc.epsilon.RI .alpha., comprising only its extracellular portion made by genetic engineering, with the same characteristics as the tetrameric Fc.epsilon.RI.
IgE-mediated reactions are responsible for many allergic diseases, such as rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis. Intervention at the level of IgE and Fc.epsilon.RI interaction may prevent the IgE mediated immune responses that lead to allergic disorders. Previously, other investigators have tried to produce competitive inhibitors using IgE peptide analogs (Noriki, et al., FEBS Let., 319:225-228, 1993). For example, human soluble Fc.epsilon.RI .alpha.-chain inhibited human IgE binding Fc.epsilon.RI on Chinese hamster ovary cells and blocked passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in vivo (Haak-Frendscho, et al., J. Immunol., 151:351-358, 1993). However, peptides and proteins generally are difficult to be formulated into drugs because of their unfavorable bioavailability, Anti-IgE antibodies have been used to remove IgE from circulation for the treatment of IgE mediated allergies (Chang, et al., BioTechnology, 8:122-126, 1990). Although antibodies have longer half-lives than proteins, they will elicit immunologic responses, require intravenous injection, and they are expensive to manufacture. The third option to inhibit IgE mediated immune responses would be to use small chemical inhibitors that can block the interaction between IgE and Fc.epsilon.RI .
It is the object of this invention to provide chemical compositions for antagonizing the interaction between IgE and Fc.epsilon.RI. It is another object of this invention to provide a method for antagonizing the interaction between IgE and Fc.epsilon.RI in which the antagonization is effective to prevent IgE-mediated response, is effective to inhibit mediator release from cells, and is effective to block the anaphylactic reaction in vivo. It is still another object of the invention, to provide an in vitro diagnostic for measuring antibodies against Fc.epsilon.RI.

Inhibition of the binding human IgE to its receptor by tetracyclic compounds for the alleviation of IgE-mediated immune response


An image processing apparatus, including a color conversion part configured to conduct a color conversion of image data. The color conversion part extends an information amount of an output value in the color conversion based on a first minimum information amount possible to depict a gradation in a lattice point interval of an input value in a look up table used for the color conversion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer-readable encoding medium encoded with a computer program, and more particularly to the image processing apparatus, the image processing method, and the computer-readable encoding medium encoded with a computer program, in which a color conversion or a density correction is conducted.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of image processes conducted by a printer driver, a controller of a printer, or a like. FIG. 1 illustrates that the image processes including a color conversion, a γ-correction, a halftoning process are conducted with respect to image data in which each gradation of an RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) is 8 bits for each pixel.
In the color conversion, a color space in which the image data are input is converted into another color space of a CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) for an ink color. As a result, the image data in which each gradation of the CMYK is 8 bits for each pixel are output. In the γ-correction, a density correction is conducted, and the image data in which each gradation of the CMYK is 8 bits are output. In the halftoning process, a pseudo-continuous tone process is conducted by a dither method, a diffusion method, or a like, a gradation (8 bits) of the image data is converted into another gradation (for example, 2 bits) corresponding to a printer.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, there is a problem in that a gradation number of the output image is substantially deteriorated, if an information amount for depicting a gradation of an output image is lower than an information amount (8 bits) for depicting a gradation of an input image in a color conversion.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining deterioration of the gradation number in the color conversion. FIG. 2 illustrates that input values (input image) are converted into output values (output image) by a color conversion using an LUT (Look Up Table) 510. In FIG. 2, a value of K (black) is "32" in an output value (lattice point value) with respect to an input value (lattice point) (0, 0, 0). Also, the value of K (black) is "28" in the output value with respect to an input value (0, 0, 16). Output values with respect to input values among lattice points are interpolated by conducting an interpolation calculation process such as a cubic interpolation, a triangular prism interpolation, a tetrahedron interpolation, or a like. Calculation results for K (black) by using the interpolation calculation process are exemplified as interpolation values in FIG. 2. However, if the information amount for depicting the gradation of the output value is the same as that of the input value, a difference with a value less than one (after the decimal point) can not be expressed. Accordingly, values defined as actual output values in FIG. 2 are applied as output values. As a result, 16 levels (0 through 16) of the gradation in the input values are reduced to 4 levels (32 through 28) of the gradation in the output values. As described above, if the information amount for depicting the gradation of the output image is fewer than the information amount of the input image, a resolution of an output side becomes lower than a lattice point interval, and the gradation number is substantially degraded.
Moreover, since a γ-correction parameter is generally curvilinear in shape, there is a problem in that when the information amount for depicting the gradation of the output image in the density correction of the γ-correction or a like is less than the information amount (8 bits in this example) for depicting the gradation of the input image, the gradation number of the output image is substantially degraded.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining deterioration of the gradation number in the density correction. In FIG. 3, a table 520 shows input values and logical values. Also, the table 530 shows actual output values. As shown in table 530, if the information amount for depicting the gradation of the output image is less than the information amount for depicting the input image, it is not possible to depict a variance in values less than one in an ideal output value. As a result, the gradation number of the output value is deteriorated.
The deterioration of the gradation number described above causes discontinuity in a gradation image and causes a degraded image which is sufficiently recognizable by human eyes.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable encoding medium encoded with a computer program


A system and method for analysis for analysis of aerial photos is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an aerial photo, calculating complexity values of aerial photos received, sorting the complexity values of the aerial photo, and displaying the aerial photos and analysis of the complexity values. The system comprises an input device for receiving aerial photos, a computing device for calculating complexity values of captured aerial photos, a computing device for sorting complex values of aerial photos, a storage device for storing internal database, and a comparator device.

The present invention relates to analyzing aerial photos.
Aerial photos are photos taken from an aircraft or a satellite during a typically predominated flying route thus, providing a perspective view of a usually large area. Consequently, aerial photos provide considerable amount of information regarding the surface captured by the photograph. Aerial photos capture structural layout of the surface and objects located on the surface within the photo's frame. The photos are used for mapping areas for civil engineering matters such as planning roads, bridges and habitation locations. Other purposes can be for tracking changes over a period of time by comparing previously photographed aerial photos to current updated photograph of the same surface location. Correspondingly, aerial photos can track position of objects located on a surface and their advancement over a period of time. Hence, aerial photos are used for military surveillance of hostile objects such as vehicles, tanks, artillery guns, anti-aircraft guns and the like. The accuracy and magnitude of objects that can be detected within an aerial photo is subject to the height of the aircraft and the resolution provided by the camera. The resolution and clarity of a photo is also subject to the camera used and the clarity of the intermediate medium (e.g. air) affected by the time of day, weather, etc. as well as other environment factors.
Aerial photos are usually large and capture a large surface area and consequently a considerable amount of data. The considerable amount of data raises the problem of comprehending and processing all the said data within a reasonable period of time. Furthermore, the objects captured occasionally have low resolution and require expertise recognition for determining the character of the said object. One manner of interpreting an aerial photo is the manual way. The manual way requires expertise manpower that reviews in detail for pertinent objects within the photo's frame and reports its findings to an interested factor such as a mapping center agency, military intelligence agency, etc. The manual way is time consuming and is generally insufficient and impractical when aerial photos are large and the period of time is limited. Another way for interpreting an aerial photo is by combing the manual way with a Pattern Recognition Method (PRM). According to this way of interpreting the first stage is executing the PRM and the second stage is by executing the said manual way. The PRM is operated within computerized surrounding that has the ability to recognize the presence of an object on a photo that can be easily distinguished from its surroundings, such as a ship in the ocean or a regiment of tanks concentrated at one base in a desert and the like. The PRM operating within a computerized environment provides fragments of the aerial photo to be examined according to the manual way. The fraction received from the operation of the RPM reduces the size of the aerial photo to be examined within the next stage. Once the PRM is executed the second stage of the manual way is executed upon the received fractions. However, the combination of the PRM and manual way does not provide accurate results subject to the limitation of the PRM. The limitation of the PRM is due to the method of recognition of important objects within an aerial photo, which often ignores important objects that are not recognized, by this method.
There is therefore a need in the art for a method and system for recognizing and analyzing important objects within aerial photos providing rapid and accurate information.

System and method for analyzing aerial photos


Elastomers exhibiting decreased demold times and improved green strength are prepared by reacting a di- or polyisocyanate with a monodisperse polyoxypropylene diol having ultra-low unsaturation, and preferably prepared by the double metal cyanide.t-butyl alcohol catalyzed polymerization of propylene oxide. Further improved demold times and elevated elastomer physical properties are made possible by the use of multidisperse polyoxyalkylene polyether polyol blends having an overall unsaturation of less than 0.010 meq/g and a polydispersity of about 1.4 or greater.

Processing characteristics are critical in assessing the commercial viability of polyurethane elastomers. Examples of these processing characteristics are the pot life, gel time, demold time, and green strength, among others. A commercially useful pot life is necessary to enable sufficient working time to mix and degas where necessary, the reactive polyurethane forming components. Gel time is critical in enabling complete filling of molds before gelation occurs, particularly when large, complex molds are utilized, while demold time is important in maximizing part production. Too long a demold time necessitates larger numbers of relatively expensive molds for a given part output. Demold time is especially critical for glycol extended elastomers which tend to be slow curing. These requirements are often competing. For example, a decrease in catalyst level will generally result in longer pot life and increased gel time, but will often render demold time unsatisfactory, and vice versa.
Green strength is also important. Green strength is a partially subjective measure of the durability of a polyurethane part immediately following demold. The characteristics of the polyurethane forming reaction is such that full strength of the polyurethane part does not develop for a considerable time after casting. The partially cured, or "green" part must nevertheless be demolded within a reasonable time. Polyurethane parts typically display two types of "poor" green strength. One type is such that the part is gelled and rigid, but is brittle and easily torn. Those normally skilled in the art of polyurethane elastomers refer to this type of poor green strength as "cheesy" in reference to its "cheese-like" consistency. The other type of "poor" green strength is when the part is soft and pliable, and permanently distorts during the demolding process. By contrast, parts which upon demold display durability and which can be twisted or bent without permanent damage are said to possess "excellent" green strength. While demold time limits production, poor green strength increases scrap rate.
Various methods of increasing green strength and decreasing demold time have been examined. Increasing catalyst level, for example, may often desirably influence these properties. However, as previously stated, increased catalyst levels also decrease both pot life and gel time. Moreover, when microcellular elastomers are to be produced, some catalysts increase the isocyanate/water reaction to a greater degree than the isocyanate/polyol reaction, and thus can affect processability.
It is well known in the art that polyurea and polyurethane/urea elastomers are much easier to process than all urethane elastomers. Polyurea and polyurethane/urea elastomers are prepared using amine-terminated polyols and/or diamine chain extenders. The most common urethane/urea elastomer system uses a toluene diisocyanate prepolymer reacted with the diamine extenders, methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline), better known as MOCA or MBOCA. This system is known to give a long pot life (10 to 20 minutes) with commercially acceptable demold times of less than 60 minutes with excellent green strength. In addition to this, there is minimal sensitivity to changes in processing conditions with this system. However, some of the physical properties of the elastomers containing urea linkages are inferior compared to all urethane elastomers (i.e. softness, tear strength, resilience and hydrolysis resistance). Other common diamine chain extenders may unduly affect pot life and gel time, however.
Primary hydroxyl-containing polyols have also been used to decrease demold time and improve green strength with some success, particularly in RIM applications. However, in general, reliance on high primary hydroxyl polyols causes a decrease in pot life and gel time and moreover, may make the elastomers more subject to adsorption of water due to the more hydrophilic nature of the polyoxyethylene cap which provides the primary hydroxyl content. Elastomers based on primary hydroxyl polyols are also generally harder than those prepared from polyoxypropylene homopolymer polyols.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,874 is disclosed the use of polyoxyethylene capped polyoxypropylene polyether polyols in diamine extended polyurethane/urea elastomers where the polyol is prepared using alkali metal catalysts and low temperatures to minimize polyol unsaturation. The '874 patentees indicate that when ethylene oxide capped polyols having an unsaturation of 0.04 meq/g polyol are used in the preparation of diamine extended elastomers, demold time and green strength improve. However, the systems disclosed are rigid polyurethane/urea elastomers with a high proportion of urea linkages only suitable for RIM, as demold times are on the order of 30-40 seconds.
Polyol unsaturation and its effect on polyurethane properties has been commented upon at great length, although the effects are unpredictable and difficult to quantify. The relationship of unsaturation to processing has not been studied to any great degree. During synthesis of polyoxypropylene polyols by base catalyzed oxypropylation of a suitable polyhydric initiator, a competing rearrangement produces monohydric allyloxy species which are in turn oxypropylated. The mechanism of unsaturat on formation has been discussed, for example, in Block and Graft Polymerization, Vol. 2, Ceresa, Ed., John Wiley & Sons, pp. 17-21. Whatever the source of terminal unsaturation, it is well known that the mol percent of terminally unsaturated monol increaser rapidly with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydric species. Thus, while very low molecular weight, conventionally catalyzed, polyoxypropylene glycols of 200 Da to 500 Da equivalent weight may have low monol content, for example less than about 1 mol percent, a similarly prepared diol of 2000 equivalent weight may contain 45 mol percent to 50 mol percent of monol. This large increase in monol content lowers the nominal functionality of two to an average functionality of c.a. 1.6 or less.
Polyol unsaturation is generally measured by titration in accordance with ASTM test method D-2849-69 or its equivalent, and is expressed in milliequivalents of unsaturation per gram of polyol, hereinafter, "meq/g". Traditional, base-catalyzed polyols in the moderate to higher equivalent weight range, for example from 1000 Da to 2000 Da equivalent weight, generally have unsaturations in the range of 0.03 to about 0.095 meq/g.
To lower the unsaturation, and thus the monol content, various process parameters have been adjusted, such as the catalyst level and oxyalkylation temperature. However, improvement in the level of unsaturation in such cases comes at the expense of process time. Moreover, the improvement is at best marginal. Use of alternative catalyst systems, such as barium hydroxide, transparent iron oxides, diethyl zinc, metal phthalocyanines, and combinations of metal naphthenates and tertiary amines have also been proposed, the latter method being able to reduce unsaturation to the range of 0.03 to 0.04 meq/g in c.a. 4000 Da polyoxypropylene triols. However, even at this lower level, as compared to the 0.07 to 1.0 meq/g representative of conventionally catalyzed but otherwise similar polyols, the mol percent monol is still high, for example 25 mol percent or thereabouts.
Significant improvement in monol content of polyoxypropylene polyols has been achieved using double metal cyanide catalysts, for example the non-stoichio-metric zinc hexacyanocobaltate.glyme catalysts disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,922. Through use of such catalysts, polyoxypropylene polyols of much higher molecular weight than previously thought possible have been prepared, for example 10,000 Da polyoxypropylene triols with unsaturations of 0.017 meq/g. J. W. Reish et al., "Polyurethane Sealants and Cast Elastomers With Superior Physical Properties", 33RD ANNUAL POLYURETHANE MARKETING CONFERENCE, Sep. 30-Oct. 3, 1990, pp. 368-374.
Numerous patents have addressed the use of higher molecular weight polyols to prepare polyurethanes. In such cases, the improvements are said to result either solely from the ability to provide higher molecular weight polyols of useful functionality, or additionally, the low monol content, the monol thought to react as "chain-stoppers" during polyurethane addition polymerization. Illustrative examples of such patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,425 (room temperature cure sealants from high molecular weight polyols having less than 0.07 meq/g unsaturation); U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,997 (diamine extended polyurethane/urea elastomers from high molecular weight polyols having less than 0.06 meq/g unsaturation); U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,931 (thermoset elastomers from double metal cyanide catalyzed polyols having less than 0.04 meq/g unsaturation); U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,582 (high molecular weight DMC.glyme catalyzed polyols grafted with unsaturated polycarboxylic acids to provide in situ blowing agent); U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,922 (high molecular weight polyols, preferably DMC.glyme catalyzed, together with aromatic crosslinking agent useful in preparing integral skin foams); U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,535 (high molecular weight polyols with unsaturation less than 0.07 meq/g useful in preparing foams with low resonant frequencies for seating applications); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,879 (elastomers based on high equivalent weight polyols) However, none of these patents address processing characteristics, which are of paramount importance in the cast elastomer industry.
C. P. Smith et al., in "Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers Made From High Molecular Weight Poly-L.TM. Polyols", POLYURETHANES WORLD CONGRESS 1991, Sep. 24-26, 1991, pp. 313-318, discloses thermoplastic elastomers (TPU) prepared from polyoxyethylene capped polyoxypropylene diols with unsaturation in the range of 0.014-0.018 meq/g. The polyols used were prepared using double metal cyanide.glyme catalysts, and the elastomers showed increased physical properties as compared to elastomers prepared from a conventionally catalyzed diol of 0.08 meq/g unsaturation. Additional examples of low unsaturation polyols in polyurethane elastomers is given in "Comparison of the Dynamic Properties of Polyurethane Elastomers Based on Low Unsaturation Polyoxypropylene Glycols and Poly(tetramethylene oxide) Glycols", A. T. Chen et al., POLYURETHANES WORLD CONGRESS 1993, Oct. 10-13, 1993, pp. 388-399. Cited as positively influencing elastomer physical properties were the low monol content and low polydispersity of the c.a. 0.015 meq/g, DMC.glyme catalyzed polyols used. Neither publication addresses processing characteristics, or the surprising effect that ultra-low unsaturation and broad polydispersity have on these characteristics.
It has been reported that low unsaturation polyols sometimes produce polyurethanes with anomalous properties. For example, the substitution of a low unsaturation 10,000 Da molecular weight triol for a 6000 Da molecular weight conventionally catalyzed triol produced an elastomer of higher Shore A hardness where one would expect a softer elastomer, whereas substitution of a similarly DMC.glyme catalyzed 6000 Da molecular weight triol for a conventional 6000 Da molecular weight triol showed no increase in hardness. R. L. Mascioli, "Urethane Applications for Novel High Molecular Weight Polyols", 32ND ANNUAL POLYURETHANE TECHNICAL/MARKETING CONFERENCE, Oct. 1-4, 1989. Moreover, and as more fully set forth below, butanediol extended elastomers prepared from DMC.glyme catalyzed polyols exhibited demold times of 150 minutes or more, which is commercially unacceptable in cast elastomer applications.
In copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/156,534, U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,813, herein incorporated by reference, are disclosed novel double metal cyanide.t-butanol (DMC.TBA) catalysts prepared by intimate mixing of catalyst reactants. These catalysts lack the crystallinity characteristic of DMC.glyme catalysts as shown by X-ray diffraction studies, and moreover exhibit threefold to tenfold higher activity in propylene oxide polymerization. It is especially surprising that the unsaturation is lowered to unprecedented ultra-low values through use of these catalysts, with measured unsaturations of from 0.003 meq/g to 0.007 meq/g routinely achieved.
While the measurable unsaturation implies an exceptionally low but finite monol content, it is especially surprising that analysis of the product polyols by gel permeation chromatography showed no detectable low molecular weight fraction. The polyols are essentially monodisperse. The virtually complete absence of any low molecular weight species renders such polyols different in kind from even those prepared from DMC.glyme catalysts.

Polyurethane elastomers having improved green strength and demold time, and polyoxyalkylene polyols suitable for their preparation


The image forming apparatus comprises: a liquid droplets ejection head which has a plurality of nozzles in a main scanning direction, the liquid droplets ejection head ejecting droplets of liquid toward a predetermined recording medium from one of the nozzles selected from the plurality of nozzles according to a predetermined image signal so that an image comprising a plurality of dots corresponding to the image signal is formed on the recording medium; a relative movement device which moves the liquid droplets ejection head and the recording medium relative to each other in a sub-scanning direction by causing the liquid droplets ejection head to scan the recording medium several times in order to eject the droplets of the liquid so that the adjacent dots in the sub-scanning direction are formed by overlapping with each other; a fixing time specifying device which specifies a fixing time during which each of the dots is fixed on the recording medium; a deposition order setting device which sets a deposition order of the dots in the sub-scanning direction according to an overlap degree of the adjacent dots in at least the sub-scanning direction; and a deposition time difference setting device which sets a difference between deposition times of the adjacent dots in the sub-scanning direction so that the difference between the deposition times of the adjacent dots in the sub-scanning direction is more than the fixing time of each of the dots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that can prevent interference between deposited dots when forming an image which comprises a plurality of dots.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus, an inkjet printer (inkjet recording apparatus) is known which comprises an inkjet head (liquid ejection head) having an arrangement of a plurality of nozzles and which records images on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the nozzles toward the recording medium while causing the inkjet head and the recording medium to move relatively to each other.
In such an inkjet printer, there is a problem of so called "interference of deposited dots", that is, a dot shape created by dots on a recording medium is deformed when the dots formed by ejecting adjacent liquid droplets overlapping to each other from the nozzles onto the recording medium.
In order to prevent such interference of deposited dots, an inkjet printer is proposed in which, of the plurality of numbers of ejections, a pre-established output waiting time (specifically, a waiting time for n times drum rotations) is inputted before depositing dots in the main scanning direction or sub-scanning direction so that the adjacent dots overlap to each other (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-129982)
An inkjet printer is also proposed in which, when ejecting ink with different colors (for example, yellow and magenta) onto on section on the recording medium, the ejection is performed by the number of rotations of the drum (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-042799). In the case of using two colors, this object is achieved such that the time spent until dots in the both inks overlap can be increased by at least one rotation of the drum.
A configuration of inkjet printer is also proposed so that a time T until different color dots make contact with each other or a time T until overlap at deposited positions (namely, color overlapping time) is represented by T≧10 msec (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-120361).
However, in the prior art, there is a problem that an image cannot be formed at high speed even if the interference of deposited dots is resolved.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2001-129982, 11-042799, and 2002-120361, there is no concrete description relating to technologies for preventing interference of deposited dots which are adjacent to each other in a state of overlapping to each other in the sub-scanning direction.
Moreover, in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2001-129982, 11-042799, and 2002-120361, there is no concrete description relating to technologies for preventing interference of deposited dots which are adjacent to each other in a state of overlapping to each other in the sub-scanning and main scanning directions.


Methods of aligning a number of physical layers to a pattern formed via multi-patterning are disclosed. A method may include determining a misalignment vector between a first layer and a second layer used to form a pattern via multi-patterning. The method may also include calculating, based on the misalignment vector between the first layer and the second layer, a center position of the pattern. Further, the method may include aligning a third layer to center position of the pattern. A computing system and a processing system are also described.

Photolithography, which is a process commonly used in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication, may be used create two-dimensional patterns on a substrate via controlled application of energy (e.g., electromagnetic, ion beam, or other radiation) to a reactive material, or resist, deposited on the substrate. As geometries in substrate processing continue to shrink, technical challenges to forming structures on substrates increase. One technique for achieving suitable photolithography for increasingly small critical dimensions involves multi-patterning techniques to provide for pitch splitting. Such multi-patterning techniques include, for example, double patterning (i.e., involving two pattern layers), triple patterning (i.e., involving three pattern layers), and quadruple patterning (i.e., involving four pattern layers). In a multi-patterning process, a target pattern, which is not printable in a single lithography step, is decomposed into multiple pattern layers of smaller pitches that can be printed by a single lithography step. In the case of double patterning, the target pattern is decomposed into a first pattern layer and a second pattern layer.
With the evolution of multi-patterning photolithography, another challenge in IC fabrication includes aligning consecutive structures (e.g., layers and/or patterns) of an IC to ensure proper electrical contact between structures of an IC. Without proper alignment, the IC may not perform to specification, if at all.

Methods for aligning a physical layer to a pattern formed via multi-patterning, and associated systems


The invention features an elongated blade having at least one first tooth near a first end extending in one direction and at least one second tooth near a second end extending in the opposite direction. The body of the blade can be a generally rectangular plate. There can be at least two first and second teeth. The blade can include four corners, wherein at the first end the first teeth are formed in the first edge and at the second end the second teeth are formed in the second edge. Edges of the blade can be formed without teeth near two corners and can be sharpened or not. The teeth may extend different distances from the blade. The blade cuts into a surface. In one application, the blade is used for edging or trenching and is rotated generally vertically so as to penetrate the ground and any material on or in the ground such as grass, sod, turf, leaves, thatch and the like. The invention also features devices used to power a shaft on which one or more of the blades are mounted, such as edging or trenching machines.

In the landscaping business a common task is to edge around landscaping, sidewalks or driveways. This can be carried out by a machine known as an edger having a blade rotated vertically by a motor driven shaft on which it is mounted. The blade used in conventional edgers is usually rectangular bar stock that can have sharpened edges near each end. One limitation is that the rotating tip of the blade makes a thin cut into the grass having a width of the blade. This is followed with cleanup by hand to remove the grass that overhangs the cut. Each blade can have multiple sections (e.g., four perpendicular rectangular cutting sections rather than just a rectangular piece of bar stock). One problem with existing edging blades is that the soil or grass is thrown up into a safety cover over the blade, which tends to lead to clogging.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,840 discloses a mulching and shredding blade used on lawnmowers intended to avoid having to collect grass clippings, leaves and other debris from the lawn after mowing. The blade is generally rectangular and has teeth on opposing edges near each end that have an upward slope. The blade is rotated horizontally and designed so that the upwardly sloped teeth help create an area of low pressure for keeping the clippings and leaves up near the rotating blade. The blade has a transition section including a leading cutting edge that is offset upwardly relative to a leading cutting edge of an outboard section that is located closer to the end of the blade than the transition section.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,095 discloses a rectangular lawnmower blade designed for horizontal rotation having upstanding teeth on the edges of the blade near each end.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,449 discloses a device including a cutting blade for a trimmer rotating horizontally above the ground, including two ends that are bent toward the ground for cutting and chopping of cut material such as grass, weeds, reeds, bushes and thin trees.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,312,569 discloses a lawn edger having a circular blade with teeth that alternate around the blade in the pattern: left-side tooth, intermediate tooth and right-side tooth. Additional circular blades are also used.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,431 discloses a rectangular blade for a lawn edger having scoops projecting toward the same side. U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,015 discloses a lawn edger including a circular blade having ribs protruding from the same side of the blade.


In an apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine, a transmission and a low-speed cruise controller controlling a rotational speed of the propeller to make the boat cruise at low speed, the low-speed cruise controller outputs an increase/decrease command of the propeller rotational speed in response to an operator's manipulation, and change the gear position from the second speed to the first speed when the decrease command is outputted under a condition where the gear position is in the second speed and an engine speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed. With this, it becomes possible to decrease the propeller rotational speed to the maximum extent, thereby making a boat cruise at very low speed.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an outboard motor control apparatus, particularly to an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor with a transmission.
2. Background Art
In recent years, there is proposed a technique for an outboard motor having a transmission interposed at a power transmission shaft between an internal combustion engine and a propeller to change an output of the engine in speed and transmit it to the propeller, as taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2009-202778. In the reference, an intake air amount is regulated to control a rotational speed of the propeller, thereby implementing low-speed cruise control (trolling control) for making a boat cruise at low speed.


The invention relates to MIC-1 fusion proteins. More specifically it relates to compounds comprising fusion proteins comprising a MIC-1 protein or an analog thereof at the C-terminus of the fusion protein and a functional variant of human serum albumin at the N-terminus of the fusion protein connected via a peptide linker. The compounds of the invention have MIC-1 activity. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, as well as the medical use of the compounds.

The macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1), also known as GDF-15 and placental bone morphogenetic protein (PLAB), is a distant member of the TGF-beta super family, a family of peptide hormones involved in cell growth and differentiation. MIC-1 circulates as a cysteine-rich homodimer with a molecular mass of 24.5 kDa. MIC-1 was initially reported to be up-regulated in macrophages by stimuli including IL-1b, TNF-alpha, IL-2, and TGF-b. It was also shown that MIC-1 could reduce lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production and it was based on these data proposed that MIC-1 was an anti-inflammatory cytokine. More recently, a study was investigating why human patients with advanced cancer were losing body weight and they showed that the weight loss correlated with circulating levels of MIC-1. These data indicates that MIC-1 regulates body weight. This hypothesis was tested in mice xenografted with prostate tumor cells, where data showed that elevated MIC-1 levels were associated with loss of body weight and decreased food intake, this effect being reversed by administration of antibodies to MIC-1. As administration of recombinant MIC-1 to mice regulated hypothalamic neuropeptide Y and pro-opiomelanocortin it was proposed that MIC-1 regulates food intake by a central mechanism. Furthermore, transgenic mice overexpressing MIC-1 are gaining less weight and body fat both on a normal low fat diet and on a high fat diet. Also, transgenic mice overexpressing MIC-1 fed both on a low and high fat diet, respectively, had improved glucose tolerance compared with wild type animals on a comparable diet.
Native MIC-1 has a short half-life, meaning that treatment with native MIC-1 requires daily administration to maintain efficacy.
WO 2001079443 concerns the use of human serum albumin or variants thereof for fusions to peptides of pharmaceutical interest.
WO 2005099746 concerns a method of modulating appetite and/or body weight by administering a MIC-1 modulating agent.


A voltage regulator (10) comprising a vertical channel transistor (12). The vertical channel transistor (12) may have a gate (16), a voltage input terminal (18), and a voltage output terminal (20). A reference voltage supply (14) may be coupled to the gate (16).

Many electronic circuits acquire a relatively constant voltage source to operate properly. Such circuits are typically powered by an energy source such as a main power or a battery. The output voltage of these energy sources may fluctuate substantially. To provide a relatively constant voltage, regulator circuits have been developed that convert the voltage of the energy source to a relatively constant voltage.
Generally, a voltage regulator is a simple circuit that provides a low cost control device for small power supplies or other devices having low current ratings. A regulator circuit typically includes a pass transistor coupled to an error amplifier and a base control unit.
The pass transistor in a regulator acts as an adjustable resistor where the voltage difference between the input and the desired output appears across the transistor and causes power losses in the transistor. The desired output may be provided to the transistor by the base control unit which receives input from the error amplifier. The error amplifier may measure output voltage of the transistor against a reference voltage.
Voltage regulators generally suffer a fixed "drop off" voltage induced by the pass transistor. Drop off voltage is the minimum voltage difference between the input and the output voltages of the regulator necessary to maintain output regulation. Accordingly, regulators cannot regulate to the supply voltage.

Integrated voltage regulator circuit with vertical transistor


Provided are compositions for increasing the half-life of a polypeptide or polypeptides in a canine and methods of their use. The compositions involve variant canine IgG Fc regions.

The Fc region of antibodies plays a number of functional roles, including, but not limited to, protecting the antibody from degradation through the lysosomal pathway and mediating antibody effector functions. With the increasing use of canine antibodies as therapeutic agents, there has been an enhanced focus on not just selecting an optimal Fab, but also combining it with an appropriate Fc for desired half-life and effector functions.
There is little guidance in the art relating to increasing half-life of polypeptide therapeutics (e.g., antibodies) for use in dogs. This disclosure remedies that failing by providing Fc region variants that improve the serum persistence of polypeptides (e.g., antibodies) in canines.

Compositions for increasing half-life of a therapeutic agent in canines and methods of use