The present invention relates to compositions which contain at least one cationic polymer and at least one active molecule contained in at least one micro or nanoparticulate vector, and their use for treating living or inert surfaces.

The invention relates to compositions for improving the activity or intrinsic activity (activities) of an active molecule by persistence and maintenance (or increase) of this (these) activity (activities), for long periods of time, said compositions being used by application onto living or inert surfaces.
These compositions are usable for example in the fields of human or veterinary medicine, especially in dermatology or cosmetics; in human or veterinary hygiene; in domestic products; in products for use in the environment, especially such as plant treatment products (in particular treatment of their aerial part), and in the fight against insects.
These compositions comprise at least one cationic polymer and at least one active molecule contained in at least one micro or nanoparticulate vector.
Several families of products are known in dermatology and in cosmetology which are presented in many forms and which are used by application onto the skin or the hair in man, and onto the skin and hair of animals, which act:
to wash with rinsing, for example shampoos, liquid soaps, syndets (synthetic detergents),
to clean without rinsing, for example dry shampoos, milks, lotions,
to treat or to embellish, for example lotions, gels, milks, creams, ointments, pressurised or mechanical sprays, sticks.
In every case, these products must bring about, after their use, with or without rinsing, a beneficial embellishing and/or treating action. Hitherto, every preparation has a cosmetic or dermatological activity which appears just after the treatment, but without persistence with time.
Domestic or environmental products are also known which are presented in many forms, solutions or suspensions, creams, gels, pressurised or mechanical sprays, which have various uses such as, for example:
the cleaning of surfaces, objects or linen (detergent products),
the embellishment of surfaces, optionally plant surfaces (polishing or glossing products),
the pest control of premises or plants, with, amongst others, adherence on insects,
the disinfection of surfaces,
plant protection products.
Furthermore, in order to maintain the activity over a long period of time, it is necessary to increase the amounts of active molecules which in many cases leads to the acceptability threshold being surpassed:
in dermatology and cosmetology, skin problems are observed, i.e. the appearance of adverse reactions, irritations, redness, itching, lesions;
in hygiene and during a use in the environment, problems of inconvenience for the living beings present during the use or after the use of the product, a degradation of the surfaces, or bums for the plants, are observed for example.
Such a increase also leads to technical difficulties in introducing these large amounts of active molecules into the formulations.
Compositions having treating and/or embellishing actions have now been developed for these types of products which last over long periods of time so as to prevent the repetition of the applications, (this repetition causing harmful effects while maintaining a treating cover), in particular without a break between the applications recommended in the regimen of use.
The invention therefore relates to compositions which comprise at least one cationic polymer and at least one active molecule contained in at least one micro or nanoparticulate vector, by virtue of which compositions the drawbacks described above as far as the persistence of the activity is concerned may be avoided.
In the rest of the description, the term  less than  less than polymer greater than  greater than  comprises homopolymers as well as copolymers.
In a surprising way, the combination of at least one cationic polymer and at least one active molecule in a micro or nanoparticulate vector gives rise to a synergy between said polymer and the micro or nanoparticles which enables not having to increase the amounts of actives, while maintaining the activity over a long period of time.
In particular, this synergistic effect is observed on the surface of the skin and at the contact with the hair over longer periods of time than those provided by existing vectorial systems, without having to increase the amount of the actives.
Further, it has been established that the choice of the micro or nanoparticulate vector, of the cationic polymer, and more exactly, the combination of the two could modulate the activity of the composition; each combination must of course be the subject of particular studies in order to determine the amounts of actives to be used in the vectors, and in order to determine the period of activity.
These compositions are stable in storage, and present excellent treating and/or embellishing properties. They are also better tolerated and have a better harmlessness vis-à-vis the skin, the hair and the eyes in cosmetology and dermatology, as well as vis-à-vis the environment.
The compositions according to the invention are characterised by the fact that they comprise, in a medium acceptable for a pharmaceutical use, in particular a dermatological, veterinary, cosmetic, or hygiene use, or for domestic applications or applications in the environment:
a) 0.001 to 5%, by weight of the total weight of the composition, of a cationic polymer, or of a mixture of cationic polymers;
b) 0.5 to 50%, by weight of the total weight of the microparticle composition or nanoparticle composition which contain one or more active molecules.
The compositions according to the invention can be used in any application set forth above, and in particular for a topical pharmaceutical or veterinary treatment of human skin or hair, or of animal skin or hair, or for eliminating parasites.
The cationic polymers used in accordance with the present invention, are selected for example from:
quaternised polymers or copolymers, such as, for example, quaternised derivatives of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP); quaternised copolymers of PVP and hydrophilic polymers (urethane, acrylate, etc.), in particular the copolymers of PVP, dimethylaminoethyl-methacrylate and polyurethane (marketed under the name Aquamere C by the company Hydromer Inc.);
ammonium salts of synthetic polymers or copolymers known under the designation xe2x80x9cPolyquaterniumxe2x80x9d such as described in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary published by the  less than  less than Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragance Association greater than  greater than , (C.T.F.A.);
cationic silicones;
cationic polysaccharides of natural, biotechnological or synthetic origin, naturally cationic or quaternised, such as, for example, modified guar gums, chitosan or modified chitosans and their salts; celluloses, modified celluloses and their derivatives, such as, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose; chitin derivatives;
polyamine derivatives, optionally substituted with polyethylene glycol chains;
polyaminoacids under pH conditions in which they are cationic;
polyethyleneimine.
Preferably, from the cationic polysaccharide family, chitosan and its derivatives will be used. Chitosan is a polyglucosamine which is obtained by deacetylation of chitin, several uses of which have been proposed in cosmetology and dermatology. In the case of aqueous solutions, chitosan is used in particular in the form of its soluble salts with organic acids or anionic surfactants.
The polysaccharides are defined in greater detail in numerous books. The book by R. A. A. Muzzarelli, xe2x80x9cThe Polysaccharidesxe2x80x9d, (1985) Academic-Press, may be referred to in particular.
In a preferred aspect, the polysaccharides usable according to the invention can be selected from chitosan or modified chitosans such as N-acyl chitosans, N-carboxyalkyl chitosans, N-carboxyacyl chitosans, O-carboxyalkyl chitosans, deoxyglycit-1-yl chitosans, hydroxyalkyl chitosans, or salts thereof.
More particularly, the pyrrolidone carboxylic acid salt of chitosan (chitosan PCA), the glycolic acid salt of chitosan (chitosan glycolate), the lactic acid salt of chitosan (chitosan lactate), the monosuccinamide of chitosan (chitosan monosuccinamide or chitosanide) will be used for example.
Other preferred cationic polymers are quaternised guar gums such as guar hydroxypropyltriammonium chloride or the hydroxypropyl derivative thereof (marketed under the names Jaguar C13S and Jaguar C162 respectively by Rhxc3x4ne Poulenc).
As micro or nanoparticulate vector, any colloidal system can be used which has been the subject of numerous researches which have given rise to new technologies being the subject of patents or publications.
As non-limiting examples, microcapsules, microspheres, macromolecular complexes, nanospheres, nanocapsules, latexes or vesicles can be cited.
The following may especially be used
liposomes;
paucilamellar lipidic vesicles prepared according to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,090 and designated Novasomes(copyright): these vesicles are prepared by a method in which a lipophilic phase is prepared by mixing a surfactant agent with a sterol and a charge producing amphiphile agent while at the same time maintaining the temperature above the melting point of this surfactant agent, followed by mixing the amphiphilic material to be encapsulated with this lipophilic phase
approximately spherical multilamellar vesicles of onion structure described in the application WO 93/19735 designated Spherulites(copyright): these vesicles are obtained by a method in which a liquid crystal homogeneous lamellar phase is prepared which comprises at least one surfactant and at least one solvent and, if need be, a substance which is to be encapsulated and which forms a stacking of membranes, and in which this lamellar phase is subjected to a constant shearing. This method allows vesicles of controlled sizes to be obtained, not only from lipidic surfactants which can form liposomes, but also from the various anionic and non-ionic surfactants;
microcapsules based on polyurethane, polyurea resin, polyamide resin, polyamide-polyurea resin, polycarbonate resin, polysulphonate resin, polysulphonamide resin or epoxy resin such as described in the patent FR 2 595 545.
Preferably, the nano or microparticulate vectors usable in the compositions according to the invention have a diameter between 0.01 and 150 xcexcm, preferably between 0.1 and 0.5 xcexcm for the nanoparticulate vectors and between 1 and 50 xcexcm for the microparticulate vectors.
The choice of the nature of the micro or nanoparticles, the constituents of their structure, and also the technology employed is firstly a function of the nature of the active molecules considered and of the form desired for the use in dermatology or cosmetology, or for domestic applications or applications in the environment.
In particular, the technology which enables obtaining multilamellar vesicles of onion structure(i.e. where the bipolar membranes are present up to the core of the vesicle), Spherulites(copyright), namely the homogeneous shearing of a lamellar liquid crystal phase such as described in the application WO 93/19735, can include aqueous media as well as organic media, i.e. alcoholic, glycolic, lipidic media, or their mixtures, which allows an acceptability for all those in the fields considered. Similarly, the technology allows multilamellar vesicles to be prepared which include any active molecule whatever their physical state: liquid or solid.
Some of these technologies, in particular the technology which allows multilamellar vesicles to be obtained, enable combining a polymer with the structure of said vesicles, which confers to them various specific characters according to the polymer used, such as the regulation of the release of the active molecule(s), the increase of the stability of the vectors, the increase in the adhesion to the surfaces, in particular the skin, or the hair.
In an advantageous aspect, the micro or nanoparticulate vectors usable in the compositions according to the invention comprise one or more cationic polymers in their structure. Preferably, said vectors containing in their structure one or more cationic polymers are multilamellar vesicles of onion structure or Spherulites(copyright) such as defined above. Advantageously, the cationic polymer is in this case a polysaccharide derivative, preferably a cationic chitosari derivative or a guar gum.
In another advantageous aspect of the invention, the active molecule(s) is (are) contained not only in the micro or nanoparticulate vectors, but also in the excipient phase of the final formulation.
xe2x80x9cActive moleculesxe2x80x9d, contained in the micro or nanoparticulate vectors of the compositions according to the invention, is understood as meaning any molecule or chemical composition, such as a natural product originating from the plant, animal or mineral kingdom, or a synthetic product, which has any pharmaceutical, biological, dermatological, cosmetic, or domestic activity or an activity upon the environment, including plants and insects.
The following may especially be cited:
hydrosoluble molecules (extracts of algae, vitamins, hydrosoluble proteins, protein hydrolysates, peptides, xcex1-hydroxyacids, salicylic acid, caffeine derivatives, . . . );
liposoluble molecules (vegetable and animal oils, carbon or silicone synthetic oils, essential oils and their mixtures, perfumes and aromas, vitamins, fatty acid derivatives . . . ).
xe2x80x9cMolecule having a biological activityxe2x80x9d, is understood as meaning especially, in an non-limiting manner, any molecule having a prophylactic or curative biological activity, in vitro or in vivo, especially an anti-infectious agent, in particular an antiseptic, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic agent, especially an insecticide or acaricide, or antimitotic agent.
In an advantageous aspect, the compositions according to the invention can comprise several active molecules combined in one or more types of microparticulate or nanoparticulate vectors.
Of course, care will be taken in selecting a formulation adapted to the formed desired such that the advantageous properties intrinsically attached to the binary combination according to the invention shall not be altered by the formulation.
The compositions according to the invention can be presented in a liquid, paste or solid form by using the usual additives according to the application considered, for example preservatives, stabilisers, perfumes, softeners, moisturisers, thickeners.
The compositions according to the invention are obtained by mixing the phase containing the micro or nanoparticulate vectors which contain the active molecule(s) such as obtained at the end of their preparation, for example in the dry form or in suspension, or after dispersion in the medium selected in function of the application considered, with the phase which contains the cationic polymer(s) as well as the additives usually used according to the application sought after and which can optionally contain one or more active molecules as well.
The invention also relates to a method of treating an animal or plant living surface, or an inert surface, which consists in applying a composition according to the invention onto said surface. Notably, said surface is a living surface such as the skin, the hair, or the integuments of a human being; the skin, the hair or the integuments of an animal; the cuticle of plants or insects.
In another aspect, said surface is an inert surface such as a natural or synthetic fibre, or a collection of fibres, such as a tissue.
In particular, the method according to the invention consists in applying said composition onto a surface in the presence of water, and in carrying out one or more rinses with water of said surface, without the intrinsic activity of said composition being eliminated.
In another particular aspect of said method, the composition is applied onto a surface and said surface is wiped to remove dirty marks, without the intrinsic activity of said composition being eliminated.
The invention also covers in one of its aspects a method of therapeutic, cosmetic, or hygiene treatment of the human or animal body by the application of a composition such as described above.
According to one of its aspects, the invention also relates to the use of a composition such as defined above for the preparation of a pharmaceutical, veterinary, cosmetic formulation, or animal or human hygiene formulation, or a formulation for the treatment of plants or for the destruction of insects.
Another object of the invention is a method for improving the intrinsic activity (activities) of one or more active molecule(s) by persistence and increase of this (these) activity (activities) which consists in combining, within a composition such as defined above, said active molecule(s) contained in one or more types of microparticles or nanoparticles with one or more cationic polymers.

Compositions which contain at least one cationic polymer and at least one active molecule contained in at least one micro or nonopartculate vector, and their use for treating living or inert surfaces


A parallel plate dielectric viscometer is provided for measuring the viscty of a substance having differing substance dielectric properties at differing substance viscosities. Two electrodes are disposed in opposition to each other forming a variable dielectric cell having a dielectric distance between the electrodes. The viscosity of the substance is varied and force is applied to the substance to vary the dielectric distance according to the varying viscosity. The rate of change of the dielectric distance with respect to time is used to determine the viscosity of the substance. The viscosity may be varied by heating the substance and force may be applied to the substance by way of one of the electrodes such that the dielectric distance between the electrodes decreases as the substance becomes more viscous. A fixed cell may also be provided in order to correct for the effects of chemical changes in the substance.

It is known in the art to use a capacitance probe to measure the dielectric constant of a liquid that occupies the space between plates of the probe. An alternating current signal is provided wherein the magnitude of the signal is proportional to the probe capacitance and thus to the value of the dielectric constant of the liquid. This alternating current signal is then processed with suitable circuitry to give an output signal representative of the liquid density.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,746, issued to Weit on Mar. 15, 1977, teaches a liquid density measurement system including such a capacitance probe. The probe is mounted for immersion in a mass of liquid, the density of which is to be measured. The capacitance of the probe depends on the dielectric constant of the liquid. A capacitance converter unit is connected to the probe and arranged to produce a signal which is dependent on the dielectric constant of the liquid. The system of Weitz is further provided with a temperature sensor also mounted for immersion in the liquid. A temperature signal conditioning unit is connected to the temperature sensor and adapted to provide a signal dependent upon the temperature of the liquid. A computation unit receives the two signals to produce an output signal proportional to the density of the liquid. Thus it is known in the art to compensate for temperature variation when using a capacitance probe to determine the dielectric constant of a liquid.
Additionally, the determination of dielectric constants of more viscous fluids is known. Some fluids may undergo a change in their dielectric properties as their viscosity changes thereby allowing a process accompanied by such changes to be monitored by capacitance probes. For example, dielectric properties are used in standard cure monitoring procedures and can be measured inside operating autoclaves. However, no adequate theoretical relationship has been determined between dielectric properties and rheological properties and viscometric properties. Such a theoretical relationship could be used for process control because the dielectric properties can be satisfactorily monitored during the cure process.
Thus it is difficult to determine the relationship between the deformability of the substance being cured or the ability of the substance being cured to flow, and the dielectric constant as measured by a capacitance probe. This is particularly true of multiphase systems where the proportion of material in each phase varies with time. In some pre-preg systems and in many adhesives, the matrix changes phase from liquid to gel to glass. Additionally, rubber particles may be precipitated during cure. Powder and fibrous fillers may be present. These fillers may flow with the matrix. Additionally, reinforcing fibers may be present. These reinforcing fibers remain stationary during resin flow. It is necessary to determine the viscosity profile of a resin being cured in a way which relates the viscosity profile directly to a dielectric profile representing capacitance and loss measurements. It is preferable that both measurements be determined simultaneously.
It is therefore an object of this invention to develop an instrument capable of accurate determination of the absolute viscosity of resin matrix materials and adhesives and its variation with time during resin cure cycles.
In particular, it is an object of the invention to monitor viscosity of isolated matrix resin, or unfilled adhesive.
A further object of the invention is to monitor the absolute or relative viscosity of matrix resin incorporated into a fiber bed or into pre-preg material and fiber-filled adhesive.

Dielectric viscometer including fixed and variable cells

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Embodiments of the present invention comprise assemblies for converting an upright-style bicycle into a recumbent bicycle. Additionally embodiments comprising the converted bicycle are also described.

The huge majority of bicycles sold and available in the marketplace today are of the diamond frame type or derivatives that maintain the substantially upright riding position. Recumbent bicycles which place a rider in a supine orientation have been available for years but despite offering many advantages to diamond frame type bicycles (such as but not limited to more comfortable riding position, and lower wind resistance) have been unable to capture a substantial portion of the bicycle market.
One of the potential reasons for the relative failure of recumbent style bicycles compared to traditional bicycles has been their much greater cost. The huge numbers of diamond frame and derivative bicycles produced permit manufacturers of the bicycles and associated components to take full advantage of manufacturing economies of scale. In contrast, the relatively low demand for recumbents drives up the cost of recumbent components such as the frame, the wheels, and the seat.
In 2004, the inventor of the present invention was awarded an innovation patent No. 2004100489 ('489) from the Australian Patent Office for a "Bicycle Front Wheel Drive Assembly and Adjustable Rear Dropouts". The patent describes an assembly that can be used in conjunction with a standard diamond frame or a derivative frame bicycle to create a recumbent bicycle. Since most of the components of the bicycle are used save for the seat, the total cost of converting a traditional bicycle to a recumbent with the assembly and an associated recumbent seat is substantially less than purchasing a recumbent bicycle.
The original design, although functional, has several drawbacks. First, in '489 design, the front wheel is attached at an intermediate location along the forward chainstays. Because of the relatively small diameter of the forward chainstays as necessitated by the design, the material in the stays can be subject to significant stress and strain potentially subjecting the chainstays to premature failure, usually bending. The intermediate location of the wheel attachment also increases the amount of flex of the chainstays when subject to ground loads. The flexure can be disconcerting to a rider as well as have deleterious effects on the bicycle's stability.
The location of the relocated front drive wheel in the forward chainstays also increases the difficultly in adjusting an associated bicycle for riders with different length legs. Specifically, when the assembly's telescoping tube is lengthened or shortened to accommodate differing leg lengths, the forward chainstays necessarily rotate about the connection locations with the front fork, causing the forward section of the bicycle frame relative to the wheel to be lowered or heightened respectively. It is desirable to have the axles of the respective front and rear wheels approximately equidistant from the ground but any height adjustment would throw off such a balance requiring the use of a pair of rear wheel height adjustment brackets to permit a user to adjust the rear wheel's axle height after the front wheel's height has been changed. Further, the relative change in positioning of the front wheel due to a leg length adjustment may require adjustment of the front brake pads. Needless to say, the recumbent bicycle of the '489 patent is not friendly to rapid adjustment for riders of differing statures and is best set up for a single rider.
Another drawback of the '489 design concerns the connection of the telescoping tube and the associated gooseneck tube to the head tube of the associated bicycle frame. Simply, because the mounting bracket, to which the telescoping tube is pivotally coupled with the gooseneck, is fixedly secured to the gooseneck, the angle of the telescoping tube must change its relative angular orientation as the telescoping tube is lengthened or shortened. Since the front derailleur is attached to the telescoping tube, any angle change of the telescoping tube may require adjustment of the front derailleur's location and/or angular adjustment of the front derailleur's cage.

Assembly for converting standard bicycle into a recumbent and a bicycle incorporating the assembly


In aspects of adaptive grip suppression, a wireless device has a display screen with curved display edges to display a selectable element in a region of a curved display edge. The wireless device implements an adaptive control module to adaptively tune grip suppression in the curved display edges of the display screen, which limits a device application action from being initiated based on inadvertent touch inputs on the selectable element. The adaptive control module can adaptively tune the grip suppression by decreasing the grip suppression in the region of the curved display edge proximate the selectable element responsive to false rejects indicating that the device application action is not initiating responsive to intended touch inputs, or by increasing the grip suppression in the region of the curved display edge proximate the selectable element responsive to false accepts indicating that the device application action is initiating responsive to inadvertent touch inputs.

Devices such as smart devices, mobile devices (e.g., cellular phones, tablet devices, smartphones), consumer electronics, and the like can be implemented with various display screen configurations. For example, a smartphone may be implemented with a display screen that is flat and encompasses most of one side of the device. More recently, some mobile devices are designed with a curved display screen that wraps around all or part of the vertical sides of a device. Generally, a curved display screen has a curved edge display on both vertical sides of a device, and the curved edge displays can be used to display user interface content and other display screen content.
While the curved edges of a curved display screen generally enhances the aesthetics of a device, the curved edges introduce various design and usability challenges, particularly for user interface selectable controls that may be displayed within the curved edge display. For example, different users have different finger sizes and ways of holding a device, which leads to challenges optimizing device grip suppression and false touches on the curved edges of the display screen, such as when also providing touch functionality of user interface selectable controls that may be displayed within the curved edge display. For example, a user of a device may attempt to select a particular user interface control that is displayed within the curved edge display of the device display screen, but as a false reject, the user interface control is not activated. Alternatively, the user of the device may not intend to select a particular user interface control that is displayed within the curved edge display of the device display screen, but as a false accept, the user interface control is activated due to inadvertent contact with the user interface control.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An air conditioning system has a compressor for generating compressed air that is delivered to Joule-Thomson orifice with the compressed air flowing therethrough becoming refrigerant air sent through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is defined by triangular tubes arranged in a spaced-apart relationship to define flow paths therebetween so that ambient air moving through the flow paths of the heat exchanger is cooled.

Conventional vapor-compression air conditioning systems use a working fluid such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), e.g., FREON. A liquid CFC is typically introduced into a low-pressure heat exchanger where it absorbs heat at a low temperature and vaporizes. A compressor re-pressurizes the vapors that are then introduced to a high-pressure heat exchanger where heat is rejected to the environment and the vapors condense. The condensate is reintroduced into the low-pressure heat exchanger to complete the cycle.
The use of CFCs raises two important environmental concerns. First, CFCs are stable until they reach the stratosphere where they decompose into chlorine free radicals that catalyze the destruction of ozone. Second, CFCs absorption of infrared radiation contributes to global warming. Therefore, CFCs cannot be released into the environment and must be contained within the air conditioning system. Unfortunately, leaks are not uncommon in air conditioning systems. With the prevalence of CFC-based air conditioning systems in our world, there is a great need to provide non-CFC-based air conditioning systems.
The use of low pressure air in place of CFCs as the air conditioning working fluid has been considered. However, proposed systems have heat problems within the expansion area and frosting problems in the suction area. In some arid regions of the United States, an air-based air conditioner known as a "swamp cooler" has been used with some success. However, its usefulness is limited to very dry climates. Further, the cooled air produced by a swamp cooler is very humid thereby making the cooled air feel "clammy".

Joule-Thomson effect air conditioner using air as the refrigerant


A switchable luminance LED light bulb, including embodiments that may be used with any common commercial fitting.

While white light LED light bulbs have proven to be highly successful they have lacked one feature available in traditional incandescent light bulbs: the ability to provide multiple light outputs from one lamp. For example, 3-way Edison light bulbs are widely used to provide switchable light outputs. A 3-way Edison light bulb could use switched filaments to produce the light output of a 100 Watt, a 200 watt or a 300 watt light bulb. This feature has proven to be extremely popular and useful. In view of the foregoing, white light LED light bulbs having switch-selectable light outputs would be useful and commercially desirable. Even more useful would be white light LED light bulbs having switch-selectable light outputs and which mate with Edison, screw or bayonet fixtures.

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


In a fixing device including a pressure roller brought into press-contact with a fixing belt, a cylindrical part arranged to cover an outer peripheral surface of an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation shaft direction, a rotation transfer member formed in an approximately annular shape by allowing two facing end edges of a rectangular sheet material to be brought close to each other, and held between an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part and an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a bonding material for bonding the rotation transfer member to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, and a rotation detection unit that detects rotation of the cylindrical part, the cylindrical part is formed at the inner peripheral surface thereof with a storage recessed portion that stores an end edge of the rotation transfer member, positioned at a downstream side.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the same.
Conventionally, there has been known a fixing device including an endless fixing belt heated by a heating unit, a pressing pad abutting an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt, and a pressure roller brought into press-contact with the pressing pad at a predetermined pressure while interposing the fixing belt between the pressing pad and the pressure roller. The pressure roller forms a fixing nip portion between the fixing belt and the pressure roller and applies rotational driving force to the fixing belt.
In this type of fixing device, when the fixing belt slips with respect to the pressure roller, there is a problem that the fixing belt is locally heated by the heating unit and thus is broken. In order to avoid such a problem, there has been proposed a fixing device in which a cap member is mounted at an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation shaft direction and rotation of the cap member is detected by a rotation detection unit, so that rotation of the fixing belt is indirectly detected. In this fixing device, only when the rotation of the cap member (that is, the fixing belt) has been detected by the rotation detection unit, the heating unit is operated. The cap member has a cylindrical part that covers an outer peripheral surface of an end portion of the fixing belt and a disc part that covers one end side of the cylindrical part.
A rotation transfer member is mounted at an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part to transfer the rotation of the fixing belt to the cap member. The rotation transfer member is configured by an elastic member and has been bonded to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical part by a bonding material such as an adhesive tape. The rotation transfer member is formed in an annular shape by allowing two facing end edges of a rectangular sheet material to abut with each other. The rotation transfer member makes contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt and transfers the rotation of the fixing belt to the cap member. The rotation transfer member is compressively deformed at a contact part with the fixing belt to ensure contact pressure.

Fixing device having a rotation transfer member and image forming apparatus including the same


A method is disclosed for determining the horizontal resistivity, vertical resistivity, and dip of formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the following steps: (a) suspending a logging device in the borehole; (b) transmitting electromagnetic energy from a transmitter location on the logging device, and receiving the transmitted electromagnetic energy at receiver locations on the logging device for a first transmitter-to-receivers spacing associated with the transmitter and receiver locations; (c) determining, from the received electromagnetic energy, measurement characteristics associated with the first transmitter-to-receivers spacing; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for a plurality of further transmitter-to-receivers spacings to obtain measurement characteristics for the plurality of further transmitter-to-receivers spacings; (e) generating a model of anisotropic formations that has horizontal resistivity Rh, vertical resistivity Rv, and a Dip angle with respect to a borehole reference; (f) selecting initial model values of Rh, Rv and Dip; (g) computing an error value from the differences, for each of a plurality of the transmitter-to-receivers spacings, between the measurement characteristics and model measurement characteristics obtained from the model using the model values of Rh, Rv, and Dip; (h) modifying the model values of Rh, Rv and Dip; (i) repeating steps (g) and (h) to minimize the error value; and (j) outputting the ultimately modified model values of Rh, Rv, and Dip.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of earth borehole logging and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining properties of anisotropic earth formations. Properties that can be determined using the invention include horizontal conductivity, vertical conductivity, horizontal dielectric constant, vertical dielectric constant, and dip angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The well logging art has recognized for many years that formations surrounding an earth borehole can be anisotropic with regard to conduction of electrical currents (see e.g. K. S. Kunz et al., "Some Effects Of Formation Anisotropy On Resistivity Measurements In Boreholes", Geophysics, Vol. 23, No. 4, 1958). The phenomenon of electrical anisotropy is generally visualized in one of two ways, or a combination thereof, as follows.
In many sedimentary strata, electric current flows more easily in a direction parallel to the bedding planes than transversely to them. A reason for this anisotropy is that a great number of mineral crystals possess a flat or elongated shape (e.g. mica and kaolin). At the time they were laid down, they naturally took an orientation parallel to the plane of sedimentation. The interstices in the formations are, therefore, generally parallel to the bedding plane, and the current is able to travel with facility along these interstices which often contain electrically conductive mineralized water. Such electrical anisotropy, sometimes called microscopic anisotropy, is observed mostly in shales.
If a cylindrical sample is cut from a formation, parallel to the bedding planes, the resistivity of this sample measured with a current flowing along its axis is called the longitudinal (or horizontal) resistivity R.sub.h. The inverse of R.sub.h is the horizontal conductivity, .sigma..sub.h. If a similar cylinder is cut perpendicular to the bedding planes, the resistivity measured with a current flowing along its axis is called the transversal (or vertical) resistivity R.sub.v. The inverse of R.sub.v is the vertical conductivity, .sigma..sub.v. The anisotropy coefficient .lambda., by definition, is equal to .sqroot.R.sub.v /R.sub.h (or .sqroot..sigma..sub.h /.sigma..sub.v ). Laboratory measurements have shown that .lambda. may range from 1 to about 2.5 in different shales.
Furthermore, the formations are often made up of a series of relatively thin beds having different lithologic characteristics and, therefore, different resistivities (as, for example, sequences of thin shales and hard streaks). In well logging systems the distances between the electrodes or antennas are great enough that the volume involved in a measurement may include several such thin beds. Since, in this situation, the current flows more easily along the more conductive streaks than transversely to the series of beds, there is effective anisotropy. The effects on resistivity measurements of this "macroscopic" anisotropy are cumulative with the effects of the anisotropy due to the above-described microscopic structure of the sediments. Reference can also be made to J. H. Moran et al., "Effects Of Formation Anisotropy On Resistivity Logging Measurements", Geophysics, Vol. 44, No. 7, 1979, and to R. Chemali et al., "The Effect Of Shale Anisotropy On Focused Resistivity Devices", SPWLA Twenty-Eighth Annual Logging Symposium, 1987.
The determination of R.sub.v as well as R.sub.h can be useful in various situations. For example, consider the case where the formation consists substantially of two types of material with resistivities R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 with respective volume fractions .alpha. and 1-.alpha.. The effective horizontal and vertical resistivities R.sub.h and R.sub.v are given by ##EQU1## If .alpha. is known, such as in a shale sequence where a gamma ray measurement or a spontaneous potential measurement has been used to provide the shale fraction, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be determined from (1) and (2) if R.sub.h and R.sub.v are known.
In situations where the borehole intersects the formations substantially perpendicular to the bedding planes, conventional induction and propagation well logging tools are sensitive almost exclusively to the horizontal components of the formation resistivity. When the borehole intersects the bedding planes at an angle, the tool readings contain an influence from the vertical resistivity as well as the horizontal. This is particularly true when the angle between borehole and the normal to the bedding planes becomes large, such as in directional or horizontal drilling where angles near 90.degree. are commonly encountered. In these cases, the influence of vertical resistivity can cause discrepancies between measurements in these wells and measurements taken of the same formation in nearby vertical wells, thereby preventing useful comparison of these measurements. In addition, since reservoir evaluation is typically based upon data from vertical wells, use of data from wells drilled at high angles may produce erroneous estimates of formation producibility if proper account is not taken of the anisotropy effect.
A number of techniques have been proposed for measuring formation anisotropy and/or vertical conductivity, such as by providing transmitter and/or receiver coils that are perpendicular to the borehole axis in addition to coils having conventional orientations. Reference can be made, for example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,722, 4,302,723, and 4,980,643.
Equipment and techniques that determine horizontal and vertical conductivity (or anisotropy) by employing special equipment dedicated specifically to such purpose result in increased equipment cost and increased logging time and/or cost. U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,448 discloses a technique for determining horizontal and vertical conductivity (or anisotropy determinable therefrom) using measurements that are often available from conventional types of equipment utilized for logging earth boreholes during drilling or by wireline. In the '448 Patent, first and second formation conductivity values are derived from measurements taken in a borehole. The derived first and second formation conductivity values are obtained from measurements which are affected differently by the vertical and horizontal conductivities of the formations. These may be, for example, conductivities respectively obtained from phase and attenuation measurements from a receiver pair of a propagation logging device such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,112, or conductivities respectively obtained from the resistive and reactive components of an induction logging apparatus. Horizontal and vertical conductivity model values are selected, and error values are computed from the differences between: (i) first and second composite conductivity values computed as a function of the horizontal and vertical conductivity model values, and (ii) the first and second derived formation conductivity values. In iterative fashion, the model values are modified in a manner that tends to reduce the error values. The '448 Patent continues the process until a predetermined criterion of the error is met, whereupon the modified horizontal and vertical conductivity model values can be read out as the determined values.
It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for determining properties of anisotropic earth formations that improves on prior techniques for determination of horizontal and vertical conductivity and is also capable of providing dip angle and anisotropic dielectric constant characteristics.

Apparatus and method for determining properties of anisotropic earth formations


Disclosed is an image sensor package and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor package comprises an image sensor die, a substrate, a support wall having screw threads on the outer peripheral surface thereof and a mount into which a barrel including a plurality of lenses and an infrared blocking glass is mounted. The screw threads formed on the outer peripheral surface of the support wall are engaged with those formed on the inner peripheral surface of the mount. At least one passive element is provided on the substrate at the outer peripheral side of the support wall, thereby increasing the packaging density of the image sensor package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensor package and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image sensor dies have a wide range of applications, which include applications in toys, digital cameras, camcorders, scanners, medical scopes, surveillance cameras and cellular phones. Generally, image sensor dies are used to process moving pictures or still pictures. Applications in cameras and cellular phones have brought an explosive increase of demand for image sensor dies. It is expected that such image sensor dies will become the most promising market for the next-generation semiconductor industry.
A conventional image sensor package including an image sensor die generally comprises a substrate on which the image sensor die is mounted, a conductive wire for electrically connecting the image sensor die to the substrate, an infrared blocking glass for blocking infrared rays, a barrel transmitting light to the image sensor die and having a plurality of lenses for adjusting a focus distance, and a mount for fixing the barrel to the substrate.
However, the large number of elements complicates the process of manufacturing the conventional image sensor package and increases the cost of manufacture. Specifically, in the conventional image sensor package, the barrel and the infrared blocking glass are provided as separate elements and the infrared blocking glass is independently mounted within the mount, thereby increasing the number of elements and complicating the manufacturing process.
In order to manufacture the conventional image sensor package, equipment for precisely handling a very small infrared blocking glass is necessary. Also, mounting the infrared blocking glass using such equipment prolongs the time of manufacturing.
In addition, when a barrel connecting process is performed over the infrared blocking glass, dust particles may easily lay on the infrared blocking glass. This will reduce the image recognition rate of the image sensor package.

Image sensor package and method for manufacture thereof


A heavy oil remover comprises from about 0.1 to about 99 weight percent dipropylene glycol Mono N-butyl ether, from about 1 to about 99 percent of a mixture of methyl cocoate and methyl sunflowerate, from about 0.1 to about 75 weight percent napthenic petroleum distillate solvent, from about 0.1 to about 90 weight percent salt of an alkyl aromatic sulfonic acid, from about 0.05 to about 50 weight percent branched alcohol ethoxylate, from about 0.05 to about 50 weight percent ethoxylated alkyl mercaptan, and the balance, water.

Compositions for heavy oil degreasing, capable of removing and displacing heavy oils from oil sludges left in process equipment, e.g., oil storage tanks, are known. Conventional heavy oil degreaser compositions contain so-called "alkaline builders." Moreover, many heavy oil remover compositions include halogens which are undesirable for steel process equipment degreasers, because the halogens may contribute to stress cracking of the metal. Many heavy oil degreasers only work at full strength, and are ineffective when diluted by residual liquids contained within the process equipment being cleaned. Some heavy oil degreasers are ineffective at ambient temperatures and must be heated along with the process equipment in order to remover the heavy oil sludge. Conventional heavy oil removers generally are incapable of absorbing and/or neutralizing the toxic gases and vapors which have accumulated within fouled process equipment. Finally, many of the heavy oil remover compositions of the prior art are toxic and not biodegradable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,710 to Goss discloses a composition for removing oil sludges utilizing an alkylphenol adduct and a castor oil ethoxylate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,156 to Mehta et al discloses a heavy oil degreaser including a terpene and a second nonionic co-surfactant from the family of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide polyol adducts. These disclosed formulations suffer from a number of the undesirable characteristics listed above.
It would be desirable to prepare a heavy oil remover composition that is free from alkaline builders and halogens, effective even at significant levels of dilution and at ambient temperatures, capable of absorbing toxic gases and vapors such as hydrogen sulfide and benzene, nontoxic, and biodegradable.


A system is provided that includes a plurality of power units each configured to supply power. Additionally, the system includes a plurality of contacts each configured to toggle an electrical connection of each of the plurality of power units as a network. Moreover, the network is configured to supply power to a load. Furthermore, the system includes a controller configured to control when each of the plurality of contacts toggle according to a power state, and the power state includes information regarding a charge of each power unit, a load demand, and a supplied power being supplied by the plurality of power units.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to power supply banks and power units and, more specifically, to controlling the interconnection of power units according to charge, demand, and/or supply of electrical power.
Power supply banks are used to supply power to various electrical systems or provide auxiliary or emergency power (e.g., uninterruptable power supply) during losses in power. Within the power supply banks, there may be various types of power units, such as batteries, cells of batteries, capacitors, super-capacitors, or other electrical power supplying components. The power units are interconnected within the power supply banks in various arrangements to provide power to a load. In certain situations, the power supply banks may supply power to loads having dynamic demands that change rapidly. When the loads change, power from the power supply banks and/or power units may be wasted within the system.


A feed roller primarily for feeding crop into a feeder house of a combine harvester is located above and behind a feed draper and includes an outer flight and retractable fingers for feeding the crop through the zone behind the draper and into the feeder house. The fingers rotate about a finger axis offset from the roller axis so that they extend to a maximum at the draper and are retracted behind the roller to release the crop. When the roller is reversed to release a blockage, the fingers are also reversed in direction and the finger axis is moved rearwardly to the opposite side of the roller so that the fingers are extended behind the roller at the feeder house and retracted at the draper. This movement is done automatically on reversing the roller and uses power from the reversal to move the finger axis using a clutch. An anti-distortion wheel is mounted on the finger shaft to prevent retraction of the finger ends into the roller which can cause damage by loss of proper guidance.

Feed rollers are commonly used in crop harvesting machines for guiding the crop from a position in front of the roller to a position rearwardly of the roller. Such rollers are used in many different locations in crop feeding systems and the arrangement described herein is not limited to any particular location of such a crop feeding roller.
However one primary use of such rollers is in that of guiding the crop from a harvesting header into the feeder house of a combine harvester. Such headers can be of the type which simply provide a cutter bar across the front of the header using any suitable cutting technique behind which is located the guide roller which includes an auger flight for transporting the crop material inwardly from the width of the cutter bar to the narrower width of the feeder house.
Other arrangements include a feed draper system so that the crop is transported primarily from the width of the cutter bar inwardly to the narrow width of the feeder house using one or more side drapers which carry the crop to a central feed draper which moves rearwardly toward the feeder house. Arrangements of this type are manufactured by a number of manufactures but primarily by the assignee herein. In the draper header system, the feed roller is therefore much narrower since it is only intended to guide the material into the feeder house rather than the transport the material wholly along the length of the header. In many cases therefore the roller is also of smaller diameter.
In all of these arrangements, the roller generally includes a series of angularly and axially spaced fingers which project through the peripheral wall forming the roller and outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the roller so as to engage the crop.
The fingers are mounted for rotation around a finger axis which is offset from the roller axis. The fingers are driven in their rotation by their engagement with the peripheral wall of the roller. The offset position of the finger axis thus presents the fingers so that there maximum extend from the peripheral surface of the roller is located at the location where the fingers are intended to engage and grasp the crop and the minimum extent is located at the position where the fingers are intended to release the crop. Thus the fingers generally are at their maximum extent at a position directly forwardly of the roller and the fingers rotate with the roller around the underneath of the roller and are retracted as they move behind the roller to allow the crop to be released to enter into the feeder house to be engaged by the feeder chain of the feeder house. At the position rearward of the roller, the fingers are retracted by the position of the finger axis to locations substantially flush with the surface of the roller to release the crop.
This arrangement is well established, widely used and has been widely successful.
One problem which arises with combine harvesters of this general type either using an auger type header or using a draper type header is that over feeding of the crop material into the feeder house can cause a blockage either at the entry to the feeder house or within the feeder house or even at the rotor of the combine harvester. In has become commonly accepted that the technique for removing such blockages is to reverse the feeder chain within the feeder house and to reverse the direction of drive of the roller so that the crop is reverse fed from the blockage forwardly and discharged onto the ground in front of the header. This arrangement has been found to properly and effectively remove such blockages without the necessity for the operator to leave the cab and carry out manual operations of the crop material.
However in some cases there is a tendency for the crop material to collect in the area in front of the feed roller or to be back fed around the feed roller in a wrapping action. If either of these events occurs, there is a significant risk that the material will become compressed in these areas leading to a blockage which cannot be released by operation of the machine and requires the manual intervention of the operator. Such manual intervention requires vigorous physical activity to cut away compacted wrapped crop material using a knife or other suitable tools.
It is common to provide adjustment of the position of the finger axis over a relatively small distance in the position in front of the roller axis so as to slightly angularly adjust the angular position of the maximum extension of the fingers relative to the roller axis. However this is intended merely to adjust the operation in the feeding direction.
In European No: 0567192 (Boucquez) assigned to New Holland which patent was filed in 1992 and granted in 1996, the patent is directed to the concept of providing an actuator which moves the position of the eccentric crank about which the fingers rotate. The adjustment is therefore effected on the go. It is also discussed that the adjustment can be effected so as to take up a position suitable for the reverse rotation of the roller. The pivotal movement of the finger axis takes place about the axis of the roller.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,083 (Vogelgesang) assigned to Deere the patent refers to the above European patent as prior art and is directed to an arrangement which uses no actuator but instead uses the forces from the crop on the ends of the exposed fingers to tilt the finger shaft to a different position using the wall of the roller as a fulcrum. The pivotal movement of the finger axis takes place about the axis of the roller.

Reversible feed roller with radially extendible fingers


A stock mount assembly, which mounts a stock to a weapon, can include a base block including a longitudinal axis separating a first side and an opposing second side; a first lateral wedge opposing a second lateral wedge; a locking block slidably engaging the first lateral wedge and the second lateral wedge at a plurality of facets angled relative to one another; and a fastener aligned with the longitudinal axis. Rotation of the fastener can displace the locking block relative to the base block to urge the first lateral wedge and the second lateral wedge away from one another to forcibly engage first and second side surfaces of a cavity within the firearm to secure a stock to the firearm with the assembly. A related method of use is provided.

The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to an assembly to mount a stock to a firearm.
Many modern sporting and military firearms include a stock that extends rearward from the firearm. The stock typically includes a forward portion that connects to a receiver of the firearm, and a rearward portion that is shaped and distanced from the receiver of the firearm so that a user can engage the rearward portion against the user's shoulder and stabilize the firearm. Some stocks are adjustable in length to accommodate individuals of different statures. Other stocks are foldable so that a user can fold the stock forward alongside or over the receiver so that the firearm is more compact and/or maneuverable.
Firearms frequently are produced and sold to consumers by manufacturers with standard stocks which are constructed from wood or low grade plastic. For some firearms, these standard stocks also are non-folding and/or not adjustable in length. Accordingly, an aftermarket for specialty stocks has developed to provide aesthetically pleasing, folding and/or adjustable stocks of higher quality or enhanced function over the standard, original stocks. Consumers typically will purchase such aftermarket stocks and install them on their firearm themselves, or hire a gunsmith to do so.
Typically, aftermarket stocks come with one or more interfaces that allow the user to remove the original stock from a firearm and join the new stock to the firearm in its place. The interface secures the new stock on the firearm, typically with a screw. An issue arises, however, when the firearm is of a type made by multiple manufacturers that have a wide range of manufacturing tolerances. For example, AK-47 type firearms have been made and sold across the globe for over seventy years by a variety of manufacturers. Although manufacturers attempt to adhere to a common pattern and design, multiple sets of manufacturing tolerances exist, particularly from country to country of the manufacturer, and over the many years of manufacture. As a result of these differences, the interface for an aftermarket stock may fit one firearm from one manufacturer, but not another firearm from another manufacturer. Sometimes, the interface may fit one firearm tightly and well, but might fit another with a lot of slop and play. As a result, the interface might produce movement between the stock and the firearm, which can compromise shooting form and accuracy of the firearm. In some cases, the interface might fail completely, resulting in the stock being separated from the firearm, and perhaps damaged and/or lost.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvement in the field of firearm stock mount assemblies.


The present invention is directed to a filter cartridge that provides for a secure dust tight seal and is easily inserted and removed from a filtration unit. The filter cartridge includes a cartridge unit having a filter element, a bottom cap and a top boot and a sealing sleeve for insertion into the interior of the top boot. The top boot has an outside diameter which is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the opening in a tube sheet into which the filter cartridge is to be inserted so that the cartridge may be easily inserted into and removed from the opening in a tube sheet. The top boot is also provided with a sealing ridge, which is located in the inside of the boot at the sealing point. The inside diameter of the sealing ridge is smaller than the cartridge boot and the sealing sleeve. When the sealing sleeve is inserted into the cartridge boot, the sealing sleeve contacts the sealing ridge and causes an increase in diameter of the sealing ridge. This in turns causes the sidewall of the cartridge boot to balloon outwardly to contact the side of the opening in a tube sheet and form a dust tight seal around the opening in the tube sheet into which the filter cartridge is inserted. To remove the cartridge from the unit the sealing sleeve is removed from the cartridge and than the cartridge is easily lifted out of the unit.

Improvements in air quality through reduction of air born pollutants has become increasingly important. One of the most common methods of controlling air pollutants in industry is the use of fabric filtration. The most widely accepted system for controlling air pollution is the baghouse which has the same operating principle as a vacuum cleaner. In a baghouse or vacuum cleaner, dirty air is drawn into the unit with a blower or fan, the dirt is collected on the filtering media and clean air is then discharged from the system. The collected dirt is then removed from the system and disposed. Baghouses typically employ a tubular bag as the filtering element. In this type of system one end of the tubular bag is closed while the other end is sealed into a tube sheet. The tube sheet is the part in the baghouse which provides a physical barrier between the sections of the baghouse containing the dirty air stream and the clean air stream. In order to maintain this physical separation, the filter element must be sealed to the tube sheet to prevent passage of dirt through the seal. Various methods have been proposed to seal the tubular bag into the tube sheet. The two most common methods are the use of a snap ring or a common hose clamp.
Recent advancements in cartridge filter media have led to the replacement of the baghouse tubular bags with cartridge filters. In order for the cartridge filter to perform at its peak collection efficiency, the cartridge seal must be dust tight. Cartridge filters also require occasional replacement or removal for inspection and to facilitate the removal of the cartridges for inspection or replacement, this dust tight seal must be easily broken. Since cartridge filters are a rigid structure and not flexible like a filter bag, providing a dust tight seal between the cartridge and tube sheet as well as providing a method for easy removal of the cartridge presents a problem and there have been many solutions presented.
Earlier attempts at sealing the cartridges into the tube sheet utilized sections of the tubular bags. In one design the top of the tubular bag, or "cuff" as it is more commonly known, was cut off and sealed into the tube sheet as it normally is. A cartridge dust tight seal was achieved by mounting a metal tube with an outside diameter, which is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the cuff onto the top of the cartridge and then pushing the cartridge into the cuff. This system did provide a dust tight seal; however, it was very labor intensive to install and costly to manufacture. An alternate design utilized a rubber boot, which was attached to the top of the cartridge with a hose clamp. The opposite end of the boot was than attached to the tube sheet with a hose clamp. This system did provide a dust tight seal; however, it is very labor intensive to install.
Another sealing method was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,791. In this design the upper sleeve of the cartridge is formed of a flexible material which has a slightly larger outside diameter than the inside diameter of the hole in the tube sheet. To insert the cartridge into the tube sheet the upper sleeve is deformed, typically into a figure "8", the cartridge is placed into the hole in the tube sheet and then the sleeve is allowed to relax. The dust tight seal is achieved because the sleeve's outer dimensions are slightly greater than the opening in the tube sheet so that the top sleeve is slightly compressed when the sleeve is snugly fit into the opening in the tube sheet. This design relies on the resilience of the material in the flexible sleeve to provide a dust tight seal. In most cases an adequate seal is provided however, if there are any changes in the physical characteristics of the flexible sleeve due to aging, temperature or chemical attack, the seal could be compromised. Removal of this design of cartridge can be very difficult since the sleeve must be deformed in order to break the seal.
There thus remains a need for a means of securing and sealing a cartridge filter to a tube sheet to provide for both a dust tight seal and easy removal of the cartridge filter for inspection and replacement.


A mask ROM of the invention comprises: a plurality of memory cells arranged m a matrix; a plurality of word lines, each connecting gates of the memory cells in the lateral direction; a plurality of bit lines which are constructed by serially connecting MOS transistors constructing the memory cells; a row decoder connected to the word lines; and a column decoder connected to the bit lines in which each memory cell is constructed by an MOS transistor and a resistor connected in parallel between the source and drain of each MOS transistor. The content of each memory cell is determined by whether the resistor 8 is cut out or not so that the steps up to the cutting step of the resistors 8 can be standardized while maintaining a high density in integration of the memory cells and the turn-around time can be reduced.

The invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more particularly, to what is called a mask ROM (Read Only Memory) in which writing a program or other data into a memory is executed during manufacturing processes.
Generally, as a method of writing data into the mask ROM, there are several methods including a diffusion layer program method, an ion implantation program method, a contact hole program method, and the like as disclosed in Takuo Sugano, "The Design of CMOS Ultra LSI," Baifukan Co., Ltd., pages 168 to 169.
Among them, the diffusion layer program method and the ion implantation program method have advantages such that a memory cell area per bit can be reduced and connecting the cells can be made by series type wirings in which the cells are laminated in the vertical direction.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of a mask ROM formed by the typical conventional ion implantation program method. MOS transistors 72 constructing memory cells are arranged in a matrix. A source and a drain of each MOS transistor 72 shown in the vertical direction in the diagram are connected in series to a drain and a source of the adjacent MOS transistor 72, thereby forming each of MOS transistor trains a to n. A line connecting the MOS transistors which provide each MOS transistor train is called a bit line 54. A line in the lateral direction connecting gates of the corresponding transistors of the respective MOS transistor trains is called a word line. Reference numeral 62 denotes a row decoder connected to the word lines 52. Reference numeral 64 indicates a column decoder connected to the bit lines 54.
Actually, the drain and source regions of adjacent MOS transistors 72a and 72b are made in a common diffusion region. Gate regions are formed between the diffusion regions which are linearly arranged at regular intervals when viewed on a plan view. One end of the diffusion region is used as a source region of one MOS transistor and the other end is used as a drain region of the adjacent MOS transistor. Therefore, there is no need in particular to provide a line to connect the drain and the source of adjacent transistors so that a density of the memory cells can be raised.
A method of recording data into such an MOS transistor memory will now be described. A threshold voltage V.sub.th of each MOS transistor 72 is set to a voltage of the enhancement type. Then, ions are implanted into only the MOS transistors constructing the memory cells, which are selected in accordance with the data to be written so that the threshold voltage V.sub.th of each of the selected MOS transistor is changed from the enhancement type to the depletion type.
The data is read out in the following manner from the memory in which the data has been written as mentioned above.
First, all of the word lines 52 are set to the high level by the row decoder 62. Subsequently, only a selected word line 52 is set to the low level and a selected bit line 54 is set to the high level. In the case where the memory cell selected by the word line 52 and the bit line 54 is of the depletion type, the MOS transistor 72 is held in a conductive state and is not changed with the change of the word line from the high to the low level, so that a current continuously flows in the selected bit line 54. On the other hand, in the case where the selected memory cell is of the enhancement type, the MOS transistor 72 is turned off in response to the change of the word line from the high to the low level, so that the current flowing in the selected bit line 54 is cut off. Therefore, by selecting the memory cell to be read out by the row decoder 62 and column decoder 64, the data written in the memory cell by the ion implantation can be read out.
There are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,049,763, 4,888,735, and 4,754,167, as prior art relating to the invention.
In case of the mask ROM by the ion implantation method, there are needed steps such that after the threshold voltage V.sub.th of the MOS transistor constructing each memory cell is once set to the enhancement type, the ion implantation is executed and the threshold voltage V.sub.th of the selected MOS transistor is changed from the enhancement type to the depletion type. Therefore, according to the mask ROM by the conventional method, although the memory cells integrated in a high density can be realized, there are problems such that a number of steps are required to write data and a TAT (Turn-Around Time, namely, a period of time which is required from the reception of the order of an ROM to the shipping of an article) becomes longer.

Semiconductor memory and memorizing method to read only semiconductor memory


Some embodiments of the invention provide a multipurpose gardening tool having an attachable circular carriage for converting an edge trimmer to a lawnmower for cutting and trimming grass and bushes. The circular carriage has an opening configured for receiving the edge trimmer. The multipurpose gardening tool also includes a coupler. The coupler allows a user to fixedly couple the edge trimmer to the carriage housing without use of any tools.

Healthy lawns depicting a well maintained appearance require proper care. This includes cutting the grass and trimming shrubs and weeds that grow on the lawns. These lawns may be categorized into two types; commercial and household lawns. Commercial lawns are very large in size and require heavy industrial lawn maintenance equipment. Household lawns are smaller than commercial lawns and are maintained by manually operated lawnmowers to cut grass and manually operated trimmers to trim shrubs, weeds, and edges.
Some manually operated lawnmowers allow a user to attach a trimmer to the lawnmower. This attachment requires use of tools and allows the user to use the lawnmower for cutting grass and detach the trimmer from the lawnmower to trim. Since these manually operated lawnmowers are heavy and consume a large amount of space this attachment poses maneuvering and storage obstacles for homeowners with limited space. In addition use of tools for attachment requires additional time, energy, and complexity.
One type of manually operated lawnmower uses a combination of a rectangular shaped carriage and a circular blade attached to the bottom of the rectangular shaped carriage. This combination leaves ample space between the round blade fitted inside the rectangular carriage and the edge of the carriage. Since most home lawns have several sharp corners and edges with limited room to maneuver, the rectangular shaped body of the carriage comes in contact with the corner first and prevents the circular blade inside the rectangular carriage from coming in close proximity to the edges and corners making it impossible to cut the grass in these places.
Some existing lawnmowers have sets of front and back wheels that are attached to the carriage at an equidistant height level from ground. Since some lawns exist on angular, non-flat, and uneven terrains, the equidistant height of the wheels prevents the blade from coming in contact with the grass. For example, at the junction of a terrain that has a flat surface joined to a 45-degree incline surface, if front set of wheels are placed on the 45-degree incline surface and the back set of wheels are placed on the flat surface, then the sets of equidistant wheels lift the carriage such that the blade is high enough from the grass preventing it from either touching the grass altogether or touching the grass at the same level that the blade would have touched the grass if the carriage had been completely on the flat surface or the 45-degree inclined surface. This results in the lawn having portions of uncut or uneven grass as the user maneuvers the lawnmower over the uneven terrain. In some instances, some lawnmowers allow wheel height adjustment to raise or lower the lawnmower. However, this type of wheel height adjustment only allows all the wheels to be simultaneously raised thereby raising the lawnmower uniformly. This type of height adjustment does not solve the uneven terrain problem and prevents the lawnmower blade from touching the grass to obtain a uniformly cut lawn.
Therefore, there is a need for a carriage that allows easy attachment of a trimmer to trim and cut grass uniformly on all terrains and consume a small amount of storage space.

Attachable carriage for converting an edge trimmer to a lawnmower

Abstract: The multipurpose gardening tool further includes wheels for maneuvering the lawnmower. A height adjuster couples these wheels to the carriage. The coupling allows the wheels to be manually and independently controlled for lifting the carriage off the surface of the ground and adjusting the height of the carriage.


A loading device for a tunnel washer having a primary conveyor for conveying articles to be washed through the tunnel washer. The loading device includes a frame having a pair of spaced apart legs attached thereto and a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt has an upper surface that is movable and defines a path from a first end to a second end. The loading device also includes an adjusting device for changing a height of the first end relative to the second end. The adjusting device is mounted to the pair legs at one end and is attached to the frame at another end. The second end of the upper surface is disposed adjacent to the tunnel washer and the legs are dimensioned such that the article can be discharged from the second end of the upper surface onto the primary conveyor of the tunnel washer.

Some medical research facilities and pharmaceutical manufacturers keep large numbers of animals for testing purposes. Large numbers of cages are required to house the animals, and each cage must be cleaned periodically for the comfort and health of the animals. Because of the number of cages that need to be periodically cleaned, such facilities utilize washers for cleaning the animal cages. A typical washer used to clean animal cages is a tunnel washer.
Tunnel washers for cleaning animal cages are elongated structures that include a linear conveyor system, such as a belt type conveyor, for transporting the animal cages through one or more washing zones that are disposed along the length of the tunnel washer. Tunnel washers for cleaning animal cages are fixed and stationary. Tunnel washers for cleaning animal cages generally operate by directing jets or streams of fluid toward the animal cages from spray heads or nozzles located within the washer. The fluid is directed toward the animal cages(s) as the conveyor transports the animal cage(s) through the washing zones.
Operators that load animal cages into the tunnel washer work from work platforms that are also fixed and stationary. Prior to lifting an animal cage and placing it within the tunnel washer, an operator manually removes water bottles, feeding trays, bedding, and debris from each cage to be washed. Once the animal cage has been emptied, the operator inverts the cage and places it onto the conveyor at an entrance of the tunnel washer.
Repetitive motion, such as manual lifting and placing animal cages on a conveyor, can result in injury to a human operator. In order to reduce operator injuries, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established guidelines to be used in designing manual lifting operations for industrial applications. The NIOSH guidelines indicate that the actual height of an operator's hands above a floor (i.e. "knuckle height") at the end of a lifting task is one factor that should be considered to make a task easier for an operator. According to NIOSH standards, an optimum knuckle height is dependent upon the height of each operator. The actual knuckle height, i.e. position of the operator's hands at the end of a particular lift, is determined by several work environment factors. Work environment factors relating to loading a tunnel washer include: the shape, size, and weight of the animal cage; placement and design of handholds upon the animal cage; and the height of the work surface on which the animal cage is to be placed.
One problem with loading a conventional tunnel washer is that an appropriate work surface height for one operator may not be appropriate for another operator. Therefore, the risk of repetitive use injuries cannot be minimized for loading a conventional tunnel washer.
The present invention addresses this and other problems and provides an apparatus and a method for ergonomically loading a tunnel washer.


An implantable dental device comprising polymeric shape memory material for implantation into a cavity within alveolar bone of the jaw or within the root canal space of a tooth.

In restorative dentistry, implantable dental devices are used to achieve reinforcement of damaged or diseased teeth and permanent replacement of missing teeth that may have been lost or need to be replaced due to trauma, decay or disease. Dental implants can be implanted into the root canal space of a tooth to reinforce existing tooth structure and can be implanted into the root canal space of a tooth or a cavity within alveolar bone to provide means for fixation of a dental prosthesis such as a crown or bridge.
An implantable dental fixation device typically comprises an artificial root structure which is implanted into alveolar bone of the jaw or root canal space of a tooth and an abutment to allow for attachment of a dental prosthesis such as a crown or bridge.
The majority of known intraosseous dental fixation devices are cylindrical or screw-shaped devices formed from titanium or a titanium-based alloy, which can be inserted into a pre-drilled hole in the alveolar bone of the jaw. Such devices are generally designed with the aim of achieving stable long-term fixation within alveolar bone, preferably enhanced by osseointegration. Osseointegration is a process in which a direct structural and functional connection is formed between living bone and the surface of an artificial implant. Osseointegration allows implant integration with surrounding bone by means of osteoblasts growing on the surface of the device. However, osseointegration takes time and cannot be relied upon as the sole means for implant fixation. A means of providing fixation immediately on implantation is also required.
Implantable dental devices for implantation into the root canal space of a tooth are known as dental posts. Dental posts are rod-like devices that are positioned and fixated within the root canal space of a damaged tooth to reinforce compromised structural integrity of the tooth. Dental posts can also comprise an abutment to provide means from attachment of a dental prosthesis. The choice of dental post to be used depends on a number of issues including the type of damaged tooth. In this regard, different tooth types have different root numbers and configurations requiring different post configurations. In addition the type of surgical procedure, for example root canal surgery or tooth reconstruction following trauma, influences the choice of dental post. Similar to implantable fixation devices for implantation into alveolar bone, the majority of known dental posts are cylindrical devices formed from titanium or a titanium-based alloy, which can be inserted into a pre-prepared drilled hole in a root canal of a tooth.
Problems associated with known dental implants include inadequate instant and long-term fixation, implant rejection, poor aesthetics and a need for complex and repetitive surgical procedures.
Known implants are produced in a range of sizes, and dimensions. The choice of implant is dependent on a number of issues including the desired location, avoidance of integral tissue structures and the quality of the bone or dental tissue in which the implant is to be implanted. Incorrect choice of implant dimensions, including geometry and thread size in screw-type implants can accentuate insufficient or excessive mechanical loading which can lead to implant loosening and failure. Implant failure necessitates implant removal and repetitive surgical procedures.
It is imperative that a good seal is formed between an implant and an implantation cavity. A seal can be produced by use of cements or fillers or by tailoring geometry of an implant, for example providing a tapered head to a screw-type implant. However, despite use of these techniques, it can be difficult for a thorough seal to be achieved. A substandard seal can allow entry of bacteria and lead to infection of underlying bone or dental tissue. If infection occurs, implant removal may be necessary. A substandard seal may also allow entry into the implantation cavity of soft tissue, which can lead to fibrous tissue formation. This can contribute to implant failure, for example by preventing osseointegration.
Often a desired site of implantation will comprise poor quality bone or dental tissue and it is well known that fixation of an implant in poor quality tissue is likely to be poor. There are also situations where the bone or dental tissue present is of good quality, but limited in quantity. Fixation is likely to be poor if the quantity of bone or dental tissue present is limited. Generally, if initial fixation of an implant is insufficient, as tested by standard dental techniques such as load application or acoustic tests, a temporary cap is placed over the implant for as long as is necessary to achieve adequate integration and fixation of the implant, for example by osseointegration, before any further work can be carried out. This can take as long as six months.
Moreover, although pure titanium implants have good corrosion resistance and strength characteristics, their use can cause undesirable greying of gums and crown materials. Implants formed of titanium alloys can also cause problems due to the galvanic difference of the metals which can lead to corrosion, implant loosening and failure.
Known dental implants require the use of an invasive surgical technique. Traditionally, dental practitioners drill a hole in the jaw bone or root canal of a tooth, the size of which is determined by the chosen implant to be inserted or screwed in. This invasive procedure can cause damage to surrounding tissue which can affect fixation of the implant.
Dental implantation techniques and implant devices have been developed which seek to address the problems discussed above. One such technique is the use of liquefied cements to achieve enhanced dental fixation. The use of a liquefied cement, however, necessitates a multi-step, multi-component implantation procedure involving drilling of a hole of the required size to make room for the dental implant, cleaning of the whole, positioning of a dental implant in the hole and subsequent fixation in place by a dental cement.
Shape memory alloys such as Ni—Ti alloys have been suggested as enhanced fixation materials for forming dental implants. These materials, upon induction with heat, are able to expand to a pre-configured shape enabling enhanced implant fixation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,289 discloses a dental endosseous implant comprising a thermal shape memory material, specifically a Cu—Zn—Al or Ti—Ni alloy. The dental implant, once inserted in the bone and upon induction with heat, changes shape to seek enhanced fixation within the alveolar bone. U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,288 discloses an implant containing three separate components, a root portion, a neck portion and an abutment. The root portion consists of three legs comprising a shape memory alloys (Ni—Ti, Ti—Pd or Ti—Pd—Co alloy) which upon induction with heat separate to provide fixation of the implant.
The use of shape memory alloys seeks to provide enhanced fixation and enhanced integration by exertion of a compressive force on the surrounding bone. Compressive forces have been shown to stimulate biological processes including osseointegration ('Increased calcification of the growth plate cartilage as a result of compressive force in-vitro' Nulend et al. Arthritis & Rheumatism, Vol. 29 (8), 1002-1009, 1986; 'Inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption by mechanical stimulation In Vitro' Nulend et al. Arthritis & Rheumatism, Vol. 33 (1), 66-72, 1999).
However, shape memory alloys are expensive. Furthermore, the use of shape memory alloys in dental implants can lead to problems associated with non-degradability and a lack of biocompatibility. For example, alloys containing nickel can initiate an allergic response in some people.
Shape memory polymers are known and have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,258 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,262 for use in medical devices such as tissue suture devices, blood vessel expanders, tendon and bone fixation devices.
Shape memory polymers have had very limited use in the dentistry field. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,448 discloses a multi-component device for implanting into gums or alveolar bone which can be used to provide support for subsequent implants. Implantation of this device requires a multi-step, multi-component process. The device comprises a stent-like anchor formed from a coil, helix, mesh or tube of a shape memory material. The stent-like anchor, which defines an internal cavity, is covered by a porous sleeve. The stent-like anchor and the sleeve together form a stent assembly which is implanted to line an alveolar cavity. Once the stent assembly has been implanted, in order to activate the shape memory material and to provide the implanted device with internal structure, it is necessary for a polymerisable material to be injected into the central cavity defined by the stent assembly. Exothermic polymerisation of the polymerisable material generates heat sufficient to activate the shape memory material.


In a position control device based on a current observer control for performing two degree of freedom control, deterioration of the position accuracy caused by the output delay due to computation is prevented. In the two degree of freedom control system for preventing overrun, the delay of output of the two degree of freedom control (computing delay and hardware delay of drive amplifier, D/A converter, etc.) is considered, and the estimated state of Td which is advanced by the amount of delay from the sample point of time is computed, then output is computed based on this estimated state. So even if state changes during calculation from the sample point of time, the influence of the output delay can be prevented, and highly accurate position control can be performed, therefore overrun can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two degree of freedom position control method, two degree of freedom position control device and medium storage device using both feedback and feed forward, and more particularly to a two degree of freedom position control method, two degree of freedom position control device and medium storage device for performing two degree of freedom control using observer control.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device for controlling the position of an object to a target position is widely used. For example, this device is used for seek control for moving a head to a target track, which is one of the positioning controls of a disk device, such as a magnetic disk device and an optical disk device.
A method for this seek control is using two degree of freedom control. In the two degree of freedom control, a target position is provided via a filter while forming a feedback loop. In other words, the transfer function from a target position to an observation position is set to be a form of a low pass filter. By this, overshoot (overrun) can be suppressed effectively.
In the observer control system which is generally used for disk devices as well, two degree of freedom control system can be constructed. In this case, the control system has a form of a second degree low pass filter (hereafter called LPF), which has a same pole as the feedback pole. FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a two degree of freedom control of a prior art.
As FIG. 12 shows, a target trajectory generation section 100 generates a target trajectory r(n) from a target position r. The target trajectory r(n) indicates a target position which moves between samples determined for each sample. A position error computing section 102, on the other hand, computes an error y[n] between the target position 'r' and a current position 'y' observed from a plant 106. A controller 104 receives the target trajectory r(n) and the position error y[n], performs the computation of the two degree of freedom observer, calculates a drive command value of the plant 106, and drives the plant 106.
As an observer used for the controller 104, a two degree of freedom control observer, shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, has been proposed (e.g. "Digital Control of Dynamic Systems", (by Gene F. Franklin and two others, published by Addison-Wesley, 1998)). As FIG. 13 shows, an observer (estimator) 104-1 is used for the controller 104. This estimator 104-1 computes the output u[n] from the current position 'y' of the plant 106 and the output to the plant 106, and multiplies its output by an open loop gain K in a gain multiplication block 104-2, and the result is fed back.
In a multiplication block 104-4, the target trajectory r[n] is multiplied by a coefficient N, the result is output to an addition block 104-3 and added to the output of the gain multiplication block 104-2 so as to calculate the output u[n] to the plant 106.
FIG. 14 shows a simplified observer of this two degree of freedom control which is expressed by the following Expressions (1), (2) and (3).Xh(n)=Xb(n)+L(y(n)−C·Xb(n))  (1)u(n)=−F·Xh(n)  (2)Xb(n+1)=A·Xh(n)+B·u(n)  (3)
In other words, the difference between the observation position y(n) in the current sample 'n' and the estimated position C·Xb(n) of the current sample estimated with the previous sample is computed in a computation block 202, and an estimated position error er[n] is generated. In a multiplication block 204, this estimated position error er[n] is multiplied by an estimated gain L so as to generate a correction value.
In an addition block 206, this correction value and Xb[n] such as an estimated position and an estimated velocity, are added. By this, Xh(n), such as an estimated position and estimated velocity in the current sample, is generated using Expression (1). In the case of ordinary state feedback, the estimated position of the estimated state Xh(n) is multiplied by a gain, and estimated velocity is multiplied by the gain, and the sum thereof is determined to generate state feedback current.
In the above mentioned two degree of freedom control, the value when the estimated velocity is multiplied by the gain is still used, but the difference value between the estimated position Xh(n) and the target position trajectory r(n) is computed in the addition block 210, the result is multiplied by the feedback gain F in a multiplication block 212, and this result is used for the state feedback. In other words, Expression (2) is computed.
On the other hand, the estimated state Xb(n+1) of the next sample (n+1) is computed from the estimated state Xh(n) in the current sample and the output value u(n) using Expression (3) in multiplication blocks 214 and 216 and an addition block 218.
Here A, B, C, C^T, L and F are matrixes for position x, velocity v, bias value b and disturbance values d1 and d2. A, B and L are state estimate gains, F is a feedback gain, and C and C^T (transposed matrix) are given by the following Expression (4) and (5).
                    C        =                  (                      1                                                                          0                                                                          0                                                                          0                                                                          0                    )                                    (        4        )                                          C          T                =                  (                                                    1                                                                    0                                                                    0                                                                    0                                              )                                    (        5        )
The current observer indicated by Expression (1), Expression (2) and Expression (3) and FIG. 14 can implement two degree of freedom control only by multiplying the target trajectory r(n) by C^T of Expression (5), and adding the result to the normal current observer.
The above mentioned two degree of freedom control of prior art suggests a single rate control, which means that the drive current is changed once in one sample, as shown in FIG. 15. In other words, as FIG. 15 shows, the position in a current sample 'n' is observed, two degree of freedom control computation is performed once, and the drive current u(n) is output.
However in digital control, computation processing is performed by a microcontroller, so an output delay time is generated. Along with the recent demand for high-speed moving and high precision positioning, a control delay is becoming conspicuous in a conventional method of estimating the state once in one sample to change the drive current.
For example, in the case of the magnetic disk device, density is set to high, several tens of thousand tracks are on one disk face, and a high moving speed is demanded, so a state change becomes major during calculation even if state is estimated once and the device current is changed once in one state estimation, and an output delay makes highly accurate position control difficult, and an overrun easily occurs.

Two degree of freedom position control method, two degree of freedom position control device, and medium storage device


A method for coordinating operation of an off-grid, hybrid power system and an information technology (IT) system comprising the following steps: powering the IT system with the off-grid, hybrid power system according to a power generation management scheme designed to maximize fuel savings, wherein the hybrid power system comprises a generator and an electrical energy storage source; monitoring tasks performed by the IT system with a processor; determining which component of the hybrid power system is currently powering the IT system; and dynamically changing the tasks performed by the IT system depending on which component of the hybrid power system is currently powering the IT system such that the IT system only performs high priority tasks when the energy storage source is powering the IT system and such that a queue of low priority tasks are held in abeyance until the generator is powering the IT system.

Off-grid information technology (IT) systems are typically powered via a diesel (or other petroleum fuel) generator. Typically, generators in such circumstances are oversized and operate at less than 20% maximum load capacity in order to ensure power availability and no loss in IT services. The invention claimed herein relates to the field of power management of off-grid IT systems.

Method for coordinating operation of an off-grid, hybrid power system and an information technology system

The United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy