A method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells that include a layer of copper indium selenide (CuInSe.sub.2) that is applied in one manufacturing step onto a substrate that includes a metal layer that defines an electrical back contact layer of the solar cell. A layer that contains an alkali metal, such as sodium, is formed on the cell structure before the CuInSe.sub.2 layer is applied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
CuInSe.sub.2 (copper indium selenide)--thin-film solar cells are normally produced by depositing a molybdenum (Mo) back contact onto a substrate, for instance a glass substrate. Copper, indium and selenide are then deposited onto the back contact to form a CuInSe.sub.2 layer, the CuInSe.sub.2 being formed by chemical reaction in a selenium-containing atmosphere. In this stage of manufacture, the structure is subjected to a temperature in the range of 350-600.degree. C.
The CuInSe.sub.2 layer is a p-type semiconductor. An n-type semiconductor is deposited on the CuInSe.sub.2 layer to form a pn-junction, which forms the actual solar cell. The n-type semiconductor is most often comprised of a thin layer of CdS and a much thicker layer of ZnO, which provides the best structure. The ZnO layer forms a front side contact at the same time.
It is desired to increase the efficiency of solar cells of this kind.
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing solar cells which greatly increases the efficiency of the solar cell produced.

Method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells


There are provided first and second lenses, by which light incident from outside is condensed and caused to outgo, a barrel, which holds the first and second lenses, a barrel holding part having a substantially cylindrical shape to hold therein the barrel, a movement device for movement of the barrel holding part in an optical axis direction of the first and second lenses, and a pedestal having a lens receiving portion, which receives therein the barrel holding part in a slidable state, the pedestal receiving therein the barrel holding part contacting in plural lines with an inner wall surface of the lens receiving portion of the pedestal.

The present invention relates to a lens module, etc., mounted on a portable telephone or the like and having a mode switching function.
Among small-sized camera modules used for portable telephones with a photographing function, surveillance cameras, etc., there appear camera modules with a mode switching function, by which a standard photographing mode (infinity mode) and a close-up photographing mode are switched in a simple way.
As a conventional technology described in publications and related to an improvement in operability of assembly of camera modules with a photographing mode switching function, there exists a technology of, for example, a camera module, which holds a lens to comprise a lens holder, a holder for holding the lens holder movably in an optical axis direction, and a regulating member fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the lens holder by means of an adhesive, and in which the outer peripheral portion of the lens holder is tapered to be decreased in diameter toward a subject (see JP-A-2005-195682).
Also, as a conventional technology described in publications and related to camera modules with a photographing mode switching function, there exists a technology of, for example, a camera, which comprises a cylindrical-shaped lead frame body with an optical unit received and held inside, a body internally threaded onto the lead frame body, and an image pickup device mounted to a bottom portion of the body, and in which the lead frame body is rotated to move axially in the body to change a focal distance of the optical unit, a plurality of thread ridges or thread grooves are formed circumferentially discontinuously and axially offset on an outer periphery of the lead frame body, thread grooves or thread ridges for threading with the multiplicity of thread ridges or thread grooves are formed on an inner periphery of the body (see JP-A-2005-157290).
Then, a camera module, in which a lens unit is threaded onto a barrel holding part, is sometimes changed in a threaded state by vibrations or the like. In such case, light outgoing from a lens could not appropriately form an image in an imaging region. In order to avoid such situation, a lens unit is threaded onto a barrel holding part to regulate image-formation and then fixed thereto by means of an adhesive or the like. With camera modules having a mode switching function, a barrel holding part is received and held in a state of being held by a spring and a spring presser to be movable in an optical axis direction. Therefore, a threaded state is changed by vibrations at the time of mode switching as well as by ordinary vibrations and so fixation with an adhesive is especially important.
However, it has been made difficult to ensure a space, into which an adhesive is injected, since threaded portions are closed by a spring presser according to a demand for miniaturization of a camera module in recent years.
Also, with camera modules having a mode switching function, mode switching is generally realized by changing a position (distance between an image pickup device and a lens) of a lens relative to an image pickup device. In order to move a position of a lens in a camera module and to fix the lens in a position after the movement, it is a simplest and reliable way to slide the lens relative to a reference plane.
In the case where sliding parts are present, however, abrasion dust generated by sliding enters a light receiving region and the abrasion dust could come out considerably in a picture.
On the other hand, when sliding parts are reduced so as to restrict abrasion dust as generated, a lens could also become offset in optical axis.

Lens module, camera module, and method of manufacturing camera module


A full automatic opening and closing straight bone umbrella includes a middle bar set and an opening and closing umbrella drive mechanism in the middle bar set, an umbrella frame, an umbrella cloth, an upper nest, a middle nest, an umbrella handle, and a power source in the umbrella handle. The opening and closing umbrella drive mechanism includes a lead screw connected to the power source and an ejector sleeve driven by the lead screw. The middle bar set includes a middle pipe and an outer pipe. The ejector sleeve passes through the middle pipe and is connected to the outer pipe. When the power source is operated to drive the lead screw to turn clockwise or counterclockwise, the ejector sleeve brings the outer pipe to move up or down relative to the middle pipe to provide a full automatic opening and closing function to the umbrella.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a full automatic opening and closing straight bone umbrella which can be controlled to open/close automatically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In these days, the climate is constantly changing so people are used to take an umbrella along to prevent a heavy rain unexpectedly. But, the frame of a conventional umbrella has to be pushed to a specific position to open the umbrella. Once there is a sudden downpour, the user may be wet because he/she cannot open the umbrella quickly. Therefore, an improved umbrella is developed. The umbrella handle is provided with a button. The user just presses the button to open the umbrella automatically. But, this kind of umbrella doesn't have the function to close the umbrella automatically. When the user gets in the car, he/she has to close the umbrella with both hands. In such a short time, the user is always wet. This umbrella is inconvenient for use.
Most straight umbrellas have an automatic opening and closing function. When the lower nest is not held, the umbrella can be folded. This kind of straight umbrella cannot be unfolded automatically. Chinese Utility Model Publication No. CN2523255Y discloses an automatic opening and closing straight umbrella, published on Dec. 4, 2002. The umbrella comprises a frame with a spring, a ratio changing mechanism disposed in a middle bar set, and a handle control device. The structure of the ratio changing mechanism is complicated. It needs a buckle connected with a pull rope to unlock and lock the handle control device so as to carry out the automatic opening and closing function. After the umbrella is folded, it needs to apply a force to lock the buckle and the handle control device in position in order to carry out the automatic opening and closing function next time.
This automatic opening and closing straight umbrella has a complicated structure and the manufacturing cost is high. It doesn't provide a full automatic opening and closing function. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

Full automatic opening and closing straight bone umbrella


The present invention provides apparatus and associated methods for testing containers to determine if the containers have the desired fill point volume. In a preferred embodiment, the test container will be provided with fluid to the desired fill line and the volume of air in the container will be measured preferably by a differential pressure sensor in conjunction with a microprocessor with the corresponding volume of air in a reference container. The system provides suitable apparatus and an associated method for the supply of a fluid, which may be water, to the fill line in the container and the use of the distance between the fill line and container base or the distance between the fill line and the container mouth, or the percentage headspace in ascertaining the desired volume. In a preferred approach, after the fluid has been introduced into the test container to the desired fill line, comparative volume determinations will be made between the test container and a reference container employing differential pressure measuring. In an alternate embodiment, fluid is introduced into the test container, but not the reference container. In one embodiment, the height of the container measured between the container mouth and the container base is measured with the microprocessor making adjustments in desired fill line level if the height departs from the desired height.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and associated methods for inspecting containers to determine the fill line volume of the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in connection with numerous containers to inspect the same for conformance to a wide variety of specifications including, for example, overall dimensions, wall thickness, symmetry, and container capacity. Such containers include rigid containers which may be made of glass, plastic, metal or combinations thereof, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,573, owned by assignee of the present invention, discloses a system for inspecting containers for leak and volume by providing a test container and a standard container with pump means delivering to each container a pressure pulse through conduits which contain acoustical impedance means. The pressure differential between the two conduits measured between the standard container and the acoustical impedance in its portion of the conduit and the test container and its portion of the acoustical impedance material is then employed to determine volume differential between the container being tested and the standard container. The disclosure of this prior patent is incorporated herein by reference.
One of the important parameters measured in respect of such containers, particularly rigid containers, which are adapted to hold liquids or other flowable materials is fill point capacity in order to make sure that the containers will deliver the desired amount of the product and to provide a uniform appearance for a group of containers on the store shelf. Also, if the headspace is too small, high pressure can build up in the headspace as the product warms. This can result in container breakage.
One known prior art method for effecting this measurement is to achieve it gravimetrically. The empty container is weighed. The container is then filled to the specified point with water and the container is weighed again. Among the disadvantages of this approach are errors that can be made in measurement, variations in the water fill temperature, and errors in filling to the desired fill point, which errors may be equipment errors if semi-automatic or automatic fill point instruments are employed, or human, if an operator is required to judge the fill point. Also, errors can be made in making the required calculation. As a result, variations can occur with such a test resulting in departure from the desired fill point.
The fill point can be measured as (a) a specific distance from the base of the container, or (b) a specific distance down from the mouth of the container, or (c) on the basis of headspace.
In spite of the foregoing prior art, there remains a need for an efficient, reliable system for determining the volume of a container which will be occupied by a product if the product is provided to a level of a predetermined fill line.

Method and apparatus for determining fill level volume of air of containers


A system designed to measure and record in real time data relating to translational and angular acceleration of an individual's head during normal sporting activity. One embodiment of the device includes at least three orthogonal accelerometers mounted within a sports helmet together with means for recording, in real-time, the data output from the accelerometers. The data is either recorded on a memory card or other mass memory means installed in the helmet, or is transmitted to a nearby receiver for reception and storage on a computer's hard drive or other conventional mass storage device. The device provides real-time storage of translational and angular acceleration data over a length of time such that cumulative exposure effects and thus limits can be established for the individual's further or future participation in the sport. The data also allows detection of the precise motions of the head which precede the occurrence of a severe head injury.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to real-time recording of the translational and angular acceleration of a head and, in particular a human head and, in a most preferred implementation, the head of a living human subject in normal activity.
More particularly, it relates to a helmet-based system which is typically worn while playing a sport such as boxing or football, and to the method of recording and storing data relating to translational and angular accelerations of the person's head due to impact forces acting thereon.
2. Background of Related Art
Translational movement relates to the motion of a rigid body in such a way that any line which is imagined rigidly attached to the body remains parallel to its original position. Translational acceleration is the time rate of change of the velocity of the translational movement. Angular acceleration (also called rotational acceleration) is shown in FIG. 3. As point p moves on a circular path with radius r through angular displacement .THETA., angular velocity is the rate of change of .THETA. with respect to time. Angular acceleration .alpha..sub.2 is the rate of change of angular velocity. The tangential component of translational motion T shown in FIG. 3 is actually measured. Normal acceleration (which is a form of translational acceleration) relates to the acceleration toward the center of the circular motion.
Little is known about how a living human head accelerates in translational and angular directions in response to forces, and even less about the correspondence between specific forces and injury, particularly with respect to injuries caused by repeated exposure to impact forces of a lower level. Almost all of what is known is derived from animal studies, studies of cadavers under specific directional and predictable forces (i.e. a head-on collision test), and from crash a dummies or other simplistic mechanical models. The conventional simplistic application of known forces and/or measurement of forces applied to animals, cadavers, and crash dummies limit our knowledge of a relationship between forces applied to a living human head and resultant injury thereto.
Some conventional devices have employed modeled testing approaches which do not relate to devices which can be worn by living human beings.
When studying impact with dummies, they are typically secured to sleds with a known acceleration and impact velocity. The dummy head then impacts with a target, and the peak accelerations experienced by the head are recorded. Impact studies using cadavers are performed for determining the impact forces and pressures which cause skull fractures.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,867 to McPherson et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,556 to Mellander et al. disclose the use of accelerometers mounted within cavities formed in the head of a crash dummy. Viano et al. "Measurement of Head Dynamics and Facial Contact Forces in the Hybrid III Dummy" and Shea et al. "Computing Body Segment Trajectories in the Hybrid III Dummy Using Linear Accelerometer Data" disclose the placement of between seven and nine accelerometers inside a cavity formed in the head of a dummy. Pintar et al. "Experimental Production of Head-Neck Injuries Under Dynamic Forces" discloses removal of the top of a cadavers head and placement of accelerometers therein. Got et al. "Results of Experimental Head Impacts On Cadavers: The Various Data Obtained and Their Relations to Some Measured Physical Parameters" disclose the use of high speed photography and three accelerometers screwed into different positions in a cadavers skull, depending on the impact test to be performed. Nahum et al. "Impact Tolerance of the Skull and Face" disclose testing of a human skull using a single uniaxial accelerometer placed opposite a predetermined point of impact.
Other conventional devices have measured the acceleration of a living human head, but these devices have measured a specific, usually single axis of acceleration which was known beforehand with a single accelerometer placed accordingly, and/or relate to devices which are not worn in everyday practice of sports. Moreover, because these devices measure the limits of living human response to predetermined forces and the results thereof, they require many factors of safety.
For instance, Schmid et al. "From the Practice, Experience With Headgear in Boxing" discloses the use of a transistor apparatus with crystal gauges and a loop-oscillograph to measure skull accelerations. Two crystal gauges were fastened to the head by bandages, one on the occipital bone and the other on the temporal bone.
The device measured a predetermined force from a predetermined direction. Johnson et al. "Peak Accelerations of the Head Experienced in Boxing" discloses the use of one piezoelectric accelerometer held on by a scuba diving helmet. Muzzy III, et al. "Comparison of Kinematic Parameters Between Hybrid II Head and Neck System with Human Volunteers for -G.sub.x Acceleration Profiles" discloses the use of six accelerometers held within a subject's mouth. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,553 to Doerr et al. discloses the use of accelerometers in a mouthpiece. Ewing et al. "Dynamic Response of the Head and Neck of the Living Human to -G.sub.x Impact Acceleration" discloses a cumbersome, view-blocking device wherein a biaxial accelerometer is held in the mouth, and another is strapped over the bregma, and these are measured together with a photo-technique to determine accelerations. This device measured forces from a predetermined single direction of force. The use of a rate gyroscope held in the mouth of the subject is disclosed by Ewing et al. "Living Human Dynamic Response to -G.sub.x Impact Acceleration II--Accelerations Measured on the Head and Neck", and Ewing et al. "Torque versus Angular Displacement Response of Human Head to -G.sub.x Impact Acceleration".
Some conventional devices have required cumbersome and complex circuitry which is hardwired between the sensors and the computing device. These devices are impractical for use in actual sporting events.
For instance, Ordway et al. "The Effect of Head Position on the Analysis of Cervical Motion" discloses electromagnetic sensors attached to the top of the head with a velcro strap. In this device, a fixing vest was worn by the subject to exclude flexion and extension of the thoracic spine from the measurements, and the digitizing system was hardwired to a personal computer for data collection. U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,647 to Evans discloses the temporary use of a swing measurement system for analyzing test swings of an athlete's arm, bat or club for fitting of orthopedic devices.
Models are less desirable than measurement of a living human head during performance of the actual sport because of the uniqueness of the human anatomy and thus the limited extent to which the living human head can be modeled adequately with mechanical models or even cadavers. Moreover, modeling alone does not provide data as to the cause of an injury experienced by a specific individual. Non-living heads (i.e. cadavers) do not account for the application of muscle tension in the neck nor for muscular or pain reactions of the head. For instance, modeling the forces impacting on a persons head does not provide specific data as to an injury suffered by a particular individual, i.e., data derived from models and cadavers does not provide the means to correspond actual human injuries to the specific accelerations which may have caused the injury.
Helmets are conventional devices. It has been known to conduct drop tests of helmets using an accelerometer placed opposite the predetermined site of impact. For instance, see the drop tests performed on football helmets disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,303 to Rappleyea, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,020 to Villari. However, these tests are most often destructive tests and do not provide data for a specific person while wearing the helmet for its intended use, e.g., during a football game. Moreover, these tests specifically tested helmets themselves (not the resultant force to the head), and measured thresholds for which the helmets would crack or break, not the head.
There are other devices that have been developed to measure head motions for a variety of other applications. These include: (1) In military applications, systems have been developed to monitor the orientation of a pilot's head to assist in targeting. (2) In virtual reality systems, the motion of the head and other extremities is continuously monitored to provide feedback to the computer enabling updating of images, etc. But these applications are for helmets which are extensively instrumented, must remain hardwired to the support infrastructure, typically use only one or two position detectors, and do not measure and record forceful blows to the head.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,200 to Welch et al. discloses a fiber optic helmet used for control of a display system. However, this system not only requires complex circuitry and a permanent fiber optic connection to large pieces of equipment, it is not used during performance of a sport, and the accelerometer is used to determine only the position of the head, not to determine translational and angular acceleration due to undetermined external forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,629 to Tigwell discloses the use of a two-position mercury switch in a motorcycle helmet to light a stop light when decelerating in the forward direction only.
Placement of a motion sensor on the head has been known.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,160 to Fischell et al. discloses the use of a single accelerometer in a headband for detecting whether or not the head is accelerating beyond a threshold amount. U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,509 to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,035 to Obenauf et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,166 to Emerson all disclose a motion sensor mounted on a golfer's cap to sense improper head movement during a golf swing. However, long term exposure to continual forces can be as injurious to a head as can be a single hard blow. Conventional devices do not measure and record translational and angular forces to a living human head over a period of time of exposure, particularly where the exposure is of a low level below that which would normally cause concern for injury. For instance, continual blows to a head during a boxing match or football game may not cause injury individually but in combination may prove lethal. Head injury in these sports can have significant short and long term consequences which can be made more severe if blows to the head continue (e.g., from continued play in the same game or in a subsequent game). Thus, conventional devices which measure acceleration in a single direction, or from a single event, or only above a predetermined threshold, or in a way which does not permit use during performance of the actual sport do not provide the dynamics necessary to correlate exposure to forces to the injury caused by that exposure over a period of time.
Injuries are not the only area of study which are deficient. In sports such as boxing where the bout is scored with the number of punches of a certain force connecting to the head, scoring is made difficult by conventional observational techniques of scoring.

Helmet system including at least three accelerometers and mass memory and method for recording in real-time orthogonal acceleration data of a head


A method is disclosed for producing a rapidly solidified, fine grained, magnetically anisotropic powder of the RE-Fe-B type. The rapidly solidified material is optimally quenched or slightly overquenched and is subjected to a hydrogen absorption-hydrogen desorption process that produces a fine grained material containing the essential magnetic phase RE.sub.2 TM.sub.14 B and an intergranular phase and is magnetically anisotropic.

Permanent magnets and magnetic materials based on iron, neodymium (and/or praseodymium) and boron are used worldwide in commercial applications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,110,374, 4,851,058 and 4,802,931 to Croat, for example, disclose a broad range of compositions that characterize the iron-neodymium-boron permanent magnet family. As indicated in these patents and in other publications, the magnets contain a transition metal (TM) component, usually iron or iron mixed with cobalt; a rare earth element (RE) component, usually neodymium including mixtures of neodymium with praseodymium and small amounts of the other rare earth group elements; and boron. As normally employed in commercial use, these compositions usually consist essentially, on an atomic percentage basis, of about 10 to 18 percent of the rare earth constituent, at least 60 percent of which is neodymium and/or praseodymium, a small amount up to about 10 percent boron, and the balance mainly iron or iron and cobalt. Preferably, these magnet compositions contain 70 percent or more of iron or iron and cobalt. The compositions may also contain small amounts of additives for processing or for the improvement of magnetic properties. They contain the tetragonal crystal phase RE.sub.2 TM.sub.14 B where RE and TM are as indicated above and below.
Sintered versions of these magnetic materials have received wide commercial acceptance. Sintered magnets are made by preparing a crystalline powder or particles containing a grain of the tetragonal crystal phase RE.sub.2 TM.sub.14 B a where RE is principally neodymium and/or praseodymium and TM is generally iron or iron and cobalt. The grains are typically one micrometer or larger such that the powder can be magnetically aligned, compacted into a green compact and sintered in vacuum or a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Sintering produces a fully dense body having magnetic coercivity. Such sintered permanent magnet is characterized by relatively large grains (i.e. greater than a few .mu.m in diameter) of the 2-14-1 phase with an intergranular phase of a rare earth element content greater than the 2-14-1 phase.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,981,532 and 5,110,374 (Takeshita et al) disclose a practice of treating an ingot or a powder of large grained, polycrystalline material that includes the RE.sub.2 Fe.sub.14 B phase. In the treatment, hydrogen is introduced into the polycrystalline material to form a the hydride(s). Subsequently, the hydride is decomposed and the hydrogen removed (desorbed) in older to recrystallize the 2-14-1 grain structure. In accordance with this practice, is possible to form a powder that is either magnetically isotropic or magnetically anisotropic. Thus, one starts with a material that is crystalline, contains grains of appreciable size (>1 .mu.m) of the essential 2-14-1 phase and recrystallizes the grains so as to form usually smaller grains which may be aligned so as to constitute a magnetically anisotropic material. There is also a substantial market for permanent magnet compositions of fine grain structure (<500 nm in average largest dimension) prepared starting with a melt spinning or other suitable rapid solidification process. The resultant powder can be used to make magnetically isotropic, resin-bonded magnets, as well as hot pressed and hot worked magnets.
The manufacture of rapidly solidified versions of the RE-TM-B family of permanent magnets starts with a molten alloy of suitable composition and produces melt-spun ribbon particle fragments. The rapid is solidification practice is usually carried out by containing the molten alloy in a heated vessel under a suitable nonoxidizing atmosphere. The molten alloy is ejected in a very fine stream from the bottom of the vessel through a small orifice onto the peripheral surface of a spinning, cooled quench wheel. The quench wheel is usually made of a suitable high-conductivity copper alloy and may have a wear-resistant coating on the circumferential quench surface of the wheel. The wheel is typically water cooled so that prolonged melt spinning production runs may be carried out without any unwanted decrease in the rate of heat extraction from the molten alloy that impinges upon the wheel. It is necessary to maintain a suitably high heat extraction rate in order to consistently obtain the desired very fine grain microstructure.
The rate of cooling of the molten alloy is dependent upon a number of factors such as the amount of superheat in the molten alloy, the temperature of the quench wheel, the rate of flow of the molten alloy through the orifice onto the spinning wheel, and the velocity of the peripheral surface of the spinning wheel. All other factors being considered, the most readily controlled parameter of the cooling of the molten alloy is the velocity of the peripheral surface of the quench wheel.
In the melt spinning of a specific composition, it is possible to obtain a range of permanent magnet properties in the melt-spun material by varying quench wheel speed. The phenomenon is well disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,802,931, 4,851,058 and 5,056,585. As disclosed in these patents, by employing a given RE-TM-B composition and employing successively increasing quench wheel speeds starting with a relatively slow speed, it is possible to obtain a series of fine grained crystalline products that respectively display values of magnetic coercivity that continually increase toward a maximum value and then decrease from that value. At the same time the values of magnetic coercivity are increasing, the values of magnetic remanence also increase over at least a part of the increasing wheel speed range as the cooling rate is increased. In the manufacture of many members of the family of rapidly solidified RE-TM-B magnets, it is preferred to operate the quench wheel rate slightly faster than the wheel speed at which maximum coercivity is obtained in the melt-spun ribbon. These materials are then extremely fine grained or even apparently amorphous, and they can be annealed or hot worked to a condition of desired high coercivity and magnetic remanence.
Such melt-spun materials are magnetically isotropic. It would be advantageous to have a practice for the treatment of such extremely fine grained or amorphous materials which would produce magnetic anisotropy in such melt-spun ribbon particles. It has been possible in the prior art to produce magnetically anisotropic powder from a melt-spun ribbon material by producing overquenched, melt-spun ribbon, hot pressing the ribbon particles into a fully densified body, hot working the body to form elongated grains of magnetically anisotropic material, and pulverizing or comminuting the hot worked body to form the magnetically anisotropic powder. Such anisotropic powder has very good permanent magnet properties. However, it would be desirable to be able to produce a magnetically anisotropic material directly from (or in) the melt-spun ribbon particles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing magnetically anisotropic powder material from a melt-spun powder that is initially very fine grained (typically less than 50 nanometers in grain size) or even apparently amorphous in its microstructure. It is a more specific object of the present invention to introduce such magnetically anisotropic properties into a melt-spun material by a practice of absorbing hydrogen into the fine grained material and then removing the hydrogen under conditions which produce a fine grain material having anisotropic magnetic properties.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of our invention, these and other advantages are accomplished as follows.

Fine grained anisotropic powder from melt-spun ribbons


An apparatus is arranged to include a game board, having a serpentine path formed of a plurality of spaces, each of the spaces arranged to indicate various directions relative to a token directed along the path relative to each individual player. Penalties and rewards are directed throughout the path, wherein an accumulation of a predetermined total number of points relative to a player permits award of that player as a winner of the game. Scoring apparatus is provided to maintain ease of scoring of the game in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved game apparatus wherein the same is arranged to competitively direct players along a path to award point totals and losses relative to movement along said path.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Game apparatus of various types have been provided in the prior art to provide for amusement and entertainment of individuals such as exemplified in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,594; 4,898,390; 4,759,549; 4,955,616; and 4,787,639.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a game apparatus providing for ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction and employing a scoring apparatus to enhance ease of maintaining scoring of individuals in play of the game and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A method for the extraction of pharmacologically active components from the oleander plant using supercritical carbon dioxide and combining the extraction with other isolation methods. The extraction is carried out using carbon dioxide at supercritical conditions, with or without the addition of a modifier. The isolated product is recovered in higher yield than with traditional hot water extraction.

This invention pertains to the extract of a species of Nerium, particularly Nerium Oleander, and to a method for production thereof by super critical carbon dioxide extraction.
Nerium oleander is an ornamental plant widely distributed in subtropical Asia, the southwestern United States, and the Mediterranean. Its medical and toxicological properties have long been recognized. It has been used, for example, in the treatment of hemorrhoids, ulcers, leprosy, snake bites, and even in the induction of abortion. Oleandrin, an important component of oleander extract, is a potent inhibitor of human tumor cell growth. Oleandrin-mediated cell death is associated with calcium influx, release of cytochrome C from mitochondria, proteolytic processes of caspases 8 and 3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and DNA fragmentation.
One extract component of the oleander plant is oleandrin. Oleandrin is a cardiac glycoside that is exogeneous and not normally present in the body. Oleandrin induces apoptosis in human but not in murine tumor cell lines (Pathak et al., Anti-Cancer Drugs, vol. 11, pp. 455-463, 2000), inhibits activation of NF-kB (Manna et al., Cancer Res., vol. 60, pp. 3838-3847, 2000), and mediates cell death through a calcium-mediated release of cytochrome C (McConkey et al., Cancer Res., vol. 60, pp. 3807-3812, 2000). A Phase I trial of an oleander extract has been completed recently (Mekhail et al., Am. Soc. Clin. Oncol., vol. 20, p. 82b, 2001). It was concluded that oleander extracts can be safely administered at doses up to 1.2 ml/m2/d. No dose limiting toxicities were found.
In addition to being selectively cytotoxic for tumor cells, cardiac glycosides may also enhance cell response to cytotoxic actions of ionizing radiation. Ouabain, a cardiac glycoside endogeneous to the body, was reported to enhance in vitro radiosensitivity of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells but was ineffective in modifying the radioresponse of normal human lung fibroblasts (Lawrence, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys., vol. 15, pp. 953-958, 1988). Ouabain was subsequently shown to radiosensitize human tumor cells of different histology types including squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma (Verheye-Dua et al., Strahlenther. Onkol., vol. 176, pp. 186-191, 2000). Although the mechanisms of ouabain-induced radiosensitization are still not fully explained, inhibition of repair from sublethal radiation damage and an increase in radiation-induced apoptosis have been advanced as possibilities (Lawrence, 2000; Verheye Dua et al., 2000; Verheye-Dua et al., Strahlenther. Onkol., vol. 172, pp. 156-161, 1996). The cardiac glycoside oleandrin also has the ability to enhance the sensitivity of cells to the cytotoxic action of ionizing radiation. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/957,875 to Newman, et al.
Extraction of glycosides from plants of Nerium species has traditionally been carried out using boiling water. The process of using boiling water as an extraction method to obtain active ingredients from Nerium oleander yields many products. Among these are oleandrin, nerine, and other cardiac glycoside compounds. The plant extracts are useful in the treatment of cell-proliferative diseases in animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,745 to Ozel pertains to extracts of Nerium species and their use in the treatment of cell-proliferative diseases. Ozel obtains the extraction of Nerium oleander through the use of heat. In particular, sliced plant material is placed in distilled water and boiled until an appropriate density is reached. The mixture is then filtered and heated again.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,060 to Selvaraj et al. pertains to extracts of Nerium species and methods of production. To prepare the extract, plant material is placed in water and boiled. The crude extract is then separated from the plant matter and sterilized by filtration. The resultant extract can then be lyophilized to produce a powder.
Supercritical fluid extraction involves the use of a supercritical fluid to selectively extract a particular compound. A supercritical fluid is a liquid or a gas at atmospheric conditions, but becomes supercritical when it is compressed above its critical pressure and heated above its critical temperature. Supercritical fluids have increased dissolving power in their supercritical regions. A supercritical fluid exhibits properties between those of a gas and a liquid, and has the capacity to dissolve compounds that may only dissolve poorly or not at all in the gas or liquid state. Supercritical fluids are ideal for extraction of these compounds because they have high dissolving power at high densities and demonstrate good fractionation and separation of the compound from the fluid at lower densities when the pressure or temperature is changed. The general procedure of using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction in food processing industry has been described by Raventos, et al., in 2002 (M. Raventos, et al., Application and Possibilities of Supercritical CO2 Extraction in Food Processing Industry: An Overview, Food Sci Tech Int. Vol. 8 (5) (2002) 269-284), the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
It has been demonstrated that oleandrin is the principal cytotoxic component of Nerium oleander (Newman, et al., J. Herbal Pharmacotherapy, vol. 13, pp. 1-15, 2001). Methods to enhance the relative content of oleandrin from plant material are therefore warranted. While hot water extracts of Nerium oleander may provide oleandrin and related cardiac glycosides in relatively low yield, an improved method for obtaining a concentrated form of cardiac glycosides including oleandrin is needed.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extract of pharmacologically active components from


A digital camera including a lens, first and second sensors, a shutoff member, a display, a detector, an exposure amount determiner, and a still image generator. The first sensor receives light through the lens and the second sensor also receives light through the lens, but is different from the first sensor. The shutoff member performs a first shutoff of the light received by the first sensor through the lens and also ends the first shutoff. The display displays a moving image based on the light received by the first sensor, and while the moving image is displayed, the detector detects a shutter operation. The exposure amount determiner determines, in response to the detected shutter operation, an exposure amount based on the light received by the second sensor when the first sensor does not receive light through the lens. The still image generator generates a still image based on the light received by the first sensor and the exposure amount determined by the exposure amount determiner.

The present invention relates to a digital camera and a control method thereof, and more specifically, to a digital camera using a shutter curtain which operates mechanically and using an area image sensor which does not have a structure for a high-speed draft mode, and a control method thereof.
A CCD area image sensor which divides electric charges stored in photodiodes into charges of a plurality of divided fields to transfer them is known (refer to, for example, JP-A-8-18875 and Japanese Patent No. 3009041). By dividing electric charges stored in photodiodes into charges of a plurality of divided fields to transfer them, the area of the vertical CCD can be reduced. As a result, since the area of the photodiodes can be increased, this becomes advantageous from the viewpoint of the saturated amount of signals. A digital camera provided with an electronic viewfinder is often mounted with an area image sensor corresponding to a high-speed draft mode, with a function of selectively reading charges at regular intervals from a plurality of photodiodes, which are arrayed along the vertical CCD, in order to increase the frame rate of a moving image which is displayed in real time on the electronic viewfinder. Since the area image sensor corresponding to a high-speed draft mode is provided with a dedicated control signal line for reading the charges stored in the photodiodes at one time by thinning out them according to a rule capable of forming a color image, pixels in a vertical direction from all pixels can be thinned out and read out. As a result, since a grainy image representing a whole image, that is, an image having a low resolution can be read, the frame rate of a moving image can be increased by reading the grainy image in a short time.
However, since a digital camera provided with a high-resolution CCD image sensor which is not corresponding to the high-speed draft mode cannot increase the frame rate of a moving image, it has a difficulty in realizing a moving image display function by the electronic viewfinder. In a digital camera provided with a high-sensitivity and high-resolution CCD image sensor, exposure is often by a shutter curtain which operates mechanically.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Digital camera displaying moving image and exposure control method thereof


A process for the manufacture of optically active (R)- or (S)-1-(4-methoxy-benzyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-isoquinoline adducts of the formula ##STR1## wherein HX signifies a mineral acid from the group of HBF.sub.4, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HPF.sub.6, HBr, HI, HCl,. HSbF.sub.6 or HClO.sub.4, or a strong organic acid from the group of C.sub.1-8 -alkylSO.sub.3 H, picric acid, formic acid, a lower alkylsulphonic acid or arylcarboxylic acid or a dicarboxylic acid,. from a compound of the formula ##STR2## wherein HX has the significance given above, by asymmetric hydrogenation in the presence of a complex consisting of optically active diphosphine ligands with iridium, optionally in the presence of an additive.

The asymmetric hydrogenation of carbon-nitrogen double bonds in imines is known. Rhodium, iridium or titanium catalysts (J. Mol. Catal. 1990, 62, 243; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1994, 116, 8952 and J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1990, 112, 9400) have hitherto been used. The imines have always been used as the free base. Ruthenium catalysts are known for specially functionalized substrates (Tetrahedron Letters 1990, 31, 4117).
The hydrogenation of the compound of formula II (formula II described below) as the free base is problematical, since it is unstable in this form and disproportionates to the corresponding 1-(4-methoxy-benzyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-isoquinoline (tetrabase) and also to rac-1-(4-methoxy-benzyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-isoquinoline (rac-octabase). Moreover, the known processes such as for example the production of dextromethorphan have the disadvantage of racemate resolution, since the known hydrogenation of a compound of formula II (formula II described below) in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst leads to a racemate, which must be resolved, since only the (S)-enantiomer of formula I (formula I described below) is used. Furthermore, the undesired (R)-enantiomer of the compound of formula I (described below) must be processed over several reaction steps, racemized and recycled.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process which permits the asymmetric hydrogenation of enimines in the form of their salts without the occurrence of the disadvantages described above.

Process for manufacture of optically active isochinole compounds


A method of controlling a shape and size of at least one solder joint of a magnetic recording head that includes a trailing surface and a plurality of bond pads, wherein each bond pad comprises a base layer comprising a top surface and a top edge, the method including the steps of forming at least one solder dam by covering a portion of the top surface of the base layer of at least one of the bond pads with a coating layer that comprises a nonwettable, electrically conductive material positioned adjacent to the top edge of at least one of the bond pads, thereby defining a coated portion and an uncoated portion of the base layer, and applying solder material to the uncoated portion of the base layer adjacent to the solder dam so that the coating layer constrains movement of the solder material beyond the uncoated portion.

Hard disc drive (HDD) systems typically include one or more data storage discs with concentric tracks containing information. A transducing head carried by a slider is used to read from and write to a data track on a disc, wherein each slider has an air bearing surface that is supportable by a cushion of air generated by one of the rotating discs. The slider is carried by an arm assembly that includes an actuator arm and a suspension assembly, which can include a separate gimbal structure or can integrally form a gimbal.
As the density of data desired to be stored on discs continues to increase, more precise positioning of the transducing head and other components is becoming increasingly important. In many conventional systems, head positioning is accomplished by operating the actuator arm with a large scale actuation motor, such as a voice coil motor, to position a head on a flexure at the end of the actuator arm. A high resolution head positioning mechanism, or microactuator, is advantageous to accommodate the high data density.
The precision manufacturing of components of disk drive systems includes providing an electrical connection via solder material between sliders and suspension assemblies, either or both of which may include bond pads or bonding pads. In particular, a trailing surface of a magnetic recording head can have a number of bond pads that correspond to the same number of electrical pads that are positioned on a suspension tongue, wherein the electrical pads are connected to electrical traces. The electrical connection is provided by placing solder joints between the bond pads and the electrical pads, which thereby electrically connects the magnetic recording head to the electrical traces.
Typical bond pads are both electrically conductive and solder wettable, which allows both for electrical testing during assembly (e.g., with a probe) and electrical connection with solder of bond pads with adjacent components. However, it can be difficult to control the expansion or movement of solder during its placement in a solder joint, which can lead to bridged or open connections in high connection density applications. In addition, because many bond pads are made of a material that oxidizes to create an oxidized layer on top of the bond pad, the bond pad surface must be scratched or otherwise compromised prior to being able to probe or test the device. There is therefore a desire to provide slider configurations that allow for accurate placement of solder connections in high density applications while also providing a surface that is available for electrical probing without surface scratching during and after the slider assembly process.

Methods of controlling a shape and size of solder joints of magnetic recording heads


A semiconductor device may include a first memory cell connected to a bit-line and a first word-line, a second memory cell connected to a complementary bit-line and a second word-line, and an equalizer. The equalizer may be configured to transition a voltage of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from a first voltage to a second voltage different from the first voltage at a first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, and to transition the voltage of at least one of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from the second voltage to a third voltage at a second time period after the first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, the third voltage being different from the first and second voltages.

Example embodiments relate generally to a memory fields, and more particularly to a memory core and a semiconductor memory device including the same.
In general, a semiconductor memory device is a memory device to store data therein so that the data are read out therefrom if necessary. The semiconductor memory device may be classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices.
The volatile memory devices may lose stored data if power is shut off. The volatile memory devices may include a static RAM (SRAM), a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), and the like. The nonvolatile memory devices may retain stored data even if power is shut off. The nonvolatile memory devices may include a PROM (Programmable ROM), an EPROM (Erasable PROM), an EEPROM (Electrically EPROM), and a flash memory device (flash memory device).
In the DRAM, a memory cell array may be connected to a bit-line BL and a complementary bit-line BLB. When a read operation is performed, a sense amplifier senses and amplifies the voltage difference between the bit line BL and the complementary bit-line BLB. However, the fineness of semiconductor processes and the reduction of a power voltage may make it more difficult to write data and to sense the write data.

Memory core and semiconductor memory device including the same

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


A cooling structure for a saddle-type vehicle includes a main frame; an engine; an exhaust pipe extending rearward from a front portion of the engine; fuel tanks disposed laterally of the engine; and a skid plate covering front portions of the engine and the exhaust pipe. The skid plate includes openings defined in a central upper portion thereof for introducing ram air from a front of the vehicle toward the engine. The openings are covered with a mesh member. The skid plate has first bulging portions bulging forwardly on both sides of the openings. The fuel tanks include bulging tank portions disposed rearward of and along the first bulging portions and covering front portions of the engine. Ram air guided toward a central area in a vehicle widthwise direction by the first bulging portions passes through the mesh member and the openings to cool the exhaust pipe and the engine.

There has been known a structure in which a fuel tank is disposed astride of a main tube and extends downwardly to a large extent in covering relation to the sides of an engine, and a skid plate has a plurality of openings defined in left and right side surfaces thereof (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-253185).

Cooling structure for saddle-type vehicle


The present disclosure provides a pixel driving circuit, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. In the pixel driving circuit, a first terminal of a coupling sub-circuit is electrically connected to a control terminal of a driving sub-circuit; a second compensation sub-circuit is electrically connected to a first control terminal, a second terminal of the coupling sub-circuit and a first level signal input terminal, respectively; the pixel driving circuit is configured to control the connection or disconnection between the second terminal of the coupling sub-circuit and the first level signal input terminal under the control of the first control terminal.

Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display has the advantages of high contrast, bright color and being able to control each pixel individually, and it is currently a very popular display device.
The AMOLED display includes a plurality of pixels arranged in an array, and a pixel driving circuit within the pixel is used to drive and control each pixel for gray scale display, the pixel driving circuit mainly includes: a switch, a capacitor, an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) light-emitting element, and a driving transistor. In operation, the driving transistor in each pixel drives the corresponding OLED light-emitting element to emit light to achieve the self-emission function of the AMOLED display. However, there are threshold voltage shift for the driving transistor in the AMOLED display. In operation, the threshold voltage of the driving transistor will affect the operating current of the light-emitting device, thereby affecting the display quality of the display.

Pixel driving circuit, manufacturing method thereof, and display device


A device to actively enhance proprioception and core strength of its user consisting of a motion control system providing a tilt plate that is dampened with a suspension system to provide a system to deliver an exercise regimen that automatically detects and strengthens core muscles in an unobtrusive manner by allowing the individual to move freely while seated. The device can be configured into a chair, stool, wheelchair seat insert, vehicle or airplane seat or exercise device generically known as balance board. The device is intended to enhance the user's proprioception core strength, sense of balance, and overall physical well being.

Therapeutic dynamic seating devices that deliver musculoskeletal training to the sitter have been disclosed in various forms in the prior art. Oftentimes it is desirable to have a non-static orientation of a seating plane to provide the human body with a platform that will reposition a certain amount. Oftentimes, as described herein below, a properly designed dynamic seating system providing a non-static support has the unexpected advantage of allowing a body to readjust in a more bio-mechanically naturally aligned orientation. For a non-static seating arrangement to deliver the maximum therapeutic benefits to the sitter it will have to entice the sitter to actively participate in the sitting process. Active participation means that the seating system encourages the sitter's neuromuscular system to assume a dynamic posture by itself. Forcing active participation through periodic external movement of the seat as is done in passive dynamic seating will cause the body to fight the seat movement as an intrusion and defeat the benefits gained by the dynamic environment. For an active system to work properly it will have to detect the movement of the sitter and apply a modulation with the proper phase relationship between the sitter's movement and the seat modulation to the seat. This mechanism is known as a phaselocked loop servo system. Also the amplitude of the external modulation must be small enough that the sitter's neuromuscular system does not consider the movement as intrusive.
Other devices, such as regular seating members, provide a substantially horizontal surface, or a surface that is at least horizontal in the lateral direction with respect to the hips of the individual sitting thereon. This sitting arrangement provides a static sitting environment for the user. Neurological research has shown that proper posture can only be achieved if the sitter is allowed to move in both the lateral and transverse direction to properly activate the proprioceptive system of the sitter in a way similar to the movement experienced during horseback riding, which activates both the vestibular as well as the kinesthetic muscle sensors. Continuous movement triggering the deep layer muscles along the spine that are connecting individual vertebrae to "fire" afferent nerve signals to the cerebellum is responsible in conjunction with inputs from the vestibular and vision sensors, for the maintaining of a healthy posture. The internal stabilizers, i.e., the deep layer muscles along the spine must be strengthened before any healing of a back injury can take place. If the deep layer muscles are not firing properly further injury to the back will result. The exercises to the deep layer muscles are very specific and must lead to a symmetric activation without the activation of the large outer layer muscles.
Static sitting postures will lead to lower back pain (as anybody who has sat confined to an airplane seat for a long distance flight can attest to) and eventually back injuries like bulged discs and sciatica as well as pressure ulcers when the individual is bound to the sitting surface as is the case in wheelchairs. This negative consequence of a static seating device is more detrimental to the sitter when the sitter is afflicted with a neuro-muscular impairment like cerebral palsy. Devices such as gym balls (also referred to as Swiss balls), which generally are rather large balls of approximately 2 feet (or more) in diameter and filled with air, are utilized sometimes to provide a non-static/non-stable environment to sit upon. However, in general, while sitting upon these devices, the contact point functions as a possible initial point of rotation, and the sitting point is generally at the apex to this contact point in the upper region. Sitting on such a device feels like sitting on a stick with the pivoting point at the ground. This type of configuration does not mimic the dynamics of therapeutic horseback riding and is therefore limited in its ability to deliver the desired therapeutic benefits that are associated with hippo/equestrian therapy. Hippotherapy delivers continuous triggering of the deep layer muscles along the spine, proprioceptors, and also triggers the vestibular system for proper stabilizing action by the cerebellum as well as the sensorimotor cortex in the human brain.
In order for the information from the proprioceptors and the vestibular system to reach the sensorimotor cortex it must pass the gate keeper for the cortex, the hippocampus, and be judged as safe. If the information does not feel safe, the hippocampus activates the lower brain and sets up the fight or flight mode, in which only a limited amount of information gets registered by the cortex. The fight or flight mode gets triggered when, in the case of a dynamic seating system, the sitter has the feeling of falling over or losing balance.
Anyone who has sat on such device, meaning a ball-based chair or stool design or a device with an improperly designed dynamic coupling between the seat and the post of a chair, can attest that these devices feel unsafe to the user and leave the user focusing on the task of not falling over. Unfortunately, when shifting left or right, the further one travels from this center orientation, the further the user is dropping and hence there is a greater amount of rotational force exerted on the individual to continue rotating in this off-centered direction. In other words, the greater distance from the contact point of the ball to the ground to the actual sitting engagement region can cause a sideward rolling action. This sideward rolling will cause the entire upper body to shift sideward adding the need for the sitter to move the entire upper body back to centerline instead of having the body tilt just around the midline of the spine as is desirable and achieved when the pivot point is in direct contact with the pelvis, as is done when sitting on a horse, and provide the necessary input for the proper functioning of the proprioceptive system.
Using a ball as therapeutic device for individuals suffering from cerebral palsy (a sensory input dysfunction caused by brain injury) induced scoliosis will cause the sitter to use more of his/her non-affected neuromuscular system to compensate for the inactivity of the impaired part to stay balanced, i.e., he/she will lean even more into his/her curve, create an even tighter muscle tone because of fear to fall over. This approach will aggravate an already fragile situation even further.
In contrast, a properly designed dynamic seating system as described herein will place the sitter's pelvis into direct contact with the axis of rotation and use a joint technology that will make the sitter feel safe and wanting to move instead of being afraid of losing balance. Under such conditions the sitter will stay relaxed and "wiggle" his/her pelvis creating the desirable afferent nerve signals arising from the deep layer muscles along the spine that are required for a healthy posture.
With regard to a properly designed dynamic seating system, as described herein the sitter can assume a posture that allows him/her to most effectively compensate for the forces of gravity without the excessive use of the large outer layer muscles. In the case of scoliosis the seat will rotate slightly into the direction of the sitter's primary curve allowing for a more relaxed secondary and tertiary (where applicable) compensatory curve resulting in a much more erect sitting posture. This more erect sitting posture leads to a reduction in the wedging of the spinal discs and therefore less pinching of the nerves in the compressed region. Further, present analysis indicates that the overall curve of a spine with an individual having scoliosis is reduced, because the sitter can find his/her center of gravity more easily and therefore does not have to overcompensate as strongly as when sitting on a flat surface. Present analysis has also found that utilizing the device as described herein has the effect of improving posture and sense of balance for the seated individual, able-bodied or disabled alike, because it successfully triggers both the proprioceptors along the spine and the sensors of the vestibular system in a safe manner, such that the sensorimotor cortex receives meaningful information which it can process.
In addition to side-to-side tilting the seat also has to tilt in the anterior/posterior direction, to allow the angle between chest and femur to open up and to reduce the extension of the hamstrings. A relative angle of 90° and smaller will stretch the hamstrings too much and lead to a backward pull on the spine, causing it to go into a C-shape and causing pinching at the front end of the discs. Providing a system where the hips are allowed to tilt forward about a lateral axis provides a more desirable pressure distribution upon the lumbar vertebrae. As described herein, the system is designed to adapt to a users' physiology, allow the user to sit with a more upright posture and to "wiggle" his/her pelvis for better proprioception. Placing the axis of rotation closer to the pelvis enables the user to tilt his/her pelvis in a manner that does not require a conscious effort on behalf of the sitter and the use of the large outer layer muscles to stay balanced and therefore to obtain a posture that is well balanced within the individual's physiological framework, and therefore enables the user who is afflicted with, say, scoliosis to obtain a better balanced posture with an overall reduced curvature of the spine.
Using the same device mechanism in the embodiment of an exercise device called balance board can be used for rehabilitation injuries of the lower extremities, like foot, ankle, knee or hip injuries and the regaining of a sense of balance periods of immobility.

Method and apparatus to enhance proprioception and core health of the human body


A system for packaging one or more articles surrounded by a tubular web moving downstream along a path includes a first station having a tacking jaw at a first downstream location along the path. The tacking jaw is movable between a first open position and a second closed position for sealing a central portion of the tubular web between the one or more articles. The first station also includes two tucking blades at the first downstream location on opposite sides of the tacking jaw and the tubular web. The tucking blades are movable toward one another for forcing the sides of the tubular web toward the central portion of the tubular web while the tacking jaw is in the closed position. The system also includes a second sealing station downstream from the first sealing station including a sealing jaw substantially perpendicular to the path of the tubular web. The sealing jaw extends completely across the tubular web and is movable between an open position and a closed position for completely sealing the tubular web between the articles. In preferred embodiments, the one or more articles and the tubular web is initially moved downstream along the path at a first rate of speed, whereby the first station and the second station travel downstream at successively slower speeds than the first rate of speed.

A variety of consumer products are packaged using a sealing machine, such as a horizontal form, fill and seal machine. Typically, a web of heat sealable thermoplastic film is moved downstream and is continuously formed around the products or articles being packaged. The tubular web and the articles then move to a sealing die which seals and severs the tubular web between the articles to provide individual sealed packages.
One of the earliest known sealing machines was developed in the late 1940's by Sam Campbell of the Hudson Sharp Company, of Green Bay, Wis. The machine, which became known in the industry as the "Campbell Wrapper," included a product in-feed conveyer, a horizontal forming shoulder for enveloping the product within a wrapping material, a rotary back-seam sealing device which acted as the prime mover for the wrapping material and horizontally rotating sealing bars which both sealed and cut the wrapping material. The Campbell Wrapper was designed for high-speed overwrapping of candy bars and the like.
The most critical element of any horizontal form, fill and seal machine is the sealing station because the articles must be effectively sealed in a package which 1) will not inadvertently open, 2) is structurally sound and 3) has all of the exterior graphics properly aligned and displayed thereon. In order to form a reliable heat seal using thermoplastic film, it is necessary to closely monitor and control three critical parameters during the sealing process, namely the amount of time the sealing die is closed over the material (hereinafter referred to as "dwell time"), the temperature of the die while sealing the material, and the pressure exerted by the die when compressing the material. The time, temperature and pressure parameters are highly interdependent so that if one of the parameters is lowered, one or more of the other parameters must be elevated. For example, if the dwell time is lowered to improve production rates, the temperature of and/or pressure exerted by the die must be increased.
The time, temperature and pressure parameters must also be elevated if the thickness of the material being sealed increases. Typically, the thickness of the material being sealed can vary widely from one seal to the next. This wide variation occurs because present sealing systems are incapable of positively controlling the exact location of the wrapping material during the sealing process including the alignment of tucks or folds in the package in relation to the position of the seals. As a result, excessive wrinkling or crumpling of the material may occur around some of the seals. The extra wrinkles make the material being sealed thicker and extra time, temperature or pressure must be used to properly seal the thicker material. Accordingly, either the sealing time, sealing temperature or sealing pressure must be elevated above normal levels in order to account for the wide variation in the thickness of the material which generally results in reduced production rates and/or wasting valuable resources.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,657 discloses one method and apparatus for maintaining better control of the wrapping material. After a low density polyethylene bag has been partially formed to provide pouches, a constant air flow is provided from an air manifold to keep the pouches open as they move downstream on a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes vacuum holes which pull on first sidewalls of the pouches while the constant airflow from the air manifold lifts second sidewalls thereof. The vacuum in the conveyor belt and the air manifold cooperatively open the sidewalls of the pouches so that the pouches may be filled with articles to be packaged.
When a package is sealed, it typically has protruding gabled ends adjacent the seals which must be tucked in at the sides and/or folded against the package to complete the packaging process. Tucking and folding the gables is typically accomplished by various mechanical arrangements which require precise timing. During the tucking step, it is critical that any wrinkling or crumpling of the material around the gables be avoided for the reasons set forth above and because any such wrinkling or crumpling, or any folding of the material at locations other than at the desired gable fold lines, may produce a defective seal resulting in leaks and/or contamination of the packaged articles.
There have been numerous advances directed to tucking or folding the sides of sealed packages. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,750 discloses a sealing apparatus whereby tubular wrapping material is sealed by a closable cross sealing jaw and side folding rods positioned upstream from the cross sealing jaw are used to create folds or tucks in the sides of the wrapping material before the material is sealed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,094 discloses a wrapping and folding machine for covering packets with a wrapping material and carrying out the final folding and closing operations. After the package has been substantially wrapped, two tuckers are moved toward one another from opposite sides of the package so as to tuck in the wrapping material at the two rearward corners of the package. A downwardly depending folding flange at one end of the top folding plate turns down the upper rearwardly extending part of the wrapping material and the remaining rearward extension of the wrapping material is turned upwards by engagement with a fixed plate or bar at the end of the machine for completing the wrapping of the packet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,692 discloses a gable end folding method whereby the gables are folded by providing a line of sealed packages in end-to-end relationship and sequentially reducing the distance between the packages so that the gables engage one another and are constrained to fold.
Another problem associated with sealing machinery relates to the reduction in the downstream speed of the wrapping material when seals are formed between the articles. This reduction in speed occurs when the wrapping material is collapsed between successive articles to form a seal whereby the distance between the successive articles is decreased. The speed of the wrapping material must be reduced or the packaging material will stretch and/or tear, resulting in the formation of a defective package. Another benefit of reducing the speed of the wrapping material is that the packages are wrapped more tightly. These more tightly wrapped packages use less film and are more cosmetically appealing. The reduction in the speed of the wrapping material during sealing is not a problem in sealing machinery having only a single sealing jaw because only one seal and cut may be made at a time so that a package being sealed and cut can change velocity without restraint. However, whenever two or more sealing jaws are simultaneously in contact with the wrapping material, and where these multiple sealing jaws are operated at a constant velocity, the closing action of the sealing jaws pulls excess film from downstream which results in an undesirable jerking motion of the wrapping material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,632 discloses an apparatus whereby the speed of the articles to be packaged and the wrapping material is adjusted at a heat sealing station in order to compensate for the reduction in velocity due to deformation of the material between the articles. In other words, the articles to be packaged and the wrapping material are decelerated during the sealing and cutting operation in order to compensate for the reduction in the length of the material due to the formation of gables. The sealed and severed packages together with the packaged articles are then accelerated to the incoming web speed before exiting the sealing station of the machine. Although the '632 patent responds to the reduction in speed of the wrapping material, it would be preferable to slow down the material in stages to reduce the stress on the material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,105 discloses a multi-stage sealing machine for sealing bag-like containers. A roll of flexible wrapping material is passed downstream to a first sealing station which seals the bottom sides of the container and forms a trough-like configuration in the bottom thereof. A second sealing station seals the sides of the container and a further station separates the cartons from the web. After the containers have been sealed along the sides, the containers pass downstream to a severing roll. The severing roll cuts the individual packages from the web and kicks the individual packages off at the ends where they are collected. The severing rolls rotate at a greater peripheral speed then the side sealing rolls so that the severed packages are given a thrust or kick and fall away from the end of the machine.
Despite these and other efforts in the art, there are needs for still further improvement.

Multi-station sealing system and method therefor


Systems and methods for addressing the cross domain issue using a similarity based classifier convolutional neural network. An input image is passed through a convolutional neural network that extracts its features. These features are compared to features of multiple sets of prototype representations with each set of prototype representations being extracted from and representing a category of images. The similarity between the features of the input image and features of the various prototype representations is scored and the prototype representation whose features are most similar to the features of the input image will have its label applied to the input image. The classifier is trained using images from a source domain and the input images are from a target domain. The training for the classifier is such that the classifier will be unable to determine if a specific data point is from the source domain or from the target domain.

Convolutional Neural Networks based methods achieve excellent results in large-scale supervised learning problems, where a lot of labeled data exists. Moreover, these features are quite general and can be used in a variety of vision problems, such as image captioning, object detection, and segmentation.
However, direct transfers of features from different domains do not work very well in practice, as the data distributions of domains might change. In computer vision, this problem is sometimes referred to as a domain shift. The most commonly used approach to transfer learned features is to further modify them through a process called "fine-tuning". In this case, the features are adapted by training the neural network with labeled samples from the new data distribution. In many cases, however, acquiring labeled data can be expensive.
Unsupervised Domain Adaptation deals with the domain shift problem. What is of interest are representations that are invariant to domains with different data distributions. In this scenario, the machine has access to a labeled dataset (called a source domain) and an unlabeled dataset (with a similar but different data distribution, called a target domain), and the objective is to correctly infer the labels to be assigned to the latter. Most current approaches are based on deep learning methods and consist of two steps: (i) learn features that preserve a low risk on labeled samples (i.e. the source domain) and (ii) make the features from both domains to be as indistinguishable as possible so that a classifier trained on the source domain can also be applied to the target domain.
Theoretical studies in domain adaptation suggest that a good cross-domain representation is one in which the systems are not able to identify from which domain the original input comes from. Most current approaches to domain adaptation achieve this goal by mapping cross-domain features into a common space using deep learning methods. This is generally achieved by minimizing some measure of domain variance (such as the Maximum Mean Discrepancy (MMD)), or by matching moments of the two distributions.
Another way to deal with the domain adaptation problem is to make use of adversarial training. In this scenario, the domain adaptation problem is cast as a minimax game between a domain classifier and feature learning. A neural network learns features that are, at the same time, as discriminative as possible (in the source domain) and as indistinguishable as possible (among the domains). In general, the classifier used in the source domain is a simple fully-connected network followed by a softmax over the categories (as in standard supervised learning). While this is, in principle, a good idea (given the representations are trained to be indistinguishable), it leaves the shared representation vulnerable to contamination by noise that is correlated with the underlying shared distribution.
From the above, there is therefore a need for systems and methods that provide solutions to the above issues while mitigating the shortcomings of the prior art.

Unsupervised domain adaptation with similarity learning for images


Inhibitor compounds and agents of Cathepsin C, CELA1, CELA3A and/or structurally related molecules thereto, compositions comprising same and uses thereof in the inhibition and/or prevention of cell and/or tissue necrosis are described. The compounds include thiazoles of Formula II,

Necrosis is considered to be a unique process of death of cells and living tissue, distinguished from apoptotic programmed cell death. Necrosis is characterized by cell swelling, chromatin digestion and disruption of the plasma and organelle membranes. Latter stages of necrosis are characterized by extensive DNA hydrolysis, vacuolation of the endoplasmic reticulum, organelle breakdown and cell lysis. The release of intracellular contents after plasma membrane rupture is a cause of inflammation seen with necrosis. Necrosis has long been viewed as an accidental pathological mode of cell death; however, recent studies have presented several lines of evidence indicating that necrosis is a regulated process.
Apoptosis, unlike necrosis, is energy dependent. Apoptosis is characterized by caspases activation and specific mode of DNA cleavage, however, both processes are absent in necrosis.
Cell death is a process that leads to the point of no return. For example, for liver cells submitted to total ischemia, cell death lies at approximately 150 minutes, which time scarcely any changes can be seen in histological sections. Necrosis is full-blown only after 12 to 24 hours. In other words, cells die long before any necrotic changes can be seen by light microscopy.
There are many causes of necrosis including, for example, prolonged exposure to injury, ischemia, anoxia, infarction, infection, cancer, poisons, venoms and inflammation. For instance, necrosis can arise from lack of proper care to a wound site.
Necrosis also plays a part in the pathology of several severe diseases including myocardial infarction, brain stroke, liver cirrhosis and other potentially lethal diseases. Heart failure, one of the biggest killers in the western world, is characterized by loss of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). It is well established that cell death by necrosis has a significant role in the cardiomyocyte loss that accompanies heart failure.
There are currently several existing therapies for necrosis, including, early and aggressive surgical debridement and exploration of necrotic tissue, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, high pressure oxygen therapy, administration of antibiotics, administration of anti-inflammatory drugs and administration intravenous immunoglobulins. However, these are all used with mixed success and a significant morbidity and mortality is attributable to complications of necrosis.
There are many causes of necrosis including, for example, prolonged exposure to injury, ischemia, anoxia, infarction, infection, cancer, poisons, venoms and inflammation. For instance, necrosis can arise from lack of proper care to a wound site. Necrosis also plays a part in the pathology of several severe diseases including myocardial infarction, brain stroke, liver cirrhosis and other potentially lethal diseases. Heart failure, one of the biggest killers in the western world, is characterized by loss of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). It is well established that cell death by necrosis has a significant role in the cardiomyocyte loss that accompanies heart failure.
Furthermore, the necrotic process contributes to problems associated with preserving a harvested organs and tissues prior to transplantation. Particularly, the process is involved in the deterioration of cardiac tissue during storage of a donor heart resulting in poor quality of same. Other examples are preservation and transplantation of skin flap, kidney, liver and other tissues. Necrosis is also involved in cytotoxicity to healthy tissues during chemotherapy.
Currently the only treatment for necrosis is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, these is no drug treatment for necrosis per se. That is why significant morbidity and mortality is attributable to complications of necrosis.
Certain elastases that catalyze the degradation of proteins have been preliminarily shown to be involved in necrotic cell death, and treatment of affected cells with certain (neutrophil elatase) inhibitor compounds prevented/treated cell necrosis in vitro when such inhibitors were used at hundreds micromolar concentrations (WO2003079969).
While these initial findings are encouraging, given the breadth of family members, the difficulty in a priori defining high affinity inhibitors that are effective in preventing/treating necrosis, and the lack of understanding which elastase family member is an effective target for treatment and prevention of necrosis and ideal therapy for same to date remains elusive.

Substituted thiazoles for preventing and/or treating cell or tissue necrosis

Abstract: where G1 is an optionally substituted pyrrolidine, an optionally substituted pyridine, an optionally substituted aryl, an optionally substituted piperidine, an optionally substituted piperazine, an optionally substituted imidazolidine, or an optionally substituted pyrazolidine. G3 is

Abstract: or G3 is an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted aryl or an optionally cyloalkyl. G2 is an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted aryl, an optionally substituted cyloalkyl or an optionally substituted heterocycle. Various applications for the described compounds, and combination therapies are described as well.


Surfactants of formula (I)

For surfactants and surface treatment agents with fluorochemical chains, longer perfluoroalkyl chains contain a higher percentage of fluorine at a given concentration and typically provide better performance. However, the fluorinated materials derived from longer perfluoroalkyl chains are more expensive. Reduction of the fluorine content with delivery of the same or higher performance is therefore desirable. Reducing the fluorine content would reduce the cost, but it is necessary to maintain product performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,698 discloses the reaction of a primary alkyl amine with two equivalents of a fluorinated acrylate-type ester to provide an addition product useful as water and oil repellent finish for fabrics.
It is desirable to improve surfactant performance and to increase the fluorine efficiency, i.e., boost the efficiency or performance of the surfactants so a lower proportion of the expensive fluorine component is required to achieve the same level of performance, or to have better performance using the same level of fluorine. Especially desirable would be surfactants with similar performance to current commercial products but having shorter perfluoroalkyl tails. The present invention provides such surfactants.

Abstract: Surfactants of formula (I)

Abstract: wherein                each R is independently hydrogen or a C1 to C4 alkyl group;        A is independently hydrogen or —C(O)—O—B;        Ro is a linear, branched or cyclic aliphatic group, or combination thereof, having from about 2 to about 100 carbon atoms, interrupted or substituted by 1 to about 50 hydrophilic groups, said hydrophilic groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, ether and mixtures thereof; wherein specific ratios of and bonding of hydrophilic groups to carbon atoms is required;        each B is independently of specific formulae containing perfluoroalkyl and —S(CH2)t—, and m, d, n, and t are 0 or integers with specific limitations.


For use with various types of devices conditioning radio signals, a temperature compensating cavity resonator includes a practicable and effective assembly. The resonator includes: a cavity resonator housing having an enclosing plate for enclosing the housing at a top edge, a base, and a surrounding wall extending from the top edge to the base; first and second opposing retainers located below the top edge and at the surrounding wall; a central post having a base end supported by the base of the housing and having a free end surface directed toward the top edge of the housing; and a temperature-compensating metal-based plate assembly including an upper strip extending from the first opposing retainer to the second opposing retainer and at a distance below the top edge, and including a lower strip having ends meeting the upper strip and having a center portion arranged over the free end surface and at a distance from the upper strip that varies in response to temperature to maintain a desired effect on energy passing through the cavity resonator housing.

Radio frequency (RF) equipment uses a variety of approaches and structures for receiving and transmitting radio waves in selected frequency bands. Typically, filtering structures are used to maintain proper communication in frequency bands assigned to a particular band. The type of filtering structure used often depends upon the intended use and the specifications for the radio equipment. For example, dielectric and coaxial cavity resonator filters are often used for filtering electromagnetic energy in certain frequency bands, such as those used for cellular and PCS communications.
The resonant frequency of certain resonators, known as low power factor concentric conductor transmission line resonators, partly depends on the projected length of the inner conductor, which changes in response to temperature variations. In stabilizing the resonant frequency of the line against changes due to variations in temperature, temperature-induced changes in this length are balanced or counteracted by changes in other dimensions. These counteracting dimensional changes have been achieved in various ways. For example, if a copper plate is used to form a cup-shaped wall over the top of a center conductor in the resonator cavity, the change in temperature causes the distance between the free end of the center conductor and the copper plate to change. This change affects resonant frequency and can be used to stabilize the resonator over temperature.
Another such temperature compensation scheme, using this general approach, employs a stabilizer strip fixed to a top plate (or cover) over the resonator cavity and facing the end of the center conductor. Securing the stabilizer strip to the top plate is labor intensive and can cause the resonator to become mistuned. Moreover, because the stabilizer strip is secured to the top plate, which is a relatively fixed point, differences in the lengths of resonator taps in adjacent resonators produce different distances between the heads of the resonator taps and the top plate. These differences are often on the order of millimeters, resulting in significantly different compensation requirements for different resonators. With these different requirements, using a single stabilizer strip design for the resonators can produce poor temperature compensation. To improve temperature compensation, this approach often involves redesigning the stabilizer strip dimensions for each cavity, increasing the complexity and cost of manufacture.

Temperature compensation structure for resonator cavity


A liquid monopropellant having. (1) from about 10 to about 80 weight percent of an substituted ammonium nate which is methylammonium nitrate, dimethylammonium nitrate, trimethylammonium nitrate, ethylammonium nitrate, diethylammonium nitrate, n-propylammonium nitrate, isopropylammonium nitrate, ethanolammonium nitrate, diethanolammonium nitrate, triethanolammonium nitrate, or mixtures thereof, PA1 (2) from about 5 to about 60 weight percent of ammonium nitrate, and PA1 (3) from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of water.. A second embodiment of this invention is a monopropellant in which ammonium nitrate is omitted and from about 60 to about 95 weight percent of the substituted ammonium nitrate and from about 5 to about 40 weight percent of water is used.

This invention relates to propellants and more particularly to liquid monopropellants.
Conventional liquid monopropellants contain components that are very corrosive or toxic. Otto fuel II, for instance, contains nitrate esters that are toxic, corrosive, and readily chemically degraded by metal contaminates. Other conventional liquid monopropellants usually contain either (1) hydrazine or its derivatives or (2) hydroxylammonium nitrate or its derivatives which are toxic, corrosive, and readily chemically degraded by metal contaminates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,057 titled, "Monopropellant Aqueous Hydroxyl Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel," which issued to Kurt F. Mueller et al. on Jun. 29, 1993, discloses monopropellants containing hydroxylammonium nitrate or derivatives there of such as the N-methyl, N-ethyl, O-methyl, or O-ethyl derivatives of hydroxylammonium nitrate.
It would be desirable to provide new liquid monopropellants which do not contain such corrosive and toxic ingredients. However, such new liquid propellants must be relatively inexpensive, energetic, be easy to handle, have low sensitivities, and have a good shelf life.

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


A vacuum receiver for a pneumatic conveyor for conveying, e.g., plastic pellets, having a receiving vessel with a material inlet, a material outlet and a conveying gas outlet. A first valve member is provided for opening and closing the conveying gas outlet, and a second valve member is provided for opening and closing the material outlet. Both valve members are connected to a common valve shaft and actuated by a single actuator mounted on a vessel lid. The vacuum receiver of the invention has the advantage of affording positive control and sealing of the material discharge valve while at the same time being economical to manufacture and easily cleaned.

The present invention relates to a new pneumatic conveying receiver with positive dump valve control, particularly for used as a vacuum receiver for a pneumatic conveying systems for conveying a particulate material, such as plastic pellets.
For many uses of bulk granular materials in the manufacturing environment a pneumatic transport system is the preferred method of bulk material handling. It allows the movement of a wide variety of materials through a simple tubular piping system. The low cost, easy installation, and when using vacuum as a motive power, minimal housekeeping since dust leaks are unlikely, make it a preferred selection. These systems will incorporate a power source such as a fan or blower, a source of material, a termination receiver, the connecting tube from the source to the receiver, and then on to the vacuum power unit, and a control device. In normal operation a simple system will load the individual receiver by engaging the air mover and allowing the source material to feed into the pickup end of the pipe, and separate at the receiver. This is done as a batch process to minimize costs associated with the valving of the material removal at the discharge of the receiver.
A typical construction of these units has an actuator, either air or electric to connect the receiver to the pneumatic power source, and a power operated discharge valve with a second actuator to discharge the conveyed product from the vessel. It is known to use air cylinders to provide power for operation of these valves, but when there are two separate functions, there are always two separate power units to maneuver the valves. The market for these devices is very cost sensitive, however, and if two air operators are used, the expense of the second actuator represents a significant cost disadvantage. In the exceptionally price competitive market of basic pneumatic conveying systems, the additional cost of an actuated discharge valve at each termination point can become prohibitive.
In a less costly arrangement, the expense of the second actuator may be avoided by using an un-powered, gravity-operated dump valve. A gravity operated discharge valve will allow the conveyed material to drop from the receiver after the vacuum dissipates when each batch has been completed. However, the lack of a positive actuation of the common gravity operated material dump valve mechanisms also leads to problems. In some cases this gravity operated valve will be blocked by stray granules of the material being handled, and consequently not transport a batch during the load cycle. Not infrequently such valves fail to properly seal due to the lack of a positive closing force. This failure to seal can prevent build-up of the necessary vacuum to draw further material from the pellet source to the vacuum receiver.
Thus, the usual construction of vacuum receivers uses either a gravity dump valve for the simple device, or an actuated material dump valve for the more positive seal. But when a gravity operated dump valve is used, there will be the opportunity to have a missed load cycle if the valve is partially open due to trapped granules at the sealing surfaces. And although use of a power actuated valve will overcome the usual trapped material at the seal, the cost of a second actuator device may render the apparatus prohibitively expensive.
The normal requirement for access to the internal vacuum receiver surfaces for cleaning and maintenance do not allow a convention linkage between the two valve devices to be used on a typical vacuum receiver. These units typically incorporate a funnel bottom, cylindrical vessel with the material dump valve at the lower end of the funnel. The upper end of the cylinder will be open, and a separate lid will cover the opening, and will usually hold or contain the air/material separator media, and the air outlet. Since the selection valve is associated with the lid and air outlet, a removable lid makes it unfeasible to link a dump valve device to the vacuum sequence selection valve on the air outlet.

Vacuum receiver with positive dump valve control