In a steering system 30, a transmission ratio R1 which is determined in dependence on the vehicle speed by reference to a transmission ratio decision map is multiplied with a first transmission ratio alteration gain g10 which is determined in dependence on the distribution of a traveling drive torque from an engine 11 to front wheels 14 and rear wheels 15, thereby to alter the ratio R1 of steering torque distribution from a steering handle 31 to the front wheels 14, whereby the variation of the steering feeling due to an increase or decrease in the distribution of the traveling drive torque to the front wheels 14 can be suppressed. Further, the transmission ratio R1 is multiplied with a second transmission ratio alteration gain g11 which is determined in dependence on the gradient of the road surface by reference to a second transmission ratio alteration map, thereby to alter the transmission ratio R1, whereby the variation of the steering feeling due to the variation of the gradient can also be suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering system capable of altering the mode in which steerable wheels follow to the manipulation of a steering handle, in dependence on the traveling state of a vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Heretofore, as steering systems of this kind, there have been known for example, an electric power steering device, (refer to Patent Document 1) capable of altering the assist force for the steering handle manipulation in dependence on the vehicle speed and a variable transmission ratio steering device capable of altering the transmission ratio between a steering handle and steerable wheels in dependence on the vehicle speed (refer to Patent Document 2). Further, there has recently been developed a vehicle capable of switching the vehicle drive mode between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode in dependence on the traveling state (refer to Patent Document 3), and it may be envisaged that the vehicle of this kind may be provided with a steering system like the aforementioned electric power steering device or the aforementioned variable transmission ratio steering device.
[Patent Document 1]: Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 2001-253357 (paras. [0008] to [0010])
[Patent Document 2]: Japanese Patent No. 3232032 (paras. [0020] and [0024])
[Patent Document 3]: Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 2003-127690 (paras. [0002] and FIG. 1)
By the way, where the gradient of the road surface on which a vehicle is traveling varies or where the drive mode is altered between the two-wheel drive mode and the four-wheel drive mode, a variation is also made in a friction resistance that the steerable wheels receive from the road surface by being steered. However, in the prior art steering system, steering controls are not performed to cope with changes in the road surface as well as the drive mode. Therefore, where the gradient of the road surface or the drive mode varies, it may be the case that variations take place in the steering resistance the driver receives on a steering handle as well as in the responsiveness of the vehicle turn to the steering manipulation, so that a strange feeling in steering may be given to the driver.


The present method describes a new method for the measurement of dark adaptation. The dark adaptation status of subjects may then be used to identify those subjects who are at risk of developing and/or who are currently suffering from a variety of disease states having their clinical manifestations in impaired dark adaptation. The disease states include, but are not limited to, age related macular degeneration, vitamin A deficiency, Sorsby's Fundus Dystrophy, late autosomal dominant retinal degeneration, retinal impairment related to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. An apparatus for administering the test method described is also provided.

The macula of the human eye, which is about 6 mm in diameter and covers the central 21.5 degrees of visual angle, is designed for detailed vision. The macula comprises a small cone-dominated fovea surrounded by a rod-dominated parafovea (Curcio 1990, J. Comp. Neurol. 292:497). Rods are responsible for vision in dim light while cones are responsive to bright light and colors. In young adults, the number of rods outnumbers cones by approximately 9:1. This proportion of rods to cones changes as individual's age. The health and function of the rod and cone photoreceptors are maintained by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the Bruch's membrane and the choriocapillaris (collectively referred to as the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex). The RPE is a dedicated layer of nurse cells behind the neural retina. The RPE sustains photoreceptor health in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, maintaining proper ionic balance, transporting and filtering nutrients, providing retinoid intermediates to replenish photopigment bleached by light exposure and absorbing stray photons. The RPE and the photoreceptors are separated by the choriocapillaris, which provides blood flow to the neural retina. Further separating the RPE and the choriocapillaris is the Bruch's membrane, a delicate vessel wall only 2-6 μm thick.
As the function of the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex is impaired, the result is deficient nutrient and oxygen transport to the photoreceptors and reduced clearance of by-products of bleaching, such as opsin. Therefore, as a result of the impairments of the function of the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex, the health and function of the photoreceptors may be impaired. This is especially true with the rod photoreceptors, which are responsible for scotopic, or dark-adapted vision. The impairment of the rod photoreceptors may lead to impairment in dark adaptation. Dark adaptation is defined as the recovery of light sensitivity by the retina in the dark after exposure to a bright light. In this regard, dark adaptation can essentially be viewed as a bioassay of the health of the RPE, the Bruch's membrane and the choriocapillaris, and impaired dark adaptation may be used as a clinical marker of disease states that impair one or more of the RPE, the Bruch's membrane and the choriocapillaris. Such disease states include, but are not limited to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD; which is also known as age-related maculopathy ARM), vitamin A deficiency, Sorsby's Fundus Dystrophy, late autosomal dominant retinal degeneration, retinal impairment related to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Patients with ARMD often have impaired dark adaptation as a result of the pathophysiology associated with ARMD. Dark adaptation may be particularly useful in this regard since deficits in dark adaptation generally occur before clinical manifestations of the disease state become evident.
Currently ARMD is the leading cause of new, untreatable vision loss in the elderly populations of the industrialized world (Mitchell 1995, Ophthalmology, 102:1450; Vingerling 1995, Ophthalmology, 102:205). With the increasing proportion of old adults in industrialized countries, the impact of ARMD on health care costs will worsen (Council 1998, Vision Research-A National plan 1999-2003; Executive Summary). ARMD is a heterogeneous disorder and is related to the breakdown of one or more components of the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex. As discussed above, impairment of the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex can impact the health and functionality of the photoreceptors and lead to impaired dark adaptation.
Early to intermediate ARMD is characterized by minor to moderate vision loss associated with extracellular lesions, and changes in the RPE pigmentation and morphology. The lesions between the RPE and the Bruch's membrane can be either focal (referred to as drusen) or diffuse (referred to as basal linear deposits). Advanced ARMD is characterized by severe vision loss associated with extensive RPE atrophy with or without the squelea of choroidal neovascularization (which is the in-growth of choroidal vessels through the Bruch's membrane and under the RPE in the plane of the drusen and/or the basal linear deposits). In the United States late stage ARMD accounts for 22% of monocular blindness and 75% of legal blindness in adults over the age of 50 (Klein 1995, Opthamol. Vis. Sci. 36:182). It is currently believed that ARMD is a multi-factorial process involving a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The principal treatment for late stage ARMD is photocoagulation of the aberrant blood vessels comprising the choroidal neovascularization. However, only a subset of patients with existing neovascularization will qualify for such treatment.
A potential treatment approach is to prevent or delay the onset of late stage ARMD. For example, the Age-related Eye Disease Study (2002) indicated that the intake of several anti-oxidant compounds (such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E in conjunction with zinc and copper) was beneficial in preventing neovascularization in intermediate ARMD patients with drusen in both eyes, which places them at high risk for developing advanced ARMD (AREDS report no. 8, 2001). A number of therapeutics such as anecortave acetate (Retaane; Alcon Labs), pegaptabnib sodium (Macugen; Eyetech), ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genetech) and combretastatin (CA4P; Oxigene) are in various stages of development. Other treatment options under investigation range from brachytherapy to rheopheresis, and observational studies have been examining possible protective roles for anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering drugs.
However, these approaches require that patients at risk for ARMD or other disease states that impact the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex and/or dark adaptation be identified early enough so that preventive measures can be undertaken. Furthermore, advising patients whether the risk and cost of a treatment is warranted requires the ability to monitor whether their disease progression is affected by their course of treatment. Such a diagnostic method suitable for widespread, clinical use is currently not available in the art. The present disclosure provides such a method to identify deficits in dark adaptation and describes an apparatus capable of carrying out said method. Such deficits in dark adaptation may be used to identify those at risk for developing disease states that impact the RPE/Bruch's membrane complex and/or dark adaptation and tracking the disease/treatment progression among those already affected by the disease.

Method and apparatus for the detection of impaired dark adaptation


Disclosed is a method and apparatus providing the capability to create a dynamic associative branch target buffer (BTB). A dynamically based associative BTB allows for either an increase number of entries and/or a reduction in area over current based static based BTBs while up to retaining the same confidence level of prediction accuracy.

The art of pipeline processor performance improvements is vast; however, performance improvements usually come at the cost of chip area and power. One methodology for improving processor performance is the modification of a branch target buffer (BTB) used in branch target prediction where performance improvements can be made while reducing area.
A basic pipeline microarchitecture of a microprocessor processes one instruction at a time. The basic dataflow for an instruction follows the steps of: instruction fetch, decode, register read, execute, and write back. Each stage within a pipeline occurs in order and hence a given stage can not progress unless the stage in front of it is progressing. In order to achieve highest performance for the given base, one instruction must enter the pipeline every cycle. Whenever the pipeline has to be delayed or cleared, this adds latency which in turn can be monitored by the performance with which a microprocessor carries out a task. While there are many complexities that can be added on to a pipeline design, this sets the groundwork for branch prediction theory.
There are many dependencies between instructions which prevent the optimal case of a new instruction entering the pipeline every cycle. These dependencies add latency to the pipeline. One category of latency contribution deals with branches. In a pipeline processor, an instruction must be decoded at every clock cycle in order to sustain the pipeline, yet the branch decision doesn't occur until the Execution stage (i.e., after the Instruction Fetch, and Instruction Decode/Register Fetch Stages). This delay in determining the proper branch to take is called a "Branch Hazard" One solution to the Branch Hazard is to make assumptions or predictions about the branch being taken or not taken. For example, when a branch is decoded, it can either be taken or not taken. In this context a branch is an instruction which can either fall through to the next sequential instruction, i.e., "not taken," or branch off to another instruction address, "taken", and carry out execution of a different series of code. At decode time, the branch is detected, and must wait to be resolved in order to know the proper direction the instruction stream is to proceed. By waiting for potentially multiple pipeline stages for the branch to resolve the direction to proceed, latency is added into the pipeline; this is the "Branch Hazard.".
To overcome the latency of waiting for the branch to resolve, the direction of the branch can be predicted such that the pipeline begins decoding either down the taken or not taken path. At branch resolution time, the guessed direction is compared to the actual direction the branch is to take. If the actual branch direction and the guessed branch direction are the same, then the latency of waiting for the branch to resolve has been removed from the pipeline in this scenario. If, however, the actual branch direction and the predicted branch direction miscompare, then decoding proceeded down the improper path and all instructions in this path behind that of the improperly guessed direction of the branch must be flushed out of the pipeline, and the pipeline must be restarted at the correct instruction address to begin decoding the actual path of the given branch. Because of controls involved with flushing the pipeline and beginning over, there is a penalty associated with the improper guess and latency is added into the pipeline over simply waiting for the branch to resolve before decoding further. By having a proportionally higher rate of correctly guessed paths, the ability to remove latency from the pipeline by guessing the correct direction out weighs the latency added to the pipeline for guessing the direction incorrectly.
One method of reducing Branch Hazard latency is the implementation of a Branch History Table (BHT) to improve the accuracy of the branch guesses. Specifically, to improve the accuracy of the guesses associated with the guess of a branch, the branch history table (BHT) can be implemented. The Branch History Table facilitates direction guessing of a branch based on the past behavior of the branch. If the branch is always taken, as is the case of a subroutine return, then the branch will always be guessed as taken. IF/THEN/ELSE structures become more complex in their behavior. A branch may be always taken, sometimes taken and not taken, or always not taken. Based on the implementation of a dynamic branch predictor, this will determine how well the BHT predicts the direction of the branch.
When a branch is guessed as taken, the target of the branch is decoded. The target of the branch is acquired by making a fetch request to the instruction cache for the address which is the target of the given branch. Making the fetch request out to the cache involves minimal latency if the target address is found in the first level of cache. If there is not a hit in the first level of cache, then the fetch continues through the memory and storage hierarchy of the machine until the instruction text for the target of the branch is acquired. Therefore, any given taken branch detected at decode has a minimal latency associated with it that is added to the amount of time it takes the pipeline to process the given instruction. Upon missing a fetch request in the first level of memory hierarchy, the latency penalty the pipeline pays grows higher and higher the further up the hierarchy the fetch request must progress until a hit occurs. In order to hide part or all of the latency associated with the fetching of a branch target, a branch target buffer (BTB) works in parallel with a BHT.
Given a current address which is currently being decoded from, the BTB can search for the next instruction address which contains a branch from this point forward. Along with storing the instruction address of branches in the BTB, the target of the branch is also stored with each entry. With the target being stored, the address of the target can be fetched before the branch is ever decoded. By fetching the target address ahead of decode, latencies associated with cache misses can be minimized to the point of time it takes between the fetch request and the decode of the branch.
However, even with the Branch History Table and Static Branch Target Buffer, there is substantial latency, and, thus, a clear need exists for an apparatus and method to improve the fraction of correctly guessed paths and to thereby reduce the latency of the pipeline.

Dynamically adaptive associativity of a branch target buffer (BTB)

International Business Machines Corporation


Wheels for goods wagons with small and large diameters, in addition to wheel sets equipped with wheels of this type for running gear, which are dependent on a highly passive radial positioning when negotiating curves and must remain stable at high speed. The inventive wheel profile is characterized as a result of the relatively large entry radius into the transition area from the running surface to the wheel flange by a low equivalent conicity. This enables a quieter running of the wheel set when the latter is travelling in a straight line. In curves, there is a sufficient rolling circle differential, permitting less wear and tear.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wheels for railway goods wagons of varying measuring circle diameters, and wheel sets for running gears having such wheels.
2. Description of Related Technology
UIC Instruction Sheet 510-2 VE, International Railway Union, Beuth-Verlag GmbH, 10787 Berlin, sets out the conditions for the construction and maintenance of wheels for passenger train and goods wagons used in international traffic. It covers wheel diameters from 330 to 1000 mm, and indicates for these the wheel set loads permissible in terms of the material loading of the wheel and rail. The profile of the wheel (running profile) is described in the UIC Instruction Sheet with reference to different areas. The running profile of the wheel exhibits an inner wheel rim or tire front face to which is connected the wheel flange. The flange of the running profile is described by the inner wheel flange flank, the top of the wheel flange and the outer wheel flange flank. The wheel flange passes into the groove of the running profile, to which is connected the running surface. This is followed by the inclination of the outer running surface section, the outer bevelling of the running profile and the outer wheel rim or tire front face. The running profile is further described by the wheel flange height, the wheel flange thickness, the wheel rim or tire width, the measuring circle diameter, the radii of the top of the wheel flange, the radius of the running profile groove and the angle of the outer wheel flange flank. The profile is always described in the solid coordinate system whose origin (y=0, z=0) lies in the measuring circle plane (750 mm from the central plane of the wheel set).
Reference is also made to the Decree concerning the Construction and Operation of Connecting Railways, in the wording of the corresponding Federal State BOA, the Railway Construction and Operating Order (EBO), the Railway Construction and Operating Order for Connecting Railways (model) (EBOA), the Regolamento Internazionale Carrozze (RIC) and the Regolamento Internazionale Veicoli (RIV).
There are different wheel profiles of prior art, examples of which include the wheel profile S1002 (UIC 510-1), which is commonly used in bogies for goods wagons with wheel sets of normal size, and wheel profile SBB32-3, which is used in preference in truck on train wagons with small wheel sets. Profiles with an extremely flat running surface are also known for achieving the flattest possible hunting movement.
The wheel profile S1002 is a profile that is adapted to a rail gradient of 1:40 and which is characterized in that during the wearing process it remains almost unchanged in shape over the running path, and varies only slightly in terms of its running characteristics. To this extent the profile S1002 may be regarded as a wearing profile. The flange angle of the wheel flange is 70°. The disadvantage of this profile is that it develops a slight difference in radius between the right and left wheel due to the minimal displacement in the wheel channel, particularly on rails with a built-in gradient of 1:20. This has a particularly negative effect in the case of running gears with non-self-steering axles, for example in Y25 bogies. Because of the absence of ΔR function, the wheel set is unable to develop sufficient steering force to force the bogie smoothly into the curve on contact with the wheel flange. As a result of contact with the wheel flange, jerking steering movements and hence high quasi-static transverse forces are experienced, which may easily exceed the limit values for route loading. This applies particularly to the negotiation of tight curves. A further disadvantage is the variable derivation of the ΔR function at a line gradient of 1:20.
The wheel profile SBB32-3 was developed specially for small wheel tread diameters, and again for truck on train wagons. In contrast to the profile S1002, it is characterized in particular by the steeper flank angle of 75° instead of 70°. The relevant area of the running surface has a flatter slope and hence a lower wheel tread difference than the profile S1002. The wheel flange width of 135 mm is identical to that of the S1002. The radius of 216 mm at entry into the slope of the wheel flange commences in the center of the measuring circle plane. After approx. 26 mm in the direction of the flange the radius of 216 mm passes into the radius of 17.7 mm, then passes into the radius of 13 mm after a further 7 mm. With a wheel flange thickness of 32.3 mm, the profile SBB32-3 also lies within the range of the profile S1002.
The disadvantage here is that in the case of the profile SBB32-3 there is hardly any self-controlling function of the wheel set because of the relatively small difference in radius between the right and left wheel due to the displacement of the wheel set in the wheel channel (ΔR function). A further disadvantage is the variable derivation of the ΔR function in the transition from the running surface to the wheel flange, which renders the use of larger wheel tread radius differences impossible. Because of the low conicity of the wheel profile, there is sufficient running stability in the straight line. The wheel profile is not dimensionally stable.
A further disadvantage of the above-mentioned wheel profiles lies in the fact that the Y/Q values are too high.


A toy vehicle launcher includes a launching station together with an aligned spring-driven striker shuttle for launching toy vehicles from the launcher. The launcher further includes a vehicle magazine having an inclined ramp for storing vehicles and sequentially feeding the lowest vehicle to the launcher station as a preceding vehicle is launched. A trackway is coupled to the launcher and includes an intersection having a straight-through path and an angled return path. The trackway includes a curve to guide toy vehicles from the straight-through path to the angled path. Simultaneous entry of toy vehicles on the straight-through path and the angled path result in a dramatic collision.

Toy vehicle tracksets are well known and are well established in the art and are provided in a wide variety of designs and function. The track portion of most current tracksets utilizes trackways formed of extended lengths of molded plastic flexible track portions and interlocking or cooperating connectors allowing the track portions to be formed into the desired shape of track. Others, however, still utilize relatively rigid track structures such as trackways formed of wood or paper based materials as well as large scale molded plastic trackways. In some trackways, a plurality of electrical conductors are situated upon the track and are coupled to a source of operative power. In such toy vehicle tracksets, the toy vehicles utilized employ power pickup contacts and an onboard motor and drive mechanism. In one such toy vehicle trackset, the conductors are supported within a center slot running the length of the trackway. Such tracksets have been known generally as "slot cars". Still other toy vehicle tracksets utilize vehicles having an internal battery power source together with an electric motor to provide propulsion.
Despite the progress in various types of powered toy vehicles for tracksets, the majority of such tracksets still utilize unpowered free-wheeling cars. The method of propulsion for free-wheeling unpowered cars with tracksets is subject to substantial variety. Probably the simplest propulsion is found in a trackset ramp which utilizes gravity and a severe slope in the trackset to launch the vehicles from a higher position to a lower position. Still other toy vehicle tracksets utilize spring-driven launchers often employing a moving ram which is spring-powered and which fires a toy vehicle from a launch position by impact. Still others utilize a speed booster or accelerator within the trackway. Such boosters are usually provided by a pair of soft resilient disk-like wheels placed on opposed sides of a trackway portion which are rotated at high speed to engage the vehicle passing therethrough and impart additional energy to the vehicle.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,030 issued to Ostendorff, et al. sets forth a RAPID ACTION TOY VEHICLE LAUNCHER having a generally planar base supporting a pair of angularly disposed downwardly sloped feed ramps having a plurality of vehicles thereon. A pivotally supported carriage defines a pair of angularly disposed launching stations for receiving toy vehicles alternately between the feed ramps. A movable spring-loaded striker is operative in response to handle motion to strike the toy vehicle positioned within the launch position and to drive the vehicle outwardly from the launcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,991 issued to Sano sets forth a TOY TRACKWAY having a pair of side-by-side track portions, one of which utilizes a spring-driven launcher at one end thereof. The side-by-side track portions are coupled by a double vertical loop arranged such that a launched toy vehicle traverses one track portion to enter the double loop and exits the double loop to traverse the remaining track portion in the opposite direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,066 issued to Kennedy, et al. sets forth a TOY VEHICLE LAUNCHER AND SOUND GENERATOR having a hexagonal magazine rotatably mounted on a frame and having a plurality of pairs of open-ended chambers therein. As the magazine is rotated, toy vehicles are shifted from the magazine to a launch position. A spring-loaded ram is supported in the base and is operative to launch an aligned vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,923 issued to Hippely, et al. sets forth a TOY VEHICLE PLAYSET FOR THERMOCHROMIC VEHICLES having a trackset including a vehicle launcher, a straight track portion, a vertical loop track portion, a water tank and an exit trackway. Toy vehicles having thermochromic finishes thereon are launched from the launcher traversing the track and the loop and passing through the temperature changing water bath and thereafter exiting the trackset.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,661 issued to Hanson sets forth a MULTIPLE VEHICLE LAUNCHER having a flower-like rotating magazine positioned above a downwardly sloped trackway. The magazine provides support for a radially positioned plurality of toy vehicles and as the magazine rotates, each toy vehicle is launched down the trackway when it comes into alignment therewith.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved amusing and cost efficient toy vehicle tracksets.

Toy vehicle trackset having rapid-fire launcher


An environmental control system includes a catalytic reactor and a post treatment filter for cleaning incoming air, and a vapor cycle system for conditioning the air.

The present invention relates to environmental control systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to an environmental control system including a vapor cycle system and an air filtration system for removing chemical and biological agents, toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) and toxic industrial materials (TIMs).
An air cycle system may be used to condition incoming air to a desired temperature, pressure, and humidity before the air is supplied to an enclosed environmental space. Aircraft cabins and gas turbine-powered tanks are typical of the enclosed environmental spaces that allow air cycle systems to be used.
In certain applications, it is highly desirable to remove nuclear, chemical and biological (NBC) agents from the air before the air reaches the enclosed environmental space. Protection against NBC agents may be provided via packed beds of impregnated activated carbon and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.
For closed environmental spaces where the air is not pressurized, vapor cycle systems (VCS) are often used to condition the air. Such environmental spaces may include helicopters, buildings, tents, diesel and gasoline-powered tanks, and shelters.
However, removing NBC agents can be a problem. Packed beds of carbon may be employed, but they are less efficient in unpressurized air streams because of their pressure drop and because adsorption is more difficult at lower pressures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Environmental control system including vapor cycle system and isothermal CATOX/PTF


A method for determining whether a subject has had a stroke and, if so, the type of stroke which includes analyzing the subject's body fluid for at least four selected markers of stroke, namely, myelin basic protein, S100 protein, neuronal specific enolase and a brain endothelial membrane protein such as thrombomodulin or a similar molecule. The data obtained from the analyses provide information as to the type of stroke, the onset of occurrence and the extent of brain damage and allow a physician to determine quickly the type of treatment required by the subject.

This application is directed to a method for diagnosing whether a subject has had a stroke and, if so, differentiating between the different types of stroke. More specifically, the method includes analyzing the subject's body fluid for at least four selected markers of stroke. There are also described diagnostic devices and kits for use in the method.
The impact of stroke on the health of human beings is very great when considered in terms of mortality and even more devastating when disability is considered. For example, stroke is the third leading cause of death in adults in the United States, after ischemic heart disease and all forms of cancer. For people who survive, stroke is the leading cause of disability. The direct medical costs due to stroke and the cost of lost employment amount to billions of dollars annually. Approximately 85% of all strokes are ischemic (thrombotic and embolic) with the remainder being hemorrhagic.
Stroke is an underserved market for both therapeutics and diagnostic techniques. In the United States alone over 700,000 people have strokes each year. A multiple of that number would be suspected of having strokes with diagnostics only confirmed by expensive technology including computer-assisted tomography (CAT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, these sophisticated technologies are not available in all hospitals and they are also not sensitive enough to diagnose ischemic stroke at an early stage.
Stroke is a clinical diagnosis made by a neurologist, usually as a consultation. Current methods for diagnosing stroke include symptom evaluation, medical history, chest X-ray, ECG (electrical heart activity), EEG (brain nerve cell activity), CAT scan to assess brain damage and MRI to obtain internal body visuals. A number of blood tests may be performed to search for internal bleeding. These include complete blood count, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, serum electrolytes and blood glucose.
Determining the immediate cause of a stroke can be difficult especially upon presentation where the diagnosis relies mainly on imaging techniques. Approximately 50% of cerebral infarctions are not visible on a CAT scan. Further, even though a CAT scan can be very sensitive for the identification of hemorrhagic stroke, it is not very sensitive for cerebral ischemia during evaluation of stroke and is usually positive at from 24 to 36 hours after onset of stroke. As a result a window of opportunity for rapid treatment would usually have expired once the current diagnostic techniques positively identify a stroke.
The treatment of stroke includes preventive therapies such as antihypertensive and antiplatelet drugs which control and reduce blood pressure and thus reduce the likelihood of stroke. Also, the development of thrombolytic drugs such as t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) has provided a significant advance in the treatment of ischemic stroke victims but to be effective and minimize damage from acute stroke it is necessary to begin treatment very early, for example, within about three hours after the onset of symptoms. These drugs dissolve blood vessel clots which block blood flow to the brain and which are the cause of approximately 80% of strokes. However, these drugs can also present the side effect of increased risk of bleeding. Various neuroprotectors such as calcium channel antagonist can stop damage to the brain as a result of ischemic insult. The window of treatment for these drugs is typically broader than that for the clot dissolvers and they do not increase the risk of bleeding.
Diagnostic techniques for the early diagnosis of stroke and identification of the type of stroke are needed to allow the physician to prescribe the appropriate therapeutic drugs at an early stage in the cerebral event. Various markers for stroke are known and analytical techniques for the determination of such markers have been described in the art. As used herein the term "marker" refers to a protein or other molecule that is released from the brain during a cerebral ischemic or hemorrhagic event. Such markers include isoforms of proteins that are unique to the brain.
It has been reported in the literature that myelin basic protein (MBP) concentration, in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) increases after sufficient damage to neuronal tissue, head trauma and AIDS dementia. Further, it has been reported that ultrastructural immunocytochemistry studies using anti-MBP antibodies have shown that MBP is localized exclusively in the myelin sheath. Thus, it has been suggested the MBP levels in CSF or serum be used as a marker of cerebral damage in acute cerebrovascular disease. See Strand, T., et al., Brain and plasma proteins in spinal fluid as markers for brain damage and severity of stroke, Stroke (1984) 15; 138-144. The increase in MBP concentration in CSF is most evident in about four to five days after the onset of thrombotic stroke while in cerebral hemorrhage the increase was highest almost immediately after onset. See Garcia-Alex, A., et al., Neuron-specific enolase and myelin basic protein: Relationship of cerebrospinal fluid concentration to the neurologic condition of asphyxiated full-term infants, Pediatrics (1994) 93; 234-240. It has also been found that patients with transitory ischemic attack (TIA) had normal CSF values for MBP while those with cerebral infarction and hemorrhage had elevated values. In cerebral infarction there was a significant increase in MBP concentration in CSF from the first to second lumbar puncture while patients with intracerebral hemorrhage had reached already markedly elevated levels at the first lumbar puncture. It was reported that the kinetic difference in MBP release may be useful in the differential diagnosis of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. MBP levels in CSF also correlated to the visibility of the cerebral lesion at CT scan and to the short-term outcome of the patients. Further, the concentration of MBP increased with the extent of brain lesion and high values indicated a poor short-term prognosis for the patient. See Strand, T. et al, previously cited.
S100 protein is another marker which may be taken as a useful marker for assessing neurologic damage and for determining the extent of brain damage and for determining the extent of brain lesions. Thus, it has been suggested for use as an aid in the diagnosis and assessment of brain lesions and neurological damage due to stroke. See Missler, U., Weismann, M., Friedrich, C. and Kapsi, M., S100 protein and neuron-specific enolase concentrations in blood as indicators of infarction volume and prognosis in acute ischemic stroke, Stroke (1997) 28; 1956-60.
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) also has been suggested as a useful marker of neurologic damage in the study of stroke with particular application in the assessment of treatment. See Teasdale, G. and Jennett, B., Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness, Lancet (1974) 2; 81-84.
There continues to be a need for diagnostic techniques which can provide timely information concerning the type of stroke suffered by a patient, the onset of occurrence, the location of the event, the identification of appropriate patients who will benefit from treatment with the appropriate drug and the identification of patients who are at risk of bleeding as a result of treatment. Such techniques can provide data which will allow a physician to determine quickly the appropriate treatment required by the patient and permit early intervention.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method for rapidly diagnosing and distinguishing stroke.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for distinguishing between thrombotic strokes and hemorrhagic strokes.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method which includes analyzing the body fluid of a patient for at least four markers of stroke.
It is yet another object to provide a method which can provide information relating to the time of onset of the stroke.
It is still another object to provide diagnostic assay devices for use in the method.

Method for diagnosing and distinguishing stroke and diagnostic devices for use therein


The present invention relates to a device for generation of a reference electrical voltage. The device includes a first current generator outputting a current proportional to temperature. The first current generator comprises at least one operational amplifier and two branches in parallel, a first branch comprising a first current source and a first bipolar transistor, and a second branch comprising a second current source, a first resistance and a second bipolar transistor. A second current generator outputs a current conversely proportional to temperature. The device includes means of summating the currents so as to obtain a voltage independent of the said temperature, and means of reducing dependence of the current circulating in the said first branch on the value of the said first resistance. The reduction means comprises at least one second resistance with a non-adjustable value.

The main purpose of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages according to prior art.
More precisely, one purpose of the invention is to provide a technique for generation of an electrical reference voltage that has a better precision than reference voltages generated using techniques according to prior art. One particular purpose of the invention is to improve the precision of the reference voltage generated with regard to temperature variations and/or technological parameters for manufacturing of components (particularly when using polysilicon resistance type components).
In other words, the purpose of the invention is to provide a technique for generating a reference electrical voltage to reduce the dispersion of the output voltage from a "bandgap" type device.
Another purpose of the invention is to propose such a technique that is simple and inexpensive to implement, and which does not require adjustment of specific components.
In particular, the purpose of the invention is to provide such a technique that will limit actions necessary to adjust the values of components after they have been assembled, when their operating conditions change.
Another purpose of the invention is to propose such a technique that does not significantly increase the complexity of reference voltage generation devices compared with prior art.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide such a technique that is suitable for devices for generation of low electrical reference voltages for which operation is based on summation of currents.

Electric reference voltage generating device of improved accuracy and corresponding electronic integrated circuit


A lighting device for a vehicle includes: a transparent rod shaped light guide member having an incident surface of lights in an end face; a light source which is arranged so as to be opposed to the incident surface of the rod shaped light guide member and generates heat at a temperature or higher than a softening point of the rod shaped light guide member, lights emitted from the light source being allowed to be incident on the rod shaped light guide member from the incident surface so that the rod shaped light guide member emits lights in a linear form; and a transparent heat insulating part arranged between the light source and the incident surface of the rod shaped light guide member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle having a rod shaped light guide member which emits lights in a linear form.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a lighting device for a vehicle which illuminates an inner part and an outer part of the vehicle, for instance, a lighting device shown in FIG. 4 is known. This lighting device 50 for a vehicle includes a rod shaped light guide member 51, a light source 53 and a guide case 55. The rod shaped light guide member 51 is formed with a transparent resin in the shape of a rod and has an incident surface 52 of lights on an end face. The light source 53 is formed with a semiconductor element such as a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on, for instance, a substrate 54. The light source 53 is arranged under a state that the light source is opposed to the incident surface 52 of the rod shaped guide member 51. The guide case 55 is provided with a tubular holding part 56 having both ends opened. An end part 51a of the rod shaped light guide member 51 is inserted into the holding part 56 so that the end part 51a is positioned. Then, when the light source 53 is turned on, lights emitted from the light source 53 are incident on the rod shaped light guide member 51 through the incident surface 52. When the lights are propagated in the rod shaped light guide member 51, the rod shaped light guide member 51 emits lights in a linear form to illuminate surroundings.
In the lighting device 50 for a vehicle, as the rod shaped light guide member 51 is more distant from the light source 53, a quantity of the lights incident on the rod shaped light guide member 51 through the incident surface 52 of the lights emitted by the light source 53 is more reduced. Accordingly, a light emission efficiency of the rod shaped light guide member 51 is deteriorated. Thus, the light source 53 is preferably allowed to come close to the rod shaped light guide member 51 from a view point of prevention of the light emission efficiency from being deteriorated.
As the above-described rod shaped light guide member 51, are exemplified a rod shaped light guide member formed with a plurality of members and having a layer structure that the plurality of members are laminated on concentric circles and a rod shaped light guide member formed with a single member and having no layer structure.
Further, the latter rod shaped light guide member 51 is roughly divided into two types. As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4463246, the rod shaped light guide member 51 as one of the types is provided with a reflection structure formed with a reflection surface such as a groove in an outer part of a molded body of a transparent resin. In the rod shaped light guide member 51 of this type, lights incident from an incident surface are reflected and scattered by the reflection surface of the groove, and accordingly, the lights are outputted from another surface, so that the lights are emitted in a liner form.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5341391, the rod shaped light guide member 51 of the other type is formed with light scattering particulates which are dispersed. In the rod shaped light guide member 51 of this type, the lights which are allowed to be incident from an incident surface 52 are scattered by the light scattering particulates to emit lights in a linear form.
In recent years, the lighting device 50 for a vehicle having the above-described structure is applied not only to a relatively dark illumination, but also to a lighting device for a vehicle which requires a brightness to illuminate an outer part of the vehicle. Thus, a voltage applied to the light source 53 is increased, so that a quantity of heat generation of the light source 53 is liable to increase. Accordingly, there is a fear that when the light source 53 is allowed to come close to the rod shaped light guide member 51, if heat of the light source 53 is transmitted to the rod shaped light guide member 51 through the incident surface 52, the rod shaped light guide member 51 may possibly undergo a thermal damage depending on a space between them. For instance, in the case of the rod shaped light guide member 51 having no layer structure, the rod shaped light guide member 51 is softened. Further, in the case of the rod shaped light guide member 51 having the layer structure, there is a fear that an interlayer peeling may possibly arise due to heat. In this case, a difference arises in a light scattering property or transparence between a peeling part and other parts than the peeling part.


A combined connector comprising an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals. The insulative housing has a mating face and a rear face connecting with two opposite top face and bottom faces, and defines a plurality of terminal insertion slots. Each terminal comprises a mounting portion and a soldering portion. The mounting portions are received in the terminal insertion slots, and the soldering portions are exposed out of the terminal insertion slots and separately located below the bottom face. The housing further having a hollow portion extending through the top face to the bottom face and corresponding to the soldering portions below the bottom face. The hollow portion allows for the easy inspection of the solder joint quality of the terminals under the housing. The terminals are fixed only by the base portions of the mounting portions thereof to reduce the overall dimension of the connector.

With the quick development of mobile phones in recent years, most people favor the mobile phone because it exceeds the location limitations of the wired phone. Regarding the carrying of the mobile phone, users commonly like small light weight configurations. Therefore, the design is directed to the reduction of size and weight of every component so as to reduce the over all size and weight of the mobile phone. At the same time there must be good conductive connections between all of the electrical components to maintain the quality of the signal transmission and reception. As is will known a mobile phone must provide electrical connections for an earphone, a charger and a microphone.
Referring to FIG. 1, a combined connector in the prior art includes an insulative housing 5, a charging contact unit 7, an earphone contact unit (not shown) and a microphone and its contact unit (not shown). The insulative housing 5 is integrally designed with a flat outer surface 50. The charging contact unit 7 includes terminals with varied types of structure and configuration and is received in the housing 5. The housing 5 has a mating surface 51 for engagement by a mating connector of a charger to engage the charging contact unit 7.
The above-mentioned prior art connector, includes a housing used for positioning and fixing the different types of terminals. The number of the terminals are increased as the functions provided by the connector are increased. Soldering of the terminals to a printed circuit board is difficult for the portions of some of the terminals which are located between the bottom of the housing and the printed circuit board. For the hard to locate terminals, solder joint quality is difficult to control, and depends upon the control of time and temperature. It is also difficult to inspect solder joints hidden between the housing bottom and the printed circuit board. As shown above the combined connector in the prior art is too large and the quality of the solder joint is difficult to maintain.


A driving separation indication system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor, a control and at least one indicator. The control is operable to process an image captured by the imaging sensor representative of a scene occurring exteriorly of the subject vehicle and to detect another vehicle via processing of the image. The control is operable to determine a threshold interspacing distance in response to a speed of the subject vehicle, and is operable to determine a distance from the subject vehicle to the detected other vehicle. The control is operable to at least occasionally actuate the indicator in response to the distance from the subject vehicle to the other vehicle being less than or equal to the threshold interspacing distance. The control may generally continuously determine the speed of the vehicle and the threshold interspacing distance to provide an appropriate threshold interspacing distance.

Drivers which allow an insufficient distance between their vehicle and the vehicle ahead of their vehicle may cause a traffic accident if the leading vehicle suddenly slows down. In the event of the driver of the leading vehicle responding to a situation with hard braking, the driver of the following vehicle may have insufficient time to notice and react to the illumination of the leading vehicle's brake lights, determine the required severity of braking, and decelerate sufficiently to avoid running into the rear of the leading vehicle. This error in judgment of a safe separation distance appears to increase at higher speeds, often resulting in catastrophic or even fatal accidents. The introduction of a center high mounted stop light (CHMSL) has greatly improved the rate at which the following driver notices the illumination of the leading vehicle's brake lights. However, this does not help reduce the driver's reaction times or vehicle braking rates.
Typical driver reaction times may vary between approximately 0.5 seconds and approximately 1.5 seconds, depending on how much a driver may be "driving ahead", that is, monitoring traffic activity ahead of the leading vehicle. The vehicle's braking system also has a response time, and the degree of braking achieved depends on the weight of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, the design of the brake system, the state of wear or repair of the brake system, the design and degree of wear of the vehicle tires, the road surface, weather conditions and/or any other design parameters or conditions which may affect the stopping rate or deceleration of the vehicle. Many of these factors may also affect the ability of the driver of the following vehicle to control the vehicle path under severe braking conditions, which often results in an increase in the damage caused during this type of accident.
Many organizations concerned with road safety publish recommendations for safe separation distances between vehicles driving along a road. In some cases, these recommendations are made in meters, feet or car lengths at particular speeds quoted in kilometers per hour or miles per hour. In other cases, the driver is advised to note the distance traveled by his or her vehicle in a particular number of seconds as a separation guide. However, the driver's inability to retain this advice, relate the advice to a particular traffic condition at any time, and adhere to the advice is one of the causes of the type of accident described above.
A vehicle driver typically has two main concerns in this regard. First, whether the separation distance behind a leading vehicle is sufficient, and second, whether a following vehicle is too close to be able to react safely in the event of an emergency. Forward separation is the responsibility of the vehicle driver and is generally under his or her control. However, rearward separation is the responsibility of the driver of the following vehicle and is generally not under the control of the driver of the leading vehicle. However, it is not uncommon, if a driver is threatened by the closeness of a following vehicle, for the driver of the leading vehicle to tap the brake pedal in order to illuminate the vehicle brake lights, thus causing the following driver to brake and increase the separation distance between the vehicles.


A single transducer element that is capable of oscillation at a plurality of natural resonant frequencies may be used in an ultrasonic imaging catheter assembly including a catheter body configured to be inserted and guided through the vascular system of a living being, a lumen and a rotatable imaging core adapted to pass through the lumen, the imaging core including a flexible drive-shaft. Because the transducer element is capable of oscillation at a plurality of natural resonant frequencies, a user can switch from one frequency to another in order to improve the depth of field or resolution without having to switch out the catheter or imaging core.

In recent years, the use of ultrasound systems for medical diagnostics has continued to grow. Ultrasonic systems are used in a vast array of medical fields and diagnostic areas. As the desire to use ultrasonic imaging systems has grown, so has the level of sophistication of those systems.
To assist physicians and staff in performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a number of ultrasonic imaging systems have been designed for use with catheters. In general, these systems comprise a single transducer element, frequently made of piezoelectric material, attached to the distal portion of an imaging catheter. The imaging catheter is inserted into the patient so that the transducer is positioned to image a desired region of the patient's anatomy.
Such catheters typically operate by sending an electrical signal or excitation pulse to the transducer. The transducer then converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy, which propagates into a patient's surrounding body tissues as ultrasonic waves. The frequency of the emitted ultrasonic waves are a function of the resonant frequency of the transducer element and the frequency content of the excitation pulse. The ultrasonic waves are reflected back to the transducer as reflected signals or echoes, which the transducer converts into an electrical signal, which is used to produce an image of the patient's anatomy.
By operating with a transducer having only one resonant frequency, however, the focusing capability of the imaging catheters is limited. The frequency of emitted sound waves is a function of the resonant frequency and bandwidth of the transducer element and the frequency content of the excitation pulse, and can only be altered by varying the excitation pulse frequency. As a result, the ability of the single resonant frequency transducer element to be focused at different depths into the surrounding tissue is limited.
Other catheter systems attempt to solve the focusing problem by switching out the catheter or imaging core during operation so that the replacement catheter would contain a transducer element with a different frequency. However, this method of catheter replacement is very time-consuming which necessarily makes the imaging procedure longer than is necessary.
Therefore, there exists a present need to provide a multiple resonant frequency transducer for an imaging catheter system, which is capable of providing high quality ultrasound images at different depths without having to switch out the catheter or the imaging core.

Transducer with multiple resonant frequencies for an imaging catheter


The invention concerns a device for wet etching an edge of a semiconductor disk.

The invention concerns a device for wet etching an edge of a semiconductor disk.
Such devices are known from EP 0 297 648 B1 and EP 0 368 334 B1, for example.
For instance, for the production of chips on so-called smart cards (e.g. credit cards) or SIM cards (e.g. for mobile phones) the respective first products, the so-called wafers (semiconductor disks), having a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm, for example, have to be reduced to a material thickness of 50 to 200 xcexcm, for example.
This is effected, for example, by grinding and then polishing but also by thin etching by wet chemical methods.
The edge of the wafer being initially rounded has a wedge-like or arrow-like shape afterwards.
From that the problem results that in transport of the wafers, for example, other components as well as the edge of the wafer itself may be damaged by the correspondingly razor-sharp edge. This is particularly true, if the wafer is ground to the desired thickness, as microcracks (hair cracks) develop because of the high stress.
In order to xe2x80x9cdeburrxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cremove the sharpness ofxe2x80x9d the edge of a semiconductor, EP 0 297 648 B1 proposes to pass the rotating semiconductor disk at the edge portion thereof through a cushion impregnated with an acid, the edge being etched and partly removed thereby.
According to EP 0 368 334 B1, the same object is achieved through a device, wherein the periphery of the rotating wafer is guided against a groove of a rotating roller being coated with an etchant.
It is a disadvantage of both methods and devices that additional pieces of device (cushion, grooved roller) are required and a mechanical contact of the wafer edge and those additional pieces of device being necessary for removing the edge. In that, particles may penetrate off the cushion and contaminate the wafer, for example. In addition, irregularities may result in the very thin wafer edge by the mechanical contact.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of the type mentioned above, which allows to deburr (remove) wafer edges in a defined manner without the risk of soiling the wafer.
The basic idea of the invention is to direct an etching fluid selectively to the edge portion (edge region) to be treated of the wafer so that the etching fluid contacts only the wafer edge and no mechanical connection exists between the wafer edge and adjacent components.
First, in that context it would have suggested itself to direct the etching fluid vertically from above onto a wafer lying horizontally on a support and rotating. That technology proved to be of no use, because always the bottom of the wafer was undesirably etched as well. The reason for that seems to be that the acid diffuses (penetrates) into the wafer matrix, is heated by an exothermal reaction of the etching process and dissolves silicon out of the semiconductor disk on the bottom of the wafer.
Finally, it was found in extensive experiments that the object of the invention is achieved, if the etching fluid is directed onto the edge region of the wafer in the form of a jet which runs at an angle  less than 90 and  greater than 0 degrees with respect to the plane of the semiconductor disk, particularly at an angle between 1 and 25 degrees.
Because of that xe2x80x9cinclinationxe2x80x9d of the jet of etching fluid the etching fluid xe2x80x9csoftlyxe2x80x9d hits the wafer edge and is thrown off again in the direction of supply of the etching fluid after an extremely short time of treatment.
Moreover, that technology facilitates the supply of the jet of etching fluid to a defined surface portion of the edge of the semiconductor disk to be treated, which surface portion depends on the size of the etching jet and may be infinitesimally small.
In its most general embodiment, the invention concerns a device for wet etching the edge of a semiconductor disk, having the following features:
a support having a support surface for receiving rotationally the semiconductor disk, as well as
a nozzle disposed above the semiconductor disk, the mouth portion of which is designed and oriented so that a jet of etching fluid coming out of the mouth portion hits a defined surface portion of the edge of the semiconductor disk to be treated at an angle  greater than 0 and  less than 90 degrees with respect to the plane of the semiconductor disk.
In principle, the nozzle or the mouth portion may be oriented radially with respect to the semiconductor disk. In this case, the etching fluid leaves the nozzle above the center of the semiconductor disk. Here, the mouth portion is oriented and the fluid pressure is adjusted so that the jet of fluid hits the wafer edge xe2x80x9cfrom the center towards the outsidexe2x80x9d exactly in the edge region to be treated of the wafer.
According to another embodiment which proved to be particularly effective, the mouth portion of the nozzle is oriented so that the jet of etching fluid runs in a tangential direction with respect to the edge. In other words, the nozzle or its mouth portion is situated outside the semiconductor disk and the mouth portion is substantially oriented in a tangential direction with respect to the edge of the semiconductor disk. But here again the mouth portion is oriented so that the jet of etching fluid runs with an inclination of one of the angles mentioned above with respect to the plane of the semiconductor disk and hits the edge to be treated of the semiconductor disk.
The latter embodiment is explained in detail in the description of the figures below.
The nozzle or the mouth portion of the nozzle may be oriented so that the jet of etching fluid hits only a surface portion of the edge of the semiconductor disk, which faces the nozzle. So, the nozzle or the mouth portion is exactly positioned in such a manner that the jet of fluid completely hits the edge portion of the wafer and does not freely pass the wafer edge, not even part of it. In this way, an effect of the etching fluid as high as possible is achieved, on the one hand, and any risk of a so-called xe2x80x9cundercutxe2x80x9d (etching of the side of the wafer opposite the nozzle) is avoided, on the other hand. Finally, the whole used etching fluid may be collected again and recycled into the system in that way.
This holds particularly for the tangential supply described above of the jet of etching fluid which accordingly is thrown off the wafer edge in a tangential direction afterwards and may be collected.
The tangential or almost tangential supply of the etching fluid prevents any uncontrolled spraying-off of the etching fluid in hitting the wafer edge, because the etching fluid may be supplied in the direction of rotation of the wafer.
In this context, another embodiment of the invention proposes to form and position the nozzle so that the jet of etching fluid has a flow rate in hitting the edge of the semiconductor disk, which corresponds maximally to the peripheral velocity of the semiconductor disk.
Namely, it was surprisingly found that not only the shape of the etching jet affects the deburring of the wafer edge but also the pressure (the flow rate) of the etching fluid is substantial for an optimized deburring of the wafer edge. Contrary to the supposition that a particularly high flow rate is advantageous it was found that the flow rate should be less, preferably up to ten times less than the peripheral velocity of the semiconductor disk. For that reason, also a laminar flow of the etching fluid is advantageous.
Starting out from conventional wafers having a diameter of 150 to 300 mm, for example, the mouth portion of the nozzle may have a diameter between 0.2 and 1.0 mm. While the peripheral velocity of the waver is usually about 20 m/s, the flow rate of the etching fluid should be between 90 and 50% below that.
According to an embodiment, the nozzle or its mouth portion is oriented so that the jet of the etching fluid hits the wafer edge at an angle between 1 and 25 degrees, with respect to the plane of the wafer.
Finally, the invention proposes to form the device having a support which has at least one nozzle leading into the support surface for receiving the semiconductor disk in accordance with the Bernoulli principle. For example, an appropriate support follows from EP 0 611 273 A1 or WO 97/03457. In this way, it is guaranteed that the bottom of the wafer, which faces the support, and also the support itself cannot be wetted by the etching fluid, i.e. not even, if the etching jet does not completely hit the upper side of the wafer edge, as described above.
Further characteristics of the invention follow from the features of the subclaims as well as the other application documents.

Device for wet etching an edge of a semiconductor disk


The invention relates to a module (23) for recovery of energy of an aircraft cabin (5) comprising at least one air outlet (16) from the cabin and at least one fresh air inlet (15) into the cabin, the said module comprising: a turbine engine (30) comprising a compressor (31) and a turbine (32) mechanically coupled to one another; a cabin-air recovery duct (42) designed to be able to link the air outlet (16) from the cabin and the said turbine (32); a cabin-air injection duct (41) designed to be able to link the compressor (31) and fresh air inlet (15) into the cabin; an emergency duct (43) designed to be able to link a high-pressure air source and the said turbine (32); a control unit (25) configured to be able, according to predetermined operational conditions, to activate either a routine mode, in which the said turbine (32) is exclusively supplied by the air evacuated from the cabin (5), or an emergency mode, in which the said turbine (32) is exclusively supplied by the air provided by the high-pressure air source.

Throughout the text, the term "cabin" refers to any interior space of an aircraft, for which the pressure and/or temperature of the air must be controlled. This can be a cabin for passengers, the cockpit, a hold, and, in a generalised manner, any area of the aircraft that requires air at a controlled pressure and/or temperature. The term "turbine" refers to a rotating device intended to use the kinetic energy of the air to cause a shaft supporting the blades of the turbine to turn. The term "compressor" refers to a rotating device intended to increase the pressure of the air that it receives on the inlet side.
An environmental control system of an aircraft cabin is known to comprise a device for the bleed of compressed air from at least one compressor of a propulsion engine of the aircraft and an air cycle turbine engine comprising at least one compressor and one turbine, the compressor being supplied air by the compressed air bleed device after passing through a flow or pressure control valve, and the turbine comprising an air outlet supplying the cabin with air, referred to as fresh air, at controlled temperature and flow. The system furthermore includes various heat exchangers, control valves and a water extraction loop.
The air bleed from the propulsion engines of the aircraft increases the fuel consumption. Moreover, various solutions have been proposed in order to limit as much as possible this air bleed from propulsion engines.
One of the solutions that has already been proposed consists in recovery of a part of the energy of the air evacuated from the cabin to supply a turbine of a turbine engine that is mechanically linked to a compressor intended to compress ambient air that is bled outside of the aircraft. In so doing, the energy of the cabin is used to supply compressed air to the air conditioning system, by means of the turbine engine, thereby partially removing the need to bleed air from a propulsion engine.
One of the drawbacks that remains with such a system concerns the phases of flight during which the outlet flow from the cabin is no longer sufficient to supply the turbine of the turbine engine or when the pressure difference between the cabin and the ambient environment is insufficient from an energy point of view. In such a case, the recovery of the cabin energy is not operational and the mechanisms dedicated to this recovery of energy then become a useless burden that impacts the energy performance of the aircraft.
The inventors have therefore sought to propose a new solution to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art solutions.

Autonomous aircraft cabin energy recovery module and corresponding method


There is provided a flexible bag with a removable coupon and the method and apparatus for the manufacture thereof. A labeling machine sequentially provides a coupon assembly comprising an adhesive portion and a coupon portion to bag stock which is inputted into the bag making machine. The bag stock is then cut to form individual bags having removable coupons thereon.

This invention relates to flexible bags and more particularly to bags having removable coupons affixed thereto and a method and apparatus for the manufacture thereof.
It has long been the desire of manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and other sellers of products, goods, and services to efficiently reach consumers with promotional advertising in the form of coupons. Sellers often place coupons in newspapers or magazines to attract customers. However, because many persons in a certain market area do not subscribe to newspapers or magazines containing such coupons, the seller is incapable of reaching those persons. Also, newspapers and magazines are often saturated with ads and coupons. Consequently, such ads may fail to get noticed.
Sellers have recognized that consumers must eventually go to the store to purchase goods. As such, it would be advantageous to place coupons on grocery or shopping bags knowing that such coupons would reach the hands of the consumer. However, prior approaches for applying a coupon to a plastic or paper bag have been deficient; for example, the coupons may not have been easily removable, may not have been attractive to the consumer, or may have damaged the structure of the bag when removed. In addition, prior approaches have been deficient or lacking in applying different coupons sequentially to different bags being formed in the same manufacturing line to prevent inundating the marketplace with just a single coupon. For example, if the average consumer, when going grocery shopping, requires two grocery bags, the manufacturer may not wish that the consumer have two of the same coupons. Moreover, the consumer may wish to have two different coupons for promoting two different products.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,804,323, Des. 229,896 and Des. 237,780 to Bemel disclose affixing coupons to the bottom of a paper grocery bag which may be torn away from the edges which are affixed to the bag. However, these patents do not disclose how to apply such coupons to the bottom of the paper bags and do not suggest that such coupons may be placed in any other location. U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,323 further discloses a paper bag in which a marginal portion of the mouth of the bag contains coupons connected thereto by a perforation. However, tearing off the coupons in such a manner may damage the bags, limiting their reusability. Larger bags can be reused as garbage bags and smaller bags can be used as lunch bags when such bags are undamaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,586 to Gale et al. discloses a strip of coupons which are perforated along a margin thereof defining a margin portion and a detachable coupon portion, the margin portion being adhered to the inside of the front panel of a paper grocery bag. The coupon strip-applying apparatus is designed and positioned to apply the coupon strip at the beginning of the bag-making process. The clarity of the information imprinted on the strip is generally not very distinct and thus may not be attractive to the eye of the consumer.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,909,636 and 5,011,466 to DeMatteis et al. discloses a plastic bag tear off coupon wherein the coupon is readily severed at its bottom scoring from the front bag wall. The coupon is imprinted and dispensed as an integral part of the bag manufacture. However, because the coupon is formed integrally with the plastic bag, the clarity of the information imprinted on the coupon is generally not very sharp.
Consumers may tend to be unwilling to go to the trouble of tearing off coupons from bags perhaps because of the unattractiveness of the coupons placed upon bags which the prior art has provided or because of the difficulty in removing the coupon from the perforations which fasten the coupon to the bag. In addition, the plastic material of some bags may be unsuitable for use as a coupon from the consumers' perspective. Accordingly, there is a need for an inexpensive and efficient way to provide bags having high quality coupons applied thereon which are attractive to the consumer and easily removable such that the consumer will wish to make use of the coupon.
Consequently, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and efficient way to apply high quality coupons to bags so that the coupons are attractive to the consumer yet are easily removable and do not stick to the hands, handbag, wallet, or purse of the consumer.
It is a another object of the invention to provide removable coupons which may be applied to both plastic and paper bags.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a bag manufacturer with the capability of applying different coupons sequentially to different bags being formed in the same manufacturing line to avoid inundating the marketplace with just a single coupon.

Flexible bag with a removable coupon and a method and apparatus for the manufacture thereof


A camera assembly including first and second rotating members and a motor assembly defining a first axis and operably coupled to first rotating member to drivingly rotate first rotating member. A flexible member operably couples first and second rotating members such that rotation of first rotating member causes rotation of second rotating member. A camera is operably coupled to second rotating member such that rotation of second rotating member repositions camera. The motor assembly includes a flange having an outer circumference defining a plurality of teeth and bearing against a support surface. The outer circumference defines a radially variable distance from first axis such that rotation of outer circumference against support surface displaces first axis relative to second rotational member and thereby adjusts a tensional force in flexible member. At least one pawl mechanism is fixed relative to support surface and is engageable with outer circumference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adjustable cameras and, more particularly, to pan, tilt, zoom cameras wherein a belt driving the rotational movement of the camera about an axis can be easily and selectively tensioned.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) surveillance camera assemblies commonly use stepper motors to affect the pan and tilt motion of the camera. Such assemblies often include a timing belt operably coupling a small sprocket attached to the motor shaft to a larger sprocket attached to the camera. In operation, the rotation of the motor shaft drives the rotation of the small sprocket. The rotation of the small sprocket, via the belt, affects the rotation of the larger sprocket and, thereby, the movement of the camera. However, tolerances of the camera assembly components may vary from one assembly to the next. Such variances can produce camera assemblies having a belt that is either too loose or too tight. Belts that are too loose may produce hysteresis or slippage that adversely affects preposition accuracy of the camera assembly. Furthermore, a loose belt may shift entirely out of engagement with one or both of the sprockets, thus causing a failure of the assembly. If the belt is too tight, it can be difficult or impossible to assemble and attempts to assemble the belt drive may result in damage to the belt or other components. If assembled, the overly tight belt may induce premature wear of the belt or other components due to excessive forces generated by the overtightened belt.
Some known camera assemblies include a means for selectively adjusting the tension of the belt during assembly to thereby provide the proper belt tension. For instance, dome cameras, available from Bosch Security Systems, Inc. having a place of business at Fairport, N.Y., U.S., are known to use the tilt assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1. The assembly 10 includes a plate 11 having a first opening 12, through which a first rotating member 15 is received, and a second larger opening 13 for receiving a second rotating member (not shown). A motor assembly 14 is engaged to the first rotating member 15 and is mounted to the plate 11 using screws 16, 17. A belt (not shown) operably couples the first rotating member 15 to the second rotating member. To adjust the tension of the belt, the motor assembly 14 is pivoted about pivot screw 16, thus causing the first rotating member 15 to move within first opening 12 and toward or away from second opening 13. Securing screws 17 slide within adjustment slots 18 during pivoting of the motor assembly and are subsequently tightened to secure the motor assembly in position. Although the Bosch dome camera provides an effective means for selectively adjusting the tension of the belt, the use of pivot screw 16 and securing screws 17 presents additional loose hardware that must be assembled.
Pelco dome cameras, available from Pelco, Orangeburg, N.Y., U.S., are known to use the tilt assembly 19 shown in FIG. 2. Tilt assembly 19 includes a plate 20, a motor assembly 21 rotatably mounted in a pocket defined at one end of the plate 20, and a tilt bearing 24 rotatably mounted at the opposite end of the plate 20. A belt (not shown) is positioned on the underside of the plate 20 and connects the rotating members (not shown) of motor assembly 21 and tilt bearing 24. Motor assembly 21 includes an eccentric cam portion 22 and a tab 23. A captive locking screw 25 is provided that engages tab 23. As captive locking screw 25 is adjusted, it moves tab 23 causing motor assembly to rotate within the pocket of plate 20. As the motor assembly 21 rotates in the pocket, eccentric cam portion 22 engages the wall of the pocket causing the motor 21 to move toward or away from the tilt bearing 24, thereby tightening the belt.
Although the known systems provide for the selective tensioning of a belt drive system for a PTZ camera, an improved assembly is desirable.

Adjustable camera with belt tensioning apparatus


An aqueous latex coating composition and method of making an aqueous latex coating composition that comprises at least one oligomeric ethylene glycol derivative having the structure RO—(CH2—CH2—O—)n—H, at least one latex polymer, and water, wherein R is H or C1-C4 alkyl and preferably H, and n is from 3 to 9, preferably from 3 to 8, and more preferably from 3 to 6. The oligomeric ethylene glycol derivative functions as both a coalescing solvent and freeze-thaw stabilizer without contributing to the VOC content of the composition.

Aqueous latex coating compositions, such as latex paints, are used for a variety of applications, typically for the decoration or protection of surfaces. The latex coating compositions contain latex binders, typically emulsion polymers, maintained in liquid solvents. Upon application of the coating materials, the solvents evaporate and the binders harden into a mechanically rigid state while binding pigments, fillers, and other additives.
Several types of additives may be added to the latex coating compositions to improve their performance. For instance, latex compositions are often unstable at low temperature and when exposed to cycles of freezing and thawing. Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are often used as anti-freeze additives to prevent the composition from freezing and to improve performance of the composition at low temperatures.
Additionally, coalescing solvents are often used as additives to lower the minimum film forming temperature (MFFT) of the composition, which allows the coating to be applied at lower temperature. Exemplary coalescing solvents include 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate and 2-ethylhexyl benzoate. The coalescing solvents also affect the scrub resistance, i.e. durability, and blocking resistance, i.e. hardness, of the resultant coating.
Many of the additives used as coalescing agents and anti-freeze agents are effective for their purposes but are becoming less and less desirable because they are VOC's. After application of the latex composition to a substrate, the VOC's slowly evaporate into the surroundings. As permissible VOC levels continue to decrease as a result of increased environmental regulations, a need has developed in the art to produce latex compositions with lower VOC levels. However, there is also a need to maintain the performance of latex compositions even at these lower VOC levels.
Furthermore, the goal of achieving good coalescing properties, evidenced by good scrub resistance, has long been considered antagonistic to the goal of achieving good freeze-thaw stability, particularly in the absence of VOC solvent additives. Scrub resistance generally worsens as the MFFT of the latex increases and approaches the ambient curing temperature. Coalescing solvents, typically VOC's, have conventionally been added to lower the MFFT of coating compositions to improve the low temperature coalescence properties of the compositions. However, as the MFFT of an emulsion polymer is reduced, the freeze-thaw stability of the composition diminishes. Poor freeze-thaw resistance has traditionally been offset by the addition of ethylene or propylene glycol, each considered to be a VOC, which act as anti-freeze in the compositions. Thus, in the past, production of latex coating compositions having improved scrub resistance and freeze-thaw stability has required the addition of various VOC solvents.
Recent attempts to eliminate VOC's while maintaining acceptable coating performance have focused on modification of the latex binder to make it capable of coalescing in the absence of a coalescent additive. However, modification of the binder polymer tends to reduce at least one of low temperature coalescence, freeze-thaw resistance, or scrub resistance of the resulting coating compared to otherwise similar unmodified polymers applied with VOC additives.
It is, therefore, desired to produce an aqueous latex coating composition with reduced or no VOC content without reduction in coalescence, freeze-thaw stability, or scrub resistance, and without required modification of the latex binder.

Low-VOC emulsion polymer coating compositions


A method for preparing a nanostructured aluminum alloy involves heating an aluminum alloy workpiece at temperature sufficient to produce a single phase coarse grained aluminum alloy, then refining the grain size of the workpiece at a temperature at or below room temperature, and then aging the workpiece to precipitate second phase particles in the nanosized grains of the workpiece that increase the ductility without decreasing the strength of the workpiece.

Nanostructured (NS) materials formed by severe plastic deformation techniques such as rolling, drawing, and extrusion are much stronger than their coarse-grained (CG) counterparts. However, applications for these types of nanostructured materials are limited because these techniques, which reduce the grain size and increase the strength, also reduce the ductility. As a result, these types of nanostructured materials possess very low (nearly zero) uniform tensile elongation, which results in necking immediately after yielding in tension. The onset of localized deformation in tension is governed by the equation
                                          (                                          ∂                σ                                            ∂                ɛ                                      )                    ɛ                ≤        σ                            (        1        )            where σ is the true stress, and ε is the true strain. The loss of strain hardening during severe plastic deformation results from the reduction of the dislocation storage capacity in the tiny grains of the materials. The loss of dislocation storage capacity in these high strength materials makes them prone to plastic instability (early necking), which leads to lower uniform elongation.
Recent efforts have been made in improving the ductility of nanostructured materials by increasing the dislocation storage capacity of the grains to regain the strain hardening that is lost due to small grain sizes. The strategies employed in regaining the strain hardening generally involve tailoring the microstructures of the materials and changing the tensile conditions. Y. Wang et al. in "High Tensile Ductility in a Nanostructured Metal," Nature, vol. 419, October 2002, pp. 912-916, for example, describe a method for improving strain hardening in copper by rolling copper at liquid nitrogen temperature to suppress dynamic recovery and allow the density of accumulated dislocations to reach a higher steady state level than what can be achieved at room temperature. Afterward, the material is annealed at a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius. The result is a material having a bimodal grain size distribution of micrometer size grains embedded in a matrix of nanocrystalline and ultrafine grains. The matrix grains impart high strength while the inhomogeneous microstructure induces strain hardening in the material. This method has also been described in U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2004/0060620 to Ma et al. entitled "High Performance Nanostructured Materials and Methods of Making the Same".
Valiev et al. in "Paradox of Strength and Ductility in Metals Processed by Severe Plastic Deformation," Journal of Materials Research, vol. 17, no. 1, January 2002, pp. 5-8, describe that treatment of copper by cold rolling to a thickness reduction of 60 percent significantly increased the strength but dramatically decreased the elongation to failure (which is a quantitative measure of ductility). Valiev et al. report that treatment of copper to two passes through an equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) die also increased the strength of the copper but decreased the ductility. However, continued deformation of the copper for a total of sixteen passes through the ECAP die increased both the strength and the ductility, and the increase in ductility was even greater than the increase in strength. Similar results were observed by subjecting titanium to high-pressure torsion. Transmission electron micrographs of the resulting ultrafine-grained materials show that the mean grain size for these materials is about 100 nm for copper and for titanium.
Youssef et al. in "Ultratough Nanocrystalline Copper With a Narrow Grain Size Distribution," Applied Physics Letters, vol. 85, no. 6, 9 Aug. 2004, pp. 929-931, describe a method of preparing high strength copper with good ductility. The method involves milling copper powder at liquid nitrogen temperature, then flattening the milled powder, and then welding the powder to form thin flakes. Continued milling at room temperature and at cryogenic temperatures induced in situ consolidation of the flakes into fully dense nanocrystalline copper spheres having high yield strength (770 MPa) and good ductility.
Wang et al. in "Tough Nanostructured Metals at Cryogenic Temperatures," Advanced Materials, vol. 16, no. 4, 17 Feb. 2004, pp. 328-331, describe a method for preparing nanostructured metals by equal channel angular pressing followed by cold rolling. The study found that strength and ductility can be improved at low temperatures and high strain rates. However, the method does not work at room temperature and quasi-static service conditions.
Horita et al. in "Achieving High Strength and High Ductility in Precipitation-Hardened Alloys," Advanced Materials, vol. 17 (2005) pp. 1599-1602, describe processing an Al-10.8 wt % Ag by first heating the alloy to dissolve second phase particles, then refining the grain size by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), and then annealing. This process rendered the alloy with both high strength and good ductility.
The strategies used in the above methods attempt to regain the strain hardening of nanostructured materials and improve the ductility by increasing the dislocation storage capacity of the materials. However, improvements in the ductility are always accompanied by a decrease in the strength.
There remains a need for nanostructured materials having improved ductility, but not at the expense of strength.

Preparation of nanostructured materials having improved ductility


A camera having a flash, a focal plane shutter, a mechanism for changing a size of a film frame by changing a size of an aperture of the camera, and a mechanism for setting a flash synchronized shutter speed. The focal plane shutter has a leading-shutter-curtain and a trailing-shutter-curtain, which are moved in a vertical direction of the aperture to thereby open and close the aperture. The changing mechanism changes the aperture size in the vertical direction to obtain a panoramic style frame and a standard frame. The setting mechanism sets the flash synchronized shutter speed to a high speed when the aperture is changed to a panoramic style frame having a vertical size which is smaller than that of a standard frame. The output of the flash can be started at a time at which a trailing edge of the leading-shutter-curtain passes a lower side of the panoramic style frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera which is provided with a flash and in which the size of a photograph frame (hereinafter referred to simply as a frame) can be changed by changing the size of an aperture of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known conventional single lens reflex camera, when a flash mode is set, in which a flash of intense light is output, a shutter speed is automatically changed to a speed that is synchronized with the output of the flash. The flash-synchronized shutter speed (hereinafter referred to as synchronized speed, but usually known as an X sync speed) is determined by the time between a point at which the output of the flash is begun and a point at which the output of the flash is ended, and is usually set to a predetermined constant time. When the time for which the shutter is fully open is longer than or equal to the predetermined constant time, light output by the flash illuminates the entire area of the frame to be photographed. Therefore, in a conventional camera, a shutter speed at which the shutter can be held in a fully open position for the predetermined constant time is set as the synchronized speed.
FIG. 1 shows the relationship between an operation of the shutter and an open state of an aperture, wherein the vertical axis denotes the vertical direction of movement of the aperture, and the horizontal axis denotes the time. As shown in the figure, reference numeral 51 shows a movement locus along which a trailing edge of a leading-shutter-curtain is moved, and reference numeral 53 shows a movement locus along which a leading edge of a trailing-shutter-curtain is moved; i.e., these reference numerals 51 and 53 show characteristic lines of movement of the shutter as a whole. Further, reference numeral 61 shows a position of an upper side of a normal aperture (full size), and reference numeral 63 shows a position of a lower side of a normal aperture. An area limited by the leading-shutter-curtain movement characteristic line 51 and the trailing-shutter-curtain movement characteristic line 53 is that within which the aperture is open.
When the shutter speed is indicated by T.sub.A and the fully-open time is indicated by T.sub.C, the fully-open time T.sub.C is a time (t.sub.A -t.sub.X) beginning at a time t.sub.X at which the leading-shutter-curtain movement characteristic line 51 crosses the lower side 63 and ending at a time t.sub.A at which the trailing-shutter-curtain movement characteristic line 53 crosses the upper side 61. Note, a conventional camera is provided with an X contact that is turned ON at the time t.sub.X so that the flash is output in synchronization with a movement of the leading-shutter-curtain, by this ON operation of the X contact.
As described above, in a focal plane shutter, an upper limit of the synchronized speed (i.e., the highest shutter speed) depends upon a time from that at which the leading-shutter-curtain has fully opened the aperture to a time at which the trailing-shutter-curtain begins to close the aperture; i.e., the time for which the shutter is fully open.
Recently, a camera has been developed by which a picture can be taken in a standard frame size and in a panoramic style frame size; this panoramic effect is obtained by reducing the vertical height of the aperture, to thereby form a rectangular frame in which the vertical sides thereof are much shorter than the horizontal sides. Namely, in this camera, the size of aperture can be changed between the standard size and the panoramic style size. When the aperture size is reduced to obtain a panoramic style picture, a space between the upper side 61 and the lower side 63 of the aperture is reduced in FIG. 1. Therefore, a time for which the aperture is fully open is prolonged, even though the same shutter speed is used as that for the standard frame. Note, preferably the synchronized speed is as high as possible when photographing with a daylight synchronized flash, but in a conventional camera the synchronized speed is constant, regardless of the size of the aperture.