An agricultural machine includes a float cylinder interconnecting a header linkage system and a frame of the machine. A first rod side accumulator and a second rod side accumulator are both in fluid communication with a rod side fluid port of the float cylinder. A first accumulator control valve is positioned to control the first rod side accumulator, and is selectively controllable between an open position allowing fluid communication between the first rod side accumulator and the rod side fluid port of the float cylinder, and closed position blocking fluid communication between the first rod side accumulator and the rod side fluid port of the float cylinder. The system provides a slower first float response with the first accumulator control valve open, and a faster second float response with the first accumulator control valve closed.

Some agricultural machines are configured to receive or connect to a cutter head for cutting standing crop material. Such agricultural machines may be referred to as self-propelled windrowers and may often be configured to operate with several different styles and/or sizes of cutter heads. Each different size and/or style of cutter head may have different recommended operating settings for a header linkage system connecting the cutter head to the agricultural machine.
The agricultural machine and the attached cutter head may be configured to cut different crop materials. The crop materials include forages and grains. Because the crop materials have different characteristics, the header linkage system and cutter head may have to be positioned differently for different crop materials, or different cutter heads may have to be used for different crop materials.
Two commonly used styles of cutter heads include rotary style cutter heads which are often used for cutting forage crops, and draper style cutter heads which are often used for cutting grain crops. Each of the rotary style cutter heads and the draper style cutter heads may additionally come in different sizes. Both the rotary style cutter heads and the draper style cutter heads may be operated in either a fixed height operating condition, in which a position of the header linkage system is fixed relative to the frame of the agricultural machine so that the cutter head maintains a fixed height above the ground surface, or a float operating condition in which the header linkage system is allowed to move vertically relative to the frame to track the ground surface as the agricultural machine travels across the ground surface.
When operating in the float operating condition, it is desirable for the header linkage system to exhibit different operating characteristics for the different style of cutter heads, i.e., the rotary style cutter head and the draper style cutter head. For example, because the rotary style cutter heads may be moved more quickly across the ground surface compared to the draper style cutter heads, it is often desirable for the header linkage system to be configured to exhibit a quick floatation response to quickly move the cutter head downward to maintain contact with the ground surface. In contrast, because the draper style cutter heads use a sickle cutter-bar, they are moved more slowly across the ground surface than the rotary style cutter heads and are more sensitive to plugging with mud. Accordingly, it is often desirable for the header linkage system to be configured to exhibit a slow floatation response to move the draper style cutter heads downward at a more controlled rate so that the sickle cutter-bar does not dig into the ground surface.

Windrower variable rate header floatation system


An expanding structure of a lamp comprises a seat; a plurality of supporting frames rotatably installed to a periphery of the seat; one end of each supporting frame being connected to the seat and other end of the supporting frame being connected to a respective lamp body; a stand tube extending from an upper end of the seat; a lead passing through an interior of the stand tube; a plurality of adjusting wires extending from a periphery of the stand tube; one end of each adjusting wire being connected to the supporting frame near the lamp body. A ring encloses the stand tube; the ring includes a connecting portion and a clamping portion; the connecting portion encloses around the stand tube. A motor is installed to the retainer. At least one pull wire is installed between the motor and the ring.

In the prior art ceiling lamps or stand lamps, the lamp body 10 is installed to one end of a support 11 (referring to FIG. 1). A base 12 is connected to the stand tube 13 so as to be positioned thereto. However the form of the lamp has only one type. Furthermore, the light projection area of the lamp and the illumination thereof is fixed so that it can not be adjusted based on the requirement of the users or the change of environment so as to have preferred vision and hearing effect. Thereby the prior art is necessary to be improved.


An organic light emitting display and a manufacturing method thereof include an improved encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer of the organic light emitting display includes an organic layer uniformly covering bank portions and light emitting areas on a substrate; and an inorganic layer formed thicker on the light emitting areas than on the bank portions. In the organic light emitting display, the inorganic layer is thick on the light emitting area in which a sealing ability is required and the bank portion is thin in order to provide flexibility. Therefore, the encapsulation layer can be formed more easily compared to an encapsulation layer on a device in which the organic layer and inorganic layer are alternately formed at least 10 times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting display, and more particularly, to an organic light emitting display having an encapsulation layer with an improved structure and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, organic light emitting displays include an organic light emitting diode ("OLED") deposited on a thin film transistor ('TFT') of an electric circuit so that a selected emitting layer is emitted in response to a signal controlled by the TFT.
FIG. 1 shows the typical structure of such an organic light emitting display. As described above, an OLED 20, including an anode 21, a light emitting layer 22 and a cathode 23, is deposited on a TFT 10. The TFT 10 includes a substrate 11, a gate electrode 12, a source region 13, a drain region 14 and a via hole 16. Therefore, when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode 12, a current passes through the source region 13 to the drain region 14 via a channel opened in an organic semiconductor region 15. A current flows to the anode 21, the light emitting layer 22 and the cathode 23 through the via hole 16. At this time, in the light emitting layer 22, the action of emitting energy in the form of light occurs as a result of electric coupling, i.e., as a result that the light emitting layer 22 is excited by the recombination of holes and electrons. This light may be a luminous spot corresponding to one pixel of the display panel.
An encapsulation layer 30 protects the light emitting area OLED 20 from moisture and oxygen. As shown in FIG. 2, the encapsulation layer 30 has a multi-layered structure in which an inorganic film 32, such as a ceramic, and an organic film 31, such as a polymer, are alternately deposited. Such a structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,695. The organic film 31 can be composed of either of acrylic, methacrylic, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, or polypropylene, etc. The inorganic film 32 can be composed of one of In2O3, SnO2, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, In2O3, SnO2, SiN, SiC, SiON, etc. In this multi-layered structure, the inorganic film 32 prevents the penetration of oxygen and moisture and the organic film 31 provides flexibility.
The total number of layers should be at least 10 to enable the multi-layered structure, in which the organic film 31 and inorganic film 32 are alternately deposited, to properly perform the hermetic sealing and protection functions. That is, as described above, the inorganic film 32 mainly prevents the penetration of oxygen and moisture. If the thickness of the inorganic film 32 is increased, the hermetic sealing protection improves, but the flexibility is drastically decreased. As is well known, the organic light emitting display aims at being as flexible as paper that can be rolled and a decrease in flexibility is a drawback of the article. Therefore, it is preferable to include a plurality of thin inorganic films 32 between the organic films 31 with good flexibility so that the organic light emitting display has both flexibility and hermetic sealing protection. In addition, at least 10 inorganic films have to be deposited to reliably prevent the permeation of moisture and oxygen.
Because many layers have to be deposited, the manufacturing process is very complicated. In particular, since the encapsulation layer 30 is made by laminating at least 10 times, the overall manufacturing process is complicated and productivity is low.

Organic light emitting display and manufacturing method thereof


A music ensemble system that enables changing the assignment of playing parts to performance terminals with a simpler operation. The music ensemble system comprising a plurality of performance terminals and a controller capable of communicating with the performance terminals to control playing of the performance terminals. Each of the performance terminals comprises a playing operation unit adapted to receive a player's playing operation and generates operation information, a terminal communication unit adapted to communicate with the controller to transmit the operation information to the controller, and a tone generator adapted to produce musical sounds based on sound instruction data received by the terminal communication unit. The controller comprises a controller communication unit adapted to communicate with each of the performance terminals, a music data storage unit adapted to contain music data including a plurality of playing parts, a playing control unit adapted to, upon reception of the operation information by the controller communication unit from the performance terminal, read out a playing part assigned to the performance terminal from the music data storage unit based on part assignment information indicating the assignment of the playing parts to the performance terminals, and transmit sound instruction data for sounding the playing part to the performance terminal via the controller communication unit, an operation unit having a part change operator, and a playing part changing unit adapted to modify the part assignment information according to a predetermined change pattern upon operating of the part change operator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a music ensemble system, a controller used therefor, and a program that enable users to operate a plurality of performance terminals and readily play music together by setting respective performance terminals to support playing of different playing parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improvement in changing the assignment of playing parts to the performance terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concerted music playing systems are known that enable users to operate a plurality of performance terminals and readily play music together by setting respective performance terminals to support playing of different playing parts. Some of these music ensemble systems change the assignment of playing parts to the performance terminals. Playing parts as used herein refer to parts such as melodies and rhythm sounds that constitute a piece of music ensemble. Playing parts may include, by way of example, melody parts, rhythm parts, accompaniment parts of different tones (e.g., tones of different instruments), and so on.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-276136 describes a music playing system including a plurality of slave devices and one master device. The master device is provided with as many connectors as the slave devices, and the respective connecters correspond to different playing parts. Once the respective slave devices are connected to the connectors, sound data about a piece of music for a playing part corresponding to each of the connectors is input to the slave device from the master device. A player of the slave device vibrates the slave device to cause it to produce musical sounds based on the input sound data. Thus, the respective users can play different particular part to play music together by vibrating the user's slave devices in a timed manner.
When the same music ensemble is played together for a number of times, each of the players may desire to play a playing part different from one played the last time. In such a case, it may not be important which playing part is assigned to which performance terminal, but changing the assigned playing parts in any manner may suffice. The music playing system of the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-276136 does not provide high operability in this situation. It requires reconnecting each of the performance terminals (slave devices) to connectors corresponding to a desired tone every time the parts are changed, because each of the connectors corresponds to a certain part.
In addition, the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-276136 only discloses a case where the playing parts are assigned to the slave devices (performance terminals) in a one-to-one relationship, but not a case where music is played with a larger number of playing parts than the number of performance terminals. If music is played with a larger number of playing parts than the number of performance terminals, the differences in the number of sounds (the number of sound data items such as Note On data items) of the playing parts may cause a significant imbalance in the total number of sounds of the playing parts assigned to the respective performance terminals, depending on the manner of assigning the playing parts.
For example, suppose that there are playing parts with 2000 sounds, 1000 sounds, 100 sounds, and 20 sounds, respectively. The playing part with 2000 sounds and the playing part with 1000 sounds are assigned to one performance terminal, and the playing part with 100 sounds and the playing part with 20 sounds are assigned to another terminal. Then, the number of sounds of the playing parts assigned to the two terminals is 3000 and 120 respectively, resulting in a significant imbalance.

Music ensemble system, controller used therefor, and program


Precision approach path indicator systems (PAPIs) effective in providing approach slope guidance for aircraft approaching an airport runway are provided. Such PAPIs include a plurality of light assemblies positioned on or in proximity to an airport runway and structured or configured to be effective in providing approach slope guidance light signals to a pilot of an aircraft approaching a runway. Each light assembly includes a light source comprising light emitting diodes (LEDs), preferably a first array of LEDs and a second array of LEDs.

The present invention relates to precision approach path indicator systems (PAPIs) used in airports to provide approach slope guidance for aircraft approaching an airport runway, and light assemblies useful in such systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to PAPIs and light assemblies for use therein which provide substantial and important advantages and/or benefits relative to the prior art systems and assemblies.
Precision approach path indicator systems (PAPIs) are known airport lighting aids. As commonly employed, PAPIs use a single row of either two or four light units including halogen or similar lamps. The row of either two or four identical light units is placed on one side of the runway in a line perpendicular to the runway centerline to define the visual glide path angle. The light units each have a white segment in an upper part of the beam and red segment in a lower part of the beam separated by a pink transition zone. In the two-light system, for example, a Type L-881 system, the lights are positioned and aimed to produce a signal presentation wherein a pilot on or close to the established approach path sees the light unit nearest the runway as red and the other light unit as white. When above the approach path the pilot sees both light units as white; and when below the approach path the pilot sees both light units as red.
In the four-light system, for example, Type L-880, PAPI system, the signal presentation is such that a pilot on or close to the established approach path sees the two light units nearest the runway as red and the two light units farthest from the runway as white. When above the approach path the pilot sees the light unit nearest the runway as red and the three light units farthest from the runway as white; and when further above the approach path the pilot sees all the light units as white. When below the approach path the pilot sees the three light units nearest the runway as red and the light unit farthest from the runway as white; and when further below the approach path the pilot sees all light units as red.
The visual glide path angle provided by the PAPI is the center of the on-course zone, and is normally 3 degrees (of an arc) when measured from the horizontal, but may vary, for example, if jet aircraft are supported by the airport, if obstacles to flight are located at the airport, or if elevated terrain affects the approach to the airport. Other considerations in siting the PAPIs indicator lights include whether the terrain drops off rapidly near the approach threshold, and whether severe turbulence is experienced on approach. On short runways, the PAPI system indicator lights are located as near the threshold as possible to provide the maximum amount of runway for braking after landing. Thus, the PAPI system indicator lights are often positioned and aimed to produce a minimum Threshold Crossing Height (TCH), which is the height of the lowest on-course signal at a point directly above the intersection of the runway centerline and the threshold, and clearance over obstacles in the approach area.
PAPIs are very useful in providing approach slope guidance to aircraft approaching an airport. However, certain problems do exist. For example, the halogen or similar lamps used in the prior art PAPIs are relatively costly to operate and, in addition, have a relatively limited useful life. Although the lighting assemblies of such PAPIs are structured to facilitate relatively rapid lamp replacement, the cost of maintenance, particularly the cost and inconvenience of closing an airport runway in order to change lamps, represents a significant disadvantage to using such PAPIs. In addition, since providing accurate approach path guidance is very important in maintaining the safety of airport operation, lamps which become ineffective after relatively short periods of operation, even if they are relatively easy to replace, can create a significant detriment to airport safety.
There is a need for new PAPIs, for example. new PAPIs which address one or more of the problems or disadvantages of the prior art PAPIs.

Precision approach path indicator systems and light assemblies useful in same


A folding rack (10) for holding glass panels, particularly automobile glass panels (93), includes a pair of horizontal, spaced-apart rails (20). Holders (60) for holding glass (93) are connected by hinges (40) to the ends of rails (20) by a horizontal hinge axis (45) and are rotatable between an erect position and a folded position. Right posts (70R) are of length such that in the folded position their upper ends (72R) are near the left hinge axis (45L). In the upright position, bottom ends (71L) of left posts (70L) being disposed to the left of the left hinge axis (45L) such that in the folded position they are higher than in the upright position such that left holder (60L) folds over right holder (60R).

Persons installing glass panels for home and business may also install automobile glass. The large flat glass panels for home or business are commonly carried on side racks on a truck and the truck cargo area carries the ladders and other materials of installation. The curved automobile windshield glass is transported in a separate rack in the truck cargo area. Heretofore, the rack for automobile glass has been a stationary rack that takes up considerable space when not in use.
Therefore, there has been a need for a rack for automobile windshields that is foldable to a less obtrusive size when not in use.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with a bipolar transistor (1) and a MOS transistor (2) formed in a silicon body (3) which for this purpose is provided with a field insulation region (4) by which semiconductor regions (6, 7) adjoining a surface (5) of said body are mutually insulated. A first region (6) is destined for the bipolar transistor and a second region (7) for the MOS transistor. The second region is provided with a gate dielectric (10). Then an electrode layer of non-crystalline silicon (11) is provided on the surface, which electrode layer is provided with a doping and in which electrode layer subsequently an emitter electrode (12) is formed on the first region and a gate electrode (13) on the second region. The electrode layer is provided with a doping by means of a treatment whereby a first dopant is provided at the area of the first region and a second dopant at the area of the second region, the first dopant being provided to a concentration such that the emitter zone of the transistor can be formed through diffusion from the emitter electrode to be formed in the electrode layer, while the second dopant is provided to a concentration lower than that of the first dopant. Owing to the comparatively low doping level, gate oxide breakdown is prevented during plasma etching and ion implantation.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with a bipolar transistor and a MOS transistor which are formed in a silicon body which is for this purpose provided with a field insulation region by which semiconductor regions adjoining a surface of the silicon body are mutually insulated, comprising a first region for the bipolar transistor and a second region for the MOS transistor, after which the second region is provided with a gate dielectric and after which an electrode layer of non-crystalline silicon is deposited on the surface, which electrode layer is provided with a doping and in which electrode layer subsequently an emitter electrode is formed on the first region and a gate electrode on the second region.
A semiconductor device with a single bipolar transistor and a single MOS transistor can be manufactured by such a method. In practice, however, the method will be used for the manufacture of a semiconductor device comprising an integrated circuit of a large number of bipolar and MOS transistors. The circuit may then comprise both NPN and PNP bipolar transistors as well as MOS transistors of the N-channel and P-channel type. Such an integrated circuit, which comprises besides bipolar transistors also NMOS and PMOS transistors, is called an integrated BiCMOS circuit.
After the emitter electrode has been formed on the semiconductor region, the emitter zone of the bipolar transistor can be formed from the doped emitter electrode which lies immediately on the surface of the silicon body through diffusion into the base zone. The gate electrode formed on the second region may be utilized, as is usual, as a mask for the implantation of ions for forming source and drain zones of the MOS transistor in the second region.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,429 discloses a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph whereby the electrode layer of non-crystalline silicon is provided with a dopant with a concentration of approximately 10.sup.20 dopant atoms per cc immediately after deposition, which concentration is so high that the emitter zone of the transistor can be formed through diffusion from the emitter electrode to be formed in the electrode layer. Then the electrode layer, which is now well conducting, is provided with an insulating top layer and is etched into a pattern with an emitter electrode on the first semiconductor region and a gate electrode on the second semiconductor region.
The electrode layer of non-crystalline silicon is etched into a pattern in an etching plasma with reactive ions (RIE). During the subsequent formation of the source and drain zones of the MOS transistor, ions of a dopant are implanted, the gate electrode being used as a mask. The electrode layer of non-crystalline silicon could become charged locally during these processes. As a result, strong electric fields could locally arise across the very thin gate dielectric layer present below the layer of non-crystalline silicon. The former could be damaged then by electric breakdown: "gate oxide breakdown". The layer of non-crystalline silicon, however, has already been provided with dopant atoms before the etching process and the implantation process are carried out. The layer of non-crystalline silicon is conducting during said processes as a result, whereby any local charging is avoided. Damage to the very thin layer of gate dielectric is prevented thereby.
The entire electrode layer is comparatively heavily doped in the known method. When the method is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device with both NMOS and PMOS transistors, the gate electrodes of both types of MOS transistors will have the same conductivity type. These transistors will accordingly have threshold voltages of different absolute values.
After doping, the layer of non-crystalline silicon is provided with a silicon oxide top layer. The pattern is then etched into this top layer as well as into the layer of non-crystalline silicon during the etching treatment. The top layer remaining on the gate electrodes protects these electrodes during the implantation of dopant atoms for the formation of the source and drain zones. The top layer must be locally removed for external contacting of the gate electrodes. If the gate electrodes are to be provided with a conducting silicide layer in a self-aligned manner, through deposition of a metal layer and a subsequent heat treatment, this top layer should even be entirely removed.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with a BiCMOS circuit


A semiconductor device, includes: a first semiconductor chip including a first semiconductor substrate; and a second semiconductor chip including a second semiconductor substrate, wherein the first semiconductor substrate has a first substrate main surface and a first substrate back surface facing opposite directions in a first direction, and includes a first region and a second region disposed on the first substrate main surface, wherein the first semiconductor chip includes: a first MOSFET of a first type structure formed to include the first region; and a control circuit formed to include the second region, wherein the second semiconductor chip includes a second MOSFET of a second type structure formed to include the second semiconductor substrate, and wherein the second type structure is different from the first type structure.

In the related art, a conventional semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device disclosed in the related art is a semiconductor device used for a power converter such as a power supply, and is particularly applied to a non-insulated DC/DC converter. The semiconductor device includes two MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), a driver IC for driving each MOSFET, and a sealing resin. In the conventional semiconductor device, the two MOSFETs are connected in series with one being used as a switching element on the high side and the other being used as a switching element on the low side. Then, the driver IC controls driving (switching between a conductive state and a cut-off state) of each MOSFET to convert an input voltage to desired output power. The semiconductor device disclosed in the related art has a device structure where the two MOSFETs and the driver IC are respectively configured as separate semiconductor chips, which are covered with the sealing resin. In this manner, a plurality of semiconductor chips having different functions are combined and packaged by one sealing resin to realize a high-level system.
However, since the semiconductor device disclosed in the related art is configured with three different semiconductor chips, the number of components thereof is increased. As a result, the size and cost of the semiconductor device may increase.


A method and apparatus for controlling a write current capable of improving an adjacent track erasure (ATE) property of a hard disk drive. The method for controlling the write current in a hard disk drive includes applying overshoot current and write current to a head to write data on a disk, waiting for a predetermined time to pass, with the predetermined time being determined according to a thermal pole tip protrusion (TPTP) property of the head, and reducing the overshoot current and the write current upon passing of the predetermined time. Accordingly, since the overshoot current and the write current are decreased at the time of the TPTP being saturated, it is possible to effectively improve an ATE property of the hard disk drive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for controlling a write current in a hard disk drive in order to improve an adjacent track erasure (ATE) property of the hard disk drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive is an auxiliary storage apparatus of a computer used to read or write data from or to a magnetic layer of a hard disk with a magnetic head.
A writing magnetic head of a conventional hard disk drive is made of a metallic material, typically, a permalloy of 80% Ni and 20% Fe. A head slider for supporting the writing magnetic head is made of a non-metallic material.
Accordingly, when a write current flows though a metallic recording coil of the head, heat is generated. Due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficients between metallic and non-metallic materials, a thermal pole-tip protrusion (TPTP) phenomenon occurs, where parts around poles of the head protrude.
As is well known, the amount of the TPTP is proportional to I2R. Here, I denotes a current in the recording coil, and R denotes a resistance of the recording coil. In order to reduce the TPTP, it is necessary to reduce the current and the resistance R of the recording coil. The resistance R of the recording coil is a factor usually fixed during the production of the head. On the other hand, the current I is based on a write current and an over shoot current. Since the amount of the TPTP is proportional to the square of the current I, the TPTP is more sensitive to the current I than the resistance R.
As hard disk drives have higher densities, a track per inch (TPI) in the hard disk drives also increases. As a result, interference between tracks has been an important factor intensively considered during the design of the hard disk drive.
In other words, it becomes more difficult to stay below an adjacent track erasure (ATE) property threshold, as well as to secure a track margin. The ATE property threshold refers to a maximum allowable amount of adjacent tracks that are erased when a recording operation is performed on a track. A hard disk drive head with at most less than the ATE property threshold can be considered to be in a normal state, i.e., a non-ATE head. Conversely, a hard disk drive head that has an ATE property greater than the ATE property threshold would be considered in an ATE state, i.e., an ATE head. A head in an ATE state can further be considered to be ATE saturated.

Method and apparatus for controlling a write current in a hard disk drive


A capacitive sensing device includes an antenna electrode for emitting an alternating electric field in response to an alternating voltage caused in the antenna electrode and a control and evaluation circuit configured to maintain the alternating voltage equal to an alternating reference voltage by injecting a current into the antenna electrode and to measure the current. The control and evaluation circuit includes a microcontroller with a digital output for providing a digital signal and a low-pass filter operatively connected to the digital output for generating the alternating reference voltage by low-pass-filtering the digital signal.

A capacitive sensor or capacitive sensing device, called by some electric field sensor or proximity sensor, designates a sensor, which generates a signal responsive to the influence of what is being sensed (a person, a part of a person's body, a pet, an object, etc.) upon an electric field. A capacitive sensor generally comprises at least one antenna electrode, to which is applied an oscillating electric signal and which thereupon emits an electric field into a region of space proximate to the antenna electrode, while the sensor is operating. The sensor comprises at least one sensing electrode at which the influence of an object or living being on the electric field is detected. In some (so-called "loading mode) capacitive occupancy sensors, the one or more antenna electrodes serve at the same time as sensing electrodes. In this case, the measurement circuit determines the current flowing into the one or more antenna electrodes in response to an oscillating voltage being applied to them. The relationship of voltage to current yields the complex impedance between the one or more antenna electrodes and ground. In an alternative version of capacitive sensors ("coupling mode" capacitive sensors), the transmitting antenna electrode(s) and the sensing electrode(s) are separate from one another. In this case, the measurement circuit determines the current or voltage that is induced in the sensing electrode when the transmitting antenna electrode is operating.
The different capacitive sensing mechanisms are explained in the technical paper entitled "Electric Field Sensing for Graphical Interfaces" by J. R. Smith, published in Computer Graphics I/O Devices, Issue May/June 1998, pp 54-60. The paper describes the concept of electric field sensing as used for making non-contact three-dimensional position measurements, and more particularly for sensing the position of a human hand for purposes of providing three-dimensional positional inputs to a computer. Within the general concept of capacitive sensing, the author distinguishes between distinct mechanisms he refers to as "loading mode", "shunt mode", and "transmit mode" which correspond to various possible electric current pathways. In the "loading mode", an oscillating voltage signal is applied to a transmit electrode, which builds up an oscillating electric field to ground. The object to be sensed modifies the capacitance between the transmit electrode and ground. In the "shunt mode", an oscillating voltage signal is applied to the transmit electrode, building up an electric field to a receive electrode, and the displacement current induced at the receive electrode is measured, whereby the displacement current may be modified by the body being sensed. In the "transmit mode", the transmit electrode is put in contact with the user's body, which then becomes a transmitter relative to a receiver, either by direct electrical connection or via capacitive coupling. "Shunt mode" is alternatively referred to as the above-mentioned "coupling mode".
Capacitive occupant sensing systems have been proposed in great variety, e.g. for controlling the deployment of one or more airbags, such as e.g. a driver airbag, a passenger airbag and/or a side airbag. U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,070, to Jinno et al., relates to a passenger detection system including a single antenna electrode mounted on a surface of a passenger seat in an automobile. An oscillator applies on oscillating voltage signal to the antenna electrode, whereby a minute electric field is produced around the antenna electrode. Jinno proposes detecting the presence or absence of a passenger in the seat based on the amplitude and the phase of the current flowing to the antenna electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,542, to Stanley, teaches an electric field sensor comprising an electrode mountable within a seat and operatively coupled to a sensing circuit, which applies to the electrode an oscillating or pulsed signal having a frequency "at most weakly responsive" to wetness of the seat. Stanley proposes to measure phase and amplitude of the current flowing to the electrode to detect an occupied or an empty seat and to compensate for seat wetness.
Others had the idea of using the heating element of a seat heater as an antenna electrode of a capacitive occupancy sensing system. WO 92/17344 A1 discloses a an electrically heated vehicle seat with a conductor, which can be heated by the passage of electrical current, located in the seating surface, wherein the conductor also forms one electrode of a two-electrode seat occupancy sensor.
WO 95/13204 discloses a similar system, in which the oscillation frequency of an oscillator connected to the heating element is measured to derive the occupancy state of the vehicle seat. More elaborate combinations of a seat heater and a capacitive sensor are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,521,940, US 2009/0295199 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,845.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A.


A nozzle assembly housing includes a first wall, a second wall and an access opening in those walls. A locking tab receiver is provided on the first wall adjacent the access opening. A notch is provided on the second wall adjacent the access opening. Finally, a separate, removable panel closes the access opening. That panel includes a locking tab on a first edge that engages the locking tab receiver and a hinge lug on a second edge that is pivotally received in the notch.

Upright, canister and hand-held vacuum cleaners have long been known in the art. Many such vacuum cleaners incorporate one or more rotary agitators. These rotary agitators are equipped with cleaning structures including but not limited to beater bars, wipers, brushes and bristle tufts. As the agitators are rotated relative to the floor being cleaned, these cleaning structures function to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet.
Whether driven by the motor of the suction fan generator or an independent agitator drive motor, the linkage between the motor and the agitators in many vacuum cleaners is made by means of a belt. While advances in belt technology have made significant gains in service life, belts still become worn over time and require replacement. Further, in the event of an agitator jam, a vacuum cleaner is typically designed to sacrifice a relatively inexpensive belt in order to save the agitator drive motor. Thus, most vacuum cleaner operators will be faced with a belt change at least once during the operating life of a vacuum cleaner.
In many vacuum cleaners, it is difficult and time consuming to service the agitator drive belt. Often, one must remove the top or bottom of the agitator housing in order to access the belt. This can be difficult, time consuming and also very inconvenient. Further, many individuals are not mechanically inclined and the prospect of such a task leads them to take their vacuum cleaner to professional vacuum cleaner service personnel. This is often a time consuming and frustrating situation that creates an unfavorable impression upon the consumer.
In an effort to address this problem, efforts have been made in the past to simplify agitator drive belt service. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,476 to Johnson et al. discloses a vacuum cleaner incorporating an access door that is pivotally attached to the main housing by means of a hinge. When opened, the door allows access to the agitator drive belt for servicing thereof.
While very useful and effective for its intended purpose, some individuals find the open access door to be an annoyance or hindrance to belt changing. The present invention addresses this problem by providing a pivoting access door or panel that is separate and free from the main housing of the nozzle assembly. Thus, after pivotally opening the access door, it may be set to the side thereby eliminating any potential for the access panel to get in the way of the belt changing process.

Nozzle assembly housing for vacuum cleaner


In one aspect of the invention, a drill string comprises a drill bit with a body intermediate a shank and a working face, and the working face comprises at least one cutting element. A jack assembly is disposed within the drill bit body and comprises a jack element disposed on a distal end of the assembly. The jack element substantially protrudes from the working face and is adapted to move with respect to the bit body. At least one position feedback sensor is disposed proximate the jack assembly and is adapted to detect a position and/or orientation of the jack element.

The present invention relates to the field of downhole oil, gas, and/or geothermal exploration and more particularly to the field of drill bits for aiding such exploration and drilling.
Drill bits use rotary energy provided by the tool string to cut through downhole formations, thus advancing the tool string further into the ground. To use drilling time effectively, sensors have been placed in the drill string, usually in the tool string, to assist the operator in making drilling decisions. In the patent prior art, equipment and methods of conveying and interpreting sensory data obtained from downhole have been disclosed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,822 to Hong, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a microwave frequency range sensor (antenna or wave guide) disposed in the face of a diamond or PDC drill bit configured to minimize invasion of drilling fluid into the formation ahead of the bit. The sensor is connected to an instrument disposed in a sub interposed in the drill stem for generating and measuring the alteration of microwave energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,162 to Moran, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a drill bit, comprising a bit body, a sensor disposed in the bit body, a single journal removably mounted to the bit body, and a roller cone rotatably mounted to the single journal. The drill bit may also comprise a short-hop telemetry transmission device adapted to transmit data from the sensor to a measurement-while-drilling device located above the drill bit on the drill string.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,030 to Jogi, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a method for evaluating formations and bit conditions. The invention processes signals indicative of downhole weight on bit (WOB), downhole torque (TOR), rate of penetration (ROP), and bit rotations (RPM), while taking into account bit geometry to provide a plurality of well logs and to optimize the drilling process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,926 to Mizuno, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a device for detecting inclination of a boring head of a boring tool.
The prior art also discloses devices adapted to steer the direction of penetration of a drill string. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,913,095 to Krueger, 6,092,610 to Kosmala, et al., 6,581,699 to Chen, et al., 2,498,192 to Wright, 6,749,031 to Klemm, 7,013,994 to Eddison, which are all herein incorporated by reference for all that they contain, discloses directional drilling systems.


A current steering circuit includes a multitude of current stages each including an associated current source transistor, and first and second cascode transistors coupled in series with the associated current source transistor. The first and second cascode transistors respectively receive first and second reference voltages and are biased such that a voltage appearing across any terminal pairs of the transistors is less than a predefined value. Each current stage includes a first switch supplying the current flowing through the transistors to a first resistive load in response to a control signal, and a second switch supplying the current to a second resistive load in response to a complement of the control signal. An amplifier responsive to an analog multiplexer's output provides a biasing voltage to each of the current stages. The analog multiplexer supplies a different output voltage in response to different counts of a counter.

The present invention relates to electronic circuits, and more particularly to current steering digital to analog converters.
As is widely known, a digital to analog converter (DAC), operating on the current steering principle, generates a set of binary weighted currents and selectively sums the generated currents to provide an analog output signal. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional N-bit current steering DAC 100, only two of the current stages of which are shown. Current sources 1021, . . . 102N generate currents I1, . . . IN that, depending on code signals S1, . . . SN and their complements S1 . . . SN, are steered either through resistive load 110 or resistive load 112.
As the integrated circuit processing technology scales down and transistor sizes are reduced, the voltages across many of terminals of the transistors shown in FIG. 1 begin to exceed the maximum allowable limits. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a current-steering DAC that can safely operate with existing supply voltages, for example, 3.3 volts, using transistors that have smaller physical dimensions, for example, smaller channel lengths, thinner gate oxides, etc.

Current steering DAC using thin oxide devices


Disclosed herein is a projection-aware compression, which may be used on image data such as, for example, spherical image data. The compression may be considered to be non-uniform in a sense that the compression need not be uniformly applied, but may be applied to image data as a function of latitude information associated with the image data.

One approach used for encoding a digital image is provided by Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), which transforms the image from one form of information, e.g., spatial information, into another form, e.g., frequency information. The transformed data undergoes a quantization step before encoding to generate a compressed image. In the transformation operation, the image may be broken up into small squares of pixels, e.g., an 8×8 pixel square, with each square being input to a transform, e.g., a discrete cosine transform (DCT) or fast fourier transform (FFT), to generate a set of coefficients, e.g., a set of 64 coefficients, comprising both high frequency and low frequency coefficients. In quantization, a quantization matrix is applied to each square's set of coefficients, e.g., DCT coefficients, which may, depending on the quantization matrix used, result in some of the non-zero-valued coefficients being set to zero. Each quantization matrix may be considered to provide a corresponding image quality, and tradeoffs exist, e.g., a tradeoff between image quality and amount of storage space saved using a given quantization matrix. During encoding, or coding, the coefficients in each quantized matrix are converted to a stream of binary data, which may be further compressed using a compression algorithm, e.g., each run of zeroes and ones may be consolidated. Consequently, a quantization matrix that results in a greater number of zero coefficients may result in a greater amount of compression than a quantization matrix that results in fewer zeroed-out coefficients. However, the former quantization matrix may result in a less desirable picture quality than the latter.

System and method of spherical image compression


A locking system for stopping a shopping cart includes a caster that can be selectively disabled when the cart encounters an electronic barrier. The caster includes a brake that is mounted on the frame of the caster. Also mounted on the frame are two receivers for separately receiving different signals from an electronic barrier. Respective decoders on the frame decipher lock commands in the signals, and a controller selectively activates the brake to prevent further movement of the cart in response to the lock commands. The electronic barrier can include an underground loop antenna and an above-ground RF beacon.

For any of several reasons it may be desirable to control the movement of a vehicle as it is being used. For instance, it may be desirable to confine or limit the movement of the vehicle to within a specifically defined area. It may also be desirable to selectively disable the vehicle and thereby prevent its further movement within the defined area. This capability can be particularly important when the vehicle (e.g. a shopping cart) is temporarily loaned or provided to an individual (e.g. a customer) for movement through a defined area (e.g. a shopping center and its contiguous parking lot). Obviously, in such situations, a primary objective is theft prevention.
To prevent the movement of vehicles from a defined area that is relatively large (e.g. several acres), practical considerations tend to dictate that the most cost effective way to control the situation is through the employment of electronic means. This then requires the generation of a signal, and an appropriate response to the signal. For theft prevention purposes, the activating signal needs to be generated at known locations (i.e. at the perimeter of a defined area, or at predetermined locations within the defined area). As is well known, such signals can be transmitted as electromagnetic waves between a transmitter and a receiver.
Depending on how they are to be used, electronic barriers can be established in several different ways. For example, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/386,877, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, considers activation signals that are transmitted from either above-ground RF beacons or from underground loop antennas (i.e. buried cables). When complex or extended perimeters are involved, however, using only one type transmitter may be less than completely effective. Instead, such situations may be best served using different kinds of antennas. For instance, along extended portions of a perimeter, an underground loop antenna (i.e. buried cable) may be preferable. On the other hand, RF beacons that can direct their beams to locations and areas around structures that would otherwise be difficult to cover by a buried cable may be more cost effective in specific situations. Other aspects also need to be considered. For example, unlike buried cable which is effectively stationary, RF beacons are more easily moved and can be used intermittently at several different locations. In any event, as is well known, underground loop antennas, and above-ground RF beacons, present different installation and different operational considerations. Importantly, different systems require different transmitters and different receivers.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a locking system for disabling a vehicle that interacts with electronic barriers having either above-ground or underground transmitters. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locking (disabling) system that effectively prevents the removal of a vehicle from within a defined area whenever it encounters an electronic barrier. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locking (disabling) system that can be easily incorporated for use with other electronic inventory assessment and surveillance systems. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locking system that is easy to use, simple to manufacture, and comparatively cost effective.


In a group communication system, a mobile station that is not currently under a group communication can participate in a group communication. A location registration signal is transmitted to a base station upon turning on the power of a mobile station or when a mobile station moves between communication zones A group communication number is sent from the mobile station and is examined against a group-communication group number controlling register in a control station The examination determines the presence or absence of a group communication call corresponding to the group-communication number sent by the mobile station Notification information on a relevant call, if present, is sent to the mobile station, which can then participate in the group communication.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a group communication system as a multi-channel access type of mobile communications.
2. Related Art
There has been disclosed a group communicating system in a mobile communication system adopting a conventional multi-channel access as described in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication NOS. JP-A-H2-119326 and JP-A-H2-119327. According to these systems, speech channel designation control is carried out within a single wireless communication zone (referred to as "wireless zone") to make possible group communications between mobile units existing within the same wireless zone. It has however been impossible to implement speech channel communication control over a plurality of wireless zones, and accordingly the group communication across a plurality of wireless zones was impossible.
Also conventionally, in order for a mobile station to participate in a group communication, the mobile station has to be powered on beforehand to be put into a receivable state in advance of performing the group communication.
Further in the case where a mobile station participating in a communication in a group-nonobjective wireless zone enters, due to hand-over or the like, a group-objective wireless zone, the mobile station could not take part in a group communication.

Group communication system having group number specified by mobile unit to permit intergroup calls


An electric machine includes at least one stator having at least one individual-tooth winding carrier that has at least one spacer configured to space apart turns of an individual-tooth winding mounted on the individual-tooth winding carrier. A hybrid electric aircraft has an electric machine of this kind.

The present embodiments relate to an electric machine and to a hybrid electric aircraft.
Permanently excited synchronous rotating field machines allow high power and torque densities. Such rotating field machines have a stator with concentrated windings that may be formed by flat conductors. In this way, high slot space factors, short end windings, and thus a high space and weight efficiency may be achieved.
Concentrated windings, however, generate a step-shaped field wave, which causes eddy current losses in permanent magnets of the rotor. Owing to the inductive coupling of the rotor field into the stator, power losses disadvantageously occur in the coils, severely limiting the power of the electric machine. This is because subconductors of the coils are to not exceed a certain temperature to provide that insulating material of the individual conductors and slot insulators is not damaged. Windings are therefore to be cooled in a very efficient way.
The insulation of individual conductors of the turns is critical since high currents may occur in shorted turns owing to induction due to the rotating field, and these may lead to large temperature rises. Owing to these temperature rises, the insulating material may sustain further damage, and a total failure of the entire electric machine may therefore be the result. There is also a high risk of fire, and this cannot be accepted, particularly in the case of aircraft.
Hitherto, excessive coil temperatures in normal operation have been avoided by limiting the current density and providing convective cooling measures in the stator.
There is also a known practice of allowing a flow of cooling liquid around the windings using "direct cooling". Electrically insulating synthetic oils (e.g., silicone oils) are used as the cooling liquid. However, silicone oils have a flashpoint and are thus potentially inflammable, which so far likewise represents a risk of fire.
In the case of "individual-tooth windings", each individual tooth is embodied as a coil, representing a risk of an electric short circuit owing to the potential differences between adjacent individual-tooth winding sides. It is therefore often necessary to provide a spatial distance between the individual-tooth windings, where space between the individual-tooth windings may be used for cooling channels through which the cooling oil flows.

Electric machine and hybrid electric aircraft


The present invention overcomes drawbacks with on-site, manual configuration of IP addresses for network nodes (like newly-installed base stations) with a method to automatically assign an identifier like a packet data address to a new node. In general., the automatic assignment of such an identifier to a network entity, node, or host includes two steps. First, an initial message is transmitted by the entity which specifies or indicates in some way geographical location information for the entity. Second, using the geographical location information in that message, an identifier is assigned and provided to that entity. In other words, a relationship is established between the geographical location of an entity identifier and its associated identifier. The geographical location information uniquely identifies the entity in the automatic identifier assignment process.

In any data communications network, new nodes may need to be installed 10 and configured as the network expands. Nodes may also need to be reconfigured if the network is upgraded. Furthermore, when an existing node is brought off-line, e.g., for an upgrade, and then re-installed, that node may also need to be reconfigured. One part of that configuration process to which the present invention relates is configuring a node for packet data communication with other nodes. Specifically, each node needs a packet data address to conduct packet communications. For purposes of the following description, a "new" node or a node requiring configuration is a node that requires assignment of a packet data address.
It is desirable to minimize the effort, time, and expense associated with assigning packet data addresses or other data identifiers, e.g., domain names, to the new node. One example where installation and configuration of a new node can be a time consuming job is when a new radio base station is added to a cellular communications system. Because base stations, by their very nature, are distributed in geographically remote areas, considerable time is required for a human operator to travel to the new base station and manually configure it with a new IP address, which makes this an inefficient process. It is also susceptible to human error, e.g., data entry errors.
The present invention overcomes these and other drawbacks with on-site, manual configuration of IP addresses for network nodes (like newly-installed base stations) with a method to automatically assign a node identifier like a packet data address to a new node. In general, the automatic assignment of a node identifier like a packet address to a network entity, node, or host includes two steps. First, an initial message is transmitted by the entity, which specifies or indicates in some way geographical location information for the entity. Second, using the geographical location information in that message, a corresponding node identifier (like a packet address) is identified and provided to that entity. In other words, a relationship is established between the geographical location of the entity and its associated host identifier. In the example where the entity identifier is a packet data address, the geographical location information uniquely identifies the entity and its packet data address.
Although the present invention may be applied to any new entity or node using any messaging protocol, one non-limiting example application is to new nodes in a cellular communications system. As applied to a new base station, the present invention automatically provides, for example, a packet data address to the new base station after it is installed in a radio network using the base station's geographical location. One example way of determining its geographical location is to use a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver at the base station to determine its geographical coordinates, e.g., its latitude and longitude. The base station sends its coordinates in an announcement message to a packet address server. One example of a packet address server is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server coupled to the network. In this context, the announcement message can be a DHCPDISCOVER message that includes the base station's geographical coordinates.
An operation and/or planning node coupled to the cellular network may provide the packet address server with the relationship between a unique set of geographical coordinates and a base station for multiple base stations in the form of an electronic list. In addition to that relationship, the operations/planning node may also specify in the list a particular Internet Protocol (IP) address for each of multiple base stations along with their respective geographical coordinates. The DHCP server compares the geographical coordinates received in the DHCPDISCOVER message with the base station "list" information received from the operation and/or planning node and returns the predetermined IP address that is associated with the geographical coordinates in a responsive message, e.g., a DHCPOFFER message.

Method and apparatus for identifying a node for data communications using its geographical location


A furniture joinery comprises a slide rail having a plurality of grooves, at least one slide block slidably disposed in the slide rail, the slide block having a plurality of slides for engaging the slide rail, at least one of the plurality of slides having a neck and a head, the grooves receiving the neck therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to furniture joinery and more particularly to slide rail and slide block constructions for joining furniture components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Furniture joinery is a term which generally refers to one or more elements structures used to join two or more components of a piece of furniture. As furniture manufacturing has evolved, the desire for knock-down furniture which may be manufactured in one location and shipped for assembly to another location has increased. Prior art joinery, sometimes utilizes dovetail construction which has various deficiencies. First, the dovetails are difficult to manufacture which results in higher costs being passed to the consumer. The dovetail design also has a weakened area where the dovetail extends from the workpiece. Such area is typically referred to as a neck and receives the majority of the stress created at the joint. Other prior art joinery may utilize a metal brace to join parts. However, these metal to wood connections must have multiple screws to create a lasting rigid joint. Further, chair rails and table aprons often require multiple screws or bolts at each corner of a furniture piece and/or clamps to insure furniture components are tight while glue dries. For example one screw may pass through a joinery element into a leg while other screws may extend into adjacent apron structures in order to tie all of the pieces together rigidly. The use of multiple fasteners or clamping mechanisms results in higher manufacturing costs and increased parts and labor to accomplish a desired task.
Another problem with some knock-down furniture designs is related to shipping. It is desirable to utilizing the least amount of volume in shipping. Where some designs for furniture joinery have required larger portions of a furniture piece to be assembled prior to shipping, the larger partial assemblies result in higher shipping costs where larger assemblies can not be nested within other structures being shipped. It is desirable that a furniture joinery be developed which decreases the number of fasteners required for ease of assembly and which also may be easily shipped from a collapsed configuration minimizing volume from a manufacturing facility to an assembly facility or a consumer.
Given the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a joinery assembly is desired which may be used with various types of furniture pieces and which allows for easy assembly of such pieces.


The invention relates to a stereoscopic microscope, which is suited both for pure observation and also for support during surgical procedures in ophthalmology. It can be adapted to both uses through an inversion optics arrangement, which can be removed from the beam path of the microscope. The inversion optics arrangement is arranged in an attachment containing a field-magnifying lens, which attachment is needed in most cases, and is located between the field-magnifying lens and the objective lens of the microscope such that it is movable within the attachment. Thus, the field-magnifying lens does not need to be moved in the case of sight defects of a patient, but the correction is carried out with the inversion optics arrangement, and this means an inside focussing occurs. The inversion optics arrangement can also be removed with the attachment so that the microscope can then be used as a normal viewing microscope. In place of the field-magnifying lens, it is also possible to provide a prism system for the image inversion.

German Offenlegungsschrift 38 26 069 discloses already a stereoscopic microscope for the same purpose. An inversion system of a number of stereoscopically connected prisms, which system can be selectively moved into the microscope between the lens and the eyepiece arrangement in the stereoscopic beam path, ensures that a laterally inverted image standing on its head and made available by the microscope is inverted such that an upright, stereoscopically correct image reaches the eyes of the observer.
Such a prism arrangement does guarantee a compact structural length of the entire microscope; however, it is disadvantageous that the inversion system is arranged inside of the microscope; this requires significant structure and creates also technical manufacturing problems, because it must be assured that the inversion system is arranged in the beam path and is precisely oriented with respect to this beam path.
In contrast, German Patent No. 36 08 515 describes a surgical microscope, in which an attachment can be connected without any problem with the help of a quick-change mechanism, for example a bayonet lock. Such an attachment permits contact-free observation of a freely movable eye of a patient. It is designed at least in two parts of coaxial or rotationally symmetrical housing parts, which are axially movable relative to one another, and has on its side facing the eye of the patient a field-magnifying lens, which is for example moved sufficiently along the optical axis until the eye background is reflected in the eyes of the observer. If such an attachment is used in connection with the above-described inversion system, then the operation microscope offers the operator a relatively little enlarged but large-surface outer field in a stereoscopically correct view.
Of course, it can happen with this device that the field-magnifying lens hits by mistake the eye of the patient during sharp focussing; the mounting of the field-magnifying lens is for this reason, in the known design, movable with very little force. Even though with this no damage to the patient need to be feared any longer, a considerable amount of work is required in order to thereby achieve sufficient safety.
Therefore, a purpose of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the known microscopes and to provide instead a device of the type identified above in detail, which is suited both for the purely examining observation and also for the vision control during surgical procedures, and which device is simple in design and comfortable to handle.

Stereoscopic microscope including a field-magnifying lens in front of the objective lens


A driver circuit with device variation compensation function and an operation method thereof are provided. The driver circuit includes a pull-up switch unit, an isolating switch and a pull-down switch unit. A first terminal of the pull-up switch unit is coupled to a first voltage. A second terminal of the pull-up switch unit is coupled to an output terminal of the driver circuit. A first terminal of the isolating switch is coupled to the second terminal of the pull-up switch unit. A first terminal of the pull-down switch unit is coupled to a second terminal of the isolating switch. A second terminal of the pull-down switch unit is coupled to a second voltage. The pull-down switch unit has a device variation compensation function.

Generally, a gate driver circuit of a display panel uses a N-type thin film transistor (TFT). In order to ensure that a thin film transistor of a pixel on a scan line (a gate line) is continuously turned off, a gate driver circuit needs to maintain a voltage of the scan lines (a gate voltage of the thin film transistor) at a low level. In a gate driver circuit, a pull-down circuit for providing the low level needs to be continuously turned on, which results in a continuing bias voltage for the thin film transistor. Under the operating condition of the continuing bias voltage in high voltage, the thin film transistor may generate a characteristic variation (e.g., a characteristic degradation and/or a threshold voltage variation). The characteristic degradation of the thin film transistor may reduce a working life thereof, whereas a threshold voltage Vth variation of the gate driver circuit may affect a reliability of the gate driver circuit.
Take a push-pull output circuit for example, in the circumstance where a push-pull output signal of the driver circuit are to be maintained at a low logic level, a bias voltage of a pull-down transistor (e.g., a N-type transistor) of a pull-push output circuit in the driver circuit are maintained at a high logic level. Because the pull-down transistor for providing a low output level are continuously applied by high voltage, a characteristic variation (a characteristic degradation and/or a threshold voltage variation) may occur on a transistor characteristic thereof.
In order to solve aforesaid problem, a plurality of pull-down circuits/devices are utilized in some embodiments, so as to reduce a duty cycle of the pull-down circuits/devices. However, with extension of operating time, the threshold voltage variation may still occur on the pull-down circuits/devices. Furthermore, a process variation may occur during a manufacturing process of the driver circuit. The process variation may change a characteristic of the transistor (e.g., variation may occur on the threshold voltage of the transistor). It is an issue to be solved as how to improve the reliability of the driver circuit while effectively reducing influences caused by the device variation of the threshold voltage.

Driver circuit with device variation compensation and operation method thereof

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named xe2x80x98Duesurbluskyxe2x80x99, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching; and single flowers that are purple in color.

Petuniaxc3x97hybrida cultivar Duesurblusky.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petuniaxc3x97hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Duesurblusky.
The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Petunias with large flowers and attractive flower coloration.
The new Petunia originated from a cross pollination made by the Inventor in 1997 of a proprietary Petunia selection identified as code number E-19-2, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Petunia selection identified as code number S-19-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Petunia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in 1998, on the basis of its attractive flower color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings taken in Rheinberg, Germany since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Duesurblusky have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Duesurbluskyxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Duesurbluskyxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely basal branching.
3. Single fowers that are purple in color.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection E-19-2, plants of the new Petunia differ in flower color. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection S-19-3, plants of the new Petunia have smaller leaves, smaller flowers and differ in flower color.
Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinerg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Petunia were shorter than plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue.
2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue.
3. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue.


Equipment for briqueting plant stalk-produce, includes a conical-screw compactor, a tubular press-cavity, an annular degassing device and a control device including a molding pressure sensor. The annular degassing device adjoins a discharge aperture of a compactor space with a plurality of narrow-axial degassing slits open to the atmosphere, which issue into the discharge aperture of the compactor space.

The German Offenlegungsschrift 34 22 658 discloses straw briqueting equipment with a screw compactor of which the driven, rotating screw evinces an outer contour at its front end, as seen in the direction of advance, determined by two screw coils away from a conical screw core. The conical segment of the otherwise cylindrical screw enters a conical compaction space of a screw housing entered by the cantilevered worm. A hopper feeding the straw to be briqueted is mounted above the cylindrical part of the screw and said straw is compacted by said rotating screw in the conical screw segment and is expelled through a discharge opening at the tapered end of the conical surface of the screw housing. The pressure of the conical screw compactor can be controlled by a tubular, cross-sectionally adjustable punch adjoining the discharge of the conical surface.
The straw to be briqueted is highly compressed by the pressure from the conical screw compactor and heats up in this process and on account of its lignin content cakes into a straw cake which even when hot flows only poorly. Because accumulation may take place especially at the transition from the inner cone of the screw housing to the cavity, whereby the discharge aperture of the conical worm compactor would clog, an axially displaceable plunger is mounted in the screw of the German Offenlegungsschrift 34 22 658 to periodically expel the accumulating compacted straw into the cavity. However it has been found that the straw lignin not only makes possible briqueting, but also bonds the plunger guided displaceably in the screw to this screw until it can no longer move. The known equipment therefore can be operated only during comparatively short intervals before requiring disassembly and cleaning.
The object of the invention is to create equipment of the species in such manner that continuous operation unlikely to incur malfunctions shall be achieved.
This problem is solved by the features of present invention.

Equipment for briqueting vegetal material in particular stalk-plant materials


The present invention provides compounds having formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein Cy1, Cy2, Cy3, R, R1, R2, R3, A1 and A2 are as described generally and in classes and subclasses herein, and additionally provides pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for the use thereof for the treatment of any of a number of conditions or diseases in which inhibiting ROCK1, ROCK2, or ROCK1/2 has a therapeutically useful role.

The Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase family members, consisting of Rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1) and Rho-associated kinase 2 (ROCK2), are serine-threonine kinases that are activated by Rho GTPases. Both ROCK1 and ROCK2 are involved in a wide range of cellular processes including actin cytoskeleton organization, smooth muscle cell contraction, adhesion, migration, proliferation, apoptosis and fibrosis (Loirand, G. Rho Kinases in Health and Disease: From Basic Science to Translational Research. Pharmacol. Rev. 2015, 67(4), 1074-95). The ROCK signaling cascade, modulated by fibrogenic growth factors including TGFβ1, angiotensin I, PDGF and endothelin-I, participates in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (Hu, Y. B., Li, X., Liang, G. N., Deng, Z. H., Jiang, H. Y., Zhou, J. H. Roles of Rho/Rock signaling pathway in silica-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human bronchial epithelial cells. Biomed. Environ. Sci. 2013, 26(7), 571-6). Evidence for the potential role of this pathway in renal fibrosis comes from early studies that used pharmacologic inhibition of ROCK with Y-27632 or fasudil, which are selective but ROCK1/2 dual inhibitors, i.e., they inhibit both ROCK 1 and ROCK2 but not other kinases. Use of ROCK1/2 dual inhibitors prevented tubulointerstitial fibrosis in obstructive renal disease, mitigated nephropathy in subtotally nephrectomized, spontaneously hypertensive rats and attenuated glomerulosclerosis in Dahl salt-sensitive rats (Komers, R., Oyama, T. T., Beard, D. R., Tikellis, C., Xu, B., Lotspeich, D. F., Anderson, S. Rho kinase inhibition protects kidneys from diabetic nephropathy without reducing blood pressure. Kidney Int. 2011, 79(4), 432-42. Nagatoya, K., Moriyama, T., Kawada, N., Takeji, M., Oseto, S., Murozono, T., Ando, A., Imai, E., Hori, M. Y-27632 prevents tubulointerstitial fibrosis in mouse kidneys with unilateral ureteral obstruction. Kidney Int 2002, 61(5), 1684-95. Baba, I., Egi, Y., Utsumi, H., Kakimoto, T., Suzuki, K. Inhibitory effects of fasudil on renal interstitial fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction. Mol. Med. Rep. 2015, 12(6), 8010-20. Kolavennu, V., Zeng, L., Peng, H., Wang, Y., Danesh, F. R. Targeting of RhoA/ROCK signaling ameliorates progression of diabetic nephropathy independent of glucose control. Diabetes 2008, 57(3), 714-23).
Regardless of the fact that the two ROCK isoforms are similar, a growing body of evidence from more recent studies with ROCK isoform transgenic animals and ROCK isoform-selective pharmacological inhibitors support the notion that ROCK1 and ROCK2 each have unique functions. Shi et al. (Shi, J., Wu, X., Surma, M., Vemula, S., Zhang, L., Yang, Y., Kapur, R., Wei, L. Distinct roles for ROCK1 and ROCK2 in the regulation of cell detachment. Cell Death Dis. 2013, 4(2), e483. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.10), using both genetic and pharmacological approaches, demonstrated that ROCK1, via regulation of MLC2 phosphorylation, is involved in destabilizing the actin cytoskeleton in fibroblasts (i.e. ROCK1 signaling is antifibrotic), whereas ROCK2, via regulation of cofilin phosphorylation, is required for stabilizing fibroblast actin cytoskeleton (i.e. ROCK2 signaling is profibrotic). Consistent with this finding, genome-wide expression profiling of fibroblasts treated with the ROCK2 selective inhibitor, KD025 (SLx-2119), revealed decreased expression of several profibrotic mRNA including that of CTGF (Boerma, M., Fu, Q., Wang, J., Loose, D. S., Bartolozzi, A., Ellis, J. L., McGonigle, S., Paradise, E., Sweetnam, P., Fink, L. M., Vozenin-Brotons, M. C., Hauer-Jensen, M. Comparative gene expression profiling in three primary human cell lines after treatment with a novel inhibitor of Rho kinase or atorvastatin. Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis 2008, 19(7), 709-718). In a separate study (Zanin-Zhorov, A., Weiss, J. M., Nyuydzefe, M. S., Chen, W., Scher, J. U., Mo, R., Depoil, D., Rao, N., Liu, B., Wei, J., Lucas, S., Koslow, M., Roche, M., Schueller, O., Weiss, S., Poyurovsky, M. V., Tonra, J., Hippen, K. L., Dustin, M. L., Blazar, B. R., Liu, C. J., Waksal, S. D. Selective oral ROCK2 inhibitor down-regulates IL-21 and IL-17 secretion in human T cells via STATS-dependent mechanism. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2014, 111(47), 16814-9), KD025 administration decreased expression of pro-inflammatory, fibrosis-linked cytokines and mitigated murine autoimmune disease. Further evidence appearing to support a driving role for ROCK2 in fibrosis, and pertinent to renal disease, is the finding that ROCK1 knockout mice were not protected against ureteral obstruction-related renal fibrosis at either the early (day 5) or late (day 10) disease stage as determined by histology and expression of both mRNA and protein levels of αSMA, collagen types I and III and fibronectin (Fu, P., Liu, F., Su, S., Wang, W., Huang, X. R., Entman, M. L., Schwartz, R. J., Wei, L., Lan, H. Y. Signaling mechanism of renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstructive kidney disease in ROCK1 knockout mice. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 2006, 17(11), 3105-14). Although Baba et al. (Baba, I., Egi, Y., Suzuki, K. Partial deletion of the ROCK2 protein fails to reduce renal fibrosis in a unilateral ureteral obstruction model in mice. Mol. Med. Rep. 2016, 13(1), 231-6), demonstrated that half-deletion of ROCK2 also did not prevent UUO-induced renal fibrosis, the discrepancy regarding these data and the one published by Shi et al. (Shi, J., Wu, X., Surma, M., Vemula, S., Zhang, L., Yang, Y., Kapur, R., Wei, L. Distinct roles for ROCK1 and ROCK2 in the regulation of cell detachment. Cell Death Dis. 2013, 4(2), e483. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.10), could be attributed to different strain and incomplete genetic ablation (homozygous vs heterozygous) of the ROCK2 isozyme.
Efficacy aside, need for use of an isoform-selective approach derives from the perspective of drug safety. Since ROCK plays a central role in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, it might be anticipated that (unnecessary) inhibition of both its isoforms in a chronic setting such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) could cause severe adverse events. Indeed, systemic inhibition of ROCK does bear the risk of significant hypotension and such a strategy needs to be evaluated in terms of risk to benefit ratio (www.hsric.nihr.ac.uk/topics/netarsudil-for-open-angle-glaucoma-or-ocular-hypertension/; //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasudil). For diseases such as glaucoma, which is amenable to local treatment, ROCK isoform selectivity is not mandated and ROCK1/2 dual inhibitors such as netarsudil are dosed into the eye via the intravitreous or intracameral routes (www.hsric.nihr.ac.uk/topics/netarsudil-for-open-angle-glaucoma-or-ocular-hypertension/) Furthermore, drug load in glaucoma is small. With hyperacute indications such as cerebral vasospasm, dosing with fasudil (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasudil) might not pose a significant risk, albeit its use remains to be approved in the United States. Finally, in contrast to use of ROCK1/2 dual inhibitors, the ROCK2-selective inhibitor KD025 has been found to have no hemodynamic or other side effects over 12-16 weeks of dosing in healthy volunteers and patients (clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=KD025&Search=Search).
In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed toward the identification of small organic molecules that exhibit ROCK1, ROCK2, or ROCK1/2 inhibitory activities and are thus useful in the treatment or prevention of conditions or diseases in which inhibition of ROCK1, ROCK2, or ROCK1/2 is desirable.
All citations in the present application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The citation of any reference herein should not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as "Prior Art" to the instant application.

Vinylheterocycles as Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) inhibitors


A method is disclosed for facilitating multicast operation in a network in which a data unit is multicast from a root node to a plurality of leaves via a plurality of branching point nodes in response to feedback processed at each branching point node. At least one cell forwarding technique is selected from a plurality of cell forwarding techniques at the respective branching point nodes. The cell forwarding techniques facilitate multicast operation by controlling forwarding and discard of multicast cells. The forwarding techniques are realized via use of a buffer ring in which cells are stored prior to forwarding. Manipulating head and tail pointers associated with the buffer ring allows for a plurality of desirable forwarding techniques.

The advent of high-speed, cell-based, connection-oriented Asynchronous Transfer Mode ("ATM") networks creates a need for a reliable and flexible multicast mechanism that can support traditional LAN-based applications. Multicast functionality is required for implementation of "webcasting," routing, address-resolution and other inter-networking protocols. One of the early contributions to the ATM forum, "LAN Emulation's Needs For Traffic Management" by Keith McCloghrie, ATM Forum 94-0533, described multipoint connections in support of multicasting as one of the high-level requirements for LAN emulation. Such requirements may be viewed as including at least the same level of performance from an emulated LAN as from a traditional LAN in all respects, including multicast capability.
Known techniques for implementing multicast generally fall into two categories: "slowest-leaf wins" and "best-effort delivery." Slowest-leaf wins implies that the slowest leaf of the multicast connection determines the progress of the entire connection. While this technique prevents cell loss, it may be undesirable from the point of view of public-carrier networks where it is important to avoid allowing an arbitrary end-system from controlling the performance of the network. "Best-effort delivery" implies that cells are dropped for leaves that are unable to maintain a predetermined pace. While this technique prevents an arbitrary leaf from controlling the performance of the network, dropping cells in order to maintain performance may also be undesirable, as for example with loss sensitive transfers such as computer data transmission. While these techniques might be suitable for some multicast applications, neither technique provides a satisfactory multicast mechanism for the broad range of applications encountered in high-speed networks.

Reliable and flexible multicast mechanism for ATM networks


A method for making ferrite powder may include providing ferrite feed materials in a form of particles having different sizes and irregular shapes, and exposing the ferrite feed materials to a plasma to provide a more spherical shape to irregularly shaped particles to thereby make the ferrite powder. An apparatus for making ferrite powder may include a feeder for ferrite feed materials and a plasma generator for exposing the ferrite feed materials to a plasma.

Mixtures of iron oxide, oxides of transition metals, other metals, and semi-metals are basic components in the manufacture of many products that are used for electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression filters, inductors, and reprographic system components, among others. Ferrite materials, commonly called spinel, may be produced by forming small particles of chemical oxides. Other crystal structures, such as garnet, and hexagonal ferrite, may be also be produced. Such spinel ferrites may be based on an iron oxide denoted by the formula, MeFe2O4, and may contain as the Me element, for example, some combination of substituted transition metals such as manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), vanadium (V), as well as other oxides of metals such as magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), and zinc (Zn).
These ferrites may also contain semi-metals such as silicon (Si), and other additives such as titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), and even alkaline earth metals such as calcium (Ca). In some cases, alkali metals may reside in the ferrite or in other phases.
Although referred to as spinel, garnet and hexagonal ferrite, these materials may be complex multiphase materials containing phases such as FeO and glass formers that are used to control bulk electrical resistivity, eddy currents, frequency response of material impedance, magnetic hysteretic characteristics, total magnetic moment, and sintering characteristics.
The production of ferrites may be controlled intentionally to produce spinels of oxides of iron and other elements, which may occur in more than one valence state having controlled ferrimagnetic properties. In many applications a particular surface morphology and a specific size of powder may be required to achieve desired product properties.
To obtain these desired product properties in a final product shape, a ferrite, or precursor mixture, must first be produced. This may be accomplished by methods well known to persons experienced in the technology and may include processes such as chemical precipitation, the use of naturally occurring oxide ores, or conversion of aqueous solution of metal salts such as chlorides, and even melting the starting ingredients.
The overall elemental composition of the incipient ferrite spinel may be created by mixing exact proportions of metal oxides, or chemical precursors. The overall elemental composition may require grinding elemental oxides in a proper proportion into an intimate mixture of small particle size, and adjusting the composition of the final mixture, which may then be spray dried.
Such mixtures may be subjected to intermediate thermal treatments in rotary or fixed kilns to partially react them, or to produce particle sizes useful for subsequent mechanical processing. After thermal-mechanical processing, the materials may be ground again into small particle size, and the composition may be adjusted to meet a target terminal composition. The materials may thereafter be spray dried in an aqueous process to create an aggregate that may be mixed and blended, pressed into a shape, and sintered.
For some applications, such as reprographic use, the powder may be used in the spray dried and sintered form. In other applications, the powder may be used with, or without, spray drying when it is intended as an additive to a mixture of an inorganic or organic binder.
A process for producing a pre-reacted oxide powder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,488 to Workman et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. While this process produces pre-reacted powder, its particular phase mixture is not typically suitable for direct use in ferrite products without further processing and thermal treatments. Moreover, the atmospheric conditions used to produce such powders may not be effectively controlled to achieve a desired oxidation state and phase composition of all the iron and other elements.
The process described in the Workman et al. patent produces particle morphology that is somewhat useful for carrier bead, but the ratio of ferri-magnetic spinel to non-ferrimagnetic oxides of iron and other elements leads to a magnetic moment that may be too low for use. Further, the ratio may also lead to a volume electrical resistivity that is not suitable. Accordingly, this product must be further processed to produce a useful carrier bead.
Additionally, the process described in the Workman et al. patent may produce detrimental particle shapes, such as broken particles with sharp edges and elongate particles. It may be difficult and costly to remove these irregular particles by traditional separation methods since they exist in a range of sizes. Further, a significant percentage of useful spherical powder may be lost when conventional separation methods are used. A negative economic impact is observed due to a small percentage of total powder that is usable.

Method and apparatus for making ferrite material products and products produced thereby


Method for producing a cross-linked elastomer in which a mixture is produced comprising at least one latex and at least one starter component for initiating the cross-linking reaction or a latex that bears at least one starter component or starter group, in particular in liquid phase. A photoinitiator is used as a starter component, which photoinitiator, through irradiation with electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet (UV light) and/or visible spectral range forms a reactive species. The latex mixture is irradiated with UV light and/or visible light.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for producing a cross-linked elastomer in which a mixture is produced comprising at least one latex and at least one starter component for initiating the cross-linking reaction or a latex that has at least one starter component or starter group in the molecule, in particular in liquid phase, a method for producing a latex product with a predetermined form in which at least one latex is cross-linked and the molding is carried out before or after the cross-linking, a method for producing a dipped article from at least one latex, in particular a glove or a condom, in which a mold in an outer contour that corresponds to the dipped article to be produced is dipped for a predetermined time into a dipping bath containing a mixture with the at least one latex, optionally after dipping in another dipping bath with a coagulating agent, and subsequently the dipped article is solidified and/or dried, optionally after a postcure, a mixture for producing a latex product, comprising at least one latex and at least one starter component for initiating a cross-linking reaction, and optionally further auxiliaries, a mixture for producing a dipped article from at least one latex, in particular a glove or a condom, a glove produced from an elastomer cross-linked with a starter component, formed by elastomer molecules, a device for producing a cross-linked elastomer with a reactor in which a mixture comprising at least one latex and at least one starter component for initiating the cross-linking reaction can be filled, and optionally with at least one circulating device for the mixture, and the use of the mixture according to the invention.
2. Prior Art
In order to give elastomers the specific elastic properties, the polymer chains of the elastomer have to be at least partially cross-linked with one another. The cross-linking generally takes place via double bonds that are either in the main chain, such as, e.g., with polyisoprene, polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene, nitrile-butadiene rubber, or a side chain, such as, e.g., with EPDM, of the elastomer. On an industrial scale the cross-linking of elastomers, including rubber latex, has hitherto been carried out in three different ways.
The most widespread is the cross-linking, i.e., vulcanization, of elastomers by means of molecular sulfur, which dates back to Goodyear. Since vulcanization with sulfur alone entails reaction times that are too long, vulcanization accelerators are added. These are organosulfur compounds, such as dithiocarbamate, mercaptobenzothiazole or xanthogenate. Since the cross-linking of rubber lattices or rubber copolymers has to be carried out at low temperatures so as not to destabilize the latex, the use of very reactive vulcanization accelerators is essential.
Another way of cross-linking elastomers is the reaction with organic peroxides. Compounds, such as dicumyl peroxide or dibenzoyl peroxide, are thereby thermally split into radicals which initiate the cross-linking of the elastomer chains. It is thereby advantageous if work is carried out with the exclusion of air, since peroxides are oxygen-sensitive, which is why the cross-linking is often carried out in molten salt baths.
In addition to the thermal cross-linking methods there are also radiation cross-linking methods in which energetic electron radiation or gamma radiation is used. In these methods additional reagents, such as, e.g., acrylates, are often added to the rubber latex to be cross-linked. A radiation cross-linking method of this type is known, e.g., from U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,444 B. This document describes in particular a medical glove comprising cis-1,4-polyisoprene, whereby this synthetic rubber has the advantage that compared to natural rubber it is protein-free and sulfur-free. This medical glove is made by dip-molding of a prevulcanized cis-1,4-polyisoprene. The prevulcanization or vulcanization is carried out, as mentioned above, by means of electron radiation or gamma radiation without chemical sensitizers. Doses of 20 megarad to 40 megarad are thereby used. Peroxide cross-linking is also described in this US-B1.

Method for producing cross-linked elastomer