An absorbent article comprises as the surface material, a non-woven fabric containing 40 wt. % or more of a conjugate fiber made of a first polyester and a second polyester having a melting temperature of 50.degree. C. or more below that of said first polyester and a height of an endothermic peak of 5% or more of that of the first polyester.

The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article using a non-woven fabric having excellent absorptivity and processability as the surface material. The present invention particularly relates to an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin, a paper diaper or a sheet for makeup.
A conventional absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a paper diaper basically comprises an absorbent layer made of cottony pulp or absorbent paper, a leakproof layer disposed on the lower and lateral sides of the absorbent layer, and a non-woven fabric provided on the surface of the absorbent layer.
The absorptivity of the absorbent article has been greatly improved in recent years since new materials such as a superabsorbent polymer and a dry process non-woven fabric have been introduced. Particularly as to the non-woven fabric, synthetic fibers have begun to be predominantly used in place of a regenerated fiber of cellulose which has heretofore been widely used. The synthetic fiber is very effective in suppressing the tackiness of the surface of the non-woven fabric.
An absorbent article comprising a combination of materials each having excellent absorptivity cannot be said to sufficiently exhibit the innate performance in actual use. This is apparent from the fact that the consumer's most serious dissatisfaction with an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a paper diaper remains "leakage" from the crotch of a wearer.
The principal causes of leakage are separation of each of the constituent materials and great slippage or wrinkling of the absorbent article due to irregular stresses which are applied to the absorbent article when the crotch of the wearer moves. Among others, particularly the non-woven fabric receives great stress since it is directly in contact with the skin of the wearer so that it is likely to be separated from a waterproof paper layer of an absorbent layer. Thus, integration of the layers by any method is earnestly desired.
As a means of integration of the non-woven fabric with a waterproof paper layer or an absorbent layer, it is conceivable to bond them with a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a hot-melt adhesive. If such a means is employed, the production steps are very complicated, inevitably largely increasing the production cost. In contrast, if a so-called heat bonding method, in which a non-woven fabric is melted and bonded to an object by simple hot-pressing, is employed, the process becomes less complicated, and high-speed production becomes possible with a slight increase in production cost.
In view of the above, a non-woven fabric having good thermal processability is necessary for improving the leakproofness of an absorbent article under conditions of movement of the wearer while not increasing the cost. For high-speed production of such an absorbent article, other excellent processabilities are required of the non-woven fabric in addition to the thermal processability.
The synthetic resin non-woven fabric which has been predominantly used has very insufficient processabilities though it has excellent absorptivity. The problems can be broadly summarized as follows.
A first problem is that thermal processing of the non-woven fabric is difficult. When the non-woven fabric is made of a fiber incapable of being heat-melted, such as an acrylic fiber, the fabric cannot be bonded to an object at all because the non-woven fabric cannot be melted. When a non-woven fabric made of a polyester fiber, a nylon fiber, or the like having a high melting point can be melted by heat, control of the temperature is difficult due to the very high processing temperature, and damage to other materials may be great when the molten non-woven fabric comes in contact with them. Thus, even when the non-woven fabric is melted in processing, the following difficulties are experienced.
The molten fiber sticks to a heat sealer, with the result that the heat-bonded portion of the non-woven fabric is broken and that the function of the sealer is deteriorated because of the resin sticking to the sealer. Even when a low-melting fiber is partially blended in a non-woven fabric in order to lower the processing temperature, the situation is the same as if all of the low-melting fibers are molten. In most cases, the low-melting fiber used herein is one comprising components all having the same melting temperature, such as a polypropylene fiber, or one comprising components having a small difference in melting temperature from one another, such as a polyethylene/polypropylene conjugate fiber. When processing is conducted at a high temperature enough to provide sufficient heat-bonding strength, all components are molten at the same time, and the melted component instantly migrates to the sealer, leading to a reduction in the function of the sealer and to breakage of the heat-bonded portion. As the blending rate of the low-melting fiber is increased, this problem is more serious. When the blending rate of the low-melting fiber is low, migration of the molten component to the sealer can be somewhat prevented by bonding and intertwining of the low-melting fiber with the high-melting fiber in a temperature range wherein all of the low-melting fibers are molten but the high-melting fibers keep the fibrous form. However, the effect of thermal adhesion is hardly exhibited because of the low blending rate of the molten component, and migration of the molten component to the sealer remains yet to be eliminated. Thus, the breakage of the heat-bonded portion of the non-woven fabric and damages caused by the deposited matter accumulated in the sealer by running the sealer particularly for a long period of time cannot be essentially obviated.
There has been an attempt to improve the above-mentioned problems by using as the low-melting fiber a polyester/polyester conjugate fiber having a large difference in the melting temperature between the two components of the fibers. In this case, a conventional low-melting polyester component is so amorphous that it does not have a melting temperature (but has a softening point) in a strict sense. Thus, adhesion to another object is low and hence an insufficient sealing strength can be obtained even at a temperature above the softening point.
As described above, thermal processing of a non-woven fabric based on a synthetic fiber can merely be conducted in a very restricted range. Particularly, it is impossible to conduct thermal processing which will exert a consistent effect on a non-woven fabric having a very high blending rate of a low-melting fiber used as the binder, such as a dry process heat-bonded non-woven fabric which is widely used in absorbent articles.
Thus, in the most widely employed method of providing thermal processability to a synthetic fiber-based non-woven fabric, a polyolefin fiber or its conjugate fiber having a relatively high bonding strength when thermally processed is blended within a range wherein the fiber does not fuse as much to a sealer. However, this method can not essentially solve the above-mentioned problem, and involves the following serious problem.
Specifically, a second problem is that when a polyolefin fiber is used, the cuttability of a non-woven fabric is lessened. In production of a disposable absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a paper diaper, the step of cutting a product or a raw material does not fail to be included in the process. Generally speaking, the cuttability of a synthetic fiber is poor when compared with a regenerated cellulose fiber such as rayon. A high-speed productivity is required with the above-mentioned absorbent article for lowering the cost. Thus, cutting must be done in a very short time and the cutting system is limited. In a cutting system using a metal blade, which is usually employed, the durability of the blade is greatly affected by the properties of the materials such as a non-woven fabric. On the non-woven fabric side, the fabric should not undergo damages to a portion other than the cut portion It is believed that the cuttability has something to do with the viscoelasticity of the fibers. The cuttability of a polyolefin fiber having a high viscoelasticity is particularly poor, while those of a polyester fiber or an acrylic fiber having higher brittleness are relatively good. Accordingly, a dry process heat-bonded non-woven fabric based on a polyolefin fiber and a non-woven fabric containing a polyolefin fiber blended for providing thermal processability is difficult to process. Thus, difficulty is encountered in high-speed production of an absorbent article.
As described above, a conventional non-woven fabric based on a synthetic fiber does not simultaneously satisfy sufficient thermal processability and cuttability under conditions of high-speed production. Thus, an absorbent article which hardly slips or wrinkles and has a high leakproofness has not been obtained.

Absorbent article having an improved non-woven fabric layer


Compositions useful for polishing wafers to be used in microelectronic devices comprise silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, sodium hydroxide, and water. Cleaning compositions for removing electron wax from wafers to be used in microelectronic devices comprise from about 2 to about 6 percent by weight of ammonium hydroxide, from about 10 to about 22 percent by weight of hydrogen peroxide, and water.

A variety of equipment may be employed in manufacturing microelectronic (e.g., semiconductor) devices. For example, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatuses are typically used to detect the concentrations of wafer dopants at various stages of processing. CMP apparatuses may also be used to chemically or mechanically planarize the wafer surfaces in an attempt to improve step coverage. In addition, angle polishing apparatuses can be used to chemically or physically cut-process materials. More specifically, these apparatuses typically use bevels to grind the corner sides of the materials.
An example of a conventional angle polishing apparatus is proposed by Mimasu Co. of Japan. In general, this apparatus is typically known as a pre-processing apparatus in that it typically processes wafers prior to the wafers being manufactured into microelectronic devices.
A more precise analysis of processes involved in device manufacturing is generally desirable. Thus, it may be desirable to have a more integrated system in that sample cutting, pre-grinding, angle polishing, wax removal, and wafer surface analysis may be conducted in a coordinated fashion. FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating conventional sample processing. First, a predetermined sample size is cut from the wafer. This operation is typically referred to as the cutting step. The cut sample is usually next attached on the angle stage of an angle polishing apparatus by employing conventional electron wax-like resins. This procedure is typically referred to as the attaching step. Electron wax which may be present on the edge of the attached sample is subsequently cleaned (i.e., cleaning step), and the sample surface is then roughly grounded in an attempt to shorten the polishing time (i.e., a pre-grinding step). With respect to the pre-grinding step, the sample is usually attached on the surface of a glass plate, and the thickness of the sample decreases by approximately 2 mm. An example of a commercially employed glass plate is Model No. FO-1200 sold by JAPAN Fujimi Co.
During the grounding operation, the corner of the sample is typically ground while the angle polishing slurry is fed to the surface plate of the apparatus (i.e., an angle polishing step). The sample is next detached from the angle polishing operation, and electron wax which may be present on the sample surface is removed (i.e., wax removal step). Optionally, an etching step such as, for example, a SECCO etching, is carried out prior to performing predetermined analysis steps.
It should be noted that in order to carry out an accurate contaminant (e.g., oxygen precipitate) concentration analysis, it is preferred that the surface of the sample be scratch-free after angle polishing. A conventional slurry typically used for angle polishing comprises between 20 and 21 weight percent of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2), between 0.1 and 0.2 weight percent of aluminum oxide, and deionized water. The silicon dioxide particle sizes often range from 10 nm to 20 nm in diameter. An apparatus which may be used to supply polishing slurry is illustrated by FIG. 2. More particularly, the slurry composition is induced from slurry supply tank 1 and is supplied to a surface plate via slurry supply hose 3.
Notwithstanding any possible advantages, potential problems may result when employing silicon dioxide particles having the above sizes. Specifically, when the concentration of silicon dioxide in the slurry is high, the slurry often solidifies in the slurry supply tank 1. When the concentration of silicon dioxide in the slurry is low, there is a heightened possibility that surface scratching may occur during angle polishing. In general, the use of the above silicon dioxide slurries may be disadvantageous in that lengthy times are often needed to polish wafer surfaces such as, for example, 5 hours or greater.
Electron wax removal from a sample is usually carried out by mounting the sample on a gauze or cotton cloth, and then applying an acetone-containing swab to the sample. This procedure, however, is potentially disadvantageous in that the cleaning of the electron wax is often time-consuming. Moreover, the cleaning may involve excessively exposing the sample to the atmosphere. As a result, the sample may become contaminated which often distorts sample analysis.
There is a need in the art for compositions useful for angle polishing wafers to be used in microelectronic devices which reduce the occurrence of wafer scratching. Additionally, there is a need in the art for cleaning compositions which remove electron wax from wafers more efficiently than conventional cleaning compositions in terms of shortened time and reduced contaminant formation subsequent to cleaning.

Slurry compositions for polishing wafers used in integrated circuit devices and cleaning compositions for removing electron wax after polishing


The compressor (3) of the refrigerating fluid circuit is driven by the thermal engine (1) of the vehicle when the latter is functioning and, when parked, by the alternator (2). The latter, fed with three-phase current from an auxiliary battery (10) so as to function as a motor, and the compressor (3), are then disconnected from the crankshaft (20) by a free-wheel mechanism (7). The preliminary air conditioning of the vehicle when parked is thus provided without a special electric motor for driving the compressor, with reduced expenditure of energy by virtue of the feeding of the alternator with three-phase current, and without any risk of exhaustion of the main battery by virtue of the auxiliary battery (10).

When the air is very hot in the passenger compartment of a stationary vehicle, an air conditioner reduces it to a more acceptable temperature before the occupants of the vehicle take their places, as disclosed for example in FR-A-2 690 387.
In a known device of this type, notably for a vehicle with a thermal engine, the compressor is driven by a special electric motor both when the main engine is working and when the vehicle is parked. This electric motor has a relatively high energy consumption. Moreover, when parked, the device is fed by the on-board battery of the vehicle. If the device is used for a long time under these conditions, the battery runs the risk of being discharged to the point of no longer allowing the starting up of the thermal engine.

Device for the air conditioning of a vehicle when running and parked


Reusable plastic trays of a "low-depth" design for storing and transporting beverage containers and for nesting when empty. The side structure of the tray defined by a rail, whose upper rim is otherwise prone to be overridden in "shingling" relation by an adjacent tray when the trays are disposed for filling, is provided with cam means adapted to engage the side structure of an adjacent tray and thereby prevent a shingling relation from occurring. The disclosed tray design includes a strut arrangement on each rectangular side in which the lower end of each strut is inclined and adapted to engage a cooperatively inclined surface on the side structure to tend to urge the side structure in an inward direction, thus to prevent spreading of the side structure during nesting of the trays. The structural relationship between the cam means and the strut arrangement prevents interference of one with the other in the performance of their respective operations. The described trays further include a shoulder raised from the top surface of the floor to effectively space the side structure of the tray from an adjacent fluid container.

The present invention relates to low-depth, nestable trays for transporting beverage containers, such as aluminum cans.
Beverage cans are often stored and transported during the distribution stages in short-walled carboard boxes or in reusable, lightweight plastic trays intended to supplant such boxes. One such form of plastic tray is shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/369,598, filed Jun. 21, 1989 by the Applicant hereof and assigned to the Assignee hereof, the contents of which patent application are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
While the plastic tray device embodied in application Ser. No. 07/369,598 constitutes a significant improvement over short-walled cardboard boxes, the invention described herein improves upon the design of such tray in overcoming certain disadvantages prevalent in the use of low-depth plastic trays. For example, in the shipment of trays filled with cans, when large numbers of such trays are deposited in layers on pallets for ultimate transfer to transport apparatus, the trays are arranged in close side-by-side and end-to-end relation on a palletizing device positioned above the pallet to receive the layer of trays. In practice the trays are disposed on a floor panel of the palletizer, which panel is adapted to be withdrawn so that the trays supported thereon will be caused to drop a slight distance onto the underlying pallet or previously deposited tray layer thereon. Because the panel is withdrawn from one end to the other of the supported set of trays, as the panel moves out from under each tray, or line thereof, the trays will fall in sequence. The weight of the can load borne by each tray prevents their being dropped in perfect parallelism onto the surface below. Instead, the weight of the load tends to move the falling tray slightly such that it tends to move in the direction of the previously passed tray whereby the rail forming the side structure of the falling tray is caused to land on, and thus be retained by, the upper edge or rim of the rail of the adjacent tray. This overlapping of adjacent trays causes one end of the tray to be raised with respect to the other and is commonly referred to as "shingling". Shingling, it will be appreciated, is disruptive of load stability on the pallet since it initially prevents the achievement of a perfectly squared load. Subsequently, moreover, disengagement of the shingled trays, as for example when the palleted loads are being transported, creates a change in load configuration and perhaps even a load shift, both of which are undesirable.
Another problem addressed by the present invention occurs as a result of stacking empty trays in nested relation. Due to the fact that the side structures of the trays have a general configuration of being upwardly divergent, particularly because of inwardly extending, inclined columns that are spaced about the periphery of the tray to supportively space the side structure rail from the tray floor when a great number of trays are nested to create a high stack, those trays positioned toward the bottom of the stack are subjected to substantial compressive loads. Such loads, it will be appreciated, create a tendency of the sides of the compressively loaded trays to spread thereby permitting the overlying tray to be pressed downwardly into the subjacent tray. With the nested trays so-compressed there is, at best, a difficulty created in separating the trays at time of use. At worst, the trays, being formed of light weight plastic material, can become damaged.
Still another problem addressed by the invention is the potential damage to the fluid containers that are thin-walled numbers formed of a relatively fragile material, such as aluminum. In trays of the "low depth" type a recurring problem is that any tipping of the containers standing immediately adjacent the side structure of the tray can, when the container wall impacts on the side structure, impart an impact force on the former that may result in denting, dimpling or creasing of the container wall. Also, when the containers are subjected to vibration against the tray side structure over an extended period, it is conceivable, in the worst case, that a hole can be produced in the container wall. In a less severe case, the graphics on the container wall can be obliterated due to the erosive effects of the vibration.
It is to the amelioration of these problems, therefore, to which the present invention is directed.

Low-depth, nestable trays for transporting beverage containers


Local telephone exchanges in a threatened geographical area connect to their subscribers and transmit a recorded warning message. This is done in response to transmission of threat data communicated from one of several remote computer terminals to a central computer. The central computer has a data storage device upon which is stored a local exchange database and preferably recorded warning messages. Upon receipt of the threat data from the remote computer terminal, the central computer is connected in communication with the local exchanges in the threatened geographical area and instructs the local exchanges to connect to its subscribers and provides instructions or a warning message to be played to the subscribers who go off-hook.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computers and telephone communication systems and more particularly relates to a system for warning telephone subscribers of a threatened disaster in or approaching their geographical area.
2. Description of the Related Art
From time to time people in various geographical locations are subjected to threatened property damage and injury from a variety of natural and man-made potential disasters. Typical threatened disasters include natural disasters from weather, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, mud slides, floods and wind shear, as well as man-made disasters, such as those resulting from fire, radiation leakage, toxic chemical leakage or bomb threats. Ordinarily, the earlier people and communities are alerted to such threats so that they can make preparations for protecting themselves from them, the less the property damage or personal injury resulting from these threatened disasters.
There are already in place and operational a variety of prior art systems for warning or alerting people to disaster threats. These most prominently include the public media, such as radio and television news and weather broadcasts and the weather radio system operated by the National Weather Service. These systems, however, are subject to deficiencies because they require radio transmissions broadcast from transmitters located in the region of the disaster, and require that individuals have their radio or television equipment turned on, operating and being observed by the individuals. Persons who are not operating such equipment do not receive an alert, unless they are fortunate enough to have someone nearby who has received the alert and who is aware of their presence and goes to the effort to give them a personal warning.
Additionally, there are siren warning systems to alert members of the public who are in danger of a threatened disaster. These systems are also subject to deficiencies because some areas are not equipped with such siren warning systems and the sirens can be difficult or impossible to hear when there is ambient noise, such as from construction or traffic or a heavy storm or when the sirens are simply too far off to be heard.
There are also a variety of additional warning systems, mostly radio operated, which require specialized equipment. Very few people purchase such equipment and therefore these systems are not effective in providing sufficient warning to large numbers of people.
The infrastructure of the United States and many other countries currently includes a national telephone system, which provides a communication system which is more widely distributed and provides the most personal route to connection to the greatest number of people. Existing telephone systems are nearly always in a stand-by or enabled status, ready to receive telephone calls without the need for purchasing any special equipment or being turned on to be enabled. Furthermore, the telephone systems of most homes and businesses have ringing or comparable signaling equipment capable of signaling an incoming call even to people who are remote from the telephone, but able to hear its signal.
However, despite the availability of this infrastructure, the telephone system is currently essentially unused for the purpose of communicating disaster alert information to large numbers of people.
It is therefore an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a system which is capable of utilizing the telephone equipment to alert massive numbers of people, such as most of the telephone subscribers in a threatened geographical area, to the existence or approach of a threatened disaster.


A system for use in an orthopedic surgical procedure including a container for orthopedic surgical instruments. The container includes a first shell, and a second shell configured to be coupled to the first shell to define a chamber therein. The second shell is configured to be coupled to the first shell in a plurality of orientations including a first orientation in which fluid is permitted to advance into and out of the chamber, and a second orientation in fluid is prevented from advancing into and out of the chamber.

Joint arthroplasty is a well-known surgical procedure by which a diseased and/or damaged natural joint is replaced by a prosthetic joint. For example, in a total knee arthroplasty surgical procedure, a patient's natural knee joint is partially or totally replaced by a prosthetic knee joint. To facilitate the replacement of the natural joint with a prosthetic knee joint, orthopaedic surgeons may use a variety of orthopaedic surgical instruments such as, for example, sensors, controllers, reamers, drill guides, and/or other surgical instruments.
Many orthopaedic surgical instruments are cleaned and sterilized for use in a particular orthopaedic surgical procedure. In a typical cleaning or sterilization process, the instruments may be autoclaved. In such a process, the orthopaedic surgical instruments are placed in sterilization packages or containers for cleaning and sterilization. Other orthopaedic surgical instruments are not cleaned and sterilized before use in a particular orthopaedic surgical procedure. Such non-sterile instruments may be placed in a sealed package or container to prevent contamination of the sterilized surgical instruments or the patient.

Container for surgical instruments and system including same


A control device to detect abnormality of a supercharging pressure sensor accurately in an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger that can change a supercharging pressure by operation of an actuator. The control device operates an actuator so that a supercharging pressure measured by a supercharging pressure sensor becomes a target supercharging pressure, acquires a measured value of a flow rate of air flowing in an intake passage, and calculates an estimated supercharging pressure based on the measured air flow rate. The control device sets a first abnormality flag when a first simultaneous inequality is established, which is a simultaneous inequality evaluating magnitude correlation between the measured supercharging pressure, the target supercharging pressure and the estimated supercharging pressure, and is not established when the supercharging pressure sensor is normal.

There is known an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger including actuators that can actively change a supercharging pressure, such as a waste gate valve and a variable nozzle. In intake air quantity control of an internal combustion engine of this type, a target supercharging pressure is determined in accordance with a target air quantity, and a manipulated variable of the actuator is feedback-controlled so that a supercharging pressure measured by a supercharging pressure sensor reaches the target supercharging pressure.
In the above described supercharging pressure feedback control, the supercharging pressure sensor plays an important role in controlling the supercharging pressure with high precision. However, there is no guarantee that the supercharging pressure sensor always functions normally, similarly to the cases of other sensors. Any abnormality such as wire breakage, a short circuit, or deterioration of a sensor element sometimes occurs. Even if feedback control based on the output value of the supercharging sensor is performed in such a case, the actual supercharging pressure cannot be caused to follow the target supercharging pressure. Therefore, in the internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger that performs supercharging pressure feedback control, a self-diagnosis function of capable of diagnosing abnormality of the supercharging sensor quickly and correctly is required.
As the method for diagnosing abnormality of a supercharging pressure sensor, there is known a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-207509, for example. According to the method disclosed in the publication, a difference between a reference supercharging pressure in a predetermined load region of an internal combustion engine and a supercharging pressure obtained by measurement by the supercharging pressure sensor is calculated, and when the difference exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that abnormality occurs to the supercharging pressure sensor.
However, even if the measured supercharging pressure deviates from a reference supercharging pressure, abnormality of the supercharging pressure sensor is not always the cause thereof. When abnormality occurs to the actuator which is used in supercharging pressure control, the supercharging pressure which is obtained by measurement by the supercharging pressure sensor has the value deviating from the reference supercharging pressure. For example, when the waste gate valve is taken as an example as the actuator, if the waste gate valve does not open due to a malfunction, the supercharging pressure cannot be reduced in accordance with the target. In the case like this, the supercharging pressure measured by the supercharging pressure sensor shows a value higher than the reference supercharging pressure, and therefore, according to the method described in the above described publication, an erroneous diagnosis that abnormality occurs to the supercharging pressure sensor is made.
For this reason, the self-diagnosis function included by the control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger is required to be able to diagnose abnormality of the supercharging pressure sensor by distinguishing the abnormality of the supercharging pressure sensor from abnormality of the actuator.
Note that as the prior arts relating to the present invention, the arts described in respective Patent Literatures cited as follows including the art described in the above described publication can be cited. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-009877 describes determining abnormality of a waste gate valve by calculating a deviation between the target supercharging pressure and the actual supercharging pressure corresponding to the control duty value each time the control duty value with respect to the waste gate valve is changed by a predetermined amount, and comparing the deviation with an abnormality determination value. However, the technique described in the publication is on the precondition that the supercharging pressure sensor is normal, and is not configured to diagnose abnormality of the waste gate valve by distinguishing the abnormality of the waste gate valve from the abnormality of the supercharging pressure sensor.

Control device for internal combustion engine equipped with supercharger


In a communications system packets containing compressed digital signals are transported in multiple cells, typically in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode format. Upon reception of these cells, a determination is made as to whether cells have been lost, additional cells inserted, or whether there were bit errors in the transmission of the cells. If so, null packets are substituted for the erred packets and are sent to the video decompression layer.

A wide range of digital communications systems can be used for the transport of compressed digital video signals including the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format signals. Digital video will be a standard for the transmission of television signals, and eventually the majority of television signals will be transported in a digital format.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, which are used to transport information using statistical multiplexing, can be used to transport MPEG signals which are placed in ATM cells and routed through ATM networks. Cell loss, cell misrouting, and the corruption of information in cells caused by bit errors which occur during transmission can all lead to the corruption of MPEG digital video information.
Because the efficiency of ATM networks relies in part on the ability of the services to deal with occasional cell loss, and because ATM networks have no retransmission protocol, cell loss and the corruption of packets of MPEG information are inevitable.
Loss of MPEG information can result in significant degradation of the image quality, and can result in image "freezing" or "blocking." Such problems have not occurred in traditional analog television systems because occasional noise resulted in "snowy" images, which if infrequent, were not perceived by the viewer. MPEG video decoders, which decompress the video signal and produce final images for viewing, can handle some MPEG packet loss and corruption without significant degradation in the final picture, but the ability of the MPEG decoder to handle corrupted data depends in part on identifying which MPEG packets have been lost or corrupted.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method and apparatus for handling errors in a digital video transport system.

Digital video transport error handling in cell based communications systems


The present invention encompasses methods and compositions useful in diagnosing and treating hepatic disorders, especially those characterized by inflammation. The method comprises administration of an agent which prevents the interaction of MAdCAM with a MAdCAM binding partner or ligand. These compositions are useful in treating diseases or disorders involving α4β7/MAdCAM blockade, as well as inhibiting a primary event in the inflammatory response such as blocking interactions between intercellular adhesion molecules and their ligands. Disorders treatable using the methods disclosed herein include infections, especially viral infections, iatrogenic disorders, cholestatic disorders, hereditary disorders, sarcoidosis, organ transplant, and the like. The diagnostic methods of the invention can be employed to detect the presence of a disorder or to monitor the course of therapy used to treat the disorder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and compositions which can be employed in the prophylaxis, treatment and management of liver disorders, especially those characterized by inflammation. Also disclosed are methods and reagents useful in the prognosis and diagnosis of inflammatory liver disorders.
2. Description of Related Disclosures
The recruitment and recirculation of leukocytes from blood, through tissue, into lymph and back to the blood are key events in the inflammatory process associated with tissue injury, infection or antigen deposition (Springer, T., (1994) Cell, 76:301-314; Berlin et al., (1995) Cell, 80:413-422; Schweighoffer et al., (1993) J. Immunol., 151:717-729). These events are regulated at a molecular level by interactions between various specialized molecules on the surface of circulating leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells (Springer, T., (1994) supra). Recent models indicate that the recruitment or homing of peripheral blood leukocytes, including lymphocyte subsets, to various tissue sites proceeds by a multistep process comprising i) a primary transient contact event, ii) a rapid activating event that involves G protein-linked signaling receptors and iii) activation triggered firm adhesion (Springer et al., (1994) supra). Chemotaxis and extravasation of leukocytes into tissue follows these three primary events.
The mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) is involved in the selective homing of lymphocytes to normal mucosal tissues (Berlin et al., (1993) Cell, 74:185-195; Briskin et al., (1997) Am. J. Pathol. 151:97-110). It is expressed on a restricted set of vessels including high endothelial venules (HEV's) of the mucosal associated lymphoid tissues and directs lymphocyte traffic to Peyer's patches and the intestinal lamina propria (Berlin et al., (1993) supra). In humans, MAdCAM-1 expression has been associated with tissues of the gastrointestinal tract (colon and small intestine) and associated lymphoid tissues (mesenteric lymph nodes)(Briskin et al., (1997) supra). It has been detected in pancreas, gall bladder and splenic venules and marginal sinus of the splenic white pulp (Kraal et al., (1995) Am. J. Path. 147:763-771). In inflammatory settings increased MAdCAM-1 expression has been observed in HEV like vessels in the pancreas of non-obese diabetic mice (Hanninen A., et al., (1993) J. Clin. Invest 92:2509), on intestinal lamina propria venules from mice with experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease (Viney J. et al., (1996) J. Immunol. 157:2488-2497; Picarella D., et al., (1997) J. Immunol., 158:2099-2016) and in humans at inflammatory foci associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (Briskin et al., (1997) supra). It has not been detected in the majority of normal or inflamed extra-intestinal tissues (Briskin et al., (1997) supra).
The lymphocyte integrin α4β7 has been shown to mediate lymphocyte (memory T cells) adhesion to MAdCAM-1 (Tidwell et al., J. Immunol. 159:1497-1505; Walsh et al., (1996) Immunol. 89:112-119; Berlin et al., (1993) Cell, 74:185-195). The MAdCAM-1/α4β7 interaction has been shown to mediate selectin-independent interaction and rolling of lymphocytes under physiological flow (Berlin et al., (1995) Cell, 80:413-422).
Antibodies to MAdCAM-1 and both the α4 and β7 subunit of the α4β7 integrin block lymphocyte binding to cells expressing MAdCAM-1 (Berlin et al., (1993) Cell, 74:185-195). It has been shown that MAdCAM-1/α4β7 blockade reduces lymphocyte trafficking and decreases the severity of the inflammatory infiltrate and the degree of tissue injury in experimental models of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (Picarella et al., (1997) J. Immunol. 158(5):2099-2106; Hesterberg et al., (1996) Gastroenterology 111:1373-1380). Several potent inhibitors of the MAdCAM-1/α4β7 interaction have been proposed for preventing MAdCAM-1 associated leukocyte recruitment to the gastrointestinal tract (International Publication No. WO 96/24673, International Publication No. WO 97/25351).

Diagnosis and treatment of hepatic disorders


Disclosed are a terminal in which a shape or configuration of a virtual keypad is transformable by considering user's convenience and a method for controlling the same, the terminal including: a display module configured to display a virtual keypad; a user input unit configured to receive a touch or drag input from a user; and a controller configured to transform the shape of the virtual keypad according to a dragged direction or dragged length when a spot of the virtual keypad is touched to be dragged in a specific direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal capable of transforming (changing) a shape or construction of a virtual keypad for the sake of user's convenience and a method for controlling the same.
2. Background of the Invention
Terminals may be divided into a mobile/portable terminal and a stationary terminal according to their mobility. The mobile terminal may then be categorized into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mounted terminal according to whether a user can carry it around.
As functions of a terminal become more diversified, the terminal may support more complicated functions such as capturing still images or video, play music or video files, play games, receive broadcast signals and the like. By comprehensively and collectively implementing such functions, the portable terminal may be embodied as a multimedia player or device.
Considerable efforts have been expended to support or enhance various functions of mobile terminals. Such efforts include not only changes and improvement of structural components of the mobile terminal, but also software and hardware improvement.
Recently, to meet user's requirements of a mobile terminal which has a small size and a larger display, the use of a mobile terminal, which has a decreased number of buttons disposed at a front surface of the mobile terminal but rather has a larger touch screen, is increased.
Accordingly, user interface environments are also changed to be suitable for the use of the touch screen.
A representative user interface suitable for the touch screen can be a virtual keypad. However, the virtual keypad has been modeled on a typical keypad. Accordingly, when inputting information using the virtual keypad of a terminal with a small-sized display module, it may lower a user's convenience. Thus, a method for allowing a user to use such virtual keypad more conveniently is required.

Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same


The invention relates to a collar bearing split shell, comprising a bearing shell and two thrust washers which are located on said bearing shell. The invention also relates to a collar bearing comprising two collar bearing split shells, each of which has a bearing shell, at least one bearing shell being provided with two thrust washers located on said bearing shell. The invention also relates to a thrust washer for a collar bearing split shell. The aim of the invention is to provide a collar bearing which ensures that the two collar bearing split shells of a collar bearing are essentially flush with each other when installed. To this end, the invention provides for a collar bearing split shell on which the ends of the two thrust washers of the bearing shell extend at least partially beyond the semi-circle-shaped bearing shell in the peripheral direction; or a generic collar bearing on which the ends of the two thrust washers of at least on bearing shell extend at least partially beyond the semi-circle-shaped bearing shell in the peripheral direction. A thrust washer which is configured as a ring segment and which extends through an angle of more than 180° and a bearing shell, forming a combined collar bearing, also solve the problem addressed by the invention.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a flange bearing half shell having a bearing shell and two thrust washers arranged on said bearing shell.
2. Related Art
The invention also relates to a flange bearing having two flange bearing half shells, each of which comprises a bearing shell, at least one bearing shell having two thrust washers arranged on said bearing shell.
The invention also relates to a thrust washer for a flange bearing half shell, which takes the form of a ring segment.
Such flange bearings are used for example in internal combustion engines for bearing-assisted mounting of the crankshaft in the crankcase. Due to the right-angle bends in the crankshaft, the flange bearings are in principle constructed in two parts, in the form of two flange bearing half shells, with a view to facilitating mounting. Crankshafts of dismantlable modular construction are also to be found, which allow the use of one-part flange bearings, but these are still very much the exception in mass production, in particular due to the high manufacturing costs.
The bearing shell serves to absorb radial bearing forces, which are introduced via the shaft rotating in the bearing shell, whereas the thrust washer, of which there is at least one, serves to absorb axial forces. If there is a need to absorb axial forces in both directions of the shaft, two thrust washers have to be provided, since each thrust washer is only in a position to absorb the forces directed towards its overlay.
Cheeks are provided on the shaft, by means of which the shaft is supported on the thrust washer.
As a rule, the crankshaft bearing arrangement comprises a plurality of radial plain bearings, i.e. a plurality of bearings without thrust washers, and one combined radial/axial plain bearing. This radial/axial plain bearing has the thrust washers necessary for absorbing axial forces. Reference is made below to the combined radial/axial plain bearing, since it is this plain bearing construction which substantially constitutes the subject matter of the invention.
The flange bearings conventionally constructed in two parts in the form of two flange bearing half shells are preliminarily mounted in such a way in the crankcase that, prior to insertion of the crankshaft, the upper flange bearing half shell is positioned in the upper half of the crankcase and the lower flange bearing half shell is positioned in the lower half, or "cover", of the crankcase.
The upper half of the crankcase is the part of the crankcase which is connected with the engine block, i.e. the part of the crankcase which is arranged between the crankshaft and the cylinder head. The upper case half is, as indeed is the entire crankcase, essentially a casting, which is post-machined and comprises a bearing saddle for accommodating the upper flange bearing half shell, onto which the upper flange bearing half shell is fitted during mounting.
As a rule, the upper flange bearing half shell has a hole, through which the plain bearing is supplied with oil. The oil itself is fed as far as into the bearing saddles of the crankcase by means of feed lines. Consequently, care must be taken when fitting the upper flange bearing half shell to ensure that the oil supply hole in the bearing shell is aligned with the outlet of the oil supply line in the bearing saddle. A central and thus symmetrical arrangement of the hole is not expedient, since the supply hole has as a rule to be arranged eccentrically due to pressure distribution in the plain bearing lubricating oil film. Incorrect positioning of the upper flange bearing half shell in the bearing saddle and thus closure of the oil supply line results in inadequate oil supply to the plain bearing and, in the worst case scenario, to dry running of the bearing and bearing destruction.
For this reason, mounting aids are provided to assist in mounting. It is usual in practice to arrange a lug-type, outwardly projecting cam on the outer circumferential surface of the bearing shell, wherein a recess corresponding to said cam is provided in the bearing saddle of the crankcase. The flange bearing half shell, with its outwardly projecting cam, can then only be properly mounted in the bearing block when cam and recess fit together, i.e. the oil supply hole of the bearing shell is aligned with the outlet opening of the oil supply line in the bearing saddle and the flange bearing half shell is correctly oriented.
Constructing the mounting aid as a cam and corresponding recess is complex, due to the manufacturing process which has to be carried out, and requires a plurality of operations. The outwardly projecting cam is generated by a stamping process. The plain bearing material which is detached from the bearing shell in the process has to be carefully removed, so that loose particles do not become the cause of bearing fretting after mounting and during operation of the internal combustion engine.
Apart from the absent oil supply hole, the lower flange bearing half shell is of the same construction as the upper flange bearing half shell. It too has a cam as mounting aid.
The lower half shell of the flange bearing is arranged in the crankcase cover. To this end, the bearing cover is provided in the case cover to accommodate the lower flange bearing half shell. Together with the bearing saddle arranged in the upper case part, the bearing cover forms the receptacle for the flanged bearing, wherein the bearing saddle accommodates the upper flanged bearing half shell and the bearing cover the lower flanged bearing half shell.
After preliminary mounting, i.e. fitting the two flange bearing half shells into the upper case part and the case cover respectively and carrying out the remaining preliminary operations, the upper case part is fitted together with the case cover and screwed thereto, so as thus to form a closed crankcase.
The two crankcase parts do not as a rule have any centering devices which fixedly determine the relative position of these two components to one another. The screw connections provided in the crankcase, which connect the case cover firmly to the upper case part, by their nature exhibit a clearance and cannot for this reason serve as centering devices, such that the case cover may be moved, in particular by up to a few tenths of a millimeter in the direction of the crankshaft axis, relative to the upper case part once the screws have been screwed in but not tightened.
The two-part crankcase consisting of the upper case part and the case cover is generally divided along a straight line, i.e. the bearing cover and the bearing saddle, which together form the receptacle for the flange bearing, each have a semicircular recess extending over an angle of 180°, into which the flange baring half shells may be inserted. These flange bearing half shells are likewise generally divided along a straight line and extend over an angle of 180°.
If, as already explained, the case cover is displaceable and uncentered relative to the upper case part in the direction of the crankshaft axis due to the lack of a centering device, the lower flange bearing half shell may also be displaced relative to the upper flange bearing half shell. Neither of the two flange bearing half shells is purposefully oriented and fixed with regard to the flange baring half shell opposite it.
If the two flange bearing half shells are axially offset, the two thrust washers arranged to the left of the bearing bore or to the right of the bearing bore do not lie in a plane, such that on the one hand the bearing absorbs forces or fulfills its task of providing axial guidance and support for the crankshaft only on the thrust washer which protrudes further axially. On the other hand, overloading of the only partially stressed bearing may occur.
Against this background, it is the object of the present invention to provide a measure which ensures that the two flange bearing half shells of a flange bearing are aligned with one another when fitted and to provide a device with which the crankcase cover is centered in the upper part of the crankcase.

Collar bearing split shell and collar bearing with a centering device, and corresponding thrust washer


A microwave oven excitation system comprising a cylindrical microwave launcher for radiating microwave energy into a heating cavity of a microwave oven which is mounted adjacent to the heating cavity, a quarter-wave matching waveguide secured to the launcher, a rectangular waveguide secured to the quarter-wave matching waveguide, and a source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the rectangular waveguide remotely from the launcher. In addition, a mode stirrer may be optionally installed within the cylindrical microwave launcher. Also, an iris may be optionally mounted between the cylindrical microwave launcher and the heating cavity.

It is well known that electromagnetic energy can be utilized for heating foodstuff or other lossy dielectric materials. The foodstuff or other materials are placed in a cooking cavity of a microwave oven and are exposed to electromagnetic energy that is supplied by a suitable source, e.g., a magnetron. After a relatively short period of time during which the foodstuff is subjected to electromagnetic energy, heat will be generated in the foodstuff to accomplish the desired cooking of the foodstuff.
In a microwave oven, an ideal system for exciting the cooking cavity with microwave energy would evenly distribute the microwave energy across those portions of the cavity in which the food is located. Since food is normally located in only a limited area of the oven it is desirable to maximize the energy in the portion of the cavity in which the food is to be located.
Microwave ovens have employed numerous types of feed and distribution systems in an attempt to maximize the energy supplied to the food. For example, in British Patent No. 1,407,852, there is disclosed a microwave oven which utilizes "near field" effects of electromagnetic radiation to heat foods. In this method, the food is maintained in close proximity with a radiation element, a proximity preferably less than one wavelength of the exciting electromagnetic energy. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,248, a microwave apparatus is described in which food is placed in a container over slotted openings in a waveguide. The food is heated directly by the microwave energy exiting the waveguide, and indirectly by a radiation absorbing layer in the container that is in contact with the food. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,133 discloses a microwave oven which includes an antenna chamber, with an antenna in the form of radially extending arms rotating around a common axis mounted therein, disposed adjacent to the cooking cavity with microwave energy being introduced into the cavity through radiation slots disposed on the side of the cavity adjacent the antenna chamber. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,009 discloses a microwave oven which heats food by subjecting it to a microwave field generated by a surface wave transmission line comprising a slotted wall. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,704,802 and 5,742,033 for other examples of microwave ovens where the microwave energy passes through an aperture before entering the cooking chamber in an effort to provide more uniform heating of the foodstuffs therein.
Other systems similarly have a need for controlling the amount of microwave energy supplied to a heating cavity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,334 discloses a system for controlling the heating of a dielectric material in which reflected energy from the heating cavity is directed to a water load instead of back to the microwave power source. Irises are used between the respective waveguide and the heating cavity or water load for impedance transforming purposes. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,370 discloses a system for heating a filament or thread in a resonant cavity by use of microwave energy in which an iris is used between the heating cavity and the waveguide feeding microwave energy thereto to couple the microwave energy used to excite the heating cavity.
Other known methods for providing a more uniform distribution of microwave energy rely on the use of rotating devices within the cooking cavity, such as a mode stirrer having blades and being driven by a motor cyclically, a rotating food tray, or a rotating antenna. Each of the methods described above has certain drawbacks, particularly if installed in a hybrid oven which combines microwave heating with conventional oven techniques, where the internal temperature of the oven cavity is normally approximately 500 degrees F., such as is more particularly described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,254,823, 5,434,390 and 5,558,793.
A particular problem facing many microwave ovens relates to loading effects caused by the size of the foodstuff installed in the cooking cavity. When a small item is placed in the cavity, or especially when the cavity is empty, and the oven is operated, the microwave energy can reflect back to the magnetron, where it is dissipated as heat and can eventually damage the magnetron. A number of methods have been used to prevent such damage to the magnetron. One such method involved placing a thermostat in proximity to the anode of the magnetron to detect the temperature at the magnetron. A control circuit cuts off power to the magnetron when the temperature reached a point at which damage would occur. However, in this method the magnetron can still be stressed by relatively high temperatures. Another method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,915, provides a no-load sensing device that is mounted within the cooking cavity to cut off the magnetron when a specified temperature is reached within the device. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,751 discloses a microwave oven which utilizes a wave guide switching device to vary the energy supplied to the cooking cavity depending upon the load installed therein. Likewise, the system described in U.S. Pat. No.3,557,334 mentioned above redirects reflected energy to a water load, instead of back to the magnetron. Each of these methods has certain drawbacks, particularly if installed in the hybrid oven described above.
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,254,823, 5,434,390 and 5,558,793 to McKee et al. ("the McKee Patents"), the contents of which are explicitly incorporated by reference herein, a hybrid oven is disclosed for cooking by both hot air impingement and microwave energy. Each oven includes an apparatus, which is shown in FIG. 1 hereof and is generally designated by reference numeral 10, for illuminating a heating cavity with microwave energy. In FIG. 1, first magnetron 11 feeds microwave energy at a preselected frequency into first waveguide 12, and second magnetron 13 feeds microwave energy at the same preselected frequency into second waveguide 14. First waveguide 12 and second waveguide 14 each feed the respective microwave energy into the common third waveguide 15, which mixes the microwave energy and directs it into launcher 16. Launcher 16 is a cylindrical waveguide which directs the mixed microwave energy upward into a heating cavity (not shown) disposed directly above launcher 16. In practice, the conventional devices have certain drawbacks. In particular, the loading effects produced were found to be less than optimal and the enclosure somewhat unwieldy in size.

Apparatus for supplying microwave energy to a cavity


An R--T--M alloy material, wherein R is at least one rare earth metal including Y, T is Fe or an Fe component partially replaced by Co or Ni, M is B or a B component partially replaced by C as primary components is prepared by heating the alloy at a temperature from room temperature to a specific temperature of less than 500.degree. C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and holding it at the given temperature, if necessary; performing hydrogenation by holding the alloy in a hydrogen atmosphere or a mixed gas atmosphere of hydrogen and an inert gas at a specific temperature in the range of 500-1,000.degree. C.; medial annealing the alloy by holding the R--T--M alloy after the hydrogenation step in an inert gas atmosphere at a specific temperature in the range of 500-1,000.degree. C.; and dehydrogenating the alloy by holding the alloy in a vacuum of less than 1 Torr for dehydrogenation, and then cooling the alloy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a rare earth magnetic powder having high magnetic anisotropy, and to a method for manufacturing a rare earth magnet using the rare earth magnetic powder.
2. Description of the Background
A method for manufacturing a rare earth magnetic powder is known as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-04901, in which an alloy material (hereinafter referred to as an R--T--M alloy material) containing at least one rare earth metal including Y (hereinafter referred to as R), Fe or an Fe component, which is partly replaced by Co or Ni (hereinafter referred to as T), and B or a B component, which is partly replaced by C (hereinafter referred to as M) as primary components, and an alloy material (hereinafter referred to as an R--T--M--A alloy material) comprising the R--T--M alloy material and 0.001-5 atomic percent of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Al, Ti and V (hereinafter referred to as A) is homogenized, if necessary, in an Ar gas atmosphere at a temperature of 600-1,200.degree. C. The alloy material is heated 500-1,000.degree. C. in a hydrogen atmosphere or a mixed gas atmosphere of hydrogen and an inert gas and held at the specific temperature for a hydrogenation treatment. The alloy is dehydrogenated at a temperature of 500-1,000.degree. C. in a vacuum, cooled and then pulverized.
In recent years, the demand for rare earth magnetic powders having higher magnetic anisotropy than conventional powders has increased in order to achieve further miniaturization and higher performance of magnetic parts in the electric and electronic fields. No rare earth magnetic powder having sufficiently high magnetic anisotropy for these purposes has yet been obtained.

Method for manufacturing a rare earth magnetic powder having high magnetic anisotropy


A new and distinct Heuchera plant characterized by leaves which are yellow to lime green with prominent red veins, showing the strongest coloration in the spring and fall, large leaves, creamy white flowers on short flowering stems, a medium-large, mounding habit, and good vigor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera and given the cultivar name of 'Red Lightning'. Heuchera is in the family Saxifragaceae. Heuchera 'Red Lightning' originated as a controlled cross using Heuchera 'K265-1', a proprietary, unpatented, unnamed plant as the seed parent, and Heuchera 'K259-1', a proprietary, unpatented, unnamed plant as the pollen parent.
Compared to the seed parent, Heuchera 'K265-1', the new cultivar is more vigorous and has a better crown count and darker pattern along the main veins.
Compared to the pollen parent, Heuchera 'K259-1', the new cultivar has larger leaves, a darker pattern along the main veins, and no veil.
Compared to Heuchera 'Delta Dawn', U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,545, the new cultivar has larger leaves and habit, and a pattern that stays along the veins, rather than forming a red to dark center.
Compared to Heuchera 'Electric Lime', U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,872, the new cultivar has a habit with more crowns and shorter internodes. The new cultivar has much more prominent red vein coloration.
This new Heuchera is uniquely distinguished by:                1. leaves which are yellow to lime green with prominent red veins, showing the strongest coloration in the spring and fall,        2. large leaves,        3. creamy white flowers on short flowering stems,        4. a medium-large, mounding habit, and        5. good vigor.
This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (tip cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation in 2013 by cuttings and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may change with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.


A peer-vector machine includes a host processor and a hardwired pipeline accelerator. The host processor executes a program, and, in response to the program, generates host data, and the pipeline accelerator generates pipeline data from the host data. Alternatively, the pipeline accelerator generates the pipeline data, and the host processor generates the host data from the pipeline data. Because the peer-vector machine includes both a processor and a pipeline accelerator, it can often process data more efficiently than a machine that includes only processors or only accelerators. For example, one can design the peer-vector machine so that the host processor performs decision-making and non-mathematically intensive operations and the accelerator performs non-decision-making and mathematically intensive operations. By shifting the mathematically intensive operations to the accelerator, the peer-vector machine often can, for a given clock frequency, process data at a speed that surpasses the speed at which a processor-only machine can process the data.

A common computing architecture for processing relatively large amounts of data in a relatively short period of time includes multiple interconnected processors that share the processing burden. By sharing the processing burden, these multiple processors can often process the data more quickly than a single processor can for a given clock frequency. For example, each of the processors can process a respective portion of the data or execute a respective portion of a processing algorithm.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional computing machine 10 having a multi-processor architecture. The machine 10 includes a master processor 12 and coprocessors 141-14n, which communicate with each other and the master processor via a bus 16, an input port 18 for receiving raw data from a remote device (not shown in FIG. 1), and an output port 20 for providing processed data to the remote source. The machine 10 also includes a memory 22 for the master processor 12, respective memories 241-24n for the coprocessors 141-14n, and a memory 26 that the master processor and coprocessors share via the bus 16. The memory 22 serves as both a program and a working memory for the master processor 12, and each memory 241-24n serves as both a program and a working memory for a respective coprocessor 141-14n. The shared memory 26 allows the master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14 to transfer data among themselves, and from/to the remote device via the ports 18 and 20, respectively. The master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14 also receive a common clock signal that controls the speed at which the machine 10 processes the raw data.
In general, the computing machine 10 effectively divides the processing of raw data among the master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14. The remote source (not shown in FIG. 1) such as a sonar array (FIG. 5) loads the raw data via the port 18 into a section of the shared memory 26, which acts as a first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer (not shown) for the raw data. The master processor 12 retrieves the raw data from the memory 26 via the bus 16, and then the master processor and the coprocessors 14 process the raw data, transferring data among themselves as necessary via the bus 16. The master processor 12 loads the processed data into another FIFO buffer (not shown) defined in the shared memory 26, and the remote source retrieves the processed data from this FIFO via the port 20.
In an example of operation, the computing machine 10 processes the raw data by sequentially performing n+1 respective operations on the raw data, where these operations together compose a processing algorithm such as a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). More specifically, the machine 10 forms a data-processing pipeline from the master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14. For a given frequency of the clock signal, such a pipeline often allows the machine 10 to process the raw data faster than a machine having only a single processor.
After retrieving the raw data from the raw-data FIFO (not shown) in the memory 26, the master processor 12 performs a first operation, such as a trigonometric function, on the raw data. This operation yields a first result, which the processor 12 stores in a first-result FIFO (not shown) defined within the memory 26. Typically, the processor 12 executes a program stored in the memory 22, and performs the above-described actions under the control of the program. The processor 12 may also use the memory 22 as working memory to temporarily store data that the processor generates at intermediate intervals of the first operation.
Next, after retrieving the first result from the first-result FIFO (not shown) in the memory 26, the coprocessor 141 performs a second operation, such as a logarithmic function, on the first result. This second operation yields a second result, which the coprocessor 141 stores in a second-result FIFO (not shown) defined within the memory 26. Typically, the coprocessor 141 executes a program stored in the memory 241, and performs the above-described actions under the control of the program. The coprocessor 141 may also use the memory 241 as working memory to temporarily store data that the coprocessor generates at intermediate intervals of the second operation.
Then, the coprocessors 242-24n sequentially perform third—nth operations on the second—(n−1)th results in a manner similar to that discussed above for the coprocessor 241.
The nth operation, which is performed by the coprocessor 24n, yields the final result, i.e., the processed data. The coprocessor 24n loads the processed data into a processed-data FIFO (not shown) defined within the memory 26, and the remote device (not shown in FIG. 1) retrieves the processed data from this FIFO.
Because the master processor 12 and coprocessors 14 are simultaneously performing different operations of the processing algorithm, the computing machine 10 is often able to process the raw data faster than a computing machine having a single processor that sequentially performs the different operations. Specifically, the single processor cannot retrieve a new set of the raw data until it performs all n+1 operations on the previous set of raw data. But using the pipeline technique discussed above, the master processor 12 can retrieve a new set of raw data after performing only the first operation. Consequently, for a given clock frequency, this pipeline technique can increase the speed at which the machine 10 processes the raw data by a factor of approximately n+1 as compared to a single-processor machine (not shown in FIG. 1).
Alternatively, the computing machine 10 may process the raw data in parallel by simultaneously performing n+1 instances of a processing algorithm, such as an FFT, on the raw data. That is, if the algorithm includes n+1 sequential operations as described above in the previous example, then each of the master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14 sequentially perform all n+1 operations on respective sets of the raw data. Consequently, for a given clock frequency, this parallel-processing technique, like the above-described pipeline technique, can increase the speed at which the machine 10 processes the raw data by a factor of approximately n+1 as compared to a single-processor machine (not shown in FIG. 1).
Unfortunately, although the computing machine 10 can process data more quickly than a single-processor computer machine (not shown in FIG. 1), the data-processing speed of the machine 10 is often significantly less than the frequency of the processor clock. Specifically, the data-processing speed of the computing machine 10 is limited by the time that the master processor 12 and coprocessors 14 require to process data. For brevity, an example of this speed limitation is discussed in conjunction with the master processor 12, although it is understood that this discussion also applies to the coprocessors 14. As discussed above, the master processor 12 executes a program that controls the processor to manipulate data in a desired manner. This program includes a sequence of instructions that the processor 12 executes. Unfortunately, the processor 12 typically requires multiple clock cycles to execute a single instruction, and often must execute multiple instructions to process a single value of data. For example, suppose that the processor 12 is to multiply a first data value A (not shown) by a second data value B (not shown). During a first clock cycle, the processor 12 retrieves a multiply instruction from the memory 22. During second and third clock cycles, the processor 12 respectively retrieves A and B from the memory 26. During a fourth clock cycle, the processor 12 multiplies A and B, and, during a fifth clock cycle, stores the resulting product in the memory 22 or 26 or provides the resulting product to the remote device (not shown). This is a best-case scenario, because in many cases the processor 12 requires additional clock cycles for overhead tasks such as initializing and closing counters. Therefore, at best the processor 12 requires five clock cycles, or an average of 2.5 clock cycles per data value, to process A and B.
Consequently, the speed at which the computing machine 10 processes data is often significantly lower than the frequency of the clock that drives the master processor 12 and the coprocessors 14. For example, if the processor 12 is clocked at 1.0 Gigahertz (GHz) but requires an average of 2.5 clock cycles per data value, than the effective data-processing speed equals (1.0 GHz)/2.5=0.4 GHz. This effective data-processing speed is often characterized in units of operations per second. Therefore, in this example, for a clock speed of 1.0 GHz, the processor 12 would be rated with a data-processing speed of 0.4 Gigaoperations/second (Gops).
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a hardwired data pipeline 30 that can typically process data faster than a processor can for a given clock frequency, and often at substantially the same rate at which the pipeline is clocked. The pipeline 30 includes operator circuits 321-32n that each perform a respective operation on respective data without executing program instructions. That is, the desired operation is "burned in" to a circuit 32 such that it implements the operation automatically, without the need of program instructions. By eliminating the overhead associated with executing program instructions, the pipeline 30 can typically perform more operations per second than a processor can for a given clock frequency.
For example, the pipeline 30 can often solve the following equation faster than a processor can for a given clock frequency:Y(xk)=(5xk+3)2xk  (1)where xk represents a sequence of raw data values. In this example, the operator circuit 321 is a multiplier that calculates 5xk, the circuit 322 is an adder that calculates 5xk+3, and the circuit 32n (n=3) is a multiplier that calculates (5xk+3)2xk.
During a first clock cycle k=1, the circuit 321 receives data value x1 and multiplies it by 5 to generate 5x1.
During a second clock cycle k=2, the circuit 322 receives 5x1 from the circuit 321 and adds 3 to generate 5x1+3. Also, during the second clock cycle, the circuit 321 generates 5x2.
During a third clock cycle k=3, the circuit 323 receives 5x1+3 from the circuit 322 and multiplies by 2x1 (effectively right shifts 5x1+3 by x1) to generate the first result (5x1+3)2x1. Also during the third clock cycle, the circuit 321 generates 5x3 and the circuit 322 generates 5x2+3.
The pipeline 30 continues processing subsequent raw data values xk in this manner until all the raw data values are processed.
Consequently, a delay of two clock cycles after receiving a raw data value x1—this delay is often called the latency of the pipeline 30—the pipeline generates the result (5x1+3)2x1, and thereafter generates one result each clock cycle.
Disregarding the latency, the pipeline 30 thus has a data-processing speed equal to the clock speed. In comparison, assuming that the master processor 12 and coprocessors 14 (FIG. 1) have data-processing speeds that are 0.4 times the clock speed as in the above example, the pipeline 30 can process data 2.5 times faster than the computing machine 10 (FIG. 1) for a given clock speed.
Still referring to FIG. 2, a designer may choose to implement the pipeline 30 in a programmable logic IC (PLIC), such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), because a PLIC allows more design and modification flexibility than does an application specific IC (ASIC). To configure the hardwired connections within a PLIC, the designer merely sets interconnection-configuration registers disposed within the PLIC to predetermined binary states. The combination of all these binary states is often called "firmware." Typically, the designer loads this firmware into a nonvolatile memory (not shown in FIG. 2) that is coupled to the PLIC. When one "turns on" the PLIC, it downloads the firmware from the memory into the interconnection-configuration registers. Therefore, to modify the functioning of the PLIC, the designer merely modifies the firmware and allows the PLIC to download the modified firmware into the interconnection-configuration registers. This ability to modify the PLIC by merely modifying the firmware is particularly useful during the prototyping stage and for upgrading the pipeline 30 "in the field".
Unfortunately, the hardwired pipeline 30 typically cannot execute all algorithms, particularly those that entail significant decision making. A processor can typically execute a decision-making instruction (e.g., conditional instructions such as "if A, then go to B, else go to C") approximately as fast as it can execute an operational instruction (e.g., "A+B") of comparable length. But although the pipeline 30 may be able to make a relatively simple decision (e.g., "A>B?"), it typically cannot execute a relatively complex decision (e.g., "if A, then go to B, else go to C"). And although one may be able to design the pipeline 30 to execute such a complex decision, the size and complexity of the required circuitry often makes such a design impractical, particularly where an algorithm includes multiple different complex decisions.
Consequently, processors are typically used in applications that require significant decision making, and hardwired pipelines are typically limited to "number crunching" applications that entail little or no decision making.
Furthermore, as discussed below, it is typically much easier for one to design/modify a processor-based computing machine, such as the computing machine 10 of FIG. 1, than it is to design/modify a hardwired pipeline such as the pipeline 30 of FIG. 2, particularly where the pipeline 30 includes multiple PLICs.
Computing components, such as processors and their peripherals (e.g., memory), typically include industry-standard communication interfaces that facilitate the interconnection of the components to form a processor-based computing machine.
Typically, a standard communication interface includes two layers: a physical layer and an service layer.
The physical layer includes the circuitry and the corresponding circuit interconnections that form the interface and the operating parameters of this circuitry. For example, the physical layer includes the pins that connect the component to a bus, the buffers that latch data received from the pins, and the drivers that drive data onto the pins. The operating parameters include the acceptable voltage range of the data signals that the pins receive, the signal timing for writing and reading data, and the supported modes of operation (e.g., burst mode, page mode). Conventional physical layers include transistor-transistor logic (TTL) and RAMBUS.
The service layer includes the protocol by which a computing component transfers data. The protocol defines the format of the data and the manner in which the component sends and receives the formatted data. Conventional communication protocols include file-transfer protocol (FTP) and TCP/IP (expand).
Consequently, because manufacturers and others typically design computing components having industry-standard communication layers, one can typically design the interface of such a component and interconnect it to other computing components with relatively little effort. This allows one to devote most of his time to the designing the other portions of the computing machine, and to easily modify the machine by adding or removing components.
Designing a computing component that supports an industry-standard communication layer allows one to save design time by using an existing physical-layer design from a design library. This also insures that he/she can easily interface the component to off-the-shelf computing components.
And designing a computing machine using computing components that support a common industry-standard communication layer allows the designer to interconnect the components with little time and effort. Because the components support a common interface layer, the designer can interconnect them via a system bus with little design effort. And because the supported interface layer is an industry standard, one can easily modify the machine. For example, one can add different components and peripherals to the machine as the system design evolves, or can easily add/design next-generation components as the technology evolves. Furthermore, because the components support a common industry-standard service layer, one can incorporate into the computing machine's software an existing software module that implements the corresponding protocol. Therefore, one can interface the components with little effort because the interface design is essentially already in place, and thus can focus on designing the portions (e.g., software) of the machine that cause the machine to perform the desired function(s).
But unfortunately, there are no known industry-standard communication layers for components, such as PLICs, used to form hardwired pipelines such as the pipeline 30 of FIG. 2.
Consequently, to design a pipeline having multiple PLICs, one typically spends a significant amount of time and exerts a significant effort designing and debugging the communication layer between the PLICs "from scratch." Typically, such an ad hoc communication layer depends on the parameters of the data being transferred between the PLICs. Likewise, to design a pipeline that interfaces to a processor, one would have to spend a significant amount of time and exert a significant effort in designing and debugging the communication layer between the pipeline and the processor from scratch.
Similarly, to modify such a pipeline by adding a PLIC to it, one typically spends a significant amount of time and exerts a significant effort designing and debugging the communication layer between the added PLIC and the existing PLICs. Likewise, to modify a pipeline by adding a processor, or to modify a computing machine by adding a pipeline, one would have to spend a significant amount of time and exert a significant effort in designing and debugging the communication layer between the pipeline and processor.
Consequently, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, because of the difficulties in interfacing multiple PLICs and in interfacing a processor to a pipeline, one is often forced to make significant tradeoffs when designing a computing machine. For example, with a processor-based computing machine, one is forced to trade number-crunching speed for complex decision-making ability and design/modification flexibility. Conversely, with a hardwired pipeline-based computing machine, one is forced to trade complex-decision-making ability and design/modification flexibility for number-crunching speed. Furthermore, because of the difficulties in interfacing multiple PLICs, it is often impractical for one to design a pipeline-based machine having more than a few PLICs. As a result, a practical pipeline-based machine often has limited functionality. And because of the difficulties in interfacing a processor to a PLIC, it would be impractical to interface a processor to more than one PLIC. As a result, the benefits obtained by combining a processor and a pipeline would be minimal.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a new computer architecture that allows one to combine the decision-making ability of a processor-based machine with the number-crunching speed of a hardwired-pipeline-based machine.

Configuring a portion of a pipeline accelerator to generate pipeline date without a program instruction


An adapter of the present invention useful for attaching a fluid handling device to a catheter includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end and an open passageway therethrough. The passageway includes a seat to receive the catheter and a cavity distal to the catheter seat. There is a gasket disposed in the cavity to form a substantially fluid tight seal about the catheter when the catheter is positioned on the catheter seat. The adapter further includes a retainer, disposed on the distal end of the body over the gasket with an opening therethrough that is substantially aligned with the passageway. The opening is sufficient to allow the catheter to pass through into the passageway to engage the gasket and the catheter seat. The retainer has a plurality of flexible projections into the opening that are sized and shaped to engage the catheter and be proximally deflected by the placement of the catheter on the catheter seat. There is a rotatable collar disposed over the retainer on the proximal end of the body, with an open port therethrough that is substantially aligned with the passageway to allow placement of the catheter into the passageway. The collar has a plurality of proximal protuberances disposed to engage the flexible projections and to prevent distal flexion of the flexible projections on the retainer when the collar is in a first position with respect to the body thus to retaining the catheter in the adapter for attachment to a fluid handling device. Additionally, the protuberances are disposed not to engage the flexible projections when the collar is rotated to a second position with respect to the body thereby to allow a distal flexion of the projections and a withdrawal of the catheter from the adapter.

Catheters are elongate hollow tubes that are used to transmit fluids into or out of the body of a patient. Conventions followed for the devices described in this disclosure are that the term "proximal" is the direction away from the patient and toward the practitioner and the term "distal" refers to the direction toward the patient and away from the practitioner.
There are many types of catheters currently used in medical practice. Some catheters are sufficiently strong and rigid to be introduced by themselves, urinary catheters are examples of this type of catheter. Another catheter type is positioned on the outside of a sharp introducer needle and slid down over the needle into the patient's body using the needle to make the penetration and provide a guide to placement of the catheter, many intravenous catheters are of this type. This disclosure is related to yet another type, a catheter that is introduced into the patient through the bore of a sharp introducer needle. Through-the-needle catheters are further separated into two types by the introducer needle. When a through-the-needle catheter has a fixed hub for attachment of a fluid handling device, the introducer needle cannot be slid off the proximal end of the catheter. Catheters with fixed hubs either are used with a splitable introducer needle or the needle must be left on the catheter. One important application of catheters in medical practice is the use of long flexible catheters to introduce medicaments, often anesthetic or analgesic formulations, into the spine of a patient. In this application, the long (50-75 cm) flexible catheter tubing (generally 19-21 gauge) is introduced into the patient's epidural space through the bore of an introducer needle.
These spinal anesthesia procedures are widely used in hospital practice, with the generic name of "an epidural." As an example, the use of an epidural anesthetic is described in obstetric practice. The epidural anesthetic procedure is useful in many other types of procedures. In a typical obstetric procedure, the epidural catheter is often placed early in the patient's labor with the patient lying on her side, then the patient is placed on her back with the knees elevated for the rest of the delivery. Since the patient is on her back, the introducer needle generally must be removed. Most epidural catheters do not have fixed hubs thus allowing the introducer needle to be slid proximally off of the catheter and removed. Once the needle is removed, it is necessary to mount an adapter onto the catheter so that a fluid handling device such as a syringe may be attached to the catheter. The adapter is then often secured with tape onto the patient's body. The Tuohy-Borst adapter was developed for this application. The Tuohy-Borst adapter allows a fluid handling device with a male luer fitting to be mounted onto a small diameter (generally 19-21 gauge: Nominal Outside Diameters for these 19 to 21 gauges are between about 1.10 mm [19 gauge] to about 0.8mm [21 gauge] ) flexible catheter tube. The original Tuohy-Borst adapter is formed from metal and is considered reusable. Other variants of the original Tuohy-Borst are now available formed from thermoplastics. The thermoplastic adapters are generally supplied sterile and are considered single-use and disposable. The Tuohy-Borst type adapters all depend in some degree on a threaded collar being screwed down around the catheter to compress a resilient plug contained in a body portion. The seal around the catheter is formed by compressing the tip of the resilient plug into a cavity around the catheter tube by screwing the collar down onto the plug. In most of these adapters, it is easy for a practitioner to inadvertently over-tighten the threaded collar and occlude the catheter lumen. Alternatively, if the collar is not tightened down sufficiently, the adapter may leak or may even come off of the catheter tube. Most of the available adapters are generally cylindrical, may include a releasable latch mechanism and require at least about one-half rotation of the collar portion with respect to the body portion to secure the adapter onto the catheter.
A widely used adapter, available from B. Braun, Bethlehem, Pa., has a collar and a body portion. The Braun adapter is capable of almost four complete rotations of the collar with respect to the body portion from the initial engagement of the threads. Additionally, if this collar of the B. Braun adapter is fully unthreaded from the body portion, it may detach and allow disassembly of the adapter. Another widely used adapter is the disposable successor to the reusable Tuohy-Borst available from Becton Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, N.J. The collar of this successor adapter is fully seated on the body after only about two and one half rotations of the collar with respect to the body. Additionally, unlike the B. Braun adapter, the collar is retained on the body when completely unthreaded so that it cannot easily fall off. Another available adapter, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,053,015 and 5,226,898, has an external ratchet and includes small wings on both the body and the collar to facilitate the practitioners handling and, when the wings are aligned, provides some indication that the adapter is secured onto the tubing. When the adapter disclosed in the referenced patents is secured to the patient's body, the small wings may cause discomfort to the patient, and additionally, the adapter may sometimes be difficult for a gloved practitioner to handle.
Other than the catheter adapters disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,053,015 and 5,226,898, substantially all of the available adapters do not provide the practitioner with much indication of the sufficiency of the degree of tightness of the collar with respect to the body, and it is not easily visually apparent if the collars are loosened so that the catheter tubing may be inserted into the adapter or if the collar is partially screwed down on the body, making it difficult to insert the catheter tube into the adapter body. Operating room time is expensive, and additionally, many procedures are conducted under time constraints that potentially have impact on the patient's well being. As a result, practitioners and their support staff make every effort to set up repeatable procedures with standardized placements of equipment to facilitate rapid implementation of procedures. If a practitioner attempts to put an adapter onto a catheter tube and has difficulty because the adapter is partially threaded, additional time is required. If a practitioner inadvertently over-tightens a collar of an adapter occluding the lumen, he may believe the catheter is clogged or kinked, remove it and have to repeat the placement. The repeat procedure not only subjects the patient to additional risk, but also significantly increases the time required. If an adapter is not sufficiently tightened, it may fall off or leak during an extended procedure, thereby resulting in improper patient medication. If a gloved practitioner has difficulty handling an adapter and drops it, there may be a time delay while another adapter is procured, and, in the case where the adapter is part of a procedure kit, another whole kit, with a significant cost increment, may need to be opened just to obtain another adapter. If an adapter were available that enabled a practitioner to simply insert the proximal end of the catheter into the adapter until it was fully seated, resulting in a substantially fluid tight connection and that required no further action of the practitioner other than to attach the desired fluid handling device, the art of attachment of fluid handling devices to catheters would be advanced. Such an adapter and a method for its use is disclosed hereinbelow.

Adaptor for mounting a fluid handling device on a catheter tubing