This invention provides a method and apparatus for applying tape tabs to a traveling web, for example, for placement of fastening tabs on a running web of disposable diapers. The invention provides a cutting roll positioned to cut segments from a continuous infeeding web of tape material against a rotating anvil. The anvil, which is traveling at a speed equal to or very close to that of the infeeding tape web, carries the tape segments to a point on its tangency where a higher-speed traveling diaper web most nearly approaches, at which point the traveling diaper web is displaced slightly toward the anvil by means of a protuberance acting against the web. This movement causes it to come into contact with the next available tape segment, which becomes adhered to the higher-speed traveling web. This process provides for operation at higher speeds, higher efficiencies, greater flexibility and lower noise levels than previous processes.

The present invention relates to processes and apparatus for applying tabs to traveling webs. The invention has particular applicability to the manufacture of disposable diapers.
The history of cutting and applying tape tabs to disposable diaper webs is now entering its fourth decade. Over the course of that time, various types of automatic manufacturing equipment have been developed which produce the desired results with a variety of materials and configurations. This equipment generally included window-knife and slip-and-cut applicators, each having their own advantages and limitations.
Window-knife applicators are comprised of: one or more rotating heads, each made up of a knife edge and a vacuum plate; a more or less stationary knife, which is configured with a hole (window); and a tape transfer mechanism. Typically, the rotating heads are mechanically configured so as to eliminate head rotation relative to the stationary knife. Each head is passed, once per cycle, across the face of the stationary window knife, through which the infeeding tape is passed. The rotating knife shears the extended length of tape against the sharp inner edge of the hole (window), after which the severed segment is held by the vacuum plate. The rotating head, with the segment of tape held in place by the vacuum plate, continues through its rotation to a point, usually 90 degrees later, where it contacts the traveling web, which is pressed against the exposed adhesive of the tape segment. This contact, usually against some backing device, effects a transfer of the tape tab from the vacuum plate to the traveling web, which then carries the tape tab downstream.
Window-knife applicators have a few shortcomings, among which are: the difficulty in feeding tape webs with little axial stiffness; the tendency of the infeeding tape to adhere to the window knife-edge; and for exposed adhesive to contaminate the surfaces of the window knife. For effective cutting, some degree of interference between the cutting edges is necessary between the moving and stationary knife faces, so to minimize impact, precision in manufacturing must be maintained and provision must be made for a degree of resiliency. While applicators of this type have been tested to speeds of 1000 cuts per minute, the maximum practical speed capability of current designs is approximately 750 cuts per minute.
Slip-and-cut applicators are typically comprised of (a) a cylindrical rotating vacuum anvil (b) a rotating knife roll and (c) a transfer device. In typical applications, a tape web is fed at a relatively low speed along the vacuum face of the rotating anvil, which is moving at a relatively higher surface speed and upon which the tape web is allowed to xe2x80x9cslipxe2x80x9d. A knife-edge, mounted on the rotating knife roll, cuts a segment of tape from the tape web against the anvil face. This knife-edge is preferably moving at a surface velocity similar to that of the anvil""s circumference. Once cut, the tape tab is held by vacuum drawn through holes on the anvil""s face as it is carried at the anvil""s speed downstream to the transfer point where the tape segment is transferred to the traveling web.
A common problem with slip-and-cut applicators lies in the tendency to accumulate various contaminants on their anvil surfaces. This is most frequently seen in the form of the release compounds found on the non-adhesive side of tape, which is shipped on pre-wound rolls. Where die-cut tapes are fed onto the surfaces of slip-and-cut applicators, it is common to also see an accumulation of adhesive contamination, as the adhesive has been exposed at the tape edges by the die-cutting process. The difference in speed between the tape web and the anvil tends to xe2x80x9cwipexe2x80x9d adhesive from the tape web. Contamination of the anvil, whether by release compounds or by fugitive adhesive, interferes with the regularity of slip occurring between the tape and the anvil, causing registration and cut accuracy problems. Frequent cleaning is necessary to maintain any level of productivity.
Another problem associated with slip-and-cut applicators occurs at the point of cut. Since the web being cut is traveling at a very low velocity compared to the anvil and knife velocity (perhaps {fraction (1/20)}th), the engagement of the knife with the tape web tends to induce a high tensile strain in the tape web. Having been placed under such a high level of stress, the tape web can recoil violently when the cut is finally completed, causing loss of control of the tape web. This xe2x80x9csnap-backxe2x80x9d effect increases with the thickness of the tape web. Thicker webs tend to prolong the duration of engagement with the knife before completion of the cut, thereby increasing the build-up of strain. This is a common process problem that is usually addressed by the provision of various shock-absorbing devices. One possible solution might have been to reduce the surface velocity of the knife, but substantially different velocities between the knife and anvil result in rapid wear of the knife edge and/or anvil face, depending on relative hardness.
Continual improvements and competitive pressures have incrementally increased the operational speeds of disposable diaper converters. As speeds increased, the mechanical integrity and operational capabilities of the applicators had to be improved accordingly. As a further complication, the complexity of the tape tabs being attached has also increased. Consumer product manufacturers are offering tapes which are die-cut to complex profiles and which may be constructed of materials incompatible with existing applicators. For instance, a proposed tape tab may be a die-profiled elastic textile, instead of a typical straight-cut stiff-paper and plastic type used in the past. Consequently, a manufacturer may find itself with a window-knife applicator, which cannot feed a tape web with too little axial stiffness. It could also find itself with a slip-and-cut applicator, which cannot successfully apply die-cut tape segments. Furthermore, existing applicators cannot successfully apply tapes whose boundaries are fully profiled, as may be desired to eliminate sharp corners, which might irritate a baby""s delicate skin. This demonstrates a clear need for an improved applicator capable of applying new tape configurations and overcoming other shortcomings of prior art applicators.
A basic premise of all applicators using prior art has been to cut the tape at one velocity and then to carry it at its final velocity to the transfer point. The assumption has been made that for correct and accurate placement, the tape tab must be moving at the final web velocity. The proposed invention diverges from that premise, eliminating or reducing the shortcomings associated with prior devices.
In accordance with an important aspect of the invention tape segments are cut and carried at a very low tape web infeed speed. In accordance with a related aspect, problems with transferring a slow-moving segment to a fast-moving web are overcome. Additionally, die-cutting of tape segments to any number of practical shapes is possible, thereby avoiding difficulties associated with prior attempts to do so using previous applicator technology, which required multiple steps to accomplish the same task.
The invention provides the additional benefit of quiet operation compared to prior art equipment, which uses high speed cutting faces and suffers from the effects of the very high energy levels seen at the point of contact. Generally, these energies, and the sounds that they generate, increase in proportion to the square of the velocity. The present invention benefits from the relatively low speed of the cutting faces and exhibits extremely low noise levels. In fact, the underlying noise of the mechanical drive systems and the traveling web equipment contribute to make the cutting noise level nearly unnoticeable.
The present invention provides a simplified process wherein a rotary knife or die, with one or more cutting edges, turns against and in coordination with a corresponding vacuum anvil cylinder. An infeeding tape web is fed along the surface of the anvil, which is rotating at a surface velocity equal to or only somewhat greater than that of the tape web. As the tape web passes the nip created between the knife-edges and the anvil surface, segments of tape are parted but not significantly displaced upon the anvil surface. The segments continue downstream on the anvil surface, held securely by forces induced by a vacuum source directed to one or more holes provided for each segment in the anvil surface.
At a point downstream along the surface of the anvil, the traveling web to which the segments are to be attached is brought into close proximity with the anvil and its tape segments. A mechanically operated device, which may be as simple as a protuberance on a rotating cylinder, presses the target zone of the traveling web against the exposed adhesive of the tape segment as it is presented on the anvil surface. The protuberance preferably has a surface velocity substantially identical to that of the traveling web. Given the extremely low moment of inertia of the tape segment and the aggressive adhesion provided between its exposed adhesive and the compatible surface of the traveling web, each successive segment is successfully transferred to the traveling web, accelerating almost instantly to the speed of the traveling web.
A key aspect of this invention lies in the method and apparatus used to effect the transfer of the tape segments from the anvil to the traveling web. In accordance with the invention, a vacuum commutation system is configured to remove or reduce the level of vacuum used to hold each tape segment to the anvil surface just before the point of transfer. The materials and finishes selected for the anvil and the transfer protuberance provide a situation in which the coefficient of friction between the protuberance and the traveling web is relatively high, while the coefficient of friction between the tape segment and the anvil is relatively low. The highly aggressive nature of the bond between the adhesive side of the tape segment and the target surface of the traveling web ensures that there is virtually no slippage between the two. This ensures that the traveling web is driven through the point of transfer at its existing velocity, and that any tendency of the tape segment to adhere to the anvil surface will not influence the traveling web. The process requires that some slip occurs, and in accordance with the invention, slip occurs only between the tape segment and the anvil surface.
This method is extremely effective in that 25 mm tape segments can be accurately transferred at 800 mm spacing to webs traveling at 300 meters per minute or more. This is a web-to-tape velocity ratio of 32:1. Tape to tape positional accuracy has been found to be extremely precise, with standard deviations of less than 1 mm when applied at a 800 mm spacing. Additionally, a speed capability of more than 2,400 tapes per minute is achievable, easily exceeding the limits of any previously known disposable paper product manufacturing process.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the attached claims and the drawings.


An information processing apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an information processing apparatus may include a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first communications device, a first request to join a group of second communications devices. In such implementations, the first request includes first information identifying the group, and the group is associated with at least one connection right. The information processing apparatus may further includes control unit configured to associate the first communications device with the group, based at least the received information.

An expanded functionality is being considered for the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (i.e., 3GPP) that decides the technical specification of public wireless communication networks (see, for example, 3GPP TR 33.812 V9.2.0 (2010-06)).
Using such an expanded functionality, known as "Machine to Machine Equipment," it will become possible to flexibly use information showing what services can be utilized. Such information may be referred to as a Machine Communication Identity Module (MCIM), which is one example of contact authentication information. As an example, it may possible to download an MCIM from a network, and additionally or alternatively, to temporarily invalidate and then revalidate an MCIM within a network.
At present, information corresponding to an MCIM needs to be stored in a physical device called a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. However, if an MCIM could be handled as software, the method of storage could be made more flexible.

Information processing apparatus, wireless communication apparatus, communication system, and information processing method


The present invention relates to a method of treating cancer in a human and to pharmaceutical combinations useful in such treatment. In particular, the method relates to a cancer treatment method that includes administering N-{3-Chloro-4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}-6-[5-({[2-(methanesulphonyl)ethyl]amino}methyl)-2-furyl]-4-quinazolinamine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable hydrate and/or salt thereof, and N-{3-[3-cyclopropyl-5-(2-fluoro-4-iodo-phenylamino)6,8-dimethy;-2,4,7-trioxo-3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-1-yl]phenyl}acetamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, to a human in need thereof.

Generally, cancer results from the deregulation of the normal processes that control cell division, differentiation and apoptotic cell death. Apoptosis (programmed cell death) plays essential roles in embryonic development and pathogenesis of various diseases, such as degenerative neuronal diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. One of the most commonly studied pathways, which involves kinase regulation of apoptosis, is cellular signaling from growth factor receptors at the cell surface to the nucleus (Crews and Erikson, Cell, 74:215-17, 1993).
Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) catalyze the phosphorylation of specific tyrosyl residues in various proteins involved in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. (A. F. Wilks, Progress in Growth Factor Research, 1990, 2, 97-111; S. A. Courtneidge, Dev. Supp. I, 1993, 57-64; J. A. Cooper, Semin. Cell Biol., 1994, 5(6), 377-387; R. F. Paulson, Semin. Immunol., 1995, 7(4), 267-277; A. C. Chan, Curr. Opin. Immunol., 1996, 8(3), 394-401). Inappropriate or uncontrolled activation of many PTKs, i.e. aberrant PTK activity, for example by over-expression or mutation, has been shown to result in uncontrolled cell growth.
Aberrant protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity has been implicated in a variety of disorders including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchitis, as well as cancer. Development of effective treatments for such disorders is a constant and ongoing enterprise in the medical field. The ErbB family of PTKs, which includes ErbB-2, EGFR, ErbB-3 and ErbB-4, is one group of PTKs that has attracted interest as a therapeutic target. Currently, of special interest, is the role of ErbB family PTKs in hyperproliferative disorders, particularly human malignancies. Elevated EGFR activity has, for example, been implicated in non-small cell lung, bladder, and head and neck cancers. Furthermore, increased ErbB-2 activity has been implicated in breast, ovarian, gastric and pancreatic cancers. Overexpression of HRG and/or HER3 has been reported in numerous cancers, including gastric, ovarian, prostate, bladder, and breast tumors and is associated with poor prognosis (B. Tanner, J Clin Oncol. 2006, 24(26):4317-23; M. Hayashi, Clin. Cancer Res. 2008.14(23):7843-9.; H. Kaya, Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2008; 29(4):350-6). Consequently, inhibition of ErbB family PTKs should provide a treatment for disorders characterized by aberrant ErbB family PTK activity. The biological role of ErbB family PTKs and their implication in various disease states is discussed, for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,476; International Patent Application WO 99/35146; M. C. Hung et al, Seminars in Oncology, 26: 4, Suppl. 12 (August) 1999, 51-59; Ullrich et al, Cell, 61: 203-212, Apr. 20, 1990; Modjtahedi et al, Intl J. of Oncology, 13: 335-342, 1998; and J. R. Woodburn, Pharmacol. Ther., 82: 2-3, 241-250, 1999, it is generally accepted that inhibitors of ErbB family kinases will be useful for the treatment of such cancers or other condition associated with ErbB family kinases.
Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) Kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (hereinafter referred to as MEK) is known to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation as a kinase that mediates Raf-MEK-ERK signal transduction pathway, and the Raf family (B-Raf, C-Raf etc.) activates the MEK family (MEK-1, MEK-2 etc.) and the MEK family activates the ERK family (ERK-1 and ERK-2).
Activation of Raf-MEK-ERK signal transduction pathway in cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and the like, has been frequently observed.
In addition, since the signals produced by signal molecules such as growth factor, cytokine and the like converge to the activation of MEK-ERK, inhibitors of these functions are considered to more effectively suppress Raf-MEK-ERK signal transduction than suppression of the function of upstream kinases such as RTK, Ras, and Raf.
Moreover, it is also known that a compound having MEK inhibitory activity effectively induces inhibition of ERK1/2 activity and suppression of cell proliferation (The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 276, No. 4, pp. 2686-2692, 2001), and the compound is expected to show effects on diseases caused by undesirable cell proliferation, such as tumor genesis and/or cancer.
It would be useful to provide a novel therapy which provides more effective and/or enhanced treatment of an individual suffering the effects of cancer.


The invention relates to the use of thromboembolic proteins. These contain, as their only structural portion effecting thrombolytic activity, the protease domain of human tissue type plasminogen activator. These derivatives show reduced side effects, such as a reduction in bleeding while demonstrating remarkable in vivo efficacy. The effect is surprising, given their in vitro properties.

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a serine protease consisting of several domains, which catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin and is employed for fibrinolytic therapy.
A large number of t-PA variants and mutations are known, as will be seen for instance, by review of articles by T. J. R. Harris. Prof. Eng. 1: 449-459 (1987) and J. Krause, Fibrinolysis 2: 133-142 (1988).
It is known, inter alia, that fibrinolysis is regulated partly by the interaction between t-PA and the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), a serine protease inhibitor from the serpine family. The binding of PAI-1 to t-PA is essentially accomplished via amino acids 296-302 of t-PA. Mutation of this region causes a reduction of the inhibitory influence of PAI-1 on t-PA (E. L. Madison et al. (1990)). Extensive investigations have been carried out on the mechanism of the interaction between amino acid region 296-302 of t-PA and PAI-1 (cf. E. L. Madison, Nature 339 (1989) 721-723, R. V. Schohet, Thrombosis and Haemostasis 71 (1994) 124-128, C. J. Refino, Thrombosis and Haemostasis 70 (1993) 313-319, N. F. Paoni, Protein Engineering 6 (1993) 529-534 and Thrombosis and Haemostasis 70 (1993) 307-312, W. F. Bennett, J. Biol. Chem. 266 (1991) 5191-5201, D. Eastman, Biochemistry 31 (1992) 419-422.
Unmodified t-PA, in its form as occurs in plasma (i.e., "wild type" t-PA), consists of 527 amino acids, and can be split by plasmin into two chains which are then still held together via a disulfide bridge. The A chain (also referred to as the heavy chain) consists of four structural domains. The finger domain (amino acids 1-49) displays certain similarities to the finger structures in fibronectin. The growth factor domain (amino acids 50-86), is to a certain extent, homologous to murine and human epidermal growth factors. The two kringle domains (amino acids 87-175 and 176-262) are to a large extent homologous to the fourth and fifth kringle domain of plasminogen. The finger domains and the kringle 2 domains of t-PA are especially involved in fibrin binding and in the stimulation of proteolytic activity by fibrin. The B chain of t-PA (amino acids 276-527, protease domain) is a serine protease and is largely homologous to the B chains of urokinase and plasmin (T. J. R. Harris, supra and J. Krause, supra). t-PA variants which exhibit lower bleeding side effects are described in WO 93/24635 and by B. A. Keyt et al., PNAS USA 91: 3670-3674 (1994). These t-PA variants have an additional glycosylation site at amino acid positions 103-105. In addition, these t-PA variants may be modified at amino acids 296-302, whereby fibrin specificity is increased.
The object of the present invention is to provide thrombolytically active proteins which, have, inter alia lower bleeding side effects as compared to the known plasminogen activators.

Use of the protease domain of human plasminogen activator for the treatment of thromboembolic diseases


A system and method for compensating in real time the dynamic power variation of a computer chip containing CMOS devices is provided. The present invention functions to control the temperature variations on the chip thus eliminating the drift to analog signals associated with CMOS devices. The present invention controls the temperature with the use of a compensation heater located on the CMOS chip. The compensation heater is driven by a plurality of signals which act in harmony with one another to control the temperature on the chip when it becomes unstable. The system and method includes driving the compensation heater with a maximum dynamic power value to effectively maintain the temperature on the chip, evaluating the chip for temperature fluctuation, and compensating for the temperature fluctuation by driving the compensation heater with at least one compensation power value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for controlling the temperature on a computer chip containing CMOS devices by performing real time dynamic power compensation.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS) technology is well known. CMOS devices employ integrated field-effect transistors in a complimentary symmetry arrangement, which simulates a "push/pull" operation because of the placement of opposing-polarity devices (i.e., p-channel and n-channel FETs). CMOS technology has a variety of advantages over other MOS devices, including lower power requirements, superior noise immunity, higher fanout, higher tolerance to power supply variations, and higher temperature range.
Computer chips containing CMOS devices include time verniers which requires precise timing accuracy. Dynamic power variation of digital circuitry is an important issue in designing analog functions utilizing CMOS devices. The dynamic power variation changes chip temperature and it gives significant drift to the analog signal. Specifically, timing or propagation delay can be seriously impaired by the dynamic power variation. Propagation delay is affected by three parameters: capacitive loading, supply voltage, and temperature. Propagation delay is a function of ambient temperature. The temperature dependence of CMOS is much simpler than with TTL. In CMOS devices the carrier mobility changes, thus increasing the impedance and hence the delay with temperature. Consequently, it is an essential goal for the design of chips with precise time delay utilizing CMOS devices to control chip temperature.
Previously, there were primarily two techniques for controlling the temperature on a CMOS chip. First was the use of techniques which utilized a process which was relatively insensitive to clock frequency variation, such as bipolar processes. A significant drawback of this type of approach was the inherent high power consumption. A second technique tried to maintain low temperature gradients from the silicon to ambient temperature. By limiting the temperature gradients the effects of on chip heating could be minimized. However, although such on chip heating was minimized, it was not eliminated. Traditionally, low temperature gradients were achieved by expensive packaging techniques or the utilization of water cooling systems. Both these techniques added additional cost to the system.

System and method for dynamic power compensation


Systems and methods for reporting on vehicle characteristics determined by the control system of a multi-speed automatic transmission of a vehicle are provided. The control system may output a vehicle mass alert based on a relationship between a vehicle mass threshold and a determined vehicle mass satisfying a condition. The control system may output a vehicle road grade alert based on a relationship between a vehicle road grade threshold and a determined vehicle road grade satisfying a condition.

Multi-speed automatic transmissions having an operator interface for the selection of a desired forward speed ratio and vehicles incorporating such multi-speed automatic transmissions are known. Exemplary transmissions and control systems for determining one or more vehicle characteristics are disclosed in US Published Patent Application No. 2014/0336890, filed Jun. 18, 2013, titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING DOWNSHIFTING OF A TRANSMISSION DURING VEHICLE DECELERATION; U.S. Pat. No. 8,332,108, filed Jun. 1, 2009, titled SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A VEHICLE MASS-BASED BREAKPOINT FOR SELECTING BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHIFT SCHEDULES; U.S. Pat. No. 9,365,201, filed Mar. 15, 2013, titled DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TRANSMISSION TORQUE TO PROVIDE HILL ASCENT AND/OR DESCENT ASSISTANCE USING ROAD GRADE; U.S. Pat. No. 7,499,784, filed Apr. 7, 2007, titled METHOD OF SELECTING A TRANSMISSION SHIFT SCHEDULE; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/220,803, filed Jul. 27, 2016, titled MANUAL SHIFTING CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

System and method for reporting on vehicle characteristics determined by transmission control circuit


The disclosure herein provides a golf GPS device with a hole cup location selection mechanism which displays a plurality of selectable hole cup locations for selection by a user. When the user selects one of the plurality of selectable hole cup locations, the golf GPS device provides the user with a number representative of the distance between the user and the selected one of the plurality of selectable hole cup locations.

Field
The present disclosure relates to golf GPS devices.
Description of the Related Art
With the development of new technologies, GPS devices and systems can be employed to allow a golf player to track his or her location along a golf course. A golf GPS device can further be used to determine distances between the player and various points of interest along the golf course, such as the hole cup or the green.

Golf GPS device with approximate hole cup location selection


A reflective photo-electric sensing system includes a transmitter for the transmission of light and a reflector for reflecting the light. The reflector being positioned in a far field. A light channeling device receives reflected light from the far field or from a near field and channels the received reflected light to a near field receiver or a far field receiver dependent on an angle of the received reflected light. An electrical signal is generated at the near field receiver or the far field receiver. A controller evaluates the electrical signal of the near field receiver and the electrical signal of the far field receiver and generates an actuation signal dependent on the evaluation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light reflective photo-electric sensing system including a method and system for sensing objects, which can be light reflective surfaces, within the system and providing an actuation signal if objects are present. The method and system can be used in a non-contact type sensor entrapment protection system.
2. Description of Related Art
Non-contact type sensor entrapment systems are known. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011-0049339-A1, hereby incorporated by reference into this application, describes a photo-electric eye safety system used in conjunction with a motorized barrier operator system having a primary photo-electric eye safety device, which includes a primary emitter mounted at one side of an opening enclosed by the barrier, and a primary receiver mounted on another side of the opening and aligned to receive a beam from said primary emitter. A controller monitors the primary emitter and the primary receiver, and initiates corrective action if the beam is interrupted. A prior art non-contact sensor system 10 includes transmitter/receiver units 12 installed into photo-electric wall mounting units 13, as shown in FIG. 1. Transmitter unit 14 emits light beam 15 that is received by receiver unit 16. Sensor 17 is activated by interrupting light beam 15.
According to the UL Standard for Safety for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators and Systems, UL 325, paragraph 30.1.1, any automatically operated commercial/industrial door operator has to be connected to an external entrapment protection device. In paragraph 30.2.1, the standard states that an external entrapment protection device provided with, or as an accessory to, a commercial/industrial operator (or system) shall consist either of a contact type sensor or a non-contact type sensor.
It has been found that light reflective surfaces, such as metallic vehicle surfaces, can reflect light to the transmitter/receiver units thereby compromising the conventional photo-electric eye safety system. It is desirable to provide a method and system for sensing light reflective surfaces in a light reflective photo-electric sensing system. The system can be used to comply with the impact test of UL 325.

Method and system for sensing light reflective surfaces in a reflective photo-electric sensing system including a light channeling device and a foreground suppression performance


An energy capturing system includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a spacer element, a pressurization device, an energy capturing device and a pressure stabilizing device. The first chamber and the second chamber are adapted to contain a liquid. The spacer element is located between the first chamber and the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the first chamber via an opening of the spacer element. Two ends of the pressurization device are connected with the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively. The energy capturing device is located on the opening. The pressure stabilizing device is connected with the first chamber.

After the industrial revolution, people considerably utilized fuels, for example, coal, petroleum and natural gas, as a source of energy. The thermal energy generated from burning the above-mentioned fuels is converted into kinetic energy, and may be further converted into the electric energy. For example, steam engines, which boil the water by fuels, make the water change from a liquid phase to a vapor phase. Then, the water vapor propels a piston to move to produce mechanical work, which means the thermal energy in the boiling water is accordingly converted into kinetic energy. Moreover, the steam engines convert the kinetic energy into electric energy when the piston is further connected with an electromagnetic component. For another example, an explosion is generated inside a vehicle engine by means of the combustion of the air mixed with the gasoline extracted from the petroleum. After the explosion, the expanded air propels the piston and produces mechanical work, accordingly converting the chemical energy in the gasoline into kinetic energy. However, the fuel combustion, which converts chemical energy in the fuels into kinetic energy, also produces a large quantity of unnecessary thermal energy to dissipate outside. Therefore, the efficiency of the energy conversion from the chemical energy to the kinetic energy is not good enough, let alone the efficiency of the energy conversion from the kinetic energy to the electric energy.
Moreover, there is a shortage of the above-mentioned energy due to the increase of the human population. Even researchers have proposed the solutions of extracting petroleum from grains like sweet corn; nevertheless, those solutions may cause a food shortage. Therefore, it is necessary to seek renewable energy resources from nature in order to solve the shortage of an energy (e.g., wind power generation, hydraulic power generation and wave power generation).
However, renewable electricity production, from sources such as wind power and wave power, is sometimes criticized for being variable or intermittent. Therefore, how to acquire stable energy from the natural environment is a problem that researchers from the related industry try to solve.

Energy capturing system and pressure stabilizing device thereof

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


The present disclosure relates to cosmetic agents, which in addition to a deodorant agent contain a combination of special aromatic alcohols and certain menthyl compounds. These agents have a long-lasting deodorizing effect. The present disclosure also relates to a cosmetic product that includes the cosmetic agent as contemplated herein, as well as at least one propellant. The present disclosure also relates to the use of the agent as contemplated herein to treat body odor, as well as the use of a combination of aromatic alcohol and menthyl compounds to improve the odor-inhibiting effect of cosmetic agents over a period of from about 24 to about 48 hours.

The present disclosure also relates to a cosmetic product that includes the cosmetic agent as contemplated herein, as well as at least one propellant.
In addition, the present disclosure relates to the use of the cosmetic agent as contemplated herein or the cosmetic product as contemplated herein for the reduction of body odor caused by perspiration.
Finally, the present disclosure relates to the use of a mixture of an aromatic alcohol and a menthyl compound to improve the odor-inhibiting effect of cosmetic products over a period of from about 24 to about 48 hours.
Eccrine and apocrine sweat glands are found in the human armpit. While the eccrine glands produce a watery secretion in response to heat, the apocrine glands produce a viscous secretion in response to stress. This apocrine sweat is a complex mixture, which contains, among other things, steroids, cholesterol and other fats, as well as approximately 10% protein. Unpleasant body odor under the armpit is due to bacterial decomposition of the ingredients of the apocrine sweat from the first odorless secretion.
The decomposition products of the apocrine sweat, which contribute significantly to the body odor, in particular to the axillary body odor, can be divided into three classes: short-chain C4-C10 fatty acids, which may be linear, branched, saturated and unsaturated (for example, isovaleric acid, 3M2H) constitute the first class, short-chain linear or branched sulfanylalcohols constitute the second class, the third class of various steroid hormones and their metabolic products (for example, 5-alpha androstenol and 5-α androstenone).
Body odor can therefore be combated by avoiding the bacterial decomposition of the sweat, or by using perfume to cover the body odor. State-of-the-art antimicrobial substances are used to prevent the bacterial decomposition of the sweat. These reduce the number of sweat-decomposing bacteria on the skin by killing them or inhibiting the growth of these bacteria. Active substances are also known that reduce and/or prevent the formation of decomposition products by blocking bacterial enzymes. It is furthermore a commonly known fact that volatile decomposition products are absorbed by physical and/or chemical interaction, which avoids unpleasant body odor. Such state-of-the-art deodorants, however, have the disadvantage that the deodorizing effect usually only lasts for a period of from about 8 to about 20 hours. Although a prolonged deodorizing performance is possible by using acidic aluminum and/or aluminum zirconium salts. But these are viewed critically by consumers and can lead to skin irritation and undesirable textile stains. There is therefore a need for cosmetic agents, which are preferably free of aluminum and aluminum zirconium salts and also have a high deodorizing effect against body odor for from about 24 to about 48 hours after application.
The present disclosure was therefore based on the problem of preparing a cosmetic agent to reduce and/or prevent body odor, which has a long-lasting effect against body odor. These cosmetic products should also be cost-effective to produce and have a high storage stability.

Cosmetic product to prevent body odor with an improved long-term effect


A combination medical device comprising a circular stapler instrument and one or more portions of preformed buttress material adapted to be stably positioned upon the staple cartridge and/or anvil components of the stapler prior or at the time of use. Positioned buttress material(s) are delivered to a tissue site where the circular stapler is actuated to connect previously severed tissue portions. The buttress material is retained and provides an improved seal between the joined tissue sections. The buttress material is made up of two regions, one of which serves primarily to secure the buttress material to the stapler prior to actuation, and one of which serves primarily to form the improved seal. The former region is severed and discarded upon activation of the circular stapler to form an anastomoses. Methods of use and preparation of the buttress material are also described.

Surgical staplers have been used for over a century for providing leak-proof and hemostatic wound closures. See, for instance, "History of Mechanical Stapling", pages 3–7 in Atlas of Surgical Stapling, Feil/Lippert/Lozac'h/Palazzini (eds.). More recently, circular staplers have been developed, having particular use in gastrointestinal surgery to facilitate inverted end-to-end, end-to-side and side-to-side anastomoses. (See pages 19–21, Atlas of Surgical Stapling cited above).
Surgical stapling instruments typically have a mechanism for firing a plurality of staples from a staple holding cartridge, and an anvil disposed opposite the staple cartridge against which the staples are formed. Such instruments include, for example, linear staplers, which typically apply one or more parallel rows of staples, and circular staplers, which typically apply one or more concentric and circular rows of staples. In use, the surgeon will place tissue between the staple cartridge and anvil and, by firing the instrument, cause the staples to become clenched to the tissue.
Circular staplers are known and have been successfully used in surgical procedures for many years. Commercially available instruments include the CEEA™. circular stapler, manufactured by United States Surgical Corporation, Norwalk, Conn., and the ILS™ circular stapler, manufactured by Ethicon, Inc., Blue Ash, Ohio. These instruments are typically indicated for use in gastric and esophageal surgery wherein tubular organs are joined to other anatomical structures.
In one common procedure, known as end-to-end anastomosis, a portion of the intestinal tract is removed (i.e., due to the presence of disease such as cancer) and the remaining ends are rejoined by using a circular stapler. To join the tubular structures, one end of intestine is secured about an anvil and the other end of intestine is held in place adjacent a staple cartridge. Preferably, the anvil has a shaft that is removably connected to the instrument. Once the anvil shaft is secured to the instrument, the anvil is drawn into close approximation to the stapling cartridge. The instrument is then fired to cause the staples to pass through tissue of both organs and become formed against the anvil. During the firing step, a circular knife is advanced to cut tissue inside the staple line, thereby establishing a passage between the organs. After firing, the instrument is typically removed by withdrawing the anvil through the staple line, after which the surgeon will carefully inspect the surgical site to ensure a proper anastomosis (joining) has been achieved.
While circular staplers have been extremely helpful in a number of surgical procedures, when used alone they are prone to creating a number of complications. An early survey of stapler-related complications revealed that in the 3594 end-to-end anastomoses conducted, intraoperative complications were reported in 15.1% of patients and included anastomotic leak, tear during stapler extraction, bleeding, and other complications. L. E. Smith, "Anastomosis with EEA stapler after colonic resection" Dis. Colon Rectum 24, 236 (1981). More recent studies have indicated that postoperative leakage, which can be quite dangerous in gastrointestinal tissue, continues to be a significant problem.
On a different subject, a variety of references teach the preparation of "buttress," "pledget" or "reinforcing" materials for use in combination with conventional surgical staplers. See generally, Applicant's own U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,503,638, 5,549,628, 5,575,803, 5,752,965, 5,782,914 and 6,312,474.
By comparison, relatively few references suggest the use of buttress materials for use with circular staplers. Presumably, this is due to the problems inherent in positioning and using such materials, particularly since neither the shape of a circular stapler, or the demands of its use, are conducive to the placement or use of conventional buttress materials (e.g., pledgets). For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,897, which discloses a surgical buttress for use with linear staplers, mentions immediately before the claims that "the present invention may be similarly utilized in conjunction with other types of surgical staplers and cutters. For example, a circular stapler . . . may be suitably modified to provide buttresses on the staple cartridge and the anvil."
On a separate subject, Applicants have also previously described the preparation and use of "preformed" tissue implants. See published International Application No. WO 99/48540, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
What is clearly needed are materials and methods for providing surgical staple lines, and particularly circular staplers, having improved properties such as staple line strength and buttress seal.


A display system for a torque tool which is provided for measuring or applying torque comprises a housing having a handle at one end. A measuring arrangement for detecting torque is arranged in the housing. At the other end of the housing a connection element is provided for transmitting torque to a workpiece. Furthermore, a processor-controlled control digitally processes set or measured data and a display cooperates with the control and displays graphic display contents or data, such as the applied or set torque. A transmission device and a separate display device for transmitting and displaying the graphical display contents or data are provided.

The screwed joint is the most commonly used connection in mechanical engineering. Such joining elements can be effective only by use of appropriate installation tools. Torque tools as mentioned above, belong to the suitable installation tools for this purpose. Torque tools are required to exert a certain torque on a workpiece. Known torque tools are, for example, torque wrenches or torque screwdrivers.
The torque transferred when using hand-held tools is dependent both on the physical condition of the user as well as his subjective feeling of power. Torque tools are used to load a high prestressing force to a screw which is within the elastic range of the screw, or to load the screw with only small preload forces. The use of new construction materials such as magnesium, aluminum or plastic, especially for lightweight construction in the automotive or aerospace industry, increases both the need and the requirements for torque tools. By the use of these new materials, the number of sensitive screw connections is increasing. The lower tensile strength of lightweight materials compared to steel materials would lead to damage of the thread if overstressing the screwed connection, which would make these expensive components unusable.
Torque wrenches with a digital torque display are disclosed by prior art DE 20 2008 005 705 U1. DE 20 2007 018 043 U1 describes a torque wrench in which the displayed digits are highlighted by an illuminated display. In doing so, a certain torque range is signalized to the user by the color. Especially when working in places with obstructed view readability is difficult.
The utility model DE 20 2009 002 124 U1 discloses a torque wrench with a display unit which is arranged on the tool shaft of the torque wrench. On the display unit at least two different optical signals can be displayed. The display unit annularly surrounds the tool shaft. As a result, an optical signal for recognizing the applied torque is emitted in all radial directions of the circumference of the display unit so that a user can recognize without a clear view on the display module, to which torque range a just applied torque belongs. For generating the optical signals at least one light emitter is provided in the display unit, for example in the form of light emitting diodes (LEDs).
As Head-up display a display panel is denoted, in which the head may be left up while reading the display. The display panel is always in sight. A field of view display is a display system in which information for a user, such as pilots, is projected into his field of view. This technique has been known in the aviation technology. More recently, this technique has been also utilized in the automotive industry. The head-up display typically consists of a projector, which generates an image, and a projection area. The projection area is a reflective and translucent glass. A suitable optical arrangement with collimator and diversion directs the image on the projection area. Thus, a user of a head-up display recognizes the reflected information which is generated by the projector, and the real world located behind the projection area at the same time. In aviation special small picture tubes are used to generate the appropriate image. Picture tubes produce very high luminosity, and therefore no additional light source is required. On the other hand, LEDs are also often used as a light source. The brightness of the image is controlled in dependence on the ambient light by a photo sensor. Thus, the image is generated by a high-resolution color TFT display.
German Patent Application DE 10 2012 206 962 A1 provides a head-up display, which generates a virtual image to an observer. The virtual image is displayed on a reflector, which is formed by a windshield or the like. For this purpose light of a head-up unit (projector) is reflected from the projection screen. A head-up unit includes a light source that emits light for displaying a video. Furthermore, the projector includes a minor, which controls the optical path of light, and a concave lens for displaying on the windscreen.
German Patent Application DE 10 2011 001 429 A1 discloses a conventional vehicle head-up display which is also known as HUD device. The HUD device displays a light emitting image on a display and projects the display image onto a projection element, such as a windshield. Accordingly, the HUD device displays a virtual image of vehicle-related information. One kind of such a HUD device provided as a vehicle head-up display is a device which reflects a display image of a display on a reflecting mirror, for example a concave minor, and projects the reflected image to a projection element. This HUD device comprises a display, an optical system, a motor and a reduction gear mechanism. The display is configured to display a light emitting image. The optical system includes a reflection minor, which is arranged rotatable relative to the display to reflect the image displayed by the display. The optical system is configured to project the image reflected at the mirror to a projection element of the vehicle, and thereby displaying a virtual image of vehicle-related information on the projection element. The motor is configured to generate a torque to adjust a rotation angle of the mirror in accordance with an external setting instruction. The virtual image can be displayed in a displayable area of the rotational angle of the mirror.
In view of the above, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a display system for a torque tool which facilitates a weight reduction of the torque tool itself. Another object of the invention is to develop a display system that provides the user with substantial information without distracting the user from main work functions.


A total conductance time with respect to each of control actuators is calculated. It is determined whether each of the control actuators has reached a replacement period by determining whether the total conductance time has exceeded a determination value representing an appropriate replacement period. Notification of a control actuator which has been determined to have reached the replacement period is performed by causing a notification light to be illuminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a replacement-period detection method for detecting a replacement period of an actuator used in a vehicle control apparatus and a vehicle control apparatus provided with a control actuator of a motor, a solenoid, or the like, which can provide notification of the replacement period of the actuator.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, various types of control actuators which are driven by receiving a supply of electrical power are employed to control a traveling state or the like of a vehicle, such as a passenger car or a truck. For example, various types of control actuators such as an electrical pump motor to drive a hydraulic pump to supply brake-fluid pressure to a wheel cylinder, a solenoid (control valve) to control brake-fluid pressure applied to the wheel cylinder, and the like are disposed in a hydraulic circuit of a brake control apparatus.
A control actuator of this type ordinarily is periodically replaced at every certain interval (for example at a time of predetermined periodic inspection) so that breakdown does not occur during travel or the like.
For example, an electrical pump motor, when used for a prolonged period, wearing or the like of the brushes of the motor or of the eccentric portion of the pump drive unit may occur, or a solenoid, may leak brake fluid due to wear of a pedestal seal portion. Therefore, replacement of these control actuators at an appropriate time is important.
A usable period of a control actuator ordinarily becomes longer when an actuated frequency is low. However, depending on the vehicles (in particular with trucks) there may be a large disparity in travel distance (vehicle life). For that reason, there may be a large disparity in actuated frequency of the control actuator. As a result, when merely replaced periodically, even a control actuator which is still sufficiently usable may be replaced, and there existed a problem in that waste is increased.
Additionally, when a control actuator is designed to be suited to a vehicle having an extremely long traveling distance, a high-cost system results, which is not desirable.

Replacement-period detection method and vehicle control apparatus capable of notifying replacement period of actuator


The invention provides a composite protective coating applied to a steel pipe, the coating comprising an epoxy resin primer bonded to the outer surface of the pipe, a polyolefin outer sheath, and an interlayer consisting of a mixture of epoxy resin and polyolefin. The composition of the mixture forming the interlayer is graded throughout its thickness, being substantially all epoxy resin adjacent to the primer coating and substantially all polyolefin adjacent to the sheath.

Protective coatings are extensively used to protect metallic substrates, such as steel pipes and pipelines, from corrosion and mechanical damage. Widely used commercially-available coatings for such substrates include fusion bonded epoxy coatings. A typical process for producing a fusion bonded epoxy coating is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,346 (Shaw et al), and involves the electrostatic spraying of the epoxy resin in powder form onto a preheated steel pipe which has been blast cleaned.
Fusion bonded epoxy coatings are especially popular for pipeline protection because of their excellent anti-corrosion properties, good adhesion to metal surfaces and resistance to cathodic disbondment from the metallic substrate. However, when used in isolation, fusion bonded epoxy coatings are prone to handling damage during pipe installation and also exhibit relatively high moisture permeation. It has therefore been found that additional protective layers must be used with fusion bonded epoxy coatings for maximum usefulness. A preferred protective layer is a polyolefin outer sheath, polyolefins having many of the qualities lacking in fusion bonded epoxy coatings, such as superior impact resistance, as well as improved impermeability to moisture and many chemicals, as described in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 30,006 (Sakayori, et al). Polyolefins are also easy to fabricate for coating. However, because of their non-polarity, polyolefins bond poorly with metallic substrates. Even the use of adhesives, such as copolymers, in bonding the polyolefin to the metallic substrate has not been found to provide a coating with equal properties to the epoxy/metal bond described above in terms of resistance to hot water immersion and cathodic disbondment.
Examples of multilayer coatings utilizing both a fusion bonded epoxy layer and a polyolefin layer are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,048,355 (Sakayori, et al); 4,213,486 (Samour, et al); 4,312,902 (Murase, et al); 4,345,004 (Miyata, et al); 4,481,239 (Eckner); 4,685,985 (Stucke); 4,519,863 (Landgraf et al); 4,510,007 (Stucke); 4,501,632 (Landgraf); 4,451,413 (Stucke et al); and 4,386,996 (Landgraf et al). Most of these coatings are three-layer systems consisting of an epoxy primer, a copolymer adhesive and a polyolefin outer sheath. Two-layer systems consisting of an epoxy primer and an unmodified polyolefin top coat have not been successful due to poor bonding between the layers. Therefore, the basic principle in the three-layer systems is the use of an adhesive middle layer to provide the bonding agent between the epoxy primer and the polyolefin outer sheath.


The present invention relates to underwater communication and, more particularly to a signal transmission method and device which configure and transmit physical channel information such that low-power control is performed in underwater communication. The present invention configures the physical channel information such that a reception node side can check through a combination of preambles whether a signal is provided to itself, when forward direction communication is performed in a centralized underwater communication network. Therefore, the present invention performs the control such that only a relevant reception node requiring data reception performs a demodulation operation, without requiring all reception nodes to always perform demodulation in a forward direction communication process. Through this process, many reception nodes do not perform unnecessary demodulation operations in the forward direction communication process, thereby providing an effect of preventing unnecessary power consumption.

Recently, the interest and importance in marine resource exploration, marine environmental monitoring, and underwater military defense have grown rapidly. Accordingly, demand on underwater communications capable of collecting various types of underwater information has also increased. The underwater communications is performed based on acoustic waves due to the nature of medium. In the underwater communication networks, the sensor nodes capable of underwater communications are deployed. The underwater communication network, then, collects data from the sensor nodes.
Due to the nature of acoustic waves, signal in underwater communication systems has relatively small bandwidths, and experiences huge attenuation compared to that in terrestrial communication systems. Consequently, frequency range used by the underwater communication systems is limited to achieve reliable communication performance over several kilometers to tens of kilometers,
If demands for acquisition of underwater information increases, the number of sensor nodes should also increase. Because of limited usage of frequencies in the conventional underwater communications, however, it is difficult to control large number of sensor nodes efficiently.
In the conventional underwater communication systems based on single frequency band, if a sensor node is allocated to the frequency band, then, the remaining sensor node are unable to perform communications.
In the conventional underwater communication systems based on multiple frequency bands, if the number of sensor node that intend to perform communications is larger than that of frequency bands, then, the excess number of sensor nodes are unable to perform communications. In such systems, all sensor nodes need to monitor the usage of all frequency bands repetitively. This consumes large amount of power, which leads to decrease in operation time of underwater sensor nodes.
Therefore, the conventional underwater communication networks need to limit the number of underwater sensor nodes because of difficulty of efficient management of large number of nodes. Since demands for acquisition of underwater information in increasing rapidly, large number of sensor nodes is required inevitably. Furthermore, methods of efficient management of large number of sensor nodes are indispensable.
It is well known that replacement of batteries installed in underwater sensor nodes is very difficult. Subsequently, control for low-powered operation of large number of sensor nodes becomes essential especially in the underwater communication systems.

Method and apparatus for sending signal of underwater communication

HOSEO UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC COOPERATING FOUNDATION


Techniques for security-aware admission control of requests in a distributed system. A method includes identifying a request dropped by a first application component in a distributed system, determining one or more actions to take with respect to the dropped request, said determining comprises identifying one or more policies of the first application component responsible for the dropped request and identifying one or more additional application components in the distributed system to be affected based on the identified one or more policies, and executing said one or more actions to control admission of one or more requests associated with the dropped request at the one or more additional application components.

Many distributed applications hosted on the cloud or other infrastructures include multiple tiers. Such applications often employ distributed security policies at each component or tier so as to carry out security-related actions such as authorize incoming requests, detect intrusion, filter out data that may lead to command injection attacks or system state corruption, etc. Example policies include distributed firewall policies, distributed access control policies, and distributed database policies.
Accordingly, when a distributed application is architected and deployed, the associated policies are authored and deployed either as part of a larger top-level application-wide policy (that is, top-down decomposition of policies) or as part of an aggregation of independently authored security policies of individual components/tiers. Additionally, distributed policies for a single distributed application should be consistent and coherent in the security semantics to be implemented. However, challenges exist because some policies may remain inconsistent with other policies from the beginning of deployment or may become inconsistent as components evolve and/or are updated. Moreover, conflicts between policies can lead to conflicting admission control decisions regarding requests, which can lead to incomplete processing of requests and the potential to drop requests prematurely.
Consequently, a need exists to prevent admission of requests that are likely to be dropped at a later processing stage due to conflicting security policies deployed for different components of an application.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Security-aware admission control of requests in a distributed system

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a flexible applicator for inserting an article into a mammalian body cavity. The applicator has an elongate, hollow, structural member suitable for containing the insertable article, and an elongate expulsion member which is slidable within the structural member. The structural member has opposed inside and outside surfaces, and its length dimension is substantially greater than its width and height dimension. In addition, the structural member has a plurality of flex-enhancing elements which are arranged and configured to increase the lateral flexibility of the structural member.

The present invention relates to flexible devices for inserting an article into a mammalian body cavity. In particular, the insertion device has an elongate, hollow structural member which has a plurality of flex-enhancing elements which increase its lateral flexibility.
Hollow insertion devices, such as tampon applicators, are generally constructed of one of two basic materials: plastic and cardboard. While cardboard applicators are generally more rigid than plastic applicators, neither material easily conforms to the body cavity in which the applicator is inserted. Attempts to enable an applicator to more closely conform to a body cavity, such as a vagina, have included tampon applicators, such as those described in Paul et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,158,535 and 5,267,953; and Fox et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,628. Unfortunately, this approach suffers in two major areas: first, not all users have the same body shape, and second, the use of these curved devices requires the user to carefully orient the applicator during use. This must often be done in cramped bathrooms with poor visual control.
In view of the poor ability of the prior art to conform to many different body shapes, what is needed is an applicator device which is sufficiently rigid to permit insertion of an article into a body cavity and which also retains sufficient flexibility to conform to individual users"" unique body shape.
The present invention relates to a flexible applicator for inserting an article into a mammalian body cavity. The applicator has an elongate, hollow, structural member suitable for containing the insertable article, and an elongate expulsion member which is slidable within the structural member. The structural member has opposed inside and outside surfaces, and its length dimension is substantially greater than its width and height dimension. In addition, the structural member has a plurality of flex-enhancing elements which are arranged and configured to increase the lateral flexibility of the structural member.
The flexible applicator of the present invention may be used as tampon applicators for feminine hygiene, or for the vaginal or rectal delivery of prophylactic compositions and/or medicaments.
The invention also relates to a method of forming a flexible applicator. In this method, flex-enhancing elements are formed in a structural member having an outer surface, a layer of a flexible material is superposed on the outer surface of the structural member, and the structural member is formed into an elongate, hollow member suitable for containing the insertable article. The hollow member has opposed insertion and gripper ends.
The flexible material may be laminated to the outer surface of the structural member by (i) applying a laminating material to the outer surface of the structural member and (ii) applying the flexible material to the laminating material.

Flexible applicator for inserting an article into a mammalian body cavity


The device for packaging continuous webs of materia1, such as selvedges generated on thermoforming units, includes an input regulator of webs, driving guide for the webs, a cutting unit and, downstream thereof, a collector for bits of webs. The cutting unit has at least a blade actuated imparted with a reciprocating movement co-operating with a cutting block, and the driving guide is associated with a conveyor by air stream for the webs, preceding immediately the blade and the cutting block.

There are already known several methods to continuously carry out the removal and the packaging of these webs, namely the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,251,312, which consists in cutting the webs into calibrated pieces that can be recovered in containers.
From EP 0 624 440 in applicant's name is also known a machine operating according to a similar method, and which advantageously includes conveying means capable of causing the webs to progress according to the rate of progressing of the thermoforming units, so as to achieve pieces means bring, with a jerked movement, said web to cutting means of the guillotine type, said conveying means as well as the cutting means being driven by one single jack.
Though this machine allows achieving smaller pieces of webs, so as to reduce the volume they occupy in the containers, it has however drawbacks, namely in that it is aimed at being fixed to a thermoforming machine, which, because of its relatively large size, can sometimes prove impossible.
This machine has, in addition, the drawback of being sometimes prone to jamming phenomena during the web-cutting operation, which requires repeated interventions by the operators. These phenomena are frequent when the material film used is made of flexible plastic, which is related to the ways of conveying and cutting used.

Device for packaging continuous webs of materials such as selvedges generated on thermoforming units

SARL ADDITIF, Societe a Responsabilite Limitee


Temporary adhesives include a thermoplastic polymer comprising from about 30% by weight to about 80% by weight of the temporary adhesive, a solvent comprising from about 20% by weight to about 70% by weight of the temporary adhesive, and a filler material comprising from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of the temporary adhesive. Methods of processing a semiconductor device wafer include bonding the semiconductor device wafer to a surface of a carrier substrate using a temporary adhesive including a filler material comprising from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of the temporary adhesive, thinning the semiconductor device wafer, and, while the temporary adhesive remains on the surface of the carrier substrate proximate a peripheral edge thereof, subjecting the thinned semiconductor device wafer to one or more back side processing operations. Methods of forming a thinned semiconductor wafer include using such a temporary adhesive.

There is a trend in the electronics industry to reduce the size of components of electronic devices. Such a reduction in size may enable reduced cost, increased efficiency, lower energy requirements, among other benefits. Semiconductor device packages (e.g., memory, processors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device packages, etc.) have been the subject of a variety of size reduction efforts. For example, one method of reducing the thickness of semiconductor devices and packages includes using so-called "through-silicon vias" (TSVs). In so-called "three-dimensional (3D) integration," for example, electrical access to stacked semiconductor dice is provided through the TSVs. Semiconductor wafers including TSVs are often thinned to form semiconductor dice that may be stacked to form semiconductor device packages of a relatively low height. Such thinning renders the semiconductor wafer fragile and difficult to handle during subsequent processing. Accordingly, the semiconductor wafer may be temporarily bonded to a carrier substrate to provide mechanical stability and strength during thinning and subsequent processing.
FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate a conventional method of processing a semiconductor device wafer 10. With reference to FIG. 1A, a device region 12 is defined by a portion of the semiconductor device wafer 10 proximate a front surface 14 thereof, which may also be characterized as an "active surface" on which integrated circuitry is formed. The device region 12 includes features of a semiconductor device to be formed from the semiconductor device wafer 10, such as through-silicon vias (TSVs) 18, extending from the front surface 14 into and at least partially through the device region 12. The semiconductor device wafer 10 is bonded to a relatively rigid carrier substrate 20 with a temporary adhesive 30 including a thermoplastic polymer material and a solvent, which is subjected to heat to remove at least a portion of the solvent. A top surface 22 of the carrier substrate 20 includes an edge region 28 proximate a peripheral edge 26 of the carrier substrate 20 that does not directly underlie the device region 12.
After bonding the semiconductor device wafer 10 to the carrier substrate 20, the semiconductor device wafer 10 may be subjected to further processing, which is often referred to in the art as "back side processing." For example, material may be removed from a back surface 16 of the semiconductor device wafer 10 by mechanical grinding and/or polishing, (e.g., coarse mechanical grinding, fine mechanical grinding, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), or any combination thereof) to leave a thinned semiconductor device wafer 11 (referred to below as "thinned wafer 11" for simplicity), as shown in FIG. 1B. After thinning, other processes may be performed on the back surface 16 of the thinned wafer 11, such as material removal, cleaning, and material formation.
Referring to FIG. 1C, processes that involve application of heat to the thinned wafer 11 and, consequently, to the temporary adhesive 30, may cause the temporary adhesive 30 to soften and flow to contaminate one or both of the back surface 16 of the thinned wafer 11 and a bottom surface 24 of the carrier substrate 20. Such contamination may cause difficulties and errors in subsequent processing of the thinned wafer 11. In some cases, the entire thinned wafer 11 or portions thereof may be rendered useless due to the contamination of the back surface 16 and/or the bottom surface 24 with the temporary adhesive 30. After back side processing is complete, the thinned wafer 11 of FIG. 1B or 1C is debonded from the carrier substrate 20 by applying a shear stress and heat to the temporary adhesive 30.
FIGS. 2A through 2C illustrate another method of processing a thinned semiconductor device wafer 11. After the thinned wafer 11 is formed and a bond is established between the thinned wafer 11 and the carrier substrate 20 with the temporary adhesive 30, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the temporary adhesive 30 is removed from the edge region 28 of the carrier substrate 20, as shown in FIG. 2A, by a so-called "edge cleaning" process. The exposed temporary adhesive 30 is removed by applying a suitable solvent. The solvent may be applied in a manner such that a portion of the temporary adhesive 30 underlying a peripheral edge 40 of the thinned wafer 11 is removed, in addition to the portion over the edge region 28.
Referring to FIG. 2B, the temporary adhesive 30 may be subjected to an elevated temperature (e.g., between about 150° C. and about 300° C., such as between about 180° C. and about 220° C.) to soften and flow the temporary adhesive 30 to support the peripheral edge 40 and to remove solvent introduced and absorbed by the temporary adhesive 30 during the edge cleaning. As a result of the heating, a portion of the temporary adhesive 30 may flow onto the edge region 28. As the temporary adhesive 30 softens under the elevated temperature, an average bond line thickness TBL of the temporary adhesive 30 may be reduced, at least proximate the peripheral edge 40, due to the flowing of the temporary adhesive 30 onto the edge region 28. As shown in FIG. 2C, subsequent processing operations that involve application of heat may cause the temporary adhesive 30 to continue to flow further onto the edge region 28 of the carrier substrate 20.
The method described with reference to FIGS. 2A through 2C may reduce a risk of contamination of the back surface 16 of the thinned wafer 11 and of the bottom surface 24 of the carrier substrate 20 compared to the method described with reference to FIGS. 1A through 1C. However, there may still be some risk that contamination of one or both of the back surface 16 of the thinned wafer 11 and the bottom surface 24 of the carrier substrate 20 due to flowing temporary adhesive 30 may occur during processing operations that involve heat. In addition, non-uniformity caused by reduction of the average bond line thickness TBL proximate the peripheral edge 40 may reduce control and reliability of back side processes performed on the thinned wafer 11.
Additional issues may be introduced by performing the operations described in FIGS. 2A and 2B. For example, the cleaning and subjecting to an elevated temperature may add to the time and cost of processing the thinned wafer 11. Additionally, the temporary adhesive 30 may not flow all the way to the peripheral edge 40 of the thinned wafer 11 while being subjected to an elevated temperature after cleaning the edge region 28, which may result in chipping, lifting, or delamination of the peripheral edge 40 during subsequent processing.
In addition, if the solvent is not substantially completely removed from the temporary adhesive 30 after the cleaning of the edge region 28, then one or more voids in the temporary adhesive 30 may develop during subsequent processing, causing the bond between the thinned wafer 11 and the carrier substrate 20 to weaken or even to fail (e.g., delaminate) where the void forms.
Whether the method described above with reference to FIGS. 1A through 1C or the method described above with reference to FIGS. 2A through 2C is used, the front surface 14 of the thinned wafers 11 may include irregular, which may also be characterized as nonplanar, topography (i.e., features, such as discrete conductive elements such as pads, bumps, columns, or pillars, that extend to a significant height above the front surface 14 of the thinned wafer 11). Such nonplanar topography may aggravate the problems discussed, as the topography requires additional temporary adhesive 30 to fill a gap between the thinned wafer 11 and the carrier substrate 20. The additional temporary adhesive 30 may increase a risk that the temporary adhesive 30 will flow during back side processing, potentially causing one or more of the problems discussed above.

Adhesives including a filler material and related methods


The invention provides an assembly structure for facilitating assembly of laminated cells, for reducing the possibility of gas leakage and for preventing the reduction of generating efficiency of cells due to gas leakage. In a disclosed embodiment, a plate-shaped electrochemical cell 9 made of a ceramic material with a through hole 9a formed therein is held by a holding member 1. The member 1 is made of a ceramic material and has a plate-shaped main body 1a of a shape of a flat plate and a protruded portion 1b. A first supply hole 2A for supplying one gas and a second supply hole 2B for supplying the other gas are formed in the holding member 1. The main body 1a has a sealing surface 1c against the one main face 9a of the cell 9 while the protruded portion 1b is inserted into the through hole 9a.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a holding member for an electrochemical cell, a holding structure of the same and an electrochemical system. The present invention further relates to an electrochemical cell and an electrically conducting member used for connecting it.
2. Related Art Statement
Solid oxide fuel cells are generally divided into two categories; a planar type and a tubular type. In planar type solid oxide fuel cells, a power generating stack is formed by alternately laying so-called separators and power generating layers, (cell). An appropriate structure is needed for separating a fuel gas and oxidizing gas when a plurality of planar single cells are stacked to produce a generator. It is also necessary to reduce the thermal stress between the single cells, manifold for gas supply and separators (interconnectors).
In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. P1993-54897A, an anode and a cathode are respectively formed on each side of an electrolyte to prepare a power generation layer (cell). Then, a thin film containing ceramic powder and an organic binder is sandwiched between this cell and the separator, and the assembly is heat-treated so that the cell and the separator are joined with each other.
Japanese Patent publication P1994-290798A disclosed another type of a solid oxide fuel cell. In the disclosure, a plurality of ring-shaped single cells are stacked to produce a generator. Each of the cells is held with a metal separator. The separator has a disk-shaped gas manifold and a flange portion surrounding the gas manifold. The gas manifold has formed therein two through holes for an oxidizing gas and a fuel gas. The flange portion has formed therein grooves for the oxidizing and fuel gases. The flange portion is intervened between the adjacent single cells vertically arranged. An oxidizing gas is supplied into a mesh through hole in the gas manifold. The supplied gas then flows in the groove in the flange portion and contacts with the cathode electrode of the single cell. A fuel gas is supplied into the other through hole of the gas manifold. The supplied fuel gas then flows in the groove of the flange portion and contacts with the anode electrode of the single cell, so that the gases may contribute to power generation. An insulating plate is interposed between the adjacent separators to prevent the short-circuit between the separators.
Further, in a prior planar type solid oxide fuel cell, a gas sealing portion is positioned in the outer boundary of the cell. For example, FIG. 12 of Japanese Patent publication 1994-290798A shows a perspective view of one of such planar type cell. According to this disclosure, the cell is composed of a plate of a solid electrolyte material, a fuel electrode and an air electrode, each being made of a ceramic material. The cell and separator that are made of ceramic materials are alternately stacked to produce a generator. In the stack, a groove for supplying an oxidizing and a fuel gas are formed crossly.
To produce a generator by stacking separators and single cells alternately, it is necessary to supply a gas between the separator and the cell so that fuel and oxidizing agent may be supplied to the electrodes of the single cell. At the same time, the single cell and the separator must be electrically connected in series by intervening an electrically conductive connecting member between the separator and single cell. When such connecting member is located in, for example, a fuel gas passage, it must be chemically stable in a reductive fuel gas environment at an operating temperature of the single cell. Further, there must be a gap through which the fuel gas is passed. For such reasons, so-called nickel felt has been commonly used as the connecting member in the fuel gas passage.
On page 824 of "Electrochemical Society Proceedings Volume 99-19" is shown a stacked layer of a separator and a planar single cell. A number of elongated passages regularly arranged are formed on the separator and the grooves are used as fuel gas supply passages. A power generation device is formed by sandwiching a mesh between a surface on the separator groove side and an anode electrode film of the single cell and pressing the mesh.
On pages 8 to 9 and FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 503381/2002, a separator and a cell are connected to each other by sandwiching a corrugated sheet between the separator and cell and then by pressing it. The corrugated sheet electrically connects the separator and the cell. Further, the publication describes that the corrugated sheet is preferably made of an expanded metal.

Holding member for holding an electrochemical cell, a holding substrate for the same, an electrochemical system and a connecting member for electrochemical cells


There is provided a pointing system including a first image sensor, a second image sensor and a processing unit. The first image sensor is configured to capture a first image. The processing unit is configured to recognize a predetermined hand posture according to the first image and to identify a click event according to a second image captured by the second image sensor when the predetermined hand posture is recognized.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally relates to a pointing system and, more particularly, to a portable computer having pointing functions without employing a touch panel and a pointing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The biological recognition technology has gradually become mature in present days, wherein the facial recognition technology mainly utilizes an image sensor to capture a face image and utilizes a processing unit to calculate characteristics of the face image which are then compared with the previously saved characteristics so as to recognize an identity represented by the face image.
Using the same algorithm, the processing unit is also able to calculate object characteristics according to a hand posture image captured by the image sensor, and the object characteristics are compared with the previously saved hand posture characteristics so as to recognize whether the hand posture image matches a specific hand posture.
Conventionally, a portable computer having pointing functions implements the pointing function by employing a touch panel. However, employing the touch panel can increase the manufacturing cost of the portable computer.
Accordingly, the present disclosure further provides a portable computer having pointing functions and a pointing system that may implement the touch function by using a built-in webcam of the portable computer in cooperation with an additional infrared image sensor without employing any touch panel.

Portable computer having pointing functions and pointing system


The web cam apparatus provides for a web cam to automatically track a user when the user moves out of a previously direct frame of the web cam. More than one mount type is provided so that various web cams and monitors with web cams can be accommodated. The apparatus also provides more than one remote airwave transmitter. Each transmitter is kept on a web cam user's person so that tracking is automatic. One transmitter provides only web cam tracking. A headset optionally provided provides further communication with a computer that is equipped with both a transmitter and receiver. A computer so equipped can also communicate sounds between the headset and the computer.

Web cams are in widespread usage among computer users. A problem exists in that a typical web cam sees only a limited field of vision. If a computer user moves of frame, either part of or the entire user is omitted from web cam view. The present apparatus provides a means for automatic web cam coverage and further communication with a user who moves while using a computer web cam.


A method and a device for monitoring at least one output stage which is actuated by a microcontroller using an input signal having any pulse duty factor. The output signal from the output stage is averaged by an electrical circuit and compared to a setpoint value which is calculated from the input signal of the output stage. An error in the output stage is diagnosed when the averaged value deviates from the calculated setpoint value.

German Published Patent Application No. 40 12 109 relates to a device for monitoring the function of an electrical consumer, its output stage, its actuation, and the associated connections. Parallel to the output stage, an error detection logic circuit is connected which distinguishes between the following possible types of error: short circuit to ground, short circuit to the positive potential, and load drop, using a hardware-based comparison of the input and output potentials and using a reference potential.
German Published Patent Application No. 198 51 732 relates to a method and a device for monitoring at least one current control level for an electrical consumer. The current control level has at least one switching element and one current controller. A current which is specified by a pulse duty factor flows through the consumer, it being possible for the current controller to set the current to a setpoint value. To monitor the current control levels, the pulse duty factor and/or a variable derived from the pulse duty factor are compared to a threshold value, and an error is detected when there is a deviation from this value. The threshold value results from the particular corresponding variable which is present in at least one of the other current control levels. The ratio of the time in which the switching element is closed to the entire duration of actuation is referred to as the pulse duty factor. However, the ratio of the time in which the switching element is closed to the time in which the switching element is open, for example, may also be used.
Thus far, primarily two possibilities for monitoring the function of output stages having pulse width modulation (PWM) have been used in the related art: evaluating the status output from the intelligent output stage, or determining the status by feedback from the output stage output to a digital port. Neither possibility is suited for the active PWM operation. In the evaluation of the status signal from the intelligent output stage, the instantaneous status is first delivered on a delayed basis, the delay being specific to the output stage and possibly being greater than 1 ms, for example. During feedback to a digital input, the output signal must be scanned exactly at a specific point in time. This is achievable only with high computing power, up to the system-dependent limitations. When the two cited possibilities for monitoring the function of PWM output stages are used, it is possible to scan the output signal at the correct time only when the operating time from actuation of an output stage to the effect of the control signal at the output stage output is known.

Method and device for monitoring the function of an output stage having pulse width modulation


Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce out-of-plane excitation force exerted on a coil in a voice coil motor of a magnetic disk drive, so that vibration of a magnetic head is suppressed. According to one embodiment, a voice coil motor has a flat magnet that faces a coil, and generates a magnetic field, and yokes that apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to the coil. The magnet is provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a most distal end of the magnet as viewed from a pivot axis. A most distal part of the coil as viewed from the pivot axis, may be situated in an outer side with respect to the most distal end of the magnet, and the magnetic flux guiding section is provided between the most distal end of the magnet and the most distal part of the coil.

In a magnetic disk drive, an actuator mounted with a magnetic head at one end is rotationally driven around a pivot axis as a rotational axis of the actuator, thereby the magnetic head is positioned in an optional radial position on a magnetic disk to perform write and read. A coil is mounted on the actuator at the other end, and a voice coil motor fixed to a housing of the magnetic disk drive generates drive force for rotating the actuator. The voice coil motor is configured by a magnet for generating magnetic flux, and yokes made from a soft magnetic material for forming a magnetic circuit.
As an example of the voice coil motor,. for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-122917 ("patent document 1") discloses a configuration where an auxiliary yoke is equipped in a portion of at least one side end face of the magnetic in order to effectively suppress leakage flux flowing to an external component.
The voice coil motor essentially generates force for rotating the actuator in a direction parallel to a coil plane, but sometimes induces force in a direction perpendicular to the coil plane, that is, in a direction parallel to a pivot axis due to a configuration or shape of the voice coil motor, or variation in assembly. The force is called "out-of-plane excitation force" because it works in a direction perpendicular to a moving plane of the coil. The out-of-plane excitation force is induced by a phenomenon that a magnetic field applied from the magnet to the coil has not only a component perpendicular to the coil plane, but also a component parallel to the coil plane. In particular, the out-of-plane excitation force becomes large in a voice coil motor configured by using only one magnet in order to reduce cost.
When the out-of-plane excitation force is large, the coil, a part of the actuator, vertically vibrates, which in turn causes slight vibration of a magnetic head. This results in reduction in positioning accuracy of the magnetic head onto a predetermined recording track, which is a factor of hindering high capacity of a magnetic disk drive.
The technique described in the patent document 1 includes a structure for suppressing the leakage flux flowing to an external component from the voice coil motor, which may not solve the problem of the out-of-plane excitation force generated in the voice coil motor.

Magnetic disk drive and voice coil motor

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Netherlands B.V.


A power supply unit includes a main power-supply circuit and a secondary power-supply circuit which are connected to an alternating current power supply AC. The main power-supply circuit includes a full-wave rectifier and an input current control circuit corresponding to a harmonic current suppression circuit. The input current control circuit includes a resistor as circuit current detection element and a control circuit for controlling a switch element by detecting a current flowing in the resistor. A connection is provided such that a current flowing in a diode as a second rectifying circuit of the secondary power-supply circuit may return to the alternating current power supply through the resistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power-supply unit, and more particularly, to a power-supply unit which suppresses harmonic current and improves power-factor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In equipment receiving the supply of electric power from a commercial alternating current power supply, the power supply is required to suppress the generation of harmonic currents. Since a circuit having a harmonic current suppression function also includes a power-factor improvement function, the circuit is often called a power-factor improvement circuit as in a power-supply unit shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-18842 (Patent Document 1).
In the equipment having a standby mode as in televisions, for example, it is also necessary to operate a waiting circuit (for example, a reception circuit for receiving only a power-supply upon receipt of a signal from a remote control system) during standby. However, it is very inefficient to operate the entire power-supply unit for a waiting circuit which consumes only a very small amount of electric power. In particular, since a reduction in electric power loss during standby has recently been required, it is necessary to develop countermeasures.
In a switching power-supply circuit as described in Patent Document 1, a main power-supply circuit which is not operated during standby and a secondary power-supply circuit which is operated to constantly supply a small amount of electric power, including during standby also, are provided, and both the main power-supply circuit and the secondary power-supply circuit are connected to an alternating current power supply.
In the switching power-supply circuit described in Patent Document 1, since large harmonic current is generated in the main power-supply circuit having a large electric power supply capacity, even if the circuit structure becomes complicated, a harmonic current suppression circuit is provided therein, and, on the contrary, since small harmonic current is generated in the secondary power-supply circuit having a small electric power supply capacity, no harmonic current suppression circuit is provided therein.
In equipment, such as televisions, there are cases in which a power supply having various output voltages is required, and there is the demand for a secondary power-supply circuit which can be used not only on standby, but also for other purposes during normal operation. Practically, necessary voltages on standby are often the voltages of +5 V and +3.3 V required for operation of simple digital circuits, for example, the voltages of +5 V and +3.3 V can also be used for various other purposes. Therefore, a power-supply unit is designed so as to be fitted not for the amount of power consumption on standby, but for the amount of power consumption during normal operation. In this case, the secondary power-supply circuit is designed so as to have a substantial amount power supply capacity in reserve.
However, in Patent Document 1, for example, the secondary power-supply circuit includes no harmonic current suppression circuit. Accordingly, when the amount of power supply in the secondary power-supply circuit increases, the amount of harmonic current generated also increases, and this increased harmonic current is not accounted for.