An apparatus for positioning a geometric model comprises a machine tool, a control unit electrically coupled to the machine tool, a storage unit electrically coupled to the control unit, a positioning module electrically coupled to the storage unit, a virtual target geometry module electrically coupled to the positioning module, and a virtual machine tool module electrically and respectively coupled to the virtual target geometry module and the positioning module. A method for positioning the geometric model includes using components of the apparatus.

With rapid advance of the technology of intellectualized machine tools, most modern five-axis machine tools or turn-mill machine tools are equipped and controlled by computers so as to perform multi-tasking machining processes automatically and thus to be competitive in the marketplace. The development and research of intellectualized machine tools are mostly focused upon how to prevent collision between various components of machine tools. Collision avoidance is especially important for high-end multi-axis machine tools. Workpieces to be machined by those high-end multi-axis machine tools are generally high-priced aviation and space parts, vehicle parts, or 3C parts, which are generally designed with many curved surfaces that are difficult to be machined and thus can often suffer heavy damage to workpieces or tools, depending on the intensity of the collision.
For collision avoidance, it is common to perform a pre-operation of machining simulation before any machining process is performed. The difficulty in this pre-operation is to obtain the accurate position of geometric models in the working space of virtual machine tools while workpieces, tools and fixtures usually have different configuration according to the machining process.
There are three methods that are currently available and used for overcoming the aforesaid problem, and one of which is a method of manual measurement. Operationally, the manual measurement method is performed by a worker who actually works to perform a measurement for obtaining the positions of workpieces and fixtures in the working space of a machine tool. The second method is a manual geometrical positioning method that is designed to move or rotate geometric models in a virtual machine tool for defining their relative positions. The last method is a method designed for enabling machining tools, workpieces and fixtures to be placed at their respectively scheduled positions that are stored in advance in machining plans.
However, the first method mentioned above can be very dangerous to the worker as he/she can easily hurt by the machine tool if not careful. The second method is short in its poor accuracy, and the third method is not preferred for its poor flexibility. Therefore, it is in need of a method for accurately detecting the positions of workpieces, tools, fixtures, and components of machine tools and then establishing geometric models in the working space of a virtual machine tool.

Apparatus and method for positioning geometric model

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


The present invention relates to a (2R,3R)-3-(3-substituted phenyl)-2-methyl n-pentanamide compounds as shown in the formula I and the preparation method thereof, wherein, the substituents are as defined in the specification, the present invention further relates to a use of the above compounds for the preparation of tapentadol II or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, and the intermediates involved in the preparation process.

Tapentadol is central analgesic with a dual action mechanism developed by Johnson & Johnson, since it is both the μ-type opioid receptor agonist and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, up to now it is the first single-molecule drug which has both above pharmacological effects. It was approved for marketing on Nov. 21, 2008 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain. Studies show that tapentadol is independent of metabolism activation and has no active metabolite; moreover, it has curative effect on all of the acute, inflammatory and chronic neuropathic pain models, and its effectiveness is between morphine and tramadol; in addition, the satisfactory plasma concentration can be obtained by both intravenous and oral administration of tapentadol, it is not easier to cause analgesic tolerance and physical dependence than morphine, and its clinical application shows mild side effects and well tolerance. Its chemical name is: (+)-(1R,2R)-3-(3-dimethylamino-1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl)-phenol, whose structure is represented by the following formula (II):

It is recorded in European Patent No. EP693475 a method for preparing compound (II) from 3-pentanone through the Mannich reaction, Grignard reaction, crystallization to separate diastereoisomer, column chromatography to separate diastereoisomer, chloridization, elimination and demethylation reaction, the method is shown as Reaction Scheme 1:

It is recorded in European Patent No. EP2049464 and U.S. Patent No. US2009326271 a method for preparing compound (II) from 3′-benzyloxyphenyl ethyl ketone through Mannich reaction, chiral separation, Grignard reaction, dehydration, and debenzylation together with stereoselective hydrogenation, the method is shown as Reaction Scheme 2:

It is recorded in European Patent No. EP2046724 a method for preparing the hydrochloride of compound (II) from 3′-methoxyphenyl ethyl ketone through Mannich reaction, chiral separation, Grignard reaction, dehydration, stereoselective hydrogenation, demethylation reaction, and directly adding hydrochloric acid without separation, the method is shown as Reaction Scheme 3:

It is recorded in European Patent No. EP2046726 and U.S. Patent No. US2009312578 an improved method of the dehydration reaction in the above Reaction Scheme 3, that is, after dehydration using trifluoroacetic anhydride or acylating hydroxy compound, hydrogenation and deprivation are performed, the method is shown as Reaction Scheme 4:

The existing synthesis methods of tapentadol adopt the column chromatography or resolution methods, which have a high cost and low yield, and are not suitable for industrial production. Therefore, it is eager to find a method which has simple process, high yield, low cost and is suitable for industrial production.

Substituted n-pentanamide compounds, preparation method and the use thereof

Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences


A housing assembly is formed of a front sheet overlying a rear sheet with a curved periphery for the majority of the lower and upper extents of the housing assembly forming a passageway. A waist band with a clasp is secured by stitching to the upper edge of the housing assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tennis ball holder and more particularly pertains to removably retaining two tennis balls for ready use by a player in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of game ball holders of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, game ball holders of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of retaining game balls through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,256 issued Feb. 7, 1978 to Young relates to a Game Ball Holder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,860 issued Nov. 17, 1987 to Leider relates to a Ball Quiver. U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,427 issued Jun. 6, 1989 to McManus relates to a Tennis Utility Belt. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,107 issued Nov. 12, 1991 to Ascarrunz relates to a Tennis Ball Holder.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a tennis ball holder that allows for removably retaining two tennis balls for ready use by a player in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
In this respect, the tennis ball holder according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removably retaining two tennis balls for ready use by a player in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved tennis ball holder which can be used for removably retaining two tennis balls for ready use by a player in a safe, convenient and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A flexographic printing precursor can be imaged and used for flexographic printing. This precursor has at least two laser-engraveable layers, in which the underlying non-printing laser-engraveable layer is more sensitive than the outermost non-metallic printing laser-engraveable layer. The non-printing layer-engraveable layer comprises (1) a first elastomer, (2) a polymer that is nitrocellulose, a polymer comprising a triazene group, a glycidyl azide polymer, or a poly(vinyl nitrate), and (3) a first near-infrared radiation absorber. The outermost non-metallic printing laser-engraveable layer comprises a second elastomer and a second infrared radiation absorber.

Flexography is a method of printing that is commonly used for high-volume printing runs. It is usually employed for printing on a variety of soft or easily deformed materials including but not limited to, paper, paperboard stock, corrugated board, polymeric films, fabrics, metal foils, and laminates. Coarse surfaces and stretchable polymeric films are economically printed using flexography.
Flexographic printing members are sometimes known as "relief" printing members (for example, relief-containing printing plates, printing sleeves, or printing cylinders) and are provided with raised relief images onto which ink is applied for application to a printable material. While the raised relief images are inked, the relief "floor" should remain free of ink. The flexographic printing precursors are generally supplied with one or more imageable layers that can be disposed over a backing layer or substrate. Flexographic printing also can be carried out using a flexographic printing cylinder or seamless sleeve having the desired relief image. These flexographic printing members can be provided from flexographic printing precursors that can be "imaged in-the-round" (ITR) using either a photomask or laser-ablatable mask (LAM) over a photosensitive composition (layer), or they can be imaged by direct laser engraving (DLE) of a laser-engraveable composition (layer) that is not necessarily photosensitive.
Flexographic printing precursors having laser-ablatable layers are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,009 (Fan), which precursors include a laser-ablatable mask layer over one or more photosensitive layers. This publication teaches the use of a developer to remove unreacted material from the photosensitive layer, the barrier layer, and non-ablated portions of the mask layer.
There has been a desire in the industry for a way to prepare flexographic printing members without the use of photosensitive layers that are cured using UV or actinic radiation and that require liquid processing to remove non-imaged composition and mask layers. Direct laser engraving of precursors to produce relief printing plates and stamps is known, but the need for relief image depths greater than 500 μm creates a considerable challenge when imaging speed is also an important commercial requirement. In contrast to laser ablation of mask layers that require low to moderate energy lasers and fluence, direct engraving of a relief-forming layer requires much higher energy and fluence. A laser-engraveable layer must also exhibit appropriate physical and chemical properties to achieve "clean" and rapid laser engraving (high sensitivity) so that the resulting printed images have excellent resolution and durability.
A number of elastomeric systems have been described for construction of laser-engravable flexographic printing precursors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,655 (Shanbaum et al.) describes the use of a mixture of epoxidized natural rubber and natural rubber in a laser-engraveable composition. Engraving of a rubber is also described by S. E. Nielsen in Polymer Testing 3 (1983) pp. 303-310.
EP 1,228,864 (Houstra) describes liquid photopolymer mixtures that are designed for UV imaging and curing, and the resulting printing plate precursors are laser-engraved using carbon dioxide lasers operating at about 10 μm wavelength. Such printing plate precursors are unsuitable for imaging using more desirable near-IR absorbing laser diode systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,202 (Cushner et al.) describes the use of reinforced block copolymers incorporating carbon black in a layer that is UV cured and remains thermoplastic. Such block copolymers are used in many commercial UV-sensitive flexographic printing plate precursors. As pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,236 (Hiller et al.), such curing would be defective due to the high absorption of UV as it traverses through the thick imageable layer. Although many polymers are suggested for this use in the literature, only extremely flexible elastomers have been used commercially because flexographic layers that are many millimeters thick must be designed to be bent around a printing cylinder and secured with temporary bonding tape and both must be removable after printing.
An increased need for higher quality flexographic printing precursors for laser engraving has highlighted the need to solve performance problems that were of less importance when quality demands were less stringent. However, it has been especially difficult to simultaneously improve the flexographic printing precursor in various properties because a change that can solve one problem can worsen or cause another problem.
For example, the rate of imaging is an important consideration in laser engraving of flexographic printing precursors. Throughput (rate of imaging multiple precursors) by engraving depends upon printing plate precursor width because each precursor is imaged point by point. Imaging, multi-step processing, and drying of UV-sensitive precursors is time consuming but this process is independent of printing plate size, and for the production of multiple flexographic printing plates, it can be relatively fast because many flexographic printing plates can be passed through the multiple stages at the same time.
In contrast, throughput using laser-engraving is somewhat determined by the equipment that is used, but if this is the means for improving imaging speed, the cost becomes the main concern. Improved imaging speed is thus related to equipment cost. There is a limit to what the market will bear in equipment cost in order to have faster imaging. Therefore, much work has been done to try to improve the sensitivity of the flexographic printing plate precursors by various means. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,529 (Gelbart) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,659 (Gelbart) describe the use of a foam layer for laser engraving so that there is less material to ablate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,018 (Kanga) uses expandable microspheres to increase precursor sensitivity.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0214983 (Figov et al.) describes the use of additives that thermally degrade during imaging to produce gaseous products. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0194762 (Sugasaki) suggests that good imaging sensitivity can be achieved using a polymer with a nitrogen atom-containing hetero ring. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0258344 (Regan et al.) describes laser-ablatable flexographic printing precursors that can be degraded to simple molecules that are easily removed.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0089609 (Landry-Coltrain et al.) describes laser-engraveable elements that exhibit increased engraving efficiency so as to increase flexographic printing plate imaging speed and throughput. These advantages are achieved by using at least one laser-ablatable, relief-forming layer comprising a thermoplastic urethane or elastomer and an infrared radiation absorbing compound that is present at a concentration profile such that its concentration is greater near the bottom surface of the layer than the relief image-forming surface, and such concentration is not absolutely zero at the relief image-forming surface.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0014573 (Matzner et al.) describes a system for engraving flexographic printing plates including a flexographic printing plate having at least two ablation layers (for example in FIG. 4). The underlying layer can be softer and less durable than the overlying printing layer. Both layers can comprise thermosetting elastomers such as polyurethanes.
However, there continues to be a need to improve both the sensitivity and manufacturability of laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursors. It would be particularly useful to achieve these advantages using near-IR laser-engraving because of the advantages associated with the use of near-IR lasers compared to engraving using carbon dioxide lasers.
In addition, there is a desire to improve sensitivity, to reduce imaging time, and to increase throughput of an imaging engraving apparatus. Also, there is a desire to achieve good quality solids and dot reproduction even when printing is performed at high speeds.

Dual-layer laser-imageable flexographic printing precursors


To provide a rolling bearing having a hard film on an inner ring raceway surface and an outer ring raceway surface of the rolling bearing that improves peeling resistance of the hard film, shows the original property of the hard film, and suppresses the attackability to a mating material. A rolling bearing 1 has an inner ring 2 having an inner ring raceway surface 2a on an outer circumference, an outer ring 3 having an outer ring raceway surface 3a on an inner circumference, and rolling elements 4 that roll between the inner ring raceway surface 2a and the outer ring raceway surface 3a. A hard film 8 includes a foundation layer formed directly on the inner ring raceway surface 2a or the outer ring raceway surface 3a and mainly formed of Cr and WC, a mixed layer having a gradient composition formed on the foundation layer and mainly formed of WC and DLC, and a surface layer formed on the mixed layer and mainly formed of DLC. In a roughness curve of a surface on which the foundation layer is formed, the arithmetical mean roughness Ra is 0.3 μm or less and the root mean square gradient RΔq is 0.05 or less.

A hard carbon film is a hard film generally called diamond-like carbon (hereinafter, referred to as DLC. A film or a layer mainly formed of DLC is also called a DLC film or a DLC layer). Various names are given to the hard carbon. For example, it is called hard amorphous carbon, amorphous carbon, hard amorphous-type carbon, i-carbon, and diamond-shaped carbon. These terminologies are not clearly distinguished from one another.
As the essential quality of the DLC for which the above-described terminologies are used, the DLC has a structure in which diamond and graphite are mixed with each other and thus its structure is intermediate between that of the diamond and that of the graphite. The DLC has high hardness almost equal to that of the diamond and is excellent in its wear resistance, solid lubricating property, thermal conductivity, chemical stability, and corrosion resistance. Therefore the DLC has been utilized as protection films of dies, tools, wear-resistant mechanical parts, abrasive materials, sliding members, magnetic and optical parts. As methods of forming the DLC film, a physical vapor deposition (hereinafter, referred to as PVD) method such as a sputtering method and an ion plating method; a chemical vapor deposition (hereinafter, referred to as CVD) method; and an unbalanced magnetron sputtering (hereinafter, referred to as UBMS) method are adopted.
Conventionally, attempts are made to form the DLC film on raceway surfaces of bearing rings of a rolling bearing, and rolling contact surfaces of rolling elements thereof. Extremely large internal stress is generated when the DLC film is formed. Although the DLC film has high hardness and high Young's modulus, the DLC film has extremely small deformability. Thus, the DLC film has disadvantages that it is low in its adhesiveness to a base material and liable to peel therefrom. When the DLC film peels off, metal contact is caused between the bearing components. Accordingly, when the bearing components are worn, wear debris is interposed between the rolling contact surfaces, which results in the damage of the raceway surface. Thus, in forming the DLC film on the raceway surfaces of the bearing rings of the rolling bearing, and the rolling contact surfaces of the rolling elements thereof, it is necessary to improve its adhesiveness to the surfaces of the bearing components.
For example, in order to improve the adhesiveness of the DLC film to the base material by disposing an intermediate layer, a rolling device in which a foundation layer that contains any one or more elements selected from among chromium (hereinafter, referred to as Cr), tungsten (hereinafter, referred to as W), titanium (hereinafter, referred to as Ti), silicon (hereinafter, referred to as Si), nickel, and iron as its composition; an intermediate layer that is formed on the foundation layer and contains the same constituent elements as those of the foundation layer and carbon such that the content rate of the carbon is larger at the side opposite to the foundation layer than at the side of the foundation layer; and a DLC layer that is formed on the intermediate layer and contains argon and carbon such that the content rate of the argon is not less than 0.02 mass % nor more than 5 mass %, has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
In order to improve the adhesiveness of the DLC film to the base material by an anchoring effect, a rolling bearing in which unevenness of which height is 10-100 nm and average width is not more than 300 nm are formed on a raceway surface by means of ion bombardment process and the DLC film is formed on the raceway surface, has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

Rolling bearing and wind power generation rotor shaft support device


Pipe connectors and methods of making and using pipe connectors to connect oil or gas pipe in oil and gas production, refining and distribution.

In oil and gas production, refining, and distribution, a common method of connecting individual lengths of pipe may be by welding or fusing the pipe ends together.
However, the numerous and wide variety of oil and gas pipes correspondingly necessitate welding or fusion specifications that may vary depending on the type and dimensions of the pipes being joined.
The standards and dimensions of United State standard seamless pipes are defined by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ("ASME") B36.10 for carbon and alloy steel pipes and by ASEM B36.19 for stainless and nickel alloy steel pipes and by the American Petroleum Institute ("PLI") 5L for line pipes for oil and gas transmission and distribution.
The standards and dimensions of European seamless pipes are defined by European Standards ("EN") 10220 and EN 1127 specifications respectively for carbon/alloy and stainless steels and higher grades. Seamless pipes are available in ferrous and non-ferrous materials and in diameters of about one-eighth inch to about twenty-four inches in various pipe wall thicknesses.
The standards and dimensions of electric resistant welded pipes manufactured by welding steel coils longitudinally are defined by ASME B36.0 for carbon and alloy steel pipes and by ASME B36.19 for stainless and nickel-alloy steel pipes (or respectively by EN10220 and EN 1127) in a size range of about one-half inch (12.7 mm) to about 20 inches (508 mm) in various pipe wall thicknesses.
The standards and dimensions of plastic pipes manufactured of high density polyethylene ("HDPE") are defined by ASME B31.3 for chemicals and refineries and ASME B31.8 (EN 1555-2) for gas distribution in a size range of about one-half inch (12.7 mm) to about 24 inches (609.6 mm) in various pipe wall thicknesses.
For those installations utilizing metal-based pipes, butt-welding on oil and gas pipes requires that all the welding operations be performed from the outside. However, the weld must penetrate the entire thickness of the pipe ends to be joined from the external surface to the internal surface with a weld deposit that remains essentially defect free. For this reason, the pipe edges may require special preparation to bevel, face or groove the pipe edges.
Additionally, certain oil field waters containing salts and hydrogen sulfide are so corrosive that it is impracticable to employ steel pipe for carrying them. In these situations, it is common to employ a protective lining within the steel pipe to prevent these corrosive fluids from attacking the metal pipe. However, welding which fully penetrates the pipe wall can damage the protective lining.
Additionally, residual fluids or vapors often present in oil and gas pipe may present a hazardous situation in welding two pipe sections together. These residual fluids or vapors may be isolated from the welding site in a number of ways, such as inserting a large rubber plug into the exposed ends of the pipe. However, the plug is typically not removable and, when the pipe is put back into service, may become lodged or otherwise form a restriction or trash buildup in the pipe.
For those installations utilizing HDPE, a variant of butt-welding occurs using a heated plate referred to as butt fusion. During butt fusion, the ends of the pipes to be joined by butt fusion are concurrently heated with a heated plate until molten. The molten ends can be forced together at a controlled rate and pressure, and then held in place until the ends of the pipe have cooled to produce the butt fusion. However, in forcing the ends of the pipes together, an annular protuberance can distort the internal pipe surface at the butt fusion whereby the inner diameter of the pipes can be correspondingly decreased. The decrease in the inner diameter of the pipes at the location where the pipe ends are joined by butt fusion alters the fluid flow capacity of the joined pipes and fluid flow properties of fluids within the pipes.
Therefore, in the field of oil and gas production, refining, and distribution, there is a need for an oil and gas pipe connector to join the pipe ends of oil and gas pipe without the use of welding or fusion processes, and in particular butt-welding or butt fusion of pipe ends.


A method for converting soot particles of an exhaust gas includes providing at least nitrogen dioxide or oxygen in the exhaust gas, ionizing soot particles with an electric field, depositing electrically charged soot particles on inner channel walls of at least one surface precipitator, and bringing at least nitrogen dioxide or oxygen into contact with the deposited soot particles on the inner channel walls of the at least one surface precipitator. A device for carrying out the method includes at least one surface precipitator having a plurality of channels through which the exhaust gas can flow and extending between an inlet region and an outlet region, and at least one deposit inhibitor for electrically charged soot particles provided in at least part of the inlet region, especially allowing the soot particles to be evenly deposited and the surface precipitator to be continuously regenerated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for treating exhaust gas containing soot particles, in particular with a so-called electrostatic filter or electric filter, as well as a suitable method for converting soot particles of an exhaust gas. The invention is used, in particular, in the treatment of exhaust gases of mobile internal combustion engines in the field of automobiles, in particular in the treatment of exhaust gases resulting from diesel fuel.
A multiplicity of different concepts for eliminating soot particles from exhaust gases of mobile internal combustion engines have already been discussed. In addition to wall-flow filters which are alternately closed, open secondary flow filters and gravity precipitators, etc., systems have already been proposed in which the particles in the exhaust gas are charged electrically and then deposited by using electrostatic attraction forces. Those systems are known, in particular, by the term "electrostatic filter" or "electric filter."
Generally (a plurality of) discharge electrodes and collector electrodes, positioned in the exhaust line, are proposed for such electric filters. In that context, for example, a central discharge electrode which runs approximately centrally through the exhaust line and a surrounding lateral surface of the exhaust line as a collector electrode are used to form a capacitor. Through the use of that configuration of the discharge electrode and the collector electrode, an electrical field is formed transversely with respect to the direction of flow of the exhaust gas, wherein the discharge electrode can be operated, for example, with a high voltage which is in the range of approximately 15 kV. As a result, in particular corona discharges can be formed through which the particles which flow through the electrical field with the exhaust gas are charged in a unipolar fashion. As a result of that charging, the particles migrate to the collector electrode due to electrostatic Coulomb forces.
In addition to systems in which the exhaust line is embodied as a collector electrode, systems are also known in which the collector electrode is embodied, for example, as a wire mesh. In that context, the accumulation of particles on the wire mesh serves the purpose of combining the particles, where appropriate, with further particles in order to therefore form an agglomeration. The exhaust gas which flows through the mesh or grid then carries the relatively large particles along with it again and carries them to conventional filter systems.
Even if the systems described above have heretofore proven suitable for the treatment of soot particles, at least in trials, the implementation of that concept for series production in motor vehicles presents serious challenges. That applies, in particular, with respect to the greatly fluctuating, at times very heavy, soot load in the exhaust gas, as well as the desired retrofitability of such a system for currently existing exhaust systems. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the improved performance of such exhaust systems in terms of the elimination of soot particles also makes it necessary to perform (periodic or continuous) regeneration of the filter systems, involving the soot being converted into gaseous components.
With respect to the regeneration of filter systems, it is also known, in addition to the intermittent regeneration by brief heating, that is to say burning off of the soot (catalytically motivated oxidative conversion), to convert soot through the use of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The advantage of continuous regeneration with nitrogen dioxide is that the conversion of soot can already take place in that case at significantly lower temperatures (in particular lower than 250° C.). For that reason, continuous regeneration is preferred in many applications. However, that leads to the problem that it is necessary to ensure that the nitrogen dioxide in the stream of exhaust gas comes into contact to a sufficient degree with the deposited soot particles.
In that context, there are also technical difficulties in the implementation of continuous operation of such exhaust systems in motor vehicles, wherein the different loadings of the internal combustion engines lead to different streams of exhaust gas, compositions of exhaust gas and temperatures.

Method for treating exhaust gas containing soot particles

EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH


An optical scanner in which a row of through holes are mounted on the top side of the housing of the optical scanner outside the scanning area, light from the light source of the scanning mechanism passes through the through hole from one to another to show the progress of the scanning operation during a scanning operation.

The present invention relates to optical scanners, and more particularly to such an optical scanner which lets the light of the light source of its scanning mechanism pass through a row of through holes to show the progress of the scanning.
A variety of optical scanners have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. These optical scanners are functionality, however they have no means to indicate the progress of the scanning when scanning a document. Because the operator cannot know the progress of the scanning as scanning a document, the operator cannot utilize the vacant hours to do everything he like during a scanning cycle.

Optical scanner using through holes to show scanning progress


A crosslinked nylon block copolymer comprising a copolymer containing a polyamide block and an elastomeric block, irradiation crosslinked, including a compound which promotes crosslinking therein. In process form, the present invention comprises supplying a nylon block copolymer, containing a polyamide block and an elastomeric block, along with crosslinking promotor and exposing the block copolymer to irradiation, sufficient to crosslink the copolymer and improve mechanical properties therein. The crosslinked nylon block copolymers here have particular utility in both the medical and wire and cable industries.

Generally, nylon block copolymers may be alternating blocks of polyamide segments and other segments such as segments of elastomeric polymers such as polyethers, polyesters, hydrocarbons or polysiloxanes. These nylon block copolymers are generally prepared by copolymerizing a lactam monomer in the present of the elastomeric polymers component. A more detailed discussion of the structure and method of preparing particular types of nylon block copolymers can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,164.
The polyamide segments and elastomeric polymer segments of the nylon block copolymers each contribute to the respective properties of the final polymer. In order to obtain high modulus materials, polyamide segments of higher molecular weight and/or higher weight percent can be employed. Alternatively, greater tensile elongation and impact properties, as well as lower surface hardness, may be obtained by using higher percents of and/or higher molecular weight elastomeric polymer component.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,355 appears to be one of the first disclosures of a crosslinked nylon block copolymer, chemically, through the use of polyfunctional amine compounds. That is, the crosslinked nylon block copolymers are prepared by a reaction scheme in which polyfunctional amines act as crosslinking agents. More specifically, a crosslinked material was reportedly synethesized by reacting an acyl lactam fucntionalized material with the polyfunctional amine to prepare crosslinked acyl lactam materials which were then concurrently or subsequently reacted with lactam monomer in the presence of a lactam polymerization catalyst to form the crosslinked nylon block copolymer material. It was reported therein that by chemically crosslinking, it was discovered that the overall properties of the final polymer could be varied even if one maintains the molecular weight and weight percent of the elastomeric polymer component.
While the above chemical method of crosslinking a nylon block copolymer has been reported, no reports exist concerning the development of a nylon block copolymer by a more convenient method such as irradiation. The closest attempts in this regard can be found, for example, in Plast. Massy, 1993, No. 2, pp 35-37, which contains a paper entitled "Production and Properties of Crosslinked Compositions of Aliphatic Nylons". According to the abstract, a study was conducted on the process of radiation crosslinking of an aliphatic polyamides (i.e., not a nylon block copolymers) and an assessment is made of the properties and network compositions obtained. The materials studied were nylon-6, nylon-6,6 and nylon-12. The polyfunctional monomers employed to accelerate crosslinking were triallyl cyanurate and triallyl isocyanurate. Mechanical data is supplied.
Similarly, in the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, Vol. 7, No. 1, there is a paper entitled "Characterization of Irradiated Crystalline Polymer-Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Radiation Induced Crosslinked Polyamide 1010". As disclosed therein, after irradiation, the service temperature of the resin is raised to about 240.degree. C. In addition, network formation is said to greatly change the crystallization behavior of the otherwise crystalline polyamide material.
Finally, it is worth noting that various other disclosures have been uncovered, which recite thermoset (or crosslinked) polyamide resins, but again, no mention or suggestion of irradiation crosslinking of a nylon block copolymer is described. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,551 entitled "Polyamide Thermosets" there is disclosed what is termed curable polyamide monomers, curable liquid crystal polyamide monomers and thermoset compositions prepared therefrom. The thermoset polyamides so prepared all contained highly aromatic type structure. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,3154,011, which is a divisional of the '551 Patent, there is again described curable polyamide monomer systems, which monomers represent highly aromatic type functionality.
The fact that there have been no reports concerning the development of a convenient route for the preparation of a crosslinked nylon block copolymer is underscored when reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,821, which discloses an angiographic catheter which has a relatively stiff though flexible shaft and a soft tip. The soft tip consists primarily of a tungsten loaded polyether block amide (PEBA) copolymer surrounded by two thin PEBA layers. This three ply radiopaque tip is bonded to a PEBA shaft. The shaft is reinforced either by an inner nylon ply or by metal braiding.
In other words, pursuant to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,821 when it comes to the production of a soft tip catheter with a relatively stiffer body, the teachings therein emphasize that the stiffer body portion relies upon the use of a metal braided reinforced PEBA copolymer or a co-extruded two ply wall consisting of nylon and PEBA copolymer. That being the case, it becomes clear that inasmuch as PEBA type copolymers are widely used in catheter type applications, it would serve a long-standing need if one could conveniently produce a more rigid and toughened PEBA catheter, without the need for the structural modifications emphasized in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to prepare a crosslinked nylon block copolymer, wherein said polymer is conveniently crosslinked by the process of irradiation or other high energy source, wherein such crosslinked nylon block copolymer has particular utility as a component of a medical catheter product.
More specifically, it is object of the present invention to prepare a crosslinked nylon block copolymer elastomeric formulation, via irradiation techniques, wherein the elastomeric composition, subsequent to crosslinking, exhibits improvement in properties such as mechanical strength, heat resistance, and hardness, and in particular, the crosslinked material so produced demonstrates elongational behavior when exposed to elevated temperatures under conditions of constant stress.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to crosslink nylon block copolymer systems, wherein such crosslinking improves the overall elastomeric toughness of the block copolymer, thereby providing what can be termed a much more durable nylon block copolymer product for a variety of miscellaneous applications in the medical industry.


A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate including a dummy gate structure formed thereon, removing the dummy gate structure to form a trench, forming a first metal layer over the substrate to fill a portion of the trench, forming a protection layer in a remaining portion of the trench, removing a unprotected portion of the first metal layer, removing the protection layer from the trench, and forming a second metal layer over the substrate to fill the trench.

The present disclosure relates generally a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a gate structure and method of forming a gate structure of a semiconductor device.
As technology nodes shrink, in some IC designs, there has been a desire to replace the typically polysilicon gate electrode with a metal gate electrode to improve device performance with the decreased feature sizes. Providing metal gate structures (e.g., including a metal gate electrode rather than polysilicon) offers one solution. One process of forming a metal gate stack is termed "gate last" process in which the final gate stack is fabricated "last" which allows for reduced number of subsequent processes, including high temperature processing, that must be performed after formation of the gate. Additionally, as the dimensions of transistors decrease, the thickness of the gate oxide must be reduced to maintain performance with the decreased gate length. In order to reduce gate leakage, high dielectric constant (high-k) gate insulator layers are also used which allow greater physical thicknesses while maintaining the same effective thickness as would be provided by a typical gate oxide used in larger technology nodes.
There are challenges to implementing such features and processes in CMOS fabrication however. As the gate lengths decrease, these problems are exacerbated. For example, in a "gate last" fabrication process, voiding can occur when depositing a metal film into a trench to from the metal gate electrode. As gate lengths decrease, the trench also decreases in size, and depositing metal into the trench becomes increasingly difficult, and increasingly likely to form a void.

Photoresist etch back method for gate last process

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A fixing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a fixing belt, a pressure member, a heating member, a pressing member, and a heat source. The fixing belt is rotational. The pressure member is rotational and is brought into press-contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The heating member is rotational and is disposed to interpose the fixing belt between the heating member and the pressure member. The pressing member is disposed to interpose the fixing belt between the pressing member and the pressure member and presses the fixing belt toward the pressure member side. The heat source is disposed radially inside the fixing belt and radially outside the heating member. Radiant heat radiated from the heat source directly reaches the fixing belt, the heating member, and the pressing member.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording medium and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device.
Conventionally, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as a copy machine and a printer are provided with fixing devices that fix a toner image on a recording medium such as a sheet. Among such fixing devices, there is a fixing device employing a belt fixing system. In the belt fixing system, a fixing belt and a pressure member (for example, a pressure roller) are brought into press-contact with each other to form a fixing nip.
As an image forming apparatus of the belt fixing system, for example, there is disclosed a fixing device provided with a fixing belt rotatably provided, a pressure member brought into press-contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip, a heating member disposed to interpose the fixing belt between the pressure member and the heating member, a pressing member disposed to interpose the fixing belt between the pressure member and the pressing member, and a heating source (for example, a halogen lamp) disposed radially inside the heating member.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus


According to one embodiment, a wiring substrate includes a pad group of a first pad to supply a power source voltage of low level, a second pad to supply a power source voltage of high level, and a third pad to supply a necessary signal for displaying an image, a common line, a first connection line to connect the first pad with the common line, a second connection line to connect the second pad with the common line, and a third connection line to connect the third pad with the common line, wherein the first connection line and the second connection line are formed of polysilicon in which no impurity is doped, and the third connection line and the common line are formed of polysilicon in which an impurity is doped.

Display panels such as liquid-crystal panels and organic electroluminescent panels are, for example, thin, light, and energy efficient, and, because of these features, are used in various ways such as in OA equipment including personal computers, TVs, mobile devices including mobile phones, car navigation systems, and portable game consoles.
In such a display panel, to prevent electrostatic damage to the display by static electricity produced in the manufacturing process, various countermeasures are adopted. As an example of such antistatic measures, there is a technique known in this field to interpose a high resistance between an inspection terminal and a common line. As a high resistance available, there are the one formed thinner than the other lines and intentionally wound, the one with a static electricity protection TFT, and the one with a capacitance part composed of a pair of electrodes opposed to each other via a dielectric therebetween.
In a manufacturing process using the above technique, what is demanded is that an accurate inspection for pattern abnormality and electrical failure is performed while the static damage is suppressed in order to prevent a decrease in productivity.


An arrangement for locking together two panels (50, 60) the arrangement comprising a first and second male tabs (39a, 39b) and a first and second female tabs (43) wherein the first and second male tabs are hinged to a first panel by a first and second hinged connection (41) respectively, and the first female tabs are hinged to a second panel by a third hinged connection the first and second hinged connections being divergent with respect to one another.

It is known to interlock a pair of panels together using locking tabs which are struck from one panel (for example one end of a carton wrapper). The locking tabs are arranged to be driven or punched through corresponding apertures, defined by retaining tabs, struck from another panel (for example the opposite end of a carton wrapper). Such "punch-locks" are known and are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,116 and 5,131,588.
It is desirable, for cost saving and environmental reasons to use lighter weight material, particularly for paperboard and plastics packaging and to have more flexibility in terms of the positioning of the locking mechanisms. It is for these and other reasons that the present invention seeks to provide an improvement in the field of panel interlocking mechanisms.


In an integrated circuit for synthesizing a 50% duty cycle internal clock, the internal clock is synchronized with zero phase difference with respect to an external reference clock having the same frequency. The duty cycle of the synthesized waveform is fixed and invariant with respect to the reference clock duty cycle. Synchronization of the two clocks is achieved by a delay-line-loop using an inverting voltage controlled delay line with a nominal half period delay. The 50% duty cycle is achieved by a second control loop that has as its input both the reference and synthesized clock. This second loop also shares the voltage controlled delay line with the delay-line-loop.

The core of a modern high speed microprocessor system, as shown in FIG. 1, consists of number of subsystems such as the microprocessor (CPU 11), secondary cache controller 12 and the secondary cache memory 13. The communication between the subsystems is performed over the CPU bus 14. Highly integrated modern VLSI processes, allows the CPU 11 to include an on chip primary cache 15 and floating point unit (FPU 16). The CPU 11 may generally include additional units that are not essential to the subject matter of this invention and are therefore omitted for clarity from FIG. 1.
Synchronous operation of the various units in the microprocessor system is accomplished by means of the CLK signal. Each unit uses the CLK signal for sequencing the operation of internal sequential logic circuits such as synchronous state machines. Inside CPU 11, the CLK is generated by the clock generator circuit (CLKGEN) 17. In the past, a double frequency (2.times.) clock signal, CLK2, was used as a main system reference clock. The CLK2 reference signal comprised a series of pulse waveforms with twice the frequency of the CLK signal (F.sub.CLK2 =2*F.sub.CLK). FIG. 2 shows a typical prior art implementation of the CLKGEN circuit 17. The frequency of external CLK2 signal is divided by two by D-type flip-flop (TFF) 18 with its Q# output connected to its D input and buffered by a clock driver (CLKDRV) 19, creating the internal CLK signal with 50% duty-cycle, regardless of the duty-cycle of the external CLK2 signal. However, for modern microprocessor systems running at frequencies of 50 to 100 MHz CLK, the 2.times. clock frequency is 100 to 200 MHz. At these frequencies, designing the system distribution of the 2.times. clock is very complex, expensive and requires substantial skill in high frequency analog techniques. Moreover, at frequencies of 50 to 100 MHz, the 2 to 3 ns delay of the on-chip CLK driver constitutes a significant delay of 10 to 30% of the CLK period. These delays preclude the use of traditional means for CLK generation in modern microprocessors. A way to solve the problem is to use the 1.times. CLK signal as the system clock instead of the CLK2 signal. However, because of the need to have a 50% duty-cycle internal CLK signal with zero skew relative to the external clock signal, it is necessary to eliminate the delay of the internal clock driver 19. (To eliminate the confusion between the internal and the external clock signals, the external clock will be referred to as CLKTTL and the internal clock as CLK.)
One way to generate CLK with a 50% duty-cycle and zero skew between the external CLKTTL and the internal CLK signals is by using a phase-locked-loop (PLL), as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3. The use of a sequential phase-frequency detector (PFD) 20 and Charge-Pump (CP) 21 in the PLL results in zero skew between the CLK and CLKTTL signals. The 50% duty-cycle is realized by using voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 23 oscillating at twice the CLKTTL frequency and then dividing its frequency by two using frequency divider network 24 which is similar to divider network TFF 18 of FIG. 2. Further details about charge pump PLLs may be found in Gardner, F., Phaselock Techniques (John Wiley, 1979).
However, implementation of a PLL circuit using a digital VLSI process and operation of a PLL on the same substrate with noisy digital (on-off) circuits such as microprocessors, introduces further complications. The PLL analog circuit performance and reliability is adversely affected by this digital noise. The degree of sensitivity to noise is strongly affected by manufacturing process variations and by operating conditions. On the other hand, the digital parts of the microprocessor system are more robust than the analog parts of the PLL, showing greater immunity to process and environmental variations. Hence, reliable operation of PLL circuit on the same substrate with digital microprocessor, is very difficult to guarantee.
As can be seen from FIG. 3, the PLL's low pass filter (LPF) 22 uses a resistor R2 which is required to assure closed loop stability of the PLL. Unfortunately, modern digital VLSI processes lack the ability to provide reasonably valued resistors unless a well type resistor is used for R2. However, well-type resistors have high parasitic capacitance to the silicon substrate. In digital chips, like a microprocessor, this leads to coupling of the substrate noise to the sensitive LPF 22 output node V.sub.CNTL. Noise on node V.sub.CNTL has a deleterious effect on operation of the PLL because it directly modulates the phase and frequency of the CLK signal. Hence, the zero skew locking of the PLL is subject to significant errors due to the substrate noise coupling.
In addition, it can be shown that the oscillation frequency of the VCO is highly sensitive to the power supply voltage noise. When the digital part of the microprocessor is operating, a very high noise level is generated on the internal power supplies of the chip due to on-off transients which significantly modulates the phase of the CLK signal. Consequently, the zero skew locking of the PLL can not be guaranteed due to noisy power supplies. One may suggest a separate set of filtered power supplies, solely for the PLL circuit on the microprocessor chip. However, use of isolated power supplies raises serious electro-static-discharge (ESD) reliability problems in addition to requiring additional filtering components external to the chip.
Therefore, it is undesirable to implement a mass production PLL circuit, residing on same substrate with the noisy digital circuits, which must be guaranteed to operate reliably but was manufactured by using a standard digital VLSI process.

Delay line loop for 1X on-chip clock generation with zero skew and 50% duty cycle


A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bonxe 1669’, characterized by its upright, mounding and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; relatively large inflorescences with purplish red and pale purple bi-colored involucral bracts; and strong peduncles that hold the inflorescences above the foliar plane.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant, botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Bonxe 1669'.
The new Xerochrysum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create and develop new upright Xerochrysum cultivars with upright and uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescences and inflorescence buds.
The new Xerochrysum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventors on Sep. 2, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 14-6, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Xerochrysum bracteatum identified as code number 14-60, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Xerochrysum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia on Aug. 1, 2016.
Asexual reproduction of the new Xerochrysum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since August, 2016, has shown that the unique features of this new Xerochrysum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Disclosed are a light transmission sheet and a screen that can realize good color reproduction while suppressing a lowering in light transmittance. The light transmission sheet comprises a light diffusing sheet and/or a colored sheet. The light diffusing sheet and/or the colored sheet comprise light diffusing fine particles dispersed in a light transparent matrix and satisfy formula (1):−0.5%≦T1−T2≦5%   (1)wherein T1 represents light transmittance at a wavelength of 450 nm, %; and T2 represents light transmittance at a wavelength of 600 nm, %. A light diffusing sheet and/or colored sheet for a screen are also disclosed. The screen comprises the light diffusing sheet and/or colored sheet for a screen.

Three-tube cathode ray tube (CRT) light sources have hitherto been mainly used as light sources for projection televisions. A demand for digitalization, enhanced definition, and compactification in recent years has led to expanded use of single-tube light sources such as LCDs and DMDs. The single-tube light sources such as LCDs and DMDs have advantages over the above CRTs. At the present time, however, the output of the light source does not reach that of CRTs yet.
On the other hand, the projection television should have given color reproduction as displays, and the color temperature is generally set to about 10,000 K. In order to maintain the above color temperature, it is common practice to regulate the light source and the circuit.


An art supply storage rack stores and organizes paint tubes and paintbrushes The rack comprises a plurality of vertical supports, lower middle and upper horizontal members each have a plurality of spaced openings. A base member includes a plurality of spaced retaining slots and is positioned vertically spaced apart from and beneath the lower horizontal member. The base member and the respective lower, middle and upper horizontal members are connected to the vertical supports and define a frame. The respective horizontal members are vertically spaced and offset from each other in stepped fashion such that the openings overlie the respective retaining slots in the base member to define a paint tube holding shaft. The respective paint tube shafts are adapted to hold paint tubes. Other openings hold paintbrushes.

For centuries artists have struggled to organize their supplies including paints and paintbrushes. Organization of brushes ranges from nonexistent when brushes are merely dropped on a table top to the usual deposition bristle end up in a cup or similar container. Paint tubes are also generally strewn on a surface or piled into a box. The foregoing arrangements are suboptimal as time is wasted looking for a particular brush or paint color. Additionally, contamination between colors and mediums can ruin expensive paints.
In view of the forgoing it is an object of the art supply storage rack according to the present invention to overcome the objections and deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the art supply storage rack according to the present invention to enhance artist productivity.
A further object of the art supply storage rack according to the present invention to reduce paint contamination.
A still further object of the art supply storage rack according to the present invention is to store and paint tubes with enhanced visibility of labels indicating medium and color.


A grain flow measuring device having a sensor plate, on which a piezo-crystal oscillation sensor is disposed behind an impact surface, behind which an oscillation-damping foam material body is maintained by means of doubly folded-over edges of the sensor plate located at its edges. A retainer plate is seated and an amplifier and evaluation circuit with a readable counter is disposed in the foam material body. Grain flow measuring devices of this type are disposed in a harvester below a rocker tray near its output side, because of which grain losses and false measurements are avoided. Damping of the impact surface by means of the foam material body results is such oscillation damping that the determination of the grain mass results from the detected number of oscillations.

A grain flow measuring device of this type is known from German Patent Disclosure DE 37 31 080 C2. There, a long, narrow sensor plate is equipped with a piezoelectric oscillation sensor approximately in the center of its back, from which the connecting lines are routed to an amplifying circuit which is provided with a housing and is bolted to the sensor plate. From there, a connecting line is routed to an external electronic evaluation device in a multiple folded edge along the long side of the sensor plate. Along the folds on its long side, the sensor plate is bolted to retainer straps, which are fastened by means of rubber-metal connections at the outlet side of the sieve-like conveying surfaces of a rocker tray. In this way a leakage grain flow is detected by means of the sensor extending over the entire width of the rocker trays. Thereafter, the oscillation signals piezoelectrically detected at the impact of the grains are sequentially amplified, rectified, filtered, supplied to a threshold value comparator and then to a counter.
The elongated and undamped design of the sensor plate and the fastenings of the retainers and cables on it have the disadvantage that, depending on the place of impact of the grains and on the type of reflection on the edges and fastening points, very different signals occur. Not all of them get through the amplification and rectification and the threshold value discriminator and are therefore not fully detected, so that there is a relatively large uncertainty of measurement. Also, a considerable loss of grain is caused by the disposition of the sensor plate behind the end of the rocker. Furthermore, in its installed position behind the end of the rocker, the sensor plate is very much affected by subsequent processing of the straw, because some of the small pieces of chaff are hurled at great speed against the impact surface of the sensor, which generates faulty signals.
Furthermore, the disposition of a sensor plate with a piezoelectric pick-up on the output side of the end of a rocker is known from European Patent Disclosure EP 93 991 B1. In this case a grating is disposed extending past the rocker end, which is intended to keep the outflowing straw away from the impact surface. However, the grains falling on the sensor surface are lost.

Grain flow measuring device, in particular for harvesters

Claas oHG beschrankt haftende offene Handelsgesellschaft


A parallelepiped shape printer (20) suitable being stacked with equipment, comprising a fixed structure (65) upon which an outer casing (22) of the printer is mounted; a movable cassette (21) bearing a printing assembly (33); and a feeding tray (34) which contains a ream (36) of sheets of paper (37), wherein the cassette (21) may be manually extracted from and inserted in the outer casing (22) through a front side (23) of the printer (20). A feeding and guiding mechanism (81), comprising a pair of rods (82) and two inclining ramps (87) integral with the fixed structure (65), cinematically connects the feeding tray (34) with the cassette (21), and sees to it that, when the latter is manually extracted from the casing (22), the feeding tray (34) is automatically dragged by the cassette (21) to move automatically from a working position (P1) inside the casing (22), wherein the feeding tray (34) is suitable for cooperating with the cassette (21) for feeding the sheets (37) to the printing assembly (33), to an access position (P2), wherein the feeding tray (34) is accessible to the user in the area of the front side (23) of the printer; and also sees to it that, when the cassette (21) is subsequently reinserted in the casing (22), the feeding tray (34) automatically returns to its working position.

This invention relates to a printer operable from a front side and suitable for being stacked with other equipment.
A printer of this type is provided for printing black and/or colour images on a printing medium, such as a sheet of paper, by way of a known printing technique, for example through successive scanning movements of an ink jet printhead in front of the print medium; and is built in such a way that manual members for printer driving, the compartment accommodating the printhead and from which the latter must be removed when being replaced, the tray containing the blank sheets still to be printed, and the tray collecting the printed sheets, are all accessible from a unique front side of the printer facing the printer operator.
In addition the printer normally has an outer casing with a shape very similar to a parallelepiped, with two lateral sides, a substantially flat upper and lower side without any members for working on the printer, in such a way that the latter may easily be stacked, above or below, with other equipment.
Stackable printers having the characteristics described above have been developed primarily to satisfy the widespread requirement among users for printers that take up little space and are easily placed in any area in the work place or the home.
Generally these printers are stacked and connected, so as not to occupy additional plan space, with equipment for the reproduction of sounds and images provided with a display screen, such as for example a television, either alone or associated with a video recorder, or a terminal connected to a network, for the purpose of printing constantly on a sheet of paper the alphanumeric information and images displayed on the screens of these equipment items.
Within the framework of this use, these printers as well as being stackable must also allow their power and connection cables to be arranged compatibly with those of the adjacent equipment and, for reasons of appearance, preferably on the side hidden from view.
A printer stackable with other equipment and operable from a front side solely for the purpose of satisfying, at least partially, the requirements outlined above is known from the European patent application EP 0879706.
This printer comprises an outer parallelepiped shape casing, a printing unit provided with a printhead, and a feeding cassette intended for accommodating a ream of sheets to be fed to the printing unit, wherein both the printing unit and the feeding cassette can be extracted from and inserted in the outer casing through a front side of the printer for effecting the usual maintenance operations, such as for example replacement of the printhead and loading the feeding cassette with a new ream of paper.
The printer also comprises a raising or lowering device, which may be actuated manually by means of an appropriate slider located on the front side for disposing the feeding cassette in alignment with the printing unit, after the feeding cassette has been inserted in the outer casing, so as to allow a correct feeding of the sheets from the feeding cassette to the printing unit.
The same device, when it is actuated in the opposite direction, moves the feeding cassette laterally with respect to the printing unit, in order to allow removal of the feeding cassette through the front side.
This printer is on the whole fairly complicated to use in order to perform the usual maintenance operations, and most particularly, when having to intervene on either the printing unit or on the feeding cassette, it implies, in addition to extracting the printing unit from the casing, the manual operation of actuating the slider located on the front side of the printer to command the device for raising/lowering the feeding cassette.
The object of this invention is therefore to produce a printer which is capable of satisfying all the requirements referred to in the foregoing, simply and inexpensively, and which, while using the tried and tested concept of being stackable with other equipment and of being operable from a front side only, still represents a significant improvement with respect to the solutions known today, and in particular is easier to use.
In greater detail, the printer of the invention must allow the operator comfortable access to all the controls and all the functions of the printer from its front side, and also have a shape, an appearance, operating methods and dimensions compatible with equipment for the reproduction of sound and images overlaid on the printer in the style of a column.
In addition, it must be possible to arrange the printer""s electric power and connection cables in accordance with those of the other overlying equipment, without detriment to general aesthetics.
A further object of the invention is to produce a printer that may be inserted in a compartment of a cabinet having closed sides and of width just sufficient for insertion of the printer.
The above objects have been obtained by means of a printer stackable and operable from the front, having the characteristics defined in the main claim.
In particular, in the printer according to this invention the upper side, the lower side and the two lateral sides, being bereft of functions or controls, can be made in the shape of flat walls which permit the printer to be overlaid in a column with other equipment, and also to be placed in a compartment of a cabinet closed at the sides and being just wide enough to allow insertion of the printer, without for this compromising its operation in any way.

Printer operable from a front side and stackable with other equipment


A first pump of small capacity and a second pump of large capacity are connected directly with each other and are driven by a variable-speed motor. The rotational speed of the variable-speed motor is controlled by a control device. In a first mode, a first discharge line of the first pump and a second discharge line of the second pump are disconnected with each other, making the first pump unloaded. With the first pump in the unloaded state, a constant-horsepower operation is performed, where the discharge fluid is brought into a high pressure by relatively small torque. In a second mode, the first discharge line and the second discharge line are connected with each other by a switching valve. With the first and second discharge lines in the connected state, a constant-horsepower operation is performed, where a high flow rate of discharge fluid is discharged at relatively low rotational speed.

Conventionally, there has been provided a pump unit shown in FIG. 4. This pump unit has a fixed-capacity type pump 52 whose rotational speed is variably driven by a variable-speed motor 51, and a controller 53 for controlling the rotational speed of the variable-speed motor 51 by changing the frequency of supply current to the motor 51. This controller 53, upon receiving a signal from a pressure sensor 54 which detects a pressure of a discharge line of the pump 52, controls the rotational speed of the variable-speed motor 51 so that the value of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 54 becomes a specified value, thus controlling the rotational speed of the pump 52.
However, in this conventional pump unit, since one fixed-capacity type pump 52 is driven by the variable-speed motor 51, a large-torque motor or a small- and fixed-capacity type pump needs to be used in order to obtain a high pressure as the discharge pressure of the fixed-capacity type pump 52. Using the large-torque motor would cause a problem of an upsizing of the pump unit as well as an increase in cost. Also, using the small- and fixed-capacity type pump would cause the rotational speeds of the pump and the motor to become excessively large ones during high flow-rate operations, posing a problem of excessively large noise and vibrations of the pump unit.


A heat exchanger includes flat cross-sectional shaped heat transfer tubes arranged with gaps between flat surfaces of the flat heat transfer tubes facing each other, and each having a flow passage in a vertical direction, and corrugated fins disposed between the flat surfaces facing each other. The corrugated fins each include an end portion in a direction in which air flows, and protruding from end portions of the flat surfaces, a drain hole provided adjacent to central regions of the flat surfaces in the direction in which the air flows, first louvers located upstream of the drain hole, and each including a slit and a slat that is inclined in the vertical direction, and second louvers located downstream of the drain hole, and each including a slit and a slat that is inclined in the vertical direction.

An example of a heat exchanger in the related art includes a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction of airflow, corrugated fins disposed between the flat heat transfer tubes and inclined upward in a depth direction, and a plurality of louvers provided on each corrugated fin and oriented horizontally to the corrugated fin (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

Heat exchanger and air-conditioning apparatus


System and method for providing a gem assessment based upon proportional parameter values relating to the proportions of a gem, such as a diamond. A gem cut quality rating is provided. The system and method are particularly suited for use in an online environment or may be utilized in conjunction with rough diamond analysis instruments in order to provide cutters with greater guidance as to the most appropriate dimensions to cut rough diamonds in order to maximize the yield of a rough diamond and to also produce a diamond of an acceptable grade.

The cutting of gems such as diamonds is a highly skilled art with many variables that combine to create gems of varying qualities. The laws of physics dictate that, when proportioned correctly, a diamond will reflect back a maximum amount of the light that enters the stone. Because proportions are such a critical element in the diamond's beauty, the ideal cut has become identified as the standard of diamond beauty. In this regard FIG. 1 illustrates the various parameters that define the cut of a diamond, including table, crown and pavilion angles, culet and girdle.
Most of a diamond's life and sparkle comes from its cut. Diamonds are often cut to retain weight, which results in light leaking out the back of the diamond, and also a dull drab diamond with a smaller diameter.
In 1919, Marcel Tolkowsky wrote a Masters thesis on the ideal proportions for round diamonds. The proportions designated by Tolkowsky's have generally been considered as well chosen and have been the benchmark in the industry for the past 80 years. The target set by Tolkowsky was of a diamond with crown angle of 34.5°, pavilion 40.75° and table of 53%.
However, Tolkowsky's ideal design has led to the industry developing the have been used to develop tolerances of an "ideal cut". This has been an incorrect application of Tolkowsky's ideal, as not all diamonds within the designated tolerances in fact could be described as "ideal". Further, recent research has shown that there are diamonds outside of the proportions indicated by Tolkowsky that are equally or even more beautiful.
Cut grading systems were developed in order to assist in classifying high quality cuts from lesser quality cuts. However, as existing cut grading systems are generally based on the developed tolerances, they are inadequate. Further such systems are feature oriented in that they provide a numerical grading for the diamond. Laboratories that provide such a numerical grading take the worst scoring feature and assign that score as a cut grade. This process ignores the complex interrelationship of facets as light reflects and refracts on its passage through a diamond. A diamond with a slight deviation on each of these measures can rate as ideal even though the performance is only fair. Equally some deviations for Tolkowsky's proportions can compensate for other undesirable deviations in other factors.
It is therefore apparent that large discrepancies can exist in the way institutional "tolerances" are applied to a single "ideal cut". Further, today's grading systems are not flexible enough to take account of different proportion preferences of individuals or geographic markets. Many consumers, particularly sophisticated consumers, expect more of cut grading systems. There is therefore a need for a more flexible and accurate grading system.
It is also apparent that there are many variables in assessing the quality and beauty of a diamond, and that, particularly from the lay person's point of view, it can be a difficult decision choosing the right diamond. There is therefore a need for a simplified gem assessment system and method.
In addition, there are numerous diamond traders around the world selling diamonds of varying quality. For a person, particularly one not experienced in the gem trade, it can be a difficult process evaluating diamonds and judging their appearance based upon the cut factors listed by the traders. Also, it can be time-consuming process evaluating diamonds from the various traders.
There is therefore also a need for an improved system for evaluating gems of multiple remote traders.
The present invention seeks to overcome or alleviate at least one of the problems of the prior art.

Computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for gem evaluation


A method of providing zinc to a subject in need of treatment includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a zinc-cysteine complex. The zinc-cysteine complex is preferably a zinc-monocysteine complex. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and the antioxidant protein metallothionein. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention protect retinal pigment epithelial cells from increasing hydrogen peroxide concentrations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nutritional supplements. More particularly, the present invention relates to nutritional supplements providing zinc to a subject in need of treatment.
2. General Background of the Invention
Zinc, an essential nutrient, is the second most abundant trace element in the human body and the most abundant trace element in the eye. It is necessary for the activity of more than 200 enzymes and for the DNA binding capacity of over 400 nuclear regulatory elements. There is evidence that zinc may function as an antioxidant by protecting sulfhydryl groups from oxidation, competing with copper and iron to reduce the formation of hydroxyl radicals which are a result of redox cycling and by the induction of the antioxidant protein metallothionein (MT) which can scavenge damaging hydroxyls.
It has been suggested that oxidative stress and a decrease in antioxidant capacity play a role in several pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, carcinogenesis, and macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of blindness in people over 60 in the United States. It is thought that it is an age-related defect in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) which contributes to this disease, however, the etiology is unknown and currently there is no cure. Our laboratory has previously reported that the antioxidants catalase, MT, and zinc decrease with age and signs of age-related macular degeneration in isolated human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Zinc has been implicated in beneficial effects on certain prostate conditions and functions, immune system function, and cancer.
Cysteine is a non-essential amino acid necessary for the formation of sulfur containing compounds such as pyruvate, taurine, and glutathione, important in normal tissue metabolism protection and repair.
Synthesis of glutathione is largely regulated by cysteine availability. An increase in glutathione levels are beneficial when the body encounters toxic conditions such as peroxide formation, ionizing radiation, alkylating agents, or other reactive intermediates.
In premature infants, cysteine levels are low, thereby making them more susceptible to oxidative damage of hydroperoxides formed in the eye after hyperbaric oxygen treatments.
As demonstrated in the recent work by Uzzo et al., zinc can inhibit the development and progression of prostate cancer. Uzzo, R. G. et al., "Zinc inhibits nuclear factor-kappa B activation and sensitizes prostate cancer cells to cytotoxic agents" Clin. Cancer Res. 2002 8:3579-83.
Zinc has been demonstrated to be clinically beneficial in many dermatological conditions. For example, see the multicenter randomized study of Pierard C. Franchiment et al., "A Multicenter Randomized Trial of Ketoconazole 2% and Zinc Pyrythione 1% Shampoos in Severe Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis", Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2002 15:434-41.
The following U.S. Patents, and all references mentioned herein, are incorporated herein by reference:    U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,089 Genetically fused globin-like polypeptides having hemoglobin-like activity    U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,088 Hemoglobin-like protein comprising genetically fused globin-like polypeptides    U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,019 DNA encoding fused alpha-beta globin pseuodimer and production of pseudotetrameric hemoglobin    U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,227 Co-expression of alpha and beta globins    U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,329 DNA encoding fused di-beta globins and production of pseudotetrameric hemoglobin    U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,011 DNA for the production of multimeric hemoglobins    U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,907 Production and use of multimeric hemoglobins    U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,727 DNA encoding fused di-alpha globins and production of pseudotetrameric hemoglobin    U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,770 Antipruritic agents and antipruritic compositions thereof    U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,941,818; 4,021,569; 4,764,633.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,770 discloses the use of a zinc-cysteine complex in an external use antipruritic agent.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Zinc-monocysteine complex and method of using zinc-cysteine complexes


A novel extruded aluminum condenser flow tube cross section includes a wider central web flanked by a pair of wider, inboard flow passages with rounded corners integral to the wider web. When inserted into the slot of a highly curved header plate, the wider central web corresponds to a central area of higher bending stresses, which are more strongly resisted. The two wider, inboard flow passages help compensate for the potential flow area removed by the wider central web.

With improvements in both braze and tube extrusion technology, it has been possible to improve automotive air conditioning system condensers in several obvious ways. Improved brazing materials and fluxes have allowed manufacturers to consistently achieve leak free tube end to header slot braze joints, in turn allowing for a shift from long, serpentine tube designs to shorter, multi tube flow designs. These are sometimes referred to as "parallel flow" designs, because of the fact that the flow tubes are parallel to each other, but this is somewhat inaccurate, since the flow passes of a serpentine tube are also parallel to each other. "Cross flow" is a more accurate description of the two significant flows involved in the condenser, the refrigerant flowing from side to side (or up and down) through the refrigerant flow tubes, from one header to the other, and the forced outside air running perpendicular thereto, "crossed" with the refrigerant flow. With multiple, shorter tubes, smaller end to end refrigerant pressure drops create the potential for smaller flow passages in thinner tubes. At the same time, improvements in extrusion technology have allowed thinner flow tubes to be integrally extruded, instead of fabricated from thinner pieces, which has been the desired design direction of the industry for at least three decades. Thinner extruded tubes, in turn, have smaller free flow areas, with a higher surface area to internal volume ratio, both of which obviously improve thermal performance.
Since condenser tubes have become thinner and consequently more thermally efficient, it has been possible to make them narrower, as measured in the direction of air flow, giving cores of smaller depth, although the tubes are still far wider in cross section than they are thick. With narrower tubes, cylindrical headers are feasible, since narrower tube ends allow for smaller diameter cylindrical headers, with less volume and weight. Cylindrical headers are also inherently better pressure vessels. Cylindrical headers can be two piece structures, with separate, half cylinder tank bodies and slotted header plates brazed lengthwise thereto, or they can be one piece cylindrical tanks, with one side regularly slotted to receive the equally spaced tube ends. In older, rectangular header designs, the slotted header plate portion of the tank is curved slightly, but not as steeply curved as with a cylindrical tank, in which the cross section of the header plate is basically a semi circle. The braze seam interface between the flat tube end and the header plate is also, therefore, basically a semi circle. In operation, the condenser is subjected to thermal cycling forces, and to bending stresses in the flow tube which are concentrated, in cantilever fashion, at the interface between tube end and curved header. With a flatter header plate, the bending stress is more evenly distributed across the width of the tube, but with a highly curved header plate, it tends to be more highly concentrated in an area at the peak of the curve, centrally of the tube end. Such concentration of stresses can lead to stress fracture, with time, especially with the thinner and less stress resistant flow tubes that can now be successfully extruded.
The cross sectional shape of extruded condenser tubes has been driven by the obvious expedient of maximizing free flow area of the refrigerant. Consequently, by far the most common cross sectional tube configuration has been a simple series of evenly spaced, nearly square and sharp cornered flow passages, separated by regularly spaced internal webs of constant thickness. When a thin tube end is subjected to concentrated stresses, as described above, the sharp internal corners in the square flow passages can act as stress risers that exacerbate the onset of stress fracturing. Round or curved edged passages are not unknown, but are less common, since they inherently pack less refrigerant free flow area and volume into a given tube cross sectional area, for the same reason that round cans occupy less of a shelf's space than do square boxes. Even round flow passages would not solve the cracking problem alone, since there is simply not enough strength in the tube end's area of maximum stress concentration.
There are rare exceptions to the rule of evenly spaced, constant size flow passages and webs in flow tubes, but these tube designs are not directed toward the resistance of stress cracking at the tube end. One example can be seen in published UK Patent Application GB 2 133 525, a 1984 publication which shows an extruded tube cross section with square cornered flow passages of progressively decreasing width, moving in the direction of air flow across the tube. This is directed toward increased corrosion resistance, putting thicker outer wall sections where the corrosion is worse. Even there, the internal web thicknesses are fairly regular. A coassigned patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,246 discloses a combined radiator and condenser with an integrally extruded double flow tube which, if a cross section were taken not through the tube end, would have the appearance of a single tube with unevenly spaced flow passages of different size. This appearance flows from the fact that the tube is two sided, or two tubes joined along their inner edges, in effect. The integral double tube has a series of smaller condenser flow passages on one side, and a single large radiator passage on the other side, separated by a wider central area having no flow passages. The central area joining the two sides of the single tube is undesirable in terms of thermal efficiency, however, since it promotes cross heat flow between the condenser and the radiator, and is simply an inevitable result of extruding an integral, two sided tube. Alternate embodiments provide two totally separate tubes. Moreover, the central area in the integral double tube embodiment does nothing to resist stress cracking at the tube end, since it is has to be notched and cut entirely away in order to allow the tube end to be inserted into the dual header tank without interference.
In short, the standard for an extruded condenser tube is a tube cross section with regularly spaced, uniform sized, square or rectangular flow passages separated by regularly spaced, uniformly thin internal webs. Thick internal webs would remove too much refrigerant free flow area, and are therefore extruded no thicker than the simple requirement for tube burst resistance required.

Heat exchanger flow tube with improved header to tube end stress resistance


A delayed chaff cartridge for use as a decoy for RF radars may include a hollow longitudinal cartridge; one or more hollow capsules; and a propelling element configured to dispatch the capsule out from the hollow cartridge, wherein each hollow capsule includes: two longitudinal parts connected at second end via a pivot, and wherein, at least one of the two longitudinal parts is truncated at a first end.

Chaff cartridges are elements that are configured to carry and spread decoy material (e.g., chaff) to form a radar countermeasure. The spread decoy material forms a cloud of small, thin pieces of metal, metallized glass fiber and the like, which cloud appears as a cluster of primary targets on radar screens or swamps the screen with multiple returns, for example, in order to distract radar-guided missiles from their targets.
Modern chaff cartridge includes a hollow longitudinal container, a chaff payload (e.g., chaff fibers) and a propelling unit, also known as, a squib/impulse cartridge/propellant/pyrotechnic charger, for ejecting the chaff payload out from the hollow cartridge. The chaff fibers are packed and cut into dipoles ranging in length from 3 mm to over 60 mm. The chaff payload is ejected from the chaff cartridge, and thus from the aircraft/marine-vessel, immediately.
In order to increase the efficiency of the radar's decoy and to prevent aircraft contamination from chaff fibers, it is required to delay the spreading of the chaff fibers from the chaff cartridge. Therefore, a chaff cartridge with a delayed ejection/dispatching mechanism was developed.

Cartridge for providing delayed chaff for use as a decoy for RF radars