A rack and pinion centering device for stack molding has at least one attachment device comprising a base attached to a mold member and at least one releasable clamp member, an end of a rack of a centering device being interposed between the base and the releasable clamp member and being held in a longitudinal location relative to the base within a range of adjustment by the releasable clamp members, whereby the longitudinal location of the rack relative to the mold member is determined within the range of adjustment. The attachment device permitting machining of mold members for attachment of centering devices while a mold assembly is removed from the clamp unit of a molding machine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to injection molding. In particular, this invention relates to devices used for equalizing separation of mold members in so-called "stack mold" arrangements as mold assemblies are opened and closed.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to arrange mold members in so-called "stack molds" to increase the number of articles that may be molded with a single cycle of operation of a molding machine. A "stack mold" is characterized as having two or more mold assemblies arranged so that intermediate mold members or mold assemblies are interposed between mold members mounted to, respectively, a stationary platen and a movable platen of a molding machine clamp unit. In certain of such known arrangements used in injection molding: a first mold assembly is arranged with a first mold member connected to a stationary platen (also referred to as a "fixed platen"); a second mold assembly is arranged with a third mold member connected to a movable platen; and a second mold member comprising the first mold assembly and a fourth mold member comprising the second mold assembly are supported so as to be interposed between and opposing, respectively, the first mold member and the third mold member and to be movable relative thereto. The interposed mating mold members are referred to herein collectively as "intermediate mold members" or "intermediate mating mold members". A mold assembly is "closed" when the mating mold members are abutted; a mold assembly is "open" when the mating mold members are separated. Opening and closing of the mold assemblies is effected by moving the movable platen and the intermediate mold members to separate and abut, respectively, the first and second mating mold members and the third and fourth mating mold members. Motion of the movable platen is effected by at least one actuator comprising a clamp mechanism and motion of the movable platen is mechanically coupled to the intermediate mold members. It is known to provide rack and pinion mechanisms to couple movement of the movable platen to the intermediate mold members so that separation of mating mold members is kept equal as the mold assemblies are open and closed. Such rack and pinion mechanisms are known as "centering devices".
It is known to dispose rack and pinion centering devices in stack mold arrangements so as to have a pinion mounted for movement with the intermediate mold members; to have an end of a first rack fixed relative to the mold member associated with the stationary platen; to have an end of a second rack fixed relative to the mold member associated with the movable platen and to have the otherwise free ends of the first and second racks engaging opposite sides of the pinion. Movement of the movable platen is translated to rotation of the pinion by the second rack and rotation of the pinion is translated to translation of the intermediate mold members by interaction of the pinion and the first rack. The translation of the intermediate mold members partially offsets translation of the first rack relative to the pinion so that separation between the intermediate mold members and, respectively, the fixed and movable mold members is equalized as the mold assemblies are opened and closed.
Mating mold members are designed to achieve a predetermined "mold height", that is, overall thickness when opposed faces of mating mold members are abutted, (mold is "closed"). The overall thickness of the abutted mold members is predetermined. While it would be preferred to rely on the predetermined dimension of mold height to machine mold members for attachment of centering devices before installation of the mold members and centering device in a machine, actual mold height may differ from the design value. To accommodate such differences, it is known to perform attachment point machining on the racks and/or mold members with the mold assemblies in place in the machine clamp unit to achieve the required relative location of racks and mold members. Because such machining requires tools suitable to be supported to access locations of the installed mold members and racks, it is done manually. Such manual machining increases the time required to complete installation of a mold assembly in the clamp unit of a machine. Hence, there is a need to permit mounting of rack and pinion centering devices so as to accommodate differences in mold height from design values so as to eliminate the need for such manual machining.


A masonry flashing for use in a cavity wall is disclosed. The flashing has channels for draining water from the cavity while permitting entry of air into the cavity. The top surface of the flashing is covered by a protective member. The protective member is a scrim or, in the extruded form, an overarching portion of the flashing material. The protective member prevents the clogging of channels from mortar droppings and other construction debris. The flashing is shown with a drip edge is formed by extending the flashing beyond the external surface of the outer wythe and, with the edge being foil lined, manually forming the drip edge. A peel-and-stick embodiment described herein utilizes clear, nondrooling adhesives. Flashing accessories, namely, an end dam, an inside corner and an outside corner are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved flashing system for cavity wall structures. More specifically the invention relates to channeled flashings having protected channels, which channels are protected from being clogged by mortar and construction debris. The flashings are designed for mounting with an open end of the channel in communication with the exterior of the cavity wall and the protected channel in the cavity to enable the channel to operate as a conduit between the cavity and the exterior.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, investigations relating to cavity wall flashing systems for brick veneer masonry construction have been conducted. While strides have been made in flashing-related technologies, including metal foils, polymeric and elastomeric materials and hot melt adhesives, there still remain several areas where continued development is ongoing.
The inventors' patents and their assignee's product line are all related to accessories for cavity wall structures and include masonry flashing, insulation, and anchoring and seismic devices, and are sold under the trademarks of Seismiclip®, Byna-Tie®, and DW-10-X®, X-Seal®, Foam Tech®, and Flex-Flash™. These products, which are manufactured by Hohmann & Barnard, Inc., Hauppauge, N.Y. 11788, have become widely accepted in the construction industry and have provided the inventors with particular insight into the technological needs of this marketplace.
Masonry walls with brick veneer are designed with an inner and an outer wythe and a cavity therebetween. The backup wall or inner wythe and insulation thereon isolates the interior of the building from the environment, and the brick veneer outer wythe provides an aesthetic finish to the building and a system of weep holes for removing fluids from the cavity. The inner wythe is constructed to exclude water and water vapor from the interior. Where excessive levels of water or water vapor are present in the cavity, the deterioration of building materials is hastened. Various masonry flashing systems in the past have been adopted to function cooperatively with the system of weep holes.
In the past, protective systems have been devised to prevent the blockage of weep holes by excess mortar and construction debris which fall into the cavity during construction. Of note in this regard is the MORTAR NET system developed by Tom Sourlis and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,189, RE.36,676, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,892. Other examples of such systems provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,579 B2 issued to Brunson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,348 issued to Ambrosino; U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,955 issued to Lolley; U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,673 issued to Atkins; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,259 issued to Laska. More recently systems have been described in U.S. Patent Applications 2004/0003558 A1 and 2003/0230035 A1 of Collins et al. and U.S. Patent Application 2006/0117687 of Ehrman et al.
Because of widespread usage and familiarity with bituminous and asphaltic products in roofing applications, when masonry flashing systems were first designed, the building construction industry adopted the familiar copper and asphalt products. At that time the technology of pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesives needed for peel-and-stick applications was insufficiently developed. Some critics indicated that the tackiness of the non-asphaltic products was insufficient for the rough masonry block surfaces.
Because of the presence of plasticizers, others were apprehensive about the available hot melt adhesives meeting the requisite fire retardancy standards. Also, to provide fire retardancy, some pressure-sensitive products were marketed for building construction use with inorganic fillers, such as alumina trihydrate, antimony oxide or calcium carbonate. However, these filled pressure-sensitive products had disadvantages, such as application problems, phase separation, toxicity, and reduced adhesion upon activation.
The inventors hereof have in inventions related hereto made improvements in the masonry flashing art. Hohmann et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,584,746 issued Jul. 1, 2003; 6,928,780 issued Aug. 16, 2005; and, 6,945,000 issued Sep. 10, 2005 provide masonry flashing systems which are suitable either for surface-mounting with a termination bar or for through-wall mounting. The devices use state-of-the-art adhesives and various flashing membranes and composites.
A published patent application, namely, U.S. Patent Application 2005/0028455 of Koch et al. describes a combination flashing and drainage system. The system described uses a layer of polypropylene or equivalent as a wicking material to transport water. As wicks are hydrophilic, water is moved from wetter to drier areas of the wick and are reversible. The Koch et al. system relies on evaporation at the outer exterior edge thereof to reduce the total water content.
In preparing for this application the below-mentioned patents, some of which are discussed above, came to the attention of the inventors. The other patents are believed to be relevant to the further discussion of the prior art, which follows:
U.S. Pat. No.InventorIssue Date6,945,000Hohmann et al.Sep. 20, 20056,928,780Hohmann et al.Aug. 16, 20056,684,579Brunson et al.6,584,746Hohmann et al.Jul. 1, 20036,256,955Lolley6,224,700OakleyMay 1, 20016,035,582PacificMar. 14, 20005,870,864SnyderFeb. 16, 19995,860,259LaskaJan. 19, 19995,692,348Ambrosino5,598,673Atkins4,910,931PardueMar. 27, 19904,775,567HarknessOct. 4, 19884,755,409HarknessJul. 5, 19884,295,911Haage et al.Oct. 20, 19814,239,795Haage et al.Dec. 16, 1980


A wristwatch includes a watch body having a display part on an upper surface thereof and having a seating part at an outline part of the display part, and a Bluetooth headset including a sound output unit that outputs sound information received from a master terminal, having a shape corresponding to an outline part of the display part to surround the display part, seated in the seating part, and installed to be attached to and detached from the watch body, the Bluetooth headset being a slaver terminal of the master terminal that functions as a body case or a bezel of the watch body.

The inventive concept relates to a Bluetooth headset that is an auxiliary communication terminal and a wristwatch including the same, and more particularly, to a wireless communication headset assembly using a bezel defining an outline part of a wristwatch and a wristwatch on which the headset assembly is mounted.
The inventive concept relates to a Bluetooth headset that is an auxiliary terminal of a terminal having a Bluetooth function.
The Bluetooth communication technology as a representative short range mobile wireless communication system corresponds to an apparatus and a method for mutually transmitting data to various devices, such as a smartphone, a notebook, an MP3 player, and a printer, which are located in a short range of about 10 meters in real time through a wireless link, and is widely used in various devices because it consumes low power, is manufactured in the form of a small-scale microchip, and is inexpensive.
The device employing the Bluetooth system includes a master terminal that transmits data, and a plurality of slave terminals that receives data. Currently, a representative master terminal is a smartphone or a notebook, and a representative slave terminal is a headset or a hands-free device, or a mouse.
In particular, the headset, which is most eminent, is convenient because a communication can be simply made during a voice communication through the headset by using a Bluetooth link without directly taking out the mobile phone and a simple voice communication or text message can be sent without directly using the mobile phone due to the development of voice recognition of the present age.
However, the Bluetooth headset also has a disadvantage of being carried separately from a master terminal, and may be lost or damaged while being carried. Further, if the Bluetooth headset is put on by the user even when it is not necessary, it makes the user's boy inconvenient and gives the body of the user a burden so that is may not be used any more.
Furthermore, the inventive concept relates to a wristwatch, and in particular, relates to a smartwatch. The wristwatch is a small-sized watch that is mounted on a wrist to be used, and includes a watch body including a display part that displays time and a body case that surrounds the display part, and a bracelet that fixes the watch body to the wrist. Further, a bezel that surrounds an outline part of the display part is often provided as a design element.
However, according to the existing wristwatch, because the watch itself should be purchase to change the design element, costs are expensive, and because the wristwatch is always attached to a hand of the user, the body case of the watch body is easily scratched, spoiling the external appearance of the wristwatch, if the user is moved carelessly. In particular, in a wearable electronic device such as a smartwatch, because internal components may be damaged by an external impact, the wearable electronic device should be carefully handled.

Bluetooth headset and wristwatch including the same


When a starter clutch slips, a wheel driving force is calculated based on a transmitting torque of the clutch obtained from not an engine torque but the clutch pressure (engagement force) of the starter clutch (S21-12), whereby a road gradient is calculated using the driving force so calculated and an acceleration of a vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a road gradient detecting device applicable to an automotive vehicle in which wheels are driven by an engine via a transmission device having a starter clutch interposed therein and a starter clutch controlling device using the road gradient detecting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known as a starter clutch controlling device is a starter clutch controlling device in which a starter clutch is brought into engagement even under a specific running condition where an engine is in an idling state and the vehicle speed is equal to or slower than a predetermined value and in which the engagement force of the starter clutch while an automotive vehicle is at a stop with a brake pedal being depressed is reduced lower than when the brake pedal is not depressed in order to eliminate vibrations of a vehicle body and deterioration in fuel economy which both result from a creep torque while brakes are in operation (refer to JP-A-62-216842 and JP-A-1-244930).
In this starter clutch controlling device, when the brakes are released, the engagement force of the starter clutch increases and the creep torque is restored to an original magnitude, but the engagement force of the starter clutch does not increase instantaneously, and there occurs a slight time lag before the creep torque is restored to the original magnitude. Here, when trying to start a vehicle from an ascending slope, if there occurs a time lag as described above in restoration of the creep torque to the original magnitude after the release of the brakes, there may occur a case in which the driver has to depress the accelerator pedal after he or she releases the brakes in order to obtain a torque counteracting against a reverse torque generated by the gravity of the vehicle.
Then, in order to improve the operability at the time of starting off the vehicle., there is known a starter clutch controlling device in which a means for detecting the gradient of a road is provided which is adapted to prohibit the engagement force of a starter clutch provided when the brakes are applied from decreasing when the gradient of a road is an ascending gradient of a predetermined value or greater (JP-A-9-210093).
In addition, JP-A-9-207735 discloses a road gradient detecting device for controlling shifting of an automatic transmission in which the gradient of a road is calculated from a wheel driving force and acceleration of the vehicle.
Although it is conceived that the above road gradient detecting device is used as a road gradient detecting means for a starter clutch without using any specific sensor, the detecting device calculates a wheel driving force based on an output torque of the engine, and the device cannot accurately calculate a wheel driving force in a state in which the starter clutch slips when the vehicle runs at such low speed as it is easily brought to a stop or when the vehicle slows down, thus making it impossible to secure the required road gradient calculating accuracy. Due to this, there may be caused a risk that the control of the starter clutch in response to the gradient of a road where the vehicle is stopped cannot be performed properly.
The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and a first object of the invention is to provide a road gradient detecting device adapted to accurately calculate a road gradient even in a state in which a starter clutch slips. A second object of the invention is to provide a starter clutch controlling device adapted to properly perform the control of a starter clutch in response to the gradient of a road where the vehicle is stopped.
With a view to solving the first object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a road gradient detecting device applicable to an automotive vehicle in which wheels are driven by an engine via a transmission device having a starter clutch interposed therein, wherein a gradient of a road is calculated from a wheel driving force and vehicle acceleration, the road gradient detecting device comprising a first driving force calculating means for calculating a wheel driving force based on an output torque of the engine, and a second driving force calculating means for calculating a driving force based on a torque transmitted by the starter clutch which is obtained from an engagement force of the starter clutch, the wheel driving force calculated by the second driving force calculating means being used for calculating a road gradient in a state in which the starter clips.
In addition, with a view to solving the second object, according to the invention, there is provided a starter clutch controlling device for controlling the engagement force of a starter clutch interposed in a transmission device for transmitting an output torque of an engine to wheels, comprising a first controlling means for reducing the engagement force of the starter clutch when an automotive vehicle is at a stop with a brake pedal being depressed lower than when the brake pedal is not depressed, a road gradient detecting means for detecting the gradient of a road, and a second controlling means for increasing the engagement force of the starter clutch when the automotive vehicle is at a stop with the brake pedal being depressed to a value greater than a value obtained by the first controlling means in a case where the gradient of a road is an ascending gradient of a predetermined value or greater, wherein the road gradient detecting device as set forth in the first aspect of the invention is used as the road gradient detecting means.
When the starter clutch slips, a torque exceeding a transmitting torque of the starter clutch cannot be transmitted to wheels, and the wheel driving force becomes a torque corresponding to the transmittable torque of the starter clutch. However, according to the road gradient detecting device of the invention, in the state in which the starter clutch slips, a wheel driving force for use in calculation of the gradient of a road is calculated based on the transmittable torque of the starter clutch, and therefore even if the starter clutch slips, a wheel driving force can be calculated accurately to thereby secure a required accuracy at which a road gradient is calculated.
In addition, according the starter clutch controlling device of the invention, while the vehicle is stopped with the brake pedal being depressed, if the gradient of a road is an ascending gradient of a predetermined value or greater, the gradient can securely be detected and the engagement force of the starter clutch can be controlled to be a value provided by the second controlling means. Thus, the control of the starter clutch can properly be performed in response to the gradient of a road where the vehicle is stopped.
Note that in an embodiment that will be described later, what corresponds to the first driving force calculating means is a step designated as S21-6 in FIG. 6, and what corresponds to the second driving force calculating means is a step designated as S21-12 in FIG. 6, what corresponds to the first controlling means is a step designated as S8 in FIG. 3, and what corresponds to the second controlling means is a step designated as S9 in FIG. 3.

Road gradient detecting device and starter clutch controlling device


A method for obtaining an estimate for a process quantity of a turbomachine comprises measuring (301) first process quantities and calculating (302) an estimate for a second process quantity, for example mass flow, on the basis of the measured first process quantities and a reference table of interrelations between process quantities prevailing in reference inlet conditions corresponding to a pre-defined inlet fluid temperature, a pre-defined inlet fluid pressure, and pre-defined fluid properties at the inlet. The reference table and the measured first process quantities represent such a set of data values that the estimate is obtainable on the basis of different sub-sets of the data values. Hence, the estimation task is over-posed in the sense that there is more data than necessary for obtaining the estimate. In the calculation of the estimate, more weight is given to such a part of the data which has a smaller error contribution.

In many applications there is a need to estimate or measure one or more process quantities which characterize the operation of a turbomachine which can be e.g. a turboblower, a turbocompressor or a pump. Estimates of the process quantities may be needed, for example, for controlling a turboblower, a turbocompressor or a pump so that unstable or oscillatory flow conditions, known as surge and stall, can be avoided with a sufficient safety margin and/or the efficiency can be kept on an acceptable range. For example, in conjunction with a turbocompressor, the operation can be characterized with the following process quantities: the mass flow (kg/s) or the volumetric flow rate (m3/s) generated by the turbocompressor, torque (Nm) directed to the impeller of the turbocompressor, rotational speed (1/s) of the impeller, pressure rise (Pa) generated by the turbocompressor, temperature (K) at the inlet, i.e. at the suction side, of the turbocompressor, temperature (K) at the outlet, i.e. at the output side, of the turbocompressor, and parameters related to properties of the gas being compressed such as the gas constant.
Some process quantities can be measured with practically sufficient accuracy using relatively cost efficient measurement equipment. However, measuring some other process quantities may require complex and rather expensive equipment and/or some process quantities may be even unmeasurable. Measuring, for example, the mass flow or the volumetric flow rate with a sufficient accuracy may be a challenging task. Due to the above-mentioned reasons, there has been a tendency to develop methods in which part of the process quantities are measured and one or more of the remaining process quantities or other characteristic values are calculated on the basis of the measured values and possibly also on the basis of pre-tabulated data.
Publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,943 discloses a method for calculating the proximity of the operating point of a turbocompressor to a surge limit using measurements carried out in different places of the compressor-process system. In the disclosed method, it is crucial that the calculation is invariant to suction conditions, especially gas composition. The various assumptions used in the method may in certain situations compromise the accuracy depending on the validity of the assumptions in each case.


A device for hollowing out food products such as loaves of hemispherically shaped bread for the purpose of using the hollowed out loaf as a bowl for food. The device has a knife for cutting into the loaf and a loaf platform for holding the loaf of bread. The platform and knife are angled so that the cutting action removes a uniform sized conical section of bread from the central region of the loaf. The knife is mounted in restricted manner so that it will penetrate the loaf for cutting of the cone but will not pass through the loaf.

It is desired within the food preparation industry to hollow out generally hemispherically shaped food products such as loaves or buns of bread to create a bowl for food. Typically such hollowed out loaves are used as a bowl for foods such as chili or soup. Hollowed out food products have two distinct advantages over conventional bowls; they are edible and environmentally friendly. They can be eaten if desired or discarded. Being composed of organic matter, such bowls may be readily composted. If simply discarded, an organically based bowl rapidly decomposes and does not threaten the environment. Being a one use receptacle, such bowls require no cleaning after use and thus do not waste the energy, water and detergent required to clean conventional bowls. Although the invention is applicable to food products generally it will be discussed hereinafter with respect to bread like items such as a loaf of bread or bun.
Hollowing out a loaf to create a bowl has traditionally been done in a free hand manner by an individual using a knife or spoon to cut or scoop out a cavity in the bread. Such a procedure is prone to error in that a slip of the knife may cut the individual. In addition, free hand cutting can result in piercing of the exterior of the loaf when attempting to cut the cavity. A pierced loaf will leak when liquids are placed within the bowl. Further, the cavity of the bowl created by such free hand cutting will be inconsistent in dimension. The food preparation industry requires that a bowl hold a fixed and consistent volume to ensure customer satisfaction and profitability. Typically, a cavity in a bread bowl is cut out in a cylindrical shape. A cylinder is not easy to create within a loaf, particularly when attempting to detach the base of the cylinder from the loaf.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus to allow an individual in the food preparation industry to safely create a bowl from a loaf of bread that has a consistently sized cavity. The present invention meets this need.

Apparatus for making a bowl from a loaf of bread


Disclosed is a display panel including a lower substrate, upper substrate, and a patterned spacer that causes the lower substrate and upper substrate to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, wherein the patterned spacer is obtained from a photosensitive resin composition comprising: (a) a triazine-based photopolymerization initiator represented by the following formula 1; (b) an alkali-soluble photo polymerizable reactive resin binder; and (c) a polymerizable compound:

Typical examples of display panels are liquid crystal display panels. A liquid crystal display panel includes a lower substrate and upper substrate, wherein each substrate has an electric field-generating electrode at one surface thereof and both substrates face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed between them.
Such liquid crystal display panels may be classified into passive-matrix liquid crystal display panels and active-matrix liquid crystal display panels depending on methods for switching a liquid crystal molecule array. Particularly, active-matrix liquid crystal display panels are obtained by forming multiple pixels on a liquid crystal display panel and mounting a switching element to each pixel. Thus, it is possible to obtain relatively high picture quality and high response rate by controlling on/off operations of each pixel independently and to provide excellent resolution and moving picture realizing quality. As the switching element, a thin-film transistor (TFT) is generally used.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a general active-matrix liquid crystal display panel and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, structural characteristics of a general liquid crystal display panel will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
A general active-matrix liquid crystal display panel includes a lower substrate 10 and upper substrate 30, wherein each substrate has an electric field-generating electrode at one surface thereof and both electrodes face each other, and a liquid crystal display layer 40 interposed between the lower substrate 10 and upper substrate 30.
The lower substrate 10 includes a plurality of parallel gate lines 14 each outputting a scanning voltage and a plurality of parallel data lines 16 each outputting an image voltage arrayed in a crossing pattern so as to define net-shaped pixel zones P on a first transparent substrate 12 such as glass. Additionally, a thin-film transistor T is disposed at each intersecting point of the gate lines 14 and data lines 16. Further, a first electrode 18 connected to a thin film transistor T with a one-to-one correspondence is mounted on each pixel zone P.
The first electrode 18 serves as working electric field-generating electrode for applying electric voltage to the liquid crystal display layer 40. A portion where the first electrode is disposed becomes a display zone of the liquid crystal display panel and other portions become non-display zones. Additionally, the thin-film transistor T is turned on/off through a signal voltage outputted to the gate lines 14 and serves as switching element for applying the signal voltage outputted from the data lines 16 selectively to the first electrode 18.
Additionally, the upper substrate 30 includes a second transparent substrate 32 such as glass, whose back surface has a color filter layer 36 including a plurality of color filters 36a, 36b, 36c arrayed with adjacent to each other so as to shield a ray of light with a certain wavelength and a second electrode 38 serving as another electric field-generating electrode, in turn.
Further, a black matrix 34 is disposed between the second transparent substrate 32 and color filter layer 36, the black matrix 34 serving to prevent a light leakage phenomenon that may be generated at the boundary zones of adjacent color filters 36a, 36b, 36c and to interrupt light incoming into the thin-film transistor T.
The liquid crystal layer 40 is interposed between the lower substrate 10 and upper substrate 30.
In the above-described liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal layer 40 should maintain a constant thickness between both substrates. To accomplish this, a spacer is disposed between both substrates.
In general, spacer beads such as glass beads, plastic beads, etc., having a predetermined particle diameter are used in liquid crystal display panels and touch panels in order to maintain a constant distance between an upper substrate and lower substrate. However, because such spacer beads are applied randomly, they may be present at efficient pixel portions through which light is transmitted, resulting in distortion of alignment of liquid crystals and a drop in contrast ratio. Additionally, such spacer beads are problematic in that they can move freely in a liquid crystal cell and can be distributed non-uniformly, resulting in generation of undesirable marks due to the agglomeration of spacer beads in some cases.
To solve these problems, it is suggested to form a spacer by lithography. Such lithographic methods include applying a photosensitive resin composition onto a substrate, irradiating a predetermined portion of the substrate with ultraviolet rays by using a desired mask, carrying out development with an alkaline developer solution to form a spacer pattern having a desired shape, and then carrying out a final curing step to stabilize the pattern. Herein, a spacer formed by the above-described method is referred to as "patterned spacer".
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 and shows a cross section obtained by cutting the liquid crystal display panel as shown in FIG. 1 along the part having a spacer, after the lamination of the lower substrate 10 and upper substrate 30.
As shown in FIG. 2, the second electrode 38, color filter layer 36, black matrix 34 and the second transparent substrate 32 are disposed, in turn, on the patterned spacer 20. Below the spacer 20, the first transparent substrate 12 is disposed.
The patterned spacer 20 formed by lithography can be disposed at non-display zones on demand and can be precisely controlled for its height. Therefore, such patterned spacers can impart high reliability in maintaining a distance between both substrates. Additionally, such patterned spacers have advantages in that it is possible to increase the solidity of a product due to the fixed position of a spacer and to prevent a so-called ripple phenomenon upon touching a screen.
There is no particular limitation in positions of the patterned spacer 20 as long as the patterned spacer 20 is disposed in non-display zones. Thus, the patterned spacer 20 is frequently disposed on the thin-film transistor T. Additionally, in the case of a high-aperture liquid crystal display device wherein edges of the first electrode 18 are overlapped with adjacent gate lines 14 and data lines 16, it is possible to mount the patterned spacer 20 on such overlapped first electrode.
When the above lithographic method is used, the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art can be solved by forming a spacer pattern in a position other than efficient pixel portions so as to prevent distortion of a desired liquid crystal array. Additionally, because spin coating conditions may be varied to form a coating layer with a variable thickness, it is possible to manufacture liquid crystal display panels with various modes having different cell intervals by using one kind of photosensitive resin composition for a patterned spacer.
Characteristics needed for photosensitive resin compositions for patterned spacers are as follows.
A patterned spacer should have such a high strength as to maintain the distance between a lower substrate and upper substrate.
Additionally, a patterned spacer is generally formed to have a coating layer with a thickness of 3 microns or more and a major portion of the coating layer should be developed. Therefore, a photosensitive resin composition for a patterned spacer should be dissolved into a developer solution in a short time and in a large amount. Further, when clear development is not made, various display defects such as spot formation due to residues after development and undesirable alignment of liquid crystals may occur. Therefore, the photosensitive resin composition should have excellent developability.
Meanwhile, when a glass substrate with large surface area is applied, it is difficult for the substrate to be subjected to full-surface exposure, and thus the substrate is subjected to exposure in multiple portions. Thus, when a photosensitive resin composition with low sensitivity is used, it is inevitable that the time needed for exposure becomes longer, resulting in a drop in the productivity. Therefore, a photosensitive resin composition for a patterned spacer should have high sensitivity.
Further, when carrying out a process of forming an alignment layer after a process of manufacturing a patterned spacer, it is necessary for the photosensitive resin composition to have excellent thermal stability for maintaining the original shape and thickness of a patterned spacer even under high temperature conditions of 200° C. or higher and to have high compress strength sufficient to resist against external pressure and excellent chemical resistance. In addition to the above, it is necessary for the photosensitive resin composition to have excellent stability with time so as to provide desirable characteristics stably without any changes even under long-term storage conditions.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 2001˜151829 discloses a photosensitive resin composition for a patterned spacer. However, the photosensitive resin composition using a thermosetting binder has poor stability with time and low photosensitivity. Therefore, the composition is problematic in that it cannot realize a stable pattern under an exposure dose of 150 mJ/cm2 or less.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a photosensitive resin composition having excellent strength, sensitivity, developability, thermal stability, chemical resistance and stability with time.

Display panel including patterned spacer

Abstract: (wherein each of R1-R5 has the same meaning as defined herein). A photosensitive resin composition for use in a patterned spacer is also disclosed, the composition comprising: (a) a triazine-based photopolymerization initiator represented by the following formula 1; (b) an alkali-soluble photopolymerizable reactive resin binder; (c) a polymerizable compound; and (d) a solvent. The photosensitive resin composition shows high sensitivity and excellent properties related with development, and provides a patterned spacer having excellent strength, sensitivity, residue characteristics, film uniformity, residual film ratio, etc.


A telescopic leg has a housing with a lift cylinder or mechanical screw jack type lift and an external track for adjustably coupling to a member. Such telescopic legs can be used to define a variety of table base configurations by providing multiple angularly aligned tracks in each leg for receiving cross supports adjustably coupled to the tracks.

The present invention relates to an extruded leg which integrally includes a lift cylinder and at least one slotted track for adjustably receiving one or more struts to provide a system for manufacturing height adjustable objects, such as tables in selectable configurations.
Telescopic table legs are commonly used in work places for adjusting work surface heights for a variety of uses, such as positioning the work surface for standing or various sitting positions. Electrically driven linear actuators are frequently employed to control the height of tables having telescopic legs. A few such proposals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,553,550, 6,352,037, 6,360,675, 6,435,048, 6,494,005, and published application U.S. Ser. No. 09/870,091 (Publication No. 2002/0074477 A1). These systems each employ dedicated leg designs which allow use of an actuator for raising the table of a given configuration between different height adjusted levels. Likewise, pending U.S. patent application entitled ADJUSTABLE TABLE ASSEMBLY, Ser. No. 10/218,650, filed Aug. 14, 2002, discloses a table with adjustable height but one which has a specific configuration.
There are several extruded aluminum strut systems which allow different table configurations to be fabricated from universal extruded members, such as provided by Bosch Automation, Parker Hannifin Corporation, and others. Such tables, which can be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes, once constructed, are not adjustable without reassembly. In the past, in order to vertically adjust such tables, lift cylinders have been secured to the legs of the tables by drilling holes through the legs and extending fasteners through the legs and into threaded apertures in the lift cylinder housing for mounting the cylinders on the side of the legs. Although such construction provides adjustable table heights for a table configuration utilizing the extruded members, the mounting of such lift cylinders is somewhat difficult, requiring drilling of holes through the table legs. Once mounted, the lift cylinder cannot be vertically adjusted.
There exists a need, therefore, for an improved system which allows the telescopic height adjustment of tables and construction of tables with different configurations, including different sizes, dimensions, and shapes and which provides a greater adjustment flexibility.


A system updates a portable processing device with the latest version of customized data collection forms and associated data for use in acquisition of particular types of data for communication to a remote clinical information database. A system for providing forms for use in data collection by a portable processing device includes a form creator for creating an electronic form for use in collecting data, in response to user command. The system includes a repository of created electronic forms and a form version detector for detecting whether a newer version of a form currently stored in a portable processing device is available. A communication processor initiates communication of data representing a newer version form derived from the repository to the portable processing device in response to detection of availability of the newer version. The form creator generates data associated with an individual created form for use in providing a button displayed in an image on a portable processing device and includes a preview generator for initiating generation of a preview image of a form under construction based on user entered form configuration information.

Portable processing devices are increasingly being used to permit a physician to access and search current patient record information at the point of care. Ideally, a portable device, such as a palmtop computer, has a display large enough to easily view a patient record yet small enough to facilitate portability. However, available portable systems for processing patient record information are limited in their capabilities for securely acquiring, accessing, transferring and updating patient record information and in their capabilities for creating and navigating image menus supporting the location and access of desired patient record data by a user. Specifically, available portable systems are limited in their capabilities for collecting and processing patient data at the point of care and in transferring the collected data to a remote system such as a patient record management system. Typically hospital personnel use a data collection form to acquire patient data such as blood pressure, pulse, vital signs etc. However, the data collection requirements of hospitals and other healthcare providers (including, clinics, physicians, group practices, care facilities etc.) differ. It is desirable to provide a portable processing system accommodating different forms for use by different hospitals and for collection of different types of data. It is further desirable that such a system supports management and transfer of forms and associated collected data as well as ancillary information within a network hosting portable processing devices. A system according to invention principles addresses these requirements and associated problems.

System for managing form information for use by portable devices


An adjustable phase clock includes a number (n) of delay circuits having respective controllable delays and being connected in cascade for generating n respective delayed signals. A first delay circuit receives the input clock signal and an nth delay circuit generates a total delay signal. A phase detector and filter are connected to the n delay circuits for controlling the respective delays thereof so that the total delay signal locks in relation to the input clock, such as to its period. In addition, the adjustable phase clock preferably further permits control of the output based upon selecting one of the n delayed signals having a corresponding adjusted phase delay relative to the input clock signal. Of course, multiple ones of the n delayed signals can also be selected. The adjustable phase clock may be used in a line locking application and an adjustable frequency clock circuit.

Clock circuits are widely used in digital electronic devices and equipment for controlling logical operations and data flow. Moreover, adjustable phase clocks find wide applicability for timing adjustments and as active elements in clock recovery circuits and phase locked loops (PLLs). The PLL, in turn, is attractive for use in FM demodulators, stereo demodulators, tone detectors, frequency synthesizers, etc. Of course, a controllable phase clock can also be readily used to generate an adjustable frequency clock signal.
A conventional adjustable phase clock typically uses a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) or a tapped delay line. Although the VCO permits a relatively large phase variability, such as desirable for a PLL, it suffers from frequency and phase instabilities inherent in an any inductor-capacitor (LC) or resistor-capacitor (RC) oscillator. A further drawback of the VCO based adjustable phase clock is that it requires a relatively large amount of analog circuitry to implement. The tapped delay line approach has a relatively high cost per delay.
Representative of a prior art clock synchronization circuit, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,193 to Ponsard discloses a device including preprocessing circuitry for delivering to a PLL a preprocessed signal obtained from a replica of the incident digital signal staggered in time by a fraction of the cycle of the clock signal of the PLL. The device allows a fast synchronization of the clock of the PLL in relation to the incident signal, in particular at high transmission rates. The circuit includes delay means having four outputs providing, respectively four replicas of the incident digital signal, these replicas differing from each other by substantially a quarter cycle of the main clock. The delay means may be provided by an optical fiber, a conventional capacitor inductance delay circuit, or by a coaxial line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,078 to Lee discloses a clock delay and compensation circuit for a PLL in a decoder of a video signal receiver. Phases of two input clocks are received by a phase comparative detector and compared to a divided reference clock from an oscillator of the phase comparative detector for obtaining a resultant phase error output. A duty ratio of the output clock is controlled in a duty controller to therefor the phase comparative detector to be used free from the duty ratio of the clock. A clock delay compensator performs correction of clock delay compensation for the system operated at high speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,457 to Fujita et al. discloses an electronic circuit including a portion for sensing temperature at a saturation state and for adjusting a clock signal phase to a fixed phase thereafter. The circuit includes two variable delay circuits controlled to have a same time delay. A phase adjustment control circuit receives a phase adjustment control signal from a service processor and has a function to switch between the phase adjusting mode and the phase fixing mode. The delays are fixed in the phase fixing mode to compensate for temperature.
Unfortunately, both conventional VCO and tapped delay line phase adjustable clocks suffer various drawbacks. The VCO phase adjustable clock suffers from frequency and phase instabilities inherent in its relatively complex analog circuitry, and the tapped delay line approach may be relatively expensive.

Adjustable phase clock circuit using the same and related methods


A method of optimizing SBS suppression is disclosed for use in an optical communication system including a light guide for transmitting light and means for producing phase modulation of the light using at least first and second tones. In the method, an operational region of SBS suppression is established as a function of the phase modulation of the light such that the operational region identifies combinations of first and second phase modulation levels at which optimum SBS suppression is achieved for the first and second tones. Thereafter, based on the operational region, the first and second phase modulation levels are adjusted such that the system operates with optimum SBS suppression. In one aspect, a contour map and associated method are introduced. The contour map is especially suited for use in optimizing SBS suppression in an optical communication system in which light is phase modulated using at least first and second tones for transmission of the phase modulated light via media which exhibits an SBS threshold. In another aspect, one of the sub-regions identified by the contour map may be selected as the operating point of the system based on certain characteristics of the contour map at and around the location of the selected operating point. In this manner, for example, the stability of the optical communication system may be improved in the event that the selected operating point is subject to drift.

The present invention is related generally to the phenomenon of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (hereinafter SBS) in the light guide of an optical communication system and more particularly to a method and associated apparatus for optimizing the SBS performance of such an optical communication system by using at least two phase modulation tones and identifying an advantageous operational region based on the phase modulation provided by the tones. A highly advantageous SBS contour map and its method of use are also disclosed. In addition, a modulated light producing arrangement manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is disclosed.
The phenomenon of SBS has been known in the prior art for a number of years. Essentially, SBS results when a threshold power level is exceeded within a sufficiently narrow frequency band in a fiber optic light guide. The problem of SBS has become significant with the development of lasers such as, for example, Single Longitudinal Mode lasers which readily provide an output that exceeds the SBS threshold (typically about 4 mW in, for example, a 50 kilometer fiber optic cable). Moreover, limitation of optical power to a level as low as 4 mW not only fails to utilize the output power available from state of the art lasers, but limits distance transmission through fiber optic cable by an unacceptable margin. Therefore, suppression of SBS has been contemplated in the prior art.
One effective method of overcoming the limitations imposed by SBS has been found to be the use of phase modulation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,246 broadly describes this technique. Indeed, the utilization of two modulation tones, specifically 2 and 6 GHz tones, to achieve the desired phase modulation is admitted prior art. In fact, as early as 1975, E. P. Ippen recognized in an article entitled Nonlinear Effects in Optical Fibers that SBS is a limitation on narrow band transmission capabilities, and low SBS threshold can, in practice, be circumvented by the use of short pulses or broad band sources. However, as will be described below, the present invention recognizes a highly advantageous and heretofore unknown method of improving SBS performance for use with at least two phase modulation sources. The method may utilize a highly advantageous phase modulation contour map for the purpose of establishing certain operating parameters of an optical communication system. In addition, a light producing arrangement is disclosed which provides for implementation of the established operating parameters.
As will be described in more detail hereinafter, a method of optimizing SBS suppression is disclosed for use in an optical communication system including a light guide for transmitting light and means for producing phase modulation of the light using at least first and second tones. In the method, an operational region of SBS suppression is established as a function of the phase modulation of the light such that the operational region identifies combinations of first and second phase modulation levels at which optimum SBS suppression is achieved for the first and second tones. Thereafter, based on the operational region, the first and second phase modulation levels are adjusted such that the system operates with optimum SBS suppression.
In one aspect of the present invention, a contour map and associated method are introduced. The contour map is especially suited for use in optimizing SBS suppression in an optical communication system in which light is phase modulated using at least first and second tones for transmission of the phase modulated light via media which exhibits an SBS threshold. The contour map includes a first axis along which the phase modulation value produced by the first tone is plotted and a second axis along which the phase modulation value produced by the second tone is plotted. An SBS suppression value is assigned to each point within a region defined by the phase modulation values produced by the first and second tones such that sub-regions of SBS suppression are identifiable with the region.
In another aspect of the present invention, one of the sub-regions identified by the foregoing contour map may be selected as the operating point of the system based on certain characteristics of the contour map at and around the location of the selected operating point. In this manner, the stability of the optical communication system may be improved, for example, in the event that the selected operating point is subject to drift.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a light producing arrangement for injecting light into a light guide which exhibits SBS is disclosed. The arrangement includes means for generating light and means for phase modulating the generated light for the purpose of suppressing SBS. The phase modulating means includes at least first and second tone generators, having first and second adjustable output power levels, respectively, which are adjustable in increments of less than 0.5 dBm.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a tone generator is provided which includes a feedback loop so as to substantially stabilize the output of the tone generator for use in phase modulating the light output of a laser.

Method and apparatus for optimizing SBS performance in an optical communication system using at least two phase modulation tones


Vertical rack for supporting semiconductor wafers, the rack having either continuously upward angled arms or horizontal arms for providing near center support of the wafers.

The manufacture of semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits (IC's) typically requires heat treating silicon wafers in the presence of reactive gases. During this process, the temperatures and gas concentrations to which the devices are exposed must be carefully controlled, as the devices often include circuitry elements less than 1 um in size which are sensitive to minute variations in the processing environment.
The semiconductor manufacturing industry typically processes the wafers in either horizontal or vertical carriers. The horizontal carrier, typically called a "boat", has three or four horizontally disposed bars arranged in a semicircle design, with each bar having inwardly facing grooves set therein at regular intervals. Each set of grooves define a vertical space for carrying a vertically disposed wafer.
The vertical carrier, typically called a "vertical rack", has three or four vertically disposed rods arranged in a semicircle design, with each post having slots set therein at regular intervals to define a space for carrying a horizontally disposed wafer. A conventional vertical rack is shown in FIG. 1. This rack typically has a top plate, a bottom plate, and three or four posts for fixing the top plate to the bottom plate. The portions of the post between each slot, termed "teeth", are identically spaced in order to support wafers at regular intervals from and parallel to the bottom plate. The entire rack is then placed within a vertical furnace for processing the wafers. Because a wafer processed on a vertical rack experiences less of a temperature gradient over its face, semiconductor manufacturers are increasingly turning to vertical furnaces. There is, however, a drawback to vertical furnacing. As shown in prior art FIG. 1, the wafers disposed on a conventional vertical rack are supported at their outside edge only. As such, the areas of the wafer resting on these teeth experience higher stress than the rest of the wafer. When temperatures in the furnace exceed about 1000.degree. C., these stresses often become significant and portions of the single crystal wafer move relative to each other along crystallographic plates in response to that stress. This phenomenon, called "slip", effectively destroys the value of the semiconductor devices located in the area of the wafer where slip has occurred.
Therefore, there is a need for a vertical rack design which alleviates slip.

Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corp.


A proactive interface management system for ascertaining a computer user's goals and automatically extracting untagged data from one or more source objects and applying the data to one or more target objects. The proactive interface management system includes several cooperating program elements including a user interface, a decision engine, an extractor, and an applicator. These cooperating program elements automatically perform the steps of recognizing user gestures, ascertaining user goals, identifying relevant source information in one or more source objects, extracting the relevant source information, and applying the extracted information to one or more target objects.

There is a continuing need to develop user-friendly and powerful computer software. Causing the computer to automatically perform certain functions that previously required direct user interaction is one way in which software developers can make software programs easier and more convenient to use. For example, configuration programs have been developed that automatically set-up a user's computer workspace upon system start-up. These configuration programs launch certain applications and open certain files in accordance with a user profile so that the user does not have to go through the process of manually launching the applications and opening the files. Another example of an automatically-performed computer function is a word processing program that sets a new document to the user's preferred font, type size, and page layout when the document is initially opened. This saves the user from the process of manually setting these parameters within the new document.
The preceding examples of system and document initialization are relatively simple examples of proactive interface management. There are many other more complicated situations in which proactive interface management can be employed to save the user the time and frustration of having to perform certain steps manually. In these complicated situations, however, sophisticated logic may have to be employed to ascertain a user's goals and automatically take certain steps toward attaining those goals. For example, the process of extracting data from one file and inserting the data into another file through the usual "cut and paste" procedures can be tedious. A source program must be launched; a source file must be opened; the data to be extracted must be located and "cut"; a target program must be launched; a target file must be opened and the destination location identified; and finally the extracted data may be "pasted" into the destination location within the target file.
These data transfer procedures can become time consuming and tedious if performed repetitively. In particular, many users have a recurring goal of extracting schedule-related data from electronic mail (e-mail) or posted on Internet web page and storing the extracted data in an electronic calendar file. For this type of recurring data extraction task, it would be advantageous if the computer system could ascertain the user's goal from a few simple commands, and then automatically perform the "cut and paste" operation without further input from the user. Even if the computer system cannot automatically complete the entire "cut and paste" operation, it would be helpful if the computer system performed part of the task and then allowed the user to easily complete the remaining portion of the task, for example by confirming or altering actions suggested by the computer program. The specific situation of extracting schedule-related data from e-mail, and storing the extracted data in an electronic calendar program is described in more detail below.
Computer users are increasingly interconnecting their computers through networks, such as local area networks, wide area networks, ethernets, and the Internet. Interconnected computer users typically communicate with each other through e-mail, which is a real-time, paper-free, cost-effective mode of communication that has become a standard feature of virtually all computer networks. User-friendly, menu-driven e-mail application programs allow users to generate e-mail messages quickly and send them to large numbers of recipients. A recipient usually receives an e-mail message within seconds. A few simple key strokes or point-and-click operations allow the recipient to activate his or her e-mail application program and read the e-mail message. Specifically, an e-mail application program responds to these key strokes or point-and-click operations by storing the e-mail message in an e-mail file on the user's computer and displaying the e-mail message within an e-mail application window on the user's computer monitor.
Computer users in workplaces that rely on e-mail may spend a lot of time reading, writing, and handling e-mail messages. A convenient and efficient system for handling e-mail messages may be critical to the productivity of these workplaces. For example, a received e-mail message may contain schedule-related information, such as a meeting notice, seminar announcement, lunch date, or the like. A computer user may also rely on an electronic calendar program to organize a personal schedule. A computer user may therefore have a need to transfer schedule-related information from an e-mail message to an electronic calendar file. For example, a computer user may receive an e-mail message containing a notice of a meeting that the user wants to attend. Upon reading the e-mail message, the user may need to record a notation of the meeting in an electronic calendar file.
If the electronic calendar program is not resident in the computer system's memory, the user must first launch the calendar program and open a particular calendar file in order to transfer the schedule-related information from the e-mail file to the calendar file. Upon opening a particular calendar file, the electronic calendar program typically displays information from the calendar file within an electronic calendar application window on the user's computer monitor. Opening a calendar file thus causes the display of the e-mail application window to be replaced by the display of the electronic calendar application window. Once the calendar file has been open, the user typically must scroll to or otherwise locate the correct date in the calendar file so that the desired information from the calendar file is displayed within the electronic calendar application window. Once the information for the correct date is displayed within the electronic calendar application window, the user may have to refer back to the e-mail application window before entering a notation into the electronic calendar application window. Thus, the user may have to switch back and forth between the e-mail application window and the electronic calendar application window in order to correctly record the notation in the electronic calendar file. This process is slow, annoying, and presents the user with opportunities to make errors in transferring the information.
It would therefore be advantageous to have a system to facilitate transferring goal-related information from a source file, such as an e-mail file, to a target file, such as an electronic calendar file. It would be particularly advantageous if the system could automatically interpret the source file so that the correct information could be automatically extracted and stored in the target file with minimal user involvement. This task may be difficult if schedule-related information is to be extracted from an e-mail file because an e-mail file typically includes information written in free-text, such as prose. Interpreting free-text information is a cognitive function that is difficult to emulate with programmed logic.
More specifically, an e-mail message is typically displayed within a semi-structured e-mail application window that includes a structured area and an unstructured area. The structured area of the e-mail application window typically includes a number of fields for predefined information, such as fields for "to," "from," "cc," "subject," and "date." The unstructured area of the e-mail application window typically includes free-text information written in prose. Furthermore, schedule-related information is usually embedded within the free-text information included in the unstructured area of the e-mail application window. In some cases, however, the structured fields may also contain schedule-related information or information that is helpful in interpreting certain free-text terms included in the unstructured area of the e-mail application window.
The meaning of a particular message term in an e-mail file may therefore depend on the meaning of other terms within the e-mail file. Indeed, the meaning of a particular e-mail message term may depend on the context of the free-text portion of the message as a whole. Similarly, the meaning of message terms may vary from user to user depending on the lexicon used by authors of messages. Prior information handling systems do not handle the tasks of interpreting free-text information or adapting to a specialized lexicon very well. There is therefore a need for an improved method and system for interpreting source files, such as e-mail files, that contain free-text information. It would be advantageous for the improved method and system to include an adaptive lexicon, in which the logic used to interpret free-text information may be tailored in response to source files previously interpreted for a particular user.
The needs identified above are described in the context of a system in which the goal is extracting schedule-related information from an e-mail file and storing the extracted information in an electronic calendar file. A similar need exists, however, for many different goals for which information may be extracted from a free-text source file and stored in a predefined format in a target file. For example, a sales manager may have a need to extract sales statistics from free-text sales reports and store them in a database. Similarly, a researcher may have a need to extract information related to a particular research topic from free-text files within an electronic library, such as "LEXIS," and store the extracted information in a specialized format.
Generally stated, there is a need for an improved method for ascertaining a user's goals and automatically taking certain steps toward attaining those goals. Specifically, there is a need for a proactive interface management system that, in recognition of user goals, automatically identifies and extracts relevant source information from one or more source objects for application to one or more target objects.
More specifically, there is a need for an improved method and system for interpreting a source file containing free-text information, identifying goal-related terms, and extracting the goal-related terms for storage in a target file in a predefined format. There is also a need for ensuring that the source file has been properly interpreted prior to recording the extracted information in the target file. There is also a need for an information interpretation and extraction system with an adaptive lexicon, in which the logic used to interpret free-text information is tailored in response to source files previously interpreted for a particular user.

Goal-driven information interpretation and extraction system


A metal cable tie is provided with a locking head attached to a strap. The strap comprises a coated portion and an uncoated tip for insertion into the locking head. According to one embodiment, the locking head is coated. A strap may be comprised of stainless steel, with coated portions of the strap being coated with nylon.

The present invention relates generally to metal cable ties, and more particularly to a coated metal cable tie which utilizes a roller or ball locking mechanism. Prior known metal locking straps have utilized a coating such as nylon over the entire surface of the strap body to provide benefits, including protecting objects from abrasion, making the ties easier to handle in cold temperatures, and preventing galvanic reactions between the steel tie and a different metal. Ball-lock type cable ties have advantages over prior metal cable ties or straps, including being self-locking and infinitely adjustable. Prior attempts at coating the entire strap portion of a ball-lock cable tie of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,592 resulted in a degradation of the loop tensile strength of the tie. An improved coated metal ball-lock tie is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,534 which provided for a selectively coated ball-lock type cable tie which left an uncoated longitudinally extending medial portion of the strap aligned with the strap locking means so as to provide an improved overall cable tie. While the ′534 teachings allow the locking mechanism for these types of ties to work properly, the objectives are not fulfilled as sufficiently as that of a more fully coated tie.


A barrier structure (302) blocks exit of spring clip fragments (317) that may break off from a spring clip assembly disposed between a gas turbine engine combustor (300) and a transition piece component (360). The barrier structure (302) may additionally comprise an aspect (326) effective to restrict a spring clip's (310, 311) radially inward compression, thereby reducing or eliminating damage to the spring clip (310, 311) during shipping and handling. The barrier structure (302) additionally may comprise an aspect (330) to restrict access by a human hand to the free ends (318) of the spring clips (310, 311). This aspect (330) reduces or eliminates the undesired lifting of the compressor by grabbing the spring clips (310, 311) during combustor transport, installation or removal. Accordingly, barrier structure embodiments are provided that reduce stress on spring clips, and that prevent the exit of spring clips from a containment space partly formed by the barrier structure.

A modern gas turbine engine, such as is used for generation of electricity at power plants, is a multi-part assembly of sub-components, many of which are subjected to vibrational and thermal stresses over long periods of operation. To the extent that various sub-components and their respective parts are designed, manufactured, shipped and installed to reduce undesired stresses, this may result in longer operation and less downtime.
In common configurations of gas turbine engines, a plurality of combustors is arranged radially. Compressed air flows through these combustors, including through, in each such basket, one or more fuel/air mixing devices (such as swirler assemblies), and then through a combustion zone. The combustion zone begins after a barrier, such as a base plate, that demarcates an upstream end of the combustion zone. The combustion zone may terminate before or may extend into what is referred to as a "transition piece" (alternatively referred to as a "tail pipe," "transition duct," or "combustion tube" by some in the field, partly depending on the elements upstream to this). The transition piece is a conduit that carries hot gases into a turbine where the gases effectuate movement of turbine blades and thereby turn a rotor, such as to generate electricity.
A common approach to assembly of a transition piece with a combustor in a gas turbine engine is to attach at a downstream end (in terms of operation and direction of gas flow) of the combustor an assembly of spring clips. U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,470 (the '470 patent), issued Nov. 8, 1983 to Scheihing and Laurelli, describes a spring clip ring assembly at a downstream end of a combustor that provides sliding support that accommodates thermal growth by a catalytic unit. A second spring clip ring is used to establish a relationship between a catalytic unit and a transition piece. FIGS. 11-15 of the '470 patent depict, and the associated text describes, spring clip assemblies, or rings, that respectively each comprises a plurality of spring fingers (referred to as spring clips herein). This patent is incorporated by reference for its teachings of spring clips and their assembly in a combustor. In addition, this and all other patents, patent applications, patent publications, and other publications referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference in this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which the present invention pertains, to provide such teachings as are generally known to those skilled in the art.
Further as to combustors and their operation, the general operation of main swirler assemblies and pilots are known in the art of can-annular gas turbine engine combustion and operation. For example, aspects of this technology are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,528, issued May 11, 2004 to Akagi and Tomimoto. Also, aspects of the functioning of a transition piece (and, depending on the reference, to other aspects of a gas turbine engine) are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,748, issued Jan. 19, 1988 to Davis et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,477, issued Feb. 27, 1990 to Butt; U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,742, issued Oct. 15, 2002 to Mandai et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,093, issued May 25, 1999 to Coslow and Whidden.
As one example of combustor structure, FIG. 1A provides a side partial cut-away view of a particular prior art combustor 100 of a gas turbine engine with an upstream end 102, a downstream end 104, and an assembly 108 of spring clips 112 affixed to the downstream end 104. A plate 114 at the upstream end 102 provides a structure for attachment of the combustor 100 to another structural member (not shown) of the gas turbine engine. Bracing ribs 116 are attached to the plate 114 and extend downstream along the exterior of the combustor 100. Also viewable in FIG. 1A through the cut-away section is a central pilot 120 about which a plurality of main swirler assemblies (e.g. six or eight, not viewable in FIG. 1A) is arranged.
FIG. 1B provides a side view of the encircled area of FIG. 1A, providing more details of the assembly 108 of spring clips 112. The non-compressed state of the most forward-shown spring clips 112 is exhibited by showing distance 'a,' and spaces 109 are shown between adjacent spring clips 112. Location 115 identifies one of a plurality of spot welds of the spring clips 112 to an outer frame 118 of combustor 100. The spot welds extend circumferentially around the combustor 100. Also, it is observable that the assembly 108 is comprised of an inner layer 110 and an outer layer 111 of spring clips 112.
FIG. 1C provides an upstream end view of the assembly 108 of spring clips 112 further showing the inner layer 110 and the outer layer 111. These layers 110 and 111 are shown without other components, and are shown offset to one another, so that the spaces 109 are not aligned. This offset arrangement of the spaces 109 reduces passage of gases during operation.
FIG. 1D provides a side partial cut-away view of the prior art combustor 100 of FIG. 1A joined in operational position with a prior art transition piece 150. The transition piece has an upstream end 152, and a downstream end 154 that connects to an entrance of a turbine (not shown). The upstream end 152 has a circumferentially extending transition inlet ring 156 which is disposed over the assembly 108 of spring clips 112. FIG. 1E provides an enlarged view of the area encircled in FIG. 1D, to better show aspects of and the relationships between the spring clips 112 and the transition inlet ring 156.
Further referring to FIG. 1E, the transition inlet ring 156 compresses spring clips 112, as evidenced by a distance 'b' that is smaller than uncompressed distance 'a' of FIG. 1B. That is, the inside diameter of transition inlet ring 156 is less than the outside diameter of the uncompressed spring clips 112 as depicted in FIG. 1A. This compression aids in achieving a desired tightness of fit at this junction during operation, when there is vibration from combustion and other forces, as well as high temperature from combustion gases.
Having recognized the causes of certain problems associated with the spring clips, such as those described above, the present inventors have conceived solutions that address one or more problems related to shipping, installation, repair and operational incidents pertaining to these springs on a gas turbine engine combustor.

Gas turbine combustor barrier structures for spring clips


A clock generation circuit includes a delay clock generation unit configured to generate a predetermined number of delay clock signals having different delay time periods for a reference clock signal; a low-speed clock generation unit configured to generate a low-speed clock signal having a lower frequency than the reference signal in accordance with a control signal that controls a phase; a control signal processing unit configured to perform, on the control signal, a quantization process for quantizing a value of the control signal into the predetermined number of discrete values and a modulation process for distributing a quantization error in the quantization process in a band of frequencies higher than a predetermined frequency; a selection unit configured to select any one of the predetermined number of delay signals in accordance with the control signal; and an output unit configured to output the low-speed signal in synchronization with the selected signal.

The present disclosure relates to a clock generation circuit and an electronic apparatus, and particularly to a clock generation circuit and electronic apparatus that reduce jitter.
In the past, a clock generation circuit has been used to generate clock signals having various frequencies in an electronic apparatus. For example, a clock generation apparatus including a numerically controlled oscillator, a rounding module, a delay-locked loop (DLL), a multiplexer, and a flip-flop is proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2013-005050). The numerically controlled oscillator in the clock generation apparatus generates a clock signal NCOCLK based on a control signal that controls a phase.
Moreover, the DLL generate M (M represents an integer of 2 or more) clock signals DCLK having different phases by delaying a clock signal MCLK with a plurality of stages of delay elements. Moreover, the rounding module performs rounding calculation in which the value of control signal is rounded into an integer of 0 to M−1 (in other words, quantization). The multiplexer selects any one of the M clock signals DCLK in accordance with the control signal quantized into 0 to M−1. The flip-flop outputs a clock signal OUTCLK in synchronization with the selected clock signal DCLK (in other words, by retiming). Accordingly, the phase of the clock signal OUTCLK can be controlled by the phase resolution depending on the number M of clock signals DCLK.

Clock generation circuit and electronic apparatus


An oil pump rotor assembly for an oil pump which enables reduction of noise while preventing pump performance and mechanical efficiency from being degraded. In this oil pump rotor assembly, the tooth tip profile of each of at least one of external teeth of an inner rotor and internal teeth of an outer rotor the inner rotor is formed such that a base cycloid curve is divided at a midpoint thereof to obtain two tooth curve segments, and the two tooth curve segments are separated by a predetermined distance along the circumference of a base circle or in the direction of a tangent of the base cycloid curve drawn at the midpoint thereof and are smoothly connected to each other using a curve or a straight line.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an oil pump rotor assembly used in an oil pump which draws and discharges fluid by volume change of cells formed between an inner rotor and an outer rotor.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, internal gear pumps, which are generally compact and simply constructed, are widely used as pumps for lubrication oil in automobiles and as oil pumps for automatic transmissions, etc. Such an oil pump comprises an inner rotor having "n" external teeth (hereinafter "n" indicates a natural number), an outer rotor having "n+1" internal teeth which are engageable with the external teeth, and a casing in which a suction port for drawing fluid and a discharge port for discharging fluid are formed, and fluid is drawn and is discharged by rotation of the inner rotor which produces changes in the volumes of cells formed between the inner rotor and the outer rotor.
With regard to such internal gear pumps, in order to reduce pump noise and to increase mechanical efficiency, various technical means have been employed such as providing a tip clearance having appropriate size between the tooth tips of the inner and outer rotors, modifying tooth profiles which are formed using, for example, cycloid curves, etc. More specifically, in some oil pumps, the profiles of the teeth of the outer rotor are uniformly cut so as to ensure clearance between the surfaces of the teeth of the inner and outer rotors, or alternatively, the cycloid curve defining the shape of the teeth are partially flattened so as to modify the tooth profiles (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 05-256268).
However, when conventional countermeasures are employed such as providing a tip clearance by uniformly cutting the profiles of the teeth, or flattening the cycloid curve by adjusting the diameter of a rolling circle that generates the cycloid curve or by forming a portion of the tooth profile using a straight line, even though a sufficient tip clearance is ensured, clearance between the tooth surfaces is also increased, which leads to problems such as increase in transmission torque loss due to play between the rotors or due to slip between the tooth surfaces, pump noise due to impacts between the rotors, etc.
Moreover, when inappropriate clearance is provided between the tooth surfaces due to adjustment of tooth surface profiles, hydraulic pulsation may be produced or increased, which may lead to problems such as degradation of pumping performance or mechanical efficiency, pump noise, etc.


Disclosed is a syringe with a cap including a syringe main body (30) having a needle attached to the extreme end thereof and the cap (40) for covering the needle (20) of the syringe main body (30), wherein the cap (40) includes a cap securing portion (50) secured to the extreme end of the syringe main body (30) and a cap main body (70) pivotally coupled with the cap securing portion (50) through a hinge portion (60) and the cap main portion (70) includes an accommodating portion for accommodating the needle (20) and a cut-out portion (72) which communicates with the accommodating portion and into which the needle (20) can go in and from which the needle can be taken out, the syringe with cap comprising securing elements (52, 73, 80) capable of securing the cap to the cap securing portion (50) when the syringe is used.

The present invention relates to a syringe with a cap, and more specifically, to a syringe with a cap capable of securely locking the cap at an open position and a closed position
Conventionally, there is known a syringe including a syringe main body having a needle mounted at the extreme end thereof and a cap for covering the needle of the syringe main body as this type of the syringe (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 63-189255, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 64-17248, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei 1-62849 and the like).
The aforesaid conventional cap includes a cap securing portion secured at the extreme end of the syringe main body and a cap main body pivotally coupled with the cap securing portion though a hinge portion.
The aforesaid conventional cap main body includes an accommodating portion for accommodating a needle and a cut-out portion which communicates with the accommodating portion and into which the needle can go and from which the needle can be taken out.
However, the aforesaid conventional syringe has a first problem that when an injection is effected by opening the cap by turning it on the hinge portion, the cap swings from the hinge portion and disturbs medical treatment.
Further, there is a second problem that when the cap is closed by being turned in a reverse direction on the hinge portion after the syringe is used, since the syringe has the same outside appearance as that of an unused syringe, it cannot be determined whether or not the needle is already used.


Methods for the biochemical and immunohistochemical detection of cell apoptosis are described. The methods utilize the detection and measurement of polypeptide fragments generated during apoptosis. Conditions associated with apoptosis may be detected by the methods of this invention. Methods are also presented for the screening of potential therapeutic compounds which inhibit or stimulate apoptosis. Kits for detection of apoptosis and diagnosis of diseases are also provided.

Apoptosis is a physiological mechanism of cell death which involves the fragmentation of a cell into membrane-bound particles. The process of apoptosis is involved in a variety of normal and pathogenic biological events, both during development and in adulthood. Agents which affect apoptosis may have therapeutic utility in treating diseases and disorders characterized by aberrant cell proliferation or death (reviewed in Hoeppner et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1242: 217-220, 1966; Thompson, Science 267:1456-1462, 1995). Techniques for detection of apoptosis may be useful to screen for potential therapeutic agents that may induce or prevent apoptosis.
In view of the biological importance of apoptosis, there exists a need for methods to specifically detect cells undergoing apoptosis and those which have suffered apoptotic cell death. These methods are crucial to the identification, characterization, and diagnosis of diseases distinguished by abnormal apoptosis, and to the screening of potential therapeutic agents that may induce or prevent apoptosis.
Several methods are known for the detection of apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, but these have significant drawbacks which limit their utility. Commonly, apoptosis is characterized by condensation and margination of nuclear chromatin, and fragmentation of nuclear structure into so-called apoptotic bodies. This apoptotic morphology can be observed using conventional stains, dyes which selectively accumulate in nuclei such as propidium iodide or Hoechst 33258, or by electron microscopy (e.g., Nicoletti et al., J. Immunol. Methods 139:271-279 1991; Crompton et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 183:532-537 1992; Frey, Cytometry 21:265-274 1995; Woo, N. Engl. J. Med. 333:18-25 1995). Unfortunately, these techniques are either of insufficient specificity or are too laborious and technically complex for the routine selective identification and quantification of apoptotic cells in situ.
Recent attempts to identify and quantify apoptosis have taken advantage of the internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA which is often linked to, but is not diagnostic for, cell death by apoptosis. Various in situ histochemical techniques have been applied to the end-labeling of nicked DNA (Gavrieli et al., J. Cell Biol. 119:493-501 1992; Wijsman et al., J. Histochem. Cytochem. 41:7-12 1993; Wood et al., Neuron 11:621-632 1993). Although these techniques have become popular for marking apoptotic cells in situ, it has become recognized recently that DNA fragmentation can also result from cell stress or necrotic degeneration. Consequently, the in situ techniques which detect fragmented DNA are not selective in detecting cells undergoing apoptosis (Nitatori et al., J, Neurosci. 15:1001-1011 1995; Lassmann et al., Acta Neuropathol, 89:35-41 1995).
Molecular techniques have also been employed for the detection in cell and tissue extracts of internucleosomal DNA degradation linked to apoptosis (Wyllie, A H, Nature 284:555-556 (1980); Wyllie et al., J. Pathol. 142:67-77 (1984)). The in situ and molecular techniques which rely on the detection of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation are not sufficiently thorough for the detection of apoptotic cell death since they do not detect forms of apoptosis not associated with internucleosomal DNA degradation (Cohen et al., Biochem. J. 286:331-334 1992; Schulze-Osthoff et al., J. Cell Biol. 127:15-20 1994). Moreover, the molecular methods lack the sensitivity and cellular resolution needed to define the role of apoptosis of particular cell types in disease processes. This is especially true for chronic slow degenerative diseases, in which cell death is protracted and asynchronous, and individual apoptotic cells are present for only a limited period of time.
An increased understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of apoptotic cell death has arisen from recent genetic and cell biological studies. A family of cysteine proteases related to interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE) has been found to play an essential role in the intracellular pathway of apoptosis (reviewed in Martin et al., Cell 82:349-352 1995). ICE itself is not a mediator of apoptosis in most mammalian cell types. Rather, a family of homologous proteases comprising at least nine human ICE family proteases have been identified to date (ICE, CPP32/apopain/Yama, ICH-1, TX/ICH-2/ICErelIII, ICErelIII, MH-1/MH-3/ICE-LAP3, Mch2, FLICE/Mch5, ICE-LAP6/Mch6), each of which leads to apoptosis when over-expressed in a proteolytically active form in cultured mammalian cells (Miura et al., Cell 75:653-660 1993; Wang et al., Cell 78:739-750 1994; Fernandes-Alnemri et al., J. Biol. Chem. 269:30761-30764 1994-Faucheu et al., EMBO J. 14:1914-22 (1995); Kamens et al., J. Biol. Chem, 270:15250-15256 1995, Alnenui et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:4312-4317 1995; Fernandes-Alnemri et al., Cancer Res. 55:6045-6052 1995; Lippke et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:1825-1828 1996; Muzio et al., Cell 85:817-827 1996; Duan et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:16720-16724 1996). Moreover, treatment of cells with apoptotic stimuli increases ICE-like proteolytic activity in cell extracts (Los et al., Nature 375:81-83 1995; Enari et al., Nature 380:723-726 1996). Proteolytic activity by ICE homologues is required to initiate apoptosis, since overexpression of mutant, inactive ICE homologues does not lead to apoptosis, and several protease inhibitors of the ICE family block apoptosis (Miura et al., ibid.; Gagliardini et al., Science 263:826-828 1994; Enari et al., Nature 375:78-81 1995; Milligan et al., Neuron 15:385-393 1995, Los et al., ibid.; Zhivotovsky et al., Exp. Cell Res. 221:404-412 1995; Schlegel et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:1841-1844 1996).
Degradation of specific cellular proteins, as would be expected to occur following the activation of an ICE-like protease, has also been associated with apoptosis. For example, poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) is cleaved specifically during apoptosis in mammalian cells (Kaufmann et al., Cancer Res, 53:3976-3985 1993) and is an excellent substrate in vitro for several ICE homologues (Tewari et al., Cell 81:801-809, 1995; Nicholson et al., Nature 376:3743 1995; Gu et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:18715-18718, 1995; Fernandes-Alnemri et al., Cancer Res. 55:2737-2742 1995-, Fernandes-Alnemri et al., ibid.; Lippke et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:1825-1828 1996). In the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 (Collins et al, Nature 270:347-349 1977), PARP is degraded in response to incubation with etoposide, which leads to cell death by apoptosis (Kaufmann et al., ibid). Protease inhibitors which block the activity of ICE homologues prevent not only apoptosis, but PARP degradation as well (Schlegel et al., ibid.).
Due to the inadequacies in many of the known methods for the detection of cell apoptosis, there continues to be a need for new, selective methods of detection. The present invention is directed to this, as well as other, important ends.


A penetratable stiffback useful as a building form is provided and is useful as an integrated member of a forming system in conjunction with a pair of forming panels. The stiffback includes a face panel and a pair of rearwardly projecting support walls, each support wall including a lug projecting outwardly therefrom intermediate the rear margin and the rear of the face panel. The face panel includes a front face for location coplanar with a pair of adjacent forming panels to present a forming system for receiving hardenable material thereagainst, the lugs serving to reinforce the panels on either side. The system includes a connecting member for penetrating the face panel and connection to an opposing forming wall to inhibit separation of the forming walls caused by the weight of the hardenable material poured between the forming walls.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a building form and system for forming hardenable material such as concrete. More particularly, it is concerned with a method, stiffback and building form system which permits the stiffback to be used as a penetratable building form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Building forms are widely used to form walls, foundations and the like of hardenable material such as concrete. Such building forms may be of different materials such as wood or foam, but these typically lack durability for repeated usage. Thus, reusable building forms are more often of metal, such as aluminum which is lightweight and durable. In constructing foundations out of such building forms, panels are typically interconnected in side-by-side relationship to comprise a forming wall, and another such forming wall is opposed thereto to receive the concrete or other flowable, hardenable and typically cementations material therebetween. To provide rigidity, especially for greater depths of material, intermediate cross-beams may be provided on the back side of the building form panels making up the forming walls.
Because of the great weight of the concrete material received between the forming walls, stiffbacks are employed behind the panels to provide support and resist deflection of the panels outwardly from the material receiving area. The stiffbacks are positioned in an upright orientation behind the panels at selected intervals and may be connected to the back of the forming panels by bolting or similar fastening means. To provide further resistance to separation, tapered connecting rods penetrate through openings drilled in the panels of opposing walls and pass through the material receiving region between the opposing panels to tie the building forms of the opposing forming walls together against separation.
While this system and method is useful, it is also expensive as drilling a hole through a building form renders it unsuitable for further use. Unless the hole is repaired by expensive welding due to the usually aluminum material, the entire panel must be replaced. Moreover, in addition to the panels which spanned the entire width of the wall, additional stiffback members were required to reinforce the wall. Consequently, the resulting total cost of materials of a wall including both stiffbacks and panels is greater than the panel alone.
There has thus developed a need for an economical building form system which can be readily erected and used with existing ancillary equipment.