A peripheral device for a wireless communication device combines a full-sized input device and a full-sized display screen in a single device. A user interacts with data stored on the wireless communication device using the peripheral device as an input/output device. The peripheral device accesses data residing on the wireless communication device and uses the data to run applications. The results of the execution are stored on the wireless communication device. The peripheral device is capable of operating with any wireless communication device, such as a cell phone, or other device such as a handheld computer, a PDA, a pager, and the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to peripheral devices for wireless communication devices, and more particularly to a peripheral device that allows a user to interact with data on a wireless communication device.
2. Background Art
Wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, have become more intelligent over the past years. In addition to providing conventional wireless functionality for allowing voice telephony, these devices have also been used for tasks such as taking notes at a meeting or lecture, scheduling appointments, looking up addresses, surfing the World Wide Web, sending electronic messages, and performing a whole host of other functions.
Existing wireless communication devices usually offer a relatively small screen that presents significant usability problems when users attempt to perform advanced tasks with the device. For example, when a user of a wireless communication device accesses the Web, he or she can usually only see small portions of pages at a time. Some web browsers for wireless communication devices attempt to fit an entire page (or at least a portion equivalent to that which a user would see on a normal PC display) on a miniature screen. Such screen size limitations frustrate the user experience.
Furthermore, most existing wireless communication devices offer a small keyboard that inhibits usability. Such keyboards generally cannot provide the same functionality and convenience as a full-sized keyboard.
One traditional solution is to provide an add-on standard-sized keyboard. For example, the STOWAWAY keyboard, manufactured by Think Outside, Inc., is an add-on hardware accessory available for wireless communication devices. This portable keyboard transforms from a compact, eight-ounce box into a standard-sized keyboard. Once a user snaps the device into this portable keyboard, the user is ready to type.
Add-on keyboards such as the STOWAWAY suffer from several drawbacks. For example, such devices are often cumbersome to carry, unfold, and connect to a wireless device. Furthermore, such add-on input devices fail to provide an integrated mechanism that, in addition to providing improved input capabilities, allows a user to view and interact with applications on a full-sized screen.
What is needed is an inexpensive device that provides both an add-on full-sized keyboard and a full-sized screen in a single integrated unit that easily connects to a wireless communication device and allows direct interaction with data on the wireless communication device.

Peripheral device for a wireless communication device


A wind turbine system is provided with a wind turbine rotor, a pitch control mechanism, and an emergency power supply mechanism. The wind turbine rotor includes a blade having a variable pitch angle. The pitch control mechanism drives the blade to control the pitch angle. The emergency power supply mechanism generates electric power from rotation of the wind turbine rotor and feeds the electric power to the pitch control mechanism, in response to occurrence of an accidental drop of a system voltage of a power grid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wind turbine system, particularly to a technique for dealing with accidental drop of the system voltage in a power system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent wind turbine systems are required to feed electric power to the power grid with improved stability and higher reliability. One important requirement is to satisfy low-voltage ride through (LVRT) requirement which requires that a wind turbine power system must remain connected to the power grid when the system voltage suddenly drops resulting from an accident in the power grid. Most conventional wind turbine systems are designed so that controllers and other auxiliaries operate on electric power fed from the power grid; however, such-structured wind turbine systems can not continue to operate when the system voltage accidentally drops. One important issue is that the system voltage drop may excessively reduce the load of the generator, resulting in an excessive increase in the revolution speed of the turbine rotor. The excessive increase in the revolution speed is undesirable in itself in terms of safety. Additionally, the excessive increase in the revolution speed may undesirably result in that an excessively large voltage is applied to a voltage converter connected with the generator. In order to avoid these, the wind turbine system must be stopped and disconnected from the power grid.
One approach for satisfying the LVRT requirement is to use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,985. In the technique disclosed in this patent, an uninterruptible power supply starts to feed electric power to necessary instruments (such as, a power converter, a turbine controller, a blade pitch control system, and a crowbar circuit), when the system voltage drop is detected; the uninterruptible power supply does not feed electric power to unnecessary instruments. Feeding electric power to the blade pitch control system allows pitch angle control of the wind turbine blades, while feeding electric power to the crowbar circuits allows protection of the power converter.
One issue of using a UPS is that the UPS requires lots of maintenance. Batteries within an UPS suffer from deterioration caused by aging, and therefore the batteries needed to be exchanged in order to maintain the performance of the UPS. This undesirably increases the labor and cost needed for the maintenance of the wind turbine system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,095,129 also depicts a fact that there is no power available for the load control system that provides asymmetric load control for a wind turbine. This document discloses a wind turbine having a plurality of generators, of which a first generator is configured to provide power to an electric grid and a second generator is configured to provide power to the wind turbine during times of grid loss. The disclosed wind turbine is configured to utilize power provided by the second generator to reduce loads on the wind turbine during times of grid loss.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-140971 discloses a mechanism for contact-free feeding of electric power to instruments provided on a rotating body rotating with a turbine rotor. The disclosed mechanism provides contact-free feeding of electric power by using a rotary transformer or an induction machine, reducing the necessity of maintenance. This patent application, however, does not disclose a technique for dealing with an accidental system voltage drop.
There is a need for a technique for providing a wind turbine system with the LVRT performance by using a mechanism that requires reduced maintenance.

Wind turbine system for satisfying low-voltage ride through requirement


A device, a method and a system for monitoring an electrical connection status of a disconnector device are disclosed. The disconnector device is connectable to pole-mounted equipment in a power distribution or transmission grid, thereby disconnecting the pole-mounted equipment. The connection status monitoring device includes a determining section configured to determine whether the disconnector device has been activated and to generate connection status indicator data, indicative of whether the disconnector device has been activated. The determining section further includes a wireless communication section which is adapted to connect to a wireless communication infrastructure using a wireless communication protocol, and to transmit the connection status indicator data over the wireless communication infrastructure.

Specific pole mounted equipment may be used to protect a power grid or attached devices, to which the pole mounted equipment is connected. Such pole-mounted protection equipment may, for example, be surge arresters, which can be considered as important protection devices in electrical network and protect expensive equipment, such as distribution transformers, against overvoltage surge by locally limiting energy of the overvoltage surge. In some embodiments, they are installed in group of three on three-phase poles that have a phase-to-ground connection. Another example for pole-mounted equipment are the distribution transformers themselves.
The surge arrester can absorb a limited amount of energy and it may fail after a certain number of protection events and/or a certain overload (e.g. amount and/or duration of an overcurrent). The surge arrester may typically fail by thermal overload which means that the surge arrester may overheat and in extreme cases emit sparks and/or even explode.
To limit such a risk, disconnector devices have been developed, so-called spark prevention units (SPU), whose objective is to disconnect, in a spark-safe way, the surge arrester before a failure occurs. These disconnector devices may reduce the above-mentioned risk by disconnecting the surge arrester before thermal overload. Once disconnected, the surge arrester is removed from the electrical network. There may be a local visual indicator on the SPU that visualizes that the SPU has disconnected (tripped) but there is currently no remote monitoring thereof.
If a utility network like a power grid or a power distribution network is comprising a large number of disconnector devices including SPUs (typically tens to hundreds of thousands), it becomes cumbersome to determine if these are all still connected. Presently, it is required to send out a service crew that visually inspects each and every disconnector device. This is a time intensive task: a given SPU may therefore be inspected only once every year or even less often. A disconnected SPU could thus be in the network for a long period of time. That means, that in this location no protection against surge is available, since the surge arrester has been disconnected from the power grid. Analogous considerations also apply for other pole-mounted equipment such as for fuse cutouts that protect distribution transformers against overload.
To improve the situation, it is therefore desirable to provide devices and methods which may allow a more frequent and/or less cumbersome status monitoring of such protection devices.

Sensor-based remote condition monitoring device and method for disconnector devices


Trigger-free asynchronous maintenance of custom indexes and skinny performance meta-structures is described. A database system receives a request to manipulate data in an object in a database table, and determines whether the object in the database table is associated with a user-based data structure. If the object in the database table is associated with the user-based data structure, the database system manipulates the data in the object in the database table and data in an object in an intermediate data table. The database system receives a query, and determines whether the query requests any data that is in the user-based data structure. If the query requests any data that is in the user-based data structure, the database system creates a query result by combining any data that is in the object in the intermediate data table with any requested data that is in the user-based data structure, and outputs the query result.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
A database system can store information in digital objects, such as a database that stores digital objects for each contact, which is a person who may be able to help in achieving a goal. An object can be a digital entity that can store information, such as a contact's given name, family name, job title, employer name, street address, city, state, zip code, e-mail address, and telephone number. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a simplified example of a multi-tenant database table 100, in which organization A, organization B, and organization C each store the names, employers, and telephone numbers for 3 of their organization's contacts. A database table can be a digital structure that stores information. A multi-tenant database can be an architecture in which a single instance of a software application retains information for many organizations, which may be referred to as tenants. While the database table 100 stores 3 rows of data for each of 3 organizations, the database table 100, which may be referred to as the base table 100, may store any number of rows for any number of organizations.
Database users may create custom fields and/or custom objects to store non-standard information. For example, FIG. 1 depicts that organization B has created the custom field sales regions 102 for organization B's contacts, which stores data in a "flex" column 102 of the base table 100, to record organization B's geographical sales region that is associated with each contact. The flex column 102 could be in the base table 100 or another table. The data type of the value to be stored in the flex column 102 undergoes a lossless conversion before being stored in the flex column 102. Although this example describes only one organization storing only one type of data in only one flex column, other organizations can store the same or other types of data in the same flex column or other flex columns. In another example, FIG. 1 depicts that organization B created the custom object company 104 to record company information associated with various contacts, instead of using the standard object for Accounts because organization B does not yet have an account with some of the contact's employers, and created a new field for company size, which stores data that is based on the base table 100's standard value for revenue. Although these examples depict that a database system has created 1 custom field 102 and 1 custom object 104 for a multi-tenant database, the database system can create any number of custom fields and any number of custom objects for a multi-tenant database or for a single organization's database. Furthermore, a database system may store metadata to create virtual columns, such as column 102, for custom fields and to create virtual tables, such as table 104, for custom objects.
A database system can collect, parse, and store data from a database into an index to facilitate fast and accurate information retrieval. For example, a database system stores the base table 100's standard information for contacts into standard search engine indexes that enable each organization's users to search for their organization's contacts by specifying all or parts of their contacts' standard information. Similar to the example for the base table 100's standard information and standard indexes, a database system can create custom index metadata 106 to enable the storing of the base table 100's custom field 102 information for sales regions and the database table 104's custom information for company size into custom index 108, which enables organization B's users to search for their organization's contacts by specifying all or parts of their contacts' standard information and/or custom information. A custom index can be an ordered list of objects, with references to the locations where the objects are stored. For example, the custom index metadata 106 for organization B specifies that value 21 for organization B's contact entity and value 3 for organization B's company entity are stored in data value columns 1 and 2 of the custom index ABC. Continuing this example, the custom index 108 stores the data values "Large," "Medium," "Northwestern," "Small," "Southwestern," and "Western" with their corresponding entity identifiers, which enables a search engine that is searching for an object that stores the value "Northwestern" to identify entity 996 in the base table #100, which stores John Jones' contact information. A custom index may be referred to as a user-based data structure because a database system and/or a user of the database system creates a custom index to optimize database searches by users of the database system. While this example depicts 1 custom index 108 that stores 3 rows of data, the database system and/or a user of the database system can create any number of custom indexes, with each custom index storing any number of rows of data. Even though this example describes the custom index 108 that is based on a custom field and a custom object, database systems and/or users can create a custom index based on a standard object. For example, if a database system does not have an index that enables searching the standard object for job titles, a database user can create a custom index that enables searching the standard object for job titles.
The amount of resources expended by a multi-tenant database system on searching for data may be affected by the number of tenants and the number of columns that store data in a multi-tenant database. For example, if a database system accesses the base table 100 that stores data for 3 organizations, the database system might access 24 columns of data to retrieve a few columns of data for any 1 of the 3 organizations. Furthermore, if a database system accesses a database that stores data for 1,000's of organizations, the database system might access 1,000's of columns of data to retrieve only a few columns of data for any 1 of the 1,000's of organizations. Accessing 1,000's of columns of data to retrieve a few columns of data may not be the optimal use of a database system's resources.
Consequently, a database system may create a copy of a tenant-based subset of a multi-tenant database to enable optimized searching of frequently searched data. A copy of a tenant-based subset can be a duplicate of an organization's part of a larger group of objects stored for many organizations. A copy of a tenant-based subset may be referred to as a user-based data structure because a query optimizer creates a copy of a tenant-based subset to optimize database searches by users of a database system. For example, since organization B's users frequently specify either the sales region or the company size to search for a contact's name and phone number, a database system creates the copies of the tenant-based subsets 110 and 112 based on the base table 100. If an organization B user specifies a sales region when searching for contact names and phone numbers, a query optimizer in the database system can determine that accessing only 3 columns to retrieve 3 columns of data from the copy of the tenant-based subset 110 would be a more efficient utilization of system resources than accessing 24 columns to retrieve 3 columns of data from the base table 100, and therefore create the tenant-based subset 108. Since the copies of the tenant-based subsets 110 and 112, which may be referred to as "skinny tables" or "skinny performance meta-structures," store the same data as the base table 100, any manipulations to the copies of the tenant-based subsets 110 and 112's data that is stored in the base table 100 need to be synchronously replicated in the co-located data that is stored in the copies of the tenant-based subsets 110 and 112. Synchronous replication is required so that when a query optimizer directs a query to retrieve data from any copy of a tenant-based subset, the data retrieved from the copy of the tenant-based subset is the same data as the corresponding data stored in the base table 100. While this example depicts 2 copies of tenant-based subsets 110 and 112 that each store 3 rows of data, the database system's query optimizer can create any number of copies of tenant-based subsets, with each copy of a tenant-based subset storing any number of rows of data. Although each of these examples describe copies of tenant-based subsets 110 and 112 that include data from both standard objects and custom objects, a copy of a tenant-based subset may include data from only standard objects or from only custom objects. When a query optimizer creates a copy of a tenant-based subset, the database system updates the indexes to enable searches based on data that is co-located in the copy of the tenant-based subset. For example, the database system updates the custom index 108 for organization B to enable a search engine that is searching for an object that stores the value "Northwestern" to identify the copies of tenant-based subsets 110 and 112, which store the "John Jones" for the contact's name, "628-444-4444" for the contact's phone number, and either "Northwestern" for the contact's sales region or "Small" for the company's size.
A database trigger can be procedural code that can be automatically executed in response to certain detected events in a database, such as in response to user interactions with a database. For example, a trigger can be a code that is executed before or after detection of various types of database operations are executed, such as insert, update, delete, etc. A trigger can be used to perform a number of automatic actions, such as cascading changes through related tables, enforcing column restrictions, comparing the results of data manipulations, and maintaining the referential integrity of data across a database. For example, when a new record (representing a new worker) is added to an employee's table, a trigger can be actuated to create new records for the new employee in other tables for other employee-related accounting such as: taxes, vacations, and salaries.
A database system can use triggers to synchronously maintain custom indexes and skinny tables as part of the inserts/updates/deletes that manipulate the data in a base table. For example, when the database system processes an instruction to update data in a column of the base table 100, the database system can refer to the custom index metadata 106 to determine whether to synchronously update a column in a custom index and/or a skinny table. Since triggers may perform complex transformations on the data when manipulating data in a base table, substantial amounts of time and effort may be spent on coding and testing triggers, in order to avoid performance degradation. While triggers may have the desirable effect of keeping custom indexes and skinny tables synchronized and transactionally consistent with their base table, triggers also have disadvantages, such as triggers requiring a significant increase in central processor unit(s) utilization, triggers' coding complexity, and needing production downtime to implement changes in trigger code. Additionally, these trigger disadvantages increasingly degrade performance as the numbers and complexities of custom indexes and skinny tables increase. In contrast to the use of triggers, a database system can write the corresponding data in custom indexes/skinny tables in a way which is synchronous with the transaction that writes date to the base tables (writes include new inserts, updates and deletes of data).


A control system for a grading machine includes a circle angle sensor coupled to a circle. The circle is coupled to and supports a grading blade, and the circle angle sensor is configured to measure an angular position of the circle. The control system also includes a blade load sensor configured to measure a load on the grading blade. The control system also includes a circle drive system including a circle drive motor and a controller. The circle drive motor is configured to engage with and rotate the circle around a circle axis, and the controller is configured to control the rotation of the circle under a circle rotation command by monitoring the angular position of the circle and the load on the grading blade.

The present disclosure relates to mobile machines that are used in grading. Grading machines are typically used to cut, spread, or level material that forms a ground surface. To perform such earth sculpting tasks, grading machines include a blade, also referred to as a moldboard or implement. The blade moves relatively small quantities of earth from side to side, in comparison to a bulldozer or other machine that moves larger quantities of earth. Grading machines are frequently used to form a variety of final earth arrangements, which often require the blade to be positioned in different positions and/or orientations depending on the sculpting task and/or the material being sculpted. The different blade positions may include the blade cutting angle.
A circle drive may control a position of a circle coupled to the blade, and thus adjust the blade cutting angle. Different blade positions may require different amounts of torque in order to adjust the blade, especially when the blade is engaged with material. Rotating the circle and blade while the blade is under an excessive load can lead to slippage in the circle drive, excessive heat generation, and wear of the clutch and other gear train components.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,540,787, issued to West et al. on Jan. 10, 2017 ("the '787 patent"), describes an apparatus for positioning a circle and a moldboard relative to a frame of a grading machine. The '787 patent includes a circle drive motor to control the circle and the moldboard, and the circle drive motor is coupled to a gear apparatus with an output shaft configured to mesh with and rotate the circle relative to the machine frame. The '787 patent includes a system for monitoring the operation of a hydraulic circle drive motor and monitoring pressure at a hydraulic pump. The '787 patent disables the hydraulic motor if an excessive hydraulic pressure is detected. However, the '787 patent does not monitor the position or the movement of the circle and the moldboard, along with the load on the moldboard, to help prevent damage to the circle drive motor or other components of the circle drive system.
The system for a grading machine of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

Circle drive control system for a grading machine


A starter includes a drive shaft having an outer periphery formed with shaft splines through which a drive power is transmitted from a starter motor, an overrunning clutch, having an inner periphery formed with barrel splines engageable with the shaft splines, which is axially moveable with respect to the drive shaft and plays a role as one-way clutch, and a pinion gear integrally disposed on the overrunning clutch to be movable into or out of meshing engagement with a ring gear of an internal combustion engine. A radial clearance between a tooth top of each shaft spline and a tooth bottom of each barrel spline is set to be less than a backlash between each shaft spline and each barrel spline.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to starters for starting up internal combustion engines mounted on vehicles and, more particularly, to a starter having an overrunning clutch.
2. Related Art
In normal practice, a starter starts up an internal combustion engine of a vehicle when supplied with electric power from an on-vehicle battery to be rotated. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (unexamined) Patent Publication No. 7-37786, one type of such a starter includes one that has an overrunning clutch. Such a starter includes a motor (starter motor), a drive shaft having an outer periphery formed with helical shaft splines through which a drive power is transmitted from the starter motor, an overrunning clutch with an inner periphery formed with helical bore splines in mesh with the helical shaft splines and moveable in an axial direction with respect to the drive shaft while serving as one-way clutch, and a pinion gear integrally disposed on the overrunning clutch and operative to engage with and disengage from a ring gear of the internal combustion engine. Thus, the drive shaft, through which the drive power is transmitted from the starter motor, and the overrunning clutch are held in spline coupling.
By the way, looseness (clearance) is present between both splines in a radial and circumferential direction. Therefore, a probability occurs for the overrunning clutch to incline with respect to the drive shaft. In particular, under circumstances where an ignition switch is turned on once while, subsequently, the ignition switch is turned off, before the internal combustion starts up, and turned on again, inertial rotation of the starter motor causes the pinion gear to mesh with the ring gear of the internal combustion engine with the pinion gear remaining under rotation. This results in rapid stop of rotation of the pinion gear. In this case, spline-coupling portions between the drive shaft and the overrunning clutch encounter undue impacts to cause the overrunning clutch and the drive shaft to incline with respect to each other.
As a result of the occurrence of such inclinations of the overrunning clutch and the drive shaft, the spline-coupling portions have surfaces in local contact. Accordingly, this results in undue surface pressures with a fear of the occurrence of adhesion between contact areas of both splines.


The invention relates to a novel formulation of stem cell factor. The formulation contains histidine, glutamic acid, sucrose and mannitol. The formulation has a pH between 5.0 and 6.0 and has been lyophilized.

Stem cell factor ("SCF") is an early acting hematopoietic factor. See PCT WO 91/05795, entitled "Stem Cell Factor," herein incorporated by reference. SCF pharmaceutical compositions are known in the art, PCT WO 91/05795, supra, pages 20-21, however, an SCF pharmaceutical composition with increased shelf-life would be beneficial to both producers and consumers of the product.
In solution, SCF stability is limited by a number of degradation reactions, including cleavage, deamidation, and modification on RP-HPLC. Freeze drying (lyophilization) is considered useful and effective for preservation of many biologically active materials, including proteins. However, lyophilization induces its own stresses, including extreme concentration of the protein during the freezing process and removal of water, which may result in instability of the product Hence, lyophilization may result in increased rates of crosslinking (covalent oligomer formation) and noncovalent aggregation, in addition to deamidation and oxidation, both of which can occur in the lyophilized state as well as the liquid state. Thus protective agents are often required to enhance stability of the drug by a number of mechanisms, including raising the glass transition of the formulation (that is, the temperature at which the composition changes from a fluid, rubbery and reactive state to a rigid, and, therefore less reactive state); acting as cryo- or lyoprotectants, (that is protective agents during the freezing and/or drying processes); and/or by replacing bound water molecules that are necessary for the conformational stability of the protein.
Amino acids have been noted in some cases to act as stabilizers for freeze-dried protein products. Sodium glutamate and lysine-HCl have been reported to have cryoprotective effects on the freeze denaturation of a protein, lactate dehydrogenase (Seguro, et al., Cryobiology 27; 70-79 (1990)). Hora, et al. report the use of the L-arginine, L-carnitine chloride, or L-betaine as buffers for rhIL-2 (in Developments in Biological Standardization, Vol. 74, Karger, Basel, 1992). The formulations buffered with betaine showed dimer formation in accelerated testing, while arginine/carnitine-buffered formulations showed poor mechanical stability, leading to aggregation of the protein during production. Thus, the use of amino acids does not predictably enhance stability of lyophilized protein products.
Additionally, incorporation of small amounts of salt may, in some cases, destabilize lyophilized products, including proteins. The salts may be introduced during the pH adjustment of the formulation by addition of strong acids or bases. At the very low concentrations present in such a case, the salt may be trapped in the amorphous phase with the protein and may decrease the glass transition of the formulation or otherwise exert a detrimental effect on the stability of the protein drug. Elimination of such salt may therefore be desirable. Other classes of molecules, including mono- and di- saccharides, and polymers such as PVP have also been reported as stabilizers of lyophilized proteins, but, again, their utility is not predictable for any given protein product.

Stem cell factor formulations and methods


A communications device comprising a body and an attached cover having an aperture, wherein the device has a closed configuration in which portions of the body are covered and an open configuration in which at least some of the portions covered in the closed configuration are uncovered, the body comprising receiver means for receiving data via radio transmissions; a display operative independent of whether the cover is in the closed or open configuration and positioned such that in the open configuration the display is uncovered and positioned such that in the closed configuration the aperture is substantially aligned with the display so that at least a portion of the display is visible to a user through the aperture; and a processor arranged to control the display and operable to show received data as text, wherein when the device is in the closed configuration the processor is operable to provide the received text to the user as text which streams through said visible portion of the display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communications device. In particular, a device operable to providing streaming text through a visible portion of a display when in a closed configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mobile phones now commonly have covers or flips which cover over all or part of a phone's keypad and display. An advantage of covering the keypad but not the display is that the keypad is protected while the display is still visible but a disadvantage is that the display is exposed to damage. An advantage of covering the display and keypad is that the display is protected but a disadvantage is that the display cannot be viewed without opening the cover which cannot be done discretely. Therefore if one receives an SMS message or misses a call one cannot discretely read the message or see who has called.
It would be advantageous to improve this situation.


A dispenser for dispensing products such as liquid antimicrobials is described. The dispenser includes a bracket/actuator assembly and a container assembly. The dispenser includes a novel mechanism for attaching the container assembly to the bracket/actuator assembly and also includes a novel valve assembly.

In food processing establishments, surgical centers, physician and dental offices, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, contamination of objects (e.g. hands) with infectious or other deleterious materials is a significant problem. The use of a contaminated object (e.g. a surgeon's hand) in such environments can be a serious problem.
To address the problems associated with the spread of bacteria and microorganisms, the art has developed a variety of dispensers adapted to provide products for cleaning, disinfecting and potentially even sterilizing objects. For example, antiseptic preparation of a surgeon's hands conventionally includes a prolonged hand and lower arm scrubbing with an antimicrobial soap. The antimicrobial soap is typically dispensed from a liquid soap dispenser mounted near a scrub sink. To resist contamination, antimicrobial soap dispensers are designed to be operated without hand contact by mechanical, pneumatic or electromechanical means.
The contamination problem extends not just to the objects to be cleaned but to the external and internal portions of dispensers themselves. Contamination accumulation over time is a problem to be addressed for each object left in a room over time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,597 discloses a surgical soap dispenser which includes a complex bracket/actuator assembly and a bottle/pump assembly. The entire fluid (soap) path is provided in the bottle/pump assembly. The bottle/pump assembly is disposable in order to resist contamination build up in the fluid path. However, the bracket/actuator assembly is intended to be reusable and must itself be cleaned and disinfected. The bracket/actuator assembly comprises a complex structure including keyways and cam surfaces. This complex structure may tend to collect debris and make it very difficult to clean.
Set up and maintenance of a dispenser are also affected by the contamination problem. Dispensers which require excessive handling during set up or maintenance increase the risk of contamination by the person preparing or maintaining the dispenser. For example, refillable bottles of soap with a threaded cap structure require personnel to rotate the cap relative to the rest of the dispenser for several revolutions. U.S. Pat. No.'s 4,667,854; 4,921,131; 4,946,070; 4,946,0721 and 5,156,300 disclose various dispensers which appear more difficult to set up and maintain than the present invention. Those patents disclose dispensers which include doors, flaps or covers which are opened and closed. Some of those dispensers include refill elements which are carefully placed in position to avoid dispenser malfunction. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,597, the entire refill bottle must be rotated ninety degrees so that a flange on a piston may be received in a slot in an actuator assembly. Dispensers which are complicated to set up or maintain increase the risk of improper set up due to operator error with the attendant risk of unsatisfactory dispenser performance or malfunction.
Problems are also associated with the storage, transportation, handling and shipping of prior art dispensers which include valve and pump means. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,597, a pump mechanism projects from the end of a soap container. Care needs to be taken that the pump mechanism is not inadvertently actuated during storage, transportation, handling and shipping of the soap container. The art has developed articles such as caps and removable inserts which are designed to prevent inadvertent actuation of the dispenser prior to use by the intended user. However, these additional articles tend to complicate set up of the dispenser and may also add cost to the dispenser.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A manufacturing line for gypsum boards includes a conveyor for moving gypsum boards in a line; a spray arm having a pivot at one end thereof for supporting the spray arm in a pivotable manner; a base frame mounted adjacent the conveyor; a support for the pivot mounted on the base frame so that the spray arm can be pivoted from an operative position wherein the spray arm extends over the conveyor to an inoperative position; a plurality of spray nozzles arranged on the spray arm for spraying a coating on gypsum boards on the conveyor; and a pump system on the frame to deliver the coating to the plurality of spray nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing line for gypsum boards, and in particular to a coating spray apparatus and method of using for a manufacturing line for gypsum boards.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In a conventional gypsum board manufacturing process, a slurry of gypsum is sandwiched between two layers of facing sheets. After the gypsum core sets, the core, together with the facing sheets, is cut into board lengths. The cut boards are then sent through a dryer to substantially dry the gypsum core.
According to WO 02/12144, it is known to apply a coating to one side of the board. WO 02/058902 teaches applying a coating to a wet gypsum board prior to drying the gypsum board. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,979 teaches applying a coating to a gypsum board either before or after drying of the board.
However, the gypsum board manufacturing line may be used for making different types of boards. Some of the boards may be coated with coating equipment as discussed above, and some boards may not be coated.

Coating spray apparatus and method of using same


A cardiac pacing lead and a method of its use. The lead has an elongated insulative lead body having a distal section formed into a curved configuration appropriate for use in a coronary sinus/cardiac vein of a patient's heart. An active fixation device is located proximal to the distal, curved section of the lead body, which carries an electrode, located along the distal portion of the lead body, spaced from the active fixation device a distance appropriate to locate the electrode adjacent the left atrium or left ventricle of a human heart when the fixation device is located adjacent the ostium of the coronary sinus. The lead is used by advancing the distal portion of the lead through the coronary ostium of the patient's heart and into the coronary sinus/cardiac vein and therefter employing the active fixation device to affix the lead to the patients heart outside of the coronary sinus/cardiac vein.

The present invention relates to electrical medical leads generally and more particularly to implantable cardiac pacing and defibrillation leads.
Over the years, numerous leads have been designed for the purpose of pacing the atria. One basic approach has been to provide the lead with a pre-formed "J"-shape, adapted to result in the electrode at the tip of the lead being reliably located in the right atrial appendage. Various approaches to providing a J-shaped lead have included the provision of molded, curved polyurethane lead bodies or sheaths as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,866 issued to Hughes and U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,439 issued to Harris, curved silicone rubber sheaths as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,328 issued to Doring, curved coils as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,330 issued to Lindemans, and curved reinforcing wires as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,888 issued to Gold. Such curve providing structures are incorporated in the distal portion of the lead so that it maintains a J-shaped configuration after implant, allowing the electrode to continue to resiliently engage the right atrial appendage until such time as it is anchored in place by means of fibrotic tissue growth.
Pacing the atria has also been accomplished by means of electrode leads located in the coronary sinus. One of the earlier coronary sinus leads is the Medtronic, Inc. Model 6992 Coronary Sinus Lead which has a generally straight lead body, carrying two ring electrodes. More recently, leads having pre-formed curved configurations have been employed for pacing and/or mapping the electrical activity of the atria, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,772 issued to Lurie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,233 issued to Alferness et al., and pending, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,445 to Swoyer for a "Medical Electrical Lead", incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An additional design for a curved coronary sinus lead is disclosed in commonly assigned co-pending application No. 08/695,977, filed Jul. 17, 1997 by Sommer et al for a "Medical Electrical Lead", also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Coronary sinus leads have also been used to pace and sense the ventricle by advancing the electrode into the great cardiac vein and as part of implantable defibrillation lead systems.


Recombinant expression vectors encoding the L1 and L2 proteins of papillomavirus, methods of making and using the recombinant proteins and purified virus-like particles comprised of the recombinant proteins are provided.

Papillomavirus infections occur in a variety of animals, including humans, sheep, dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, snakes and cows. Papillomaviruses infect epithelial cells, generally inducing benign epithelial or fibroepithelial tumors at the site of infection. Papillomaviruses are species specific infective agents; a human papillomavirus cannot infect a nonhuman animal.
Papillomaviruses may be classified into distinct groups based on the host that they infect. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are further classified into more than 60 types based on DNA sequence homology (for a review, see Papillomaviruses and Human Cancer, H. Pfister (ed.), CRC Press, Inc., 1990). Papillomavirus types appear to be type-specific immunogens in that a neutralizing immunity to infection to one type of papillomavirus does not confer immunity against another type of papillomavirus.
In humans, different HPV types cause distinct diseases. HPV types 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10 and 26-29 cause benign warts in both normal and immunocompromised individuals. HPV types 5, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19-25, 36 and 46-50 cause flat lesions in immunocompromised individuals. HPV types 6, 11, 34, 39, 41-44 and 51-55 cause nonmalignant condylomata of the genital or respiratory mucosa. HPV types 16 and 18 cause epithelial dysplasia of the genital mucosa and are associated with the majority of in situ and invasive carcinomas of the cervix, vagina, vulva and anal canal. HPV6 and HPV11 are the causative agents for more than 90% of all condyloma (genital warts) and laryngeal papillomas. The most abundant subtype of HPV type 6 is HPV6a.
Immunological studies in animals have shown that the production of neutralizing antibodies to papillomavirus antigens prevents infection with the homologous virus. The development of effective papillomavirus vaccines has been slowed by difficulties associated with the cultivation of papillomaviruses in vitro. The development of an effective HPV vaccine has been particularly slowed by the absence of a suitable animal model.
Neutralization of papillomavirus by antibodies appears to be type-specific and dependent upon conformational epitopes on the surface of the virus.
Papillomaviruses are small (50-60 nm), nonenveloped, icosahedral DNA viruses that encode for up to eight early and two late genes. The open reading frames (ORFs) of the virus genomes are designated E1 to E7 and L1 and L2, where "E" denotes early and "L" denotes late. L1 and L2 code for virus capsid proteins. The early (E) genes are associated with functions such as viral replication and cellular transformation.
The L1 protein is the major capsid protein and has a molecular weight of 55-60 kDa. L2 protein is a minor capsid protein which has a predicted molecular weight of 55-60 kDa and an apparent molecular weight of 75-100 kDa as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Immunologic data suggest that most of the L2 protein is internal to the L1 protein. The L2 proteins are highly conserved among different papillomaviruses, especially the 10 basic amino acids at the C-terminus. The L1 ORF is highly conserved among different papillomaviruses.
The L1 and L2 genes have been used to generate vaccines for the prevention and treatment of papillomavirus infections in animals. Zhou et al., (1991; 1992) cloned HPV type 16 L1 and L2 genes into a vaccinia virus vector and infected CV-1 mammalian cells with the recombinant vector to produce virus-like particles (VLP).
Bacterially-derived recombinant bovine papillomavirus L1 and L2 have been generated. Neutralizing sera to the recombinant bacterial proteins cross-reacted with native virus at low levels, presumably due to differences in the conformations of the native and bacterially-derived proteins.
Recombinant baculoviruses expressing HPV6 L1, HPV 11 L1, HPV16 L1, HPV18 L1, HPV31 L1 or HPV16 L2 ORFs have been used to infect insect SF9 cells and produce L1 and L2 proteins. Western blot analyses showed that the baculovirus-derived L1 and L2 proteins reacted with antibody to HPV 16. The baculovirus derived L1 forms VLPs.
Carter et al., (1991) demonstrated the production of HPV 16 L1 and HPV 16 L2 proteins by recombinant strains of Saccharomvces cerevisiae. Carter et al. also demonstrated the production of HPV6b L1 and L2 proteins. The HPV6b L1 protein was not full-length L1 protein. The recombinant proteins were produced as intracellular as well as secreted products. The recombinant L1 and L2 proteins were of molecular weights similar to the native proteins. When the proteins were expressed intracellularly, the majority of the protein was found to be insoluble when the cells were lysed in the absence of denaturing reagents. Although this insolubility may facilitate purification of the protein, it may hamper analysis of the native epitopes of the protein.
Recombinant proteins secreted from yeast were shown to contain yeast-derived carbohydrates. The presence of these N-linked oligosaccharides may mask native epitopes. In addition, the secreted recombinant proteins may contain other modifications, such as retention of the secretory leader sequence.
It would be useful to develop methods of producing large quantities of papillomavirus proteins of any species and type by cultivation of recombinant yeasts. It would also be useful to produce large quantities of papillomavirus proteins having the immunity-conferring properties of the native proteins, such as the conformation of the native protein.
The present invention is directed to the production of recombinant papillomavirus proteins having the immunity conferring properties of the native papillomavirus proteins as well as methods for their production and use. The present invention is directed to the production of a prophylactic and possibly therapeutic vaccine for papillomavirus infection. The recombinant proteins of the present invention are capable of forming virus-like particles. These VLP are immunogenic and prevent formation of warts in an animal model. The present invention uses the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) and HPV type 6 (subtype 6a) as model systems.


The present invention improves charging efficiency in a wireless power transfer device. A wireless power transfer device wirelessly transfers power by using inductive coupling to a charging target device placed in the vicinity of a charging pad. The wireless power transfer device includes an amplifier for performing power amplification, a series resonant circuit constituted by a resonant capacitor and a power transfer coil, and a foreign material detection unit for detecting a non-charging device, which is not a charging target, placed in the vicinity of the charging pad. The foreign material detection unit is constituted by a pick-up coil, bandpass filters, detector circuits and a control circuit. The foreign material detection unit detects an IC card which is the non-charging device by a signal component emitted through inductive coupling with the power transfer coil from the device placed in the vicinity of the charging pad when transferring power.

As a wireless power transfer system utilizing resonance in coils, studies have been conducted on wireless power transfer methods, particularly on those having a feature in which a Q factor of the coil is increased such that a transmission distance between a power transfer coil and a power receiving coil is increased while being unaffected by misalignment between the power transfer coil and the power receiving coil.
However, when a charging distance is increased while being unaffected by misalignment, measures to prevent adverse effects caused by surrounding metals and to prevent interferences to other wireless devices become necessary. For this reason, there is a growing demand for improving sensitivity and accuracy of detecting a foreign material in the wireless power transfer device.
A known technique of foreign material detection performed by this type of wireless power transfer device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of detecting a foreign material by utilizing a power supplying means for transmitting a predetermined power to the outside, a first value indicating a reflection of the predetermined power detected when a resonance means for resonating with an external device is in a first state, and a second value indicating a reflection of the predetermined power detected after the first value is detected and when a state of the resonance means is changed from a second state to the first state.


An integrated circuit includes: one or more protected circuits; a license control circuit configured to request, from a license issuer, a license for activating the one or more protected circuits, the license request having a seed value; and a cryptographic circuit configured to verify the authenticity of a license received from the license issuer based on the seed value, wherein the license control circuit is configured to impose a validity limit on the received license, and to request a new license from the license issuer before the validity limit of the received license.

Integrated circuits generally comprise a collection of circuit blocks known in the field as IP (intellectual property) blocks. IP blocks correspond to discrete hardware circuit designs that perform specific functions and may be reused in various different integrated circuits. The IP blocks in a given integrated circuit (IC) are generally licensed to the IC designer by the IP rights holders of the IP blocks.
IP blocks are generally delivered to the IC designer as software, for example in a hardware description language such as RTL (Register Transfer Level), Verilog or VHDL (Very high speed integrated circuit Hardware Description Language). The IP rights holder often grants a license to the IC designer to use their IP block in a limited number of integrated circuits and/or a limited number of projects, or requests a royalty payment for each integrated circuit/project that incorporates the IP block.
For some applications, it would be desirable to provide licensing of IP blocks and/or hardware circuits for limited durations. However, existing solutions tend to be complex, costly and/or not sufficiently secure.

System and method for licensing and for measuring use of an IP block

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE


An electrical connection apparatus includes at least one stackable block operably coupleable to another stackable block, at least one pin receiving portion defined by an inner wall within the stackable block, and at least one electrical connection contact having a C-shaped contact portion with elastic properties disposed within the pin receiving portion and a lead portion disposed at a location exterior to the stackable block. The electrical connection apparatus may further include an adjustment component and an adjustment component receiving portion defined by in inner wall within the stackable block. In addition, sliders may be arranged on the stackable block and may engage with tabs formed on the at least one electrical connection contact. The sliders may be moved to a raised or lowered position in order to move the at least one electrical connection contact between a contact and an insertion position.

Active implantable medical devices often are associated with implantable leads that electrically couple to the implantable device to a power supply or signal generator. One problem in implementing medical leads in an implantable medical device is establishing and maintaining a stable, low noise electrical connection between the components. An electrical connection apparatus may facilitate the electrical coupling required for the implantable device to work in concert with the implantable leads. In addition to providing the electrical connection between devices, electrical connection apparatuses may include sealing components that provide isolation between electrical contact structures. However, some apparatuses for providing an electrical connection may not physically lock the connection in place or may not secure the lead position to an extent desired. For example, some leads may be loosely fitted on or in an electrical connection apparatus, and as a result, forces exerted on the lead such as pulling or twisting forces associated with muscle movement, etc. may cause the lead to loosen, create increased signal noise or completely disconnect from the electrical connection apparatus. Accordingly, there is a need to provide an electrical connection apparatus that securely couples to implantable leads.

Stackable electrical connection apparatus


A defect inspection device includes an image sensor configured to obtain an image of a target region of an object and divide the image of the target region into an array of pixels, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a signal indicating a value of a property of the divided image, select a first pixel in the divided image, determine the value of the property of the first pixel, determine a reference pixel value for the first pixel, compare the reference pixel value to the value of the first pixel to obtain a difference value, and set a threshold difference at which a defect is assessed to be present, based at least in part on the value of the property of second pixels in the divided image adjacent to the first pixel.

In defect inspection of a photomask used in a lithographic process, a value obtained by comparing image data of the photomask to reference data in accordance with a predetermined algorithm is compared to a defect determination threshold determined in each predetermined region in which an evaluation of the photomask is performed. However, in a photomask or the like with a pattern of which a half pitch is less than 20 nm, a gray scale value of an inspection image in the predetermined region may be changed due to a change in an amount of illumination light and a variation of the shape of the pattern of the photomask.

Defect inspection device and defect inspection method


Organometallic compounds comprising a chloroquinoline moiety and uses of the compounds. The compounds are, for example, manganese or rhenium complexes of a ligand comprising a chloroquinoline moiety. The compounds can be used in, for example, methods of inhibiting cell growth.

Chloroquine (CQ, 1) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are known for their antimalarial activities and as inhibitors of autophagy in mammalian cells. However, their roles as anticancer agents are still emerging. Ferroquine (FQ, 2) and structurally-modified ferroquines have also been intensely studied as antimalarials. Ferroquine is mentioned as a possible antitumor agent in two recent papers (Reiter, C. et al. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2014, 75, 403; Chellan, P. et al. Dalton Trans. 2014, 43, 513).

Despite their promise, a recent scientific report has suggested that the ionization constants (pKa) for CQ and HCQ are too high for them to be effective lysosomotropic agents in bulky tumors that create low pH environments in their interiors (Pellegrini, et al. Autophagy 2014 10,1)

Cymanquine compounds and derivatives thereof and uses thereof

University of Vermont and State Agricultural College


A full-stress testable memory device having an open bit line architecture and a method of testing the memory device. The memory device of the invention includes dummy bit lines, and a voltage controller connected to the dummy bit lines. The voltage controller alternately provides a first variable control voltage and a second variable control voltage to the dummy bit lines during a test mode. In accordance with a method of testing the memory device, a fixed voltage is provided to the dummy bit lines of the edge sub-arrays during a normal operation mode. However, during a test mode, the fixed voltage being applied to the dummy bit line is replaced with a supply voltage and/or a ground voltage, so that all of the sub-arrays can be equally tested.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to memory devices, particularly memory devices having an open bit line architecture, and methods of testing memory devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a memory device having an open bit line architecture, sense amplifiers are arranged between sub-arrays. Each of the sense amplifiers is connected to two bit lines, each of which is connected to the memory cells of an adjacent sub-array. However, some of the bit lines located in the sub-arrays at the edges of a memory array are not connected to sense amplifiers (hereinafter referred to as "dummy bit lines"). The dummy bit lines are connected to dummy memory cells.
In a memory device having an open bit line architecture, the bit lines of a sub array are interleaved with each other. One bit line of a sub-array is connected to a sense amplifier on one side of the sub-array, and an adjacent bit line is connected to another sense amplifier on the other side of the sub-array. However, edge sub-arrays have dummy bit lines that are interleaved with normal bit lines. Each of the dummy bit lines is arranged between two bit lines, and each of the normal bit lines is arranged between two dummy bit lines.
In a memory device having a conventional open bit line architecture illustrated in FIG. 1, dummy bit lines DUMMY are always connected to a fixed voltage (typically, VCC/2). A problem arises when a stress test is performed on the sub-arrays of a memory cell.
For example, a test pattern is applied to the memory cell during the test. The test pattern may be set such that it includes random data represented by different voltages such as a supply voltage VCC and a ground voltage VSS. For example, adjacent bit lines BIT and /BIT may be controlled by the supply voltage VCC and the ground voltage VSS, respectively. Writing a test pattern of supply voltage VCC and ground voltage VSS in memory cells during a test is similar to writing data having logic "1" and logic "0" in memory cells during a normal operation. In this manner, bit lines BIT and /BIT connected to a memory cell are controlled by opposite supply and ground voltages VCC and VSS. This stress test is applied to find defects between memory cells or bit lines.
However, in the memory device having a conventional open bit line architecture as illustrated in FIG. 1, dummy bit lines DUMMY are always connected to the voltage VCC/2. The voltage between the normal bit lines 31 of the edge sub-arrays 30 and the dummy bit lines DUMMY can only be controlled by the difference between the voltage VCC and the voltage VCC/2, or the voltage VSS and the voltage VCC/2. This implies that the memory cells or bit lines of the edge sub-arrays 30 undergo only half of the stress that the memory cells or bit lines of non-edge sub-arrays 50 undergo.
As a result, in memory devices having conventional open bit line architectures, the memory cells or the bit lines of the edge sub-arrays 30 are not fully stressed during a test. As a result, defects detectable in non-edge sub-arrays 50 may not be detected in the edge sub-arrays 30.

Full-stress testable memory device having an open bit line architecture and method of testing the same


A spherical slide bearing has an outer ring and an inner ring slidably retained within the outer ring. A pin having a grease supply flow path extending through an interior thereof to open in an outer peripheral surface thereof is inserted into the inner ring so that the pin is circumferentially slidable, with the inner ring being equipped with a communication flow path establishing communication between a gap defined between the inner ring and the pin and a gap defined between the inner ring and the outer ring. The inlet port of the communication flow path is provided at a position where grease having flown out of an outlet port of the grease supply flow path flows after having flown through the gap between the pin and the inner ring substantially through the entire length in the axial direction of the pin.

Conventionally, in construction equipment, a hydraulic cylinder and other structures are connected to a frame or the like through pin connection. When performing pin connection, particularly in large construction equipment, a spherical slide bearing system is used (JP10-141354).
A spherical slide bearing is equipped with an annular outer bearing, and an inner ring that is also formed in an annular configuration and slidably fitted into the outer ring; a pin is inserted into the inner ring, and is fixed to a frame.
In a large spherical slide bearing system as used in construction equipment, sliding is caused between the outer ring and the inner ring so as to allow rotational motion in an arbitrary direction; further, circumferential sliding is also caused between the inner ring and the pin. This is because there is provided a predetermined gap between the inner ring and the pin to thereby facilitate the insertion of the pin into the inner ring and to achieve an improvement in terms of the ease with which the pin, which is a heavy component, is incorporated.
When sliding is to be effected in two gap portions as between the outer ring and the inner ring and between the inner ring and the pin, it is necessary to supply grease to both of the two gap portions. As a grease supply line, a construction is available in which grease is supplied from the outer side of the outer ring as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document; apart from this, depending upon the condition under which the spherical bearing is provided, there is also available a construction in which grease is supplied through the interior of the pin.
In the construction in which grease is supplied through the interior of the pin, grease is first discharged from a grease supply flow path providing communication between the interior of the pin and the outer peripheral surface thereof to supply grease to the gap between the pin and the inner ring, from which grease is further guided for supply to the gap between the inner ring and the outer ring through a communication flow path provided in the inner ring, whereby the two gap portions are filled with grease to effect lubrication between the sliding surfaces.
It should be noted, however, that, in the construction in which grease is supplied through the interior of the pin, the gap between the inner and outer rings is larger than the gap between the pin and the inner ring due to the construction. Thus, while at the early stage of grease supply both gaps are uniformly filled with grease, in the subsequent grease supply for supplementing grease, more grease is supplied to the gap involving less flow path resistance, that is, to the larger gap between the inner and outer rings.
When this state is allowed to continue, the amount of grease supplied to the smaller gap between the pin and the inner ring decreases, so that the lubrication of this portion ceases to be effected in a satisfactory manner, and the sliding surfaces are heated to promote a deterioration in the grease. As a result, deteriorated solid grease can be allowed to enter the communication flow path for guiding grease to the gap between the inner and outer rings; this will cause clogging in the communication flow path, thereby making it impossible to effect grease supply to the gap between the inner and outer rings in a satisfactory manner; thus, the bearing as a whole will be heated to cause seizure, resulting in breakage of the inner ring.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spherical slide bearing system in which it is possible to reliably prevent seizure even in a construction in which grease is supplied through the interior of a pin, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of durability.


A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible features, a first platform, a second platform spaced from the first platform, and a first variable airfoil that extends radially across an annulus between the first platform and the second platform. One of a radial outer portion and a radial inner portion of the variable airfoil includes a rotational shaft and the other of the radial outer portion and the radial inner portion includes a ball and socket joint that rotationally connect the first variable airfoil relative to the first platform and the second platform.

This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a vane assembly for a gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines, such as those which power modern commercial and military aircraft, typically include a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section, which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine loads.
The compressor section and the turbine section of the gas turbine engine typically include alternating rows of rotating blades and stationary vanes. The rotating blades create or extract energy from the airflow that is communicated through the gas turbine engine, and the vanes direct the airflow to a downstream row of blades. The vanes can be manufactured to a fixed flow area that is optimized for a single flight point. It is also possible to alter the flow area between two adjacent vane airfoils by providing a variable airfoil that rotates about a given axis to vary the flow area.


A nesting equipment support pad is disclosed, in particular an outdoor air conditioner compressor pad. The pad comprises a parallelogram upper surface which contacts the compressor and descending side walls from each edge of the parallelogram upper surface. Two side walls include a notch to accommodate a matching notch of another identical support pad when placed in a nesting arrangement. These notched corners are at diagonally opposing corners of each pad permitting the nesting arrangements. Additional, support rib members and protrusions are located within the cavity formed by the four side walls to provide strength and rigidity. These rib members and protrusions are placed in an offset manner to permit the nesting arrangement without interference with the mating pad.

Support pads can be used in a variety of different end uses such as HVAC condensers, heat pumps and so forth. As such equipment is often placed outdoors, it is desirable to keep the equipment off the ground using a support pad. Due to the weight of some of the equipment, such as HVAC condensers, prior art support pads have included solid pads made of a single material, such as concrete, or a shell material having a less dense inner core, such as a cementitious shell and a foam core. The solid pads are heavy while the shell-based pads have the advantage of being lighter. Some equipment pads are made of molded plastic, however, because of the weight of the equipment these plastic molded pads require internal ribs in the hollow area of the pad underneath the top surface. A downside of both the solid pads and the plastic molded pads with internal ribs is that these products are expensive to ship because they are not nestable. That is, they are not stackable. What is needed is an equipment support pad that is both strong enough to hold relatively heavy equipment and is also nestable so that it is less expensive to ship.


A combination switch includes a pressure switch moveable between open and closed positions in response to a working pressure of a fluid; an unloader valve moveable between open and closed positions; and a mechanical interconnection between the pressure switch and the unloader valve operable to move the unloader valve in unison with movement of the pressure switch.

This invention relates generally to air compressors and related fluid handling systems, and more particularly to valves and controls for such systems.
Fluid handling systems such as air compressors typically utilize a mechanically-driven pump, usually of the positive-displacement type. Usually, the pump is connected to a storage tank or manifold. The tank stores a working volume of air, which serves as a buffer so that the pump does not have to operate continuously. Instead, the pump is run only until the tank is charged to a desired pressure, and then shut off until the pressure is depleted below a usable level. The pump cycling is controlled by a pressure-sensitive switch. Such systems usually also include a "unloader" valve which is effective to vent the pressure on the pump head when the pump is not running. This feature greatly reduces the effort required to restart the pump for a subsequent cycle. Prior art systems typically utilize the unloader valve and pressure switch as separate components, which increases complexity and cost.


This document provides novel drills and/or reamers that are well-suited for making holes in a variety of materials including, but not limited to, metals, ceramics, glass, wood, plasterboard, plastics, stone, composites, synthetics, silicon or multi-layered or hybridized substrates. In some embodiments, these drilling devices have some centers of mass that are offset from the axis of rotation. Accordingly, such drills and/or reamers may rotate and cut using a precessional pattern of motion. Precessional cutting devices may display a mechanical wave pattern in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the device. If the cutting device is fabricated from a flexible material, for example Nickel-Titanium, bodily deflection of the device may result during rotation.

1. Technical Field
This document relates to drills and/or reamers and methods for their use. For example, this document relates to novel drills and/or reamers that are well-suited for making holes in a variety of materials including, but not limited to, metals, ceramics, glass, wood, plasterboard, plastics, stone, composites, synthetics, silicon or multi-layered or hybridized substrates. In some embodiments, these drilling devices have some centers of mass that are offset from the axis of rotation. Accordingly, these drills and/or reamers may rotate and cut using a precessional pattern of motion. Precessional cutting devices will display a mechanical wave pattern in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the device. If the cutting device is fabricated from a flexible material, for example Nickel-Titanium, bodily deflection of the device may result during rotation.
2. Background Information
Industrial drills and/or reamers are cutting tools used to create cylindrical or tapered holes. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a typical conventional drill or bit 204 is provided. Such a conventional drill 204 usually cuts with a circular cross-sectional profile defined by rotation of cutting edges 220 and 240. Conventional drill 204 includes a shank 203, a working body 201, and a sharp cutting tip with lips 202 that is usually conical in shape. The tip engages the work surface via sufficient axial torque to create a hole. The tip is confluent with the working body 201 of the drill 204. The working body 201 includes one or more helical flutes 230 and 250 that revolve around the central axis of the drill 204. The flutes 230 and 250 also define the leading or cutting edges 220 and 240 respectively, which are followed by margins 221 and 241 and/or the radial lands 223 and 243. In some examples, the radial lands 223 and 243 include body diameter clearance areas 225 and 245 and heels 224 and 244 respectively. The clearance areas or angles and flutes accommodate the cut chips and hauls the debris via the Archimedes principle or screw action. The flutes 230 and 250 are bridged by a metal core called the web 211.
The most common drill used in industry is known as a twist drill. Twist drill designs were described as early as Hartshorn (1882), and modified by Hanson (1904), Kallio (1960), Kim (1980) and others, and are substantially, but not exclusively, end cutting drills.
Still referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the degree of twist of the helical flutes 230 and 250 affects the drill's 204 cutting and chip-removal properties, and is referred to as the helical angle 206, which is a measurement of the number of degrees from a perpendicular to the central axis of the drill 204. The radial lands 223 and 243, which are portions of the drill body that are not cut away by the flutes 230 and 250, create friction as the lands 223 and 243 rub against the sides of the hole. A completely cylindrical twist drill encounters greater and greater friction and axial resistance as the device advances, which can cause premature wear and often damages the drill and/or work piece. One objective of a drill design may be to improve penetration rates, which improves drill productivity. Thus, to mitigate this friction and resistance, many modern designs feature a small degree of back taper 205. Although back taper 205 is useful and a standard feature is many drill designs, back taper 205 does not completely solve the aforementioned problems of friction and axial resistance.
An additional set of problems arise from "self-excited" or "regenerative" vibrations in hole making. One form of these vibrations is known as chatter, which results from torsional-axial coupling, and is an inherent feature of many twist drills. As the drill turns or cuts, a torsional load is placed on the cutting edges causing the drill to unwind or unravel. As the drill unwinds, its axial length is increasing. This extension, however, is resisted by the downward thrust of the drill and by the drill's own torsional inertia or stiffness. Thus, a back and forth axially flexure occurs, and often manifests an irregular or wavy surface at the base of the cut (e.g., see FIG. 2). As the drill continues to rotate, it collides with these waves, and the waviness and oscillation both grow more severe. Each drill and spindle can produce a resonance or frequency that is characteristic of that system. The operator often describes this resonance as a pecking or jack-hammer effect, which creates premature tool wear, and can fracture the tool and/or damage the work piece and the machine components.
Some of the suggestions to mitigate the effects of high frequency chatter that have been offered include: 1) increased web thicknesses; 2) decreased lip relief at the tip; 3) increased feed rates; and 4) decreased helix angles. If the web is thicker, the tool will be stiffer and should chatter less. A drill with a wider lip may rub more against the bottom of the hole creating more friction, further reducing chatter. Increasing the penetration rate relative to the rpms may necessarily induce more rubbing and more friction, which may further stabilize the device. A narrower or flatter helical angle may create a greater mass axis and the drill may be stiffer and less likely to unwind. While all of these suggestions may mitigate chatter to some extent, they may simultaneously serve to reduce the cutting efficiency of the drill and/or reamer and the cutting system itself.
Another form of regenerative vibration in hole making is a lower frequency vibration that produces holes that are asymmetrical or out-of-round. While high frequency vibrations are producing chatter, this low frequency vibration is encountered as the drill sways back and forth much like a pendulum and begins to trace out a cone-shaped volume. As the cut continues, this low-frequency vibration also creates waves which amplify the severity of the vibration and a lobulated form in the hole making process emerges. A two fluted twist drill will often produce a hole that has three lobes (e.g., see FIG. 3), but larger numbers of lobes are possible. Interestingly, the positions of the lobes rotate as the depth increases. Although the center of any one lobe may correspond to the drill size, the resultant lobulated space does not, making assembly using fasteners corresponding to the size of the drill less effective.
Some of the suggestions to mitigate the effects of low frequency vibration that have been offered include: 1) increased stiffness of the drill by increasing the thickness of the web or lowering the helical angle of the flutes; 2) increased numbers of flutes; and 3) increased contact of the margin of the radial land. Adding additional cutting points may improve the orientation of the body of the drill and provide better opportunity for roundness. In some cases, increasing the width of the margin or increasing the number of margins on the tool itself or both may be helpful. There are twists drill available, with two and three lands per flute, all of which serve to dampen the effect of the vibration in the same way that reducing lip relief dampens chatter. Again, while all of these suggestions may serve to mitigate low frequency vibrations, they may simultaneously serve to reduce the cutting efficiency of the drill and/or reamer and the cutting system itself.
The web of a standard twist drill approaches 20% of the diameter of the drill itself. An increase in the web thickness of up to 40% of the drill diameter has been recommended to eliminate high frequency vibrations (chatter) and low frequency vibrations (sway). Unfortunately, an increase in web thickness from 20% to 40% will require four times more axial force to operate the drill. A precessional cutting device such as the one described herein, will require less web thickness (inherent to the design and manifest in the performance) and thereby reducing the axial force required for drill penetration improving overall efficiency and productivity of the system.
A further consideration is the configuration of the chisel tip in wide web drills. The chisel tip is the edge of the drill's end across the web that connects the cutting lips. The formation of a chip at the chisels edge is dependent on the rake angle. The smaller the rake angle the more efficient the cutting tip can be. Chip formation can still occur with a rake angle up to 40 degrees. Unfortunately, drills with wide webs (between 20-40% of the diameter of the drill) have the highest rake angle and are the least efficient. Attempts to thin the webs at the tip can only lead to premature drill wear and safety risks, and can create asymmetry in hole roundness. Another advantage of better chip formation is heat dissipation. A larger chip will absorb more heat, carrying it away from the drill and the substrate itself. Thus, within practical limits, maintaining the narrowest web possible should be the focus of any innovative drill design.
Fredrick Taylor described machine tool vibrations in 1907. However, most of the suggestions offered for mitigating machine tool vibrations have only come in the last few decades.
In attempt to resolve the problems relating to regenerative vibrations or chatter and hole asymmetry Freidli, Petigant, and Salomon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,603 issued Apr. 3, 1990) proposed a modification to the traditional twist design by spacing the flutes unequally around a dual web. Krieg, Gey, and George (U.S. Pat. No. 8,734,068 issued May 27, 2014) proposed a similar concept whereby the flutes were spaced unequally and whereby the web was asymmetrical.
In an effort to improve the roundness and quality of holes drilled in fiber-reinforced composites (e.g., stacked substrates), a number of inventors have described a system of cutting, collectively referred to as orbital drilling or cutting. For example, Eriksson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,252 issued Jun. 24, 1997) proposed a system whereby the body of the drill, which is rotating axially, is directed eccentrically circumscribing or outlining a round space. Although he does not specify the mechanism used in directing the drill eccentrically, it is accomplished with a drill that is substantially smaller than the hole itself. Tangquist, Lennart, and Backman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,674 issued Nov. 11, 1997) and Zackrisson, Eriksson, Jonsson, Wolf, and Roswall (U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,211 issued Aug. 10, 2004) proposed similar systems. These inventors disclosed a machine that purportedly accomplishes these objectives, and that is useful for cutting fiber-reinforced composites and metal. Again, such systems relied on a rotary drill whereby the body of the drill is displaced at a significant distance from the central axis of the hole in the work piece cutting orthogonally.
In another effort to improve roundness, Shiga, Matsushita, Fukui, Yamashita, Shimizu (U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,208 issued May 17, 1994) proposed a device called a burnishing drill or reamer, which displayed more than one diameter. A first pair of cutting edges about the first diameter extend radially outward from the foremost end of the drill, inclining axially in the rearward direction with a first cutting angle and a second pair of cutting edges about the second diameter. Its maximum external diameter is larger than the external diameter of the first cutting edges, also extending radially outward from the foremost end of the drill and inclines axially in the rearward direction with a second cutting angle. This would best be described as a combination drill and reamer.
Halley, Luner, Young, and Bayly (U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,090 issued Apr. 30, 2002) described a force balanced irregular pitch reamer that is purportedly well-suited for precision operations requiring small tolerances and wherein precision in roundness of the drilled space is required. More specifically, a reamer is described having a plurality of cutting teeth that extend outwardly at non-uniform intervals around the body portion of the drill or reamer. Each tooth generates a distinct cutting force vector. The summation of these vectors purportedly produces a balanced reamer and provides a finished hole with improved roundness. Reamers, however, are usually used in conjunction with a pilot hole and would, and therefore require a second step.
Davancens and Whinnem (U.S. Pat. No. 8,714,890 issued May 6, 2014) proposed a drill with at least two cutting flutes. The first radial distance is different from the second radial distance as measured within a first plane normal to the central axis. The length of the first cutting edge is longer than the length of the second cutting edge such that during orbital drilling the first cutting edge removes a majority of the material being machined. The first cutting edge is made of polycrystalline diamond, and the second cutting edge is made of cubic boron nitride. This method was also devised to facilitate drilling hybridized or stacked material (i.e., layers of discontinuous materials, for example, carbon fiber composite, and titanium and/or aluminum, and/or steel).
Further examples of the prior art are provided by the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,821; U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,386; U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,050; U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,264; U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,121; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,645; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,456; U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,011; U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,208; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,674.


This invention relate to a retaining arrangement for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery which features blade roots slots on a rotor disk for the accommodation and radial fixation of roter blades and which further features a continues, circumferential retaining ring for the axial fixation of the rotor blades in the blade root slots and a locking arrangement for the axial retention of the retaining ring. The retaining arrangement is characterized in that the retaining ring has recesses which correspond with sections of the blade root slots and projecting sections on its outer circumference. The present invention provides a cost-effective retaining arrangements for blade of axial-flow turbomachinery which provides for better control of the leakage flows in the blade root area, generally improved flow conditions in the inter-stage area, lower centrifugal forces and ease of assembly. The separation of the retaining function from the sealing function according to the present invention provide for a considerable saving in mass

This invention relates to a retaining arrangement for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery according to the generic part of claim 1.
Various retaining mechanisms for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery are known in the prior art. Generally, the rotor blades of a turbine stage are fixed in slots provided for this purpose on the circumference of a rotor disk. In these designs, the blade roots are drop-shaped or of the dovetail-type to enable the individual blades to be easily fitted axially into corresponding slots on the circumference of the rotor disk. The blade roots are tapered to retain the individual blades in the rotor disk in the radial direction. To prevent the rotor blades from being displaced in the axial direction, set screws are used, for example, to secure them in their location. In other retaining mechanisms, clamping pins are provided to produce a corresponding fixation in the axial direction.
A further retaining arrangement for rotor blades known in the prior art features slots with firtree-shaped serrations on the circumference of a rotor disk. Into these slots, the corresponding blade roots, which also feature a firtree-shaped serration, are fitted in the axial direction. This fixation arrangement is slightly conical in the axial direction so that the blade can fitted or removed in one direction only. To prevent the blade from unintentionally getting loose and detached from the blade root location, the blade root according to this state of the art is secured in its position by locating plates.
Such locating plates are taught in Specification EP 0761930 A1, for example. These locating plates are costly in terms of manufacture and require special tooling for assembly. The high mass of the locating plates entails high centrifugal forces.
In order to improve the flow conditions between the individual blade stages, Specification U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,628 proposes a continuous, circumferential locating and sealing ring which features projections on its inner circumference, these projections engaging corresponding jaws on the rotor disk. This locating and sealing ring covers the entire blade root height and has a labyrinth-type seal on its outer circumference. Furthermore, the locating and sealing ring described in said Specification and the blade roots must be positioned precisely relative to each other in the axial direction to enable the circumferential contact seal provided on the locating and sealing to become effective.
A similar locating and sealing ring 90 according to the state of the art is shown in FIG. 9. In the design according to this state of the art, assembly and fixation is accomplished similar to a bayonet lock. Since the locating and sealing ring used in this arrangement also serves as a seal against leakage flow between the rotor 93 and the blades 94, it virtually covers the entire blade root 91 and, due to the circumferential contact seal 92, must be manufactured and assembled with high accuracy. Furthermore, this locating and sealing ring 90 features a labyrinth-type seal 95 on its outer circumference.
The two latter locating and sealing arrangements entail the disadvantage that they are very expensive in terms of the exacting manufacturing and assembly tolerances. The high mass entailed by these arrangements compromises the achievable rotational speed and life, respectively.
Specification EP 0463955 B1 teaches an embodiment providing a circumferential retaining ring for rotor blading, this circumferential retaining ring covering the major part of the blade root. However, neither the design nor the method of functioning is further described for this state of the art.
In a broad aspect, the present invention provides a retaining arrangement for rotor blades of turbomachinery which avoids the disadvantages of the state of the art. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cost-effective retaining arrangement which provides for better control of the leakage flow in the blade root area, generally improved flow conditions in the inter-stage area, smaller centrifugal forces and ease of assembly.
It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a retaining arrangement according to the features expressed in claim 1. Further advantageous aspects of the present invention are cited in the subclaims.
The retaining arrangement for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery with the features of claim 1 according the present invention provides for cost effectiveness, improved control of leakage flow in the blade root area, generally improved flow conditions in the inter-stage area, lower centrifugal forces and ease of assembly. Since the locating function which is provided by the retaining ring according to the present invention is separated from the sealing function which, by way of the retaining ring according to the present invention, is provided via corresponding sealing faces between blade and rotor disk, a substantial saving in mass is achieved. In addition, the omission of contact or labyrinth-type seals permits larger manufacturing and assembly tolerances. In this design, the retaing function is provided by projecting sections on the outer circumference of the retaining ring, these projecting sections acting together with corresponding blade root sections. The following direction indications assume the rotor disk to be the reference system.
In alternative developments of the present invention, the projecting sections provided on the outer circumference of the retaining ring may be designed either according to claim 2 or according to claim 4. The design of the projecting sections governs the design of the corresponding blade root sections according to claim 3 or according to claim 5. Other than in the embodiments of claim 2 and 3, the projecting section provided on the outer circumference of the retaining ring according to the embodiment of claim 4 and 5 is fitted sidewards into a corresponding location on the blade root. Since the retaining ring can easily be fitted with conventional assembly tooling, the present invention dispenses with the expenditure for special tooling.
In a beneficial embodiment of the present invention with the features of claim 6, a locking arragnement which functions similar to a bayonet-type lock is provided for the retaining ring.
The embodiment of the present invention according to claim 7 is particularly advantageous. This embodiment provides for a considerable saving in mass which reduces both the manufacturing costs and the centrifugal forces and enables higher rotational speeds to be achieved. In addition, the reduced coverage of the blade root enables flow ducts to be provided in the blade root area which, by passing through the blade root area, improve the flow and cooling conditions between the rotor stages.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention with the features of claim 8, a locking block may be provided, for example, which is fitted between two hooks of the locking arrangement. The locking block may be secured against unintentional detachment by way of lockwires, for example. For redundancy reasons, several locks of this type are normally provided on a rotor stage.
The design of the blade/disk sealing surface according to claim 9 dispenses with additional seals on the retaining ring according to the present invention. The manufacture of the sealing faces at the bottom of the blade platform and the rotor lobes does not require additional operations since it can be accomplished in the course of re-machining of the respective parts. Inaccuracies in the axial positioning of the blades do not adversely affect the sealing performance in this embodiment.
The design of the blade root slot in accordance with the features of claim 10 is particularly advantageous. In particular, a serration of the firtree type which tapers in the axial direction is favorable. Moreover, the retaining arrangement here described is suitable for both compressor and turbine stages. Its application in a turbine stage is, however, particularly advantageous.

Retaining arrangement for rotor blades of axial-flow turbomachinery