The invention relates to an adjustment device for a valve pin on an injection molding machine, and particularly on a multi-cavity machine, having a plurality of valve pins mounted on a common yoke plate which is actuated by a common actuator. The adjustment device includes a pin holder for holding the valve pin, and a locking member. The pin holder has two threaded portions. The first threaded portion is adjustable within a threaded receiving hole in the yoke plate. The second threaded portion is received by the locking member. The locking member has a bottom shoulder which butts against the yoke plate, and retains the pin holder in place.

Valve pins are well known in the art for use in controlling the flow of a molten material (melt) in an injection molding hot runner mold towards a mold cavity through a mold gate into a mold cavity. The valve pins are often controlled by an actuator, which advances or retracts the valve pin, either to vary the flow to a mold cavity or to open or close the mold gate.
In a multi-cavity mold, a plurality of valve pins are, in some instances, controlled using a common actuator, which advances and retracts the valve pins simultaneously. Due to differences in the molding conditions and machining tolerances at each mold cavity, however, it can occur that a valve pin for a particular cavity requires an adjustment so that it will properly seat in the mold gate to prevent plastic from leaking when the valve pin is moved to shut off the flow from the melt channel leading from the nozzle into the mold cavity. The ability to adjust the valve pin position for each individual nozzle is particularly useful when the pins are commonly actuated. To adjust a valve pin, an operator is typically required to remove the valve pin assembly, machine the valve pin to adjust the length, and re-insert the valve pin assembly into the machine. If the pin is the incorrect length, the procedure must be repeated again. This procedure is cumbersome, time consuming, and results in lost production time for the manufacturer.
Alternatively, the operator can insert one or more spacers to adjust the position or the length of the valve pin. While inserting spacers is easier than machining the valve pin, it is inaccurate, in that the fineness of the adjustment is limited to the thinness of the spacer.
There is a need for a device and method that permits fast, and accurate adjustment of valve pins.


A cleaning system (1, 5) having multiple cleaning chambers (200) is provided. Each cleaning chamber (200) includes an interior region sufficient for immersing a carrier (242), which has at least one wafer disposed therein, into an ultra-clean liquid. The cleaning chamber (200) also has an inlet operably coupled to the interior region to introduce a gas into the interior region and a drain operably coupled to the interior region to remove the ultra-clean liquid from the interior region at a selected rate. A controller 14 is operably coupled to the chamber (200) for selectively controlling the selected rate. In an alternative embodiment, an installation technique (80) for the above cleaning system (1,5) is provided.

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor integrated circuits. The invention is illustrated in an example with regard to a semiconductor integrated circuit cleaning technique using a multi-tank cleaning apparatus, but it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability. Merely by way of example, the invention can also be applied to the manufacture of raw wafers, lead frames, medical devices, disks and heads, flat panel displays, microelectronic masks, and other applications requiring high purity wet processing such as steps of rinsing, cleaning, drying, and the like.
In the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits, the efficient use of the fabrication facility is important. In particular, fabrication facilities are a limited resource, which can cost hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars to build. Once the fabrication facility is built, it is often difficult to upgrade such facility for the purpose of adding more floor space or the like. Most commonly, another fabrication facility is built in order to add floor space for additional capacity or an additional process. The process of building these fabrication facilities is often time consuming, difficult, and costly.
Additionally, as devices become more complicated, equipment used for the manufacture of these devices also becomes further complicated. Typically, equipment used in the fabrication of wafers becomes more expensive with each new generation. In addition, as the complexity of this equipment increases, so does its size. This larger sized equipment often occupies a larger footprint on the fabrication floor facility, which is an expensive and a limited resource. The use of larger equipment increases the cost of using such equipment further.
Furthermore, as these devices become more complicated, wafers generally become larger. These larger wafers must use larger wafer boats. The larger wafer boats can often only be used in larger processing equipment. Larger processing equipment occupies a greater floor space in the fabrication facility. The larger sized equipment requires a larger facility, which further adds to the total cost of manufacturing an integrated circuit.
Semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication equipment which generally increased in size with each successive generation includes many commonly used rinsing and drying systems. In particular, a conventional spin rinse/dryer increased in size to accommodate larger wafers. That is, six inch wafers generally do not fit inside the chamber of a spin rinse/dryer apparatus designed for four inch wafers or the like.
In conventional existing fabrication facilities, the spin/rinse dryer must often be replaced frequently to maintain low particle counts and low equipment failure rates. In particular, the spin rinse/dryer has an extremely complex mechanical design with numerous moving parts. The complex mechanical design often leads to certain problems such as greater downtime, wafer breakage, more spare parts, greater costs, among others. A further limitation is static electricity often builds up on the wafers during the spin cycle, thereby attracting numerous particles onto the surface of the semiconductor.
Some tens of thousands spin/rinse dryers are being used in the conventional fabrication facilities world-wide. Most of these spin/rinse dryers should be replaced in the next few years. These spin/rinse dryers, however, generally occupy a relatively smaller footprint than other types of drying systems. This means that spin/rinse dryers are generally replaced by another conventional spin/rinse dryer, which would probably need replacement within a few years after being introduced into the fabrication facility. There are simply no good alternatives to replace these spin/rinse dryers. Accordingly, a variety of potential problems occur, even after introducing a new spin/rinse dryer, which still has a variety of limitations. U.S. application Ser. No. 08/555,634 describes many of these limitations.
Other techniques used to dry wafers include an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor dryer, full displacement IPA dryer, and others. These IPA-type dryers often rely upon a large quantity of a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol and other volatile organic liquids to facilitate drying of the semiconductor wafer. An example of such a technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,761, and its related applications, in the name of McConnell et al. and assigned to CFM Technologies, Inc. McConnell et al. generally describes the use of a superheated or saturated drying vapor as a drying fluid. This superheated or saturated drying vapor often requires the use of large quantities of a hot volatile organic material. The superheated or saturated drying vapor forms a thick organic vapor layer overlying the rinse water to displace (e.g., plug flow) such rinse water with the drying vapor. The thick organic vapor layer forms an azeotropic mixture with water, which will condense on wafer surfaces, and then evaporates to dry the wafer.
A limitation with this type of dryer is its use of the large solvent quantity, which is hot, highly flammable, and extremely hazardous to health and the environment. In fact, this dryer needs a "small chemical plant" including a vaporizer and a condenser to handle the large quantities of hot volatile organic material. This dryer including its small chemical plant is often massive in size and requires a large floor space in the fabrication facility. As wafer size increases, so does the size of the IPA dryer, which occupies even a larger floor space for handling larger wafers. Though not used as commonly as spin/rinse dryers, the IPA dryers cannot be used to replace the spin/rinse dryers due to their massive size. That is, an IPA dryer cannot be placed on the same floor space that was previously occupied by a conventional spin/rinse dryer.
Still other techniques such as the quick-dump, the cascade rinse, the hot deionized (DI) water process and the like also suffer from similar limitations. In addition, these techniques generally rely upon tanks, which are increased in size to hold larger wafers. These larger tanks often include more processing fluids, which must be replenished repeatedly. Larger tanks also occupy a larger floor space in the fabrication facility. These techniques also require separate rinse and drying stations, which occupy even more floor space. Additional limitations of these techniques are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,784, noted above.
A pioneering approach that was developed to effectively clean and dry semiconductor wafers is a motionless drying technique using ultra-clean fluids described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,377 in the names of Mohindra, et al. and assigned to the present assignee, YieldUP International. This technique generally cleans and dries semiconductor wafers using ultra-clean fluids in an apparatus which allows the wafer to be substantially motionless during processing. It would be desirable, however, to provide this technique using a smaller footprint and higher capacity for processing large runs of integrated circuits and the like.
From the above, it is seen that a cleaning method and apparatus for semiconductor integrated circuits that is safe, easy, reliable, and occupies a relatively small footprint is often desired.

Method and apparatus for cleaning wafers using multiple tanks


An electronic combination lock of the self-powered type, wherein the electrical energy for operation of the lock is developed within the lock itself, has a solenoid which magnetically seals in the activated position, thus preserving the "open" condition of the lock until such time as the operator may withdraw the bolt. Significantly, there is no requirement for continued electrical power to hold the solenoid and the latching mechanism in a condition for lock opening.

Electronic combination locks have been known for many years. Recently, self-powered electronic combination locks have become well-known throughout the security industry in the form of the X-07 Electronic Combination Lock, the Cencon Lock and the Auditcon Lock, all sold by Mas-Hamilton Group of Lexington, Ky. All of these locks are self-powered electronic combination locks having a generator contained within the lock and manually operated by the operator at the time of lock opening in order to provide power to the electronic controls of the lock. The use of the manually powered mechanical drive to rotate a portion of the stepper motor which functions as a generator to produce the necessary power for the electrical operation of the lock eliminates the need for electrical power supply wiring from outside the lock or the use of a battery and the concomitant problems associated with batteries, such as aging, discharge and/or corrosion.
The stepper motor/generator of the electronic combination locks are capable of producing open circuit voltages well in excess of approximately sixteen volts during manual rotation, sufficient to charge capacitors to a level adequate to power the lock.
Due to size and space constraints within an electronic lock, the capacitor typically used with the X-07, Cencon and Auditcon Locks lacks the storage capacity to power the electronic control and provide the electrical current and power to operate a solenoid which may be used to control the mechanical chain of parts to drive the bolt from the extended position to a retracted, unlocked position.
Without an external or battery power source, a typical solenoid consumes too much power to pick and hold for the device to be practical in very low-level powered devices. The relatively large power consumption of a solenoid has dictated that electronic locks use either an alternative low-power consumption device such as a pulsed stepper motor, which has stable states as in the above Mas-Hamilton locks, or a battery or utility power supply connection in order to provide adequate power for a solenoid controlled device. The power source must maintain sufficient electrical power to operate the electrical controls of the lock pick and hold the solenoid or other device such as the stepper motor until the lock is unlocked and the bolt control activated to permit the retraction of the bolt.
Examples of solenoid controlled locks include U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,656 issued to Gartner, et.al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,851 issued to Wayne F. Larson. The Gartner, et.al. lock is not disclosed as self-powered and, accordingly, a power supply such as a utility power source or a battery typically would be required to ensure operation of the lock, and the Larson lock is battery powered.
Solenoids have a characteristic of magnetically sealing the armature in an actuated position as a result of the coercitivity of the solenoid core and the residual magnetism in the body of the solenoid. This magnetic sealing and holding is normally addressed as an undesirable characteristic by the inclusion of a non-magnetic spacer between the solenoid body and the armature plate of the solenoid. The non-magnetic spacer prevents the armature plate from being pulled close enough to the solenoid body to be retained by the residual magnetic field of the core and solenoid.
If the spacer is removed and the sealing of the armature to the solenoid body permitted, the pulse solenoid will pick and hold until the magnetic seal is released by physical force exerted on the solenoid armature.
This magnetic sealing may be advantageously used in the right circumstances to permit the use of a much shorter and smaller pulse of energy by the solenoid in order to derive the desired mechanical displacement and mechanical action necessary to the operation of the lock.

Solenoid controlled bolt control for an electronic lock


A power shifter control system for transmitting shifting operation of a change lever (1) via shift cable (5) to a power shifter (2), which incudes a motor (3) for amplifying the transmitted shifting operation force and providing amplified shifting operation force to a transmission. The power shifter control system comprises a displacement sensor (6) for detecting displacement of the power shifter (2), and a controller (4) for controlling the driving of the motor (3) according to an output signal provided from the displacement sensor (6). The controller (4) includes a shifting speed detector (41) for calculating shifting speed according to an output signal provided from the displacement sensor (6), and a motor drive characteristic computer (42) for controlling the shifting force to be constant by increasing the rate of increase of driving force of the motor (3) with increasing shifting speed calculated in the shifting speed calculator (41). Shifting force can always be held constant irrespective of changes in the speed of the shifting operation of the change lever (1). A shift operation controller (46) prevents erroneous shifting operation. A shift suitability controller (53) is provided for interrupting power supply to a motor within a predetermined period of time after the end of shifting operation.

This invention relates to power shifter controllers for controlling the operation of power shifters, which are used for transmission of cars or like vehicles for amplifying shifting action from change levers and transmitting the amplified shifting action to the transmission.
A car or like vehicle uses a power shifter having shift operation system, which provides shifting action coupled from a change lever (or a shift lever) via a shift cable to the power shifter, whereat amplifies said shift operation force with drive force of an electric motor and transmits the amplified shifting action force to a transmission.
FIG. 9 shows the relation between synchro load L on the transmission and synchro time t thereof in the operation of such a power shifter. As shown in the curve, in this power shifter the synchro load L varies with synchro time t in inverse proportion to the synchro time t. With reduction of the synchro time t, the power shifter performs faster shifting, and the synchro load L is increased. In the converse case, the synchro load is reduced.
The above power shifter, however, is required to always ensure shifting action with a constant shifting force under the above transmission characteristic. Hitherto, however, no technique which can perfectly meet such demand has been proposed.
In addition, the above prior art power shifter is subject to a commonly termed over-run phenomenon, i.e., a phenomenon that the rotational rate of the engine is increased beyond a permissible rotational rate range when a shifting action from a high to a low speed change stage is caused.
The above prior art power shifter has a further problem that a sensor may remain operative even after shifting action caused by change lever has been over. In such a case, unnecessary power is supplied to the electric motor, resulting in wasteful power consumption and possible damages to motor and drive components.


A motorcycle stand apparatus includes a base frame assembly which includes two longitudinal frame members and a transverse frame member connected between the two longitudinal frame members. A first leg assembly is provided, and a pair of first leg bottom pivots are connected between a bottom end of the first leg assembly and the two longitudinal frame members. A second leg assembly has a top end and a bottom end, and a pair of second leg bottom pivots are connected between the bottom end of the second leg assembly and the two longitudinal frame members. A lift platform has a first platform side and a second platform side. A pair of first leg top pivots are connected between the top end of the first leg assembly and the first platform side and the second platform side. A pair of second leg top pivots are connected between the top end of the second leg assembly and the first platform side and the second platform side. Pull cables are connected between a push plate assembly and the first leg assembly. Lift platform stops are located on either the first leg assembly or the second leg assembly for stopping vertical descending motion of the lift platform in a direction towards the push plate assembly. In use, a motorcycle is rolled against the push plate assembly, and the momentum of the rolling motorcycle is used to lift the lift platform and a portion of the motorcycle off of the ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for aiding in the repair and maintenance of motorcycles and, more particularly, to stands especially adapted for elevating and supporting a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To repair and carry out maintenance procedures on a motorcycle, it is often desirable to lift the rear wheel of the motorcycle off of the ground. Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to lifting devices which can be used with motorcycles, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: 1,958,292, 3,306,579, 4,534,544, 4,632,627, and 5,518,224. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 1,958,292 discloses a lifting device that employs hydraulic cylinders and ratchets for locking portions of the lifting device in an elevated position. For purposes of simplicity and economy, it would be desirable if a lifting device for a motorcycle could be provided that does not employ hydraulic cylinders and locking ratchets.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,579 discloses a hoisting device that employs a parallelogram lifting structure. The parallelogram lifting structure is a strong and efficient lifting structure, and the structure is operated by a handle. In addition, locking ratchets are employed to keep the parallelogram lifting structure in an elevated position once it is lifted. Since a load, such as a motorcycle, often needs to be moved and balanced with a person's hands, it would be desirable if a motorcycle lifting device could be operated in a hands-free manner so that the person's hands can remain on the motorcycle even as the lifting device is being employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,544 relates to a lifting device employing rollers that roll along the ground as a device is lifted by the lifting device. Sometimes a motorcycle needs to be lifted on relatively soft ground. In such a case, it is conceivable that rollers would dig into the ground and may impede a lifting action. In this respect, it would be desirable if a motorcycle lifting device does not have ground-engaging rollers that contact the ground as the motorcycle is being lifted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,627 relates to a lifting device that employs a hand-cranked winch for lifting a load. As mentioned above, it would be desirable if a motorcycle lifting device could be operated in a hands-free manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,224 discloses a motorcycle lift stand which employs a parallelogram lifting structure that is operated by a foot-operated lever. In using such a device, a person must hold the motorcycle in proper position over the lift stand and, at the same time, balance one's self on one foot as the other foot is used for cranking the foot-operated lever. Some persons may have difficultly in maintaining their balance while holding onto the motorcycle and while operating the foot-operated pedal. In this respect, it would be desirable if a motorcycle lifting device were provided that permits a motorcycle to be lifted without using a foot-operated lever.
Still other features would be desirable in a motorcycle stand apparatus. For example, when the motorcycle stand apparatus is not being used, it would be desirable if the apparatus could be folded into a relatively flat arrangement for storage. When a motorcycle is rolled along the ground, the motorcycle has an amount of momentum. In this respect, it would be desirable if the momentum of a rolling motorcycle could be used for lifting a portion of the motorcycle off of the ground.
Once a motorcycle is in an elevated position above the ground on a stand, the weight of the motorcycle under the influence of gravity is an inherent force that is present on the stand. In this respect, it would be desirable if the inherent weight of the motorcycle on the stand could be used in locking the motorcycle in the elevated position on the stand.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use motorcycle lifting devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a motorcycle stand apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not employ hydraulic cylinders and locking ratchets; (2) can be operated in a hands-free manner so that the person's hands can remain on the motorcycle even as the lifting device is being employed; (3) does not have ground-engaging rollers that contact the ground as the motorcycle is being lifted; (4) permits a motorcycle to be lifted without using a foot-operated lever; (5) can be folded into a relatively flat arrangement for storage; (6) employs momentum of a rolling motorcycle for lifting a portion of the motorcycle off of the ground; and (7) employs the inherent weight of the motorcycle on the stand for locking the motorcycle in the elevated position on the stand. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique motorcycle stand apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.


A system and method for tracking the movement of a recording device to form a composite image is provided. The system has a user device with a sensor array capturing motion data and velocity vector data of the recording device when the recording device is in motion, an attachment member for coupling the user device to the motion capturing device, and a server with program modules. The program modules described are a calibration module for calibrating a position of the user device relative to a position of a lens of the recording device, a recorder module for receiving the motion data and velocity vector data from the sensor array; and a conversion module for combining the position of the user device relative to the lens of the recording device, and the motion data and velocity vector data and transforming the data into a file that is usable by a compositing suite, a three-dimensional application, or both.

In visual effects (VFX), match moving (or camera solving as it is sometimes referred to) is a technique that allows the insertion of computer graphics or three-dimensional (3D) data into live-action footage with correct position, scale, orientation, and motion relative to the photographed or filmed objects in the shot. Generally, to accomplish these goals, shots recorded in principle photography are processed by image analysis software to composite images. The software identifies and compares patterns frame by frame, and by identifying the changes in these patterns, the software can triangulate the camera's position and rotation over time as well as approximating the lens profile used during principle photography. There are two principal elements in match moving: (1) Tracking and (2) Calibration.
One such type of tracking that is being relied upon more and more is real-time tracking. Real-time tracking involves 3D tracking of cameras themselves. To achieve this; a number of components from hardware to software need to be combined. Software collects all of the six degrees of freedom movement of the camera as well as metadata such as zoom, focus, iris and shutter elements from many different types of hardware devices, ranging from motion capture systems such as active LED marker based system, passive systems, to rotary encoders fitted to camera cranes and dollies or inertia gyroscopic sensors mounted directly to the camera, the sensor then being hooked in to the hardware and software components.
These tracking systems are extremely cost prohibitive and require a cumbersome amount of hardware to accomplish. The cost of these systems may range from $5,000 to $500,000 and usually requires a dedicated computing system. These systems also require extensive knowledge, where some productions are forced to hire costly contractors, or pay for training their own employees. In addition, these systems usually require wire tethers from the camera body to the processing device or require an entire sound stage to be rigged with cameras and feature trackers. This not only limits the principle camera's range and maneuverability; it also limits the shooting location to sound stages that can safely house such expensive equipment. Due to these complications, real time 3D tracking is usually not preferred over image analysis. Furthermore, all current solutions are simply not available to productions without budgets that generally exceed tens millions of dollars.
As such, a majority of productions have no choice but to use image analysis, which is time extensive and prone to a myriad of errors. As an example, image analysis outcomes are influenced by the quality of the image, exposure, noise and objects that occlude the tracking features. These limitations can prevent an accurate solution from being accomplished or increase the amount of time it would take a match-mover to solve a shot. These limitations also inhibit the choices of creators. During principle photography, creators will often break up visual effect's shots into different elements with the intent of being composited later, which consumes production time. Once a shot is match-moved, it is handed to a compositor which will use the match-moved information to add or remove elements into a composite. If the match-moved information is inaccurate, the compositor cannot believably composite elements into the final shot. Furthermore, these cumbersome systems limit time and location options because the equipment is unduly expensive and have large footprints.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that obviates the user having to manually perform match moving in VFX to insert a 3D composite image into media.

System and method for real-time camera tracking to form a composite image


A method to merge data recorded using a wireless external multi-microphone system is described. The method includes determining a communication delay between a mobile device and an accessory device. In response to activation of a camera application, an activation indication is sent to the accessory device and, in response, the accessory device starts recording audio. In response to a camera event, a camera event indication is sent to the accessory device. The camera event includes starting a video recording, pausing/resuming a video recording, ending a video recording or taking a photograph. In response to receiving the camera event indication, the accessory device creates a marker corresponding to the reception time. The method also includes receiving, at the mobile device, the audio data and the marker; and merging image data and the audio based on the marker and the communication delay. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.

This section is intended to provide a background or context. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Usage of mobile phone cameras has become very popular. People use the cameras to take still images and short videos. Many mobile phone cameras offer several picture and audio related enhancements and configurations to personalize pictures for immediate sharing through social media. To serve this camera usage, features are provided for modifying still images and video. These features allow showing motion in still pictures (such as a cinemagraph for example), intelligent focus/depth, and providing time/location details.

Wireless external multi-microphone system for mobile device environment


Reductive amination of peptide-derived aldehydes with anilines or heteroarylamines containing a property-modifying group provides new, hydrolytically stable protein conjugates, suitable for therapy.

It is well known that the properties of proteins may be modified by covalently conjugating groups to said proteins. Such conjugation generally requires some functional group in the protein to react with another functional group in the compound to be conjugated to the protein. Typically, amino groups, such as the N-terminal amino group, the ∈-amino group in lysines or the cysteine thiol group have been used in combination with a suitable acylating or alkylating reagent.
It is often desired to conjugate at specific sites, because the biological activity of a chemically modified protein will depend on the site of modification, and this is referred to as regioselective conjugation. Regioselective acylation of growth hormones, such as for instance human growth hormone (hGH) is, however, difficult because this protein contains nine lysine residues of similar reactivity, and mixtures of products usually result. The single components of these mixtures are difficult to isolate, and will therefore usually be obtained in low yield and purity only.
One strategy to attain regioselective conjugation of a property-modifying group to a protein consists in generating a functional group in the protein, which cannot be found in the natural proteinogenic amino acids. Such a unique functional group may, for instance, be an aldehyde or ketone, an alkyne, or an azide.
In particular protein-derived aldehydes have often been used for the conjugation of property-modifying groups to proteins. This conjugation can be achieved by treating the protein-derived aldehyde with an alkoxylamine (R—O—NH2) to form an oxime, with hydrazine-derivatives to form hydrazones, or with 2-aminoethanethiols to form thiazolidines (see for instance Zhang and Tam, Analytical Biochemistry 233, 87-93 (1996); Zatsepin et al., Bioconjugate Chemistry 13, 822-830 (2002)). All these conjugating functional groups are hydrolytically unstable, and may be hydrolyzed by the treatment with acids or bases (Shao and Tam, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117, 3893-3899 (1995)) at much higher rates than normal peptide bonds. For this reason, the above mentioned conjugates will slowly decompose in aqueous solution, what limits their utility.
Gaertner et al (Bioconjugate Chem. 7, 38-44 (1996)) disclose a method for conjugating Polyethylene glycol (PEG) to IL-8, G-CFS and IKL-1ra by generating an aldehyde at the N-terminus of these proteins, followed by reaction with an alkoxyamine-functionalized PEG. The aldehyde is generated at the N-terminus either by oxidation with periodate if the N-terminal amino acid residue is serine or threonine, or by metal catalyzed oxidative deamination if the N-terminal amino acid residue is different from serine.
N-terminal serine-extended human growth hormone, Ser-hGH, is disclosed as SEQ ID No. 66 in WO 04/007687. This application relates to multimeric forms of for instance hGH with improved properties.
US 20040127417 describes the reductive alkylation of native growth hormone with a PEG-derived aldehyde. In said procedure the slight difference in basicity between the lysine side-chain amino groups and the N-terminal amino group is exploited: under acidic conditions imine formation with the less extensively protonated N-terminal amino group is faster than imine formation with the lysine side-chains, so that a regioselective PEGylation of the N-terminal amino acid can be achieved.

Protein conjugates and methods for their preparation


Microfabricated lenses, e.g., solid immersion lens (SIL) structures, are provided along with techniques for constructing these lens structures, as well as selected applications of such lens structures.

Lenses are used to focus light in a variety of applications. For example, micro-structures, such as cells, are observed with light focused in microscopes. Lenses focus light by bending it according to the law of refraction. The law of refraction states that the change in angle (refraction) of a light ray as it passes from one material into another material is related to a material property called the index of refraction and the angle the light makes with the interface between the two materials. The index of refraction is a measure of the speed of light in the material. Lenses that are used in microscopes are specifically designed to bend light which has been reflected by small specimens so that their images appear magnified.
Lenses that are used in microscopes are normally at least a few millimeters away from the specimen. Light from the lens travels through air before being focused on the specimen that is to be imaged. Because air has a relatively low index of refraction, the degree of features that can be seen on the specimen is limited. In view of this, oil, which has a medium index, is placed between the microscope lens and the specimen. This change in the index of refraction of the medium permits slightly smaller features to be seen on the specimen relative to those features on the specimen that are seen when air is the medium. This is called oil immersion microscopy.
In order to achieve even greater performance, light is focused through a high-index solid held in contact with the specimen. This is called solid immersion microscopy. In order to produce a suitable solid immersion lens, the lens must have a high index of refraction. One possible material for constructing this type of lens is silicon, whose index of refraction is approximately 1.41 as compared to 1.00 for air. In addition, the solid immersion lens must be held in contact with the specimen under examination without causing damage to specimens, such as cells.
Due to the limitations on resolutions obtainable with conventional optical lenses for applications such as microscopy, techniques have been developed to decrease the Rayleigh limit on transverse resolution C. The Rayleigh limit is generally understood as being the minimum distance that two particles may be separated and still be distinguished. The Rayleigh limit is given by δ=0.82λ/(NA) where λ is the wavelength and NA is the numerical aperture of the focusing objective (NA=n sin (θ), where n is the refractive index of the medium, and θis the angle between the outermost rays focusing on the sample and the optical axis). Generally, the numerical aperture is a measure of the resolving power of the microscope objective. It is a measure of the optical performance of the system and concerns the specific ability to differentiate small features and the light gathering capability of the system. Whether the NA is considered to be low or high depends upon the type of optical system that is being used. For example, a high NA for a high powered microscope (e.g., 60× objective oil immersion lens) would be about 1.40.
Coherent light such as laser light can be used to precisely control the wavelength of illumination λ. One way to decrease the transverse resolution is to increase the index of refraction of the optical medium, such as by use of oil-immersion microscopy or use of a solid immersion lens.
If an SIL is placed in contact with the sample under examination, illumination can be more readily focused on it, and use of the high NA of the system allows efficient collection of the excitation light with high optical transmission efficiency and observation of the sample with a very high resolution. In most of the cases, the SIL is used primarily for near-field microscopy, where the air gap between the SIL and the sample oblige those who do not want to use evanescent waves to work with a NA smaller than one.
A problem with the SIL technology is the complexity of its manufacture. For example, a polished glass sphere provided with a sequence of progressively finer alumina powders, requires a polishing time typically of many hours. Furthermore, the result is not perfect, and the polished surface is slightly rounded. Moreover, known lens structures in SIL configurations involve objective lens sets that are self contained and thus are difficult to use in a manner that maintains the lens in immersion contact with the object under observation.
What is needed is a method for simple, inexpensive and rapid construction of microfabricated lenses, including solid immersion lenses, and a lens structure which is suited for low-cost, even disposable usage and for micro-size applications which conventional lenses have been unable to achieve.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Microfabricated lenses, method of manufacture thereof, and applications therefor


An electrochromic element useful in an electrochromic glass or mirror device and a process for making such element. The element is a five-layered structure including an electrolyte ion conducting layer interposed between first and second inorganic electrochromic layers which are interposed between a pair of conductive electrodes. The first and second inorganic electrochromic layers are different and are capable of exhibiting color-forming properties complementary to one another upon the incorporation of an alkali metal or Ag ion, a mixture of alkali metal or Ag ions or a mixture of alkali metal or Ag and hydrogen ions. The electrolyte ion conducting layer may be a copolymer of ethylene oxide, butylene oxide or methyl glycidyl ether, and optionally a small amount of allyl glycidyl ether, along with an ionizable salt, or may be a polyurethane gel formed by reacting the copolymer with triisocyanate, along with an ionizable salt. The second inorganic electrochromic layer comprises a transition metal oxide which exhibits a color change when shifting between the +2 and +3 valence states. The second inorganic electrochromic layer may be produced by an electrochemical process, a chemical process, or by a physical process. The electrochromic element may also comprise a plurality of five-layer structures in tandem, each pair separated by a substrate.

The present invention relates to electrochromic elements, and more particularly to laminated electrochromic glass devices and processes for making such devices.
Electrochromic materials generally are materials which change color upon application of electrical current to induce an electrochemical reaction in the material.
Electrochromic devices are known which comprise a laminated structure including an electrolyte ion conducting layer sandwiched between an electrochromic layer and a counter electrode layer, all sandwiched between a pair of conductive electrodes composed of, for example, indium-tin oxide.
Many of the prior art electrochromic elements utilize WO.sub.3 as the electrochromic color-forming layer. It is known that WO.sub.3 changes from a clear, transparent state to a colored state upon undergoing the reaction: ##STR1## wherein Z is selected from H or alkali metals such as Li or Na.
It is also known from the nonaqueous secondary battery art that various other metals will display electrochromic properties when changing from one valence state to another. Specifically, it is known that some transition metals exhibit electrochromic properties when moving between the +2 and +3 valence states and other transition metals exhibit such properties when changing between the +3 and +4 valence states.
Heretofore, the art has had difficulty utilizing the electrochromic properties of WO.sub.3 in combination with the electrochromic properties of these other known transition metal oxides. For example, it is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,816 that "oxidatively color-forming materials suitable as opposing electrodes of reductive color-forming layers comprising WO.sub.3, etc. are not found in inorganic materials." Column 1, lines 42-45). This is due to several factors, such as the difficulty in discovering oxidative color-forming materials which (1) have a high enough ion exchange capacity; (2) exhibit an adequate transparency or, even better, exhibit color changes complementary to those of WO.sub.3 ; and (3) have a range of working potential compatible with that of the other materials in the electrochromic element.
The term "complementary" color changes, as used herein, means exhibiting opposite color-forming tendencies upon the insertion of an ion. WO.sub.3 colors when an ion is inserted therein and thus materials "complementary" to WO.sub.3 would bleach upon ion insertion. Thus, an electrochromic element utilizing a layer of WO.sub.3 along with a layer of a material having a complementary color change to WO.sub.3 would have two bleached electrochromic layers when an ion was inserted into the complementary layer and two colored layers when an ion was inserted into the WO.sub.3 layer. This would enable an additive color effect to be attained.
Because of the aforementioned difficulties, prior art electrochromic devices tended to utilize either a single electrochromic layer of WO.sub.3 or other electrochromic material to produce the desired electrochromic color change effect, or utilized either an inorganic compound which undergoes little or no color change upon ion insertion and removal or an organic compound as the opposing or counter electrode to the WO.sub.3 layer. The use of a single electrochromic layer of WO.sub.3 or a layer of WO.sub.3 in conjunction with a counter electrode which remains transparent upon ion insertion and removal, suffers from the disadvantage that the difference in the amount of light that is transmitted through the layer in the clear and colored states is limited by the extent of color change of the WO.sub.3 material. In addition, electrochromic devices utilizing an organic electrochromic layer suffer from the disadvantage that these layers are unstable over long periods of time and thus their long term color-forming durability is questionable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel electrochromic element.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel electrochromic glass device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrochromic element which is characterized by having a large difference between the percentage of visible light transmitted by the element in the colored state and the percentage of visible light transmitted by the element in the bleached state.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrochromic element which is characterized by having a large difference between the percentage of radiant heat transmitted by the element in the colored state and the percentage of radiant heat transmitted by the element in the bleached state.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrochromic element whose color-forming properties exhibit excellent long term durability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrochromic element characterized by having an excellent response time, i.e., the period of time to change between the bleached state and the colored state is low.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrochromic element that can operate effectively over a wide range of temperatures.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrochromic element that does not utilize toxic or corrosive materials.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Electrochromic element, materials for use in such element, processes for making such element and such materials and use of such element in an electrochromic glass device


Thermally tunable optical sensors are used in sampling tools for analysis of samples from a wellbore. The thermally tunable optical sensors generate a series passbands of wavelength emissions and detect attenuation in a signal thereof. The attenuation detected is processed and used to determine aspects of the samples. Analysis may be completed remotely (outside of the wellbore), within the wellbore (during drilling or otherwise), or as a part of another process such as fluid management, transport and refinement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of downhole sampling of hydrocarbons and in particular to downhole and onsite surface high resolution spectroscopy of hydrocarbon samples using a tunable optical filter for measurement and estimation of physical and chemical properties of fluid from a downhole formation.
2. Background Information
In the oil and gas industry, formation testing tools have been used for monitoring formation pressures along a wellbore, obtaining formation fluid samples from the wellbore and predicting performance of reservoirs around the wellbore. Such formation testing tools typically contain an elongated body having an elastomeric packer that is sealingly urged against the zone of interest in the wellbore to collect formation fluid samples in storage chambers placed in the tool.
During drilling of a wellbore, a drilling fluid ("mud") is used to facilitate the drilling process and to maintain a pressure in the wellbore greater than the fluid pressure in the formations surrounding the wellbore. This is particularly important when drilling into formations where the pressure is abnormally high. If the fluid pressure in the borehole drops below the formation pressure, there is a risk of blowout of the well. As a result of this pressure difference, the drilling fluid penetrates into or invades the formations for varying radial depths (referred to generally as invaded zones) depending upon the types of formation and drilling fluid used. The formation testing tools retrieve formation fluids from the desired formations or zones of interest, test the retrieved fluids to ensure that the retrieved fluid is substantially free of mud filtrates, and collect such fluids in one or more chambers associated with the tool. The collected fluids are brought to the surface and analyzed to determine properties of such fluids and to determine the condition of the zones or formations from where such fluids have been collected.
One feature that most formation testing tools have in common is a fluid sampling probe. This may consist of a durable rubber pad that is mechanically pressed against the rock formation adjacent the borehole, the pad being pressed hard enough to form a hydraulic seal. Through the pad is extended one end of a metal tube that also makes contact with the formation. This tube ("probe") is connected to a sample chamber that, in turn, is connected to a pump that operates to lower the pressure at the attached probe. When the pressure in the probe is lowered below the pressure of the formation fluids, the formation fluids are drawn through the probe into the well bore to flush the invaded fluids prior to sampling. In some formation tests, a fluid identification sensor determines when the fluid from the probe consists substantially of formation fluids; then a system of valves, tubes, sample chambers, and pumps makes it possible to recover one or more fluid samples that can be retrieved and analyzed when the sampling device is recovered from the borehole.
It is desirable that only uncontaminated fluids are collected, in the same condition in which they exist in the formations. Commonly, the retrieved fluids are contaminated by drilling fluids. This may happen as a result of a poor seal between the sampling pad and the borehole wall, allowing borehole fluid to seep into the probe. The mud cake formed by the drilling fluids may allow some mud filtrate to continue to invade and seep around the pad. Even when there is an effective seal, borehole fluid (or some components of the borehole fluid) may "invade" the formation, particularly if it is a porous formation, and be drawn into the sampling probe along with connate formation fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,671 issued to Safinya et al. discloses a device in which visible and near infrared (IR) analysis of the fluids is done in the borehole, primarily for the purpose of determining when a fluid being pumped has reached its minimum filtrate contamination and is worth collecting into a sample tank, which will be subsequently be brought back to the surface. The infrared portion part of the electromagnetic spectrum (0.8 to 25 μm wavelength region, or equivalently wavenumbers of 12,500 to 400 cm−1) of a substance contains absorption features due to the molecular vibrations or rotations of the constituent molecules. The absorptions arise from both fundamentals (single quantum transitions occurring in the mid-infrared region from 2.5-25.0 microns) and combination bands and overtones (multiple quanta transitions occurring in the mid- and the near-infrared region from 0.8-2.5 microns). The position (frequency or wavelength) of these absorptions contain information as to the types of molecular structures that are present in the material, and the intensity of the absorptions contains information about the amounts of the molecular types that are present. To use the information in the spectra for the purpose of identifying and quantifying either components or properties requires that a calibration be performed to establish the relationship between the absorbances and the component or property that is to be estimated. For complex mixtures, where considerable overlap between the absorptions of individual constituents occurs, such calibrations must be accomplished using various chemometric data analysis methods.
In complex mixtures, each constituent in the retrieved fluid generally gives rise to multiple absorption features corresponding to different vibrational motions. To first order, the effect on the mixture spectra of any interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding) between the molecules of different components are negligible so that Beer's Law is obeyed and the intensities of these absorptions will all vary together in a linear fashion as the concentration of the constituent varies. Such features are said to have intensities which are correlated in the frequency (or wavelength) domain. This correlation allows these absorptions to be mathematically distinguished from unrelated spectral features and from random spectral measurement noise which shows no such correlation. The linear algebra computations which separate the correlated absorbance signals from the uncorrelated ones form the basis for techniques such as Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Principal Components Regression (PCR) and Partial Least Squares (PLS). As is well known, PCR is essentially the analytical mathematical procedure of Principal Components Analysis (PCA) followed by regression analysis.
PCR and PLS have been used to estimate elemental and chemical compositions and to a lesser extent physical or thermodynamic properties of solids, liquids and gases based on their mid- or near-infrared spectra. Some examples of using chemometrics to infer physical and chemical properties of crude oils from their near-infrared spectra were given in 1988 in GB 2,217,838A where the spectra were obtained in the laboratory using a high-resolution (2-nm step size) spectrometer. Typically, chemometric methods involve: [1] the collection of mid-infrared or near-infrared spectra of a set of representative samples; [2] mathematical treatment of the spectral data to extract the best correlating individual wavelengths (MLR), or Principal Components or Partial Least Squares latent variables (e.g. the correlated absorbance signals described above); and [39 regression of these spectral variables against composition and/or property data to build a multivariate model. The analysis of new samples then involves the collection of their spectra, the decomposition of the spectra in terms of the spectral variables used in the regression and the application of the regression equation to calculate the composition or properties.
In Safinya et al., visible and near-infrared light is passed through the fluid sample. Then, a spectrometer (which is actually a filter photometer that has 10 filters at different center wavelengths) measures the spectrum of the transmitted and the back scattered light, and, knowing the spectrum of the incident light, transmission and backscattered absorption spectra for the sample are determined. Using absorption spectra of water, and particular examples of absorption spectra of gas, crude and refined oils, and drilling fluids, a least squares analysis is performed that models the observed spectra as a weighted sum of the spectra of its components, the least squares analysis giving the composition of the fluid in terms of weights of the various components. The Safinya method assumes that the spectra of the crude oil and of the filtrate that comprise a contaminated formation fluid mixture are the same as whatever example crude oil and filtrate spectra were chosen for the least-squares fitting. However, when testing any hydrocarbon-bearing zone for the first time, that assumption is problematic because of the high variability of crude oil spectra.
Currently, typical downhole spectrometers are actually filter photometers. They use fixed, single-color interference filters whose bandpass resolution is limited to no better than 11 nm full width at half maximum because of the present state of the art for manufacturing interference-filters, thus providing relatively low spectroscopic resolution at a small number of selected center wavelengths (e.g., 10 to 24 different optical filters). These filters are not suitable to distinguish between closely spaced spectral peaks or to identity isotopes whose spectral peak spacings are much smaller than 11 nm. Thus, there is a need for an analysis technique suitable for downhole and onsite surface spectroscopic analysis of hydrocarbon samples with higher resolution.

Method and apparatus for a downhole spectrometer based on tunable optical filters


Embodiments of the invention provide for a wireless computing device that comprises a set of one or more radio components to transmit and receive wireless communications on the device. Additionally, the wireless computing device includes processing and memory resources that individually or in combination provide multiple wireless applications, a radio object, and an arbitration component. The multiple wireless applications are each capable of generating a user-interface for enabling user-input in connection with wireless activities performed with that wireless application. The radio object interfaces the multiple applications with the set of one or more radio components. The arbitration component is configured to arbitrate at least one of (i) requests made by each of the wireless applications to the radio object for access to one or more of the radio components in the set, or (ii) responses from the radio object to requests made by each of the wireless applications.

Communication devices have evolved to include numerous types of communication capabilities and functionality. For example, handheld devices exist that operate as cellular phones, messaging terminals, Internet devices, while including personal information management (PIM) software and photo-management applications.
Mobile phone networks have traditionally been limited to voice communications, but new technologies such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) have enabled mobile phone networks to also include data communications. For example, SMS (Short Message Service) messaging provides a software-independent protocol to send short text messages composed of either: 160-7 bit characters; 70-16 bit characters; or 140 octets of binary data. Individual SMS messages thus require a relatively small network bandwidth and devices can receive messages, even when connected to a voice call. The number of SMS messages a user receives has continually increased because many new types of network devices have joined mobile phone networks. These devices include, for example, PDAs, hybrid PDA/mobile phone devices, and other text messaging devices using GSM networks.
Given market demands and technological advances, wireless computing devices are updated rapidly in software and hardware. For example, cellular phones have evolved from carrying analog signals to carrying digital signals. Currently devices are transitioning from 2.0 and 2.5 GHz bands to 3 GHz bands ("3G" networks), on which better broadband support for transfer of large data amounts will be possible.
With new developments in wireless applications and networks, numerous manufacturers, platforms and applications have come into existence for such devices. Increasingly, software development and compatibility are issued with such devices.

System and method for enabling radio operations on a wireless computing device


A method of selectively acylating an insulin, an insulin analogue or a precursor thereof having a free .epsilon.-amino group of a Lys residue contained therein and at least one free .alpha.-amino group which method comprises reacting the .epsilon.-amino group with an activated amide in a polar solvent in the presence of a base.

Human insulin and closely related insulins have three primary amino groups in the molecule namely the .alpha.-amino groups of Gly.sup.A1 and Phe.sup.B1, respectively, and the .epsilon.-amino group of Lys.sup.B29. N-Acylation of an unprotected insulin may--depending on the conditions--lead to a complex mixture of mono-, di- and even triacylated products. However, although a certain preference for acylation of a specific position can often be observed the preference is not always sufficiently pronounced to make such direct acylation useful as a method of producing monoacylated insulins since the formation of the desired product may be accompanied by the formation of considerable amounts of closely related by-products. When by-products are formed, this happens at the expense of the desired product and may lead to problems in the purification of the desired product.
Acylation of only one or two specific amino groups in the insulin molecule can be achieved if a suitably protected intermediate is available. A suitable intermediate can be an insulin derivative in which the amino group(s) not to be acylated is (are) blocked with a protection group which can be removed selectively after the acylation has been performed. Such a protected intermediate can either be an insulin precursor or an insulin derivative in which it has been possible to introduce one or two protection groups in a specific way. For economic reasons, it is very attractive to avoid the use of specific of protection groups if possible.
Friesen HJ et aL (Semisynthetic Peptides and Proteins (Offord RE, DiBello C, eds.) 161-179, 1978, London) describe acylation of insulin with N-hydroxysuccinimide esters (in the following referred to as ONSu-esters) and other activated esters under various conditions, as summarised in tables 4 and 5 l.c. A certain selectivity is seen but invariably A1 monosubstituted and B29 monosubstituted products are obtained in mixtures with each other and with disubstituted products. The highest total yield of monosubstituted products reported is 75% but of this 85% was the A1 isomer. In other cases the total yield of monosubstituted products were in the range 45-55% of which 70-72% was the .epsilon.-B29 isomer.
As demonstrated by Friesen HJ et al. (in: Chemistry, Structure and Function of Insulin and Related Hormones, Proceedings of the Second International Insulin Symposium (Brandenburg D, Wollmer A, eds.), New York, 1980), the pH of the reaction medium has a very strong influence on the course of the reaction when insulin is acylated with ONSu-esters or certain other acylating agents. Thus, at pH 5-6 monoacylation preferably takes place in the B1 amino group and diacylated product will preferably be A1, B1-diacylated insulin. At pH 6.8-9.2 monoacylation preferably takes place in the A1 amino group while diacylated product can be either A1, B1- or A1, .epsilon.-B29-diacylated insulin. Finally, at pH above 10 monoacylation preferably takes place in the .epsilon.-amino group of Lys.sup.B29 while a further acyl group preferably goes to the amino group of A1.
A method which enables selective acylation of proinsulin, insulin or an insulin analogue having a free .epsilon.-amino group is disclosed in EP 0 712 861 A2 and EP 0 712 862 A2 (both Eli Lilly and Company). According to the method, unprotected insulins are acylated with soluble, activated fatty acid esters, in particular ONSu-esters, under basic conditions in a polar solvent.
EP 0 511 600 A2 (Kuraray Co., Ltd.) relates i.a. to protein derivatives of the formula protein!Z!.sub.n wherein protein! represents a protein having a number of amino groups, Z! is a residue represented by the formula --CO--W--COOH wherein W is a divalent long chain hydrocarbon group which may also contain certain hetero atoms and n represents an average of the number of amide bonds between Z! and protein!. The derivatives are prepared by reaction between the parent protein and a long chain carboxylic acid imide ester in an aqueous solution of a salt optionally also containing an organic solvent. No specificity of the acylation is mentioned and the fact that n is stated to be an average number seems to indicate that no specificity is achieved. It is mentioned, that insulin is one of the proteins from which derivatives according to the invention can be made, but no specific insulin derivative is disclosed in EP 0 511 600 nor is there any indication of a preferred Z! or a preferred position in which Z! should be introduced in order to obtain a useful insulin derivative.
Examples of insulin derivatives, acylated in the .epsilon.-amino group of the Lys residue contained therein, are described in WO 95/07931 (NOVO NORDISK A/S). The derivatives can be produced by acylation of the corresponding (A1, B1)-diBoc insulin, prepared from the corresponding insulin by reaction e.g. with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate and subsequently removing the protection groups and by acylation of a single chain insulin precursor which subsequently has to be processed further. Surprisingly, it has now been found that high yields of insulins, monoacylated in the .epsilon.-amino group of a Lys residue contained therein, can be obtained by the method of the present invention.


An adjustable planter disk comprised of a circular disk constructed of a single resin composite sheet is disclosed. The sheet has a first terminating end that overlaps, or partially overlaps, a second terminating end. The sheet includes a peripheral edge and center hole. The first terminating end rotates overtop the second terminating end and latches thereto using a pair of hooks on the first terminating end and a series of corresponding holes on the second terminating end to create differing radii. The sheet is divided into a plurality of sectors, each sector including a living hinge that runs from the peripheral edge to the center that allows for the first terminating end to extend and contract. Additionally, along the peripheral edge of the circular are a plurality of water drainage holes.

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like gravity. Capillary action occurs because water is sticky, due to the forces of cohesion (water molecules stay close together) and adhesion (water molecules are attracted and stick to other substances). It is defined as the movement of water within the spaces of a porous material due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension.
Plants and trees couldn't thrive without capillary action; capillary action is important for moving water and all of the nutrients dissolved within it to the plant and throughout it. Plants grow roots into the soil which are capable of absorbing and carrying the water from the soil up into the plant. Water, which contains dissolved nutrients, once inside the roots is transferred throughout the plant tissue. As a first water molecule is transferred, it pulls along a second water molecule, which, of course, is dragging a third water molecule, and so on.
Modern urban living has led to a surge in the display of potted plants. Potted plants are commonly displayed in private homes, restaurants, hotels, and office buildings or the like to enhance the aesthetical beauty of the area. Consequently, devices for containing and caring for potted plants have become more sophisticated in an attempt to prolong the life and increase the growth of potted plants. A basic flower pot or planter is a container in which flowers and other plants are cultivated and displayed. The basic flower pot typically includes holes in the bottom surface of the flowerpot to allow excess water to flow out and into a saucer that is placed under the flowerpot. While most of the water that flows out of the flowerpot into the saucer is wasted, a small portion of the water in the saucer may be reabsorbed into the soil using capillary action for use by the plant.
One of the most desirable types of potted plant devices available is the self watering planter. Self watering planters are devices containing relatively large water or fluid reservoirs which may be periodically filled, which then dispense the water to the plant as the plant requires it. This construction provides extended periods where the plant owner does not need to water his/her plants on a daily basis. Self watering planters have been devised to operate by way of timer systems which control the operation of pumps, or by way of constant low volume seepage into the soil surrounding the plant through gravity. Another type of self watering planter is the type wherein a sensor is placed within the soil of the plant to sense the level of moisture in the soil and cause additional water to be delivered to the soil if the moisture level is too low. Sensing self watering planters of this type have utilized expensive and possibly dangerous electrical sensing units. Furthermore, roots of the plant are hydrotropic, so they tend to grow towards the source of water; thus the plant roots will grow down through the soil to the inlet port of the planter and foul or clog the port such that it does not operate properly. Another disadvantage of self watering planters from the prior art is that the tube connecting the sensor element to the water reservoir frequently extends above the level of the planter and is not aesthetically pleasing. This not only mars the beauty of the plant, but in public areas such as restaurants and hotel lobbies, frequently leads to the sensor being displaced or broken by passers-by or curious individuals.
Simpler solutions for containing and caring for potted plants exists, such as planter inserts. Planter inserts sit partially down the planter, raising the bottom of the container, thereby allowing for proper drainage and essential oxygen to access plant roots. This construction reduces the amount of soil required as most plants have a short root base, requiring only 6-8 inches of soil to thrive. Giving the roots too much room will cause the roots to spread too far and the excessive amount of soil may not drain properly. An additional advantage is provided by reducing the weight of large planters. Less soil will also mean the roots will be confined, forcing the nutrients back into the plants, thereby producing healthier plants with larger blooms. Planter inserts also provide an economical advantage over self-watering planters by eliminating complex electronic and mechanical devices. Planter inserts also allow the use of large decorative planters for plants that only require a small amount of soil for proper growth. Thus, what is lacking in the art is an adjustable planter disk for placement within a planter. The planter disk should be adjustable in diameter to provide a false bottom in various sized and shaped planter pots. The planter disk should be easy to adjust and should utilize fasteners that that can be operated by hand without the use of tools or excessive hand strength. The planter disk should be light weight and yet capable of supporting a substantial amount of soil within the planter. The planter disk should include apertures of sufficient size and shape to allow the plants roots to grow through the planter disk to reach a water reservoir positioned below the planter disk. The outside edge of the planter disk should cooperate with the sides of the planter to position the planter disk and support the load of the soil and plants. The planter disk should be constructed to increase force against the inner surface of the planter as the load on the planter disk is increased.


Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include arranging multiple storage devices as a RAID array and receiving, from a given storage device storing a dataset, a number of error messages exceeding a threshold. A mirrored subset of the dataset is retrieved from the given device, and a calculated subset of the dataset is retrieved from remaining devices in the RAID array. In a first embodiment, the mirrored subset is created first, and the calculated subset includes a relative complement of the mirrored subset with respect to the dataset. In a second embodiment, the calculated subset is created first, and the mirrored subset includes a relative complement of the calculated subset with respect to the dataset. The mirrored and the calculated datasets are stored to an additional storage device, and the given device is replaced with the additional device in the RAID array.

Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is a storage technology that combines multiple storage devices into a single logical unit. Data can be distributed across the multiple storage devices in one of several ways called "RAID levels", depending on what level of redundancy and performance is desired.
Common RAID levels implemented in storage systems include RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 6. In storage devices arranged as a RAID 1 array, an exact copy (or mirror) of each set of data is maintained on two storage devices, and in the event of a failure of one or the storage devices, the user data can be read directly from the remaining storage device in the RAID 1 array. In storage devices arranged as a RAID 5 array, a set of blocks storing user data and one corresponding block storing parity data are striped across three or more storage devices in the RAID 5 array, and in the event of a failure of one of the storage devices, the user data on the failed storage device can be reconstructed from the striped user data and parity data on the remaining storage devices in the RAID 5 array.
RAID 6 extends RAID 5 by adding one (or more) additional parity block(s). In other words, RAID 6 uses block-level striping with at least two parity blocks distributed across all the storage devices in the RAID 6 array. In the event of a failure of up to two of the storage devices in the RAID 6 array having two parity blocks, the user data on the one or two failed storage devices can be reconstructed from the striped user data and parity data on the remaining storage devices in the RAID 6 array.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

Multi level data recovery in storage disk arrays

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A system for a multi-directional roof cover system includes a vehicle comprising an opening in the top of the vehicle and a cover movably coupled to selectively cover the opening. The cover has a first end proximate a first end of the vehicle, a second end proximate a second end of the vehicle, lateral edges connecting the first end and the second end, and linkages coupling the lateral edges to the vehicle. The cover is actuatable, based on one or more conditions, between a first position in which the cover is closed and covers the opening, a second position in which the cover is open and the first end of the cover is raised relative to the second end of the cover, and a third position in which the cover is open and the second end of the cover is raised relative to the first end of the cover.

Automotive sunroofs are common features on conventional automotive vehicles. Automotive sunroofs are operable to uncover an opening in a vehicle roof to allow light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Automotive sunroofs are provided for conventional automotive vehicles in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. Conventional automotive sunroofs may slide and/or tilt to open. These conventional sunroofs are directional and are designed for vehicles that travel primarily in one direction.

Multi-directional vehicle roof cover system


There is provided a V-type engine in which banks of an engine block are offset in the same direction as the rotational direction of a crankshaft so that the banks may be displaced toward an end of a vehicle body. On the offset side, engine accessory is mounted on a side of the engine block and below the banks. The width between the end of the engine accessory to which an impact is input first among component parts of the engine block and the end of the rear bank where the engine block moved due to the impact is abutted first on a vehicle body member is set to be shorter than in a conventional engine. Therefore, the crushable zone may be increased even in a limited engine compartment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a V-type engine which is transversely mounted in an engine compartment formed at an end of a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many passenger vehicles (or vehicles), an engine is mounted in an engine compartment provided at the front end of a vehicle body adjacent to a cabin.
A multiple cylinder engine is long if it is a straight in-line cylinder engine, and hence in recent years, an increasing number of multiple cylinder engines have been constructed such that a V-type engine in which cylinders are divided into right and left banks is transversely mounted in an engine compartment.
To protect occupants from an impact in the event of a collision, passenger vehicles are required to ensure safety against the collision. Accordingly, an engine compartment is usually set as a crushable zone, and when an impact equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied via the front end of a vehicle body, a frame of the vehicle body, which forms the engine compartment, is crushed to absorb an impact energy and protect a cabin where occupants are seated.
However, the engine is not crushed in the event of a vehicle collision since it is rigid. Thus, in the event of a vehicle collision, the engine compartment is crushed from the front end thereof, and the crushed part of the engine compartment abuts an engine block, and when an impact is input to the engine block, the engine block is displaced rearward while crushing the frame of the engine compartment, and abuts a toe board which partitions the vehicle body into the cabin and the engine compartment, and then causes e.g., deformation of the toe board, so that the impact can be absorbed.
Particularly in the case of the V-type engine, since it is transversely mounted in the engine compartment, large-sized engine accessory (such as a compressor for an air conditioner, an oil pump for power steering, and an alternator) is disposed at a location which is substantially level with a bumper to which impact is input, and the bank in the rear is likely to abut the toe board first.
The safety of vehicles against collision has been climbing to a higher level year by year.
The engine compartment, however, is restricted by the design of a vehicle, a car model, and so forth, and hence it is difficult to secure a large space required for a high collision safety. Particularly in the transverse-mounted V-type engine, both banks are protruded in the direction of the length of a vehicle, and hence it is difficult to secure a sufficient crushable zone.
Therefore, regarding the V-type engine, the technology in which the axes of cylinders are offset from the center of a crankshaft has been proposed. According to this technology, the axes of cylinders in respective banks are offset from the center of the crankshaft in the rotational direction of the crankshaft, and the banks are drawn along the axes of the cylinders to the center of the crankshaft, so that the distance between the center of the crankshaft and the lower surfaces of the cylinders in the banks (i.e., the level of the cylinder surface) can be reduced to make the V-type engine compact (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-281901, for example)
However, if the banks are drawn along the axes of the cylinders to the center of the crankshaft, it is necessary to modify many parts of an engine. Moreover, if the banks are drawn to the center of the crankshaft, the lower surfaces of the cylinders in one bank may enter into the cylinders in the other bank and interfere with connecting rods of the bank, and some measures must be taken to address this problem.
For this reason, the above technology has the problem that the V-type engine is considerably complicated in structure and requires high cost.

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


An apparatus including a first housing section having a first one-piece housing member; a second housing section having a second one-piece housing member; and a hinge rotatably connecting the first and second housing sections to each other. The hinge includes the first housing member forming a first hinge section at a first end of the first housing section which is pivotably connected to a second hinge section formed by the second housing member at a second end of the second housing member. The first and second hinge sections form opposite outer lateral ends of the hinge. The first and second hinge sections are spaced from outer lateral sides of the first and second housing sections. An axis of rotation of the hinge extends generally between the outer lateral sides.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hinge and, more particularly, to a hinge which is at least partially recessed.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
FIG. 1 shows an example of a folding telephone handset 10. This type of handset is also known as a clam-shell type of handset. A hinge 12 pivotably connects a first housing section 14 to a second housing section 16.
It is very common for a person to accidentally drop a hand-held portable electronic device. Since, the device is portable (such as a wireless mobile handset for example) it is typically carried in the hand and held to the ear where it can fall to the floor. An exposed hinge, such as hinge 12, can make the handset difficult to hold, and the drop distance to the floor can cause damage to the device in the form of cracks to the housing member(s). The hinge in a folding type of handset seems to be especially vulnerable, since the hinge housing typically forms the corners of one end 18 of the handset, and is under more stress when it allows the handset to open and close (such as being spring biased in a position). An example of damage is shown in FIG. 2. The first housing section 14 has suffered cracks 20, 22 when the handset was dropped.
There is a need for a new type of hinge for a portable hand-held device which is less prone to damage if the device is accidentally dropped. There is also a desire to provide a portable hand-held device in which the hinge does not make the device difficult to hold.


A modular construction panel is provided. The modular construction panel has a panel having a plurality of fasteners disposed within or thereon, each fastener permitting adjoining to a like construction panel for creating a structure. The panels are provided in shapes optimizing modularity when mated to other panels.

It is well understood that construction sets (e.g., construction-based toys) are highly beneficial to the mental development of children. Construction toys generally are marketed in specific kits, each of which enables a child to construct a particular structure. In other words, often the kit contains various components selected for the specific purpose of building the particular structure. Unless the kit contains many different components, it can be difficult to construct alternative structures, mitigating the potential for the child to demonstrate creativity.
A more modular approach to construction toys, where kits can be used for an indeterminate number of structures, would allow the child to better utilize creative skills.


The invention relates to a hydraulic device for the back and forth movement and locking of a machine part, in particular for the opening, closing and locking of an injection molding tool. The hydraulic device comprises a cylinder (1), in which a first pressure space (6) is provided, a primary piston (2) with one or several piston rods (11) which may float in a pressure medium within the first pressure space (6) and furthermore an secondary piston (7) which may be axially displaced within the cylinder (1). The invention is characterized in that the auxiliary piston (7) comprises recesses (12), into which the piston rods (11) of the primary piston (2) can be moved and the opposing sides of the primary piston (2) and secondary piston (7) have surfaces (40, 41) which may be brought into contact. In a first movement phase (opening and closing) only the primary piston (2) is moved. In a second phase, when the surfaces (40) and (41) are in contact, the primary piston (2) and the secondary piston (7) move as a unit (locking).

The invention relates to a hydraulic device for back and forth movement of a machine part according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a clamping unit of an injection molding machine fitted with such a hydraulic device.
Various embodiments of conventional hydraulic devices are known that have a functional separation which is so configured that, on one hand, closing and opening takes place with little force and at high speed, and, on the other hand, the final approach and locking of the half-molds of the injection molding tool takes place with great force and at slight speed.
DE 6605115 U1 discloses the arrangement of a first piston as high-speed piston, provided on one end of a piston rod and sized of comparably small diameter, and of a second piston as working piston, provided on the other end of the piston rod and sized with comparably significantly greater diameter, whereby each of the pistons is guided in separate cylinders. In this way, a small area of the high-speed piston can be acted upon by pressure medium, and a significantly greater area of the working piston can be acted upon by pressure medium.
The documents DE 9013791 U1 and FR 2739149 disclose a guidance of the working piston in a working cylinder and an arrangement of the high-speed cylinder inside the piston rod of the working cylinder. In order to generate a greatest possible clamping force, DE 9013791 describes to size the effective area of the working piston large enough, whereas FR 2739149 describes to pressurize the chamber for the working piston as well as the chamber for the high-speed piston in a suitable manner so that the effective area of the high-speed piston participates in the development of the locking force.
Further known are hydraulic devices (DE 9014885 U1, DE 1805938 A1), in which the piston rods and the cylinders of high-speed piston, on one hand, and working piston, on the other hand, move within one another, whereby the high-speed piston and the working piston can be hydraulically locked together for building up the clamping force and for locking, while the machine part is locked by subjecting only the working piston to pressure medium.
DE 8533535 U1 discloses a hydraulic device for back and forth movement as well as locking of a machine part, in particular for opening, closing and clamping the half-molds of an injection molding tool of an injection molding machine. Provided in a cylinder is a first, large pressure space with a pressure medium in which a primary piston is axially movable having several piston rods that are coupled to the machine part to be moved. The primary piston includes several openings for allowing the pressure medium to flow from one side of the primary piston to the other side so that the primary piston is able to float in the pressure medium. Disposed in the primary piston for axial movement therein is a small lockable secondary piston for operating a flap valve to clear or close the openings in the primary piston. When closed, floating of the primary piston is prevented.
This known apparatus operates essentially as follows:
The areas subject to the pressure medium are so suited to one another that the primary piston is floatingly pushed to the right, when the flap valve is open and pressure medium is fed to the pressure space, and the tool of the injection molding machine is closed. Only little pressure medium is required and the movement is executed at great speed but with little force. The half-molds of the injection molding tool are clamped together by actuating the small secondary piston, disposed in the primary piston, to operate the flap valve and to inhibit the floating of the primary piston. As a consequence, pressure builds up only on the side of the primary piston, distal to the piston rods, as the injection molding tool travels a final distance at slight speed but great force and is subsequently clamped. The injection molding tool is opened by supplying pressure medium to the auxiliary cylinders, which accommodate the piston rods of the primary piston, and the flap valve is opened. The primary piston can now move floatingly to the left, and the injection molding tool opens.
A drawback of this apparatus is the relative complexity by which the secondary piston is disposed inside the primary piston for operating the flap valve, and the fact that the hydraulic lines for operating the secondary piston must be so routed through the cylinder and connected to the pressure space of the secondary piston inside the primary piston as to follow the back and forth movement of the primary piston in the primary cylinder. A further drawback is the need for separate auxiliary cylinders provided for the piston rods of the primary piston and mounted to the primary cylinder, as well as the provision of a further auxiliary cylinder in midsection for a compensating piston so that the hydraulic device is overall significantly longer than the length of the primary cylinder.

Hydraulic device for back and forth movement of a machine part, and a clamping unit of an injection molding machine fitted with such a hydraulic device


A display device is provided with an image processing circuit that outputs a pixel value of each pixel to a pixel driving circuit, the pixel driving circuit that inputs a pixel voltage to each of pixels based on the pixel value of each of the pixels, and a control circuit that detects a defective pixel. Here, the image processing circuit corrects the pixel value of the defective pixel in the image data to be displayed which is input to the image processing circuit, to a pixel value for black, and then outputs each pixel value of the image data to be displayed in which the pixel value of the defective pixel is corrected to the pixel value for black, to the pixel driving circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
A display device has been known, which is provided with a display panel formed of a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a current drive type light emitting element and a controlling element controlling current passing through the light emitting element based on an input pixel voltage. For example, the display panel is disclosed in JP 2008-241803 A. The display device disclosed in JP 2008-241803 A is configured to derive an offset voltage to all pixels and emit light to each light emitting element based on the offset voltage with prescribed luminance.

Display device including a defective pixel correcting system


A catalyst system composition and a process to prepare a catalyst composition comprising a cobalt compound, a metal alkyl and a coordinating compound is provided. The resultant catalyst system composition can be used to dimerize ethylene with high productivity to butenes and high selectivity to 1-butene.

This invention relates to ethylene dimerization, dimerization catalyst systems, and processes to prepare dimerization catalyst systems.
A variety of ethylene dimerization catalysts have long been known. Several catalyst compositions, as well as methods of preparing these types of catalysts, are known in the art. The resultant catalyst systems, although useful to dimerize ethylene, do not always have a high conversion rate and/or a high isomer ratio of desired product(s) to undesired product(s). Thus, a dimerization process, because of low conversion and/or low isomer ratio, can be more time consuming and require larger, uneconomical reactor equipment.

Dimerization catalyst systems and processes


A shift control method for an automatic transmission while a vehicle runs up a slope while towing a trailer includes the steps of determining if present shift lever position indicates a driving range 2, calculating weight-slope resistance if the shift lever position indicates the driving range 2, determining if the weight-slope resistance is greater than a threshold weight-slope resistance, measuring time duration during which the weight-slope resistance is maintained over the threshold value if the weight-slope resistance is greater than the threshold weight-slope resistance, determining if the time duration is longer than a threshold time, converting a present normal shift pattern into a trailer-towing shift pattern if the time duration is longer than a threshold time, and returning the trailer-towing shift pattern to the normal shift pattern if the weight-slope resistance becomes equal to or less than the threshold weight-slope resistance and this condition is maintained over a second threshold time.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift control method for an automatic transmission of a vehicle especially when the vehicle runs up a slope while towing a trailer.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, the number of vehicles towing trailers with various leisure equipment has tended to increase as leisure activities have diversified. In this case of a vehicle towing a trailer, a large traction force are required.
When the vehicle towing the trailer is a manual transmission equipped vehicle, it is possible for a driver to appropriately perform shift operation while considering the present load condition of the vehicle.
However, in the case of a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, the shift operation is automatically performed according to the vehicle""s conditions such as running speed, throttle opening level, and so on by a transmission control unit (TCU) controlling various valves of a hydraulic pressure system cooperating with a gear train, such that intentional shift operation by the driver is limited.
Accordingly, it is required to adapt a separate shift control logic for when the vehicle tows a trailer, but this kind of logic has not been adapted to automatic transmission control until now such that the shift operation has been performed in the same shift pattern as a normal state even when towing a trailer.
If the shift control is performed with the normal shift pattern, especially when the vehicle runs up a slope with the trailer, generally second speed range is selected. However, a vehicle running in the second speed range experiences a lack of driving torque and an extreme slippage of the torque converter that causes the oil temperature to heighten.
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a shift control method of an automatic transmission for a vehicle especially when the vehicle runs up a slope while towing a trailer so as to obtain enough driving torque, reduce slippage of the torque converter, and prevent the oil temperature from being heightened.
To achieve the above object, the shift control method for an automatic transmission of the present invention comprises the steps of determining if present shift lever position indicates a driving range 2, calculating weight-slope resistance if the shift lever position indicates the driving range 2, determining if the weight-slope resistance is greater than a threshold weight-slope resistance, measuring time duration during which the weight-slope resistance is maintained over the threshold value if the weight-slope resistance is greater than the threshold weight-slope resistance, determining if the time duration is longer than a threshold time, converting a present normal shift pattern into a trailer-towing shift pattern if the time duration is longer than a threshold time, and returning the trailer-towing shift pattern to the normal shift pattern if the weight-slope resistance becomes equal to or less than the threshold weight-slope resistance and this condition is maintained over a second threshold time.

Shift control method for automatic transmission