A structure of the invention for fixing an end portion of a binding band (10) includes a lock portion (11) having a band retaining portion provided within a band insertion hole (14), and a band portion (12) which extends from the lock portion (11), and has engagement portions (15) for retaining engagement with the band retaining portion. Wire harnesses are fixed in a bundled manner to a protector (40) by the band portion (12). A holder portion (16) in the form of a recess is formed in the protector (40), and has a shape similar to the outer shape of the lock portion (11), and this holder portion (16) includes a band passage hole for the passage of the band portion (12) therethrough, and an abutment surface provided at an end of the band passage hole. When the engagement portion (15) is retainingly engaged with the band retaining portion upon bundling of the wire harnesses, the lock portion (11) abuts against this abutment surface.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a fixing structure for fixing an end portion of a binding band for fixing wire harnesses to a protector.
2. Related Art
As one example of conventional structures of fixing an end portion of a binding band, there is known the type of binding band end portion-fixing structure in which a lock portion 58 of a binding band 51 is fixed onto a frame-like wall 59 as shown in JP-A-07-095714.
In the binding band end portion-fixing structure disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication H07-095714, when wire harnesses are to be fixed to a wire harness fixing portion 52 by the binding band 51 as shown in FIG. 5, a band portion 53 of the binding band 51 is passed through an insertion (passage) hole 54. When the band portion 53 is passed through the insertion hole 54, a retaining projection 57 of an engagement portion 56 is engaged with a retaining projection 55 on an inner surface of the insertion hole 54, thereby limiting the movement of the binding band 51. The binding band 51 can be moved in a direction of movement of the lock portion 58 toward the frame-like wall 59, but can not be moved in a direction of movement of the lock portion 58 away from the frame-like wall 59. When the band portion 53 of the binding band 51 is passed through the insertion hole 54 until the lock portion 58 is brought into abutting engagement with the frame-like wall 59, the binding band 51 can be fixed to the insertion hole 54.
After the binding band 51 is fixed to the insertion hole 54, the band portion 53 is wound around both of the wire harness fixing portion 52 and the wire harnesses, and a distal end portion of the binding band 51 is passed through the lock portion 58. Then, the band portion 53 is drawn out of the lock portion 58, and is tightened, and the distal end portion of the band portion 53, drawn out of the lock portion 58, is cut into a suitable length. In this condition, the retaining projection 57 is engaged with an engagement portion 61, thereby achieving a locked condition, and also the retaining projection 57 is engaged with the retaining projection 55 on the inner surface of the insertion hole 54, thereby limiting the upward movement of the band portion 53.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication H07-095714, however, when the binding band 51 is kept fixed to the insertion hole 54, the lock portion 58 is prevented from movement only in an axial direction of the insertion hole 54, and when a connecting portion of the band portion 53, connected to the lock portion 58, is deflected, the band insertion hole in the lock portion 58 is not kept in a predetermined direction, and there has been a fear that the cut end of the band portion 53 is displaced to interfere with the wire harnesses to damage the wire harnesses.
And besides, the lock portion 58 is located on the frame-like wall 59, and therefore there has been a fear that the exposed lock portion 58 strikes against other member, so that the locking is loosened.


A fraud analysis computing system is provided. The system includes a network interface configured to communicate data over a network and a processing circuit including one or more processors coupled to non-transitory memory. The processing circuit is configured to monitor incoming call data generated during an incoming call between a user and an incoming caller, detect a fraud trigger within the incoming call data, and complete a fraud interception activity in response to detection of the fraud trigger.

As fraudsters increasingly target the aging population, it is important to provide safeguards tailored to the particular risks faced by this population. Because the aging population is more likely to live alone, often within diminished capacities and fewer connections to the outside world than the general population, they are particularly susceptible to fraud schemes perpetrated via telephone. Telephone fraud schemes are particularly dangerous because fraudsters may conceal or misrepresent their identities in order to induce the recipient of the call to complete a fraudulent transaction or to take a risky action. For example, the fraudster may trick the recipient of the call into divulging the recipient's social security number or a personal identification number (PIN). Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a call interception and fraud detection system that both screens likely fraudulent callers from recipients and interrupts the call if risky or fraudulent activity is likely to occur.

System and method for intelligent call interception and fraud detecting audio assistant


A level sensor detects a vertical position of a laser beam emitted from an electronic leveling apparatus and comprises a photo-sensing unit having a predetermined vertical length for detecting the laser beam, a plurality of marking indices arranged on a side edge of a housing of the level sensor at a predetermined pitch along the vertical direction of the laser beam, and analog display unit having a plurality of display devices one for each of the marking indices for displaying a change in an incident position of the laser beam along the vertical direction by selective activation of the display devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a level sensor which measures a level by utilizing a laser beam emitted from an electronic leveling apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
A prior art level sensor shown in FIG. 1 comprises a photo-sensing unit 4 which detects a laser beam emitted from an electronic leveling apparatus at a constant rotating speed and an LCD display unit 3. A signal detected by the photo-sensing unit 4 is processed by a signal processing circuit having functions of amplification, peak hold and comparison to display on the LCD display unit 3 a vertical deviation of the level sensor from the laser beam. A center notch 5 is formed on one side of a housing 1 at a vertical center position of the photo-sensing unit 4. Thus, when an operator moves the photo-sensing unit 4 of the level sensor to find the center position of the laser beam, he/she can make a mark by a pencil by using the notch 5.
In the prior art level sensor, the operator first coarsely moves the level sensor, and when he/she recognizes by an audio function that the level of the laser beam is in a vicinity of a reference position, he/she finely moves the level sensor toward the reference position while he/she monitors the display unit 3. In this case, the operator must pay great attention so that the level of the laser beam does not exceed the reference position. If the level of the laser beam exceeds the reference position from carelessness, the operator must finely move the level sensor toward the reference position in the opposite direction. As a result, the marking work is troublesome and time-consuming, and the operability is poor.


An exemplary implementation of the present invention discloses a semiconductor fabrication method for forming a film in a reactor. Process conditions (temperature and pressure) are initially stabilized prior to a film deposition cycle. Once process conditions are stable, chemical elements of are nucleated onto a substrate surface to form a nucleation surface of the film. The bulk portion of the film is then deposited onto the nucleation surface. Finally, after the bulk of the film is deposited the surface of the film is conditioned. To tailor a film the process conditions are varied during the film deposition cycle wherein at least one of the pressures and temperatures is varied by at least 10%. In a specific implementation, a capacitor dielectric of silicon nitride is tailored by varying the pressure for the bulk film deposition and by varying both the temperature and pressure for the film surface formation phase.

State of the art Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) of thin films for front end processing applications, such as capacitor cell nitride, polysilicon, TEOS, etc., typically invoke the use of hot wall batch furnaces. Control of film selectivity, uniformity, stress and surface characteristics are critical to film performance.
Conventional LPCVD batch hot wall systems perform steady state deposition of thin films. That is, once film deposition is started, deposition takes place under constant conditions of temperature, pressure, and gas flows until film deposition is complete.
However, pressure and temperature play significant roles in a given chemical reaction and thus allow film deposition to occur in any one of the following quadrants. The first quadrant comprises deposition conditions of high pressure and low temperature. A main use of film deposition occurring in the first quadrant is that good nucleation of the deposited film will occur on diverse substrates.
The second quadrant comprises deposition conditions of low pressure and high temperature. A main use of film deposition occurring in the second quadrant is that generally mono-crystalline reactions, such as epitaxial, will occur on similar substrates.
The third quadrant comprises deposition conditions of high pressure and high temperature. A main use of film deposition occurring in the third quadrant is for causing single element forced reactions, such as high pressure oxidation.
The fourth quadrant comprises deposition conditions of low pressure and low temperature. A main use of film deposition occurring in the fourth quadrant is for depositing low deposition rate films or barrier films, where the film is sensitive to stress.
While each deposition quadrant causes specific film deposition to occur, the characteristics of the film, deposited within the confines of a given quadrant, is limited to characterization of that given quadrant as outlined above. For example, FIG. 1 depicts a typical deposition profile for silicon nitride. As shown in FIG. 1, a silicon nitride film is deposited while the deposition conditions remain constant throughout the entire film deposition cycle (i.e., deposition pressure and temperature are constant). The ranges of pressure and temperature will determine what deposition quadrant the resulting film is deposited in and thus establish the characteristics of the silicon nitride film. Typically for silicon nitride, deposition occurs in the first and fourth quadrants as explained above.
The present invention, however, develops an optimization method for using CVD to deposit films such that the films are tailored to obtain the desired film characteristics for a given application.

Method for optimization of thin film deposition


Exemplary embodiments of an improved OBT are provided. General concepts of the invention include an OBT combined with an optical scanner. In one embodiment, the OBT includes a housing that at least partially retains a processor; vehicle communication circuitry for linking to a vehicle diagnostic system, and an optical reader for optically obtaining additional information. Another exemplary embodiment includes an OBT used in conjunction with a bar code scanner and/or a camera. In addition, a method of obtaining diagnostic data from the vehicle diagnostic system and optically obtaining information using an off-board device is provided.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set forth guidelines for states to follow in designing and running vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs. The guidelines are designed to reduce pollutants in the air that are produced by vehicles having defective or improperly working emissions systems. The guidelines for automobile emissions testing programs set forth the minimum requirements to satisfy the Clean Air Act (CAA). Under the CAA, the states must periodically inspect vehicles that travel on the roadways. Included in the periodic inspection for newer vehicles is the checking of the on-board diagnostic system.
Vehicles emissions inspections programs have traditionally analyzed the vehicle exhaust under simulated driving conditions. One way to simulate driving conditions is by placing the vehicle on rollers and running the vehicle at various speeds. Placing the vehicle on rollers and running the vehicle at selected speeds is undesirable because it is inconvenient, time consuming, and potentially dangerous.
Another method of performing a vehicle emissions inspection is to analyze the data stored on the on-board diagnostic system that was gathered during actual driving conditions. All vehicles manufactured since 1996 are required to have an on-board vehicle diagnostic system. The on-board vehicle diagnostic system includes one or more computer modules that are used to control various components, such as the engine, transmission, anti-lock brake system etc. The on-board vehicle diagnostic systems monitor and store data indicative of emissions levels, such as, for example, data from the oxygen sensor, the catalytic converter, the EGR valve, etc., that are obtained during actual driving conditions over a period of time and during key "off" conditions. Once the vehicle has been driven for a sufficient period of time for the on-board diagnostic system to fully evaluate the emissions system, the on-board diagnostic system sets a status flag. The status flag, or readiness code, is used to verify that error codes have not been cleared immediately prior to having the vehicle inspected.
A typical I/M program for 1996 and later models includes a manual examination of the components and an electronic examination of the on-board diagnostic system. First, the inspector enters the vehicle identification number into a computer terminal, so that the vehicle identification number can be reported to the state along with the results of the emissions test. The vehicle identification number is either entered manually, or entered by scanning a bar code label that may be located on the vehicle door. After entering the VIN number, the vehicle is pulled forward and the inspector performs a visual check of the dashboard display, status indication, (or the malfunction indicator light "MIL") and selected emissions control components. Finally, the inspector performs an inspection of the on-board vehicle diagnostic system. Typically, an "Off-Board Tool," (OBT) such as a scan tool, code reader or similar hand-held instrument is used to extract data from the vehicle on-board diagnostic system in the form of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), monitors, etc.
"Off-Board Tools," such as, for example, scan tools, and code reader are testing devices that interface with vehicle diagnostic systems to access, display, and/or print vehicle diagnostic information. On-Board Diagnostics Version II Scan Tools are one commonly known type of scan tool and are governed by a number of standards, such as, for example, SAE J1978 Rev. April 2002 and SAE J1979 Rev. April 2002.
Optical scanners are known and include bar code scanners. Generally, there are two types of bar code scanners, less-expensive contact scanners, and more expensive non-contact scanners. The less-expensive contact scanners, also known as manual scanners, or one-pass scanners require close, or actual physical contact, between the scanner and the bar code. Manual scanners or one-pass scanners include, for example, light pen bar code readers. As the name implies, non-contact scanners do not require direct contact with the bar code. Non-contact scanners include, for example, scanners that use a CMOS camera sensor, and scanners that use lasers and osculating mirrors. The latter are often found in hand-held devices at checkout lines.
Typically, test centers that scan in VIN numbers utilize a scanner at one station and an OBT at a second station. Placing the vehicle at one location to enter the vehicle identification number and moving the vehicle to a second station to retrieve data from the vehicle diagnostic system increases the time and space required to perform an emissions test.


A push release latch for a display device is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The push release latch includes a slider portion adapted to slide substantially laterally within a latch receptacle of a housing with respect to an actuation axis A of the push release latch. The slider portion includes a latch projection adapted to engage and retain a display screen and at least one actuator projection that extends from the slider portion. The latch further includes a push portion adapted to travel within the latch receptacle substantially along the actuation axis A. The push portion includes at least one sloped actuation surface that engages the at least one actuator projection of the slider portion. The at least one sloped actuation surface forces the at least one latch projection and the slider portion to move substantially laterally in response to a depression force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a latch, and more particularly, to a push release latch for a flip-down type display panel or device.
2. Statement of the Problem
Vehicles are increasingly being manufactured with a variety of onboard electronic gear. The onboard electronic gear can be utilitarian in nature, including navigation and/or communication devices. The electronic gear can also be for entertainment purposes, including video players, music players, etc. Various types of automotive and/or portable electronic gear include removable components or components that swing, pivot or otherwise extend from the gear, such as, for example, into a passenger compartment. Device manufacturers are adding electronic devices that include display screens. Due to the limited space in an automotive passenger compartment and/or in environments in which portable gear is used, and in order to protect the electronic gear when not in use, such electronic gear is typically designed to be stowed when not in use.
In the prior art, a display screen is typically fastened in a stowed position using some manner of twist or slide latch. The prior art twist or slide latch extends a tongue or tab that engages the display screen and holds it in the stowed position. The prior art twist or slide latch must be operated in order to engage the stowed portion and must be operated in order to release the stowed portion.
The prior art approach has several drawbacks. A prior art twist or slide latch may extend into the passenger compartment, posing a risk of contact with an occupant. A prior art twist or slide latch may require excessive force and may be hard for children or the elderly to operate. A prior art twist or slide latch may require a comparatively large force to operate in comparison to the size and/or weight of the component being latched. A prior art twist or slide latch may be difficult to locate in a dim vehicle or airplane interior.

Push release latch for a flip-down display device

Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North America


Device for controlling a washing water flow passage in a dish water for controlling the washing water supplied to arms for spraying washing water to dishes. The device for controlling a washing water flow passage includes an inlet tube, first, second, third, and fourth tubes, first and second outlet tubes, a ball, a ball seat, and a valve. The first tube is extended upward from the inlet tube, and the second tube is extended slanted upward from the inlet tube. The third tube is extended upward vertically from a top of the second tube, and the fourth tube is connected between the first tube and the third tube in a downward slanted direction. The first outlet tube is formed on a top of a part where the first tube and the fourth tube are joined, and the second outlet tube is formed on a top of the third tube. The ball seat is provided to an inside of the inlet tube, and the valve is provided to one side of the first tube for blocking pass of the ball. The ball controls the flow passage of the washing water supplied to arms that sprays the washing water as the ball moves in the first, second, third, or fourth tube by a washing water pressure and gravity and opens/closes the first or second outlet tube selectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dish washers, and more particularly, to a dish washer can wash dishes with either an upper rack or lower rack inside of a wash chamber, and a device for controlling a washing water flow passage which makes the same available.
2. Background of the Related Art
The dish washer is an appliance in which detergent and washing water is sprayed onto dishes for automatic washing and drying the dish. FIG. 1 illustrates a related art dish washer.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art dish washer is provided with a cabinet 1, a washing chamber 3, a plurality of racks 4 and 5, a cleaning filter 6, a sump 7, a pump 8, a plurality of arms 10 and 11, and a drain pump 12.
The cabinet 1 is an outside case of the dish washer. The cabinet 1 has a door 2 in one side, and the washing chamber 3 is provided to an inside of the cabinet 1.
The plurality of racks 4 and 5, for an example, an upper rack 4 and a lower rack 5 are provided to an inside of the washing chamber 3 for placing the dishes thereon. The cleaning filter 6 filters washing water from outside of the cabinet 1, the filtered washing water is gathered in the sump 7 and stored therein temporarily.
The pump 8 is, for an example, a centrifugal pump, for drawing the washing water from the sump 7 through a washing water inlet 8a and pumping out through a first outlet 8b and a second outlet 8c, respectively. The first outlet 8b and the second outlet 8c are connected to water passages that are lead to different parts of an inside of the washing chamber 3, such as the upper part and a lower part thereof. The water passage may be a connection pipe 9 connected between the upper part of the washing chamber 3 and the first outlet 8b.
The plurality of arms 10 and 11, for an example, an upper arm 10 and a lower arm 11, are provided in the vicinity of racks 4 and 5 inside of the washing chamber 3. The arms 10 and 11 are rotatably connected to the connection pipe 9 and the second outlet 8c respectively, for being rotated and spraying water toward dishes on the racks 4 and 5. The drain pump 12 is provided for pumping the water, sprayed from the arms 10 and 11 and fallen down to a bottom of the washing chamber 3, to an outside of the dish water.
The foregoing related art dish washer washes the dishes by the following process.
Upon putting the dish washer into operation after placing the dishes on the racks 10 and 11 in the washing chamber 3 and closing the door 2, the washing water in the sump 7 is pumped as the pump 8 comes into operation. Of course, the washing water in the sump 7 is supplied from outside of the dish washer and filtered through the cleaning filter 6.
The washing water pumped by the pump 8 is discharged through the first outlet 8b and the second outlet 8c, wherein the washing water discharged to the first outlet 8b is supplied to the upper arm 10 via the connection pipe 9. The upper arm 10 is rotated, and sprays washing water, for washing the dishes on the upper rack 4.
On the other hand, the washing water, pumped by the pump 8 and discharged through the second outlet 8c, is supplied to the lower arm 11. The lower arm 11 is rotated and sprays washing water for washing the dishes on the lower rack 5.
The washing water having cleaned the dishes thus by above process falls down to a lower part of the washing chamber 3, and the drain pump 12 discharges the washing water to an exterior.
Of course, though the dish washer is provided with various sterilizing and drying devices for carrying out sterilizing and drying required after the washing, detailed description of which will be omitted.
In the meantime, the related art dish washer discharges the washing water pumped by the pump 8 to the first outlet 8b and the second outlet 8c, such that both the upper arm 10 and the lower arm 11 spray the washing water, simultaneously. However, such a structure has a problem in that much washing water is consumed unnecessarily even if the dishes are placed either on the upper rack 4 or on the lower rack 5 in the washing because there are a small amount of dishes to be washed.
Consequently, demands for a dish washer rises, which can wash the dishes on either the upper rack 4 or the lower rack 5, when the amount of dishes to be washed is small.

Dish washer and device for controlling washing water flow passage therein


An active substance-containing patch for the controlled release of estradiol or its pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives alone or combined with gestagens, comprising a backing layer, an active substance-containing reservoir which is bonded thereto and produced by using pressure-sensitive adhesives, and a removable protective layer, is characterized by the fact that the pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises ethylcellulose, esters of non-hydrogenated and/or hydrogenated colophony, and lauric acid.

The present invention relates to an active substance-containing patch for the controlled release of estradiol or its pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives either alone or combined with gestagens, to human or animal skin, comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive of ethylcellulose, esters of colophony, and lauric acid. The present invention further relates to its use and to a process for its production.
Estrogen-containing patches have been known for some time. However, these patches are disadvantageous in that they either contain ethanol or involve the potential danger of active substance recrystallization in the course of time.
It is known from DE-OS 32 05 258 and EP 0 285 563 to administer estradiol and ethanol simultaneously in a patch formulation. However, the production of this patch is very expensive, and there is a low wearing comfort after application because of inflexibility.
EP 0 285 563 describes a transdermal therapeutic system for the combined application of estrogens and gestagens. The reservoir comprises the active substance formulation, and optionally a membrane, as well as ethanol as a percutaneous absorption improving agent. Since the active substance release is primarily controlled by the membrane, this transdermal therapeutic system is completely different from the active substance-containing patch according to the present invention. In the patch described in said publication, the adhesive has the mere function of fastening the patch to the skin. The fact that it can contribute to the control of the active substance release is not its main function but merely a--probably even undesired--side effect. It is a so-called "pouch patch" since the active substance preparation is present in a pouch consisting of an impermeable backing layer and a membrane having an adhesive layer. Owing to its complicated structure production of this patch is very expensive since the individual components have to be manufactured separately and then joined in an additional step to form a patch.
Unlike the single-layer system according to the present invention EP 0 275 716 describes a two-layer transdermal system for the simultaneous administration of one or several estrogens which are dissolved or microdispersed in the polymeric layer. In addition to the active substances, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer comprises substances improving the transdermal absorption. Polymeric and pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may consist of polyacrylates, silicones, or polyisobutylenes.
EP 0 072 251 describes a flexible, liquid-absorbing medicinal bandage. The substrate attached to the flexible backing layer consists of a hydrophilic matrix based on hydrophilic high-molecular polysaccharides and/or polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, ethylene-vinyl acetate-copolymers, and other polymers, as well as of a liquid phase based on a solution or emulsion of carbohydrate, proteins, polyhydric alcohols, and different active substances, amongst others hormones. The main feature of this invention is the moisture-absorbing adhesive.
EP 0 328 806 describes a transdermal therapeutic system without membrane; its matrix consists of a polyacrylate adhesive, a solvent, a penetration enhancer, and estrogen, its derivatives and combinations thereof.
WO 87/07 138 describes an estradiol patch having a backing layer, an active substance-containing matrix, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered with a removable protective layer. Matrix and pressure-sensitive adhesive are manufactured in operations involving considerable technological expenditure, i.e., by homogenizing, degassing, coating, drying, and separating. According to an embodiment the backing layer has to be coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, requiring an additional operation. The individual parts are joined in a separate step. For this reason, the production of this patch is very expensive and complicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,665 describes systems comprising the active substance in microencapsulated form within the reservoir. The reservoir is embedded between backing layer and a membrane. The outer edge of the system is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Structure and production of this system are very complicated since the active substance has to be microencapsulated and homogeneously dispersed in a liquid phase which is then embedded between backing layer and membrane in further operations. Moreover, this system must then be provided with an adhesive edge and covered with a protective layer.
EP 0 186 019 describes active substance patches wherein water-swellable polymers are added to a rubber/adhesive-resin-mass and from which estradiol can be released. It turned out, however, that the estradiol release from these active substance patches is absolutely insufficient and fails to meet the therapeutic requirements.
DE-OS 20 06 969 describes a patch or a pressure-sensitive adhesive dressing exhibiting system action, wherein contraceptive substances are incorporated in the adhesive component or in the adhesive film. The adhesive film may be an acrylate.
DE-OS 39 33 460 describes an estrogen-containing active substance patch based on homo and/or copolymers with at least one derivative of acrylic acid or with methacrylic acid combined with water-swellable substances.
However, it turned out that the active substance release of pressure-sensitive adhesive transdermal therapeutic matrix systems which comprise the active substance in a partially or completely dissolved form is absolutely insufficient; moreover, they involve the potential risk that the active substance recrystallizes in the course of time. As a result the active substance release decreases, and the estrogen-containing patch does no longer meet the therapeutic requirements.


An exercise apparatus (10) includes a hydraulic resistance member (50) with a single sided hydraulic cylinder (53) for pumping fluid through a fluid circuit (80). Lever members (31, 32) pivot in a common plane and extend outward to embrace the hydraulic resistance member (50) between them. Stop members (221,223) limit movement of the lever members (31, 32), and biasing member (230) biases 10 the lever members (31,32) apart. An immobilizing member (40) may selectively immobilize either one of the lever members (31, 32). An extension arm (17) supports an exercise member (16) which may move along an exercise stroke only by pumping cylinder (53). The fluid circuit (80) allows fluid to flow from the cylinder (53) only when pressure in the cylinder (53) exceeds a selected pressure corresponding to a selected exercising force determined in accordance with the position of the member (16) along the exercise stroke by a control linkage (100). During the return stroke, no exercising force is required.

Prior to the advent of modern exercise machines and universal gyms, iron weights, used in combination with bars as bar bells or dumb bells and lifted against gravity, were the most common resistance medium against which muscles were worked for exercise. Such free weight exercise apparatus has many disadvantages. There is a danger of loss of control of the weight due to fatigue or an attempt to lift more weight than the muscles are capable of controlling. Much time is required for changing weights and moving weights and auxiliary equipment in preparation for different exercises. Equipment for an extensive and thorough fitness program constitutes a great number of separate parts, including weights and bars to be organized and stored.
contemporary exercise and universal gym devices continue to use weights made of iron or other heavy material to provide resistance for muscle exercise, but confine the weights to movement along fixed tracks to eliminate dangers of loss of control or dropping of free weights. The weights of these apparatus are connected by chains and levers in various configurations, to exercise members which are engaged and worked by an exercising athlete. These machines may provide changing mechanical advantage through the exercise stroke to maximize exercise benefit. However, such machines suffer from a number of disadvantages. They must be massive, to provide the weight necessary for training advanced athletes and to provide necessary structural strength, and they are complex, because all exercise motions must be translated into up and down movement of the weights along their tracks. This latter consideration generally precludes any single machine from providing a sufficient number of different conditioning exercises for a complete fitness program.
Efforts to reduce the mass and complexity of exercise machines and universal gyms have resulted in a number of apparatus utilizing hydraulic resistance. Generally, these apparatus have two key elements in common; a hydraulic cylinder linked to an exercise member to pump fluid in and out of the cylinder in response to movement of the exercise member, and a means for creating resistive pressure in the cylinder against which the muscles are worked. Despite their large number, all such machines are deficient in one or more respects. Most utilize double-action hydraulic cylinders and, unlike free weights, provide exercising forces which resist movement of the exercise member during both an exercise stroke and a return stroke of an exercise cycle. This "two-way resistance" does not provide the benefits of free weight exercise which provides no resisting force during the return stroke.
Many hydraulic exercise devices of the present art do not provide a sufficient number of exercises for true muscle conditioning program versatility. Many of these machines utilize multiple hydraulic cylinders in an attempt to provide a sufficient number of different exercises, further increasing their mass and complexity. Generally, substantial time and effort is required to change between exercising configurations of these apparatus. None of these devices provide for controlled variation of exercise resistance over the exercise stroke to provide optimum exercise benefit.


A constrained damping layer assembly includes a first constraining layer adapted for being secured to a first portion of an aircraft frame, and a second constraining layer adapted for being secured to a second portion of the aircraft frame. A damping material is sandwiched between the first constraining layer and the second constraining layer. The damping material includes a first side, which is adapted for slidably contacting the first constraining layer, and further includes a second side, which is adapted for slidably contacting the second constraining layer. The first constraining layer is adapted for sliding in a first direction upon introduction of a sheer load onto the interior panel, and the second constraining layer is adapted for sliding in a second direction upon introduction of a sheer load onto the interior panel.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to panels used in connection with aircraft and, more particularly, to interior panels for reducing low-frequency noise.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical aircraft has a continuous diaphragm construction, which comprises a number of individual skin panels. The skin panels are secured to a frame of the aircraft and provide, among other things, an aerodynamic surface for the aircraft. As the aircraft travels through the atmosphere, a turbulence of air is generated around the skin panels. This air turbulence can set the skin panels into vibration. The skin panels often vibrate in several modes with a significant sheer wave (analogous to the shaking of a rope). A vibrating skin panel can often act as an efficient loud speaker, radiating sound to the interior panels and into the cabin of the aircraft.
Energy from the vibrating skin panels can also be transferred into the aircraft frame and, subsequently, to the interior panels of the aircraft, setting them into vibration. The vibrating interior panels can also act as loudspeakers, generating sound which is transferred into the cabin. Energy from the vibrating skin panels can also be transferred to the interior panels through the space between the skin panels and the interior panels. Thus, although the skin panels can be somewhat effective in blocking sounds generated outside of the aircraft from the interior cabin, these skin panels can transmit air turbulence sounds to the interior panels.
A typical interior panel of an aircraft may include a trim or sidewall panel, a ceiling panel, a luggage rack side wall, a lavatory side wall, a galley side wall, or a floor panel. Prior art interior panels may comprise an aluminum base with a plastic coating or, alternatively, may comprise a honeycomb composite. The honeycomb composite may comprise two fiberglass layers separated by a light layer of paper material, for example. These interior panels are typically secured to the frame of the aircraft.
Another source of sound, which can be transmitted to the interior panels, is generated primarily by engine vibrations. These engine vibrations are transmitted to the frame of the aircraft and, subsequently, transmitted to the interior panels.
A typical prior art solution for attenuating the radiation of sound, from air turbulence and engine vibrations, into the cabin of the aircraft utilizes insulation blankets, placed into an air space between the skin panels and the interior panels. These insulation blankets may comprise fiberglass wool, for example. Sound from the skin panels is transferred in a direction toward the cabin through the "pumping" of air back and forth through the absorbent layers of the insulation blankets. This pumping of air through the absorbent materials of the insulation blankets results in an attenuation of the sound energy.
Since the insulation blankets are also set into oscillation by the wave front, and since the amount of energy required to sustain this oscillating motion is proportional to the square of frequency (kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity), insulation blankets can be somewhat effective in insulating higher frequency sounds. Lower frequency sounds, however, are not effectively attenuated by these prior art insulation blankets. For example, the low frequency engine tones in the rear portion of a typical aircraft cannot be effectively reduced by these insulation blankets.
In addition to not significantly attenuating low frequency sounds, prior art insulation blankets have other shortcomings. For example, fuselage insulation blankets often become wet during normal flight operation, as a result of aircraft operating conditions. In addition to increasing the overall weight of the aircraft, these wet insulation blankets have introduced corrosion into the aircraft. Additionally, in some instances, airlines have experienced passenger and service door malfunctions, due to frozen insulation blankets in the door. Further, the installation of these insulation blankets between the skin panels and the interior panels can be time consuming and expensive, not to mention the costs associated with maintenance and replacement of these insulation blankets. A need has existed in the prior art for a simple structure of providing adequate sound attenuation. This structure should significantly attenuate both high and low frequency sounds, and should be capable of providing thermal insulation capabilities as well.


This invention relates to a light duty tire (e.g. passenger tire or light duty truck tire) designed for a load bearing capacity of a maximum of 3,500 pounds (1587 kg) with a tread of a cap/base construction with at least one underlying silica-rich, cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber based intermediate transition rubber layer to promote a reduced internal heat generation for the light duty tire and to therefore promote a light load carrying light duty tire which is more durable for the long haul. Such light duty tire tread is intended for use with light loads in which internal heat may be generated within the tire, including the tire tread, during use.

Light duty tires (e.g. passenger vehicle tires and light duty truck tires, preferably passenger vehicle tires) may experience internal heat build up and a corresponding increase in operating temperature as the light duty tire is being used on an associated vehicle.
Such light duty tire internal heat buildup is considered herein to be significantly different from internal heat buildup generated under a relatively heavy load in heavy duty tires (e.g. heavy duty trucks and large off-the-road material hauling vehicles carrying heavy loads). Heat build up in a light duty tire tread during the working of such light duty tires can be of sufficient magnitude to cause such light duty tires to operate at significantly high temperatures, particularly at high speeds, and thereby have an impact upon their long term heat durability.
For this invention, it is proposed to provide at least one transition rubber layer of at least one silica-rich, cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber based composition positioned between the light duty tire tread cap layer and underlying circumferential belt plies to promote low hysteresis to reduce heat generation and thereby promote an associated long term durability, to promote adhesion of the transition rubber layer and adjoining rubber layers and also to promote tear resistance of the transition rubber layer.
Further, by way of providing such transition rubber in a form of a silica-rich rubber composition, the transition rubber layer in the light duty tire may be of a color which contrasts with the black color of adjoining carbon black reinforced, diene-based elastomer based tire components when said transition layer contains only a minimal amount of carbon black reinforcement, if any, and contains a colorant.
In one aspect, the light duty tire of this invention is a tire having a maximum load bearing capacity of 3,500 pounds (1587 kg), preferably a maximum load bearing capacity of 3,000 pounds (1361 kg), and therefore is considered herein to be significantly different from a heavy duty tire having a minimum load bearing capacity of 4,000 pounds (1814 kg). Reference: The Tire And Rim Association Hand Book.
The term "phr" where used herein means "parts per weight of a specified material per 100 parts by weight rubber, or elastomer, in a rubber composition".

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Light duty tire with silica-rich polyisoprene rubber based intermediate transition layer


A flexure compensated roll comprising a rotatable roll shell around a longitudinally extending support therethrough. A longitudinally extending press shoe supported on the support. A piston movably supported on the support above a sealed pressure space. The piston has a saddle toward the interior of the roll casing. The shoe has a middle pressure chamber fluid connected with the pressure space of the piston. The shoe also has rows of hydrostatic pockets on both circumferential sides of the middle chamber. These are supplied by narrowed choke passages with hydraulic fluid. The supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydrostatic pockets bypasses the piston pressure space and/or the middle chamber and is from a pressure source to the hydrostatic pockets without pressure regulation. A regulating valve controls the force between the longitudinal support and the casing of the roll by setting the pressure in the middle chamber and by setting the pressure in the piston pressure space. Details of the particular pressure regulation valve are also disclosed. The saddle at the top of the piston is swivelable about a swivel joint to adapt to the interior of the roll casing as it flexes. The hydraulically effective pressing area of the shoe is larger than the hydraulically effective area of the piston in the pressure space. A spring and/or an initial pressurization region in the pressure space initially raises the piston and shoe toward the interior of the roll casing.

The present invention relates to the design of and the control of a pressing roll including hydrostatic pockets in which the rotary pressing casing of the roll is supported hydrostatically on an internal, non-rotary, longitudinal support.
The hydrostatic pocket containing pistons which are employed in these rolls are either round or elongate, as seen in a radial plan view.
Round pistons suffer from the disadvantage that under certain conditions, e.g. of breadth of the lands around the pockets and the gap width between the shoe and the roll casing, they involve a larger hydraulic periphery and hence a greater flow of hydraulic fluid and they furthermore require a greater driving power, using larger land areas.
For economy of operation, only longitudinally extending hydraulic pistons are acceptable, with shaped pressing shoes connected with the pistons. The shoes are either constituted by the pistons or are carried by them. For instance, there may be one, two, three or more such shoes distributed over the longitudinal length of the roll.
In German patent publication 2,502,161 Al, such a pressing shoe comprises a radially movable piston which is supported movably on the longitudinal support and is connected by a rocking joint with a saddle which is disposed radially outward of the piston and is adapted to the inner radius of the roll casing. The saddle contains hydrostatic pockets.
A broader and longer circumferentially middle pocket formed in the saddle is supplied with hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pressure space underneath the piston and via holes through the rocking joint. The circumferentially external or flanking hydrostatic pockets are subdivided along the length of the saddle and receive hydraulic pressure fluid, i.e. oil, from the middle pocket via connecting holes between the middle and the external pockets, and that oil is drained off via external longitudinal lands into the essentially pressure free inner space of the roll.
Although a roll of this type has the advantage of a somewhat lower power dissipation for a given gap width and a given land breadth, it involves a relatively large gap height in order to prevent grating of the inner longitudinal lands on the roll casing caused by flexure of the saddle about the axis of rocking in the case of major supporting forces. However the consumption of hydraulic fluid increases with the cube of the gap width so that, for instance, in the case of a minimum gap width of 0.04 mm, a widening of the gap at the outer longitudinal lands by 0.02 mm will increase the fluid flow and hence the necessary pump power by a factor of i.e. 3.375.
A further disadvantage of the known system is that the rate at which oil is pumped into the hydrostatic pockets is proportional to the linear force of the pressing rolls and is inversely proportional to the viscosity of the oil. This means that the gap width between the lands of the saddle and the roll casing remains approximately constant independent of the linear force and the oil flow rate effective for the cooling of the roll, i.e. the removal of frictional heat generated during rotation of the casing by the lands, decreases at a low linear force and causes undesired, high temperatures, which, starting with the friction on the lands, leads to a temperature gradient in an inward direction and consequently to a heat induced bending of the saddle in the same direction as is caused by the flexure owing to supporting a force on the rocking joint. Therefore, during operation under either full load or even under partial load, with a low linear force, there will be widening of the gap along the outer lands which causes the above noted undesired effect for the required pump power.
The lower the temperature of the supplied hydraulic fluid or oil is, the greater is the heat induced curvature of the saddle, because the inner surface of the saddle is more strongly cooled. Owing to higher viscosity of the hydraulic fluid at a lower temperature, less hydraulic fluid will pass through the capillaries leading to all of the hydrostatic pockets. For this reason, there is less hydraulic fluid available for removal of the frictional heat which is produced in the gap between the saddle and the roll casing. The supply of cooler oil and the uneven thermal expansion cause the saddle to bend even more, and in an extreme case, the saddle may even grate against the inner lands on the roll casing, if counteraction is not taken by increasing the rate of flow of the hydraulic fluid.


Embodiments are directed to representing documents using document keys. Documents that include one or more clauses may be provided. Each clause type for the one or more clauses in documents may be determined based on one or more classification models. One or more clause identifiers may be associated with the one or more clauses based on one or more clause types of each clause. A document key may be generated for each document based on an ordered collection of the one or more clauses included in each document such that each clause identifier may be positioned in the document key based on an order of its location in a corresponding clause of a document. The documents may be analyzed based on evaluations of one or more document keys corresponding to the documents. One or more reports may be generated based on one or more results of the analysis.

Documents, including legal contracts, are becoming increasingly complex, varied and unstructured. It takes a skilled human to understand and analyze documents to break them into their constituent clauses and sections. Analyzing a document manually is a time consuming and error prone process. The accuracy of the results is also heavily dependent on the experience and training of the person performing the process. Also, automated analysis, comparison, or categorization of complex documents may be disadvantaged by a lack of generally applicable metrics or standards that may be suitable for generalized analysis, comparison, or categorization of complex documents. Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

Representing documents using document keys


A human body detecting device for detecting an approach of a human body includes a sensor electrode provided in a housing and having detecting portions for detecting the approach of the human body to the housing. Each of the detecting portions is provided at a respective surface side in the housing.

A known human body detecting sensor for a vehicle including a parallel cable as a non-contact sensor, which detects an approach of a user in a non-contacting manner, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-308149. The parallel cable is accommodated in a hollow portion formed inside of a door handle for opening and closing a vehicle door. According to the disclosed human body detecting device for a vehicle, when the approach of a registered user to the vehicle door is recognized, first a control signal is transmitted to just allow a release of a door lock. Next, when the human body detecting sensor detects that the door handle is gripped to be opened, the door lock is then actually released.
When a user operates the door handle, his hand normally contacts with a front or back surface of the door handle. The disclosed human body detecting sensor is provided in the middle position of the door handle, i.e., provided rather far from both the front and the back surfaces of the door handle. Thus the effect of detecting the human body may not be always sufficient on both the front and the back surfaces of the door handle.
Recently, vehicles have been provided with an antenna for communicating with the outside of the vehicle. The antenna is provided in a space inside of the door handle and therefore, the human body detecting sensor is such that the antenna should be accommodated in a limited space in the door handle. In this case, only one sensor for detecting the human body is used and is provided in the vicinity of either the front surface or the back surface of the door handle. The human body detecting element cannot be provided in the vicinity of both surfaces of the door, handle so that only one surface can provide a preferred sensitivity to detect the human body.
For purposes of design or texture, an ornamental plating may be applied on resin or the door handle may be made of a metal. In this case, however, the known human body detecting sensor cannot provide a sufficient detecting function or cannot detect the human body appropriately.
Thus, a need exists for the human body detecting device which addresses at least the foregoing drawback associated with other known human body detecting devices.


One or more indicators provide an indication of fueling status of a hydrogen powered vehicle. One or more sensors detect temperature and/or other characteristics of the fuel provided to the vehicle and provide an electrical signal to one or more of the indicators to permit an indication of fueling status. The indicators, which may be visual and/or audible, may be positioned on the fueling apparatus and on the vehicle in the vicinity of a fueling receptacle. The indicators may also be positioned elsewhere on the vehicle and may be separate from the vehicle such as on or around a fueling station and/or on separate computerized devices.

Vehicles powered by hydrogen, often referred to as FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) have recently been introduced. Such vehicles appear to the ordinary driver/operator to operate very similarly to conventional fossil fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel) powered vehicles. Fueling of such vehicles has been designed to mimic in some ways fueling of fossil fuel-based vehicles. The characteristics of hydrogen however pose threats to operators of hydrogen powered vehicles. What is needed are improved systems, apparatus and methods for safely and predictably refueling vehicles powered by energy sources, such as hydrogen, that differ from conventional fossil fuels


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that communicates cryptographic data through multiple network layers. During operation, the system receives the cryptographic data and divides the cryptographic data into multiple pieces. The system then encapsulates different pieces of the cryptographic data into fields associated with different network layers in a data packet, whereby an item of cryptographic data that is too large to be communicated in a single field can be communicated through multiple fields associated with different network layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for heightening security in communication protocols. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for increasing network security by encapsulating cryptographic information across different network layers.
2. Related Art
The explosive growth of the Internet has led to a proliferation of networked devices over the past few years. Due to a large increase in the number of networked devices, the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address space, which is based on a 32-bit long address format, will soon run out of usable addresses. To solve this problem, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was proposed. IPv6 defines a 128-bit long address format, which is believed to provide a sufficient number of addresses to accommodate all networked devices. These networked devices can include cell phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), and other computing devices.
Unfortunately, when IPv6 was designed many years ago, it was difficult to foresee the wide deployment of wireless networks that are being used today. Hence, the IPv6 mechanisms that manage local links were designed with physically protected, trustworthy links in mind. Today, people are planning to use IPv6 on public wireless networks, such as Wireless LANs (WLANs) in airports, hotels, etc. In such networks, even though an actual link may be somewhat protected with layer two (data link layer) authentication, access control, and encryption, some of the nodes on the link could still be untrustworthy. Furthermore, it is easy to set up a non-authentic WLAN base station that can be used to launch various types of attacks, such as access stealing, Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, and traffic-snooping attacks.
To address these security problems in IPv6, a Cryptographically Generated Address (CGA) can be used. In essence, a CGA allows a node to use a short but secure expression of its public key (for example, a part of a secure hash of the public key) as part of its IPv6 address. This CGA mechanism actually allows a node to prove that it has the authorization to use a particular address. This simple but powerful concept has far-ranging implications and applications to network security, reaching beyond IPv6 networks.
A similar concept is that of a "Hash Based Address" (HBA). It also uses a secure hash (e.g., SHA-1); but instead of a public key, the input to the secure hash function is a static identifier. Accordingly, an HBA alone cannot prove that its owner is the sole entity authorized to perform certain operations on the address. Nevertheless, they do have the non-reversible property of the secure hash function. Hence, they can be used to prove that an HBA is a special type of address, one that is derived securely from certain (perhaps public) parameters. This property of safely distinguishing addresses, between those that have the HBA property and those that do not, is quite useful to prevent certain types of attacks.
Both the CGA and HBA proposals define ways to derive IPv6 addresses. However, both of the above suffer from the limitation that an IPv6 address (more specifically, the interface-identifier part of an IPv6 address) leaves only 62 bits available for the hash value. In order to derive the security properties of CGA/HBA schemes, enough bits are required so that the uniqueness properties of the secure hash are maintained. The secure hash function SHA-1 produces 160 bits, but with the limitation of IPv6 addresses (and other CGA/HBA applications), the output must be truncated and not all 160 bits can be used.
Nevertheless, it is generally acknowledged that 128 bits and even fewer bits (approximately 100 bits) are more than enough for protection against attackers trying to find collisions on the secure hash by brutal force.
However, in the case of CGA/HBA, people increasingly question whether 62 bits are enough.
There have been some efforts to work within the 62-bit limitation by trading off increased protection with increased work load when generating the addresses. This is not nearly as practical as being able to keep more bits from the output of the secure hash function.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus that allows more bits to be used with the CGA and HBA techniques.

Method and apparatus for facilitating cryptographic layering enforcement


A method of preparing a silicon layer or substrate surface for growing an epitaxial layer of SiGe thereon. The process comprises removing native oxide from the surface of the silicon with an HF solution, and then oxidizing the exposed silicon surface to form a chemically formed layer of silicon oxide of the process damaged silicon surface. The chemically formed layer of silicon oxide is then removed by a second HF cleaning process so as to leave a smooth silicon surface suitable for growing a SiGe layer.

The ever-increasing demand of new electronic systems such as telecommunication devices continues to place greater and greater demands on semiconductor devices. Consequently, the electronic industry has discovered that SiGe (silicon germanium) HBT (hetero-junction bipolar-transistors) can provide high-speed operation, low noise and low power consumption devices. In addition, SiGe can also be used with strained-Si channels, which, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, facilitates the excellent performance of CMOS type LSI circuits. Unfortunately, the industry has encountered significant problems in the deposition of epitaxial layers of SiGe over a silicon substrate or wafer surface. This is especially true where the Si substrate is subjected to other harsh semiconductor processes prior to the attempt to deposit an epitaxial layer of SiGe. Therefore, it would be advantageous if the successful growth or deposition of an epitaxial layer of SiGe on the surface of a silicon wafer previously subjected to various semiconductor processes could be achieved.

Method of depositing an epitaxial layer of SiGe subsequent to a plasma etch

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Provided is an electric power control apparatus capable of suppressing charge/discharge with respect to an electrical storage device under an anomalous condition. The electric power control apparatus includes an electrical storage device including electrical storage modules, a module-temperature detection section, a temperature-condition judgment section, an adopted-module-temperature selection section, and a charge/discharge-electric-power-upper-limit setting section. The temperature-condition judgment section makes a judgment on a temperature condition of the electrical storage device based on a temperature detected by an electrical-storage-device temperature detection section. The charge/discharge-electric-power-upper-limit setting section sets charge/discharge electric power upper limit of the electrical storage device, based on a module temperature (Tmin) which is deviated to a side of a non-steady temperature condition and selected by the adopted-module-temperature selection section, when the electrical storage device is judged to be under the non-steady temperature condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power control apparatus for a construction machine.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, there is known a construction machine provided with an electrical storage device to use electric power stored in the electrical storage device as drive source. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-325379 (patent literature 1) in FIG. 4 discloses a technology of setting the upper limit of charge electric power and the upper limit of discharge electric power of an electrical storage device in accordance with the temperature (a representative temperature) of the electrical storage device.
There is an electrical storage device including a plurality of electrical storage modules. On the other hand, the internal temperature of an electrical storage device may vary depending on the cooling method or the warm-up method of the electrical storage device. Therefore, in the electrical storage device including the plurality of electrical storage modules, there can be a case where temperature difference occurs between the electrical storage modules. In this case, if the upper limit of charge electric power and the upper limit of discharge electric power of the electrical storage device are set based on the representative temperature of the electrical storage device, as disclosed in the technology of patent literature 1, a drawback may occur resulting from an improper temperature of a specific electrical storage module. Specifically, if there is an electrical storage module of a temperature lower than the representative temperature of the electrical storage device at the time of charge/discharge with respect to the electrical storage device, an over-voltage may occur in the electrical storage module. On contrary, if there exists an electrical storage module of a temperature higher than the representative temperature of the electrical storage device, the electrical storage module may be over-heated.

Electric power control apparatus for construction machine

KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.


A dryer appliance including a slide bearing assembly mounted to a top bearing for supporting a rotating drum and including a wear indication device is provided. The slide bearing assembly includes a contact circuit including two electrical leads positioned on a top bearing of the dryer appliance. A slide bearing is positioned over the contact circuit for supporting a drum during rotation and maintaining an open circuit between the two electrical leads. A controller monitors the resistance across the two electrical leads, determines that a slide bearing failure has occurred when the resistance drops (e.g., due to worn slide bearings), and notifies the user accordingly.

Dryer appliances generally include a cabinet with a drum rotatably mounted therein. During operation, a motor rotates the drum, e.g., to tumble articles located within a chamber defined by the drum. Dryer appliances also generally include a heater assembly that passes heated air through the chamber in order to dry moisture-laden articles positioned therein. Typically, an air handler or blower is used to urge the flow of heated air from chamber, through a trap duct, and to the exhaust duct where it is exhausted from the dryer appliance.
Conventional dryer appliances include a top bearing that supports a front lip of the drum during rotation. In this regard, the top bearing is typically a plastic part that has one or more slide bearings or other durable, low friction pads or members which support the drum during rotation. However, over repeated cycles and many hours of drum rotation, these slide bearings may inevitably wear down or away, causing the drum to rotate instead against the less durable top bearing. If the slide bearings are not replaced soon after their end-of-life or failure, damage to the top bearing and/or drum may quickly occur, resulting in a very expensive replacement components and repair procedures. Notably, conventional dryer appliances have no way of detecting when a slide bearing has worn away or failed.
Accordingly, an improved slide bearing system for a dryer appliance would be useful. More specifically, a dryer appliance having slide assemblies which include wear indications devices or systems would be particularly beneficial.

Dryer appliance with slide bearing assemblies including wear detection features


The present invention discloses a sealing system for a refrigerator and, more particularly, a sealing system located between the doors of a refrigerator and its acclimatized chambers and of the kind that comprises a gasket to be inserted in a receiving channel existing also between the doors of a refrigerator and its acclimatized chambers. The sealing system for refrigerator herein reported consists of at least one gasket comprising a tubular body formed by at least one attaching end and by at least one sealing body; at least one groove defined in at least one movable door or at least one fixed cabinet; and by at least one rib defined in at least one movable door or at least one fixed cabinet.

Sealing the door of the refrigerated compartment of a refrigerator or freezer is essential for grating proper and efficient refrigeration. The inlet of hot air in the generated refrigerated compartment and the outlet of cool air from the same impact the efficiency in pre-serving the refrigeration, the energy consumption (excessive activation of the compressor), and may still cause water formation in the inside and outside of the compartment due to condensation or unwanted ice formation.
The most commonly used way to carry out the sealing of the refrigerator door is by means of a magnetic gasket. This gasket generally comprises an attachment portion and a sealing bag housing a magnet. The attachment part is received in a receiving channel disposed in a peripheral inner portion of the refrigerator door, and the magnet is housed in the sealing bag which contacts a metallic flange of the body of the refrigerator in order to assure the proper sealing of the door.
Considering the desired properties for the gasket, a number of different constructions and geometries were proposed for a sealing gasket. Those constructions are known, for example, from documents PI 9913633-3, U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,634, U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,698, US 2004/0244297, US 2006/0188690 and PI 0503971-1.
Document PI 9913633-3 describes a gasket whose attachment portion comprises at least three fixing noses, one of the noses presenting, with the vertical, a more obtuse intermediate angle than the other two fixing noses.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,634 describes a gasket developed for better resisting to the compression and traction forces acting over it as the door is being moved. The solution provided in this document consists of using two different materials for making part of the sealing bag.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,698 describes a sealing system for the refrigerator door, wherein the receiving channel of the attachment portion of the gasket has an asymmetric profile, so as to facilitate gasket assembling.
Document US 2004/0244297 describes profiles for the sealing bag of a gasket. According to this document, an additional flap in the bag is predicted which transmits magnetic tension force from the magnet region to the attachment portion region of the gasket.
Document US 2006/0188690 describes a gasket made from a specific material, which would have better extrusion properties.
Finally, document PI 0503971-1 describes a gasket having an attachment portion with a curved profile and a sealing bag subdivided into a side sealing bag, an intermediate sealing bag, a main sealing bag, three secondary sealing bags, and a magnet compartment.
Although the listed documents represent efforts in the sense of achieving a construction of an efficient sealing gasket with long-lasting service life, it remains the search for a solution that allies cost efficiency and manufacturing ease to a gasket having good properties of variation absorption and traction resistance, compression resistance and torsion resistance.


A vehicle seat section adjusting device includes a seat section adjusting element for adjusting the width of a seat section. The adjusting device includes a mounting mechanism for movably supporting the seat section adjusting element on the seat, and a drivable adjusting mechanism for adjusting the seat section adjusting element from or to a rest position relative to the mounting mechanism.

The invention relates to a vehicle seat section adjusting devices.
Seats installed in vehicles, in particular luxury automobiles, have a vehicle seat section adjusting device so that the seat section width of the backrest and/or of the side bolster, can be adjusted. The adjustment of the backrest width and of the side bolster serves both as a comfort setting and also, in connection with an active, individualized intervention, enhances lateral support and thus the driving safety associated therewith.
A known vehicle seat section adjusting device has a back adjusting element or a seat section adjusting element for adjusting the width of a back section of a seat in an adjustment direction, a mounting mechanism for movably supporting the seat section adjusting element on the seat, and a drivable adjusting mechanism for adjusting the back adjusting element out of or into a rest position relative to the mounting mechanism. The back width is adjusted with a plastic wing as a back adjusting element, which plastic wing is supported in a guide and is actuated by a transmission via cables. This makes the construction very expensive and correspondingly results in high repair costs.
Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle seat section adjusting device that has a simplified construction, in particular has a small space requirement and number of components.


A method for dispersing asphaltenes in a petroleum product by adding to the petroleum product 0.001% to 20% of at least one compound having formula (V)

This invention relates generally to a composition useful in processing of crude oil.
Certain petroleum products, including heavy crude oils, which include materials referred to as "tars," "petroleum tars" or "tar sands," are rich in asphaltenes, metals and resins. The presence of these types of compounds can lead to various problems in the recovery, transportation, treatment and refining of crude oils, including increased viscosity, formation of stable emulsions, fouling and corrosion. International Pat. Appl. No. WO 95/20637 discloses stabilization of asphaltenes in crude oil using a variety of compounds, including amides and esters. However, the only amides or esters disclosed that have polar substituents are those containing 2-hydroxyethyl, 3-hydroxypropyl, or 4-hydroxybutyl groups.
The problem addressed by this invention is to find a composition suitable for improving processing of petroleum products.

Carbonyl, thiocarbonyl or imine containing compounds as asphaltene dispersants in crude oil

Abstract: wherein R14 is C15–C21 alkyl. In addition to dispersing asphaltenes, the method of the present invention typically also increases demulsibility, reduces viscosity, reduces sediment formation, reduces surface fouling and reduces corrosion.


An extension-type access device used in an information-and-electronic device includes a peripheral circuit board, an extension device set, a first connector, an isolating sheet, and an upper cover plate. An upper shell and a lower shell for clamping and securing the extension-type access device are further provided to make it become an access device module that can be inserted and taken out of a memory card. The extension device set consisting of a plurality of extension devices is secured on and electrically connected to the peripheral circuit board. The first connector is brazed to and electrically connected to the peripheral circuit board. The isolating sheet covers on top of the extension device set. The upper cover plate being a reverted-U shaped covering body has a plurality of cassette portions disposed on the top plate thereof. Through the execution, the invention has the efficacy of using a multiplication of memory cards at a time to make the usage of the memory cards more convenient.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an extension-type access device, and more particularly, to an extension-type access device used in information-and-electronic device that can plug in a multiplication of memory cards at a time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Following the progress of the science and technology and the computer's widespread application, there are numerous information such as files, drawings, pictures, etc. making use of digital electronic devices to perform such works as acquiring, editing, transferring, and backuping etc. The objective of this series of activities is to transform the very original data into useful information that often needs to perform dispersing and sharing further. Therefore, the dispersing and sharing of the digital information has become an important and indispensable part of the modern civilization society.
Since the distributing and sharing of the information are very frequent and important in use, our human beings are constantly performing research and development on the carrier for the relevant digital data storage, and are constantly targeting toward the research and development of light, thin, short, and small products. Memory card is one of the most widespread application and utilization of data storage carrier on the current market. As a result, under the economic scale of mass production, the price of the memory card is getting more and more economical and substantial for the users. Moreover, the card reader has become popular on the current market, and lots of digital cameras, mobile phones, and personal digital assistants (PDA) all have the set-up of extendable memory card. Consequently, the use of memory card has become an indispensable part of daily life such that almost everyone disregarding individuals, corporations, or institutional groups cannot break from it.
Following the progress of science and technology, these kinds of the individual portable digital commodities such as digital cameras, mobile phones, and personal digital assistants (PDA) are getting more and more diversified, accordingly, the demand to these portable-type electronic digital products is rising. However, as the storage medium is not unified yet, the memory card, besides a CF (Compact Flash Card) that is familiar to the public on the market, there are various kinds of memory card. Among them are SD card (Secure Digital Card), MMC card (Multi-Media Card), SM card (Smart Media Card), MS card (Memory Stick Card), CFV card (Compact Flash Value Card). Accordingly, a card reader that can read a multiplication of cards having various kinds of specification for the users emerges in response to the needs of the times. This kind card reader may claim to be "one device reads all".
The information-and-electronic device of the prior art generally has only a set-up of a card reader. Although each of this kind of card reader can read a multiplication of kinds of card, it has only a slot available to be plugged in and read by a card at a time. When it comes to the situation that relevant data store in different cards while in use it needs to load in the same information-and-electronic device to be edited or that there is a need to duplicate from one card to the other, a single card reader is obviously very inconvenient. Under the environment that the memory card is so frequently used, how to perform access action with respect to a multiplication of cards and to provide convenience at the same time has become a very important issue in reality.


A system to synchronize application data bidirectionally between N clients and one server, by:                (a) pushing mutations made in the client to the server, wherein each mutation is comprised of a mutation name identifying the type of mutation, and arguments provided by the application modifying the behavior of the mutation, and the pusher also pushes a client ID and mutation ID for each mutation to the server;        (b) pulling server differentials to the client;        (c) storing key/value pairs in a versioned cache, wherein the keys are text strings and the values are data provided by an application in the client; and        (d) resolving conflicts between the client and the server with a rebaser that:                    forks the cache to create a synch branch when the client receives the latest server differential,            applies the latest received server differential to the synch branch,            applies only those mutations to the synch branch that have not already been acknowledged by the server, and then            makes the synch branch the main branch of the cache.

Network connectivity is never a guarantee, even in highly connected parts of the world. The only way to achieve an always-on experience is with an application ("app") that is operational even when it is offline. For an app to be operational offline, the code and data required for it to function must not be dependent on a network connection. "Offline first" describes a client-server architecture in which an application's core features function with or without an internet connection. Data is read and written locally on an end user's device (client) and periodically uploaded and replicated in the server. This strategy can provide end users with a responsive and reliable user experience when internet connectivity is slow or non-existent. To do this, the architecture pushes data and application logic from the server to the client and most of the processing takes place on the end user's client device.
Classical web application architectures commonly use a "dumb client," in which virtually all processing in a web or mobile application takes place on the server. The server sends static content to a device, and when the user does something, e.g., clicks a button, a request must be sent to the server. The user must wait for confirmation to know if the request went through. This classic architecture is insufficient for use cases that require high amounts of interactivity, like text editors, graphics programs, or video games. These cases too require an "offline-first" approach, not because there may not be a network connection, but because the network connection is too slow to meet the interactivity needs of the application.
Offline-first architecture is easy when there is only one client device allowed to edit data at a time. However, this constraint is too limiting in many cases, so a different design generally called "bidirectional sync" is needed to allow multiple clients to edit shared data locally, without waiting for acknowledgement from the server. Bidirectional synchronization is needed in any case where: (a) multiple users can edit same data, and (b) the clients cannot wait for confirmation from the server. It is used especially when multiple users are going to be editing the same data and a need for a highly interactive experience is required. Unfortunately, even when the connection is good, it's often not fast enough to provide word-processor or video-game level responsiveness. But bidirectional sync has several core challenges: (i) ensuring all changes from all clients are eventually reported and reflected on the server; (ii) ensuring that only the server is allowed to determine the result of an operation, and that clients faithfully follow what the server determines; and (iii) handling "conflicts"—where changes made to data on one client aren't valid with respect to changes made concurrently on another device.
Existing attempts to address these problems have one or both of the following limitations. First, many existing systems require the use of a specific database system on the server side. This is impractical for many users because switching costs for server side database systems are high, and because technical requirements for server-side databases are stringent and not easily met. Second, existing systems do not offer a satisfactory solution to the conflict resolution problem. Some systems claim to automatically resolve conflicts, but that is achieved by limiting the data models that can be represented by the database. Other systems allow conflicting writes to proceed, and simply produce a database state that can be invalid. For example, such system might allow a calendaring application to end up with a room booked by two meetings at the same time. Still others allow conflicting writes to proceed, by way of "forking" the database itself, creating two copies of the data—one where each of the conflicting writes occurred, and leaving it to the developer to later patch them together.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a web service architecture that can resolve conflicts in a client/server system that naturally supports complex data structures and invariants (e.g., calendars) and that facilitates bidirectional sync against existing web services without significant server-side changes.
Additional features and advantages of the embodiments disclosed herein will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and in part will be clear to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the embodiments disclosed herein. The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure, and together with the description explain the principles and operations thereof.

System and method for offline-first application development


An appliance for making beverages is provided which comprises a filter device (3) and a movable arm (7) having an outlet opening (10) for the supply of hot water to the filter device, which arm is movable by means of a motor (15) so as to position the outlet opening in different positions relative to the filter device. In order to ensure that the outlet opening (10) of the arm (7) is positioned correctly there are provided means (23b, 23c) for holding the arm, and a transmission mechanism comprising a friction coupling (20-22) is interposed between the motor (15) and the arm (7).

Such an appliance for making beverages is known from DE-A2714 736.
In this known appliance the motor can rotate the outlet opening of the arm from one end position to another end position, the outlet opening being situated above the filter device in the one end position and the outlet opening being situated adjacent the filter device in the other end position. The last-mentioned end position is intended to feed the hot water directly, i.e. not via the filter device, into a receptacle. How the arm of the known appliance is driven by the motor is not described, except that this is effected by a timer. A problem with motors used with such drives is that when mass-produced they exhibit a substantial spread in speed tolerances. As a result of this, the position where the arm movement is stopped by stopping the motor and hence the position occupied by the outlet opening may differ considerably from one appliance to another.


A Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging System based on a unique Lobster Eye (LE) structure, X-ray generator, scintillator-based detector and cooled CCD (or Intensified CCD) for real-time, safe, staring Compton backscatter X-ray detection of objects hidden under ground, in containers, behind walls, bulkheads etc. In contrast to existing scanning pencil beam systems, Lobster Eye X-Ray Imaging System's true focusing X-ray optics simultaneously acquire ballistic Compton backscattering photons (CBPs) from an entire scene irradiated by a wide-open cone beam from one or more X-ray generators. The Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging System collects (focuses) thousands of times more backscattered hard X-rays in the range from 40 to 120 keV (or wavelength λ=0.31 to 0.1 Å) than current backscatter imaging sensors (BISs), giving high sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and penetration through ground, metal walls etc. The collection efficiency of Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging System is optimized to reduce emitted X-ray power and miniaturize the device. This device is especially advantageous for and satisfies requirements of X-ray-based inspection systems, namely, penetration of the X-rays through ground, metal and other material concealments; safety; and man-portability. The advanced technology disclosed herein is also applicable to medical diagnostics and military applications such as mine detection, security screening and a like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved X-ray imaging system employing lobster eye X-ray focusing technology.
2. Background Art
Many industrial and military applications require the capability for non-invasive inspection of objects through the concealments, walls, ground, bulkheads of boat and ship containers. For this purpose, agencies are seeking a portable (or handheld) instrument that can accurately analyze and visualize material hidden from view behind ground, walls, and bulkheads. The inspection device must not endanger inspection personnel, must be simple to operate, must minimize disruption of commercial and private property, while ensuring full space accountability. The immediate application is detection by inspection personnel of illegal cargo, and other contraband in ocean-going containers, aboard ships and boats, in airports and other check-points and also landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Means of through-wall or through-ground inspection include optical, microwave, acoustic and X-ray techniques. The optical thermal imaging systems cannot see hidden objects that are at the same temperature as the walls. Acoustic systems do not penetrate well through metal walls, and their low frequencies are dangerous to operators and stowaways. Microwave radars cannot penetrate metal bulkheads. Although state-of-the-art X-ray scanning BISs can penetrate walls and internal construction structures, they are bulky, expensive, and above all hazardous. To assemble an X-ray image, the current BISs use expensive, massive, limited view, scintillation detectors with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and a scanning pencil beam of X-rays. Generating the scanning pencil beam is both inefficient and hazardous to the operator, and a person hiding behind a wall. This is not a safe handheld, man-portable instrument. Therefore, state-of-the-art X-ray inspection systems also fail to meet requirements for ship compartment inspection.

Lobster eye X-ray imaging system and method of fabrication thereof


Pennisetum purpureum ‘Princess’ is a dwarf, purple-foliaged napiergrass. It is a perennial in USDA hardiness zones 8-10, and a vigorous annual in more northern zones.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pennisetum purpureum, commonly called napiergrass, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name 'Princess'. This cultivar is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use, and for use as a potted plant.
Seeds of two napiergrass accessions, designated Anae Roxo CNPGL, were received from CENARGEN/EMBRAPA in Brazil in April 1996. These were grown under quarantine in the greenhouse during the winter of 1996-97. They segregated for a wide variety of green and various shades of purple plants with a range of vigor. The most vigorous purple pigmented plant in each accession, given the Tifton numbers N240 and N241, were selfed. Seeds of these plants were planted in the field in 1997. The progenies from these selfed plants again segregated for color and vigor in the field. Three vigorous plants, from each accession, with different shades of purple pigment development were vegetatively propagated for further evaluation in a napiergrass maintenance nursery in 1998. In 1999, two accessions, N241-5 (dwarf) and N241-8 (semidwarf) were selected for further evaluation.
In 1999, multi-plant observation plantings were made at Tifton (USDA Zone 8a). Replicated tests were planted in 2000 at Blairsville (USDA Zone 6b), Griffin (USDA Zone 7b), and Savannah (USDA Zone 8b). Plantings were made at Tifton in 2001 and 2003. All test sites except Tifton were irrigated. Plants in Blairsville and Griffin did not recover in 2001 following temperatures as low as −17° C. Plants in Tifton and Savannah survived when exposed to low temperatures of −6° C. and −8° C., respectively.
In 2003 the name 'Princess' was assigned to N241-5.
'Princess' has been asexually propagated at Tifton by stem cuttings since 2002. Stem cuttings with two nodes tended to produce the most shoots, although somewhat reduced in vigor, based on three-week plant heights. The characteristics of the cultivar have been stable and reproduced true to type in successive vegetative generations.
'Princess' has been compared to Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' (unpatented) and to Pennisetum purpureum 'Prince' (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/151,586). The 'Princess' plant is similar in height to 'Rubrum', but with more than a four fold bigger base circumference, approximately twice the top canopy spread (diameter of arching leaves at top of plant) and almost double the number of tillers per plant. The 'Princess' plant is two thirds the height of 'Prince', with similar base circumference but about half the top canopy spread. 'Princess' has significantly longer (190%) and wider (300%) leaves than 'Rubrum', and shorter (65%) leaves than 'Prince'.

Pennisetum purpureum plant named ‘Princess’

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.