A switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel are provided. The switch circuit is for the pixel element, and includes switches. A switch is turned on to perform a sample operation on the pixel element. Another switch has a control terminal coupled to an image data storage capacitor of the pixel element via the switch, a data terminal to a corresponding source line, and another data terminal to the image data storage capacitor. During the sample operation, the second switch stores an image data of the image data storage capacitor in a parasitic gate capacitor existing on its control terminal. The parasitic gate capacitor maintains its stored data from the sample operation to a refresh operation in which the pixel element is refreshed. The second switch selectively electrically connects its two data terminals with each other according to stored image data in the parasitic gate capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel using the same, more particularly to a switch circuit, a pixel element and a display panel using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enhance the value of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a technology of memory in pixel (MIP) has been introduced into various fields of application. MIP can be used to for example reduce power consumption of different display devices, such as a reflective or a transflective LCD.
There are different types of MIP. In order to achieve same bit number, a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) type of MIP requires less circuit elements, as compared with that of a static random-access memory (SRAM) type of MIP. In other words, the DRAM type of MIP, such as a self-refreshing in pixel type MIP (SRP-MIP), has a reduced circuit complexity, and a higher transmissive aperture ratio than that of SRAM type of MIP. In view of this, the DRAM-based MIP is suitable for display devices which require high aperture ratio, or high resolution such as pixels per inch (PPI).
In most MIPs, a memory is used to maintain the gray level of the MIP without new data being provided from a source driver, so that power consumption can be reduced. The memory is for example such as a capacitor which is used for storing the state of an image data storage capacitor which stores with an image data. After the state of the image data storage capacitor is memorized in the memory, the image data storage capacitor can have its image data refreshed or maintained according to the memorized state.
In MIP, however, the layout area of its memory reduces the transparent or transmissive area in the whole pixel area. This affects the aperture ratio, as well as the resolution of display devices. Due to inverse relationship between the aperture ratio and the resolution, in a case where a display device requires a high resolution, the aperture ratio will become unacceptably small.

Switch circuit, pixel element and display panel for using in refreshing memory in pixel


The present invention relates to a stable pharmaceutical composition that includes sirolimus. The pharmaceutical composition includes sirolimus in the amorphous form, a fatty acid ester, such as glyceryl behenate, and a pharmaceutically acceptable polymer wherein the fatty acid ester is present at a concentration of less than 10% w/w compared to the total weight of the composition.

Sirolimus (offered commercially by Wyeth as RAPAMUNE) is a macrocyclic lactone produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus used for immunosuppression following renal transplantation. The chemical name of sirolimus (also known as rapamycin) is (3S,6R,7E,9R,10R,12R,14S,15E,17E,19E,21S,23S,26R,27R,34aS)-9,10,12,13, -14,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,32,33,34,34a-hexadecahydro-9,27-dihydroxy-3-[(1R)-2-[(1S,3R,4R)-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycyclohexyl]-1-methylethyl]-10,21-dimethox-y-6,8,12,14,20,26-hexamethyl-23,27-epoxy-3H-pyrido[2,1-c][1,4]oxaazacycloh-entriacontine-1,5,11,28,29(4H,6H,31H)-pentone. The molecular formula thereof is C51H79NO13 and the molecular weight is 914.2. The structural formula of sirolimus is shown below:

The commercially available product containing sirolimus is RAPAMUNE. Sirolimus inhibits T lymphocyte activation and proliferation that occurs in response to antigenic and cytokine (Interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, and IL-15) stimulation; it also inhibits antibody production. In cells, sirolimus binds to the immunophilin, FK Binding Protein-12 (FKBP-12), to generate an immunosuppressive complex. This complex binds to and inhibits the activation of the mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR), a key regulatory kinase. This inhibition suppresses cytokine-driven T-cell proliferation, inhibiting the progression from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. In rodent models of autoimmune disease, sirolimus suppresses immune-mediated events associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, collagen-induced arthritis, autoimmune type I diabetes, autoimmune myocarditis, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, graft-versus-host disease, and autoimmune uveoretinitis.
Sirolimus is a white to off-white powder and is insoluble in water, but freely soluble in benzyl alcohol, chloroform, acetone, and acetonitrile. Sirolimus is characterized in that it has a very low solubility in water (only 2.6 μg/ml); therefore only about 0.65 mg of sirolimus is dissolved in a volume of 250 ml of gastrointestinal fluid which is not enough to cause therapeutic effect. To ensure that all sirolimus from the oral dosage form is dissolved in the gastrointestinal fluid, sirolimus is available as an oral solution containing 1 mg/ml of sirolimus and as tablet containing 1 mg or 2 mg of nanosized (less than 400 nm) particles of sirolimus. However preparation of an oral solution of sirolimus before administration requires a special procedure and is thus less preferable from the patient's point of view. Sirolimus in the form of a solid dispersion is described in WO 97/03654. Preparation of tablets containing nanosized particles of sirolimus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,591. The preparation of nanosized particles of sirolimus and the preparation of sirolimus tablets containing nanosized particles of sirolimus are both complex procedures and may result in batch-to-batch variations in the dissolution of sirolimus from the tablets. Therefore an alternative approach for the enhancement of sirolimus solubility is desirable. Sirolimus is available in the form of crystalline powder. It is known to a skilled person that the transformation of the crystalline form of a low solubility drug to the amorphous form can significantly increase the solubility thereof, which is also true for sirolimus. However amorphous sirolimus is extremely chemically unstable and is therefore not easily acceptable for the incorporation into an oral pharmaceutical dosage form. Pharmaceutical dosage forms comprising amorphous sirolimus are described in WO 06/039237 and WO 06/094507. In WO 06/094507, a modified release pharmaceutical formulation comprising sirolimus and glyceryl monostearate at a concentration of 49.25% is described. The release rate of sirolimus from the delayed release rate formulations disclosed in WO 06/094507 is significantly suppressed compared to the marketed sirolimus formulation (RAPAMUNE).
The present invention is aimed at mitigating the problems described above. It relates to a stable pharmaceutical formulation in a solid dosage form for oral administration with enhanced dissolution properties of sirolimus.


A voltage switching arrangement for an electrical power control system including a plurality of switches for connecting and disconnecting voltage from the input to a power transfer network which provides power for a load. A time delay circuit prevents the voltage connected to the input to the power transfer network from being disconnected for a predetermined time period after the control system has been turned off. The power transfer network switches from an on-mode to the off-mode during said time delay period. The voltage connecting switches include an electromechanical DC relay, and the time delay circuit includes a capacitor cooperating with the relay to maintain the relay energized for the time delay period after the control system has been turned off. Safeguards are provided to prevent simultaneous connection of voltage in the forward and reverse directions to the input of the power transfer network.

This invention relates generally to an electrical power control system for driving a motor, and more particularly relates to a voltage switching arrangement for connecting and disconnecting voltage from the input to a power transfer network.
Many AC motor control systems used heretofore included mechanical power line switches for connecting and dis-connecting voltage from the input to a solid state power switching or transfer network. The electrical power may be transferred from the input to the output of the power transfer network for driving the motor in the forward and reverse directions. When turning the motor system off, the mechanical switches would disconnect from the input to the power transfer network before the power transfer network was switched from an on-mode to an off-mode. This caused electrical arcing which could permanently damage or substantially reduce the life of components used in the motor control. The damaging effect of this arcing is reduced or suppressed if capacitors and resistors are connected in shunt across the static switches of the transfer network. When large currents are transferred to the motor, such suppressor capacitors are very costly and are large in size, and may not be effective for suppressing all the sharp and damaging spikes on the current power lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,770 (1973), VICTOR J. HABISOHN, disclosed an AC motor control system for driving the motor in the forward or reverse direction and included a contactor "break" arc suppressor means. When either the forward or reverse manual push button switch was released, the AC energizing voltage was removed from the solenoid coil, causing a disable signal to be generated for switching the solid state power switching or transfer network from the on-mode to the off-mode. The power line mechanical contactor switches opened or disconnected from the input to the power transfer network after the power transfer network switched to the off-mode. This was due to the relatively slow reaction of the mechanical contactors as compared with the quick reaction of the transfer network. Hence, electrical arcing was prevented from occurring on the contactor break.
However, the VICTOR J. HABISOHN technique for preventing arcing on the break of the contactor switches is not suitable for the rapid switching mechanical relays and switches that are presently being used in motor control systems for switching electrical power. These relays switch the power line switches from the on to the off condition almost instantaneously after the relay energizing voltage is removed, and prior to the static switches in the power transfer network switching from the on to the off-mode. Thus, damaging electric arcs are generated across the relay power line switches. The invention herein prevents electrical arcing of the mechanical power line switches when switching from an on to an off-condition.
Another problem with prior motor control systems was the possibility of switching the power line voltages to the input to the power transfer network simultaneously in the forward direction and in the reverse direction, and causing severe damage to the motor or control system. This could have occurred upon inadvertently closing both the forward and reverse manual push button switches, which determine the rotational direction of the motor. The subject invention includes safeguards to prevent the simultaneous connection of the voltage to the input of the power transfer network, in both the forward and reverse directions.


The invention relates to methods that permit the rapid construction of oligosaccharides and other glycoconjugates. Methods for forming multiple glycosidic linkages in solution in a single step are disclosed. The invention takes advantage of the discovery that the relative reactivity of glycoside residues containing anomeric sulfoxides and nucleophilic functional groups can be controlled. In another aspect of the invention, the reactivity of activated anomeric sugar sulfoxides is utilized in a solid phase method for the formation of glycosidic linkages. The methods disclosed may be applied to the preparation of specific oligosaccharides and other glycoconjugates, as well as to the preparation of glycosidic libraries comprising mixtures of various oligosaccharides, including glycoconjugates, which can be screened for biological activity.

2.1. General Background
The oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids play important roles in a wide variety of biochemical processes. Found both at cell surfaces and circulating in biological fluids, these glycosidic residues act as recognition signals that mediate key events in normal cellular development and function. They are involved in fertilization, embryogenesis, neuronal development, hormonal activities, inflammation, cellular proliferation, and the organization of different cell types into specific tissues. They are also involved in intracellular sorting and secretion of glycoproteins as well as in the clearance of plasma glycoproteins from circulation.
In addition to their positive role in the maintenance of health, oligosaccharides are also involved in the onset of disease. For instance, oligosaccharides on cell surfaces function as receptors for viruses and toxins, as well as more benign ligands. Modified cell surface carbohydrates have been implicated in tumorigenesis and metastasis. The oligosaccharide structures that mediate inflammation and help prevent infection can, when produced at excessive levels, stimulate the development of chronic inflammatory disease. (Some references on the roles of oligosaccharides produced by eukaryotes in health and disease include: Hakomori TIBS, 1984, 45; Feizi et al. TIBS, 1985, 24; Rademacher et al. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 1988, 57, 785; Feizi TIBS, 1991, 84; Dennis and Laferte Cancer Res. 1985, 45, 6034; Fishman J. Membr. Biol. 1982, 69, 85; Markwell et al. PNAS USA, 1981, 78, 5406; Wiley and Skehel J. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 1987, 56, 365; Kleinman et al. PNAS USA, 1979, 76, 3367; Walz et al. Science 1990, 250.)
Although bacteria do not produce the same types of oligosaccharides or other glycoconjugates as eukaryotes, procaryotes nevertheless produce a wide variety of glycosylated molecules. Many such molecules have been isolated and found to have antitumor or antibiotic activity. Bacterially produced glycosylated molecules having potential therapeutic utility include chromomycin, calicheamicin, esperamicin, and the ciclamycins. In all these cases, the carbohydrates residues have been shown to be important to biological activity. However, the precise functions of the carbohydrate residues are not well understood and there is no understanding of structure-activity relationships.
Because of their diverse roles in health and disease, oligosaccharides have become a major focus of research. It is widely accepted that the development of technology to 1) detect and 2) block or otherwise regulate some of the abnormal functions of oligosaccharides would lead to significant improvements in health and well-being. Moreover, it should be possible to exploit some of the normal functions of oligosaccharides (e.g., various recognition processes) for other purposes, including drug delivery to specific cell types. In addition, it may be possible to develop new antitumor agents from synthetic glycosylated molecules reminiscent of glycosylated bacterial antitumor agents.
There are ongoing efforts to develop products related to oligosaccharides, including diagnostic kits for detecting carbohydrates associated with various diseases, vaccines to block infection by viruses that recognize cell surface carbohydrates, drug delivery vehicles that recognize carbohydrate receptors, and monoclonal antibodies, which recognize abnormal carbohydrates, for use as drugs. The timely development of these and other carbohydrate-based biomedical products depends in turn on the availability of technology to produce oligosaccharides and other glycoconjugates rapidly, efficiently, and in practical quantities for basic and developmental research.
In particular, there is a need for methods that permit the rapid preparation of glycosidic libraries comprising mixtures of various oligosaccharides or other glycoconjugates which could then be screened for a particular biological activity. It has been shown, for example, that screening of mixtures of peptides is an efficient way of identifying active compounds and elucidating structure-activity relationships. There are numerous ways to generate chemically diverse mixtures of peptides and determine active compounds. See, for example, Furka et al. Int. J. Peptide Protein Res. 1992, 37, 487; Lam et al. Nature 1991, 354, 82; Houghten Nature 1991, 354, 84; Zuckermann et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1992, 89, 4505; Petithory Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1991, 88, 11510; Geyse Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1984, 81, 3998; Houghten Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1985, 82, 5131; Fodor Science 1991, 251, 767. We are not aware of effective methods to generate diverse mixtures of oligosaccharides and other glycoconjugates for screening purposes.

Solution and solid-phase formation of glycosidic linkages


A method of manufacturing a functional film by which a functional film formed on a film formation substrate can be easily peeled from the film formation substrate. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a separation layer on a substrate by using an inorganic material which is decomposed to generate a gas by being applied with an electromagnetic wave; (b) forming a layer to be peeled containing a functional film, which is formed by using a functional material, on the separation layer; and (c) applying the electromagnetic wave toward the separation layer so as to peel the layer to be peeled from the substrate or reduce bonding strength between the layer to be peeled and the substrate.

Recent years, in response to the needs for electronic devices such as miniaturization, speeding up, integration, and multifunctionality, the manufacture of devices containing functional materials such as electronic ceramics, which express predetermined functions by being applied with electric fields or magnetic fields and include a dielectric material, piezoelectric material, magnetic material, pyroelectric material and semiconductor material, by using various film formation technologies has been actively studied.
For example, in order to enable high-definition and high-quality printing in an inkjet printer, it is necessary to miniaturize and highly integrate ink nozzles of inkjet heads. Accordingly, it is also necessary to similarly miniaturize and highly integrate piezoelectric actuators for driving the respective ink nozzles. In such a case, a film formation technology, that enables formation of a thinner layer than a bulk material and formation of fine patterns, is desired, and film formation technologies such as a sputtering method, a sol-gel method, and an aerosol deposition method have been studied.
However, there has been a problem that a film of function material (also simply referred to as "functional film") formed by film formation does not sufficiently exert its function in a condition after the film formation, and the film is inferior to a bulk material in performance.
In order to sufficiently express the function of a functional film, heat treatment at relatively high temperature (e.g., about 500° C. to 1000° C.) is required after film formation. Since a substrate that is used at the time of film formation (film formation substrate) is simultaneously heat-treated, high heat tolerance is required for the material of film formation substrate. On the other hand, in the case where a fabricated function film is utilized, there is demand for using various kinds of substrates according to instruments such as a flexibly substrate made of resin, for example. Accordingly, a method has been studied by which a functional film formed on a film formation substrate can be peeled or transferred from the film formation substrate without hindering its function.
As a related technology, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-A-54-94905 discloses a multilayered structure for thin film transfer having a heat-resistant substrate, a release layer principally containing carbon and/or carbon compound, and a functional thin film as main component elements (page 1). Further, JP-A-54-94905 discloses that the functional thin film can be peeled from the heat-resistant substrate and transferred to another substrate because the release layer can be removed by oxidization (combustion) (page 3).
Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-A-10-125929 discloses a peeling method by which any material to be peeled can be easily peeled regardless of its properties and conditions, and especially, the peeled material can be transferred to various transfer materials. The peeling method is to peel a material to be peeled existing on a substrate via a separation layer having a multilayered structure of plural layers from the substrate, and includes the steps of applying irradiating light to the separation layer to cause peeling within the layer of the separation layer and/or at an interface thereof so as to detach the material to be peeled from the substrate (pages 1 and 2). Further, in JP-A-10-125929, as the composition of a light absorption layer, amorphous silicon, silicon oxide, dielectric material, nitride ceramics, organic polymer and so on are cited (pages 5 and 6).
Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-P2004-165679A discloses a method of transferring a layer to be transferred containing a thin film device to a secondary transfer material, which method is for matching (i) a multilayer relationship of the layer to be transferred against a substrate used when the layer to be transferred is manufactured and (ii) a multilayer relationship of the layer to be transferred against a transfer material as a transfer destination of the layer to be transferred. The method includes the first step of forming a first separation layer on a substrate, the second step of forming a layer to be transferred containing a thin film device on the first separation layer, the third step of forming a second separation layer consisting of a water-soluble or organic solvent-soluble adhesive agent on the layer to be transferred, the fourth step of bonding a primary transfer material onto the second separation layer, the fifth step of removing the substrate from a material to be transferred by using the first separation layer as a boundary, the sixth step of bonding a secondary transfer material to an undersurface of the layer to be transferred, and the seventh step of bringing the second separation layer into contact with water or organic solvent to remove the primary transfer material from the transfer layer by using the second separation layer as a boundary (pages 1 and 2). Further, in JP-P2004-165679A, as the composition of the separation layer, amorphous silicon, silicon oxide, dielectric material, nitride ceramics, organic polymer and so on are cited (pages 8 and 9).
However, according to JP-A-54-94905, since the release layer is removed by oxidation reaction, the atmosphere in the heat treatment process is limited to an oxygen atmosphere. Further, since carbon or carbon compound is used as the release layer, there is the upper limit to heating temperature. For example, in an embodiment disclosed in JP-A-54-94905 (pages 1 and 3), the treatment temperature in the transfer process is 630° C. at the highest. Therefore, the invention disclosed in JP-A-54-94905 cannot be applied to a manufacture of electronic ceramics that requires heat treatment at relatively high temperature (e.g., 700° C. or more).
According to JP-A-10-125929, peeling is caused within the separation layer or at the interface by applying a laser beam to a light absorption layer contained in the separation layer to allow the light absorption layer to ablate. That is, a solid material contained in the light absorption layer is photochemically or thermally excited by absorbing applied light, and thereby, bonding between atoms or molecules of the surface or inside thereof is cut and they are released. As a result, a phase change such as melting or transpiration (vaporization) occurs in the constituent material of the light absorption layer, and the material to be peeled is peeled at relatively low temperature. However, according to the method, the peeling property is likely to be insufficient. Further, JP-A-10-125929 does not disclose that a chemical change such as reaction with other component or decomposition is made in a constituent material of the light absorption layer.
On the other hand, according to JP-P2004-165679A, when the thin film device is detached from the substrate by applying a laser beam to the separation layer, in order to peel the thin film device from the substrate more reliably, ions for promoting peeling are implanted into the separation layer. According to such a method, inner pressure is generated in the separation layer and the peeling phenomenon is promoted. However, since hydrogen ions cited as ions for promoting peeling in JP-P2004-165679A are gasified at 350° C. or more and exit from the separation layer (page 6), the process temperature after ion implantation can not be set to 350° C. or more.

Functional film containing structure and method of manufacturing functional film


A telephone set suitable for sending and receiving calls and for affecting a display of call-related information on a user-viewable information display. The telephone set comprises a handset and a base. The handset includes a transmitter, a receiver, and an integrated pointing device. The integrated pointing device is configured to transmit a signal to the base in response to physical manipulation by a user. The base includes a numeric keypad for inputting phone numbers, an input for receiving the signal from the handset, and an electronic pathway that originates from the input and is directed toward the information display such that the physical manipulation of the integrated pointing device will affect the display of call-related information. Preferably, the telephone set is, by incorporation of a network interface, enabled to communicated and share call-related information through a packet-switched network.

Telephone sets and telephone set technologies are well-known.
Telephone sets generally include a base and a handset, the handset being communicatively linked to the base either by direct physical connection or wirelessly. The telephone base generally contains the electrical circuitry and components for receiving and transmitting telephone communication signals. The telephone base may also contain various controls and features, such as a numerical keypad, a liquid crystal or other type of display, speed dial function keys, call hold and transfer function keys, and other features and controls associated with a telephone and use thereof for initiating, conducting, and terminating a calling session.
Currently, telephone sets—particularly, so-called "land-line" telephone sets—are configured, if at all, for comparatively basic, rudimentary, or otherwise limited information display functionality. The call-related information displayable on current telephone sets typically include such information as: system status (e.g., date, time, etc.), system alerts (e.g., voice mail alerts, missed calls, etc.), caller identification, elapsed call time, address book data, and the like. Access to such call-related information is typically accomplished through use of menu-driven hierarchical data trees in combination with a text-based user interface (e.g., a command line interface), navigated in certain instance by dedicated buttons on the key pad of the telephone set's base or handset.
With the rapid and escalating development of digital internet telephony, and the pervasive adoption of packet-based network and internetworking communication services, the development of landline telephone sets is gravitating towards greater connectivity with networks and networked computers, pursuing wider opportunities for developing and adding new, more elaborate, and more cost-efficient call-related functionalities and services. As these new functionalities and services are developed, there emerges a heightened desire and need to make more accessible and easy the presentation of and access to more massive amounts of call-related data and applications.

Telephone set having a handset with an integrated pointing device


A stronger foldable bed having a frame and a foldably soft cover attached thereto. The frame has two pairs of side bars each pivotally connected to a central link, a tilt leg pivotally connected to a free end of each side bar, three pairs of scissoring end or middle bars linking the two pairs of side bars, a pair of middle leg each containing a telescoping leg, a reinforcing bar each pivotally connected to one side bar and a sleeve covering on each tilt leg, and a journey limit formed on each tilt leg. The foldable bed is longitudinal stable, simple and strong, without sacrificing the easiness of operation of folding and expanding. The foldable bed has a tent attached thereto with the aid of slide fasteners.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foldable bed, and more particularly, to a foldable bed with a simple yet strong structure which is able to be folded and expanded easily.
2. Description of Related Art
Shown in FIG. 1 is a conventional foldable bed 8. It has a foldable frame 81 and a soft cover 82 securely attached to the frame 81. The foldable frame has a pair of middle legs 83, and two pairs of end legs 84, 85. One problem of such foldable bed is a longitudinally sway in direction A and B of the frame since the pairs of end legs 84, 85 lack of a longitudinal reinforcing mechanism. Other conventional foldable beds are either longitudinally unstable or complex in structure. Thus, it is desirable that there is provided a simple yet strong foldable bed without sacrificing the easiness of operation of folding and expanding.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Systems and methods related to a bridge application that facilitates interoperability between a remotely-served application and locally connected peripheral devices. The bridge application may execute on a local machine and be addressable at the loop-back address of the local machine. Requests issued to the bridge application may be verified as originating from a trusted source. In turn, requests from a locally performed and remotely-served application may be issued to local hardware resources such as peripheral devices or the like.

Advances in financial card issuance tools provided by card services providers have provided increased flexibility and convenience in the issuance of a financial card to a customer. Traditional card issuance involves personalization of a financial card remotely from a user, typically by a card services provider. In turn, a card may be delivered to the user by mail. Such mailing may result in delay in the user receiving the card and may potentially implicate security vulnerabilities associated with the mailing of the card to the user. As such, "instant issuance" solutions have been developed that provide for assistance in issuance of a card in the presence of a user at the user's location. For example, such instant issuance solutions may allow for personalization of a card while a user waits in a branch bank location or the like. In turn, a user may request or apply for a financial card and receive that card in a relative short time period, all while remaining at the same location.
Given the large number of potential locations at which instant issuance solutions may be implemented, efforts have been made to make instant issuance solutions efficient and easy to implement. For instance, instance issuance solutions may be implemented using software-as-a-service (SaaS). In these implementations, the instant issuance solution may be served to a remote location using a web service or the like. In turn, a branch bank office or other location implementing the instant issuance solution may employ commonly available and standard computing resources such as a browser application for implementation of certain portions of an instant issuance solution. Such remotely-served, SaaS applications provide increased flexibility and efficiency for implementation of an instant issuance solution, however, continued challenges in relation to operability and security remain.

Bridge application for user pin selection


A dialing list comprising call records can be processed by a call handling component(s) in a contact center in various dialing modes. A call record may be processed to originate a voice call, where the agent manually dials the call as a voice telephone call. In another embodiment, one or more call records can be processed to originate a SMS text call or group text call, where the agent also determines when the call(s) originates. The agent is presented with a graphical user interface tailored to the dialing mode. The dialing mode used may be defined by the dialing list the call record is retrieved from, information from within the call record itself, application of a rule, or input from the agent. The dialing mode may be altered under certain conditions. When the call is originated, various compliance oriented tests, including calling windows and call attempts, are performed.

Contact centers frequently have a need to communicate with individuals using different communication channels. Two common communication channels that may be used to contact an individual are voice telephone calls and Short Message Service ("SMS") texts. Conventionally, separate communications equipment has been used by agents in a contact center for originating communications using these different channels, e.g., to originate a voice call or send a text.
The disadvantages of using separate communications equipment are numerous. Separate systems usually require separate computer processing systems to be installed. This in turn, requires additional power, space, and air conditioning requirements. Additional administration and maintenance is also required to keep separate equipment operational.
In addition, using separate communication systems requires addition agent training and agent knowledge of how to use these additional systems. This requires additional time training for each agent. Until the agent is facile in operating both systems, a period of reduced agent effectiveness may occur. Further, these systems may have different user interfaces, which further reduces operational efficiency, since different procedures may be required by agents to perform similar tasks. Further, it is likely that operational errors may occur, since different procedures may be involved. In addition, different reporting structures/formats can be expected for these different systems, which complicates monitoring and enforcement of agent performance, operational aspects, and compliance enforcement.
Integration of disparate communication systems such as voice and text is not widely common, and there has been little, if any, motivation to integrate the operation of equipment involving these particular channels of voice and text. In the past, operation of such disparate, specialized systems may have been handled by different agents or groups, but using the same agents or groups promotes operational efficiency.
There is a growing need to coordinate communications on different channels to an individual for various regulatory reasons. Various regulations by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") have indicated that an SMS text is considered a call for certain purposes, similar to a voice call. For purposes herein, sending an SMS text is considered a "text call." Thus, some regulations limiting various aspects of voice calls from a contact center may apply to text calls. Thus, these specialized and disparate communication systems must be integrated in ways previously not anticipated. In other words, it is not merely using a common system for executing communication on different channels, but incorporating modifications in order to achieve the potential of the allowable benefits of integration. The level of integration and benefits thereof may vary based on the particular technology of the voice origination systems and the SMS text originating systems.
Therefore, there is a need to integrate disparate voice and text contact center origination technologies, so as to promote efficiency, agent usage, and compliance with current and potential future regulations in a cost effective manner. It is with these and other aspects in mind that the concepts and technologies developed herein are disclosed.

Originating group text calls in a contact center


Methods, systems and apparatuses to enable an optimum bin selection by implementing a neural network with a network scheduling and configuration tool (NST), the method includes: configuring an agent with a critic function from neural networks wherein the agent neural network represents each bin of the collection of bins in the network that performs an action, and a critic function evaluates a criteria of success for performing the action; processing, by a scheduling algorithm, the VLs by the NST; determining one or more reward functions using global quality measurements based on criteria comprising: a lack of available bins, a lack of available VLs, and successfully scheduling operations of a VL into a bin; and training the network based on a normalized state model of the scheduled network by using input data sets to arrive at an optimum bin selection.

The growing data needs of TTE networks have stressed the implementation of current algorithms, and these algorithms regularly fail to converge on a valid global schedule for proper traffic throughput in the TTE network. The TTE network is based on routing ethernet frames through isolated data tunnels referred to as VLs. The VLs are multicast trees, each tree enabling data transmission between one and only one end of the TTE network to several others ends. When using multiple VLs deployed for exchanging data within and between avionics systems, the multiple VLs are deployed with a reserved amount of bandwidth. The design of the VLs enables data exchanges between partitions located on different modules that require tunneling through VLs in which a dedicated VL is configured for each communication flow. For efficient tunneling, a selection of particular transmission parameters is required that affect the overall timing properties and the bandwidth allocation of the VL, in addition to enabling a path between the source (producer) and the receivers.
To schedule each VL, the scheduling algorithm of the NST sorts the VLs based on transmit rate, size, and latency constraints. For each rate, the tightest-constrained VLs are scheduled first. This approach assumes that rate and latency requirements track closely and inversely, but data sets have since been presented to the algorithm that exhibit many instances of low-rate, low-latency data, violating these basic assumptions. These data sets have been shown to be difficult to schedule with the current algorithmic approaches to time slot selection, and scheduling attempts fail to produce a valid network schedule with all requested VL traffic included.
Hence, there is a need for methods, systems and apparatuses for optimizing the bin selection of the NST in scheduling VLs by using neural networks implemented with a Multi-Agent Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (MADDPG) approach trained using multiple iterations through multiple data sets.
Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods, systems and appratuses for optimizing the bin selection of a network scheduling and configuration tool (NST) by bin allocation, demand prediction and machine learning


It is made possible to give prevailing torque to an adjustment bolt in a simple manner without troublesome adjustment work. An anti-loosening adjustment bolt assembly includes: a cylindrical pipe (6) adapted to be fitted on the screw shaft (2a) of the adjustment bolt (2); and a nut (7) having a threaded hole for allowing the screw shaft (2a) to be threadably mounted thereon; the bottom of the nut (7) includes a recess (7a) adapted to allow the upper end of the cylindrical pipe (6) to be fitted therein; the inner peripheral surface of the recess (7a) is a taper surface decreasing in diameter toward the interior; and the axis of the taper surface is slightly eccentric from the axis of the threaded hole such that, when the nut (7), threadably secured to the screw shaft (2a), is screwed toward the cylindrical pipe (6), a circumferential portion of the eccentric taper surface comes into pressure-contact with the upper end of the cylindrical pipe (6) and the axis (Q) of the threaded hole of the nut (7) is eccentric and/or inclined from the axis (O) of the screw shaft (2a) to generate prevailing torque depending on the amount of tightening of the nut (7) on the adjustment bolt (2).

A drum is a typical and well-known percussion instrument. A drum includes, as shown in FIG. 5, a head 1 and a plurality of tension bolts (or adjustment bolts) 2 for adjusting the tension of the head. The tension bolts 2 adjust the tension of the head 1 by fastening a hoop (or rim) 3 provided on the periphery of the head 1 to lugs 5, which are mounted on the peripheral surface of a shell 4. A threaded cylindrical pipe 6 may be fixed to each lug 5 and may be threadably secured to a tension bolt 2.
The applicant of the present application is aware of the following prior art documents.


The new advertising band for quick and easy locking, unlocking and re-locking about merchandise is a flexible strip having a lead end section, a body section, and a tail end section. The lead end section is equipped with a lock aperture having a maximum dimension in the longitudinal direction and a minimum dimension transverse thereto. The body section has a substantial length and transverse width for displaying advertising information. Its length is at least as great as the combined length of both the lead and the tail end sections. The tail end section has laterally paired locking members separated by neck members along its length. It is easily pulled through the aperture to lock any pair of the locking members against the minimum dimension edges of the aperture and yet is easily and quickly unlocked from the aperture by aligning its locking members with the maximum dimension of the aperture and pulling it free from the aperture. The ideal lock aperture has a Saturn design.

This invention relates to an adjustable advertising band for quick and easy locking, unlocking, and re-locking on merchandise.
It is well known that the purchasing decisions of consumers are driven not only by price but by quality. Quality involves an assessment of product components (i.e., appearance, look, feel, smell, etc.) as well as an assessment of labeling components (i.e., judgments regarding the product and the producer or sponsor of the product). With increasing competition for the consumer dollar, product differentiation emphasizing both components of quality is essential to increase market share.
This is particularly the case in the marketing of agricultural produce. Fresh-appearing produce sends a message of quality to the customer. But keeping agricultural produce in a fresh and visually appealing state requires more than casual attention. Water sprays and cooling air can help. But from the time produce is first harvested, there is the possibility of spoilage, and this is exacerbated under supermarket open display conditions, especially in the case of leafy agricultural produce. Even in the case of non-leafy produce, there sometimes exists a need to remove some portion that detracts from the sought-after look of quality. And it is at the end of the marketing chain, in the supermarket, where the look of quality is most critical for influencing the purchase decision of the consumer. It is also at that critical moment that judgment on quality is influenced by attention-getting advertising information, including attractive markings, trademarks, designs, recipes for use, nutritional information, and of course, the ubiquitous product and bar codes (whether optical, magnetic, or otherwise)--all of which can prompt the consumer toward a favorable subjective judgment about the produce and the producer or source of it.
Advertising labels sometimes may not be removed from produce when an effort is made to freshen it each day (e.g., as by removing wilted parts), but where removal is required to freshen the appearance of the produce, twist-tied labels are sometimes looked upon as too time-consuming to remove and replace, and adhesive tape labels are generally considered unsatisfactory since they do not readily re-stick or re-attach to cold wet vegetable surfaces. Needless delays in taking off and re-applying advertising labels during the process of freshening agricultural produce in the display racks, as well as the problem of effective advertising label reattachment, can deter or discourage effective freshening steps.
What has been needed is an appropriate advertising label that can be quickly and easily locked about merchandise and then quickly and easily unlocked to freshen the merchandise (such as by removal of damaged or wilted parts), followed by subsequent quick and easy re-locking or reattachment of the advertising label after the merchandise is freshened.


An exemplary tissue array, and a method for producing the same, can be provided which can include providing an accepter biological structure(s), providing a donor tissue(s), removing a portion(s) of the donor tissue(s), and removing a portion(s) of the accepter biological structure(s). The removed portion(s) of the accepter biological structure(s) can have a size that is substantially similar to a size of the removed portion(s) of the donor tissue(s). The removed portion(s) of the donor tissue(s) can be inserted into the accepter biological structure(s) at a location substantially corresponding to the removed portion(s) of the accepter biological structure(s).

Microscopic analysis of tissue specimens can be the backbone of diagnostic surgical pathology, as well as being used in many research applications. Morphological analysis at the microscope can usually be performed by tissue sections being applied to microscopic slides. Tissue sections can be taken from tissue samples, which can be embedded in paraffin blocks. Paraffin embedding can be utilized in order to enable tissue sectioning for further analyses. Typically, paraffin blocks contain a single tissue specimen from a particular area, organ or tumor. Instead of having a single tissue or tumor embedded in a single paraffin block, it can be useful to have several different types of tissues embedded within the same block. This can ensure the proper choice of tissue, and can also reduce the number of sections to be taken, which would otherwise need to be taken from separate blocks.
Multi-tissue approaches can be important for analysis of new reagents, which need to be tested on several different types of tissue, as well as for the expression analysis of a particular antigen in various types of tissues or tumors. Paraffin blocks containing various tissues are often referred to as multi-tissue blocks or arrays, or as tissue microarrays ("TMAs") when the size of the single tissue components is not bigger than a few millimeters. For a typical multi-tissue block, samples from different types of tumors are usually re-embedded in paraffin, and assembled into a new (e.g., multi-tissue) block. This can be done by taking already embedded paraffin tissue from blocks which serve as "donor" blocks, and by cutting out the to-be-sampled tumor/tissue areas with a scalpel or a dermatological circular punch device. The excised areas can be placed in a histological mold, and then re-embedded in paraffin. This can be done by taking the single paraffin tissue piece into a new embedding mold, which can then be heated up so that the paraffin melts and the tissues can be arranged in a way to ensure their proper orientation within the block. This can be important because a correct orientation, especially at the horizontal level, can be needed so that all tissue can be equally cut during the sectioning procedure.
However, a problem when creating a multi-tissue block can be providing a correct orientation of all the tissues and the correct placement in one level (e.g., an even surface). This can be important since all tissue pieces should be in one level so that the sectioning of the block can result in sections including all tissues and tissue pieces represented in a particular multi-tissue block.
Conventional multi tissue blocks generally consist of few tissues which are placed in a mold, heated to melt the paraffin and manually arranged into the desired position. The number and size of tissues in a multi-tissue block can be limited by the required minimum size of the assembled tissues. Additionally, the number of tissue samples can be limited because it can be more difficult to differentiate between different samples if there are too many samples in a small area that are not properly aligned and/or oriented. Further, the needed size of a multi-tissue block can be limited due to its use as a control tissue when placed next to other tissues onto the same slide. Multi-tissue blocks can be arranged in plain paraffin blocks as accepter media. By using circular punch devices, the size of the sample tissue can be reduced to small tissue cylinders. However, the diameter can be limited by the need to keep them in an upright position during the re-embedding process.
Though smaller tissue samples can increase the number of sampled tissues, the small size can make it difficult to keep them in an upright position, which can be needed for proper sectioning of all tissues in a multi-tissue block. The same problem can also be present in TMAs, where the tissue samples can usually be cylindrical punches of less than about 1 mm in diameter. These punches can be placed in a plain paraffin block with punches of roughly the same size. The tissue punches have to remain in a vertical/upright position to ensure the proper presentation during sectioning of the block (e.g., during the removal of thin slices for examination). Due to the small diameter of the punches, and because they are placed in a paraffin block, the paraffin block with the tissue generally cannot be heated to ensure the proper embedding and polymerization of the paraffin. A plain paraffin microarray can only be slightly warmed such that the micro punches sticking out from the surface can be smoothly brought into one level by gently pushing them down and onto the level of the surrounding paraffin surface. If a plain paraffin microarray were heated to too high a temperature, the small-diameter tissue cores embedded therein cannot remain in a vertical position, and can become out of alignment in a horizontal position.
Prior methods of multi-tissue samples generally did not use a donor medium, except a paraffin-block only medium, which can be utilized for the embedding process. However, a plain paraffin block does not ensure the proper location and orientation of the tissues within a multi-tissue block. This can be done manually, and can be especially tedious and unsafe when the correct position of particular samples can be necessary.
Thus, it may be beneficial to provide an exemplary tissue arrangement, and method for making a tissue arrangement, that can easily maintain all of the tissue on the same level, and which can overcome at least some of the deficiencies described herein above.

Tissue array using a carrier medium and method for providing the same


An exhaust system for a marine propulsion device directs a flow of exhaust gas from an engine located within the marine vessel, and preferably within a bilge portion of the marine vessel, through a housing which is rotatable and supported below the marine vessel. The exhaust passageway extends through an interface between stationary and rotatable portions of the marine propulsion device, through a cavity formed in the housing, and outwardly through hubs of pusher propellers to conduct the exhaust gas away from the propellers without causing a deleterious condition referred to as ventilation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a marine propulsion system having a vertical driveshaft extending through the generally horizontal wetted surface of a submerged hull and, more particularly, to an exhaust system that directs exhaust gas from an engine within the bilge, or hull structure, of a marine vessel downwardly through the hull of the marine vessel and to a position that allows the exhaust stream to pass through the hub of a propeller of the marine propulsion device.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,325, which issued to Livingston et al. on Apr. 28, 1992, discloses a boat propulsion device that mounts through a hole in a bottom surface of a boat. The engine is positioned inside the boat and the propeller drive is positioned under a bottom surface of the boat. The propulsion device includes a mounting assembly, a steering assembly rotatably connecting the drive to the mounting assembly for steering the propeller drive under the boat, a trimming assembly swingingly connecting the drive to the steering assembly for trimming/tilting of the propeller drive under the boat at any steered position, and a driveshaft means providing a drive connection between the engine and the propeller drive at any steered and trimmed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,718, which issued to Ekwall on Apr. 7, 1998, describes a drive unit for a boat having an engine with a flywheel surrounded by a flywheel casing, a propeller drive housing connected to, but electrically insulated from, the flywheel casing, and an input shaft for the propeller drive housing which is driven and electrically insulated from the flywheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,605, which issued to Äsberg on May 26, 1998, describes a propeller drive unit. Installation in a boat has two propeller drive units which extend out through individual openings in the bottom of a V-bottomed boat, so that the legs are inclined relative to each other. The leg of one drive unit can be set to turn the boat in one direction at the same time as the leg of the other drive unit can be set to turn the boat in the opposite direction, so that the horizontal counteracting forces acting on the legs cancel each other, while the vertical forces are added to each other to trim the running position of the boat in the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,320, which issued to Hedlund on Sep. 23, 2003, describes a drive means in a boat. A boat propeller drive with an underwater housing which is connected in a fixed manner to a boat hull and has tractor propellers arranged on that side of the housing facing ahead is described. Arranged in that end portion of the underwater housing facing astern is an exhaust discharge outlet for discharging exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine connected to the propeller drive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,907, which issued to Hedlund on Mar. 16, 2004, describes a drive means in a boat. A boat propeller drive has an underwater housing which is connected in a fixed manner to a boat hull and has tractor propellers arranged on that side of the housing facing ahead. In the rear edge of the underwater housing, a rudder blade is mounted for pivoting about a vertical rudder axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,410, which issued to Florander et al. on Aug. 31, 2004, describes a drive means in a boat which has an underwater housing which is solidly joined to a boat hull and has pulling propellers on the forward facing side of the housing. At the aft edge of the underwater housing, a rudder is mounted, comprising a first rudder blade mounted in the underwater housing and a second rudder blade mounted on the aft edge of the first rudder blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,259, which issued to Mansson et al. on Jun. 24, 2003, describes a boat propeller transmission. The transmission has a horizontal input shaft, a bevel gear set, a vertical intermediate shaft, an additional bevel gear set, and at least one horizontal propeller shaft. Between the bevel gear sets, a two speed planetary gear set is engaged, to provide two gear speeds in the same direction between the input shaft and the propeller shaft. A control unit controls the shifting between the low and high gear speed. A sensor senses the position of a gear selector. When the gear selector is in the reverse position, the control unit locks the planetary gear set in the high speed position, regardless of the engine speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,937, which issued to Mansson et al. on Aug. 27, 2002, describes a boat propeller transmission. Between two bevel gear sets, a two speed planetary gear set is coupled, to provide two gear speeds in the same direction between the input shaft and the propeller shaft. The planetary gear set has a sun gear which can be locked against the housing of the planetary gear set with the aid of a one way clutch.
International Patent Application WO 03/093105, which was filed by Mansson on Apr. 29, 2003, describes a boat hull with an outboard drive. The drive unit comprises an underwater housing mounted on the outside of the hull bottom and a gear housing mounted on the inside of the hull bottom and joined to the underwater housing. Between the underwater housing and the gear housing there is fixed a mounting plate, which, together with a screw down plate, with elastic ring inserts, fixes the drive unit to a flange which is made on the inside of a well surrounding an opening in the hull bottom.
International Patent Application WO 03/093106, which was filed by Arvidsson et al. on Apr. 29, 2003, describes an outboard drive for boats. It comprises an underwater housing, in which two propeller shafts are mounted and are driven via a first bevel gearing enclosed in the underwater housing, and a second bevel gearing enclosed in a gear housing. With the aid of a mounting element joined to the underwater housing in the gear housing, the drive unit can be mounted in an opening in a bottom of a boat hull, with the underwater housing on the outside and the gear housing on the inside of the hull. The mounting element forms a housing which defines, firstly, an oil reservoir for the oil of the drive unit and, secondly, a surrounding chamber through which engine cooling water flows and which is used for cooling the oil in the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,216, which issued to Salmi et al. on Apr. 4, 1995, describes a ship propulsion arrangement. A main propulsion arrangement for a high power ship or the like comprises an underwater drive unit connected to and turnable by a substantially vertical tubular shaft journaled in the ship. The drive unit and the tubular shaft define a hollow casing enclosing an electrical propulsion motor connected to a propeller shaft which is connected to a driving propeller external to the casing. The casing is, at its inside, supported by several mainly vertical web plates, which are arranged to act, in combination, as elements structurally stiffening and supporting the casing, as elements securing the propulsion motor in place relative to the casing, as elements transmitting to the casing reaction forces to the torque developed by the propulsion motor, and as wall elements of ducts for incoming and outgoing gaseous coolant for the propulsion motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,873, which issued to Bankstahl on Dec. 18, 1979, discloses an exhaust coupling assembly for a marine sterndrive. The sterndrive includes an inboard engine having an exhaust passageway connected to an outboard drive unit having an exhaust passageway. A transom bracket assembly positioned between the engine and the drive unit permits vertical pivoting of the drive unit for steering and horizontal pivoting of the drive unit for trimming. The improvement includes a first exhaust pipe connected to the inboard engine and a second exhaust pipe connected the drive unit. The first exhaust pipe extends outward through the transom of the boat and has an open end position centered on and adjacent the vertical pivot axis. The second exhaust pipe extends toward and ends in alignment with the end position of the first exhaust pipe to form an interface which includes an opening between the pipe ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,002, which issued to Bibow on Jul. 2, 1985, discloses an exhaust relief system. The engine of a sterndrive is provided with a vacuum relief valve to relieve any vacuum which may occur in the exhaust manifold, thus preventing water from entering the engine through the exhaust system. The relief valve is connected to allow one-way flow from the intake manifold to the exhaust system, thus providing an essentially closed system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,666, which issued to Wood on Jul. 22, 1986, describes an air exhaust bypass for underwater exhaust systems. The system relates to outboard motors and inboard-outboard motors and more specifically to the underwater exhaust systems built into both of these types of marine propulsion devices. The object of the invention is to provide a method of an apparatus for selectively rerouting the underwater exhaust through a muffled above-water outlet while effectively blocking the underwater exhaust emanations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,215, which issued to Winberg et al. on Sep. 27, 1988, discloses an exhaust control assembly for a marine sterndrive. The propulsion system has an inboard engine with an exhaust, an outboard drive unit operatively coupled to the engine and separated therefrom by a transom having two exhaust passages therethrough, and an exhaust control assembly aft of the engine exhaust and forward of the transom and within the boat. The assembly has an inlet connected to the engine exhaust, and has first and second outlets communicating with the respective exhaust passages extending aft through the transom. A valve in the assembly selectively controls communication of the inlet with the first outlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,683, which issued to Govan on May 30, 1989, describes an apparatus for reducing exhaust gas pressure in outboard and inboard/outboard motors. The device increases the efficiency of operation of an internal engine used in outboard and inboard/outboard motors. It comprises a generally cylindrical member having inner and outer peripheral shell members defining a cylindrical annular space therebetween, wherein are located a plurality of turbine vanes spanning the annular volume between the inner and outer shell members. Said inner and outer shell members and said plurality of vanes are drivingly connected to the propeller shaft of an outboard motor and are mounted coaxially with the propeller shaft. The device is located in the forward end of the inner propeller hub and rotatably mounted in association with the lower unit of the outboard or inboard/outboard motor so that exhaust gases flowing through the lower unit pass through the annular volume. Upon rotation of the propeller shaft, the plurality of vanes are caused to rotate at the same angular velocity thereof. The vanes are configured in such a way so that the exhaust gases are caused to be moved through the lower unit at an elevated velocity thereby causing a decrease in pressure between the lower unit and the exhaust port of the combustion chambers. Exhaust gases are thereafter expelled from the rear of the propeller unit. The decrease in pressure at the exhaust ports causes the engine operation to be more efficient due to the decrease in work required by the piston or pistons to expel exhaust gases therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,025, which issued to Brandt on Jan. 2, 1990, describes an arrangement in a boat propeller installation. It relates to an arrangement in propeller installations including means for supplying motor exhaust gases to the vicinity of the propeller. The invention is characterized in that a gas outlet is located immediately forwards of the propeller and directs the gas flow towards the sweep of the blade tips of the propeller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,390, which issued to Kudoh et al. on May 22, 1990, describes a gas exhaustion device for an inboard/outboard engine. At least one of the rigid conduits of the exhaust system is provided with a projection to engage and restrain a hose clamp which may be released and inadvertently dropped so as to prevent loss of the hose clamp into an inaccessible area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,434, which issued to Kiesling on Jul. 10, 1990, discloses a marine propulsion unit universal drive assembly with through-bellows exhaust. A pair of generally telescoped bellows surrounds the universal joint and provides an exhaust passage therebetween which communicates between the inboard engine and the sterndrive unit. The inner bellows rotates with the universal joint while the outer bellows is stationary. The bellows are preferably of helical or spiral configuration and the rotating inner bellows forms an exhaust pump. In one embodiment, the bellows are concentrically disposed, while in another embodiment the bellows are eccentrically disposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,949, which issued to Shiozawa on May 25, 1993, describes an exhaust gas cleaning system for a marine propulsion unit. A plurality of horizontally positioned exhaust ports are located within an engine cylinder head. An exhaust manifold communicates with each of the exhaust ports at a first end and forms a gas collecting pipe at its second end. The second end of the gas collecting pipe is positioned above the exhaust ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,141, which issued to Shields et al. on Oct. 4, 1994, discloses a marine drive with dual propeller exhaust and lubrication. The drive has a spool positioned at the lower horizontal bore and supporting a dual propeller shaft assembly. An exhaust passage includes a passage in the drive housing communicating with the horizontal bore at the spool and a spool exhaust passage passing exhaust rearwardly through the spool to the propeller through hub exhaust passages, providing through-hub exhaust through dual propellers. An oil passage in the housing communicates with the horizontal bore forwardly of the exhaust passage and lubricates the dual propeller shaft assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,701, which issued to Rodskier et al. on Jun. 13, 1995, describes a propeller arrangement for a marine propulsion unit. A double propeller arrangement for a marine propulsion unit, for example of the type which includes a sterndrive, is provided. Each propeller has a hub consisting of an inner sleeve with splines for attachment to a propeller shaft, an outer sleeve with propeller blades, and an elastic bushing between the sleeves. Particular to the propeller arrangement is that the inner sleeve of the respective propeller hubs is provided with an axial passage for the discharge of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine connected to the propeller drive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,880, which issued to Harada on Jan. 12, 1999, describes a through the hub propulsion unit exhaust system. The system for an outboard motor discharges exhaust gases in front of the propeller for improved acceleration. The discharge of exhaust gases upstream of the propeller produces a cavitation effect about propeller blades when accelerating from low speeds. As a result, the outboard motor accelerates more rapidly. At high speeds, the exhaust gases flow through the propeller hub and discharge behind the propeller. No substantial cavitation effect occurs about the blades, and thus, no significant loss of propulsion efficiency occurs when traveling at high speeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,554, which issued to Bates on Sep. 21, 1999, describes an outboard drive exhaust system. It increases the reverse thrust produced by the outboard drive. The exhaust system includes a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage that stems from the first exhaust passage. A flow control device operates within the exhaust system to control exhaust gas through the second passage depending upon the drive condition of the outboard drive. The flow control device permits exhaust gas flow through the second passage when the outboard drive operates in reverse, while inhibiting exhaust gas flow through the second passage when the outboard drive operates under a forward drive condition. In this manner, the improved exhaust system reduces exhaust gas back pressure and thrust degradation due to exhaust gas entrainment in the propeller when the outboard drive operates in reverse.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,124, which issued to Zoubul et al. on Oct. 28, 2003, describes an arrangement in a marine exhaust system. The arrangement includes at least two substantially upstanding exhaust pipe arms that are coupled together in common closed fluid communication with a stern exhaust pipe. A pressure equalizer is fluidly connected between the upstanding exhaust pipe arms. The pressure equalizer is configured to provide sufficient fluid passage from each exhaust pipe arm to another to prevent flow back of sea water to a marine combustion engine associated therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,432, which issued to Rodskier et al. on Aug. 15, 1995, describes a boat propeller drive unit. The unit has an anti-cavitation plate above the propeller or propellers and has an exhaust duct extending through the anti-cavitation plate. The exhaust duct has its outer port located on the underside of the anti-cavitation plate level with and just above the sweep of the blade tips of the aft propeller.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
As described above, those skilled in the art of marine propulsion systems are well aware of marine propulsion drives that include a vertical driveshaft which extends through a submerged, generally horizontal, surface of a boat. These types of devices include a housing structure that is suspended below the submerged bottom surface of the marine vessel. The housing is rotatable about a generally vertical axis. Devices of this type which use an internal combustion engine to provide motive power to propellers attached to the housing typically mount the propellers in a tractor arrangement, wherein the propellers pull the housing through the water. In these types of systems, engine exhaust is typically ported through openings in the structure near the rear portion of the housing. This allows the exhaust to flow out of the marine drive structure without affecting the operation of the propellers, as a result of ventilation, because the propellers are located at a position which is forward from the exhaust port. Those skilled in the art of marine propulsion systems are also familiar with various types of outboard motors and sterndrive devices which conduct the flow of exhaust gases through the central portion of the propellers mounted on the marine propulsion device. This allows the exhaust gas to exit from the marine propulsion device, through the hub of the propeller, without adversely affecting the operation of the marine propulsion device.
It would be significantly beneficial if a marine propulsion device which has its driveshaft extending vertically through a generally horizontal submerged bottom surface of a marine vessel could be provided with an exhaust system that allows the exhaust gas to pass through the structure of the marine drive and through the propellers. It would be further beneficial if this type of system could be provided in conjunction with a marine drive that mounts its propeller or propellers behind the housing to provide a thrust in a direction toward the housing. This arrangement would allow a push-type marine propulsion system (as opposed to a tractor-type system) to incorporate the strategy of having a vertical driveshaft extending upwardly through the generally horizontal submerged bottom surface of a boat and also causing the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to be efficiently entrained in the swirling water behind the propeller or propellers without causing excessive ventilation of the propeller blades. It should be understood that the term "housing", as used herein, is intended to refer to the structure which is supported at least partially below the marine vessel and is configured to support the generally vertical drive shaft, generally horizontal propeller shaft, and associated gears and bearings of a marine propulsion system.

Exhaust system for a marine propulsion device having a driveshaft extending vertically through a bottom portion of a boat hull


To protect a plastic intake manifold of an internal combstion engine from heat possessed by exhaust gas recirculation gas, a cooling device is arranged between the plastic intake manifold and an exhaust gas recirculation valve. The cooling device cools the exhaust gas recirculation gas by means of a coolant. A gas discharge part of the cooling device constitutes a pipe portion which penetrates through an exhaust gas inlet hole of the intake manifold keeping a given space between an outer wall of the pipe portion and an inner wall of the exhaust gas inlet hole. The pipe portion may be a leading end portion of an exhaust gas recirculation pipe extending from an exhaust system of the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to emission control systems for an internal combustion engine, and particularly to an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system of the engine. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in connecting an EGR valve or an EGR pipe to a plastic intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, in motor vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system has been commonly installed for reducing NOx emissions produced by the engine. As is known, the EGR system is designed to recirculate a metered amount of exhaust gas into the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chambers to reduce the temperature in the combustion chambers and thus NOx emissions. In the EGR systems, an EGR valve is installed in an EGR passage for regulating the amount of EGR. Usually, the EGR valve is connected to an intake manifold of the engine. Under operation of the EGR system, the EGR valve which is constructed of a metal is highly heated by absorbing heat of the recirculating exhaust gas.
Thus, if the intake manifold is constructed of a plastic (viz., glass fiber-reinforced plastic) for reducing the weight of the engine system or for other reasons, it is necessary to take any measure for protecting the plastic intake manifold from the heat of the EGR valve.
Hitherto, various measures have been proposed and put into practical use for protection of the plastic intake manifold from the heat of the EGR valve, some of which are shown in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publications 5-256217 and 6-101587 and Japanese Utility Model First Provisional Publication 63-164554. In the Publication 5-256217, the EGR valve is mounted to the plastic intake manifold through a mounting bracket of corrugated stainless steel plate. In the Publication 6-101587, the EGR valve is connected to the plastic intake manifold with an interposal of a heat insulator therebetween, first bolts are used to secure the heat insulator to the manifold and second bolts are used to secure the valve to the heat insulator. In the publication 63-164554, a junction portion between the EGR valve and the plastic intake manifold is formed with an annular groove through which a coolant flows for cooling the junction portion.
In addition to the above-mentioned measures, a measure for protection of the plastic intake manifold from the heat of exhaust gas is described in Japanese Utility Model First Provisional Publication 1-102465. In this measure, a fresh air from an air cleaner is fed into an EGR pipe to reduce the temperature of the EGR gas led into the plastic intake manifold. Furthermore, for suppressing or minimizing direct contact of the highly heated exhaust gas with an inner wall of the plastic intake manifold, a leading end of the EGR pipe is projected into the interior of the intake manifold through a pipe passing opening formed in the same.

Exhaust gas recirculation system of internal combustion engine


An extrusion-type application device with which a liquid can be very rapidly applied to a carrier to form a thin layer thereon without causing streaking in the applied layer. The liquid is continuously expelled from the outside part of a slot to the surface of a flexible carrier continuously moving at a speed of 300 m/min or more along the surface of a back edge portion and the surface of a doctor edge portion so that the liquid is applied to the surface of the carrier. The surface of the doctor edge portion is curved, the inner longitudinal edge B of the surface of the back edge portion is located at the outlet of the slot so that the angle .theta..sub.1 between a tangent to the surface of the back edge portion at the inner longitudinal edge B and a tangent to the surface of the doctor edge portion at the outer longitudinal edge A of the surface of the doctor edge portion and the angle .theta..sub.2 between the former tangent and a tangent to the surface of the doctor edge portion and to the inner longitudinal edge B are as follows: EQU .theta..sub.1 <.theta..sub.2 <180.degree.,. and the radius of curvature R of the surface of the doctor edge portion is less than 2.0 mm.

The present invention relates to an extrusion-type application device. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved application device which has a doctor edge portion at the top of the body of the device and which continuously expels a liquid toward the surface of a moving carrier to apply the liquid at a uniform thickness to the surface of the carrier along the doctor edge portion.
The carriers mentioned herein, and which are sometimes referred to as a flexible sheet or a web, may be materials such as a plastic film, paper, polyolefin-coated paper and a metal sheet of aluminum, copper or the like. The carrier may have an undercoating layer or the like.
The coating liquids mentioned herein may be any of a magnetic liquid, a photographic photosensitive liquid or the like and which is applied to the carrier to produce a magnetic recording medium, a photographic film, photographic printing paper or the like.
Various conventional devices have been used for application to a carrier of the above-described types of liquids. Examples of application devices of the extrusion type and having a doctor edge portion are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Applications Nos. 138036/75 and 84771/80 and in Japanese Patent Application No. 7306/79. Such devices have been used in various fields. However, it is a common disadvantage in the conventional devices that the range in which liquid application can be stably performed is very narrow. Especially, it is very difficult with the conventional devices to stably form a liquid layer of 26 .mu.m or less in thickness on a carrier running at a speed of 100 to 150 m/min or more. As a result of studies carried out by the present applicants, it has been found that this disadvantage occurs due to causes which will now be described.
When the speed of movement of the carrier exceeds about 100 to 150 m/min, the quantity of air taken up between the carrier and the extrusion body of the device increases sharply. It is important to accurately control the pressure of the liquid at the outlet part of the slot of the extrusion body if the liquid is to be uniformly applied to the carrier to form a thin layer thereon when the carrier is moving at a speed of 100 to 150 m/min or more. If the pressure of the liquid is not sufficiently high, air bubbles will be taken up into the layer of the applied liquid on the carrier and/or the applied liquid will flow back upstream to partially separate from the carrier and thus make the thickness of the layer nonuniform. If the pressure of the liquid is too high, the thickness of the layer of the applied liquid, which is then applied in a large quantity, is likely to be made nonuniform along the width of the carrier. It has also been found that these undesirable phenomena much depend on the form of the edge portion of the extrusion body of each of the conventional devices.
In order to prevent such phenomena, an improved application device of the extrusion type has been proposed, as disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application No. 104666/83. In this device, as shown in FIG. 9 herein, a liquid is continuously expelled from the outlet part of a slot 4 to the surface of a flexible carrier W continuously moving along the surface 6a of a back edge portion 6 and the surface 20 of a doctor edge portion 5 so that the liquid is applied to the surface of the carrier. The cross section of the doctor edge portion 5 is triangularly shaped. As a result, pressure is exerted on the liquid in such a manner that a relatively large liquid part P is formed on the surface 20 of the doctor edge portion 5 at the slot 4 when the liquid is applied to the carrier. Since the relatively large liquid part P is always pressurized during the application of the liquid to carrier, air is likely to be prevented from being taken up and trapped between the carrier and the extrusion body of the device along the surface 6a of the back edge portion 6. For this reason, the liquid can be rapidly applied to the carrier to make a thin uniform layer thereon.
However, streaking occurs in the layer of the applied liquid on the carrier if application is continuously performed by the device over long periods of time. In the case that the product made from the carrier and the liquid applied thereto is a magnetic recording medium, for example, such streaking adversely affects the physical properties of the medium, namely, the S/N ratio, the C/N ratio, and the like. It has been found that when application is continuously performed for a long time, contaminants or foreign matter clinging to the surface of the carrier accumulate in the relatively large liquid part P and cause streaking in the layer of the applied liquid. The contaminants or foreign matter are likely to cling to the surface of the carrier, and cannot be completely removed by rinsing or the like. During application, the contaminants or foreign matter enter the liquid on the extrusion body of the application device. Since the cross section of the doctor edge portion 5 is triangularly shaped so that the portion has a vertex 40, the contaminants or foreign matter are less likely to flow out over the vertex during the application but are accumulated in the relatively large liquid part P to cause streaking in the layer of the applied liquid on the carrier. Particularly when the application is rapidly performed, such streaking is caused even by the momentary catching of a foreign substance in between the carrier and the extrusion body of the application device.
The present inventors have carried out studies in order to provide an application device which has the advantage of the improved application device but which is capable of application without streaking. As a result, they have developed and proposed an application device as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application No. 238179/85. As shown in FIG. 10, the surface of the doctor edge portion 5 of the device is curved, and a relatively large liquid part P is formed in a pressurized state throughout the application to thus avoid causing streaking and to enable rapid application of the liquid to the surface of a carrier moving at a speed of 300 m/min or less. However, it is technically difficult to make the speed of the rapid application higher than 300 m/min with the conventional device. In other words, air accompanying the carrier is likely to be taken up into the layer of the applied liquid on the carrier in thin-layer rapid application when the speed of the movement of the carrier is 300 m/min or more and the thickness of the applied layer is as ti, small as 10 cc/m.sup.2 or less, although the surface of the doctor edge portion 5 of the body of the device is curved in a prescribed manner to prevent streaking from occurring in the layer, as happens with the application device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application No. 104666/83. More specifically, in the device disclosed therein it is required that the doctor edge portion 5 be curved such that the radius of curvature of the surface is 2 mm or more. If the surface of the doctor edge portion 5 is curved in such a manner that the radius of curvature is less than 2 mm, the behavior of the carrier is so nonuniform along the width thereof as to make the variations in the thickness of the layer of the applied liquid large. Although the minimum applied quantity of the liquid can be reduced by increasing the tension of the carrier so as to increase the pressure of the liquid, if the radius of curvature is set at such a value as not to cause variations in the thickness of the layer, the tension on the carrier becomes such that the carrier is unavoidably stretched, resulting in a reduced product quality, or possibly even a broken carrier.


A method for monitoring the free space of a stack of a microcontroller during the execution of a process using spaces of the stack from a start address to an end address of the stack, in which the method includes: in a prior step, writing N keys in the stack at N addresses of the stack, the memory space between two consecutive keys decreasing in a direction from the start address to the end address of the stack; and, in a step of executing the process, saving the address of the current key, corresponding to the address of the existing key, among the N keys, that is closest to the stack start address.

In the case of embedded, real-time systems, these systems must meet design constraints which make it possible to meet needs, while limiting additional costs. Thus, these systems often have limited memory space and optimized computing powers for the execution of predefined tasks. Generally, these systems also respond to operational safety constraints, said to be critical, for which they must not be subject to failure, that is to say, always make it possible to obtain accurate, relevant results within expected timeframes.
Most microcontrollers of embedded systems natively manage a stack per process (that is to say, a program in execution). The stack corresponds to an area of volatile memory, said area being limited in size, usually determined at the start of the program. A stack is allocated to the execution of a process and is used, in particular, to manage subroutine calls, passing parameters and variables. The size of the execution stack depends on many factors, including the programming language, the processor architecture, the amount of random access memory (RAM) available, etc.
A stack overflow is a malfunction caused by a process which, while writing in a stack, writes outside the space allocated to the stack, thus overwriting information needed for the process. This generally results in an interruption of the program.
To avoid such problematic situations, a known solution is to use theoretical calculations when designing an embedded system in order to evaluate the amount of memory consumed in the case of process executions corresponding to limited theoretical scenarios. These scenarios most often lead to a large overestimation of the stack size required, leading to a design cost overrun.
There are also known methods of detecting the capacity of a stack 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In such methods, a 110/120 key (numerical value, character strings) is initialized at each end of the stack. During the execution of a process using stack 100, it is determined whether keys 110 and/or 120 have been reached by verifying that the keys are always present at each end of the stack. Otherwise, the process is reinitialized to recover a known and safe execution state of the process in order to avoid unexpected behavior of the system. However, such a method disrupts the execution during the process.

Method for monitoring the free space of a memory stack


A process for producing hydrogen from ethanol or other alcohols. The alcohol, optionally in combination with water, is contacted with a catalyst comprising rhodium. The overall process is preferably carried out under autothermal conditions.

Recent advancements in fuel cell technology have spurred an interest in converting alcohols into hydrogen rich gas streams, on a small scale and up to industrial scale. Such technology enables one to convert a non-toxic liquid to hydrogen to feed fuel cells. There is also an interest in converting alcohol/water mixtures, for example ethanol and water, such as sugar from biomass fermentation, directly into electricity.
Catalytic steam reforming of alcohols is a well-known process for producing a hydrogen rich gas stream. This is particularly useful for providing energy to fuel cells. Reforming is highly endothermic, therefore, requiring significant energy input, by using a portion of the fuel to be converted, to drive the reaction forward. Reforming also requires a relatively long catalyst contact times, on the order of seconds, which requires significant equipment investment.
To produce hydrogen by steam reforming, high temperature heat input is primarily required at two process steps. First, sufficient steam at high temperature and high pressure must be generated for mixing with an alcohol feed gas. Second, the steam reforming of the steam and alcohol mixture must take place at relatively high temperatures and pressures through a bed of solid catalyst. The equipment needed for these two heat transfers at high temperature and high pressure is necessarily quite expensive. The equipment for steam reforming is also costly because it must be adapted to permit the changing of the solid catalyst when the catalyst is spent or poisoned. Heat sources appropriate for the above two process steps are typically provided by fired heaters at high, continuing utility costs, also with high fluegas NOx production consequential to the high temperatures required in the furnace firebox.
The production of hydrogen by partial oxidation, on the other hand, may be considered a desirable alternative to steam reforming, since it overcomes certain problems encountered in the production of hydrogen by steam reforming. Partial oxidation is an exothermic reaction that can be represented by the reaction of, for example, ethanol with oxygen as follows:CH3CH2OH+½O2→2CO+3H2
As the reaction is exothermic, the expense of providing heat to the reaction is reduced.
However, present limitations to the successful use of partial oxidation of alcohols for the production of hydrogen include the possibilities of flames, carbon formation, excessive or total combustion, and dehydrogenation of the alcohol. Thus, a need exists for a process that overcomes at least some of these problems.


A method of synthesizing silicon wires is provided. A substrate is provided. A copper catalyst particle layer is formed on a top surface of the substrate. The reactive device is heated at a temperature of above 450° C. in a flowing protective gas. A mixture of a protective gas and a silicon-based reactive gas is introduced at a temperature above 450° C. at a pressure below 700 Torr to form the silicon wires on the substrate.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to methods of synthesizing silicon wires and, particularly, to a method of synthesizing silicon wires that employs metallic catalysts.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Since silicon is a favored material in the semiconductor industry and has been used in the IC industry for many years, much attention has already been paid to the research and synthesis of silicon wires. In 1964, micrometer-scaled silicon whiskers grown on silicon substrates were synthesized by a Vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method. Nowadays, the VLS method is an important way to synthesize silicon wires. In this method, metals, generally selected from gold (Au), nickel (Ni), and iron (Fe), are employed as catalysts.
Although Au is a common catalyst for silicon wires by the VLS method, the use thereof is limited by its expense. Furthermore, in the VLS method employing Au as a catalyst, poisonous, and/or noxious matter is prone to be formed in the process, thereby forming pollutants that must be collected, thus, increasing the environmental control costs associated therewith. The introduction of cheaper metals, such as Fe and Ni, to catalyze the silicon wires has proven to be difficult for at least two reasons. One reason is a high synthesizing temperature (i.e., above 1000° C.) is needed, thereby increasing the cost of the fabrication. Another reason is the catalysts of Fe or Ni are prone to render unwanted impurities within semiconductor elements, thereby decreasing the performance thereof.
What is needed, therefore, is a method of synthesizing silicon wires that overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings.
The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one embodiment of the present method, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of such a method in any manner.