The present invention relates to a method for image processing, wherein image data is stored as an image record in digital format. The image record is provided with at least a header part (201), an image data part (202) and an auxiliary data part (203). In the method, at least one defining data record (204) containing auxiliary data is stored in connection with the data record (200), wherein in connection with the processing of the image data, it is selected whether said at least one item of image data is displayed in connection with displaying the image. The invention also relates to a system and a device (1) in which the invention is applied, as well as to an image record (200).

In digital cameras, video cameras, scanners, image recorders, and other devices for processing images in electronic format, an optical image is converted to electronic format by means of an image sensor, such as a CCD (charge coupled device) sensor or a CMOS sensor. Such an image sensor consists of several photosensitive picture elements which are preferably arranged in the form of a matrix. The number of picture elements in the image sensors affects the quality (resolution) of the image. Each picture element is subjected to a charge or another electrical quantity which is proportional to the quantity of light to which it is exposed and which can be measured. After the exposure to light, e.g. a mechanical shutter is used to prevent the access of light in the image sensor. The shutter function can also be implemented electrically by reading the image sensor sufficiently quickly, or by using, as the shutter, e.g. a liquid crystal display or another screen whose translucency can be electrically controlled.
The conversion of the analog signal generated by the image sensor to digital format can be made by an analog-to-digital converter. The accuracy of the analog-to-digital conversion is typically 8 bits, whereby each picture element yields 256 levels of luminous intensity. Considering the properties of the human eye, this number is normally sufficient to achieve the required image quality. From the analog-to-digital converter, this conversion result is transferred in parallel format to further processing steps, such as for recording in an image memory or on a videotape.
For the recording of images in digital format, several recording formats have been developed. These normally comprise a header part and an image data part. The header part normally comprises information about the image recording format, compression which the image may have been subjected to, the resolution, etc. One known image recording standard is the EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format), which is applied e.g. in digital cameras by several manufacturers. According to this standard, the header part of the image record is used for recording, for example, data relating to the image size, the resolution, the time of recording, and the standard version. In compressed images, the header is normally also used for storing, for example, the information needed for decompression, such as a dequantizing table and a decompression table.
In many cameras, it is possible to determine auxiliary data to be recorded in the image, such as the time of capturing the image (date and possibly also the time). Furthermore, in some cameras, the user can determine a free-form text to be recorded on the image. This auxiliary data can then be seen in connection with the rest of the image data when the images are viewed later on. This arrangement has, for example, the drawback that the auxiliary information cannot be made invisible in the image but it is always displayed. If the user wants an image of an object where the auxiliary information is not visible, the user must then capture one image without the auxiliary information and another image with the auxiliary information. This is cumbersome and unnecessarily consumes the image memory of the camera. Moreover, the images taken of the same object one after the other are not necessarily fully identical. For example, such an arrangement is not suitable for capturing an object which is moving or changing in another way. Furthermore, the user may also want images with different auxiliary information. For example, the date is displayed in one image, text defined by the user is displayed in another image, and all the auxiliary information is displayed in a third image. When arrangements of prior art are used, this requires that the user takes several images and separately selects the auxiliary information to be included in each image, which makes the recording slower, consumes the memory capacity of the camera, and causes extra trouble for the user of the camera. To include desired auxiliary information in an image according to an image format, it is also possible to use image processing software. Also in this case, the user must process several image files. If standard image formats are not used, it is possible to use application-specific file formats, wherein it may be sufficient to process a single file. In such a situation, however, one must use the exact file format of the application in question. Examples of such applications include Photoshop® (trademark of Systems Inc.) and Powerpoint® (trademark of Microsoft Inc.).

Method and a system for image processing, a device, and an image record


Microelectromechanical actuators include at least one arched beam which extends between spaced apart supports on a microelectronic substrate. The arched beams are arched in a predetermined direction and expand upon application of heat thereto. A coupler mechanically couples the plurality of arched beams between the spaced apart supports. Heat is applied to at least one of the arched beams to cause further arching as a result of thermal expansion thereof, and thereby cause displacement of the coupler along the predetermined direction. Internal heating of the arched beams by passing current through the arched beams may be used. External heating sources may also be used. The coupler may be attached to a capacitor plate to provide capacitive sensors such as flow sensors. The coupler may also be attached to a valve plate to provide microvalves. Compensating arched beams may be used to provide ambient temperature insensitivity.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have recently been developed as alternatives for conventional electromechanical devices such as relays, actuators, valves and sensors. MEMS devices are potentially low cost devices, due to the use of microelectronic fabrication techniques. New functionality may also be provided because MEMS devices can be much smaller than conventional electromechanical devices.
Many applications of MEMS technology use MEMS actuators. For example, many sensors, valves and positioners use actuators for movement. MEMS actuators can be designed using conventional MEMS processes, to provide actuators which can produce useful force and displacement, while consuming reasonable amounts of power. Many configurations of MEMS actuators have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,318 to Marcus et al. entitled "Microprobe", discloses a cantilever bimorph microprobes and doubly supported beam bimorph microprobes. Other designs for MEMS actuators are described in a thesis by Phipps entitled "Design And Development Of Micro Switches For Micro-Electro-Mechanical Relay Matrices", United States Air Force, June, 1995.
However, notwithstanding these efforts, there continues to be a need for MEMS actuators which can be fabricated using conventional microelectronic fabrication processes, and which are capable of producing useful forces and displacements while consuming reasonable amounts of power.

Thermal arched beam microelectromechanical actuators


A bed exit detecting system cooperable with a mattress includes a pair of bolster air cells respectively positionable adjacent opposite sides of the mattress. A pressure source is provided in fluid communication with the bolster air cells, and a pressure sensor is connected to the air cells. A signal processor communicating with the pressure sensor and the pressure source includes an alarm that is activated when a predetermined pressure change in one of the air cells is detected by the pressure sensor.

The invention relates to a bed exit alarm and, more particularly, to a bed exit alarm using pressure feedback from side bolsters on a support surface.
Care givers in a hospital or other treatment/care facility often must be able to know when a patient remains in a medical bed or chair, or has removed themselves. Unassisted bed exits can cause patient harm or injury, even losing patients in the facility if the patient becomes disoriented.
It is desirable to have some sort of notification/monitoring system of these unplanned bed/chair exits. There are many systems that claim to do this.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,484,043 and 4,565,910 describe devices that use a switch mechanism which is used to open and close a circuit to indicate the exit from a bed. The switches are basically two long conductors that make contact when the patient's body weight is on them. A closed switch indicates that the patient is in bed. The reverse happens when the patient exits; the conductors move apart, the switch opens and a bed exit is indicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,090 describes a capacitive array housed within a thin mat, which is placed either under the patient or under the mattress itself. This capacitance device detects a dielectric shift induced capacitive changes brought about by either the presence or absence of a patient on the bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,297 also describes a capacitive sensor pad device with a foam and aluminum foil pad. The pad under the patient has weight responsive capacitance characteristics that vary with the patient's weight and movement.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,179,692 and 4,295,133 disclose a system in which an on/off switch generates binary signals in response to the movements of the patient in and out of bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,180 also uses a binary generating sensor. When the patient lies down, the first switch position is established. When the patient exits the bed, the switch changes to its alternate state, thereby providing a binary signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,319 describes another capacitor sensor device at a predetermined location in the bed used in conjunction with a monitoring circuit system.
All of the above devices and other similar art have several disadvantages. The first and most problematic is that these sensing or capacitance devices are placed in pads which are either directly under the patient or under the mattress. If the pad is placed directly under the patient, it must be very thin and flexible so as not to increase the pressure on the bony protuberances of the patient. If the sensing pad is under the mattress, it loses its effectiveness as all inputs and outputs from the sensing pad must travel through the mattress. For instance, as the patient shifts their weight to exit the bed, due to the thick and "stiff" mattress, the weight distribution might be significantly distorted, causing the bed exit alarm not to work properly. Secondly, there is a lot of sophisticated circuitry and there are many components required to make these complicated capacitance or switch systems work, leading to higher costs, and greater chances of malfunctions.


A method of fabricating an interconnect structure, comprising exposing an empty deposition chamber to a process that includes generating reactive species produced from a source gas in the presence of a plasma. The method further comprises terminating the plasma and then introducing a semiconductor substrate with a metal layer thereon into the chamber while the reactive species are present in the chamber.

Metal interconnects are used to electrically connect semiconductor devices, such as capacitors or transistors. Unfortunately, situations arise where a problem in fabrication results in a faulty or defective interconnect. For instance, during certain integrated circuit (IC) fabrication schemes, there are steps that can cause the formation of surface discontinuities on the interconnect known as hillocks.
The term hillock as used herein refers to an unintended metal structure that protrudes above the surface of the metal interconnect. The presence of hillocks on copper interconnects is associated with both a reduced IC yield and reliability. E.g., hillocks can promote the formation of short circuits in interconnect structures where an interconnect lands on top of an underlying interconnect having surface hillocks.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method for manufacturing ICs, and ICs formed therefrom, that includes fabricating interconnect structures that avoids or reduces the formation of hillocks.

Semiconductor device manufactured by reducing hillock formation in metal interconnects


An adapter for use in puncture (a puncture adapter) for performing puncture while an ultrasonic image is being observed. The puncture adapter is composed of a holder for holding a probe which transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave, and a base unit for movably supporting the holder. A guide mechanism provided in the base unit guides a puncture needle. Moving the probe held in the holder moves a beam scan plane, and the intersection between the beam scan plane and a puncture route can be moved along the puncture route. The base unit functions as a seat which is brought into contact with a surface of a living body. A plurality of projecting legs may be provided on the base unit. The plurality of projecting legs are provided along the periphery of the movement region in which the wave transmitting and receiving surface of the probe moves.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adapter for use in puncture (or centesis), and more particularly to an adapter which is attached to a probe and guides a puncture needle.
2. Description of Related Art
An adapter for use in puncture (which will be hereinafter referred to as a "puncture adapter") is used for performing puncture with respect to a target tissue through a surface of a living body while an ultrasonic image of the target tissue within the living body is observed. Generally, such an adapter is detachably mounted onto a probe and holds and guides a puncture needle. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. Sho 60-92747, Hei 4-303440, and 2001-120553 describe a puncture adapter which guides a puncture needle such that a puncture route of the puncture needle coincides with (or is included in) a scan plane which is formed by scanning of an ultrasonic beam. More specifically, a guide unit for the puncture needle is provided above one end side of the scan plane and the puncture needle is guided therefrom in the diagonal direction so as to advance on the scan plane. This guiding structure allows an operator to observe, on a tomographic image corresponding to the scan plane, how the puncture needle is gradually introduced, thereby assisting the operator to perform puncture with respect to the target tissue at the optimal angle or in the optimal direction.
With the conventional puncture system described above, while it is possible to observe the structure of a tissue located on the scan plane including the puncture route, the tissue before and behind the scan plane cannot be observed. For example, the carotid artery and jugular vein run adjacent to each other in the neck portion of a human body. When one wishes to insert a puncture needle into the jugular vein in the diagonal direction with respect to the axial direction of the jugular vein in order to insert a catheter, it is desired that the puncture is performed while both the carotid artery and the adjacent jugular vein are being observed simultaneously on a tomographic image. To do so, it may be possible to fix the guide unit for the puncture needle above the region anterior or posterior of the scan plane and guide the puncture needle therefrom in the diagonal direction, i.e. in the direction in which the puncture needle penetrates the scan plane diagonally. However, while such a structure allows observation of a transverse section of each blood vessel on the tomographic image, this structure has a disadvantage that the position of the tip of the puncture needle cannot be recognized on the image until the tip reaches the scan plane. In other words, it is not possible to confirm the route through which the puncture needle is being introduced within the living body on the tomographic image. This problem similarly exists in cases where puncture is performed with respect to portions other than the neck.

Puncture adapter for use in ultrasonic diagnosis


The present invention relates to a process for the regioselective synthesis of compounds of the formula I,

The present invention relates to a direct transition metal catalyzed process for the preparation of a variety of multifunctional substituted N-aminoindoles of formula I from 2-halo-phenylacetylenes or (2-sulfonato)phenylacetylenes and N,N-disubstituted hydrazines.
The Indole skeleton is found in numerous natural products as well as in the essential amino acid tryptophan and thus also in proteins. Indole derivatives display a vide variety of biological activities and can thus be regarded as a privileged structure in pharmaceutical research.
The ability of the indole scaffold to mediate an interaction with a variety of biological targets, is well-documented by a number of reports on the observed biological activity, as well as by the fact that many marketed drugs contain this heterocycle (J. A. Joule, in Science of Synthesis 2000, 10, 361ff and references therein). Examples of marketed drugs having an indole structural element include the anti-inflammatory indomethacin, the betablocker pindolol, the antimigraine agent sumitriptan and the 5-HT3 antagonist ondansetron.
Of course the use of indoles or azaindoles is not limited to the above-mentioned pharmaceutical application and it is well known that indoles can be useful in numerous other applications. For example, 1H-indole-3-acetic acid is used as a plant growth regulator and 3-methyl-indole (skatol) and various other indoles are used as components in perfumes and fragrances. Also N-aminoindoles display various biological activities such as antidepressant (F. Schatz, U. Jahn, T. Wagner-Jauregg, L. Zimgibl, K. Thiele Arzneimittelforschung 1980, 30, 919-23), analgesic (U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,608), acetylcholinesterase inhibition (Klein et. al. J. Med. Chem. 1996, 39, 570-581), thrombin inhibition (J. J. Cui et al. Bioorg. Med. Chem, Lett. 2002, 12, 2925-2930) and Ca2+-activated K+ channel opening (S. Hu, C. A. Fink, H. S. Kim, R. W. Lappe Drug. Dev. Res. 1997, 41, 10) among others. Furthermore, several compounds are actively being developed as drugs e.g. Nerispirdine (WO 2005097199).
Due to the interesting physical and biological properties of indoles a large number of syntheses for their formation have been developed, but most protocols are multistep procedures performed under harsh conditions, but also milder transition metal catalyzed protocols have been described (G. R. Humprey, J. T. Kuethe Chem. Rev. 2006, 105, 2875-2911). Among the existing transition metal catalyzed indole syntheses only a few examples employs the coupling between amines and 2-halo-phenylacetylenes followed by subsequent cyclization (T. Konno, J. Chae, T. Ishihara, H. Yamanaka J. Org. Chem. 2004, 24, 8258-8265; J. Chae, T. Konno, T. Ishihara, H. Yamanaka Chem. Lett. 2004, 33, 314-315; L. Ackermann Org. lett. 2005, 7, 439-442; L. T. Kaspar, L. Ackermann Tetrahedron 2005, 61, 11311-11316) but no examples using hydrazines have been reported.
The absence of an efficient synthetic protocol for the formation of indoles and N-aminoindoles from easily available 2-halo-phenylacetylenes and hydrazines clearly demonstrates a lack of synthetic methodology, thereby hindering the synthesis and optimization of important compounds such as a potential drug substance or other compound with desired properties. Thus, the present invention can for example be useful in preparing intermediates or end products of biologically active compounds in pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.

Transition metal catalyzed synthesis of N-aminoindoles

Abstract: wherein R0; R1; R2; R3; R4; R5; R6; A1; A2; A3; A4, Q, T and J have the meanings indicated in the claims. The present invention provides a direct transition metal catalyzed process to a wide variety of multifunctional N-aminoindole or N-amino-azaindoles of the formula I from 2-halo-phenylacetylenes or (2-sulfonato)phenyl-acetylenes and N,N-disubstituted hydrazines, useful for the production of pharmaceuticals, diagnostic agents, liquid crystals, polymers, herbicides, fungicidals, nematicidals, parasiticides, insecticides, acaricides and arthropodicides.


This invention relates to methods for altering cell proliferation in a plant by modulating the expression of an endogenous plant gene whose expression product affects cell proliferation. These methods can be used to modify plant characteristics, such as seed size. In particular, the invention provides methods for modifying cell proliferation in the integuments and/or seed coats of a plant by inhibiting expression of endogenous gene encoding Auxin response factor 2 (ARF2/MNT) or an orthologue thereof, such that the number of cells in the integuments and/or seed coat is increased, resulting in increased seed size. The plant or plant propagating material can be transformed, e.g., with a nucleic acid construct, to increase or decrease the expression of endogenous genes or the orthologues thereof that affect cell proliferation. The invention also relates to modified plants and reproducible plant material produced by the methods, and nucleic acid constructs for use in such methods.

The seeds industry can be split into two high-value, commercial sectors: seeds for field crops such as corn, oil seeds, sugar beet and cereals, and vegetable and flower seed. The scientific improvement of crop plants has gone through a succession of innovations leading to the development of hybrid varieties for many crops and, most recently, to the introduction of genetically enhanced crops. The worldwide commercial seeds market is valued at around $30 billion (International Seed Federation).
1. Importance of Seed Size
Yield in crop plants where seed is the harvested product is usually defined as weight of seed harvested per unit area (Duvick, 1992). Consequently, individual seed weight is regarded as a major determinant of yield. Increasing seed size is desirable because it may increase total yield (Reynolds et al., 2001). There is also evidence that seed size (weight) is positively correlated with a number of components of 'seed quality' such as the percentage of germination (Schaal, 1980; Alexander and Wulff, 1985; Guberac et al, 1998); time to emergence (Winn, 1985; Wulff, 1986); durability (survival under adverse growing conditions) (Krannitz et al, 1991; Manga and Yadav, 1995); and growth rate (Marshall, 1986). Seed quality is an important factor in the cost of production of commercial seed lots since these must be tested before sale. Consequently, increasing total seed weight, even without increases in total seed yield, may have economic benefits through improvements in seed quality. Conversely, decreasing seed size may also be desirable in some circumstances, for example by facilitating water uptake required for germination (Harper et al., 1970), or in plants grown for their fruit.
Modification of seed size is also likely to improve yield through increasing the 'sink strength' of the seed (i.e. its capacity to demand nutrients from the seed parent), or increasing the period in which the seed is acting as a strong sink. It is well established that the demands of sink organs such as seeds have significant control over the rate of photosynthesis and the movement of photoassimilates from source to sink tissues (Patrick and Offler, 1995; Paul and Foyer, 2001). In wheat, the seed parent can supply more nutrients than developing seeds are able to demand for the first 15-20 days after pollination (Austin, 1980). Therefore modifications that enable seeds to draw nutrients earlier in development, for example by speeding up seed growth, will allow seeds to capture resources that would otherwise be wasted. An 'improved source-sink balance permitting higher sink demand during grainfilling' has also been proposed as a method for increasing yield in wheat (Reynolds et al., 2001).
2. Composition of Seeds
Mature seeds of flowering plants consist of three components: the seed coat, which is of exclusively maternal origin; and the two fertilization products, embryo and endosperm, which have maternal and paternal genetic contributions. Seeds develop from fertilized ovules. Ovule development has been described for many species (Bouman, 1984), including Arabidopsis thaliana (Robinson-Beers et al., 1992; Schneitz et al., 1995). The main structures of the mature ovule are: the embryo sac, which contains the female reproductive cells (egg and central cell); the nucellus, which surrounds the embryo sac at least partially; and the inner and outer integuments, which envelop the embryo sac and nucellus. After fertilization the embryo and nutritive endosperm develop inside the embryo sac while the integuments differentiate into the seed coat, which expands to accommodate the growing endosperm and embryo.
Most monocotyledonous plants, e.g. cereals including maize, wheat, rice, and barley (see Esau, 1965), produce albuminous seeds—that is, at maturity they contain a small embryo and a relatively massive endosperm. Most dicotyledonous plants, e.g. Brassica napus, (oil seed rape, canola), soybean, peanut, Phaseolus vulgaris (e.g. kidney bean, white bean, black bean) Vicia faba (broad bean), Pisum sativum (green pea), Cicer arietinum (chick pea), and Lens culinaris (lentil), produce exalbuminous seeds—that is, the mature seeds lack an endosperm. In such seeds the embryo is large and generally fills most of the volume of the seed, and accounts for almost the entire weight of the seed. In exalbuminous seeds the endosperm is ephemeral in nature and reaches maturity when the embryo is small and highly immature (usually heart/torpedo stage). Commonly embryo development depends on the presence of the endosperm, which is generally accepted to act as a source of nutrition for the embryo.
3. Control of Seed Size
Seed size control can be viewed from the perspective of (1) 'development'—the extent of cell division and expansion in one or more seed components (e.g. Reddy and Daynard, 1983; Swank et al, 1987; Scott et al., 1998; Garcia et al., 2003) or (2) 'metabolism'—metabolic activity and transport of nutrients within the seed and between the seed and seed parent (e.g. Weber et al., 1996, 1997). Development and metabolism are interdependent: for example, invertase activity (involved in hexose transport) at the boundary of maternal tissues and endosperm or embryo sac is required for endosperm proliferation in maize (Cheng et al., 1996), and high invertase activity is correlated with increased cell numbers in broad bean seed coat (Weber et al., 1996), legume embryos (Weber et al., 1997), and barley endosperm (Weschke et al., 2003). Our present investigations focus on the developmental aspects of seed size control, although it can be assumed that changes to cell division/expansion in the seed will also be correlated with changes in metabolic activity and nutrient flow.
3a. Endosperm-LED Seed Growth
Several studies show a correlation between endosperm growth and final seed size, for example in maize (Lin, 1984; Jones et al., 1996), and even in the dicot Arabidopsis thaliana, which has an ephemeral endosperm (Scott et al., 1998; Garcia et al., 2003). Work in our laboratory has shown that overproliferation of the endosperm leads to large seeds with large embryos, while inhibition of endosperm proliferation produces small seeds with small embryos. We have manipulated endosperm proliferation and seed size using a variety of methods, including modifications to the ratio of paternally to maternally inherited chromosomes in the endosperm, cytosine methylation status of the parents contributing to the seed, and use of the fis3/fie mutation (Scott et al., 1998; Adams et al., 2000; Vinkenoog et al., 2000). In these experiments we considered the resultant changes to seed growth to be 'endosperm-led', and effects on the embryo and the seed coat to be indirect. Some of our experiments specifically ruled out a direct effect on seed coat growth because the seed parent was wild-type and only the fertilization products were directly modified: for example, in the case of wild-type diploid seed parents crossed with tetraploid pollen parents, which produce large seeds (Scott et al., 1998), or wild-type seed parents crossed with pollen parents hypomethylated by a DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 antisense construct, which produce small seeds (Adams et al., 2000). Similarly, Garcia et al. (2003) described the haiku mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, which produce small seeds due to early arrest of endosperm proliferation. The authors also noted a failure of cell elongation after fertilization in the integuments of haiku mutants, and concluded this was an indirect effect of limited endosperm growth.
3b Role of Integuments/Seed Coat in Establishing Seed Size
Alonso-Blanco et al. (1999) investigated seed size in wild-type plants of two Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, Cvi and Ler: seeds of the former weigh 80% more than seeds of the latter and are 20% longer. In both accessions, the authors found that 'seed coat and endosperm growth preceded embryo growth, determining the overall final length of the embryo and the seed'. They did find that the outer layer of the mature seed coat has more cells in Cvi than Ler, but did not investigate or comment on whether these extra cells were formed before or after fertilization. Moreover, the authors' inspection of mature unfertilized ovules showed that ovules in Ler were slightly longer than in Cvi, and therefore the authors concluded that 'ovule size differences could not account for the final Ler/Cvi seed size variation'. Their overall major conclusion was that 'the larger size of Cvi seeds compared with Ler is mainly because of the faster and prolonged growth of the integuments and the endosperm' (i.e. after fertilization); they did not address the question of whether this growth was led by the integuments or the endosperm. The authors suggested that the final cell number and size in the seed coat 'may be determined during ovule development', but significantly, there was no suggestion that a larger number of integument cells before fertilization was responsible for a larger final seed size.
Garcia et al. (2005) examined crosses between Arabidopsis mutant or transgenic plants that produce small seeds because of the inhibition of either endosperm growth or integument/seed coat growth. These authors proposed a model in which seed size is determined by a reciprocal interaction between endosperm growth and elongation of integument/seed coat cells. They also reported that genotypes with fewer cells in the integument compensate by increasing cell elongation. The authors concluded, 'The final cell number in the integument [seed coat] is balanced by cell elongation and does not influence the size of the seed.'
Jofuku et al. (2005) and Ohto et al. (2005) reported that mutations in the APETALA2 (AP2) gene increase seed size; Jofuku et al. (2005) also found that suppression of AP2 activity through antisense or sense cosuppression had the same effect. ap2 mutant seeds have seed coat abnormalities including large and irregular outer integument cells, lack of mucilage, and hypersensitivity to bleach; and the increase in seed size was found to be a mainly (Jofuku et al., 2005) or wholly (Ohto et al., 2005) maternal effect. However, neither paper investigated any possible correlation between (1) seed size and (2) cell number or any other aspect of integument/seed coat morphology in ap2 mutants or transgenics.
Weber et al. (1996) compared growth of the seed coat in large- and small-seeded genotypes of Vicia faba (broad bean). They found that large-seeded genotypes contained more cells in the seed coat at 9 days after pollination, but cell numbers in the two genotypes were similar at 4 days after pollination. Therefore the number of cells in the integuments before fertilization could not be a factor in final seed size.
4. Relevant Patent Publications
(i) Fischer and Mizukami (2003), 'Methods for Altering Organ Mass in Plants', US Patent Application 20030159180
Mutations in the AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana prevent formation of the integuments (Klucher et al., 1996; Baker et al., 1997). Mizukami and Fischer (2000) describe the phenotype of Arabidopsis thaliana plants over-expressing the wild-type ANT gene under the control of the constitutive 35S promoter. Ectopic ANT expression increases the size of many plant organs including seeds, as well as causing male sterility through failure of anther dehiscence. Most of the transgenic plants are also female sterile 'because of abnormally extended proliferation of the chalazal nucellar cells'. However weak overexpressers could generate seeds after hand-pollination with wild-type pollen. 'The enlarged 35S::ANT fruit included T2 seeds that were larger than normal (not shown in the application), because of enlarged embryos.' The size of unpollinated ovules, and the number or size of cells in the integuments/seed coat, were not investigated or discussed. The large seed size of 35S::ANT seeds was attributed only to size of the nucellus and embryo. US patent application no. 20030159180 describes uses of a modified ANT polypeptide for altering the size of plant organs including seeds. It was reported that the transgenic plants had varying degrees of fertility that were not correlated with organ size. There was no investigation of the effect of expressing the modified ANT polypeptide on integument or seed coat growth.
(ii) Jofuku and Okamuro (2001), 'Methods for Improving Seeds', U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,567
Mutations in the APETALA2 (AP2) gene increase seed size (Okamuro and Jofuku, 1997). The mutations have a maternal effect on seed size but the only phenotype described for the integument/seed coat in apt mutants is that the cells of the outer layer of the seed coat are enlarged with an irregular shape, along with some other morphological abnormalities (Jofuku et al., 1994). U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,567 describes methods of modulating seed mass using AP2 transgenes, but this patent does not assess any effect of the transgenes on the integuments or seed coat.
(iii) Lepiniec et al. (2003), 'Regulating Nucleic Acid for Expressing a Polynucleotide of Interest Specifically in the Endothelium of a Plant Seed and Uses Thereof', WO 03/012106 A2
The BANYULS (BAN) gene is expressed exclusively in the inner layer of the inner integument (this layer is also called the endothelium) in early seed development (pre-globular stage) (Devic et al., 1999). International patent application WO 03/012106 A2 describes use of the BAN promoter to drive expression of various genes specifically in the testa (the seed coat layer derived from the inner integument). The authors propose uses such as modifying the tannin or fibre composition, or the hormonal equilibrium, but no relevant expression cassettes were reported or described. Modification of seed size is also proposed but only in the context of reducing or ablating seeds in fruit crops. A BAN promoter::BARNASE construct was shown to ablate the endothelium.
(iv) Zinselmeier et al. (2000), 'Regulated Expression of Genes in Plant Seeds', WO00/63401
This patent application relates to expression of genes such as ipt that 'affect metabolically effective levels of cytokinins in plant seeds, as well as in the maternal tissue from which such seeds arise, including developing ears, female inflorescences, ovaries, female florets, aleurone, pedicel, and pedicel-forming regions', and to transgenic plants with enhanced levels of cytokinin that exhibit 'improved seed size, decreased tip kernel abortion, increased seed set during unfavorable environmental conditions, and stability of yield'. A nucellus promoter (nucellus is the maternal tissue surrounding the embryo sac and enclosed within the integuments) is among those suggested for driving expression cassettes, but integuments are not specifically mentioned in the patent application, nor were any maternal tissue-specific expression cassettes described. The disclosure of this patent application is particularly concerned with maize.
(v) Scott (2002), 'Modified Plants', WO/0109299
This patent application relates to methods for controlling endosperm size and development through use of an antisense DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 gene that reduces cytosine methylation. As described in WO01/09299, and in Section 3a, above, modification to the cytosine methylation status of the seed or pollen parent alters seed size by altering the rate and extent of endosperm proliferation. Therefore the disclosure of this patent application relates exclusively to 'endosperm-led' seed growth.
In summary, documents in the prior art do not include an understanding that altering the size of integuments specifically through increasing the number of cells before fertilization could affect seed size after fertilization. A small number of published papers and patent applications touch on a possible relationship between seed coat size and seed size but do not make a link between (1) integument growth pre-fertilization and (2) final seed size.
5. Integument-LED Seed Growth
We were surprised therefore to discover in our laboratory a mutant, termed the mnt-1 mutant, that produces enlarged seeds through a primary effect on the integuments. Specifically, we observed that the seed cavity (i.e. the space within the post-fertilization embryo sac) is longer than normal giving the embryo more space to grow as a result of an increase in cell number in the integument. This was particularly surprising in view of the earlier research mentioned in section 3a above which indicated that changes in seed growth were 'endosperm-led'. It was also surprising in view of the work of Alonso-Blanco et al (1999) mentioned in section 3b above which did not suggest that an increase in number of integuments cells led to an increase in seed size; and also in view of the work of Weber et al 1999 who found similar numbers of cells in the seed coat in small and large-seeded genotypes of broad bean soon after fertilization; and also in view of the work of Garcia et al. (2005) who claimed that 'The final cell number in the integument [seed coat] is balanced by cell elongation and does not influence the size of the seed'; and also in view of the work of Jofuku et al. (2005) and Ohto et al. (2005) who found a maternal effect of the ap2 mutation on seed size but did not report a correlation between cell number in the integuments or in the seed coat and final seed size.
6. Increased Stem Diameter in mnt-1 Mutants
Increased stem diameter is also desirable in agriculture, as it may lead to an increase in plant biomass, which may in turn increase yield (Reynolds et al., 2001). Increased stem diameter and biomass are also desirable in certain crops such as trees and vegetables. Thicker stems are also desirable because this trait increases resistance to lodging, a serious problem that reduces yields in crops including cereals (Zuber et al., 1999), soybean (Board, 2001), and oilseed rape (Miliuviene et al., 2004). A further aspect of the mnt-1 mutant phenotype is increased diameter of the stems.

Methods for modulating cell proliferation in the seed coat and/or integument


A hand-held sharpener device for sharpening and deburring convergent surface cutting edge implements including an elongated cylindrical body having a central area mounting a plurality of sharpener bit assemblies and opposite end areas providing hand grips for holding and moving the sharpener device across a cutting edge to be sharpened. One of the sharpener bit assemblies includes two associated sharpening bits for sharpening blades having two converging cutter surfaces and a second sharpener bit assembly includes a sharpening bit and a dummy bit for sharpening blades having only one cutting surface. The sharpener bits and the dummy bit are held and clamped in bit receiving cavities in mating sections of the sharpener body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand-held sharpening devices for sharpening convergent-edge bladed implements such as knives, shears, cleavers, axes and hatchets. Although not limited to any particular bladed implement, the present sharpener is particularly adaptable for use with a variety of larger implements such as axes, hoes, garden shears and the like as well as camping tools which may have either double or single-ground cutting faces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of hand-held sharpening devices are available in the prior art which rely upon intersecting circular elements or intersecting straight blade elements, see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,824, which define a nip or V-shaped cavity through which the tool blade passes in order to be sharpened. These devices may be either of the type in which the blade is pulled through a stationary sharpening device or the type wherein the sharpener is drawn along the blade edge in order to effect the sharpening action. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,418,588 and 5,679,068 are examples of such hand-held sharpening devices that are primarily designed for pulling across or along the blade which is held stationary such as a lawn mower blade, shear blades or the like. Following are examples of sharpener devices of the type wherein the device is held stationary, such as being bench mounted or being hand held, while the knife or other bladed instrument is drawn through the nip or V-shaped cavity for sharpening.


There is disclosed an integrated circuit including a programmable driver circuit having first and second transistors. Each of the first and second transistors has first, second and third terminals. The first terminal of each of the first and second transistors are coupled together to form an input node. The second terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a power node. A third terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a first intermediate node. The second terminal of the second transistor is coupled to a second intermediate node. The third terminal of the second transistor is coupled to a reference potential. A first switch having at least one input is coupled between the first and second intermediate nodes. Third and fourth transistors each having first, second and third terminals. The first terminal of the third transistor is coupled to a third intermediate node. The first terminal of the fourth transistor is coupled to the second intermediate node. The second terminal of the third transistor is coupled to the power node. The third terminal of the third transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the fourth transistor to define an output node. The third terminal of the fourth transistor is coupled to the reference potential. A second switch having at least one control input is coupled between the third intermediate node and the first intermediate node.

A three-state buffer, sometimes called a TRI-STATE.TM. buffer, is a circuit used to control transfer of signals, typically logic signals such as data, from its input to its output. A typical application as an output buffer is to drive data from an integrated circuit onto a bus, or to isolate the input of the three-state driver from the bus when data is not being driven onto the bus. A typical application as an input buffer is to permit data to be pulled off of a bus.
In microprocessors, such as a digital signal processor, the transfer of data takes place over a common set of conductors known as a bus. Some buses are unidirectional and permit signals to flow in only one direction on the bus, whereas other buses are bidirectional and permit signals to flow in either direction on the bus. Many integrated circuits in a system have inputs and outputs tied to a bus. Integrated circuits coupled to a bus are coupled through a three-state buffer that may be separate therefrom, but more commonly is an integral part of the integrated circuit.
A three-state buffer allows three possible output states: high, low, and high impedance. In the high impedance state, the output is an open or floating terminal that, as seen by the bus, is a high impedance to both ground and the power supply. Where multiple devices, such as integrated circuits, are coupled to a common bus, the three-state buffer permits controlling the transmission of signals from any one of the devices over the bus to other devices. The three-state buffer associated with the device providing the signal will be enabled to permit signals to pass through its three-state buffer and be driven onto the associated bus. Other output buffers coupled to the bus will be in a high impedance state, effectively disconnecting them from the bus. Some output buffers invert the signal as it is driven onto the bus; other output buffers drive a noninverted version of the signal onto the bus.
Buses of various types are in common use. Bus drivers are manufactured for each type of bus and are intended for use with a specific type of bus. When bus driver circuits were fabricated as separate integrated circuits, a system designer could select the appropriate bus driver circuits for a particular application. With higher levels of integrated circuit integration, the bus driver circuits are fabricated as part of the same integrated circuit as microprocessors, memories, and other devices that are coupled to a bus. Since each device may be used with any of the types of buses, it has been necessary to fabricate separate devices for each bus application. It would be desirable to fabricate only one type of each device with a programmable driver circuit that could be configured at the time of application for the particular type of bus being used in an application.

Programmable driver circuit for multi-source buses


A software application installed on a mobile device periodically measures a parameter and records it along with the position associated with the measurement. These data are recorded on the device's internal memory and displayed in the form of a map so that users can navigate to locations with desired parameter levels. In one embodiment, this parameter may be cellular signal strength, allowing users in areas with no useable cellular signal to find a location where a phone call can be placed. Parameter and location data may be displayed in a map as they are acquired or in other embodiments they may be preloaded onto the device, for example allowing cellular signal strength maps to be displayed on a device even when it has no current data connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the technical field of wireless communication devices and, in particular, to techniques for measuring, recording, and displaying signal strengths and other parameters as a function of location.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known in the art that cellular wireless systems rely on base stations that cover a limited geographic area, and that a cellular telephone needs to be within the reach of a base station to be able to place, receive or conduct a call. Coverage in any cellular system is not universal, and cell phones are well-known to have an ability to display signal strength.
In some circumstances signal strength may be a life-or-death matter. There are many instances where a person or persons have gotten lost in an area with poor or no cellular coverage, and has died as a result of not being able to call for help.
There exist databases of cellular signal strength as a function of location, but these data are unavailable when a user needs them the most, that is, when the user is already in a location with no useable cellular signal.
When a cellular phone user has poor or no cellular coverage, there is no way for said user to know where a useable cellular signal might be found. For example, thousands of people die every year while lost in the wilderness, but if they were able to place phone calls for help they could be rescued. Many of those people are within walking distance of a useable cellular signal but have no way of knowing whether it exists or where to find it.
A solution to this technical problem that would allow users in a no-coverage location to find a useable cellular signal would thus be of great value. Several advantages of one or more aspects are to provide a map of cellular signal strength data as a function of location that is available to a mobile device user even when said device is unable to access the internet. These and other advantages of one or more aspects will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.

Software applications for displaying and or recording receiver signal strengths and other parameters


A method of forming a capacitor includes depositing a dielectric metal oxide layer of a first phase to a thickness no greater than 75 Angstroms over an inner conductive capacitor electrode material. The first phase dielectric metal oxide layer has a k of at least 15. Conductive RuO2 is deposited over and into physical contact with the dielectric metal oxide layer. Then, the RuO2 and the dielectric metal oxide layer are annealed at a temperature below 500° C. The RuO2 in physical contact with the dielectric metal oxide during the annealing facilitates a change of the dielectric metal oxide layer from the first phase to a second crystalline phase having a higher k than the first phase. The annealed dielectric metal oxide layer is incorporated into a capacitor dielectric region of a capacitor construction. Other implementations are disclosed.

Capacitors are commonly-used electrical components in semiconductor integrated circuitry, for example memory circuitry such as DRAM circuitry. A typical capacitor is comprised of two conductive electrodes separated by a non-conducting capacitor dielectric region. As integrated circuit density increases, there is a continuing challenge to maintain sufficiently high storage capacitance despite decreasing capacitor area. One way of increasing cell capacitance is through cell structure techniques. Such techniques include 3-dimensional cell capacitors such as trenched and stack capacitors. Other ways of increasing cell capacitance include the development and utilization of new materials for one or both of the capacitor electrodes and the capacitor dielectric region.
One way of maximizing capacitance is to use one or more dielectrics for the capacitor dielectric region which have a very high dielectric constant k. Certain dielectric metal oxides can be used for such purposes. Dielectric metal oxides may occur in multiple different amorphous and crystalline phases, with each phase having a different dielectric constant. It has been discovered in some instances that deposition of dielectric metal oxide layers at and below 75 Angstroms may require subsequent high temperature annealing well in excess of 500° C. to achieve desired highest-k phases for such different materials. Unfortunately, exposure of the substrate to such high temperatures can result in damage of other circuitry components and materials. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop techniques that enable fabrication of capacitors having high k dielectrics that do not require exposure of substrates to high temperatures after deposition of the capacitor dielectric layers.


A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus, constructed such that the air bag apparatus, which is integrated into a side portion of a seat back which side portion opposes a vehicle door, is activated at the time of a side impact such that a sewn portion of a seat surface layer, which is formed by sewing a front seat surface layer for covering the front of the seat back to a side seat surface layer for covering the side of the seat back, breaks and an air bag body inflates between a side portion of a vehicle body and the side of a vehicle occupant, comprising a sheet member provided inside the side seat surface layer integrally with the side seat surface layer, the sheet member being harder to stretch than the side seat surface layer, and one end of the sheet member being sewn to the sewn portion; and a fixing member provided inside the seat back, the fixing member being engaged with another end of the sheet member which is provided on the opposite side of the one end of the sheet member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus, and particularly to a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus which is incorporated into a side portion of a seat back which side portion opposes a door of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various countermeasures have heretofore been taken to better protect vehicle occupants against impacts occurring at the side of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to simply as "side impacts"). As one example, a structure in which a side impact air bag apparatus is incorporated into the side of a front seat of a vehicle has been developed in recent years. Such air bag apparatuses are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,112,079, 5,222,761, 5,251,931 and 5,498,030. A front seat structure in which this type of air bag apparatus has been incorporated has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,342. The structure disclosed in this latter publication, and the seat surface layer thereof in particular, will be described hereinafter.
FIG. 24 is a side view showing a front seat 150 of the type in which an air bag apparatus, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,342, has been incorporated. As shown in FIG. 24, a side impact air bag apparatus 154 is incorporated into the side portion of a seat back 152 of the front seat 150, which side portion opposes an unillustrated vehicle door. The air bag apparatus 154 basically comprises a sensor 157 which is disposed below a seat cushion 156 and detects the state of application of a load to the side door, a substantially cylindrical inflator 158 which is connected to the sensor 157 and produces gas in response to the applied state detected by the sensor 157, and an air bag 160 inflated by a flow of gas injected from the inflator 158. Further, the inflator 158 and the bag 160 are accommodated within a space defined between an air bag case 164 and a lid 166 both fixed to the side portion of a seat back frame 162 (see FIG. 25) which side portion opposes the vehicle door.
As can be seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 25, a seat surface layer 168 of the seat back 152 is divided into a plurality of seat surface layers and the divided seat surface layers are sewn together and allow the lid 166 to open upon inflation of a bag. Namely, the seat surface layer 168 of the seat back 152 is divided into a front main seat surface layer 170 for covering the central front surface of the seat back 152, two front side seat surface layers 172, 174 for covering the surface of the side portion of the seat back 152, a seat back side surface layer 176 for covering the lid 166 of the air bag apparatus 154, and a rear seat surface layer 178 for covering the rear surface of the seat back 152.
Further, a front end portion 176A of the seat back side surface layer 176 and a rear end portion 174A of the front side seat surface layer 174 are sewn together with sewing thread 180 to form the seat back side surface layer 176 located substantially opposite to the side of the lid 166. The strength of the sewing at this sewn portion is set low by sewing both ends by one row of stitches as shown in the drawing, for example. Accordingly, this portion serves as a rupture portion. On the other hand, a rear end portion 176B of the seat back side surface layer 176 and a front end portion 178A of the rear seat surface layer 178 are respectively formed into loops and respectively sewn with sewing threads 182 and 184. Further, the rear end portion 176B and front end portion 178A, each of which has been sewn into a loop, are sewn together with sewing thread 186. The strength of the sewing at this sewn portion is set high by sewing both end portions 176B and 178A by two rows of stitches as shown in the drawing, for example. Accordingly, no rupture occurs at this sewn portion so that this portion serves as a hinge for the opening of the seat back side surface layer 176.
Thus, when the air bag 160 is inflated by a flow of gas injected from the inflator 158, the lid 166 is opened toward the outer side of the seat (i.e., in the direction indicated by arrow W in FIG. 25) about a hinge 166A provided at a rear side end thereof. As a result, the portion sewn between the front end portion 176A of the seat back side surface layer 176 and the rear end portion 174A of the front side surface layer 174 is broken by an opening force produced at this time.
However, in a seat structure having an air bag apparatus for a side impact, when a relatively easy-to-stretch material such as knit or the like is used for the surface layer 168 of the seat back 152, the surface layer 168 greatly stretches outwardly in the transverse direction of the seat in the initial stage of expansion of the air bag 160 as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 25 so that the sewn portion to be broken, which is formed by the sewing thread 180, becomes hard to break. This is most likely due to the inflation speed of the air bag 160 becoming slow and the shape of expanded configuration of the air bag 160 becoming unstable. Therefore, a relatively easy-to-stretch material such as knit or the like, which has been heretofore been used for the seat surface layer, cannot be used. As a result, the material for the seat surface layer is limited.
Easy-to-stretch materials have heretofore been used for the front and side seat surface layers with a view toward making it easy to fit the seat surface layer to the seat back (seat pad) to improve the outer appearance and improve the seating comfort.
Further, a structure shown in FIGS. 26 and 27 is known as another example of a conventional seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus.
In the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus as shown in FIG. 26, an air bag apparatus 272 is disposed within a side portion 270A of a seat back 270. The air bag apparatus 272 is shaped in the form of a box whose longitudinal direction corresponds to the vertical direction of a seat.
As shown in FIG. 27, the air bag apparatus 272 is attached to a side frame 280, which serves as a strengthening member, of a seat back frame by an unillustrated mounting member. A portion of an air bag case 282, which is located at the side opposite the side frame 280, serves as a cover 282A. When an air bag 284 is inflated by a flow of gas injected from an inflator 283, the cover 282A opens outwardly in the transverse direction of the seat (i.e., in the direction indicated by arrow W in FIG. 27) about a hinge 282B provided at a vehicle longitudinal direction rear end of the cover 282A. Further, a stitch 288 of a seat cover 286 is broken due to the opening of the cover 282A.
However, in the above-described seat structure having a side impact air bag, in the initial stage of inflation of the air bag 284, a portion which covers the side portion 270A of the seat cover 286 is greatly deformed outwardly in the transverse direction of the seat by the opening of the cover 282A as indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 27. Thereafter, the stitch 288 of the seat cover 286 is broken.
Thus, the sewing force of the stitch 288 is made extremely weak in order to prevent cover a reduction in inflation speed of the air bag 284 due to the deformation of the seat cover 286 and allow prompt inflation of the air bag 284. Alternatively, a complex structure for improving the performance of the inflator 283 or the like is required in order to increase the opening force of the cover 282A.

Seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus


An ECU executes a program including the steps of: controlling, when the phase of an intake valve is a phase advanced relative to a threshold value CA (FF) (NO in S106), an electric motor operating an intake VVT mechanism by feedback control (S202); and controlling, when the phase of the intake valve is a phase retarded relative to the threshold value CA (FF) (YES in S106), the electric motor by feed-forward control (S200). Under the feed-forward control, a duty command value is output that is smaller than an upper limit of a duty command value under the feedback control.

VVT (Variable Valve Timing) has conventionally been known that changes the phase (crank angle) in (at) which an intake valve or an exhaust valve is opened/closed, according to an operating condition. Generally, the VVT changes the phase by rotating, relative to a sprocket or the like, a camshaft that causes the intake valve or exhaust valve to open/close. The camshaft is rotated by such an actuator as hydraulic or electric motor. Particularly, in the case where the electric motor is used to rotate the camshaft, the torque for rotating the camshaft is difficult to obtain, as compared with the case where the camshaft is hydraulically rotated. Therefore, in the case where the electric motor is used to rotate the camshaft, the rotational speed of the output shaft of the electric motor is reduced by a speed reducer mechanism or the like, thereby rotating the camshaft. In this case, the degree of phase shift is restricted by the speed reducer mechanism.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-150397 discloses a valve timing adjustment device with a great degree of freedom of phase shift. The valve timing adjustment device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-150397 is provided to a transmission system for transmitting drive torque from a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine to a driven shaft for opening and closing at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, so as to adjust the timing at which at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve is opened and closed. The valve timing adjustment device includes: a first rotator rotated around a rotation centerline by the drive torque from the drive shaft; a second rotator rotated around the rotation centerline together with the rotation of the first rotor and in the same direction as the first rotor so as to rotate the driven shaft synchronously, wherein the second rotor is rotatable relative to the first rotor; and a control device having a control member and varying the radial distance of the control member from the rotation centerline. The first rotor has a first hole forming a first track that extends so as to vary its radial distance from the rotation centerline. The first hole makes contact with the control member that passes through the first track, with the contact between the first hole and the control member occurring at two sides of the first hole toward which the first rotor rotates. The second rotor has a second hole forming a second track extending so as to vary its radial distance from the rotation centerline and making contact with the control member that passes through the second track, with the contact between the second hole and the control member occurring at two sides of the second hole toward which the second rotor rotates. The first track and the second track slant toward each other along the rotational direction of the first rotor and the rotational direction of the second rotor. In this valve timing device, in the case where the electric motor generates no torque, the phase is maintained.
According to the valve timing adjustment device disclosed in this publication, the first hole of the first rotor forms a first track that extends so as to vary its radial distance from the rotation centerline and makes contact with the control member that passes through the first track, with the contact between the first hole and the control member occurring at two sides of the first hole toward which the first rotor rotates. Furthermore, the second hole of the second rotor forms a second track extending so as to vary its radial distance from the rotation centerline and makes contact with the control member that passes through the second track, with the contact between the second hole and the control member occurring at two sides of the second hole toward which the second rotor rotates. Here, the first track and the second track slant toward each other along the rotational direction of the first rotor and the rotational direction of the second rotor. Therefore, when the control device is to change the control member's radial distance from the rotation centerline, the control member presses against at least one of the first hole and the second hole, whereby the control member passes through both the first track and the second track, and thus the second rotor is caused to rotate relative to the first rotor. In the valve timing adjustment device which operates in the foregoing manner, the degree of phase shift of the second rotor with respect to the first rotor is dependent upon the length of the first track and the second track and the degree to which the first track and the second track slant toward each other. By extending the first track and the second track such that they vary their radial distances from the rotation centerline, relative freedom is achieved in determining the length and the mutual slant of the tracks. In turn, this increases freedom in setting the degree of phase shift of the second rotor with respect to the first rotor, and therefore, the degree of phase shift of the driven shaft with respect to the drive shaft.
However, as done by the valve timing adjustment device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-150397, if an electric motor is used as an actuator, the electric motor has to be controlled in consideration of power consumption and heat generation for example. Further, since the phase for example corresponding to the most retarded angle is determined depending on the mechanical structure of the VVT, the electric motor has to be controlled so as not to damage the VVT. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-150397, however, does not include any description concerning control in consideration of these factors.

Variable valve timing apparatus and control method therefor


A removable fletch, system utilizing the fletch, method of installing the fletch, and kit comprising the fletch and an installation jig. The fletch comprises a feather member extending from a mounting body in a first direction, and one or more locating pins and a locking pin extend from the mounting body in a second direction. The locating pins are insertable within holes disposed in the wall of a hollow-shafted archery arrow. The locating pins define angled engagement notches that contact the inner surface of the arrow body such that translation of the fletch with respect to the arrow body causes the fletch to be pulled tightly against the arrow body. The locking pin may be snapped into a corresponding hole within the arrow wall, thereby fixing the fletch to the arrow body. An installation drill jig may be used to drill holes within the arrow wall corresponding to the locating and locking pins of the fletch.

The invention relates to removable fletching for use with archery arrows. More particularly, the invention relates to fletching which may be easily removed and conveniently and securely replaced, such as when damaged or when another configuration of fletching is desired.
"Fletching" is typically defined as the feather-like appendages on an arrow or the arrangement of such appendages. By way of background, arrows for archery have what used to be feathers for fletching to help stabilize the arrow in flight. These are now mainly synthetic in composition and thin and light in construction. As such, they are easily damaged when an arrow goes astray or into the ground or underbrush. Fletching is typically glued on and must be replaced using special jigs, which requires the user to purchase substantial equipment or use an archery outfitter.
There have been various attempts to design replaceable fletching in the past. Some attempts, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,043, utilize arrows having slots defined through the arrow body, wherein flexible fletches may be removed or inserted through the slots. However, lengthy slots tend to unduly weaken the structure of an arrow body, particularly a hollow arrow body formed from aluminum or composite materials.
Other attempts to design replaceable fletching have focused on unitary interchangeable fletching units that may either be fitted around the arrow shaft, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,307, or fixed to the rear end of the arrow shaft, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,727. However, unitary fletching units tend to be somewhat bulky and weighty and may undesirably affect the aerodynamics and balance of the arrow. Further, the unitary fletching requires the replacement of all fletches even if only one is damaged.
It is desired to provide replaceable fletching that may be securely fastened to an archery arrow without the need for glue or expensive equipment. It is further desired to provide replaceable fletching that is low profile and lightweight so as not to undesirably affect the aerodynamics or balance of an arrow. It is still further desired to provide replaceable fletching that does not require slots to be cut into an arrow body. It is still further desired to provide replaceable fletching that does not require replacement of all fletching at one time.

Removable fletching for use with archery arrows