An inflatable restraint, and method of using the same, is used to provide support and shock isolation for missiles, torpedoes, missile canisters or the like in naval vessels. The inflatable restraint features a structural collar, at least one inflatable bladder and at least one interference member. The interference member is attached to the inside of the structural collar and the interference member is fully adjustable to ensure a snug fit during the loading of the missile, torpedo or missile canister into the structural collar. Once the missile, torpedo, missile canister or the like is properly inserted into the structural collar, the at least one inflatable bladder, which is also attached to the inside of the structural collar, is inflated to restrain the object. The pressure of the inflatable bladder may be regulated to provide variable spring constants and stiffness.

The loading of missiles, torpedoes, canisters or the like into naval vessels is often a time consuming task. There are two areas of concern for support of missiles: the support of the canister (the item which surrounds and protects the missile), and the support of the missile inside the canister.
For surface ships, a vertical launch structure supports the missile canister. These canisters are locked into the structure using an apparatus to rigidly connect and align the aft end of the canister. This apparatus is called a "Dog-Down". The Dog Down mechanism is a mechanical screw driven device with tapered wedges. These tapered wedges interface with a female receiver located on the missile canister. The tapered wedges on the Dog Down are drawn together by means of a reverse threaded shaft. This shaft, that passes through the wedges cause the wedges to move toward one another when the shaft is turned. The tapered wedges interface with the female receptacles on the missile canister, pushing the canister downward and sealing against the plenum surface on the launcher. Due to the rigid connection of the canister at the top of the launcher and at the dog-down interface, the entire launcher must be isolated from the ship to ensure shock loads are not transmitted to the missile round. This is a costly solution to the problem. Having a restraint mechanism at the launcher to canister interface would greatly simplify launcher designs and ship compatibility.
For submarines, pads are located on the canister itself for isolation. The launch structure within a submarine is directly connected to a launch tube (no isolation between ship and launcher). Within the launch tube are raised pads whose location coincides with the isolation pads located on the missile canister. The pads, which have tapered-edges and a low friction coating, aid in the installation of the canister in the launch tube. The missile canister is constrained within the launch tube by a connection at the top. Also along the height of the canister are raised rubber pads that interfere with the raised edges in the launch tube, creating an interference fit. This fit provides the lateral support for the canister, and isolates the missile canister from the rest of the launch structure. A hydraulic jack is used to insert the missile canister into the launch tube. Due to the number of pads and the amount of surface area of interference, loads required to insert the missile canister can be as high as 40,000 lbs. In addition to the large loads required to install the missile canister, the time required to mobilize the equipment and insert the canister may be as long as 3 hours per missile. Also, during the hydraulic jacking process, the pads on the missile canister can pop off, jamming between the missile canister and launch tube preventing complete installation.
For missile support, either sabots or snubbers are used to support the missile inside the canister. A sabot is a carrier inside the missile canister that provides support to the missile during shipping and transportation as well as during missile egress. The sabots are usually spring loaded against the missile and upon missile exit from the canister are ejected away from the missile. The sabots create a problem in ripple firing scenarios, since the ejected sabots could be in the flight trajectory of adjacent missiles. Snubbers, on the other hand, are retractable mechanisms within the canister that support the missile during shipping and transportation and fold down out of the way during launch, but always stay inside the canister. Snubbers are mechanical devices that have complex linkages that have reliability issues. In addition, since these linkages are rigid, loads outside the canister are transmitted directly into the missile.
Other known art relies upon passive support, meaning it inflates once and is left alone. Also, because of material selection and support provided to the bladder, other known techniques can only operate at low pressures. The present invention is an active support and can operate at high pressures in excess of 200 pounds per square inch due to the combination of having a support structure and the use of reinforced fabrics. The support structure comprises the recessed groove of our design and supports the top, bottom and back of the bladder. The front of the bladder is supported by the canister or missile.
The inflatable restraint in some fashion addresses all of the shortcomings associated with canister and missile support. The present invention is a constraining/clamping isolator that mitigates the need for having the launch structure entirely isolated. Isolation is occurring locally at the clamping interface by inflatable bladders. Also, when the bladders are deflated, ample clearance exists such that the missile canister no longer has to be hydraulically jacked into the launch tube as needed in the underwater launch configuration. The canister can simply be dropped in and the bladders inflated. For missile restraint, inflatable pads can replace the sabots. In this case, the invention behaves more like a snubber, but without the complicated linkages and the excessive load transfer into the missile.

Inflatable restraint for missiles and missile canisters


A conveyor system including a train of carrier plates arranged for movement along a conveyor path which possesses either rightward turns or leftward turns and each carrier plate defines a leading edge and a trailing edge. Each of the leading and trailing edges has an outer portion which is disposed adjacent a side of the carrier plate opposite the direction of turn of the conveyor path and an inner portion. Each carrier plate is pivotally mounted upon an endless drive member at a location along the carrier plate which is disposed between the leading and trailing edges of the plate, and is shaped so that the outer portion of each of its leading and trailing edges is longer than the inner portion of its leading and trailing edges. Gap plates cover any gap between two sequential conveyor plates as the train is moved through non-linear sections of the conveyor path.

The device pertains to conveyors and more particularly those used in confined spaces such as dining tables or work benches.
Numerous re-circulating conveyors have been designed and used in the past to move articles. Most of these have used belts, storage bins, individual bowls, trays, or other carrier devices that restrict the size and shape of the articles being carried. Re-circulating conveyors usually involve large turning radii that tend to have a large unused space at the center, and/or carrier device shapes that do not maximize the surface area presented to articles being carried. In nearly all cases the gap between carrier devices must change as they traverse the conveyor path. Further, most are large and bulky and/or use multiple belts or other surfaces that allow small parts to be dropped while transferring loads from one conveyor section to another. Few provide a low friction means to support loads through the conveyor 180 degree turn-around sections, nor a means to reduce friction and provide smooth transition between conveyor sections by distributing load among several carrier devices. Very few include control circuits to prevent conflicting motion commands, chain or belt tensioning devices to compensate for dimension changes due to manufacturing tolerances, and/or clutch mechanisms that provide smooth starting. Also, many of these inventions are noisy and not of compatible décor for use in home or commercial dining applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,648 to Garvey presents a conveyor in a crescent chain configuration. Its drive chain must follow the same path as the center of the crescent shaped, load carrying plate. This arrangement will cause gap between plates to be larger in conveyor straight sections than in the non-linear sections. Without a mechanism to accommodate this changing gap, binding will occur at sharp turn sections. Further, its support mechanism is a U-shaped flange traveling in a horse-shoe shaped track in the straight sections. This will support travel in the clockwise direction, but in the counter clockwise direction the flange may bind or hang-up where the flange enters the track. The horse-shoe shaped track appears bulky, difficult to fabricate, and does not leave room for motor drive equipment to be mounted in a low height, small footprint housing. It is not obvious how load is supported in the turn-around sections, nor how load is smoothly transferred from the straight sections to the turn-around sections an vice-versa. Also no mechanism for motor drive equipment or equipment to maintain proper tension on the chain is presented.
Suggested Objects are Provided Here:
It would be desirable to provide a new and improved conveyor system which circumvents the limitations associated with the conveyor systems of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conveyor system which is well-suited for use in relatively small spaces, such as on a dining room table or upon a work bench.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system having a support surface which is adapted to move along a desired conveyor path and which is substantially continuous (i.e. gap-free) as a path is traced along the conveyor path.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a system wherein the support surface is adapted to move through a turn of relatively small radius.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a system wherein the support surface is provided by a train, or series, of carrier plates wherein each plate has a shape which cooperates with that of an adjacent plate in the train to reduce the likelihood of the creation of a sizable gap between any two sequential carrier plates in the train as the trains of plates move along the conveyor path.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which includes gap plate attachments to its carrier plates which cover any gaps which may be present between two sequential carrier plates in the train as the train of carrier plates are moved either leftward or rightward turns along the conveyor path.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which includes inner and outer rails that guide objects of any shape around the conveyor path.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which provides start, stop, and direction control from multiple locations
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which provides an interlocking carrier plate configuration that distributes weight among several plates
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which is uncomplicated in structure, yet effective in operation, esthetically pleasing, and easily disassembled for maintenance or cleaning
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a conveyor system which can be constructed as a stand alone, portable, table top unit as shown in FIG. 1 or integration into the construction of a table or bench as shown in FIG. 2. and is capable of varying the conveyer width, length, speed and load carrying capacity by changing the size and/or quantity of key components,


An method for performing activated clotting time tests, including a method for evaluating platelet functionality of a blood sample. The method includes the steps of combining a heparin-inactivating agent, an anticoagulant agent, a sufficient amount of clotting reagent to achieve clotting, a platelet activating agent, and the sample of blood to be tested to form a test mixture. The platelet activating agent is a reagent other than the clotting reagent. The platelets of the sample are activated by agitating the test mixture, and the activated clotting time test is terminated upon detecting a predetermined change in a property of the test mixture. The activated clotting time of the sample of blood is calculated based on the elapsed time. The activated clotting time test may be performed using a plunger sensor apparatus which comprises a plurality of test cells. In this method, each of the cells of the apparatus includes a heparin-inactivating agent, an anticoagulant agent, and a sufficient amount of a clotting reagent to achieve clotting. At least one of the test cells further includes a platelet activating agent, which is a reagent other than the clotting reagent. The clotting time is determined for each of the aliquot portions, and the relative clotting times of the aliquot portions in the cells are determinative of the platelet functionality of the sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to measuring and detecting coagulation and coagulation-related activities in fluids, particularly human blood. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved activated clotting time test for whole blood which provides accurate and reliable detection of coagulation-related activities regardless of the concentration of heparin in the blood. Further, this invention relates to a new and improved technique for evaluating the effects of therapeutic levels of platelet function inhibitors on the coagulation of whole blood regardless of the heparin concentration of the blood.
2. Description of the State of the Art
Blood coagulation is a complex chemical and physical reaction which occurs when blood comes into contact with an activating agent, such as an activating surface or an activating reagent. In accordance with one simplified conceptual view, the whole blood coagulation process can be generally viewed as three activities: agglutination of platelets, blood clotting, and fibrous tissue formation. In vivo, platelets flow through the blood vessels in an inactivated state because the blood vessel lining, the endothelium, prevents activation of platelets. When a blood vessel is damaged, however, the endothelium loses its inert character and platelets are activated by contact with tissue underlying the damaged site. Activation of the platelets causes them to become "sticky" and adhere together. Additional platelets then adhere to the activated platelets and also become activated. This process continues until a platelet "plug" is formed. This platelet plug then serves as a matrix upon which blood clotting proceeds.
If the chemical balance of the blood is suitable, thrombin is then produced which causes conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, which forms the major portion of the clot mass. During clotting, additional platelets are activated and trapped in the forming clot, contributing to clot formation. As clotting proceeds, polymerization and cross-linking of fibrin serves as the permanent clot. Thus, platelet activation plays a very important function in blood coagulation.
A number of different medical apparatuses and testing methods exist for measuring and determining coagulation and coagulation-related activities of blood. These apparatuses and methods provide valuable medical information to an attending physician. For example, the information assists a physician in prescribing medication, predicting post-operative bleeding and prescribing various therapies. Some of the more successful techniques of evaluating blood clotting and coagulation are the plunger techniques illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,219 to Cooper et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,449 to Jackson et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,961 to Smith, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Automated apparatuses employing the plunger technique for measuring and detecting coagulation and coagulation-related activities generally comprise a plunger sensor cartridge or cartridges and a microprocessor controlled apparatus into which the cartridge is inserted. The apparatus acts upon the cartridge and the blood sample placed therein to induce and detect the coagulation-related event. The cartridge includes a plurality of test cells, each of which is defined by a tube-like member having an upper reaction chamber where a plunger assembly is located and where the analytical test is carried out, and a reagent chamber which contains a reagent or reagents. For an activated clotting time (ACT) test, for example, the reagents include an activation reagent to activate coagulation of the blood. A plug member seals the bottom of a reagent chamber. When the test commences, the contents of the reagent chamber are forced into the reaction chamber to be mixed with the sample of fluid, usually human blood or its components. An actuator, which is a part of the apparatus, lifts the plunger assembly and lowers it, thereby reciprocating the plunger assembly through the pool of fluid in the reaction chamber. The plunger assembly descends on the actuator by the force of gravity, resisted by a property of the fluid in the reaction chamber, such as its viscosity. When the property of the sample changes in a predetermined manner as a result of the onset or occurrence of a coagulation-related activity, the descent rate of the plunger assembly therethrough is changed. Upon a sufficient change in the descent rate, the coagulation-related activity is detected and indicated by the apparatus.
Certain discoveries have recently been made which contribute to a better understanding of the role of platelets in an ACT test. Such discoveries suggest that the activation of the platelets has a significant and previously unappreciated effect on ACT test results. While it has long been suspected that platelet activation contributes to total blood coagulation times, until fairly recently, there has been no technique available for confirming and quantifying the impact of platelet activation on ACT. U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,826 to Baugh describes an improved ACT test which includes a platelet activation phase to accommodate the effects of platelet activation. In the platelet activation phase an activating reagent is mixed with a sample of blood to be tested, then the mixture is gently agitated in such a manner and for a period of time sufficient to establish a predetermined and predictable contribution to the ACT from platelet activation. To evaluate platelet function, two simultaneous ACT tests (with different platelet activation phases) are performed, and the difference between the ACTs is indicative of the platelet functionality of the sample of blood. In a further improvement, described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/640,275, filed Apr. 30, 1996, the sample of blood is mixed with a chemical platelet activating agent to facilitate the participation of active platelets in the blood clotting reaction, thereby shortening the clotting time of the blood. If the platelets are inactive or not functioning normally, the activator will have minimal or no effect on the clotting time. Both U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,826 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/640,275 are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.
Although previous apparatuses using the plunger sensing technique have proven generally satisfactory, the need for certain enhancements has been identified. Specifically, while these techniques can measure and detect coagulation and coagulation-related activities in a sample of blood, none are designed to conveniently accommodate either heparinized or unheparinized (patient) blood in a single test cartridge. Most of the apparatuses currently available for monitoring platelet function are designed specifically for highly heparinized blood, or the test cartridge used to perform the ACT test must include a sufficient concentration of heparin to inhibit post-platelet activation (i.e., subsequent to factor XII activation) reactions. Heparin is necessary to inhibit reactions which occur later in the coagulation process, such as activation of factors X, II (prothrombin) and I (fibrinogen), i.e., reactions in the common pathway or in a later stage in the intrinsic pathway. By inhibiting these later clotting factors, heparin (which together with antithrombin III accelerates the inactivation of factor X and thrombin) helps to accentuate the contribution of platelets to clotting, which is the rate-limiting step in blood coagulation, i.e., the actual clotting times in the ACT test depend on how rapidly the platelets are able to activate clotting. Accordingly, heparin must be either present in the blood sample or included in the test cartridge to inhibit non-platelet-related reactions which tend to obscure the rate-limiting activation step.
Although heparin is effective in accentuating the platelet activation step, the concentration of heparin varies widely between blood samples, and thus is a variable which must be accounted for in coagulation-based platelet function assays. Because heparin is highly effective in preventing and treating thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, it is commonly administered to patients as an anticoagulant in a variety of circumstances and in a wide range of medical dosages. For example, in a cardiovascular surgical situation such as a pulmonary bypass surgical operation, relatively high therapeutic dosages of anticoagulant (typically between 3.5 and 7.0 units of heparin per milliliter of blood) are administered to prevent the blood from clotting in the extracorporeal bypass circuit and in the patient's body as a result of environmental changes brought on by the surgery. The concentration of heparin in the patient's blood at any given time during this surgical operation depends on the stage of the procedure, with generally high levels present during the procedure and typically no or negligible levels prior to and following surgery. Low-dose heparin therapy, on the other hand, is used in a wide variety of clinical applications, where the clotting time of the blood must be slightly extended and confined within a relatively narrow range. Low-dose heparin treatment usually involves administering between 0.1 and 1.0 units of heparin per milliliter of blood.
Thus, to accommodate these various circumstances and heparin dosages, commercial coagulation-based platelet function assays must include a variety of test cartridge types, with the various cartridges comprising different amounts of heparin. Special test cartridges must also be produced to accommodate blood samples which contain excessive amounts of heparin, since the clotting times for these samples will frequently exceed the test period for the ACT-based analysis. To reduce the clotting time of highly heparinized blood samples, an additional reagent such as protamine is included in the test cartridge to neutralize a portion of the heparin. In addition to the extra cost associated with these multiple cartridge types, hospital and laboratory personnel must maintain a complete inventory of test cartridges, and then select the correct cartridge type for each blood sample to be analyzed. The selection and retrieval of test cartridges can be particularly inconvenient in surgical and clinical procedures which require sequential diagnostic tests, for example, during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. For example, coagulation-based platelet function measurements are typically taken before the administration of heparin for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery to establish the patient's baseline platelet function and clotting time, and periodically throughout surgery to ensure adequate heparinization and to monitor platelet function. The ACT values can also be used to monitor the neutralization of heparin by protamine where a return to preoperative ACT is typically used as the target value. A different cartridge type is currently required to measure platelet function at these different stages of the surgical procedure.
Another deficiency with existing techniques is their inability to monitor the effectiveness of therapeutic levels of antiplatelet reagents or platelet function inhibitors in a variety of circumstances. While tests exist which can assist physicians in evaluating the efficacy of drugs and pharmacological agents at inhibiting the normal functions of platelets, none can accommodate either heparinized or unheparinized blood in a single test cartridge. In addition, interactions between heparin and antiplatelet reagents can interfere with the calculated platelet function.
A need therefore exists for an improved coagulation-based platelet function test, and particularly one based upon an improved activated clotting time test, which can accurately and reliably detect coagulation and coagulation-related activities regardless of the heparin content of the blood. The ability to measure and evaluate platelet activation and function independent of heparin concentration is important, particularly during invasive cardiac procedures in which the anticoagulant content of the blood varies significantly throughout the procedure. At the present time, there is no known single apparatus or method which is universally applicable to both heparinized and unheparinized blood. A need also exists for an improved activated clotting time test which can monitor the effectiveness of therapeutic levels of platelet function inhibitors in a variety of circumstances, regardless of the heparin content of the blood. Until this invention, no such devices or methods existed.

Heparin-independent, high sensitivity platelet function evaluation technique


A comprehension golf scorecard consisting of ROWS (19) for entering par-relative scores with or without pencil and ROW (10) for entering traditional gross scores or par-relative scores with pencil. SCRIBE-IN AREAS (2B), (6B), (13A), (15A), (16B) and PUNCH-OUT AREAS (2A), (6A), (6B), and (16B) provide a means for entry of scoring and identification data via the use of a golf tee or any scribe device. Scorecard is formatted to provide said comprehensive data and scores for up to four players on one card that will fit into a golfer's shirt or pants pocket. Punch-out scores and data are formatted so that scorecard is capable of being scored by electronic scanning and recording device.

In the game of golf, scores are commonly recorded on a score card with pen or pencil. Said scoring provides for the recording of the total number of strokes played per hole and totals played for the total course (usually 18 holes). This scoring method is referred to as gross scoring. Prior art has recognized that keeping an operative pen or pencil during the course of a golf game is often troublesome and very inconvenient if the pen or pencil is lost or broken during the game. U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,875 (May 1988, Timleck) refers to this common problem. Timleck states in his "Purpose of the Invention": "It is an object of the present invention to provide a golfing scores recording device which is operative with the use of a common tee". Timleck's purpose, however, is not fully met because the only data recordable by the use of the tee is singular score punches made by the tee. The player's name, date, and gross score totals are not recordable by the use of Timleck's invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,224,452 (May 1917, Eaton) also addresses the aforementioned pencil loss problem with a pencil-less golf scorecard. Eaton's scorecard does provide for the recording of gross scores totals; however, Eaton's card does not provide for the pencil-less recording of pertinent data such as name and date.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,972 (January 1978, Stuart) scorecard uses a peg in a hole method. Neither Timleck's nor Stuart's scorecard can accommodate more than one player without using more than one card. Most public and private courses highly encourage playing in groups of four (foursome) to speed up play. Some courses require foursomes.
All said cards provide only for gross scoring data and do not provide a scoring means for more efficient par-relative data. Par-relative scoring refers to the total number of strokes in relation to par. Par refers to the number of strokes established as representative of an expert's score. A gross score of 5 on a par 4 hole is scored as a +1 (one over par) with par-relative scoring.
Most golfers think, calculate, and communicate golf scores in relation to par (i.e. par-relative). Most golf scoring jargon is in par-relative terms such as birdie (-1), eagle (-2), bogie (+1), and scratch (par). These par-relative idioms are more efficiently informative than gross scores since they relay a degree of proficiency without additional data. Also, golf handicaps are calculated in par-relative terms.
Both gross scoring and par-relative scoring methodology have their appropriate usages in golf. Golfers typically utilize both methods, Par-relative scores are used almost exclusively when communicating a score during a game. Either gross score or par-relative scores are used when communicating a completed game score. Some reasons that gross scores are not used exclusively by golfers are; 1. Gross scores are meaningless unless combined with additional information (for example, a gross score of 36 is relevant only if one knows the total par rating for the number of holes played), and; 2. Gross scores are harder to calculate. Par-relative scores are also easier addends and/or subtrahends to subtrahends to calculate than the gross score method of adding a series of larger numbers.
A golfer that plays a round of near par golf effectively has minimal mathematical computation if computing in the par-relative mode. For example, referring to the golf course represented in FIG. 1, if said golfer scores a round of fifteen pars on holes 1-15 and three bogies on holes 16-18, said golfer's par-relative score is easily calculated as 3 over par by simply ignoring the pars and adding the three bogies (1+1+1=3). Said, par-relative score is also easily converted to gross score by adding the 3 to the designated total par for the course, 72, giving a gross total score of 75. Whereas, if said golfer computed said score with solely gross score methodology, the computation would be a tediously long, addition problem (4+3+4+4+4+3+5+5+4+4+3+4+4+4+3+6+6+5=75). Whereas said calculation is certainly not complicated, it is most assuredly tedious. Prior art golf score cards are designed for exclusively gross scoring, thus requiring the above tedious computations.
(Note: Hereafter, for ease of reading, all references to golfer(s) will be in the singular and all personal pronouns will be masculine.)
Neither Timleck, Stuart, nor Eaton provide for a score higher than 10 on any hole. Since all three said cards require one space for each score to be represented for each hole, a hypothetical maximum score of 10 is represented so that the card dimensions do not get too large. Although 10 is a reasonable maximum gross score, it is not uncommon for a golfer to score higher than 10.

Comprehensive, par-relative golf scoreboard


Provided is a method for producing an organic electroluminescence device which contains an anode, a cathode and an organic layer between the anode and the cathode where the organic layer contains a light-emitting layer and an adjacent layer adjacent to the light-emitting layer, the method including: applying to the adjacent layer a coating liquid prepared by dissolving or dispersing a light-emitting material and a host material in a solvent, and heating the coating liquid applied to the adjacent layer at a temperature higher than a melting temperature of the host material and higher than a boiling point of the solvent, to thereby form the light-emitting layer, wherein a difference as an absolute value between contact angle A (°) of the light-emitting layer with respect to pure water and contact angle B (°) of the adjacent layer with respect to pure water is 13 (°) or smaller.

Organic electroluminescence devices have advantageous features such as self emission and high-speed response and are expected for the application to flat panel displays. In particular, since such organic electroluminescence devices were reported that have a dual-layer structure (lamination type) in which a hole-transporting organic thin film (hole transport layer) is laminated on an electron-transporting organic thin film (electron transport layer), organic electroluminescence devices have been attracting attention as a large-area light-emitting device that emits light at a low voltage of 10 V or lower. The organic electroluminescence devices of lamination type have a basic structure of anode/hole transport layer/emission layer/electron transport layer/cathode.
In order to improve the surface uniformity of such organic electroluminescence devices the following production methods have been proposed for example: (i) a production method where a mixture of polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT)/polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS) is leveled under high-temperature/high-humidity environments to form a hole transport layer (see, for example, PTL 1); (ii) a production method where heat treatment in a mode of being heated from the rear surface is performed at a temperature which falls within the range of −30° C. to +30° C. of the glass transition temperature of a light-emitting layer and which does not exceed the decomposition temperatures of organic compounds forming the light-emitting layer, a dicarbazole derivative (CBP) is used as a host material, and toluene is used as a solvent (see, for example, PTL 2); and (iii) a production method where an organic light-emitting medium layer is heated upon drying to a temperature equal to or higher than the boiling point of an organic solvent contained in a functional ink; i.e., around the glass transition temperature (Tg) (see, for example, PTL 3).
However, the organic electroluminescence devices produced by these production methods have a problem in that the surface uniformity of the light-emitting layer is not sufficient.
Therefore, at present, keen demand has arisen for development of a production method for an organic electroluminescence device the light-emitting layer of which has sufficient surface uniformity.

Method for producing organic electroluminescence element


A compact-size driving voltage controller is provided which can be driven with low power. The compact-size driving voltage controller which can be driven with low power includes a High output operational amplifier and a Low output operational amplifier for supplying driving voltages VcomH, VcomL to a load such as a liquid crystal display panel, an output switch for alternating between the outputs of the operational amplifiers, a Low voltage setting operational amplifier for generating a set voltage to be supplied to the non-inverted input terminal of the Low output operational amplifier, a set voltage generator including a current mirror circuit and a clamping circuit, a bias current controller for controlling the bias current flowing in each operational amplifier with a predetermined timing, and a timing controller for controlling the changeover timing of the output switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving voltage controller for controlling a driving voltage to drive a load such as a liquid crystal display panel by using an alternating current.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 18 shows an example of a related art driving voltage controller for controlling a load such as a liquid crystal display panel. Thus, on a related art voltage controller are provided a High output operational amplifier OPVcomH and a Low output controller operational amplifier OPVcomL at the High/Low output of a power source generating a counter voltage Vref, as shown in FIG. 18. An output switch 10 of MOS transistors drives these operational amplifiers alternatively in order to supply an alternating voltage to a liquid crystal display panel.
An operational amplifier which is not connected to the liquid crystal display panel (hereinafter referred to as a "deselected operational amplifier") has different frequency compensating conditions between the panel-load conditions and the non-load conditions. Thus, an operational amplifier stable under the panel-load conditions could be unstable under the non-load conditions and oscillate in an unstable operation. To cope with this problem, the output of each operational amplifier is connected to a capacitor (stabilizing capacitance) C for stabilization purposes. In order to regulate the bias current source thereby reducing power consumption, a register (not shown) which can be set through a command sent from a CPU is internally provided. In the sleep or standby state, it is possible to change the setting of the register to shut down the operation of the operational amplifier, thus reducing the power consumption.
In the aforementioned related art driving voltage controller, the capacitor C is provided, which adds to the number of mounted components and the corresponding cost, as well as limits the mounting area of components. Typically, a capacitor becomes larger as its capacitance increases. Thus, a driving voltage controller has been in need which can supply an alternating voltage in a stable fashion free from oscillation of a deselected operational amplifier without the capacitor C.
The output switch 10 for switching between operational amplifiers preferably has no resistance. Increasing the W/L size ratio of the switch expands the capacity of the diffused section of the switch, which capacity acts as a load on the operational amplifier thus increasing the driving power and preventing a low-power design. The bias current flowing in an operational amplifier, determined by a value set to the register by the CPU considering the power supply capacity and power consumption, can be dynamically changed depending on the operating state of the operational amplifier.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A system for protecting user-editable files against unauthorized data alteration or against compromised operating systems or compromised applications. It comprises of untrusted operating environments and a trusted operating environment. One or more untrusted operating environments makes available user-editable files for creation and editing, and are stored in a non-protected partition of storage drive. The trusted operating environment provides an authentication key to access protected partition of storage drive, and stores copies of user-editable files in a protected partition of storage drive. Each new stored copy of a user-editable file in the protected partition corresponds to a new or an updated version of the user-editable file. A set of files and folders can be initially selected in an uncompromised untrusted operating environment. A trusted updater module running inside the trusted operating environment can perform copying to protected partition. Scheduled tasks can also copy user-editable files. Untrusted operating environment can also be suspended prior to triggering the trusted environment. The trusted operating environment can be implemented using a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) or a similar trusted environment enabled CPU. The authentication key can be sealed into a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), or a Secure Element (SE). Protected partition can be on a security enhanced device.

Unauthorized data alteration has been a long-standing threat since the emergence of malicious software (malware), and more specifically, ransomware. System and application software can be reinstalled and hardware can be purchased again, but user data is priceless in many cases. Especially in recent years, ransomware has become a serious problem as it is monetizable upon alteration (encryption) of user data. Its notoriousness is marked by recent high-impact incidents incurring increasing financial loss and emotional distress. Beyond enterprise-grade rigorous backup strategies, state-of-the-art defenses are mostly based on known signature or behavior analysis, and more importantly, require an uncompromised OS kernel.
Detection of malicious software is one technique for protecting against unauthorized data alteration. Common anti-malware approaches relying on binary signatures are largely ineffective against ransomware. Some solutions rely on system/user behavior signatures, exemplified by file system activity monitoring.
To complement detection-based solutions (or assuming they may be bypassed), recovery-based mechanisms may also be deployed, several countermeasures against generic rootkit attacks have also been proposed, focusing on intrusion-resiliency and forensics, and preventing persistent infection.
Another obvious countermeasure against ransomware is to make offline backup of important data regularly (on media disconnected from the computer). Although simple in theory, effective deployment/use of backup tools could be non-trivial, e.g., determining frequency of backups, checking integrity of backups regularly. More problematically, the disconnected media must be connected (online) during backup, at which point, ransomware can encrypt/delete the files. For cloud-based backup systems, such as Dropbox (centralized) and Syncthing.net (peer-to-peer), a common issue is the size of a bloated TCB (includes a full OS with multiple network-facing servers), which may lead to large-scale data loss, if compromised.

Protection system and method against unauthorized data alteration


An improved tool for, and a method of, crimping weatherstrips in an essentially continuous motion along the in-place weatherstrip, e.g. about a door flange or the like. the head is provided with a handle extending from the top therefrom at a convenient angle to allow an operator to assume a position alongside the door flange. The handle, or at least the grip thereof, is capable of swiveling about the longitudinal axis of the handle, to reduce stress on the hands, wrists, and arms of an operator by permitting guiding motion of the tool ahead around the door flange while minimizing the amount of turning of arms or hands, or re-positioning of the operator's body, as the tool is caused to progress entirely along the length of the weatherstrip. This length is often the entire perimeter of the door opening. In using this improved tool to perform the crimping operation, the operator can move his/her arm in a generally circular motion, causing the tool head to follow the door opening flange, while the swivel handle accommodates the changes in angle as this motion proceeds. Another feature of the invention is the provision of a spring-loaded crimping roller pivotally mounted on the tool head, in opposition to a fixed crimping roller. Preferably, both crimping rollers are power driven. This allows the axes of the crimping rollers, and the spacing between them, to vary as the tool progresses in its action, so as to accommodate changes in thickness of the door opening flange.

There have been problems with the fitting of flange mounted automotive weatherstrips because of the manufacturing tolerances for both the weatherstrip and the vehicle. The flange to which the weatherstrip is fitted can have multiple thicknesses of sheet metal, and if the weatherstrip is pre-formed to accommodate these different thicknesses, it may be too wide for the single layer thicknesses and too narrow for the multiple layer thicknesses. As a result, the weatherstrip may not grip satisfactorily where the flange is of one layer, and if the flange consists of two or more layers, the weatherstrip may be extremely difficult to install in some places, and loose in others.
The weatherstrips have in recent years developed into complex cross-sections. They include the basic U-shaped central section, and optional internal ribs, and an embedded metal carrier which will maintain the shape of the central section. The weatherstrips are supplied to the assembly plant with the central section (and carrier) partially closed. This provides a cross-section with a low insertion effort for easy installation. This central section is applied to the vehicle opening flange by hand, beginning at some convenient index point. Various forms of lips and/or bulb sections may be provided on the exterior walls of the central section. A tool is then used to crimp the central section directly onto the flange.
The weatherstrips are fitted by an assembler in a loosely closed condition onto the opening (door) flanges on an assembly line, then formed by the tool to close the central section against the flanges, thus producing the desired final profile where the weatherstrip is tightly crimped in its functional position. This final forming operation is performed on line in the vehicle assembly plant utilizing a tool of the type disclosed herein. Thus, instead of a final stage of forming (as by rolls) at the end of the strip manufacturer's extrusion, as has been done in the past, and encountering the potential of distortion during packing and shipping, a hand-held roll-forming tool is used to post-form the weatherstrip directly onto the door flange, ensuring perfect sealing characteristics.
Present tools consist of a standard in-line pneumatic motor tool which drives two cylindrical counter-rotating rollers at its forward end. The necessary gears and bearings are housed in a case that is attached to the motor output shaft. The air motor is equipped with an activation lever which controls a valve in the air supply to the motor, to control rotation of the rollers.
The rollers are a predetermined fixed distance apart and revolve in opposite directions (e.g. an inward nip) thus applying pressure on the profile of the central section as these rollers are advanced along the weatherstrip already placed on the door flange. To use these tools correctly, the rollers must be kept in the correct relationship to the weatherstrip and flange during excursion of the tool around the opening. Specifically, the axes of the rollers must be maintained parallel to the flange surface. Also, the angle of the tool head should be kept at a certain inclination (e.g. inclined 5 degrees to 10 degrees towards the direction of travel) to start and maintain proper engagement of the rollers against the weatherstrip. If that inclination is too small or away from the direction of travel, then the tool will tend to move off the weatherstrip. The relatively heavy and off balance tool makes this action difficult and stressful.


Highly ordered and aligned epitaxy of III-Nitride nanowires is demonstrated in this work. <1010> M-axis is identified as a preferential nanowire growth direction through a detailed study of GaN/AlN trunk/branch nanostructures by transmission electron microscopy. Crystallographic selectivity can be used to achieve spatial and orientational control of nanowire growth. Vertically aligned (Al)GaN nanowires are prepared on M-plane AlN substrates. Horizontally ordered nanowires, extending from the M-plane sidewalls of GaN hexagonal mesas or islands demonstrate new opportunities for self-aligned nanowire devices, interconnects, and networks.

Nanowires are wire-like structures on the order of about 1 to 100 nm in diameter with a length of about 1 to 30 μm. Nanowires offer unique opportunities in studying electronic transport in low-dimension structures. A very high surface-to-volume ratio also makes nanowires attractive as adsorption-based chemical and biological sensors.
Single-crystalline one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures are considered to be one of the critical building blocks for nanoscale optoelectronics. Control over the nanowire growth direction is extremely desirable, especially because anisotropic parameters such as thermal and electrical conductivity, index of refraction, piezoelectric polarization and band gap may be used to tune the physical properties of nanowires made from a given material.
Gallium nitride is a wide-bandgap semiconductor and a prime candidate for use in high-performance, high power optoelectronic devices because of its high melting point, carrier mobility, and electrical breakdown field. Single-crystalline gallium nitride planar structures and nanowires have shown promise for use in photonic and biological nanodevices such as blue light-emitting diodes, short-wavelength ultraviolet nanolasers, and nanofluidic biochemical sensors.
Furthermore, bottom-up fabrication of semiconductor nanostructure is of considerable interest for exploring quantum phenomena and future-generation devices. Employment of vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism of growth renders a unique pathway to one dimensional (1D) semiconductor nanowires that are promising components in nanoscale technology. Based on the VLS principle wide bandgap GaN nanowires have been prepared using techniques such as pulsed laser deposition, near-equilibrium tube-furnace deposition, and, most recently, conventional metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
In VLS growth, a liquid metal cluster or catalyst acts as the energetically favored site for the absorption of gas-phase reactants. The cluster supersaturates and grows a 1D structure of the material. The VLS mechanism can be divided into three main stages: 1) nucleation, 2) precipitation, and 3) deposition. Prerequisites to VLS growth that have been identified include: (1) a sizable disparity in reaction kinetics between regular vapor-solid (VS) and the VLS mechanisms, thus mandating a lower supersaturation for growth selectivity; (2) the creation and retention of liquid droplets to facilitate adsorption and incorporation of vapor phase species; and (3) the need to have nucleation sites with appropriate crystallographic orientations conducive to the minimization of surface energies. Maintaining the VLS growth hinges on the identification and retaining of stoichiometry due to the strong tendency of GaN to solidify under a nitrogen-rich growth condition.
In contemporary synthesis of semiconductor nanowires, substrates have traditionally played a passive role in providing mechanical support and statistically averaged nucleation sites. A variety of substrates, including alumina, quartz, silicon dioxide, silicon (111), and C-axis sapphire have been explored. In almost all cases, morphology of haystack-like, random-oriented GaN nanowire is observed. In order to facilitate further processing and characterization, sonication of nanowires in organic solvents is performed to form a suspended solution. Nanowires are then transferred in solvent solution and become weakly attached (through van der Waals force) to the surface of target substrates during the evaporation of solvent. Elaborate techniques such as field-assisted alignment, micro-fluidic positioning, and the Langmuir-Blodget technique are then used to control the spatial distribution and ordering of the individual nanowires prior to contact lithography. Because of the challenges related to the current post-synthesis micro-scale manipulation of nanowires, it is highly desirable to provide an improved technique for more consistent and orderly growth of nanowires that is capable of overcoming some of the difficulties of the prior art.

Epitaxial growth of aligned AlGalnN nanowires by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition


An electromechanical transducer comprise a piezoelectric transducer element (5), which is arranged in a pressurized chamber (3) filled with a fluid (4). The piezoelectric transducer element (5) can comprise a plurality of piezoceramic platelets connected with each other by thin-walled metallic contact platelets, which are also connected electrically to connector pins (10) on the outside of a housing (1) in which the pressurized chamber (3) is located. When a controlling voltage is applied to the connector pins, the transducer element (5) experiences a reversible deformation, which is transmitted to the fluid, so that an operating element (14) is raised above a contacting surface (16) according to the force on the fluid. The transducer element (5) can be separated from the fluid (4) by a membrane (17). The platelets can be connected to the connector pins via spring-like resilient conductive contact pieces for maintaining electrical contact when the piezoceramic platelets are in a deformed activated state. In the case of Braille modules for representing information for the blind the operating element (14) can be a pin detectable by touch. An array of modules of this type can be used to represent graphical information as well as letters and numbers.

The present invention relates to an electromechanical transducer.
Electromechanical transducers are known which convert an electrical signal into a reversible deformation of a piezoelectric transducer element and also allow a conversion of a force into an electrical signal.
Piezoelectric transducer elements are known, which convert an electrical signal into a change in shape of the transducer element. This type of transducer element has many applications so that, for example, electrical relays can be made using piezoelectric transducers. Also Braille-Modules using piezoelectric transducer elements for making type characters or other symbols in Braille are known.
A piezoelectric relay is described in European Patent Application EP 0 067 883 A1, in which electrical contacts are attached to the piezoelectric transducer element which are moved by applying an electrical potential to the transducer element because the transducer element is deformed or bends on application of the electrical potential. A piezoelectric relay, in which a longitudinal extension of the transducer element is used to operate the electric contacts is described in European Patent Application EP 0 170 858 A1.
A piezoelectric module for producing type characters or symbols detectable by touch in Braille is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,178. This piezoelectric module has pins detectable by touch on the free ends of piezoelectric transducer elements, which can be in two states, a raised state in which they are detectable by touch(set) and a lowered state(erased). The displacement of the piezoelectric transducer element occurs, because an electrical potential is applied to it.
The Braille Module is used to produce character-oriented information so that it can be read by a blind person. The Braille writing used is made up of a plurality of Braille characters which are made by a symbol specific combination of point-like elevations arranged in a 2.times.3 or 2.times.4 matrix. The spacing between the point-like elevations in the Braille character is smaller than the spacing between adjacent Braille characters. Module constructed Braille characters can be used as an output medium for a personal computer output unit. However no raphical information such as diagrams can be displayed or converted with this kind of type character-oriented output medium in the form of lines of type characters.


Fluidized-bed reactors for producing alane are provided herein. An exemplary process includes inducing a negative electrical potential in an electrolyte solution to produce an anolyte solution that includes an alane adduct, wherein the negative electrical potential is generated between anode aluminum particles and cathode aluminum particles, the electrolyte solution including sodium aluminum hydride dissolved in a solvent, the anode aluminum particles and cathode aluminum particles being separated by a diaphragm.

Fluidized bed electrode reactors commonly utilize solid electrodes (e.g., anode and cathode) to facilitate decomposition of an electrolyte to produce various products. These fluidized bed reactors may include dry or liquid systems that fluidize a particulate electrolyte in either a liquid or dry form. An electrical potential is applied across the electrodes to decompose the electrolyte into one or more products.

Use of fluidized-bed electrode reactors for alane production


A network analysis system provides for a user-definable display of information related to messages communicated on the network. The network analysis system includes one or more display formats that provide a display of message exchanges between nodes of a network, and a display augmenter that provides additional information on the display based on a user-defined visualization. The user defined visualization includes augmenting the display based on user-defined coloring characteristics and/or augmenting the display with user-defined labels. To further facilitate user control of the augmentation of the display, the system accepts user-defined programs for discriminating among messages, for controlling the labeling of messages, and for controlling the coloring of messages and labels. Commonly used user-defined characteristics and labels are stored in a library, for use via a selection from among the library entries.

This invention relates to the field of network analysis, and in particular to user-configurable visualizations for network application performance tools.
More and more applications are designed to be "network-enabled", and the demands for efficient network performance continue to escalate. With increased reliance upon network communications, the demands for network analysis tools also continue to escalate.
To remain competitive, providers of network analysis tools strive to achieve market distinction. Such market distinction is generally achieved by providing inherent analysis capabilities that other providers do not provide, or by providing a user interface that is preferable to the intended user. Significant market research is devoted to identifying the intended users of a tool and the expectations of these users.
Conventionally, the developers of a network analysis tool attempt to anticipate the needs or desires of a majority of their users and to provide one or more display formats that are determined to satisfy these needs and desires. Generally, at least two formats are provided: a graphic display that illustrates the flow of traffic between nodes as a function of time, and a tabular display. The tabular display is generally configured to include each identified characteristic of the message, whereas the graphic display is configured to illustrate only a few characteristics.
In the realm of network analysis tools, such as a tool that displays the transfer of packets among network nodes, a common graphic display format is a Data Exchange Chart, which uses a horizontal time-line to represent each node, and lines or arrows between the node time lines to represent each packet. The placement of the arrow indicates the time of transmission, the time of reception, and the direction of flow, and a feature of the arrow, such as its thickness or color, is used to represent the packet size. Each of these graphically illustrated message characteristics (source node, destination node, transmission time, reception time, message size) is selected as being the characteristics of interest to most of the potential customers/users of the network analysis tool.
As the use of network analysis tools increases, the diversity of the users of the tools increases, and it becomes increasingly difficult to anticipate their needs or desires for the tools. Even when the needs and desires are defined, the cost of developing or modifying a tool to satisfy many diverse requirements increases exponentially. These development costs are particularly sensitive to tasks related to the "look and feel" of a tool, as user preferences are highly subjective, yet often determinative with regard to whether a user chooses to purchase the tool.
When a new class of users and/or potential customers is identified, a significant amount of market research is generally performed to identify the needs and desires of the new users. If a different graphic output is required to provide a display that illustrates the particular characteristics of interest for this group, the development of the new output format generally consumes substantial development time. In like manner, if a particular 'favored' customer expresses a desire for a customized graphic output that illustrates different and/or additional characteristics, relative to the default output format(s), a substantial amount of development time may be consumed developing such a customized format.
It would be advantageous to reduce development costs by allowing users to customize the display of a network analysis tool. It would also be advantageous to allow a user to define criteria for distinguishing among messages and displaying the distinguished messages. It would also be advantageous to allow a user to augment a network analysis tool with user-definable programs to distinguish among messages. It would also be advantageous to label distinguished messages, and to allow a user to control the labeling.
These advantages, and others, can be realized by a network analysis system that provides for a user-definable display of information related to messages communicated on the network. The network analysis system includes one or more display formats that provide a display of message exchanges between nodes of a network, and a display augmenter that provides additional information on the display based on a user-defined visualization. The user defined visualization includes augmenting the display based on user-defined message characteristics and/or augmenting the display with user-defined labels and/or user-configured labelings. To further facilitate user control of the augmentation of the display, the system accepts user-defined programs for discriminating among messages, for controlling the labeling of messages, and for controlling the coloring of messages and labels. Commonly used user-defined characteristics and labels are stored in a library, for use via a selection from among the library entries.
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding features or functions. The drawings are included for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

User-configurable network performance monitors


A control circuit optimizes the track seeking operation of a disk drive by automatically adjusting the phase margin of a compensator circuit that generates a control signal used to drive the actuator of the disk drive to optimize the actual performance of the drive during track seeking operations. Parametric values of coefficients associated with the compensation circuit used for driving the head of the disk drive are adjusted responsive to the determination of the system phase margin to change the phase margin and bring it within a desired range. More specifically, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically controlling the phase margin in a compensation control circuit for a disk drive having a head driven by an actuator. The head is driven with a control signal that is generated by a compensator circuit. Feedback from the head is employed to create a position signal, which is used to generate a position error signal. The position error signal is combined with a disturbance signal of predetermined frequency. The resulting signal is fed into the compensator circuit, which has a transfer function that can be expressed mathematically in terms of one or more coefficients. The phase margin of the system is computed by taking the phase difference between the disturbance signal and the component of the position error signal that has the same frequency as the disturbance signal. The values of the compensator circuit coefficient are adjusted to bring the phase margin within an acceptable range.

When a head in a disk drive is moved by its corresponding servo-controlled actuator from one disk track to another selected disk track, a servo system controls the actuator and closely monitors and controls the velocity and position of the head on the disk in real time to achieve optimal performance. For this purpose, as is well-known to one of ordinary skill in the field, position information is derived and fed back in the form of an error correction signal to a compensator circuit. The compensator circuit generates a signal that is applied to the actuator to accurately control the radial position of the head over the disk.
The operating phase margin of the servo control circuit is typically preset for large numbers of disk drives based on an assumed set of worst case conditions. However, past experience has shown that actuator friction varies from drive to drive over a large population of drives and that friction also varies with changes in operating temperature. It is well-known that as friction varies, so does the phase margin of the servo system, which directly affects the stability and performance of the disk drive over time.
Of course, when the phase margin for the servo control is set to an assumed worst case situation, individual disk drives not operating in the worst case do not receive optimal servo control information. Further, when actuator friction changes under normal operating temperature changes the preset phase margin compensation does not change which results in the inability of the servo control to optimize to actual operating conditions for a specific disk drive.
Previously known control systems for optimizing the seek performance of disk drives in real time adjust a seek velocity profile, which controls the velocity at which the actuator is driven as a function of the length of a specific seek to be performed. Such systems monitor the occurrence of head overshoots and related parameters to update the seek velocity profile. These systems do not account for the reduction in performance caused by a suboptimal phase margin.

Automatic phase margin compensation control circuit and method for disk drives


A composition for sintering to fabricate a part comprising an alloy based on titanium aluminide, the composition including a powder of an alloy based on titanium aluminide, and an addition powder including a mixture of a metallic aluminum powder and of a metallic titanium powder. The composition includes 0.5% to 5% by weight of addition powder.

The present invention relates to the general field of methods of fabricating parts out of alloys based on titanium aluminides. The present invention applies more particularly, but not exclusively, to fabricating parts for aviation.
Alloys based on titanium aluminides are used nowadays in the field of aviation, in particular because of the advantages they present for reducing the onboard weight within fairly hot portions of turbine engines. Specifically, these alloys generally present a mean density of about 4 g/cm3 and they constitute a viable alternative to conventional alloys based on nickel (having a mean density of about 8.5 g/cm3). Their good mechanical properties and their ability to withstand oxidation at temperatures not exceeding 750° C. make them candidates of choice, e.g. for fabricating low pressure turbine blades in aviation turbine engines.
Such parts made of an alloy based on titanium aluminide are traditionally fabricated by casting, thereby leading to extra costs associated with removing material when the parts are machined.
Techniques using powder metallurgy constitute an advantageous alternative to conventional casting techniques for the purpose of reducing production costs. Nevertheless, those techniques involve a step of sintering at very high temperatures, which can be limiting in practice. In addition, the density of parts obtained by powder metallurgy is sometimes insufficient in certain applications.
For example, when it is desired to obtain complete sintering (with density greater than 95%) of a powder based on titanium aluminide, such as TiAl 48-2-2, it is necessary to work at temperatures close to the melting temperature of the alloy, namely about 1455° C. In practice, for sintering, use is generally made of temperatures in the range 1380° C. to 1450° C., which makes the fabrication method very expensive in energy terms. Furthermore, the tooling used for sintering such powders, e.g. temperature regulated ovens, needs to operate at temperatures close to its utilization limits, which can shorten its lifetime and increase maintenance costs.

Composition for fabricating parts out of titanium aluminide by sintering powder, and a fabrication method using such a composition


A clamping device for clamping a fastener, includes a clamping jaw, a first biasing member for biasing the clamping jaw, a clamping body having a central axis, a driving assembly for driving the clamping jaw to clamp the fastener, and a second member which can be driven by the first member to move axially relative to the clamping body so as to push the clamping jaw to clamp the fastener. The clamping body is formed with a notch for receiving the clamping jaw and the driving assembly is supported on the clamping body and includes a first member which can rotate and move axially relative to the clamping body. The installation structures between the clamping body, the driving assembly and the clamping jaw may be designed to be more compact so that the clamping device has a smaller size.

A clamping device for clamping a fastener, such as for example a bolt, is generally attached to an electrical wrench or a manual wrench. Currently, the common clamping device has various mechanisms for mating with the fasteners having different sizes. However, with regard to the various types of known clamping devices, when in use, on one hand, they are inconvenient to carry, and on the other hand, it is oftentimes difficult for the common user to know how to choose and/or use the appropriate clamping device.
For example, international patent application publication number WO2009132426 describes an adjustable clamping device, wherein the clamping device can clamp bolts with various sizes. However, such a clamping device has a relatively complex structure with large overall size, and the manufacturing cost is high.


A unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly is utilized to properly align radioactive seeds in a radioactive intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly to control the dose rate profile such that only the proper tissue is irradiated. The source ribbon assembly includes a core comprising one or more sections having a first radiopacity and one or more sections having a second radiopacity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assemblies, and more particularly to unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assemblies comprising non-radioactive materials of varying radiopacity for ascertaining the proper position for the placement of radioactive materials within the vasculature.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a therapeutic medical procedure used to increase blood flow through an artery and is the predominant treatment for coronary vessel stenosis. The increasing popularity of the PTCA procedure is attributable to its relatively high success rate and its minimal invasiveness compared with coronary by-pass surgery. Patients treated utilizing PTCA; however, may suffer from restenosis. Restenosis refers to the re-narrowing of an artery after a successful angioplasty procedure. Restenosis usually occurs within the initial six months after an angioplasty. Early attempts to alleviate the effect of restenosis included repeat PTCA procedures or by-pass surgery, with attendant high cost and added patient risk.
More recent attempts to prevent restenosis by use of drugs, mechanical devices, and other experimental procedures have limited long term success. Stents, for example, dramatically reduce acute reclosure and slow the effects of smooth muscle cell proliferation by enlarging the maximal luminal diameter, but otherwise do nothing substantial to slow the proliferative response to the angioplasty induced injury.
Restenosis is now believed to occur at least in part as a result of injury to the arterial wall during the lumen opening angioplasty procedure. In some patients, the injury initiates a repair response that is characterized by hyperplastic growth of the vascular smooth muscle cells in the region traumatized by the angioplasty. Intimal hyperplasia or smooth muscle cell proliferation narrows the lumen that was opened by the angioplasty, regardless of the presence of a stent, thereby necessitating a repeat PTCA or use of other procedures to alleviate the restenosis.
Recent studies indicate that intravascular radiotherapy (IRT) has promise in the prevention or long-term control of restenosis following angioplasty. Intravascular radiotherapy may also be used to prevent or delay stenosis following cardiovascular graft procedures or other trauma to the vessel wall. Proper control of the radiation dosage, however, appears to be important to inhibit or substantially arrest hyperplasia without causing excessive damage to healthy tissue. Underdosing will result in inadequate inhibition of smooth muscle cell hyperplasia, or possibly even exacerbation of hyperplasia and resulting restenosis.
Radiation therapy may also be utilized in the treatment of other diseases such as cancerous and non-cancerous tumors or other proliferative normal tissue disorders. In this type of therapy, the ultimate aim is to destroy the malignant tissue without causing excessive radiation damage to nearby healthy, and possibly vital tissue. This is difficult to accomplish because of the proximity of malignant tissue to healthy tissue.
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation treatment in which an ionizing radiation source, for example, an intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly, is placed into or adjacent to a tumor or stenotic lesion. Although any number of radioactive substances and/or radioactive sources may be utilized in brachytherapy, Iodine-125 is currently a good candidate isotope for vascular brachytherapy. Iodine-125 has been used as a liquid or immobilized onto a variety of surfaces for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It has already been fashioned into a variety of shapes and used clinically for cancer treatment as briefly described above. One standard method for immobilizing Iodine-125 on to a solid surface is through electroplating. Currently, Iodone-125 is immobilized onto the surface of solid silver wires for a very secure bond and because silver is radiopaque and thus is easily seen under X-ray fluoroscopy. It is important that a radiopaque material such as silver is utilized as a substrate for the radioactive substance because proper positioning of the radioactive substance is critical to the success of any brachytherapy procedure. In order to ensure that the proper radiation dosage is delivered to the stenotic lesion or abnormal cell growth with minimal exposure of healthy tissue, precise placement of the radioactive substance is required. Accordingly, there is a need for a device that has substantially the same profile as an intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly, but rather than containing radioactive materials, comprises the same substrate as well as markers of differing radiopacity to effectively map out the area or region under treatment.
The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly of the present invention provides a means for overcoming the difficulties associated with the devices currently in use as briefly described above.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention is directed to a unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly. The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly comprises a container defining a cavity and a core disposed within the cavity of the container. The core comprises one or more non-radioactive sections having a first radiopacity and one or more sections having a second radiopacity disposed between the one or more sections having a first radiopacity.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention is directed to a unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly. The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly comprises a container defining a cavity and a core disposed within the cavity of the container. The core comprises one or more non-radioactive sections having a first radiopacity and one or more non-radioactive sections having varying radiopacities different from the first radiopacity disposed between the one or more sections having a first radiopacity.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for positioning an intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly at a treatment site. The method comprises introducing a unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly having a core comprising one or more non-radioactive sections having a first radiopacity and one or more non-radioactive sections having a second radiopacity disposed between the one or more sections having a first radiopacity to the treatment site, subjecting the treatment site to X-ray fluoroscopy, and determining the proper position for the one or more non-radioactive sections having a first radiopacity relative to the treatment site.
The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly of the present invention comprises a combination of one or more markers interspersed between sections of material comprising the substrate onto which the radioactive material is disposed. The sections of material comprising the substrate have a certain radiopacity, and the one or more markers have a different radiopacity, preferably lower than the substrate material. The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly has substantially the same profile and characteristics as a xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d or radioactive intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly. In having substantially the same profile and characteristics, the unidummy assembly may be utilized to ensure that the path through the vasculature or other pathway in the body is free of obstructions or open to the site of radiation delivery without exposing the patient to unnecessary radiation. In addition, to achieve the best possible results, the radioactive source is preferably positioned to deliver radiation to the entire stenotic lesion or tumor and not to the surrounding or adjacent healthy tissue. Accordingly, the unidummy assembly may be utilized to properly size and position the radioactive seeds. Essentially, since the unidummy assembly utilizes sections of the material comprising the substrate onto which the radioactive material is disposed along with one or more markers having different radiopacities, the exact positioning for the xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly may be determined without having to utilize the xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly. Mapping the treatment site with the unidummy assembly thereby minimizes unnecessary radiation exposure.
The unidummy intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly of the present invention provides for the safe and effective determination of the precise position coordinates for the xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly as well as determining if the path thereto is free from obstruction. Since the unidummy assembly is configured and has the same profile as the xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d assembly, it is easy for the doctor or other health care professional to utilize. In addition, since the xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon assembly is essentially identical to the unidummy assembly, the doctor or other health care professional may easily make the transition from one assembly to the other.

Intravascular radiotherapy source ribbon having variable radiopacity


A seat (2) for absorbing a force, which seat (2) comprises a seat pan (4) having a folded portion (6), the folded portion (6) being such that it unfolds consequent upon receiving the force and thereby absorbs at least a part of the force. The force may be a blast from a mine, or the force of an aeroplane or helicopter striking the ground.

This invention relates to a seat and, more especially, this invention relates to a seat for absorbing a force. The seat may absorb a force from, for example, a blast from a mine, or a crash from an aeroplane or a helicopter.
Vehicles travelling in areas of conflict throughout the world are often subject to mine blasts. The conflicts may be wars or simply acts of terrorism. The vehicles may be military vehicles or civilian vehicles. The mines may be properly constructed mines of the type used by armies, or the mines may be improvised explosive devices of the type used by terrorists. Irrespective of the type of vehicle or the type of mine, people travelling in vehicles which are blown up by mines often suffer loss of life or severe injuries including loss of limbs and/or spinal damage. An initial blast from a mine will act upwardly and may blow a vehicle upwardly and into the air. A second damaging force acts downwardly and occurs when the vehicle strikes the ground after having been blown upwardly into the air. This second force is sometimes referred to as a slam-down force.
Aeroplanes and helicopters rarely crash, but nevertheless crashes do happen. The downward force during a crash is unusually substantial but there are occurrences, especially with helicopters, when the downwards force is not so great that all occupants are killed. In this case, the occupants may suffer serious injuries due to the downward force of the crash.


A lighting device or an apparatus for use with a light source has one or more sensors, intelligence in the form of programmed processors and communication capabilities. Each sensor is configured to monitor one or more conditions external to a lighting device not directly related to operational performance of the respective lighting device. Programming provides a standardized interface to enable processing of sensed conditions from sensors of different types.

Electrical lighting has become commonplace in modern society. Electrical lighting devices are commonly deployed, for example, in homes, buildings of commercial and other enterprise establishments, as well as in various outdoor settings. Even in a relatively small state or country, there may be millions of lighting devices in use. Traditional lighting devices have tended to be relatively dumb, in that they can be turned ON and OFF, and in some cases may be dimmed, usually in response to user activation of a relatively simple input device. Lighting devices have also been controlled in response to ambient light detectors that turn on a light only when ambient light is at or below a threshold (e.g. as the sun goes down) and in response to occupancy sensors (e.g. to turn on light when a room is occupied and to turn the light off when the room is no longer occupied for some period). Often such devices are controlled individually or as relatively small groups at separate locations.
With the advent of modern electronics has come advancement both in the types of light sources and in the control capabilities within the lighting devices. For example, solid state sources are now becoming a commercially viable alternative to traditional light sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps. By nature, solid state light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) are easily controlled by electronic logic circuits or processors. Electronic controls have also been developed for other types of light sources. Advanced electronics in the control elements have facilitated more sophisticated control algorithms as well as increased networking of lighting devices.
Sensing and network communications, however, have focused on the lighting functions/applications of the lighting devices. For example, sensors may be provided in a lighting device to detect parameters relevant to control operation of the lighting device, and the processor in the device controls the source(s) of the device in response to the sensor inputs. Alternatively or in addition, a communication interface in each of a number of networked lighting devices may allow communication about the status of each lighting device to a system control center. A programmed computer or a person at the control center then may be able to send commands to individual lighting devices or to groups of lighting devices, for example, based on a decision responsive to one or more conditions sensed by some or all of the lighting devices.
However, these advances in lighting devices and networked systems have mainly addressed aspects of the lighting provided by the lighting devices. For example, lighting devices may be adjusted, turned ON and/or turned OFF based on monitored conditions, either by processor logic within the device(s) or commands from a central control. It also has been suggested that networked lighting devices could provide transport for data communications to/from other devices that may come within range of the lighting device and/or its internal communication interface.
It is also useful to monitor and respond to a wide range of other conditions that do not directly relate to lighting. A vast array of sensor types exists for sensing various conditions. In the home, for example, smoke, fire, carbon monoxide and burglary sensors are common. Often such sensing is locally implemented by individual sensing units, with no coordination. In more sophisticate installations, a number of sensors of various types may be couple to a communication device or system, which provides communications to a central system that monitors a number of enterprise premises or a number of individual customer locations. However, the individual devices and the networked monitoring systems have traditionally been separate and independent from the lighting devices in or at the monitored locales. Even in systems that provide combinations of lighting control and condition monitoring and/or communications related to both functions, the lighting and monitoring equipment are separate devices on the premises with separate power and communication capabilities.
Hence, there is still room for further improvement in lighting and monitoring technologies.

Lighting device and apparatus with standardized interface for processing one or more sensed external conditions


A method and apparatus of increasing output power of a plurality of carriers of a wide-band multi-carrier base station system utilizes gain adjusting coefficients to adjust output amplitude of the carriers to satisfy the requirement of the wide-band base station system for different number of carriers and output power. The output power of each of or a part of the carriers is increased when the number of carriers is reduced. Under the premise of not modifying the hardware and satisfying the requirement of protocol specification, the wide-band base station system supports different number of carriers by setting software so that the output power of the respective carriers and the coverage of the base station can be increased when the carriers do not operate in a full configuration.

Following the development of very large-scale digital integrated circuit (VLSI) technology, the radio communication field has experienced two transformations from analog to digital and from stationary to mobile. However, the radio communication field continuously has many problems derived from, for example, the coexistence of a plurality of communication systems, the fierce competition of various standards, and the pressing for frequency resources, etc. To solve these problems, it is much desirable to have the third transformation in the radio communication field from hardware to software and from a narrow-band system to a wide-band system.
An inevitable trend of the development of a base station system is a wide-band base station. The benefit brought by the wide-band base station is that it is easy to produce, with low cost, more functions and better performance. Generally, a radio base station system is capable of operating multiple carriers simultaneously by using wide-band software. It is required that under the premise of not modifying the hardware, the number of multiple carriers (within the capacity range designed) required by the user can be satisfied by setting the software. To accomplish this, the entire base station is designed according to the maximum capacity, and when it is used practically, a proper number of multiple carriers in a digital intermediate frequency band or a base frequency band portion are closed off to satisfy the number of multiple carriers required by the user. However, in a wide-band system, the portions from an intermediate frequency to an antenna feed are common portions. Thus, the above solution would not use these portions efficiently, thereby causing low operation efficiency and high operation cost of a base station.
Generally, to expand the coverage of a base station, it is desired to have transmission power of the respective carriers as high as possible. It is also desired that a wide-band base station has the ability of increasing output power of the respective carriers under a condition that a full configuration of the base station is not used, for example, a number of multiple carriers in a digital intermediate frequency band or a base frequency band portion are closed off to satisfy the number of multiple carriers required by the user.

Method and its apparatus for increasing output power of the carriers of wide-band multi-carrier base station