An endoscopic instrument cleaning apparatus includes a syringe coupled to a flushing chamber by a form-fitting stopper. A distal, or instrument receiving end of the flushing chamber is inserted into a supply of cleaning fluid and the plunger of the syringe is drawn out to its fully retracted length, thereby filling the syringe and the flushing chamber with cleaning fluid. Then the distal end of an endoscopic instrument is inserted about through an aperture in a stopper having the shape of a conical frustum and is inserted into the flushing chamber to a depth of about 4 inches (10 cm) and the plunger of the syringe is thrust forward to inject pressurized cleaning solution through the endoscopic instrument. In another embodiment, the syringe receiving stopper is recessed within a proximal end of the flush chamber by about 3/8 inches (0.95-1.00 cm) and a tightly fitting tubular insert is glued into the recess to eliminate the possibility that the syringe receiving stopper will be blown out of the flushing chamber by fluid pressure when it is used. Alternatively, an inward projecting lip is formed in the distal end of the flush chamber for the same purpose. A rectangular flushing board includes a neck having a pair of aligned yokes for seating and holding the syringe body to eliminate wrist and thumb strain. In another embodiment, a flushing chamber is formed as an extension to the body of a syringe, thereby eliminating the need for a separate flushing chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus and process for cleaning endoscopic surgical instruments by flushing the cannula. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a hand-operated apparatus for forcing a cleaning solution through an endoscopic cannulated surgical instrument to remove gross debris from surgery that and utilizes a syringe or other source of pressurized cleaning solution to provide the motive power required for forcing a cleaning solution through the cannula of an endoscopic cannulated instrument.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. Sections 1.97-1.99
Increasingly, surgeries are conducted with endoscopic cannulated instruments, or instruments, which are inserted through minimal surgical openings in the body to reduce the invasiveness of surgical procedures. Endoscopic instruments are long instruments having a narrow elongated sleeve or housing with cables, rods and the like being threaded through them and connected to tools on the working, or distal, end that are manipulated by squeezing scissors-like handles, or other control mechanism, on the other, proximal end, which remains outside the patient. Many endoscopic instruments have a rigid outer housing and a rod reciprocates inside the housing to actuate a surgical tool on the distal end of the endoscopic instrument. Other endoscopic instruments are flexible and are used primarily in conjunction with a cannulated endoscope. For purposes of this disclosure, an endoscopic instrument includes all instruments used in minimally invasive surgery and having an elongated housing or sleeve that forms a cannula that houses any type of control mechanism, e.g., rod or cable, to control a tool or instrument for use inside a patient's body. The present invention is directed to an apparatus for cleaning gross debris from any such type of medical instrument by flushing the cannula.
All these instruments are cannulated instruments, that is, each has an elongated cannula, which is almost completely filled with instrument and controls. It is the cannula that traps gross debris, which is invariably drawn into the cannula when the control rods, wires, and the like reciprocate within the cannula formed by the outer housing or sleeve of endoscopic instruments.
During use, endoscopic instruments draw bodily fluids and tissues and other matter from the patient, known collectively as "gross debris," into the elongated tubular housing of the endoscopic instrument. These tubes are quite small and most of their volume is filled with the control rod or the like, leaving little room for cleaning. The sleeve or housing of endoscopic instruments are not sealed, and the reciprocal movement of the inner workings within the sleeve invariably draws gross debris into the sleeve, from which it cannot be removed effectively using devices currently known in the medical profession. Further, surgeons operating inside the abdominal cavity pressurize the abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide to separate organs and tissues from one another and this pressurized gas leaks through cannulated instruments, forcing gross debris into the housing of the endoscopic or cannulated instruments.
Because there is virtually no way to disassemble reusable instruments, they tend to trap blood, other fluids, and tissue in the space between the tool control rod and the housing. This gross matter inhibits the ability of pressurized steam, ethylene oxide or chemical sterilants to effectively reach all parts of the instrument. This may allow blood-borne pathogens to survive inside the housing, greatly increasing the risk of patient infection from cross contamination from other patients. Even if it were possible to disassemble cannulated instruments for thorough cleaning, it would be prohibitively expensive and time consuming to do so.
Endoscopic instruments are cleaned and sterilized according to hospital protocol, which varies widely between institutions. In some cases, endoscopic instruments are sterilized during the night. During the day, however, they may be repeatedly used for consecutive surgeries on different patients with minimally accepted cleaning and sterilization practices. With the increase of endoscopic procedures and lack of proper cleaning techniques, gross debris build up is probable and potentially widespread. In the age of AIDS, and contagious hepatitis type B, this situation is obviously of great concern, which has been recognized, but not solved, by the medical community.
Currently about 2.2 million surgical procedures employing endoscopic instrument are performed each year. It is estimated that by the year 2000 more than one-half of all surgeries will performed with minimally invasive techniques, that is, with endoscopic instrument, which will be about 11 million surgeries per year. The potential for serious cross-contamination between patients and resulting transmission of disease is clear, but no clear, effective and affordable solution to the problem is known.
Some approaches to addressing the problem of removing gross debris from the exterior of endoscopes, which are tightly sealed and do not admit debris, as they have no cannula, have led to issued patents, some of which are discussed below. No issued patents specifically directed to removing gross debris from the cannula of endoscopic cannulated instruments, however, have been located.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,691, issued to Sasa on May 26, 1987 (Sasa '691), discloses a "Device for Cleaning channels of an Endoscope" comprising syringe provides the power to force a liquid cleaning solution through an endoscope through a complex series of valves and tubing. The fluid flows first through a main body, into which it is drawn from a fluid storage tank and from which it is forced into the tubing, other valves, and the endoscope and so forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,220, issued to Sasa et al. on Jun. 25, 1985 (Sasa et al. '22), discloses a "Method of Cleaning Endoscope Channels" comprising a number of methods of using the device disclosed and claimed in Sasa '691, which is described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,884, issued to Giorni on Apr. 3, 1984 (Giorni '884) discloses a "Container with Bristles for Cleaning Instruments" comprising a cylindrical vessel with an open top. A plurality of bristles project horizontally and inwardly from the inside side wall toward the center of the vessel. The vessel is filled with an appropriate cleaning fluid. The instrument is submerged in the fluid and is rotated by hand to clean it. If desired, the instrument may be supported by a ring 9 connected to a clamp 10 on the outside of the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,882, issued to Takeuchi on Sep. 15, 1981 (Takeuchi '882), discloses an "Endoscope Sheath Cleaning Device" comprising a bulky free-standing machine having a J-shaped tube into which an endoscope sheath is inserted progressively and repeatedly, either by hand or machine, while water or other solution is sprayed on it from two opposed nozzles located near the top of the apparatus. The spray from the nozzles is directed downward onto a brush set which brushes the exterior of the sides of the endoscope. It does not appear that any fluid is forced through the endoscope by this apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,646, issued to Kinoshita on Aug. 4, 1981 (Kinoshita '646), comprises a window washer for cleaning the observation window at the end of an endoscope having an observation window, while the endoscope is in use.
None of these devices is directed to removing gross debris from the cannula of endoscopic cannulated surgical instruments in general. Moreover, none of these devices offers an inexpensive, disposable and reliable endoscopic cannulated instrument cleaning apparatus for removing gross debris from the cannula that is also simple, convenient and easy to use and to manufacture. Therefore, a serious need exists for an endoscopic cannulated instrument cleaning apparatus that is inexpensive, disposable and reliable, while also being simple, convenient and easy to use and to manufacture. Such an apparatus is disclosed and claimed in this document, as follows.

Endoscopic cannulated instrument flushing apparatus for forcing a cleaning solution through an endoscopic cannulated instrument for removal of gross debris


An adjustable holster securement device which comprises a loop attachment for securing a holster to the belt of a user, a connection plate to which the holster is attached, and an articulated joint for connecting the loop attachment to the connection plate in an articulated manner. The articulated joint preferably comprises two substantially U-shaped members pivotably engaged with respective seatings on opposite sides thereof. The seatings are generally coaxial with, parallel to and integral with, respectively, the loop attachment and connection plate. At least one tie-rod is also provided, acting generally parallel to the seatings, for connecting the substantially U-shaped members to one another as well as a device for locking the articulated joint arranged between the substantially U-shaped members and the seating, the device being operable by the tie-rods to control locking and release of the articulated joint.

Law enforcement personnel, for instance, often use holsters, e.g., for carrying firearms or other weapons, secured to their belt using a loop of plastic, a metallic material or leather. Although useful, these arrangements are not adjustable to conform physically to the user's body, nor may they be adjusted to accommodate individual holster positioning needs of the user. Accordingly, it is considered important that the user be able to adjust (i) the distance of the holster from the point of attachment to his or her belt, (ii) the inclination of the holster relative to its vertical axis, (iii) the inclination of the holster relative to its vertical plane, and (iv) the distance of the holster's vertical plane from the point of attachment to the user's belt.
One attempt to provide a holster securement device that allows a user to adjust the inclination of the holster comprises a loop portion engageable with the user's belt, a connection portion inclined relative to the loop portions, and a base extending from the free end of the connection portion. The base preferably has a disc member to which the holster may be pivotally secured. In addition, a row of equally spaced pins extends along an edge of the disc member and from one of the member faces. A tooth may be snapped into the spaces between any chosen pair of the pins, thus preventing any further rotation thereof. Also, the tooth is joined to a sliding arm such that the tooth may be disengaged from the pins by pressing an end of the arm. This allows the disc member to be freely rotated upwardly to a desired angular position of the holster. While such arrangements, it has been found, generally operate satisfactorily, the rotation unlocking device is often difficult to operate, especially when the user wears gloves and the locking of the rotation is not sufficiently stables, such as when the holster bumps against an adjacent object on the user's belt, a portion of the user's body, or other obstacle.
Such holster securement devices also permit the height of the holster, i.e., the distance of the holster from the belt, to be varied. This variation is made possible because the disc member for adjusting the holster's inclination is secured to a sliding plate mounted to the base of the securement device and, thereby, arrangeable into at least two positions where the holster is at different distances from the belt. In this manner, the distance of the holster from the belt can be adjusted. While useful, varying the distance in this way, it has been founds, increases the thickness and, therefore, is an encumbrance to the holster securement device. Furthermore, when it is unnecessary to carry a weapon, for instance, while the user is at the office, the entire holster securement device is detached from the user's belt, even after the holster has been removed. This has been found both bothersome to the user and uncomfortable, given the encumbrance of the securement device.
Another conventional securement device for holsters provides a double-jointed connection between the loop attachment and the base to which the holster is secured. This connection includes a substantially double-T shaped joint hinged both to the loop attachment and the base of the holster securement device. It is, therefore, possible to adjust both the inclination of the plane of the base relative to the plane of the loop attachment and the distance between these two planes. Disadvantageously, however, this adjustment can only be accomplished using a tool to turn the screws that lock the hinges. Adjustment of such an arrangement is, therefore, considered laborious and problematic when it must be done, but an appropriate tool is not available.


An electrical fitting having an improved arrangement on the trailing end for securing electrical cables thereto. A connector body having a cavity in the trailing end includes a cable retainer secured therein. The cable retainer includes a substantially tubular body and is constructed of spring steel. The tubular body includes a flat portion and an arcuate portion. A single cable retaining tang extends inwardly from the flat portion. Providing the cable retaining tang on the flat portion of the tubular body enables a straight bend line between the cable retaining tang and the tubular body, thereby allowing the tang to flex easily. The cable retaining tang includes a wide cable gripping surface to enable secure gripping of an electrical cable as it is inserted within the trailing end of the fitting.

Electrical fittings are commonly used to connect electrical cables to electrical panels or boxes. In recent years, snap fit electrical fittings have become increasingly popular.
Several prior art connectors have been proposed for the attachment of electrical cables or conduits to panels or electrical boxes. Some of these, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,488 to Gretz, include a tubular body with a cavity on the trailing end and a cylindrical-shaped split ring that is inserted into the cavity. The prior art split ring included a plurality of cable gripping tangs extending inwards of the cylindrical ring for securing a cable to the trailing end of the connector. Although the prior art split ring adequately performed the function of gripping a cable, as a result of the multiple tangs, the electrical fitting was mechanically complex and relatively expensive to produce.
The present invention provides an electrical fitting that includes an improved cable-retaining ring that is of simpler construction than those described in the prior art. The cable-retaining ring of the present invention is of simpler construction, with a single tang for gripping and holding an inserted cable. As a result of the simpler construction of the cable-retaining ring, the electrical fitting of the present invention is easier to manufacture and cheaper to produce than prior art internal cable retaining rings. The cable-retaining ring of the present invention includes several features that enable it to easily flex while securely gripping and holding an electrical cable for the purpose of connecting it to a panel or an electrical box.

Electrical fitting with internal cable retainer


A network includes a virtual local area network (VLAN) and multiple spanning tree protocol domains (STPDs). Switches in the network receive messages from other switches and select one path for continued transmission of data based on the content of the messages. The content of each message identifies the path through which the message was transmitted. After one path is selected, all other paths are blocked. Once paths are blocked, no messages are transmitted through those paths to the switch. This eliminates redundant paths and provides a loop-free inter-domain topology throughout the network.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of virtual local area networks (VLANs). In particular, the invention relates to inter-domain loop protection for VLANs with multiple spanning tree protocol domains.
2. Background Information and Description of Related Art
A virtual local area network (VLAN) restricts communication between computers in a local area network (LAN) on some other basis than physical location of the computers. The computers in the VLAN communicate with each other as if they are connected to the same LAN segment even though they may actually be physically located on different segments of a LAN.
LANs are often partitioned into separate segments to increase network performance. Bridges or switches connect the segments. A LAN may include redundant bridges and paths to provide backup in the event of a bridge or path failure in the LAN. The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), part of the IEEE 802.1D standard, comprises an algorithm that provides for this redundancy while preventing undesirable loops in the LAN. Using the algorithm, bridges select a root bridge, and calculate and select a single path to the root bridge when faced with multiple redundant paths. After path costs are calculated and a single path is selected, the bridges block the redundant links.
The STP algorithm defined in IEEE 802.1D has been modified in different ways to further accommodate VLANs. For example, the IEEE 802.1Q standard specifies a single STP instance for all VLANs while another approach provides for a separate STP instance for each VLAN. Yet another approach contemplates one or more STP instances for one or more VLANs. Thus, an STP instance or STP domain (STPD) may span multiple VLANs, or a single VLAN may encompass multiple STPDs. However, one problem with multiple STPDs is the possibility of inter-domain loops through the switches that are members of more than one STPD, since the STP algorithm only guarantees a loop-free topology inside each domain.

Method and system for maintaining a loop-free topology across multiple spanning trees in a virtual local area network


A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Balcabplo’, characterized by its single type, dark royal purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant botanically known as Calibrachoa×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balcabplo'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn, Ill. during September 2003. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive flower coloration, medium green-colored foliage, and a moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.
The new Calibrachoa cultivar is the result of cross-pollination of a mass selection of 22 proprietary Calibrachoa×hybrida breeding selections designated 2118-1B, 2118-1D, 2118-2C, 2091-1B, 2118-4A, 2118-4E, 2118-5C, 21181-6C, 2118-7A, 2118-7D, 2118-8C, 2118-8E, 2118-9E, 2118-10A, 2118-11C, 2118-11A, 2118-12D, 2060-1-1A, 2086-2A, 2091-3B, 2093-1A, and 2110-1B, not patented, characterized by their light to dark white, yellow, pink, rose, red, lavender, purple, purple vein, and blue-colored flowers, medium to dark green-colored foliage, and mounded, compact, and trailing to prostrate growth habits. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2005 in a controlled environment at Elburn, Ill.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2005 at Elburn, Ill. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


A dual latching microvalve is capable of a metastable state, wherein a one or more complete flow paths are open, before switching to another state that allows only an inlet or outlet valve to be open at any time on any fluid path. One valve mechanism uses a cam to alternately open and close two valves, with an external force applying pressure to move one valve arm onto a resting position on the cam, thereby opening the closed valve and provided an uninterrupted flow path through the dual latching microvalve. The metastable state provides, for example, a means to prime the pump before operation, such as pumping of insulin into a patient. When released from the metastable state, the dual latching microvalve operates in a fashion whereby opening of both valves simultaneously is prevented, thereby protecting the patient from injury.

The invention relates to valves for fluidic devices, particularly to valves that rest in a metastable state where one or more complete fluid paths are open before switching to a stable state that allows only one inlet or outlet valve on a fluid path to be open at a time.
Fluidic microvalves can be constructed of cantilevered spring arms squeezing a compressible tube. U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,753 teaches a pinch valve consisting of a lever arm actuated preferably by a solenoid, but alternatively by a cam, that pinches a soft tube. U.S. Pat. No. 9,067,051 teaches a microfluidic pinch valve consisting of cantilevered arms squeezing a compressible tube where compression force is provided by an actuator. Actuator mechanisms such as magnetic, piezoelectric, pneumatic, and mechanical are mentioned. This patent makes no mention, however, of valves synchronized such that closing one fluid path allows for the opening of another flow path. International Patent App. No. PCT/US2015/045251 teaches a dual latching microvalve wherein both valves close momentarily before one valve opens. This application makes no mention of initially positioning the dual latching valves in a metastable state permitting both inlet and outlet fluid paths to be open to allow for fill and priming of the fluidic network. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/436,627 teaches of a dual latching cam microvalve comprised of a cam that when rotated causes a valve arm to either pinch or un-pinch a compressible tube. No specification of cam shape is made, nor is there any mention of a metastable state permitting flow through both fluid paths.

Metastable state of dual latching valves


This invention provides an epimorphin antagonist comprising part of the functional domain of epimorphin (e.g., a polypeptide specified by the amino acid sequence:

This invention relates to polypeptides which have the activity of specifically inhibiting epimorphins (hereinafter referred to as epimorphin antagonist activity), substances promoting the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue, and which are useful as the active ingredient of pharmaceuticals.
The normal morphogenesis of epithelial tissue has been suggested to be controlled by factors derived from mesenchymal cells present around the epithelial tissue. Diseases ascribed to the abnormal morphogenesis of epithelial tissue are largely due to abnormalities in mesenchymal cells. These findings have aroused an interest in the clarification of the mechanism by which mesenchymal cells control the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue. However, substances involved in the control of morphogenesis of epithelial tissue are expressed under time and spatial control in a complicated system. It is extremely difficult to isolate these substances and analyze their functions. It is also difficult to construct a model experimental system simplifying the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue. For these and other reasons, much progress has not been made to date in researches in this field. Thus, analysis of the control mechanism for the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue has been demanded keenly in order to elucidate the mechanism of occurrence of diseases associated with the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue and establish methods for treating these diseases.
Under these circumstances, a report was made of success in the isolation of epimorphin taking part in the control of the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 25295/94 or European Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 562123, hereinafter called EPA562123). This substance was shown to be a physiologically active substance containing a protein of 277 to 289 amino acids as the core protein, and to be biosynthesized mainly by mesenchymal cells. Epimorphin was also shown to have the action of promoting the morphogenesis of epithelial tissue, and it was also indicated that when epimorphin did not function, normal tissue formation did not take place.
As a substance known to inhibit the physiological action of epimorphin (epithelial tissue morphogenesis promoting action), there is an antibody (M-1) which binds specifically to epimorphin, inhibiting its action (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 25295/94 or EPA562123; CELL, 69, pp. 471-481, 1992). This antibody is useful for clarifying the mechanism for the normal morphogenesis of epithelial tissue by epimorphin, and is expected to be useful in the elucidation of the mechanism of occurrence of diseases ascribed to the abnormal expression (excessive expression) of epimorphin and in the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Epimorphin also acts to promote the morphogenesis of a hair follicle. Thus, the above-mentioned antibody that inhibits the activity of epimorphin is likely to induce alopecia or inhibit hair growth.
However, this antibody posed the problem of being unstable and becoming easily deactivated during preparation, thus making it difficult to develop or stably supply it as a pharmaceutical or a hair growth inhibitor. Since its molecular weight is large (more than 150,000 Kd), moreover, it was unable to pass through the keratin of the skin easily and was not expected to inhibit hair growth sufficiently. For these reasons, it has been demanded to develop a substance which inhibits the aforementioned activity of epimorphin, and which is stable and has a low molecular weight of, say, less than several thousands permitting its passage through the skin. In particular, epimorphin antagonist, a substance binding to the receptor on an epithelial cell where epimorphin binds, and being capable of inhibiting the epithelial tissue morphogenic activity of epimorphin, is expected to take marked effect in serving as the active ingredient of a pharmaceutical or a hair growth inhibitor, and in elucidating the mechanism of action of epimorphin.
In addition, in removing hair on the arm or leg, it has been customary practice to directly pull it out by means of a tape or forceps, or to apply to the site a solution containing an ingredient such as an alkali for lysis of the hair. The former method causes pain, while the latter method damages the skin. If it is possible to provide a substance acting to inhibit the function of epimorphin and having a molecular weight low enough for percutaneous absorption, therefore, such a substance is expected to be useful as the active ingredient of a hair growth inhibitor that avoids the above problems. That is, hair growth can be suppressed for a long term by applying a substance with such characteristics after shaving. This substance is usable as a hair growth inhibitor which overcomes the drawbacks of a conventional hair remover.
An object of the present invention is to provide a substance for inhibiting the action of epimorphin. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a substance useful as an epimorphin antagonist which specifically inhibits the morphogenic activity of epimorphin on epithelial tissue. Further, the invention aims at providing an epimorphin antagonist having such a characteristic effect, a low molecular weight, and stability.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pharmaceutical which contains as the active ingredient an epimorphin antagonist inhibiting the morphogenic activity of epimorphin on epithelial tissue, and which is useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of diseases attributable to the excessive expression of epimorphin.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hair growth inhibitor which contains as the active ingredient the above-described epimorphin antagonist.

Epimorphin antagonist and process for producing it

Abstract: H-Ser(Asn)-Gly-Asn-Arg-Thr-Ser-Val-Asp-Leu-Arg-Ile-Arg-Arg-Thr-Gln-His-Ser-Val-Leu-OH SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 3) and having the activity of substantially inhibiting the morphogenic activity of epimorphins on epithelial cells, and provides a pharmaceutical containing the epimorphin antagonist as the active ingredient.


A display device includes a first housing, a second housing separable from the first housing, a display panel in the first housing and connected to the second housing, the display panel being pulled out from the first housing when the second housing moves away from the first housing, and a support member in the second housing and connected to the first housing, the support member supporting the display panel and being pulled out from the second housing when the first housing moves away from the second housing.

1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a device, and more particularly, to a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices based on mobility are widely used. Tablet PCs, as well as small electronic devices, e.g., mobile phones, have recently been used as mobile electronic devices.
Such a mobile, i.e., portable, electronic device includes a display unit that displays visual information, e.g., an image, to a user. As other parts of the mobile electronic device for driving the display unit have recently been made compact, a volume which the display unit occupies in the mobile electronic device has gradually increased, and a structure that may bend at a predetermined angle from a flat state has been developed.


Method and apparatus for detecting that a facsimile machine is being installed with stored information within the machine being used to aid the installer during installation and/or operation using either image and text information or verbal information stored in the memory of the facsimile machine.

Currently, most facsimile equipment come with a manual that has instructions for installation and setup of the machine. Purchasers that are unfamiliar with fax machines often find the instructions difficult and unwieldly and many read instructions only as a last resort.
Features offered in facsimile machines have steadily grown in complexity. Delayed sending, broadcast sending, calling other machines to request transmission and other enhanced options are now common. As the number and complexity of these enhancements increase, it becomes more difficult for a user to take advantage of them. Current instruction manuals require many pages to describe selecting and customizing the enhanced features of these machines.
As facsimile machines having even more advanced features and higher imaging quality emerge, one can clearly expect the initial installation and programming steps to become more complex.

Method and apparatus for assisting in the installation of a facsimile machine


The present invention relates to a topical delivery system effective in depositing a thin, tenacious and substantially continuous coating of a sacrificial substrate on skin by an aqueous emulsion mediated dissolution of protein from a sheet material with subsequent transfer and deposition onto the skin. Coatings of sacrificial substrate on skin resist removal, thereby providing a protective barrier against chemically- and biochemically-induced skin damage. The treatment composition also provides a vehicle for administering an effective dose of an active agent to the skin surface.

This invention relates to the use of a treatment composition to enhance skin health. The treatment composition includes a surfactant and a sacrificial substrate that can be applied to a sheet material such as a nonwoven web, such that the composition will impart adequate fluid handling properties to the sheet material and will subsequently be transferred to the skin. The treatment composition may further be used as a vehicle to deliver active agents to the skin.
The skin is naturally an excellent barrier to the penetration of many foreign substances. From time-to-time, the natural ability of the skin to protect is compromised by external factors including abrasions, irritants and the like. Attempts have been made in recent years to promote skin health through the use of creams, lotions and fiber products containing additives in order to maintain the skin health. Effective delivery of compositions via fiber products that can enhance or prevent damage to the underlying protective barrier of skin is not yet known.
Enhancing skin health has many advantages including: 1) protecting the skin and maintaining the skin in a moist state, essentially free from chapping or irritation, 2) pH buffering and barrier enhancement to maintain or enhance such base properties of skin, 3) inhibition of irritants that are suspected to promote irritant or allergic contact dermatitis, and 4) maintaining the lubricity of skin.
The permeability of the skin to a foreign substance is influenced by a combination of physico-chemical parameters for both the object and the vehicle, if applicable, that delivers the object. Maintaining health of the skin and its underlying barrier properties requires optimal physico-chemical properties of the skin.
When skin is attacked by proteases, the stratum corneum layer of the skin is compromised and the skin subsequently becomes inflamed. There are currently several known lotions and creams available that treat inflammation once it has occurred. To the user, however, discomfort has already been transpired because of the inflammation. A need still exists for a method and combination of preventing skin irritation rather than treating it.
There is a need for a treatment combination for use with a sheet material that is capable of delivering a thin, tenacious, substantially continuous film of the sacrificial substrate to the skin that can prevent or reduce skin irritation, maintain pH, and maintain skin hydration and lubrication. The combination of the instant invention fulfills this need. Additionally, while skin wellness additives are known, other compositions have had the undesired side effect of reducing wettability, or the fluid intake rate, of the sheet material. There remains a need for a treatment composition for application and use with a sheet material that will not adversely affect fluid properties of the sheet material, e.g. fast and sustainable fluid intake rate.
The present invention relates to a topical delivery system effective in depositing a thin, tenacious and substantially continuous coating of a sacrificial substrate, e.g. protein or protein hydrolysate, on skin by an aqueous emulsion mediated dissolution of the sacrificial substrate from a sheet material with subsequent transfer and deposition onto the skin. Coatings of the sacrificial substrate on skin resist removal, thereby providing a protective barrier against chemically- and biochemically-induced skin damage. The treatment combination also provides a vehicle for administering an effective dose of a active agent to the skin surface.

Delivery of a sacrificial substrate to inhibit protease permeation into skin


A computer-based method, system and apparatus for pricing a tax flow-through annuity product. The resulting product is superior to traditional VA's, offering: lifetime income guarantees; capital gains tax treatment on annuity withdrawals; stock dividends taxed as dividends, not ordinary income; ETF-like tax efficiency by minimizing capital gains distributions, even on actively-managed funds; and wealth transfer efficiency through step-up in basis on death. The product benefits life insurance carriers and distributors. Investor benefits include: the ability to realize the full benefit of recent tax reform; the potential for better tax treatment than existing mutual funds; a guarantee of lifetime income; and the ability to pass assets on to heirs efficiently.

Variable annuities (VA's) are contracts, resembling mutual funds, offered by insurance companies. Investors purchase these contracts to save for retirement. According to NAVA, the National Association for Variable Annuities, Americans have approximately $800 billion currently invested in variable annuities.
Investors obtain many valuable benefits through the use of these products, such as:
The ability to invest in a large number (as many as sixty in some cases) of equity and fixed-income choices within one contract;
A guaranteed death benefit payable by the insurance company, typically at least equal to the amount invested, regardless of the performance of the investment choices made within the contract;
Immediate annuity purchase rates guaranteed for the life of the contract, and
The ability to receive income for life, regardless of how long the annuitant may live, by applying funds to an immediate annuity (known as "annuitizing").
An important criterion for the success of any investment strategy is its after-tax return. There are two main categories of tax treatment for variable annuities. VA's may be categorized as either "non-qualified" (in which case they are used to supplement tax-qualified retirement savings plans such as pension plans, IRA's, and 401(k) plans) or qualified (in which case the contract is actually a component of a qualified plan such as a 401(k) plan).
Non-qualified variable annuities are tax-deferred, so long as the requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Key among these are diversification requirements on insurer separate account assets, and that investment companies (mutual funds) made available through a VA cannot also be available to the general public, i.e. they must be insurance-only mutual funds.
If these requirements are satisfied, then investment income inside a variable annuity contract, whether arising from interest, dividends, or gains on the sale of securities, is not currently taxable to the owner of the contract until it is withdrawn or paid out as a death benefit. Tax-deferral is a mixed blessing, however, because taxes are merely deferred, not forgiven, and the (eventual) tax treatment of annuity withdrawals and death benefits is unfavorable compared with that of direct equity holdings. Amounts withdrawn from an annuity have been taxed first as income, then as return of basis, since the early 1980's. Additionally, income resulting from annuity withdrawals or death benefits is always classified as ordinary income: it loses any characterization that it would have had as capital gains or dividend income if the income had been received directly.
On the other hand, failure of a VA to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code leads to a worst-of-all-possible-worlds result: Regulation 1.817-5(a) provides that the product will lose its tax deferral, but that dividends and capital gains will still be taxed as ordinary income.
The disadvantages of this ordinary income treatment, relative to directly holding equities in a brokerage account, have been exacerbated by recent tax reform. H.R. 2, The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, which became law on May 28th 2003, reduced the top marginal income tax rate on ordinary income to 35%, while reducing the top rate on dividends and long-term capital gains to 15%. This makes long-term buy-and-hold equity investments inside a VA relatively less attractive than they were previously. However, short-term trading strategies and market-timing strategies are still attractive inside a VA, since they would tend to generate short-term gains taxable at a higher rate. As a result, these strategies continue to benefit from the tax deferral offered by a VA.
A key decision for investors is, therefore, the appropriate allocation of their retirement funds to:
a) tax-deferred investments (such as VA's), versus
b) currently-taxable investments seeking to generate dividend income and long-term capital gains (such as stocks and mutual funds),
to minimize total income tax payable over some planning period.
Additionally, passing on assets to heirs in a tax-efficient manner is often an important planning objective for investors. Stocks and mutual fund shares held directly by the investor receive a "step-up in basis" at the investor's death, so that only gains occurring thereafter will be taxable to the heirs when the equity is eventually sold. In contrast, equities held within a variable annuity do not receive a step-up in basis—any gain over the amount invested is taxed as ordinary income.
Because the guarantees offered by variable annuities are generally not available to the funds allocated to currently-taxable investments, investors trying to minimize income taxes may be compromising their death benefits or retirement income benefits. Complicating the issue further, many actively-managed mutual funds trade very frequently with the objective of maximizing pre-tax, rather than after-tax, returns, so that currently-taxable investments may not even achieve the sought-after long-term capital gains treatment.
Life insurance carriers issuing traditional variable annuities also face a number of difficulties, including the following problems:
Declining equity markets have hurt VA sales;
Declining equity markets have also led to lower fee income, making it hard for carriers to recoup the acquisition costs of the business in force;
Many guaranteed options (such as the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB), and the Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit (GMDB)) that life insurance companies sold during the equity market run-up of the late 1990's were underpriced, and in many cases insufficient reserves were set up for these benefits. Losses on this business have harmed the bottom lines of a number of carriers; and
As regulators have become aware of these problems they have made multiple revisions to reserve and capital requirements for VA carriers, with the continuing uncertainty in this area making it difficult to develop new products or forecast financial results for existing ones. In addition to these existing problems, recently-enacted H.R. 2 makes tax-deferred products relatively less attractive, with some insurance industry analysts projecting a resulting 20% drop in annuity sales.
Life insurance distributors also face a number of problems, including the following:
Low sales resulting from weak equity performance; Carriers are retrenching on VA benefits, i.e. raising prices on previously-underpriced benefits;
There has been little product innovation recently, leaving distributors with little or no "sizzle" to sell; and
It will likely become harder to sell the ordinary income treatment of annuity withdrawals when investments held directly are taxed more favorably.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need for a variable annuity product that complements existing VA products, by permitting the investor to achieve dividend and long-term capital gains tax treatment on their retirement funds, without giving up the other benefits and guarantees of a variable annuity. There is correspondingly a long-felt need for a computer-based system to be used to price such a variable annuity product.

Computer based system for pricing tax flow-through annuity product


System and method for protecting a power converter. A system includes a threshold generator configured to generate a threshold signal, and a first comparator configured to receive the threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a comparison signal. The first signal is associated with an input current for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter. The threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude as a function of time. The threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first period, and the threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second period. The first slope and the second slope are different.

The present invention is directed to integrated circuits. More particularly, the invention provides a control system and method for over-current protection and over-power protection. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a power converter. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
Power converters are widely used for consumer electronics such as portable devices. The power converters can convert electric power from one form to another form. As an example, the electric power is transformed from alternate current (AC) to direct current (DC), from DC to AC, from AC to AC, or from DC to DC. Additionally, the power converters can convert the electric power from one voltage level to another voltage level.
The power converters include linear converters and switch-mode converters. The switch-mode converters often use pulse-width-modulated (PWM) or pulse-frequency-modulated mechanisms. These mechanisms are usually implemented with a switch-mode controller including various protection components. These components can provide over-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, over-current protection (OCP), and over-power protection (OPP). These protections can often prevent the power converters and connected circuitries from suffering permanent damage.
For example, a power converter includes a power switch and transformer winding that is in series with the power switch. The current flowing through the power switch and transformer winding may be limited by an OCP system. If the OCP system is not effective, the current can reach a level at which damage to the power switch is imminent due to excessive current and voltage stress at switching or thermal run-away during operation. For example, this current level can be reached when the output short circuit or over loading occurs. Consequently, the rectifier components on the transformer secondary side are subject to permanent damage due to excessive voltage and current stress in many offline flyback converters. Hence an effective OCP system is important for a reliable switch mode converter.
FIG. 1 is a simplified conventional switch mode converter with over-current protection. A switch mode converter 100 includes an OCP comparator 110, a PWM controller component 120, a gate driver 130, a power switch 140, resistors 150, 152, 154, and 156, and a primary winding 160. For example, the OCP comparator 110, the PWM controller component 120, and the gate driver 130 are parts of a chip 180 for PWM control. When the current of the primary winding is greater than a limiting level, the PWM controller component 120 turns off the power switch 140 and shuts down the switch mode power converter 100.
For switch mode converter, a cycle-by-cycle or pulse-by-pulse control mechanism is often used for OCP. For example, the cycle-by-cycle control scheme limits the maximum current and thus the maximum power delivered by the switch mode converter. This limitation on maximum power can protect the power converter from thermal run-away. Some conventional OCP systems use an adjustable OCP threshold value based on line input voltage, but the actual limitation on maximum current and thus maximum power is not always constant over a wide range of line input voltage. Other conventional OCP systems use additional resistors 152 and 154 that are external to the chip 180 and inserted between Vin and the resistor 150 as shown in FIG. 1. But the resistor 152 consumes significant power, which often is undesirable for meeting stringent requirements on low standby power. For example, the resistor 152 of 2 MΩ can dissipate about 70 mW with input AC voltage of 264 volts.
Hence it is highly desirable to improve techniques for over-current protection and over-power protection.

System and method providing over current and over power protection for power converter

On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.


Method and apparatus for generating an area constraint for a module in a programmable logic device (PLD) is described. In an example, first logic resources are selected in a floorplan of the PLD for implementing a first module of a circuit design. A routing resource area constraint is defined that reserves first routing resources associated with the first logic resources and second routing resources associated with second logic resources. The second routing resources are required for use of the first logic resources. A logic resource area constraint is defined that reserves the first logic resources and excludes the second logic resources. The logic resource constraint area for the module may be non-rectangular or include multiple disjoint regions.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) exist as a well-known type of integrated circuit (IC) that may be programmed by a user to perform specified logic functions. There are different types of programmable logic devices, such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). One type of programmable logic device, known as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), is very popular because of a superior combination of capacity, flexibility, time-to-market, and cost.
An FPGA typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. The CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (known as a bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells that define how the CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are configured. An FPGA may also include various dedicated logic circuits, such as memories, microprocessors, digital clock managers (DCMs), and input/output (I/O) transceivers.
Presently, a final circuit design (referenced herein as the top-level design) for a PLD may include many logic pieces (referenced herein as modules). All of the logic pieces may be implemented at one time to form a full implementation for a target PLD. Alternatively, each module may be designed and implemented separately. Implemented modules are then combined to form a full implementation for a target PLD. In addition, some PLDs support dynamic reconfiguration while active. That is, some PLDs have the ability to re-program a portion of the PLD while the rest of the PLD continues to operate normally.
In modular design flows, areas in the floorplan of the PLD are specified for module implementation. Conventionally, the areas are specified by defining a rectangular area on the floorplan of the PLD where the logic and routing of the module is to be implemented. Specifying such areas (referred to as "area constraints") may be accomplished by manual layout and/or utilizing floorplanning tools. This process has worked fairly well in the past, but has begun to yield sub-optimal use in newer PLD architectures.
Present FPGAs, for example, now incorporate special purpose logic within the fabric, such as block random access memories (BRAMs), digital signal processors (DSPs), first-in-first-out memories (FIFOs), microprocessors, and the like, as well as a whole set of specific function cores. Such special purpose logic may exist in columns throughout the fabric of the device, or may just exist by creating a "hole" in the fabric of the device. A "hole" is defined as some logic that replaces a piece of one or more columns and/or rows of the general fabric logic (e.g., CLBs). As such, it is becoming difficult to define a rectangular area that contains logic that a module implementation requires without encompassing special purpose logic or other general purpose logic interspersed in the fabric that the module does not need. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for modular circuit design for PLDs having special purpose logic in the fabric.


A disclosed cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse includes a network interface allowing the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse to communicate with a number of gaming properties and a processor configured to enable the validation of cashless instruments at a gaming property different from where the cashless instrument was generated. Methods are provided at the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse and at the gaming properties that enable cashless instrument transactions across multiple gaming properties including multi-site promotions. In addition, methods are provided at the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse that allow 1) a transfer of resources from an account at a first gaming property to an account or device at a second gaming property, 2) account information access, 3) generation of cashless transaction threads comprising a plurality of related cashless transaction, 4) awards and services based upon properties of a cashless transaction thread and 5) local resource accounts maintained at the clearinghouse.

This invention relates to game playing services for gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of utilizing cashless instruments on gaming machines.
There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be connected to a gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill validators, ticket readers, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, coin hoppers and button pads. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine or components associated with the gaming machine such as a top box which usually sits on top of the gaming machine.
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, including bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, including key pads and button pads, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play. After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game.
As technology in the gaming industry progresses, the traditional method of dispensing coins or tokens as awards for winning game outcomes is being supplemented by ticket dispensers which print ticket vouchers that may be exchanged for cash or accepted as credit of indicia in other gaming machines for additional game play. An award ticket system, which allows award ticket vouchers to be dispensed and utilized by other gaming machines, increases the operational efficiency of maintaining a gaming machine and simplifies the player pay out process. An example of an award ticket system is the EZ pay ticket system by International Game Technology of Reno, Nev. Award ticket systems and systems using other cashless mediums are referred to as cashless systems.
Cashless systems, such as the EZ pay ticket system, provide advantages to both game players and casino operators. For example, many players find it more convenient to carry an award ticket than a large number of coins. For gaming machine operators cashless systems tend to reduce gaming machine operating costs. For example, the infrastructure needed to remove and count indicia of credit (e.g. coins, tokens, bills) from the gaming machine may be eliminated or minimized when it is replaced with a cashless system, which reduces the gaming machine operating costs. Further, coin dust, which is potentially damaging to the components of the gaming machine (e.g. electronic components) may be eliminated or minimized when coin acceptors are replaced with the cashless system.
Currently, cashless systems have become very popular and have been embraced by customers. For example, ticket vouchers that are generated upon cashout and redeemed for cash or gaming machine credits within a particular casino are well accepted by game players. However, the ticket vouchers are only redeemable at the casino or the local property where the ticket was generated. Thus, the customer is not allowed to take the ticket voucher generated at one casino property and redeem the ticket voucher at another casino property. The limited redemption capabilities of cashless systems, including ticket vouchers, may be undesirable to an entertainment corporation that owns multiple casino properties. The entertainment corporation may desire that their customers have the ability to take a ticket voucher generated in one property to any of the other properties owned by the entertainment corporation.
Also, multi-site cashless capabilities may be desirable for an area or region such as the Las Vegas strip where a customer could cash out in casino A where a ticket voucher is generated. The customer could then take this ticket down the Las Vegas strip and into casino B where it could be inserted into a gaming machine's bill acceptor and redeemed for credit. In this example, casino A and casino B may or may not be owned by the same entertainment corporation. This type of multi-site validation capability is not possible with current cashless systems. Thus, in view of the above, it would be desirable to provide apparatus and methods for cashless systems that allow a cashless medium, including an award ticket voucher, generated at one site using one type of cashless system to be validated at a second site using the same or a different cashless system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The failure rate of the mounting structure for mounting the induction coil modules in an induction furnace is reduced by replacing the normal rigid supporting rods used to secure the induction coil modules to the furnace housing or frame with flexible mounting members. The flexible mounting members include a length of flexible material such as steel cable. Apparatus, such as a threaded rod, for securing the mounting member to the furnace housing is secured, as by swedging, to one end of the flexible material. Apparatus, such as a clevis, for securing the mounting member to the induction coil module is secured, as by swedging, to the other end of the flexible material.

1. Field
This invention is in the field of suspending an electrical coil module of an induction furnace in the induction furnace.
2. State of the Art
Induction furnaces are used for many purposes, the main function being heating slab, plate, or ingot steel in steel mills world wide. The furnace can be of many shapes to encompass the size of shapes being heated. The steel shape, generally a slab, plate, or ingot, is run down a roll line where the induction furnace is installed so they pass through the induction coils of the furnace. These slabs, plates, or ingots have cooled down after initial manufacture or casting and must be brought up to a higher temperature in order to facilitate additional manufacturing processes such as rolling, bending, shearing, coiling, etc. The temperature of these pieces must be increased very quickly. This is done inside the induction furnace as each piece proceeds along the roll line through the induction coils inside the furnace. Extreme heat is generated by inducing electrical currents in the steel slab, plate, or ingot by introducing large amount of electrical current into the induction coils via high capacity electrical connections. The coils are supported in coil modules in a furnace housing by rigid support rods secured between the coil modules and the housing. Generally there is a spring mounting of the rods to the furnace housing to absorb vibration.
During the heating process, the coils of the induction furnace are subject to a great amount of vibration caused by cycling of the electrical current. In newer high power furnaces this vibration causes breakage to occur in the support rods connecting the coil modules to the furnace housing and support frame. This breakage occurs after repeated use and usually when one connection fails others will follow until total collapse of an induction coil module occurs resulting in down time of the furnace as well as the whole steel mill roll line and accompanying production capacity. The furnace must be turned off and the induction coil module that has failed removed for immediate rebuilding involving high cost and 24 hour crew loadings. Often times adjacent induction coil modules are also found to be in a state of failure resulting in additional down time and loss of revenue. There is no reliable way to detect or forecast a failure to the connection mechanism of the coil modules to the furnace housing due to massive layers of insulation and sprayed on coating over the modules after the mechanical connections are made during manufacture or repair. Failure is only detected by operators detecting a different sound or by the loose module shorting out and shutting down the system. The operator then has to determine which coil or coils have failed and remove them from the system for repair. Investigation of the failed connections in one steel mill reveals that stress cracking occurs in various places including the support rods and the fasteners securing the support rods to the induction coils. Various remedies have been tried with little appreciable improvement including heavier fasteners, different grades of steel support rods, and varying the electrical current and the on and off cycles of the coils.

Method and apparatus for securing induction coils in an induction furnace


A metallization surface (5), which acts as an etching stop layer during the production of openings (4) in a passivation layer (3) applied to its upper face and protects an interconnect structure (6) arranged underneath it, is arranged in an uppermost metallization level (1). A further opening is produced in the metal surface (5), through which a focused ion beam is aimed at the interconnect structure (6) in order to connect interconnects to one another and/or to interrupt at least one interconnect. The wiring of the integrated circuit can thus be varied individually, starting from identically produced semiconductor chips.

In semiconductor technology, it is often necessary to change the circuitry of the integrated electronic circuits on semiconductor chips retrospectively to a certain extent. These may be changes that affect only those circuit components that are provided for test purposes. The design of the circuit should thus be as flexible as possible in order to make it possible to produce the required variants of the wiring without any fundamental change to the component structure. It is thus particularly desirable to design the wiring that is provided in the metallization levels on the upper face of the semiconductor chip so that it can be varied in such a way that circuit parts can be adapted to different functions of the circuit with relatively minor modifications. In particular, it is thus possible to activate different test circuits or to provide alternative circuit functions during the production of the semiconductor chips.
However, the flexible circuit design leads to these circuits, including the intended alternatives, occupying more space on the semiconductor chip than is the case with an electronic circuit that is restricted to one specific method of operation. The greater the number of options that are kept open, the larger the surface area required for the circuit generally is.
One possible way to design the electrical connections of the circuit components from the semiconductor chip to be flexible is to make use of the capability to interrupt interconnects, or to electrically conductively connect interconnect ends to one another, by means of so-called fuses and anti-fuses. In the case of interconnects, which are in the form of structures in metallization levels, interruptions can be produced in an interconnect, for example, by using a laser beam, by means of which a part of the metallic interconnect is removed. However, the laser beam can interrupt only relatively coarse interconnect structures, so that a relatively large amount of surface area is consumed for a fuse implementation such as this.
The semiconductor components are generally connected in two or more metallization levels, which are arranged on the semiconductor body, are in each case structured, and are separated from one another by intermediate dielectrics. One variation of the connection of the integrated circuit components can also be provided by designing this connection in such a way that, by changing the structure, only a small number of metallization levels, and preferably only a single metallization level, can be used to provide the required different circuit functions by using an appropriately modified structuring mask. However, this is dependent on at least one mask being designed differently for the semiconductor chips that are processed on the same wafer, or on the relevant masks being replaced when changing the processed wafers. It is generally impossible to retrospectively change the interconnect structure in the metallization levels, since interconnects can be arranged in the upper metallization levels, which must never be removed or even only damaged.

Semiconductor chip with metallization levels, and a method for formation in interconnect structures


Stain on sheet steel is removed by providing a solution of buffered chelating agent and applying the same to the sheet steel during processing and prior to coiling.

A special steel widely used in many of the industries is sheet steel. Sheet steel is used in automobiles, appliances, and similar goods. It is manufactured in primary mills. Also scrap steel from vehicles, refrigerators and other sources is used in secondary mills with additional iron ore and coke to form more steel, including sheet steel.
It is a problem, especially in the primary mills, to produce a sheet steel free and clear of corrosion and stain. Customers are more and more demanding in that they desire efficiently produced, and clean sheet steel. This combination of requirements is extremely difficult to obtain. In the processing of sheet steel, any delay or slow down results in stain or other undesirable material being formed on the sheet steel.
It is an uneconomical and an inefficient use of resources to simply discard this steel or to forward it for reprocessing as has been done in the past. It is very desirable to process the steel and avoid the stain in the first place. Such a procedure for treating sheet steel is extremely difficult to carry out. Yet, in this process, difficulty is caused by the high speed processing and the reduced time for achieving these desired results. It is very desirable to develop a process for removing the stain from sheet steel during the course of manufacturing in a simplified efficient fashion.
Such a simplified, efficient process of removing stain from sheet steel is difficult to obtain. While many compositions are known to remove the stain from steel in other forms, it is extremely difficult to apply the compositions and remove the stain from sheet steel at high speed.
By achieving such removal at high speed, inefficiencies can result. Where such stain removal is achieved by the process of the prior art, it is done at a slower pace or with environmentally hazardous materials. It is very desirable to achieve this stain removal quickly, yet in an environmentally efficient fashion and avoid such stain reforming on the sheet steel. It is further desirable that the waste therefrom be environmentally neutral and easily disposable. Accordingly, if the development of a process or composition to accomplish these goals is achieved, great advantages are obtained both for environmental needs and other societal needs.
Hot rolled sheet steel processed on high speed coil lines (FIG. 1), when pickled with hydrochloric acid suffers from iron and chloride staining. Hot rolled sheet steel must be pickled to remove the scale that is formed during the hot rolling process. The scale is an oxide that is predominantly ferric oxide. However, the stains occur after the pickling tanks used in this sheet steel process, and in the subsequent rinse sections during line stops where residual iron and chloride ions react with and precipitate onto the sheet steel.
The composition of the stain varies with its proximity to the pickle tanks. Predominantly the stain comprises of ferrous and ferric hydroxides. There are also ferrous and ferric chlorides present. The percentage of ferrous and ferric chlorides present in the stain gradually increases as the stain nears the pickle section. While in the past, primary producers of sheet steel did not find these stains detrimental, these stains are now a major problem.
An increasing percentage of the hot rolled sheet steel is designated for commercial use. The commercial hot rolled sheet steel, which is stained, is usually sent to a service pickling company. This service company buys and pickles the hot rolled sheet steel before it is sold to the end users.
The service pickler buys the stained coils at a discounted price. Then, in turn, that service pickler sells the repickled coils at commercial prices. The service pickler does not experience the "staining" problem to the extent of the primary producer, because the service pickler runs the line at substantially lower line speeds.
The pricing differential between the primary producer's discounted price and the service pickler's commercial price causes the impetus for the primary producer to compete in this market. The widening price differential is greatly due to increases in costs of transporting and reprocessing of the stained coils. The primary producers need to find another way to produce this portion of the commerical grade hot rolled sheet steel within their own production facilities. Current technology does not allow for maximum capacity to produce a commercial grade hot rolled sheet steel. Producers must slow the high speed coil lines down from about 400 meters per minute to about 60 meters per minute to prevent the line stops, which create staining.
The line stops occur due to welding and cutting operations. The high speed coil lines are continuous coil lines. At the beginning of the process, the sheet steel coils are welded to the previous coil. At the end of the process, the steel coils are cut from the continuous steel strip. The high speed coil lines have sections to take up coil so that during welding and cutting operations there is enough sheet steel in the system to keep the strip moving through the pickling and rinse sections and to prevent stops. However at speeds of about 400 meters per minute there is not enough accumulated coil to prevent a line stop.
The user of proprietary chemicals attempts to minimize staining of the sheet steel. Chelating chemicals can form soluble complexes with iron ions in the rinse water, thus preventing the formation of iron precipitates. When the rinse water dilutes the residual acid film after pickling and its pH rises to about pH 6.0, hydrated iron oxides precipitate on the ferrous surface of the sheet steel. Wetting agents can aid in the removal of acid residues and minimize hydrochloric acid pickle carry over due to the wetting agents effect to produce thinner surface films on the sheet steel. The thinner films will contain less iron and chloride ions, which in turn reduces the extent of the stain formed during line stops.
The efficiency of the stain removing chemicals are directly related to rinsing techniques. Residual chloride ions contribute to the formation of the stain. The chloride ions are present due to the hydrochloric acid carry over. Rinsing is of major importance in order to remove these residual chloride ions. The rinsability of chloride ions are achieved by the method of rinsing (spray, immersion, or a combination of both), spray pressure and flow, and spray pattern Also, the use of squeegee rolls and their placement are critical for better rinsing. All of these rinsing techniques for high speed coil lines effect chloride removal. However, none of these techniques are completely effective at removing all of the chloride ions that help to create the stain.
Formulations designed to prevent iron and chloride staining are not effective due to pickle line configurations. This is especially true in areas of the pickle line before and after the squeegees, and the inaccessible areas of the sheet steel, which cannot be rinsed because of their proximity to the pickle tanks.
Known in the art is a method of removing iron- and copper- containing scale from the interior metal surface of a boiler utilizing an admixture of polycarboxylic acids and phosphonic acids and their salts thereof. Scale is also removed from steam boilers, petrochemical process equipment, feedwater heaters and associated piping, and in various types of pressure vessels, such as high pressure steam generating equipment utilized in electric power generation and other applications, in which water is circulated and heat transfer occurs. These metallic surfaces are internal parts of process equipment. Such treatments are used to restore the efficiency of the process equipment by removing the scale, as a maintenance procedure.
The characteristics of stain and scale also differ with regard to composition and creation Stain is the steel industry's jargon for hydrated ferrous and ferric oxides, and ferrous and ferric chlorides. The scale may also include cuprous and cupric oxides, and water-soluble salts such as calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide.
The stain is produced on sheet steel in a relatively short time (less than 15 minutes) when the hydrochloric acid pickle line stops. During line stops the stain is formed from residual ferrous and ferric chlorides that remain on the sheet steel surface after hydrochloric acid pickling. When the rinse water dilutes the residual acid film left on the surface, and its pH rises to about pH 6.0, hydrated iron oxides can form and can be left on the surface as an insoluble precipitate. This flash rusting or staining may occur especially in the first rinse stage at low line speeds, or if the sheet steel dries out during line stops.
The formation of scale is only similar to the formation of stain in so much that both are formed due to the phenomenon of insolubility, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,528, incorporated herein by reference. The primary reason for scale formation is the fact that the solubilities of the scale-forming salts decrease with increases in temperature and concentrations. When feedwater is elevated to boiler water temperature and concentrations, the solubility of the scale forming salts is exceeded. Scale forms by one or a combination of the following mechanisms.
1) The improper precipitation of relatively insoluble feedwater hardness compounds (for example, calcium carbonate precipitating at the metal surface by the following possible mechanism): EQU 2 Ca(HCO.sub.3).sub.2 +Heat, yields, EQU 2 CaCO.sub.3 +2 H.sub.2 O+2 CO.sub.2.
2) The supersaturation, or crystallization, of relatively soluble dissolved solids (CaSO.sub.4,SiO.sub.2) in water contacting heat transfer surfaces. This undesired coating on the sheet steel is usually a mixture of calcium sulfate and silicon dioxide (CaSO.sub.4,SiO.sub.2).
3) The accumulation of corrosion products (iron and copper oxides) or other suspended matter in the feedwater with subsequent deposition on the high heat transfer metal surfaces.
This complex or group of complexes is very stable. Such stability makes it hard to dissolve or otherwise remove the complexes as desired.

Composition and process for treating sheet steel


A vehicle braking system including a brake structure defining an annular surface; an annular magnet support disposed adjacent to the annular surface; a plurality of permanent magnets mounted on the magnet support and circumferentially spaced apart thereon, the polarities of the plurality of permanent magnets alternating circumferentially and each permanent magnet having circumferentially spaced apart end portions of substantially equal cross-sectional area joined by a middle portion of substantially smaller cross-sectional area; an annular pole piece support; and a plurality of ferromagnetic pole pieces mounted on the pole piece support and circumferentially spaced apart in positions between the annular surface and the permanent magnets, each pole piece having a circumferential length substantially equal to the circumferential length of a radially adjacent permanent magnet. Also included is an adjustment mechanism for producing relative angular movement between the magnet support and the pole piece support so as to change the circumferential alignment between the pole pieces and the permanent magnets.

This invention relates generally to a braking system for use principally on a large vehicle and, more particularly to an eddy-current type retarder for assisting a friction brake.
An eddy-current type retardation device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 298948/1989 is illustrated in FIG. 13. In that device a ring 14 supports a plurality of permanent magnets 14A circumferentially spaced apart at a uniform pitch and arranged within a brake drum 7 connected to a rotational shaft, and the polarities of the permanent magnets facing the brake drum being alternately different. Between the brake drum and the magnet ring is a non-magnetic, rotatable ring 10 retaining pole pieces 15 having substantially the same area as the permanent magnets and circumferentially spaced at the same pitch.
When the pole pieces 15 are moved to positions directly adjacent to the permanent magnets 14A, a magnetic field is directed thereby through the pole pieces to act on the brake drum 7. Accordingly, an eddy current flows in the brake drum, producing a braking torque. However, when the pole pieces are rotated into positions (FIG. 13) wherein each pole piece 15 is directly adjacent to two magnets 14A circumferentially adjacent to each other, a magnetic closed circuit y is produced passing through the adjacent permanent magnets, the pole piece adjacent thereto and the magnet support ring 14. Consequently, the magnetic field applied to the brake drum is significantly weakened, and the braking torque received becomes extremely small.
However, in the above system a problem is presented by magnetic flux Z that leaks from the center portions of the permanent magnets 14A not covered by an adjacent pole piece 15. That leakage flux acts on the brake drum producing an undesirable dragging torque. If the thickness of the control cylinder is increased in order to minimize magnetic leakage flux from the permanent magnets to the brake drum, the entire device increases in weight, and a spacing between the permanent magnets and the brake drum is increased. Consequently, the magnetic field which permeates the pole pieces from the permanent magnets and reaches the brake drum at the time of braking decreases and the braking torque is diminished.
The above problems are to some extent obviated by a braking system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,183. However, for an equal degree of braking, that system requires the use of twice as many permanent magnets.
The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an eddy current type retardation device which without increased weight or additional permanent magnets substantially eliminates magnetic leakage flux during non-braking periods and generates high braking torque during braking periods.


The present invention relates to an improved tripod (1) having three legs (2) substantially at 120° each other, said legs being coupled above by a connection element (3) for fixing a camera or television camera, each leg being provided with three stages (2′, 2″, 2′″), movable telescopically each other, respectively a first stage (2′) or upper stage, a second stage (2″) or central stage and a third stage (2′″) or lower stage, said first stage (2′) being fixed above to said connection element (3) for fixing camera or television camera, being it possible positioning said legs (2) grouped centrally or spread out, said two positions being obtainable both with stages of the legs (2) collected and totally or partially extended, said tripod (1) being characterised in that a blocking/release lever (4) is provided on each leg (2), said lever (4) being provided in correspondence of the upper portion of the second stage (2″), said lever (4) being operable according to a substantially vertical direction and acting on blocking/release means between the first stage (2′) and the second stage (2″) and on blocking/release means between the second stage (2″) and the third stage (2′″), being further provided tension rod means (8) between said lever (4) and said third stage (2′″), said tension rod means (8), actuated by said lever (4), interacting with said blocking/release means between the second stage (2″) and the third stage (2′″), sliding each other between second stage (2″) and third stage (2′″) occurring only after the full opening of the second stage (2″) with respect to the first stage (2′).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved tripod.
More specifically, the invention concerns a tripod, particularly studied for supporting television cameras and cameras, provided with a mechanism permitting a very easy and safe opening by a single movement.
2. Brief Description of the Art
Many different kinds of tripods have been realised during the last decades, to be used for supporting television cameras and cameras.
Among the known solutions, it is possible mentioning those realised by firms Sachtler, O'Connor, Baker, Sherwin and Manfrotto.
For example, a telescopic tripod is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,835 assigned to Sachtler, said tripod providing a blocking lever that, by a lateral rotation action, permits obtaining releasing and blocking of mechanisms of the different stages of tripod.
Lateral movement of the blocking lever is not safe since it can be easily unintentionally actuated, for example by the interference of an electric cable. It further requires the use of rather complex mechanism for moving the different stages, requiring a difficult adjustment of the different sliding blocking elements.
Another example of known solution is that described in Sherwin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,482. the solution described provides a quick opening tripod with a plurality of blocking devices for each leg and for each stage. Said invention provides that blocking and releasing element for the different telescopic portions of each leg is comprised of a foldable retaining element connected with each leg. This element acts freeing telescopic sections when is displaced with respect to the leg and stops it when it reaches the horizontal position. Operation of these devices is simple, but it is bound to the perfect symmetry of the tripod opening; otherwise, the opening of only one leg is obtained, or stops of opening of the single legs with different heights.
In this context, it is included the solution suggested according to the present invention, permitting realising a tripod suitable to support television cameras and cameras, including at least three telescopic sections for each one of the three legs, said sections being actuated by a single fixing lever for each leg.


The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for IP mobility management for persistent connections. Without affecting the applications on the network domain, it provides for domain hand-off for a mobile node so that the mobile node can maintain the persistent connection. The mobility management apparatus may comprise a Mobility-Aware Socket module (MAS) and one or more mobility management servers. Each mobility management server communicates with a corresponding mobile node. When a mobile node roams from a first network domain to a second network domain, the mobile node and its target mobile nodes execute the MAS module to support the mobility management for persistent connections through their corresponding mobility management servers.

As the wireless network, such as 802.11/WLAN, 802.16/WiMAX, is widely available in the public network and enterprise network, the use of wireless network to provide packet switching voice, voice over IP, or multimedia services has become an inexpensive and convenient option for personal mobile communication.
The wireless network system is usually based on IP, and provides wireless network access through the extension of wireless network access point/base station. The core network includes one or more servers for assisting in establishing connections. The connections can be voice, video, or multimedia. The mobile node can communicate with the node in the internet.
However, the development of conventional applications was usually based on a fixed network, and rarely took the wireless network environment into account. For mobile nodes, the application usually assumes the operation in a wired network. When a mobile node switches between different networks, the application will change IP address because of the network interface switch or network environment change. That is, when a mobile node moves out of the home network into a foreign network, the mobile node must obtain a new IP address from the foreign network, which causes the interruption of the original connection.
If an internet application does not take the mobility management in a wireless network into account, the original connection may be interrupted when the mobile node switches between different networks. In this case, the user is required to re-establish the connection, or modifies/replaces application to support mobility management.
WIPO Patent No. WO0131472 disclosed a mobility management protocol for the third generation internet protocol (3G-IP) to support the real time and non-real time multimedia application on mobile nodes. The technology adopts and extends the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to provide the macro mobility of domain hand-off and sub-net hand-off so that a user can use the mobile node for network access at any place when the user is roaming in different 3G-IP networks.
This technology also supports transmission control protocol (TCP) application with mobility without changing TCP protocol. When a mobile node moves, the INVITE and INFO of SIP are used for IP binding and user identification. The REGISTER of SIP is used for obtaining a new IP address from dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server. In the mean time, an agent called SIP_EYE is used for maintaining the TCP connection on the mobile platform.
This technology disclosed in the patent document supports SIP-based applications, but provides no solutions for general application. Also, when both ends of the 3G-IP environment are mobile nodes, this technology may not support simultaneous mobility.

Apparatus and method of IP mobility management for persistent connections

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type regions architectures, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell can include a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first doped region of a first conductivity type, wherein the first doped region is disposed in a first portion of the back surface. A first thin dielectric layer disposed over the back surface of the substrate, where a portion of the first thin dielectric layer is disposed over the first doped region of the first conductivity type. A first semiconductor layer disposed over the first thin dielectric layer. A second doped region of a second conductivity type in the first semiconductor layer, where the second doped region is disposed over a second portion of the back surface. A first conductive contact disposed over the first doped region and a second conductive contact disposed over the second doped region.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, commonly known as solar cells, are devices for conversion of solar radiation into electrical energy. Generally, solar radiation impinging on the surface of, and entering into, the substrate of a solar cell creates electron and hole pairs in the bulk of the substrate. The electron and hole pairs migrate to p-doped and n-doped regions in the substrate, thereby creating a voltage differential between the doped regions. The doped regions are connected to the conductive regions on the solar cell to direct an electrical current from the cell to an external circuit. When PV cells are combined in an array such as a PV module, the electrical energy collected from all of the PV cells can be combined in series and parallel arrangements to provide power with a certain voltage and current.
Efficiency is an important characteristic of a solar cell as it is directly related to the capability of the solar cell to generate power. Likewise, efficiency in producing solar cells is directly related to the cost effectiveness of such solar cells. Accordingly, techniques for increasing the efficiency of solar cells, or techniques for increasing the efficiency in the manufacture of solar cells, are generally desirable. Some embodiments of the present disclosure allow for increased solar cell manufacture efficiency by providing novel processes for fabricating solar cell structures. Some embodiments of the present disclosure allow for increased solar cell efficiency by providing novel solar cell structures.

Solar cells with differentiated P-type and N-type region architectures


An object of the present invention is to provide a composition that realizes high Δn, has a wide liquid crystal phase temperature range, small viscosity, excellent low-temperature solubility, and high resistivity and voltage holding ratio, and is stable against heat and light, and to provide a liquid crystal composition having an excellent lens effect and excellent chemical stability using the composition, and a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal lens that use the liquid crystal composition. The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition that contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (i) and one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (ii), a liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal lens using the liquid crystal composition, and a birefringence lens for stereoscopic image display using the liquid crystal composition.

In recent years, display devices that realize stereo display are gathering much attention. Stereo display involves displaying a left-eye image and a right-eye image that have parallax with respect to each other (have different perspectives), and a viewer viewing the images with his/her right and left eyes can recognize a 3D image with a depth. Also developed are display devices capable of presenting more natural 3D images to viewers by providing three or more images with parallax.
Such display devices are roughly categorized into those that require special eyeglasses and those that do not; however, viewers find special eyeglasses bothersome, and display devices that do not require special eyeglasses are desirable. Examples of the display devices that do not require special eyeglasses include parallax barrier-type and lenticular lens-type devices. According to these types of displays, two or more images (perspective images) that have parallax with respect to one another are displayed simultaneously so that the image a viewer sees differs depending on the relative positional relationship (angle) between the display device and the viewer's perspective. For example, a parallax barrier-type display device that uses a liquid crystal element as a barrier has been disclosed.
Typically, these devices are placed between a liquid crystal display device that displays images and a viewer viewing the images so that switching between 2D display and 3D display is conducted by turning the liquid crystal element ON and OFF.
Since the liquid crystal display device for display switching is placed between a liquid crystal display device for display and a viewer, the liquid crystal display device for display switching needs to be thin and is required to have a high birefringence (Δn). Moreover, a liquid crystal display device for display switching is bonded to a liquid crystal display device for display with a polymer material; however, the bonding step is carried out by applying UV to the liquid crystal display device for display switching, a polymerizable composition, and the liquid crystal display device for display from the side of the liquid crystal display device for display switching. Thus, the liquid crystal composition used in the liquid crystal display device for display switching must have strong resistance to UV irradiation.
However, first of all, it is difficult to adjust Δn to a desired value; furthermore, it has been extremely difficult to develop a liquid crystal composition that has strong resistance to UV irradiation in addition to the required Δn and practicable values for other physical properties such as viscosity.

Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device using the same