A device for controlling the air flow from an air outlet of a heating and/or ventilation and/or air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle. The air outlet has an air discharge opening which is for discharging air into an inner vehicle space and over which there extends at least one elongate slat which can be pivoted about a longitudinal axis in order to influence an air flow flowing through the air discharge opening and whose pivot position can be adjusted by at least one adjustment mechanism which is coupled to the slat. At least one actuation mechanism, which is fitted to a vehicle seat when the vehicle seat is mounted in the inner vehicle space, moves into mechanical operational engagement with the adjustment mechanism and brings about an adjustment of the at least one slat in accordance with a position of the vehicle seat with respect to the inner vehicle space.

The term air outlet, such as an air register, or register for short, is used in motor vehicles to refer to a component for discharging and directing a controlled quantity of ambient air or heated or cooled air in the inner vehicle space. The intensity of the discharged air flow may, for example, be adjusted by use of a fan which is arranged upstream of the air outlet.
Generally, an air outlet contains a form of grid which is in most cases formed by a number of adjustable slats, also referred to as air baffles, ribs or vanes by use of which the flow direction of the air flow discharged from an air discharge opening of the air outlet can be varied. The adjustment of the slats is generally carried out manually by use of slides which are arranged on groups of slats or by use of adjustment wheels which are arranged beside the groups of slats. Air outlets with non-adjustable slats are also known, in which the air flow direction generally cannot be varied.
In the inner vehicle space, generally a plurality of air outlets are arranged so as to be distributed over the width of the instrument panel, for example, one on the left and right and one or two in the center in order to be able to comply with the individual requirements of different vehicle occupants in terms of ventilation, heating and cooling. Furthermore, it is known to fit air outlets in the floor, side and roof region of the inner vehicle space, wherein these air outlets may have non-adjustable, fixedly arranged or also adjustable slats.
For example, KR 100222889 B1 discloses an air-conditioning system for a vehicle. The vehicle has two seats which are arranged one behind the other with respect to the vehicle travel direction. Between the front and the rear vehicle seat, in the floor region an additional air outlet with adjustable slats is provided in order to also be able to supply vehicle occupants sitting on the rear vehicle seat with air from the air-conditioning system.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0038774 A1 (also DE 10 2008 034 167 A1) further discloses an air-conditioning system which is for a vehicle having at least three seat rows and which has air outlets arranged on the instrument panel, in the roof and in the foot or floor region of an inner vehicle space.
A similar system for air distribution of an air-conditioning system of a vehicle in the inner space thereof is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,578 B2, wherein there is additionally also described a vehicle seat which is connected via a flexible air guiding channel to the air distributor system of the air-conditioning system so that the air can also be blown through the seat and back cushion of the vehicle seat and in this manner supplied to a vehicle occupant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,301 B1 further discloses a floor mat for an inner vehicle space which has air distribution channels and floor-side air outlets which are connected thereto in order to be able to supply air to vehicle occupants both in a first and in a second seat row.
An air channel extension which can be subsequently connected to an existing air outlet in an inner vehicle space of a vehicle having an air outlet which is provided with adjustable slats is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,955 B1. Using the extension, for example, it is possible for air to be directed from a front-seat-side air outlet to a rear seat row and supplied in a selective manner to a vehicle occupant sitting at that location.
GB 444 470 A further describes a ventilation device for a vehicle which has air guiding channels which are arranged in or below the vehicle floor and which directs air to air outlets arranged below vehicle seats and/or in vehicle side walls.
Against this background, it would be desirable to provide a device which is improved with regard to the comfort for vehicle occupants for controlling the air flow from an air outlet of a heating and/or ventilation and/or air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, it would be desirable for the device to be simple to construct and cost-effective to produce.

Device for controlling the air discharge from an air outlet


Microporous materials of low acidity useful as sorbents and catalytic supports have been produced by pillaring tetrasilicic mica with silica polyoxocations generated by hydrolysis of organosilane precursors. Calcination at an intermediate temperature followed by washing of the solid with water is important in producing highly microporous material.

Oxide-pillared clays are well known as microporous materials that can serve as catalysts and catalyst supports for a variety of hydrocarbon reactions. By varying the composition of either the oxide pillars or the clay layers, new materials with desired properties can be produced. A useful material would be a pillared clay with little or no acidity that could be used as a sorbent or as a support for noble metal catalysts. Applicants have produced such a pillared clay. As used herein clays are intended to include micas.
Additionally, applicants' method of preparing the pillared clay of the instant invention significantly increases its surface area and microporosity, making the materials more desirable for use as catalysts, catalyst supports, and sorbents.


Apparatus and methods for implementing software protection using code overlapping are disclosed. In one implementation, a combination block comprising a first sub-block of instructions with one or more interspersed obfuscation instructions is received. The obfuscation instructions interspersed among sequentially executable instructions of the first sub-block of instructions can include instructions from other sub-blocks as well as control instructions configured to guide a processor to execute all of the instructions in first sub-block of instructions in sequence. The obfuscation instructions are replaced with one or more replacement instructions. The replacement instructions can be of a same bit-length as the replaced obfuscation instructions. Moreover, the replacement instructions can include integrity checks configured to check for tampering with instructions and/or runtime program state in the first sub-block and/or the combination block.

Piracy of digital content, such as software and media files, is a prevalent issue in modern computer systems and networks. One way of preventing piracy of digital content is the creation of tamper resistant software. Tamper resistant software is created by embedding a protection code in a program code of the software, with the protection code allowing execution or access of digital content in the software only if a license associated with the digital content is found to be valid.
By embedding the protection code in the program code of the software, attackers can be prevented from simply removing a separate protection code module, thus leaving the program code unprotected.

Self-checking code for tamper-resistance based on code overlapping


A transistor, e.g., field effect transistor FET, ringing adjustment circuit and method comprising the measuring of a voltage from a transistor (e.g., a node of a FET) during the transistor turning on and turning off, determining the voltage oscillation in the measured voltage by performing a derivative function on the measured voltage and detecting a switch in a voltage change rate from positive to negative or negative to positive, and comparing the voltage change rate after the detected switch to adjust drive current applied to the transistor to optimize efficiency while minimizing voltage oscillation and ringing.

A transistor, such as a field effect transistor (FET), is turned on or off after a drive current is applied. The drive current may be applied to a gate of a FET to turn on the FET. Sudden application of the drive current creates a voltage oscillation that may lead to unwanted electromagnetic (EM) emission. The size of the drive current is positively correlated with the frequency of the voltage oscillation. Accordingly, the higher the drive current applied to the FET, the higher the probability of a high frequency voltage oscillation and unintended EM emission.
The size of the drive current, however, is also positively correlated with the speed of the FET. In other words, the higher the drive current, the faster the FET can be turned on and off. In order to balance operational efficiency and speed with unwanted ringing caused by a voltage oscillation, the drive current may be manually tuned to achieve an optimal efficiency while maintaining EM emission within an acceptable range. For instance, the drive current may be manually tuned to find an optimum gate current for a FET to power on and off a motor.
A change in a system or parts used with the FET, or temperature, however, changes the parasitic inductance or capacitance of the overall system that affects the voltage oscillation. This, in turn, warps the balance achieved by the manual tuning of a drive current to the FET.

Transistor ringing adjustment circuit and method


The invention relates to synthetic peptide amide ligands of the kappa opioid receptor and particularly to agonists of the kappa opioid receptor that exhibit low P450 CYP inhibition and low penetration into the brain. The synthetic peptide amides of the invention conform to the structure of formula I:

Kappa opioid receptors have been suggested as targets for intervention for treatment or prevention of a wide array of diseases and conditions by administration of kappa opioid receptor agonists. See for example, Jolivalt et al., Diabetologia, 49(11):2775-85; Epub Aug. 19, 2006), describing efficacy of asimadoline, a kappa receptor agonist in rodent diabetic neuropathy; and Bileviciute-Ljungar et al., Eur. J. Pharm. 494:139-46 (2004) describing the efficacy of kappa agonist U-50,488 in the rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain and the blocking of its effects by the opioid antagonist, naloxone. These observations support the use of kappa opioid receptor agonists for treatment of diabetic, viral and chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. The use of kappa receptor agonists for treatment or prevention of visceral pain including gynecological conditions such as dysmenorrheal cramps and endometriosis has also been reviewed. See for instance, Riviere, Br. J. Pharmacol. 141:1331-4 (2004).
Kappa opioid receptor agonists have also been proposed for the treatment of pain, including hyperalgesia. Hyperalgesia is believed to be caused by changes in the milieu of the peripheral sensory terminal occur secondary to local tissue damage. Tissue damage (e.g., abrasions, burns) and inflammation can produce significant increases in the excitability of polymodal nociceptors (C fibers) and high threshold mechanoreceptors (Handwerker et al. (1991) Proceeding of the VIth World Congress on Pain, Bond et al., eds., Elsevier Science Publishers BV, pp. 59-70; Schaible et al. (1993) Pain 55:5-54). This increased excitability and exaggerated responses of sensory afferents is believed to underlie hyperalgesia, where the pain response is the result of an exaggerated response to a stimulus. The importance of the hyperalgesic state in the post-injury pain state has been repeatedly demonstrated and appears to account for a major proportion of the post-injury/inflammatory pain state. See for example, Woold et al. (1993) Anesthesia and Analgesia 77:362-79; Dubner et al. (1994) In, Textbook of Pain, Melzack et al., eds., Churchill-Livingstone, London, pp. 225-242.
Kappa opioid receptors have been suggested as targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. See for example, Wu et al. "Cardioprotection of Preconditioning by Metabolic Inhibition in the Rat Ventricular Myocyte—Involvement of kappa Opioid Receptor" (1999) Circulation Res vol. 84: pp. 1388-1395. See also Yu et al. "Anti-Arrhythmic Effect of kappa Opioid Receptor Stimulation in the Perfused Rat Heart: Involvement of a cAMP-Dependent Pathway" (1999) J Mol Cell Cardiol. vol. 31(10): pp. 1809-1819.
It has also been found that development or progression of these diseases and conditions involving neurodegeneration or neuronal cell death can be prevented, or at least slowed, by treatment with kappa opioid receptor agonists. This improved outcome is believed to be due to neuroprotection by the kappa opioid receptor agonists. See for instance, Kaushik et al. "Neuroprotection in Glaucoma" (2003) J. Postgraduate Medicine vol. 49 (1): pp. 90-95.
The presence of kappa opioid receptors on immune cells (Bidlak et al., (2000) Clin. Diag. Lab. Immunol. 7(5):719-723) has been implicated in the inhibitory action of a kappa opioid receptor agonist, which has been shown to suppress HIV-1 expression. See Peterson P K et al., Biochem Pharmacol. 2001, 61(19):1145-51.
Walker, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 521:148-60 (2003) appraised the anti-inflammatory properties of kappa agonists for treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and eczema. Bileviciute-Ljungar et al., Rheumatology 45:295-302 (2006) describe the reduction of pain and degeneration in Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis by the kappa agonist U-50,488.
Wikstrom et al., J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 16:3742-7 (2005) describes the use of the kappa agonist, TRK-820 for treatment of uremic and opiate-induced pruritis, and Ko et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 305:173-9 (2003) describe the efficacy of U-50,488 in morphine-induced pruritis in the monkey.
Application of peripheral opioids including kappa agonists for treatment of gastrointestinal diseases has also been extensively reviewed. See for example, Lembo, Diges. Dis. 24:91-8 (2006) for a discussion of use of opioids in treatment of digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ileus, and functional dyspepsia.
Ophthalmic disorders, including ocular inflammation and glaucoma have also been shown to be addressable by kappa opioids. See Potter et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 309:548-53 (2004), describing the role of the potent kappa opioid receptor agonist, bremazocine, in reduction of intraocular pressure and blocking of this effect by norbinaltorphimine (norBNI), the prototypical kappa opioid receptor antagonist; and Dortch-Carnes et al., CNS Drug Rev. 11(2): 195-212 (2005). U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,126 to Gamache discloses the use of kappa opioid agonists to treat ocular pain. Otic pain has also been shown to be treatable by administration of kappa opioid agonists. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,878 also to Gamache.
Kappa opioid agonists increase the renal excretion of water and decrease urinary sodium excretion (i.e., produces a selective water diuresis, also referred to as aquaresis). Many, but not all, investigators attribute this effect to a suppression of vasopressin secretion from the pituitary. Studies comparing centrally acting and purportedly peripherally selective kappa opioids have led to the conclusion that kappa opioid receptors within the blood-brain barrier are responsible for mediating this effect. Other investigators have proposed to treat hyponatremia with nociceptin peptides or charged peptide conjugates that act peripherally at the nociceptin receptor, which is related to but distinct from the kappa opioid receptor (D. R. Kapusta, Life Sci., 60:15-21, 1997) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,696). U.S. Pat Appl. 20060052284.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds are useful in the prophylaxis and treatment of pain and inflammation associated with a variety of diseases and conditions. Such treatable pain includes visceral pain, neuropathic pain and hyperalgesia. Inflammation associated with conditions such as IBD and IBS, ocular and otic inflammation, other disorders and conditions such as pruritis, edema, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, ileus, tussis and glaucoma are treatable or preventable with the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention.


Communication system including a host and a device. The host has an oscillator and the device has a USB-function core. The oscillator in the host is coupled to the USB-function core in the device.

A universal serial bus (USB) communication system comprises a host and a device which are connected by four parallel conductors carrying the supply voltage VCC, the ground GND and the data line signals D+ and D−. There is no dedicated conductor for a clock signal. Instead, a "non-return to zero invert" (NRZI) is used to encode a clock signal on the data lines D+ and D−. To decode the clock signal a USB-device requires a precise crystal quartz oscillator. However, the oscillators need to be calibrated which increases the testing time for the USB-device. Further, using such oscillators on USB-devices which offer only a small amount of space such as for example a smart card or an integrated circuit card is a challenge. In USB-devices in which an oscillator cannot be implemented due to space limitations, clock recovery circuits are used to obtain the clock signal from the transmitted data. However, to generate the required very precise clock signal out of the USB data stream requires complex circuitry with analog parts and digital parts needing digital signal processing (DSP) capabilities. Further, such clock recovery circuits have a high power consumption which is a challenge especially in battery operated applications, such as, for example, a USB-subscriber identity module (SIM)-card.

Communication system and method for operating a communication system


The present invention relates to the field of food supplement and medicament supporting muscle metabolism, more precisely muscle protein synthesis. In particular, the invention relates to a composition comprising N-carbamoylputrescine (NCP). The invention further relates to the non-therapeutic use of N-carbamoylputrescine (NCP) to enhance muscle protein synthesis in a subject. Moreover, the invention also relates to N-carbamoylputrescine for its use as a medicament.

Muscle metabolism is affected by many different processes such as physical activity and age. For example, muscle protein synthesis is increased by elevated level of physical exercise, such as in the case of athletes. Muscle protein synthesis is also known to be more important in children during growth than in adults. Indeed, during growth and until they are adults, children gain a large mass of muscle, predominantly of skeletal muscle rich in type I fibers, also called slow twitch fiber rich muscles. Muscle enrichment in type I fibers is favored by endurance exercise and thwarted by physical inactivity. Muscle enrichment in type I fibers is considered a favorable factor in the prevention of metabolic syndrome and related disorders.
Different products have been found that promote protein synthesis. However, skeletal muscle fibers are not all the same. Indeed, in comparison with fast twitch muscles, slow twitch muscles tend to have a low activity level of ATPase, a slower speed of contraction with a less developed glycolytic capacity. They have been demonstrated to have high concentrations of mitochondrial enzymes, thus they are fatigue resistant. Importantly, research has shown that protein synthesis is differently regulated depending on the muscle fiber type (Goodman et al., PLoS One; 7(5); 2012). Despite this very well-known fact, no product has been discovered yet that can increase muscle protein synthesis specifically in slow twitch fiber-rich muscles. Moreover, most of the existing products have proven adverse effects, and would probably not be safe for a child.
EP 2 583 566 for example discloses whey protein micelles, susceptible to enhance muscle mass and performance. However, while whey protein micelles represent an optimized form of protein supply, they do not promote protein synthesis on the long term and do not specifically improve protein synthesis of type I muscle fibers, nor muscle mass and performance in slow twitch fiber rich muscles. In addition, high doses of whey protein can cause some side effects such as increased bowel movements, nausea, thirst and may in the long term compromise kidney function.
WO 2001/056402 discloses alpha lipoic acid-based food supplement able to increase lean muscle mass and strength, yet this increase does not seem to occur specifically in slow twitch fiber-rich muscles. Moreover, alpha lipoic acid may induce skin rash in humans. Further, it is recommended that people with diabetes be particularly cautious when taking alpha lipoic acid, because it affects blood sugar regulation.
Some products intended for increasing muscle mass claim to have low to no side effects. For instance, FR 2 907 011 discloses that the use of citrulline increases protein synthesis in the muscle with no side effect. Yet, the administration of citrulline does not appear to enable an increase in protein synthesis specifically in type I muscle fibers.
Therefore, to date, no product has been shown to be able to support or enhance muscle protein synthesis specifically in slow twitch fiber-rich muscles, with low to no toxicity.
There is thus a need for improved compositions for enhancing muscle protein synthesis in a subject, which do not present adverse effects and target preferably skeletal muscles.
On the other hand, most muscle-wasting associated disorders, and in particular wasting which occurs with ageing, have currently no cure, and patients would obviously benefit from any medication capable of preventing or treating those disorders.
Hence, there is also a need for medicaments for the prevention or treatment of muscle-wasting associated disorders.

N-carbamoylputrescine to enhance muscle protein synthesis


An electric tool is provided, including an electric tool housing, an electric motor located in the electric tool housing, and an energy store, particularly a battery, for supplying the electric motor with energy. An actuating member for actuating a switching means for supplying the electric motor with energy is arranged in and/or on the electric tool housing. The energy store has an energy store housing, which can be fastened in and/or to the electric tool housing. The switching means is located in the energy store housing, and a transmission means which interacts with both the actuating member and the switching means, is arranged in the electric tool housing such that the movement of the actuating member is transmitted to the switching means.

Electric tools, particularly battery-operated electric tools, include drill machines, screwdrivers, angle grinders, planers, routers and the like. Such an electric tool is disclosed by DE 196 04 346 A1, and has an electric tool housing in which an electric motor is located. Serving to supply the electric motor with energy is an energy store, to be precise, a battery, which in turn has an energy store housing that can be fastened in and/or to the electric tool housing. Also arranged in and/or on the electric tool housing is an actuating member, which can be actuated manually, and through which switching means for supplying the electric motor with energy can be actuated.
The switching means is arranged in the electric tool housing in a conventional manner, to be precise, generally together with the actuating member as an electric tool switch, which in turn is located in the handle of the electric tool. In some cases, such an arrangement lacks flexibility.

Electric tool, particularly battery-operated electric tool


One aspect of the invention provides a diaphragm valve having a plurality of sealing members disposed on the diaphragm, the plurality of sealing member and the seat define two intermediate chambers, coupled to at least one and potentially more, alarm port, to alert of leakage of fluid from the inlet side and/or the outlet side.

In the field of fire protection, most valves are based on two basic valve principles: the clapper design and the diaphragm design. A base valve may be utilized for different functions and/or systems, such as deluge, wet system, dry/pre-action valves, pressure reducing, deluge reducing and deluge on/off applications. The base valve is configured to fulfill those varied functions by external connections and components, collectively known as 'trim'. Historically, the clapper valve has been most common, however, in recent years, with the introduction of special fire protection applications, the trend is more towards use of the diaphragm design. The base valve has at least a valve body, an inlet in fluid communication with an inlet chamber which can hold a fluid supply, and an outlet chamber which can receive fluid from the inlet chamber and pass the fluid to an outlet. The fluid in the input will be referred to herein as a 'primary' fluid. A valve may be in a "closed", or "standby" state where the valve impedes flow of fluid between the inlet and outlet, and an "opened", or "activated" state in which fluid communication is established between the input and output chambers, and fluid is allowed to flow between the input and the output. In a clapper valve the input chamber is cupped by a clapper that is mechanically held closed during the standby state and the clapper is released in the open state. The clapper valve will stay in the open state, until it is manually reset, therefore it cannot be operated as an on/off valve which requires an automatic reset.
Diaphragm valves have a diaphragm chamber in addition to the input and output chambers. When the diaphragm chamber is pressurized, the pressure in the diaphragm chamber causes the diaphragm to move to a closed state in which a sealing portion of the diaphragm impedes primary fluid flow between the inlet to the outlet, and thus the valve is in a closed state. When the pressure from the diaphragm chamber is released, the valve transfers to the open state, and primary fluid is allowed to flow from the input to the output. One example of a diaphragm valve is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,616,234, titled "FLUID CONTROL VALVE SYSTEM AND METHODS" filed on Dec. 3, 2008, however many other examples and embodiments are known.
A dry/pre-action system is a type of fire protection system that is commonly used, especially where a sprinkler system or a portion thereof may be exposed to sub-freezing temperatures. In such systems, a primary fluid source is separated by a valve from a piping and sprinklers arrangement known as the 'dry' side. The dry side is kept pressurized at positive pressure by a compressed secondary fluid, which in many applications comprises air. When a sprinkler or other fire sensor is activated, the positive pressure of the secondary fluid drops, causing the valve to 'trip', i.e. to transfer from a standby to an open state, and send primary fluid from the source to the dry side of the system.
Certain fire protection systems utilize the main valve controlling the fluid flow into the fire protection system as an activator of an alarm. When the valve is opened fluid is used directly or indirectly to activate an alarm, which in most cases is electric. A valve utilized to activate an alarm will be referred to as an 'alarm valve'.
Many fire protection standards for both wet and dry systems require an intermediate chamber between the inlet and the outlet, the intermediate chamber being connected to an alarm port. If primary fluid leaks behind the seal provided by the valve, such leak will be detected by leakage of primary fluid from the alarm port, and an alarm will be activated. In most existing valves rigged for dry/pre-action operation, an additional check valve is disposed between the primary valve and rest of the dry side, the check valve acting to define the intermediate chamber between the check valve and primary valve. Patent application WO 2008/051871 to Ringer discloses an intermediate chamber which is integral to the valve body. Other valves, such as disclosed by US patent publication number 20090272549 to Feenstra et al., incorporate a check valve within the valve body. However any fire protection system where activation is based on dropping pressure of secondary fluid in the dry side suffer from a common problem: a leakage in the dry side may cause a system failure, as the detection of fire may fail to activate the valve.
There is therefore a long felt, yet heretofore unanswered need for a compact valve with efficient sealing capability, be configurable in several ways, which may provide an alarm for leakage of fluid from piping in at least one side, and optionally from both sides of the valve, and further optionally to differentiate between leakage from the different sides.

Abstract: A second aspect of the invention provides at least one angled lip disposed to improve the seal quality of any diaphragm valve. The angled lip enjoys increased sealing responsive to increased pressure of the fluid it seals against. The angled lip may be disposed on the inlet side, he outlet side, or both. In certain embodiments the lip is utilized in a diaphragm having two sealing member forming a single intermediate chamber therebetween when the valve is in the closed condition.


A liquid crystal display has a plurality of parallel gate lines and a plurality of parallel data lines formed orthogonal to the gate lines, and a gate insulating layer disposed therebetween. An insulating layer is formed on the entire surface inclusive of the data lines. The insulating layer has void regions at least on one edge of each of the data lines in the same direction with the data line. A pixel electrode is formed on the insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display and a method for fabricating the same, in which a dielectric constant of an insulating film disposed between signal lines is minimized to prevent coupling.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, the liquid crystal display includes two sheets of glass plate disposed opposite to each other and a liquid crystal sealed between the glass plates. A bottom plate has a matrix of data lines and gate lines, and thin film transistors and pixel electrodes disposed at crossing points of the data lines and the gate lines, and a top plate has common electrodes and R, G, B color filter layers. The liquid crystal is injected between the bottom and top plates, which are then inserted between polarizing plates, to make a transmissive liquid crystal display.
In detail, the bottom plate includes a plurality of parallel gate lines spaced apart a certain distance from each other on a transparent substrate, such as glass or quartz, and a plurality of parallel data lines arranged orthogonally to the gate lines, spaced apart a certain distance from each other. Each pixel region has a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor that utilizes the gate line as its gate electrode and the data line as its source electrode for applying a signal on the data line to the pixel electrode in response to a signal on the gate line. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom plate 1 includes thin film transistors, spaced apart a certain distance from each other, formed thereon each having a gate electrode G connected to the gate line, a source electrode S connected to the data line and a drain electrode D. Each of the pixel regions has a pixel electrode 2a, formed therein, connected to the drain electrode D of the thin film transistor 2. The top plate 3 includes black matrix layers 4 in the form of a net, formed thereon, for blocking the transmission of light, in respective portions, excluding the pixel electrodes 2a formed on the bottom plate 1. R, G, B color filter layers 5 are formed thereon, between the black matrix layers 4. Common electrodes 6 extend to the color filter layers 5 and the black matrix layers 4.
Besides the aforementioned transmissive type liquid crystal display, there is a reflective type liquid crystal display, which utilizes environmental lights, including a light reflective plate of an aluminum membrane attached onto the back of the bottom plate for reflecting incident light out through the top plate for displaying. In modes, such as a TN (Twisted Nematic) or STN (Super Twisted Nematic), the polarizing plate and a checkered plate, forming a reflective plate, are attached to each other and overlap. In general, in a typical application the reflective type is only a monochromic display, and a reflective color display having the color filter applied thereto exhibits a problem in that the display not only is dim, but also has poor color quality.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the structure of conventional liquid crystal displays suffers from parasitic capacitance between signal lines, such as between a data line and a pixel electrode.
An insulating film 23, which acts as a dielectric, is disposed between a first conductor 21 and a second conductor 22 that overlap each other a distance l. A static capacitance C between the two conductors can be expressed with the following equation. ##EQU1## Where .epsilon..sub.65 is a relative dielectric constant, .epsilon..sub.o is a dielectric constant in vacuum (i.e., .epsilon..sub.o =1), S represents an overlapped area of the two conductors (I x w), and d is a distance between the two conductors.
For example, if the distance d between the two conductors is 2 .mu.m, the width w of the conductor is 2 .mu.m, and an insulating film with a relative dielectric constant .epsilon..sub..gamma.= 3.0 is applied, the static capacitance between the two conductors will be as follows. ##EQU2##
It follows from equations (1) and (2) that to minimize the static capacitance formed between the two conductors, a material having a small relative dielectric constant .epsilon..sub..gamma. should be used, the distance d between the two conductors should be made as large as possible, or the overlapped areas between the two conductors should be made as small as possible.
However, the structure of a conventional liquid crystal display limits the degree of control over these parameters. First, control over the value of the dielectric constant of the insulating film is limited by the choice of suitable materials. Second, when the insulating film is formed of an inorganic material, the problems of deposition rate and pattern formation become critical. If the insulating film is formed of an organic material fabrication problems arise, such as focusing and limitation in the pattern size.

Liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same


Protein-protein imprinting of silk fibroin is introduced as a rapid, high-fidelity, and/or high-throughput method for the fabrication of nanoscale structures in silk films, through controlled manipulation of heat and/or pressure. High resolution imprinting on conformal surfaces is also demonstrated.

Nanoimprinting is a lithography technique for fabricating micro-, submicro- and nano-scale patterns. In such methods, a mold or template made of such materials as metal, is pressed onto a thermoplastic material, such as silk-based materials, heated above its glass transition temperature, and the softened material conforms to the mold due to applied pressure. Such techniques have been previously described, in for example, WO 2010/126640, entitled "NANOIMPRINTING OF SILK FIBROIN STRUCTURES FOR BIOMEDICAL AND BIOPHOTONIC APPLICATIONS," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such methods already described in the pertinent art typically utilize materials such as metals and silicon as a mold or template (i.e., hard master) to carry out nanoimprinting.


A symbol definition system for a programmable machine controller (PMC) for defining symbols (signal names) in a sequence program of the PMC. Since the function of the signals between the PMC and a numerical control apparatus is fixed, a first group of symbols is supplied to a program creation unit as system data, and therefore, when a sequence program is created, the first group of symbols need not be defined. Further, the first group of symbols is transferred to the PMC together with the sequence program and used for editing and maintenance.

A sequence program for a PMC contained in a numerical control apparatus and controlling a machine tool is created by a program creation unit, referred to as an off-line programmer, and is transferred to the PMC and controls the machine tool together with the numerical control apparatus.
The sequence program provides symbols (signal names) with signals for creating, debugging and maintaining the program, and usually, these symbols are defined by a machine tool builder at the same time as when creating the sequence program.
These symbols are classified into two types: a first type comprising of a first group of symbols for the interface signals between the PMC and the numerical control apparatus; and a second type comprising of a second group of symbols for the signals between the PMC and the machine tool and for the signals in the PMC. These two types of symbols are conventionally defined when the sequence program is created.
The first group of symbols, however, is fixed by a numerical control apparatus and the same symbols are generally used to create different sequence programs, because the function of these signals does not change even if a sequence program is changed, from the standpoint of the numerical control apparatus. Consequently, a problem arises in the fact that defining the first group of symbols when a sequence program is created is labor-consuming and leads to problems during maintenance, because a different symbol may be given to a signal having a similar function.

Symbol definition system and method a programmable machine controller


A method employs a bit sequence having a plurality of successive bits is stored in a write mode in a memory unit for a data value of a datum. The bit positions are each allocated to a data set which contains a data field for storing the datum. This measure enables logic operations to be carried out very rapidly.

The invention relates to a method in which a sequence of notes for data sets is stored in a write mode in a memory unit for a data value of a datum. At least a part of the sequence of notes is read and processed in a read mode in order to identify certain data sets.
The sequence of notes is referred to as a search list in one known computer-aided search method. The datum is, for example, the surname of a person. The value of the datum is, for example, the surname "Meier". The sequence of notes for the data value "Meier" then contains notes of data sets for persons having the surname "Meier". The individual data sets usually also contain other data fields, for example the first name and a telephone number in addition to the surname. Inverted search lists or inverted sequences of notes that are stored for another datum, for example for certain first names, are used in order to simplify the search for the data in the other data fields.
It is known to store the number of a dataset as a note. A data set can be identified by the number with the aid of a database system because the number of the data set concerned is also stored in a data field of each data set. Other known methods calculate from the number noted in the sequence of notes a memory address at which the relevant data set is stored. The number itself does not have to be stored in a data field of the data set in this case. Methods are also known, however, in which the notes are memory addresses at which the data sets are to be found. The known methods have the disadvantage that a large memory area is required to store the sequence of notes. If, for example, there are several thousand data sets, more than 16 bits are required in each case to note the numbers. Usually 32 bits are chosen, as this option corresponds to the data word width of known processors. Depending on the size of the memory, it is often necessary to use several data words of 32 bits each to store memory addresses.
The linking of two sequences of notes with the aid of logic operations is complex, as only two numbers or two addresses can be linked with each other with each logic operation. This makes the linking of very long lists in particular most demanding of processor time.
Additional advantages, aspects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The aspects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Method for accessing a memory unit in which sequences of notes are stored, corresponding memory unit and corresponding program


The invention relates to a rotomolding process for forming a multi-layer article of two different polymers with different melting points in which an outer layer polymer powder is added to a rotational molder along with an inner layer polymer powder that is separated from the outer layer powder by a release film. The release film has a particular melting point that is greater than that of the outer layer polymer and preferably between the melting points of the inside layer and outside layer polymers. In one embodiment, the release layer forms an enclosure or bag in which the inner layer (higher melting point) powder is enclosed. In another embodiment the release film forms a barrier between an insulated cavity and the mold. The process provides a means for a “one-shot” rotomolding method.

Rotomolding is used for the manufacture of simple to complex, hollow plastic articles. It can be used to mold a variety of materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, fluoropolymers, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and mixtures thereof. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) is often used as disclosed for example in "Some new results on rotational moulding of metallocene polyethylenes" by D. Annechini, E. Takacs and J. Vlachopoulos in ANTEC, vol. 1, 2001 and in U.S. patent application 20050255264.
It is often desirable to form a multi-layer rotationally molded article, to combine the attributes of two different polymeric materials. Presently, there are two methods used commercially to produce a multi-layer article—both involve a manual addition of the second layer components after the first layer has formed. The first involves the use of an insulated drop-box that is attached to the mold to keep one powder cool, while the first layer is formed in the mold, and at the proper time to open a valve that allows this powder to enter the hot mold and then be rotated to form a second layer. The second method involves a process whereby the mold is removed from the oven and a second layer material is added manually to either a hot or a cold mold, followed by rotationally molding the second layer, such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,549 (polyamide layer and polyisocyanate/polyepoxide layer) or WO 2005/115753 (fluoropolymer/non-fluoropolymer such as polyolefins). Unfortunately, both of these methods result in lowering the productivity of the molding operation, either due to fewer molds being placed on a given arm, or due to the added time for "two" rotational molding cycles. There is a need for a one-shot process for efficiently producing multi-layer rotationally molded articles.
Several one-shot processes have been used to prepare a multi-layer rotomolded articles. WO 2004/045849 describes forming a multi-layer article by a one-shot process, based on the observation that the smallest diameter particles reach the walls of the mold fastest. By using the outer material of small particle size and an inner material of larger particles size, it could be possible to prepare a two-layer rotomolded article. The reference also describes using a mixture of an outer layer powder having a melting point of less than 145° C. and an inner layer powder having a melting point of greater than 145° C. The '849 reference also describes combining these methods by using a blend of a lower particle size, lower melting point inner powder with a higher particle size, higher melting point outer layer. Unfortunately, this method does not produce a clean layer separation, producing a fair amount of overlap and no well defined separation of the layers. If the second layer is formed by delaying the melting of the second layer powder, a rough inner surface is formed. JP 48-74741 describes the use of a low density polyethylene (LDPE) (M.P. 110° C.) to contain polyamide (PA) 6.6 powder (Tm=260 C) with a 103° C. HDPE outer layer. This leads to release of the PA powder before the PE layer is fully formed, resulting in poor layer separation, the PA layer being filled with PE particles resulting in poor barrier performance and poorer physical properties since these materials are not compatible. The adhesion between layers is purely mechanical and no chemical bonding between the layers is described.
There is a need for a single-step rotomolding process for producing a multi-layer molded article which provides for a strong chemical bond between layers without producing a rough inner surface.
Bag materials have been used to produce two layer tank using the same polymer, such as a tank using: (1) PE for both inside and outside layer with two different colors; or (2) a tank with a solid outer layer of PE and a foamed inside skin of PE. In both these cases a PE bag is used to contain the inside layer and there is no concern about mechanical integrity or barrier performance since both layers are formed with the same polymer.
Surprisingly it has been found that an article having two or more separate layers of different polymers having different melting points can be formed in a rotational molding process by a one step process, through the use of an outer layer polymer powder separated from an inner layer polymer powder by a release film. High quality moldings with both superior layer separation and strong adhesion between the two layers of different chemical composition are formed when the a release film having the proper composition and melting point is combined with the proper inner layer material and outer layer materials. The layer separation is needed for superior barrier performance or chemical resistance, while the adhesion between layers is needed to insure a high quality tank or container. The release film may form an enclosure or bag containing the inner layer polymer powder—or it may serve as a barrier between an insulated cavity in the mold or as a release mechanism for a drop-box. The article formed by the process of the invention has excellent layer separation, maximizing the mechanical and barrier properties of each layer while providing strong interlayer adhesion due to chemical compatibility or chemical reactivity between the layers.

Process for forming multi-layer molded articles


A fast switching diode includes an n− layer having an upper surface and a lower surface and a first edge and a second edge, the second edge provided on an opposing side of the first edge. A converted region is provided proximate the upper surface of the n− layer. The converted region includes platinum and has a first depth. The converted region has a platinum concentration that is substantially greater than an n-type dopant concentration in the converted region. First and second n+ regions are provided proximate the first and second edges of the n− layer, respectively, and extend from the upper surface of the n− layer to second and third depths, respectively. Each of the second and third depths is greater than the first depth to reduce leakage current. A first electrode is provided proximate the upper surface of the n− layer. A second electrode is provided proximate the lower surface of the n− layer.

The present invention relates to a power semiconductor device, in particular to a fast switching diode.
When a pn-diode is conducting a forward current, electrons and holes are injected from the highly doped n+ and p+ surface layers into the n− layer. These injected carriers increase the concentration of mobile charges and thereby increase the conductivity of the n− layer. This conductivity modulation is necessary to reduce the voltage drop of a diode in the forward conducting mode.
When the applied voltage is reversed, the diode has to block the current flow. A depletion layer spreads from the pn-junction into the n− layer, building up an electric field, which supports the reverse voltage.
The transition between forward conducting and reverse blocking mode has a certain time delay during which time a short reverse current peak is flowing. These characteristics are specified with the parameters "Reverse Recovery Time" trr, "Reverse Recovery Current" Irrm and "Reverse Recovery Charge" Qrr. For fast recovery diodes all these parameters are expected to be as small as possible. However, a fast switching capability of a diode is generally accompanied with an increased forward voltage drop Vf, so that one has to find a compromise for a specific application of the diode.
The switching speed of a pn-diode can be increased (i.e., trr, Irr and Qrr can be reduced) by introducing recombination centers into the silicon crystal, where the injected electrons and holes can recombine. Recombination centers are generally defined using heavy-metal atoms, such as gold or platinum. Sometimes crystal defects are created within the substrate for this purpose. The crystal defects are created by irradiating the substrate with high energy particles, e.g., electrons or helium atoms. The higher the concentration of recombination centers, the smaller is the carrier lifetime and consequently the trr.

Fast switching diode with low leakage current


The present invention relates to a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease associated with hyperproliferative cellular division, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective dosage of the pharmaceutical composition comprising xanthanodien, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Despite intensive research and development into anti-cancer therapies cancer continues to take a heavy toll of lives. More than 10 million people around the world are diagnosed with cancer every year and it is estimated that this number could increase to as many as 20 million new cases a year by 2030. Lung cancer and breast cancer rates in women in particular have risen in recent times and ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death in women with gynaecological malignancy.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of death in women with cancer and remains the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy in many countries, in spite of chemotherapy with platinum derivates and/or taxol after surgery. Of the malignant epithelial tumors (>90% of all ovarian cancers), the serous papillary variants form the largest subgroup. Due to its dismal prognosis there is an urgent need for new treatment strategy for ovarian cancer.
Against this background there remains a need for new methods of cancer treatment.

Xanthanodien for the treatment of cancer


Different levels or categories of text or images or both can be selected on a display device with simple commands. A selection region including one of selected text and selected images can be increased or decreased depending upon an executed command. A first command can increase a selection region while a second and different second command can decrease a selection region. Once a maximum amount is selected by using the first command and if the first command is selected again, the selection region can return to the minimum amount of text and images that can be selected. And vice-versa.

One of the simplest methods of recording and communicating information is the traditional method of writing the information down on a piece of paper with a writing instrument such as a pen. Writing information by hand on a piece of paper is inexpensive and can be done quickly and easily with little preparation. The traditional method is also flexible in that a writer can generally write in any format anywhere on the page. One of the limitations with handwritten work is that it is not easily manipulated or transferred to other contexts. In other words, changing or transferring a piece of handwritten text typically requires rewriting the text on another medium.
With the widespread use of personal computers, textual information often is recorded using word processing software running on a personal computer. The advantage of such electronic methods of recording information is that the information can be easily stored and transferred to other remote computing devices and electronic media. Such electronically recorded text can also be easily corrected, modified, and manipulated in a variety of different ways.
Typical computer systems, especially computer systems using graphical user interface (GUI) systems such as Microsoft WINDOWS, are optimized for accepting user input from one or more discrete input devices. Common input devices include a keyboard for entering text and a pointing device, such as a mouse with one or more buttons, for controlling the user interface. The keyboard and mouse interface facilitates creation and modification of electronic documents including text, spreadsheets, database fields, drawings, and photos.
One of the limitations with conventional GUI systems is that a user must generally type the text they are entering into the personal computer using the keyboard. Entering text using a keyboard is generally slower and more cumbersome than handwriting. Although recent advances have been made in reducing the size of personal computers, they are still not as portable and easily accessible as traditional paper and pen. Furthermore, traditional pen and paper provide the user with considerable flexibility for editing a document, recording notes in the margin, and drawing figures and shapes. In some instances, a user may prefer to use a pen to mark-up a document rather than review the document on-screen because of the ability to freely make notes outside of the confines of the keyboard and mouse interface.
To address the shortcomings of traditional keyboard and mouse interfaces, there have been various attempts to create an electronic tablet that can record handwriting. Such electronic tablets typically comprise a screen and a handheld device that is similar to a pen (also referred to as a stylus). A user can use the pen to write on the electronic tablet in a manner similar to the use of traditional pen and paper. The electronic tablet can "read" the strokes of the user's handwriting with the handheld device and render the handwriting in electronic form on the tablet's screen and/or the computer's display as "electronic ink". This electronic tablet approach can be employed in a variety of ways including, on a personal computer and on a handheld computing device.
Recently, other computer systems have been developed that provide for more sophisticated creation and manipulation of electronic ink. For example, a conventional software application permits one to add electronic ink to a document. The application stores the ink and provides it to a user when requested. Other applications (for example, drawing applications associated with the Palm and PocketPC operating systems) permit the capture and storage of drawings. These drawings include other properties associated with the ink strokes used to make up the drawings. For instance, line width and color may be stored with the ink. One goal of these systems is to replicate the look and feel of physical ink being applied to a piece of paper.
Replicating the look and feel of physical ink requires computer systems that work with electronic ink to handle this electronic ink differently than traditional electronic text and images that can be displayed on a display device. Unlike word processors that handle only one or two types of page objects such as text and images, computer systems that work with electronic ink usually need to handle multiple types of page objects that can include bit map images, drawing objects, and outline objects. Each outline object can include one or more nodes where each node can include at least one of text, a picture, and an ink object.
Opposite to computer systems that work with electronic ink having different types of page objects, conventional word processors typically manipulate, and more specifically, select text or images or both by using either a series of key strokes or by using a series of screen pointer commands. For example, some word processors can select the text of a whole document by using keyboard commands such as "control-A". Other word processors can select a word in a paragraph of electronic text in response to a "single-click" of a mouse device. Further, a whole paragraph of electronic text can be selected in response to a "double-click" of a mouse device. A whole paragraph of electronic text can be deselected in response to a "single-click" of a mouse device if a whole paragraph was previously selected. While these commands for selecting text or images can be useful in conventional word processors, they do not provide for a complete, logical, and simple way for selecting page objects on computer systems that work with electronic ink.
In other words, because of the different page objects present in computer systems that work with electronic ink, there is a need in the art for manipulating, and more specifically, selecting and deselecting page objects in a manner that is unlike conventional word processors. There is a need in the art where the commands for selecting and deselecting page objects are complete, simple, and logical. There if a further need in the art that enables the selection of multiple page objects or all page objects without using a screen pointer such as a mouse or stylus.

Method and system for selecting objects on a display device


A novel spacing sheet is used in place of a conventional tie sheet in layered material loads, such as pallet loads. The spacing sheet generally comprises a plurality of spaced apart surface elements and intervening channels, on its top surface, which generally facilitate handling of the material on the sheet. The channels especially facilitate removal of material from the spacing sheet. The spacing sheets are generally thicker than a conventional paper tie sheet while being thinner than a conventional pallet.

This invention relates to handling of materials in layers, and especially in layers on pallets and other supporting surfaces. It relates to palletizing materials and subsequently depalletizing those materials, all with a minimum amount of manual lifting on the part of attending labor or machine operators. The invention relates specifically to novel spacing sheets which can be used to facilitate palletizing and depalletizing of thin-section materials, and especially loose stacks of printed materials such as newspapers, signatures, sheets of paper, magazines and the like; including stacks of in-process material. Individual elements of the material may be as thin as a single sheet of paper or as thick as the respective layer as a whole. Particularly with reference to newspapers and signatures, the loose stacks are typically compressible and of uneven height.
Apparatus for palletizing boxes, cartons, or other substantially solid pieces, such as bundles of newspapers, is known in the art. A conventional palletizer for boxes or cartons may use a horizontally, reciprocally movable stripper plate for carrying boxes to a position above a pallet onto which the boxes are to be loaded. The stripper plate is then withdrawn from beneath the boxes, thereby depositing them onto the pallet. Retaining means are used for preventing the boxes from moving with the stripper plate as it is withdrawn. Such retaining means commonly include a bar which abuts the sides of the boxes facing the direction of stripper plate withdrawal.
Palletizing an depalletizing apparatus are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.
______________________________________ Paxton et al 2,243,919 Samler 2,656,047 Locke 2,875,907 Woodcock 2,875,908 Keyes 2,878,948 Lazott et al 2,937,482 Reed 2,940,617 Freeman 2,978,125 Magnuson 3,105,598 Gagnon 3,149,732 McWilliams 3,157,301 Jeremiah 3,166,203 Kampert 3,257,006 Bruce 3,278,048 Roth et al 3,389,810 Grasvoll 3,594,977 Larson 3,606,310 Brockmuller 3,637,093 Grasvoll 3,648,857 Carlson 3,669,282 Van Gal Jr. et al 3,682,338 Munroe 3,720,176 Alduk 3,833,132 Dawson et al 3,836,018 Golantsev 3,837,140 Ballard 3,884,368 Beal 3,946,883 Wilde et al 3,986,620 Kelley 4,030,618 Mabey et al 4,032,021 Schmitt 4,067,456 Zimmerman 4,159,058 Schmitt 4,162,016 Shorthouse 4,172,686 Schmitt 4,195,959 Pantin 4,205,934 Faltin 4,230,311 Donnelly 4,234,280 Meratti 4,255,074 Pulda 4,339,220 Cox 4,342,531 Sylvander 4,383,788 Ishida et al 4,397,246 Werkheiser 4,422,549 Werkheiser 4,439,084 Wise 4,477,067 Feldkamper 4,671,723 Liebel 4,708,247 as well as Fed. Rep. of Germany 3,107,495 Japan 54,129661 ______________________________________
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,060 Winski et al, herein incorporated by reference, there is disclosed palletizing apparatus for palletizing stacks of loose materials such as newspapers, signatures, sheets of paper, and the like. Winski et al disclose a plate and plate movement means, for depositing material onto a pallet or onto a partial load of material on a pallet. In that teaching, any underlying compressible materials may be compressed by the plate during the process of depositing the material. Both the material being deposited and the underlying material may be prevented from moving with the plate, by first and second projection means projecting into recessed portions of the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. The pallet load which results from loading a pallet as disclosed therein consists of a plurality of stacks extending from the underlying pallet, or a slip sheet thereon, to the upper extremity of the stack, typically the top of the pallet load. Within that environment of continuous stacks, unloading the material from the pallet is typically done by manual labor. In that process, the material is removed in a series of steps limited by the amount of material a person can manually lift at one time.
Alternatively, unloading might be done by a depalletizer wherein essentially an entire layer of the material is pushed, or swept, off the pallet at one time. The latter case of using a depalletizer is preferred in that it reduces the chance of back injury caused by excessive manual labor at the point of depalletizing, along with the associated savings in labor and medical costs.
However, conventional palletizers do not have the capability to stack loose materials such as newspaper and the like, except as disclosed in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,060 to Winski et al. And to the extent newspapers are stacked on a pallet as in Winski et al, there is not any conventionally known means for removing all of the load with known pallet unloading apparatus unless the load is quite small.
One problem with handling loose materials with a pallet unloading apparatus is that each unit of the load of material on the pallet must be acted upon in some way by the apparatus, either directly or indirectly, to affect the desired movement.
A load unit is herein defined as any article, or group of articles, of the load, requiring a separate external force to cause it to move. Thus a single loose sheet of paper is a unit as is a bound bundle of papers. For assembled documents, such as newspaper or magazine, each document is generally a unit of the load.
With sheets of paper, each sheet can be a unit of the load. With the small thickness of, for example, paper, it is easy for sheets, near the bottom of a stack, to be missed by material handling apparatus which functions by action on a side of the stack, at the edges of the sheets. Yet, efficient material handling of thin sheets typically is done through interactions at the sheet edges.
Another problem with handling stacks of loose sheet materials with a pallet unloading apparatus is that only a limited stack height can be moved by pushing on a side of the stack without undue risk of toppling the stack. So some means should be provided to limit the height of an individual stack in the pallet load without the height of the individual stack determining the maximum overall amount of material which may be placed on a pallet to make up the pallet load.
It is an object of this invention to provide novel spacing sheets, and associated methods of use, which enable the stacking by a palletizer on a pallet, of thin materials such as loose papers, magazines or the like in discrete layers; such that they can subsequently be removed from the pallet, in the same discrete layers, by an appropriately configured depalletizer.


A power supply connector includes a cable receptacle, a front bulkhead insulator and a rear bulkhead insulator. The bulkhead insulators are mounted on the cable receptacle and the power supply chassis. At least one O ring is disposed between the front and rear bulkhead insulators, to seal out water. The front bulkhead insulator includes a stepped portion that mates with a stepped portion on the rear bulkhead insulator. The front bulkhead insulator provides an elongated path from the chassis to the cable receptacle. Also, an O ring is disposed between the cable receptacle and the front bulkhead insulator, to seal out water.

Power supplies such as welding power supplies are used to provide high amperage current. Typically, in a welding power supply, a pair of output terminals is provided. A welding cable connected to the welding torch (or stinger, drive assembly or welding circuit) is inserted into one of the two output terminals. The other output terminal receives a welding cable which is connected to the workpiece being welded. Typically, the connectors are twist lock type connectors (also called international connectors), the power supply has a female connector, and the welding cable has a mating male connector. In some designs the cable has a female connector and the power supply a male connector.
One prior art twist lock connector is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The prior art connector, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a twist lock receptacle 101, a front bulkhead insulator 102, a rear bulkhead insulator 103, a lock washer 104, a nut 105, a washer 106, a lock washer 107 and a hex bolt 108. Hex bolt 108 and washers 104, 106 and 107 are comprised of zinc plated steel, and twist lock connector 101 and nut 105 are comprised of brass. The front and rear bulkhead insulators, 102 and 103 are phenolic. The steel and brass components are used to provide for adequate electrical contact. A phenolic is typically used because it is a good insulator, flame-retardant, and will not melt.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a view of the prior art connector from outside the power supply is provided. Front bulkhead insulator 102 includes a ridge, as depicted by the concentric circles of FIG. 1. The inner perimeter of front bulkhead insulator 102 is hexagonal in shape. A twist lock receptacle 101 has a hexagonal outer perimeter and fits tightly within front bulkhead insulator 102. Twist lock receptacle 101 includes a circular opening 116 having an axial notch 115. A circumferential, slightly helical, notch 117, within twist lock receptacle 101, may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the welding cable is connected, a key on the male connector attached to the welding cable mates with notch 115, and when the cable connector has been inserted all of the way, the cable connector is rotated and the key turns in circumferential notch 117. The male connector is pulled tightly to the face of the female connector by the action of the helical-shaped notch. Thus, the cable connector is locked into place and the desired electrical contact is obtained.
Referring now to FIG. 2, front bulkhead insulator 102 is inserted into a hole in a power supply chassis 112. The hole in power supply chassis 112 includes a notch which receives a key 119 on front bulkhead insulator 102. Thus, front bulkhead insulator 102 does not twist when the male connector on the welding cable is being rotated to lock it into place.
An end 120 of twist lock receptacle 101 extends within the welding power supply and rear bulkhead insulator 103 is mounted thereon. Rear bulkhead insulator 103 and front bulkhead insulator 102 are designed to mate and welding power supply chassis 112 is sandwiched between them. Also, the notch on front bulkhead insulator 102 is received in a similarly and oppositely notched portion 122 of rear bulkhead insulator 103, to prevent the inner portion of the connector from rotating.
Inner end 120 of twist lock receptacle 101 is threaded and nut 105 has mating threads to allow nut 105 to be threadedly mounted on twist lock receptacle 101. Thus, nut 105 and lock washer 104 are used to maintain contact between front bulkhead insulator 102, welding power supply chassis 112 and rear bulkhead insulator 103.
End 120 of twist lock receptacle 101 is hollow, and its inner surface is threaded. The threaded interior portion receives hex bolt 108, about which washer 106 and lock washer 107 are disposed. As shown in FIG. 2, an internal electrical connection 110 is placed between the inner end of twist lock receptacle 101 and washer 106. The internal electrical connection 110 may be a copper lug, an aluminum bus bar, or any other internal electrical connection. Some prior art connectors include a gas fitting that replaces hex bolt 108, and an O ring disposed within twist lock receptacle 101 near notch 117 that seals the gas flow path (through the connector and into the cable).
Thus, it may be seen that the prior art connectors provided for a secure and locking electrical connection between an internal electrical connection and the welding cable.
It is not unusual for welding power supplies to be used outside, for example at construction sites. Thus, they are often exposed to rain or may otherwise get wet. Also, to obtain IEC certification (or other certifications such as UL, CSA, NEMA etc.), welding power supplies must be subjected to a "rain test". In such a test, the power supply will be subjected to water, to ensure that premature failures in the field will not occur.
However, in the prior art connectors water sometimes seeps between front bulkhead insulator 102 and welding chassis 112. The water then seeps down between front bulkhead insulator 102 and rear bulkhead insulator 103. The potential water leakage path is labelled 118, and is shown as a solid black line. As water leaks in along path 118, it may provide a conductive path from twist lock receptacle 101, which is electrically hot, to chassis 112, which should be grounded. Thus, this path may provide an undesirable short.
It is typical to provide a welding power supply with a high frequency arc starter. A high frequency arc starter provides a low current, but high voltage, high frequency signal. Such a high voltage signal can arc along path 118 from twist lock receptacle 101 to welding power supply chassis 112. This problem is exacerbated when water seeps into path 118.
One prior art attempt to solve the problems of water leakage and high frequency arcing is to apply a RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) compound in an attempt to seal path 118. However, such a compound is difficult to apply and does not adequately solve the problem. Additionally, a second potential water seepage path 118A may be found between twist lock receptacle 101 and front bulkhead insulator 102.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a power supply connector that will reduce the likelihood of water leaking into the power supply and causing a short therein, or to have a short during high frequency arc starting. Such a connector should preferably be a locking cable receptacle, with an anti-rotational fitting and relatively simple and easy to manufacture.


To provide a file system including: a storage system having a plurality of volumes; a volume allocation table adapted to set the plurality of volumes for each directory; a file allocation table that stores attributes and divided block information of the file; a block reading table in which numbers of blocks read out in one reading operation for each volume are respectively set; and a read control module that controls to read data from the volume; wherein a read control module, when a read command is received, determines a volume to be read from the volume allocation table, determines the number of blocks read for each volume by referring to the block reading table, determines the blocks read for each volume based on the volume, the number of blocks, and the block information, and reads from each volume in parallel.

The present invention relates to a file system which is excellent in providing redundancy and exhibits an excellent read performance.
For access to a disk drive mounted under an operating system (OS), a file system allows a data file to be divided to several blocks, written into a single volume, and read from the single volume on a block basis.
As a known technique for a file system ensuring redundancy of a data file, U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,500 discloses a method in which backup regions of volumes are each divided to a number corresponding to a given number of cylinders provided in each multiwritten volume, pieces of data from the backup regions each divided to the given number are inputted concurrently and parallelly, and the inputted pieces of data are outputted to a backup destination in the order of the cylinders through a buffer within a CPU, thereby reducing backup time for the multiwritten volumes remarkably.
Furthermore, there is known a technique in which, when a disk controller in a storage system receives a write request from a host computer, the disk controller issues the same write request to a mirror disk drive in the same pair (refer to JP 2003-157151 A).

High read performance file system and program


A method and system for processing an input fuel gas and steam to produce separate CO2 and output fuel gas streams. The method comprises the steps of using a decarbonizer segment for reacting at least a solid sorbent with the fuel gas and steam to remove carbon from the input fuel gas and to produce the output fuel gas stream in an exhaust gas from the decarbonizer; using a calciner segment for reacting the solid sorbent from the decarbonizer segment therein to release the CO2 into the CO2 gas stream; wherein CO2 partial pressures and temperatures in the decarbonizer and calciner segments respectively are controlled such that the temperature in the decarbonizer segment is higher than the temperature in the calciner.

Industrial plants that consume large amounts of carbon fuels, such as power, cement and iron and steel plants, increasingly require flexibility in their operations associated with the volatility of the cost of fuels and the price of products, as well as the regulatory and market environment particularly associated with carbon emissions. In such cases there are benefits to be obtained from adopting a mix of fuels, such as fossil fuels of coal and natural gas, which attract emissions penalties, and biomass and waste which typically do not. There is a need for production processes that can interchange such fuels. Such a flexible fuel plant can operate in any of the regimes of (a) full carbon emissions from combustion of fossil fuels with no sequestration, with emissions penalties, (b) with negligible emissions from either combustion of fossil fuels with sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) or combustion of non-fossil fuels without sequestration, with no emissions penalties (c) negative carbon emissions from combustion of non-fossil fuels with sequestration of CO2, which may be a source of revenue with emissions trading schemes. The optimal operating conditions may change on the timescale of hours to days due to market variability in input and output prices, including those from carbon emissions. In addition, there may be an additional uncertainty in long term operating costs over the timescale of the lifetime of the industrial plant, potentially rendering the plant uneconomic, arising from changes to the regulatory environment for CO2 emissions. In this environment, there is a need for a flexible approach to carbon capture in which the plant can operate in any of these regimes.
With the high capital cost of industrial processing plants, the need for flexibility in the use of the plant is particularly important. For example, an operator may have a choice of using fuel inputs, such as coals of various grades, natural gas (NG), biomass or waste. The operator may also benefit from a choice of derived fuel products, including Hydrogen, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), and a choice of whether or not to process the carbon dioxide for sequestration. There is a need for a flexible process that can use a variety of fuel inputs to produce a variety of fuel outputs with and without carbon capture. More specific examples are considered below.
One approach to reduce CO2 emissions from the combustion of solid fuels such as coal, biomass and waste is pre-combustion carbon capture from Syngas produced by the partial oxidation of such solid fuels with steam and oxygen in a Partial Oxidising Gasifier. Syngas comprises the combustible gases, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and smaller amounts of methane and other hydrocarbons. It also contains significant amounts of CO2 and steam. In this approach, further CO2 isgenerated by the Water-gas Shift reaction with steam, separated, compressed and sequestered, with the production of hydrogen as the fuel gas stream. This process is the basis of the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) system for power generation. It is believed that this process, without CO2 capture, has about the maximum efficiency for power generation. While the Partial Oxidising Gasifier technology is versatile with respect to the solid fuel source, decarbonation using pre-combustion capture technologies, such as the Benfield separation process and the Water Gas Shift reaction, incurs a significant energy penalty, and the costs of CO2 capture are significant. In addition, hydrogen is difficult to transport and store, so that such a system must produce hydrogen on demand. Underground Coal Gasification produces Syngas directly from a coal seam.
In both cases, the gasification reaction occurs at high pressure, generally in excess of 20 bar, and the output temperature is controlled by quenching with water, but is optimally about 800-900 C, say 850 C before gas clean-up. In most commercial Partial Oxidising Gasifiers, pure oxygen is injected into the Gasifier. The compressed oxygen is extracted from the air in an Air Separation Unit. In other Partial Oxidising Gasifiers, compressed air is introduced directly into the gasifier, with the consequence that the Syngas also contains inert gases such as nitrogen and argon.
There is a need for a decarbonation technology that can decarbonise Syngas produced from any of these processes, to produce a decarbonised hydrogen fuel stream, with or without inert gases, and a separate carbon dioxide gas stream, with a low energy penalty.
Another gasifier approach is to hydrogasify the solid fuel with hydrogen, and often with steam, in a Hydrogasifier to produce a fuel gas which comprises combustible components methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons. This fuel gas stream, called herein Hydrogas, can be partially decarbonised to produce a hydrogen gas stream that is fed back into the Hydrogasifier, a methane rich gas stream, called Synthetic or Substitute Natural Gas (SNG), and a separate CO2 stream for sequestration. SNG production is only a partial decarbonisation process, typically with about 50% decarbonisation, because the SNG carries about 50% of the initial carbon and the CO2 the other amount. The decarbonation of Hydrogas removes carbon from CO and CO2 in the Hydrogas, but not from methane, to ensure that the SNG meets the high Calorific Value specifications of NG. This partial decarbonation of Hydrogas can be achieved using established pre-combustion capture technologies, such as the Benfield or amine processes in conjunction with steam and the Water-Gas Shift reaction. However, this process incurs a significant energy penalty, so that the costs of CO2 capture are significant. There is a need for a decarbonation technology that can partially decarbonise Hydrogas to produce a hydrogen stream, an SNG fuel stream, and a separate carbon dioxide gas stream, with a low energy penalty. Underground Coal Hydrogasification produces Hydrogas directly from a coal seam through the injection of hydrogen, with steam if required. This Hydrogas can be decarbonised as described above.
The reduction of emissions from the combustion of NG, and thus SNG, is required to further reduce the CO2 emissions. Generally, the carbon emissions from combustion of NG/SNG is about 50% less of the CO2 emitted from the combustion of a solid fuel per unit of thermal energy produced. Further reduction of CO2 emissions from combustion of NG/SNG can be achieved by post-combustion carbon capture, for example using amine technology. Pre-combustion decarbonisation of NG/SNG can be achieved by steam reforming the NG/SNG to produce Syngas, and the Syngas fuel stream is then decarbonised as described above for Syngas from a Partial Oxidising Gasifier. This gives a hydrogen gas stream for combustion and a separate carbon dioxide stream for sequestration. The separate processing steps of Steam Reforming, Water-Gas Shifting and CO2 capturing using, for example, the Benfield process, has a significant energy penalty. There is a need for a decarbonation technology that can decarbonise NG/SNG in a single reactor to produce a decarbonised hydrogen fuel stream and a separate carbon dioxide gas stream, with a low energy penalty.
For example, a power generator may have access to solid fuel from a nearby coal, biomass or waste resources to produce Syngas from a Partial Oxidising Gasifier, and also have access to NG from a gas pipeline or from coal seam extraction. In this case, it may be desirable to have the flexibility to decarbonise either the Syngas or the NG to give a continuous hydrogen gas stream for power generation.
In another example, the power generator has chosen to produce SNG from Hydrogas and may benefit from diverting excess production of SNG into the NG pipeline, if only to access the gas storage capabilities of typical gas distribution systems. This would allow the operation of the Hydrogasifier at its maximum capacity even if the demand for power is low. In this approach, it would be preferable for a single stage process in which the decarbonation process can be switched from production of hydrogen to production of SNG, or a separable mixture thereof. Such a system would desirably be controlled to meet the variable demand for power taking into account the market for SNG and CO2.
A need therefore exists to provide a system and method for processing an input fuel gas of variable composition, such as Syngas, Hydrogas, NG, SNGor mixtures thereof with steam to produce an output fuel gas with a controlled composition and a separate CO2 gas stream that seek to address at least one of the above mentioned problems.

System and method for processing an input fuel gas and steam to produce carbon dioxide and an output fuel gas


A modifier for hydrophilicity and a hydrophilic modification method capable of suppressing not only the odor of the resulting hydrophilic coat itself, but also the unpleasant odor emanation after exposure to odorants and retaining the hydrophilicity even during a long period of use. The modifier for hydrophilicity includes a modified polyvinyl alcohol containing a group represented by formula (I) on a side chain thereof. In the formula, n represents an integer of 1 to 500, R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. The group represented by formula (I) accounts for 0.1 to 10 mole percent of the sum of hydroxyl groups and acetoxy groups in the modified polyvinyl alcohol, and the modified polyvinyl alcohol accounts for 0.1 to 30% by mass relative to the modifier for hydrophilicity

The present invention relates to a modifier for hydrophilicity and a hydrophilicity modification method capable of providing good hydrophilic and odor preventing ability even during a long period of use, and more particularly, to a modifier for hydrophilicity and a hydrophilic modification method used suitably for evaporators and heat exchangers.

Modifier for hydrophilicity, hydrophilic modification method and aluminum material or aluminum alloy material modified hydrophilic thereby


Data reading can be easily and precisely performed by setting specific conditions in writing into a selected memory cell. A memory cell has a structure, in which an interelectrode material layer is sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode. Data is stored by a change in a resistance value between the first electrode and the second electrode. The resistance value when a memory element is in a high resistance state is expressed as R_mem_high; the resistance value when the memory element is in a low resistance state is expressed as R_mem_low1; the resistance value of a load circuit is expressed as R_load; the reading voltage is expressed as Vread by setting the voltage of a second power supply line to the reference voltage; and the threshold voltage is expressed as Vth_critical. In writing data into the memory cell, the low resistance state is created so that these parameters satisfy specific relations. The load circuit is formed by an element having the same structure as of the memory element of the memory cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device for writing data (information) by changing electrical characteristics of an interelectrode material layer between two electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a memory element capable of being easily formed in a simple structure, a microelectronic programmable element has been known (Japanese Translations of PCT International Application Publication No. 2002-536840). In the element, data is written by applying a given voltage to ionize silver (Ag) contained in an interelectrode material layer between two electrodes, moving the ionized silver to form a conduction path for electrons and the like, and thereby changing electrical resistance between the foregoing electrodes.
In the element, as a matter of convenience, a state that resistance between the two electrodes is high before applying a voltage is a storage state of data "0," and a state that resistance between the two electrodes is low as a result that metal ions are diffused in the direction of the opposite electrode due to application of voltage is a storage state of data "1." Further, an operation to change the element from the high resistance state to the low resistance state is called writing operation, and an operation to return the element from the low resistance state to the high resistance state is called erasing operation.
In the conventional memory element, it is disclosed that a resistance value of the conduction path, which comes into the low resistance state after writing is about 200 Ω, and a resistance value of the interelectrode material layer, which comes into the high resistance state after erasing is 1 M (mega) Ω or more. Further, it is described that a resistance value between the low resistance state of about 200 Ω and the high resistance state of 1 M (mega) Ω or more can be arbitrarily created by arbitrarily limiting a current value applied to the memory element in writing.
However, it is not allowed that the resistance value created by writing can be unconditionally large as long as, for example, a resistance change rate due to writing is sufficient.
That is, in the conventional memory element, it is necessary that when a writing voltage is applied, a voltage (threshold voltage) at which the resistance change is generated is 0.2 V, and when the written data is read, a voltage to be applied (reading voltage) is less than 0.2 V in order not to generate unintended resistance change for the memory element. Therefore, for example, when a memory element, in which a state of a high resistance value (storage state of data "0") is 10 MΩ and a state of a low resistance value (storage state of data "1") is 1 MΩ is constructed, even if a voltage of 0.2 V at the maximum is applied, flowing currents are only 0.02 μA and 0.2 μA, respectively. When these currents are flowed to load resistance of, for example, 1 KΩ to convert to a voltage, a voltage difference between the two is only 0.2 mV. However, in the related art, it is not easy to read the written data by detecting such a small voltage difference.


A method for fabricating an organic conductor path on a substrate includes providing a printing stamp with a hydrophobic patterned printing side that is loaded with a printing medium containing an organic conductive polymer and, by bringing it into contact with a hydrophilic substrate, a patterned layer including the organic polymer are formed on the substrate. The method can be operated continuously through selection of suitable geometries for the printing stamp and the substrate.

In conventional semiconductor technology based on inorganic semiconductors, a period of several months is generally required in order to fabricate first patterns of the corresponding chips from a circuit design. These comparatively long periods of time are caused, in part, by the multiplicity of very complicated production steps comprising a wide variety of methods such as photolithography, deposition etching processes and the like that are involved when progressing through the fabrication of the microchip.
For specific applications, conductive organic polymers are appropriate in the long term as an alternative to the inorganic semiconductor materials that have been used heretofore. Organic layer systems can be applied to a substrate in a relatively uncomplicated manner by means of suitable printing techniques. In contrast to microelectronic components based on inorganic semiconductors, structures made of organic conductive materials can be fabricated comparatively cost-effectively.
However, the task of patterning the conductive material in accordance with the circuit logic to be obtained is still required for organic layer systems. If polymer layers are deposited onto a substrate, there are in principle the possibilities of either patterning the polymer layer after deposition, defining individual regions on the substrate in a targeted manner prior to deposition, or controlling the deposition of the polymer onto the substrate in a defined manner. The last-mentioned possibility affords the advantage of saving material costs and complicated cleaning or recovery processes.
If the polymer layer is intended to be patterned only after deposition, then it is possible, by way of example, to incorporate suitable photoactive components into the polymer and to generate a polymer having photoactive properties in this way. Through selective exposure, it is then possible, by way of example, to alter the solubility of the polymer in a developer in a targeted manner.
As an alternative, it is also possible to apply a photoresist layer to the polymer layer, which photoresist layer is initially selectively exposed with the aid of a photomask in order to prepare for a patterning. After the development of the photoresist layer, a mask is obtained, and the uncovered sections of the polymer are removed in a subsequent etching step, in most cases a plasma process. Finally, the photomask also has to be removed, e.g. by means of a suitable solvent.
A considerable disadvantage of this method is the need for a costly photolithographic process step. Besides high material and apparatus costs for the provision of the photomasks, photomask exposers, photoresists, developer solutions and solvents, in some instances special wastes that can only be disposed of with a high outlay also arise during production. Moreover, the technique of photolithography only permits a limited number of substrate elements to be patterned in a single production cycle, corresponding outage times for preparation and follow-up measures likewise having to be taken into consideration, which lead to a low process throughput.
In addition to optical methods for selective exposure using photomasks, it is also possible to use mechanical methods for patterning. Thus, by way of example, the screen printing method affords the possibility of applying a patterned resist layer to the polymer. Analogously to the optical methods, this method likewise requires a structure transfer process for transferring the resist layer onto the substrate in an etching process and the subsequent removal of the resist. In comparison with the optical methods, however, the structure resolution that can be achieved is only approximately 200 μm and can therefore only be used for producing relatively coarse structures. It is thus sufficient for imaging large-area interconnects and electrodes but has to be replaced by higher-resolution methods in the case of finer structures, such as large scale integrated circuits.
Inkjet printing is also a mechanical method for producing defined structures in polymer layers. In this case, the polymer is sprayed onto the substrate surface as a solution in the form of small droplets. This requires the polymer either itself to be present in a printable constitution or to be correspondingly prepared by admixture of suitable solvents and additives. The additives and solvents should rapidly evaporate after application in order to prevent the layer structure from running together.
A method is disclosed in Sirringhaus, H, Kawese, T. Friend, R.H.: High-Resolution Ink-Jet Printing of All-Polymer Transistor Circuits, in MRS Bulletin (July 2001), in which a template is used to define the regions to be printed on the substrate surface. The template comprises fine polyimide structures which are not wetted by the polymer printing ink and thus serve as a structure base in the subsequent inkjet printing.
However, the inkjet method has a series of disadvantages. The polyimide structures initially have to be patterned by photolithographic methods, resulting in high costs being incurred. In addition, dispensing with the use of polyimide structures leads to a reduction of the resolution as a result of the printing structure running together. As a further disadvantage, the inkjet method permits only a line-by-line structure construction, thereby causing a low throughput rate and hence high process costs.
Consequently, while the high resolutions of photolithographic patterning techniques are associated with high costs, the less expensive screen printing or inkjet methods permit only a low resolution.

Fabrication of organic electronic circuits by contact printing techniques