An integrated switch to indicate pressure changes in an environment includes a housing with a cavity between a first retainer portion and a second retainer portion, a first diaphragm held in the cavity of the housing to indicate fault conditions, and a second diaphragm held in the cavity of the housing to indicate alarm conditions.

The present invention relates to a pneumatic detector, and in particular, to a pneumatic detector with an integrated alarm and fault switch.
A pneumatic detector is typically comprised of both an alarm switch and a fault switch. Pneumatic detectors typically utilize a pressure tube that contains a gas that will expand as it is heated, thus increasing the pressure in the tube. An alarm switch is used to indicate overheat or fire situations. An alarm switch will include a deformable diaphragm that is at a normal state when the system is at a normal pressure. As the pressure rises, the diaphragm will deform and close an electrical circuit, indicating that there is an alarm condition in the system. A fault switch is used to indicate whether there are leaks, disconnects, or other problems in a pneumatic detector system. A fault switch will include a deformable diaphragm that is deformed when the system is at a normal pressure. If the pressure drops below normal, the diaphragm will resume its normal state and open an electrical circuit, indicating that there is a fault condition in the system.
Pneumatic detectors that utilize both alarm switches and fault switches are used on aircrafts to detect alarm and fault conditions. The pressure tubes for the alarm and fault switches can typically run anywhere from one foot long to fifty feet long, and can be placed in systems that are prone to overheating or fires.

Pneumatic detector integrated alarm and fault switch


Provided are a method and system for projecting an illumination beam to an image plane. The method includes producing a sample of the illumination beam and projecting the sample to a secondary image plane. Next, an illumination uniformity profile associated with the projected sample is measured while the received illumination beam is being projected to the image plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to uniformity corrections in lithography systems.
2. Related Art
Conventional lithography systems include, among other things, an illumination system to produce a uniform intensity distribution of a received laser beam. It is desirable that the resulting illumination be as uniform as possible. Illumination uniformity influences the lithography system's ability to pattern uniform line widths across an entire exposure field. Illumination uniformity can significantly impact the quality of devices produced by the lithography system.
In conventional illumination systems, uniformity is never measured during an actual exposure, but can only be measured offline. That is, these conventional illumination systems do not include methods for actively and dynamically controlling illumination uniformity with real time uniformity measurements (or feedback).
Transient uniformity disturbances, have been observed in radiometric illumination tests. Factors, such as beam and component misalignment and/or transmission hysteresis, are example as sources of transient uniformity disturbances. In lithography systems that utilize light wavelengths of about 193 nanometers, for example, transmission hysteresis within the illuminator can cause uniformity to change by up to 0.15% (half of the specification for a typical lithography system) during the space of 90 minutes in some extreme cases. In conventional systems, uniformity of exposure is entrusted to the temporal stability of the optical system.
Conventional techniques for correcting uniformity errors include numerous systems that are well known to those of skill in the art. These illumination uniformity systems are configured to correct uniformity only at a wafer plane. Uniformity corrections are made, re-measured, then saved, and exposures are conducted without further adjustment. Particular correction settings may also be recorded for later use. In short, these systems are only capable of measuring illumination uniformity statically (i.e., off line). These systems do not include capabilities for dynamically measuring illumination uniformity at or near real time.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and system that provides real time uniformity illumination measurements and intensity feedback. More specifically, what is needed is a technique and system to measure illumination uniformity in real time in an image plane.

Method and system for real time uniformity feedback


A method and apparatus for modifying aircraft having a fuselage and center fuselage carry through structure that support wing structures, comprising placing a load transferring member to extend through the center fuselage carry through structure, and transferring the tension loads from the wing structures to the center fuselage carry through structure so as to provide a redundant load path that is resistant to the hazards of single point failures modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improving the metallurgical fatigue life of certain general aviation aircraft airframe structures, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to enhancement and extension of the structural integrity thereof.
2. Discussion
It is known that aluminum aircraft structures accumulate metal fatigue with repetitive cyclic loading imposed on the structures as a result of flight loads and loading imposed from takeoffs and landings.
For various historic, economic and market reasons, the average age in flight hours of the general aviation fleet is increasing each year. Because the accumulation of fatigue in the aircraft metal structure tends to follow the flight hours, there is an ever increasing risk of fatigue accumulating to the point that many general aviation aircraft will have to be grounded because of unacceptable risks of fatigue cracks in primary airframe structures.
When sufficient fatigue damage has accumulated in the airframe, the accumulated fatigue will cause small cracks to initiate in localized portions of the airframe structure. As fatigue continues to accumulate, the cracks will inevitably grow, and if undetected and not repaired, there will eventually be failure of the airframe and probable loss of life if in flight.
It is known that fatigue damage is dramatically accelerated with increasing-load levels during repetitive cyclic loading of the airframes. This cumulative damage is highly nonlinear. Even small increases in loading levels result in disproportionately shortened fatigue life for airframe structures. Conversely, if critical portions of the structure can be identified and the loading on the critical structures reduced even by modest proportions, the useful fatigue life of the airframe can be greatly increased.
The fleet of Beechcraft Bonanza, Baron and T-34 airplanes manufactured by Beech Aircraft Corporation, now Raytheon Aircraft Corporation, all share a common design arrangement in the main wing structure. This common design arrangement consists of, among many other features, wing members that can be independently removed from the fuselage. The wings are attached to the fuselage structure with four bolts on each side, of which two are part of the front spar and two are part of the rear wing spar attachment structure on each side of the fuselage structure.
Within the fuselage is located a crucial portion of the total main wing spar structure, which is commonly referred to as the center spar carry through structure, or simply, for the purpose of this disclosure, the center spar. This structure is designed to tie the two wing spars together as an integral unit and to transfer the load from the two wings through the fuselage.
The center spar assembly consists of upper and lower principal structure elements. The upper portion of the center spar structure is normally in compressive loading, while the lower portion of the center spar structure is normally in tensile loading, both of which will vary with the flight and landing-loading.
Among features that commonly appear in these types of structures are the presences of highly loaded tension bolts that present potential failure points in the most critical portions of the structure. These failure modes result because there is no redundant load path to carry loads in the event one of the highly loaded tension bolts fails. Those skilled in the art recognize that avoiding critical structural features characterized by single point failure modes is desirable in the design of structures upon which human safety depends.
The normal loading for the aircraft operating in smooth air imposes tensile loading on the lower spar section proportional to the acceleration that the aircraft is experiencing with respect to the vertical axis through the aircraft structure. This acceleration is commonly referred to as the maneuver loading or 'g-load' for the aircraft. During turbulence, and during accidental or deliberate maneuvers, the g-load increases substantially, and depending on the particular type of aircraft, it can reach six times its normal loading for aerobatic maneuvers, and more during unintentional overload events.
In recent years, observations and investigations of accidents and incidents that involved similar aircraft and structures that had experienced long term repetitive high loading conditions revealed the presence of fatigue cracks that resulted in actual or pending structural failure. Other investigations revealed that the original detail design of the center carry through structure resulted in the creation of critical structural stress risers at specific locations that, if not mitigated, result in premature or early retirement of the airframe due to fatigue accumulation. The fatigue damage observed is almost entirely the result of tensile loading in such areas, as opposed to compressive loading.
Mitigation of the stress concentration features in the critical center fuselage structure is exceptionally difficult because access to the structure is restricted by its inherent original design, and disassembly is labor intensive and essentially cost prohibitive.
There have been attempts to mitigate fatigue accumulation of these types of structures by various means, including the installation of a 'spar strap.' This is a device in which a steel strap is arranged across the exterior of the belly of the fuselage of the aircraft and attached to the outboard area of each wing. This attempt at mitigation has several undesirable effects. Among these is that the steel and aluminum over large unprotected areas can cause dissimilar metal corrosion. Another is that the modification is labor intensive and expensive to install, and the installation restricts access to the areas of the wings that normally require repetitive maintenance inspections. Yet another large disadvantage of external spar strap arrangements is the additional resultant airframe drag, and the consequent reduction in speed, range and utility of the aircraft.
The present invention provides an effective and cost efficient solution to the problem discussed above while avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art.

Enhancement and extension of structural integrity of aircraft structure


A moist towelette dispenser device adapted for use in combination with a toilet paper holder assembly having an elongated cylindrical spindle with two ends engageable which mount on a conventional toilet paper fixture to support a roll of toilet paper. The device provides for concurrent dispensing of toilet paper and moist towelettes and an air freshener. A housing provides a dispensing site for the towelettes and is engageable to the room mount by two elongated members. The toilet paper is operatively mounted on the spindle engaged between the members.

Over the last decade, pre-moistened towelettes have become a widely employed means for personal hygiene. Such towelettes are conventionally pre-moistened with any of a plurality of liquids which clean and may have antibacterial properties. Other such towelettes may be pre-moistened with skin softeners or medications for employment by a user in daily hygiene or medication purposes. Conventionally, moist towelettes are sold in containers which maintain the moist nature of the towelettes and provide an easy means to dispense individual towelettes.
In addition, hand sanitizers have also become a predominantly employed means for personal hygiene and sanitation. Hand sanitizers are often employed as a supplement or alternative to washing hands with soap and water. Sanitizers are typically a gel, foam or liquid dispensed conventionally through a pump dispensing unit or squeeze bottle providing easy and convenient means to sanitize hands. Recently, producers of hand sanitizers have begun combining the sanitizing solution with natural products and essential oils to provide moisture and conditioning to the user's skin to satisfy the ever growing skin care industry.
Personal hygiene, while in a bathroom, has become an ever more favored means of employment of such towelettes and hand sanitizers. Such towelette and hand sanitizers dispensers provide easy access of hygiene products to users in a bathroom while standing in front of the sink or bathroom counter on which the towelette container is supported. However, with bathroom counter top space becoming ever more crowded, it frequently becomes a choice of which hygiene appliance and which personal hygiene product is given counter space at the expense of other favored products.
Additionally, the toilet in modern bathrooms is frequently in a smaller room housed in the bathroom yet separated from the main area by a door and wall surrounding it. In such small areas, there is frequently no counter space provided at all because of the limited use of the room for its short term occupant. However, it is becoming more and more popular to employ towelettes as well as hand sanitizers solutions, in place of or along with toilet paper, in personal hygiene after using the toilet. This is especially true where the application of medications or moisturizers is required or desired to treat or comfort skin or other problems which may be causing discomfort for users of the toilet.
However, due to the limited space in the small area, and due to the proclivity of other users of a bathroom to remove additional hygiene products from the counter top, it becomes a vexing problem to provide such towelettes and hand sanitizers in a location proximate to the user of the toilet. This is especially true where multiple people may use the same toilet, but not all wish to use, or need, the towelettes or sanitizers subsequent to finishing up their stay on the toilet.
As such, there exists an unmet need for a container, or a mount for a container, that is positioned adjacent to a roll of toilet paper. Such a device should accommodate the needs of users of towelettes and hand sanitizers, yet not displace the roll of toilet paper that others may use or which may be employed in combination with towelettes.
Further, such a device should provide a means for engagement of a plurality of different types of towelettes for easy dispensing within arms reach of a toilet user.
Still further, such a device should provide means for engagement of other paper product rolls such as paper towels.
With respect to the above, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the towelette dispensing invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components or steps set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The various apparatus and methods of the invention are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art once they review this disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting in any manner.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other devices for the dispensing of towelettes concurrently and proximate to the dispensing of toilet paper. It is important, therefore, that the objects of this invention, and claims herein, be regarded as including any such equivalent construction and methodology as would occur to those skilled in the art insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.


An article includes a hollow enclosure defining a void. The void has a first section and a second section separate from the first section. An electronic component is housed in the first section and the second section of the void. A low pressure mold material is molded into the first section of the void and cured around a first segment of the electronic component to encapsulate the first segment of the electronic component. A support seal is inserted into the second section of the void adjacent a second segment of the electronic component. The support seal defines a sealing barrier on one side of the low pressure mold material that limits the flow of low pressure mold material out of the first section of the void.

Various types of articles are manufactured with sensitive electronics incorporated inside the article to perform specific functions. Eyewear used in augmented reality (or "AR") is one example. AR is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated images, such as video or graphics. Users view their environment through eyewear that incorporates an AR display system. The AR display system includes fragile electronics, including flexible printed circuit boards, that are typically housed inside the eyewear frame. The eyewear frame is typically formed as a plastic enclosure, although other materials can also be used to manufacture the frame.
Fragile electronics that are housed in hollow articles must be protected from moisture, dust, vibration and other environmental factors that can damage the electronics. To protect fragile electronics from damage, a hot melt material such as polyamide or polyolefin can be injected into the eyewear frame and around the electronics during manufacture. The hot melt material is injected at low pressure into the eyewear frame and around the electronics in an over-molding process, often referred to as "low pressure molding". During this process, the temperature of the injected hot melt material is high enough that the hot melt material has a low viscosity and can flow easily around the electronics. The temperature of the injected hot melt is not high enough to damage the electronics or melt the plastic material forming the eyewear frame, however. After the hot melt material flows around the electronics, it quickly cools and hardens. The cooled material encapsulates the electronics to protect them from moisture, dust, vibration and other damaging environmental factors.

Low pressure molded article and method for making same


A design support apparatus supports wiring design for bond wires that connect a semiconductor chip and an interposer. The design support apparatus includes a creating unit that creates simulated design data simulating occurrence of fluctuation in an arrangement position of a semiconductor chip on an interposer and occurrence of fluctuation in bond wire connection terminal positions of the interposer, and an analyzing unit that analyzes, based on the simulated design data, deficiencies in manufacturing of semiconductor devices due to the fluctuation in the arrangement position of the semiconductor chip on the interposer and the fluctuation in the bond wire connection terminal positions of the interposer.

Conventionally, in designing a semiconductor device like a semiconductor package, arrangement positions of an interposer and semiconductor chips, wiring positions, and the like are examined in advance with a design support apparatus for semiconductor devices. As such a design support apparatus for semiconductor devices, there is one including a data combining unit that inputs, for example, chip data having layout information of chips and frame data having layout information of frames and arranges the chip data and the frame data in predetermined positions to create a combined drawing, a connection diagram creating unit that automatically or interactively creates, with respect to the combined drawing created by the data combining unit, a chip/frame connection diagram with reference to connection diagram information created by using the identical chips and other frames, and a connection diagram information storing unit that extracts connection diagram information, which the connection diagram creating unit refers to in creating a connection diagram, based on the chip/frame connection diagram created by the connection diagram creating unit and stores the connection diagram information. In such a design support apparatus for semiconductor devices, the connection diagram information storing unit stores the connection diagram information such as the connection diagram and pads used such that the connection diagram information is referred to in later connection work with other frames. Consequently, the connection diagram creating unit creates a connection diagram with reference to the connection diagram information stored by the connection diagram information storing unit. Thus, there is an advantage that it is possible to correctly perform connection of wires.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-67679

Wiring design support apparatus for bond wire of semiconductor devices


A holder assembly is provided for safely storing a package of disposable wipes and securely mounting the package of wipes to a wall or table. In one embodiment, the holder assembly has a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls extending from a base and thereby forming a cavity for receiving the package of disposable wipes. The front wall has a guide channel for slidably receiving a lid assembly connected to the package of wipes. The base of the holder has a plurality of openings for receiving fasteners, such as button head screws or suction cups, for securing the holder to a wall or table. A rear surface of the guide channel has a plurality of ovaloid protrusions configured to engage a tab on the lid and thereby secure the lid to the holder.

Disposable moist wipes for personal hygienic use are frequently found in public places, such as restrooms, restaurants, and airports, and in the home. Such wipes are typically housed within a container or package having a hinged lid portion that permits a user to remove a disposable wipe from the package. The package or container, however, is subject to damage from users, such as abrasions or tears, due to frequent and repeated use. Additionally, the package or container of wipes is typically placed on a relatively flat surface, such as a sink countertop. However, placing the package of wipes on a surface may make it more difficult or cumbersome for the user to retrieve the wipes because the user has to secure the package in place with one hand and then remove a wipe from the package with the other hand.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a holder adapted to receive a package of dispensable wipes, wherein the holder protects the package of dispensable wipes against damage due to handling by a user and securely mounts the package of dispensable wipes to a wall or table.


A power distribution system which may be provided in an aircraft for example is described, the power distribution system comprising: a power distribution bus and a plurality of localized voltage converters each supplied by the power distribution bus. By providing a plurality of localized voltage converters, the power distribution system may use fewer, or just a single power distribution bus at a particular voltage and convert to the desired voltage at or near to each of a plurality of pieces of electrical equipment being supplied.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention generally relates to a power distribution system such as a power distribution system for an aircraft for example.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the primary concerns for aircraft is system weight. Being able to reduce weight reduces an aircraft's fuel consumption and increases its range. An aircraft's structure, fuel, equipment and electrical wiring all contribute to its weight. The weight of electrical wiring and associated equipment for a commercial aircraft may be several hundred kilograms or several tonnes.
It is an aim of an embodiment of the present invention to reduce the weight of an aircraft's electrical wiring and/or associated equipment.

Power distribution system for an aircraft


Efficient radio communication is implemented in a usage pattern desired by users. A cellular phone as mobile radio communication apparatus communicates by air with a base station as fixed radio communication apparatus (Step S1). When the cellular phone detects that the cellular phone is positioned at the fringe of the cell of the base station (Step S3), the cellular phone independently makes adjustment to lower the transmission power according to the judgment of the cellular phone itself in correspondence with the received power from the base station (Step S11). Further, the cellular phone lowers the bit rate of transmission data in correspondence with the adjusted transmission power (Step S12). The present invention is applicable to information processors, such as cellular phones, PDAs, and mobile terminals, provided with a radio communication function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication system, mobile radio communication apparatus and a method therefor, fixed radio communication apparatus and a method therefor, recording media, and programs, and more particularly to a radio communication system, mobile radio communication apparatus and a method therefor, fixed radio communication apparatus and a method therefor, recording media, and programs wherein degradation in system performance due to co-channel interference is reduced in environments where negotiation is not conducted between base stations.
2. Description of Related Art
Where a plurality of pieces of fixed radio communication apparatus (hereafter, referred to also as "base stations") are installed and multi-cell operation is performed in a radio communication system in which multiple access is implemented by the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) method or the like, if a plurality of pieces of mobile radio communication apparatus (hereafter, referred to also as "mobile stations") connected with different base stations are used on the same frequency channel in the same area, co-channel interference occurs and telephone calls are disabled in the area.
To cope with this, frequency repetition is used in common, wherein areas using the same frequency channel are located far away from one another and channels used are thereby limited.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of frequency repetition with the frequency divided into seven. As shown in FIG. 1, seven frequency channels A to G allocated to the radio communication system are respectively allocated to seven blocks (hereafter, referred to as "cells") marked with corresponding characters A to G.
As mentioned above, use of frequency repetition locates areas (cells) using the same frequency channel away from one another. However, in this method, the frequency resource allocated to the radio communication system is divided and the number of frequency channels one base station can use is limited to 1/number of divided frequencies, which impairs the efficiency of frequency utilization at the system level. In terms of this, therefore, it is preferable to reduce the number of divided frequencies as much as possible.
However, if frequency repetition with a low value set for the number of divided frequencies is used, the locations of cells using the same frequency channel are physically made closer to one another.
If 3 is taken as the number of divided frequencies, as illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, adjoining base stations (cells) do not use the same frequency channel but the distance between cells using the same frequency channel is shorter than in cases where 7 is taken as the number of divided frequencies (cases illustrated in FIG. 1). For example, the distance between cell 2-1 and cell 2-2 to which the same frequency channel A is allocated is shorter than the distance between cell 1-1 and cell 1-2 to which the same frequency channel A is allocated in FIG. 1.
Further, in fact, an area where the path losses with respect to a plurality of base stations using the same frequency channel are substantially equal is produced.
If a mobile station positioned in proximity to such an area transmits a signal to a base station with which the mobile station is connected, the transmitted signal is an interfering signal for other base stations using the same frequency channel.
For example, it is assumed that mobile stations 12-1 and 12-2 are positioned in an area where the path losses with respect to base stations 11-1 and 11-2 are equal (boundary between the cells (fringe)) and the mobile station 12-1 communicates by air with the base station 11-1 through a communication path (transmission route) 21-1 and the mobile station 12-2 communicates by air with the base station 11-2 through a communication path 21-4, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Further, it is assumed that the same frequency channel is used for the communication paths 21-1 and 21-4.
In this case, the mobile station 12-1 judges that the communication path 21-1 to the base station 11-1 is more suitable as a communication path the mobile station uses than the communication path 21-2 to the base station 11-2 in terms of attenuation and communicates by air with the base station 11-1 through the communication path 21-1. However, in fact, the path losses of both the communication paths 21-1 and 21-2 are substantially equal, and thus, when the mobile station 12-1 transmits a signal to the base station 11-1, the transmitted signal also reaches the base station 11-2 through the communication path 21-2. Since the base station 11-2 is in radio communication with the mobile station 12-2, the signal transmitted from the mobile station 12-1 through the communication path 21-2 is an interfering signal for the base station 11-2.
Similarly, a signal transmitted from the mobile station 12-2 to the base station 11-2 also reaches the base station 11-1 through the communication path 21-3, and thus the signal is an interfering signal for the base station 11-1.
As mentioned above, there is a problem that a signal transmitted from a mobile station to a first base station is an interfering signal for other base stations located in proximity to the mobile station.
Therefore, at the base station 11-1, signals from the mobile station 12-1 are always interfered with by signals from the mobile station 12-2, and at the base station 11-2, signals transmitted from the mobile station 12-2 are always interfered with by signals from the mobile station 12-1. As a result, decoding of the signals becomes unfeasible.
To solve this problem, a technique called soft handoff is used in common. Soft handoff is a technique wherein a mobile station positioned at the fringe of a cell simultaneously communicates by air with two base stations, for example, and the transmission power thereof is controlled according to information indicated by both the base stations, and has been already incorporated in the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) cellular system, for example.
However, to implement soft handoff, it is required for each base station to conduct negotiation with other base stations. For example, if base stations are operated by different owners or if base stations are not directly connected with one another through the same network, each of the base stations cannot exchange information required for soft handoff with other base stations and the implementation of soft handoff is difficult.

Radio communication system, mobile radio communication apparatus and method therefor, fixed radio communication apparatus and method therefor, recording medium, and program


An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, methods and components are disclosed. The illumination system can include a polarization manipulator configured to variably adjust a change in the polarization state of light impinging thereon. The illumination system can also include a mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements that are displaceable independently of each other to alter an angle distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement. A change in the intensity distribution caused by the polarization manipulator in a plane of the projection exposure apparatus can be at least partially compensated by the mirror arrangement.

Microlithography can be used for the production of microstructured components such as, for example, integrated circuits or LCDs. The microlithography process is typically carried out in what is referred to as a projection exposure apparatus having an illumination system and a projection objective. The image of a mask illuminated by the illumination system (reticle) is projected by the projection objective onto a substrate (for example a silicon wafer) which is coated with a light-sensitive layer (photoresist) and arranged in the image plane of the projection objective in order to transfer the mask structure onto the light-sensitive coating on the substrate.

Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus


The present invention provides a variable valve mechanism which includes a camshaft having a drive cam, a rocker shaft provided parallel to the camshaft, and a variable mechanism that is provided on the rocker shaft and interposed between the drive cam and a valve, and that changes an opening/closing amount of the valve. The variable mechanism includes a main arm that engages with the drive cam, a cam arm that has a cam surface pressing the valve, a control cam that is provided on the rocker shaft, and has an outer peripheral surface whose distance from a shaft center of the rocker shaft varies gradually, and a displacement member whose distance from the shaft center is changed by turning of the control cam. A relative phase between the main arm and the cam arm is displaced as the distance between the displacement member and the shaft center changes.

Conventionally, a variable valve mechanism 100 of Patent Literature 1 shown in FIG. 6 is known as a variable valve mechanism that controls the lift amount, the working angle, and the opening/closing timing of a valve according to the operating state of an internal combustion engine.
This variable valve mechanism 100 includes a camshaft 101 which is rotated by a crankshaft (not shown) of the internal combustion engine, and a valve-operating member 103 that opens and closes a valve 102. A drive cam 104 is fixed on the camshaft 101 so as to be turnable integrally with the camshaft 101. Moreover, a swing cam 106, which includes a cam surface 105 engaging with the valve-operating member 103, is supported on the camshaft 101 so as to be turnable relative to the camshaft 101.
A variable link 109 is swingably supported on a control shaft 107, which is parallel to the camshaft 101, through an eccentric cam 108. One end of the variable link 109 is connected to the drive cam 104 by a ring-shaped link 110, and the other end of the variable link 109 is connected to the swing cam 106 by a rod-shaped link 111. The variable valve mechanism 100 transmits the power of the drive cam 104 to the swing cam 106 through the three links 109, 110, 111, and changes the swing angle of the variable link 109 by the eccentric cam 108, thereby changing the lift amount and the working angle of the valve 102 according to the operating state of the internal combustion engine.


The disclosure relates to a process for producing molded parts, made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and having integrated channels intended for the distribution of a lubricant or for the circulation of a liquid coolant. In the process one or more tubes, made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and previously formed, are placed in a mold, the ends of the tube or tubes being on the outside of the mold or of the cores inserted therein. The aluminum or alloy is poured into the cavity of the mold, and after demolding, the surplus portions of the tube or tubes are eliminated. This process is used for the mass production of molded parts having a system of internal channels, such as cylinder heads, compressor cylinders, lubrication systems, convectors, etc.

The invention relates to a process for producing moulded parts made of Al or an Al alloy and comprising integrated channels with a view to the distribution of a lubricant or to the circulation of a liquid coolant.
it applies especially to the manufacture of cylinder heads.
There is known a process of this type, which is described in Japanese Patents JA-55-73455 and JA-55-68168 in which a metallic tube filled with sand or a similar material is embedded in a moulded part. After solidification the sand is removed. However, this method has the following disadvantages:
before casting, it is necessary to fill the tubes with sand, which constitutes an additional and tricky operation, especially if the tubes are narrow and tortuous;
after casting, it is necessary to remove the sand contained within the channels, which may be difficult if the channels are narrow and tortuous;
it may not be possible to remove grains of sand remaining caught up on the internal walls of the tube, which may lead to difficulties if these grains are subsequently drawn into the application circuits (for lubricating or cooling);
difficulties in refrigerating the tubes during casting.
The applicant, wishing to obviate these difficulties, has thus developed the following method according to the invention.
One or more main tubes, made of aluminum or an alloy thereof and previously formed and optionally equipped with one or more taps, is/are placed in the mould, in a specified position, the open ends of the tubes being able to correspond with the outside of the mould, either through the latter or through cores; the closed ends may be embedded in the part.
The alloy of the part is then poured into the cavity of the mould after closure of the latter, in order to embed the tube or system of tubes.
The alloy constituting the tubes and their thicknesses are specified in such a manner as to avoid any local melting during the filling of the mould with the liquid alloy. It is generally recommended to use a tube of A5 (AFNOR-NF-57702 Standard) of thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm. The bend radii of the tubes must not generate, in the stretched fibre of the elbows, thickness reductions which are too great and are incompatible with the strength of the tube when filling the mould; preferably the bend radius is greater than or equal to 3 times the external diameter of the tubes.
The taps are fixed on the main tube:
a) either by collars, which are obtained by axial compression of the tube and are formed to the external diameter of the main tube. Fixing then takes placed by adhesive securement or welding. The positioning is given by the collar and the fit of the tap in the main tube (FIG. 2);
b) or by press-fitting the chamfered end of the tap into an orifice of the main tube with a positive oversize ranging up to 0.5 mm. The positioning is given by the end of the longitudinal ribs of the taps ensuring the lateral interference (FIG. 3);
c) or by direct welding.
The depth of penetration of a tap into the main tube is of the order of 1 mm in relation to its internal surface. This positioning is fixed by the position of the collar in case a) or by external longitudinal ribbing, by embossing, of the end of the fitting in case b). In the latter case, the resulting diametral thickening ensures the lateral interference in this case and the end flanges of the ribs ensure the axial positioning of the fitting on the tube. The positioning of the tube (or of the system of tubes) in the mould ensures its centring in relation to its reference position, which allows for axial expansion of the tubes and the rotary blocking of the latter.
The positioning of the tube (or the system of tubes) in the mould is achieved for example by an elbow at 90.degree. external to the useful portion of the moulded part and inserted into a core adjacent to the mould with a clearance of the order of 1 to 2 mm, for an overall length of approximately 50 cm. The other end of the tube is inserted into a cylindrical housing core permitting the free axial expansion of the tube but also ensuring a perfect centring of the system of tubes in the mould. The mould itself is produced either in sand, metal or a mixture, under the usual conditions for the casting of aluminum alloys. The alloys usually employed are AS7G or AS5U3G in the Y20,23 or Y30,33 states in accordance with AFNOR NF-A-57702 Standard.
The dimensions between tap centres will be adjusted, in relation to the desired dimensions, by an amount which takes into account the deformations of the main tube during the casting and the solidification of the part: namely elongation under the effect of the heat of the liquid metal and shrinkage when the part solidifies.
The temperature for casting the part is the lowest possible temperature which makes it possible to obtain correct production of the part and non-melting of the tube. The casting temperature is less than or equal to 760.degree. C. and preferably between 720.degree. C. and 740.degree. C.
By way of indication, the usual internal diameters of the tubes employed are generally between 3 and 15 mm.
It is preferably to choose the alloys for the tube or system of tubes and for the cast part in such a manner that the melting point of the alloy of the moulded part is less than or equal to that of the metal (or alloy) constituting the tube (or system of tubes).
During the filling phase, the contact time between the system of tubes and the molten metal must be less than 10 seconds, and preferably 5 seconds.
The tube (or system of tubes) may also be cooled during the casting operation by a circulation of a cooling fluid, such as compressed air or liquid nitrogen vapour.
The invention will be better understood with the help of the following example, illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 3, reproducing the conditions of casting a part of cylinder head.

Process for producing a moulded part, made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, equipped with integrated channels


A method for implementing dynamic link adaptation in a cellular system by a user equipment (UE) having two coded composite transport channels (CCTrCHs) in an uplink time slot begins by estimating transmit power using a transport format combination (TFC) pair for the CCTrCHs. The total estimated transmit power for the two CCTrCHs is compared with a given threshold. Use of both TFCs is permitted when the total estimated power is less than the threshold.

The following acronyms are used in this application:
CCPCHcommon control physical channelCCTrCHcoded composite transport channelISCPinterference signal code powerMACmedium access controlNRTnon-real timeRSCPreceived signal control powerRTreal timeSIRsignal to interference ratioTDDtime-division duplexTFCtransport format combinationTXtransmissionUEuser equipmentUMTSuniversal mobile telecommunications system
For UMTS-TDD systems, in an uplink time slot where the UE has only one CCTrCH, the UE TX power is the TX power of the CCTrCH, which is determined by the TFC used for this CCTrCH. As specified in the standards, when the UE estimates that a certain TFC would require more power than the maximum transmitter power, it should limit the usage of that TFC. The UE continuously evaluates which TFCs can be used for the purpose of TFC selection. The evaluation is performed using the estimated UE transmit power of a given TFC. MAC-d will notify the codec to reduce the data rate, if applicable, by sharing the information as to which TFCs can be used. This is called dynamic link adaptation (DLA).
However, in an uplink time slot where the UE has two CCTrCHs, the UE TX power is the sum of the TX power of the two CCTrCHs. That is, UE TX power is determined jointly by the TFCs of the two CCTrCHs. The current standardized dynamic link adaptation (DLA) algorithm cannot deal with this case, i.e., the UE does not know which TFCs to use or block.
It is desirable to provide a method of enabling a UE to make a decision regarding TFC selection by using dynamic link adaptation (DLA).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dynamic radio link adaptation for interference in cellular systems


Rotary vacuum evaporation of a primary refrigerant cools a secondary refrigerant mixed with it. The secondary refrigerant does not change state and meanders through a low pressure cooling circuit for refrigeration applications. The primary refrigerant changes state and remains in a short and secure circuit. Evaporation is produced at a surface around the axis of rotation and within the mixture by opposed centrifugal and centripetal forces acting through a narrow afferent mesial passage between rotating disks mounted on a hollow shaft. Vapor is stripped from the surface, scrubbed by cyclonic flow through the afferent mesial passage, and condensed by a centrifugal compressor, which is a centrifugal pump having its inlet communicating with the bore of the hollow shaft and the afferent mesial passage. Latent heat is drawn off by water, making this a water heater, and the water is produced by de-humidification. The primary refrigerant and the secondary refrigerant are cheap and environmentally harmless, e.g. propylene glycol and acetone. A method and apparatus for refrigeration using only water is disclosed. Energy efficiency is maximized by avoidance of positive displacement pumps and narrow conduits, and by operation during times when excess power is in the grid.

The technology of cooling practiced most in the art is Joule-Thompson expansion, which is known to produce cooling by the forced mechanical separation of molecules in a jet. A gas or liquid under pressure is released through an expansion valve, and the attractive forces between the molecules are overcome by momentum. The flow is turbulent. This is known to be an inefficient process, but where abundant energy is available, as in jet airplane intercooling, this disadvantage is negligible.
However, for home or industrial refrigeration, energy efficiency is important. Fluids used must be easily torn apart by the Joule-Thompson expansion valve. Fluorocarbons meet this requirement, but have been found to have adverse environmental effects. Using only one phase is practiced currently in the art of vapor compression refrigeration. That phase is fluorocarbons due to their superior qualities when used in a Joule-Thompson expansion valve. However, fluorocarbons are known to be a danger to the environment and are scheduled for extinction soon. Two-phase systems known to the art are bulky brine systems and adsorption devices.
Vapor compression refrigeration cycles known to the art comprise two stages. In the first stage, vapor of the refrigerant is compressed, liberating the latent heat of the refrigerant vapor. The vapor usually is compressed to the point of condensation, although gas refrigeration cycles that do not change state are known. The condensate or compressed gas is pushed through a long conduit to engage in heat exchange with the ambient fluid, generally air, so as to discharge the latent heat from the system. The conduit is generally a narrow pipe to maximize the heat exchange surface. Friction loss from pumping liquid through a narrow pipe makes this an inefficient system.
Screw or centrifugal compressors, where compression is accomplished by centrifugal force pressing the refrigerant vapor against a wall, have been used in large applications. Centrifugal pumps are unable to produce the high head needed for pushing condensed refrigerant through the long and narrow pipe of a small refrigerator or air conditioner heat exchange section, so generally positive displacement pumps are used. The pressure in the conduit is greater than the pressure of the atmosphere so that no air or water vapor can intrude into the system. Oil from the seals of these positive displacement pumps can contaminate the refrigerant, resulting in loss of efficiency.
After its passage through the heat exchange section, the high-pressure cooled refrigerant condensate is then released through an expansion valve into another tube, beginning the second stage, which is where cooling actually takes place. The lowering of pressure allows evaporation. Evaporation draws heat from the walls of the tube, which in turn draw heat from the ambient air around the food or other item to be cooled. Once evaporated, the refrigerant is recondensed in the first stage, renewing the cycle.
Pushing condensate through long, narrow, high-pressure conduits by positive displacement pumps requires an inordinate amount of energy. Furthermore, positive displacement pumps hammer the condensate, causing constant vibration of the long, narrow, high pressure conduits, resulting in fatigue in the materials and leaks of refrigerant through cracks.
The use of CFCs (chloroflourocarbons) and other dangerous refrigerants in such vulnerable circuits is a matter of increasing concern. CFCs have been found to damage the ozone layer of the atmosphere, and the production of CFCs after the year 2000 has been banned by Title VI of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-549, 104 Stat. 2399 (1990). A new refrigeration method and apparatus is especially needed for automobile air conditioning units because in 1994 a phase-in is to begin that will preclude the sale of automobiles containing ozone-depleting refrigerants. 42 U.S.C. Section 7671 h.
Ammonia is used in industrial chillers. Its disadantage is that it is explosive and poisonous.
Two-phase refrigeration systems cool a fluid and then circulate that cooled fluid to engage in heat exchange with the material to be cooled. The cooled fluid is known as the secondary refrigerant. It does not change state during the refrigeration process, but merely acts as a heat exchange medium. For example, brine is used as a secondary refrigerant in ammonia refrigeration systems for making ice. The brine does not mix with ammonia and does not change state; it merely acts as a medium for drawing heat out of the water which is turned into ice.

Rotary two-phase refrigeration apparatus and method


A method and system for remote control of a presenter's computer screen using only web browsers is described. Viewers are able to view representation of a presenter's screen on a screen of the viewer's device and remotely control the presenter's screen directly from a web browser, without any downloads, plugins, or dialog boxes. Viewer control events are captured by the browser, sent to a server, and transmitted to the presenter's computer. A program running on the presenter's computer executes the control events, updates the presenter's screen, and transmits images of the updated screen back to the viewers.

Often it is useful for a presenter to broadcast the contents of his computer screen over a network to remote viewers, such as to demonstrate the capabilities of a software product or website. During a screen sharing session, it is often useful to allow viewers to control the mouse and keyboard, so that the presenter and viewers can, for example, interactively fill out a form together, or the presenter and viewers can collaborate on editing a document, or the presenter can walk the viewers through a training session where the presenter coaches the viewers on how to complete a certain task.
Existing solutions which provide this type of functionality have several limitations. The presenter must normally download and install software (such as executables or plugins) to his computer in order to share the screen and allow remote viewers to control the screen. The viewers must also complete a time-consuming setup process, which can include software downloads and an email-based invitation setup process to connect the viewer to the presenter. These limitations prevent the use of these solutions in certain situations, such as a sales call.

Method and system for browser-based control of a remote computer


An adhesive composition based on a combination of a water soluble amino silane and a normally water-immiscible alkenyl-functional silane wherein the latter is hydrolyzed in the presence of the former under specified conditions to form a stable, water-dilutable aqueous composition having marked bonding affinity between polymers and solid substrates.

Numerous silane adhesive compositions have previously been developed for the purpose of bonding elastomeric materials, particularly silicone elastomer-based materials. Many of these silane adhesive compositions rely on various organo-functional silane compositions as the active bonding agent. Due to the highly organic nature of the organo-functional silane compounds, traditional silane adhesive compositions have relied on organic solvents in order to form a stable and workable solution. While some traditional silane adhesive compositions contain water in addition to an organic solvent, the organic solvent is required in order to form a stable composition.
One example of an organic solvent-based silane adhesive composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,196 as being a mixture of an unsaturated silane and an aminoalkyl silane. For utilization as an adhesive, the mixture is prepared as a solution in the presence of a water-miscible organic solvent. The adhesive composition may also contain a small amount of water in addition to the water-miscible organic solvent; however, the water-miscible organic solvent in such case predominates.
Another example of an organic solvent-based silane adhesive composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,389 as being a mixture of an alkenyltrihydrocarbonoxy silane, a water-miscible solvent, and water.
In light of the continuing effort to eliminate volatile organic solvents from all chemical formulations for environmental purposes, a need presently exists for an aqueous silane adhesive composition which is largely free of any volatile organic solvent and which is stable and dilutable with water.


A capacitive pressure transmitter is provided. In one aspect, the transmitter includes a capacitive pressure sensor coupled directly to the measured media without any intervening fluid isolation. A filter is preferably used to keep particulates from reaching the measuring diaphragm. In another aspect, a capacitive pressure transmitter is provided with at least one self-contained isolator interposed between a process connection and the capacitive pressure sensor. In both aspects, the capacitive pressure transmitter is relatively small and preferably constructed from materials that facilitate low-cost manufacture.

Low-cost pressure monitoring and control devices are used by a variety of industries, such as the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning market. This market tends to be serviced by lower performance and lower cost devices than industrial process control and monitoring systems. This is due to a number of reasons. For example, industrial process and control and monitoring systems often require exacting precision, intrinsic safety, explosion-proof enclosures, device calibration and diagnostics. In contrast, low-cost markets typically require simply that a pressure signal is acquired and that the cost of the system itself is extremely low. However, many features of industrial process control transmitters would be useful to these low-cost markets if such features could be provided without unduly increasing unit cost. The primary design criteria, in this regard, are the electronics size and cost. For example, the low-cost pressure control and monitoring market could benefit from Smart/HART features (calibration, error corrections, alarms . . . ) while also giving analog 4–20 mAmp or 1–5 volt signal.
Recently, advances have been made in capacitive pressure sensing devices that provide more accuracy over a wider pressure range. One example includes the pressure transmitter described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,875. The capacitive pressure sensor disclosed therein can be provided with a non-conductive protective coating (such as silicon oxide) over the internal electrodes. Such overcoatings not only provide excellent over-pressure protection. If a pressure transmitter could be provided with sufficiently low cost, while still providing a host of functions common to the industrial process measurement and control market, low cost markets, such as the HVAC market would benefit tremendously.


This disclosure features chemical entities (e.g., a compound that modulates (e.g., agonizes) Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, and/or hydrate, and/or cocrystal, and/or drug combination of the compound) that are useful, e.g., for treating a condition, disease or disorder in which a decrease or increase in STING activity (e.g., a decrease, e.g., a condition, disease or disorder associated with repressed or impaired STING signaling) contributes to the pathology and/or symptoms and/or progression of the condition, disease or disorder (e.g., cancer) in a subject (e.g., a human). This disclosure also features compositions as well as other methods of using and making the same.

STING, also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TMEM173 gene. STING has been shown to play a role in innate immunity. STING induces type I interferon production when cells are infected with intracellular pathogens, such as viruses, mycobacteria and intracellular parasites. Type I interferon, mediated by STING, protects infected cells and nearby cells from local infection in an autocrine and paracrine manner. The STING pathway is a pathway that is involved in the detection of cytosolic DNA.
The STING signaling pathway is activated by cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs), which may be produced by bacteria or produced by antigen presenting cells in response to sensing cytosolic DNA. Unmodified CDNs have been shown to induce type I interferon and other co-regulated genes, which in turn facilitate the development of a specific immune response (see, e.g., Wu and Sun, et al., Science 2013, 339, 826-830). WO 2015/077354 discloses the use of STING agonists for the treatment of cancer.

Compounds and compositions for treating conditions associated with sting activity


A programmable controller has two communication units connected to a same network and a CPU unit. These two communication units are both identified by same unit-identifying data such as node numbers and unit numbers and function such that one of them operates in an active mode and the other operates in a standby mode. Each of these communication units, when in the active mode, operates to carry out data exchanges with the CPU unit and other nodes connected to the network and, when in standby mode, is prevented from carrying out any data exchange with the other nodes connected to the network. When the communication unit in the active mode fails and goes down, the one in the standby mode is switched to the active mode and carries out the data change. This mode-switching operation is carried out in response to a command from the CPU unit although it may be so arranged that the communication units communicate with each other and switch their modes by informing the occurrence of a failure to the other unit.

This invention relates to a programmable controller, its CPU and communication units and a method of its control.
Programmable controllers (PLCs) are being used as control devices in factory automation (FA). Such PLCs are structured as an appropriate combination of a plurality of units such as a power source unit for supplying electrical power, a CPU unit for controlling the PLC as a whole, an input unit for inputting signals from switches and sensors positioned strategically for the FA devices, an output unit for outputting control signals to actuators or the like, and a communication unit for connecting to a communication network.
The control of a PLC by its CPU unit includes accepting signals inputted through the input unit into the I/O memory of the CPU unit ("IN-refresh"), carrying out a logical calculation according to a user program preliminarily registered in a user program language such as a ladder language ("calculation"), writing the result of such calculations in the I/O memory for transmitting it to the output unit ("OUT-refresh") and thereafter exchanging data through the communication unit with the other PLCs on the same communication network or through communication ports provided to the CPU unit with external devices ("peripheral processing") in a cyclic mode of operation. Operations of the IN-refresh and OUT-refresh are sometimes carried out together.
In order to improve the safety and reliability of a system, it has been known to prepare a network system in a double structure. Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 2001-156818, for example, discloses a ring-shaped transmission system with a double-loop structure of optical cables. With such a double-loop structure, nodes such as PLCs connected to such a ring-shaped transmission route can maintain their mutually connected condition even if a portion of the transmission route happens to be broken and hence interruptions in communication due to such a breakage can be prevented and the reliability of the network is improved.
Each PLC is connected to the network through its communication unit (or network unit) and exchanges data with the other PLCs or nodes through this communication unit. Thus, interruptions in communication due to a breakage in the transmission route can be prevented by using a network system with a double loop structure but the problem of interrupted communication remains if an abnormal condition occurs in the communication unit itself because the nodes (such as PLCs) connected to the network through such a communication unit become unable to exchange data.
In view of the above, if a PLC system is required to be able to continue communication processes even in the presence of a trouble with a communication unit of the controller system with a redundant double loop structure, it has been necessary to double up the communication unit by transmitting the same data twice by the user program. Explained more in detail, this is done by providing the PLC with two communication units having different node numbers and different unit numbers. When such two communication units are used to exchange data with a different node by the so-called data link method, different memory areas (referred to as data link areas) within the CPU unit are used for the data exchange for the two communication units. For this reason, the CPU unit is required to carry out data exchanges and other processes with two communication units. In other words, the user program for the CPU unit must be created so as to carry out a similar process twice regarding the two different memory areas assigned to the two communication units when a data link area is to be accessed. This means that there is an increased load on the calculation process for the execution of such a user program.
A similar problem occurs when a user program is created for communicating with other nodes connected to the network. When a user program is created by using commands (communication commands) for transmitting and receiving messages to and from another node, the node number and the unit number associated with the addressee communication unit must be written in as the operand for the communication command. Thus, the user program must be prepared such that each message will be transmitted to two different communication units by specifying the node number and the unit number of each of them.
If each communication unit is thus doubled up at each node on the network, communication need not be interrupted even when there is an abnormality situation in one of the networks, but the user program for the CPU unit must be executed twice for each unit.

Programmable controller with CPU and communication units and method of controlling same


Validation systems and methods are described. Specifically, the disclosed validation system has the ability to simultaneously or sequentially analyze the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) or any other property of process samples taken from the same or different sources. The validation system is scalable to validate with multiple reference samples to one or multiple analyzers. The system is also scalable to operate multiple streams of a single or multiple fuels to multiple analyzers.

There are significant economic credits associated with process optimization. Real time optimization and control is dependent on reliable online analyzers and a means to accurately quantify standard deviation and control to tighter specifications with confidence. Xenon's validation system is fully automated and scalable to initiate and control analyzer validations with known samples, including but not limited to process reference samples, Neohexane, N-Pentane, etc. The integral controller manages validation sequences and operates seamlessly with site process control systems. Analyzer validation sequences can be initiated automatically or manually by the operator as needed.
Validation and testing systems exist in many forms. Most validation systems are typically applied to a single process analyzer as an add-on feature offered by some OEMs for their own equipment. It is the validation system's responsibility to supply a reference sample to most analyzer at the same flow rates and pressures as normal process sample conditions to determine analyzer accuracy against a known reference value. In essence, the validation system is used to test a measuring device for accuracy without adjusting the analyzer's output. The deviation between the actual analyzer response and reference value is utilized by the process controller to normalize analyzer readings to optimize process control to exact specifications. Typical analytical properties validated include but not limited to Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP), Sulfur, Octane, Aromatics, Oxygen, miscellaneous gaseous and liquid processes.
RVP represents a fuel's evaporation at 100 degrees Fahrenheit and is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). Since the property that RVP measures (evaporation rate) is often referred to as the fuel's volatility, it is clearly a property that is strictly monitored and controlled during the production of fuels. Indeed, fuel refineries, production facilities, transportation companies, and the like spend a great amount of time, energy, and capital analyzing fuel RVP at different stages of production.
The RVP for gasoline should always be below 14.7 PSI, which is normal atmospheric pressure. If the RVP is higher than 14.7 PSI, excess pressure will build and the fuel might boil and evaporate while in a car's gas tank. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates RVP for gasoline purchased at retail gas stations during the summer months to help reduce emissions.
For crude oils, understanding RVP can help the oil companies more safely gather, refine, store and transport their products. Accordingly, many companies along the product chain for various fuels constantly analyze RVP for their fuels. Validation systems are commonly employed to test the accuracy and validity of the analyzers that perform the analysis of the process materials.

Multi-analyzer and multi-reference sample validation system and method


A group of compounds that inhibit HIV replication by blocking HIV entry was identified. Two representative compounds, designated NB-2 and NB-64, inhibited HIV replication (p24 production) with IC50 values <0.5 μg/ml. It was proved that NB-2 and NB-64 are HIV entry inhibitors by targeting the HIV gp41 since: 1) they inhibited HIV-mediated cell fusion; 2) they inhibited HIV replication only when they were added to the cells less than one hour after virus addition; 3) they did not block the gp120-CD4 binding; 4) they did not interact with the coreceptor CXCR4 since they failed to block anti-CXCR4 antibody binding to CXCR4-expressing cells; 5) they blocked the formation of the gp41 core that is detected by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a conformation-specific MAb NC-1; 6) they inhibited the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle revealed by fluorescence native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (FN-PAGE); and 7) they blocked binding of D-peptide to the hydrophobic cavity within gp41 coiled coil domain, modeled by peptide IQN17. These results suggested that NB-2 and NB-64 may interact with the hydrophobic cavity and block the formation of the fusion-active gp41 coiled coil domain, resulting in inhibition of HIV-1 mediated membrane fusion and virus entry.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) transmembrane subunit gp41 plays a crucial role in the early steps of viral entry into target cells (38) and may serve as an important target for development of HIV-1 entry inhibitors (4, 25). The gp41 molecule consists of three domains, i.e., cytoplasmic domain, transmembrane domain and extracellular domain (ectodomain). The ectodomain contains three major functional regions: the fusion peptide (FP), the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR or HR1) and the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR or HR2). Peptides derived from the NHR and CHR regions of gp41, designated N- and C-peptides, have potent antiviral activity against HIV-1 infection (21, 33, 49, 50). One of the C-peptides, T-20 (previously known as DP-178 and now as Fuzeon), has shown potent in vivo anti-HIV-1 activity in clinical trials for treatment of patients with HIV-1 infection and AIDS (27, 50) and was recently approved by the US FDA as the first member of a new class of anti-HIV drugs, known as HIV fusion inhibitors. Discovery of this drug is a great breakthrough in the development of anti-HIV drugs since it can be used for treatment of HIV-infected individuals who fail to respond to the currently available anti-retroviral drugs, such as HIV reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors (26, 29). However, the future application of T-20 may be constrained due to its lack of oral availability and high cost of production. Therefore, it is essential to develop small molecule anti-HIV-1 compounds with a mechanism of action similar to that of C-peptides but without the disadvantages of the peptidic drugs.
In the study on the mechanism by which C-peptides inhibit HIV-1 fusion, it has been demonstrated that the gp41 N- and C-peptides mixed at equimolar concentrations form a stable α-helical trimer of antiparallel heterodimers, representing the fusion-active gp41 core (33, 35). Crystallographic analysis has revealed that this is a six-stranded α-helical bundle, in which three N-helices associate to form the central trimeric coiled-coil and three C-helices pack obliquely in an antiparallel manner into the highly conserved hydrophobic grooves on the surface of this coiled-coil (3, 46, 48). The C-helix interacts with the N-helix mainly through the hydrophobic residues in the grooves on the surface of the central coiled-coil trimer. Each of the grooves on the surface of the N-helix trimer has a deep hydrophobic pocket that accommodates three conserved hydrophobic residues in the gp41 CHR region (3), suggesting that this pocket is an attractive target for designing new class of anti-HIV-1 drugs, which may prevent the early fusion events (2, 3).
Using the gp41 pocket as the target structure, previously two small molecule compounds were identified, ADS-J1 (9, 19) and XTT formazan (51) by applying a computer-aided molecular docking techniques and a sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (23) using a monoclonal antibody (mAb), NC-1, which specifically recognizes the fusion-active gp41 core structure (20). These compounds inhibit HIV-1 fusion possibly by docking into the gp41 pocket and interfering with the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle formation. However, they may not be good lead compounds for development of anti-HIV-1 drugs since both are dyes and contain several reactive groups. Nevertheless, the identification of these compounds is useful as a proof of concept that a small molecule organic compound might block the fusion-active gp41 six-helix bundle formation and inhibit HIV-1 entry. Here it is reported that the identification of two pyrrole derivatives, designated NB-2 and NB-64, as novel HIV-1 fusion inhibitors, which may interact with gp41 at the fusion-intermediate conformation, possibly binding to the gp41 hydrophobic pocket and surrounding area and block the gp41 six-helix bundle formation, thereby inhibiting the fusion between the viral and target cell membranes. NB-2 and NB-64 are "drug-like" compounds and may be used as leads for designing more potent HIV-1 entry inhibitors, which are expected to be developed as a new class of anti-HIV-1 drugs.

Compounds for inhibition of HIV infection by blocking HIV entry


The component has a movable section (2) over a substrate (1), in which spacers (3) preferably made of fluorocarbon are present on the top side of the substrate and prevent the movable section from adhering to the support.

Both in use and during production, movable elements of micromechanical components, for example sensors or actuators, encounter the problem of the movable part adhering to the support. This so-called "sticking" occurs during production as a consequence of strong capillary forces during the drying of the liquids used during and after etching. When the component is used, in the event of an excessive displacement of the movable part toward the substrate, it is possible for such an intimate contact between this part and the surface of the substrate to occur that the part no longer detaches from the surface.
The publication by D. Kobayashi et al.: "Photoresist-Assisted Release of Movable Microstructures" in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 32, L1642-L1644 (1993) describes a method by which, using additional layers of photoresist, a movable part provided for a micromechanical component is detained in such a way that a wet-chemical etching process can take place without the movable part adhering to the support. The photoresist is subsequently removed by ashing in an oxygen plasma.

Micromechanical component and production method


A lens and a pair of glasses incorporating the lens wherein each lens has first and second lens elements, preferably formed of mineral glass, with a bigradient coating deposited on the inner surface of the first lens element by a vacuum coating process. The lens elements are laminated together with a polarization film therebetween and have an anti-reflectant coating preferably on the outer surface of the second lens element. Waterproof coatings may be formed on the anti-reflectant coated outer surface of the second lens element and the outer surface of the first lens element.

Sunlight is typically regarded as unpolarized light. In order to reduce the glare on reflected light, glass lenses, and in particular sunglass lenses, have incorporated polarizing elements. The lens is typically polarized by introducing a polarization film to each sunglass lens element to produce double refraction wherein the impinging light is divided into two orthagonal beams by the polarizing lens elements.
Bigradient and single-gradient coatings have also been applied to sunglass lens elements in order to produce a mirrored appearance for the sunglass lenses and to decrease transmission of visible light in order to reduce the associated glare. See for example, Hutchings U.S. Pat. No. 2,409,356 and Barkely U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,740 which describe a coating for lens elements applied as a film on upper and lower portions of the lens elements by a high vacuum thermal evaporation process. Bigradient coatings have typically not been utilized, however, in combination with polarization films because the polarization films are destroyed by the heat required to apply the bigradient coating.
A sunglass lens element incorporating both a polarization film, a bigradient coating, and anti-reflectant coating is described in Richards et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,673, entitled Polarized Lens and Method of Making the Same. The sunglass lens element of the Richards, et al., patent comprises a pair of ground mineral glass mounds laminated together with polarization film to form a single lens element. The outer surface of the first glass mound is thereinafter coated with a bigradient coating while the outer surface of the second glass mound is coated with an anti-reflectant coating.
The Richards, et al. patent also discloses a method for manufacturing such sunglass lens elements which includes the steps of positioning the laminated lens element on an inner dome of a vacuum vaporization dome. The lens elements, preferably at least one pair of right and left lenses, are aligned on the inner dome according to reference lines existing thereon, and bigradient materials are vaporized within the vacuum vaporization dome such that they adhere to the outer or convex surface of the lens element. A cooling means is also required for maintaining the inner dome at a temperature less than or equal to 50.degree. C. such that the polarization film is not destroyed. The vaporizing material is also blocked along the horizontal axis of the lens element, so as to establish a separate bigradient coating on the upper and lower surfaces of the lens element.
In conclusion, although sunglass lenses incorporating polarization films, a bigradient coating, and an anti-reflectant coating are highly desirable, the art has not heretofore suggested a viable sunglass lens incorporating a polarization film, a bigradient coating, and an anti-reflectant coating.

Polarized lens and method of making same


In order to recognize the open position of printed sheets supplied one after the other astride on a transfer apparatus to a sewing apparatus of a thread stitching machine, the printed sheets are guided in straddled position on at least one of the sides forming the inner fold edge of a printed sheet past a checking apparatus carrying out checks by way of the print images.

The invention relates to a method for producing book blocks composed of folded printed sheets, wherein the printed sheets having different print images are supplied separately according to a specific sequence to the sewing apparatus of a thread stitching machine and are stitched to one another by at least one twine which extends through the fold of the printed sheets.
Methods of this type serve to produce books of a high binding quality.
The various folded printed sheets forming the book blocks are made available in stacked form in multiple copies in a specific sequence according to the contents of the book block to be produced and they are fed one after the other through a separating apparatus onto a processing section.
On the way to the sewing apparatus of the thread stitching machine, which, as is known, is configured of different sewing systems, the printed sheets run through a station in which they are checked for correctness and processing readiness. For the processing in the sewing apparatus, they are opened upstream of this station and fed in astride manner to a saddle-shaped support where they are taken over by carriers of a circulating conveying arrangement.
A reading apparatus, which is directed at the saddle-shaped support from the outside determines which printed sheet is involved which is subsequently checked in a comparison apparatus connected to the reading apparatus. The comparison apparatus signals to a control if a sheet is faulty. If this is the case, the processing process is stopped and the faulty printed sheet is replaced. The comparison apparatus comprises the data of the desired values for the printed sheets destined for a complete book block as well as on their sequence; the required data are picked up or stored in a preceding calibration process.
This manner of recognizing the printed sheets makes it possible to ensure the sequence of the printed sheets and the correctness.
The recognition of whether the folded printed sheets are opened correctly before they are transferred to the stitching process remains unsolved. The result of an incorrectly opened printed sheet would be that it is only partially grasped in the sewing process and subsequently not anchored in the bound book block. It does occur that a printed sheet is not opened in the center before it is deposited on the saddle-shaped support so that only a portion of the inner fold edges is resting on the stitching saddle or only a portion of the folds is grasped during the sewing. The printed sheets which were not grasped sit loosely between the bound printed sheets; thus, a book turns out to be useless.

Method for producing book blocks composed of folded printed sheets


A valve actuator for an internal combustion engine is described having a core having a wound coil located therein, said core further having at least one permanent magnet located at least partially inside or outside said coil and positioned at an angle relative to a direction of movement of an armature. Further, various recesses, indentations, chamfers, bevels, and/or depressions may be included to affect flux leakage, and/or force generation.

Electromechanical valve actuators for actuating cylinder valves of an engine have several system characteristics to overcome. First, valve landing during opening and closing of the valve can create noise and wear. Therefore, valve landing control is desired to reduce contact forces and thereby decrease wear and noise. However, in some prior art actuators, the rate of change of actuator magnetic force between an armature and a core with respect to changes in the airgap length (dF/dx) can be high when the air gap is small (e.g., at landing). As such, it can be difficult to accurately control the armature and/or seat landing velocity.
Second, opening and closing time of the valve can be greater than a desired value, e.g., 3 msec. In other words, due to limited force producing capability, the transition time of some previous systems may be too slow, and therefore result in reduced engine peak power.
Third, the power consumption of an electric valve actuation (EVA) system can have an impact on vehicle fuel economy, engine peak power, and the size/cost of the electrical power supply system. Therefore, reducing power consumption of the actuator, without sacrificing performance, can be advantageous.
One approach for designing an electromechanical valve actuator of an engine with a permanent magnet is described in JP 2002130510A. Various figures show what appears to be a permanent magnet located below coils having an adjacent air gap. The objective of this reference appears to be to increase the flux density in the-core poles by making the permanent magnet width ("Wm" in FIG. 4) wider than the center pole width ("Di" in FIG. 4). The air gaps 39 by the two ends of the permanent magnet appear to be introduced to limit the leakage flux. Apparently, to further increase the flux density in the core pole, the permanent magnet cross section shape is changed from flat to V-shaped in FIG. 9.
Such a configuration therefore results in the bottom part of the center pole (Wm) being wider than the top part (Di) to accommodate the permanent magnet, which is placed below the coil. The inventors herein have recognized that these two features give rise to several disadvantages.
As a first example, such a configuration can result in increased coil resistance or actuator height requirements. In other words, to provide space for the permanent magnet, either the height of the actuator is increased (to compensate the loss of the space for the coil), or the resistance of the coil is higher if the height of the core is kept constant.
As a second example, the flux enhancing effect may also be limited by actuator height. In other words, the amount of space below the coils available for the permanent magnet is limited due to packaging constraints, for example. Therefore, while some flux enhancement may be possible, it comes at a cost of (as is limited by) height restrictions.
Still another potential disadvantage with the approach of JP 2002130510A is that it can be more difficult to manufacture due to the peak of the V in FIG. 9.
Other attempts have also been made to improve the actuator performance by using a permanent magnet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,582 describes one such actuator. However, the inventors herein have also recognized that while such an approach may produce a low dF/dx, it still produces low magnetic force due to the magnetic strength limit of the permanent magnet material. Alternatively, other approaches, such as in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/249,328, assigned to the assignee of the present application, may increase the magnetic force, but may not reduce the dF/dx for armature and valve landing speed control.
In one example, at least some of the above disadvantages can be at least partially overcome by a valve actuator for an internal combustion engine. The actuator comprises at least one electromagnet having a coil wound about a core, said core having a center pole and two side poles; an armature fixed to an armature shaft extending axially through the core, and axially movable relative thereto; and at least one permanent magnet extending at least partially along one of said side poles exterior to said coil. In one embodiment, the permanent magnet can be positioned at an angle relative to said axial movement of said armature shaft.
In this way, there may be increased space for the permanent magnet (on the sides of the coils), and the actuator height is not required to be increased (although it can be, if desired). Additionally, since coil space is not necessarily limited by height; increased coil resistance can be avoided or reduced.
In another example, at least some of the above disadvantages can be at least partially overcome by a valve actuator for an internal combustion engine. The actuator comprises a core having a wound coil located therein, said core further having at least one permanent magnet located at least partially along a side of said coil, said core further having a recess at one of an armature end and a non-armature end of said core. Again, the permanent magnet can be positioned at an angle relative to axial movement of an armature shaft.
In one specific example, such an approach can be used so that the area of the permanent magnet surface contacting the core is larger than the center pole area facing the armature. As a result, the flux density in the center pole surface may be higher than the flux density in the permanent magnet material's surface, which is limited by the permanent magnet material property. Further, since the magnetic force is proportional to the square of the flux density, this embodiment can increase (significantly in some examples) the force, without necessarily increasing the height of the actuator. And since the permanent magnet is in the path of the flux produced by the current, in one example, the actuator can have a low dF/dx and dF/di (rate of change of force with respect to changes in current), which can be beneficial for landing speed control. Further, the recesses can be used to affect the flux leakage to provide even further improvements. Note that the recess can be used with an angled permanent magnet, or non-angled permanent magnets.
As such, various advantages can be achieved in some cases, such as decreased resistance, decreased height requirements, and increased force output, while maintaining reduced dF/dx and dF/di (which can help valve landing control).

Enhanced permanent magnet electromagnetic actuator for an electronic valve actuation system of an engine


A method of creating table top displays (10) for decorating or displaying advertisements on table tops (12) is disclosed. The method prints an image or design (16) on a single piece of substrate (14) that is nearly as large as the table top to be covered. The substrate is then covered with one or more laminate layers (24,26) and adhered to the upper surface of a table top. The laminated substrate is then coated with one or more layers of clear sealant (18). The sealant layer is applied in a manner to resist cracking and chipping.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to table top displays for displaying advertisements, drawings, photographs and other designs on table tops. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method of creating such table top displays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Table tops having advertisements, drawings or displays thereon are commonly used in restaurants and other retail establishments. However, known table top displays suffer from several limitations.
For example, known table displays typically include numerous small advertisements, photos, or drawings arranged on the table top. These small displays must be individually created and then arranged on and adhered to the table top. These steps are time consuming and therefore limit the number of table top displays that can be efficiently created.
Another limitation of known table top displays is that they include sealant coatings placed over the designs to protect the designs from liquids placed on the table tops. Unfortunately the sealant coatings, which are typically made of epoxy, often damage the images on the advertisements, photos, or drawings.
Moreover, the sealant coatings on prior art table top displays often cover the entire upper surface of the table top and extend over and wrap around a portion of the side edges of the tables. Although this effectively seals the entire upper surface and side edges of the tables from liquids placed on the table, the sealant coatings often becomes chipped or cracked when chairs or other objects are pushed up against the sides of the tables.


A switched-mode power supply comprises storage means (8) for the storage of state information relating to switching times of switching means of the power supply, which state information corresponds to a load level of the load (3). The power supply further comprises detection means (9) responsive to a change in the load level of the load (3) to supply a selection signal (10) to the storage means (8) for the selection of the appropriate state information.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a switched-mode power supply comprising an input terminal for receiving an input voltage; an output terminal for supplying an output voltage to a load; a convertor comprising switching means for converting the input voltage to the output voltage; and a control circuit having a reference terminal for receiving a reference voltage, a control input terminal coupled to the output terminal, and a control output coupled to the switching means.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a switched-mode power supply is known from the general state of the art. In a conventional switched-mode power supply an input voltage on the input terminal is converted to an output voltage on the output terminal, conversion being effected in that the control circuit produces a signal on the control input to control the switching times of the switching means. In a settled state the voltage on the output terminal is equal to the voltage on the reference terminal. In the case of load variations, voltage variations on the input terminal, or voltage variations on the reference terminal it takes some time before the voltage on the output terminal has settled to an adequate extent.
A drawback of conventional switched-mode power supplies is that the time required to allow the voltage on the output terminal to settle is comparatively long.

Switched-mode power supply with state information


A socket includes a coupling end coupled with and driven by a driving tool and a driving end for engaging with a fastener to be driven. The driving end includes a peripheral wall portion having six inner faces on an inner periphery thereof for coupling with and driving the fastener A recessed portion is formed between a pair of inner faces adjacent to each other. The peripheral wall portion further includes six concave outer faces on an outer periphery thereof and respectively opposite to the inner faces. A convex gripping portion is formed between a pair of concave outer faces adjacent to each other. The concave outer faces and the convex gripping portions form a non-smooth outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion to allow firm grip by a user.

The present invention relates to a socket for use with a socket wrench and, more particularly, to an anti-slip socket with uniform wall thickness.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a typical socket I for use with a socket wrench. The socket 1 includes a peripheral wall 2 defining a hexagonal hole 3 for receiving a fastener to be tightened or loosened. The peripheral wall 2 has a cylindrical outer surface too smooth to provide reliable gripping if the user's hand is dirtied by oil. Replacement of sockets of various sizes is often required during use. Sockets of this type are liable to roll on a slanted face if not properly placed (see FIG. 2), leading to troubles during use. Furthermore, the wall thickness of the peripheral wall 2 is not uniform and, thus, causes stress concentration while driving a fastener, leading to adverse effect to structural strength and driving effect of the socket 1. Furthermore, the socket 1 is usually made of metal and, thus, weighty to the user.
US 2003/0126960 A1 discloses a socket including a socket body having a driving portion with an outer peripheral face that has six flat or slightly convex surface surfaces and six rounded or convex corners formed therein, and parallel to the six flat or slightly convex surfaces and the six rounded or concave corners of an inner peripheral surface respectively. The peripheral wall of the driving portion includes a uniform-n thickness formed through or around the peripheral portion thereof. However, the rounded or concave corners on the outer peripheral face of the socket are too smooth to provide a firm grip by the user.
It is therefore a need in a socket that has improved structural strength and that is less weighty while allowing easy use and reliable gripping.

Anti-slip socket with uniform wall thickness


An apparatus including an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive pixel data generated by a capture device. The processor may be configured to generate video frames in response to the pixel data, perform computer vision operations on the video frames to detect objects, perform a classification of the objects detected based on characteristics of the objects, determine whether the classification of the objects corresponds to a user-defined event and generate encoded video frames from the video frames. The encoded video frames may be communicated to a cloud storage service. The encoded video frames may comprise a first sample of the video frames selected at a first rate when the user-defined event is not detected and a second sample of the video frames selected at a second rate while the user-defined event is detected. The second rate may be greater than the first rate.

A timelapse video mode for conventional internet-connected/cloud-enabled cameras is usually implemented by software operated on a cloud server. The software relies on using the resources of distributed processing of the cloud server (i.e., scalable computing). Timelapse video clips are displayed at a fixed frame rate for a fast-forward effect. For example, video frames are selected at fixed intervals to create the timelapse video (i.e., every thirtieth frame is selected from a thirty frames per second video to create the timelapse video).
Internet-connected/cloud-enabled cameras encode video data and then communicate the encoded video streams to the cloud servers. In order to transcode the encoded video streams into a timelapse video, the cloud server has to first decode the encoded video stream. The cloud servers spend lots of CPU cycles to decode the conventional video streams (i.e., compressed video using AVC or HEVC encoding), extract the video frames at fixed frame intervals, then transcode these frames into a timelapse video. Meanwhile, even with a timelapse video, users have difficulty finding important details captured by the internet-connected/cloud-enabled cameras. Since a timelapse video always uses a fixed frame rate that does not use all the video data originally captured by the internet-connected/cloud-enabled, video frames at a normal display speed are not available for the entire duration of time that something of interest to the user is in the original video captured. For example, when a security camera observes a potential event of interest, such as a person on the premises, the timelapse will be the same as when the security camera observes nothing of particular interest.
It would be desirable to implement an event/object-of-interest centric timelapse video generation on camera device with the assistance of neural network input.

Event/object-of-interest centric timelapse video generation on camera device with the assistance of neural network input