Disclosed herein is a process for preparing a polymer comprising structural units derived from polycyclic dihydroxy compound having Formula (I),

This disclosure relates to polycyclic dihydroxy compounds and polymers prepared using polycyclic dihydroxy compounds. More particularly the disclosure relates to polycyclic dihydroxy aromatic compounds, methods for preparing the compounds, polycarbonates prepared using polycyclic dihydroxy aromatic compounds, methods of preparing the polycarbonates, compositions comprising the polycarbonate, and uses thereof.
Polycyclic dihydroxy compounds are generally known to be useful in the preparation of polymers, particularly polycarbonates that exhibit exceptional properties like high glass transition temperature (Tg), high refractive index (RI), chemical resistance, and barrier properties. Materials having high Tg and high RI properties are in great demand for use in various applications like automotives and optical media.
Accordingly there remains a need in the art for new compounds and polymers made from these compounds. There is a need for polymers that have high Tg, high RI, or both, particularly for use in high temperature optical applications.

Methods of polymer preparation using polycyclic dihydroxy compounds

Abstract: wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; and each R3 and R4, at each occurrence, can be the same or different and are independently at each occurrence an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons or a cycloaliphatic functionality having 3 to 10 carbons, “n” is an integer having a value 0 to 4 and “m” is an integer having a value 0 to 4. The process comprises subjecting a polycyclic dihydroxy compound of Formula (I) to polymerization.


A current sensor using a resonance directional magnetometer which includes a magnetic circuit having a gap and a device supplying a voltage representative of a magnetic field produced in the gap by a current when the current passes through the circuit. The value of the field is a function of the intensity of the current. The device is a resonance directional magnetometer having a sample with resonant spins placed in the gap and exposed to a magnetic field having a polarization parallel to the field produced in the gap or coinciding with this field and a measuring device for exciting the resonance and detecting the excited resonance and for supplying a voltage representative of the amount of excited resonance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current sensor having a magnetic circuit with a gap and a measuring device able to supply a voltage representative of a magnetic field Hlex produced in the gap by a current, when the latter passes through the magnetic circuit and whose value is a function of the intensity of said current.
The intensity of the current can be constant in time or can be an alternating current, whose frequency does not exceed approximately 10.sup.5 Hz. Moreover, the current can be transported by an electrical conductor or can be the current of a beam of electrically charged particles.
The invention more particularly applies to the measurement of low electrical intensities, e.g. a few dozen mA.
2. Discussion of the Background
Documents (1) "The grip current tester E1", Chauvin Arnoux, Electronique Radio Plans 520, pp.19 to 21, 1991 and (2) Electro PJP, "Technical report of the designer", pp. 1 to 9 disclose current sensors having a magnetic circuit with a gap, together with a magnetic sensor constituted by a Hall effect sensor or probe placed in the gap. When an electric current passes through the magnetic circuit, a magnetic field is produced in the gap and said field is proportional to the intensity of the current and inversely proportional to the length of the gap.
In connection with Hall effect sensors reference can be made to document (3) "Hall effect devices", R.S. Popovic, Sensors and Actuators, 17,1989, pp. 39 to 53.
Other sensors using the Hall effect are known from documents (4) FR-A-2,584,195 (Chauvin-Arnoux) and (5) EP-A-194,225 (LEM SA).
Current sensors using the Hall effect suffer from disadvantages and in particular a low resolution of approximately 1 microtesla, an offset during a measurement of approximately 1 mT, they have a noise which is inversely proportional to the frequency of the measured signal and they are sensitive to mechanical stresses (cf. in particular document (3), p.43).
All these parameters, which are linked with a temperature sensitivity of approximately 100 ppm/.degree. C. have the effect of limiting the current resolution of the sensors using the Hall effect to a value of at the best 1 mA.
Other current sensors known from documents (6) U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,174 (Jorgensen) and (7) "A new current sensor based on the measurement of the apparent coercive field strength", Derac Son and Johannes D. Sievert, IEEE transactions on instrumentation and measurement, Vol. 38, No. 6, Dec. 1989, pp. 1080 to 1082 make use of the non-linearities of the magnetic material constituting the aforementioned magnetic circuit. In the devices described in (6) and (7), the magnetic circuit is exposed to a pulsed magnetic field, whose mean value is zero.
The existence of a current to be measured has the effect of bringing about the appearance of paired components for the magnetic flux present in the magnetic circuit. It is therefore possible to gain approximately one order of magnitude for the current resolution compared with Hall effect sensors, but this involves a certain complication of the electronic circuits used.
In this connection reference can also be made to document (8) Documentation of Danfysik Jyllinge-Danmark on the NTRASTAB 860R (registered trademark) current transducer.

Current sensor using a resonance directional magnetometer


PWM-based dimming techniques are provided for lighting systems. The techniques can be used to eliminate or otherwise reduce the potential for strobing and flickering, and may be implemented, for example, in a driver suitable for powering LED lighting systems, but can be used with other suitable light sources as well. In an example embodiment, the potential for line frequency induced flicker, or even line disturbances that are periodic with the line frequency, can be eliminated or reduced by synchronizing the PWM frequency to the line frequency or so-called mains frequency, and the potential for strobing can be eliminated or reduced by either using a randomized phase angle on a cycle-to-cycle basis or by using multiple PWM LED drive circuits all having constant cycle-to-cycle phase angle but a different phase angle from drive circuit to drive circuit (or different from LED string to LED string, as the case may be).

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are often used in lighting systems and can be configured into an array of LED strings, wherein the LED array is powered by a so-called driver or power supply. Like other light sources, the brightness of the LEDs can be controlled or dimmed as desired for a given lighting application. Pulse width modulated (PWM) dimming is widely used for LED brightness control. There are a number of issues with flicker and strobing associated with PWM dimming. Strobing can be generally defined as the translation of temporal light modulation into spatial modulation through motion of the source, objects or viewer. In contrast, flicker can be generally defined as the perception of light modulation without motion of the source, objects or viewer, which generally happens with modulation frequencies between 0 Hz and 100 Hz (no flicker at a modulation frequency of 0 Hz, worst case flicker sensitivity at a modulation frequency of about 10 Hz, and no perceptible flicker at modulation frequencies greater than 100 Hz).

Synchronized PWM-dimming with random phase


A computer-implemented method for executing a computer file in a CPU emulator (154) to detect a computer virus. The method includes simulating (302) the execution of a predetermined number of instructions of the computer file in the CPU emulator (154), suspending (303) the execution, constructing (304) a state record, temporarily storing (305) the state record in memory, comparing (306) the constructed state record to state records stored in a state cache (158), and indicating (308) that the file is virus free when the constructed state record matches one of the stored state records.

Most simple computer viruses work by copying exact duplicates of themselves to each executable program file they infect. When an infected program executes, the virus gains control of the computer and attempts to infect other files. If it locates a target executable file for infection, it copies itself byte-for-byte to the target executable file. Because this type of virus replicates identical copies of itself each time it infects a new file, the virus can be easily detected by searching in files for a specific string of bytes (i.e. a "signature") that has been extracted from the virus.
Simple (non-polymorphic) encrypted viruses comprise a decryption routine (also known as a decryption loop) and an encrypted viral body. When a program file infected with a simple encrypting virus executes, the decryption routine gains control of the computer and decrypts the encrypted viral body. The decryption routine then transfers control to the decrypted viral body, which is capable of spreading the virus. The virus is spread by copying the identical decryption routine and the encrypted viral body to the target executable file. Although the viral body is encrypted and thus hidden from view, these viruses can be detected by searching for a signature from the unchanging decryption routine.
Polymorphic encrypted viruses ("polymorphic viruses") comprise a decryption routine and an encrypted viral body which includes a static viral body and a machine-code generator often referred to as a "mutation engine." Initially, the operation of a polymorphic virus is similar to the operation of a simple (non-polymorphic) encrypted virus. When a program file infected with a polymorphic virus executes, the decryption routine gains control of the computer and decrypts the encrypted viral body. The decryption routine then transfers control of the computer to the decrypted viral body, which is capable of spreading the virus. However, the virus is spread by copying a newly generated decryption routine along with the encrypted viral body to the target executable file. The newly generated decryption routine is generated on the fly by the mutation engine. In many polymorphic viruses, the mutation engine generates decryption routines that are functionally the same for all infected files, but use different sequences of instructions to function. Common mutation strategies employed by the mutation engine include reordering of instructions, substituting equivalent instructions or equivalent sequences of instructions, and inserting instructions that have no effect on functionality. Because of these multifarious mutations, these viruses cannot be detected by simply searching for a signature from a decryption routine because each decryption routine may have a different signature.
In order to detect the growing number of polymorphic viruses, antivirus software companies are beginning to adopt emulator-based antivirus technology, also known as Generic Decryption (GD) technology. The GD scanner works in the following manner. Before executing a program suspected of being infected on the actual CPU (central processing unit) of the computer, the GD scanner loads the program into a software-based CPU emulator which acts as a simulated virtual computer. The program is allowed to execute freely within this virtual computer. If the program does in fact contain a polymorphic encrypted virus, the decryption routine is allowed to decrypt the viral body. The GD scanner can then detect the virus by searching through the virtual memory of the virtual computer for a signature from the decrypted viral body.
One problem encountered in implementing GD technology is reducing the number of instructions of a program that must be simulated before a determination of uninfected status can be reliably made. Generally, GD scanners use a set of rules to determine how long to simulate each program. For example, during the initial stage of the emulation, if the program appears to contains a decryption routine, then the GD scanner should simulate the program longer to give the virus a sufficient number of instructions in which to decrypt itself. Conversely, during the initial stage of the emulation, if the program appears strongly to be an uninfected (a "clean") program, then the GD scanner should abort emulation almost immediately.
Unfortunately, some uninfected programs have machine language instructions that look like decryption loops. In addition, some data files also contain binary data which may look like decryption loops, and in some operating systems, such as MS-DOS, data files cannot generally be distinguished from executable files. If the GD scanner detects a possible decryption loop in a program (or in a data file accessed by a program), then it should continue to simulate the program (or data file) until it reliably determines that the program is uninfected. This emulation may take many seconds and may potentially substantially inconvenience the computer user.
Thus, one motivation for the present invention is to develop GD technology that simulates as few instructions of a program (or data file) as possible before being able to reliably determine that it is uninfected. This goal is difficult to attain because the polymorphic decryption routine may take so many different forms and so can be difficult to identify without emulating a large number of instructions.
Another problem in implementing GD technology is avoiding redundant emulation of instructions for a program (or data file) that has been previously determined as uninfected. Frequently, users or programs access the same file over and over again. For example, a user may run the same electronic mail or word processing program many times during a computing session. Furthermore, these programs tend to repeatedly access the same data files. For instance, when the commonly used Lotus cc:mail program for Windows is first launched by the user, it may open and close the configuration file named "CCMAIL.CFG" twenty-eight separate times. If a GD-based real-time antivirus scanner is also being run, the GD scanner will typically repeatedly scan the CCMAIL.CFG file each of the twenty-eight times it is opened. In a typical case, each scan may take only several milliseconds, but it may take several seconds if the file contains data that looks like a decryption loop. This multiple second delay would compound into a very unacceptable several minute delay if the file was rescanned twenty-eight times.
Thus, another motivation for the present invention is to develop GD technology that avoids the redundant emulation of instructions for those programs or data files that were previously determined to be uninfected.
Novell's NetWare software is a commonly used network operating system which identifies each file on the server by a unique identification number. The current version of the Norton Anti-Virus (NAV) software which is used in conjunction with NetWare utilizes a cache to store identification numbers of those files on a server that have previously been determined by scanning to be virus free. If the identification number of a target file is in the cache, the NAV software avoids the redundant rescanning of the file.
However, many operating systems, including Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, do not have unique numbers to identify each file. For such operating systems, filenames, instead of file identification numbers, may be stored in a cache. But filenames may be hundreds of bytes in length in modern operating systems, such as in Windows 95, and indexing by such long filenames is not economical of storage space. Moreover, in order to maintain such a cache, the antivirus software must monitor all requests to modify the files whose filenames are currently in the cache. If a file whose filename is in the cache is modified, the filename must be removed from the cache. Such monitoring complicates and slows down the antivirus software.

State-based cache for antivirus software


A vacuum cosmetic container for cream type cosmetics has a feature in that a content absorption member absorbing discharged contents is installed to the upper portion of a button part, so that it is possible to use the contents absorbed in a content absorption member as needed by coating with a hand or a cosmetic applicator and thus to prevent unnecessary consumption of the contents.

Generally, cream type cosmetics, such as moisturized cream, massage cream, eye cream, foundation, has a lot of oil, and it is a common knowledge that it can easily be spoiled, compared to low viscosity cosmetics such as skin lotion and lotion. Since these cream-type cosmetics are stored in a container with a wide mouth so as to be taken out a little by a little by hand, it is likely to be oxidized by air contact, and also easily contaminated by foreign substances or moisture on the hand.
To make up for these drawbacks, vacuumed cosmetic containers are widely used to make a certain amount of contents discharged under airtight state. In particular, without being discharged by hand, instead with a plate-shaped button provided are useful, contents can be used after a certain amount of contents is filled.
A traditional vacuum container of these kinds with a plate-shaped button is shown in FIG. 1. Referring FIG. 1, a traditional vacuum container with a plate-shaped button comprises a container body (11) containing contents like cosmetics, a dispenser (12) pumping and discharging a certain amount of contents onto a top portion of the container body, and a button (13) having a plate-shape on an upper portion of the dispenser.
In this configuration, the dispenser (12) comprises a cylinder (14) combined to a top portion of the container body (11) and a piston (17) installed at an inner wall of a suction hole (15) formed on the cylinder (14) so as for the button to repeatedly pump by a spring (16). Furthermore, a check valve (18) is installed at a lower end of the suction hole (15), a piston rod (19) is communicated with the suction hole (15) at the piston (17) and forms an outflow tract for contents to flow out, and a penetrating hole (20) is installed on the button (13), wherein the piston rod (19) is inserted in the middle. In addition, an assisting cap (21), made of soft synthetic resin, is installed on the penetrating hole (20) so as to be elastically deformed by outer pressure and to form a gap.
A vacuum container for cosmetics with a plate-shaped button composed of as the above has a configuration wherein an upper end of a button (13) has a plate-shape which goes deeper as nearer to the center of a top portion, and is formed to use contents by absorbing the contents discharged into a top portion of the button (13) by hand or by an applying tool. By a pumping operation according to pressurization of the button (13), a certain amount of contents is discharged onto a top portion of the button (13); however, since every user needs a different amount of contents, amount of contents by a pumping operation may happen to be more than needed. At this time, the contents which are discharged more than needed may be discarded without being used or unintentionally applied on a skin, thereby leading to unnecessarily consumption of contents and users' excessive cost burdens.

Vacuum container for cream type cosmetic


The invention is a formulation for remedial additives to be introduced into environmental medium, where the formulation is designed to reduce unwanted movement through the environmental medium. The formulation includes an inorganic thickening agent to adjust viscosity and a diluent, in addition to components for chemical and/or bioremediation.

Contamination of soil and groundwater by various compounds including both organic and inorganic chemicals is widespread. This contamination threatens human health, public safety, public welfare and the environment. Attempts to remediate contaminated soil or groundwater by a variety of means are common.
One common technique for decontaminating aquifers that is in current use is the pump-and-treat method. As practiced, this method utilizes a series of extraction wells drilled into a contaminated aquifer. Contaminated water is drawn through an extraction well, treated to remove or degrade the contaminant, and then returned to the aquifer through one or more injection wells or discharged to sewers or other points of non-origin. This method can be time consuming and cost-prohibitive.
Two other existing in situ methods of remediation of contaminated soil or groundwater are chemical treatment and biological treatment. Typically, chemical treatment consists of oxidation or reduction of the contaminants via application of remedial additives which can include, but are not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, Fenton's Reagent, ozone, sodium persulfate, sodium or potassium permanganate or lactate. Typically biological treatment consists of stimulating microorganisms that are either naturally occurring at the treatment location or microorganisms that are introduced into the treatment area. Stimulation is achieved by altering nutrient and electron acceptor concentrations in a manner that is beneficial to the microorganisms.
The efficiency of both chemical and biological treatment largely depends on the remedial additives being in contact with the contaminants in the environmental media being treated. Existing methods of applying remedial additives typically relies on groundwater dispersion of the remedial additives from the point of introduction or release, where the groundwater flow may travel beyond the target area. Accordingly, the remedial additives are, in part, transported to locations other than those locations targeted for remedial action. This groundwater transport most commonly results from advection and dispersion in water. The large-scale dispersion reduces the efficacy of the chemical or biological treatment of the contaminants because the dispersed remedial additives are no longer co-located with the contaminants and further reduces the efficacy of the treatment as the dispersion reduces the concentrations of the remedial additives.
Additional complexity in remedial treatment results from the existence of contaminants that have limited solubility in water, such as petroleum hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons. In the environmental remediation field, petroleum hydrocarbons typically refer to, but are not limited to, gasoline, oils, petroleum solvents such as benzene and various synthetic additives commonly used in gasoline or oils. Halogenated hydrocarbons are compounds composed of hydrogen and carbon with at least one hydrogen substituted by a halogen atom (e.g. Cl, Br, or F). Halogenated hydrocarbons are used for many purposes, such as solvents, pesticides, and degreasers. Degreasing products have widespread use in several industries, including dry cleaning, microelectronics, and equipment maintenance. Some of the most common halogenated hydrocarbons are methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). Such compounds are commonly known as "chlorinated hydrocarbons" or "chlorinated solvents."
The limited solubility of petroleum hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons and density differential between water and either petroleum hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons greatly complicates environmental remediation. When released these compounds migrate as a non-aqueous liquid through soil, sediment or bedrock under density-driven flow. The compounds will migrate in a manner that is controlled by their density and the heterogeneities of the media they are migrating through. The compounds will, to varying degrees, interact with water present. In the case of the petroleum hydrocarbons, which are typically less dense than water, they will migrate vertically through the soil, sediment or bedrock and follow a pathway of least resistance until a zone of high water saturation is encountered. Migration will then have a significantly reduced vertical migration component and an increased horizontal component. The petroleum hydrocarbons will tend to accumulate immediately above the zone of increased water saturation. In the case of a groundwater system, this will be on water table or immediately above the water table, in the zone of partial saturation commonly referred to as the capillary fringe. In the case of halogenated hydrocarbons, which are typically denser than water, the vertical migration of these compounds is not substantially impeded by the presence of the water table. Vertical migration continues controlled primarily on density flow and heterogeneities in the subsurface medium.
Both petroleum hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons can be present in environmental media as Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs). In the case of NAPL compounds that are less dense than water, such compounds are referred to as "Lighter NAPLs" or "LNAPLs." In the case of compounds that are denser than water, such compounds are called "Dense NAPLs" or "DNAPLs." NAPLs can be found on a large scale as LNAPLs floating on the groundwater table in a measurable thickness or as DNAPLs which accumulate on a stratigraphic feature either above or below the groundwater table. On a smaller scale NAPLs can be found adsorbed to individual soil grains or on other subsurface structures.
Both chemical oxidation and bioremediation are less successful in the vadose zone soils located above the water table. This is in part due to the water-based remedial additives used in these methods being placed subsurface, resulting in these remedial additives draining through the vadose zone soils. Such drainage does not allow sufficient contact time between the remedial additives and the contaminated soils for optimal remedial effects. In contaminated soil or groundwater located below the groundwater table, the groundwater itself dilutes and disperses the remedial additives.
The drainage and/or dispersion can also result is less efficient treatment; in part because the remedial additives may be transported to locations where little or no contamination is present, as well as reducing the concentration of the remedial additives where they are most desired. This decreases the efficiency of both chemical oxidation and bioremediation in permeable sediments and bedrock.
Another problem with the inefficient dispersion in existing methods and formulations is that the introduction of remedial additives in uncontaminated media can degrade groundwater and/or soil quality, or under some circumstances, can contaminate previously unaffected areas.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,443, Brown and Norris provide for a method of altering the viscosity of a chemical oxidation formulation by adding hydratable polymeric material. Hydratable polymeric materials are commonly used in well drilling and other industries to control the viscosity of liquids. However, the various polymeric materials that are utilized in the '443 patent have limitations. Some of the polymers identified in the '443 patent have limited thermal stability: above certain temperatures, the viscosity modifiers lose their beneficial properties. In efforts to avoid this the '443 patent proposes use of various cross-linking compounds. Both the polymeric materials and the cross-linking compounds as identified in the '443 patent can themselves be environmental contaminants. These compounds can also react with, and therefore reduce the efficiency of, the chemical oxidation reactants that they are designed to deliver. The '443 patent does not disclose viscosity modification as being potentially beneficial to bioremediation efforts. This lack of disclosure may be because the viscosity modifiers proposed in '443 can either cause additional oxygen demand as they degrade or be toxic to the microorganisms necessary for bioremediation, thus reducing the efficiency of or preventing bioremediation. In fact, some or all of the viscosity modifying agents proposed under '443 may themselves be viewed as environmental contaminants and require subsequent removal or treatment. This subsequent need for removal or treatment can eliminate or reduce any efficiency in the treatment of the original contaminants.
The present invention provides an improvement over the limitations of '443 and an extension of viscosity modification to treatments other than chemical oxidation.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved formulation for remedial additives to be introduced into environmental medium.
It is another object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings and inefficiencies of prior art remedial additive introduced into a variety of environmental media.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of chemical treatment, biological treatment or the integration of the two by allowing the remedial additives to be focused in the desired treatment zone. This focusing results from the viscosity of the formulation, the dissolution of the formulation over time and the ability to introduce the formulation in a manner that follows preferential migration pathways in the environmental media.
It is another object of the present invention to improve efficiency of remediation by formulating remedial additives that can be made to migrate through environmental media in a manner similar to contaminants, thereby better co-locating of the remedial additives with the contaminants to be treated.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a formulation that allows greater control over the placement of the remedial additives than is otherwise possible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a formulation for remediation of contaminated areas that reduces the likelihood of accidental contamination of previously uncontaminated environmental media.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a formulation for remediation of contaminated areas that reduces the need for post-remediation cleanup of the formulation itself.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an improved, safer, more cost-efficient method for remediation of environmental contaminants.

Gel-based remedial additive for remediation of environmental media and method of use


The present invention relates to a cutting insert for a rock drill bit and a rock drill bit including such a cutting insert. It has the object of increasing the wear resistance of the cemented carbide cutting insert. The inserts are formed with a generally cylindrical shank portion and a convexly formed outer portion. In one embodiment of the invention, the cemented carbide of the insert includes a number of zones and the border between two adjacent zones describes a non-symmetrical path seen both in a cross-sectional side view and in a cross-sectional top view. In a further embodiment, the inserts are also provided with increased volume portions in the parts of the insert being most subjected to wear.

The present invention relates to inserts of cemented carbide bodies and rock drill bits preferably for percussive rock drilling.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,779 is shown a rock drill bit that is provided with a plurality of chisel-shaped cutting inserts. Each insert discloses a guiding surface that is relatively sharply connected to cutting edges. A relatively sharp connection is disadvantageous when using cemented carbide that is extra hard. That is, flaking will occur during severe rock drilling due to tension in the connections, such that straight holes may not be achieved in the long run. Also the shape of the known insert is not optimized for maximum wear volume. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,712 discloses a rock drill bit which has a plurality of cutting inserts. The working part of each insert has a semispherical basic shape, to which has been added extra volume of cemented carbide. However, the prior art insert does not sufficiently support against the wall of the bore such that straight holes may not be achieved. Furthermore, connections between the components of the working part are relatively sharp thereby producing the above-mentioned tensions detrimental for hard cemented carbide. In addition, the spherical basic shape holds a relatively small volume of cemented carbide.
Cemented carbide for rock drilling purposes generally contain WC, often referred to as alfa phase, and binder phase, which consists of cobalt with small amounts of W and C in solid solution, referred to as beta-phase. Free carbon or eta-phases, low carbon phases with the general formulas M.sub.6 C (CO.sub.3 W.sub.3 C), M.sub.12 C (Co.sub.6 W.sub.6 C) or kappa-phase M.sub.4 C are generally not present. However in EP-B2-0 182 759 cemented carbide bodies are disclosed with a core of fine and evenly distributed eta-phase embedded in the normal alpha+beta-phase structure, and a surrounding surface zone with only alpha+beta-phase. An additional condition is that in the inner part of the surface zone situated close to the core the binder phase content is higher than the nominal content of binder phase. In addition the binder phase content of the outermost part of the surface zone is lower than the nominal and increases in the direction towards the core up to a maximum situated in the zone free of eta-phase. With nominal binder phase content is meant here and henceforth weighed-in amount of binder phase.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,549 cemented carbide bodies are disclosed, comprising WC(alpha-phase) and a binder phase based on at least one of Co, Fe and Ni and comprising a core of eta-phase-containing cemented carbide surrounded by a surface zone with an outer part of the surface zone having a lower binder phase content than the nominal, the binder phase content in the outer part of the surface zone being substantially constant. Cemented carbide bodies produced according to this invention have a high wear resistance because of a higher average hardness in the outer zone. Other related documents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,901 and EP-A-92850260.8. Cemented carbide bodies with a structure similar to EP-B2-0 182 759 are useful also as a punching or nibbling tool material as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,879 or as a roll material as in EP-A-93850023.8. Furthermore the material disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,623 could also be used.
The object of the latter seven inventions (which are incorporated with the description by reference) is to achieve high wear resistance at the outer zone caused by the high hardness in combination with compressive pre-stresses caused by the different binder contents in the different zones. If the wear flat which develops during wear reaches the zone having a binder content higher than the nominal, the wear resistance is decreasing rapidly because of the lower hardness. This has been an disadvantage, in particular in rock drilling with insert-equipped bits.


A system and method to improve efficiency in aircraft maneuvers meant to accommodate time-related constraints in air traffic. Information related to flight performance and atmospheric conditions is gathered onboard an aircraft, then transmitted to an air traffic control center. In the event of a delay or any other event which necessitates an alteration in an aircraft trajectory, the data is sent to a decision support tool to compute and provide alternative trajectories, preferably including operator-preferred trajectories, within air traffic constraints. Air traffic controllers can then offer an alternative trajectory to an aircraft that is more efficient, cost effective, and/or preferable to the aircraft operator.

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for managing air traffic. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and systems used to optimize air traffic control operations and minimize losses in air traffic efficiency, and includes methods and systems for managing the time schedule for arriving aircraft by including early cruise descents as a means of absorbing time delays resulting from one or more aircraft missing its/their scheduled time of arrival (STA).
Managing the time schedule for aircraft approaching their arrival airport is an important air traffic management task performed by air traffic control. It is important to deliver an arriving aircraft to an arrival meter fix within an allowance parameter around a STA, despite interference from weather effects and other air traffic. In modern air traffic, a single airplane missing its STA will have downstream air traffic consequences, possibly including missing landing slots.
An accurate four dimensional trajectory (4DT) in space (latitude, longitude, altitude) and time enables air traffic control to evaluate air traffic and the future location of an aircraft. These parameters can also be used by air traffic control for schedule management purposes to absorb an air traffic delay and change the arrival time of downstream air traffic by longitudinal (speed changes), lateral (flight path lengthening or shortening), or vertical (lowering the cruise altitude to reduce speed) alterations. Currently, a combination of speed changes and lateral alterations in flight paths is used to absorb time delays.
As used herein, trajectory is a time-ordered sequence of three-dimensional positions an aircraft follows from take-off to landing, and can be described mathematically. In contrast, a flight plan is a series of documents that are filed by pilots or a flight dispatcher with a civil aviation authority that includes such information, such as departure and arrival locations and times, that can be used by air traffic control (ATC) to provide tracking and routing services. Trajectory is a means of fulfilling an intended flight plan, with uncertainties in time and position.
Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) is an important component of advanced air traffic systems to be implemented sometime in the near future, including the US Next Generation Air Transport System (NextGen) and the European Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR). TBO concepts provide the basis for improved airspace operation efficiency. Trajectory synchronization and negotiation implemented in TBO also enable airspace users (including flight operators, flight dispatchers, flight deck personnel, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and military users) to regularly fly trajectories closer to their preferred trajectories, enabling business objectives, including fuel and time efficiency, wind-optimal routing, and weather-related trajectory changes, to be incorporated into TBO concepts. As a result, significant research has gone into developing the system framework and technologies to enable TBO.
An overarching goal of TBO is to reduce uncertainty associated with the prediction of an aircraft's future location through the use of the aforementioned 4DT in space and time. The precise use of 4DT dramatically reduces uncertainty in determining an aircraft's current and future position and trajectory relative to time, and includes the ability to predict when an aircraft will reach an arrival meter fix (a geographic location also referred to as a metering fix, arrival fix, or cornerpost) as the aircraft approaches its arrival airport. Currently, air traffic control relies on "clearance-based control" systems, which depends on observations of an aircraft's current location, typically without much further knowledge of the aircraft's trajectory. Typically, this results in the aircraft flying a route that is determined by air traffic control and which is not the aircraft's preferred trajectory. Switching to TBO would allow an aircraft to fly along a user-preferred trajectory.
In TBO, user preferences determine the choices made in air traffic operations. More specifically, aircraft trajectories and operational procedures are a direct result of the business objectives of the aircraft operator. A fundamental element of these business objectives is the Cost Index, (CI) which is the ratio of time costs (costs per minute) to fuel costs (cost per kg) of an aircraft in flight. The CI of an aircraft determines its optimal flight speed and trajectory, and is a function of atmospheric conditions, aircraft performance capabilities and trajectory, and as a result is nearly unique to every flight. In addition, factors such as speed and altitude do not necessarily increase linearly with increasing CI. As such, the computation of CI in ground simulation is difficult.
Currently, air traffic controllers maintain traffic patterns with the first concern being safety and separation between aircrafts. Such patterns are made with no concern for preferred aircraft trajectories, and as such no efforts are made by air traffic controllers to conserve costs for the aircraft operators. It has been observed that in instances such as this, other viable trajectory changes may be made which are much more cost effective. The optimization and computation required to determine a preferable trajectory would most likely not be possible by a human operator or traffic controller, and would need to be provided by a computer system. In such a case, a computer would provide preferable trajectory options to a human operator, who would then choose from a series of possible trajectories.
For TBO to function effectively, it requires accumulation and compilation of trajectory data from all relevant aircraft. User-preferred trajectories, those which are most desirable by the aircraft operators, may often conflict with one another, especially in air traffic systems which are no longer-clearance based. Although TBO will improve efficiency, it must deal with trajectory and traffic conflicts. Trajectory negotiation determines the trajectory requirements or intentions of a variety of aircraft, and attempts to form a solution which meets as many user preferences as possible and make the best use of available airspace. Such a trajectory negotiation relies on aircraft trajectory data as well as human decision-making and trajectory preferences.
Currently, lateral changes to a flight path, as well as speed changes, are used to absorb air traffic flight delays. However, it would be desirable if early-descent trajectory changes could be used to absorb flight delays in air traffic. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames Research Center has researched the feasibility of using altitude change (descent) advisory capability in NASA's En-Route Descent Advisor (EDA) by conducting human-in-the-loop simulation experiments with experienced Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) sector controllers, as reported in a paper published at the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, entitled "Impacts on Intermediate Cruise-Altitude Advisory for Conflict-Free Continuous-Descent Arrival," Aug. 8-11, 2011, Portland, Oreg. USA.
In a continuous-descent or early-descent trajectory, an aircraft begins descending at an idle or near-idle thrust setting much earlier than in a standard trajectory. By beginning a slow descent much earlier in a flight path, a time delay may be absorbed, and less fuel may be exhausted. The basic outline of an early-descent trajectory is shown in FIG. 1. An aircraft following an early-descent trajectory may either continuously descend to an appointed meter-fix location, or descend to an intermediate lower altitude, allowing it to fly at a slower speed to absorb a flight delay and potentially consume less fuel.
When a time delay in air traffic must be absorbed, early-descent maneuvers may provide a distinct cost advantage over lateral or speed changes to an aircraft's trajectory. However, determining preferable trajectories that meet air traffic safety constraints, absorb proper delay and conserve fuel is most likely beyond the computational capabilities of human controllers, especially if the human controllers are preoccupied with preventing air traffic conflicts. Therefore, a system must be in place which is capable of determining a preferable trajectory, or several preferable trajectories, which may include an early-descent maneuver, and then capable of providing these trajectories to a human controller who can relay the command on to the aircraft pilots. In the event that an air traffic conflict necessitates an aircraft maneuver to absorb a time delay, this system would provide trajectory options preferable to a simple lateral or longitudinal change in aircraft trajectory, while still being conscious of the air traffic safety and operational constraints due to surrounding traffic.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0157288 attempts to solve a similar problem, but limits the actors in the solution to individual aircraft. An aircraft receives only a time delay factor from air traffic control and, in isolation from any additional information from ground systems, determines the best trajectory modification to meet this time delay.
While information and decision-making can be left entirely to either an aircraft or ground systems, there are limitations to the accuracy and availability of information in either of these approaches. Typically, such calculations are contingent on the entirety of air traffic conditions in the vicinity of the aircraft, and therefore the results of such decision making are not isolated to the aircraft.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Schedule management system and method for managing air traffic


An improved Mob Control Vehicle (MCV) may be necessary to handle riots and mobs in the streets and grounds at urban and non-urban areas. One of the important requirements of this mob control activity is barricading the entire road or ground in such a way that mob cannot harm the vehicle or ground security personnel directly. Accordingly the present invention provides a Vehicle mounted Sliding Type Retractable mobile Protective Shield, which is integrated with MCV. In general the shield is in fivefold retracted condition on rooftop of the vehicle and can be transported at sites without dismantling. During mob control activities the entire shield is brought down on the ground in vertical position ahead of the vehicle through hydraulically actuated cylinders. The side shield frames are expanded as per requirement or road or ground width, such that it can barricade the entire road or ground to protect the vehicle as well as security personnel from aggressive mob. Once the mob control activities are over, the entire shield is folded and retracted on the roof for transportation.

Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,101 A wherein a mobile hand-maneuverable security post includes a protective shield about the height of a person along with a roof and at least one porthole, which is mounted on a mobile platform comprising of two rear wheels and one front wheel. The platform further comprised of stabilizing means adapted to prevent toppling of the shield under normal use.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,701 B2 wherein a Mobile bulletproof personnel shield consist of a frame covered with flexible ballistic shield material having resistant window and supported on a pair of large wheels. A movable gun mount is attached through an opening in the front of the flexible ballistic shield material. It allows a person to move the gunfire shield while protecting the occupant from gunfire and simultaneously operate the gun from there inside.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 0,226,123 A1 wherein a shield apparatus includes a transparent shield portion, trim portion made of a flexible material and two flood lights. Dual handles and a detachable shoulder strap may also be provided. Video camera, thermal imaging sensors/camera and alternative lighting, including infrared, may also be provided.
Reference may be made to China Patent no. CN108387143A wherein a movable multifunctional police protective shield wall contains a shield plate, a left wing plate, a right wing plate, a peep window on the upper half of shield plate having an armor glass screen. It can be used as a movable police shield plate.
The drawbacks of the devices in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,101A, 6,845,701 B2, 0,226,123A1 and China Patent no. CN108387143A are that one such device is suitable for only one security personnel and cannot be used as a wide barricade against the ingress of riotous mob. The movement of the device is manual and there are no means to make it compact during its transportation to the deployment site.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,420A wherein a retractable crowd control barrier includes housing on a post member in which an elongated tape is stored by a forward wound spring-actuated spool assembly and can be extended into a position to guide pedestrian traffic and maintain an orderly assembly of people.
The drawback of the device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,420A is that it can neither be used to prevent the ingress of aggressive riotous mob nor to protect security personnel during riot.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,176B1 wherein a Collapsible crowd control barrier includes a rounded top rail and a rearward projecting horizontal boss with a bore and axle. A hinged gate with a latch and catch may pivotally connect adjacent barriers to each other.
The drawback of the device in U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,176B1 is that it is a static type barrier and to be mounted on floor or road. It is to be fitted on road manually and cannot be used to drive away the mob. Its width also cannot be expanded or contracted as per the requirement of the road width for blocking.
Reference may be made to US patent no. 20110154981 A1 wherein a protective structure is provided on vehicle having an opening on an upper surface. It has multiple panels that may be locked into place or opened by an occupant for exit through the top area of the enclosure. Ballistic windows are provided on the protective structure such that an occupant can view laterally and vertically through the enclosure and overhead cover. A shield or protective plate can be mounted on one side of the enclosure.
The drawback of the device in US patent 20110154981 A1 is that it cannot be used as barricade against the ingress of aggressive riotous mob and protection of number of security personnel. It is not meant to protect the vehicle and cannot defend the security personnel when they are in riotous action outside the vehicle.
Reference may be made to WO 2018/110865 A1 wherein barricade wall mounted on rear side of vehicle includes blocking wall housing, a first blocking sliding wall and a second blocking sliding wall.
The drawback of the devices in patent no WO 2018/110865 A1, is that entire system is always vertically mounted on the rear side of vehicle and it cannot be lifted on roof while transportation. Practically barricading the aggressive mob at front side of the vehicle is preferred, as it has to intercept the mob towards front side of the vehicle. But this device cannot be mounted in front of the vehicle, because it will obstruct the vision of the driver and generate air drag during on road transportation.
Reference may be made to UK patent no. GB2542128A wherein a vehicle has at least one shield pivotally mounted at one side of the vehicle. The shield is pivotal between a deployed and an un-deployed position. At least one securing arrangement is configured to secure said shield in the deployed and un-deployed position. There is a skirting of flexible material along the bottom edge of the shield to prevent entry of any projectile below the said shield.
The drawbacks of the devices in UK Patent no GB2542128A, is that the location of shield is behind the drivers cabin, which leads to the easy access of vehicle and drivers cabin towards the front by the riotous mob. It can barricade the road or ground width equal to the maximum unfolded width of shield but not below this maximum size. The skirting below the shield being in contact with ground provides lower ground clearance of vehicle, leading to difficulties during movement over cross-country while undeployed.
Reference may be made to website www.bozena.eu wherein a giant foldable shield is mounted on Bozena riot vehicle for protection of several police personnel during riot. It contains three nos. of shielding frames; central shield frame and two numbers of sliding side shield frame, actuation of which is controlled remotely by the security personnel. During deployment shield is kept in vertical position very close to the ground and moved ahead of the vehicle to barricade against the aggressive mob. The widthwise expansion of shield through sliding movement helps in barricading any road or ground width between its minimum width of 4.5 m to 7.5 m. Security personnel can move on ground at walking speed behind this barricade along with the vehicle towards the mob. Entire shield assembly can be lifted vertically to a certain height to effectively utilize it as a gate for an instant deployment of security personnel to counter-attack the mob, as and when required. It also contains a hydraulically operated lifting platform attached to the shield exactly in front of vehicle for lifting two numbers of security personnel, who can have a longer range of view from top most point of the shield during deployment.
The drawbacks of the shield of Bozena riot is that the minimum width of the shield is 4.5 m, it means that it cannot barricade or move through the lanes below 4.5 m width. The shield can be lifted vertically upto a limited height and there is no arrangement to rest the shield at a suitable location on the vehicle in lifted condition. The minimum shield width of 4.5 m i.e. almost one and half times of heavy vehicle width, restricts the movement of vehicle in narrow lane and road by law. Even it is technically not possible to transport the vehicle from one site to another, in integrated condition, without proper resting of such a wider shield. Hence it become necessary to dismantle the shield from base vehicle and transport it in a separate trolley from one site to another site and reassembled it at the new site for deployment. This arrangement is very cumbersome, time taking and not desirable for riot like situation. The location of the lifting platform, in between vehicle and central shield, creates difficulty in access and creates hindrance in the vision of driver.
Reference may be made to website https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4832714/Russia-unveils-appropriately-named-new-anti-riot-truck.html dated 29 Aug. 2017 wherein the Kalashnikov's Shield, on similar concept of Bozena's shield, is mounted on a truck.
The drawbacks of the Kalashnikov's shield is that the shield can be lifted vertically upto a limited height and there is no arrangement to rest the shield at a suitable location on the vehicle in folded condition. The minimum shield width is much higher than the width of truck width, leading to restriction of the movement of vehicle on narrow lane and road by law. Even it is technically not possible to transport the vehicle from one site to another site, in integrated condition without proper support of such a wider shield.
Reference may be made to website http://www.jinomotors.com wherein the REX Barricade Truck manufactured by Jino motors contains the barricades in three parts, front portion and side barricades on both sides. The front part of the barricade is fixed in front of driver's cabin and side barricades are mounted pivotally on the both side of driver's cabin. While withholding, the side barricades are folded pivotally to get aligned along the side surfaces of vehicle and then slided along the sides backward, so that driver's door can be opened.
The drawbacks of the REX Barricade is that as the barricade width is expanded through rotation about the pivot, it has three fixed width equal to; width of central barricade, sum of width of central and one side barricade, sum of width of central and both side barricades. In between these any other width of road it cannot block. The barricade cannot be lifted upward, due to which the security personnel cannot come out in front of the barricade to counter-attack the mob instantly, while barricades are fully opened. As there is no upward movement of barricades, it reduces the ground clearance of the vehicle even while barricades are withheld. Since the side barricades are withheld along the side walls of the vehicle, creates difficulties in inclusion of windows and doors of the crew cabin, which are essential for swift boarding and de-boarding of security personnel from main cabin.
Reference may be made to website https://www.armored-cars.com/riot-control-front-barricade wherein the STREIT Group's truck mounted riot control-front barricade includes a vertical transparent barricade in front of the vehicle to protect vehicle as well as security personnel during riotous situation. The barricade contains three parts, one central barricade and two side barricades pivotally mounted on central part. It can provide three different width of the barricade by folding and unfolding the side barricades about the pivots. The entire barricade is withheld horizontally over the roof of the vehicle leading to normal ground clearance of the vehicle during transportation.
The drawbacks of the STREIT Group's truck mounted riot control-front barricade is that as the barricade width is rotated pivotally, it has three fixed width equal to; width of central barricade, sum of width of central and one side barricade, sum of width of central and both side barricades. In between these any other width of road it cannot barricade fully. Since the barricade covering is transparent, the mob can see the position of vehicle and security personnel from other side of the barricade, which is advantageous for mob. The width of side barricades are smaller compared to width of the vehicle, leading to very insignificant width of shield while fully unfolded. This little increase in width of barricade hardly provides any space for security personnel to move on ground along the side of the vehicle during riotous situation. If the side barricades are of larger width, it creates hindrance in opening of doors of the vehicle, while shield is retracted on the rooftop of the vehicle. There is no arrangement to rest the barricade firmly on a fixed structure over the rooftop during retractable condition, result in continuous wavering of entire barricade during on-road transportation. Moreover there is no positive locking arrangement of the barricade with rooftop structure in retractable condition, leading to chance of dislocation of shield, in case leakage or failure of hydraulic systems.
From prior art study it is found that for effective Mob Control there is a need to develop                (i) A vehicle mounted foldable barricade or protective shield having variable width adjustable to the width of the street in which the vehicle is moving.        (ii) The width of the shield in compact condition should be near to vehicle width for ease of transportation and entry in narrow roads in integrated condition.        (iii) During deployment the shield location should be ahead of the driver's cabin and maximum width expansion of shield is to be significant compared to vehicle width, so that along with the vehicle several security personnel can be protected behind shield during riotous situation.        (iv) The sidewise folding mechanism should be such that any width in between the upper and lower limits of shield width can be achieved to block varieties road width and ingress of mob.        (v) The withheld position of shield on the vehicle should be such that it can be transported along with its base vehicle without dismantling.        (vi) In retractable position shield should not obstruct with vehicle door opening and vision of driver.        (vii) The shield should be rested and locked positively in retractable condition on a suitable rigid structure attached to the vehicle during transportation in integrated condition.        (viii) Location of lifting platform should be such that it can be easily accessed by ground security personnel and do not create any hindrance for driver's vision.
(ix) All hydraulic pipelines/electrical lines are to be hidden so that it does not get exposed to external projectiles and fire.

Vehicle mounted sliding type retractable mobile protective shield

COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH


A guided tour of some portion of the World Wide Web (WWW) works as part of an ordinary web page, can be served by any web server, and can be used by web browsers without additional software. The system guides a user through a tour by displaying in sequence actual web pages in the tour along with a corresponding teaching web page. The teaching web page includes educational information about the current web page. The tour includes commentary, allowance for side trips, true visiting of the tour pages, not mere copies, maps, and "static" (user clicks for next page) and "dynamic" (a timer controls how long a tour page is on-screen) tours.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to networked databases, such as the Internet, and, more particularly, to a computer implemented method of providing a user of the Internet with a guided tour of the World Wide Web (WWW) or similar information databases.
2. Background Description
The Internet is a collection of networks that allows users at disparate, heterogeneous computer systems to communicate with each other across organizational and geographical boundaries. The Internet uses a packet switched protocol referred to as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Full Internet access usually includes five key features; electronic mail (e-mail), logging on to Internet-connected computers using Telnet, transferring files from Internet-connected computers using File Transfer Protocol (FTP), getting access to discussion groups, and using various information-research tools, especially the World Wide Web (WWW). The present invention is particularly concerned with the World Wide Web.
The World Wide Web is a hypertext-based information service that makes collections of information available across the Internet. It allows Web browser clients to access information from any accessible Web server and supports multiple media types. The World Wide Web can be used to invoke other software by means of embedded hypertext links. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is used to describe static text documents, and a Web browser is essentially an HTML interpreter. A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is basically a network location which tells the user not only where something is (its address), but also what it is. The basic form of a URL address is service://hostname/path which identifies what Internet service is needed to reach the resource, what computer it is located on, and enough detail to find what is being searched for.
Embedded hypertext links on a given Web page can be used to find information related to the given Web page. By clicking on a hypertext link in one Web page, the user can display another related Web page or even invoke a related program. With the explosion of information on the World Wide Web, there are many potential new users who would like to search for information on the World Wide Web. The problem is that there is no effective interactive system for guiding a user through a tour of the World Wide Web which uses actual Web pages.
There are three fairly obvious existing methods to guide a surfing session. One is simply to create an HTML file with commentary and links to the sites on the tour. Of course, in this case one must back up from each site to be presented with the next link. The second way is the web equivalent of simulation; i.e., make copies of all pages on the tour, save them on your own web page, and modify them as suits your purposes. A third way is similar to the second except more automatic; e.g., surf indirectly via a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script which inserts modifications into the tour page before forwarding them to the end user.

International Business Machines Corporation


An orthopedic implant assembly comprising a stabilizing element, a securing element which attaches the stabilizing element to the bone, and a stopping member in the stabilizing element which inhibits the securing element from loosening or backing out of the bone. The stabilizing element has at least one bore with the stopping member therein. In one embodiment, the stopping member has a reversibly expandable inner and outer diameter to allow the securing element to pass posteriorly through the stopping member, but thereafter prevent or inhibit the securing element from anteriorly backing out of the posterior section of the transverse passageway. In another embodiment, the stopping member is secured to an anterior section of the transverse passageway, and the head of the securing element generally has a compressed configuration with a diameter less than the diameter of the stopping member, in which configuration the head can pass through the stopping member, and an uncompressed configuration with a diameter larger than the diameter of the stopping member.

This invention generally relates to the field of medical devices, and particularly to an orthopedic implant for joining bone segments and methods of use thereof.
A variety of medical conditions may necessitate the joining of bone segments together, as for example, in the treatment of broken bones, spinal disorders, or the fusion of vertebrae following the removal of a spinal disk. Orthopedic implants used to join bone segments include rods, plates, and screws. In the case of rods and plates, the implants have been attached to the bone using a variety of methods including cementing and screwing the implant to the bone. The bone is typically drilled out to receive the screw therein, or to receive an anchor having a hollow shank which fixedly receives the screw therein. However, one disadvantage has been the tendency of the implants to loosen or detach from the bone over time.
It would be a significant advance to provide an orthopedic implant for joining bone segments together which durably and securely attaches to the bone.


The present invention provides peptides having an amino acid sequence that is the amino acid sequence of a human bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) functional domain or a subsequence thereof, and variants of the sequence or subsequence thereof, having at least one of the BPI biological activities, such as heparin binding, heparin neutralization, LPS binding, LPS neutralization or bactericidal activity. The invention provides peptides and pharmaceutical compositions of such peptides for a variety of therapeutic uses.

The present invention relates to peptides derived from or based on bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein and therapeutic uses of such peptides.
Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a protein isolated from the granules of mammalian polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), which are blood cells essential in defending a mammal against invading microorganisms. Human BPI has been isolated from PMNs by acid extraction combined with either ion exchange chromatography (Elsbach, 1979, J. Biol. Chem. 254: 11000) or E. coli affinity chromatography (Weiss et al., 1987, Blood 69: 652), and has potent bactericidal activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-negative bacteria. The molecular weight of human BPI is approximately 55,000 daltons (55 kD). The complete amino acid sequence of human BPI, as well as the nucleotide sequence of DNA encoding BPI, have been elucidated by Gray et al., 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264: 9505, incorporated herein by reference (see FIG. 1 in Gray et al.).
The bactericidal effect of BPI has been shown to be highly specific to sensitive Gram-negative species. The precise mechanism by which BPI kills Gram-negative bacteria is not yet known, but it is known that BPI must first attach to the surface of susceptible Gram-negative bacteria. This initial binding of BPI to the bacteria involves electrostatic interactions between BPI, which is a basic (i.e., positively charged) protein, and negatively charged sites on lipopolysaccharides LPS). LPS is also known as xe2x80x9cendotoxinxe2x80x9d because of the potent inflammatory response that it stimulates. LPS induces the release of mediators by host inflammatory cells which may ultimately result in irreversible endotoxic shock. BPI binds to Lipid A, the most toxic and most biologically active component of LPS.
BPI is also capable of neutralizing the endotoxic properties of LPS to which it binds. Because of its Gram-negative bactericidal properties and its ability to bind to and neutralize LPS, BPI can be utilized for the treatment of mammals suffering from diseases caused by Gram-negative bacteria, including bacteremia, endotoxemia, and sepsis. These dual properties of BPI make BPI particularly useful and advantageous for such therapeutic administration.
A proteolytic fragment corresponding to the amino-terminal portion of human BPI possesses the LPS binding and neutralizing activities and antibacterial activity of the naturally-derived 55 kD human holoprotein. In contrast to the amino-terminal portion, the carboxyl-terminal region of isolated human BPI displays only slightly detectable antibacterial activity (Ooi et al., 1991, J. Exp. Med. 174: 649). One BPI amino-terminal fragment, comprising approximately the first 199 amino acid residues of the human BPI holoprotein and referred to as xe2x80x9crBPI23xe2x80x9d (see Gazzano-Santoro et al., 1992, Infect. Immun. 60: 4754-4761) has been produced by recombinant means as a 23 kD protein. rBPI23 has been introduced into human clinical trials. Proinflammatory responses to endotoxin were significantly ameliorated when rBPI23 was co-administered with LPS.
Other endotoxin binding and neutralizing peptides are known in the art. One example is Limulus antilipopolysaccharide factor (LALF) from horseshoe crab amebocytes (Warren et al., 1992, Infect. Immunol. 60: 2506-2513). Another example is a cyclic, cationic lipopeptide from Bacilus polymyxa, termed Polymyxin B1. Polymyxin B1 is composed of six xcex1,xcex3-diaminobutyric acid residues, one D-phenylalanine, one leucine, one threonine and a 6-methyloctanoyl moiety (Morrison and Jacobs, 1976, Immunochem. 13: 813-818) and is also bactericidal. Polymyxin analogues lacking the fatty acid moiety are also known, which analogues retain LPS binding capacity but are without appreciable bactericidal activity (Danner et al., 1989, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 33: 1428-1434). Similar properties have also been found with synthetic cyclized polymyxin analogues (Rustici et al., 1993, Science 259: 361-365).
Known antibacterial peptides include cecropins and magainins. The cecropins are a family of antibacterial peptides found in the hemolymph of lepidopteran insects (Wade et al., 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87: 4761-4765), and the magainins are a family of antibacterial peptides found in Xenopus skin and gastric mucosa (Zasloff et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85: 910-913). These peptides are linear and range from about 20 to about 40 amino acids in length. A less active mammalian cecropin has been reported from porcine intestinal mucosa, cecropin P1 (Boman et al., 1993, Infect. Immun. 61: 2978-2984). The cecropins are generally reported to be more potent than the magainins in bactericidal activity but appear to have less mammalian cell cytotoxicity. The cecropins and magainins are characterized by a continuous, amphipathic xcex1-helical region which is necessary for bactericidal activity. The most potent of the cecropins identified to date is cecropin A. The sequence of the first ten amino acids of the cecropin A has some homology with the BPI amino acid sequence 90-99. However, the other 27 amino acids of cecropin A are clearly necessary for its bactericidal activity and there is little homology with BPI for those 27 amino acids. The magainins have even less homology with the BPI sequence.
Of interest to the present application are the disclosures in PCT International Application PCT/US91/05758 relating to compositions comprising BPI and an anionic compound, which compositions are said to exhibit (1) no bactericidal activity and (2) endotoxin neutralizing activity. Anionic compounds are preferably a protein such as serum albumin but can also be a polysaccharide such as heparin. In addition, Weiss et al. (1975, J. Clin. Invest. 55: 33-42) disclose that heparin sulfate and LPS block expression of the permeability-increasing activity of BPI. However, neither reference discloses that BPI actually neutralizes the biologic activities of heparin. Heparin binding does not necessarily imply heparin neutralization. For example, a family of heparin binding growth factors (HBGF) requires heparin as a cofactor to elicit a biological response. Examples of HBGF""s include: fibroblast growth factors (FGF-1, FGF-2) and endothelial cell growth factors (ECGF-1, ECGF-2). Antithrombin III inhibition of clotting cascade proteases is another example of a heparin binding protein that requires heparin for activity and clearly does not neutralize heparin. Heparin binding proteins that do neutralize heparin (e.g., platelet factor IV, protamine, and thrombospondin) are generally inhibitory of the activities induced by heparin binding proteins that use heparin as a cofactor.
BPI (including amino-terminal fragments thereof) has a number of other important biological activities. For example, BPI has been shown to have heparin binding and heparin neutralization activities in copending and co-assigned parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/030,644 filed Mar. 12, 1993 and continuation-in-part U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/093,202, filed Jul. 15, 1993, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. These heparin binding and neutralization activities of BPI are significant due to the importance of current clinical uses of heparin. Heparin is commonly administered in doses of up to 400 U/kg during surgical procedures such as cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiac catherization and hemodialysis procedures in order to prevent blood coagulation during such procedures. When heparin is administered for anticoagulant effects during surgery, it is an important aspect of post-surgical therapy that the effects of heparin are promptly neutrazed so that normal coagulation function can be restored. Currently, protamine is used to neutraize heparin. Protamines are a class of simple, arginine-rich, strongly basic, low molecular weight proteins. Administered alone, protamines (usually in the form of protamine sulfate) have anti-coagulant effects. When administered in the presence of heparin, a stable complex is formed and the anticoagulant activity of both drugs is lost. However, significant hypotensive and anaphylactoid effects of protamine have limited its clinical utility. Thus, due to its heparin binding and neutralization activities, BPI has potential utility as a substitute for protamine in heparin neutralization in a clinical context without the deleterious side-effects which have limited the usefulness of the protaimies. The additional antibacterial and anti-endotoxin effects of BPI would also be useful and advantageous in post-surgical heparin neutralization compared with protamine.
Additionally, BPI is useful in inhibiting angiogenesis due in part to its heparin binding and neutralization activities. In adults, angiogenic growth factors are released as a result of vascular trauma (wound healing), immune stimuli (autoimmune disease), inflammatory mediators (prostaglandins) or from tumor cells. These factors induce proliferation of endothelial cells (which is necessary for angiogenesis) via a heparin-dependent receptor binding mechanism (see Yayon et al., 1991, Cell 64: 841-848). Angiogenesis is also associated with a number of other pathological conditions, including the growth, proliferation, and metastasis of various tumors; diabetic retinopathy, retrolental fibroplasia, neovascular glaucoma, psoriasis, angiofibromas, immune and non-immune inflammation including rheumatoid arthritis, capillary proliferation within atherosclerotic plaques, hemangiomas, endometriosis and Kaposi""s sarcoma. Thus, it would be desirable to inhibit angiogenesis in these and other instances, and the heparin binding and neutralization activities of BPI are useful to that end.
Several other heparin neutralizing proteins are also known to inhibit angiogenesis. For example, protamine is known to inhibit tumor-associated angiogenesis and subsequent tumor growth [see Folkman et al., 1992, Inflammation: Basic Principles and Clinical Correlates, 2d ed., (Galin et al., eds., Review Press, N.Y.), Ch. 40, pp. 821-839] A second heparin neutralizing protein, platelet factor IV, also inhibits angiogenesis (i.e., is angiostatic). Collagenase inhibitors are also known to inhibit angiogenesis (see Folkman et al., 1992, ibid.) Another known angiogenesis inhibitor, thrombospondin, binds to heparin with a repeating serine/tryptophan motif instead of a basic amino acid motif (see Guo et al., 1992, J. Biol. Chem. 267: 19349-19355).
Another utility of BPI involves pathological conditions associated with chronic inflammation, which is usually accompanied by angiogenesis. One example of a human disease related to chronic inflammation is arthritis, which involves inflammation of peripheral joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, the inflammation is immune-riven, while in reactive arthritis, inflammation is associated with infection of the synovial tissue with pyogenic bacteria or other infectious agents. Folkman et al., 1992, supra, have also noted that many types of arthritis progress from a stage dominated by an inflammatory infiltrate in the joint to a later stage in which a neovascular pannus invades the joint and begins to destroy cartilage. While it is unclear whether angiogenesis in arthritis is a causative component of the disease or an epiphenomenon, there is evidence that angiogenesis is necessary for the maintenance of synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis. One known angiogenesis inhibitor, AGM1470, has been shown to prevent the onset of arthritis and to inhibit established arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis models (Peacock et al., 1992, J. Exp. Med. 175: 1135-1138). While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and other therapies have provided treatment improvements for relief of arthritis, there remains a need in the art for more effective therapies for arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
There continues to exist a need in the art for new products and methods for use as bactericidal agents and endotoxin neutralizing agents, and for heparin neutralization and inhibition of angiogenesis (normal or pathological). One avenue of investigation towards fulfilling this need is the determination of the functional domains of the BPI protein specifying each of these biological activities. Advantageous therapeutic embodiments would therefore comprise BPI functional domain peptides having one or more than one of the activities of BPI.
This invention provides small, readily-produced peptides having an amino acid sequence that is the amino acid sequence of a BPI functional domain or a subsequence thereof and variants of the sequence or subsequence having at least one of the biological activities of BPI, such as heparin binding, heparin neutralization, LPS binding, LPS neutralization or bactericidal activity. The functional domains of BPI discovered and described herein include: domain I, encompassing the amino acid sequence of BPI from about amino acid 17 to about amino acid 45; domain II, encompassing the amino acid sequence of BPI from about amino acid 65 to about amino acid 99; and domain III, encompassing the amino acid sequence of BPI from about amino acid 142 to about amino acid 169. Thus, the BPI functional domain peptides are based on the amino-terminal portion of human BPI.
The peptides of the invention include linear and cyclized peptides, and peptides that are linear, cyclized and branched-chain combinations of particular BPI functional domain amino acid sequences or subsequences thereof and variants of the sequence or subsequence. Combination peptides include peptides having the sequence or subsequence and variants of the sequence or subsequence of the same or different functional domains of BPI that are covalently linked together. Specifically included are combinations from two to about 10 peptides of any particular sequence or subsequence thereof and variants of that sequence or subsequence. The invention also provides peptides having additional biological activities distinct from the known biological activities of BPI, including but not limited to bactericidal activity having an altered target cell species specificity. Peptides having particular biological properties of BPI that are enhanced or decreased compared with the biological properties of BPI are also provided.
The peptides of the invention include linear and cyclized peptides, and peptides that are linear, cyclized and branched-chain amino acid substitution and additional variants of particular BPI functional domain amino acid sequences or subsequences thereof. For the substitution variants, amino acid residues at one or more positions in each of the peptides are replaced with a different amino acid residue (including atypical amino acid residues) from that found in the corresponding position of the BPI functional domain from which the specific peptide is derived. For the addition variants, peptides may include up to about a total of 10 additional amino acids, covalently linked to either the amino-terminal or carboxyl-terminal extent, or both, of the BPI functional domain peptides herein described. Such additional amino acids may duplicate amino acids in BPI contiguous to a functional domain or may be unrelated to BPI amino acid sequences and may include atypical amino acids. Linear, cyclized, and branched-chain combination embodiments of the amino acid substitution and addition variant peptides are also provided as peptides of the invention, as are cyclized embodiments of each of the aforementioned BPI functional domain peptides. In addition, peptides of the invention may be provided as fusion proteins with other functional targeting agents, such as immunoglobulin fragments. Addition variants include derivatives and modifications of amino acid side chain chemical groups such as amines, carboxylic acids, alkyl and phenyl groups.
The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions for use in treating mammals for neutralizing endotoxin, killing Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi, neutralizing the anti-coagulant properties of heparin, inhibiting angiogenesis, inhibiting tumor and endothelial cell proliferation, and treating chronic inflammatory disease states. The pharmaceutical compositions comprise unit dosages of the BPI peptides of this invention in solid, semi-solid and liquid dosage forms such as tablet pills, powder, liquid solution or suspensions and injectable and infusible solutions.
This invention provides peptides having an amino acid sequence which is the amino acid sequence of human BPI from about position 17 to about position 45 comprising functional domain I, having the sequence:
Domain I ASQQGTAALQKELKRIKIPDYSDSFKIKH (SEQ ID NO:1);
and subsequences thereof which have biological activity, including but not limited to one or more of the activities of BPI, for example, bactericidal activity, LPS binding, LPS neutralization, heparin binding or heparin neutralization. Also provided in this aspect of the invention are peptides having substantially the same amino acid sequence of the functional domain I peptides having the amino acid sequence of BPI from about position 17 to about position 45 or subsequences thereof. Additionally, the invention provides peptides which contain two or more of the same or different domain I peptides or subsequence peptides covalently linked together.
This invention provides peptides having an amino acid sequence which is the amino acid sequence of human BPI from about position 65 to about position 99 comprising functional domain II, having the sequence:
Domain II SSQISMVPNVGLKFSISNANIKISGKWKAQKRFLK (SEQ ID NO:6);
and subsequences thereof which have biological activity, including but not limited to one or more of the activities of BPI, for example, bactericidal activity, LPS binding, LPS neutralization, heparin binding or heparin neutralization. Also provided in this aspect of the invention are peptides having substantially the same amino acid sequence of the functional domain II peptides having the amino acid sequence of BPI from about position 65 to about position 99 or subsequences thereof. Additionally, the invention provides peptides which contain two or more of the same or different domain II peptides or subsequence peptides covalently linked together.
The invention also provides peptides having an amino acid sequence which is the amino acid sequence of human BPI from about position 142 to about position 169 comprising functional domain III, having the sequence:
Domain III VHVHISKSKVGWLIQLFHKKIESALRNK (SEQ ID NO:12);
and subsequences thereof which have biological activity, including but not limited to one or more of the activities of BPI, for example, bactericidal activity, LPS binding, LPS neutralization, heparin binding or heparin neutralization. Also provided in this aspect of the invention are peptides having substantially the same amino acid sequence of the functional domain III peptides having the amino acid sequence of BPI from about position 142 to about position 169 or subsequences thereof. Additionally, the invention provides peptides which contain two or more of the same or different domain III peptides or subsequence peptides covalently lined together.
Also provided by this invention are interdomain combination peptides, wherein two or more peptides from different functional domains or subsequences and variants thereof are covalently linked together. Linear, cyclized and branched-chain embodiments of these interdomain combination peptides are provided.
The peptides of this invention have as one aspect of their utility at least one of the known activities of BPI, including LPS binding, LPS neutralization, heparin binding, heparin neutralization and bactericidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally and surprisingly, some of the peptides of this invention have utility as bactericidal agents against Gram-positive bacteria. Another surprising and unexpected utility of some of the peptides of this invention is as fungicidal agents. Peptides of this invention provide a new class of antibiotic molecules with the dual properties of neutralizing endotoxin and killing the endotoxin-producing bacteria, useful in the treatment of mammals suffering from diseases or conditions caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Peptides of this invention that retain this dual activity and additionally have an increased antibiotic spectrum represent an additional new class of antimicrobial agents. In addition, peptides of the invention provide a class of antimicrobial agents useful in the treatment of infections by microbial strains that are resistant to traditional antibiotics but are sensitive to the permeability-increasing antimicrobial activity of peptides of the invention.
The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of the peptides of the invention comprising the peptides or combinations of the peptides in a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or diluent, both per se and for use in methods of treating pathological or disease states or for other appropriate therapeutic uses. Methods of using these pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of pathological or disease states in a mammal, including humans, are also provided by the invention. Also provided by the invention are uses of BPI functional domain peptide for the manufacture of medicaments for a variety of therapeutic applications.
Specific preferred embodiments of the present invention will become evident from the following more detailed description of certain preferred embodiments and the claims.

Method for killing gram-negative bacteria with biologically active peptides from functional domains of bacterial/permeability-increasing protein


The dental device includes a buccal member and a lingual member disposable on one side of a patient's mouth for isolating the buccal and lingual sides of the patient's mandibular teeth, respectively. The buccal member is generally curved to follow an outer contour of the patient's mandibular arch for deflecting the patient's cheek from the buccal side of the mandibular teeth. The lingual member is configured to corral a side of the patient's tongue and has a neck portion in a region where the lingual member attaches to the buccal member, the neck portion being configured to rest on the patient's mandibular teeth. The distal ends of the buccal and lingual members are spaced apart to permit independent movement therebetween. In one embodiment, the device includes a prop stem releasably attachable to the patient's maxillary teeth for propping open the patient's mouth. The embodiment is constructed such that the buccal member depends angularly from a bottom section of the prop stem and the lingual member extends from the bottom section of the prop stem and away from the buccal member. In another embodiment, the device may include, instead of the prop stem, an elongated chin bar for releasable attachment with the patient's lower jaw. According to this embodiment, the chin bar extends downwardly from the buccal and lingual members and has a bottom section configured to corral the patient's chin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental appliances and, more particularly, to a dental device positionable in a patient's mouth for isolating a portion thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A dentist encounters many problems when performing dental services on a patient. One problem is that the patient must, of course, maintain his mouth open to permit access for the duration of the procedure. Another problem is that the patient's cheek and tongue may obstruct the treatment area. Still another problem is that the patient's mouth produces fluids which may obscure the treatment area and/or interfere with proper bonding of dental substances such as, for example, amalgam. Pieces of tooth and/or amalgam freed by drilling also must be dealt with during the course of treatment.
To maintain the subject tooth dry and isolated, the dentist typically places a cotton roll adjacent the tooth and positions a plastic suction tube in the patient's mouth, most often by hanging it over the lower lip. The suction tube inlet is typically positioned near the patient's tongue so that fluids and/or solids disposed thereabout can be evacuated. To further maintain the mouth clean and dry, a dental assistant may insert another suction tube into the mouth to aspirate fluids from areas unaffected by the first-mentioned suction tube.
Another device for isolating a tooth is the rubber dam. The rubber dam is a flexible piece of material having at least one hole defined therein such that it may be placed down over the tooth and into surface contact with the gums so that the tooth protruding through the hole is isolated from adjacent tissue.
For maintaining the patient's mouth in the open position a dentist may employ a bite block or expansion forceps.


An integrated control shift lever device according to an exemplary embodiment provides M mode of +/− to feel a dynamic shift manipulation feeling together with automatic mode of P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving) as a basic function and further provides integrated mode 6 to provide to engine control unit the electrical signal generated by positional change of automatic lever to control the engine, suspension device, or the steering device in addition to the transmission by driver's simple manipulation, thereby significantly improving convenience and in particular, further improving performance, quality, and merchantability of an automobile when the integrated control shift lever device may be applied to a vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever device which is an operating device of a vehicle, and more particularly, to an integrated control shift lever device in which various additional modes are further implemented in addition to an M (sports) mode to maximize driver convenience.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a shift lever as an operating device for changing a shift stage of a manual transmission, a mechanical automatic transmission, or an automatic transmission depending on a vehicle speed moves along gate patterns for implementing the shift patterns, such as P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving).
Satisfaction of quality and merchantability of a vehicle depends on a shift operating feeling made while driving an automobile and in addition, cannot but largely depend on even a shift pattern capable of satisfying a driver's shift taste.
As an example for satisfying the driver's shift taste, there is provided a so-called tipstronic type shift lever device that enables operating a manual transmission mode of a manual transmission sense in an automatic transmission vehicle.
FIG. 12 shows a gate pattern routinely applied to the tiptronic type shift lever device.
FIG. 12A shows a gate pattern 110 in which an automatic transmissions mode 120 of P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving) and a manual transmission mode 130 of 2-L arranged on a straight line on an indicating panel 100, FIG. 12B shows a gate pattern 210 in which an automatic transmission mode 220 of P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving) and a manual transmission mode 230 of +/− are arranged on an indicating panel 200 in a J shape, and FIG. 12C shows a gate pattern 310 in which an automatic transmission mode 320 of P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving) and a manual transmission mode 330 of +/− are arranged on an indicating panel 300 in an H shape.
Routinely, automatic transmission modes 120, 220, and 320 are called an automatic mode and manual transmission modes 130, 230, and 330 are called a sports mode or an M mode.
Automatic transmission modes 120, 220, and 320 are modes in which the shift stage is changed depending on P (parking), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (driving) and manual transmission modes 130, 230, and 330 are modes in which the shift lever can be fixed by decelerating or accelerating one stage from a current shift stage according to driver's needs while the vehicle is driven with the shift lever operated to the sate of the automatic transmission.
That is, in manual transmissions modes, 130, 230, and 330, when the shift lever moves to manual transmission modes 130, 230, and 330 branched from D (driving), the current shift stage is held and in this state, when the shift lever is pulled to the rear side and released, the current shift stage can be decelerated (−) by one-stage downshift, while when the shift lever is pushed to the front side and released, the shift lever can be accelerated (+) by one-stage upshift.
In the operation, a driver does not need to stage a clutch pedal or take his/her foot off an acceleration pedal to feel rapid shift responsiveness unlike a manual transmission and therefore, satisfaction of the quality and merchantability of the vehicle in addition to the shift operating sense can be significantly by satisfying the driver's shift taste.
However, there is a trend that the driver intends to receive more conveniences from the automobile and as an example to follow the trend, there can be provided a smart shift lever capable of significantly increasing the quality and the merchantability of the vehicle through a shift operation.
The smart shift lever uses a controller (TCU or ECU) sensing a positional change of a lever and an actuator transferring the positional change to a motive power unlike the shift lever mechanically connected with the transmission.
Even in this case, the driver changes the shift lever to a desired shift stage by changing the position of the shift lever according to the gate pattern, but other additional functions can be implemented more variously and conveniently.
The smart shift lever is used as an operating deice for all types of transmissions and as a representative example adopting the smart shift lever, there can be provided a shift by wire (SBW) type transmission system.
An example of an additional function for implementing various operating functions applied to the smart shift lever can include parking release actuator (PRA) configuration.
This is one example of an additional function capable of strengthening a failure of the TCU controlling the transmission, turn-off an engine, or N-stage parking/car washing/manual release/malicious releasing cut-off by sending a control signal to the parking release actuator (PRA) when the shift lever is located at a predetermined position of the gate pattern.
The driver who receives more conveniences through the smart shift lever cannot but intend to more and more conveniences, and as a result, requirements for the quality and the merchantability that has bee increased should be satisfied by implementing more functions even in the smart shift lever.
Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2008-0021386 (Mar. 7, 2008) relates to a shift lever device for switching a mode.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.