A method for publishing a customized publication including an article for a customer includes obtaining information from the customer including a topic for the article and the identity of a primary source for quotable information about the topic. The method also includes establishing and following a defined schedule for a three-step process for obtaining information about the topic prior to preparing and printing the publication.

The creation and distribution of publications for others may take any of several forms. A common form is represented by magazines for general public circulation, in which a publication is created for sale to the general public without any direct interaction relating to the content of the publication between the publisher and any other party. Other types of publications may be created especially for a customer such as a business entity, in order for the business entity to mail, distribute or otherwise deliver (for example, by electronic means) the publication it has specially ordered or commissioned to its own customers and potential customers. Examples of such publications include, but are not limited to, magazines relating to health care that are mailed to persons living in a community served by a particular health care provider such as a hospital. Such magazines are published by publishers on behalf of the health care provider and will usually include the name of the health care provider on the cover. The magazines may also include certain news items about the health care provider, but most commonly, such magazines consist primarily of generic articles relating to various health care topics which are not specific to the health care provider or its specialties, and which are not particularly targeted to the intended readers. Such magazines, like those intended for general circulation, are usually created without any direct interaction relating to the content of the publication between the publisher and any other party. Consequently, the publisher of such a magazine can sell essentially the same magazine, excepting the cover and perhaps an article or two, to different health care providers located in different parts of the country. If the publication includes an article that is specific to or customized for the health care provider named on the cover, such article is most likely provided by the health care provider, because the publisher is typically not located in the health care provider's community and generally knows little of its specialties or of the interests of the residents of that community. Consequently, it is common for a publisher to publish one magazine for a health care provider in one community that is intended to be mailed to the residents of that community, and publish essentially the same magazine for another health care provider in another community. The disadvantage of such partially-customized or syndicated publications, from the point of view of the health care provider or other customer that commissions the publication, is that the bulk of the publication is not customized or specifically tailored to the specialties of the sponsoring entity, or to the regional interests of the residents of the community which that entity serves.
Fully-customized publications have not previously been offered because the time and work required to create a new publication that is specifically tailored to a particular customer has been thought to be greater than is practical, and because the cost of creating such a publication has been thought to be considerably more than the cost of a syndicated publication. In addition, most health care providers and other business entities that seek such publications do not have the personnel, the expertise or the desire to create their own articles for the publication. It would be desirable, therefore, if a method could be developed for creating a fully customized publication in a reasonable period of time and at reasonable cost. It would also be desirable if such method could be developed that would not require the commissioning customer to create its own customized article for the publication.

Publishing a customized publication by defining multiple sources and time periods for obtaining article quotable information


An electric-wire connecting structure for press-connecting an electric wire to press-connecting blades of a press-connecting terminal. In such a structure, the electric wire press-connected to the press-connecting blades of the press-connecting terminal is bent toward a fitting mount such as a connector housing with the press-connecting blades as boundaries. The fitting mount fitted with the press-connecting terminal is provided with electric-wire holding members for holding the bent electric wire, whereby a conductor of the electric wire is kept in contact with the press-connecting blades of the press-connecting terminal while tension is being applied to the press-connecting blades.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric-wire connecting structure fit for use when an electric wire is press-connected to press-connecting blades of a press-connecting terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show a known electric-wire connecting structure. As shown in FIG. 5(a), a press-connecting terminal 1 to which a covered electric wire 30 is press-connected is U-shaped in side view and has slot-like press-connecting blades 2 on both sides thereof. The covered electric wire 30 is, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), press-connected by a press-connecting jig 40 to each of the press-connecting blades 2 of the press-connecting terminal 1. More specifically, the press-connecting jig 40 is, as shown in FIG. 5(a), used to press-fit an insulating cover 32 of the covered electric wire 30 in between the press-connecting blades 2, 2 of the press-connecting terminal 1. When the insulating cover 32 of the covered electric wire 30 is ripped off by each press-connecting blade 2, a conductor 31 of the covered electric wire 30 is press-connected to each press-connecting blade 2, so that the press-connecting terminal 1 and the covered electric wire 30 are electrically connected together.
In the above conventional electric-wire connecting structure, however, since the insulating cover 32 of the covered electric wire 30 is press-fitted in between the press-connecting blades 2, 2 of the press-connecting terminal 1 for making use of the press-fitting force to hold the electrical connection of the press-connecting blades 2 with the conductor 31 of the covered electric wire 30, the press-fitted condition of the press-connecting blades 2 of the press-connecting terminal 1 and the covered electric wire 30 may be loosened when an external load such as vibration is applied to the press-connecting terminal 1. Consequently, it is feared that the contact condition of the press-connecting blades 2 and the conductor 31 of the covered electric wire 30 is deteriorated.


A stepless motor driving circuit provides a sinusoidal shaped chopping signal for driving a motor. The driving circuit has: a switch circuit having an input which receives a rectified signal rectified from a sinusoidal AC signal and having a first output and a second output where the motor is coupled between; a synchronizing signal generating circuit which generates a synchronizing signal relating to the sinusoidal AC signal; and a switch driving circuit which selects and chops at least one switch in the switch circuit according to the synchronizing signal, and to form the sinusoidal shaped chopping signal which is corresponding to the sinusoidal AC signal.

Single-phase asynchronous motor is a type of motor supplied by single-phase mains AC (alternating current) power. Since mains AC power is easy for obtaining, single-phase motors are widely used not only for industrial usage but also for civil daily life usage. The required quantity of single-phase motors increases rapidly especially with the developing civil life quality.

Stepless motor driving circuit and associated driving method


A method for operating a gas-turbine and steam-turbine plant and a plant working according to the method, utilize exhaust gas from a gas turbine for steam generation when the plant is in operation. In order to ensure that a gas-turbine model can be freely selected, irrespective of its power rating and with a reduction in exhaust gas losses, in the case of both a new plant and a retrofitting of an already existing plant, a first part stream of exhaust gas from the gas turbine is used as combustion air for the combustion of a fossil fuel and a second part stream of exhaust gas from the gas turbine is utilized for waste-heat steam generation. At the same time, for steam generation, a combination of a fossil-fired steam generator and a waste-heat steam generator is located downstream of the gas turbine on the exhaust gas side, in each case through a part-stream conduit. The steam generation by the combustion of the fossil fuel and the waste-heat steam generation take place in a common water/steam circuit of the steam turbine.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for operating a gas-turbine and steam-turbine plant, in which oxygenous gas from a gas turbine is utilized for steam generation, a first part stream of exhaust gas from the gas turbine is used as combustion air for the combustion of a fossil fuel, a second part stream of exhaust gas from the gas turbine is utilized for waste-heat-steam generation, the steam generation by the combustion of the fossil fuel and the waste-heat steam generation take place in a common water/steam circuit of the steam turbine, and feedwater of the water/steam circuit is preheated in part streams.
The invention also relates to a gas-turbine and steam-turbine plant working according to the method, including a fossil fired steam generator which is connected into a water/steam circuit of a steam turbine and to which a waste-heat steam generator is connected in parallel on the water/steam side, both the fired steam generator, through a first part-stream conduit, and the waste-heat steam generator, through a second part-stream conduit, are connected downstream of the gas turbine on the exhaust gas side.
Such a method and such a plant are known from German Patent DE 38 15 536 C1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,344.
In the combination of a steam-turbine process and a gas-turbine process, there are in principle two possibilities for utilizing the exhaust gas from the gas turbine for steam generation. As is described in the paper entitled "Kombinierte Gas-/Dampfturbinenprozesse" Combined Gas-/Steam-Turbine Processes! in Brennstoff-Warme-Kraft Fuel/Heat/Power! 31 (1979), No. 5, May, in a possible combined process with a downstream steam generator, the oxygen-rich exhaust gases of the gas turbine serve as combustion air for the fossil-fired steam generator. In another combined process with a downstream waste-heat steam generator, the gas-turbine and steam-turbine processes are combined by utilizing the waste heat of the gas turbine in the waste-heat steam generator. A gas-turbine and steam-turbine power station with a waste-heat steam generator and a solar-heated steam generator and with a fossil-heated heat exchanger downstream of an additional combustion chamber, is known from German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE-OS 41 26 036.
In a combined process, the powers of the steam turbine and gas turbine and of the fired steam generator are dependent- on one another, so that when a plant of that type is constructed, they have to be coordinated with one another. That applies not only to a retrofitting of an already existing steam-turbine plant, but also to a new plant. The coordination is usually carried out in such a way that, in the nominal load operating mode, the oxygen requirement of the fired steam generator can be covered by the exhaust gases of the gas turbine. However, gas turbines with only a few different power ratings, for example with 50 MW, 150 MW or 200 MW, are manufactured and offered, so that it is extremely difficult to adapt them to the power of the steam turbine and to that of the steam generator. Consequently, for a predetermined plant size, in the full-load range the gas turbine supplies either too large or too small an exhaust-gas quantity in comparison with the exhaust-gas quantity required as combustion air for the fired steam generator. If the exhaust-gas quantity is too small, only a low efficiency of the plant is to be achieved in the full-load range, and that then becomes better in the part-load range.
In contrast, the result of too large an exhaust gas quantity from the gas turbine can be that, in a combined process in which the excess exhaust gases from the gas turbine are guided past a combustion chamber of the fired steam generator to a boiler preheater or feedwater preheater (economizer), the latter already experiences evaporation in an undesirable way due to the excessively high introduction of heat. Or, if there is too large an exhaust-gas quantity in the part-load range, the power of the gas turbine already has to be reduced at an early moment. However, with an increasing reduction in the power of the gas turbine, the efficiency of the plant in the part-load range decreases. In other words, in both cases, the overall efficiency that is achieved is limited. Therefore, particularly during the retrofitting of an already existing steam-turbine plant, a power increase arising from the gas turbine has to be dispensed with if the exhaust-gas heat of the gas turbine cannot be fully utilized or an acceptable part-load behavior cannot be obtained.
In contrast to the combined process with a downstream fired steam generator, the combined process with a downstream waste-heat steam generator is particularly suitable for the retrofitting of an already existing gas-turbine plant. In the case of a new plant, usually a number of gas turbines having a corresponding number of waste-heat steam generators are connected to a common steam turbine. Since, in that combined process, the steam generation is restricted to a pure waste-heat utilization, the overall efficiency of the plant is likewise limited. Furthermore, in that combined process as well, there is the problem of finding a suitable gas-turbine model in the event of a necessary or desired exchange of the gas turbine for a gas turbine of comparatively high power. That is because, for a predetermined power of the steam turbine and consequently a predetermined rating of the waste-heat steam generator, the introduction of heat through the use of the exhaust gas from a comparatively large gas turbine into the waste-heat steam generator would be too high, so that, particularly in preheaters (economizers) disposed within the steam generator, evaporation would already take place in an undesirable way.

Method for operating a gas-turbine and steam-turbine plant and plant working according to the method


A housing of inkjet head has a projection that is formed with a plurality of opening grooves defined between adjacent two of projecting parts, and tip ends of the projecting parts are fixed to a diaphragm plate. Piezoelectric elements are inserted in respective opening grooves and fixed to a diaphragm of the diaphragm plate at positions opposite respective pressure chambers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet head that ejects ink droplets from a nozzle by applying pressure to ink and forms an ink image on a recording medium, and also to an ejection device including the inkjet head.
2. Related Art
As described in Japanese Patent Application-Publication Nos. HEI-1-115638 and SHO-58-119872, there has been known an inkjet head that ejects ink droplets from a nozzle by changing the volume of a pressure chamber using a piezoelectric actuator to apply pressure to the ink.
FIG. 1 shows an example of such inkjet heads. An inkjet head 200 shown in FIG. 1 includes a high-rigidity housing 112, a group of plates 126, and a piezoelectric actuator 114.
A common ink channel 113 and a plurality of openings 112a are formed in the high-rigidity housing 112. An ink introduction pipe 118 is connected to the high-rigidity housing 112 for introducing ink from an ink cartridge (not shown) into the common ink channel 113.
The plates 126 are attached to the high-rigidity housing 112 and include a nozzle plate 102, channel plates 103, and a diaphragm plate 110. A plurality of nozzles 101 is formed in the nozzle plate 102. The channel plate 103 includes a chamber plate 105 and a restrictor plate 107. The chamber plate 105 is formed with pressure chambers 104 arranged in a row, and the restrictor plate 107 is formed with restrictors 106. The restrictors 106 fluidly connect the common ink channel 113 to the pressure chambers 104 and control ink flow to the pressure chambers 104. A diaphragm 108 and a filter section 109 are formed on the diaphragm plate 110. The filter section 109 is formed of a filter plate that has elasticity and removes foreign matter and the like from ink flowing into the restrictors 106 from the common ink channel 113.
The piezoelectric actuator 114 includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements 115 and a securing member 116 that secures the piezoelectric elements 115. Each piezoelectric element 115 corresponds to one of the pressure chambers 104 formed in the chamber plate 105. The piezoelectric elements 115 are housed in the respective openings 112a of the high-rigidity housing 112 and attached to the diaphragm 108. On the securing member 116 are formed individual electrodes 117 for sending independent electrical signals to the respective piezoelectric elements 115 from an external drive circuit (not shown). Applying electrical signals selectively to the piezoelectric elements 115 causes the piezoelectric elements 115 to expand and contract. The diaphragm 108 transfers the displacement (expansion/contraction) of the piezoelectric element 115 to the pressure chambers 104 and changes the volume of the pressure chambers 104. This change of the volume becomes a change of pressure of the ink filling the pressure chambers 104. As a result, ink is ejected through the nozzles 101 as ink droplets.
Usually, the nozzle plate 102 is formed by stainless steel precision pressing, laser processing, nickel electroforming, or the like, and the chamber plate 105, the restrictor plate 107, and the diaphragm plate 110 are formed by stainless-steel material etching or nickel material electroforming. The high-rigidity housing 112 is formed by stainless-steel material cutting or the like.
The processing precision (shape) of the nozzle 101 greatly affects the ink ejection characteristics of the inkjet head 200. In order to suppress variations in position precision of the plurality of nozzles 101, high processing precision is required when the nozzle plate 102 is manufactured.
There is now a continual demand for significantly higher precision of the nozzles 101 in the inkjet head 200. However, if the density of nozzles 101 is further increased, it is difficult from a processing precision standpoint to form the opening 112a for each piezoelectric element 115 in the high-rigidity housing 112. That is to say, high processing precision is required because the expansion/contraction amount of the piezoelectric elements 115 is extremely small (about 0.5 μm), and a slight difference in structure or dimensional values of the opening 112a and the like will fluctuate the amount of deformation of the plates 126, affecting ink-ejection characteristics.
FIG. 2 shows an inkjet head, disclosed in Japanese Patent-Application Publication No. HEI-6-8422, proposed for overcoming the above-described problem. The inkjet head of FIG. 2 includes a chamber plate 206 and a housing 212. The chamber plate 206 is formed with a row of pressure chambers 204. The housing 212 has greater rigidity than the chamber plate 206 and is formed with an opening 212A that extends in the same direction as the row of pressure chambers 204. A plurality of piezoelectric elements 215 is fixed to the chamber plate 206 at positions in the opening 212A that confront the pressure chambers 204. A fixing base 216 formed with a thin-film electrode 219 is attached to each piezoelectric element 215 so that a portion of the thin-film electrode 219 is in intimate contact with the corresponding piezoelectric element 215. A lead 217 is connected to an exposed surface of each thin-film electrode 219. When a voltage is supplied through the lead 217 to the corresponding piezoelectric element 215, the piezoelectric element 215 contracts in its lengthwise direction, that is, the direction indicated by an arrow Z in FIG. 2. When application of voltage is stopped, then the piezoelectric element 215 reverts to its initial state. Because no member is provided in between adjacent piezoelectric elements 215 for guiding the piezoelectric elements 215 in the configuration of FIG. 2, the piezoelectric elements 215 can be aligned in a much higher density than with the configuration of FIG. 1.
If the pressure chambers 204 are formed with a large width to ensure that ink droplets are sufficiently large, then the width of the opening 212A in the housing 212 must also be enlarged. This increases the cross-sectional surface area of the opening 212A. Also, the ejection head must be made longer in the nozzle row direction in order to increase the number of nozzles to increase print speed. This also increases the cross-sectional surface area of the opening 212A.
However, the chamber plate 206 is extremely thin, that is, with a thickness of only about 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm. The section of the chamber plate 206 that is formed with the pressure chambers 204 has a total thickness of only about 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm. Accordingly, if the opening 212A of the housing 212 is too large, then deformation of any one of the piezoelectric elements 215 will deform the entire chamber plate 206 and not just the corresponding pressure chamber 204. The displacement generated by the piezoelectric elements 215 is not effectively used to eject ink droplets. Also, crosstalk can be generated between neighboring nozzles that reduces consistency in speed of ejected ink droplets or otherwise degrades ejection characteristic. Crosstalk can become particularly serious when a great number of piezoelectric elements 215 are driven simultaneously. When neighboring pressure chambers 204 are affected by and deform simultaneously with a pressure chamber 204 that is driven to eject ink, the ink meniscus in nozzles corresponding to the neighboring pressure chambers 204 can vibrate.


When dispensing carbonated beverages, particularly beer and draught stout, it is desirable to obtain a close-knit creamy head. This contributes to a creamy taste and adds considerably to the customer appeal. To obtain this effect when dispensing from a can (1) it includes a lid (2) having a secondary compartment (4) formed on it and a non-resealable closure (3) in communication with the secondary compartment. At least one orifice (5) extends between the secondary compartment (4) and the inside of the container (1), and a liquid (8) is held in the secondary compartment. The container is arranged so that on opening of the closure (3) the pressure in the secondary compartment (4) is reduced to atmospheric with the result that gas or liquid from the main body of the container (1) is jetted through the at least one orifice (5) into the liquid (8) in the secondary compartment (4) to generate a foam in the secondary compartment. Complete opening or removal of the closure (3) enables the contents of both the secondary compartment (4) and the remainder of the can (1) to be mixed and dispensed together so that the foam produced in the secondary compartment acts to seed the generation of small bubbles throughout the beverage (8) in the can (1).

When dispensing carbonated beverages, particularly draught stout, it is desirable to obtain a close-knit creamy head. This contributes to a creamy taste and adds considerably to the customer appeal. Traditionally such heads are only obtained when dispensing such beverages from draught. Another factor that considerably enhances the appeal is the way in which, when dispensing from draught, small bubbles are intimately mixed with the body of the beverage as it is dispensed and then, after completion of dispensing they gradually separate out to form this close-knit creamy head.
The formation of such small bubbles liberated throughout the body of the beverage during dispensing can 5 be encouraged by causing shear of the liquid with resulting local pressure changes which causes release of small bubbles of controlled and uniform size. Over the years many proposals have been made to increase and control the generation of such heads on beverages. Our own earlier British Patent specification 1378692 describes the use of an ultrasonic transducer to subject the beer to shear immediately before it is dispensed into a drinking vessel and describes the way that by subjecting the initially dispensed portion of beer to ultrasonics the small bubbles released from this initial portion then gradually float up through the remainder of the beer forming nucleation sites and triggering the generation of further small bubbles of controlled size.
There have been many other proposals such as those described in GB-A-1280240, GB-A-1588624 and GB-A-2211854 to encourage the formation of the required close-knit creamy head on beers and other carbonated beverages. However, most of these proposals are concerned with formation of head as the beer is dispensed from draught.
GB-A-1266351 describes a system for producing a draught type head when dispensing beer, or other carbonated beverage, from a can or bottle. In the arrangement described in this specification, the container includes an inner secondary chamber which is charged with gas under pressure either as part of the filling process in which the container is filled with beverage or by pre-charging the secondary compartment with gas under pressure and sealing it with a soluble plug made from a material such as gelatine which, dissolves shortly after filling. The secondary chamber includes a small orifice and the overall arrangement is such that, upon opening the container and so reducing the pressure in the main body of the container, gas from the secondary chamber is jetted via the orifice into the beer in the main body of the container so causing shear and liberating the required small bubbles which in turn act as nucleation sites to trigger release of similar bubbles throughout the entire contents in the can or other container. The arrangements described in this patent specification are somewhat complex mainly requiring the use of a separate charging step after filling to pressurize the secondary chamber with the result that this technique has not been adopted commercially.
GB-A-2183592 describes a different technique which has recently achieved success in the market place. In this system the container of a beverage includes a separate hollow insert with an orifice in its side wall. As part of the container filling process beer is deliberately introduced into the inside of the hollow insert through the orifice and the pressures of the inside of the insert and the main body of the container are in equilibrium. Upon opening the container the beer is jetted out through the orifice into the body of the beer and again acts to shear liquid in the container with the result that a number of small bubbles are liberated which, in turn, act as nucleation sites to generate a number of small bubbles throughout the entire contents of the container. When dispensing a beverage from such a container into a drinking vessel the liberation of small bubbles throughout the entire volume of the beverage as it is dispensed gives a similar appearance to dispensing the same beverage from draught.
This system has many disadvantages. The use of such an insert occupies a substantial volume of the container and thus requires the use of a special, oversized container. Further, it is essential to remove all of the oxygen from inside the hollow insert before filling the container with beer. The presence of oxygen inside the container leads to the beverage being oxidised with a resulting impairment of flavour and risk of microbial growth leading to, for example, acetification of the resulting beverage when it contains alcohol. Thus, there is a general requirement to displace substantially all of the oxygen from a container, and its secondary chamber, when this is used, before the container is sealed. When the secondary chamber has the form of a hollow insert with only a small orifice in its wall and this insert is filled with air it is difficult to displace all of the air during the filling and sealing of such a container.
As a way of overcoming this problem GB-A-2183592 describes manufacturing such a secondary chamber by a blow moulding technique using an inert gas to form the secondary chamber and then only forming the orifice as the secondary chamber is placed into the container, for example by irradiation with a laser beam. However, in practice, this is not the way that such containers are filled. In practice, the secondary chamber is injection moulded in two halves one of which has a small orifice formed in its wall. The two halves are then welded together enclosing the normal atmospheric gases inside the secondary chamber. Such a secondary chamber is then inserted into an empty container and the whole is subjected to a reduced pressure, filled with a non-oxidising gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a mixture of these, and evacuated again to flush substantially all of the oxygen from both the inside of the container and the inside of the secondary chamber before the container is again filled with a non-oxidising gas and then filled with beverage. In this way the amount of oxygen remaining in the sealed container is reduced to an acceptable level but these additional evacuation and flushing steps add a considerable delay and difficulty to the container filling stage with the result that the speed of filling is reduced to about 25 per cent of that in systems in which a secondary chamber is not included in the container. Also, since they require the use of a special, non-conventional filling machine this also imposes a considerable capital cost burden.


A connector for a tube comprises a hollow spigot and an outer securing member for capturing a tube therebetween. The hollow spigot includes an internal bore matched to that of the tube, a tapered end with a frusto-conical length and its small diameter at its distal end and a parallel length inwards of the tapered end, with a diameter less than the maximum tapered diameter and an annular rib inwards of the parallel length to provide an end stop for the tube when fitted onto the spigot. The outer securing member includes an internal tapered bore matched to the frusto-conical length and of respectively increased diameter to accommodate the tube therebetween and at least one latch formation spaced from the member's large tapered end for engaging behind the annular rib.

Fluid connections in food and pharmaceutical industries are commonly made with flanged connectors clamped to each other. The connectors have hollow spigots to which tubing is connected in a fluid-tight manner. The flanged connectors can be made to tight tolerances, as can seals between two flanges, whereby there is little scope for stagnant accumulation at the flanges per se of material which can become contaminated, for instance by bacteria, and hence cause a hazard.
However the connection between the hollow spigot and the tubing can provide a stagnant region and a potential hazard. This arises because the nose of the connector's spigot is tapered where it meets the tube. The latter is close to its free diameter at the small diameter end of the spigot and there is little resistance to pressurised fluid permeating between the spigot and the tube. The pressure of the fluid is liable to force the fluid right up the taper and cause a leak or at least leave a residue of the fluid between the tube and the taper.


There is provided a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly with rolling elements interposed between outer and inner members and with a strain sensor fixed to a stationary member served by one of the outer and inner members. The strain sensor includes a strain generating member and a sensor element secured thereto. The strain generating member has first and second contact fixing segments respectively associated with a flanged face provided in the outer member and a peripheral surface of the stationary member. These contact fixing segments have a joint region therebetween having a bent portion convexed toward the outer member. A location in the strain generating member where the sensor element is secured is on the first contact fixing segment side of the bent portion and yet in the vicinity of the bent portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly having a load sensor built therein for detecting a load that acts on a bearing unit rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For safety travel of an automotive vehicle, a wheel support bearing assembly equipped with a sensor for detecting the rotational speed of each of vehicle wheels has hitherto been well known in the art. While the automobile traveling safety precaution is generally taken by detecting the rotational speed of the respective vehicle wheel in various locations, it is not sufficient with only the rotational speed of the vehicle wheel and, therefore, it is desired to achieve a control with the use of other sensor signals for safety purpose.
In view of the above, it may be contemplated to achieve the vehicle stability control based on a load acting on each of the vehicle wheels during travel of an automotive vehicle. By way of example, a large load acts on the outside wheels during the cornering, on the wheels on one side during the run along horizontally inclined road surfaces, or on the front wheels during braking, and thus, a varying load acts on the vehicle wheels. Also, even in the case of the uneven live load, the loads acting on the respective wheels tend to become uneven. For this reason, if the loads acting on the wheels can be detected as needed, suspension systems for the vehicle wheels can be controlled beforehand based on results of detection of the loads so that the stability control of the automotive vehicle during the traveling thereof (for example, prevention of a rolling motion during the cornering, prevention of sinking of the front wheels during braking, and prevention of sinking of the vehicle wheels brought about by an uneven distribution of live loads) can be accomplished. However, an appropriate space for installation of the load sensor for detecting the load acting on the respective vehicle wheel can hardly be found and, therefore, the vehicle stability control through the detection of the load is difficult to realize.
Also, in the event in the near future a steer-by-wire is introduced and the system, in which the wheel axle and the steering come not to be coupled mechanically with each other, is increasingly used, transmission of information on the road surface to the steering wheel hold by a driver, by detecting a wheel axis direction load would come to be required.
In order to meet those needs hitherto recognized, a wheel support bearing assembly has been suggested, in which a strain gauge is affixed to an outer ring of the wheel support bearing assembly for the purpose of detecting strains. (See, for example, the Patent Document 1 listed below.)    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-530565
Since the outer ring of a wheel support bearing assembly is a bearing component part having a rolling surface defined therein and required to have a strength, which bearing component part is manufactured through complex process steps including, for example, a plastic working, a turning process, a heat treatment and a grinding process, there is a problem in that the productivity is low and the cost of manufacture thereof during a mass production tends to become high where a strain gauge is attached to the outer ring such as disclosed in the Patent Document 1 referred to above. Also, it is not easy to detect a strain occurring in the outer ring with high sensitivity and, when a result of such detection is utilized in controlling the vehicle stability of an automotive vehicle then travelling, a problem will arise in association with the accuracy of the control.
In view of the foregoing, attempts have been made to secure a strain generating member to an outer member and then to fit a sensor element for the measurement of strains to such strain generating member. When this construction is employed, it is sufficient to fix the strain generating member with the sensor element fitted thereto, to the outer ring and, therefore, the productivity can be increased. However, detection of the strains occurring in the outer ring with high sensitivity is still not satisfactory.


Aspects of the present invention disclose a system, method and program product for determining the affects of management actions. In an example, a computer determines a connectivity between one or more devices within a management inventory that are connected via a network. The computer determines a connectivity between the one or more devices within the management inventory after a proposed management action. The computer determines the one or more devices affected by the proposed management action. The computer sends a query to the one or more devices affected by the proposed management action for specific impacts of the proposed management action. The computer receives data related to the specific impacts of the proposed management action from the one or more devices affected by the proposed management action.

Labs and other scenarios managed by platform management programs may include hundreds of devices, including servers, switches, storage systems, etc. In some management programs, management actions are executed centrally from a platform manager user interface and affect one or more devices from a single management action. Problems may arise in complicated environments where changes on one managed device affect other managed devices. For example, a fibre channel (FC) switch may control storage connectivity for many servers. Changing the active zone configuration on the FC switch may result in unwanted side effects, such as some servers losing input/output (I/O) connectivity to storage volumes. Another example would be removing a storage volume that will have a similar effect for those servers that rely on the data stored in the storage volume.

Device management for determining the effects of management actions

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided are an ink jet printing organic light emitting diode display panel and a manufacturing method thereof. The method includes: sequentially forming a passivation layer and a planarization layer on a carrier substrate prepared with one pair of thin film transistors, wherein the passivation layer covers the one pair of thin film transistors; forming one pair of vias in the passivation layer and the planarization layer; forming one pair of anodes on the planarization layer, wherein the one pair of anodes are electrically connected to the one pair of thin film transistors through the one pair of vias in the passivation layer and the planarization layer; preparing an electrode separation layer between the one pair of anodes with Al2O3 or an organic photoresist material; forming a light emitting layer over the one pair of anodes by ink jet printing, wherein the light emitting layer covers the electrode separation layer.

As manufacturing an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display panel, an OLED display panel pixel is prepared by an IJP (ink-jet printing) process. The OLED display panel is referred as an ink-jet printing OLED display panel. In order to reduce the difficulty of the IJP process, a 2 in 1 pixel structure is designed. As shown in FIG. 1, one pixel 10′ of an ink-jet printing OLED display panel includes two sub pixels 101′. Such design can utilize the space more effectively to improve the resolution; meanwhile, the design can accomplish the preparation of 2 sub pixels in one printing and can improve the preparation efficiency of the sub pixels.
For printing two sub pixels at one time, a SiO process is introduced as an electrode separation layer in addition to the array substrate process. As shown in FIG. 2, the two anodes 5′ and the light emitting layers 8′ over the two anodes 5′ constitute two sub pixels 101′, together. The electrode separation layer 6′ is configured between the two anodes 5′. The number 9′ indicates a cathode. The numbers 1′, 2′, 3′, 4′ and 7′ respectively indicate a thin film transistor, a substrate, a passivation layer, a planarization layer and a pixel definition layer. With verification, the SiO process will cause degradation of thin film transistors.

Ink jet printing organic light emitting diode display panel and manufacturing method thereof

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


This invention relates to and is drawn to food compositions including waterleaf leaves harvested at full bloom. The present invention further relates to and is drawn to methods of reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases by reducing total plasma cholesterol and plasma LDL-cholesterol and increasing plasma HDL-cholesterol and blood hematocrit using the present food compositions of waterleaf leaves, in addition to methods of preventing and treating coronary heart disease using the present food compositions.

An ever-increasing concern exists today regarding high blood lipid levels experienced by over sixty million Americans, especially levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. A large body of evidence also indicates that improving dietary habits can reduce the risk or delay the onset of chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke. Growing consumer demand for non-traditional foods and interest in self-medication are supporting markets for special food products at the same time that health care costs continue to exceed one trillion dollars annually. A priority for newly-designed foods must be to restore Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) to human diets and also to balance the ratio of Omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids to n-3 fatty acids in human diets. Low-fat diets currently recommended for reducing total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins ("LDL-cholesterol") also increase plasma triglycerides and decrease high-density lipoproteins ("HDL-cholesterol") concentrations, thus potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Nutrition scientists are working to create and identify foods from plants with functional properties that have specific physiological and/or nutritional effects that improve health.
The present invention encompasses the process of reducing total plasma cholesterol and plasma LDL-cholesterol, while maintaining normal plasma triglyceride levels, and of increasing blood hematocrit and plasma HDL-cholesterol levels in humans with elevated blood lipid levels and in animals by the use of natural components of waterleaf (genus Talinum).
Talinum is a small genus of the purslane family (Portulacacae), which appears to possess a unique nutritional potential. Waterleaf is in the genus Talinum and the species triangulare and is a leafy vegetable found in West Africa, the West Indies, South America (Adams, et al., Flowering Plants of Jamaica, Pukl, University of West Indies, (1972)) and the warmer parts of the world (Mabberly, The Plant Book: A Portable Dictionary of Higher Plants, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Mass. (1990)). The leaves and tender stems of waterleaf are consumed as a vegetable or as the constituent of a sauce by the populations of the areas where it is grown. Waterleaf grows spontaneously during the growing season, and it is common in a variety of habitats including roadsides, open fields, and abandoned agricultural lands. Although it is extensively consumed in the diet of populations where it is abundant, not much is known about its nutritive value. Waterleaf's crude protein content compares favorably with that of cowpea, peanut, millet, and cashew nuts (Egwin, Composite Quality Cost Index (CQCI): A New Biochemical Rating System for Vegetable Food Protein, Nig. J. Sci. 13:323–329 (1979)). Akachuku and Fawusi (Growth Characteristics, Yield and Nutritional Value of Waterleaf, Talinum Triangulare (Jacq) Wild in a Semi-Wild Environment, Discovery and Innovation 7:163–172 (1995)) also reported crude protein content of waterleaf leaves and tender stems as high as 29.4% and 13.4%, respectively. Sridhar and Lakahminarayana (Lipid Classes, Fatty Acids, and Tocopherols of Leaves of Six Edible Plant Species, J. Agric. Food Chem 41:61–63 (1993)) reported high total lipids, essential oils, and alpha-tocopherols and beta-tocopherols in Talinum triangulare.
A paucity of information exists on the health and nutritional benefits of waterleaf in humans and/or animals. Although purslane has been shown to possess nutritional qualities for reducing serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides in laboratory animals (U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,508), the present invention shows for the first time that waterleaf contains superior nutritional qualities that, when consumed by humans, vastly improves human health. Waterleaf contains a rich source of n-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that the present invention shows reduces harmful total plasma cholesterol and plasma LDL-cholesterol and increases beneficial plasma HDL-cholesterol and blood hematocrit in hypercholesterolemic humans. Waterleaf, compared to purslane, is an easier plant to grow, grows more efficiently and abundantly, has more aggressive growth characteristics, and has no known insect pests, thereby potentially serving a larger portion of the population. Waterleaf has higher levels of nutritionally-important vitamins (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and Beta-carotene), minerals (such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium), and soluble fiber (pectin) than does purslane, all of which contribute to waterleaf's highly-elevated antioxidant values and its total biological effect. The combination in one plant species of n-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and pectin that consequently has a positive and beneficial influence in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in humans is a unique attribute of waterleaf that has not been shown to exist until the present invention.
The present inventors have designed food compositions comprising waterleaf and methods of reducing harmful blood cholesterols and simultaneously increasing beneficial blood cholesterols and vitamin and mineral levels using such food compositions and of treating and preventing coronary heart disease using such food compositions, all of which create potential for large-scale agricultural and biomedical utilization and applicability to a large segment of the population.

Food compositions comprising waterleaf leaves and methods of using thereof


Methods of synthesizing a substantially monodispersed mixture of polymers comprising polyethylene glycol moieties include:                reacting a substantially monodispersed mixture of compounds having the structure of Formula I:R1(OC2H4)n—O−X+   (I)        wherein R1 is H or a lipophilic moiety; n is from 1 to 25; and X+ is a positive ion,with a substantially monodispersed mixture of compounds having the structure of Formula II:R2(OC2H4)m—OMs   (II)        wherein R2 is H or a lipophilic moiety; and m is from 1 to 25, under conditions sufficient to provide a substantially monodispersed mixture of polymers comprising polyethylene glycol moieties and having the structure of Formula III:R2(OC2H4)m+n—OR1 .   (III)Substantially monodispersed mixtures of polymers comprising polyethylene glycol moieties are also disclosed.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in a wide variety of applications including, but not limited to, plasticizers, softeners, humectants, ointments, polishes, paper coating, mold lubricants, bases for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, solvents, binders, metal and rubber processing, and additives to foods and animal feed. Some particular uses of PEG in pharmaceutical applications include, for example, formation of PEG-drug conjugates, treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, treatment of functional and/or chronic constipation, treatment of encopresis in children, and diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal diseases.
PEG is typically produced by base-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide. The reaction is initiated by adding ethylene oxide to ethylene glycol, with potassium hydroxide as catalyst. This process results in a polydispersed mixture of polyethylene glycol polymers having a molecular weight within a given range of molecular weights. For example, PEG products offered by Sigma-Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis. are provided in polydispersed mixtures such as PEG 400 (Mn 380–420); PEG 1,000 (Mn 950–1,050); PEG 1,500 (Mn 1,400–1,600); and PEG 2,000 (Mn 1,900–2,200).
In J. Milton Harris, Laboratory Synthesis of Polyethylene Glycol Derivatives, 25(3) Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys. 325–373 (1985), the author discusses synthesis of monomethyl ethers of PEG (also known as methyl-terminated PEG or mPEG). The reference states that mPEG contains a significant amount (as much as 25%; from size exclusion chromatography) of PEG without the methoxy end group. This PEG "impurity" may result from water present in the polymerization process. Under basic conditions, hydroxide is produced, which yields PEG upon reaction with the ethylene oxide monomer. Since the hydroxide-initiated PEG chain can grow at both ends, while the methoxide-initiated chain can grow from only one end, the resulting mixture has a broader molecular weight distribution than that for the PEG's.
While these polydispersed mixtures of PEGs and/or mPEGs may be useful for some applications, physical properties of polymers may vary with the length of the polymer. Thus, polydispersed mixtures may not be suitable for certain applications that require specific physical properties. Additionally, the heterogeneity of commercially available PEGs and mPEGs may complicate spectroscopic analysis, physico-chemical characterization and pharmacokinetics analysis. As a result, it is desirable to provide monodispersed mixtures of PEGs and/or mPEGs.
Monodispersed mixtures of PEG and/or mPEG polymers may be provided by various organic synthesis routes. For example, in Yiyan Chen & Gregory L. Baker, Synthesis and Properties of ABA Amphiphiles, 64 J. Org. Chem. 6870–6873 (1999), the authors propose the following scheme:
This synthesis route may be inconvenient due to the number of steps required as well as the use of undesirable reaction conditions such as high temperatures that may actually break down the PEG polymer. Moreover, it may be difficult to purify the product as the starting material may always be present in the reaction mixture.
In Gérard Coudert et al., A Novel, Unequivocal Synthesis of Polyethylene Glycols, Synthetic Communications, 16(1): 19–26 (1986), the authors proposed the following synthesis route:
This synthesis route may be inconvenient due to the undesirable reaction conditions, which do not lead to mPEG.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a new route for synthesizing PEG, mPEG, and/or polymers comprising a PEG moiety that are more efficient and do not require such undesirable reaction conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Substantially monodispersed mixtures of polymers having polyethylene glycol moieties


Multiple bandwidth requestors (220), a bandwidth manager (420) and a forward link (410) from the bandwidth manager to the bandwidth requestors are used to allocate bandwidth in a return link beam (210). The uplink bandwidth allocation is preferably based on the information to be transmitted provided by the user Automatic Data Processing Equipment (ADPE) (300) and overall system data loading. The preferred method exercised by the bandwidth manager (420) allocates bandwidth on the return link (210) to individual user terminals in either a minimal rate required for the protocol being exercised (213), a committed information rate required for the services being requested, or a fair share rate (214) that allows maximum transfer of data from the user terminal (201) to the gateway (400).

This invention relates to communication satellite systems and more particularly relates to bandwidth allocation techniques for such systems.
Current satellite communication systems rely on bulk bandwidth allocation. The current Single Carrier per Channel (SCPC) and Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) systems allocate a fixed bandwidth for the duration of a user's session. This requires that the user actively initiate and terminate a data transfer session. For this reason, the bandwidth utilization can vary drastically based on the type of activity being performed. For rapid transfer of data the bandwidth has to be over allocated and under utilized.
Communication over satellites is characterized by large propagation delays for a geostationary satellite, the one-way delay between a user and the satellite or the two-way delay between two users is a minimum of 250 milliseconds. Yet, users must share a common resource: the uplink bandwidth. Just as communications between users is subject to large delays, so also is the communication between users and the bandwidth manager (BWM) responsible for allocating uplink bandwidth among users.
The propagation delay makes it extremely difficult for the BWM to be responsive to the bandwidth needs of the system's users. Traditionally, designers have either allocated fixed amounts of bandwidth to each user for relatively long periods (allocating each user a circuit, in effect), so that each user would have adequate bandwidth under any circumstance (a committed information rate (CIR) approach), or they have insisted that each user request every small amount of bandwidth that they need, so that users would get only the bandwidth that they could actually use (the bandwidth-on-demand approach).
The CIR approach is wasteful of bandwidth in several ways. It ignores the fluctuation in use of bandwidth caused by users downloading or uploading and then pausing between operations. It ignores the asymmetry in consumption of user uplink bandwidth between downloads and uploads when the user is downloading a file, he needs to uplink only an occasional acknowledgement back to the sender, but when he is uploading a file, he will uplink large amounts of data. It ignores the variations in bandwidth utilization that occur over the course of a single upload or download establishment and termination of a file transfer use very small amounts of bandwidth compared with the bandwidth used to transfer the file. However, the CIR approach provides very good quality of service (QoS), because the user always has as much bandwidth as he could have expected.
The bandwidth-on-demand approach, on the other hand, is very efficient in its allocation of bandwidth. In this approach, users request bandwidth only when they have data to send, and they request only as much bandwidth as they need to send their backlogged data. Thus, almost all the allocated bandwidth is actually used. However, the bandwidth on-demand approach can drastically cut throughput, and the QoS as perceived by the user can be terrible. The system operates in fits and starts, as users have backlogged data, request a limited amoutn of short-term bandwidth, wait through the delay to get bandwidth, send data, and then repeat the process. While there are methods that partially ameliorate the problems with the bandwidth-on-demand approach, its service quality still remains poor.
This invention addresses these problems and provides a solution.

Variable bandwidth satellite communication techniques


An image sensor includes a substrate including photoelectric conversion regions, a magnetic layer disposed on a back side of the substrate and suitable for generating a magnetic field, and color filters and microlenses disposed on the magnetic layer.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an image sensor, and more particularly, to a back side illumination image sensor and a method for fabricating the back side same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor transforms an optical image into electric signals. Generally, image sensors are categorized into a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor and a CMOS image sensor (CIS). An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, and each of the pixels outputs a pixel signal corresponding to incident light. Herein, each of the pixels accumulates photocharges corresponding to incident light in a photoelectric converting device, which is represented by a photodiode, and outputs a pixel signal based on the accumulated photocharges.
Image sensors have a concern in that dark current may deteriorate characteristics of the image sensors. Usually the dark current is caused due to the charges generated on a back side of a substrate where the photoelectric converting device is formed. The dark current works as noise to pixel signals to deteriorate the characteristics of the image sensors

Image sensor and method for fabricating the same


An ultrasonic transducer is provided which has multiple apertures in at least the elevation direction, and preferably in both the elevation and azimuth direction. Each aperture has a selected focal length, with the focal length increasing with the size of the aperture. By transmitting multiple scan lines at a given angle using the different apertures and line splicing received echo signals, resolution is enhanced by utilizing only the portion of each received scan line for which the corresponding elevation aperture is focused. While different controlled elevation apertures may be utilized for transmit and receive, the same aperture is preferably used for both. Additional techniques are discussed for both further enhancing resolution and for mitigating the decrease in frame rate which results from shooting multiple scan lines at a given angle.

Ultrasonic scanning systems are currently utilized in a variety of medical and industrial applications to non-invasively and non-destructively obtain images of organs and other body parts and of mechanical structures at depths which are not visible from the surface.
One problem with most existing ultrasonic scanning systems is that the transducer is typically focused to a predetermined depth, both for transmit and receive. This means that the ultrasonic beam is relatively wide both in the azimuth direction (which is parallel to the direction in which the transducer is typically scanned) and in the elevation direction (which is at right angles to the direction of scan) at points which are less deep than the focal point and, in particular, at points at greater depths than the focal point. Where the area of interest is only at a single depth, this may not be a problem. However, the area of interest with an ultrasonic scan typically extends over a substantial depth range. Therefore, the beam is typically focused somewhere near the midpoint of this range and is thus out of focus by varying degrees through much of the scan.
Various techniques have been utilized in the past for overcoming this problem. However, most of these techniques have continued to utilize a single transmit aperture having a single focal point for transmission and have varied aperture, generally in the azimuth direction, on receive in an attempt to maintain a more uniform f number and to obtain a variable focus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,767 and 4,670,683 teach the use of similar techniques to control receive focus in the elevation direction.
However, these techniques address only half of the problem in that, even though resolution may be enhanced by providing a variable receive focus as echoes from greater depths are being received, resolution is still degraded by the fact that the transmit beam is out of focus through much of the depth range of the scan. While a commercial system was recently introduced which provided multiple transmit apertures at a given steering angle in the azimuth direction, with line splicing to permit utilization of data for the appropriate transmit scan line at different depths, systems which provide the proper aperture and focus either for transmit receive in the elevation direction or for transmit and receive in both the elevation and azimuth directions do not exist in the prior art. Further, since transmitting multiple scan lines at a given steering angle results in significant reductions in frame rate, which may be unacceptable when scanning moving organs such as the heart, the prior art has not dealt with the problems of enhancing frame rate to compensate for the use of multiple transmit apertures. The availability of multiple scan lines at a particular steering angle also presents opportunities for further resolution enhancement which have not been addressed in the prior art.
A need therefore exists for an enhanced ultrasonic scanning system which provides for multiple scanning apertures in the elevation direction and/or in both the elevation and azimuth direction to provide proper transmit and receive focus at varying scan depths and thus enhanced image resolution. When doing this, it is also desirable to provide means for reducing the degradation in frame rate caused by multiple scanning apertures and to utilize the multiple scan lines being transmitted from multiple apertures at a given steering angle to obtain still greater resolution enhancement.


An electronic circuit includes a number of sensors structured to detect an arc flash from an uncontrolled arcing fault, and a trigger circuit, responsive to the detected arc flash, structured to trigger a triggering mechanism and cause a breakdown of a number of gaps within a low voltage arc flash switch.

Field
The disclosed concept pertains generally to arc flash mitigation and, more particularly, to trigger circuits for low voltage arc flash switches. The disclosed concept also pertains to low voltage arc flash systems including a number of trigger circuits.
Background Information
Arc flash mitigation is needed in low voltage power applications. Arc flash hazards are particularly dangerous when maintenance is performed on energized equipment (e.g., without limitation, motor-control centers (MCCs)). Often, service doors are opened during maintenance, which increases the likelihood of maintenance personnel getting injured if they make a mistake. Also, other dangerous arc flash situations can involve degraded insulation or animals creating shorts across energized conductors.
There is room for improvement in low voltage arc flash systems.

Electronic circuit and low voltage arc flash system including an electromagnetic trigger


A three-way valve having a valve chamber with a low-pressure port, a high-pressure port, and a control port is provided. The three-way valve also has a control valve installed in the valve chamber for closing one of the low-pressure port and the high-pressure port. A guide hole communicates with the valve chamber via the high-pressure port. A guide portion is slidably installed in the guide hole and moves together with the control valve. The guide portion further receives a fuel pressure at the high-pressure port in a closing direction of the high-pressure port. The control valve is driven by a piezoelectric actuator to open the low-pressure port and close the high-pressure port. The valve chamber communicates with an oil-accumulating chamber via a by-pass conduit. The oil-accumulating chamber is defined within the guide hole and is located opposite the guide portion from the valve chamber.

Diesel engines include fuel injection valves for high injecting high-pressure fuel into combustion chambers.
FIG. 6 depicts one type of fuel injection valve "A," as disclosed in JP2003-148277A (hereinafter referred to as "Reference 1"). The fuel injection valve "A" includes a nozzle portion 120, a backpressure chamber 130, a valve chamber 140, a control valve 170, and an actuator 180. The nozzle portion 120 includes an injector 110 and a nozzle needle 100. The nozzle needle 100 is operable to open and close the injector 110. The backpressure chamber 130 is adapted to accumulate high-pressure fuel, which urges the nozzle needle 100 in a nozzle-closing direction toward the injector 110. The valve chamber 140 communicates with the backpressure chamber 130, a low-pressure conduit 150, and a high-pressure conduit 160. The control valve 170 is installed in the valve chamber 140 and is operable to selectively interrupt communication between the valve chamber 140 and the low-pressure and high-pressure conduits 150, 160. The actuator 180 is operable to drive the control valve 170.
The actuator 180 includes a piezoelectric actuator 180. The piezoelectric actuator 180 includes a plurality of laminated piezoelectric devices that extend or retract in response to a charging voltage. The extension or retraction of the piezoelectric devices is transmitted to the control valve 170 via a first piston 200 disposed in an oil-tight chamber 190 and a second piston 210.
The valve chamber 140 containing the control valve 170 includes a low-pressure port 220 and a high-pressure port 230. The low-pressure port 220 communicates with the low-pressure conduit 150. The high-pressure port 230 communicates with the high-pressure conduit 160. The control valve 170 is operable to close one of the low-pressure port 220 and the high-pressure port 230.
When the control valve 170 closes the high-pressure port 230, it opens the low-pressure port 220. When the low-pressure port 220 opens, the backpressure chamber 130 freely communicates with the low-pressure conduit 150 via the valve chamber 140. This decreases the fuel pressure in the backpressure chamber 130 allowing the nozzle needle 100 to move toward the backpressure chamber 130 away from the injector 110 and, thus, allowing fuel to travel through the injector 110 from the high-pressure conduit 160. Alternatively, if the control valve 170 closes the low-pressure port 220, the communication between the backpressure chamber 130 and the low-pressure conduit 150 terminates. The fuel pressure in the backpressure chamber 130 increases and the nozzle needle 100 moves in the valve-closing direction to close the injector 110.
Accordingly, to open the low-pressure port 220 and close the high-pressure port 230, the actuator 180 must force the control valve 170 downward against the strength of the high-pressure fuel contained in the valve chamber 140. The piezoelectric actuator 180 requires a high charging voltage to achieve this, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 3. With continued reference to FIG. 3, the shaded circle indicates the load required for the piezoelectric actuator 180 to move the control valve 170 to open the low-pressure port 220. The shaded square indicates the load required for the piezoelectric actuator 180 to move the control valve 170 to close the high-pressure port 230. Thus, it should be understood that the fuel injection valve "A" requires a larger output strength and displacement to close the high-pressure port 230 than to simply open the low-pressure port 220.
FIG. 7 depicts a fuel injection valve "B" as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-345588, hereinafter referred to as "Reference 2." It is important to note that fuel injection valve "B" was disclosed in JP2004-176656A on Jun. 24, 2004, which is subsequent to the filing date of Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-379566, to which this application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority. Fuel injection valve "B" is similar to the fuel injection valve "A" described above with the exception that the control valve 170 is equipped with a pressure-balancing valve comprising a guide portion 240 disposed in a guide hole 250. The guide portion 240 operates to cancel the high-pressure of the fuel acting on the control valve 170 while the control valve 170 opens the low-pressure port 220 and closes the high-pressure port 230.
The guide portion 240 is connected to and moves with the control valve 170. The fuel pressure acting on the guide portion 240 urges the control valve 170 downward. This balances the fuel pressure urging on the control valve 170 upward. Therefore, the fuel injection valve "B" requires less strength to close the high-pressure port 230.
The guide portion 240 is installed for sliding displacement in the guide hole 250. The guide hole 250 fluidly communicates with the low-pressure conduit 150 via a connecting conduit 260 such that a low-pressure acts on the bottom of the guide portion 240. This low-pressure reduces the strength required to open the low-pressure port 220 to a value that is smaller than that required of the fuel injection valve "A" disclosed in Reference 1. FIG. 3 depicts the load required to open the low-pressure port 220 (identified by the empty circle), the load required to close the high-pressure port 230 (identified by the empty square), and the charging voltage required by the piezoelectric actuator 180 of the fuel injection valve "B" (identified by the solid line).
However, the fuel injection valve "B" disclosed in Reference 2 includes some potential for operating deficiencies. As stated above, the lower end of the guide hole 250 is connected to the low-pressure conduit 150 via the connecting conduit 260. This creates a difference in fuel pressure between the top and bottom sides of the guide portion 240. This difference in fuel pressure can cause fuel leakage through any clearance provided between the guide portion 240 and the guide hole 250.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the guide portion 240 axially and radially supports the control valve 170. The guide hole 250 maintains the radial disposition of the control valve 170 by slidably supporting the guide portion 240. Therefore, if the valve seat of the low-pressure port 220 is conically shaped, any error in the coaxial alignment between the low-pressure port 220 and the guide hole 250 will increase uneven wearing of the guide portion 240 and/or the guide hole 250, thereby increasing the fuel leakage described above. Alternatively, if the valve seat of the low-pressure port 220 includes a flat surface, any error in the angle of the flat surface relative to the axis of the guide hole 250 will decrease the seating quality of the control valve 170 against the low-pressure port 220.

Three-way valve and fuel injection device having the same


The present invention provides a system and method for creating and administering an investment instrument. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for creating and administering an investment instrument that may be cleared through a depository company, that has relatively short terms and/or that enables investors to participate in financial market activity while protecting their principal investments. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an investment instrument preserves an investor's principal and offers a choice of several models for generating return. Return-generating models may allow an investor to participate fully in market movement, participate partially in market movement with a guaranteed minimum return, or receive a fixed return without participating in market movement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates generally to an investment instrument. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for creating and administering an investment instrument which enables investors to choose between levels of participation in financial market activity while protecting their principal investments. The investment instrument may also have relatively short terms and/or may clear through a depository.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Existing investment instruments typically allow an individual to invest a given amount of principal and to earn either a fixed, guaranteed rate of return (or "interest") or a flexible rate of return that is not guaranteed. As described in further detail below, an "investment instrument" is any means by which an investor may invest principal. "Principal" refers to the amount of an investor's initial investment in an investment instrument, plus any interest earned, minus any payments or disbursements made to the investor from the investment instrument and any withdrawal penalties. Thus, principal is different from "face value," which is the amount an investment instrument is worth "on its face" and typically corresponds to the amount initially invested in the instrument—i.e., without added interest. For the purposes of this specification, "interest" and "return" are synonymous terms, meaning the amount earned by an investment instrument.
Typically, guaranteed investments offer lower potential returns and lower risk than flexible-rate investments. An example of a very low-risk, low-return investment is a Certificate of Deposit. A CD is a fixed income financial instrument, typically issued by a bank or similar financial institution, that guarantees a fixed return on investment. Though the rate of return on a CD may sometimes be set with a flexible interest rate, such as the federally set interest rate, there is still a guaranteed return on the investment. Furthermore, the principal invested in a CD is protected, so an investor will not lose principal even if market conditions become extremely unfavorable. When a CD matures at the end of its term, a customer may "roll over" the CD. To "roll over" a CD means to reinvest the original principal and, if desired, the earned interest, into a new CD for another term. One drawback of a CD is that funds invested in a CD do not participate in equity markets, which may potentially offer significantly higher returns than a CD.
At the opposite end of the risk/return spectrum, equities are high-risk investments with a potential for very high return. This class of investments typically takes the form of stock certificates, or "shares," issued by corporations. Each share represents an ownership interest in the corporation equal to the percentage of shares held. Stock certificates are traded on financial "markets," or "exchanges," throughout the world, such as the NASDAQ ("National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation"), the NYSE ("New York Stock Exchange"), and the French Cotation Assite Continue ("Quotes Assisted Live" or "CAC4O"). For the purposes of this specification, the terms "market" and "exchange" mean any financial, commodities, or any other relevant market known to those skilled in the art. As shares trade on exchanges, their values rise and fall in accordance with demand for the shares. Equity investors can achieve extraordinary returns on their investment if demand for their shares increases, but they also risk losing their entire principal if the company that issued the shares goes out of business, enters bankruptcy, or otherwise fails to create demand for their shares.
One variation on equity investments is the mutual fund. Mutual funds are collections of stocks, bonds, or other investments pooled within a common fund. Consumers buy shares in the fund, which is managed by an investment advisor. The manager decides how to invest the fund's assets. As the investments held by the fund generate income or generally rise in value, so does the value of the fund's shares. While it is possible to lose the principal investment, the risk of loss is spread across multiple equity investments and, thus, is typically less than the risk of investing in individual stocks. One drawback of a mutual fund is that each shareholder is responsible for fund fees and other charges incurred when the fund liquidates assets. While mutual funds typically have higher rates of return than CDs or other fixed interest investments, they seldom offer the potential for returns as high as those possible with individual stocks. Furthermore, though investing in mutual funds is typically less risky than buying individual stocks, it is still possible to lose principal.
Thus, a need exists for an investment instrument that allows investors to choose a level of participation in the activity of financial markets while also protecting their principal investments. Some currently available investment instruments seek to provide similar opportunities for investors. However, these instruments typically have terms that are longer than one year. For example, many banks offer CDs in which interest is indexed to a stock market or other financial index. However, the terms of those CDs are typically three to five years in length. Thus, an investor may not be able to freely change from one investment risk strategy to another at the end of each year (or similar short term period), but must instead wait for the end of the longer term. Investors in CDs who wish to change investments before the end of a term must typically pay a penalty for withdrawing their money. Therefore, a need also exists for an investment instrument that gives investors a choice of participation levels and protects their principal and, in addition, has a relative short term.
Finally, it may be advantageous for an issuer of an investment instrument to clear that instrument through a depository, such as the Depository Trust Company. Typically, instruments that clear through a depository have longer terms and do not give investors the choice of participation levels in financial markets. Thus, a need exists for an instrument that allows investors to choose levels of participation in financial markets, protects the investors' principal, has relatively short terms and/or is cleared through a depository.

System and method for creating and administering an investment instrument


Systems and methods are provided for reducing power consumption in a mobile device having a Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) framework for supporting, e.g., Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE), IP Voice over High Speed Packet Access (VoHSPA), and Rich Communication Suite (RCS) features. To support such functionality in a mobile device while reducing power consumption, a local Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) agent is implemented in, e.g., a wireless modem, of the mobile device to which SIP-related signaling can be redirected, and at which SIP-related processing can be performed when an application processor (AP) Of the mobile device is in sleep mode, thereby negating a need to wake up the AP to handle such functionality.

A UE, e.g., a cellular telephone, smartphone, etc., operating in a wireless communications network, may have various modes of operation that may include an idle mode and a connected mode. In the idle mode, the UE may power down one or more of its operating components/elements for varying periods of time. Powering down one or more of its components assists in conserving battery power (especially as the trend continues to create smaller and smaller electronic devices), as less resources need to be supplied with power. The UE may wake up periodically to monitor paging messages applicable to that UE in case the UE must engage in some activity. Such paging messages may alert the UE to the presence of, e.g., incoming calls, and/or may provide other information. In the connected mode, the UE may actively exchange data with one or more network elements to effectuate, e.g., a voice call or a data call, etc.


A projection type display device is provided to display high quality images. In the device, a WB-PBSW 2 is inclined to liquid crystal display devices 1r, 1b, 1g and has wire grids 2a parallel with a first substrate 11. One of directions of projection lines obtained by projecting the wire grids 2a on a second substrate 12 vertically, the one direction being directed to a direction where one extension surface of the polarization spectroscopic surface intersects with another extension surface of the second substrate when the one direction is turned in the counterclockwise direction by 90°, is defined as X-axis. If the liquid crystal display devices 1r, 1b, 1g are a type of first twist (normal twist), device reference line vectors are located at 225°±10° in the counterclockwise direction in view from the first substrate 11. In case of a second twist (reverse twist) type, the device reference line vectors are located at 315°±10° in the counterclockwise direction in view from the first substrate 11.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection type display device constructed with a reflection type liquid crystal display device, more particularly to a projection type display device capable of enhancing contrast of display images and preventing a quality deterioration of the display images due to disclination.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a projection type display device using a liquid crystal display device is proposed. This projection type display device is often used in the form of an image magnification equipment at presentations or in a home theater. Thus, a variety of displaying formalities have been developed.
Especially, as discussed in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2007-101764, the projection type display device using a reflection type liquid crystal display device is capable of displaying bright images at a high resolution. Because the reflection type liquid crystal device comprises one substrate having transparent electrodes formed on its surface, another substrate opposed to the former substrate and having reflecting electrodes and drive circuits for every pixel arranged in matrix and a liquid crystal layer enclosed between these opposing substrates, allowing the drive circuits for liquid crystal to be arranged underside the pixels for display.
In addition, since the liquid crystal layer utilizes the reflection type liquid crystal display device of vertically-aligned liquid crystals, and the projection type display device is adapted so as to allow light to be incident on the reflection type liquid crystal display device through a wire grid polarizing beam splitter (referred to as "WG-PBS" hereinafter), the same device is capable of display images at high contrast.
Such a projection type display device is shown in FIG. 1. The projection type display device comprises a reflection type liquid crystal display (reflective LCD) device 1 and a wire grid polarizing beam splitter (WG-PBS) 2 arranged at an inclination angle of 45° to the reflective LCD device 1. The reflective LCD device 1 comprises a transparent substrate 11 having transparent electrodes formed thereon, an active matrix substrate 12 opposed to the substrate 11 and having reflecting electrodes and drive circuits for every pixel arranged in matrix and a liquid crystal layer 13 enclosed in a gap between the substrate 11 and the substrate 12.
The WG-PBS 2 includes a number of wire grids (WG) 2a formed on a transparent flat plate. In the WG-PBS 2, the wire grids (WG) 2a are arranged in parallel to the reflective LCD device 1. In illumination light incident on the WG-PBS 2, its P polarization component as the incident light on the LCD device 1 is transmitted through the WG-PBS 2, while its S polarization component is reflected by the WG-PBS 2. The P polarization component of the illumination light transmitted through the WG-PBS 2 is then incident on the LCD device 1.
The reflective LCD device 1 polarizes and modulates the incident illumination light in accordance with image signals and then reflects the same light. The modulated light reflected by the LCD device 1 returns to the WG-PBS 2. In the modulated light, its S polarization component only is reflected by the WG-PBS 2, while its P polarization component is transmitted through the WG-PBS 2 to be a return light for the incident direction of the illumination light. Then, the modulated light reflected by the WG-PBS 2 is transmitted through an analyzer (e.g. a polarizing plate) 3 and then incident on a not-shown imaging lens system to project the light on a screen for imaging. Note that the analyzer 3 is an optical device for analyzing the modulated light reflected by the WG-PBS 2.
In the reflective LCD device 1, alignment layers 14, 15 are formed on respective surfaces of the transparent substrate 11 and the active matrix substrate 12 on the side of the liquid crystal layer 13, respectively. In operation, these alignment layers 14, 15 impart liquid-crystal molecules alignment condition to liquid crystal molecules forming the liquid crystal layer 13, as shown in FIG. 2. Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2007-101764 exhibits the liquid-crystal molecules alignment condition to obtain high-contrast display images in the projection type display device combining the reflective LCD device 1 having the liquid crystal layer 13a composed of such liquid crystal molecules in vertical alignment with the WG-PBS 2.
In this projection type display device, that is, the liquid-crystal molecules alignment in the liquid crystal layer 13 of the reflective LCD device 1 is defined as a direction to meet a predetermined condition in the relationship with the WG-PBS 2, as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4. In the projection type display device, nematic LC (liquid crystal) having negative dielectric anisotropy is used as liquid crystal, and a pre-tilt angle θp is given to liquid crystal molecules 16-1, 16-2. Assume here, one of directions of projection lines obtained by projecting the wire grids 2a of the WG-PBS 2 on the active matrix substrate 12 vertically, the one direction being directed to a direction where one extension surface of the polarization spectroscopic surface intersects with another extension surface of the active matrix substrate 12 when the one direction is turned in the counterclockwise direction by 90°, is represented by X-axis. Based on the assumption, an angle α from X-axis up to a line segment 17-1 obtained by projecting respective a long axis of the liquid crystal molecule 16-1 onto the active matrix substrate 12 is 45° (see FIG. 3). Here, the line segment 17-1 is positioned in the counterclockwise direction from X-axis in view from the transparent substrate 11. Similarly, another angle α from X-axis up to another line segment 17-2 obtained by projecting respective a long axis of the liquid crystal molecule 16-21 onto the active matrix substrate 12 is also 45° (see FIG. 4). Here, the line segment 17-2 is positioned in the clockwise direction from X-axis in view from the transparent substrate 11.
As for the above liquid-crystal molecules alignment condition, if representing the projective line segments 17-1, 17-2 by vectors upon the establishment of X-Y-Z axes on the active matrix substrate 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, then respective vectors 17-1, 17-2 are illustrated on X-Y plane, as shown FIGS. 5A and 5B. When defining the azimuth angles of the liquid crystal molecules 16-1, 16-2 by angles φ from X-axis, the vector 17-1 is represented by an angle φ of 225° in the counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 5A, while the vector 17-2 is represented by an angle φ of 315° in the counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 5B.
In the reflective LCD device, meanwhile, it is generally believed when an angle between the direction of a line segment, which is obtained by projecting a liquid crystal molecule in the liquid crystal layer on a substrate surface, and the vibrating direction of an incident polarized light becomes near 45°, there can be attained a light state and a maximum output (i.e. brightness). In detail, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,322, an output T in the liquid crystal display device can be represented byT=K·sin2(2φ)·sin2(π·Δneff·d/λ)  (1)here K is a constant, φ an azimuth angle, Δneff an effective double refraction of liquid crystal molecule, d a thickness of liquid crystal cell and λ is a wavelength of incident polarization light.
From the operation expression, it will be understood that the azimuth angles providing a maximum output are 45°, 135°, 225° and 315°.
That is, the maximum outputs in light state can be provided at four azimuth angles φ (i.e. 45°, 135°, 225° and 315° in the counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 5A and 5B).
On the other hand, the brightness in dark state at the azimuth angle φ of 45° in the counterclockwise direction or at 135° in the same direction greatly differs from the brightness in light state at the azimuth angle φ of 225° in the counterclockwise direction or at 315° in the same direction. Thus, in case of the azimuth angle φ of 225° or 315° in the counterclockwise direction, the brightness in dark state turns down. Therefore, under the liquid-crystal molecules alignment condition where the azimuth angle φ is either 225° or 315° in the counterclockwise direction, it becomes possible to realize the maximum contrast ratio while ensuring the output (brightness) in light state greatly.
While, aiming to provide a liquid crystal device using vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules attaining high-contrast images in spite of obliquely-incident light, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2002-072217 proposes a vertically-aligned reflection type liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates having electrodes on their opposed substrate surfaces, a liquid crystal layer containing vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules and interposed between the substrates, and alignment layers arranged on the substrate surfaces and alignment-processed so as to twist the pre-tilt direction of the vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules between the substrate.
Further, in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2007-212997, the twist angle is set to a predetermined condition and the application to a projection type display device using a WG-PBS is discussed.
However, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2007-212997 does not teach a condition of realizing high-contrast images in the projection type display device combining a WG-PBS clearly.
In addition, although an application of slight slant (pre-tilt angle) on the liquid crystal molecules unidirectionally prevents the falling direction of the molecules from being disrupting to cause a disclination, it could not be eliminated perfectly. Thus, if applying this on the projection type display device combining a WG-PBS, there is a possibility of exerting a bad influence on the screen depending on the application. Typically, this bad influence would appear in the form of a phenomenon that an oblique line of a projected picture is displayed with a color far from the original color.


An O-ring is mounted to the wheel of a manually powered bicycle. A Teflon washer is mounted on the wheel sprocket contacting the O-ring. The friction between the O-ring and the Teflon washer are sufficient to move the crank sprocket away from dead center on a mechanism wherein the crank sprocket is rotated by manually oscillating the handle bars of the bicycle.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise bicycle and more particularly to bicycles at least partially powered by manual movement of the handle bars.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Manually powered bicycles as opposed to pedal powered bicycles are old and have been well known for many years.
The term bicycle is used in this application in its broadest term, i.e., any two-wheeled vehicle. However, in this application the term will be used for those two-wheeled vehicles which are powered by the physical exertions of at least one person. It will be seen by this definition that a scooter would fit within this definition as well as the vehicle more commonly referred to as a bicycle.
A particular type of manual powered bicycles is one having the handle bars oscillating at the top of the fork. The handle bars then drive a crank sprocket through a pitman. The crank sprocket is mounted to the fork and steering post of the bicycle so that it retains the same relationship to the front wheel and to the handle bars.
The front wheel is driven through a one-way clutch attached to a wheel sprocket co-axiel with the front wheel. The development of the one-way clutches are such that they have extremely low friction and therefore the wheel does not drive the sprockets when it is in the "free-wheeling mode". This is desirable.
A common problem of such bicycles is that the drive sprocket gets locked in a dead-center position. I.e., the pitman from the oscillating handle bars is aligned with the crank extending from the axle of the sprocket to the crank pin on the sprocket. In dead-center position, the handle bars can not be moved or manipulated to cause rotation of the sprocket and therefore, no motive power can be transmitted to the vehicle.
My previous two patents, 4,147,370 issued Apr. 3, 1979 and 4,189,166 issued Feb. 19, 1980, solved this problem by having a spring which moved the crank sprocket away from dead center.


A method of forming a structured web including the steps of providing a fiber slurry through a headbox to a nip formed by a structured fabric and a forming fabric and collecting fibers from the fiber slurry in at least one valley of the structured fabric.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a structured fiber web on a paper machine, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of forming a structured fiber web on a structured fabric in a paper machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a wet molding process, a structured fabric in a Crescent Former configuration impresses a three dimensional surface on a web while the fibrous web is still wet. Such an invention is disclosed in International Publication No. WO 03/062528 A1. A suction box is disclosed for the purpose of shaping the fibrous web while wet to generate the three dimensional structure by removing air through the structural fabric. It is a physical displacement of portions of the fibrous web that leads to the three dimensional surface. Similar to the aforementioned method, a through air drying (TAD) technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,609. The TAD technique discloses how an already formed web is transferred and molded into an impression fabric. The transformation takes place on a web having a sheet solids level greater that 15%. This results in a low density pillow area in the fibrous web. These pillow areas are of a low basis weight since the already formed web is expanded to fill the valleys thereof. The impression of the fibrous web into a pattern, on an impression fabric, is carried out by passing a vacuum through the impression fabric to mold the fibrous web.
What is needed in the art is a method to produce a fibrous web with a high basis weight pillow area of low density to thereby increase the absorption and bulk characteristics of the finished fibrous web.

Process of material web formation on a structured fabric in a paper machine