The routing of data streams is discussed, and particularly routing one or more incoming streams to one or more output destination ports. The ability to merge incoming streams is discussed so that several low bit rate input packet streams can be merged into a higher bit rate output stream. An assignment data structure identifies for each input stream the or each destination to which it is to be routed, and a packet allocation data structure holds information about the packets and information about the destination of the packets to allow a memory holding the packets to be controlled accordingly.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the routing of data streams, and in particular streams constituted by data packets.
2. Description of Related Art
Networks today provide connectivity to a variety of devices such as servers, personal computers, memory storage systems, etc. Most networks provide a wide range of applications and technologies to allow for a multitude of communications to one or more destinations.
As is known in the art, illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,522, a network may employ a multi-layer network element to forward received packets from an input port to one or more output ports. The received packets may be scanned for different types of forwarding information, i.e., layer 2 information, layer 3 information, layer 4 information, etc. Based on the results of the scan, a determination is made as to the most appropriate combination of layer 2 or layer 3 forwarding decisions for the received packet. Once the forwarding decisions are made, the received packet is transmitted to the destination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,725 relates to a network utilizing a router to switch a packet between a source and a destination. The router may include a plurality of ports connected to various sources and destinations. The ports connected to sources are termed input ports and each input port includes a data handler. The router also includes output ports and a memory divided into a plurality of memory banks. The data handler divides each packet into one or more fixed length cells. The fixed length cells are transmitted to an input switch that writes a single cell into a cell slot time span to each memory bank. The input switch reads a key from the packet and, based on a destination indicated by a key, an output port associated with the destination is determined. An output switch is alerted to the determination and transfers the determination to the appropriate output port. The output port initiates transfer of the packet from the memory and the output switch.


Techniques are described for estimating intentions of pedestrians and other road users in vicinity of a vehicle. In certain embodiments, the techniques comprise obtaining, by a computer system of a vehicle equipped with one or more sensors, a sequence of video frames corresponding to a scene external to the vehicle, detecting one or more vulnerable road users (VRUs) in the sequence of video frames, wherein the detecting comprises estimating pose of each of the detected one or more VRUs. The techniques further include generating a segmentation map of the scene using one or more of the video frames; estimating one or more intention probabilities using estimated pose of the one or more VRUs and the segmentation map, each intention probability corresponding to one of the detected one or more VRUs, and adjusting one or more automated driving actions based on the estimated one or more intention probabilities.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to automated driving and more specifically to predicting intention of a user sharing the road with a vehicle.
Motor vehicles are being equipped with increasing amounts of sensor technology designed to assist drivers in manually handling their vehicles in a variety of situations. These sensors enable a variety of features such as parking assist, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection, all of which are now available as add-ons to standard vehicle configurations. Some of these sensors are also being used in connection with automated and autonomous driving. Autonomous driving technology has experienced rapid development in recent years, but is still a long way from being able to operate without human control in all situations.
One commonly encountered situation that poses a difficult challenge to automated control system of a vehicle is understanding behaviors of pedestrians and other road users. Pedestrians are moving on urban roads with specific targets and goals in mind. While navigating the road, pedestrians directly interact with other road users and make decisions accordingly. An automated or autonomous vehicle needs to identify and estimate trajectories of all the other vehicles, pedestrians, humans riding bikes, scooters and other devices in order to safely navigate the road.

Method and apparatus for predicting intent of vulnerable road users


A top side cooker includes a cooking head that is counterbalanced by a pair of gas cylinders. A lift arm couples the gas cylinders to the cooking head. A compression spring is fitted on the rod of each gas cylinder to provide a positive force at the end of the rod travel for precluding the heavy cooking head from crashing into the grill surface.

This invention relates generally to cooking grills and specifically to so-called top side cooking grills that include an upper cooking head that is movably mounted between an upper, open position and a lower, cooking position in close proximity to a cooking surface.
Top side cookers have been in use for many years and have the advantage of accelerating the cooking of foodstuffs, such as hamburger, by applying heat and pressure to both sides thereof during the cooking process. The upper cooking head is relatively massive and accordingly has significant weight, which of course is required to apply pressure to the foodstuff The top side cooker manufactured by Keating of Chicago, Inc. has an upper head that is counterbalanced by a pair of gas springs, i.e., pistons that are under a constant pressure. Adjustment of the springs and the associated lifting mechanism to enable a smooth force transition from the upper position to the lower position of the cooking head is often difficult to accomplish, especially since the weight of the cooking head is required to apply pressure to the foodstuffs being cooked. In many instances, the cooking head must be prevented from forcefully impacting the grill surface when it is being lowered into the cooking position. When the mechanism is properly adjusted, the cooking head is free of the counterbalance force when it is very close to the cooking position. This enables the weight of the cooking head to apply pressure to the foodstuffs. Failure of the operator to control movement of the cooking head or failure of one of both of the gas springs could result in the cooking head closing with a substantial force and exposing the operator to potential injury as well as causing damage to the surface of the cooking gill.
The present invention solves the above problems of the prior art in a relatively simple and cost effective manner by providing a cushioning spring on the gas cylinder which prevents forceful engagement between the upper cooking head and the lower grill surface.

Top side cooker with spring ram assembly


A method and apparatus where the apparatus performs the steps of receiving a location of a person; determining via a database a hazard level of the location confirming via a database that the person is qualified to be present at the location based upon a training level of the person for the determined hazard level of the location and wirelessly notifying the person to leave the location upon determining that the person is not qualified for the hazard level of the location based upon the training level of the person.

Hazards are often present within many industrial environments. The hazards may be due to any of a number of different circumstances (e.g., toxic gases, explosive gases, lack of oxygen, radiation, etc.).
In most cases, the industrial environment is designed to minimize the possibility of such hazards. However, persons who work in such areas must be constantly on guard for malfunctions or other circumstances that present such hazards.
Environmental testing is often key to the protection of personnel within such areas. For example, portable (or stationary) gas detectors may detect hazardous gases and sound an alarm when such gases exceed a safety limit.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) may also be used to reduce the risks to people within such areas. Protective equipment may include special clothing and/or masks that cover the body and/or head of the individual. The PPE may include an air tank of breathable air.
While such equipment is effective, it is of little use absent proper training. However, even training may not be effective in the event of carelessness. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of protecting people in hazardous areas.

System and method to monitor events and personnel locations


Methods and systems are provided for anesthetic agent leakage diagnostics. In one embodiment, a method for diagnosing leaks in an anesthetic vaporizer includes calculating a leakage rate based on measurements of an anesthetic agent level in a sump of the anesthetic vaporizer, the measurements received from a fluid level sensor at a first time and a second time, and outputting a maintenance alert responsive to the leakage rate exceeding a threshold.

During some medical procedures, such as surgical procedures, a patient may be placed under general anesthesia by administrating an anesthetic agent. In some examples, the anesthetic agent may be a volatile anesthetic agent that is administered to the patient via an anesthetic vaporizer. For example, the anesthetic vaporizer may induce and control vaporization of the volatile anesthetic agent from a liquid form at a vaporizing chamber. A carrier gas (e.g., a mixture of oxygen and fresh air) may flow into the vaporizer and blend (e.g., mix and converge) with the anesthetic agent vapors generated by the vaporizer before flowing to the patient, where they may be introduced via inhalation, for example.
Conventional anesthetic vaporizers include a sump for storing the liquid anesthetic agent before it is metered to the vaporizing chamber (e.g., via a pump). An operator (e.g., an anesthesiologist or other clinician) may monitor a level of liquid anesthetic agent in the sump, both before use and during use, to ensure sufficient anesthetic agent is available for delivery to the patient during the medical procedure. For example, the level of the anesthetic agent may be viewed through a glass tube or transparent portion of the sump, referred to as a sight glass.

Methods and systems for anesthetic agent leakage diagnostics


A computing device is described that outputs for display, a graphical user interface comprising a clock having regions associated with a first set of time increments. Responsive to receiving an indication of an input at a portion of a presence-sensitive input device corresponding to a location of a display device at which one of the regions of the clock is displayed, the computing device determines one of the first set of time increments. The computing device outputs for display, and proximate to the location, a second set of time increments. The computing device determines a time based on the determined one of the first set of time increments and a selected one of the second time increments.

Some computing devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers, etc.) may provide a graphical time selector or other mechanism as part of a graphical user interface for inputting a time using a presence-sensitive display (e.g., a touch-screen) operatively coupled to the computing device. The computing device may, for example, output the graphical time selector for display in response to an application (e.g., e-mail client, calendar, etc.) request for a time-related data entry from a user of the computing device.
In some cases, the graphical time selector may include text entry fields for entering digits associated with a unit of time (e.g., hour, minute, second) using keys, such as keys provided by a graphical keyboard presented at a presence-sensitive screen. In other examples, the graphical time selector may include one or more virtual selector wheels that rotate in response to an indication of a gesture at a presence-sensitive screen. Through selector wheel rotations, the computing device can increase or decrease a time entry by a unit of time. Still in other cases, graphical time selectors include graphical buttons presented at a presence-sensitive screen that, when selected, can be used to increase and/or decrease a unit of time associated with the time entry.
These graphical time selectors that utilize a graphical keyboard, one or more scroll wheels, and/or graphical buttons, may have certain drawbacks. For example, these graphical time selectors may not provide an efficient way for a computing device to receive an indication of a user input associated with a time entry. These graphical time selectors may require the computing device to receive indications of multiple tap and/or non-tap gestures at a presence-sensitive screen for a single time entry. For each additional time entry, graphical time selectors such as this may additionally require the computing device to receive and process multiple indications of taps and/or non-tap gestures at the presence-sensitive screen.


An electric shaver has a pivotally mounted longhair cutter unit that is pivoted outward into an operating position by motion of an operating switch of the shaver via an actuator that also causes the cutting blades of the longhair cutter unit to extend from the longhair cutter housing. Because the longhair cutter retracts into the longhair cutter housing when the longhair cutter unit is folded shut, the sharp edges of the blades are protected.

German patent publication DE 31 11 871 A1 describes an electric shaving apparatus that includes at its top a shorthair cutter unit and on its front a longhair cutter unit. The longhair cutter unit is comprised of an operating switch and a coupled longhair cutter that has at its free end a comb-type lower blade and upper blade which in operation are in sliding relation to each other, thereby shearing off hairs that have entered the combs. In the position of rest, the longhair cutter unit is embedded in a recess formed on the front face of the housing of the shaving apparatus so that the outer contour of the longhair cutter forms a nearly stepless plane with the outside of the housing. To move the longhair cutter unit into its operating position, it is necessary to slide the operating switch upward, whereby the outside of the lower blade slides along a ramp in the housing of the shaving apparatus, swinging obliquely upwardly out of the housing together with the upper blade. As this occurs, a flap closing the longhair cutter exposes the comb-like end to enable it to be moved into contact with an operator's skin surface.
Similarly, Japanese reference JP 58-32767(2) describes an electrically operated shaving apparatus in which a shorthair cutter unit is provided on the upwardly pointing surface and a longhair cutter unit on the front side. Mounted behind a cover plate is a transversely grooved operating switch as well as a barrel-type longhair cutter. On being turned, the longhair cutter is accessible from outside through a square-shaped window. Otherwise, it is turned into the interior of the housing and concealed. Turning of the longhair cutter is effected by an actuator coupled next to the axis of rotation and connected to the operating switch.
German document DE 195 21 299 C1 also describes an electrically operated shaving apparatus that has at its top a shorthair cutter unit and on its front a longhair cutter unit. The longhair cutter unit is activated by an operating switch provided in a recess on the front side. An actuator connected to the operating switch is displaced from bottom to top and in reverse direction in the housing, so that due to the eccentric mounting of the actuator on the longhair cutter the latter is swung about its pivot axis forwardly out of the housing and back into the housing. Detent elements are provided in order for the actuator to lend the longhair cutter unit a stable position in the latter's extended position so that the longhair cutter withstands the shaving forces acting on it during shaving, without folding shut or wobbling. Although in the retracted condition the comb-type cutting plane of the longhair cutter is embedded in the housing recess of the shaver, it is nevertheless visible from outside, and the comb-type sharp edges of the longhair cutter are at least partially exposed.

Electric shaver with extendable longhair cutter unit


A portable assistive device adaptable to most vehicles with hinged doors. The invention as described allows for anchor unit to rest outside vehicle and to be positioned for use with the door open. The apparatus user can then shut the door without holding the invention in place. As described, the anchor unit is connected to the grip unit with flexible connector straps and does not interfere with operation of the window and does not require the disconnection of the flexible connector straps to transfer the device between vehicles.

This invention relates to assistive devices and more particularly to a portable device useful for increasing the comfort and stability of a passenger in an automobile.
There are many different types of portable assistive devices developed for use with an automobile or other vehicle having a passenger cabin. Certain of these devices were developed to increase the storage or moving capacity of a vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,594 issued to Parks teaches an anchor strap system for use in securing an object to the outside of a car. (See FIG. 1) This invention takes advantage of the automobile door frame and locates the anchor portion of the strap system inside the vehicle. The anchor end of the device described is held in place by and between the upper portion of the door and the door frame of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,836 issued to Waddell describes another system useful for attaching objects to the roof of the car. (See FIG. 2) As described, the anchor portion of Waddell's invention sits entirely between the upper section of the vehicles door and the frame of the vehicle. Both systems do not teach an apparatus useful in the support of someone inside the vehicle. Furthermore, the system taught by Parks is limited because the components must fit into the door frame of the vehicle. Given the wide array of vehicles available on the market today, this anchoring system is unlikely to meet any sort "one size fits all" type requirement necessary for maximum utility.
Another type of assistive device for use in a vehicle is as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,451 issued to Thomas and U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,292 issued to Horne. (See FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively) Both patents describe apparatuses that may be used to provide arm rests for passengers inside the vehicle and adjacent the vehicle door. Both patents also describe systems using anchoring systems that fasten between the door frame and the window frame within the door frame. The problem associated with these systems center around the obstruction typically caused by the way the described apparatuses are anchored to the automobile. As described the devices use similar variations of a narrow hook-like feature to connect the device to the window frame and anchor the device between the window of the door and inner body compartments. This method of fixation to the vehicle interior is likely to mar the interior of the vehicle. Additionally, when fixed between the window frame and inner body compartments, it becomes semi-permanent reducing the users ability to move the device between vehicles.
A hybrid passenger support system marketed as a "Car Caddy" also bears consideration and is shown in FIG. 5. This device supports a user as the user exits the vehicle. The anchor system for this device is inserted into and looped between the window and the door frame of the automobile. The disadvantages of this system are that it's anchoring system loops around the window frame thus obstructing the user's use of the window.


A pressure transfer device for the transfer of pressure energy from a high pressure fluid stream to a lower pressure fluid stream wherein a generally cylindrical housing (61) contains a rotor (63) having a plurality of channels (65) extending axially therethrough that revolves about a central stator (67) or within a surrounding sleeve (73) and a pair of end covers (69, 71) which slidingly and sealingly interface with respective planar end faces (68) of the rotor. The end covers (69, 71) and the accompanying components of the device are constructed so as to allow the channels to be at least twice filled with a high pressure first liquid during each revolution of the rotor and thus discharge twice the volume of a pressurized second liquid than if they were filled only one with high pressure liquid.

Many industrial processes, especially chemical processes, operate at elevated pressures. These processes often require a high pressure fluid feed, which may be a gas, a liquid or a slurry, to produce a fluid product or effluent. One way of providing a high pressure fluid feed to such an industrial process is by feeding a relatively low pressure stream through a pressure transfer device to exchange pressure between a high pressure stream and the low pressure feed stream. One particularly efficient type of pressure transfer device utilizes a rotor having axial channels wherein hydraulic communication between the high pressure fluid and the low pressure fluid is established in alternating sequences.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,887,942; 5,338,158; 6,537,035; 6,540,487; 6,659,731 and 6,773,226 illustrate rotary pressure transfer devices of the general type described herein for transferring pressure energy from one fluid to another. The operation of this type of device is a direct application of Pascal's Law: "Pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and to the walls of the containing vessel." Pascal's Law holds that, if a high pressure fluid is brought into hydraulic contact with a low pressure fluid, the pressure of the high pressure fluid is reduced, the pressure of the low pressure fluid is increased, and such pressure exchange is accomplished with minimum mixing. A rotary pressure transfer device of the type of present interest applies Pascal's Law by alternately and sequentially (1) bringing a channel which contains a first lower pressure fluid into hydraulic contact with a second higher pressure fluid, thereby pressurizing the first fluid in the channel and causing an amount of first fluid that was in the channel to exit to the volumetric extent that higher pressure second fluid takes its place, and thereafter (2) bringing this channel into hydraulic contact with a second entrance chamber containing the incoming stream of lower first pressure fluid which slightly pressurizes the second fluid then in the channel, causing discharge of the second fluid at still lower pressure.
The net result of the pressure transfer process, in accordance with Pascal's Law, is to cause the pressures of the two fluids to approach each other. In a chemical process, such as sea water reverse osmosis which may, for example, operate at high pressures, e.g., 700-1200 pounds per square inch gauge (psig), a seawater feed may generally be available at a low pressure, e.g., atmospheric pressure to about 50 psig, and there will likely also be a high pressure brine stream from the process available at about 650-1150 psig. The low pressure seawater stream and the high pressure brine stream can both be fed to such a rotary pressure transfer device to advantageously pressurize the seawater while depressurizing the waste brine. The advantageous resultant effect of the rotary pressure transfer device in such an industrial process is a very substantial reduction in the amount of high pressure pumping capacity needed to raise the seawater feed stream to the high pressure desired for efficient operation; this can often result in an energy reduction of up to 65% for such a process and may allow a corresponding reduction in the required pump size.
In such a rotary pressure transfer device, there is generally a rotor with a plurality of parallel, open-ended channels. The rotor may be driven by an external force, but it is preferably driven by the directional entry of the fluid streams into the channels through an end cover, as known in this art. During rotation, there is hydraulic communication of the fluid residing in each channel, alternately and exclusively, with an inlet passageway either at one end of the rotor or at the other end. More specifically, the incoming higher pressure fluid enters the channel through an end cover from a high pressure inlet chamber, causing simultaneous discharge from the other end of the channel, and then, a very short interval later, the channel comes into exclusive communication with an incoming lower pressure fluid entering through the opposite end cover from an inlet chamber at the other end. As a result, axially countercurrent flow of fluids is alternately effected in each channel of the rotor, creating two discharge streams, for example a greatly increased pressure seawater stream and a greatly reduced pressure brine stream.
In a rotary pressure transfer device having such a rotating rotor, there will be many very brief intervals of hydraulic communication between the plurality of longitudinal channels in the rotor and both of the chambers at the opposite ends that are holding the two fluids, which chambers are otherwise hydraulically isolated from each other. Minimal mixing occurs within the channels because operation is such that the channels will each have a zone of relatively dead fluid that serves as a buffer or interface between the oppositely entering fluids; each fluid enters and exits from one respective end of the rotor. As a result, for example, a high pressure, higher salt concentration, brine stream can transfer its pressure to an incoming low pressure seawater stream without significant mixing.
In such prior art devices, the rotor usually rotates in a cylindrical sleeve, with its flat end faces slidingly and sealingly interfacing with the opposite end cover plates. The rotor in the pressure transfer device is often supported by a hydrostatic bearing and driven by either the streams of fluids entering the rotor channels or by a motor. To achieve extremely low friction operation, such a rotary pressure transfer device usually does not use rotating seals. Instead, fluid seals and fluid bearings are often used, and extremely close tolerance fits are used to minimize leakage.
The opposite end covers each have an inlet opening and a discharge opening that are located at diametrically opposed locations in their inward faces with which openings the channels in the rotor will alternately become aligned. The end covers are usually peripherally supported by contact with the sleeve within which the rotor revolves. Thus, the longitudinal rotor channels, at one end, alternately hydraulically connect with a high pressure brine inlet, for example, and then with a brine discharge outlet, while the same channel, at its other end, respectively hydraulically communicates with a high pressure seawater discharge outlet and then with a low pressure seawater inlet. In both instances, there is discharge of liquid from the opposite end of the channel through a discharge opening in the end cover to the extent that filling occurs at the feed end. As the rotor rotates between these intervals of alternate hydraulic communication, the channels are briefly sealed off from communication with either of the two openings in each end cover face.
In rotary pressure transfer devices of this general type, the volume of liquid that flows into and out of such a device as a result of rotation of the cylindrical rotor is at least partially dependent upon the total volume of the longitudinal channels in such a rotor and the ability to feed and withdraw liquid to and from those channels. Ways of increasing the efficiency of these pressure transfer devices have been continuously sought.


A process for producing an ink jet head comprising a liquid-discharge energy generating element for discharging a liquid, a discharge opening, a liquid-flow path, and a substrate for holding the liquid-discharge energy generating element, the process comprises the steps of: preparing the substrate; providing on the substrate the liquid-discharge energy generating element; providing a solid layer with a convex shape on the surface of the substrate where the liquid-discharge energy generating element has been provided and at the part where the liquid-flow path and the discharge opening are to be provided, the solid layer being formed of a resin capable of being dissolved away; applying on the substrate provided with the solid layer a curable material in a thickness larger than the thickness of the solid layer, to cover the solid layer; curing the curable material; evenly removing the cured material until the convex portion of the solid layer is laid bare; and dissolving away the solid layer to form the liquid-flow path and the discharge opening.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing an ink jet head for discharging printing droplets in ink jet printing systems.
2. Related Background Art
Ink jet heads used in ink jet printing systems are commonly provided with fine discharge openings from which printing droplets are discharged, liquid-flow paths, and liquid-discharge energy generating portions. When viewed from the positional relationship between the liquid-discharge energy generating portion and the discharge opening, such ink jet heads are roughly grouped into two forms, one of which is what is called an edge shooter type ink jet head, where the direction of growth of bubbles and the direction of discharge thereof are different, and the other of which is what is called a side shooter type ink jet head, where the direction of growth of bubbles and the direction of discharge thereof are substantially the same. Of these two forms, the side shooter type ink jet head is commonly constructed as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.
In FIGS. 8A and 8B, reference numeral 1 denotes a substrate. On this substrate 1, a liquid-discharge energy generating element 2 is provided. Reference numeral 3a denotes a discharge opening from which printing droplets are discharged. In the construction shown in the drawing, two discharge openings are formed, which are provided above two liquid-discharge energy generating elements 2. Thus, in this head, the direction of growth of bubbles and the direction of discharge thereof are substantially the same. The discharge openings 3a are provided in a discharge opening plate 5H, and the discharge opening plate 5H is joined to the substrate 1 via liquid-flow path walls 3H that form a liquid-flow path 3b communicating with the discharge openings.
As a process for producing such a side shooter type ink jet head, for example, a process is known in which a negative type photosensitive dry film is stuck to a substrate provided with the liquid-discharge energy generating element, and the photosensitive dry film is masked in a pattern corresponding to a liquid-flow path and a liquid chamber, which is then exposed to light, followed by development to form the liquid-flow path wall, and next a discharge opening plate 5H produced by electroforming of Ni or the like, provided with the discharge openings, is joined to the substrate via the flow path wall. In this process, however, precise alignment must be made between discharge openings of the discharge opening plate and discharge energy generating elements, and hence a large-sized apparatus for improving assemblage precision is necessary, also requiring complicated production steps. Thus, this process is not so much suited for the bulk production of ink jet heads at a low cost.
Under such circumstances, U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,606 discloses a process in which a soluble resin is used to form a liquid-flow path pattern on a substrate provided with liquid-discharge energy generating elements, then a coating resin layer which is to serve as ink-flow path walls and a discharge opening plate is formed by spin coating, thereafter the coating resin layer is cured and at the same time discharge openings are formed, and finally the pattern is dissolved away. In this process, the discharge openings are formed by photolithography or oxygen plasma etching or using an excimer laser after the coating resin layer has been formed, and hence it is unnecessary to make precise alignment to join the discharge opening plate to the substrate. However, even this process has been sought to be further improved in view of material selectivity and improvement in productivity. More specifically, when photolithography is used to form the discharge opening in the coating resin layer, the coating resin must be a photosensitive resin. Also, when the discharge openings are formed by oxygen plasma etching, it is not only necessary to add the steps of forming and removing a resist mask for the oxygen plasma etching, but also necessary to make treatment for a long time using an expensive apparatus for the dry etching. Also when the discharge openings are formed using the excimer laser, not only it is necessary to use a large-sized expensive apparatus as in the oxygen plasma etching, but also there is a possibility that the discharge openings are reverse-tapered in shape in the direction of discharge.


A corn head end fender is configured to tilt outwardly in a direction transverse to the direction of travel to provide access to a row unit covered by the end fender during normal operation.

Heads (or "headers") for agricultural harvesters are generally arranged as a horizontal frame extending perpendicular to the direction of travel through the field to which several row units are attached. The row units are devices that are aligned with each row of crops that the agricultural harvester approaches and are configured to gather and cut a row of crop plants.
Row units for corn heads (a typical example) may include two forwardly extending arms on which two endless gathering chains are attached. These gathering chains guide each cornstalk into a gap between the arms. Once between the arms, two counter-rotating stalk rolls engage the cornstalk therebetween, pulling it downward and stripping the ears of corn from the cornstalk. These ears of corn are swept backwards by the gathering chains into a trough at the rear of the corn head where a horizontal auger conveys them to the center of the corn head and a feeder house then conveys them to the combine harvester that supports the corn head and carried it through the field.
One problem with corn heads is the likelihood that they will become blocked or jammed, typically with crop material. When this happens, harvesting must stop until the affected row unit is cleaned out. These blockages or jams only occur when the vehicle is operating: in the middle of an agricultural field, far away from the operator's workshop.
It is important for the operator to clear the blockages in the row units and begin harvesting as soon as possible. Since the operator typically lacks a wide array of tools to disassemble the corn head, it is important that the different parts of the corn head be easily manipulated to provide rapid cleaning.
In conventional corn heads, the row units in the middle of the corn head are covered by lightweight roto-molded plastic points and covers (see e.g. FIGS. 1-2) which can be easily raised and lowered by a single operator to provide access to the row unit. The end row units, however, are not as easily cleared of blockages and jams. The two end fenders on the ends of the corn head covering the end row units require wrenches, screwdrivers, or other tools to remove them from the end row units and main frame of the corn head.
The weight of the traditional end fenders can be difficult for the operator to handle alone. In one arrangement, the end fender is supported on a hinge located at the upper rear of the end fender approximately 2 or 3 feet in the air. To remove the this end fender, the operator grasps the pointed front end of the end fender, lifts it several feet into the air, and walks it backward until it pivots up and over the rear wall of the corn head. Even though an end fender may be made of relatively lightweight materials, the need to lift it so high in the air can require two people.
What is needed is a new way of attaching the end fenders to the rest of the corn head that will permit a single operator to more easily move the end fender out of the way and provide access to the row unit that the end fender covers and protects. It is an object of this invention to provide such a new structure.


A method of automatically determining process parameters for processing equipment includes processing at least one first substrate in the processing equipment at a first time; and processing at least one second substrate in the processing equipment at a second time. The method includes collecting data on process monitors for the at least one first substrate; and the at least one second substrate. The method includes receiving the data by a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) optimization system. The method includes revising a sensitivity matrix, by a MIMO optimizer, using the data and an adaptive-learning algorithm, wherein the adaptive-learning algorithm revises the sensitivity matrix based on a learning parameter which is related to a rate of change of the processing equipment over time. The method includes determining a set of process parameters for the processing equipment by the MIMO optimizer, wherein the MIMO optimizer uses the revised sensitivity matrix to determine the process parameters.

The integrated circuits have experienced continuous rapid growth due to constant improvements in the integration density of various electronic components (i.e., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.). For the most part, this improvement in integration density has come from repeated reductions in minimum feature size, allowing more components to be integrated into a given chip area. Manufacturing of integrated circuits requires usages of a number of processing and monitoring equipment (tools) for processes, such as deposition, etching, photolithography, implant, planarization, etc. To produce devices and interconnect with reduced sizes, the manufacturing processes need to be highly repeatable and produce substrates that meet the stringent specification to have good yield, electrical, and reliability performance.
Manufacturing equipment needs to be regularly shut down to be maintained for improving proves control and replacing old/failed parts. After maintenance, the manufacturing equipment needs to be started up again and be qualified to be in production. Restarting and qualifying a tool could be quite challenging and time-consuming for advanced manufacturing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adaptive and automatic determination of system parameters

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


The invention relates to implantable surgical articles, particularly those useful for pelvic health, and related methods of making and using the articles, wherein the implantable articles include a rivet to attach materials together.

A very large number of medical conditions can be treated by the surgical installation of a synthetic or biologic implant, e.g., to affect or support internal tissue.
Pelvic floor disorders, for example, include conditions that may result from weakness or damage to normal pelvic support systems. The conditions may affect pelvic floor support tissues of the bladder, vagina, rectum, and urethra, and may result in symptoms ranging from general or specific discomfort, sexual dysfunction, fecal or urinary incontinence, or organ prolapse.
Forms of treatment of many surgical conditions, including but not limited to pelvic conditions such as prolapse and urinary or fecal incontinence, involve the use of surgical implants that are surgically installed to contact and correct the condition of the tissue. For treatment of pelvic conditions, an implant can be placed in the pelvic region to support pelvic tissue such as the urethra, rectum, or vagina. Other conditions, outside of the pelvic region, also can be treated by surgical implants installed at the relevant portion of anatomy. The implant products may be formed from pieces of synthetic or non-synthetic (biologic) materials, with the final shape and size of an implant being dependent on the type of condition that the implant is used to treat.
Many currently commercial implant products that are formed from two or more pieces of biologic or synthetic materials secure the pieces together by glues or sutures. These methods of assembling the implant do not always result in a secure joint or connection of the pieces of the implant. Further, different types of joints or connections such as sutures or glues may possibly be the cause of biological rejection of the implant following surgery, or even infection.
Some currently available implant products that are formed from two attached portions of material are not pre-assembled at the site of manufacture, and must be assembled by a surgeon prior to surgery. This attachment method can be both cumbersome to the surgeon and can be an unnecessary use of a surgeon's time.


An improved panel coupler has a hub assembly which releaseably and adjustably holds two or more panel clamps for coupling together two or more adjoining panels. The panel clamps have keeper ends which are captured and adjustable within a keeper channel in the hub assembly such that the panel clamps are infinitely adjustable about the hub assembly, and distal clamping ends which, in turn, are adjustable for clamping onto panels having different thicknesses.

The present invention generally relates to the construction of panel systems, and more particularly to hardware for joining panels together to form a wall and/or partition system of a desired design.
Panel systems are frequently used to erect store fronts and display systems for commercial establishments in shopping malls and other retail centers. Such systems have the advantage of reducing the required investment in remodeling a store front for a new tenant of a shopping mall, an advantage of particular importance during recessionary times when vacancy rates in shopping malls are relatively high.
The assembly of a panel system involves joining individual panel elements together using suitable connecting hardware. One of the most common types of connecting hardware is an angle bracket which is screwed directly into adjacent edges of adjoining panels. Angle brackets, however, are relatively difficult to install and leave screw holes in the panels which may prevent the reuse of the panel or which may require the panel be repaired before reuse. Other connectors are known that grip the panel but do not physically penetrate the panel surface. Such connectors include extruded corner pieces having fixed width panel receiving channels formed at fixed angles, for example, 90.degree. and 180.degree. corner pieces. Prior panel connectors also exist which permit panels to be joined at adjustable angles, but such connectors require hardware modifications for accommodating different panel thicknesses, and are capable of handling only two panels: if three or more panels come together at a panel joint, multiple connectors are required.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantages of prior panel connectors by providing an universal panel coupler that can easily be adapted to receive two, three, or more panels for coupling two, three or more panels together as required, and which at the same time permits adjustment of the position of the coupled panels relative to each other. The panel coupler of the invention is further adjustable to secure panels of different thicknesses and materials without the need to modify the coupler.


A shaver includes an improved locking mechanism for securing a shaving head to the shaver while allowing for simple and convenient removal thereof. The shaver further includes an adjustable shaver head that effectively follows the contours of the face or body. The shaver can be extended to use with a backshaver that has a first handle portion connected to a second handle portion by a joint assembly that allows the handle portions to be adjusted to varying angles and locked at a desired angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shaving apparatus, and in particular, to improvements in shaving components that are used with shavers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The market has seen many new shavers that are directed to shaving different parts of the body. Face shavers have long been popular, and now shavers designed for use in shaving a user's leg and back have also become popular.
The advent of these new types of shavers also brings with them different needs and requirements.
For example, backshavers are used to shave a user's back, so the user must be able to reach the desired locations in the back.
In addition, the shaver head must adapt to the contours of the user's face or back.
Also, depending on the part of the body on which the shaver is being used, the shaver head may need to be changed, and shaver heads need to removed for cleaning or replacement. As a result, convenience in changing and locking new shaver heads have also become important.
Thus, there remains a need for improved shaving components. Specifically, there is a need for an improved shaver where the shaver head can be conveniently changed and locked in place, and where the shaver head can follow the contours of the user's face or body. In addition, there is a need for a backshaver that provides improved access to all areas of the user's back.


An inter-phase insulating paper is inserted, using a guide jig, into slots formed in the inner circumferential surface of a stator core. The guide jig is disposed at a predetermined position on one end surface side of the stator core. The inter-phase insulating paper is inserted into the guide jig along the stator core central axis line. The guide jig deforms the inter-phase insulating paper to a predetermined shape when the inter-phase insulating paper passes through the inside of the guide jig. The guide jig inserts both side portions of the inter-phase insulating paper simultaneously into different two slots of the stator core along the stator core central axis line.

Patent Document 1 discloses an interphase insulator insertion device structured to mount an interphase insulator to an inner periphery of a stator core, by using a holder structured to suckingly hold the interphase insulator at a predetermined position on an outer periphery of the holder. The interphase insulator is composed of a pair of insulation papers and a pair of connectors coupling the pair of insulator papers.
The interphase insulator insertion device presses and deforms the interphase insulator onto the outer periphery of the holder by using an insulator supply unit retaining the interphase insulator, such that the holder suckingly holds the interphase insulator at the predetermined position on the outer periphery.
Then, the interphase insulator insertion device moves the holder suckingly holding the interphase insulator to a predetermined position inside the stator core, and pushes and mounts the interphase insulator to the inner periphery of the stator core inside the stator core, and mounts the interphase insulator to the inner periphery of the stator core.
However, the interphase insulator insertion device disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs the suction hold of the interphase insulator by the holder with the interphase insulator deformed, before insertion of the holder into the stator core.
This forces the interphase insulator insertion device of Patent Document 1 to require time for setting the interphase insulator to the holder, and simultaneously may cause position displacement of the interphase insulator upon the setting to the holder. Accordingly, there is still room for improvement in view of productivity.

Electric motor manufacturing method and electric motor manufacturing device


Provided is a thermoplastic resin composition having excellent weather resistance, impact resistance, and fluidity and also excellent color developing properties and residence heat stability. A graft copolymer (A) prepared by graft polymerization of a certain amount of a specific monomer (a2)onto a certain amount of composite rubber (a1) composed of a conjugated diene rubber polymer and a cross-linked acrylic ester polymer. The tetrahydrofuran-soluble portion of the composite rubber (a1) has a weight-average molecular weight of 50000 or more in terms of polystyrene and a degree of swelling in toluene of 7.0 or more, or in the composite rubber contained in the graft copolymer, the number of particles having an equivalent-circle diameter of 150 nm or less is 50% or less of the total number of the composite rubber particles.

ABS resins show excellent balance between impact resistance and workability and have been widely used in various fields, e.g., interior and exterior components for vehicles such as automobiles, housings of various home electric appliances and OA equipment, and fields of other miscellaneous goods. The ABS resins are applied not only to injection molding but also to extrusion molding, such as sheet extrusion. The ABS resins, however, have a disadvantage, poor weather resistance, because the butadiene rubber polymer contained as the rubber component can be readily decomposed by, for example, ultraviolet rays. In order to solve such a disadvantage, ASA resins containing an acrylic rubber, which have improved weather resistance, have been used in practice. The ASA resins have excellent weather resistance, but have disadvantages, i.e., low impact resistance, color developing properties, elongation, and tensile strength.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition that comprises a composite rubber composed of a diene rubber having a specific molecular weight and an acrylic ester polymer and that has improved impact resistance, weather resistance, and molding workability. Unfortunately, the thermoplastic resin composition has disadvantages, i.e., insufficient color developing properties, gloss, and residence heat stability.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition that comprises a maleimide copolymer and a graft copolymer comprising a composite rubber composed of a conjugated diene rubber polymer and an acrylic ester rubber polymer and that has improved heat resistance, weather resistance, molding workability, and also surface appearance of a molded article. Unfortunately, the thermoplastic resin composition has disadvantages, i.e., insufficient color developing properties, gloss, and residence heat stability.
A composition composed of a polycarbonate resin and an ABS resin (hereinafter may be referred to as PC/ABS resin) has excellent impact resistance, heat resistance, and molding workability and therefore has various uses such as vehicle parts, household appliances, and business machine parts. Since the ABS resin, which contains butadiene rubber segments, is inferior in weather resistance, an AES resin containing an ethylene-propylene-unconjugated diene rubber in place of the diene in the main chain and a composition composed of an ASA resin containing an acrylic rubber and a polycarbonate resin (hereinafter may be referred to as PC/ASA resin) have also been disclosed. For example, Patent Literature 3 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition comprising an ASA resin containing an acrylic rubber having a specific structure and a polycarbonate resin.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition that comprises an ASA resin containing a siloxane rubber having a specific structure and an acrylic rubber, a polycarbonate resin, and a hard copolymer and that has improved molding workability, weather resistance, and molding appearance and also has improved low temperature impact resistance. Unfortunately, the thermoplastic resin composition has insufficient improvements in the balance between impact resistance (in particular, low temperature impact resistance) and molding workability (fluidity), the defects on appearance such as a pearl-like surface of the molded article, and gloss unevenness. Deterioration of residence heat stability is not mentioned at all.
A resin composition composed of a polyamide resin and an ABS resin (hereinafter may be referred to as PA/ABS resin) has excellent impact resistance, heat resistance, and molding workability and thus has various uses such as interior and exterior components for vehicles, household appliances, and business machine parts. Since the ABS resin, which comprises a butadiene rubber, is inferior in weather resistance, the composition has a disadvantage of significant weathering discoloration. For example, Patent Literature 5 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition composed of a polyamide resin and an imidized ABS resin for an automobile wheel cover. In spite of a composition for an automobile wheel cover, no description is found on any test under rainy conditions and its chemical resistance.
Patent Literature 6 discloses a resin composition composed of an ASA resin including an acrylic rubber not containing a diene polymer in the main chain and a polyamide resin (hereinafter may be referred to as PA/ASA resin). Unfortunately, the molding workability (fluidity) and the balance between impact resistance (in particular, low temperature impact resistance) and weather resistance are still insufficient, and its chemical resistance is not described at all.
Furthermore, the ABS resin is inflammable, and a demand for flame retardation is increasing in light of safety. Accordingly, various flame-retarding technologies have been disclosed. Patent Literature 7 discloses a flame-retardant thermoplastic resin composition that comprises a rubber-reinforced styrene resin, an organic phosphorus compound, and a composite rubber graft copolymer and that has improved flame retardance, impact resistance, light resistance, and molding workability. Unfortunately, the composition has insufficient color developing properties.
In sheet molding or film molding by extrusion molding, as the thickness of the film is reduced, the product is required to have high tear resistance and high strength, i.e., the extruded article is required to have high elongation and high tensile strength. Patent Literature 8 discloses a composite rubber composition for sheet extrusion having excellent weather resistance and appearance. Unfortunately, the composition has insufficient elongation and tensile strength.

Graft copolymer, thermoplastic resin composition, molded article, and method for producing graft copolymer


A bathtub system, including a tub with a bather access opening in one sidewall and a door mounted on that sidewall. In the closed position, the door is adjacent the access opening, and in the open position the door is substantially clear of the access opening. The system includes a gray water reservoir under the tub of approximately the capacity of the tub and which can be connected to a sewer system. A high capacity toroidal tub drain conducts water from the tub into the reservoir by gravity alone very quickly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an elevated bathtub with a slide-down door for easy access by individuals with disabilities, more particularly to an accessible bathtub with an annular-flow drain and a waste reservoir, and also specifically to an annular-flow, toroidal drain with a U-shaped flow passage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accessible bathtubs have been designed for easy access by people who are confined to wheelchairs, disabled, or the like.
Representative of the art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,614.
Also representative of the art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,929.


Phosphoramidite oligonucleotide synthesis is facilitated by the use of fluoride-labile 5' silyl protecting groups. RNA synthesis is improved by the use of 2' orthoester protecting groups. Reactions are conducted on a solid phase support, and acidic deprotection conditions are avoided, as is the necessity of oxidizing the phosphite linkage between each coupling reaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of protecting groups in organic synthesis and, more particularly, to the use of these compounds as nucleoside protecting groups. Still more specifically the protecting groups are used in the site-specific stepwise synthesis of oligonucleotides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Deoxyribonucleic acid ("DNA") and ribonucleic acid ("RNA") are central to information processing in living cells. DNA is the permanent information storage unit, similar to the hard drive on a computer. RNA is the cell's means of transferring and expressing this information from the DNA when necessary, like the RAM in a computer. Both nucleic acid structures are long chain molecules consisting of monomer subunits, the sequence and order of which is the means of coding (FIG. 14), just as the order of letters in a sentence has a specific meaning. There are four monomer building blocks both for DNA and RNA (deoxy-adenosine and riboadenosine are illustrated in FIG. 15). By comparison, the english language uses 26 letters, or building blocks to build a sentence. DNA must be able to store its information permanently and, thus, it is relatively stable. RNA is meant to transfer information temporarily and, thus, is rather easily degraded by enzymes and extreme pH's or other harsh chemical conditions. Although human cells contain .about.6 billion base pairs of deoxyribonucleic acid ("DNA"), it is very useful to synthesize and study oligonucleotides, or short lengths of DNA, of 20-30 bases long. Prior to 1982 the synthesis of oligonucleotides was a rather time consuming process which usually required the skills of chemists. The method of building an oligonucleotide chain requires a series of reactions to elongate the chain one monomer at a time. This series of reactions is repeated for each sequential monomer that must be added to this growing oligonucleotide chain.
Conventional phosphoramidite chemistry, so named for a functional group on the monomer building blocks, was first developed in the early 1980's as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,732. This functional group provided a relatively efficient means of joining a building block monomer to the growing chain. Solid phase synthesis disclosed by Caruthers et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,066 was another improvement to oligonucleotide synthesis. In this technique, the growing DNA chain is attached to an insoluble support via a long organic linker which allows the growing DNA chain to be solubilized in the solvent in which the support is placed. The solubilized, yet immobilized, DNA chain is thereby allowed to react with reagents in the surrounding solvent and allows for the easy washing away of the reagents from the solid support to which the oligonucleotide is attached. These significant advances in phosphoramidite chemistry and solid phase synthesis paved the way to making custom DNA synthesis accessible to the average biology lab. Techniques like Sanger sequencing, which relies on synthetic DNA, are essential to the Human Genome Sequencing Project. Other novel techniques, e.g. polymerase chain reaction ("PCR"), have been invented due to the ready availability of synthetic DNA. PCR is one of the principal techniques in forensic testing and DNA fingerprinting.
As can be seen in FIG. 15, there are several sites on the nucleosides of similar chemical nature, e.g. --OH or hydroxyl groups. However, as can be seen in FIG. A, the monomer subunits in DNA and RNA oligonucleotides must be attached in a site-specific manner. This requires functionalizing a site either on the growing chain or on the incoming base for attachment of the incoming monomer building block to the growing chain. To prevent the incoming monomer from attaching at the wrong site, the wrong sites must be blocked while the correct site is left open to react. This requires the use of what are termed protecting groups. Protecting groups are compounds attached temporarily to a potentially reactive site so as to prevent it from reacting. The protecting group must be stable during said reactions and yet must eventually be removed to yield the original site. The synthesis of oligonucleotides requires several sites to be protected and particular sites must be deprotected while others remain protected. These protecting groups grouped together as a set are termed orthogonal protecting groups.
Phosphoramidite chemistry and solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis protocols use a dimethoxytrityl protecting group for the 5' hydroxyl of nucleosides (see FIG. 15 for numbering 1', 2', 3', 4' and 5'). A phosphoramidite functionality is utilized at the 3' hydroxyl position. Phosphoramidite synthesis generally proceeds from the 3' to the 5' of the ribose or deoxyribose sugar component of the phosphoramidite nucleoside (see FIG. 16 for a schematic representation of this technology). The 5' end of the growing chain is coupled with the 3' phosphoramidite of the incoming base to form a phosphite triester intermediate (the 5' hydroxyl of the added base is protected by a dimethoxytrityl group so only one new base is added to the growing chain at a time). Any unreacted 5' hydroxyls are "capped" off to stop the synthesis of this chain, which would be one base short at the end of synthesis. The triester intermediate is subjected to iodine oxidation after each coupling reaction to yield a more stable phosphotriester intermediate. Without oxidation, the unstable phosphite triester linkage would cleave under the acidic conditions of subsequent synthesis steps. Removal or deprotection of the 5' dimethoxytrityl protecting group of the newly added base is typically accomplished by reaction with acidic solution to yield a free 5' hydroxyl group which can be coupled to the next protected nucleoside phosphoramidite. This process is repeated for each monomer added until the desired sequence is synthesized.
The phosphoramidite technique was a significant advance in the art. Nevertheless, several problems are associated with the phosphoramidite protocols. These problems are as follows. All chemicals used in oligonucleotide synthesis must be compatible with the dimethoxytrityl protecting group, and this circumstance precludes the use of incompatible reagents as well as incompatible protecting groups for protecting the 2' position during RNA synthesis. The removal of the dimethoxytrityl group is reversible and, consequently, the cleaved dimethoxytrityl group must be thoroughly removed from the reaction or quenched to obtain maximum yields. Another problem is the various product impurities due to numerous side reactions that accompany the acid deprotection of the 5' hydroxyl during each cycle of base addition. The acidic conditions of deprotection lead to depurination during synthesis and, particularly, depurination of N-protected adenosine.
Attempts to utilize other protecting groups and reagents has largely failed to overcome the depurination problem. Aprotic acid conditions, which do not lead to depurination, work well only for oligonucleotide sequences less than about twelve units in length. The depurination rate is particularly sensitive to the choice of a protecting group for N-6 of adenosine. Phenoxyacetyl amide protecting groups slow the depurination rate relative to the standard benzoyl group by a factor of about two, but depurination remains a problem for long syntheses and large scale reactions. Amidine protecting groups slow depurination by a significant factor of 20, but the commercial wide spread use of amidines in oligonucleotide synthesis has not transpired, despite being described over 10 years ago.
A significant disadvantage of using a 5' dimethoxytrityl group for the synthesis of oligonucleotides is that such use precludes the synthesis of oligonucleotides having acid labile backbones or functionalities. Modified, or unnatural, backbones are often used to impart stabilty to oligonucleotides which may be exposed to enyzymes which degrade oligonucleotides. For example, antisense oligonucleotides which incorporate diamidates, boranophosphates, or acid labile bases may hold promise in pharmaceutical applications, but present dimethoxytrityl synthesis techniques using the dimethoxytryl protecting group precludes the manufacture of these materials by requiring the use of acid deprotection conditions during oligonucleotide synthesis.
The use of the dimethoxytrityl group further prevents the use of other acid labile protecting groups. This is important for RNA synthesis because another hydroxyl group at the 2' position (see FIG. B) must be protected. The use of the dimethoxytrityl group at the 5' position therefore prevents the successful use of acid labile groups for 2' protection during RNA synthesis.
RNA is more difficult to synthesize relative to DNA. This is not only due to the need for an additional orthogonal protecting group that must be compatible with all other protecting groups but also because of the instability of RNA as mentioned earlier. The significance of this, relative to RNA oligonucleotide synthesis, is that the 2' hyxdroxyl protecting groups preferably should be the last protecting groups removed and must be done so under mild, non-degradative conditions.
RNA is particularly difficult to synthesize with the conventional 5' dimethoxytrityl protecting group due to the difficulty of finding a suitable 2' protecting group. A t-butyldimethylsilyl ether protecting group is presently used at the 2' position in conjunction with the 5' dimethoxytrityl group, but the process lacks reliability. Coupling yields are poor and high pressure liquid chromatography ("HPLC") analysis of RNA product shows significant unexplained impurities. These impurities significantly increase the difficulty of isolating the desired oligonucleotide. Complete deprotection of the t-butyldimethylsilyl group from the oligonucleotide is questionable for long sequences. Deprotection is done in organic solvents which further complicates the isolation of the water soluble RNA from the deprotection reaction. Synthesis of the protected ribonucleosides used for oligonucleotide synthesis is also rather costly and prone to yield impurities that complicate synthesis of natural RNA. As a result of all these complications, the use of a 5' dimethoxytrityl group in conjunction with a 2' t-butyldimethylsilyl protecting group is not reliable or efficient.
Another choice for 2' protection is the acetal class of protecting groups. They can be removed under mild aqueous acidic conditions. This is desirable as a final RNA deprotection step because RNA is soluble in water, is easily isolated from water and is only slightly unstable under conditions for deprotection of some of the more labile acetals. The use of acetals at the 2' hydroxyl position has been attempted in conjunction with a 5' dimethoxytrityl group, but very stable acetals must be used with the acid labile dimethoxytrityl group. Removal of acetals that are stable under dimethoxytrityl deprotection conditions requires strong acidic conditions that degrade the RNA. Acetals have been attempted with alternative 5' protecting groups which are deprotected under non-acidic conditions, e.g. leuvinyl, but without significant success.
Oligonucleotide synthesis according to H-phosphonate protocols will permit a single oxidation step at the conclusion of the synthesis cycles. However, coupling yields are less efficient than those for phosphoramidite chemistry and oxidation requires longer times and harsher reagents than amidite chemistry.
There remains a need to find an alternative 5' protecting group that permits the use of acid labile linkages, reagents and protecting groups that are incompatible with dimethoxytrityl, increased process yields, and reduction of product impurities without significant increase in cycle times. An alternative 5' protecting group would further be a significant advantage for RNA synthesis by allowing the use of more suitable 2' protecting groups.

Orthoester protecting groups in RNA synthesis

The Regents of The University of Colorado


A flexible step assembly for vehicles which includes a number of vertically disposed horizontal steel tread members attached at their ends to flexible side members. A spring loaded assembly is attached to the upper ends of each side member, the spring loaded assembly is of two part construction, top part being fixed to a location on the vehicle for use, the lower part being separable under impact from the top part, but upon release of loading is recoupled by the spring and its associated components.

The invention relates in general to a flexible step assembly for attachment to and for use on vehicles, particularly of the commercial type, namely vehicles used for industrial purposes such as road making equipment and heavy farm equipment.
There has long been a requirement for steps to be provided to allow operators or maintenance personnel ready access to, for example, the body of large vehicles.
Such step assemblies have been provided as permanent structures, fixedly attached to depend from the vehicle chassis. However, due to the nature of the terrain over which these vehicles operate, these prior assemblies are easily damaged by impact with the ground or other obstructions, and are constantly in need of repair and/or replacement.


A switch actuator assembly is provided comprising a circuit board housing including an upper housing and a lower housing forming a board compartment. A circuit board assembly, mounted within the board compartment, includes a switch element. A button assembly, positioned remotely from the upper housing, includes a cantilever button element. A plunger array assembly is included comprising a plunger array frame and a plunger element. The plunger element comprises a main plunger piston having a first plunger end configured to engage the cantilever button element only in a radial direction and a second plunger end configured to transfer force to the switch element. A plunger cantilever arm has a first cantilever end affixed to the plunger array frame and a second cantilever end affixed to the main plunger piston and is mounted in a mount position configured to minimize horizontal displacement of said second plunger end.

The integration of electronic devices within larger systems such as automobiles commonly places considerable design considerations on the layout of such devices. Devices must not only be convenient, functional, and reliable, they must also be installed in areas with restricted space requirements. They often share this space with a variety of other devices, structures, and stiffeners. As such, it is often necessary to separate the button controls, which must remain in convenient reach of the operator, from the bulky circuit boards that represent the electronic device.
One approach to solving this spatial dilemma has been to operate with two circuit boards. The first is mounted directly behind the control buttons and the second is mounted remotely. A flexible ribbon connection or a wire harness connects the two boards. This methodology, however, is highly undesirable as it adds undesirable cost to manufacturing and assembly. In addition, the increase in components may lead to warranty considerations. A simple mechanical solution would reduce costs to both manufacturing and assembly. In addition, the reduction in components could decrease warranty costs.
One issue with the development of a simple mechanical connection arises through the use of cantilever button and post combinations. An elongated post, mounted to the button, can be utilized to transfer load from the button to the remote circuit board. Unfortunately, as the distance increases, so too does the horizontal displacement of the post near the circuit board. As the cantilever button rotates, it induces rotation into the post which in turn generates horizontal displacement at the far end. When it is intended for the post to contact a switch on the circuit board, this is problematic. Button surface activation commonly requires a direct perpendicular contact. Such contact may become unreliable with an increase in horizontal displacement.
An additional consideration arises when the circuit board must not only be mounted remotely, but on an angle relative to the button. This scenario often arises where the circuit board assembly must be angled to avoid or make way for additional structures within the automobile. In this scenario, linear movement of the button when directly translated to the switch would automatically be at an angle due to the circuit board orientation.
It would be highly desirable to have mechanical switch actuator assembly that would allow for remote placement of the circuit board relative to the button assembly. In addition, it would be highly desirable to have such a mechanical switch actuator assembly that could accommodate angled mounting of the circuit board relative to the button assembly.


A vehicle sun visors includes a support rod and a visor body pivotally mounted to the support rod. The support rod has a removal preventing projection that may prevent the visor body from being removed from the support rod. A pair of electrically conductive members made of metal is disposed within the support rod in order to supply electric power to an electric appliance, such as an illuminating lamp of a mirror unit, which is mounted to the visor body. The electrically conductive members are embedded within the support rod when the synthetic resin is used to mold the support rod. A reinforcing member is formed integrally with one of the electrically conductive members and is embedded within the removal preventing projection in order to reinforce the removal preventing projection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle sun visors that have a support rod for mounting to a vehicle cabin ceiling. The vehicle sun visors also have a visor body pivotally mounted to a horizontal rod portion of the support rod so that the visor body can pivot about an axis of the horizontal rod portion. The present invention also relates to methods for manufacturing such vehicle sun visors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known sun visor may have a removal prevention projection formed on a part of the outer circumferential surface of a horizontal rod portion of a support rod so that a sun visor body may be prevented from being removed from the horizontal rod portion.
The support rod may be made of synthetic resin and the removal prevention projection may be integrally formed with the support rod so that the removal prevention projection is made of the same synthetic resin as the support rod. However, if a large force is applied to the visor body in a removing direction away from the support rod, there is a possibility that the removal prevention projection (made of synthetic resin) may be broken, allowing for the accidental removal of the visor body.
Therefore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-301932 has proposed to reinforce the removal prevention projection by a reinforcing member that is made of metal and is inserted into the removal prevention projection. According to this publication, in order to insert the reinforcing member into the removal prevention projection, the reinforcing member is first set into a mold for the support rod. The molten synthetic resin may then be charged into the mold so that the support rod is molded with the reinforcing member inserted into the removal prevention projection.
There has also been known a method to insert a metal pipe into a support rod along the entire length of the support rod. Such a support rod may be used in conjunction with a visor body having an electric appliance, such as a dressing mirror unit with an illumination lamp, in order to supply electric power to the electric appliance. Thus, an electric cable may extend from an external power source to the electric appliance through the metal pipe. However, inserting the metal pipe into the support rod and wiring the electric cable through the metal pipe requires many troublesome operations and may increase the overall manufacturing cost.
Therefore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,678 has proposed to insert the electric cable through an insert molding process in which the electric cable is inserted into the support rod prior to the molding process for molding the support rod with a synthetic resin.
The above teachings may be used for reinforcing a removal prevention projection of a support rod with a metal reinforcing member and also for supplying power to an electric appliance of a visor body via an electric cable extending through the support rod. Thus, the metal reinforcing member and the electric cable may be set into a mold for the support rod. A molten synthetic resin may then be charged into the mold. As a result, the metal reinforcing member may be inserted into the removal prevention projection and the electric cable may be inserted into the support rod along the length of the support rod.
However, it is difficult to reliably set the metal reinforcing member and the electric cable to suitable positions within the mold. In addition, it is likely that the metal reinforcing member and the electric cable may be offset from their intended set positions. This could be due to the pressure of the flow of the molten synthetic resin that is charged into the mold during the molding process.

Vehicle sun visors and methods for manufacturing the same


An integrated circuit function unit operating in a data dependent manner in logic operations of variable lengths of time is provided with a clock signal having a pulse width determined by the active period of the function unit. In one embodiment a current sensor monitors power supply current to the integrated circuit, and when the current exceeds a threshold level the integrated circuit is in an active period. Clock means for generating a clock signal for the function unit responds to the sensed current in controlling the clock period.

This invention relates generally to electronic circuits, and more particularly the invention relates to self-timing clocked circuits in which clock signal periods are variable.
Combinatorial logic circuits operate in response to clock signals in operating on input data or numbers. The length of the clock period of a typical integrated circuit is determined by a time which is needed to obtain complete stability of all logic states in the longest or critical path of the circuit. In an adder, for example, the time to add two random numbers can vary greatly depending on the number of carry signals. However, if such worse case conditions for processing numbers occur infrequently in the circuit, then during a large percentage of clock periods the circuit is clocked too slowly and the circuit experiences considerable idle time.

Self-timing integrated circuits having low clock signal during inactive periods


Systems and methods for using QR codes to track, monitor, and consolidate transactions are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system may receive a request from a first device to generate a first QR code associated with a first account. The system may generate the first QR code and send the first QR code to the first device. The system may receive a request from the first device to share a QR code with a second device. The system may update associated data to indicate a sharing of a QR code with the second device. The system may generate a second QR code associated with a second account of the second device and linked to the first account, so that use of the second QR code can be tracked and monitored. The system may send the second QR code to the second device.

QR or quick response codes continue to expand in their uses, due in part to their ability to hold more information and/or be able to be displayed within a smaller area than conventional barcodes. One such use is for entry to various types of events, including sporting events, concerts, and trade shows. Typically, the QR code is only used for entry to the event (i.e., functioning as a ticket) and is no longer used for other purposes associated with the event. However, there may be many other aspects of an event beyond just entry and attendance/viewing at the event. Events are often organized such that the attendees of the event are able to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred during the event. However, reimbursement processes typically require the attendees to show the expenses incurred and request reimbursement. When there are many attendees at an event, such reimbursement processes are inefficient and inconvenient for both the event organizer and the attendees. In some cases, when the event organizer wants to cover the expenses for the attendees so that there is no post-event reimbursement process, the event organizer often provides coupons, which are not convenient as they are not adjustable after they have been issued, are limited in how the event organizer can restrict their use, and oftentimes are lost or misplaced. Furthermore, conventional reimbursement and coupon processes do not allow for the event organizer to track and monitor transactions during an event, nor do they allow for consolidation of transaction information associated with transactions conducted by attendees of the event such as for event analysis (e.g., real-time event analysis used to make timely adjustments in coordinating the event), statistical reporting, and other desired purposes. Thus, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that allow for efficient and convenient tracking, monitoring, and consolidation of transactions such as for organized events and other uses in both online and offline environments.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

Tracking, monitoring, and consolidating transactions using quick response codes


A noise attenuating trim part for a vehicle, with acoustic mass-spring characteristics comprising a mass layer comprising at least an impervious barrier layer, and a decoupling layer consisting of open cell foam and wherein the decoupling layer has a first surface adjacent to the mass layer and a second surface facing away from the mass layer, and wherein the decoupling layer and mass layer are laminated together and wherein the decoupling layer has at least one region with a plurality of indentations wherein each indentation comprises a round base area wherein the round base areas are situated in plane with the second surface and wherein the total surface area of the round base areas is between 10 and 40% of the total surface area of the second surface of the decoupling layer.

There are many sources of noise in a vehicle such as noise from power train, tire noise, brake noise and wind noise. The noise generated by these different sources enters into the vehicle's passenger compartment and may cover a rather wide frequency range, especially the range 400 to 4000 Hz.
For noise attenuation in vehicles, particularly in cars and trucks, the use of trim parts such as insulators and absorbers to reflect and dissipate noise and thus reduce the overall interior noise level is well known.
Noise attenuating trim parts, also referred to as trim parts, such as inner dash insulators and floor carpet systems, are moulded into a three dimensional shape in order to follow the shape of the vehicles body when installed in the vehicle.
Trim parts for insulation are traditionally obtained by means of a "mass-spring" barrier system, where the mass element is formed by a layer of high density impervious material normally designated as heavy layer and where the spring element, also called decoupler or decoupling layer, is formed by a layer of elastic material such as foam or non-compressed felt.
A mass-spring system is normally placed in a vehicle on top of a metal layer, such as the car body floor or firewall, with the spring element in contact with the metal layer.
The effectiveness of a trim part may be characterised by the insertion loss (IL), measured in decibel (dB), allowing an estimation of the performance of the trim part independent of the metal layer.
In addition to the acoustic performance these trim parts should also provide certain overall rigidity in order to make it easier to handle the part for example during installation as well as local rigidity such as tread strength, for instance not being too soft and spring back too much when pressing on the trim part for example when standing on the trim part while stepping in or out of the vehicle.
It is known in the art to use a decoupler layer with slits or protrusions creating large cavities between the car floor and the decoupler. The common belief is that the cavities should cover an area as large as possible in order to reduce the contact area between the decoupler layer and the vehicle body as much as possible and to disconnect the trim part from the floor creating a double-wall-system with an air layer. Another reason to make the cavities as large as possible is that it was assumed that the cavities may act as resonators, such as Helmholtz resonators, improving the noise absorption. However such resonators may only work, if at all, from a certain size of the cavity and for a very narrow frequency range.
One prior art option proposed in the past was a decoupler with square indentations or rather thin protruding foam stripes or walls. However for these trim parts the tread strengths is most likely too low and there is a high risk that the decoupler layer will collapse during use and the decoupling layer and cavities may be compressed such that the entire or at least almost the entire decoupling layer is in contact with the vehicle floor reducing the acoustic performance. Trim parts with large areas not in contact with the vehicle body have several additional disadvantages such as reduced overall rigidity of the trim part as well as reduced local stiffness, as a result of only a small part of the foam layer being in contact with the metal body.
Other disadvantages are production problems due to the shape, where areas with thin foam stripes and or walls may get stuck in the mould and the decoupling layer being destroyed during demoulding of the trim part from the moulding tool.
Further production problems may occur during the foaming process of the decoupling layer caused by the flow of the foam components being hindered by the shape of larger indentations, resulting in inhomogeneity in the foam decoupling layer. In order to be able to fill the complete mould and especially in the areas the thin stripes and or walls, more foam has to be put into the mould increasing the weight and the stiffness of the decoupling layer.
Normally the space available for vehicle trim parts is limited and an improvement of the insertion loss by increasing the thickness of the trim part is generally not an alternative.
In order to improve the insertion loss of the trim part the weight of the mass layer may be increased, but this weight increase influence the vehicle's fuel economy negatively.
It is object of the present invention to obtain a noise attenuating trim part, with reduced weight and improved insertion loss as well as to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art.


A gate assembly for a bulk feeder includes a gate housing and a plurality of paddles. The gate housing defines a product feed path therein extending between intake and dispensing ends. The plurality of paddles are mounted to the gate housing and pivotable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the product feed path is blocked by the plurality of paddles, and unblocked in the open position. In the closed position, the plurality of paddles collectively forms a polyhedron, open facing the intake end and tapering to a closed apex toward the dispensing end.

Bulk feeders are widely used to dispense controlled amounts of particulate products. In a typical food packaging application, a predetermined amount of product is dispensed into a bulk feeder above a closed gate. An open container, such as a pouch, is positioned under the bulk feeder, the gate is opened and the product falls into the container. The gate is re-closed so that the feeder can be reloaded with product, the filled container is moved for further processing, and the process repeats itself. While existing bulk feeders are quite useful, further improvements are possible.


An apparatus and method for detecting structural and material defects in a fastener driven during a manufacturing process includes a driving tool capable of recording an angle-torque trace during the driving of the fastener and a machine learning engine operably connected to the driving tool for analyzing the recorded angle-torque trace. The machine learning engine can be provided with a number of sample angle-torque traces from sample fasteners and can self-determine a stored trace including tolerances for acceptable angle-torque trace data from the samples in an unsupervised learning process or protocol without the need for defined anomalous and non-anomalous samples being provided to the machine learning engine. Using the self-defined stored trace and acceptable tolerances, the machine learning engine can analyze attributes of subsequently recorded angle-torque traces to ascertain whether the attributes of the recorded angle-torque traces indicate anomalies within the fastener identified by the recorded trace.

A wide variety of medical devices are constructed using various types of fasteners, such as threaded fasteners including screws and bolts, to assemble the components of the medical device to one another. A threaded fastener is equivalent to a strong spring in which the threads act like an incline plane to create a high mechanical advantage between torque and clamp force of the bolt. When a proper amount of torque is applied to a bolt or other threaded fastener, sufficient pre-load or clamping force is applied between the components secured together by the bolt. The bolted joint needs to be designed around this clamp force, especially in high stress and vibration applications, such as various medical devices including x-ray systems and the like, among others.
These fasteners are engaged with the components of the medical device using digital torque drivers or other suitable tools. The drivers enable the individual to accurately apply torque to the fastener during the assembly process in order to avoid under-tightening or overtightening the fasteners, each of which can result in an improper clamp force on the fastener and consequent damage to the components of the medical device when operated.
With many medical devices, the tolerance for the torque to be applied to engage a fastener with the medical device components is predetermined. As such, when assembling a medical device, the individual has only to operate the torque driver or other tool until the torque applied to the fastener reaches the predetermined amount, as displayed directly on the driver or other display operably connected to the driver.
Alternatively, the driver or tool can be controlled by a suitable control system operably connected to the driver. Once the driver is engaged with the fastener by the individual, the control system can operate the driver to apply the correct torque to the fastener for proper tightening of the fastener.
To provide the preset torque limits to the individual or through the control system, in either case the preset torque limits are stored within a suitable database operably connected to, or integrated with the control system. When the individual is ready to engage the driver with the fastener to be tightened, the control system can access the database to locate the preset torque value to be applied to the particular fastener, and then either display the value to the individual, or directly operate the driver to apply the proper torque value to the fastener.
While the database provides the proper torque preset value for a particular fastener, these presets are determined with the assumption that the fasteners are themselves manufactured within the proper tolerances for the fastener itself, i.e., that there are no defects in the structural and/or material properties of the fastener.
Fasteners, such as bolts and screws, as classified into different sizes and classes, and are identified as categorized parts, with fasteners of the same size and class being assumed to have identical properties regardless of the manufacturer of the fastener. However, as a result of any number of factors, such as different raw materials used to form the fastener, different heat treatment processes utilized on the fastener, and/or different manufacturing processes, fasteners from different manufacturers can have very different material and/or structural properties.
The inconsistencies in these structural and material properties across manufacturers results in varying performances of the fasteners when utilized. For example, a bolt working as a spring to clamp two components together can perform drastically different as a result of variations in the structural and/or material properties of the bolt, often resulting in variation in the clamp load provided by the bolt and consequent bolted joint failure in the field. Therefore, if the fastener has certain defects in its material and/or structure a result of its manufacture, those differences can result in premature failure of the fastener even if the torque applied to the fastener is within proper tolerances.
However, on many occasions the structural and/or material defects are not readily observable and enable the fastener to pass inspection after manufacture. Some manufacturers perform destructive sample testing on samples from batches of fasteners in an attempt to limit these issues, but there currently is no manner in which each fastener being utilized can be evaluated to determine the presence of any structural and/or material property defects in the fastener.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a system for assessing the structural and material properties of the fastener during use of the fastener in manufacturing process that does not require additional testing procedures or equipment for the evaluation.

Apparatus and method for in-manufacturing evaluation of structural and material properties of fasteners using machine learning