A pulley is fixed to a housing of a water pump, the pulley being connected to an output shaft of an internal combustion engine so that the pulley is driven through the output shaft. In the housing, a slider moves to and fro due to a change in pressure in a pressure chamber, which causes the magnetic flux passing through a magnet and an inductor ring of a rotary cylinder to vary, so that the driving force of the internal combustion engine is variably transmitted to the rotary cylinder. The pressure chamber is connected to an intake air passage and an atmospheric air introducing portion through a pressure path, and the state of communication is changed by a VSV. The pressure passage is provided with an orifice for preventing rapid change in pressure in the pressure chamber when the VSV is switched.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a pressure-operated mechanism for driving a driven portion or controlling a controlled portion, according to a change in pressure in a pressure chamber, and relates to a water pump including the pressure-operated mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
In an internal combustion engine, a water pump for circulating cooling water through the water jacket is used. In the water pump described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-58832 (JP-U-5-58832), for example, rotation of an impeller fixed to a rotary shaft causes circulation of cooling water. In the water pump, the driving force generated by the internal combustion engine is transmitted to the rotary shaft via a pulley, which rotates in synchronization with the internal combustion engine, and via a fluid coupling, thereby rotating the impeller. The water pump is configured so that the degree to which the rotary shaft and the fluid coupling are engaged becomes greater as temperature of the cooling water in the water jacket becomes higher. Thus, in the water pump, the higher the temperature of the cooling water in the water jacket is, the higher the rotational speed of the impeller is.
In recent years, as water pumps, of which the driving force transmitted to the rotor of the pump can be changed, those shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, have been studied. As shown in FIG. 5, the water pump 100 includes: a circulation system 20 for circulating the cooling water; and a driving system 30 for driving a rotary cylinder 21 of the circulation system 20. A separation wall 40 for preventing cooling water from leaking from the circulation system 20 into the driving system 30 is provided between the circulation system 20 and the driving system 30.
A flow path 23 through which cooling water flows is formed in a cylinder block 22 of the internal combustion engine. A supporting shaft 25, one end of which is fixed to the separation wall 40, is provided in the flow path 23. At both ends of the supporting shaft 25, bearings 24a and 24b are provided, respectively. The supporting shaft 25 is inserted through the rotary cylinder 21, which is provided with vanes 26, whereby the rotary cylinder 21 is supported rotatably with respect to the supporting shaft 25. An end portion of the rotary cylinder 21 on the separation wall 40 side is fitted with an inductor ring 27 including an iron core.
The driving system 30 includes a housing 31, and a pulley 32 is fixed to the housing 31, the pulley 32 being connected to a crankshaft (not shown) of the internal combustion engine through a belt 33 so that the pulley 32 is driven through the crankshaft. In the housing 31, a slider 34 is provided, at least part of which is engaged with the housing 31 in a splined manner, the slider 34 being able to move to and fro in the axial direction of the rotary cylinder 21 in the housing 31. A magnet 35, which is made of neodymium, for example, is fitted onto an end portion of the slider 34 on the circulation system 20 side so that the magnet 35 surrounds the inductor ring 27 fitted onto the rotary cylinder 21. Each of the inductor ring 27 and the magnet 35 functions as a magnetic portion.
The slider 34 is always urged toward the circulation system 20 side by a spring 36 provided in the housing 31. The torque transmitted from the crankshaft to the housing 31 via the belt 33 and the pulley 32 is transmitted to the rotary cylinder 21 by means of the magnetic interaction that occurs between the inductor ring 27 and the magnet 35, whereby the rotary cylinder 21 is rotated. When the vanes 26 fixed to the rotary cylinder 21 rotates due to this rotation, the cooling water in the flow path 23 is pressure-fed to the water jacket (not shown) of the internal combustion engine.
The inside of the housing 31 is divided into an atmospheric chamber 31a and a pressure chamber 31b by the slider 34. A seal member 37 for sealing between the slider 34 and the inner surface of the housing 31 is provided on the outer surface of the slider 34, and the seal member 37 keeps the pressure chamber 31b airtight. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 31b varies, the slider 34 moves to and fro in the housing 31, whereby the amount of torque that is transmitted to the rotary cylinder 21 via the magnet 35 and the inductor ring 27 is changed. Thus, in the water pump 100, the rotary cylinder 21 is a rotary body that serves as the driven portion driven by the to-and-fro movement of the slider 34; the housing 31 and the slider 34 constitute the operation portion that drives the rotary cylinder 21 according to the change in pressure in the pressure chamber 31b; and the driving system 30 is the pressure-operated mechanism.
In the driving system 30, a pressure pipe 41 is inserted into the pressure chamber 31b of the housing 31. The pressure pipe 41 is supported by a bearing 42 provided in the housing 31 and fixed to another member (not shown), and the housing 31 is rotatable with respect to the pressure pipe 41. A seal 43 for preventing air from leaking out of the pressure chamber 31b is provided between the pressure pipe 41 and the inner surface of the housing 31. A pressure introducing pipe 52 is connected to the pressure pipe 41, and a vacuum switching valve (hereinafter referred to as the "VSV") 55, which serves as the switching portion, is provided on the pressure introducing pipe 52. The pressure introducing pipe 52 is branched via the VSV 55 at the end opposite to the end at which the pressure introducing pipe 52 is connected to the pressure pipe 41. One branch of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is connected to an intake air passage 57 on the downstream side of a throttle valve 62, and the other branch of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is connected to an atmospheric air introducing portion 54 into which atmospheric air is introduced, in the engine compartment. In the intake air passage 57, the portion downstream of the throttle valve 62 is a negative pressure area in which pressure is lower than the atmospheric pressure when the internal combustion engine is in operation. Specifically, the pressure pipe 41 and the pressure introducing pipe 52 constitute a pressure path 70, and the atmospheric air introducing portion 54 and the intake air passage 57 give a first pressure area and a second pressure area, respectively. Drive control of the VSV 55 is performed by an electronic controller 90, whereby the valve element position of the VSV 55 is changed, which causes the pressure chamber 31b to communicate with the intake air passage 57 or the atmospheric air introducing portion 54 selectively.
Specifically, when the signal for controlling the VSV 55, supplied from the electronic controller 90, is "OFF," the pressure chamber 31b communicates with the atmospheric air introducing portion 54, and the atmospheric air is introduced into the pressure chamber 31b, whereby the difference in pressure between the atmospheric chamber 31a and the pressure chamber 31b vanishes. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the slider 34 is urged by the urging force of the spring 36, and is displaced toward the circulation system 20. When this occurs, the magnet 35 provided on the slider 34 and the inductor ring 27 provided on the rotary cylinder 21 come close to each other in a facing relation, and therefore, the magnetic flux passing through the magnet 35 and the inductor ring 27 increases, and the torque transmitted from the slider 34 to the rotary cylinder 21 becomes relatively large. Thus, the amount of cooling water that is delivered or supplied to the water jacket due to the rotation of the vanes 26 of the rotary cylinder 21 also increases.
On the other hand, when the signal for controlling the VSV 55, supplied from the electronic controller 90, is "ON," the pressure chamber 31b communicates with the intake air passage 57, and the negative pressure of the intake air is introduced to the pressure chamber 31b, so that the difference in pressure between the pressure chamber 31b and the atmospheric chamber 31a causes the slider 34 to be displaced toward the pressure pipe 41 despite the urging force exerted by the spring 36, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the magnet 35 provided on the slider 34 and the inductor ring 27 provided on the rotary cylinder 21 come away from each other in the axial direction of the rotary cylinder 21, which causes the magnetic flux passing through the magnet 35 and the inductor ring 27 to be reduced as compared to the state shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, the flow rate of the cooling water that is delivered or supplied to the water jacket is reduced.
In this way, in the water pump 100, the flow rate of the cooling water delivered or supplied to the water jacket is appropriately controlled by changing the valve element position of the VSV 55.
In the meantime, there is a water pump 100 in which the pressure introducing pipe 52 is detachable for the purpose of improving the ease of maintenance. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is conceivable that the pressure introducing pipe 52 includes: a first connection pipe 58 that is attachable and detachable to and from the pressure pipe 41 and the VSV 55; and a second connection pipe 59 that is attachable and detachable to and from the VSV 55 and the intake air passage 57. In this case, when a mechanic removes the connection pipes 58 and 59 and leaves them as they are at the time of maintenance or inspection of a vehicle, for example, a problem can occur that it is impossible to cause an appropriate change in pressure in the pressure chamber 31b by switching the VSV 55.
Specifically, when the first connection pipe 58 is disconnected from the pressure pipe 41 or the VSV 55, and the second connection pipe 59 is disconnected from the VSV 55 or the intake air passage 57, the atmospheric air is always introduced into the pressure chamber 31b, and the pressure chamber 31b is maintained at the atmospheric pressure, so that the water pump 100 is always maintained in the state shown in FIG. 5. Thus, it is impossible to adjust the amount of cooling water delivered or supplied to the water jacket by means of the water pump 100.
A water pump 100 is available in which a detection section for, when the first and second connection pipes 58 and 59 are disconnected, detecting the disconnection using the fact that the conditions of flow in the pressure introducing pipe 52 change at the time of the disconnection.
The detection of the disconnection by the detection section is performed as follows, for example. Typically, in an internal combustion engine, the amount of air introduced into the combustion chamber is detected by an air flow meter 60 provided in the intake air passage 57, and the amount of fuel injected into the combustion chamber(s) is derived based on the amount of air detected by the air flow meter 60 in order to set the weight ratio between air and fuel in the combustion chamber to the desired air-fuel ratio. However, when the second connection pipe 59 is disconnected from the VSV 55, for example, air is introduced into the intake air passage 57 through the second connection pipe 59, and therefore, the amount of air introduced into the combustion chamber becomes greater than the amount of air that is detected by the air flow meter 60. For this reason, even when the amount of fuel injection is controlled based on the amount of air detected by the air flow meter 60 so that the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber becomes the desired air-fuel ratio, the actual air-fuel ratio becomes greater (leaner) than the desired air-fuel ratio. Thus, it is possible to detect the disconnection of the connection pipes 58 and 59 of the pressure introducing pipe 52 under such conditions. Also when the second connection pipe 59 is disconnected from the intake air passage 57, or when the first connection pipe 58 is disconnected from the VSV 55 or the pressure pipe 41, the disconnection of the connection pipe 58 or 59 can be detected similarly. Specifically, when the connection pipe 58 or 59 of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is disconnected, this abnormality, or disconnection, can be detected based on a change in the conditions of flow in the pressure introducing pipe 52, such as the event that air is introduced from the disconnection point into the intake air passage 57.
When it is determined whether the connection pipe 58 or 59 of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is disconnected, if the cross section of the passage of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is small, the amount of air introduced into the intake air passage 57 when the connection pipe 58 or 59 is disconnected is not so large. Thus, in view of detecting the disconnection, the larger the cross section of the passage of the pressure introducing pipe 52, the better. However, when the cross section of the passage of the pressure introducing pipe 52 is large, the speed at which the slider 34 moves to and fro when the pressure in the pressure chamber 31b rapidly changes at the time of switching the VSV 55 is high, which can cause degradation of durability of the components constituting the driving system 30, degradation of controllability of the internal combustion engine due to rapid change in the speed of rotation of the vanes 26, and increase in the sound of flow in the flow path 23.
The pulsation due to rapid change in pressure in the pressure chamber is a problem that can occur in a pressure-operated mechanism, other than the water pump, in which mechanism a driven portion is driven or a controlled portion is controlled according to a change in pressure in the pressure chamber. Specifically, when, in a pressure-operated mechanism, the pressure path includes the connection passage that is attachable and detachable to and from the pressure chamber, and the cross section of the passage of the pressure path has a size such that it is possible to detect disconnection, driving of the driven portion or control of the controlled portion is abruptly performed due to a rapid change in pressure in the pressure chamber, which can cause pulsation.

Pressure-operated mechanism and water pump including the same


A novel targeting peptide from the C-terminal of endothelin and/or a novel fusogenic peptide from hemagglutinin are optionally conjugated to the carboxy group of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-succinate and incorporated into liposomes for therapeutic treatment. The novel targeting peptide directs liposomes to lung cells, and, therefore, is useful for delivering liposomes encapsulating cholinesterase genes, particularly, the human serum butyryl cholinesterase (Hu BChE) gene, as a treatment against nerve agents. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader quickly to ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the appended issued claims. 37 CFR §1.72(b).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cell-specific targeting peptides, to fusogenic peptides, to liposomes containing the cell-specific targeting peptides and/or fusogenic peptides, to methods of making the liposomes, and to therapeutic methods of using the liposomes to treat disorders.
2. Description of Related Art
For the past three decades, targeting drugs, oligonucleotides, and genes to a specific tissue have been one of the fundamental goals of the pharmaceutical industry. Until recently this has been a very elusive problem. One of the fundamental properties of living cells is their ability to sense and respond to their environment. This is accomplished by a specific set of receptors on the cell surface. Identifying the specific binding proteins and defining their specificity is a big stride towards resolving the problem of specific tissue targeting. The binding of targeting peptides to drugs raises many technical problems and in most cases affects the activity of the drug. The encapsulation of drugs in liposomes and other microcapsules give an important boost and opens new lines of research. Encapsulation can deliver a large number of drug molecules that are targeted towards a specific tissue, by protecting them from degradation by enzymes. Accomplishing this goal may reduce or even eliminate side effects by reducing the amount of drug needed and increasing its effectiveness due to its accumulation in the target tissue. Since most of the targeting peptides are water-soluble and the phospholipids are oil soluble, specific linkers and several steps are required for binding these two molecules. The situation gets more complicated when the conjugation of several peptides at different concentrations is required for the delivery of a gene.
Accordingly, it was an object of the present invention to provide a simplified means of incorporating targeting peptides into liposomes.
Another object was to identify new targeting peptides and their target cells.

Liposomes containing novel targeting and/or fusogenic peptides, preparations containing them and therapeutic use thereof

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A shopping ticker can be invoked when the viewer presses a BUY button on a remote control while a television program is being shown. The television program, which can be a commercial, may not necessarily have an interactive commerce opportunity originally associated with it. However, instead of ignoring a signal sent from the remote control when the BUY button is pressed, the signal is processed to invoke the shopping ticker. The shopping ticker can include advertisements, links to e-commerce opportunities (including merchant web sites), product information, or other information that may be potentially useful to help initiate a transaction with the viewer, including context-sensitive shopping information that is related to the subject matter of the television program. A commerce opportunity is thus created in a situation where there originally would not have been such an opportunity and where the viewer's remote control action would otherwise have been ignored.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to presentation of information on a display device, and in particular but not exclusively, relates to presentation of an interactive television "ticker" for shopping.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important business element in the production and distribution of television programming is revenue received from manufacturers and service providers who pay to advertise their products. The ubiquitous television commercial is the manifestation of this enterprise. The survival of a television program is heavily dependent on the advertising revenue that can be realized from the television program. Advertisers in turn rely on the ability of the television program to draw viewers who then become potential purchasers of the advertised products.
Television and interactive technologies are beginning to converge. In a typical scenario, a television commercial can be provided with a "trigger" that renders an icon on television display screen, signaling to the viewers that there is a potential e-commerce opportunity. Once this icon is seen, the viewer can press a "BUY" button or other button on a remote control to initiate an e-commerce transaction.
Viewers can then obtain information about goods and services that are advertised in the commercial by, for example, connecting to the Internet (via the BUY button and a set top box) while viewing the commercial and ordering the advertised products. A user interface for this e-commerce transaction can comprise a hypertext markup language (HTML) web page or pop-up window that is rendered on the display screen as an overlay over the current television program or in full screen. Picture-in-picture (PIP) features are also available, where the e-commerce window is displayed concurrently with the television program image (or vice versa).
Unfortunately, not all commercials or other television programming are accompanied by e-commerce or informational opportunities. The content provider, merchant, advertiser, or broadcaster, for instance, may have chosen not to provide (or did not have the capability to provide) an interactive e-commerce experience along with the particular piece of television programming. Because of this, there is typically no icon that is rendered on the television display screen to indicate availability of an e-commerce opportunity under such circumstances. Thus, when the viewer presses the BUY button on the remote control, the set top box will generally ignore the resulting signal or command that is sent from the remote control and will not render anything on the display screen. Viewer frustration is likely to result as the viewer continues to press the BUY button and wonder why nothing is being displayed to allow him to make a purchase.
This situation is wasteful of a potential revenue opportunity, since the viewer has indicated an interest in making a purchase by pressing the BUY button. Moreover, the potential revenue opportunity is lost whether the viewer did deliberately press the BUY button in response to an advertisement in a commercial or whether it was pressed accidentally (such as by sitting on the remote control, intending to press a different button, exploring the buttons of the remote control, kids playing with the remote control, etc.). Either way, the signal from the remote control is ignored and no commerce opportunity is provided to the viewer.
This is an unfortunate situation given that some studies have shown that viewers are generally annoyed by or unresponsive to commercials, banner advertisements, advertisement pop-up windows, etc. Advertisers and other parties thus have to make the most out of fleeting opportunities when they have (or can potentially obtain) viewers' attention and interests in purchasing an advertised product. The ultimate success of advertising is dramatically reduced when, as described above, no response is provided to the viewer when the viewer presses the BUY button on the remote control.

Method and apparatus to invoke a shopping ticker


Aspects of the subject technology relate to a tamper-resistant indicator of recording by a camera. Electronic devices are disclosed that include a camera, an indicator light for the camera, and a light sensor. The light sensor is disposed proximate to the indicator light so that blocking or masking the indicator light also prevents light from reaching the light sensor. In this way, the light sensor can be used to detect tampering with, masking, blocking, destroying, or otherwise preventing the indicator light from indicating when the camera is recording.

Electronic devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers, smartphones, and tablet computers are often provided with cameras. Electronic devices with cameras can include an indicator light to indicate when the camera is recording, to alert the user and/or others in the vicinity of the camera that they may be being recorded. However, conventional devices having cameras and indicator lights can be vulnerable to tampering to disable the indicator light, which can expose the user or others to being recorded without notification.

Tamper-resistant indicators for electronic devices


A method of resolving a balanced condition that generates control parameters for start-up and steady state operating points and various component and cycle performances for a closed split flow recompression cycle system. The method provides for improved control of a Brayton cycle thermal to electrical power conversion system. The method may also be used for system design, operational simulation and/or parameter prediction.

Due to environmental concerns as well as increasing population, environmentally friendly and efficient power generation systems are desired. While there have recently been advances in systems that utilize renewable resources, such as solar power, wind, geothermal energy, and the like, efficiencies of such systems trail conventional turbine-based power generation systems, and costs of building such systems are relatively high. Moreover, systems that utilize renewable resources generally output variable amounts of electrical power depending upon environmental factors, such as, but not limited to cloud cover and wind speeds.
Supercritical Brayton cycle power generation systems have been proposed and theorized as efficient power generation systems. Advantages of supercritical Brayton cycle power generation systems include the utilization of an environmentally friendly, naturally occurring compound such as carbon dioxide. Additional advantages of supercritical Brayton cycle power generation systems include a relatively small footprint when compared to conventional turbine-based power generation systems. Moreover, supercritical Brayton cycle power generation systems have been theorized to have efficiencies that meet or exceed efficiencies of conventional power generation systems.
Supercritical Brayton cycle power generation systems offer a promising approach to achieving higher efficiency and more cost-effective power conversion when compared to existing steam-driven power plants, and also perhaps gas turbine power plants. A supercritical Brayton cycle power generation system is a power conversion system that utilizes a single-phase fluid operating near the critical temperature and pressure of such fluid. Generally, two types of power conversion cycles have been proposed: a recuperated Brayton cycle and a recompression Brayton cycle. Other types of power cycles, such as a power take off cycle, cycles with reheat or inter-cooling, split-flow compressor discharge cycles that heat a fraction flow rather than recuperate it, or cycles that feed all or a portion of the high pressure flow directly to a turbine while the low pressure flow leg provides the heating can also be utilized, wherein such cycles employ a Brayton cycle.
At this time, a method for predicting a balanced steady state operating point and operating conditions of a split flow recompression Brayton cycle from initial estimated parameter input conditions has not been developed.
A need remains, therefore, for a method to predict and optimize a split flow recompression Brayton cycle balanced operating steady state set of conditions using specified component performance characterizations.

Method for controlling start-up and steady state performance of a closed split flow recompression brayton cycle


Disclosed herein are methods for removing acetylene from an ethylene gas stream wherein a catalyst reacts with the acetylene to polymerize said acetylene forming an ethylene gas stream substantially free of acetylene.

The production of polyethylene from ethylene gas is an important industrial process. Acetylene is a common impurity in ethylene feeds and can act a poison to catalysts in the reaction of ethylene to polyethylene. Most commonly, acetylene is removed via hydrogenation. However, economic efficiency requires high selectivity of the acetylene hydrogenation in the presence of an excess of ethylene to prevent the hydrogenation reaction of ethylene to ethane, thereby killing the reactant. Known catalysts that promote the hydrogenation reaction of acetylene exhibit activity but possess limited selectivity and stability. Therefore, there is a need for catalysts that can react with acetylene selectively in the presence of excess ethylene producing a pure ethylene feed.

Removing acetylene from ethylene gas streams during polyethylene synthesis

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED


A lathe comprises at least one base unit which is constructed from two machine beds 4, 7. The machine beds are cast as a one-piece unit from reaction resin concrete and carry the bed guides 5, 8 for a spindle box 6 which is displaceable in the direction of the spindle axis 10 and a tool carrier slide 9 with a tool turret 3. The bed guides are at a right angle relative to one another. Each spindle box comprises a projection 15 which has the length of the displacement path of the spindle box 6 and penetrates through a dividing wall 16 at the front end of the displacement path which is arranged at a right angle to the spindle axis 10. The switching axis 11 of the tool turret 3 is arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction of its bed guide 8. In the construction of a lathe with two spindles the machine beds 4 of the spindle boxes 6 are glued together over a large surface area and the machine beds 7 for the tool carrier slides 9 are arranged at a right angle relative to the latter in a mirror-inverted manner at the machine beds 4.

1. Field Of The Invention
The invention is directed to a lathe having at least one base unit, comprising a drivable tool spindle which is rotatably supported in a spindle box which is displaceable on a machine bed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the spindle, as well as a tool turret.
2. Scope Of The Prior Art
In a known lathe of this type (DE 38 34 342 A1) the spindle box is displaceable in the direction of two main axes, i.e. in the direction of the spindle axis and transversely relative to the latter, by means of a compound slide system, while the tool carrier is arranged so as to be stationary. This tool carrier comprises two turret heads which are rotatable around axes situated vertically relative to one another, one axis being arranged in the direction of the spindle axis and the other axis being arranged vertically with respect to the spindle axis. This requires a relatively high cost in the construction of the tool carrier. Further a compound slide system is required for the spindle box. It is known that the compound slide system has disadvantages with respect to high precision. Moreover this necessitates a relatively large machine bed on which to arrange the compound slide system with its guides, as well as the stationary tool carrier, which impairs access to the clamping chuck of the tool spindle because of its size. A decisive disadvantage consists in that the chips resulting from the machining of the workpieces fall on the large flat machine bed on which the compound slide system for the spindle box is provided, so that the guides of this compound slide system are impaired by the chips unless costly and trouble-prone protective devices are provided for the guides of the compound slide system. Protective devices for guides in lathes conventionally comprise cover plates which can slide together in the manner of a telescope and overlap one another with corresponding seals. These cover plates are exposed to a high degree of Wear because of this telescoping ability and are therefore prone to trouble.

Machining apparatus with at least one base unit


An improved kingpin locking system includes a kingpin lock body having upper and lower sections, the lower and upper section each having a truncated generally pyramidal shape, with the lower one being inverted, a central kingpin-receiving chamber formed in the kingpin lock body, a kingpin engagement bar movably mounted in the kingpin lock body adjacent the kingpin-receiving chamber which releasably engages the kingpin when positioned within the chamber, and a kingpin engagement bar locking device which releasably locks the kingpin engagement bar in the engagement position thereby releasably securing the kingpin lock body on a kingpin to prevent unauthorized engagement of the kingpin and thereby preventing unauthorized use of the trailer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to locking and securement devices for kingpins of trailers and, more particularly, to an improved kingpin locking system which includes a kingpin lock body having upper and lower sections, the lower and upper section each having a truncated generally pyramidal shape, with the lower one being inverted, a central kingpin-receiving chamber formed in the kingpin lock body, a kingpin engagement bar movably mounted in the kingpin lock body adjacent the kingpin-receiving chamber which releasably engages the kingpin when positioned within the chamber, and a kingpin engagement bar locking device operative to releasably lock the kingpin engagement bar in the engagement position thereby releasably securing the kingpin lock body on a kingpin to prevent unauthorized engagement of the kingpin and thereby preventing unauthorized use of the trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The kingpin lock is an anti-theft device used to prevent the theft of semi trailers that are unhooked from the semi tractor. The Kingpin Lock is virtually indestructible from ramming the semi tractor fifth wheel plate into the trailer Kingpin if attempted. The lock is designed to jump over the fifth wheel and lodge in front of the fifth wheel making movement of the tractor virtually impossible. The tractor's wheels will hit the semi dollies making any turns impossible. In addition, the ⅞ inch, 45 degree slant (FIG. 2) will have a tendency to catch on the front of the fifth wheel making raising the trailer to free the semi tractor fifth wheel from the trailer very difficult.


A frame boundary discriminator has a first input for receiving a high speed master clock signal having a multitude of master clock pulses within a frame, and a second input for receiving synchronized input frame pulses subject to jitter. An output frame pulse generator controlled by the high speed master clock signal generates output frame pulses. A control circuit for compares the timing of the synchronized input frame pulses with said master clock pulses and adjusts the timing of said output frame pulses to average out jitter in the input frame pulses.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telephony digital signal transmission, and more particularly to a method of boundary discrimination of a frame signal which defines the starting point of data to be transmitted or received.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital telephone circuits carry signals within predetermined time periods known as frames delineated by an 8 KHz timing signal or clock known as a frame pulse, which establishes a frame boundary. Each frame therefore defines a 125 microsecond period in which a digitized voice signal may be processed.
Different telephone circuits often have to be synchronized with each other for correct interoperation. In such synchronous systems, higher speed timing signals, which are synchronous to the 8 kHz timing signal, are also employed. These high speed timing signals are used to clock state machines that process signals. A state machine in effect maps an ordered sequence of input events into a corresponding sequence of output events. The capacity of related state machines to process signals in such a system is limited by the number of clock cycles available in a 125 microsecond frame.
This constraint may be reduced by increasing the frequency of the clock available to each individual circuit in the system, but the usage of higher speed clocks has the drawback of increasing the sensitivity of system to clock skew between components as well as increasing the level of electromagnetic radiation emanating from the clock tracking on the circuit board.


A vulcanized rubber device to envelop a tire being recapped or retreaded, when place in an autoclave to vulcanize the rubber strip cemented between the new tread and the treated tire. This device, has an annular form, with a "U" section, whose lateral surfaces (5), are provided with a hole (2) and (4), and surrounding a circular opening (3), but has a new feature; a ring with grooves (1), on the inside of each internal lateral surface (4) and (5), forming radiating furrows.

A tire recap tread a vulcanized rubber device having inside grooves that is designed to envelop tires when they are introduced in an autoclave for vulcanizing the bead in recapping or retreading by the premolded or precured method is known.
In recapping or retreading by the premolded or cold processes, the tire has the old layer of rubber that remains in its tread scraped in the proper machine for this purpose. Following this, a given amount of a rubber base glue is applied on the scraped surface, which is left to dry. A new tread consisting of premolded vulcanized rubber with the characteristic groove design stamped on the upper surface, has a connecting film made of crude rubber glued to the under surface, and the combination is fitted to the previously scraped tire surface. This fitting is done on a machine for this purpose, that rolls the design on the band applied as the tire rotates, from the center to the sides. Afterwards, to finish it, a strip of rubber is glued along each joint of the premolded tread, and side band of the tire. After being prepared in this manner, it is placed in a special autoclave housing, used in the tire renewal industry, for the purpose of keeping the compressed air in the autoclave from entering during the process of vulcanizing the bead, located between the new tread applied and the tire being reconstructed or renovated.

Grooved envelope for recapping or retreading tires


Memory allocation techniques may provide improved security and performance. A method may comprise mapping a block of memory, dividing the block of memory into a plurality of heaps, dividing each heap into a plurality of sub-heaps, wherein each sub-heap is associated with one thread of software executing in the computer system, dividing each sub-heap into a plurality of bags, wherein each bag is associated with one size class of objects, creating an allocation buffer and a deallocation buffer for each bag, storing a plurality of objects in at least some of the bags, wherein each object is stored in a bag having size class corresponding to a size of the object, storing in the allocation buffer of each bag information relating to available objects stored in that bag, and storing in the deallocation buffer of each bag information relating to freed objects that were stored in that bag.

Many software programs, such as web browsers, network servers, etc., often require dynamically managed heap memory. However, it is very challenging to guarantee heap security. A range of heap vulnerabilities, such as heap overreads, heap over-writes, use-after-frees, invalid-frees, and double-frees, still plague applications written in, for example, the C/C++ languages. Such heap vulnerabilities not only cause unexpected program behavior, but may also lead to security breaches, including information leakage and control flow hijacking. For example, the Heartbleed bug, a buffer over-read problem in the OpenSSL cryptography library, may result in the leakage of sensitive private data. Another example of a recent buffer overflow problem is the WannaCry ransomware attack, which takes advantage of a vulnerability inside the Server Message Block, affecting a series of Windows versions. Heap vulnerabilities still widely exist in different types of in-production software. Table 1 shows some recently reported examples.
TABLE 1VulnerabilityOccurrences (#)Heap Overflow673Heap Over-read125Invalid-free35Double-free33Use-after-free264
Secure memory allocators typically serve as the first line of defense against heap vulnerabilities. However, existing secure allocators, such as the OpenBSD allocator ("OpenBSD"), DieHarder, Cling, and FreeGuard, possess their own deficiencies.
First, these allocators provide either low randomization entropy, or cannot support a stable randomization guarantee, which indicates they may not effectively defend against heap overflows and use-after-free attacks. Cling does not provide any randomization, while FreeGuard only provides two bits of entropy. Although OpenBSD and DieHarder supply higher entropy levels, their entropies are not stable, and vary across different size classes, execution phases, inputs, and applications. Typically, their entropies are inversely proportional to an object's size class. For instance, OpenBSD has the highest entropy for 16 byte objects, with as many as 10 bits, while the entropy for objects with 2048 bytes is at most 3 bits. Therefore, attackers may exploit this fact to breach security at the weakest point.
Second, existing allocators cannot easily change their security guarantees, which prevents users from choosing protection based on their budget for performance or memory consumption. For instance, their randomization entropy is primarily limited by bag size (e.g. DieHarder and OpenBSD), or the number of free lists (e.g. FreeGuard). For instance, simply incrementing FreeGuard's entropy by a single bit may significantly increase memory consumption, due to doubling its number of free lists.
Third, existing secure allocators have other problems that may affect their adoption. Both OpenBSD and DieHarder impose large performance overhead, with 31% and 74% on average. Also, they may slow down some applications by 4× and 9× respectively, as shown in FIG. 4. This prohibitively high overhead may prevent their adoption in performance-sensitive scenarios. On the other hand, although FreeGuard is very efficient, its low entropy and deterministic memory layout make it an easier target to attack.
Accordingly, a need arises for memory allocation techniques that provide improved security and performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Guarder: an efficient heap allocator with strongest and tunable security

The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System


There are disclosed methods and compositions for accelerating the hardening of phenolic resole resins having a pH of about 4.5 to 9.5 with lightburned magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide, with or without the addition of an ester functional hardening agent. Acceleration of hardening is achieved by incorporating into said compositions an effective quantity of a material which: increases the solubility of magnesium in the hardenable mixture; by certain amines; or by certain chelating agents. Accelerator compounds include those which provide chloride, sulfamate, nitrate, formate, and phosphite anions as well as selected tertiary amines.

This invention relates to methods and compositions for accelerating the hardening of phenolic resole resin binder compositions which are hardened with magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide alone or together with an ester functional hardening agent. Such hardening can take place at about room temperature.
It is often desirable to accelerate or shorten the time it takes for phenolic resole resins to harden by the use of a lightburned magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide hardener, alone or together with an ester functional hardening agent, particularly if such acceleration does not significantly affect the eventual hardness, tensile strength, and other desirable properties of the hardened or cured resin. This is particularly the case in cooler climates and lower temperatures.
Magnesium oxide or hydroxide, with or without an ester functional hardening agent, are used as the hardening agents in this invention.
Applicant has found that the hardening of phenolic resole resin compositions admixed with hardening quantities of lightburned magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide, either alone or together with an ester functional hardening agent can be accelerated by use of certain amines or compounds which increase the solubility of magnesium from the hardener which is admixed with the resin. Illustrative of accelerators are compounds which provide anions of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and sulfamate as well as various amino compounds such as 2,4,6-tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol.
Lightburned magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide are well known room temperature hardening agents for phenolic resole resins. Furthermore, magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide are used as the condensation catalysts for the manufacture of phenolformaldehyde resole resins from phenol and formaldehyde. Additionally, relatively inactive magnesia, e.g., periclase or refractory grade magnesia, is a conventional refractory which is often bound into various shapes with phenolic resole resins; however the periclase is relatively inactive and is not used as a hardener. Illustrative of references which disclose the use of magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide to harden phenolic resole resins in various types of compositions, there can be mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,869,194 of Jan. 20, 1959 to R. H. Cooper; 2,869,196 of Jan. 20, 1959 to R. H. Cooper; 2,913,787 of Nov. 24, 1959 to R. H. Cooper; 3,666,703 of May 30, 1972 to T. Murata et al; 2,712,533 of Jul. 5, 1955 to J. S. Mitchell; 2,424,787 of Jul. 29, 1947 to W. H. Adams, Jr.; and 4,794,051 of Dec. 27, 1988 to M. K. Gupta.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,051 Gupta patent also mentions the use of a class of ester functional hardening agents namely, lactones, which are used together with the magnesium hardeners, but preferably in admixture with calcium hardeners. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,194 Cooper patent also mentions that magnesium oxychloride and magnesium oxysulfate, which can be prepared by mixing magnesium oxide powder with an aqueous solution of magnesium chloride or its equivalent or magnesium sulfate or its equivalent, frequently provide shorter hardening times as compared to the magnesium oxide alone. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,787 Cooper patent also mentions the optional inclusion in his compositions of "novolak type" phenolics as well as optional inclusion of hexamethylene tetramine or equivalent curing agent or accelerator for phenolic resins, including ethylene diamine, diethylene triamine and the like relatively low molecular weight polyamines and paraformaldehyde.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 450,989 entitled "Phenolic Resin Compositions" filed Dec. 15, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,454 with P. H. R. B. Lemon, J. King, H. Leoni, G. Murray, and A. H. Gerber as inventors, which is based on GB 8829984.7 filed Dec. 22, 1988, discloses the preparation of phenolic resole resins with alkali or alkaline earth metal compounds as the basic catalyst and the subsequent room temperature hardening of such resins with an esterified phenolic as the ester functional hardening agent together with various bases, including oxides and hydroxides of magnesium and calcium.
European Patent Application Publication Number 0094165, which was published on Nov. 16, 1983 with P. H. R. B. Lemon et al as inventors, has broad recitations which mention the use of various alkaline materials including magnesium oxide (magnesia) for condensing phenol and formaldehyde to form phenol-formaldehyde resins and for further increasing the alkalinity of such resins which use ester functional agents for hardening the phenolic resin. European Patent Application Publication No. 0243,172, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,067 of May 16, 1989, which was published on Oct. 28, 1987 and lists P. H. R. B. Lemon et al as inventors, has recitations similar to those of the above-mentioned 0094165 publication.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,188, which issued on Jul. 3, 1990 with A. H. Gerber as inventor, discloses the use of lithium ion generating alkalizing agents in resole resin binder compositions which, when hardened by an ester functional curing agent, exhibit tensile and compressive strengths superior to that obtained from compositions using sodium or potassium ion generating alkalizing agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,186 of Mar. 8, 1977 to Higgenbottom as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,295 of Aug. 5, 1980 to Dahms relate to phenolic resoles catalyzed with alkaline earth metal hydroxides and neutralized with oxalic acid or its acid salts which provide stable, inert, insoluble oxalate salts dispersed in said resole and, additionally increases the viscosity of the resole resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,247 of Nov. 30, 1971 to Gladney et al relates to the removal of residual calcium catalyst used in the production of phenolic resins. The residual calcium catalyst is removed by treatment with an alkaline solution of an ammonium salt which forms an insoluble salt with calcium upon pH adjustment. Soluble ammonium compounds used in the process of the 247 patent are listed as sulfate, phosphate, and carbonate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 32,720 of Jul. 26, 1988 and Re 32,812 of Dec. 27, 1988 to P. H. R. B. Lemon et al are further illustrative of the literature which discloses room temperature hardening of highly alkaline phenol-formaldehyde resole resins with an ester hardening (curing) agent.
Japanese Kokoi Tokkyo Koho JP 60/90251 of May 21, 1985 to Kyushu Refractories Co., Ltd., which discloses the cold-hardening of a thermosetting resole resin by the use of ethylene carbonate and magnesium oxide.
My initially mentioned parent patent application Ser. No. 07/562206 discloses materials such as various anions for retarding the hardening of phenolic resole resins with magnesium hardening agents.

Accelerators for curing phenolic resole resins


The present invention relates to a maleimide group-containing polymer particle containing a crosslinked polymer particle containing a group represented by the following formula (1) and to a method of producing the maleimide group-containing crosslinked polymer particle by reacting hydroxymethylmaleimide with a hydroxyl group-containing polymer particle obtained by introducing a polyethylene glycol into a crosslinked polymer particle:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fine organic polymer particles and a method of producing the same, and particularly, to a method of producing maleimide group-containing polymer particles that can be applied to uses such as carriers for diagnostic medecines or medicaments, chromatographic carriers, viscosity regulators, resin molding materials, paint additives, crosslinking/hardening agents and cosmetic additives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Functional polymer particles such as deionized resins and chelating resins have been widely used as carriers for various chemical substances. Such functional polymer particles have various reactive groups on the surface of insoluble polymers. Functional polymers into which various active hydrogen-containing groups are introduced, such as a carboxyl group, hydroxyl group and a primary or secondary amino group, have been used in various applications.
In recent years, biological molecules such as nucleic acids, peptides and antibodies or synthetic molecules analogous to these biological molecules have been used in affinity chromatography, diagnostic medecines, inspection chemicals or the like by fixing these biological molecules to polymer particles while retaining the activity of these biological molecules. When polymer particles having high selectivity are used in this manner, it has been preferable to use those having a maleimide group that can form a selective and stable bond with an SH group contained in biological molecules or analogous synthetic molecules, and can reliably carry these molecules. In these applications, it is necessary for the polymer carrier to carry the desired amount of a substance uniformly and reliably, and also to be highly dispersible in aqueous solvents.
There are a few known examples of polymer particles having a maleimide group. For example, fine particles in which a phospholipid layer containing a maleimide group exists on the particle surfaces has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-106391).
Nonetheless, in this method, a maleimide group-containing phospholipid must be produced in advance by reacting a maleimide group-containing compound such as N-(6-maleimidecaproyloxy)succinimide with a phospholipid and purifying the resultant product by a method such as column chromatography. Moreover, because a phospholipid layer containing a maleimide group is produced through multistage treatment and then formed on nuclear particles such as magnetic particles, this method has drawbacks in that the process is very complicated and the resulting particles are physically weak. This is due to the fact that the nuclear particles are not chemically bonded with the maleimide group-containing phospholipid layer.
There is also an example in which polystyrene particles containing a maleimide group have been reported (see, for example, the 2001/2002 Fluka Company product catalogue, p. 909). However, the maleimide group is a strongly hydrophobic functional group having very poor dispersibility in aqueous media. Further, the amount of the maleimide group is 0.4 mmol/g or less, which is insufficient for a functional group used to attain the aforementioned objects.
There is a need for maleimide group-containing polymer particles which require neither special raw materials nor a monomer having a reactive functional group, thus being cheaper and safe. It is imperative that such particles require no complicated operation, have increased loading amount of the maleimide group making it easy to control the loading, be mechanically strong and have superior water-dispersibility. A method for producing such particles is also required.

Maleimide group-containing polymer particles and method of producing the same

Abstract: wherein n denotes an integer of 1 or more.


A support device supports a component gripping device including an engagement part to be engaged with a predetermined component. The component gripping device grips the component in a state in which the engagement part is caused to be engaged with the component. The support device contains a support body part, a first shift mechanism part, a second shift mechanism part, a third shift mechanism part, a first rotation mechanism part, a second rotation mechanism part, and a third rotation mechanism part.

In a process of manufacturing a car, a painting process is performed in a state in which doors are attached to a vehicle body, and a door detaching process of detaching the doors once from the vehicle body is then carried out to perform assembly and the like of components onto the vehicle body and the doors. In regard to the door detaching process, there is a technique of gripping a door attached to a vehicle body and causing the door detached from the vehicle body to move to a predetermined location through robot operations in the related art (see Patent Literature 1, for example).
Patent Literature 1 discloses a door detaching system including a dual-armed robot provided with a first arm and a second arm. Each of the first arm and the second arm has, at a distal end part thereof, a gripping jig that serves as a component gripping device for gripping a door.
According to the door detaching system in Patent Literature 1, a door is opened by one of the arms, a door gripping pad included in the gripping jig of each arm is engaged with an opening part provided in an inner panel of the door, and the door is thereby gripped by the two arms of the dual-armed robot. Thereafter, fastening of a door bolt to a hinge that supports the door at the vehicle body is released, and the door gripped by the dual-armed robot is caused to move through a cooperative operation of the two arms and is carried to a predetermined location.

Support device for component gripping device and vehicle door detaching device


A water-curable hot melt adhesive system is disclosed. The system uses silane hydrolyzable functionality grafted onto an ethylene polymer component, and a tackifier compatible therewith. The ethylene polymer component is a copolymer of ethylene and a hydrocarbyl ester of an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, and the tackifier component provides the adhesive with sufficient silanol condensation catalytic activity to accelerate water curing. The formulation is applied to a substrate surface as a hot melt at a moderate temperature, and subsequently cured by moisture or in a warm water bath. The invention also embodies structural compositions having glass, metallic or leather surfaces adhered with the adhesive and a method for making structural composites.

Water-curable polyolefins have found use in the prior art in the area of adhesives. Advantages of water-cured adhesives result from the avoidance of a free-radical curing process, the elimination of flammable peroxide initiators and corrosive crosslinking acceleration agents associated therewith, and the ability to cure with water, often using ambient moisture.
However, there remain two primary disadvantages associated with as-mixed water-curable adhesives: (1) organic solvent based application techniques; and (2) the tendency for small molecule silane condensation catalysts to migrate to the adhesive surface.
The use of organic solvents during the process of applying the adhesive composition to a substrate surface not only complicates manufacture by the requirement of a solvent removal step, but can also pose health and environmental hazards. Migration of small molecule silane condensation catalysts (many of which are also commonly used as slip and/or anti-block additives) to the coating interface can result in adverse adhesion properties.
As far as the Applicant is aware, there is no prior art technology for eliminating the use of organic solvents and reducing silanol condensation catalyst migration.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,753,993; 4,707,520; 4,593,072; 4,593,071; 4,579,913; 4,575,535; 4,526,930; 4,369,289; 4,328,323 all to Keogh disclose thermoplastic polymers having hydrolyzable, pendant silane moieties which impart water-curability to the polyolefin polymer. These polymers are stated to be useful in extrusion coating operations, especially as extrusion coated insulation for electrical conductors wherein external moisture conditions gradually improve the polymer toughness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,869 to Matsui et al. discloses a method for joining shaped articles of cured polyolefin utilizing a water-curable polyolefin applied to one or both surfaces in the form of a low viscosity liquid applied with a brush, wherein the polyolefin is grafted with an unsaturated organic silane monomer.

Water-curable, hot melt adhesive composition


A switching control circuit of synchronous rectification type that is capable of reducing dead time is obtained. Upon detection that an output potential rises above VDD-Va, a first sensor outputs an H signal to a first input terminal of a first NOR circuit, and the first NOR circuit outputs an L signal to a second input terminal of a second NOR circuit, and the second NOR circuit outputs an H signal to a first gate driving circuit. A PMOS is thereby turned on. Upon detection that the output potential falls below GND+Vb, a second sensor outputs an L signal to a first input terminal of a first NAND circuit, and the first NAND circuit outputs an H signal to a second input terminal of a second NAND circuit, and the second NAND circuit outputs an L signal to a second gate driving circuit. An NMOS is thereby turned on.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching control circuit of synchronous rectification type.
2. Description of the Background Art
A main object of synchronous rectification is to reduce power loss produced on a discharge path when discharging an inductive load, by a parasitic diode and the like inside a semiconductor substrate.
When performing synchronous rectification, dead time needs to be provided in order to prevent the occurrence of short-circuit current due to a simultaneous turn-on of an output transistor for supplying load current and an output transistor for attracting load current.
A conventional technique related to such switching control circuit of synchronous rectification type is disclosed in "Transistor Technology, July 1998", Vol. 35, No. 406 published by CQ Publishing Co., Ltd. on Jul. 1, 1998, Chapters 1-3.
An optimum value of dead time needs to be determined with various considerations as it depends on load current, load inductance or slew rate of output voltage. Various methods for determining dead time are known; however, an excessively short dead time will increase the risk that short-circuit current is produced, while an excessively long dead time will cause problems as will be described below.
Consider the case of driving an inductive load such as a coil or a motor using a CMOS transistor made up of a P-channel MOS transistor and an N-channel MOS transistor. In this case, even in a synchronous rectification type circuit, a parasitic bipolar transistor may disadvantageously be activated when an output potential (that is, a drain potential of the P-channel MOS transistor and N-channel MOS transistor) becomes not less than a power supply potential or not more than a GND potential during the dead time under the influence of inductive current in an inductance or a regenerative current in the motor.
In the case of the common source mode in which a bulk node as well as a P-channel MOS transistor and an N-channel MOS transistor are connected to the source, a parasitic vertical PNP bipolar transistor made up of a P+-type drain, an N-type bulk and a P−-type substrate is operated when a drain potential of the P-channel MOS transistor rises sufficiently above a source potential. As a result, a large amount of current flown out of an inductive load leaks into the substrate as collector current of the vertical PNP bipolar transistor, which cannot be used again. This not only reduces energy efficiency at the time of load driving, but also becomes a factor of unnecessary heat generation in an integrated circuit and a factor of an operation of a parasitic thyristor (a so-called latch-up) triggered by a substrate potential raised by the collector current of the vertical PNP bipolar transistor.
Further, when the drain potential of the N-channel MOS transistor falls sufficiently below the source potential, a parasitic NPN bipolar transistor made up of an N+-type drain, an P-type bulk and a N-type well adjacent to the bulk is operated. As a result, the P-type bulk attracts electric charge from the N-type well, which may not only reduce energy efficiency and cause unnecessary heat generation as described above, but may also cause malfunction of a circuit near the N-channel MOS transistor.
Accordingly, the dead time needs to be reduced to a minimum, particularly when driving a CMOS transistor by synchronous rectification.

Switching control circuit with reduced dead time


The method consists in positioning a probe in front of a pair of teeth provided on the face of the magnetic circuit of an electric machine. The probe has spaced apart magnetic prong portions having respective end faces adapted to match the teeth of the pair with the end faces in registry with the teeth. The prong portions are respectively provided with an excitation winding and a measurement winding. The excitation winding is excited to induce a magnetic flux in a test zone formed of the teeth in front of the probe and a portion of the magnetic circuit extending therebetween. The current flowing in the excitation winding and the voltage across the measurement winding are measured for calculating a resulting power which is indicative of the condition of the test zone. The apparatus is formed of the probe and electronics carrying out the above functions.

Generally, the magnetic circuit of an electric machine consists of a piling up assembly of metal laminations. To prevent overheating of the laminations caused by the flow of Eddy currents, the laminations are insulated from each other by means of insulating varnish or other materials. Defects to which reference is herein made are caused by short circuits between the metal laminations. In the case of alternators' stators, such defects can be caused for example by a metallic piece (e.g. a bolt) detaching and causing damages to the face of the stator, a breakdown between the winding under voltage (13 kV) and the stator, or the wear of the varnish. These defects must be located.
One method of the prior art consists in a visual inspection. This basic method is still used and allows to locate some apparent defects. This method is subjective as it depends on the skills of the person carrying it out. It cannot be used to detect defects in the notches or between the metal strips of a stator. This method is also difficult to carry out with a rotor in place.
Another method of the prior art consists in a magnetization test. In this method, an intense magnetic flux .phi.t (.apprxeq.80% of the nominal flux) is generated in the stator ring by means of temporary excitation windings mounted on the stator for this purpose. An infrared camera observes the inner face of the stator to detect the hot spots. This method is qualitative and cannot be used to detect defects on only a portion. It requires a powerful external excitation source, and the excitation windings are important. The installation and test times are long, it requires several workers and is impracticable with the rotor in place.
Another method of the prior art consists in an electromagnetic core imperfection detection test (ELCID). In this method, a low magnetic flux .phi.t (.apprxeq.4% of the nominal flux) is induced in the stator ring by means of a temporary excitation winding mounted on the stator for this purpose. A measurement probe explores the inner face of the stator to detect anomalies. In this method, the preparation of the stator is similar to the magnetization test, except that it involves a less powerful source and a more modest temporary excitation winding. This method is quantitative. Nevertheless, it is more or less suitable to detect defects between the metal laminations, it still requires an external excitation source and the mounting of an excitation winding, and several workers. Furthermore, the installation time is long and the test time is in the average.
Both last mentioned methods involve high costs, and may provide inaccurate results.

Apparatus and method for evaluation a condition of a magnetic circuit of an electric machine


Technology is discussed for extending frequency and time based approaches, such as Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) and enhanced ICIC (eICIC), to interference mitigation for clusters within a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) of transmission points with a common transmission point identity. Multiple transmission power messages correlated to different transmission point characteristics can be configured among multiple transmission points sharing the same transmission point identity. These multiple transmission power messages can be used to coordinate transmissions from adjacent transmission points on differing frequencies. Additionally, new sets of reference signals can be configured to correlate to different transmission point characteristics. These new, correlated reference signals can be used to decouple measurements used to provide feedback to one set of transmission points from reference signals transmitted by another set of transmission points with the same transmission point identity.

Demand for bandwidth within Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWAN) standards is always increasing. Also, more data intensive services, such as streaming video, and higher volumes of localized traffic create demand for improved uniformity of service across WWANs, including near boundaries between wireless communication towers (tower). To address these demands, spectrum is being reused by wireless communication towers (tower) that are closer and closer together.
Additionally, WWANs have come to support heterogeneous networks of towers. These heterogeneous networks use relatively low power towers within the coverage area of relatively more powerful towers. The relatively low power towers can improve the uniformity of coverage in high traffic areas and/or in regions poorly covered by the relatively more powerful towers. They can also increase bandwidth by offloading some of the traffic from the relatively more powerful towers.
As another approach to improving the uniformity of service, towers can be grouped into coordinated clusters. The clusters can be coordinated to allow multiple towers to transmit to and receive transmissions from a single wireless device. Combining reception and transmission capabilities from multiple transmission points can improve services for wireless mobile devices, particularly at the boundaries between the coverage areas of adjacent towers.
However, each of these approaches to increasing bandwidth also increases the complexity of WWANs. Not only do these approaches, involving closer reuse of frequencies, overlapping coverage areas, and increased transmissions, increase complexity, they increase the potential for interference and other problems. Furthermore, solutions to such increased potential for interference become limited to the narrow confines resulting from the increased complexity.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.

Interference mitigation in the context of heterogeneous networks with coordinated transmission points with a common transmission point identity


A piezoelectric switch for tunable electronic components comprises piezoelectric layers, metal electrodes alternated with the layers and contact pads. Cross voltages are applied to the electrodes, in order to obtain an S-shaped deformation of the switch and allow contact between the contact pads. Additionally, a further electrode can be provided on a substrate where the switch is fabricated, to allow an additional electrostatic effect during movement of the piezoelectric layers to obtain contact between the contact pads. The overall dimensions of the switch are very small and the required actuation voltage is very low, when compared to existing switches.

MEMS switches have a wide variety of uses. They can, for example, conduct RF current in applications involving the use of antenna phase shifters, in the tuning of reconfigurable antenna elements and in the fabrication of tunable filters.
MEMS switches provide several advantages over conventional switches which use transistors. These advantages include lower insertion loss, improved electrical isolation over a broad frequency range, and lower power consumption. Also, as this type of switch is fabricated using existing integrated circuit (IC) processing technologies, production costs are relatively low. Thus, MEMS switches manufactured using micromachining techniques have advantages over conventional transistor-based switches because the MEMS switches function like macroscopic mechanical switches, but without the associated bulk and relatively high cost.
The energy that must be moved through the switch control in order to activate the MEMS switch, and thus the energy dissipated by the MEMS switch, is a function of the actuation voltage. Therefore, in order to minimize the energy dissipated by the MEMS switch, it is desirable to minimize the actuation voltage of the switch.
Current MEMS switches operate through adoption of electrostatic techniques. In order to have low actuation voltages (about 50 V), existing electrostatic actuation switches need to have relatively large (about 300 to 500 microns) lateral dimensions. This results in an increased response time. A substantial reduction in the size of these switches is not possible as that significantly increases the actuation voltages. Therefore, electrostatic actuation MEMS switches cannot be further miniaturized as required for further applications. The large dimensions also reduce the restoring force for switch release, thus contributing to a 'stiction' problem that essentially renders the switch useless. In particular, the contacting pads tend to adhere to each other after a prolonged use.
Piezoelectric structures can be used to realize tunable capacitors, as disclosed in "Micromachined RF Mems tunable capacitors using piezoelectric actuators", Jae Y. Park, Young J. Yee, Hyo J. Nam, and Jong U. Bu, IEEE 2001.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a micro-electromechanical switch having a low actuation voltage and a fast response time.

Piezoelectric switch for tunable electronic components


A sensor assembly includes a frame defining a sensor axis having opposing endplates with axially extending supports, wherein the opposing endplates are connected by a pair of axially extending side beams. A suspended mass is within an interior of the frame suspended from the supports of the frame. A plurality of spacers are operatively connected to the endplates and supports of the frame. A plurality of piezoelectric material layers are operatively connected to sides of respective spacers opposite the frame to damp vibrations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to sensor systems, and more particularly to sensor assemblies such as those used in imaging devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of devices and methods are known in the art for sensor systems on aircraft. One parameter that directly affects the quality of many of the images collected by the sensor systems is line-of-sight (LOS) stabilization. One source of sensor LOS destabilization is vibration within the sensor system. Vibrations can be created by environmental influences on the sensor system (e.g. wind drag and turbulence), by operational factors, by platform sources (e.g. aircraft vibrations) and by components within the sensor itself (e.g. fans, heaters, etc.). By reducing or damping vibrations acting on the sensor system, LOS stabilization can be improved, resulting in improved quality of images and other data captured by the sensor.
Current sensor systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved sensor systems. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.


A passive matrix organic EL display device suitable for use in a large-scale display panel and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The organic EL display device comprises a substrate, on which are formed a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, a second electrode and a protective layer. On the protective layer are formed, in turn, a third extending conductive wire that extends parallel with the first electrode, a third isolation layer and a fourth extending conductive wire that extends parallel with the second electrode. The third extending conductive wire is used for connecting first electrodes (data lines) of another unit display panel and a column driver. The fourth extending conductive wire is used for connecting second electrodes (scanning lines) of still another unit display panel and a raw driver. Accordingly, all the data lines and the scanning lines on respective unit display panels can be respectively connected to corresponding column drivers and corresponding raw drivers to complete a large-scale display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an organic electro-luminescent (to be abbreviated as "EL" hereinafter) display device and a method for manufacturing such an organic EL display device and, more particularly, to a passive matrix organic EL display device for use in a large-scale display panel and a method for manufacturing the organic EL display device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The organic EL device has attracted tremendous attention due to its advantages over other display devices. These advantages include a larger visual angle, shorter response time, a smaller dimension in thickness, lower power consumption, simpler fabrication, no need for backlighting, and the ability for light emitting in a full color range.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an organic EL device in accordance with the prior art. The organic EL device is characterized in that a first electrode 13 is formed on a substrate 11, and on the first electrode 13 there are a light-emitting layer 17 comprising an organic layer, a second electrode 15 and a protective layer 19 formed by evaporation or sputtering in turn. Electrons and holes are injected from the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 15 and then recombined in the light-emitting layer 17 so as to excite the light-emitting material in the light-emitting layer 17 and emit light.
From the viewpoints of driving mechanism of organic EL devices, organic EL devices can be divided into two categories: the passive matrix organic EL device and the active matrix organic EL device. The passive matrix organic EL device has a simpler structure than the active matrix organic EL device, and there is neither a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel nor a color filter required. Therefore, the fabrication complexity as well as fabrication cost for the passive matrix organic EL device is much lower. However, in a large-scale display panel composed of passive matrix organic EL devices, the pixels are driven in proper sequence. Hence, a large current is required to be injected into the pixels in a very short time so as to prolong the light-emitting time of the pixels. This leads to a limited number of scanning lines and poor resolution insufficient for a large-scale display panel.
On the contrary, in a large-scale display panel composed of active matrix organic EL devices, a larger number of scanning lines are allowed and the resolution is improved for a large-scale display panel. However, the pixels are driven by using independent thin film transistor circuits and low-temperature poly-silicon TFT technology is required for manufacturing active matrix organic EL devices. In other words, the fabrication of active matrix organic EL devices is critical because the cost is increased due to considerable fabrication complexity and mass production is not yet achieved for low-temperature poly-silicon TFT technology. Therefore, the passive matrix organic EL device still plays the major role in the OELD-related industry.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a block circuit diagram showing conventional passive matrix organic EL devices combined as a unit display panel in accordance with the prior art. As shown in FIG. 2, the unit display panel 21 is composed of a plurality of data lines 235 formed of first electrodes (indicated by 13 in FIG. 1) of organic EL devices and a plurality of scanning lines 255 formed of second electrodes (indicated by 15 in FIG. 1) of the organic EL devices. All the data lines 235 and the scanning lines 255 are connected, respectively, to a corresponding column driver 23 and a corresponding raw driver 25, which are further connected to a central controller 27 that controls through the column driver 23 and the raw driver 25 so as to determine which pixel (as indicated by a "spot" in FIG. 2) to emit light.
In order to implement the unit display panel for possible application in practical cases, the industry has managed to combine a plurality of OELD unit display panels as a large-scale display panel 31. As shown in FIG. 3, which is a 2×2 display device composed of four OELD unit display panels. The data lines 335 and the scanning lines 355 for each unit display panel are connected, respectively, to a corresponding column driver 33A1˜33A4 and a corresponding raw driver 35B1˜35B4. Each of the column drivers 33A1˜33A4 and the raw drivers 35B1˜35B4 is further connected to a central controller 37 that controls through the column drivers 33A1˜33A4 and the raw drivers 35B1˜35B4 so as to determine which pixel (as indicated by a "spot" in FIG. 3) to emit light. Even though this structure has a relatively larger size, the data lines 335 and the scanning lines 355 for each unit display panel have to be directly connected to the corresponding column driver 33A1˜33A4 and the corresponding raw driver 35B1˜35B4, respectively. Therefore, such a structure is only applicable as a 2×2 display device. In other words, a 2×3 or larger display device can not be implemented, because any unit display panel on the third column or the third raw has no corresponding column driver or corresponding raw driver to be connected to through the data lines or the scanning lines. Accordingly, such a passive matrix OELD display device has a size limit that cannot be further increased.
Therefore, there is need in providing a passive matrix organic EL display device and a method for manufacturing such an organic EL display device.

Organic electro-luminescent display device and method for manufacturing the same


A stabilizer system for nutritional formulas; especially liquid nutritional formulas. The stabilizer system is made up of a gel-forming carrageenan and a diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and di-glycerides. The nutritional formula is formed of a protein source, a lipid source, a carbohydrate source, and the stabilizer system. The nutritional formula has improved color and physical stability.

Many nutritional formulas, such as infant formulas, are now provided in the form of ready-to-drink formulas or liquid concentrates to which the consumer adds a set amount of water to provide a ready-to-drink formula. These formulas are usually made up of a protein source, a carbohydrate source, a lipid source, various minerals and vitamins, and water. Emulsifiers and thickeners are usually added to stabilize the system.
These liquid nutritional formulas often need to be stored for periods of months. During this time, physical stability problems often arise. In particular the lipid components often separate from the aqueous components; despite the use of various emulsifiers and thickeners. While this phase separation may be rectified by simply shaking the formula, it is found that consumer acceptance of the product is greatly diminished. Also, the liquid nutritional formulas may take on a slight brown color which adversely affects consumer acceptability.
Further, nutritional formulas which are in powdered form are often reconstituted several hours or more prior to use. During this time, the lipid components may separate from the aqueous components; giving the reconstituted formula an unacceptable appearance.
Therefore there is a need for a stabilizer system which provides nutritional formulas with improved stability and improved color when in liquid form.

Stabilizer system for liquid nutritional formulas


A protective casing for use in a game racket has a plurality of hollow tubes and a main body comprising two protective plates. Each of the protective plates is provided thereon with a predetermined number of floating plates, each of which has an inner surface spaced at a predetermined distance from the outer wall of the racket frame, and each of which is provided peripherally with a connecting plate attached to the protective plate in a manner that there is a height differential between the floating plate and the protective plate.

The present invention relates to a protective casing which is for use in a game racket and provides an excellent cushion effect.
As shown in FIG. 1, a protective casing 1 of the prior art has a plurality of hollow tubes 11, which are connected on the same side thereof in a linear manner. Located at both sides of the main body of the protective casing 1 are protective plates 12. In using the protective casing 1 described above, the hollow tubes 11 are inserted into the string holes 21 of the game racket frame 2 while the protective plates 12 are fittingly attached to the outer walls of the racket frame 2. As a result, the racket frame 2, especially the top portion of the racket frame 2, is protected from damage at such time when the racket frame 2 hits the surface of the court accidentally. However, the protective plates 12 are often made intentionally as thin as possible in order that an increase in the overall weight of the game racket by the protective plates 12 is minimized. Such thin protective plates 12 are often quite ineffective in protecting the racket frame 2.
An improved protective casing of the prior art is shown in FIG. 2. Such protective casing is provided with a thicker protective plate 12 intended to enhance the overall cushion effect of the protective casing. However, such improved protective casing of the prior art is still ineffective for providing an adequate cushion effect to prevent the impact force from being transmitted to the racket frame 2.

No. 8, Alley 23, Lane 684, Yuan Huan East Rd.


A color saturation value for at least some of the pixels in an input image is adjusted to provide an output image. In one aspect, for each pixel for which the color saturation value is adjusted, the color saturation value for the pixel is adjusted in dependence on both a brightness value and a color saturation value for said pixel. In another aspect, the adjusting is carried out by, for each of the at least some pixels, reading from a brightness values look-up table a brightness scale parameter corresponding to the brightness value of the pixel, reading from a color values look-up table a color scale parameter corresponding to the color value of the pixel, obtaining a final scale parameter for the pixel from the brightness scale parameter and the color scale parameter, and adjusting the color value for the pixel in accordance with said final scale parameter.

US-A-2005/0047657 discloses a method and apparatus for adjusting colour saturation in an image, the apparatus being shown schematically in FIG. 1 and using the HSV colour model. The colour saturation adjusting apparatus 100 of this prior art has an RGB-HSV conversion unit 110 which converts RGB values of the input RGB image signal into corresponding HSV values. A colour saturation adjusting function setting unit 120 allows a user to adjust the degree of colour saturation by inputting colour saturation adjusting values for specific hues (i.e. colours) through a colour saturation adjusting menu. It is not practical for the user to input the colour saturation values for all of the hues. Therefore, practically, the user inputs the colour saturation adjusting values for some representative hues (such as red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta) and the adjustment values for other, intermediate values are obtained by an interpolation method such as a linear interpolation. A colour saturation adjusting unit 130 then provides the colour saturation adjusting value gain corresponding to the H values and new colour saturation values OUT_S are calculated by applying the colour saturation adjusting function to the original colour saturation value S while the H and V values are fixed. The H, OUT_S, and V values obtained by adjusting the original colour saturation values S in the colour saturation adjusting unit 130 are converted into new RGB values in the HSV-RGB conversion unit 140, which outputs the new RGB values.
A problem with this prior art method is that the user inputs gain values for some representative hues only, and then the system determines the gain values for the remaining hues using a linear interpolation function. Moreover, once the gain value for a hue is set, it is used for every pixel of each video frame. In other words, the colour saturation values of each pixel are adjusted with the same gain values. The method is not adaptive to changing illumination conditions. This can lead to artificial and disturbing results in image regions with high luminance and image regions with high colour saturation.

Methods of and apparatus for adjusting colour saturation in an input image

Vestel Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S.


A method for producing a crystalline film comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on a porous substrate is described. The method has the steps of: providing a porous support; modifying at least a surface of the top-layer of said porous support by treatment with a composition having one or more cationic polymer(s); rendering at least the outer surface of said porous support hydrophobic by treatment with a composition having one or more hydrophobic agent(s); subjecting said treated porous support to a composition having zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals thereby depositing and attaching zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous support, and growing a crystalline film of zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous support and calcination. Crystalline films find use in a variety of fields such as in the production of membranes, catalysts etc.

Molecular sieves may be classified in various categories, for example according to their chemical composition and their structural properties. A group of molecular sieves of particular interest is the group comprising zeolites and zeolite-like materials. Zeolites and zeolite like materials may be prepared synthetically. A frequently prepared zeolite framework is the MFI framework, which has 10 T-atoms in the ring and thereby a suitable pore size for many applications. This framework can be prepared in pure silica form, i.e. the T-atoms are only silicon atoms. In this case, the structure is denoted silicalite-1. However, if some of the silicon atoms are replaced with aluminum atoms, the structure is denoted ZSM-5. U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,886 (1972) discloses a method for preparing crystalline ZSM-5 zeolite with Si/AI ratios between 2.5 and 50. Since then, MFI zeolites with higher ratios have been claimed in the Patent literature. Higher Si/AI ratio implies a less hydrophilic structure whilst silicalite-1 has a hydrophobic characteristic (U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,724 (1977)). Templates or structure directing agents are added to the reaction mixture in the synthesis of zeolites and zeolite like materials to direct the crystallization to the desired framework. For example, tetrapropyl ammonium hydroxide is often used as a template in the synthesis of MFI zeolite.
There are numerous methods described in the art for the manufacture of supported materials for inorganic catalysts and thin membranes. Supports coated with thin zeolite films find their applications in for example the fields of membrane separation, sensor technology, catalysis, electrochemistry, and ion exchange.
Methods of preparing supported zeolite films on porous supports using hydrothermal synthesis techniques and the resulting supported zeolite films have and exhibit a number of severe problems. Firstly, species from the synthesis solution used for growth of the zeolite materials may invade and be deposited within the porous support, resulting in reduction of support porosity, which is demonstrated by the reduced permeation of gas or liquid molecules through the complete structure (support+zeolite film). Secondly, the support material may not be inert under the synthesis conditions used, resulting in dissolution of atoms from the support to an unacceptable degree and these atoms may then interfere with the intended structure of the zeolite. Thirdly, in cases where calcination is preferred to remove a structure-directing agent from the synthesized film, the invaded and deposited species in the support may lead to crack formation in the film and the support due to differences in thermal expansion properties of the zeolite film and the support.
Various attempts have been made in the art to solve these problems, none of which are totally satisfactory or introduce other problems and challenges.
WO94/25151 and Gavalas et al. "Use of diffusion barriers in the preparation of supported zeolite ZSM-5 membranes", Journal of Membrane Science, 126 (1997), 53-65, describe the use of a barrier layer that prevents water in the aqueous coating suspension used from entering the pores of the support to an extent such that the silica and zeolite particles form a thick gel layer on the support. The barrier layer may be temporary or permanent; temporary barrier layers were fluids such as water or glycol. These methods are complex and do not produce satisfactory supported zeolite layers.
WO97/33684 discloses a method for producing a crystalline film comprising silicalite-1 crystals on a porous α-alumina substrate comprising modifying the surface of said substrate by reacting it with a water soluble cationic polymer (Berocell 6100), thereby rendering the surface of the support positively charged and consequently hydrophilic. Subsequently, microcrystals of silicalite-1 are attached onto the substrate having a surface charge opposite to the charge of the microcrystals, and eventually a crystalline film was allowed to grow on the support by hydrothermal crystallization. No measures to reduce invasion of zeolite into the pores of the substrate were disclosed.
WO 2004/080889 discloses methods for producing crystalline membranes comprising zeolite MFI crystals on a porous α alumina ceramic substrate that has been modified by coating with mesoporous silica and subsequently with a silane coupling agent (3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane), then coating the modified surface with MFI seed crystals, and eventually growing a crystalline film by hydrothermal crystallization. No measures to reduce invasion were disclosed.
In WO 00/53298, there is described a masking technique involving polymers such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and the filling of the support with paraffin wax, with removal of the PMMA and attachment of a cationic polymer onto the bare exposed substrate surface. This is a rather time consuming and practically complicated procedure. However, a significant drawback with this masking procedure is not only the time required to mask a substrate, but also the depth precision and masking efficiency. In addition, the method is difficult to apply on supports with complex geometries, such as multi-channel tubes needed in practical applications. This method results in incomplete filling of the support with wax and subsequent invasion of species from the synthesis solution and/or film growth into the support pores during hydrothermal synthesis. A further problem associated the partial invasion of the synthesis solution in the support is the fact that the conditions required for synthesizing numerous zeolite framework films are so severe that the substrate is partly dissolved or etched. Accordingly, aluminum may be dissolved from the top layer of a non-masked or incompletely masked α-alumina substrate leading to a zeolite structure that was not intended to be produced. Another problem with this masking concept is the lack of control of the thickness of the synthesized membrane, since the invasion of species from synthesis solution may vary between different synthesized films/membranes as well as between different parts of the same film/membrane.
WO2014140291 discloses a method for producing a crystalline film comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on a porous α-alumina substrate comprising first making the porous support hydrophobic with hydrophobic agent(s) and then modifying the hydrophobic surface with amphiphiles and/or cationic polymers before deposition of microcrystals of silicalite-1 onto the support. Subsequently a crystalline film was grown on the support by hydrothermal treatment. Whilst generally satisfactory results may be obtained with this method, uneven coverage of amphiphiles and/or cationic polymers on the hydrophobic support will result in uneven coverage of silicalite-1 microcrystals on the support and cause membrane defects during membrane synthesis.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the art to produce films and membranes which avoid or minimizes the problems mentioned above associated with known procedures for preparing films comprising zeolite crystals on porous supports. There is also a general need in the art to provide alternative methods for the manufacture of supported films of zeolite crystal especially those using pretreatment of porous supports onto which subsequently seed crystals are to be deposited. There is also a need in the art to produce membranes with low amount of defects, high permeance through the final product with high reproducibility and negligible leaching of atoms from the support.

Supported zeolite films and methods for preparing


A developing unit includes a container in which a developer is accumulated inside, a developer filling opening which is formed on the container and a gripper which is fixed on an outer surface of the container so as to cover the developer filling opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image by adhering a developer on the electrostatic latent image, used in an image forming device such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile machine.
2. Description of Related Art
An image forming device carries out an image forming process by adhering a developer (toner) on an electrostatic latent image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. Accompanying the image forming process, the developer is consumed and a remaining amount of the developer decreases. Therefore, the developer is required to be replenished as needed. Accordingly, a developing unit is provided removably with respect to the image forming device so that when necessary, the developing unit can be removed from the image forming device to replenish the developer or to replace the developing unit.
In general, a gripper is provided on the developing unit so that the developing unit can be inserted and removed easily. Various conventional improvements on the gripper have been proposed. For example, according to one conventional improvement, an auxiliary tank of the toner also functions as the gripper. According to another conventional improvement, a concave part is formed on an upper part of an upper frame of a process cartridge in a longitudinal direction so that an operator's finger can be placed in.
When the developing unit is inserted removably in the image forming device as described above, the developer can be replenished in the developing unit and the developing unit can be reused. However, if developer that is noncompliant with the image forming device is replenished in the developing unit and the developing unit is reused, there are cases in which the developer causes a negative influence on the image forming device. Therefore, a countermeasure is required for preventing undesired developer from being replenished in the developing unit.
Accordingly, there is a demand for a developing unit which prevents the developer from being replenished easily in the developing unit by a simple structure using the gripper generally provided on the developing unit.

Developing unit with gripper that covers developer filling opening