The present invention relates to a piston for an internal combustion engine. The piston includes a crown defined by a combustion surface and a cylindrical ring belt. The cylindrical ring belt has a first and a second ring groove extending about the circumference thereof, where the ring grooves are adapted to receive a first and a second piston ring. The combustion surface and the first ring groove define a first ring land therebetween. The first ring groove and the second ring groove define a second ring land therebetween. The cylindrical ring belt also has an elastic groove extending about the circumference thereof. The elastic groove has an upper wall and a lower wall interconnected by a radius "R", where the upper wall and the lower wall pivot about the radius "R", under loading of the piston to lower stress concentration within the crown.

When designing an internal combustion engine, it is desirable to optimize fuel economy, emissions, and durability. One means of improving fuel economy and lowering emissions may be to reduce the cylinder wall crevice volume where unburned hydrocarbons avoid combustion. The cylinder wall crevice volume is defined by the top ring land, the top compression ring, and the engine block cylinder wall. To reduce this crevice volume, the top ring land height may be decreased.
Another means of improving fuel economy may be to reduce the ring thickness which lowers engine friction. These designs expose the top ring to higher temperatures. To facilitate heat dissipation from the top ring, an internal cooling chamber disposed within the piston crown may be located adjacent the top ring groove. A coolant such as oil flowing through the chamber, transfers heat from the piston crown adjacent the top ring groove. Optimizing the shape of the chamber adjacent the top ring groove may increase stress concentrations in the ring belt that are created by combustion forces during engine operation. See FIG. 1.


A magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus includes a loading mechanism with a cassette holder (321, 348) which is adapted to lift the magnetic-tape cassette (200) into an ejection position, in which the cassette (200) is inserted and ejected, and to lower the magnetic-tape cassette (200) onto a cassette support (331) in a play position, in which the reel hubs (200e) are engaged by winding spindles (330). The cassette holder (321,348) has a cross-sectionally U-shaped part (321, 348) with two facing holder plates (323, 324, 348a, 348b) and a transverse holder wall (328, 348c) interconnecting the holder plates, the cassette holder (321, 348) being pivotable about a spindle (325) in such a manner that in the ejection position one holder plate (323, 348a) and in the play position the other holder plate (324, 348b) extend substantially parallel to the cassette support (231). In the area of the transverse holder wall (322, 348c) there is provided a supporting ridge (327, 349 a, 354), on which the cassette (200) is supported in the ejection position and is movable while being supported, to lower the cassette (200) into the play position the supporting ridge (327, 348a, 354) is movable away from the cassette (200) to allow the rear wall (200c) of the cassette to be lowered.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus comprising reel discs for winding and unwinding a magnetic tape and a loading mechanism with a cassette holder which is adapted to raise the magnetic-tape cassette into an ejection position, in which the cassette is inserted and ejected, and to lower the magnetic-tape cassette onto a cassette support in a play position, in which the reel hubs are engaged by winding spindles, the cassette holder comprising a cross-sectionally U-shaped part with two facing holder plates and a transverse holder wall interconnecting said plates, the cassette holder being pivotable about a spindle in such a manner that in the ejection position one holder plate and in the play position the other holder plate extend substantially parallel to the cassette support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Loading mechanisms for magnetic-tape cassettes are used in all magnetic-tape-cassette apparatuses in which the magnetic-tape cassette cannot be placed directly in the play position by hand. Such a loading mechanism is described in, for example, DE-PS 37 17 587, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,431. The cassette holder is a cross-sectionally U-shaped part having two flat holder plates interconnected by a transverse holder wall. The cassette holder is moved up and down by means of a lift lever which is pivotable about an axis transverse to the loading and ejection direction of the magnetic-tape cassette. A cassette driver is guided in a slot which extends in the lift lever in the loading and ejection direction and is moved in the loading and ejection direction by an actuating lever under control of an ejection rod which is movable in the inward direction.
The mechanism for lifting and lowering the cassette holder requires lateral guide means fixedly arranged on the chassis. In addition, actuating members are required by means of which the holder is lifted and lowered while guided horizontally. This requires a substantial amount of mechanical parts.
From DE-OS 26 37 141 it is known to pivot the cross-sectionally U-shaped cassette holder about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the transverse holder wall. From the transverse holder wall the holder plates are inclined towards one another in such a way that in the ejection position the upper holder plate and in the play position the lower holder plate extends substantially parallel to the cassette support.
In this cassette holder the cassette is not guided adequately during loading and ejection.


A switched reluctance motor is provided with a rotor position detecting apparatus for detecting a rotor position wherein the apparatus comprises a rotor position-sensing mechanism removably mounted in a ventilator hole formed in a side wall of a motor housing for enabling an easy replacement of printed circuit boards and photo-interrupters when they need to be repaired and maintained. The sensing mechanism includes a fixing member having spaced slots for receiving respective circuit boards.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotor position detecting apparatus in a switched reluctance motor (SRM), and more particularly to a rotor position detecting apparatus in SRM for enabling an easy replacement of a printed circuit board (PCB) and photo-interrupters when they are repaired and maintained.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a mutual input signal between SRM and PCB in a conventional mode. When power is supplied, the motor starts operation with an input of an angle between a stator pole and a rotor pole in PCB wherein the angle indicates a rotor position.
Even though there have been a few rotor position detecting sensors, such as hall sensor, encoder and photo-interrupter, only photo-interrupter will be specifically described hereinafter. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional SRM comprises a housing screwed at a circular supporting board (10) and a circulating shaft (30) being connected to the circular supporting board (10) by bearings (40) for simultaneous rotation. At a predetermined distance from the inner wall of stators (50) attached into a housing (20) is a rotor (60) which is designed to drive simultaneously along with the circulating shaft (30).
On the other hand, a rotor position detecting apparatus (70) is installed at an inner wall of the housing (20) and at an outer wall of the circulating shaft (30) to detect the position of the rotor (60). The position detecting apparatus (70) includes a PCB (71) that is closely placed at a side wall of the housing (20) coaxially with the circulating shaft (30), and photo-interrupters (72) with a U-shaped sensing part (72a) at an angle within a certain radius from the center of PCB (71).
In addition, there are a fixing member (73) screwed to drive simultaneously with the circulating shaft (30) and a sensor disc (74) screwed at a side wall of the fixing member (73) with a folded part (74a) perpendicularly disposed at a predetermined angular interval. Position of the folded part (74a) of the sensor disc (74) is detected by the sensing part (72a) of the photo-interrupters (72) Reference numeral 21 designates a ventilator (i.e., a hole) placed at a predetermined angle toward a periphery of the housing (20).
When power is supplied to the PCB (71), as described above, the conventional SRM serves to detect the position of the rotor (60) with the photo-interrupter (72) by way of the circulating shaft (30), the fixing member (73) and the sensor disc (74), and then to notify the detected position of the rotor to PCB (71) to drive the circulating shaft (30) along with the driving rotor (60).
Thus, the position of the rotor (60) is recognized when the folded part (74a) of the sensor disc is located in the sensing parts (72a) of a plurality of photo-interrupters (72). When PCB or photo-interrupters are repaired and maintained, the supporting board (10) needs to be disconnected from the housing (20), the PCB (71) needs to be unscrewed out of the side wall of the housing (20), and the circulating shaft (30) needs to be disassembled from the housing (20). Accordingly the PCB with photo-interrupters is also disassembled and reassembled with the circulating shaft in the conventional SRM when PCB or photo-interrupters are repaired and maintained. These processes are inconvenient and time-consuming when PCB or photo-interrupters are repaired and maintained. In addition the folded part of the PCB can be bent due to the centrifugal force when a motor of a cleaner, for instance, is spinning fast at its high speed.

Rotor position detecting apparatus in switched reluctance motor


An electronic tag includes an electronic tag body. The electronic tag body includes a housing, a display screen configured to display information, and a sensor and a main controller that are disposed inside the housing. The sensor is configured to detect an ambient temperature of an environment in which the electronic tag body is located. The main controller is configured to shut off power supplied to the display screen in response to the ambient temperature detected by the sensor being beyond an operating temperature range of the display screen.

An electronic tag is a tag for updating and displaying the content of the tag through an electronic display device. At present, the electronic tags are widely used in indoor environments such as shopping malls and supermarkets. Compared with traditional sticking paper tags, the electronic tags are more and more popular owing to the advantages of easy replacement, environmental protection, and attractive appearance and the like.

Electronic tag and operation method thereof


A joint assembly provided to an end portion of antenna rod is placed between supporting portions of an antenna base. A click cylinder is then introduced into a hole of the supporting portion to engage recess and convex portions formed on a plate as an end surface of the click cylinder and an inner sursurface of the joint assembly, thereby generate click resistance. A coil spring is inserted into the click cylinder thereafter, then a bolt is introduced into the click cylinder through a washer. The bolt is screwed with a nut via a wave washer, a washer, and a spring washer.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-169227, filed Jun. 6, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pivottable connection configuration of a retractable roof mounted antenna, especially for an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional retractable automobile roof mounted antenna 10. FIG. 1 shows an antenna rod 11, an antenna base 12, a coaxial cable 13 extending from the bottom face of the antenna base, and a connecting plug 14 provided to the end portion of the coaxial cable 13 so as to connect the antenna with a tuner of the automobile on which the antenna is mounted.
As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna rod 11 has a retractable configuration that can be fixed at three positions, i.e., at 0xc2x0, 60xc2x0, and 180xc2x0 to the antenna base 12. The antenna rod 11 is configured such that a user can feel proper click resistance so as to firmly fix the antenna rod at respective positions.
FIG. 2 illustrates the specific structure for giving the click resistance to the roof mounted antenna shown in FIG. 1, especially to the pivottable connection member thereof.
The antenna rod 11 shown in FIG. 2 is provided at the proximal end portion with a cylindrical joint assembly 21 the axis direction of which is orthogonal to the axis direction of the antenna rod 11. The joint assembly 21 of the antenna rod 11 is engaged to the upper portion of the antenna base 12 so as to fix it to the antenna base by integrally fastening them with a bolt 22 or the like.
More specifically, one end portion (the left side portion shown in the illustration) of the joint assembly 21 has a terminal formed of a metal plate as a cover thereof. The terminal moves and contacts a terminal member 12b (described later) provided to the antenna base 12 so as to be electrically connected to the terminal member 12b. A coil spring 23 is to be introduced into an opening on the side of the other one end portion of the joint assembly 21 through a washer 24 in order to hold a click case assembly 25 in the joint assembly 21.
The upper portion of the antenna base 12 has a pair of banks so as to place the antenna base 12 therebetween. One of the banks (the right side portion shown in the illustration) has a hexagonal hole 12a in the wall thereof. Another one of the banks (the left side portion shown in the illustration) is formed as a terminal 12b having a hole formed in a size such that the bolt 22 can pass through it.
The joint assembly 21 is placed between the pair of the banks such that an O-ring 26 is held between the terminal 12b and the joint assembly 21. In this condition, the click case assembly 25 holding the spring 23 and the washer 24 therein is put into the joint assembly 21 from the outside of the hexagonal hole 12a. A bolt 22 having a hexagonal click plate 27 to penetrate it is introduced into the hexagonal hole 12a of the antenna base 12 from the outside to pass through the pair of the banks. The end tip of the bolt 22 projecting from the wall of the bank as the terminal 12b of the antenna base 12 is fastened with a nut 30 via a washer 28 and a spring washer 29 to fix it. By fabricating the components in this manner, the antenna rod 11 and the antenna base 12 can be integrally assembled.
The click case assembly 25 has recesses and convexes on the outer surface to be engaged with the recesses and convexes formed on the inner wall of the joint assembly 21. With this structure, the click case assembly is prevented from rotating in the circumferential direction.
In the same manner, the click plate 27 is also prevented by its own hexagonal shape from rotating in the circumferential direction, although it moves in the hexagonal hole 12a in the axis.
As shown in FIG. 3, the click case assembly 25 has a hole 251 formed by pressing in the central portion of the outer face of the bottom on which the click case assembly 25 contacts the click plate 27, such that the bolt 22 passes through it. A plate 25 having a pair of hemispherical convex portions 252 and 252 spaced apart by 180xc2x0 and opposing across the hole 251 is put into the bottom of the click assembly 25.
On the other hand, the click plate 27 contacting the plate 25a of the click case assembly 25, more precisely, comprises the hexagonal plate and a disk the circumference to inscribe the hexagonal circumference of the plate, which are integrally formed. To illustrate the more specific structure of the disk, the disk face contacting the click assembly 25 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in the drawing, the disk is made of a cut thick aluminum plate, i.e., so-called cutout. The disk has a hole 271 in the central portion so as to introduce the bolt 22, and two pairs of grooves 272 and 272, 273 and 273, respectively spaced apart by 180xc2x0 and opposing across the hole 271. The grooves 272 and 272 and the grooves 273 and 273 are shifted from each other by 60xc2x0 as a central angle on the hole 271 as a center.
With the above-mentioned structure, in contacting the plate 25a of the click case assembly 25 with the click plate 27, the convex portions 252 and 252 of the click case assembly 25 shift to either of the grooves 272 and 272 and the grooves 273 and 273 due to the rotation of the antenna rod 11. In this manner, the convex portions 252 and 252 of the click case assembly 25 are engaged with either of the grooves 272 and 272 and the grooves 273 and 273, to generate the click resistance.
By virtue of this structure, the contacting force between the plate 25a of the click case assembly 25 and the click plate 27, and the contacting force between the terminal 12b of the antenna base 12 and the joint assembly holding the O-ring 26 therebetween are adjusted by the elasticity of the coil spring 23 in accordance with the fastening force of the nut 30 fastening the bolt 22. The click torque and the electric connection between the terminals thus depend on the adjustment of the contacting forces.
With the above-mentioned pivottable connection configuration of the retractable roof mounted antenna 10, the click torque according to the elasticity of the coil spring 23 and the fastening force of the nut 30 is generated by engaging the convex portions 252 and 252 formed in the plate 25a of the click case assembly 25 and the grooves 272 and 272 and the grooves 273 and 273 in the click plate 27 fixed to the hexagonal hole 12a of the antenna base 12.
FIG. 4 shows the rear side of the joint assembly 21, which is not shown in FIG. 2. A terminal face 21a on which the joint assembly 21 contacts the terminal 12b has a plurality of, e.g., three hemispherical convex portions 211, 211, and 211 formed to strengthen the electric connection. The click torque is also generated between the hemispherical convex portions 211, 211, and 211 and the terminal 12b of the antenna base 12. The hemispherical convex portions 211, 211, and 211 frictionally contact and slides on the terminal 12b to connect with the terminal 12b. By this connection, the antenna signal obtained by the antenna rod 11 is transmitted to the coaxial cable 13 via the antenna base 12.
With this structure, however, the portion for generating the click torque and the portion for transmitting the antenna signal need to be formed in different manufacturing processes. Especially, the click plate 27 is formed by cutting, which increases the manufacturing cost thereof, and the manufacturing cost of the antenna will be increased.
Further, the terminal face 21a of the joint assembly 21 is pressed by the terminal 21b of the antenna base 21 by the elasticity of the coil spring 23, thereby frictionally slides on the terminal 21b of the antenna base 21 by the elasticity of the coil spring 23, and transmits the antenna signal. With this structure, the hemispherical convex portions 211, 211, and 211 formed in the terminal face 21a of the joint assembly 21 is pressed with strong force of the coil spring 23 on the terminal 12b.
The hemispherical convex portions 211, 211, and 211 thus will be easily worn by the clicks, and the lifetime of the hemispherical convex portions will be shortened extremely if the mounting angle of the antenna rod 11 is changed so frequently.
In addition to the problems mentioned above, the assembling process of the antenna is so complicated as shown in FIG. 2. In the assembling process, the click case assembly 25 into which the coil spring 23 is inserted needs to be introduced into the hexagonal hole 12a from the outside such that the convexes and recesses formed on the outer circumferential surface of the click case assembly 25 are engaged with the recesses and convexes formed on the inner circumferential surface of the joint assembly 21, and then the bolt 22 is inserted. Then, the bolt 22 penetrating the hexagonal click plate 27 is inserted such that the hexagonal click plate 27 is properly put into the hexagonal hole 12a till the end tip of the bolt 22 projects from the outer wall of the terminal 12b. Consequently, the structure mentioned above lowers the assembling efficiency so much.
The present invention is carried out to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pivottable connection configuration of a retractable roof mounted antenna by suppressing the increase of the manufacturing cost of the components, improving the assembling efficiency, and lengthening the lifetime of the antenna.
The pivottable connection configuration of a retractable roof mounted antenna, which has an antenna rod and an antenna base for rotatably supporting the antenna rod, according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a joint portion provided to one end portion of the antenna rod, the joint portion having a cylindrical member with a bottom and a rotation axis orthogonal to an axis of the antenna rod, the cylindrical member having a first and second surfaces perpendicular to the rotation axis, the first surface having one of recess and convex portions for generating click resistance, the second surface having a terminal surface electrically connected to the antenna rod; a pair of supporting portions comprising a first and second supporting portions formed in an upper portion of the antenna base so as to surface each other, the first supporting portion having a through hole, the second supporting portion having a terminal portion electrically connected to the terminal surface of the joint portion on an inner surface facing to the through hole; and a click cylinder having one of convex and recess portions to be engaged with the one of the recess and convex portions of the first surface of the cylindrical member.
It is preferable to further comprise a coil spring to be introduced into the click cylinder and a washer introduced into the through hole, and is preferable that the washer is engaged with the first supporting portion such that rotation on an a supporting axis of the first and second supporting portions is controlled.
It is preferable to further comprise a wave washer contacting an outer surface of the second supporting portion; a bolt passing through the members and the portions comprising the pivottable connection configuration; and a nut for screwing the bolt.
With this structure, click torque is generated between the inner surface of the bottom face of the joint assembly and the outer face of the bottom face of the click cylinder by virtue of the elasticity of the coil spring. In the same time, the outer face of the bottom of the joint assembly is frictionally contacted with the terminal portion on an inner face of another one of the supporting portion by virtue of the elasticity of the wave washer, and the electric connection for transmitting the antenna signal can be obtained thereby. With this structure, the portion for generating the click resistance and the portion for transmitting the antenna signal can be formed as an integral component, and thus all the metal components necessary for the structure of the present invention can be manufactured in a presswork or the like. With the result, the manufacturing cost of the components can be reduced so much.
Further, this structure need no conventional complicated assembling such that the coil spring must be pressingly held and the components are positioned to be penetrated by the bolt and then the bolt must be screwed with the nut. Accordingly, the assembling process can be considerably simplified in comparing with the structure of the conventional pivottable connection configuration, and thus the assembling efficiency can be remarkably improved.
In addition, since a member with low elasticity can be employed as the wave washer, the terminals can be electrically connected without so large click torque. Accordingly, the recess and convex portions for generating the click resistance can be prevented from being worn by large click torque, and thus the lifetime of the antenna can be lengthened even if the antenna rod is rotated so frequently.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Pivottable connection configuration of retractable roof mounted antenna


Apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments a showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate having a plurality of apertures; a holder having a wall, an radially inwardly extending flange extending from a lower portion of the wall and coupled to the gas distribution plate, and a radially outwardly extending flange extending from an upper portion of the wall, wherein the wall has a thickness between about 0.015 inches and about 0.2 inches; and a heating apparatus disposed above and spaced apart from the gas distribution plate, wherein the heating apparatus includes a heater configured to heat the gas distribution plate.

In some chemical vapor (CVD) processes, "capping" of a metallic layer may be desirable. Capping comprises forming a ceramic layer above a previously deposited metallic layer, in order to avoid oxidation of the metallic layer. For example, when a titanium (Ti) layer is deposited on a substrate, forming a titanium nitride (TiN) layer atop the Ti layer may be desirable to prevent oxidation of the underlying Ti layer. One method for forming the TiN layer is to use a nitrogen plasma to achieve nitridation of an upper portion of the Ti layer. However, the inventors have discovered that because the showerhead in the processing chamber does not reach a sufficiently high temperature, some precursor remains in the apertures of the showerhead after the capping. The remaining precursor in the showerhead contaminates the Ti layer formed on subsequent substrates processed in the chamber.
Therefore, the inventors have provided embodiments of improved showerhead assemblies and processing chambers incorporating same for processing of a substrate.

Substrate processing chamber having heated showerhead assembly


An automatic termination system for an end terminated bus especially useful with the SCSI bus. When utilized with a computer device, for example, a storage subsystem, configuration or reconfiguration of the bus can be automatically effectuated without concerns for inappropriate signal termination of the bus. The invention comprises a circuit which determines if any additional devices have been coupled to the bus and enables an active terminator chip if none is detected. Should another device be coupled onto the bus, the active terminator chip is automatically disabled.

The present invention relates, in general, to the field of computer bus signal termination systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic signal termination system for a computer bus of especial utility with daisy chain busses requiring end termination such as the small computer system interface (SCSI).
The SCSI bus is a parallel, multimaster input/output (I/O) bus which has become a de facto standard for interconnection of computers and peripheral devices since its adoption as an ANSI standard in 1986. SCSI (8-bit) can support up to eight devices (host adapters or peripheral controllers) although each device can have eight logical units, with each logical unit having 256 logical subunits. The SCSI bus can be either single ended, wherein each signal's logic level is determined relative to a common ground, or differential wherein the logic level is determined between pairs of conductors. SCSI-2, which evolved from the original SCSI specification, standardized the way bus terminators are powered, makes certain messages and command sets mandatory and provides for two optional enhancements to increase bus throughput, which are: fast SCSI (up to 10,000,000 byte transfers per second) and wide SCSI (16 or 32 bit wide data path). SCSI is, therefore, a robust and popular bus for the interconnection of computer host and peripheral devices.
The SCSI bus must, however, be terminated at both ends (and only at the ends) for proper operation. In fact, the SCSI-2 standard for single ended SCSI recommends active termination at both ends of every cable segment. Should the bus not be terminated properly, the devices coupled to the bus may either cease functioning properly, thereby introducing serious error problems, or cease functioning at all. Conversely, should the SCSI bus be "over" terminated, i.e. terminated at more places than the ends, signal reflections and other signal complications will likewise lead to high failure rates and errors.
As additional host adapters or peripheral controllers are added to an existing SCSI bus (or the buses are reconfigured), care must be exercised in properly configuring the bus terminators. Previously, termination has been effectuated by means of passive single inline package (SIP) resistor packages, loop back connectors or other relatively expensive terminator plugs. Thus, a knowledgeable technician must accurately access the bus configuration and terminate the bus ends properly as well as take care that such removable devices are not misplaced or lost if the configuration is changed.
Recently, active terminator devices have become available to ameliorate problems attendant misplaced or lost terminator plugs, SIP resistor packs or loop back connectors. Such active devices, as for example the UC 5601 small computer system interface active terminator available from Unitrode Integrated Circuits provide active termination for all 18 SCSI signal lines by resistive pull up to a 2.9 volt reference. A disconnect signal will also effectively remove the terminating resistors from the bus. Nevertheless, appropriate enablement or disablement of a given active terminator, as with the passive terminators, still requires a rather sophisticated degree of technical competence, ordinarily beyond the capacity of the average end user. The addition of a peripheral device to a previously configured bus is therefore, still too complex for a customer who must, of necessity, be schooled in what switch to throw or jumper connection to make to configure his system.
Certain SCSI computers from Apple Computers, Inc., for example the McIntosh SE, have nevertheless had power supplies too weak to power a terminator thereby still requiring the addition of one or two external terminators when connecting SCSI devices. The instructions for adding the external terminators fill a few pages of the relevant manuals.
The existing passive and active termination techniques have, therefore, relegated the task of properly terminating the SCSI bus to only those with sufficient training and knowledge. Even for those with the requisite skills the task nevertheless remains time consuming and tedious.

Automatic signal termination system for a computer bus


The invention relates generally to nail strips that may be adhered to human finger and toe nails. The strips are provided in the form of a sheet having a plurality of cutout strips in the general shape of a nail which may be peeled from the sheet. The nail strips may be decorated by printing user-created or selected designs using a home printer. The size and/or shape of the nail strips may be adjusted by selecting and detaching an appropriate perforated edge from the sheet backing.

The foregoing discussion is presented solely to provide a better understanding of nature of the problems confronting the art and should not be construed in any way as an admission as to prior art nor should the citation of any reference herein be construed as an admission that such reference constitutes "prior art" to the instant application.
When fingernails or toenails are coated with liquid nail polish, the liquid polish is dried by exposure to the air. While the polish on the nail is left to dry, the nails must not come into contact with any object, or else the nail coat becomes smudged or smeared. The problem of waiting for the polish to dry is accentuated for manicuring or pedicuring with ornamental design because the treatment typically requires at least two steps. A first coat of liquid nail polish is applied to the nails and must dry before the application of any design elements. Likewise, in the case of applying a design via a liquid nail polish, the design elements must also dry before the nail can be used. Such nail treatment clearly requires a great deal of time for the necessary drying.
These problems have been somewhat dissipated by the use of a semi-solid form, or finger strip, nail coat techniques. A finger enamel layer that can be adhesively secured to the nail substantially reduces the time involved to coat or polish the nail. Further, this technique eliminates the accidental contact between the liquefied nail polish and the user's skin.
Nail enamel strips are known in which a pliable nail enamel film is peelably or detachably provided on a substrate. The human nail-shaped pliable nail enamel film has an adhesive layer and one or more nail enamel layers, for example, a top coat layer and a base coat layer. Each enamel layer may have different ingredients depending where the layer is positioned, such as a top layer or a base layer. Other such films have a single nail enamel layer. These nail enamel strips are sealed in an airtight envelope or package to maintain the pliability of the nail enamel film. The package is opened when it is desired to use the product. The nail enamel film is peeled from the substrate and then placed by the user onto a nail. The nail enamel film is sufficiently pliable that it can conform to the contours of a user's nail. After application of the nail enamel film to the user's nail, the nail enamel film is allowed to dry in air to allow residual solvent to evaporate.
Self-adhesive nail enamel strips for fingernails and toenails are also known that have a cross-linked nail enamel layer to provide long-lasting wear and a shiny appearance, without the need of ultraviolet (UV) light curing and, thus, professional assistance. That is, the nail enamel strips include a layer that has a pre-cured, cross-linked polymer as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,586,164, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The pre-packaged nail enamel strips typically come pre-designed on some form of a transfer sheet, wherein the user must select the design from the sheet and apply it to the fingernail or toenail. Although the pre-packaged nail enamel strips offer convenience and some flexibility to the user in terms of design selection, there exists a need for a fully customizable nail enamel strip. The present invention offers an opportunity for the user to create a design, in addition to selecting a design from a virtually limitless library, and to print the selected design onto a sheet of releasable nail enamel strips on a conventional home printer prior to application.
A nail print apparatus, as disclosed in U.S. Publications No. 2013/0247929 and 2013/0242019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, is also known in the art. A print head prints a nail design directly onto a nail of a finger inserted into the apparatus. Such an apparatus is not suited for home use. The advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the ability to completely customize and design images at the user's convenience (e.g., without traveling to a nail salon) and print the images using a conventional home printer.
WIPO Publication No. WO2000/010149, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a computer game in which a hand with fingernails is displayed on the computer screen and a user selects a color and/or design from selectable icons to apply to the fingernails. The user then has the option of printing the nail images upon a laminated sheet containing a plurality of nail color cutouts. That publication is limited in the applicability of the system at least because it is a children's game and there is no recognition of user-created fully customizable nail strips. The WO2000/010149 publication does not describe strips of multiple sizes or any system for printing on nail strips of varying size.
Moreover, because nail size varies from person to person, it is impossible to design a single nail enamel strip that will universally or nearly universally fit every nail. To address this problem, conventional pre-packaged nail enamel strips are provided in a variety of sizes for each nail. The obvious problem with this approach is the increased expense involved and the larger packaging required for providing multiple nail strips for each fingernail. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a single sheet of printable nail strips that are adjustable in size, vertically and/or horizontally, to fit virtually any user. It would also be desirable to provide a computer-implemented system for printing on different size nail strips wherein software is configured to receive an identifier which uniquely identifies sheet of nail strips and instructs a home printer to adjust the print area depending on the size of the nail strip.


Methods and systems are provided for updating and recovering firmware within computers over a distributed network. While a computer is in an operating system independent state, a determination is made as to whether the firmware within the computer is valid. The firmware may be the BIOS for the computer. If it is determined that the current firmware is invalid, a recovery request is sent to a manager computer monitoring for recovery requests. The manager computer sends a new firmware image over the network to the computer. The invalid firmware is then updated with the new firmware image. An instruction to update the firmware of the computer may also be sent from a manager computer to computers monitoring for instructions. When the instruction is received, the computer transitions to an operating system independent recovery state, receives a new firmware image over the network, and updates with the new firmware image.

Reducing the time and labor of update or recovery operations on server and/or client computers is an ongoing objective of network administrators and computer system manufacturers. In many modern computer systems, the firmware, such as the basic input/output system ("BIOS"), is stored as groups of memory blocks in one or more re-programmable memory devices. These re-programmable memory devices, typically known as "flash" parts, are a type of non-volatile random access memory ("NVRAM") that allows the firmware BIOS to be recovered or updated by using software to erase and program each flash part.
Previous methods for maintaining and recovering firmware stored on the flash memory of a computer system require a video display and input device connected to the computer to be updated and direct contact with the computer to be updated through the display and input device. In one method, the firmware in previous systems is recovered by utilizing an application program that utilizes files containing the updated firmware stored on a local device or available through a serial port connection. In the alternative, a BIOS image recovery update may occur in previous systems through a program provided within the BIOS. While both of these methods for updating and recovering the firmware of a computer system work well when a display and/or keyboard are available and when physical access to the computer may be had, headless computers and server computers within server farms are usually without a console and are remotely operated.
Removing the need to physically operate each computer in preparation to execute an emergency or routine recovery procedure for an image of the firmware is especially critical for headless or remote computers that need updating without utilizing a display, keyboard, or floppy drive. For instance, manually providing a new BIOS recovery image for each computer in a server farm can take an excessive amount of time and administrative labor. Furthermore, updates that occur on various network attached computers having various operating systems become even more complex, potentially requiring a different update procedure for each computer depending on the computer's operating system manufacturer or version.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for updating and recovering firmware within a computing device over a distributed network


A method for discriminating between live and dead microbes in a sample, by discriminating between transcriptionally-active and inert microbial nucleic acid sequences in the sample. In particular, the method is based on the comparison of levels of nucleotide substitution in a sample cultured in presence of an RNA-labelling agent. Also, a diagnosis method of microbial infections in a subject; and methods of assessing the risk of contamination of a sample, implementing the method for discriminating between live and dead microbes in a sample.

The ability to detect viruses in cells, and more generally, microbes, has numerous applications in the field of diagnosis, where it proves useful in the identification of infectious agents leading, e.g., to diseases; in biomedical research, where it conditions the interpretation of experimental results; or in the safety evaluation of potentially contaminated samples; or the viability of microorganisms used in biotechnological process.
Beyond the now standard technique of detection relying on the amplification of microorganism-specific nucleic acid sequences, several techniques have emerged to circumvent the major limitation of techniques based solely on amplification, which is the inability to distinguish between dead microorganisms from active (or replicative) microorganisms, including latent viruses. In the context of screening a biological sample, the ability to establish this distinction is crucial as the presence of an active microbial agent may have consequences different from those associated with the presence of dead and/or inactive microbes, in particular viruses.
These techniques can be based on the detection of sequences specific to the replicating viruses: the presence of RNAs in the case of DNA viruses, the stoichiometry of positive-relative to negative-sense RNAs in the case of negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, the presence of negative-sense RNAs (antigenome) in the case of positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses and the presence of DNA and positive-sense spliced RNA in the case of retroviruses. These techniques are based on the amplification of reverse-complement strand such as, e.g., RT-PCR, or on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq, also called whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing) with high-throughput sequencing methods, particularly stranded RNA-seq techniques.
The current techniques still have several limitations: first and foremost, the current techniques do not permit the distinction between contaminating RNAs, such as replication intermediates present independently of the presence of active microbes—such as active viral particles—in the sample, and RNAs associated with the presence of replicating microbes, such as viruses, in the sample. The efficiency of such techniques in the detection of replicating double-stranded RNA viruses still awaits demonstration. In the case of positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, the small number of negative-sense RNA species produced hinders sensitivity of the detection technique available. In the case of negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, distinction between positive-strand antigenome and specific transcripts is difficult and require a virus species-specific bioinformatics analysis.
Another characteristic of the RNA species associated with the presence of replicating viruses (and more globally, replicating microbes) is that they are, contrary to potential contaminating RNAs, in the process of being synthetized (i.e., in the host cell in the case of viruses; or directly within the bacteria, fungus or else, in the case of other microbes). Several techniques to label and purify nascent transcript (also referred to as RNA metabolic labelling techniques) have been described. For instance, the incorporation of 4-thiouridine (4sU) or other type of uridine analogs (BudR) has been used to purify nascent eukaryotic mRNAs transcripts and/or investigate the dynamics of transcriptional networks (Herzog et al., 2017. Nat Methods. 14(12):1198-1204; Tani et al., 2012. RNA Biol. 9(10):1233-8).
Here, the Inventors have designed, optimized and validated a method for the detection of virus-infected cells, including by new viral strain/species, relying on the detection of viral RNA synthesis inside the cells of a biological sample using metabolic labelling. The Inventors have further shown herein that this method is also readily implementable to the detection of any transcriptionally-active microbe, when relying on the detection of microbial RNA synthesis in a sample using metabolic labelling. These include, e.g., the detection of viral, bacterial, archaeal, fungal or protozoal infections or contaminations by living microorganisms and differentiation from carryover of dead microorganisms.

Method for discriminating between live and dead microbes in a sample


An apparatus for optically coupling light between optical transmission components is provided. The apparatus includes first and second optical transmission components wherein the first optical transmission component includes a planar optical waveguide, a grating coupler, and a transparent substrate and the second optical transmission component includes an optical fiber. Preferably, the planar optical waveguide includes silicon and the transparent substrate includes glass. Methods for coupling light between optical transmission components are also provided.

The disclosure relates generally to optical coupling between a planar optical waveguide and an optical fiber, and particularly to optical coupling between a planar optical waveguide on a transparent substrate and an angle cleaved optical fiber using a grating coupler where the optical fiber axis is generally parallel to the substrate plane.
Low-cost optical links for short distance applications (<1 km) often employ multimode optical fiber for relaxed alignment tolerances to sources and detectors. The large size of the multimode fiber core makes the optical interconnections highly tolerant of lateral, angular and axial misalignments with respect to commonly used Fabry-Perot or VCSEL laser sources and broad area detectors. This approach is well-suited for low to moderate data rate applications where link signaling is carried out using a single optical wavelength.
When higher link bandwidth performance is required, it is desirable to multiplex multiple signals on a single optical fiber using WDM (wavelength division multiplexing). This approach is appropriate both in short link applications to avoid length-bandwidth limitations inherent to multimode fibers, as well as in longer link applications that employ single mode fiber. In these cases, wavelength multiplex (MUX) and wavelength demultiplex (DEMUX) operations are generally required at source and receiver ends of the link, respectively.
Planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) are well-suited for carrying out optical MUX and DEMUX operations. High index contrast waveguides enable implementation of tight waveguide bends with low optical loss. This allows fabrication of compact MUX and DEMUX devices on small chips, reducing chip cost and reducing overall package size. For example, MUX and DEMUX operations may be carried out using IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) ring resonator filter devices that are easily tuned to operate on specific wavelengths. Other devices, such as switches, modulators and power splitters may also be implemented using PLCs, extending the platform to other link and network applications.
While it is relatively straightforward to butt couple a multimode fiber to a high index contrast PLC waveguide at the chip edge, this interconnection is not always practical or desirable because it requires the coupling to occur at the edge of the chip, which creates a constraint on the layout of the PLC, and it places limitations on making the chip hermetically sealed. The lensed multimode fibers and single-mode fibers generally used in this application require precision alignment for low-loss coupling to PLC waveguides.
One approach for fiber coupling into PLC waveguides involves grating coupler devices. The grating coupler is typically implemented a broad taper shape to capture light incident on the coupler from an optical fiber and guide it along a PLC waveguide. The optical fiber is typically arranged to be generally normal or perpendicular to the PLC substrate. The same device can operate in reverse to launch light from a PLC waveguide into an optical fiber.

Planar waveguide and optical fiber coupling


The process comprises the operations of: effecting heating of a predetermined quantity of water/alcohol solution until it partly or completely evaporates, detecting the change in its temperature over time during heating and evaporation of the said quantity of solution, and, determining the total energy necessary to bring about partial or complete evaporation of the said quantity of solution, or the time necessary for partial or complete evaporation, or the integral of that temperature over time during partial or complete evaporation, the value of each of these quantities being indicative of the alcohol concentration by volume in the water/alcohol solution.

This invention relates to a process and equipment for determining the alcoholic strength (alcohol concentration by volume) of an alcoholic beverage and water/alcohol solutions in general.
Various parties have an interest in determining the alcoholic strength of water/alcohol solutions.
Manufacturers of such beverages contract for the price of the materials from which they obtain distillates on the basis of alcoholic strength, for example the alcoholic strength of the wine used to produce brandy or the beer used to produce whisky. In addition to this, alcoholic strength is an important parameter in the process in distilleries, as the thermodynamic equilibria in the distillation columns are linked to it.
Also final consumers have a right to know the percentage of alcohol present in the drinks which they are purchasing.
Historically the first instrument for the measurement of alcoholic strength in a water/alcohol solution was Baumé's areometer, which was conceived in 1770. Two centuries later Baumé's areometer is still the most widely used instrument, particularly for measuring the alcoholic strength of distillates.
Baumé's areometer is nothing other than a density meter, in that the principle of its operation is based on the density of the water/alcohol solution being analysed. Water and ethyl alcohol have different densities, specifically 0.998 kg/l for water and 0.789 kg/l for alcohol at 20° C., and their mixtures therefore have densities lying between these two values.
Areometers are direct reading devices and comprise a graduated tube, generally of glass, ballasted in such a way that it adopts a vertical position of stable equilibrium when immersed in a liquid. The hydrostatic thrust (Archimedes thrust) from the water/alcohol mixture against the instrument determines the point at which the graduated tube emerges, directly indicating the alcoholic strength of the solution. This thrust is proportional to the volume of liquid occupied by the immersed body, multiplied by the density of the liquid itself. In order to obtain a direct reading the instrument must be calibrated against a graph relating density with alcohol concentration which (in the case of ethyl alcohol) has the shape shown in FIG. 1 of the appended drawings. As will be seen in that figure, the change in the density of a water/alcohol solution is one which regularly decreases, but is not linear in relation to concentration.
This constitutes a limitation for areometers. In order to overcome these problems precision areometers have a graduated scale restricted to between two not too distant values of alcoholic strength. In order to be able to make measurements throughout the range of values it is therefore necessary to have a set of areometers, each of which is intended for a particular specific range of alcoholic strength. Furthermore, as is the case with almost all substances, density changes in relation to temperature. In the- case of areometers this parameter constitutes a third variable which has to be taken into account. Normally areometers are calibrated at 20° C. and use must be made of adjustment tables, generally provided by the same manufacturer, for all temperature values differing from that reference value.
One form of development of areometers is represented by hydrostatic balance devices. These also determine the density of the liquid by measuring the hydrostatic thrust which the liquid exerts on an immersed glass bulb. This bulb, which contains a capillary thermometer within it, is hooked onto a precision balance through a metal wire. The density of the liquid can be obtained by reading the value of the hydrostatic thrust from the balance, allowing for temperature through suitable conversion tables.
Hydrostatic balance devices are very much more accurate instruments than areometers, but they are also more cumbersome and costly. They require a very stable supporting bench which is not subject to vibration of any kind. These are therefore items of equipment which are intended almost exclusively for laboratory use.
A further instrument which can be used to determine the alcoholic strength of a solution is a pycnometer, which comprises a small glass ampoule provided with a neck and a ground cap with a capillary hole. Using this instrument it is possible to take precisely known and identical volumes of distilled water and the solution whose density is to be determined. Through simple weighings carried out at a particular constant temperature using a precision analytical balance the weight of the empty pycnometer, the weight of the distilled water and the weight of the pycnometer with the solution under test are determined. The relative density of the solution under investigation, that is the density in relation to that of water, can then be calculated using a simple formula.
Around 1850, approximately one century after the invention of the Baumé areometer, another instrument to determine the alcoholic strength of a solution appeared—the Malligand ebulliometer or ebullioscope. This instrument makes use of the property that water/alcohol mixtures have different boiling points depending on the quantity of alcohol which they contain.
The Malligand ebulliometer comprises a metal boiler connected beneath to an annular tube which is inclined and welded to a small chimney beneath which a heating lamp is positioned. This annular tube makes it possible for the liquid present in the boiler to be heated by thermal siphoning. The boiler is closed with a screwed lid provided with holes and has a metal arm bent into a right angle. A thermometer passes through the central hole in the lid and its bulb dips into the boiler while its capillary, which is also bent into a right angle, is housed horizontally in a metal arm, against a graduated scale. A cooling unit, whose function is to cause condensation of the alcoholic vapours to prevent any change in concentration of the solution altering the boiling point, is housed in the side hole of the cover.
When making measurements the ebulliometer is filled with the solution under investigation, the lid is screwed on and the cooling device filled with water is fitted. Heating then begins and the maximum temperature reached is read off. This coincides with a graduation on the alcoholometric scale, which provides the alcoholic strength directly.
Alcoholic beverages obtained by distillation, like brandies, can be regarded as pure water/alcohol solutions from the physical point of view, that is they comprise a mixture of water and ethyl alcohol. All the other components, although important from the organoleptic point of view, are present in quantities which are too small for them to have an influence on the measurement of alcoholic strength.
In the case of drinks with a low alcohol content, like wines, the presence of other components like tannins, acids, etc., may result in incorrect measurement of the alcoholic strength when densitometric methods are used. In such circumstances the Malligand ebulliometer offers considerable advantages. In fact this instrument measures the boiling point of the solution under investigation and this measurement is more accurate the lower the alcoholic strength. FIG. 2 in the appended drawings shows the binary phase diagram for water/ethanol. The lower curve A, also known as the liquidus curve, represents the boiling points of the mixture; the upper curve B instead shows the composition of the vapour in equilibrium with the boiling liquid. It will be noted that boiling curve A has a much greater slope for low alcohol concentrations. For this reason the Malligand ebulliometer provides better accuracy up to alcohol concentrations of 20%.
Measurements made using a Malligand ebulliometer are approximate, but have the advantage of being quick to obtain. This instrument cannot however be used with solutions containing sugars, like liqueur wines, or carbon dioxide, like sparkling wines, because these substances have an appreciable effect on the boiling point. In these cases it is first necessary to perform a distillation of the beverage to purify it from the undesired substances and then measure the alcoholic strength.

Process and equipment for determining the alcoholic strength of a water/alcohol solution


A magnetic recording/reproducing device has an inductive write element provided with a coil and magnetic cores for recording information on a medium, a magnetoresistive read element for transducing a change in a magnetic field leaking from a medium, on which information is recorded, into an electrical signal, a detector for detecting an output signal of the read element, a bias field applying unit for applying a bias field to the read element, and a recording/reproducing operation controller for reproducing information based on an output signal from the read element and for controlling the recording current applying unit based on an inputted signal to record information. The recording/reproducing operation control unit has a stabilizing unit for controlling the bias field applying unit to make an absolute value of the bias field in a state where a magnetic field leaking from the medium is applied to the read element larger than that during a normal reproducing operation.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing device equipped with an anisotropic magnetoresistive read head or a giant magnetoresistive read head, and more particularly to a device for suppressing errors due to fluctuations in read waveform during reproduction.
A magnetic recording/reproducing device generally comprises a medium for magnetically recording information, a write element for recording information on the medium, a read element for transducing changes in a magnetic field leaking from the medium into electrical signals, means for detecting output signals of the read element, means for controlling recording/reproducing operations, and positioning means for positioning the write and read elements relative to the medium. Known media include disk-like ones and tape-like ones, and disk-like media are classified into a type previously incorporated in a device and a replaceable type.
The write element and the read element are often integrally formed into a laminate so as to be used as a read/write composite head. In a magnetic disk device, which is a form of magnetic recording/reproducing device, a single or a plurality of read/write heads are moved above a desired track or tracks on a single or a plurality of disks to record information on the disk(s) or to reproduce information from the disk(s). As a positioning mechanism for the read/write heads, a rotary actuator using a voice coil motor is widely employed. The rotary actuator is a mechanism which has a rotating shaft outside the disks and rotates read/write heads mounted at the tip thereof above the disks to move the heads to desired positions.
For a write element, in turn, an inductive element having a coil for generating flux and a pair of magnetic cores for collecting the flux is mainly employed. The inductive write element performs a recording operation by passing a pulse-like recording current through the coil to apply a medium with a magnetic field generated by the write element. Employed for a read element is a magnetoresistive (MR) element which has a magnetoresistive layer and a pair of leads electrically bonded to the MR layer. The MR element may be generally classified into an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) element applying the conventionally known AMR effect and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) element applying a GMR effect. One type of GMR element is a spin valve head which is disclosed, for example, in JP-A-4-358310, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,590. While no head employing a GMR element has been manufactured at present, studies on the GMR element have been advanced as an element of the next and subsequent generations because of its higher sensitivity than a head employing an AMR element.
As is well known in the art, the AMR element has an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) layer which changes its electrical resistance by the action of a magnetic field, wherein a change in voltage is derived as an output signal when a constant current is applied to the AMR layer, while a change in current is derived as an output signal when a constant voltage is applied to the same. Although the AMR layer changes its electrical resistance, a resistance of the MR film is not in a proportional relationship with the applied field. Thus, for improving the linearity of the relationship between the applied magnetic field and an output signal of the AMR element, the AMR element often has a structure including a soft adjacent layer (SAL) or an electrically conductive bias layer laminated near the AMR layer. The SAL is magnetized by receiving a magnetic field generated by a bias current flowing through the AMR layer, and has a function of applying the AMR layer with a magnetic field generated by the magnetization as a bias field. The electrically conductive bias layer generates a magnetic field when applied with a bias current flowing therethrough, and has a function of applying the AMR layer with this magnetic field as a bias field. In either of the structures, a bias current is passed through the AMR element to apply the AMR layer with a bias field such that the AMR element can utilize a highly linear portion of the AMR layer characteristic.
The GMR element, on the other hand, has laminated GMR layers composed of a first ferromagnetic layer which changes a magnetization direction due to a magnetic field leaking from a medium, a second ferromagnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction, and a non-magnetic conductor layer inserted between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer. The GMR element changes its electrical resistance in response to a change in the angle between the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer and the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer. The second ferromagnetic layer is often laminated on/under an antiferromagnetic layer or a permanent magnet layer for fixing the magnetization thereof. The GMR element typically exhibits the best linearity when the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer is orthogonal to the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer. As is the case of the AMR element, a reproduced signal from the GMR element is detected by applying a constant current or a constant voltage current to the element, In this event, a portion of the detecting current flows through the non-magnetic conductor layer, the second ferromagnetic layer, and the antiferromagnetic layer or the permanent magnet layer for fixing the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer to generate a magnetic field which is applied to the first ferromagnetic layer as a bias field. Thus, the bias field causes the first ferromagnetic layer to change the magnetization direction. As described above, while the AMR element and the GMR element operate according to different principles, they have a common basis in that a bias current (which in many cases serves as a detecting current) flowing through the MR layer during a reproducing operation generates a bias field which is applied to the MR layer to rotate the magnetization of the MR layer.
In addition, the respective magnetic layers of the respective MR elements, particularly, the AMR layer and the SAL constituting the AMR element and the first ferromagnetic layer constituting the GMR element are desirably held in a single domain state in order to suppress magnetic noise and ensure the linearity between an applied magnetic field and an output signal. As known techniques for realizing this state, there is an approach which employs a domain control layer comprising a permanent magnet or laminated layers composed of a soft magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer arranged at both end portions of each MR element in a track direction such that a magnetic field generated by the domain control layer is utilized to induce the single domain state. Also known is an approach in which an antiferromagnetic layer is directly laminated on both end regions of an AMR layer of an AMR element or of a first ferromagnetic layer of a GMR element to hold these regions in a single domain to induce a detecting portion positioned in a central region of the AMR layer or the first ferromagnetic layer (a region sandwiched by a pair of leads for transducing a change in magnetic field into an electrical signal) into a single domain state.

Magnetic recording/reproducing device with a function of correcting waveform of magnetoresistive-effect head


Anti-angiogenic adenovirus vectors, and therapeutic use thereof are provided, and more particularly, but not exclusively, clinical protocols for treatment of solid tumors in patients with an Ad5-PPE-1-3X-fas-chimera adenovirus vector.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to anti-angiogenic adenovirus vectors, and therapeutic use thereof, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to clinical protocols for treatment of solid tumors in patients with an Ad5-PPE-1-3X-fas-chimera adenovirus vector.
Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessel formation by sprouting from pre-existing neighboring vessels. This process is common and major feature of several pathologies. Among these are diseases in which excessive angiogenesis is a part of the pathology and thus is a target of therapy, most significantly, cancer. Angiogenesis occurs in tumors and permits their growth, invasion and metastatic proliferation. In 1971, Folkman proposed that tumor growth and metastases are angiogenesis dependent, and suggested that inhibiting angiogenesis may be a strategy to arrest tumor growth.
There are several molecules involved in angiogenesis, from cell surface molecules to transcription factors to growth factors. Hypoxia is an important environmental factor that leads to neovascularization, inducing release of several pro-angiogenic cytokines, including vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and their receptors, members of the angiopoietin family, basic fibroblast growth factor, and endothelin-1 (ET-1). These factors mediate induction of angiogenesis through control of activation, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells.
Recombinant forms of endogenous inhibitors of angiogenesis have been tested for the treatment of cancer, however the potential pharmacokinetic, biotechnological and economic drawbacks of chronic delivery of these recombinant inhibitors have led scientists to develop other approaches. The development of the anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab has validated anti-angiogenic targeting as a complementary therapeutic modality to chemotherapy. Several small molecule inhibitors, including second-generation multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have also shown promise as antiangiogenic agents for cancer.
The drawbacks of chronic delivery of recombinant inhibitors, antibodies, and small molecules, as well as the limited activity manifested when these drugs are administered as monotherapy have led to the development of anti-angiogenic gene therapies. Gene therapy is an emerging modality for treating inherited and acquired human diseases. However, a number of obstacles have impeded development of successful gene therapy, including duration of expression, induction of the immune response, cytotoxicity of the vectors and tissue specificity.
Two general strategies for anti-cancer gene therapy have proposed: tumor directed or systemic gene therapy. The lack of success in targeting gene therapy products to cancerous cells or their environment by systemic treatments, and the danger of significant anti-drug or anti-vector immunity has caused most therapies to be administered to the tumor itself, despite the advantages of systemic administration. "Adenoviral vaccines", designed to induce immunity to a recombinant antigen or epitope expressed in the patient's body, have been tried but produce mostly disappointing results. Thus, elaborate, potentially dangerous and costly strategies for eluding pathological host immune responses to systemic and repeated administration of therapeutic recombinant adenoviral vectors have been proposed, including immunosuppression, oral tolerization to vector antigens and genetic modification of the vectors (see Bangari et al, Current Gene Therapy 2006; 6: 215-226).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,340 teaches use of a murine endothelial cell-specific promoter which shows selectivity towards angiogenic cells, and therapeutic applications thereof.
International Application WO/2008/132729 discloses a non-replicating adenovirus vector (Ad5, E1 deleted), containing a modified murine pre-proendothelin promoter (PPE-1-3X) and a fas-chimera transgene [Fas and human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor] which has been developed, in which the modified murine promoter (PPE-1-3X), is able to restrict expression of the fas chimera transgene to angiogenic blood vessels, leading to targeted apoptosis of these vessels.
Endothelial-specific gene therapy with the PPE-1-3X promoter does not increase the specificity of viral interactions with the host (e.g. transfection) but restricts the expression of the transgene to those tissues that endogenously recognize the modified promoter—angiogenic endothelial cells. The chimeric receptor can trigger the Fas pathway by binding TNFα, which is less toxic in non-tumoral tissues than using the Fas/Fas ligand mechanism, which is highly expressed in non-tumoral normal tissues such as the liver. Further, TNFα was found to be abundant in the microenvironment of tumors adding to the specificity of the transgene activity in the tumor and its surroundings.
Preliminary studies have shown that a single systemic injection of a PPE-1-3X-fas chimera results in transgene expression restricted to the tumor-bearing organ, causing tumor growth retardation, necrosis of the blood vessels in the metastatic tumor mass and reduction in tumor burden in B16 melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma mice models.
However, an effective procedure for administration of a therapeutic amount of a recombinant anti-angiogenic adenovirus vector in the clinical setting is still lacking. As such, there is a great need for defining the parameters of clinically viable protocols for anti-angiogenic-adenoviral treatment of conditions associated with neovascularization, such as cancer, without the disadvantages of the current methods as described herein.

Methods for use of a specific anti-angiogenic adenoviral agent


A method of integrating slider/head assemblies with silicon chips. The method facilitates the integration of silicon chips containing desirable circuits such as electrostatic discharge protection with slider/head designs such that the slider/head design may be selected independently of the type of silicon chip as long as compatible dimensions are used for each. First a bar of N slider/head assemblies is formed. A bar of N silicon chips is formed and then coupled to the bar of N slider/head assemblies to form an integrated bar of N slider/head/silicon chip units. Leads between the silicon chips and the slider/head assemblies are established. Finally, the integrated bar of N slider/head/silicon chip units is diced into N individual slider/head/silicon chip units. The method also includes the step of lapping the bar of N slider/head assemblies to form magnetic head air bearing surfaces and machining the bar of N slider/head assemblies to decrease the weight of the N slider/head assemblies.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a method of manufacturing thin film electromagnetic flying head assemblies, and more particularly, to a method of integrating or combining a magnetic head/slider assembly with a silicon chip.
2. Description of Related Art
Disk drive systems are widely used to store data and software for computer systems. A disk drive system generally includes a disk storage media mounted on a spindle such that the disk can rotate thereby permitting an electromagnetic head mounted on a movable arm to read and write information thereon. Data read/write operations are performed by positioning the head to a selected radial position on the surface of the rotating disk. There the head reads or writes data in the form of magnetized regions on the platter coating.
The electromagnetic head for a disk drive system is usually mounted in a carrier called a "slider." The slider serves to support the head and any electrical connections between the head and the rest of the disk drive system. The slider maintains a uniform distance from the surface of the rotating disk to prevent the head from undesirably contacting the disk. This is accomplished by incorporating aerodynamic features into the slider that causes the slider to glide above the disk surface over the moving air.
Computer users constantly hunger for more and more data-storage capacity. Thus, disk drive makers are forever trying to increase the storage capacity of their products. In the process, they are also constantly trying to minimize the actual, physical size of those drives. The accomplishment of these goals requires both shrinking the spacing of the tracks so that more data can fit on a disk and squeezing bits more closely together on the tracks. Thus, disk drive manufacturers must develop heads that are narrower or that record narrower tracks.
Another very important parameter is the height at which the head flies above the surface of the platter. The magnetic field pattern around the gap in the head spreads and weakens very rapidly with distance away from the gap. Because the relevant distance is from the gap to the magnetizable platter coating, the design must include both the air gap (the actual height at which the head flies above the upper surface of the platter) and the thickness of any protective or lubricating overcoating that may have been applied to the platter. Thus, disk drive manufacturers must develop ways of minimizing the height at which the head flies above the disk surface while providing cost effective manufacturing techniques.
Still further, the air bearing surface area is proportional to slider flying height. In order to reduce the head/disk spacing, slider air bearing surface geometry and magnetic head features must therefore become smaller and more intricate. As the nominal head/disk spacing requirements shrink for each new product, air bearing rail and/or pad surface areas and magnetic head assemblies must also become smaller.
As the overall slider dimensions are reduced from nano to pico sizes and smaller to facilitate cost and productivity gains, the slider air bearing surface (ABS) and magnetic head features must also be proportionately scaled. This reduction in slider/head dimensions also increases the need to provide electrostatic protection to the magnetic head.
For example, a magnetic head may be disposed on a titanium carbide ceramic slider body of the dimensions of typically 2.5 mm by 1.7 mm and 0.425 mm thick. On the trailing edge of the magnetic head a magnetic sensor is formed on the edge. This sensor is attached to two gold pads. The magnetic sensor is approximately 2 microns long by 1 micron wide and formed using a 200 Angstrom thin film. This surface is coated with alumina insulator that is 2000 Angstroms thick followed by a permalloy shield made of nickel and iron. The resistance of the magneto-resistive (MR) head is approximately 50 ohms with the resistance of the leads to the gold pads being 10 ohms. Each of these critical elements of a magnetic head becomes more susceptible to destruction by electrostatic discharge as the dimensions are reduced. Nevertheless, any electrostatic discharge protection may be common to a variety of magnetic head designs. However, designing electrostatic discharge protection to each head design would significantly add cost to the head designs. Accordingly, disk drive manufacturers must search for ways to improve the fabrication of magnetic heads.
One example of the fabrication of a thin film head/slider combination is U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,613, issued Mar. 17, 1992, to Hussinger et al., entitled "THIN FILM HEAD SLIDER FABRICATION PROCESS", incorporated herein by reference, which discloses fabricating a head assembly from a bar on which electromagnetic devices are provided as a single row and with like orientation. The bar is integral along a second surface with an adjacent substrate portion. The bar is anchored to a fixture. Head assemblies are formed along the bar where immediately thereafter the individual head assemblies are separated. Then, the surface of the electromagnetic devices are exposed and processed. Finally, the exposed surface is lapped and ground until a desired throat height of the poles and a desired contour of the bar are obtained.
Another method of fabricating thin film head/slider combination is U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,229, issued Jun. 8, 1982, to Michael L. Ellenberger, entitled "METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THIN FILM MAGNETIC HEAD/SLIDER COMBINATION", incorporated herein by reference, which discloses depositing transducers onto a substrate member adjacent a finished and lapped surface in a manner such that no further lapping of the slider rail adjacent the transducer is required. The method includes forming recesses on the substrate member to define slider rails and then forming air bearing surfaces on each rail.
While each of the above patents disclose methods for consolidating an air bearing slider with a magnetic head, the integration of a magnetic head assembly with electrostatic protection and additional circuitry is not provided.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a need for providing a method of combining a magnetic head assembly with a silicon chip containing additional circuitry such as electrostatic discharge protection circuitry, signal processing circuitry or memory circuits.
It can also be seen that there is a need for integrating a silicon chip providing electrostatic protection and other required circuitry with a magnetic head assembly.

Magnetic head/silicon chip integration method

International Business Machines Corporation


A pet identification and retrieval device is disclosed, designed to provide information regarding lost pets to individuals who find the pet, and is of compact design, consisting of a front half enclosure and rear half enclosure. The front half enclosure contains a play switch, a speaker opening and a low battery indicator. The rear half enclosure contains a recessed recording switch, a permanent identification plate, and an easy to open and close fastening means. The device is connected to a pet's collar via a swivel link or is held stationary against the collar by other fastening means. A message is recorded using solid state digital recording and playback technology, which permits a 30-second message to be recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to animal retrieval devices, and, more particularly, to a pet identification and retrieval device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pets are a beloved part of many family homes. The warmth, company and affection which they provide is well known. After all, it is said that dogs are man's best friends.
Sometimes, however, that relationship between human and animal is threatened by the disappearance of the animal from the home. This can happen in a number of ways. The animal may be an outside animal, such as a dog or cat, which strays from home and gets lost. Such animals often end up at animal shelters or dog pounds. If the family has moved into a new neighborhood, it is likely that the family pet could get lost in its new surroundings.
Even for indoor pets, there is a chance of the animal being lost, since many animals like to sneak out of a partially open door. Even with attentive and caring owners, the possibility of a lost pet exists.
In this event, it becomes paramount that individuals who find the animal have a simple and effective means to identify the animal and contact its owner.
The previous art includes numerous dog tags. Examples of this type of device include U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,660, issued in the name of Dettmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,766, issued in the name of Colliard, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,743, issued in the name of Jeffers. These dog tags usually include metal tags engraved with information regarding the animal, or an identification card with written information stored in a plastic sheet located on the collar.
These devices suffer from one or more of the following problems. First, dog tags provide limited space for information on the animal, such as what the animal likes to eat. This is important if the animal must spend the night at the individual's home who found the animal. Second, when the family moves or goes on vacation, the tag must be replaced with a new tag that contains the new address and phone number. Third, the metal tags have a tendency to rust over time. Fourth, the engraved information on the metal tags has a tendency to wear down and become unreadable. Fifth, the tag does little to facilitate calming the animal, other than providing the animal's name so that the individuals who found him or her can use the correct name. Sixth, the paper tags are affected by moisture in the air, such as when the animal is outside in the rain. Such moisture can make the written information unreadable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,839, issued in the name of Mistry, discloses a retrieval device that incorporates a micro cassette recorder into a collar. The problem with the '839 device is that the microcassette can get damaged in the rain or if the dog comes near a magnetic source. Also, the '839 device requires that the individual finding the animal have a micro cassette player to listen to the message and discover the animal's name and its owner's identification. This severely limits the effectiveness of the device.
Digital recorders exist in the previous art. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,032, issued in the name of Fujii, U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,873, issued in the name of Duncan, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,256, issued in the name of Goodman. In general, such devices are bulky and too large to be used with a dog or cat collar. Such digital technology must be miniaturized so as to fit on a dog or cat's collar.
One device, being sold on the market, incorporates solid-state technology to digitally record a message to be replayed by the individual finding the animal. There are several problems with such a device, however. First, the device is bulky, heavy and cumbersome, making it effective only with bigger animals, such as large dogs. Cats would find the device bulky and uncomfortable. Second, the device is an elongated, hanging from the animal's collar. This swinging motion would be distracting to pets. Also, the swinging motion would increase the chance of the device getting caught on some object and choking the animal. Third, the attachment point for the device to the collar is extremely weak, increasing the risk that the device would inadvertently break free while being worn. Fourth, the device requires that the back plate be removed to record a message. This is difficult for many individuals, such as the young, the elderly and the infirm. Also, whenever the family moves, or takes the pet on vacation, the device must be opened to record a new message. This is a difficult problem given most families do not have the minuscule screw drivers necessary to open the back plate. Fifth, there is no way for the owner to know if the battery is operational, unless the owner opens up the device and tests the battery with electrical equipment.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.