A tongue assembly is for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle or of a child seat. The tongue assembly includes a base, a cover, and a cam. The cam is movable into a clamping position to clamp the belt webbing against the cover to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly. The cover and the cam are rotatable together on the base in response to forces applied to the belt webbing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a tongue assembly for use in a vehicle seat belt system for restraining movement of an occupant of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known type of vehicle seat belt system is a three-point continuous loop seat belt system. A three-point continuous loop seat belt system includes a seat belt retractor and a length of belt webbing. The belt webbing extends from the retractor through a D-ring fixed to the vehicle and then down to an anchor point near the vehicle floor. A tongue assembly is slidable along the length of belt webbing between the D-ring and the anchor point. The tongue assembly includes a clamping mechanism for clamping the belt webbing. To use the seat belt system, a vehicle occupant grasps the tongue assembly and inserts it into a buckle. When the tongue assembly is fastened in the buckle, a portion of the belt webbing extends across the lap of the vehicle occupant and a portion of the belt webbing extends diagonally across the torso of the vehicle occupant. The clamping mechanism clamps the belt webbing and blocks movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly.
When the tongue assembly is engaged with the buckle, the lap and torso portions of the belt webbing are clamped in the clamping mechanism of the tongue assembly. The clamping mechanism of a typical tongue assembly extends across the width of the tongue assembly, transverse to a plane extending longitudinally through the tongue assembly between the leading end or latching portion of the tongue assembly and the trailing end portion of the tongue assembly. The lap and torso portions of the belt webbing extend from the trailing end portion of the tongue assembly. The belt webbing portions preferably extend straight back from the trailing end portion of the tongue assembly--that is, parallel to the above-mentioned plane. If this is the case, the belt webbing portions can extend from the clamping mechanism of the tongue assembly at an angle of 90.degree.. When the belt webbing portions extend from the clamping mechanism at an angle of 90.degree., the clamping mechanism can effectively clamp across the full width of the webbing portions.
However, depending on the size of the vehicle occupant and the position of the vehicle seat, the lap and torso portions of the belt webbing may not extend straight back from the trailing end portion of the tongue assembly as described above. Further, the lap and torso portions of the belt webbing may extend from the trailing end portion at an angle to each other. Thus, the belt webbing portions may not extend from the clamping mechanism at an angle of 90.degree.. When a belt webbing portion extends from the clamping mechanism at an angle other than 90.degree., undesirable stresses are placed on the belt webbing, and the edges of the belt webbing can become more susceptible to tearing.
A three-point continuous loop seat belt system may sometimes be used to secure a child seat in the vehicle seat. In this case, it is necessary to fix the length of the lap portion of the belt webbing, so that the child seat can not move relative to the vehicle seat. Thus, it is desirable that a tongue assembly for a three-point continuous loop seat belt system be suitable for securing a child seat. It is also desirable that the belt webbing run relatively freely through the tongue assembly when the tongue assembly is adjacent a D-ring, so that the belt webbing can be completely stowed on the associated retractor.


An approach is provided to use natural language processing (NLP) to analyze data logs. In the approach, a data log is analyzed with the data log including a number of entries. The analysis performed includes performance of a sentiment analysis of the entries using natural language processing. The result of the sentiment analysis results is a sentiment score. Entries from the data log are then visually highlighted based on their corresponding sentiment scores.

Software tracing provides developers with data logs of useful information for program debugging, development, and maintenance. Data logs resulting from software tracing, or debugging, are used both during the development cycle and after the software is released. Because software tracing is low-level, there are often many types of messages written to the data log. The information written to the data log represents the developers' commentary as the application is running. The information in the data log can represent entry or exit messages, variable values, unusual events that occurred, or error conditions that should not occur when the program is operating properly. The unstructured developer created messages included in a data log often represent the positive responses, negative opinions, emotions, and other developer evaluations of software execution. Because software tracing is performed at a low level, data logs can be quite large in size, making traditional analysis of the data logs to glean sentiment data difficult or impossible.
With the increased usage of computing networks, such as the Internet, humans are currently inundated and overwhelmed with the amount of information available to them from various structured and unstructured sources, such as the information presented in a traditional data log. However, information gaps abound as users try to piece together what they can find that they believe to be relevant during evaluation of information on various subjects, such as when analyzing entries in a traditional data log. To assist with such evaluations, recent research has been directed to generating knowledge management systems which may take an input, analyze it, and return results indicative of the most probable results to the input. Knowledge management systems provide automated mechanisms for searching through a knowledge base with a large set of sources of content, e.g., electronic documents, and analyzing them with regard to an input to determine a result and a confidence measure as to how accurate the result is in relation to the input.
One such knowledge management system is the Watson™ system available from International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation of Armonk, N.Y. The Watson™ system is an application of advanced natural language processing, information retrieval, knowledge representation and reasoning, and machine learning technologies to the field of open domain question answering. The Watson™ system is built on IBM's DeepQA™ technology used for hypothesis generation, massive evidence gathering, analysis, and scoring. DeepQA™ takes an input question, analyzes it, decomposes the question into constituent parts, generates one or more hypothesis based on the decomposed question and results of a primary search of answer sources, performs hypothesis and evidence scoring based on a retrieval of evidence from evidence sources, performs synthesis of the one or more hypothesis, and based on trained models, performs a final merging and ranking to output an answer to the input question along with a confidence measure.

International Business Machines Corporation


A downhole valve for use within a string of tools in a well for controlling a hydraulic activation circuit. The valve has a housing with an inlet and an outlet, defining a portion of the circuit extending between the inlet and the outlet. A moveable piston within the housing in a first position provides communication between uphole and downhole parts of the circuit, and in a second position isolates the uphole and downhole parts of the circuit. A frangible member is constructed to support, in an intact condition, the piston in one of these two positions against a biasing force, and in a shattered condition enables the piston to move in response to the biasing force to the other position. A detonating member extending through the frangible member propagates a detonation wave to shatter the frangible member when desired, closing the valve. The valve is capable of closing very rapidly, and is particularly useful for isolating an uphole part of a hydraulic activation circuit when used with detonatable tools that can damage hydraulic control lines upon detonation, such as perforating guns. In other embodiments the valve is used to enable hydraulic activation of a tool when opened by a detonation. Methods of altering a hydraulic activation circuit within a string of tools in a well are also disclosed.

In completing a product recovery well, such as in the oil and gas industry, several downhole tasks or functions must generally be performed with tools lowered through the well pipe or casing. These tools include, depending on the required tasks to be performed, perforating guns that ballistically produce holes in the well pipe wall to enable access to a target formation, setting tools that install well-sealing bridge plugs at a desired depth within the pipe, packer-setting tools that create a temporary seal about the tool and valves that are opened or closed.
Several tools can be configured as a single tool string lowered on the end of a long, hollow tube filled with fluid, the tools being hydraulically activatable in sequence by pressurizing either the fluid in the tube or the interior of the well casing. Such a configuration of tools has included perforating guns carefully arranged to perforate the well casing without damaging the internal hydraulic activation circuit of the string.
Within these tool strings, explosive-based firing heads are frequently employed to trigger the detonation of associated downhole perforating guns or other tools. Due to safety issues understood by those familiar with well completion techniques, the detonation of a gun by a firing head is typically accomplished by a series of linked detonations that effectively transfer a detonation from the firing head to the gun across separable joints in the tool string in an assembly that enables the armed firing head to be assembled to the gun at the last possible moment. The firing head is generally separated from the gun by a spacer of sufficient length that when the firing head is finally assembled to the tool string by workers on a rig platform, the associated gun, already lowered into the well casing, is safely below the platform. A detonating cord, sometimes called primacord, typically extends down an internal bore of the spacer between the firing head and its associated gun to link the firing head to the gun.


A magnetic probe includes a tubular container, the inside of which can be observed and at least one end of which is closed, a paramagnetic seed which is fixed to an end of the tubular container, and a paramagnetic colloidal particle dispersion liquid that is filled in the tubular container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic probe configured to detect magnetism by scanning a surface of a measurement target or moving the magnetic probe close to a measurement site.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with an increase in the recording density of magnetic recording, magneto-optical recording etc. and a development of a magnetic scope, a technique for evaluating a magnetic property in a small area has been desired. A known example of such a technique is used of a Hall sensor probe (Patent document 1).
Prior Art Document
Patent Document
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-281312


A hot-melt composition comprising an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene/n-butyl acrylate copolymer, and a tackifying resin can be spread into a thin layer that has a limited open time of at least 5 seconds. The composition eventually crystallizes to form a creep-resistant bond.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hot-melt compositions and, more particularly, to hot-melt compositions based on ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene/n-butyl acrylate (EnBA) copolymers and tackifying resins. Hot-melt compositions according to the invention have good open time and form creep-resistant bonds when applied in thin layers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hot-melt compositions are generally understood to comprise thermoplastic materials which are solid at room temperature but which readily melt to a viscous liquid upon heating. The molten composition is applied to a substrate and the substrate is mated to a second surface. As the composition cools, it rapidly solidifies and then crystallizes or "sets up" thereby forming a bond between the substrate and the second surface. Accordingly, the term "set time" has been adopted to define the time required for the hot-melt composition to crystallize and the bond between the substrate and the second surface to form after the substrate and the second surface have been mated.
"Set time" is to be distinguished from "open time" (sometimes referred to herein as "tack bonding range") which refers to the time over which the hot-melt composition remains tacky after having been applied to an unheated, room temperature (about 20.degree. to 22.degree. C.) substrate. Once the "open time" has been exceeded, the hot-melt composition becomes tack-free and the substrate and the second surface cannot be successfully mated unless the composition is capable of being reactivated (i.e., the composition can be rendered tacky again).
Typical uses for hot-melt compositions include the high speed, automated assembly of low strength products such as in bookbinding and packaging operations. Hot-melt compositions have traditionally been applied to a substrate as a bead. When applied in bead form, presently known hot-melt compositions may offer two advantageous properties, an open time of at least 5 seconds coupled with a relatively short set time. An open time of at least 5 seconds allows ample time for mating the surfaces to be bonded while a short set time indicates that the bond has crystallized to the extent that the mated surfaces no longer need to be clamped or held together. A short set time permits bookbinding and cardboard carton assembly equipment to be operated at maximum speed.
Another characteristic demonstrated by such compositions is their ability to form "creep resistant" bonds. "Creep resistance" refers to the capacity of a bond to sustain a constant load under a constant stress. A bond which "creeps" moves slowly when under stress. Items bonded together by an adhesive which tends to "creep" will move, may not stay in place and may even fail. A bond which is "creep-resistant" combats this tendency.
However, it is not always desirable to apply a hot-melt composition as a bead. When a bead of adhesive is deposited on a substrate and a second surface is mated thereto, the bead is compressed and spreads out between the substrate and the second surface. In some instances, the composition may be squeezed out beyond the edges of the mated surfaces creating a messy, unaesthetic appearance. Alternatively, the composition may not fully extend to the edges of the mated surfaces thereby creating a situation referred to as "edge gap" which increases the opportunity for delamination of the substrate and the second surface. In general, when a hot-melt composition is distributed between a substrate and a second surface by compressing a bead of the composition, it is difficult to obtain a layer of the composition which uniformly covers the substrate and which is of substantially equal thickness throughout. Failure to achieve such a distribution is particularly problematic when bonding relatively thin substrates since the uneven application of the hot-melt composition may be telegraphed through the substrate (i.e., the uneven application of the hot-melt composition becomes visually apparent).
The application of hot-melt compositions as beads has been associated with other undesirable occurrences. Beads may wick through the substrate, especially if the substrate is thin. Also, a bead may indelibly stain a porous substrate.
Accordingly, there is considerable need for a hot-melt composition which may be usefully applied to a substrate in a thin layer. Such a hot-melt composition would offer extraordinary advantages over hot-melt compositions which are applied as beads. For example, the composition could be uniformly applied to the entire surface of a substrate in a layer of substantially constant thickness. The likelihood that the composition would be squeezed out beyond the edges of the substrate or would not fully extend to the edges thereof would be greatly reduced. Similarly, a thin layer would be less likely to telegraph through, wick through, or permanently stain a substrate.
Presently known hot-melt compositions, when spread as a thin layer on a room temperature substrate, do crystallize to form creep-resistant bonds. Unfortunately, these compositions also exhibit a very short open time on the order of 1 to 2 seconds. While an open time of such short duration may be acceptable in certain applications, such as some high speed, automated cardboard carton sealing operations where the surfaces to be mated can be brought together within 1 to 2 seconds of the adhesive having been deposited, in other instances it is desirable to have an open time of at least 5 seconds. For example, in the construction of signs, advertising displays and other articles having a relatively large surface area (as compared to the sealing of cardboard cartons), a relatively long open time adhesive may be required so as to provide ample time in which to complete the assembly of the article while the adhesive remains tacky.
In other industries such as lithography, die cut parts and costume jewelry, the two parts which are to be adhesively bonded must be carefully and precisely positioned with respect to each other. An adhesive with an open time of at least 5 seconds provides the assembler of such components sufficient time to accurately position the bonded parts and, if necessary, to reposition them until they are properly aligned. The 1 to 2 seconds of open time afforded by presently known hot-melt adhesives when spread in a thin layer is simply too short to allow for precision placement. (The adhesive becomes nontacky before the components can be properly positioned.)
Pressure sensitive adhesives are a class of materials which are essentially permanently tacky at room temperature and may be regarded as having a virtually infinite open time. Intuitively, materials having a virtually infinite open time would appear to be well-suited to the construction of large surface area articles or precision components because of the long time during which the construction of these articles could be completed. However, such is not the case. As the open time of an adhesive increases, the opportunity for dirt and other materials to contaminate the adhesive surface is enhanced because the tacky adhesive readily retains the same. Contaminants are asthetically displeasing, especially in articles such as costume jewelry. More importantly, contaminants deposited on the adhesive surfaces prior to bonding can weaken the ultimate strength of the bond by reducing the available surface area of the adhesive.
The virtually infinite open time of a pressure sensitive adhesive can pose long term storage and inventory management problems too. For example, the manufacture of certain articles such as signs and advertising displays may involve laminating several panels together to provide the finished article. The number and types of panels required will depend on the ultimate size of the articles, where the articles are to be placed, and customer preferences. Consequently, it may be desirable for a manufacturer of such articles to maintain an inventory of panels which have been precoated with an adhesive to facilitate the rapid assembly of the finished articles upon customer demand. However, if these panels are coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, the essentially permanently tacky surface will readily retain dust and dirt, rendering the useful storage of precoated panels virtually impossible. Also, the precoated panels can not be conveniently stacked (unless expensive and unwield release liners are employed) since they will adhere to adjacent panels in the stack.
Consequently, it would be desirable for the adhesive used to precoat such panels to have a limited open time such that the panels could be readily prepared in advance and stored. Of course, the adhesive would have to be capable of being reactivated (i.e., restored to a tacky condition) so that assembly of the finished articles could be subsequently completed.
Furthermore, pressure sensitive adhesive compositions (even those which are considered hot-melt pressure sensitive adhesives) do not form creep-resistant bonds when spread in a thin layer. As noted above, items bonded together by an adhesive which tends to creep will move, may not stay in place, and may even fail. In the bonding of precision components, a creep-resistant adhesive helps prevent movement which would otherwise disturb the accurate positioning of the components.
Thus, it would be desirable for a hot-melt composition when spread in a thin layer to have a limited open time; that is, an open time greater than about 5 seconds (so as to exceed conventional hot-melt compositions) but which is not virtually infinite (so as to decrease the opportunity for dirt contamination as happens with conventional pressure sensitive adhesives).
Hot-melt compositions are often applied with dispensers commonly referred to as "glue guns." In these devices, the composition is provided in the form of a relatively hard, rigid stick or rod which is pneumatically or mechanically driven into an electrically heated well or chamber at the rear of the device. Most presently known compositions require that the well be heated to a temperature of at least about 350.degree. to 400.degree. F. (177.degree. to 204.degree. C.) to melt the composition and to reduce its viscosity. The molten composition is forced through a barrel-like portion of the device and exits from the opposite end thereof to be applied to a substrate. The temperature of the molten composition upon discharge is typically about 330.degree. to 380.degree. F. (166.degree. to 193.degree. C.).
Hot-melt compositions which must be applied at a temperature of about 350.degree. to 400.degree. F. (177.degree. to 204.degree. C.) pose unique problems whether deposited as a bead or a thin film. For example, at these temperatures, a negligent user of the hot-melt composition may be seriously burned by contact with the same. Also, such compositions cannot be used in conjunction with relatively heat sensitive substrates (e.g., expanded polystyrene) as the same may melt. Furthermore, such hot-melt compositions can be more difficult to apply. Because of the relatively high melting temperatures, a large power supply is needed to heat the glue gun chamber so as to melt the adhesive rod, thereby limiting the ability to use a portable power supply (such as batteries, for example). Similarly, the time required to heat the glue gun to the proper operating temperature is increased.
The use of EVA copolymers in hot-melt applications is mentioned in several references. U.K. Pat. Spec. No. 1,233,797 to Cheetham et al., published May 26, 1971, states: "Known hot-melt adhesives for bonding paper stocks are 100% solids systems consisting of, for example, a mixture of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, a resin and a wax. . . . It has been found, however, that bonds between paper substrates formed with these adhesives exhibit unacceptable creep or part completely at temperatures of about 50.degree. C. Packs made under such adhesives fail under tropical storage conditions" (Page 1, lines 15-38.)
By 1980, as reported in Duncan et al., "EVA 7 and EVA Copolymers for Hot-melt PSA's," Adhesives Age, March 1980, pp 37-41: "Ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers are well established as the base polymer for hot-melt package sealing adhesives." Duncan et al. disclose that EVA copolymers may be blended with various tackifying resins so as to provide pressure sensitive adhesives. The open time or tack bonding range and creep resistance of the resulting bonds are not discussed, but the article concludes that EVAs in combination with ester resins or aromatic hydrocarbons "can be formulated in hot-melts suitable for pressure-sensitive tapes and labels but appear to lack the shear strength required for structural applications."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,632 to Aliani et al. discloses an EVA-based hot-melt adhesive that includes a resin which functions as a tackifier and which also assists wetting. The Aliani et al. adhesive may contain a wax but preferably is wax-free. The EVA has a vinyl acetate content of from 11% to 40% by weight and a melt index of from 700 to 10,000 in a wax-free hot-melt system.
Other presently known references mention the use of EnBA copolymers in hot-melt applications. For example, "EnBA Resins Give Hot Melts More Heat and Oil Resistance" by D. Wielinski (Adhesives Age, November 1989, p. 30, et. seq.) notes that n-butyl acrylate may be substituted for vinyl acetate in an ethylene/vinyl acetate composition with consequential improvement in certain resin properties such as enhanced low temperature flexibility, oil resistance and heat stability. It is stated that n-butyl acrylate, as compared to vinyl acetate, can be employed at higher application temperatures, and has broader compatibility with a variety of tackifiers and waxes.
The article only discusses EnBA copolymers having a melt index of 400 or less. There is no indication that EnBA copolymers with a melt index in excess of 400 would be useful. Higher melt index copolymers, relative to those with a lower melt index, are capable of being applied at a lower temperature. As discussed more fully above, numerous advantages can be realized by hot-melt compositions with lower application temperature. Furthermore, higher melt index copolymers tend to be less viscous at a given temperature and, as a result, flow more easily and provide better substrate wetting. In general, these compositions are easier and safer to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,306 and its division U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,804, "Hot Melt Adhesive Based on Ethylene-N-Butyl Acrylate," each to Brady et al., disclose hot-melt adhesives based on EnBA copolymers. These patents disclose hot-melt compositions consisting essentially of 35% to 45% by weight of an EnBA copolymer, 35% to 55% of a terpene phenolic tackifier, and 10% to 20% by weight of a high melting synthetic wax that are especially useful in high speed, rapid-fire automated cardboard case and carton sealing equipment. The adhesive compositions were applied as a bead at 175.degree. C. and subsequently compressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,106, "Manufacture of Hard Covered Books," issued Oct. 26, 1971 to Flanagan et al., discloses a hot-melt adhesive composition comprising 38% EnBA, 20% paraffin wax, 35% tackifying resin, and 7% polyethylene. The composition is useful in producing hard bound books. Preferably the EnBA has a melt index in the range of from about 1.0 to 20.0. The compositions are applied at temperatures of from about 300.degree. to 400.degree. F. to provide 5 to 30 mil thick wet coatings.
Thus, there is a need for a hot-melt composition which, when spread in a thin layer, has a limited open time of at least 5 seconds. Compositions with an open time of at least 5 seconds are needed when bonding large surface area substrates and precision components. However, the open time of such compositions should be limited. That is, they should not have a virtually infinite open time as do pressure sensitive adhesives so as to reduce the likelihood of dirt contamination on the edges of a substrate and the deterioration of bond strength which can occur if dirt contaminates the tacky substrate before bonding.
It would be advantageous if such compositions were creep-resistant, especially if used to bond precision components.
Several other characteristics would further contribute to the desirability of the hot-melt compositions. For example, it would be preferred if bonds could be formed without applying more than hand pressure or without supplying more heat than is generated by the application of hand pressure. A composition having such bond formation characteristics would be remarkably easy to use. Large, cumbersome heated presses would not be required to assemble components.
Presently known hot-melt compositions based on either EVA copolymers or EnBA copolymers do not demonstrate both a limited open time of at least 5 seconds and creep resistance when deposited as thin films on unheated (i.e., room temperature) substrates. Moreover, those compositions which are presently known do not exhibit these characteristics in combination with the ability to form bonds without applying heat or more than hand pressure.

Hot-melt composition that have good open time and form creep-resistant bonds when applied in thin layers

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A bound component including a cover having an outer perimeter, a plurality of pages, and a binding mechanism binding the cover and the plurality of pages together, wherein the binding mechanism includes a plurality of coils. The bound component further includes a sell tag including at least one opening, the at least one opening receiving at least one coil of the binding mechanism therethrough, wherein the sell tag includes a flap which is folded about part of the outer perimeter of the cover.

Sell tags are widely used with notebooks, bound components and the like to provide information relating to the associated bound component or notebook. For example, sell tags may provide information relating to the nature of the bound component, number of pages, types of materials, dimensions, manufacturer information, pricing information, patent, trademark and copyright markings, UPC codes, description of product features, marketing and advertising information, and the like.

Self-retaining sell tag for a bound component


Systems, methods, and apparatuses for improving future reliability prediction of a measurable system by receiving operational and performance data, such as maintenance expense data, first principle data, and asset reliability data via an input interface associated with the measurable system. A plurality of category values may be generated that categorizes the maintenance expense data by a designated interval using a maintenance standard that is generated from one or more comparative analysis models associated with the measurable system. The estimated future reliability of the measurable system is determined based on the asset reliability data and the plurality of category values and the results of the future reliability are displayed on an output interface.

Typically, for repairable systems, there is a general correlation between the methodology and process used to maintain the repairable systems and future reliability of the systems. For example, individuals who have owned or operated a bicycle, a motor vehicle, and/or any other transportation vehicle are typically aware that the operating condition and reliability of the transportation vehicles can be dependent to some extent on the degree and quality of activities to maintain the transportation vehicles. However, although a correlation may exist between maintenance quality and future reliability, quantifying and/or modelling this relationship may be difficult. In addition to repairable systems, similar relationships and/or correlations may be true for a wide-variety of measurable systems where operation and/or performance data is available or otherwise where data used to evaluate a system may be measured.
Unfortunately, the value or amount of maintenance spending may not necessarily be an accurate indicator for predicting future reliability of the repairable system. Individuals can accrue maintenance costs that are spent on task items that have relatively minimum effect on improving future reliability. For example, excessive maintenance spending may originate from actual system failures rather than performing preventive maintenance related tasks. Generally, system failures, breakdowns, and/or unplanned maintenance can cost more than a preventive and/or predictive maintenance program that utilizes comprehensive maintenance schedules. As such, improvements need to be made that improve the accuracy for modelling and predicting future reliability of a measurable system.

Future reliability prediction based on system operational and performance data modelling

HARTFORD STEAM BOILER INSPECTION AND INSURANCE COMPANY


A mounting support device allows workpieces to be attached at points intermediate between discrete positions of fixture bases of machine tools. The mounting support device has three support members. A lower support member is slidably attached to an intermediate member allowing the intermediate member to move along an x-axis. An upper support member is slidably attached to the intermediate member allowing the upper member to move along a z-axis. A jig for holding a workpiece is connected to the upper member. The lower support member is attached to the fixture base in a discrete location in the usual way. Thus, the jig holding the workpiece can be positioned intermediately between discrete mounting positions of the fixture base. The sliding attachments maintain precise alignment between the support members and can be secured after adjustment.

This invention relates to a mounting support device to be fixed to a fixture base having at least one reference hole or one reference channel.
In a normal machining operation, a jig or a mounting support is mounted on a fixture base, such as a machine table or a pallet, to hold a workpiece for processing (jig is defined as any type of fixture that can be used to hold or position the workpiece on a base). The workpiece is fixed in a predetermined position on the fixture base using jigs or mounting supports that are mounted on the fixture base. There are many types of mounting support types including tightening members such as clampers, fixing members such as stoppers and positioning members such as positioning pins.
Referring to FIG. 21, a prior-art fixture base R1 includes reference holes K1 for fixing and positioning a displacement element (not shown) on fixture base R1. Reference holes K1 are disposed apart in an array at predetermined intervals of, for example, 50 mm longitudinally and laterally. Thus, to fix the aforementioned tightening member, fixing member, or positioning member in a position between a pair of reference holes K1 and K1, (ie. a position in which no reference hole exits) a positioning support member P1 is affixed on fixture base R1.
The positioning support member P1 includes a plate member having a U-shaped slot P2 at one end and a mounting hole P3 at the other end. The positioning support member P1 is bolted to fixture base R1 by a bolt Y1 inserted through elongated hole P2 and tightened in one of reference holes K1. The mounting hole P3 can be positioned at a predetermined position between the reference holes K1 and K1 by fine-adjusting the tightening position of the bolt Y1 along U-shaped slot P2 and by pivoting the positioning support member P1 about the bolt Y1 on fixture base R1. The ability to position mounting hole P3 substantially anywhere over the surface of fixture base R1 thus permits affixing a tightening member in any desired location, even where no reference hole K1 exists.
However, it is difficult to separately determine the position of the mounting hole P3 with respect to the X-axis and Z-axis, indicated by arrows X and Z respectively, on fixture base R1 because the position of the mounting hole P3 is determined both by pivoting and displacing the positioning support member P1 with respect to bolt Y1. Thus, in normal operation, the position of mounting hole P3 with respect to the X-axis and Z-axis is determined at a roughly specified location depending on a user's experienced sense. Additionally, if the positioning support member P1 is removed from fixture base R1, it is very difficult to re-fix the positioning support member P1 on fixture base R1 at the exact former position.
PCT International Publication No. W094/01242 discloses an adapter for use with clamping devices on multi-hole machine-tool workpiece tables. This adapter comprises a base plate, a transverse displacement element providing transverse displaceability on the base plate, a longitudinal displacement element providing longitudinal displaceability on the transverse displacement element, a cylindrical bolt body whose upper portion is threaded, and a lock nut which can be tightened and fastened to the cylindrical bolt body from above. The user appropriately moves the transverse displacement element transversely on the base plate and then moves the longitudinal displacement element on the transverse displacement element longitudinally. The user then tightens the aforementioned lock nut to the threaded portion of the bolt body from above in order to fix the longitudinal displacement element and the transverse displacement element to the base plate.
In this construction, both the transverse displacement element and the longitudinal displacement element are fastened to the base plate only by tightening the lock nut on the threads of the bolt. Therefore, if the transverse displacement element or the longitudinal displacement element receives a force acting in the transverse or longitudinal direction, the element is likely to move transversely or longitudinally.
Additionally, the contact surfaces on which the base plate and the transverse displacement element contact each other and the contact surfaces on which the transverse displacement element and the longitudinal displacement element contact each other are horizontally or vertically flat and these elements are not forced against each other. Therefore, the element has the propensity to rattle when the transverse displacement element is being displaced on the base plate or the longitudinal displacement element is being displaced on the transverse displacement element.


A system for monitoring conditions within a tire includes a sensor assemblies (14). The sensor assemblies (14) emit a transmission (26) containing information indicative of conditions within a tire to a receiver (16). The transmission (26) from the sensor assemblies (14) includes an amplitude shift key wake up portion and various data packet portions. The data packet portions are separated by a variable interval to prevent collisions of transmissions at the receiver.

This invention relates to a system for monitoring conditions within a tire, and specifically to a transmission signal protocol for information transmitted from a tire pressure-monitoring sensor within the tire.
Current government regulations have established that tire pressure must be monitored to provide a vehicle operator with information warning of improper tire conditions. Notification of tire conditions aids in maintaining optimal tire operating parameters that in turn improves safety and handling of the motor vehicle. Further, monitoring of conditions within a tire allows the operator to maintain tire pressure within an optimal range, to optimize fuel economy, vehicle handling, performance and safety.
Conventional methods of monitoring tire pressure include positioning a sensor assembly within each wheel to monitor pressure, temperature and other conditions effecting tire performance. The sensor assemblies disposed within each tire gather transmit a radio frequency transmission containing data indicative of tire conditions. The transmission is received by a receiver disposed within the vehicle that provides information to a controller. The tire pressure data transmitted to the receiver is then displayed to the driver with information required to warn of improper conditions or to provide specific numerical data for conditions within the tire.
The sensor assemblies disposed within each of the tires are operated by a battery. Because the battery is disposed within the tire and access to the battery requires removal of the tire, it is desirable to reduce and minimize the power required to operate this sensor and transmit the data signal to the receiver. It is desirable to develop a system and protocol for transmitting the signal and data to the receiver depending on various conditions of the vehicle to prolong battery life.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a transmission protocol for the tire pressure monitoring system that extends battery life by transmitting data indicative of tire conditions to a receiver according to specific vehicle operating parameters.

Tire pressure monitoring system transmission protocol


The present invention discloses a preparation method for large scale production of human immunoglobulins (IgG) with high yields by an improved all-chromatography process scheme that eliminates ethanol precipitation. The process of extracting immunoglobulins is such that the other therapeutic proteins in plasma are left unaffected and are available for extraction separately from the same plasma sample. The yields obtained are in the range of 7 to 8 grams of IgG per liter of plasma. The high yielding process scheme of the present invention comprises of chromatographic steps and viral inactivation or removal steps to obtain a purified immunoglobulin protein that complies with pharmacopoeial limits and is suitable for therapeutic administration (normal intravenous immunoglobulin—IVIG).

The global demand for plasma is mainly driven by the requirement for intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), the usage of which has grown significantly in different medical areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, dermatology, oncology, infectious diseases, allergy and immunology. With markets projected to grow at 7% to 13% annually, between now and 2020, more IVIG will have to be manufactured to meet the growing demand. Plasma being a scarce and exclusive commodity, there is a continuous need to upgrade and optimize the fractionation processes to maximally utilize this valuable resource. By continuously refining the existing processes, improvements can be achieved by way of process efficiencies, quality of end products and manufacturing yields. In the case of IVIG, increased yields can lead to increased market availability of a product that is the key driver of the plasma fractionation industry.
Majority of the IVIG manufacturers still prefer the classical method of producing IVIG that employs ethanol fractionation at least for the initial steps in the manufacturing process, although chromatography methods are slowly gaining ground. Classical manufacturing processes of IVIG using ethanol precipitation and the new strategies that can increase the practicability and yield of IVIG have been discussed by Andrea Buchacher and Gunter Iberer in Biotechnol. J. 2006, 1, 148-163. The classical Cohn's process of ethanol precipitation (Cohn, E. J., Strong, L. E., Hughes, W. L., Mulford, D. J., Ashworth, J. N., Melin, M., Taylor, H., L.; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1946, 68, 459-475) succeeds in enriching the five most abundant proteins in fractions I to V by sequential precipitation, by increasing the concentration of ethanol at each step. Fibrinogen is precipitated in fraction I, γ-globulins in fraction II, lipid bearing β-globulins in fraction III, α-globulins in fraction IV and albumin in fraction V. Fraction II and III is the starting material for most IVIG processes. In IVIG manufacture, most manufacturers commonly rely on the initial step of ethanol precipitation and fractionation of plasma, although the later steps may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Few continue with ethanol precipitation in the later steps of the process, whereas others may choose to use other precipitation methods like PEG or caprylate or even chromatography.
Although a few chromatography based processes have been described for the production of IVIG without the use of ethanol precipitation, but at the industrial scale, an all-chromatography process scheme has just begun gaining acceptance due to the better quality of the final IVIG product (lesser protein denaturation and aggregation) and better yields (Lontos, J., Chromatographic purification of immunoglobulins at CSL bioplasma; a manufacturing perspective. Plasma Product Biotech meet, 2005; Bertolini, J., Davies, J., Wu, J., Coppola, G., Purification of Immunoglobulins. 1998, WO 98/05686;
US2007049733 discloses ultra-high yield intravenous immune globulin preparation with the use of chromatographic methods in the final purification steps. The ethanol fractionation of plasma was replaced with caprylate or citrate precipitation steps followed by chromatography for purification. The final yields for most of these processes have been in the range of 4 to 6 gm per liter of plasma.
Most of Cohn's and modified Cohn's methods that are in use for the industrial production of IgG have reported yields in the range of 3.5 to 4.2 gm per liter of plasma. This is about 30 to 35% of the total IgG content (12 gm) in human plasma. As this is a high value product for the plasma product manufacturers, many major fractionators have been looking at improvements in their processes to increase yields, by shifting to chromatography based procedures. Substituting chromatography for traditional precipitation steps can not only help to increase yields but also provide a safer and better quality product for human administration.
EP0123029A1 discloses an improved process for the production of a solution of pure IgG-immunoglobulin fraction from natural plasma with unchanged complement-binding activity, which is in the form of a stable, clear aqueous solution for intravenous injection is available. Patent applications JPH09249580A, JPH107588A discloses a method of purification of a crude immunoglobulin-containing fraction and relates it to a process for the pharmaceutical preparation of intravenous immune for intravenous immunoglobulin for infusion using the same purified immunoglobulin. EP0180766, CN103554253, CN103665100, CN102552906, CN102584934 and JP2011102314 disclose processes for preparing human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection. EP2519540, U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,336B1 and CN104004089A disclose methods for producing intravenous human immunoglobulin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,028 discloses a chromatographic method for high yield purification and viral inactivation of antibodies especially of the IgG type from human plasma and other sources.
The present invention discloses an approach to provide an ethanol-free high yielding method for recovering IgG from blood plasma and other blood based materials to the extent of 7 to 8 gm per liter of plasma which is better than the values reported so far in the plasma industry. Besides, the process described ensures that the other therapeutic proteins in the plasma are left untouched and available for extraction from the same plasma pool.

Process for increased yield of immunoglobulin from human plasma


A process for the manufacture of honeycomb core structure is disclosed, which substantially comprises the step (a) of of feeding a starting continuous web or sheet of material; the step (b) of applying an adhesive to the sheet material along a plurality of spaced parallel bands; the step (c) of drying the sheet; the step (d) of forming a plurality of slits extending longitudinally of the sheet and interconnected by a transversely extending slit-devoid web portion; the step (e) of cutting the slitted sheet to a predetermined dimension across the slit-devoid web portion; the step (f) of piling a plurality of layers of the thus cut sheets upon one another in a stack with the adhesive bands on one of the adjacent sheets positioned out of registry with those on the other by half of a pitch between the consecutive bands on each sheet; the step (g) of compressively curing the stacked sheets; the step (h) of slicing the cured stack into individual elongated strips; and the step (i) of expanding the strips in a direction normal to the plane of the stack. The step (d) is carried into practice by a slit-forming means capable of forming spaced parallel slits longitudinally of the continuous web simultaneously with a transversely extending slit-devoid blank portion at predetermined intervals, thus providing the web with alternate slitted and slit-free regions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of cellular or honeycomb core structures from web materials such as steel, aluminum, paper or like sheets.
2. Prior Art
There are known various processes for making honeycomb core structures which find wide application in air-craft construction and in the manufacture of furnitures, buildings, structural elements and the like. A typical example of such known process comprises the steps of applying spaced parallel lines or bands of an adhesive to one or more continuous webs of material, cutting the webs into individual sheets or strips of a predetermined length and width, superimposing the sheets upon one another in a stack with the adhesive bands staggered with respect to those on the immediately preceding and succeeding sheets by a distance equal to half of the distance or pitch between the consecutive adhesive bands on each sheet, compressively curing the stacked sheets, cutting the cured sheets into unexpanded cue block lengths, and finally expanding the blocks into cellular structure products, as disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Publications 51-23548 and 52-20950. These prior art processes have a drawback in that they are both time-consuming as the stacking and cutting operations are separately performed and costly due to considerable material losses arising from cutting the webs into individual strips of a width corresponding to the thickness of a resultant honeycomb product.
Japanese Patent Publications 53-133276, 53-134074 and 53-134076 disclose processes which are substantially analogous to but advantageous over the aforementioned prior art in that both cutting and stacking the sheet materials are performed in a continuous mode of operation, hence with improved productivity. However, such known processes have still much to be desired in respect of speed in cutting and stacking the sheet materials and furthermore involve rather complicated equipment arrangements.

Process for the manufacture of honeycomb core structures


A method and apparatus for consumption of content (1) is described in which a licensor is able to exercise control over consumption based on a personal identity in the form of a set of binding attributes (15). The control may be exercised for a number of consuming terminals (19) including rendering machines such as portable video and audio players.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the consumption of content, particularly although not exclusively the distribution, rendering and decryption of content having digital rights such as copyright therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, content such as video, audio or textual data is consumed by a user via a terminal such as a rendering machine. A rendering machine transforms the data defining the content into a form which may be interpreted by a user's senses. Thus, content in the form of video may be rendered on a visual display unit or monitor, audio content may be rendered by a stereo system and a printer used to render textual content, to name but a few examples. In many cases, such as the distribution of content recorded on magnetic media, optical disk or the like, a number of steps will take place in rendering the data to a form suitable for interpretation by a user's senses.
With the advent of digital content distribution, the opportunity has arisen for faultless replication of content to be carried out. Clearly, without appropriate controls, such replication or copying can take place without the agreement of a content relevant right's holder/owner. A particular challenge to the content generating community, which includes record companies, publishers and other right holders, is the ease with which digital content may be disseminated, particularly over networks. This ease of dissemination is also coupled with the fact that there is little or no degradation in the quality of the content despite repeated copying and forwarding of the content in its original format. Thus, unauthorized copies of copyrighted content will meet the same high expectations of consumers in relation to the authorized content.
Consequently, many approaches have been implemented and are being developed to protect such content for rendering on a particular rendering machine. A particularly favored approach (FIG. 3) is to provide each rendering machine 2 with a globally unique tamperproof identity 4 and to incorporate a Digital Rights Management (DRM) engine 6 into the device 2. Subsequently, content stored in encrypted form on the device 2 may be unlocked only where license conditions, including a requirement to confirm that the globally unique identity 4 of the device 2 matches a set of binding attributes in the license, are met.


A current mirror comprising: a current source; a first p-channel MOS transistor having a source coupled to an operating potential, and a gate and a drain coupled to the current source; a second p-channel MOS transistor having a source coupled to the operating potential, a gate coupled to the gate of the first p-channel transistor, and a drain; a first n-channel MOS transistor having a source coupled to ground, and a gate and a drain coupled to the drain of the second p-channel transistor; a zero-threshold n-channel MOS transistor having a drain coupled to a current-output node, a gate coupled to the gate of the first n-channel transistor, and a source; and a second n-channel MOS transistor having a source coupled to ground, and a gate coupled to the gate of the first n-channel transistor and a drain coupled to the source of the zero-threshold n-channel transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to current mirror circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to a low-voltage current mirror having reduced mirroring error.
2. The State of the Art
The basic prior-art current mirror, shown in FIG. 1, is well known. Current source 10 is coupled to the drain and gate of n-channel MOS transistor 12 and to the gate of n-channel MOS transistor 14.
The basic principle of operation of the current mirror of FIG. 1 is that if the VGS voltages of two identical MOS transistors 12 and 14 operating in the saturation region are equal, then their channel currents should be equal and in first approximation expressed as follows:Ii=I0=(β/2)(W/L)(VGS−Vth)2
There are three effects that cause the current mirror to operate differently from the ideal case: channel length modulation; threshold offset between two different transistors; and imperfect geometrical matching. The second and third effects result from process and layout imperfections.
The first effect, known as the Early effect, depends on the shortening of the effective channel length in the saturation region caused by Vds being greater than Vdsat limit (Vdsat=Vgs−Vth). Under these conditions, the depletion region around the drain junction becomes increasingly wider, causing the standard drift transport equations to be substituted by more complex equations which take into account the diffusion effect of charge through the depleted region due to the negative concentration gradient.
This effect becomes more evident as the channel length L decreases. The Early effect coefficient λ is inversely proportional to L (λ∝1/L). The following expression of an NMOS drain current in the saturated region translates the preceding considerations, giving an idea of how the real mirrored current will differ from the reference current.Ii=I0=(β/2)(W/L)(VGS−Vth)2(1+λVds)
Considering the small-signal equivalent circuit, it is possible to derive the output resistance, which is a good measure of the perfection of a current mirror as a current source. Higher performance current mirrors will attempt to increase the value of rout with respect to the standard case.
The standard current mirror of FIG. 1 has no limitation on Vin min and Vout min, that is Vimin≈Vth1; Vomin≈Vdsat2
The current mirror of FIG. 1 suffers from the Early effect if Vds≠Vgs. It has a low output impedance ro=1/go: ro=1/λIo in the saturation region.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a prior-art Wilson current mirror is shown. This current mirror introduces a negative feedback loop with the addition of n-channel MOS transistor 16. If Io increases, the current Ii mirrored by n-channel MOS transistor 14 tries to increase in contrast to the hypothesis that Ii is constant. Vi decreases in order to counter this effect, thus reducing the current flowing through n-channel MOS transistor 14. This effect can also be explained in terms of output impedance increase induced by negative current feedback. As the n-channel MOS cascode transistor 14 enters the linear region, the output impedance of this current mirror decreases, countering the advantageous effects of the feedback structure.
In order to make the Wilson current mirror more symmetrical, a NMOS diode formed from n-channel MOS transistor 18 may be added to its first branch as shown in FIG. 3, thus equalizing the Vds voltage drop across n-channel MOS transistor 12 and n-channel MOS transistor 14. This results in an output impedance equal to that of the current mirror of FIG. 2, but the mirroring factor (ε=Io/Ii) has been improved.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a prior-art cascode current mirror is shown. This cascode current mirror is similar to the Wilson mirror, but the gates of n-channel MOS transistor 12 and n-channel MOS transistor 14 are coupled to the drain of n-channel MOS transistor 12 instead of to the drain of n-channel MOS transistor 14.
Like the Wilson current mirror, the cascode current mirror of FIG. 4 has a high output impedance and mirroring precision, since these improvements are dependant on the saturation of the n-channel MOS transistor 18. However, like the Wilson current mirror, the cascode current mirror is penalized by the minimum Vi and/or Vo operating value, which is about 2Vth.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a prior-art high-swing cascode current mirror is shown. This circuit introduces a n-channel MOS source-follower transistor 20 between the gates of n-channel MOS transistor 18 and n-channel MOS transistor 16 and n-channel MOS bias transistor 22 in series with n-channel MOS source-follower transistor 20. N-channel MOS source-follower transistor 20 acts as a level shifter, thus biasing n-channel MOS transistor 14 at the high limit of its saturation region. Like the cascode current mirror of FIG. 4, the high-swing cascode current mirror of FIG. 5 has a high output impedance but has the advantage of reducing the minimum Vo operating value. The Vi is subject to the same limitation as the cascode current mirror of FIG. 4.
All of the current mirrors of FIGS. 1 through 5 are limited in their minimum power supply voltage value VDD. This limiting factor makes these circuits unsuitable for low-voltage applications.
Referring now to FIG. 6, a current mirror is shown in which a biasing circuit including n-channel MOS transistor 24 driven from current source 26 has been added to drive the gates of n-channel MOS transistors 16 and 18. N-channel MOS transistor 12 is not in diode configuration, having its gate coupled to the drain of n-channel MOS transistor 18.
If the transistors in the circuit are properly sized ((W/L)18=(W/L)16=(m/n)2(W/L) and (W/L)0=(1/(1+n/m)2(W/L)) it is possible to reduce the minimum Vi and Vo operating value to about only one Vth (if m>>n) without affecting the large output impedance and to improve the current matching capability (being Vds1=Vds2+(Vdsat)W/L), thus improving the mirroring factor ε=Io/Ii.

Fast dynamic low-voltage current mirror with compensated error


A system for sending cards and/or gifts to one or more entity using a computer network is provided. The system can include a computer network with at least one client computer and at least one server connected to the network. The at least one client computer can have a user interface with which a user can input an entity-centric event date. The server can receive a signal from said client computer based on the user input of the event date. The server includes a time-from-event module that determines a non-yearly event date after said event date. The client computer displays the non-yearly event date and provides means for a user to purchase cards or gifts for an entity. In most preferred embodiments, the non-yearly event date is a month-from-birth date of the individual. In some preferred embodiments, the electronic cards include combined advertisements contained within the display regions of the electronic cards.

1. Field of the Invention
The preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to electronic cards systems and methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Historically, people have honored one another through annual celebrations commonly known as "birthday celebrations." Birthdays have become a fundamental part of modern life. Birthday celebrations are widely practiced by people of all ages, from three-year-old children to centenarians. With these birthday celebrations comes the need or desire to purchase goods and/or services (e.g., presents, cards, etc.) for or on behalf of the celebrated individual or groups of individuals. As a result, annual birthdays are significant business generators.
However, generating revenues via birthday celebrations requires physical effort on behalf of those wishing to celebrate or honor others for their birthdays. Typically, the physical effort required involves: 1) finding, selecting, purchasing and/or delivering presents; and/or 2) obtaining, preparing and/or delivering cards (the terminology "card" herein is not limited to any medium, but includes any medium with which an individual can communicate a message to a celebrated person—e.g., whether the message is visually (e.g., in text, video, or other visual form), audibly and/or otherwise communicated.
In that regard, throughout most of the 20th century, consumers usually needed to physically enter an establishment to purchase goods and/or services. Similarly, in order to communicate in writing with another person, one usually needed to physically draft a card and deliver the same to the other person. Now, in the 21st century, computer networks, such as the Internet, provide a new medium through which consumers can purchase goods and/or services and through which people can communicate in writing with one another, without significant physical activity.
In recent years, a number of Internet-based. Web Sites have emerged that enable individuals to celebrate annual-birthdays, certain holidays and/or certain other occasions via electronically delivered greeting cards, such as, e.g., BLUEMOUNTAIN.COM (the Web Site "home page" of which is depicted in FIG. 1) and ECARDS.COM (the Web Site "home page" of which is depicted in FIG. 2). While existing electronic card (ecard) Web Sites may simplify efforts needed to send electronic cards to people, using the Internet, they do not expand the existing "celebration" schema and do not realize the substantial revenue generation that can be achieved through the use of the Internet or other computer networks in relation to individual-centric celebrations (the terminology individual-centric used herein means related to an individual or group of individuals, such as, e.g., years from an individual's birth—some individual-centric events may relate to a plurality of individuals, such as, by way of example, a marriage). Some illustrative systems and/or methods are shown in the following U.S. patents, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,300 entitled Personalized Greeting Card With Electronic Storage Media And Method Of Personalizing Same, of CD Coupon, LLC; U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,117 entitled Apparatus And Method For Electronically Dispensing Personalized Greeting Cards And Gifts, of Blue Mountain, Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,640 entitled System For Calculating Occasion Dates And Converting Between Different Calendar Systems, And Intelligent Agent For Using Same; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,729 entitled Interactive Kiosk For Selecting And Sending Mail Pieces.
To date, existing methods of celebration have been significantly hindered by human limitation. We celebrate annular birthdays because they are easy to celebrate. The dates are easy to remember; one only needs to recall a particular date, such as, e.g., Jan. 1, 2000. When that date arrives, it is understood to be time to celebrate.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a computer system and/or method that breaks free from existing hindrances—not only improving society through additional forms of celebration, but providing a platform upon which to generate substantial new revenue and business.


A vehicle and trailer lighting system having an elongated track affixed to a vehicle or trailer. The track includes first and second channels. A lamp assembly is connected to the first channel and selectively positioned along the track. The second channel includes a conductive contact disposed therein. A lamp of the lamp assembly includes and electrical connector extending therefrom to physically contact the electrically conductive contact of the track.

The present invention generally relates to lighting systems for vehicles and trailers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lighting system for use on heavy duty trucks and trailers which eliminates the need for individual light harnesses and wiring.
Heavy duty vehicles such as semi-truck trailers, large vans, busses and other vehicles and trailers require lighting systems to show the height, width and length of the vehicle or trailer. Such lights are referred to as clearance or marker lights and are mounted along the top and bottom of all three sides of the vehicle or trailer. Such marker and clearance lights are an important part of the safety of the vehicle and trailer, and are also mandatory according to the laws and regulations by DOT and NATSA.
The current light system on such trucks, trailers, etc., is comprised of a wire harness that is wired onto the body of the vehicle, and then the lights that are wired to the harness are mounted to the body of the vehicle or trailer. However, the current lighting system presents several drawbacks.
The first major problem is the corrosion of the wires of the lights and wire harnesses of the vehicle. Laboratory testing has shown that water seeps into the conductor under the insulation, corroding the wire in a rather short time. Of course, this renders the light inoperable.
Another problem with such lighting systems is that the wires are insulated with flexible and soft plastic, such as PVC. The wires tend to rub against the steel body of the trailer or vehicle and wear out, creating electric shorts. The wires are also subjected to many abuses, such as vibration, insulation drying and cracking, acid and harsh chemical washes, which can cause electric shorts. These electric shorts are very difficult to find. Thus, the entire lamp and harness assembly is often replaced.
Another major problem is the replacement of the burnt or damaged marker light. When a marker light is either broken or non-operational, it must be replaced. The current system does not allow rapid replacement of the light. Instead, drivers must remove the light, re-wire it, and then screw the light back on to the body of the vehicle or trailer. If a driver wants to add a completely new light to the vehicle, he is faced with the problem of cutting the harness of the vehicle, which voids the vehicle's electrical warranty. He then must drill a wire access whole and two screw holes to mount the light. Cutting and adding pig-tails is required to add more lights to the trailer or vehicle. It will be appreciated that this takes significant time, expedite and effort.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a vehicle and trailer lighting system which does not require trouble-shooting when the wire harness is broken, shorted or loose. Such a system should not require drilling unnecessary holes in the vehicle or trailing or the cutting and adding of pig-tail wires in order to add new lights. The wiring system should also be corrosion resistant and enable the attachment of additional lights in an easy manner. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.


A Content Delivery Network (CDN) includes one or more cache servers communicatively coupled to end users for providing content thereto; and one or more origin servers communicatively coupled to the one or more cache servers through a plurality of nodes, the one or more cache servers are configured to receive traffic related to the content from the one or more origin servers through the one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes, based on one or more of a push technique and a pull technique, and the plurality of nodes are configured to monitor the traffic between the one or more origin servers and the one or more cache servers in an inline manner, process the traffic for malware and data leakage based on policy, and block the traffic responsive to detection of one or more of the malware and the data leakage, prior to traffic entering the CDN.

A content delivery network or content distribution network (CDN) is a globally distributed network of proxy servers deployed in multiple data centers. The goal of a CDN is to serve content to end-users with high availability and high performance. CDNs serve a large fraction of the Internet content today, including web objects (text, graphics, and scripts), downloadable objects (media files, software, documents), applications (e-commerce, portals), live streaming media, on-demand streaming media, and social networks. CDNs distribute content for websites and content portals by caching updated content on a network of locally available servers in various geographies. This architecture enables CDNs to enable fast, personalized and local access to content for users of the websites and content portals. 'Content' servers in a CDN fetch content from a customer's 'Origin' servers and distribute it globally to the CDN edge servers across the globe within milliseconds over a dedicated high-speed network. These CDN edge servers are then accessed by end users through client applications. While CDN servers provide fast access and localized content to end users, it is also vulnerable to malware and security threats due to a compromised origin server. A compromised CDN node can potentially infect other servers and nodes in the network, which can infect millions of users worldwide.
CDNs are susceptible to following attack vectors: (1) compromised origin servers can push malware to CDN content servers. While common viruses and malware may be detected using legacy signature-based threat detection engines, nowadays sophisticated attacks can only be detected and blocked by an inline advanced threat protection and sandboxing technologies capable of detecting and blocking threats based on behavior. This would result in users going to a legitimate, high-reputation websites to be infected with malicious content. (2) Origin servers may leak proprietary and confidential content to CDN by oversight. (3) Origin servers may become a target for Denial of Service (DOS) attack. This stops the CDN from being able to fetch the updated content causing the website not to be updated and serving stale content. (4) Compromised origin servers would be blacklisted by service providers and would lead to a bad reputation for CDN, causing adverse impact to CDN's reputation and business.
When CDN networks poll their customer's Origin servers, it is not possible for them today to scan content for malware or data leakage due to high traffic volume, which has led to many security incidents in the recent past. As more and more content portals rely on CDNs for content delivery, eventually end users are exposed to potential malware threats from a compromised origin server. Also, there may be circumstances that due to human error or misconfiguration, a customer's IP (Intellectual Property) may be leaked through the CDN. This could be lead to legal liability as well as security exposure for the CDN network. An example is the recent phone hacking scandal and subsequent distributed of the photos.
Thus, there is a need for protecting CDNs from malware and data leakage.

Content delivery network protection from malware and data leakage


A chemical data handling system is characterized by a display system which displays each data of many compound with an image of a table sheet where the chemical structures are arranged in the direction X and general characteristic data items are arranged in the direction Y. For realizing the display of the entire large scale data table, the system provides a special scroll function. In the case of lateral scroll, the chemical structure display column arranged vertically is fixed at the left side of screen, and the remaining data columns are scrolled laterally. In the case of a vertical scroll, the data item display row arranged laterally is fixed at the upper side of screen, and the remaining data rows are scrolled vertically. Moreover, it is possible to display not only the data table but also a chemical structure list or a chemical data correlation graph.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chemical data handling system and particularly to a new chemical data handling system for storing and orderly arranging the structures of compounds or material data within a memory and for displaying such data in the form suitable for application.
In the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, investigators deal with many kinds of compounds, and enormous time and labor are required for the orderly arranging of chemical structure data for such compound and general data If such chemical data can be arranged easily and orderly arranged chemical data can be reedited, the investigators can thus spend more of their time for investigations.
Therefore, advent of data handling system for easily arranging or editing chemical data and also easily displaying the orderly arranged chemical data for investigators has long been expected.


A method and system for regulating electrical power from a non-perpetual power source. In one implementation, the method includes receiving a variable power output from the non-perpetual power source, wherein a power amplitude of the variable power output substantially varies over time; and generating a regulated current output or a regulated voltage output based in part on the variable power output received from the non-perpetual power source.

Perpetual power sources generally provide time invariant power which can be used to supply electrical power to electronic devices. Examples of perpetual power sources include electrical outlets (or wall sockets), batteries, and the like. Electronic devices typically include a power controller (e.g., a power regulator) that regulates power from a perpetual power source to the electronic devices. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional electronic system 100 including electronic devices 102, 104 that are powered by perpetual power sources. In particular, the electronic device 102 is powered from an electrical outlet 106 and receives regulated power through a power regulator 108, and the electronic device 104 is powered from a rechargeable battery 110 and receives regulated power through a power regulator 112. The electrical outlet 106 further provides power to a battery charger 114 to charge the rechargeable battery 110. The power regulator 108 and the battery charger 114 can receive electrical power from the electrical outlet 106 through an AC to DC converter 118.
In general, conventional power controllers—e.g., power regulator 108, 112, and battery charger 114—are designed only to operate based on a perpetual power source. Note: batteries (rechargeable and non-chargeable) are considered to be perpetual sources as batteries substantially maintain a constant voltage output until depletion. For example, FIG. 1B shows a graph 116 that depicts the power amplitude of an output of the electrical outlet 106 and the rechargeable battery 108. As shown in the graph 116, the power amplitude of the output of both the electrical outlet 106 and the rechargeable battery 110 are substantially constant over time. Conventional power controllers cannot generally operate if a perpetual power source is not present within an electronic system.

Method and apparatus for regulating electrical power from a non-perpetual power source


Silazanes and related compounds are prepared by (a) providing a precursor containing at least one Si--N bond, cleaving an Si--N bond in the precursor in the presence of hydrogen or a hydrogen donor, and reacting the cleavage product with a second cleavage product or with a compound containing an Si--H bond, an N--H bond, or both, to produce an initial silazane product having at least one newly formed Si--N bond or (b) providing one or more reactants which contain an Si--H bond and an N--H bond, and causing reaction to occur between the two bonds in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to form an initial silazane product having newly formed Si--N bonds. Further products may result from additional reaction of either type. Novel compounds, including siloxazanes and high molecular weight polysilazanes, are provided. The compounds may be pyrolyzed to yield ceramic materials such as silicon nitride, silicon carbide and silicon oxynitride. In a preferred embodiment, substantially pure silicon nitride and articles prepared therefrom are provided. Fibers, coatings, binders, and the like may be prepared from the novel materials.

Polysilazanes and their derivatives are useful among other things, for the preparation of silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4). silicon carbide (SiC), Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiC alloys, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /carbon alloys. Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /boron nitride alloys, and mixtures thereof. These ceramic materials can be used as structural materials, protective coatings, and electronic materials because of their hardness, strength, structural stability under extreme environmental conditions and their wide variety of electronic properties. In particular, these materials can be formed into ceramic fibers of value for reinforcement of composite materials. See, for example, (a) Department of Defense Proceedings, Fourth Metal Matrix Composites Technical Conference, May 19-21, 1981, prepared for DOD Metal Matrix Composites Information Analysis Center; and (b) J. J. Brennan, "Program to Study SiC Fiber-Reinforced Matrix Composites". Annual Report to Dept. of Navy (Nov. 1980). Contract No. N00014-78-C-0503.
Historically, polysilazanes were first synthesized by Stock et al almost 60 years ago (see, e.g., Stock. A. and K. Somieski, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 54:740 (1921)) via a simple ammonolysis technique (Scheme I). ##STR1## However, this approach usually produces mixtures of cyclomers where x is 3 to 5 that are obtained as the major products and small amounts of linear oligomers where y is less than or equal to about 10. Because of their low molecular weight, however, these linear oligosilazanes are too volatile to be used as preceramic materials.
In order to obtain higher molecular weight, nonvolatile materials, it was necessary to promote cross-linking reactions. In this manner, moderate molecular weight polysilazanes have been synthesized using a variety of techniques. See. e.g., Kruger, C. R. and E. G. Rochow, J. Polymer Sci. 2A:3179-3189 (1964). Rochow et al. discovered that ammonium chloride catalyzes cross-linking in simple oligodimethylsilazanee to form polysilazanes (Scheme II) which were proposed to contain cyclic monomer units cross-linked through nitrogen as suggested by the structure of Formula 1. ##STR2##
The Penn et al. work follows up on U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,853,567 to Verbeek and 3.892.583 to Winter et al., wherein a high temperature elimination/condensation reaction was shown to lead to soluble, highly cross-linked polymers as shown in Scheme III. Pyrolysis at high temperatures provides ceramic yields of 60% with a mixture of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 and SiC ceramic materials. ##STR3##
A related cross-linking approach described, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,312,970, 4,340,619, 4,535,007 and 4,543,344 begins with the preparation of tractable polysilazanes having Me.sub.3 Si groups in the polymer backbone (Scheme IV) with the highest molecular weights reported in the available literature, i.e. about Mw.about.15,000 D and Mz.about.39,000 D: ##STR4## Ceramic yields obtained from pyrolysis of this polymer are on the order of 45-55% with compositions of 96% Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, 2% carbon and 2% oxygen after curing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,669 to Seyferth et al. discloses that it is possible to cross-link low molecular weight cyclic oligomers containing Si--H bonds adjacent to N--H bonds via the following reaction: ##STR5## The NH bond is catalytically activated by the strong base in this reaction. This type of cross-linking generates two-dimensional polymers, the solubility of which is limited by their sheet-like character. Ceramic yields of these materials are often quite high, up to about 86%. and typically provides Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 SiC and carbon in a mole ratio of 0.88:1.27:0.75. If the pyrolysis is carried out in an NH.sub.3 atmosphere, then the only product is Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 with the other products remaining as slight impurities.
Zoeckler and Laine in J. Org. Chem. (1983) 48:2539-2541 describe the catalytic activation of the Si--N bond and in particular the ring opening of octamethylcyclotetrasilazane and polymerization of the ring-opened intermediate. Chain termination is effected by introducing [(CH.sub.3).sub.3 Si].sub.2 NH as a coreactant giving rise to polymers (CH.sub.3).sub.3 Si-[NHSi(CH.sub.3).sub.2 ]n--NHSi(CH.sub.3).sub.3 where n may be 1 to 12 or more depending upon the ratio of the chain terminator to the cyclic silazane. The catalyst used was Ru.sub.3 (CO).sub.12. Other publications are as follows: W. Fink, Helv. Chem. Acta., 49:1408 (1966): Belgian Patent 665774 (1965); Netherlands Patent 6,507,996 (1965); D. Y. Zhinkis et al., Rus. Chem. Rev., 49:2814 (1980); K. A. Andrianov et al., Dok Akad. Nauk. SSSR, 227:352 (1976); Dok Akad. Nauk. SSSR 223:347 (1975); L. H. Sommer et al., JACS 91:7061 (1969); L. H. Sommer. J. Org. Chem. 32:2470 (1969); L. H. Sommer, J. Org. Chem. 32:2470 (1967): L. H. Sommer et al.. JACS 89:5797 (1967).
In general, control of the polysilazane molecular weight, structural composition and viscoelastic properties play a considerable role in determining the tractability (solubility, meltability or malleability) of the polymer, the ceramic yield, and the selectivity for specific ceramic products. In particular, the tractability plays a major role in how useful the polymer is as a binder, or for forming shapes, coatings, spinning fibers and the like. The more cross-linked a polymer is, the less control one has of its viscoelastic properties. Thus, highly cross-linked and low molecular weight polymers are not particularly useful for spinning fibers because the spun preceramic fiber often lacks tensile strength and is therefore unable to support its own weight. By contrast, high molecular weight, substantially linear polymers as provided herein are extremely important. Such polymers represent a significant advance in the art, as they provide chain entanglement interactions in the fiber-spinning process and thus enhance the overall tensile strength of the spun fibers.
An example of how molecular weight correlates with the properties of a particular polysilazane can be illustrated by the properties of H.sub.2 SiNMe].sub.x. The original synthesis of this material was reported by Seyferth et al. In Ultrastructure Processing of Ceramics, Glasses and Composites, Ed. Hench et al. (Wiley & Sons, 1984) via an aminolysis reaction: ##STR6## This method of preparation gives a mixture of a volatile cyclotetramer (35%) and nonvolatile oligomers. This mixture has an Mn of about 330 D and gives only a 28% is ceramic yield upon pyrolysis. Distillation of the volatile cyclomer yields 65% of low molecular weight nonvolatile oligomer (Mn=560) which is pyrolyzed to give a 39% ceramic yield. An improved method of preparing these oligomers is illustrated by Scheme VII: ##STR7##
By the method of this invention, working at temperatures of lower than about 0.degree. C. provides mostly nonvolatile linear oligomers (between about 85% and 95%) that require no distillation/purification step. For this product, the Mn is about 800-1.100 D (y.about.14-19). Pyrolysis of this improved oligomer gives significantly higher ceramic yields of 50% with some improvement in product quality, with Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 purities of above about 80%. the remainder being carbon.
By the method of this invention, the silazane product of Scheme VII can be further polymerized to give novel polymers with Mn greater than about 10,000 D, in some cases greater than about 20,000 D, Mw greater than about 16,000 D and in some cases greater than about 32.000 D, Mz greater than about 40,000 D and in some cases greater than 80,000 D, or with observable species having a molecular weight of higher than about 50,000 and in some cases higher than about 500,000 D. Molecular weights as high as 2,500,000 D (see Example 23) have been detected for the polysilazanes as provided herein. Pyrolysis of these true polymer species will give significantly higher ceramic yields than previously obtained, the ceramic yield to a large extent depending on the molecular weight distribution and the polymer processing. Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 purities of 80% or higher may be obtained, depending on the reaction conditions.
These novel high molecular weight polymers are soluble, exhibit a high degree of linearity and give higher ceramic yields and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 purities than the oligomeric starting material. In addition, the viscoelastic properties of the novel compounds can be carefully controlled using the method of this invention. In particular, at higher molecular weights, these polymers exhibit non-Newtonian viscoelastic properties, allowing for chain entanglement which will increase the tensile strength required to draw the thin precursor fibers required to form ceramic fibers.
The high ceramic yields are of considerable value in binder applications, injection molded parts and in matrix applications. During pyrolysis the density/volume change from preceramic polymer (1-1.3 g/cc) to ceramic (3.2 g/cc for Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) can be significant. Thus, ceramic yields tar below theoretical will only magnify the resulting density/volume change. For example, a 50% ceramic yield for a Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 precursor of density 1.0 will result in a final decrease in volume of approximately 80%.
It should be noted that certain aspects of the present invention are discussed in copending application PCT/US86/00548, U.S. Ser. No. 908,685, filed Mar. 4, 1986, and the parent thereto, U.S. application Ser. No. 727,415, filed Apr. 26, 1985, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,383. The disclosures of these related cases are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Polysilazanes and related compositions, processes and uses


Motion control apparatus (A) includes a direct coupled torque motor (54) slideably receiving an output (50) without other types of torque transmission devices between the output (50) and the motor (54) and between the output (50) and a pinion (7) in direct gearing engagement with an annular gear (44) connected to a second race (32) of a bearing (26) intermediate an annular mounting plate (38) and a dial plate (40). The second race (32) is a single, non-separable piece having L-shaped cross sections to define a mounting pilot for the annular gear (44). The motor (54) is secured to a mount plate (58) having an integral annular spacer (60) extending through a mounting tab (16) and secured to a mount ring (62) adjustably connected to the mounting tab (16) opposite to the mount plate (58).

Motion control apparatus, particularly apparatus providing precise positioning between two elements, and specifically to apparatus providing precise rotational positioning between two elements is shown and described.
Precise positioning between two elements is required in many applications including, but not limited to, the medical, semi-conductor manufacturing, satellite tracking and welding fields. Conventionally, precise positioning was accomplished utilizing cam based drive systems. Such cam based drive systems had several shortcomings including being complicated, having backlash, having large power requirements, and the like and are costly to manufacture, operate and maintain. Thus, solutions are being sought for providing precise positioning and overcoming the shortcomings of conventional cam based drive systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,989 provides a transmission device which has enjoyed commercial success. What is needed is the application of a transmission device, such as in the form shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,989, in a manner producing synergistic results in the field of precise positioning between elements.


Compact laser systems are disclosed which include ultrafast laser sources in combination with nonlinear crystals or waveguides. In some implementations fiber based mid-IR sources producing very short pulses and/or mid-IR sources based on a mode locked fiber lasers are utilized. A difference frequency generator receives outputs from the ultrafast sources, and generates an output including a difference frequency. The output power from the difference frequency generator can further be enhanced via the implementation of large core dispersion shifted fibers. Exemplary applications of the compact, high brightness mid-IR light sources include medical applications, spectroscopy, ranging, sensing and metrology.

Compact high-brightness mid-IR light sources have many applications in medicine, spectroscopy, ranging, sensing and metrology. For mass market applications such sources need to be highly robust, have long term stability and also include a reduced component count with a high degree of optical integration.
Mid-IR and far-IR wavelength ranges, as used in the present application, includes wavelengths from about 2-10 μm and 5-100 μm, respectively. Prior art mid-IR to far-IR light sources are limited in output power, spectral coverage for wavelengths >5 μm, wavelength tunability, and/or limited optical conversion efficiency to the mid-IR.
Difference frequency generation (DFG) may be utilized for generation of mid-IR or far IR outputs. Performance constraints can arise as a result of the limited coherence of the DFG pump sources and/or relatively complex system assembly involving typically two separate optical paths, a path delay adjustment stage, as well as a beam-splitter.
Frequency down-conversion via DFG using systems based on mode locked fiber lasers has recently attracted a lot of attention, see for example D. G. Winters et al., Subpicosecond fiber-based soliton-tuned mid-infrared source in the 9.7-14.9 μm wavelength region, Opt. Lett., vol. 35, pp. 2179-2181 (2010) and T. W. Neely et al., 'High-power broadband laser source tunable from 3.0-4.4 μm based on a femtosecond Yb:fiber oscillator.", Optics Letters, vol. 36, pp. 4020-2022 (2001) as well as G. Krauss et al., All-passive phase locking of a compact Er:fiber laser system, Opt. Lett., vol. 36, pp. 540-542 (201)).
The main drawbacks of the prior art systems were, for example, limited coherence of the DFG output (Winters and Neely) or the lack of frequency down-conversion (Krauss). In addition these systems were relatively large and incorporated many bulk optical components.
A need exists for compact, wavelength-tunable and robust high power coherent DFG sources with reduced component count and broadband IR capability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compact coherent high brightness light source for the mid-IR and far IR