Isolation and characterization of a novel plant fatty acid desaturase cDNA that encodes a .DELTA..sup.9 14:0-ACP desaturase. Expression of the .DELTA..sup.9 14:0-ACP desaturase is a critical factor for pest resistance in plants of the genus Pelargonium and other plants generally; the desaturase gene is also useful in other contexts and for other purposes such as increasing the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in oil-producing crops such as soybeans, rapeseed, maize, sunflower, safflower, cotton, cuphea, peanut, coconut and oil-palm, as well as increasing the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in other plants generally.

In the garden geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum), inbred genotypes resistant to pests (e.g., spider mites and aphids) and inbred genotypes susceptible to pests, have been identified (Gerhold et al., 1984; Walters et al., 1990a) (FIG. 3.1). Pest-resistant and pest-susceptible plants produce anacardic acids (6-alkyl-salicylic acid) in exudates of tall glandular trichomes. However, the composition of anacardic acids differs between resistant and susceptible genotypes (Hesk et al., 1991; Grazzini et al., 1995). The trichome exudate from the resistant genotype has a predominance (.sup..about. 81% of exudate profile) of unsaturated 22:1 .omega..sup.5 and 24:1 .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids. In contrast, trichome exudates from the susceptible genotype lack the .omega..sup.5 products and have saturated 22:0 and 24:0 anacardic acids (FIG. 3.2) (Hesk et al., 1991; Grazzini et al., 1995).
The desaturation status of the anacardic acid exudate affects the physical properties of the exudate and the effectiveness of pest resistance. The anacardic acid exudate of the resistant genotype is fluid and acts as a "sticky trap" that impedes the pest movement and adheres to their exoskeletons (Walters et al., 1990a; Walters et al., 1989). This results in enhanced pest exposure to anacardic acids which have toxic properties and have been shown to inhibit enzymatic steps in pest reproduction (Gerhold et al., 1984; Grazzini et al., 1991). In contrast, the anacardic acid exudate of the susceptible genotype is solid, does not act as an effective "sticky trap", and does not adhere to the exoskeleton; therefore, exposure to the toxic exudate is minimized.
Fatty acids have been shown to be direct precursors of anacardic acids. Saturated and unsaturated .sup.14 C!-labeled fatty acids applied to floral tissue and leaves produce corresponding .sup.14 C!-labeled saturated and unsaturated anacardic acids (Walters et al., 1990b; Hesk et al., 1992). The production of anacardic acids is consistent with the addition of six carbons to the labeled fatty acid (e.g., supplying a 16:0 fatty acid results in the production of a 22:0 anacardic acid) (Walters et al., 1990b; Hesk et al., 1992). Thus the novel 16:1 .DELTA..sup.11 and 18:1 .DELTA..sup.13 fatty acids are direct precursors to the 22:1 .omega..sup.5 and 24:1 .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids (respectively), which are associated with pest resistance (Walters et al., 1990b; Hesk et al., 1992). Consistent with this, the 16:1 .DELTA..sup.11 and 18:1 .DELTA..sup.13 fatty acids and corresponding .omega.5 anacardic acids are specifically localized in the trichomes of the resistant genotype (Hesk et al., 1991; Grazzini et al., 1995; Yerger et al., 1992).
Early analysis of inbred resistant and susceptible genotypes suggested that pest resistance is correlated with a quantitative difference in the levels of .omega.5 anacardic acids (Gerhold et al., 1984; Walters et al., 1990a; Walters et al., 1989; Craig et al., 1986; Walters et al., 1990c). Subsequent refinement of the anacardic acid analysis showed that .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids are either present at high levels in the resistant plants or undetectable in the susceptible plants (Hesk et al., 1991; Grazzini et al., 1995). Analysis of an F.sub.2 population (n=160) resulting from a cross of inbred resistant and inbred susceptible genotypes confirmed a 3:1 segregation ratio (X.sup.2 =0.03, P.gtoreq.0.86) for a single dominant locus controlling the production of .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids (Grazzini, 1993). To confirm the association between .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids and pest resistance, 10 plants containing, and 9 plants lacking, .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids were subjected to mite bioassays. All plants containing .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids were pest-resistant, and all plants deficient for .omega..sup.5 anacardic acids were pest-susceptible (Grazzini, 1993). Accordingly, a need remained both to identify the gene responsible for the pest-resistance as well as the applications of that gene in pest-resistance and other technologies.

.DELTA..sup.9 14:0-ACP fatty acid desaturase and gene therefor


Systems and methods for automatically verifying that power relays have been disconnected include relays arranged between two power sources. Test nodes are positioned between the relays on each line, and feed into a detection circuit. Voltage drop resistors, voltage drop diodes, an optocoupler, and additional resistors and capacitors are used to provide voltage isolation for the detection circuit. Relays are methodically opened and closed to check the individual functioning of each relay, and a digital signal generated from the detection circuit. The design of the system with detection circuit isolation provides a safer and lower cost system for verifying that relays are operating correctly, with less costly components than traditional systems.

Renewable energy, in particular photovoltaic (PV) solar energy, has become globally widespread. PV energy systems are frequently connected to an energy storage system (ESS), typically a direct current (DC) battery and inverter, to allow for storage and controlled distribution of energy. The ESS is commonly connected to a nearby alternating current (AC) utility grid and/or a local AC energy load. The ESS is capable of operating in at least two modes, including grid-connected (grid-tied) or islanded mode (also named back-up mode or off-grid mode). In addition to or in place of PV solar energy systems, the ESS may be connected to other renewable energy sources such as wind power or hydroelectric power, or other inverters or standard fuel-power generators.
A power inverter is an electronic device that changes DC to AC, and vice-versa. An inverter is required to effectively use battery power from an ESS in many common applications, because batteries operate on DC and both the utility grid and common electronics operate on AC. The input voltage, output voltage, frequency, and overall power handling depend on the design of the inverter.
Traditional power inverters utilize transformers and are isolated. More recently, non-isolated inverters that do not utilize transformers are being used. In order to achieve isolation for these newer inverters, disconnect relays and other methods are used.
Safety is a primary concern when dealing with high voltage systems and high capacity energy storage systems. If, for example, there is a power outage caused by a downed transmission line, it is critical that energy storage systems be properly disconnected and go off-grid. If the system is not properly disconnected, electricity may flow back through the transmission lines and cause a safety concern for the line workers.
The proper functioning of the disconnect means is important to maintain. In high-voltage systems, disconnect relays may inadvertently become stuck or welded together. In such cases, an ESS may not properly go off-line in the event of a power outage and may create a safety concern. Therefore, it is important to test the proper functioning of disconnect means.
In order to ensure safety in traditional systems, analog sensing is used to ensure that the disconnect means are functioning properly. The lines are simply tested to determine if there is current running through them. However, there are several disadvantages of analog sensing systems used to ensure relays are disconnected properly, including but not limited to the fact that they are usually not isolated from the high-voltage lines, an additional voltage reference is needed to offset the negative voltage reading when used with an AC source, an additional isolated power supply is required to use isolated analog sensing, and additional parts make the analog sensing system more expensive and complex. The fact that most commonly used analog sensing systems are not isolated presents safety concerns in and of itself, as high-voltage current may be running through easily-accessible areas of the inverter or other equipment.
Therefore, in order to ensure safety and prevent unintentional contact (shorts), it is desirable to have an isolated, automatic means of verifying that the power relays are disconnected. The digital detection circuit and methods herein provide a system that is effectively isolated, trustworthy, less parts-intensive, and more cost effective that prior systems and methods. Since the signals are digital here, one can use these signals to perform additional logic as required without needing a microprocessor or controller. The present invention therefore enjoys the benefits of being safer and less expensive than conventional systems for verifying disconnect of power relays.

Automated digitized system and methods for verifying power relay disconnect


The invented image forming apparatus includes an image data production condition production section for producing an image data production condition, an image data output condition production section for producing an image data output condition, and an image data management section for obtaining the image data production condition and the image data output condition in response to an output demand of the image data, for outputting the image data in a case where the image data production condition coincides to the image data output condition, for obtaining a password of the image data in a case where the image data production condition does not coincide to the image data output condition, for outputting the image data in a case where the designated password is entered at a time of image production, and for not outputting the image data in a case where anything other than the designated password is entered at the time of image production. With the invented image forming apparatus, the user's manipulability is much improved as ensuring the security.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of setting a password for each image data to ensure its security and to an image output apparatus capable of setting a password for each image data to ensure its security.
2. Description of Related Art
Some prior art complex machines, or multifunctional peripherals have a function to produce image data upon scanning original documents or pictures to store the data in a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory device (hereinafter, called to as "ScanToMemory function"), and a function to print images upon reading out image data from a USB memory without accessing any host computer (hereinafter called to as "DirectPrint function"). Such a multifunctional peripheral may have a function to set a password for each image data and not to output the image data as protection unless the correct password is entered for maintaining the secrecy of the produced image data.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2006-341591, for example, a printing apparatus is disclosed in having an identification information setting unit for setting identification information for each printing job and in doing printing processing of the printing job including the identification information coinciding to the identification information based on the printing request in a case where the identification information based on the printing request and the identification information of the printing job stored in a printing job storing unit are compared and found as matched to each other.
With image forming apparatuses in prior art, however, if once a password is set to image data, the password must be entered at each time when the image is outputted, so that there raises a problem that users feel such entries as laborious and far from their satisfaction.

Image forming apparatus and image output apparatus


A first embodiment of the invention presented herein describes a miniature golf game that has three components, a putting green, a tee base, and obstacles. The putting base comprised of a tee platform, a tee and bumps representing obstacles. The putting green has one or more depressions simulating sand trap hazards and/or water hazards and a rotatable disk having hole simulating a golf cup, the center of hole positioned away from the center of the rotatable disk By positioning the putting green in various orientations relative to the tee base, orienting the tee base in various positions relative the putting green, placing the obstacles in various positions between the putting green and the tee base, and finally rotating the rotatable disk relative to the putting position so the hole from the putting green, a virtually infinite number layouts may be created. Other embodiments are presented.

There exists many versions of miniature golf games. Some commercial golf games are played outdoors with multiple greens and large putting surfaces; others use a board placed on tabletops. Still others use apparatus that is portable with many components that may be placed indoors or outdoors. However there is a need for a miniature golf game with a small number of inexpensive components that give an unlimited variety of layouts and shot difficulties to play with.


A Cutting unit and method for cutting meat parts from suspended previously eviscerated poultry carcasses, when the carcasses are each suspended upside-down by their legs from a shackle in an overhead conveyor that transports a succession of shackles through poultry cut-up apparatus. The cutting unit includes at least one cutting element. The cutting unit includes a guiding and positioning member for guiding and positioning a predetermined portion of a poultry carcass in respect of the at least one cutting element. The guiding and positioning member is associated with an auxiliary conveyor adapted to move synchronously with shackles in an overhead conveyor. The auxiliary conveyor has an endless chain articulated about first and second return sprocket. The articulated chain moves in a vertical plane parallel to a vertical plane common to a path of movement of the conveyor shackles.

In the automatic processing of poultry carcasses for human consumption, it has become common practice to suspend the poultry carcasses in an inverted position hanging from their legs and to perform as many processing steps, including evisceration and cutting up, without removing the poultry carcasses from the conveyor shackles. It is also a known problem that a freely suspended poultry carcass is more difficult to position accurately for cutting. This cutting difficulty not only results from difficulties to support the moving carcasses in sequential cutting units, but also stems from variations in size of the poultry carcasses. Various guiding and positioning means have already been developed and put into use to improve cutting accuracy. While various of such guiding and positioning means have to some extent achieved an acceptable cutting accuracy, the demands from retail, food chains, and consumers have substantially increased over the past years. These increased retail, food chain, and consumer demands are conflicting in that these require both an increased processing speed, as well as a more accurate cutting to totally eliminate bone fragments from the obtained meat parts.

Cutting unit for cutting meat parts from suspended previously eviscerated poultry carcasses


Apparatus for automatically feeding and rolling output media from a printer. The apparatus comprises a supply roll for supplying a recording media having a leading edge, a clamping assembly for clamping the leading edge of the recording media, the clamping assembly also supplying a surface for the media to roll thereon. The apparatus further comprises an assist drive roller assembly for driving the leading edge of the recording media into the clamping assembly, a differential drive assembly for driving the clamping assembly to allow the recording media to be rolled thereon, and a retract assembly for retracting the clamping assembly to allow the clamping assembly to be removed from the recording media, after the media has been rolled onto the clamping assembly, causing the recording media to drop.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatic feeding and rolling output recording media from an electrographic printer onto individual hubs or spools. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus into which recording medium is self threaded and clamped which provides constant tension on the medium during unidirectional or bidirectional movement of the medium through the printing apparatus and easy release of spooled plot.
The electrographic recording process, for which the apparatus of this invention is particularly applicable, includes the steps of forming an electrostatic latent image upon a recording medium and subsequently making the latent image visible. The recording medium, usually provided in web form, has a dielectric and a conductive surface and may be a coated paper, a polyester based transparent film, or other suitable material on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by means of a plurality of writing electrodes or styli physically positioned on one side thereof to electrically address the dielectric surface as the medium travels therepast through a recording station. Opposite the dielectric surface of the recording medium there is a conductive surface which in some cases is grounded. When the potential difference between the conductive surface and the recording elements is raised above a threshold level, on the order of several hundred volts, an electrostatic charge is deposited on the dielectric surface of the recording medium as the medium passes by the recording elements.
Subsequently the latent image is made visible during the development step by applying liquid or dry toner to the recording medium. Normally such electrographic apparatus includes a liquid development system comprising a roller applicator movable through a bath of toner particles suspended in a carrier liquid, or a fountain over which a marking liquid flows. In each case, the recording medium is contacted by a thin film of developer material out of which the toner particles are electrostatically attracted to the regions of electrostatic charge on the medium.
Electrostatic plotters of this type have been commercially successful for many years in a monochrome mode, including a single recording station and a single development station dispensing a single color toner, usually black. More recently, electrostatic color plotters have been available to produce full color plots by the sequential overlaying of a series of separate color images (yellow, cyan, magenta and black) to produce a full spectrum of colors. It is clearly imperative that each color separation image must be in registration with the preceding images so as to prevent color fringes and color errors, and to provide high resolution color prints.
There are two basic approaches to color separation imaging. In one, a series of images are formed each by means of a dedicated recording head and development station. In the other, a single recording head forms each color separation image on the recording medium which is then advanced past one of the development stations. Then, the recording medium is returned to the recording head for receiving the next color separation image and is advanced to the next development station. This process of advancing and returning the recording medium through the apparatus minimizes the number of recording heads and obviates the need for their critical alignment with respect to one another. On the other hand, it is very important that great care be taken during shuttling of the recording medium back and forth (i.e. bidirectionally) to insure that it does not mistrack or skew in the apparatus, resulting in color-to-color mismatch.
The web of recording medium, in each case, is dispensed from a supply roller to the image processing stations. In the single pass method, handling of the recording medium is greatly simplified as compared with the multiple pass method, since although a completed plot may be wound onto a take-up spool, it is also possible to feed it out of the machine with no provision for output storage, i.e. feeding onto the floor. This is not the case with the multiple pass method since the recording medium must be under positive control in two directions of movement before a completed plot may be achieved.
As illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,584 to St. John et al., advancing and rewinding of the recording medium, in a multicolor electrographic plotter, is accomplished by feeding the medium from a supply roller to a take-up roller and by driving it with an intermediate main drive roller. The supply roller and the take-up roller each are continuously biased in opposite directions by individual drive motors so as to maintain the medium in a taut state of equilibrium which may be overcome by the drive motor applied to the main drive roller. Winding the completed plots onto a take-up spool, as taught in the '584 patent, is satisfactory for many applications but it requires that numerous completed plots be serially wound upon the take-up spool, prior to separating them into the individual plots and delivering them to their respective recipients.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,011,093, 5,037,037, to Mayer et al., and 5,060,880 to Mayer each disclose an apparatus for spooling output media into individual rolls thus eliminating the need to wind several prints into one roll. There is a drive motor for bidirectional driving the medium in and out of the spooling apparatus to allow for multiple pass printing. However, such a device does not have positive control of the leading edge of the media. Therefore, media skew may become a problem during the color printing process.
Other forms of an output spooling stations are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,345 to Romanowski et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,497 to Kramer et al. In the single pass apparatuses described therein, sheets of recording media are transported through a document reproduction apparatus and are delivered into a device for automatically rolling the sheets into tubular form. No provision is made for maintaining the medium taut as it is moved into the device. Furthermore, neither device described has the ability to move the media bidirectionally to allow for multipass color printing.
Often it is desired to obtain an output plot of one's work shortly or immediately after it has been printed on a centralized plotter at a remote location. In such a case, it would be most convenient if the plotter apparatus had the capability to automatically provide individual plots from the supply web and to deliver them in rolled up, tubular form for ease of handling. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a system providing an automatic spooling apparatus which will maintain the record medium taut in both directions of movement so as to prevent mistracking thereof and to allow for multipass color printing. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide an automatic spooling apparatus which is self threading and has positive control of the leading edge of the media and easy release of spooled plot. Such a system could be cost effective, accommodate a limitless plot length and would not be affected by media types or stiffness.

Media feed and roller device for an electrographic printer


A game dragging device for attaching to a fallen game animal to thereby facilitate the dragging of the animal, the game dragging device including a pair of tongs for securing to the animal, the pair of tongs including a first tong member and a second tong member, each of the first and second tong members having a proximate end and a distal end, the first and second tong members being pivotally attached together at a point between the proximate and distal ends thereof, a pair of cables, one end of each of the pair of cables being attached to one each of the proximate ends of the first and second tong members, each of the distal ends of the first and second tong members preferably having a V-shaped edge portion provided thereon, each of the first and second tong members being at least partially S-shaped, a ring member encircling both of the pair of cables, the ring member being slidable along the pair of cables to a point adjacent the pair of tongs, and a pair of grips, one each of the pair of grips being attached to the other end of one each of the pair of cables, each of the grips including a loop formed at each other end of each of the cables, a tubular member encircling each of the cables within each of the loops, and a clamping ring clamping each the other end of each of the cables to thereby form the loops, and each of the proximate ends of the first and second tong members being provided with a throughgoing hole, each one end of the cables passing through one each of the throughgoing holes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the dragging of a fallen game animal, most particularly a deer.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,921 relates to a deer hauling device that includes a handle in the form of an elongated ellipse, a shank attached to the handle, and an inwardly turned hook provided at the other end of the shank, the axis of the shank being offset from the central axis of the handle in order to distribute the weight evenly across the palm of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,525 discloses a deer dragging and tagging device that includes a pair of flared outer sleeves slidably mounted over a cylindrical inner sleeve. The ends of a tow line, having a "chocker" member provided thereon, are attached to the outer ends of the outer sleeves, and the inner sleeve provides space for storing a pencil, a tag, and a pin for securing the tag to the ear of a deer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,164 relates to a game dragging apparatus that includes a rigid bar having a pair of spaced clamp loops thereon that can be secured to the front legs of an animal. A loop that dangles from the central portion of the bar can be looped over the head of the animal to prevent it from dragging on the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 312,164 discloses a design for a deer dragging instrument that includes a cylindrical bar grip and a Y-shaped cord extending therefrom, the arms of the Y-shaped cord being attached to the ends of the bar, and the leg of the Y-shaped cord being provided with a loop on the distant end thereof.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,505 relates to an industrial safety pull hook that includes a rod bent to form an oval handle, a shank extending therefrom, and a reversely bent hook at the end of the shank. A spring biased closure latch is also provided for preventing disengagement of the hook from an object engaged thereby.


An apparatus and method for wireless doorbell and security control panel interaction is provided. The system includes a wireless doorbell, a security control panel, and at least one control panel activation device having a transmitter and a manually activated switch or button. The control panel is in communication with the at least one control panel activation device by way of the transmitter. The control panel includes a receiver for receiving signals transmitted from the at least one control panel activation device via the transmitter. A security keypad having a speaker device for broadcasting an alarm or message related to functions of the security system is in communication with the control panel as well. At least one auxiliary security device is also in communication with the control panel. The auxiliary security device may include an assortment of devices that perform ancillary functions that enhance the functionality of the security control panel.

Currently, home and commercial security systems that utilize a main security alarm component and an independent ancillary security device to enhance the effectiveness of the security system typically require that the security system and ancillary device be hard-wired in order to activate the systems. Further, any doorbell device associated with the home or commercial structure would also typically have a hard-wire configuration.
The present invention provides for the wireless activation of a doorbell and auxiliary security device that are associated with a home or commercial structure equipped with a security system.

Apparatus and method for wireless doorbell and security control panel interaction


The present invention pertains to a grate plate utilized in a cooling apparatus.. Substantially the entire surface area of the exposed surface is defined by alternating rows of a plurality of (1) substantially rectangular hollow air distribution plenums that travel substantially the entire length of the exposed area in a direction parallel to the movement of solid material through the cooling apparatus. The air distribution plenums have two side walls and a top surface with which the solid material transported to the cooling apparatus comes into contact, and (2) a plurality of pockets that also travel substantially the entire length of the exposed area in a direction parallel to the movement of solid material through the cooling apparatus. The said side walls of the air distribution plenums each have a plurality of air outlets or portals located thereon through which cooling air passes from the hollow interior of the air distribution plenum into a pocket located adjacent thereto. Preferably, the longitudinal edges of adjoining grate plates in the cooling apparatus are fitted to abut with one another and to thereby form, along the point of juncture of the two grate plates, another air distribution plenum.

The invention relates in general terms to an apparatus for cooling hot material discharged from a kiln.
A cooling apparatus of the general class to which the invention relates is used to cool particulate material (e.g., cement clinker or other mineral materials), which has been burnt in a kiln. Such apparatus can comprise traveling grate coolers, thrust grate coolers, and the like. The hot particulate material discharge from the kiln outlet typically undergoes quenching in the material inlet part of the cooling apparatus and is then moved, distributed as well as possible, to consecutive traverse rows of grates on which additional cooling is then carried out while the material to be cooled is transported along a path extending from the material inlet to the material outlet of the cooler on said grates. Typically, the cooling air which is blown through the hot material in the recuperation zone of the cooling apparatus is then reused or recycled further generally as air for combustion in the preceding kiln.
Grates for cooling or combustion are generally equipped with overlapping rows of grate plates, of which some are mounted in a fixed position and others are reciprocating, which generally means that they oscillate in a longitudinal direction, with the forward stroke of the oscillation being the direction in which the particulate material to be cooled travels through the cooler, and they thereby serve in part to facilitate the movement of the material through the cooler. The grate plates are mounted on a grate support structure, i.e. a carrier beam, which is transverse to the direction of material flow through the cooler. The air needed for cooling or combustion is introduced from below the grate plates through port like openings to enter, penetrate and pass through the bed of material to be cooled or burned, with said material lying on top of the grate plate.
The grate plates are subject to wear through mechanical and thermal effects. In the case of cooling grates for instance, the exposed area of the grate, which lies closer to the discharge end of the cooler, is subject to considerable mechanical wear and thermal exposure, whereas the rear, unexposed, part of the grate plate is subject to less wear, and only minimal thermal exposure.
Grate plates are provided in numerous configurations. One popular configuration is the so-called flat grate plate style, which, as its name implies, employs a flat surface on which the clinker is supported as it is transported through the cooler. In this style, ports through which cooling air passes are located on the surface of the grate. Clinker will therefore rest directly on top of the ports. There will always exist the possibility that clinker will sift through the ports, clog the air passageways and at times fall on the underlying supporting structure, causing possible damage to the supporting structure and, at times, an uneven distribution of cooling air flow resulting in a grate plate system having hot areas.
Over the years, there have been notable variations in style from the so-called flat grate configuration. One such variation, for example, is the wedge grate style in which the front area, which comprises part of the exposed area of the grate, is bent or inclined upward at an angle relative to the flat, horizontal plane of the remaining area of the grate. This design provided a partially defined area, at the point of the bend, in which the clinker could rest on the surface of the grate. This design also served to slow the flow of clinker through the cooler, which ultimately was somewhat successful in retarding red river conditions within the cooler. Air typically was distributed into the clinker through openings located in the upwardly inclined area of the grate plate. This design did not contain any anti-sifting features, as smaller particles of hot clinker could enter and clog the air distribution holes or pass through the holes into the air distribution compartments below the grate. In addition, there was only a limited tendency for the clinker to remain static within this particular design of grate. This design was utilized primarily in the mid 1950's through the 1960's.
Such prior art designs did not have any anti-sifting features and had high discharge velocities of air through the air distribution holes into the clinker. It would be advantageous, therefore, to provide for a design of grate plate which has anti-sifting features and lower discharge velocities of air through the air discharge holes and which will hold clinker in a static condition on the surface of the grate plate, thus reducing the possibility of excessive wear on the surface of the grate plate.


A fastener assembly 10, in respect to forces which are subsequently applied, after the installation thereof, when forces is applied in one direction, this fastener assembly 10 is self adjusting incrementally, as needed in travel or actuation; yet when a force is applied in the opposite direction, this fastener assembly 10 is not self adjusting and there is no travel or actuation. The invention includes also the building structure and method.

In the development of lock detent mechanisms which provide a movement in one direction and prevent movement in the opposite direction, Hendricks, U.S. Pat. No. 2,388,056, shows an adjustable stool or the like furniture article which can be moved in one direction and locked against movement in the other direction by means of a ball detent type construction. A release mechanism is provided. Aldridge also shows a detent lock mechanism of a general type in which there are a pair of sleeves with recesses on both sides for receiving a third member. The mechanism operates in one direction and locks in the opposite direction but can be released by a release spring.
Shiga, U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,011, discloses a three member structure providing inner and outer members which are recessed and provide locking in one direction and adjustment in the other direction for the third member which can be, by centrifugal force moved into a xe2x80x9cfish hookxe2x80x9d like pocket, so that movement in one direction can be made.
Stotler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,894, discloses a mechanism used in oil wells in which there are two sleeves and a third member such as a ball between the two sleeves. Pockets in each of the sleeves are provided for the ball and are designed so that movement of one sleeve in one direction will permit the ball to travel and lodge in the other sleeve and prevent the sleeves from movement when reversed direction is applied to the first movable sleeve. The primary difficulties with these various developments has been the failure of the locking member to properly fit into the lock mode causing damage or shifting of the sleeve members relative to each other or which requires manual manipulation which can be difficult at times requiring additional tooling to get it released in order to provide adjustment.
When this fastener assembly either is serving directly as a product, or this fastener is combined with other components as a product, then after the installation thereof when a force is applied in one direction, this fastener assembly is self adjusting incrementally, as needed in travel or actuation; yet when a force is applied in the opposite direction, this fastener assembly is not self adjusting and there is no travel or actuation.
This fastener assembly, and respective embodiments, is arranged in cylindrical, arcuate, tubular and planar configurations. There are at least three members in each embodiment. There is a first member and a second member, which under a force of sufficient magnitude applied in one direction, will move relative to one another a preset distance, to await another force of sufficient magnitude of like direction to cause a like relative movement through another preset distance, thereafter repeating the sequences of relative movements in respect to respective designed embodiments, in this same one direction of the applied force. Yet, any force applied in the opposite direction, will not cause any essential opposite direction of the relative movement between the first member and second member.
This controlled one direction movement, centers on the utilization of the alternate positioning of a third member, called the locking member, which is controllably confined by both the first member and second member, when they are closely spaced apart in the assembled fastener assembly. During the preset locking positions, the locking member is partially received internally respectively in both the first member and the second member.
Any attempt to apply a force at this relative position of the first member and second member, in the opposite direction, is prevented, as this third member serves as the locking member, by being partially extending internally into both the first member and the second member. Yet when a wanted self adjusting force of sufficient magnitude is applied, the first member and second member are moved sufficiently, so the first member fully receives internally the locking member, which then has been moved clear of the second member.
The first member has a full receiving volume with a cam surface to guide and to fully receive the third member, then positioned out in the locking position. The second member has a partial receiving volume with a cam surface to guide and to partially receive the third member into the locking position.
In this embodiment of only the three members, the third member must be resilient enough to be either expanded or contracted from a pre-installed relaxed state, so when installed, the third member will always be attempting, via the stored energy thereof, to return to the locked position thereof, when partially extending internally into both the first member and the second member, to keep from moving, one relative to the other.
In some other embodiments, the third member is not resilient, such as a spherical locking member, an arcuate locking member, or a linear locking member. In these embodiments, when the third member is non-resilient, then a fourth member, having resiliency and sufficient stored energy, is needed to complete an embodiment of the particular fastener assembly, having at least four members. This fourth member will be positioned inside the first member in the locale of the full receiving volume thereof, to movably be always ready to direct the locking member, i.e. the third member, into the locking position thereof, when partially extending into both the respective volumes of the first member and second member.
In some other embodiments, when the third member is a resilient locking member, the first member is formed of two parts, which are movable relative to one another. Each of these two parts have both partial receiving volumes and partial cam surfaces. When the two parts are moved substantially apart, from a total locking configuration, clearance is provided to fully receive the third member, which via the stored energy thereof, moves fully into the clearance volume of this first member, formed of two parts. Then the first and second members may be moved relative to one another free of incremental stops. However, when the two parts are moved only a short distance part from a total locking configuration, relative movement in one direction is essentially prevented, and relative movement in the opposite direction is undertaken in incremental movements between locking positions.
In some other embodiments, when the third member is a resilient locking member, the second member is formed of two parts, which are movable relative to one another. One of these two parts has a partial receiving volume. When the two parts are moved directly together, in contact with one another, then the locking member is directed completely into the receiving volume of the first member, and the first member and the second member are relatively moved freely in either direction. When the two parts are moved apart a short distance, then relative movement soon permits the resilient third member to be positioned partially in both the first member and the second member having the two parts, locking these first and second members together, preventing relative movement in either direction. Then when the two parts of the second member are moved farther apart, then the relative movement in the one relative movement direction, soon permits the resilient third member to be moved completely into the receiving volume of the first part to permit an incremental movement until the next locking position is reached. Yet a relative movement in the opposite direction results in quickly reaching a locking position of the first and second parts, before any substantial incremental movements occurs.
It is an object of this invention to provide a one way adjustment mechanism which will work under adverse conditions such as earthquakes, high winds and the like prevailing on building structures or other types of equipment including adjustment mechanisms in tooling, machinery, furniture and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a system which will prevent uplifting in walls while compensating for settlement, shrinkage, or compression loading and permits continual ratcheting downward of the fastener assembly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a system which will compensate for wood shrinkage and compression loading.
Yet further object of this invention is to provide a mechanism which will remain tight after cyclic loading.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly which will provide a straight load path to a foundation anchor of a building or the like.
A further object of this invention is to provide a structural building with a tie down system for reducing structural damage caused by earthquakes, wind, or other severe physical conditions.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a method for provisioning the tie down.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly used in seismic hold downs that help prevent uplift which separates a wood frame building from its foundation during an earthquake or high winds since a typical hold down will experience somewhere in the range of xc2xc inch to xc2xd inch of shrinkage at each floor connection.
A further object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly which will be actuated in 0.07 inch increments (less that one half of an inch) with a force of only about 15 pounds and with an ultimate load ranging from about 39,000 pounds to about 120,000 pounds using rod sizes from about xe2x85x9c inch rods to about 1 inch rods.
A further object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly which enhances lateral structural stability of building or the like and which exceeds the strength of the surrounding wood members.
Yet another further object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly hold down which far surpasses existing strap or rod hold down systems.
Yet another further object of this invention is to provide a fastener assembly which is inexpensive and readily manufactured and of simple assembly.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description including the drawings in which:

Tie down building, system tie down, and method


An expression vector capable of expressing high levels of heterologous proteins having a cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer 5′ upstream from a myeloproliferative sarcoma virus (MPSV) promoter.

The expression of foreign proteins by bacteria, yeast or mammalian cell lines has become routine. One type of commonly used means involves the construction of virion-plasmid hybrid vectors that possess the capacity to express cloned inserts in mammalian cells. The expression of the cloned gene with such hybrid vectors can occur in a transient, extrachromosomal manner, but higher production is usually obtained through random insertion of the vector into the host cell genome. The typical mammalian expression vector will contain regulatory elements, usually in the form of viral promoter or enhancer sequences and characterized by a broad host and tissue range, a polylinker sequence facilitating the insertion of a DNA fragment within the plasmid vector, and the sequences responsible for intron splicing and polyadenylation of mRNA transcripts. This contiguous region of promoter-polylinker-polyadenylation site is commonly referred to as the transcription unit. Viral promoter and enhancer regions have long been utilized as regulatory elements for use in mammalian host cells. For example, the strength of the CMV enhancer caused it to be a suggested component in eukaryotic expression vectors upon its discovery (Boshart et al., Cell, 41 (2):521-30 (1985)) and it has been utilized as a universal cell control element in transgenic mice (Schmidt et al. Mol. Cell. Biol. 10: 4406-4411 (1990)). The MPSV promoter coveys a wide host cell specificity to the virus including fibroblasts and hematopoietic stem cells (Stocking et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82: 5746-5750 (1985)). Accordingly, this promoter has been used to express heterologous genes in a number of cell types, including skin fibroblasts (Pamer et al., Blood, 73: 438-445 (1989), primary hepatocytes (Ponder et al., Hum. Gene Ther. 2:41-52 (1991), and rodent cells lines and human fibroblast cell lines (van den Wollenberg, Gene 144: 237-241 (1994)).
Generally, there are two types of expression vectors suitable for use in eukaryotic cells, retrovirally-based systems and virion-plasmid hybrids described above. van den Wollenberg et al. describe a retroviral vector that comprises the CMV enhancer genetically engineered within the U3 region of the MPSV promoter. However, retroviral vectors have significant drawbacks for use in industrial level protein production. First, the level of protein production is severely hampered by the retroviral packaging sequence, a necessary component of such vectors, as it interferes with translational initiation. Second, protein production is reduced because the transport of retroviral messenger RNA is less efficient than a standard mRNA and there is competition between retroviral packaging and translation. Third, it is impossible to reach the gene copy numbers routinely achieved by standard vectors with an amplifying selection marker, due to the fact that a retroviral vector implants two promoters for each random integration, thus randomly activating downstream sequences with deleterious effects to the cell. Fourth, there are serious safety concerns with large-scale production of retroviral cultures due to random recombination to replication competency. Finally, retrovirally-established cell lines are harder to document and less efficient to develop since a viral production cell line must first be used to make a master cell bank, then the actual production cell line is produced, requiring a second round of analysis and banking. Accordingly, industrial production of protein is not routinely performed with retroviral vectors.
Thus, the expression of foreign proteins in commercially acceptable quantities remains a challenge. This is especially true in mammalian cell lines. Very often expression of a mammalian protein in a mammalian cell line is required in order to mimic the native form of the protein in all respects: structure, catalytic activity, immunological reactivity, and biological function. Often glycosylation or other post-translational modifications are the key to the production of the desired form of the protein, and bacteria or yeast systems are unable to accomplish these modifications. Thus, there remains a need for improved plasmids that promote the production of mammalian proteins in commercially viable quantities within mammalian host systems.

Hybrid vector having a cytomegalovirus enhancer and myeloproliferative sarcoma virus promoter


A barrier metal is formed from a surface of an interlayer insulating film 2 to a trench that is formed in a semiconductor portion exposed in a contact hole. After RTA treatment and a plasma nitriding process, a plug is embedded at an inner side of the barrier metal inside the trench and the contact hole. The RTA treatment is performed at a temperature range of about 500 degrees C. to 650 degrees C. The plasma nitriding process is performed at a temperature lower than that of the RTA treatment. The barrier metal is formed by a first metal film of titanium and a second metal film of titanium nitride sequentially stacked. The plug is formed from tungsten. A surface electrode formed of aluminum is formed from a surface of the second metal film on the interlayer insulating film to a surface of the plug.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein are related to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional trench contact that forms a contact (electrical contact portion) with an electrode in an inner wall of a trench is formed by embedding the electrode inside the trench, which is formed in a semiconductor substrate. As a trench contact, use of a contact between a metal electrode and a part of a semiconductor portion of a gate electrode or source region formed in a surface side of a semiconductor substrate enables increased contact area and low contact resistivity. Further, use of a contact between the semiconductor portion and metal electrode as a trench contact enables reductions in size without increasing contact resistivity.
In a conventional process for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a conventional trench contact, heat treatment by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) may be performed to a titanium (Ti) and titanium nitride (TiN) film formed on walls of the trench. Objectives of performing the RTA treatment are primarily the following two points. The first objective is to convert the titanium film to a silicide, form an ohmic contact with the semiconductor region, and lower contact resistivity. The second objective is to improve the function of the barrier metal by nitriding the titanium atoms (hereinafter, unreacted titanium atoms) that remain unreacted in the titanium nitride film when heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen (N2) atmosphere and the titanium nitride film is formed. Therefore, when the RTA treatment is not sufficiently performed and the nitriding of unreacted titanium atoms does not progress, unreacted titanium atoms remain in the titanium nitride film. In the titanium nitride film, the portion in which unreacted titanium atoms remain reduces the function of the barrier metal and the following problem arises.
When the function of the titanium nitride film decreases as a barrier metal, fluorine (F) atoms included in a source gas (WF6) used in the formation of the tungsten plug enter the titanium nitride film, pass through the titanium nitride film, and reach the lower layer, the titanium film. These fluorine atoms react with the titanium atoms inside the titanium film and at a side surface of the trench, a gap forms between the titanium film and the titanium nitride film whereby the function of the barrier metal further decreases consequent to the titanium nitride film peeling from the titanium film (hereinafter, peeling of the titanium nitride film). To avoid such problems, the RTA treatment is performed at a high temperature of around 700 degrees C. (a range of about 690 degrees C. to 750 degrees C.), the titanium film is converted into a silicide and the unreacted titanium atoms inside the titanium nitride film are nitrided and decrease.
On the other hand, performing the RTA treatment at a high temperature of about 700 degrees C. results in a decrease of the adhesion of the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal, creating a new problem. The inventor has confirmed that if the adhesion of the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal decreases, the barrier metal peels and curls away from the interlayer insulating film (hereinafter, peeling of the barrier metal) consequent to ultrasonic vibration, load, etc. applied to wires during wire bonding to join wires to the surface electrode. Barrier metal that has peeled from the interlayer insulating film during wire bonding collects near the joined portion of the wire and the surface electrode, and a portion where no barrier metal is present occurs between the interlayer insulating film and the surface electrode. Such peeling of barrier metal is dependent on the temperature of the RTA treatment and tends to occur more frequently the higher the temperature of the RTA treatment is.
To improve the adhesion of the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal, a semiconductor device has been proposed in which a titanium-silicon (Ti—Si) film is formed on an interlayer insulating film that is formed in a silicon substrate surface, barrier metal that is formed sequentially by a titanium film and a titanium nitride film is further stacked on the Ti—Si film, and electrode wiring is disposed on the barrier metal (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H6-314722). In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H6-314722, formation of the Ti—Si film between the interlayer insulating film and the titanium film prevents the organization near the interface of the interlayer insulating film from becoming vulnerable during the high-temperature heat treatment for reducing contact resistivity of the barrier metal consequent to the metal element titanium configuring the barrier metal.
As a method of forming a contact, a method has been proposed in which a contact hole is formed in an interlayer insulating film, a titanium silicide film is formed by RTA treatment after a titanium film is formed on the interlayer insulating film by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and thereafter, a titanium nitride film is formed by a plasma CVD method that uses a mixed gas that includes a halogenated titanium compound and nitriding agent (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-112446 (paragraphs 0033 to 0035)). In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-112446, when the titanium nitride film is formed by the plasma CVD method, the titanium film that remains unreacted and contacts the interlayer insulating film reacts with a reactive nitrogen species and is nitrided and thus, converted into a titanium nitride film.
As another method of forming a contact, a method has been proposed in which after a titanium film and a titanium nitride film are sequentially formed along an inner wall of a contact hole on an interlayer insulating film, an exposed portion of the titanium film is nitrided by RTA treatment at 650 degrees C. in a nitrogen atmosphere to form a titanium nitride film (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-145085 (paragraphs 0007, 0009, and 0015)). In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-145085, before the formation of a tungsten plug, an exposed portion of a titanium film is converted into a titanium nitride film, whereby peeling of the tungsten plug formed thereafter can be prevented. Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-145085, a method nitriding the exposed portion of the titanium film by a plasma nitriding process is further proposed.
As yet another method of forming a contact, a method has been proposed in which before a tungsten plug that is connected to a titanium nitride film exposed in a contact hole is embedded in the contact hole, a plasma nitriding process is performed with respect to an inner wall of the contact hole (for example, refer to International Publication No. 2007/110988 (paragraphs 0039 to 0045)). In International Publication No. 2007/110988, before the tungsten plug is embedded in the contact hole, the plasma nitriding process is performed at a substrate temperature of 350 degrees C. and an inner wall of the contact hole is nitrided, whereby moisture-barrier property of the inner wall of the contact hole is enhanced.
Nonetheless, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H6-314722, although adhesion of the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal can be enhanced by the Ti—Si film, formation processes for the Ti—Si film and an etching process for patterning the Ti—Si film have to be added and as result, manufacturing processes become complicated. Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-112446, since RTA treatment is performed between the formation of the titanium film and the formation of the titanium nitride film without continuous formation of the titanium film and the titanium nitride film that become the barrier metal, processes are difficult. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-145085 and International Publication No. 2007/110988, contact resistivity may increase as a result of a silicide not forming between the titanium film and silicon since the heat treatment temperature is low.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A sorting device for a variable-length code containing the following parts: a coding part 43 that converts the length value to a first bit column according to its value, a first shifter 44 that converts the first bit column input from said coding part 43 to a second bit column according to the shift parameters, a second shifter 42 that converts the code value to a third bit column according to the shift parameter, and a register 45 that has the second bit column input from said first shifter 44 and the third bit column input from said second shifter 42, and which outputs only the content of the bit at the position of the third bit column corresponding to the position of the bit indicating the prescribed value xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d of the second bit column.

This invention pertains to a type of processing of the variable-length code based on image signals, etc. In particular, this invention pertains to the sorting of a variable-length code for use in the coding of MPEG.
In the MPEG standard, in order to realize high-efficiency coding, the variable-length code is adopted. The variable-length code is adopted for coding at a high efficiency for transmitting the quantized DCT coefficient. By giving shorter codes to symbols having a high probability of generation and longer codes to symbols having a low probability of generation, it is possible to reduce the amount of the data transmitted.
For the prior art pertaining to the output of the variable-length code, as shown in FIG. 1, the serial bit from parallel/serial converting unit 3 to serial/parallel converting unit 4 is taken as an input to control logic unit 2; when it becomes equal to the magnitude of the xe2x80x9clength,xe2x80x9d the next data portion is input from FIFO 1 to parallel/serial converting unit 3. In this case, when it is impossible to perform the processing of parallel/serial converting unit 3 and serial/parallel converting unit 4 more than 28 times faster than the input clock of the code/length, it is naturally necessary to set a buffer such as FIFO 1 in the former stage of parallel/serial converting unit 3. That is, the processing rate of parallel/serial converting unit 3 and serial/parallel converting unit 4 becomes a restriction of the processing rate of the entire system containing them.
According to this invention, sorting of the variable-length code means that, as shown in FIG. 2, the effective data among the 28-bit code (with its length represented by xe2x80x9clengthxe2x80x9d) is extracted and packed as shown in FIG. 3, and is output at the time when it becomes a prescribed length. That is, the effective portion of the code is accommodated in a buffer (FIG. 3(a)), the initial code of the buffer corresponding to the length of the next code is shifted, and the code is accommodated in the buffer (FIG. 3(b)); this operation is repeated until the buffer becomes full and is output (FIG. 3(c)). In the sorting, the code is moved one bit at a time to the buffer and, at the same time, it is shifted one bit by one bit in the buffer. An improvement is demanded from the viewpoint of the processing rate.
This invention provides a type of sorting device for a variable-length code containing the following parts: a coding part that converts the length value to a first bit column according to its value, a first shifter that converts the first bit column input from the aforementioned coding part to a second bit column according to the shift parameters, a second shifter that converts the code value to a third bit column according to the shift parameter, and a register that has the second bit column input from the aforementioned first shifter and the third bit column input from the aforementioned second shifter, and which outputs only the content of the bit at the position of the third bit column corresponding to the position of the bit indicating the prescribed value of the second bit column.


Crystalline microparticles consisting of a phenylalkylamino beta2-adrenergic agonist coated with a C12-C20 fatty acid are useful for the preparation of pharmaceutical aerosol formulations in form of suspension in a liquefied propellant gas or powder formulations.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to crystalline microparticles comprising a beta2-agonist suitable for use in formulations to be administered by inhalation for the treatment of respiratory diseases. The present inventions also relates to pharmaceutical aerosol formulations comprising said microparticles and to a process for preparing them. The present invention further relates to methods of treating/preventing certain diseases and conditions by administering such microparticles.
Discussion of the Background
The administration of pharmacologically active ingredients by inhalation to the lungs is a widely used technique especially for the treatment of reversible airway obstruction, inflammation and hyper-responsiveness. Inhalable preparations include dry powders formulations, pressurized metered dose (pMDI) formulations containing propellants such as hydrofluoroalkanes (HFA), or propellant-free aqueous formulations to be administered by suitable devices such as nebulizers.
The drugs present in the formulations can either be dissolved or suspended. A specific group of drugs administered by the pulmonary route are bronchodilators having a local therapeutic action in the lungs and/or a systemic therapeutic action after absorption in the blood.
For example, widely used bronchodilators are beta2-agonists belonging to the class of the phenylalkylamino derivatives such as rac-(R,R)-N-[2-hydroxy-5-[1-hydroxy-2-[1-(4-methoxyphenyl) propan-2-ylamino]ethyl]phenyl]formamide, also known as formoterol. However, formoterol as well as other drugs belonging to said class may suffer of chemical stability problems due to the susceptibility to oxidative conditions of the functional groups present on the molecules such as formamide and hydroxyethyl groups. Some of said groups such as formamide are also susceptive to solvolysis reactions.
On the other hand, molecules belonging to said class may also incur problems of physical stability of their suspension formulations. This is because of partial solubility of the drugs in the liquefied gas propellant. This partial solubility, in turn, may lead to an undesirable increase in the particle size during storage and/or the formation of aggregates.
Moreover, formulations of beta2-agonists in HFA propellant might be susceptible to absorption of the drug into the rubber components of the valves of the administration device. This may then cause the valves to seize resulting in a reduction of fine particle mass and/or the aggregates of particles will penetrate less well into the fine lower respiratory pathways, subsequently causing problems with dose uniformity.
To overcome the problems of physical stability and of adsorption of the drug, it has been proposed in the art to coat the particles with additives such as surfactants, and to suspend said coated particles in the HFA propellant. For instance, WO 92/08447 and WO 91/04011 teach coating the active agent by a process involving the steps of dissolving the surfactant in a solvent in which the pharmaceutically active agent is substantially insoluble, mixing a quantity of the pharmaceutically active agent, in micronized form, into the surfactant solution and isolating particles of surfactant coated active agent either by filtration and drying, or by removal of the solvent by evaporation. However, it has so far not proven possible, to manufacture useful formulations in this way. For example, it is difficult to achieve a uniform coating using techniques of this nature because the manner in which the surfactant agent precipitates from the evaporating solvent can be unpredictable.
WO 2006/059152 discloses the preparation of coated particles with dispersing agents such as surfactants by mechano-fusion processes. However, it is known that particles obtained in this way are prevalently amorphous. On the other hand, amorphous or prevalently amorphous materials tend to absorb water in larger amounts than crystalline ones, and this could be a pitfall for active ingredients liable to degradation by hydrolysis.
WO 00/61108 discloses salmeterol particles coated with a surfactant and free of any other coating excipient. They are obtained by a process involving the steps of suspending the active ingredient in form of particles in a medium, preferably water, then dispersing the surfactant, and subjecting the suspension to spray-drying. However, also in this case, it is well known that the use of water could yield some amorphous material. Moreover, it is difficult to achieve a uniform coating if the surfactant is dispersed and not dissolved in said medium.
WO 2008/152398 discloses particles coated with polymers such as PVP without any mention of their chemical stability.
US 2004/101483 discloses suspension aerosol formulations based on hydrofluoroalkanes comprising micronized particles of active ingredients and calcium salts, magnesium salts, and zinc salts of palmitic acid and of stearic acid as solid excipients. The demonstrated advantage is that said suspensions show a markedly improved valve accessibility.
US 2004/013611 discloses suspension aerosol formulations comprising a therapeutically effective amount of micronized albuterol sulfate, from about 5 to 15 percent by weight of ethanol, from about 0.05 to about 0.5 percent by weight of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of oleic acid and sorbitan trioleate, and HFC 227 as substantially the only propellant. Said formulations are characterized in that they exhibit substantially no growth in particle size or change in crystal morphology of the drug over a prolonged period, are substantially and readily redispersible, and upon redispersion do not flocculate so quickly as to prevent reproducible dosing of the drug. Nothing is said about their chemical stability.
In view of the above, there is still a need for particles of beta2-agonists of high chemical stability as well as being capable of giving rise to physically stable suspensions with a slow sedimentation rate and a reduced adhesion to the components of the device. These problems are solved by the particles of the present invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Crystalline microparticles of a beta-agonist coated with a fatty acid


A method of managing a memory resource is provided for the storage of a plurality of sequentially received data elements, each data element comprising a plurality of data integers, the method comprising prior to storing a received data element, checking if the available storage capacity of the memory resource is less than a predetermined threshold value and in response to the available storage capacity being less than the predetermined threshold value, deleting at least one data integer from at least one of the data elements stored in the memory resource.

Many consumer products now provide the facility to reproduce digitally encoded data, examples of such consumer products including personal stereos (such as MP3 players), mobile phone handsets, video conferencing facilities, digital and cable television and desktop computers. The digital data may be provided in the form of pre-recorded data retrieved from a storage medium, such as a CD, DVD or CD-ROM.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the amount of digital data required to record and/or transmit any given data item will vary depending upon a number of factors. However, for the stored or transmitted data to be reproduced some form of compression of the data is typically required to facilitate storage/transmission. In an effort to ensure a minimum standard of data transmission and data quality is provided to the consumer and to also try to ensure a maximum degree of interoperability between different manufacturers' equipment, a number of industry standards have been developed specifying the parameters to which the data compression must comply. Examples of such standards include H.264/AVC, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, H263+, H263 and H.261.
A common feature of the above-mentioned compression standards is that the compression, and hence the decompression, of any given data segment (the definition of what constitutes a data segment varying in dependence on the data type e.g. for video data a segment may comprise an individual frame) often utilises data from one or more previous data segments. Whilst it is known to perform a number of tests and data analysis procedures to ensure compliance of a newly developed encoder and/or decoder to the standards and interoperability with other vendors' compression algorithms, these procedures yielding valuable data concerning the performance of the newly developed encoder/decoder, the decompressed data itself generated by the decoder is rarely saved and is thus not available for subsequent analysis. This is because, in general, the amount of data memory required to store the decompressed data is prohibitive, this being one of the main reasons for the data being compressed initially. Consequently, one function that is difficult to provide without the use of large amounts of memory is that of rewinding or stepping back through the decompressed data a segment at a time.
It is known in the prior art to provide data analysis tools or players that allow a user to re-start the data playback from a previous point. This is possible only if the data stream includes an appropriate number of 'entry points', which are points in the data stream that require no previous information to allow decoding to resume. For video data such entry points typically occur at the beginning of different scenes, thus allowing a user to step-back through the video data a scene at a time. However, this scheme does not allow a frame by frame rewinding of the video data that would be more beneficial in detailed analysis. Furthermore, not all video data streams are encoded with such entry points, rendering any kind of rewind or step-back practically impossible.

Method and apparatus for improved memory management in data analysis


A folding top for a vehicle, particularly a passenger car, has a folding top structure and a folding top covering, in which case a large-surface forward folding top section is connected on its two longitudinal sides in each case by way of two control arms with folding top bearings and on laterally exterior areas of the dimensionally stable folding top section and on at least one control arm of each longitudinal side of the vehicle, roof frame sections are provided for fastening the folding top covering and sealing bodies. So that, in its sunk, rear-side deposited position, the folding top linkage requires as little space as possible, particularly in the vertical direction, it is provided that frame sections are provided on both control arms of the folding top structure in roof areas, in which case the roof frame sections of the forward folding top section and the roof frame sections of the control arms, in the closed position of the folding top, form a three-piece lateral roof frame which is mutually adjoined to be flush with the shell.

This application claims the priority of German application 196 22 953.7 filed in Germany on Jun. 7, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a folding top for a vehicle, particularly a passenger car. Certain preferred embodiments relate to a folding top wherein, on both control arms of respective longitudinal sides of the folding top structure, plural roof frame sections are provided such that roof frame sections of the forward folding top section and of the control arms form a three-part lateral roof frame mutually adjoining flush with the shell in the closed position of the folding top.
From German Patent Document DE 44 41 666 C1 a folding top for a passenger car is known in which case a large-surface, dimensionally stable folding top section arranged adjacent to the windshield frame is connected on its two longitudinal sides by way of two control arms respectively with a folding top bearing on the vehicle body side. On the dimensionally stable forward folding top section and on the exterior B-column control arm, one continuous roof frame section respectively is provided on which the folding top cover and the sealing body can be fixed.
It is an object of the invention to further develop the roof frame sections for fixing the folding top covering and the sealing bodies on a folding top structure of the initially mentioned type such that, in its sunk rear-side depositing position, the folding top linkage requires as little space as possible, particularly in the vertical direction.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein on both control arms of respective longitudinal sides of the folding top structure, plural roof frame sections are provided such that roof frame sections of the forward folding top section and of the control arms form a three-part lateral roof frame mutually adjoining flush with the shell in the closed position of the folding top.
Principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, because of the only section-type mounting of lateral roof frame sections on both control arms, the space requirement for the sunk rear-side depositing position of the folding top is significantly reduced, particularly in the vertical direction (flat construction). The deposited folding top harmonically matches the vehicle contour.
By means of the partial mounting of roof frame sections on both control arms of each longitudinal side of the vehicle, a three-piece lateral roof frame is formed so that also folding tops with a styling-caused, relatively long roof frame can be accommodated in a fully sunk manner in a rear-side receiving space.
A perfect sealing transition of the two roof frame sections which ensures the sealing function is ensured by the provided fixing device between the two control arms. At least the roof frame section on the forward control arm has an adjustable construction in order to ensure visually perfect connections to the roof frame sections disposed in front and behind.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A circulation unit is provided including a dual-fan unit having a first fan and a separate second fan. The first fan is configured to draw in fresh air from the ambient environment and direct the fresh air into the crib, while the second fan is configured to draw in dangerous gas from the crib and expel the dangerous gas to the ambient environment. The dual fan unit is fluidly coupled to a venting unit via a pair of fluid conduits. The venting unit is placeable within the crib, while the dual fan unit is placeable outside of the crib so as to distance the infant from electrical components and potentially harmful mechanical components, such as the fans.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to an air circulating device, and more specifically to an air circulating device for flushing dangerous gases, such as carbon dioxide, from a crib and supplying fresh oxygenated air into the crib.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the primary concerns for parents is the health and safety of their child. The medical field is well aware of several health conditions which may afflict children, and in the case of most health conditions, the medical field has identified a root cause which triggers that particular health condition. However, one of the more worrisome health conditions that plague young children is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is associated with the sudden death of an infant and remains unexplained after a thorough autopsy and death scene investigation, as well as a review of the clinical history. In this regard, SIDS differs from several other medical conditions because the cause remains unknown.
Despite the causes of SIDS being unknown, recent studies have indicated that the addition of a fan within the child's nursery may help reduce the likelihood that an infant may suffer from SIDS. Researchers believe that fans may promote circulation of fresh air, which mitigates the chances of an infant breathing exhaled carbon dioxide, which could lead to suffocation.
Poor air circulation within the crib may be worsened when the crib is outfitted with crib bumpers. Typical crib bumpers range from about 6″ to about 10″ in height and are typically fabricated from a sponge, rubber or polymer material and having a covering of material such as fabric, polymer sheeting or the like. The bottom edge of the conventional crib bumper, in essence, creates a seal with the upper surface of crib mattress so that concentrations of dangerous heavy gasses, such as carbon dioxide, collect within the crib in the region where the infant will lie. In this regard, the bumper effectively forms a substantially confined space, similar to a shallow pool, such that if there is poor air circulation in the infant's room, the oxygen supply to the infant may be inadequate for optimum healthy conditions.
Conventional fans are well-known and are capable of circulating air. However, the conventional fan may cause more harm than good when placed in an infant's nursery. For instance, many commercially available fans are intended to cool a large area or an entire room, and thus, the use of such fans to circulate fresh air for purposes of reducing the incidence of SIDS may overcool the infant, thereby adversely impacting the baby's health. Moreover, the noise from many commercially available fans may disturb the sleeping infant. Another drawback to most conventional fans is that they include sharp blades which rotate at high speeds and pose a safety risk to the infant if the fan is located within or near a baby's crib. The sharp fan blades may cut or injure the baby's limbs, toes or fingers. Conventional fans may also raise a strangulation and/or an electrocution concern if the fan includes a power cord that is within reach of the infant. As such, conventional fans tend to be too powerful, too loud and tend to create too many safety concerns.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device that can safely and effectively circulate air near an infant so as to flush carbon dioxide away from the infant without presenting sharp blades or dangerous power cords within reach of an infant located within a crib. Various aspects of the present invention are directed toward addressing these needs, as will be discussed in more detail below.


A material for making marine structure comprises a rubber composition. The rubber composition contains a metal salt of .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated fatty acid and is vulcanized in a mold into a predetermined configuration. The strength of the rubber composition is anisotropic and in particular its elastic modulus is anisotropic. The direction in which the strength of the rubber composition is high is set in the direction in which stress is applied by waves. Thus, the marine-structural material is resistant to waves and tide. The rubber composition contains short fibers which are oriented in a certain direction to increase the anisotropy of the rubber composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a material for making marine structure and more particularly to a marinestructural material preferably used as a material for making a floating structure such as a fish-cultivating frame, a floating pontoon, a water surface-partitioning fence, a breakwater net or the like which are required to be water-proof, wave-resistant, tide-resistant, corrosion-resistant to the salt contained in sea-water, weather resistant, light, and strong.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In order for a marine-structural material to be durable for a long time, it is particularly important that the marine-structural material is not horizontally deformed against tides and vertically deformed against waves. That is, the marine-structural material must be strong enough to hold its original configuration in a horizontal direction (rigidity in a horizontal direction) against tides and have a high breaking extension so as to follow vertically against waves.
In addition, the marine-structural material is required to be corrosion-resistant to salt contained in sea-water, weather resistant, and wear-resistant light buoyant, strong, and inexpensive and processable.
A marine-structural material having the abovedescribed qualities is strongly demanded when used in a fish-cultivating frame or a pontoon.
Fish cultivating frames include a floating material enclosing a certain area of sea water and a net, having a bottom and hanging from the floating material so as to cultivate fish in the volume surrounded by the floating material and the net. Bamboo bars, wood bars or iron bars provided with floats are used in the fish-cultivating frame.
A fish-cultivating frame having bamboo or wood is normally small, namely, 15 m square. The frame is rigid but sufficiently flexible to follow the tide and waves. These frames are varied in size of limited and strength. Further, the bamboo or wood frame is corroded by sea water in a short period of time and thus it is difficult to use a large fishcultivating frame for a long time. Thus, the bamboo or wood frame can be used as a coastal cultivating fish-cultivating frame in a bay in which waves are quiet, but cannot be used in an off-shore region.
Large fish-cultivating frames having iron bars provided with floats such as a 20 m square frame, a 40 m-diameter circular frame, and a polygonal frame have been proposed. Since the fish-cultivating frame using iron bars is corroded in a short period of time and is heavy, it is necessary to provide it with large floats. Further, the iron bars are rigid with a limited elastic deformable range. A large fish-cultivating frame having iron bars is incapable of following the swelling motion of waves, and is not durable because stress is repeatedly applied to the iron bar. A larger bar is required to prevent the frame from being deformed. As a result, it is necessary to provide the fishcultivating frame with larger floats. Thus, the fishcultivating frame using iron bars can be used as a coastal cultivating fish-cultivating frame in a bay in which waves are quiet, but cannot be used in an off-shore region.
Fish-cultivating frames for use in an off-shore region have been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 60-34121 and 62-171627. These fish-cultivating frames follow the swelling motion of waves, which is strongly demanded. According to one proposed frame, bars each having a plurality of elastic circular hoses are connected to each other by joints. According to the latter proposed frame, bars each having a plurality of rigid materials are connected to each other by joints using flexible members.
These fish-cultivating frames of the above construction are capable of following the swelling motion of waves, but need reinforcing members, such as elastic circular hoses, which are utilized as the bars thereof. Therefore, the fish-cultivating frame is not rigid and has a low flexural rigidity in a horizontal direction. As a result, the ability these fish-cultivating frames to hold their original configuration is inferior, and thus the frames tend to be deformed.
Normally, Young's modulus E (flexural elastic modulus) of an elastic member reinforced with synthetic fiber is 2 to 3 kg/mm.sup.2 and approximately only 5 kg/mm.sup.2 even though elastic modulus thereof is great. The elastic modulus of iron is 20000 kg/mm.sup.2.
The bar of the fish-cultivating frame including the reinforcing elastic member has a small in its elastic modulus and is thus deformable in a horizontal direction. In order to increase the frame's ability to hold its original configuration by reducing the degree of deformation, it is necessary to increase the sectional area of each bar so as to increase the shape factor (geometrical moment of inertia) thereof, i.e., increase the value of the flexural rigidity E.times.I thereof.
However, the geometrical moment of inertia I depends on the sectional configuration of the bar. That is, in a solid circular bar which is (d) in diameter, I=.pi.d.sup.4 /64. In a hollow pipe where d.sub.1 is the inner diameter and d.sub.2 is the outer diameter z=.pi.(d.sub.2.sup.4 -d.sub.1.sup.4)/64. Accordingly, in order to increase the geometrical moment of inertia, the sectional area of the bar becomes large, which leads to a large fish-cultivating frame that is expensive.
A pontoon is utilized as an anchorage of a yacht or a motor boat, as an unloading facility in a region where the difference between ebb and flow is great, and as a landing facility.
Generally, a pontoon includes frames each consisting of steel elements welded to each other in a truss configuration with a float made of concrete. Frame structures composed of wood combined with each other or with concrete have been proposed.
However, it is difficult for the pontoon of the above structure to follow the swelling motion of waves in a harbor in which waves swell greatly. In addition, the pontoon is not corrosion-resistant to sea-water.
Generally, pontoons used in an unloading facility or landing facility include a box made of iron covered with concrete. Thus, they are very expensive.
As described above, the following two structures are considered to improve durability of fish-cultivating frames pontoons and the like by allowing them to follow the swelling motion of waves.
1) The entire frame is rigid to prevent the bars defining the frame from being deformed vertically against waves, so that the frame is durable.
According to this structure, the rigidity of the bars in the horizontal direction is increased to improve the frame's performance for holding itself against tides.
However, steel pipes which have a large diameter are required. As a result, the frame is heavy and expensive.
2) The entire frame or a part thereof is flexible so that the entire frame follows the swelling motion of waves because the frame is deformed vertically.
In this case, the rigidity of the frame becomes low these decreasing the ability of the frame to hold its original configuration in the horizontal direction against tides.
The marine-structural material used to build fish-cultivating frames and pontoons are required to have the following requirements. As detailed below, conventional marine-structural material does not satisfy all of these requirements.
1) The marine-structural material should be hard and have a high flexural rigidity.
That is, it is necessary that the marine-structural material have the ability to hold its original configuration (rigidity in a horizontal direction) on the sea against tides. When the fish-cultivating frame is deformed, the volume for cultivating fish becomes small and as a result, the fish trapped within the net by collapse of the frame are injured or killed due to the lack of oxygen.
2) The marine-structural material must be durable.
The frame of the marine-structural material must have a high breaking extension that favorably follows the swelling motion of waves in a vertical direction. The marine-structural material must be resistant to flexural fatigue. In recent years, the location for fish-cultivation are moving more and more from areas near the coast to areas offshore. Therefore, a fish-cultivating frame is required to be able to favorably follow the swelling motion of waves in a vertical direction. The pontoon is also required to have similar performance characteristics for favorably following the swelling motion of waves in a vertical direction.
3) The marine-structural material must be light and corrosion-resistant to sea-water.
4) The marine-structural material must be easily shaped into a required configuration by molding and must be inexpensive.
The cost of the material must be sufficiently low to allow for economical building of large structures. The side of even a small fish-cultivating frame is 15 m and the frame of the pontoon is similarly large.


A profile model for use in optical metrology of structures in a wafer is selected based on a template having one or more parameters including characteristics of process and modeling attributes associated with a structure in a wafer. The process includes performing a profile modeling process to generate a profile model of a wafer structure based on a template having one or more parameters including characteristics of process and modeling attributes. The profile model includes a set of geometric parameters associated with the dimensions of the structure. The generated profile model may further be tested against termination criteria and the one or more parameters modified. The process of performing a modeling process to generate a profile model and testing the generated profile model may be repeated until the termination criteria are met.

1. Field of Invention
This application relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) metrology, and more particularly to the selection of a structure model and parameters for optical metrology using a template with expected parameter values and/or value ranges.
2. Related Art
With the current drive towards smaller geometries of IC devices, measurement of IC device features is increasingly difficult as the size of the features become smaller. One method of measuring the features involves the use of gratings or periodic structures formed in test areas of a wafer that are proximate to or within the devices or circuits on the wafer. Knowledge of the dimensions of the gratings or periodic structures is essential in order to determine if the dimensions of the structure are within acceptable ranges and if, for example, a particular fabrication process causes the sidewalls of the features to be tapered, vertical, T-topped, undercut, or have footings.
Measurement of the periodic structure features may be done with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or similar device where the sample is cleaved and examined. The cross-section SEM method is typically slow, expensive, destructive, and typically only provides one measurement number seen from the top of the feature.
Another measurement technique uses scatterometry. In scatterometry, spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry, multiple-angle-of-incidence (MAI) devices, and mixed design systems are typically used to shine light on the structure and measure the reflected light. Empirical scatterometry basically uses an approach where the diffraction signals are measured for known widths of features of a structure, the pair of diffraction signals and structure widths used to create a library. Even for a limited library of structure dimensions and associated diffraction signals, the empirical scatterometry technique for building a library is time consuming and expensive. As the resolution of the structure dimension increases, the size of the library increases while the time to create and use the library increases considerably.
In another measurement technique, instead of using a library of diffraction signals and profile data, regression is used to determine the profile data from the measured diffraction signal. In using regression, one or more optimization techniques may be used to determine the profile data from the measured diffraction signal.
The length of time needed to create a library or to make a regression result converge varies depending on the profile model used and the number of parameters used to represent the profile model in the diffraction signal calculations. Typically, the more complicated the profile model and the more parameters used, the more time and/or computing resources needed to retrieve the desired information from measurements. Further, depending on the skill and/or experience of a particular operator the process for creating a library may vary in time, and the final parameter selection and profile model may vary considerably.

Optimized model and parameter selection for optical metrology