A two-piece transfer seal for coupling a nozzle tip to a nozzle of an injection molding apparatus includes a retaining member removably connected to a downstream end of the nozzle and a removably connected nozzle sealing member. The retaining member is comprised of a first material and at least the sealing face of the sealing member is comprised of a second material. In certain applications, the nozzle sealing member is a mold gate insert. In certain applications, the two-piece transfer seal does not retain the nozzle tip, which is metallurgically bonded to the nozzle.

Injection molding nozzle assemblies having a nozzle body and a separate nozzle tip are well known in the art. The nozzle tip may include a threaded portion to allow for direct coupling to threads on the nozzle body or, alternatively, a removable transfer seal may be provided to secure the tip to the nozzle body. The transfer seal typically includes a threaded portion for mating with threads on the nozzle body.
In addition to securing the nozzle tip to the nozzle body, the transfer seal functions to insulate the hot nozzle tip from the cold mold cavity plate. The nozzle tip is typically comprised of a highly thermally conductive material to facilitate heat transfer from heaters coupled to the nozzle to the melt flowing through the nozzle tip. The transfer seal is typically comprised of a low thermally conductive material, such as titanium, to insulate the nozzle tip from the cold mold cavity plate. The transfer seal further forms a seal with the cavity plate to prevent pressurized melt from escaping into the insulative air space that surrounds the nozzle.
A transfer seal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,928 to Gellert. The one-piece transfer seal is comprised of a thermally insulative material and includes a portion that is located between the nozzle and the nozzle tip. This one-piece nozzle seal further includes a threaded portion to connect the seal to the nozzle.
As such, a need exists for a transfer seal that provides a good performance over a broader range of applications and that can be replaced in case of partial damage in a more efficient manner.

Transfer seal for a removable nozzle tip of an injection molding apparatus


Processes for the conversion of carbohydrates to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons, and processes for increasing the solubility of carbohydrates used in such processes are disclosed. The solubility of carbohydrates may be increased by contacting the carbohydrate with an ion-exchange resin. The dissolved product may be hydrogenated and reacted in the present of a catalyst to form a reaction product containing non-aromatic and aromatic gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.

There is a national interest in the discovery of alternative sources of fuels and chemicals, other than from petroleum resources. As the public discussion concerning the availability of petroleum resources and the need for alternative sources continues, it is anticipated that future government mandates will require transportation fuels to include, at least in part, hydrocarbons derived from sources besides petroleum. As such, there is a need to develop alternative sources for hydrocarbons useful for producing fuels and chemicals.
One possible alternative source of hydrocarbons for producing fuels and chemicals is the natural carbon found in plants and animals, such as for example, in the form of carbohydrates. These so-called "natural" carbon resources (or renewable hydrocarbons) are widely available, and remain a target alternative source for the production of hydrocarbons. For example, it is known that carbohydrates and other sugar-based feedstocks can be used to produce ethanol, which has been used in gasohol and other energy applications. However, the use of ethanol in transportation fuels has not proven to be cost effective.
Carbohydrates, however, also can be used to produce fuel range hydrocarbons. The upgrading of biologically derived materials to materials useful in producing fuels is known in the art. However, many carbohydrates (e.g., starch) are undesirable as feed stocks due to the costs associated with converting them to a usable form. In addition, many carbohydrates are known to be "difficult" to convert due to their chemical structure, or that the hydrocarbon product produced is undesirable or will result in low quantities of desirable product. Among the compounds that are stated to be difficult to convert include compounds with low effective hydrogen to carbon ratios, including carbohydrates such as starches and sugars, carboxylic acids and anhydrides, lower glycols, glycerin and other polyols and short chain aldehydes. As such, efforts have been made to convert traditionally difficult to convert materials to hydrocarbons by focusing on methods for increasing the effective hydrogen to carbon ratio of the reactants, including converting oxygenates in the presence of hydrogen, CO, steam, nitrogen, or other reactants, and by employing various catalysts. However, these processes are often complex and are costly, and the reaction products produced as a result of these processes are oftentimes undesirable, or result in low weight percentages, and often result in an increase in undesirable byproducts such as the production of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
In addition, many carbohydrates (such as complex polysaccharides, including corn starch) in their raw form are undesirable as feeds. For example, starch, in its native form, is a solid and as such, prior to use, it is desirable to convert the solid form into a liquid form for ease of processing. However, when starch is combined with liquid, it becomes extremely viscous, making dissolution difficult. As a result, many processes employed only result in the partial hydrolyzation of the carbohydrate starting material, which necessitates addressing the undissolved solid fraction in the reaction zone. In addition, because of the viscosity, it is often required to mix the carbohydrate with large volumes of water and/or chemicals, along with harsh reaction conditions in order to achieve the desired dissolution.
As such, development of a process for increasing the solubility of carbohydrates in the conversion of carbohydrates to hydrocarbons would be a significant contribution to the art. In addition, development of a process for converting carbohydrates to hydrocarbons which yields significant quantities of desirable hydrocarbon products such as aromatics and olefins would be a significant contribution to the art. Furthermore, development of a carbohydrate conversion process resulting in a product with reduced byproducts such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and coke production, would be a significant contribution to the art.

Process for converting carbohydrates to hydrocarbons


Disclosed is an arrangement, dopant source and method used in the fabrication of photocells that minimize handling of cell wafers and involve a single furnace step. First, dopant sources are created by depositing selected dopants onto both surfaces of source wafers. The concentration of dopant that is placed on the surface is relatively low so that the sources are starved sources. These sources are stacked with photocell wafers in alternating orientation in a furnace. Next, the temperature is raised and thermal diffusion takes place whereby the dopant leaves the source wafers and becomes diffused in a cell wafer creating the junctions necessary for photocells to operate. The concentration of dopant diffused into a single side of the cell wafer is proportional to the concentration placed on the respective dopant source facing the side of the cell wafer. Then, in the same thermal cycle, a layer of oxide is created by introducing oxygen into the furnace environment after sufficient diffusion has taken place. Finally, the cell wafers receive an anti-reflective coating and electrical contacts for the purpose of gathering electrical charge.

This disclosure is another chapter in the never ending quest to find more desirable sources of energy. At the present time, the demand for energy is satisfied primarily by the consumption of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. The consumption of energy is accompanied by the creation of pollutants that are beginning to pose a serious threat to the environment. Forests are threatened by acid rain. The heat generated by the consumption of such energy sources has caused global warming, the long term effects of which are as yet unknown. For these and many more reasons, the search is on for efficient and inexpensive sources of energy without pollution.
One such source that meets this goal is the generation of electricity from sunlight. The primary component used in this process are solar cells or, more specifically, photo-voltaic devices. Photo-voltaic devices essentially create electrical current when exposed to sunlight. However, the photo-voltaic technology is not without its problems as well. Chief of these is the high cost of manufacturing photo-voltaic cells. A second problem is that such devices tend to be inefficient, the electronic energy created being only a fraction of the sunlight energy received. Consequently, less expensive methods to make more efficient photo-voltaic devices are desirable.
As shown in FIG. 1A, photo-voltaic cell is made of a silicon wafer 5 that has been doped with a base dopant material. The sides of the wafer 5 are then diffused with dopant material forming two diffused regions 10. In a sense, the wafer will have internal layers of diffused material and non-diffused material. The wafer is then covered with a layer of oxide 15 on both sides which enhances the photo-voltaic effect by passivating the surfaces. The final steps include the addition of a non-reflective coating 25 to ensure the absorption of sunlight and the introduction of contacts layers 30 and 35 which are connected to the diffused layers 10 which are used to connect the solar cell to an electrical load.
There are various conventional methods used in creating these photocells that yield certain photo-cell efficiencies. Among the processes that yield the greatest efficiencies is that which is described next.
The first step in this process is to clean the silicon wafers from which the solar cells are produced. This cleaning process is quite extensive as will be discussed. Next, a layer of masking oxide is grown on both sides of the silicon wafers. This step is performed in a furnace at a predetermined temperature. Oxygen is introduced into the heated furnace and over time a layer of oxide grows on the sides of the cell wafers. This is a common procedure that is within the understanding of those skilled in the art.
After the masking layer is grown, it is removed from the rear side of the wafer. This is done by an etching process known to those skilled in the art in which the oxide layer is removed. After the layer of oxide on the rear side has been removed, the cell wafer is cleaned in an involved process known to those skilled in the art using powerful chemicals to remove contaminants from the surfaces of the wafer. This procedure can be quite time consuming adding significant cost to the procedure.
After the layer of oxide is removed from the rear side, the next operation is also the second furnace cycle in which the wafers are placed into a furnace with the etched rear side exposed to receive the diffusion of dopant. The oxide coating remaining on the front side prevents the dopant from diffusing into the front side of the cell wafer. The furnace is then heated to a predetermined temperature and the dopant is introduced into the environment. At elevated temperatures, the dopant will diffuse into the exposed rear side of the wafer. The depth of the diffusion into the wafer is known as the "junction depth" and is a function of the temperature and time of the heating cycle. All of the above operations require absolute cleanliness to prevent contaminants from being diffused into the cell wafer along with the dopant.
While the rear side is diffused with dopant in the second thermal step above, a thick glass-like layer is formed over both sides of the wafer. This layer is a byproduct created by excess dopant in the glass. In this step, the wafer is cooled down and the glass layer is removed in another etching process to prevent further diffused during subsequent thermal cycles. The layer of oxide on the opposite side of the wafer is etched off as well. As before, this etching step provides an opportunity for impurities to be introduced into the overall process and also incurs additional time and expense due to materials handling and consumption of cleaning chemicals. Also lost is any potential for surface passivation when etching the oxide as known to those skilled in the art.
The next operation is to clean the wafers after the etching. As before, this cleaning is quite extensive requiring several chemicals including acids. Consequently, the cleaning step poses a threat to the environment due to the necessary disposal of these cleaning chemicals. Also, the cleaning process is quite time consuming incurring additional time and expense in the overall process.
The next step involves the third furnace cycle in which a layer of masking oxide is once again grown on both sides of the cell wafer. This step is much like the first step with the additional time and expense incurred. After the oxide layer is grown, this time the oxide is removed from the front side by etching and the oxide on the back acts as a diffusion mask. As before, the wafer will undergo an extensive cleaning process after the etching is complete.
The operation that follows is the fourth furnace cycle in which the front side of the cell wafer is diffused with dopant. Once again, the wafers are placed in a furnace with the front side exposed and the temperature is raised to the predetermined level. The dopant is then introduced into the environment and is diffused into the front side of the wafer. As with the dopant diffused into the rear side, the junction depth of the front side is a function of the time and temperature of the heating cycle. Also, as was the case with the rear side diffused, a thick glass-like substance is formed on both sides of the wafer as a byproduct of the diffusion process.
Not surprisingly, the next operation will involve the etching of this second glass-like layer and the oxide covering the front and rear sides of the cell wafer since the diffusion glass contains a high concentration of excess dopant. As with all previous etching cycles, contaminants will have an opportunity to be introduced into the process. Also, additional time and expense are incurred.
This is followed by another extensive chemical cleaning cycle. The time and expense necessary to clean the wafer is incurred once again. Also, contaminants are given another opportunity to enter the process.
The next step involves the thermal oxidation of the solar cell wafers. In this step the doped wafers are once again placed in a furnace and heated to a predetermined temperature. Oxygen is then injected into the furnace which reacts with the silicon to form silicon dioxide, SiO.sub.2, on both surfaces of the cell wafer. The layer of oxide that results enhances the photo-voltaic process by reducing the loss of sunlight generated carriers or electron-hole pairs into the silicon surface. Also, during the oxidation process, any contaminants that have found their way into the process may be diffused into the cell wafers.
After the thermal oxidation has taken place, ohmic contacts are placed on the solar cell. The surface on which sunlight is to be absorbed is fitted with a grid of contacts which are in direct contact with the front diffused layer of the cell wafer. This grid ensures uniform collection of electrical charge while allowing sunlight to shine into the cell itself. The reverse side is fitted with a solid conductor over the back oxide which makes contact with the back diffusion through "points" patterned in the oxide. For lower efficiency cell designs, the back oxide could be removed completely and metal may be deposited on the entire back surface.
The final operation involves the creation of an anti-reflection coating on the front surface through which sunlight is gathered. This coating ensures maximum energy output by preventing sunlight from being reflected rather than absorbed by the solar cell.
While the above process can create relatively efficient photocells, it is not without difficulties. First is the problem of preventing contaminants from entering the process, especially during the five furnace cycles. Contaminants present in the cell wafer can significantly degrade the performance of photocells. They may find their way onto the cell wafer at any time during the process. Once the cell wafer is placed in a furnace, any contaminants that are present either on the cell wafer or in the furnace can be diffused into the cell wafer at greater temperatures. Also, contaminants that are already inside the wafer move around and may decorate other defects such as dislocations as known to those skilled in the art. In order to prevent the degradation in photo cell performance due to contaminants, all of the process steps are performed in a very clean environment such as a clean room. This type of environment is extremely expensive to maintain thereby making it impractical to mass produce high efficiency cells at a relatively low cost with this process.
Another problem that accompanies this method of photocell manufacture is the creation of structural defects due to the multiple furnace cycles. When the cell wafers are heated, a certain amount of stress relief will occur. The relief of stresses in the cell material may cause dislocations and other defects in the wafer material that effect their efficiency. Consequently, it is desirable to have as few furnace cycles as is possible.
The foregoing process is not the only method by which solar cells are created. There are other methods which are less time consuming yielding lesser efficiencies that are known to those skilled in the art.
Consequently, the foregoing illustrates a need for a low cost method of manufacturing high efficiency solar cells featuring as few steps as possible to minimize handling and opportunities for contaminants to be introduced into the process. In particular, such a method should require as few furnace cycles as possible to prevent contamination and degradation of the cell wafers.

Arrangement, dopant source, and method for making solar cells


A base of an optical pickup includes a first bearing portion through which one of two guide shafts disposed in parallel to each other is inserted and a second bearing portion through which the other guide shaft is inserted, and is slidable along the two guide shafts. Under the first guide shaft that is inserted through the first bearing portion, a nut hold portion for holding a nut that connects a member of a drive mechanism for driving the base and the base to each other is disposed on the base. The nut hold portion includes an insertion opening that allows the nut to be inserted along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the first guide shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup that is used to perform reading of information recorded on an optical disc and writing of information to an optical disc, and also relates to an optical disc apparatus that includes an optical pickup and performs reproducing of information recorded on an optical disc and recording of information to an optical disc.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical discs such as compact discs (hereinafter, called CDs), digital versatile discs (hereinafter, called DVDs), etc. have been widely used. Further, recently, optical discs such as Blu-ray discs (hereinafter, called BDs) and the like that can record large-size information have also been put to practical use. To carry out reproducing and recording of information from and to such an optical disc, an optical disc apparatus having an optical pickup is used.
FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an optical pickup and related portions in a conventional optical disc apparatus. FIG. 8 is a view to explain relation between a teeth member and a lead screw used in a conventional optical pickup.
As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional optical pickup 101 has a first bearing portion 101a including two parts formed a predetermined distance away from each other at one end, and a second bearing portion 101b formed at the other end that is opposite to the one end. A first guide shaft 102a as a main shaft is inserted through the first bearing portion 101a, and a second guide shaft 102b as a sub-shaft is inserted though the second bearing portion 101b. Thus, the optical pickup 101 is slidable along the guide shafts 102a and 102b.
The movement of the optical pickup 101 along the guide shafts 102a and 102b is carried out by an optical pickup drive mechanism 103. The optical pickup drive mechanism 103 has various structures, and for example, as disclosed in JP-A-2007-280463, the optical pickup drive mechanism includes a teeth member 1031, a lead screw 1032, and a screw motor 1033.
The teeth member 1031 is detachably mounted on the optical pickup 101 with a screw (not shown). As shown in FIG. 8, the teeth member 1031 is provided with a plurality of gear teeth 1031a. Besides, as shown in FIG. 8, the lead screw 1032 is provided with a spiral groove 1032a, which meshes with the gear teeth 1031a. Accordingly, if the screw 1032 is rotated by operation of the screw motor 1033, the optical pickup 101 moves along the guide shafts 102a and 102b.
The guide shafts 102a and 102b are disposed extending in a longitudinal direction that is parallel to a radial direction of an optical disc (which is disposed at a position over the paper surface of FIG. 7, not shown, though). Thus, the optical pickup 101 is moved by the optical pickup drive mechanism 103 along the guide shafts 102a and 102b, so that the optical pickup 101 is able to access each address formed on an optical disc that rotates at high speed.
In the optical pickup composed as described above, recently, a base (hereinafter, called a slide base) that constitutes the optical pickup 101 is formed of a resin for cost reduction. If the slide base is formed of a resin, a part where a screw or the like is mounted is required to be thick from the viewpoint of strength compared with a slide base formed of a metal. Accordingly, the slide base becomes thick, and the entire optical pickup apparatus tends to become thick.
Specifically, it is becoming unavoidable to form the slide base thick on the part thereof where the above teeth member 1031 is fixed with a screw to the slide base of the optical pickup 101. This is explained with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing the first bearing portion 101a and related portions of the conventional optical pickup 101.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the conventional optical pickup 101, for easy mounting of the teeth member 1031, a nut hold portion 1012 is formed on the side of a slide base 1011 to position and hold a nut 1013. The nut hold portion 1012 includes a placement surface 1012a on which the nut 1013 is placed, a positioning wall 1012b that has a shape fitting the shape of the nut 1013 and positions the nut 1013 placed on the placement surface 1012a, two coming-out prevention portions 1012c that protrude from a position of the positioning wall 1012b higher than the thickness of the nut 1013 and prevent the nut 1013 from coming out, and an insertion opening 1012d that allows the nut 1013 to be inserted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first guide shaft 102a.
The nut hold portion 1012 is disposed under the guide shaft 102a, so that the nut hold portion 1012 does not obstruct the first guide shaft 102a when the first guide shaft 102a is inserted into the slide base 1011. If the coming-out prevention portion 1012c is formed thin, the coming-out prevention portion 1012c can be broken when the teeth member 1031 is fixed to the slide base 1011 with a screw. For this reason, the coming-out prevention portion 1012c needs to be formed thick to some extent. Accordingly, it is unavoidable to form the slide base 1011 thick to some extent because of the presence of the nut hold portion 1012.
However, a thin optical pickup apparatus is an important factor in raising the added value of the product, and the demand for a thin optical pickup apparatus is increasing in the market. Accordingly, in the conventional optical pickup, in forming the slide base 1011 of a resin, because the slide base 1011 cannot be formed so thick, the slide base 101 is sometimes broken when it is fixed with a screw. If the nut hold portion 1012 is structured complicatedly, it is possible to prevent the breakage at the time of fixing. However, such a complicated structure is a cause of cost increase such as increase in mold components at the time of fabrication and the like, which needs to be avoided.

Optical pickup and optical disc apparatus with improved slide base


A lift device includes a cable member having opposed ends thereof suspended via guide members and longitudinally movable by a lift drive unit, a lift unit connected to one of the ends of the cable member for lifting an object along a lift passage, a balance weight connected to the other end of the cable member and movable along a balance-weight lift passage, a detection device for detecting a height of the balance weight to check whether or not the balance weight is positioned higher than a lower end of the balance-weight lift passage by a predetermined value when said lift unit is moved to its uppermost position, and a warning device for warning an abnormal elongation of the cable member if the detection device detects that the balance weight is not positioned higher than the lower end of the balance-weight lift passage by the predetermined amount. The invention also discloses an automated high-raised parking system using this lift device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lift device and an automated high-raised parking system having the lift device, and more particularly to a lift device vertically movable along a lift passage and including a cable member supported and guided by a guide member to suspend opposed terminal ends and longitudinally driven by a lift drive unit, a lift unit connected to one of the ends of the cable member and a balance weight connected to the other end of the cable member and an automated high-raised parking system having such lift device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a conventional lift device of the above-noted type, drive operations of the cable member by the lift drive unit are controlled based only on information relating to a present position of the lift unit in the lift passage.
There occurs, however, gradual elongation in the cable member after its use with heavy loads for an extended period of time. And, such elongation can often be considered as a sign of fatigue or eventual breakage of the cable member. Then, according to the above convention, since the operation of the cable member is controlled based solely on the information concerning a present position of the lift unit in the lift passage, a position of the balance weight will be displaced downwards by an amount corresponding to the amount of the elongation of the cable member. For this reason, there is a risk that the balance weight may accidentally hit a lower end of the lift passage or that with further use of the cable member as it is there may occur an accident of cable breakage. In order to avoid such danger or accident, a maintenance or check operation must be regularly done by a maintenance person.

Lift device and automated high-raised parking system having the lift device


An anaerobic organic substrate treatment system is provided which comprises digester tubes wherein an inner bag of the digester tube is used to collect the solids content of the waste and an outer bag of the digester tube is used to collect the liquid and gas leachate from waste slurry input into the digester tubes. The inner bag is permeable to both gas and liquid while the outer bag is impermeable to both gas and liquid and allows for collection of gas and liquid leachate in the outer bag. Collected gas and liquid leachate may then be drained and collected using a drainage and collection system. Following treatment, the outer bag may opened to retrieve the inner bag for retrieval of the treated solids substrate. The substrate may then be used as needed. In one variant, the outer bag is re-sealable and may be reused in further treatment operations. The anaerobic waste treatment system may be used to carry out such treatment operations as storage/hydrolysis, methanization, and/or digestate treatment.

Anaerobic digestion is one system currently used as a sustainable way to deal with waste such as manure, crop residues, protein rich substrates, etc. Livestock manure has significant resource potential. It is a valuable source of crop nutrients and also represents a substantial bioenergy resource if processed by anaerobic digestion.
Using oxygen-free conditions, an anaerobic digester typically uses microorganisms to transform organic waste into biogas and soluble nutrients among others. Raw biogas typically consists of methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen. The biogas produced may be converted to electricity or collected and used as a direct energy source. Biogas may also be upgraded and fed into natural gas pipelines. Unlike fossil fuels, use of renewable resources represents a closed carbon cycle and therefore does not contribute to increases in atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. In effect, anaerobic digestion is a carbon dioxide neutral solution.
The most common type of digester found on a farm is a complete mix digester. This digester is typically composed of a large round insulated concrete tank that sits above ground. A plastic membrane covers the tank in order to collect the produced biogas. The digester necessitates the use of liquid or slurry like substrates that contain 3% to 15% solids.
The complete mix digester functions with a continuous addition of substrate to the reactor. Once the substrate is in the digester, it is periodically agitated by a motorized mixer or a liquid recirculation pump. This helps to keep the solids in suspension, thus increasing the digester's efficiency. The complete mix digester supplies an eternal amount of biogas as long as new substrate is always added to the digester. This technology is suitable for slurries with a moisture content between 85% and 97%. However, substrates with large amounts of fiber or higher solid content are unsuitable because agitation becomes impossible or very energy intense.
Another type of digester is referred to as a batch digester and functions with batches of biomass. Typically, the batch digester has the same structural composition as the complete mix digester, however, there may or may not be agitation motion inside the digester. A large amount of waste such as manure is added to the digester at one time and it remains sealed until the end of the digestion process. After the digestion process it is removed and treated for other applications. The average retention time for a batch digester is typically 10 to 20 days. This enables the digestion to take place and sufficient biogas to be produced. However, the microbiology of the digester needs to constantly adapt to new environmental conditions, which makes the system less efficient.
Another type of digester is referred to as a plug flow digester and is typically composed mainly of a large rectangular tank that is dug into the ground. The tank is much longer than it is wide, typically approximately a 5 to 1 ratio, and is covered with an expandable plastic cover to retain the produced biogas.
Typically, the best substrate for the plug flow digester is manure with a sufficiently high solid content, usually from 11% to 14%. Most farmers therefore use scraped manure devoid of much of the bedding and containing substantially no sand. The plug flow digester typically does not have any internal agitation and instead, the manure flows through the digester. The constant addition and withdrawal of manure allows this displacement. However, there is always the possibility for some manure that floats on top or travels through the digester faster and some manure that settles to the bottom and remains in the digester. Usually the manure remains in the digester for 15 to 20 days before it is removed. Like other digesters, the plug flow digester collects the biogas produced by the manure. The biogas can then be extracted from the digester and used to generate electricity and heat. Again with a plug flow digester, the microbiology needs to constantly adapt to new environmental conditions, which makes the system less efficient.
One process that treats solid substrates is referred to as the garage type digester. These digesters consist of a large air-tight compartment that typically resembles a garage. The substrate contained in the digester is composed of 30% or more solid content. The addition of small amounts of fresh crops and wood to the substrate is also possible.
The solid substrates are added to the compartment in batches. Once filled, the digester will not be opened until the digestion process is complete. The substrate is lightly and equally sprayed with water from above. The water percolates through the biomass, digesting it and producing biogas. The water is then collected at the bottom of the compartment and pumped into a temporary storage tank. This water is used to continuously spray the biomass.
The retention time for this digester is longer than others, averaging at about 28 to 30 days. The temperature inside the digester is usually maintained at around 40° C. The biogas is collected at the top of the compartment. One downside of this process is that moving the substrates into the garage and out of it again is very labour intense. Further, storage is required for the digested material.
Another type of digester is referred to as a dry digester. The dry digester takes many forms. However, the predominant design remains a type of plug flow digester oriented in a vertical or horizontal position.
The substrates used for dry digesters can contain up to 15% to 45% solids. Farmers therefore often use a mix of silaged crops and solid manure to fill the digester. In the case of a vertical dry digester, such as the one built by DRANCO-FARM technology in Nünstedt, Germany, the biomass is added at the top and travels towards the bottom due to gravity only. The produced biogas is collected at the top of the digester. In a horizontal dry digester design, the biomass moves from one end of the tank to the other propelled by motor driven agitators. There is also a conveyor belt at the bottom of the tank that picks up any sediment. Usually the retention time for a dry digester is only 2 to 3 days due to the faster rate of displacement. These systems tend to be expensive and require mechanically moving parts exposed to the biogas.
A need exists to provide an anaerobic substrate treatment device, system and/or method that overcomes or mitigates at least one of the problems outlined above and/or is observed in the field.


Lyophilized formulations of tegavivint, methods of making such formulations, and methods of treatment of cancer by administering the formulations.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. It presents complex challenges for the development of new therapies. Cancer is characterized by the abnormal growth of malignant cells that have undergone a series of genetic changes that lead to growth of tumor mass and metastatic properties.
Beta-catenin (β-catenin) is part of a complex of proteins that constitute adherens junctions (AJs). AJs are necessary for the creation and maintenance of epithelial cell layers by regulating cell growth and adhesion between cells. β-catenin also anchors the actin cytoskeleton and may be responsible for transmitting the contact inhibition signal that causes cells to stop dividing once the epithelial sheet is complete.
Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been shown to play a role in cancer. Aberrant β-catenin signaling plays an important role in tumorigenesis. In particular, colorectal cancer is estimated to have greater than 80% mutations in the β-catenin pathway, leading to unregulated oncogenic signaling. Aberrant β-catenin signaling has been shown to be involved in various cancer types, including but not limited to, melanoma, breast, lung, colon, liver, gastric, myeloma, multiple myeloma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, colorectal and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cancers. Further, aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been found in a large number of other disorders, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, polycystic kidney disease, diabetes, schizophrenia, vascular disease, cardiac disease, hyperproliferative disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and fibrotic diseases including but not limited to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), Dupuytren's contracture, Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and others. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a closely related group of hematological malignancies in which the bone marrow cells that produce the body's blood cells develop and function abnormally. The three main myeloproliferative neoplasms are Polycythemia Vera (PV), Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) and Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF). A gene mutation in JAK2 is present in most PV patients and 50% of ET and PMF patients. The beta catenin pathway is activated in MPN in many cases and required for survival of these cells.
Tegavivint and related compounds are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,129,519. Tegavivint has the following structural formula:

The molecular formula of tegavivint is C28H36N4O6S2.
The molecular mass of tegavivint is 588.20763 amu.
There is a need in the art to provide stable lyophilized formulations of tegavivint, wherein the formulations, when reconstituted, allow administration via different routes of administration, including but not limited to, parenteral and via inhalation, and are stable to be suitable for a clinical study and treatment of various diseases which are treatable with tegavivint.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A spin base is caused to rotate at a number of revolutions of from 250 rmp to 350 rpm (first number of revolutions), and at the same time, a cleaning solution is supplied to a holding surface of a spin base while the upper end of a processing cup is placed below the holding surface. Thus, an outer upper surface of the processing cup is cleaned with the cleaning solution scattered from the holding surface. Then, the spin base is caused to rotate at a number of revolutions of from 350 rpm to 450 rpm (second number of revolutions) higher than the first number of revolutions, and at the same time, a cleaning solution is supplied onto the holding surface. Thus, a partition plate outside the processing cup is cleaned with the cleaning solution scattered from the rotating holding surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of cleaning a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing solution to a precision electronic substrate in the form of a thin plate (hereinafter simply called a "substrate") such as a semiconductor water or a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display.
2. Description of the Background Art
A substrate processing apparatus conventionally employed in a process of manufacturing substrates performs surface processing of substrates including process with a chemical solution and rising process with de-ionized water, and subsequent drying process. Such a substrate processing apparatus includes an apparatus employing a single-wafer system of processing substrates one by one, and an apparatus employing a batch system of processing a plurality of substrates at the same time. Generally, the substrate processing apparatus of the single-wafer system performs process with a chemical solution by supplying a chemical solution to a surface of a rotating substrate, rinsing process with de-ionized water by supplying de-ionized water, and subsequent spin-drying process by causing the substrate to rotate at high speed. Such a substrate processing apparatus of the single-water system is disclosed for example in US 2008/0078428 and in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-192686, for example.
The substrate processing apparatus disclosed in these publications includes a spin chuck causing a substrate to rotate held in a substantially horizontal position thereon, a nozzle from which a processing solution is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate held on the spin chuck, and a cup surrounding the spin chuck and provided to receive the processing solution scattered from the substrate. The apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-192686 additionally includes a processing chamber housing these components, and a partition plate around the cup provided to divide the processing chamber into parts, one above the other.
This apparatus of the single-wafer system performs surface processing by supplying a processing solution to a rotating substrate, so the processing solution is scattered from the substrate by centrifugal force. Most of the scattered processing solution is collected in the cup surrounding the spin chuck. Meanwhile, part of the scattered processing solution converted into mist form may be scattered as far as to an outer wall surface of the cup or to surroundings of the cup, and then attached to the outer wall surface or the surroundings of the cup. This processing solution scattered outside the cup may become a source of pollution after it is dried.
So, the processing solution attached to the outer wall surface of the cup or to a member around the cup should be cleared where appropriate. The processing solution attached to the part outside the cup may be cleared by a special-purpose mechanism such as a nozzle from which de-ionized water is supplied to the part outside the cup or a nozzle from which nitrogen gas is sprayed for drying that is provided in addition to a nozzle for substrate processing. However, it is difficult to provide such a special-purpose mechanism in a substrate processing apparatus required to be reduced in size.

Method of cleaning substrate processing apparatus


An ultrasound method and system are presented for enabling an ultrasound device feature. An ultrasound device is installed with features that are not immediately available for use (i.e., the features are installed disabled). To enable these features, a key is locally or remotely supplied to the ultrasound device. With these preferred embodiments, hardware or software features of an ultrasound device can be enabled on demand for evaluation purposes. Further, if the feature is enable for a limited amount of time, a user can pay a reduced fee for the temporary use of the feature. Additionally, because the necessary hardware is factory-installed in and shipped with the ultrasound device, a user who desires the temporary or permanent use of a hardware feature can enable the feature without taking the ultrasound device off-line.

Ultrasound devices are capable of performing several hardware and/or software features. Depending on the features ordered by a user, a vendor often installs only a subset of available features onto a device. Once installed, these features are enabled and are available for immediate use by the user. Often, a user desires to add a feature that was not ordered with the ultrasound device. For some features, the vendor can provide the feature to the ultrasound device with software transferred using a network link, modem, or removable media. For other features, hardware (e.g., programmable read-only memory devices) must be installed on the ultrasound device. As with features originally installed in the device, new features are enabled and available for immediate use upon installation.
There are several disadvantages associated with the current method of providing features to ultrasound devices. Because some features require additional hardware be installed in the ultrasound device, some users are reluctant or unable to take their ultrasound device off-line for the feature upgrade. Also, some users are reluctant to purchase a feature upgrade if they are unfamiliar with the feature. As a result, many users do not realize the benefits of many of the features available to them. There is, therefore, a need for an improved ultrasound method and system for overcoming these disadvantages.
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims.
By way of introduction, in the preferred embodiments described below, an ultrasound device is installed with features that are not immediately available for use (i.e., the features are installed disabled). To enable these features, a key is locally or remotely supplied to the ultrasound device on demand. With this functionality, a user can evaluate a feature on a trial basis. After becoming familiar with the feature, the user can decide to purchase the feature for permanent use. Additionally, because the necessary hardware is factory-installed in and shipped with the ultrasound device, a user who desires the temporary or permanent use of a hardware feature can enable the feature simply by receiving the enabling key on demand without taking the ultrasound device off-line.

Ultrasound method and system for enabling an ultrasound device feature


In one embodiment of the invention, an environmental condition relating to a first device is monitored. The first device operates in a first performance state. A limit command is generated based on the environmental condition requesting the first device to adjust the first performance state to a second performance state.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of microprocessors, and more specifically, to processor performance states.
2. Description of Related Art
Advances in microprocessor technology have provided users with high level of performance flexibility. For example, emerging processors have multiple performance state efficiencies. Device performance states typically trade device performance for a reduction in one or more of the following device parameters: power consumption, thermal operation, and acoustical characteristics. Performance policy is usually driven by multiple factors such as device activity or demand, power source, user preferences (e.g., performance, power savings, and acoustics), and adverse conditions (e.g., thermal conditions, low battery power).
The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification introduced a new method for performing platform power management and enumeration. The architecture is table-based and has the capability to execute control methods written in ACPI Source Language (ASL) code. The ACPI provides a standard specification from which a global power management may be developed. This global approach, however, has a number of disadvantages. First, the model assumes that the OS knows the capabilities of and can control all the devices or processors in the platform. This is not necessarily true when newer devices are added to the platform. Second, the model cannot distinguish individual devices or processors in terms of power management. In practice, each device or processor may have different performance characteristics. Third, the model creates burden to provide various device drivers.

Limit interface for performance management


A position sensing apparatus is provided for magnetically sensing the angular positon of a shaft about an axis. The apparatus includes first and second magnetic assemblies which are rotatable relative to each other. Each of these assemblies has spaced-apart magnetic members which are magnetically coupled to each other. The members in one of the assemblies are coupled through a Hall cell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic position sensing apparatus and in particular to such apparatus for producing and sensing a magnetic field which varies with position of a movable element.
2. Description of Related Art
It has become common practice to utilize magnetic field sensing devices, such as Hall cells, to detect the proximity of movable metallic members. Magnetic position sensing apparatus using such sensing devices are also known. However, such apparatus typically sense fringe magnetic fields and are adversely affected by stray magnetic fields. Thus they cannot make accurate position measurements in noisy environments, such as under the hoods of automobiles where extraneous magnetic fields of substantial magnitude emanate from the generator, the ignition system and various other components.
Such known magnetic position sensing apparatus are also functionally limited. Typically each known type of apparatus is capable of producing only one type of output signal, such as an output signal which varies linearly over a specific range of positions. It would be advantageous if a magnetic position sensing apparatus could be tailored to produce any one of a variety of output waveforms (e.g. linear, exponential, sinusoidal) over a selectable range of positions.

Position sensor with variably coupled magnetic field conducting means


A treadmill comprising a belt attached to a traveling block, the block selectively moving up and down treadmill stanchions to change incline. The treadmill is programmable regarding simulated course, distance, initial speed, and user weight, and records approximate caloric expenditure. Sensors strategically positioned below the belt upper surface regulate belt speed to keep a user toward the center of the treadmill. A port receives a removable memory device for recording and playback of user performances. Even multiple users thereby have an ongoing reference on the same machine.

Exercise is commonly known to improve physical fitness and health. The muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are firmly documented. Treadmills offer aerobic and anaerobic exercise in a limited space, without regard to access to running or walking areas any greater than the space occupied by the treadmill. Typical treadmills offer slope adjustment, speed adjustment, heart rate counters, mileage meters, timers, and various other well known feedback displays and recording devices. Typical modern treadmills also offer route choices, which can take a user through simulated courses of hill and dale or various other predetermined runs/walks. Typical treadmills, however, are not capable of speed changes without physical input by the operator. Those that are capable of instantaneous speed change contain unduly complex mechanisms. A user needs virtually instant speed changes to adapt the treadmill speed to conditions under which the runner/walker is either ahead or behind the pace set on the treadmill. Such speed change capabilities are not only useful but also serve as a safety net to prevent a user from colliding with the control panel or falling off of the back of the treadmill, neither an unusual occurrence. It is seldom convenient for a user to have to press or change controls to adjust speed of the treadmill. Automatic speed adjustment is therefore of particular benefit in both convenience and safety. Automatic speed control is not new to the art. The methods of automatically controlling speed, though, vary significantly. The current invention offers a unique approach to speed control.

Multiple pressure sensor speed controlled treadmill


The present invention relates generally to a turntable assembly for optical disks and, more particularly, to a height-variable type turntable assembly, which can adjust the height of a turntable to adjust the working distance between an object lens and an optical disk according to the type of optical disk placed on the turntable, and an optical disk device including the same. The height-variable type turntable assembly includes a turntable, a spindle motor for rotating the turntable, and a height adjustment device for supporting the spindle motor and driving the spindle motor in a vertical direction. Through such a structure, the working distance between the optical disk and the optical pick-up can be adjusted to correspond to at least three types of optical disks (e.g., CD, DVD and BD) while the DC sensitivity and tilt characteristics of the actuator of the optical pick-up is not considerably affected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a turntable assembly for optical disks and, more particularly, to a height-variable type turntable assembly, which can adjust the height of a turntable to adjust the working distance between an object lens and an optical disk according to the type of an optical disk placed on the turntable, and an optical disk device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical disks are used as information-recording media, which enable information to be recorded thereon and reproduced therefrom without coming in contact with a head for recording and reproducing information, and enable recording density to be increased.
As for the optical disks enabling information to be recorded thereon and reproduced therefrom, there are, for example, optical disks using phase-change type recording layers in which crystalline and amorphous phases are alternated by the irradiation of laser light.
Information is recorded on such optical disks in such a way as to irradiate laser light, which has been modulated based on an information signal to be recorded, onto information-recording surfaces thereof.
As for the optical disks using the phase-change type recording layers that enable information to be recorded thereon and reproduced therefrom, there are Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs). The DVDs have high recording density compared to conventional Compact Disks (CDs). For example, the CDs are formed to have a track pitch of 1.6 μm, while the DVDs are formed to have a track pitch of 0.74 μm. In addition, Blu-ray Disks (BDs) having a track pitch of 0.3 μm has been recently proposed as a new optical disk.
Such a BD is formed to have recording density higher than those of the conventional CD and DVD, so that an amount of information can be recorded on the BD compared to other optical disks of the same size. In practice, the maximum storage capacities of the CD and the DVD are about 650 MB and 4.7 GB, respectively, while the maximum storage capacity of the BD is about 25 GB.
Information recorded on the information-recording surface of an optical disk is read and reproduced through the following steps. That is, an optical disk is placed on a turntable, the optical disk is rotated together with the turntable by the driving of a spindle motor, and an optical pick-up equipped with an object lens horizontally reciprocates in the radial direction of the optical disk (direction along which the turntable assembly is formed), so that the reading and reproduction of the optical disk by the optical pick-up is achieved.
Meanwhile, the distance between the object lens of the optical pick-up and the information-recording surface of the optical disk is referred to as a focal distance or working distance, and a process of adjusting the working distance is required to accurately read the information recorded on the information-recording surface. Additionally, the working distance should be differently applied according to the type of an optical disk.
For example, the CD has a structure in which a transparent substrate about 1.2 mm thick is formed on the information-recording surface thereof. In this case, the wavelength of laser light used for the CD is about 780 nm and the value of a numerical aperture NA is 0.45. The DVD has a structure in which a transparent substrate about 0.6 mm thick is formed on the information-recording surface thereof. In this case, the wavelength of laser light used for the DVD is about 650 nm and the value of a numerical aperture NA is 0.60. Additionally, the BD has a structure in which a cover layer about 0.1 mm thick is formed on the information-recording surface thereof. In this case, the wavelength of laser light used for the BD is about 400 nm and the value of a numerical aperture NA is 0.85.
As described above, the working distance between the object lens and the optical disk should be differently applied according to the types of optical disks (e.g., CD, DVD and BD). Generally, the working distance is adjusted by adjusting the posture and location of the object lens in the optical pick-up.
FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing the principal part of an optical disk device 10 according to an example of the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, a spindle motor 40 is secured to a base 80, and a turntable 32 is mounted on the rotating shaft 42 of the spindle motor 40. Various types of optical disks 20 are placed on the turntable 32, and an optical pick-up 60 for reading information from a placed optical disk is placed on a portion of the base 80. The optical pick-up 60 can move in the radial direction of the optical disk (the direction indicated by an arrow R) below the optical disk. An actuator 66 is provided in the optical pick-up 60 and the object lens 62 is supported by wires 64 secured to the actuator 66.
The object lens 62 is constructed to move in a vertical direction (focusing direction) and a horizontal direction (tracking direction). In practice, the location of the object lens relative to the optical disk is controlled through the control of a tracking servo (not shown) and a focusing servo (not shown). In this case, the focusing servo controls the movement of the object lens in a vertical direction, so that the working distance between the object lens and the optical disk can be adjusted through the control of the focusing servo.
In the optical disk device, the working distance is adjusted by vertically moving the object lens of the optical pick-up toward the surface of the optical disk. In this case, the movement range of the object lens in which linearity is guaranteed, that is, the movable range of a focus in which the linearity is guaranteed is implemented within a range of 0.8 to 1.2 mm. However, the movement range of a focus is insufficient to allow all of the CD, the DVD and the BD to be compatible with the optical disk device, and a dual deck system, in which different decks are applied depending on optical disks, may be required to deal with all of the CD, the DVD and the BD.
Furthermore, since the optical disk device adopts a method of adjusting the working distance between the object lens and the optical disk by driving the object lens of the optical pick-up, the Direct Current (DC) sensibility (DC follow-up property) and tilt characteristics of the actuator can be considerably affected when the object lens is excessively adjusted.
Meanwhile, a turntable device capable of adjusting the working distance between an optical disk and an object lens by directly driving a turntable is disclosed in Korean Pat. No. 162416 (registered on Aug. 29, 1998). FIGS. 2a and 2b are an exploded perspective view of an optical disk device 110 and a sectional view of a turntable device 130, respectively, which are disclosed in Korean Pat. No. 162416 according to another example of the prior art.
The turntable device of FIGS. 2a and 2b includes a turntable 132, a vertical movement support unit 147 for supporting the movement of the turntable in a vertical direction, a vertical movement drive unit 151 for driving the turntable in a vertical direction, and a vertical movement control unit 159 for controlling the height of the turntable that moves in a vertical direction.
In particular, in the conventional turntable device, the vertical movement support unit 147 includes a rotating shaft support plate 146 for directly supporting the rotating shaft 142 of the turntable and an elastic member 148 for providing elastic restoring force to the rotating shaft support plate 146. The rotating shaft 142, together with surrounding rotator and stator, constitutes a spindle motor 140. The vertical movement drive unit 151 includes a vertical movement drive member 150 that is combined with a portion of the vertical movement support unit 147 using a hinge 152, and is combined with the elastic member 148 of the vertical movement support unit 147 on an inner portion thereof. The vertical movement control unit 159 includes a drive plate 156 in which a multi-stage guide slot 158 for guiding an interlock pin 154 formed at an outer end of the vertical movement drive member 150 is formed, and a drive cam 157 for driving the drive plate 156. The deck interlock pin 182 of the deck 180 is inserted into and guided by the multi-stage guide slot 158.
The operational principle of the conventional turntable device is described below. The drive plate 156 interlocked with the interlock pin 154 moves in a left direction of the drawing under the control of the vertical movement control unit 159 (refer to the rotating range of the drive cam shown in FIG. 2a). In the case where a difference in height between the interlock pin 154 and the deck interlock pin 182 occurs while the drive plate 156 moves, the vertical movement drive member 150 is rotated around the hinge 152. An end portion of the vertical movement drive member 150 is lowered by the rotation of the vertical movement drive member 150, and the vertical movement support unit 147 combined with the end portion 153 is also lowered, so that the height of the turntable is lowered.
The conventional turntable device can deal with different working distances in such a way that the height of the turntable is set based on an optical disk whose working distance is relatively short (e.g., DVD) and the height of the turntable is lowered in the case where the optical disk whose working distance is relatively long (e.g., CD) is placed. Accordingly, the conventional turntable device has a structure to which all optical disks (e.g., CD and DVD) can be applied.
However, the conventional turntable device is basically manufactured to deal with two types of optical disks, and it is difficult to apply three types of optical disks, including a BD that is recently proposed, to the conventional turntable device.
For example, in the conventional turntable device, the multi-stage guide slot 158 is formed to be divided into a first guide part 158-1, a second guide part 158-2 and a third guide part 158-3, and the posture of the deck 180 and the turntable 132 is controlled based on the relative locations of the interlock pin 154 of the vertical movement drive member 150 and the deck interlock pin 182 of the deck 180.
In practice, the posture of the deck 180 and the turntable 132 is controlled through the optical disk loading step of lowering the entire surface of the deck 180 using the rotating shaft 184 as a hinge, the first disk placing step of placing an optical disk whose focal distance is short (e.g., DVD) and the second disk placing step of placing an optical disk whose focal distance is long (e.g., CD). It is difficult to apply a third optical disk, such as a BD, to the conventional turntable device in view of the above-described structure.
Furthermore, the conventional turntable device can be basically applied to a structure in which a deck can be rotated by a hinge shaft, but cannot be applied to an optical disk device in which a deck itself is horizontally secured.
Furthermore, the conventional turntable device has a structure in which the interlock pin of the turntable (more accurately, the interlock pin of the vertical movement drive member) and the interlock pin of the deck are driven while being inserted into the multi-stage guide slot, and the relative height relationship between the deck and the turntable is used. Accordingly, it is impossible to provide a turntable device to which three types of optical disks can be applied even though a guide slot having one more stage is formed.
Furthermore, in the conventional turntable device, the control of the vertical movement of the turntable is achieved through a plurality of connection structures in which related elements are connected in the sequence of the drive cam→the drive plate→the interlock pin→the vertical movement drive member (hinge)→the rotating shaft support plate→the rotating shaft→the turntable, so that it is difficult to maintain the precision of the control.
Besides, in the case of the conventional turntable, errors may occur in the manufacture of the respective elements, and operational errors can occur as the manufacturing errors are accumulated.

Height-variable type turntable assembly and optical disk device including the same


The invention relates to a method of heating tanks, such as galvanizing tanks, containing a bath of molten metal. Use is made of at least one element made of a refractory material which is thermally conducting and substantially gas-tight, particularly in relation to oxygen. The element is put into direct and permanent contact with the upper surface of the bath. A source of heat is positioned above or inside this element, making it possible to heat the latter and, by conduction, the bath itself

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure and a method for heating tanks containing a bath of molten metal, in particular galvanising tanks for steel wires in which the wires are moved in the form of a sheet in a substantially continuous manner in the direction of their length through a bath of molten zinc.
2. Description of the Related Art
These galvanising tanks may have a metallic crucible or a ceramic crucible.
Different methods of heating these tanks are currently in use.
If tanks with crucibles made of steel are used, it is essential that the temperature of the latter is limited to 450.degree. C., given that above this temperature the iron in the crucible is easily taken into solution, with the result that the corrosion of the crucible by the molten zinc contained in it is accelerated.
Because of this, the method of heating such tanks should be designed so that the temperature of the crucible walls of the said tanks at no time exceeds the critical temperature of 450.degree. C.
In this connection, there exist different heating methods, namely heating by high speed circulation of hot fumes, heating of the side walls by radiation making use of burners described as "flat flame burners", heating by electrical resistors placed along the walls and above the tank, and lastly induction heating.
For tanks with ceramic crucibles, these being formed by components made of a refractory material, even of cast concrete, there is consequently no limitation on the temperature, unlike in the case of tanks with steel crucibles.
Such tanks are generally heated by radiation of a cover placed above the surface of the bath or by immersion of silicon carbide heat exchange fingers.
However, these two types of heating have the disadvantage that, for example in the case of galvanising steel wires, the sheet of wires is accessible only with difficulty and, because of this, there is a restriction to fairly compact sheets of wires.
In addition, the thermal efficiency of installations equipped with these types of heating is generally very poor.
In the case of heating by radiation of a cover placed above the surface of the metallic bath, a major part of the metallic surface is used for heat transfer, so that, in the case of galvanising wires, a large part of the bath cannot be used for the passage of the wires to be galvanised. As a result of this, therefore, the productivity of such installations is somewhat lowered.
Moreover, the high temperature prevailing under the cover accelerates the oxidation of the metallic surface by the steam accumulating above this surface.
Another disadvantage is that this heating method does not allow a uniform distribution of temperature over the transverse cross-section of the bath.
As regards heating using "immersed fingers", the major disadvantages are that the tank is accessible only from one side and also the fact that, as in the aforesaid method of heating by radiation, the temperature is again not uniform over the transverse cross-section of the bath.
Furthermore, the level of the metallic bath must be lowered when a finger is being changed, because the hydrostatic pressure of the molten metal has to be overcome.
Finally, the fingers are sensitive to corrosion at the air-metal interface and it is impossible to start up the heating with these fingers immersed.
Documents FR-A-1 268 223, AU-A-O 544 531 and DE-B-1 133 209 relate to installations with fingers, bells or heating plungers which penetrate to a relatively substantial depth in the baths of metal being heated and which consequently exhibit the disadvantages already mentioned above.

Heater for tanks containing a bath of molten metal


A depolarized fiber optic gyroscope with a detector for detecting a rotat about an axis of rotation and a method therefor is disclosed. The gyroscope includes a depolarized light source for generating the depolarized light; a gyro coil for conducting depolarized light about the axis of rotation, the gyro coil including a coil of a non-polarization preserving fiber having first and second ends; a depolarizer with first and second ports for eliminating birefringence induced scale factor variations caused by the non-polarization preserving fiber, the first port of the depolarizer being coupled to the first end of the gyro coil; and a coupler device for coupling the second end of the gyro coil, the second port of the depolarizer, the detector and the depolarized light source, without utilizing a polarizer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fiber optic gyroscopes, and in particular to the use of depolarized light in fiber optic gyroscopes without input polarizers, and to the use of ordinary non-polarization preserving fiber in the gyro coil.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Two events in the development of the fiber optic gyroscope that have been important in obtaining theoretical sensitivity levels and good bias stability have been the recognition of the "minimum configuration" with its unique single mode operation, and the use of polarization preserving fiber to virtually eliminate polarization noise. See S. Ezekiel and H. J. Arditty, in Fiber-optic Rotation Sensors. Ed., S. Ezekiel and H. J. Arditty, Springer-Verlag, New York p. 2-26, 1982; and W. K. Burns, R. P. Moeller, C. A. Villarruel and M. Abebe, Opt. Lett. 8, 540 (1983). Nevertheless interest continues to be present to reduce instrument cost for less demanding applications through the use of configurations with reduced component complexity and cost. Today this particularly applies to the use of polarization preserving high birefringence fiber, the cost of which remains high. Alternative configurations include the 3.times.3 coupler, which passively provides operation at its maximum sensitivity (quadrature) point; and the use of depolarized light in fiber gyros, which was shown theoretically to be equally effective (ideally) in controlling birefringence induced bias drift as the use of polarized light. See S. K. Sheem, Appl. Phys. Lett. 37, 869 (1980); G. A. Pavlath and H. J. Shaw, Applied Optics 21, 1752 (1982); and W. K. Burns, C.-L Chen and R. P. Moeller, J. Lightwave Tech. LT-1, 98 (1983).
The use of depolarized light in fiber optic gyroscopes was first considered by Pavlath and Shaw, cited above, who reported in the ideal case (degree of polarization P=0) that fiber birefringence effects caused a scale factor variation, but that no phase bias was added to the Sagnac phase shift. Similar modeling, which more explicitly included the effects of broad-band sources, appeared in Burns, Chen and Moeller, cited above. The fiber gyro with a 3.times.3 coupler input led naturally to depolarized operation because the superluminescent diode sources were already only partially polarized, and because a single polarizer could not be used in the physically different input and output paths in the 3.times.3 coupler configuration. This argument led to the demonstration of reduced polarization noise with reduced degree of polarization in a 3.times.3 coupler configuration. See W. K. Burns, R. P. Moeller and C. A. Villarruel, Electron. Lett. 18, 648 (1982). A recent variation of this configuration has appeared, where a signal processing scheme is proposed to cope with the birefringence induced scale factor variation. See H. Poisel, G. F. Trommer, W. Buhler, E. Hartl, and R. Muller, Electron. Lett. 26, 69 (1990).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,282 to Pavlath generally describes technology components for a depolarized fiber optic gyroscope; however, the gyroscope requires polarizers between a gyro coil and a coupler. U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,312 to Pavlath et al. describes a fiber optic gyroscope including two 2.times.2 couplers, a gyro coil and a polarizer disposed between one coupler and the gyro coil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,848 to Udd describes a fiber optic gyroscope including two 2.times.2 couplers with a polarizer disposed therebetween. U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,592 to Bergh describes an apparatus for obtaining a measurement and absolute rotation from a closed loop fiber optic gyroscope, the gyroscope having two 2.times.2 couplers with a polarizer disposed therebetween, and a gyro coil; however, the gyroscope does not disclose a depolarizer disposed between the gyro coil and a coupler. German Patent Publication DE 3115-804 to Bohm et al. described a fiber optic gyroscope having two 2.times.2 couplers with a polarizer and a depolarizer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,917 to Moeller et al. describes a fiber optic gyroscope having a 3.times.3 coupler, a polarized light source and a gyro coil; however, the gyroscope does not contain a depolarizer connected to the gyro coil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,488 to Buehler et al. describes a method for evaluating signals from a fiber optic gyroscope, the gyroscope including a 3.times.3 coupler and a gyro coil; however, the gyroscope does not contain a depolarizer connected to the gyro coil. U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,293 to Burns et al. describes a broad band unpolarized light source.

Fiber optic gyroscopes with depolarized light

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


The present invention relates to a toilet. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for operating a variable siphon tube of a toilet, wherein operating reliability of the variable siphon tube can be primarily improved as well as a deodorizing structure can be provided and a rear part of the toilet can also be slimmed.

The general configuration of an apparatus for operating a variable siphon tube of a toilet is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in these figures, the apparatus for operating the variable siphon tube apparatus comprises a variable siphon tube 10 of which both ends are connected to a bowl 1 and a soil pipe 2 via a flexible tube 3, respectively; an upper bellows tube 20 that communicates with a water supply passage 1a of the bowl 1 and also communicates with the variable siphon tube 10 via an auxiliary tube 4; a guide bar 30 of which a lower end is fixed onto an installation bottom surface B and an upper end is installed to penetrate through a bottom plate 21 of the upper bellows tube 20; a transverse bar (not shown) which is connected to a middle point of the guide bar and connected to the bottom plate 21 by means of a connection bar; a roller 40 which is installed to be freely rotatable outside of the transverse bar and seated on a bend 11 of the variable siphon tube 10; and a return spring 50 which is installed below the transverse bar to perform a function of restoring the transverse bar to its original state.
However, a toilet with such a conventional variable siphon tube has the following problems.
First, a return spring may be tangled when it is operated.
That is, while the return spring is compressed, spring coils are tangled with one another and thus the spring is not smoothly restored. Therefore, an operating error occurs in that the variable siphon tube 10 may not be restored to its original state even after water in the upper bellows tube 20 is fully discharged.
Second, due to friction between the return spring 50 and the guide bar 30, the operating reliability of the toilet is reduced and noise is produced from the toilet.
That is, while the friction occurs between the return spring and the guide bar 30 passing through the center of the return spring, friction noise and wear on the guide bar are produced. Further, the compressing and restoring operation of the return spring is not smooth. Therefore, there is a problem in that the raising operation of the variable siphon tube 10 is not constant and regular.
Third, it is difficult to install the guide bar 30 on the installation bottom surface B. That is, since the bottom surface is constructed from brittle tiles, there is another problem in that the tiles are easily broken when the guide bar is installed on the tiles. Therefore, there is a difficulty in installing the guide bar on the tiles.
Fourth, since the auxiliary tube 4 is positioned above a highest water level of the variable siphon tube 10, an offensive odor generated from a toilet waste storage tank T is discharged to the outside of the toilet through the variable siphon tube, the auxiliary tube, the upper bellows tube, the water supply passage and the bowl. Therefore, it is difficult to isolate the discharged odor.
Further, since an inlet end of the auxiliary tube 4 is positioned on the flank of the upper bellows tube 20, the remaining water that was not discharged through the auxiliary tube may remain in the bottom floor of the upper bellows tube when the upper bellows tube 20 was restored. Therefore, there is a problem in that the amount of water stored in the bowl 1 is decreased in proportion to the amount of water remaining in the upper bellows tube.
Fifth, when the rear portion of the bowl 1 is brought into close contact with an installation wall surface W as shown in FIG. 2, it should have a sufficient length such that the bend 11 of the variable siphon tube 10 does not interfere with the installation wall surface W during its circular motion. Consequently, since the length of the bowl in a fore-and-aft direction should be further lengthened by a length Δl, it is difficult to make the toilet slim.
Sixth, there is strong likelihood that the toilet wastes may adhere to the bellows tubes 3 connected to the inlet and outlet of the variable siphon tube 10.
That is, since the bellows tube 3 is formed with several folds on an inner surface thereof, the wastes may adhere and stick to the folds of the bellows tube during their discharge. Therefore, the smooth operation of the bellows tubes is hindered, and thus, the expansion and contraction of the bellows tube are adversely influenced.

Moving siphon pipe driving device in a flushing pot


A single-carriage reversing train positioning system which includes an extending spike-type car engaging member for engaging and moving one or more railcars. An extending chuck assembly may be provided with the ability to operate gates in bottom-discharging railcars. The system uses a single self-propelled carriage with an on-board carriage drive system that includes a drive motor which operates the car along a fixed chain situated along a guideway. A generally horizontally disposed, laterally extendable pin car-engaging assembly is mounted on the car-moving carriage for aligning with and engaging a hook loop on a railcar for moving the car. A gate-operating assembly which includes a laterally extendable chuck system which aligns with, engages and rotates gate-operating capstans on bottom discharging railcars may also be provided.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to train positioning systems, particularly to systems for indexing a coupled string or trip of railcars through a work station, to position one or more cars with precision for loading, unloading, washing (etc.) operations. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system of the class which includes a single self-propelled carriage that operates along a guideway alongside and parallel to a railroad track using an on-board drive that moves the carriage along a single drive chain mounted along the guideway. The carriage uses a single car-engaging device to engage hook loops or hook holes to move the cars along through the work station. The car-engaging device is a horizontally extending cantilevered spike or pin designed to telescope from one side of a car to engage the hook opening. A telescoping gate-opening tool may also be mounted on the carriage for operating gates in bottom discharge cars.
II. Related Art
Uni-Trains, many containing 100 or more cars of identical or a variety of sizes and types, have long been acknowledged as desirable and efficient carriers of bulk raw materials such as coal, iron ore, limestone, various finely divided dry bulk agricultural products including grains, etc., and liquid or dry chemicals. These cars are typically filled from above and may be emptied using a rotary car dumper in the case of coal or iron ore. Liquid bulk cargo is typically unloaded by connecting outlets to large hoses with associated pumping equipment and opening bottom drain valves.
Cars shipping bulk agricultural products are bottom emptied into stationary pits. These cars are provided with a number of spaced bottom discharging hopper bins accessing the main storage volume of the car. These hoppers are closed by horizontal slide gates. When the hoppers are precisely positioned over fixed recessed receiving facilities beneath the railroad track, the gates are opened and the cargo discharged.
In the bottom discharge operation, a connected train engine roughly positions one end of a string of cars to be unloaded close to the unloading facility. However, train engines are not well suited for indexing or precisely positioning individual cars or even sets of cars along the track. Because of this, train positioning devices known as railroad car indexers or movers have been built and operated at fixed stations along the tracks to more precisely position cars for loading or unloading operations.
Railroad car indexers of the class typically include at least one car engaging and propelling member or "dog" for engaging a car in a string or trip of cars and moving the string a given distance along the railroad track. The car-engaging members often situated and operated along an auxiliary indexer track or guideway juxtaposed in parallel relation to the railroad track. Fluid operated actuators such as hydraulic cylinders or chains and sprockets driven by hydraulic or electric motors supply the force for moving railcars. U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,691, issued to Kacir et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,792, issued to Cornish, show train positioners that approach the train from alongside the track and including an engaging member arm which engages a car coupler from above.
It is known to provide a train positioning system having one or more carriages which include a pair of horizontally pivoting dogs mounted in opposed spaced relation and adapted to operate on a bogey frame such that a first dog engages and pushes on a bogey frame in a first direction and a second opposed dog engaged to push on the bogey frame in the opposite direction. Such a system is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,059 to Brandt, a co-inventor in the present application.
Dog-carrying, train-positioning carriages have been proposed using reversing chain drives which include an over/under or vertical sprocket drive system in which the gears and chain are at least partially enclosed to reduce exposure of the mechanism to the elements and the buildup of foreign materials. A system such as this is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,916 B2. A further patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,168, discloses a train positioning system that includes a dog carriage having a drive motor mounted on the dog carriage which operates to propel the dog carriage back and forth along a single tension chain in a carriage guideway provided alongside the track. The carriage is supplied with electric power and hydraulic fluid from an attached flexible power track system.
Railroad cars having bottom discharge hopper-type bodies include spaced aligned hoppers which are closed by horizontally disposed gates that are displaced laterally to open and close the bottom of each hopper by drive systems that typically include a rack and pinion mechanism operated by rotating an associated operating rod using an attached capstan. This requires a separate operation utilizing a powered gate operator in which a key or gripper device is used to attach to and rotate each of the capstans. This function has long involved the provision of a separately supplied cantilevered gate operator device utilizing a telescoping chuck to engage a capstan of a railroad car gate. The gate operators are typically separately mounted to operate along their own gate operator platform spaced from, but associated with, a railcar indexing system.
While many of these prior systems have met with success, a need has also existed to simplify cantilever car-engaging systems and to optionally incorporate a gate operating device on the same carriage which carries the car-engaging member. Accordingly, the present invention provides a single telescoping body pin or spike-type car-engaging assembly mounted on a car-moving carriage which engage railcars using the hook loops or holes and also may incorporate a gate-operating assembly mounted on the same carriage. The carriage incorporates on-board drive and hydraulic systems and operates along a guideway using a single strand of drive chain.

Spike-type railcar mover with optional gate opener


The present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which, after secondary transferring, secondary transferring residual toner remaining on an intermediate transfer member can be cleaned effectively. A cleaning roller 5g is contacted with an intermediate transfer belt 5a and bias is applied from a power source 5h to the cleaning roller 5g, thereby charging secondary transferring residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 5a with polarity opposite to normal polarity of toner in a developing means 4. In this case, a rectangular wave of alternate voltage having a duty ratio of 50% or more is used as the bias. Whereby, the secondary transferring residual toner can be charged uniformly, the cleaning ability for the secondary transferring residual toner can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus particularly suitable for using as a copying machine, a laser beam printer or the like.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 7 schematically shows a conventional image forming apparatus. Incidentally, the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 7 is a laser beam printer having four developing devices which can selectively be switched and an intermediate transfer belt as an intermediate transfer member.
In the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 7, a surface of a photosensitive drum 1 rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R1 is uniformly charged by a charge roller (charger) 2, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an yellow image is formed by illuminating a laser beam from an exposure device 3 having a light source and a mirror. By rotating a rotary 4a of a developing means 4 in a direction shown by the arrow R4, a developing device 4Y corresponding to yellow is brought to a developing position D where the developing device 4Y is opposed to the photosensitive drum 1. In the developing position D, yellow toner is adhered to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1, thereby forming an yellow toner image. The yellow toner image is first-transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer member) 5a. The intermediate transfer belt 5a is mounted around rollers 5b, 5c and 5d and is rotatingly driven in a direction shown by the arrow R5, and the yellow toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 first-transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a at first transfer nip T.sub.1 by applying predetermined first transfer bias to a first transfer roller 5e. After the first transferring of the toner image, first transferring residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 is removed by the cleaner 6, thereby preparing for next magenta image formation.
The series of processes effected regarding the yellow toner (i.e., charging, exposure, developing, first transferring and cleaning) are performed regarding magenta toner, cyan toner and black toner (other than the yellow toner), four color toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 5a. The four color toner images are collectively secondary-transferred onto a transfer material P such as a paper sheet at a secondary transfer nip T.sub.2 while the transfer material P supplied from a sheet supply cassette (not shown) by a sheet supply roller (not shown) is being conveyed between a secondary transfer roller 5f (rotated in a direction shown by the arrow Kf) and the intermediate transfer belt 5a, by applying secondary transfer bias to the secondary transfer roller 5f. After the secondary transferring, the transfer material P is sent, by a convey belt (not shown), to a fixing device 7, where the toner images are fixed to the transfer material by heat and pressure. In this way, image formation is finished. On the other hand, after the secondary transferring, secondary transferring residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is removed by a cleaner 5g, thereby preparing for next first transferring.
Now, the cleaning of the intermediate transfer belt 5a will be explained. The cleaning roller 5g is constituted by a metal core, a base layer coated on the metal core and having a thickness of 2 to 6 mm and made of rubber having resistance of 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.6 .OMEGA..cm, and a surface layer having a thickness of 50 to 300 .mu.m and made of rubber or resin having resistance of 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.12 .OMEGA..cm. The cleaning roller 5g can be shifted (in a direction shown by the arrow Kg) toward and away from the intermediate transfer belt 5a by a drive means (not shown). When the toner images on the photosensitive drum 1 are successively first-transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a, the cleaning roller 5g is disengaged from the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and, after the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 5a are secondary-transferred onto the transfer material P, the cleaning roller 5g is engaged with the intermediate transfer belt 5a. In this condition, bias is applied from a bias power source 5i to the cleaning roller 5g. Briefly explaining a cleaning method used herein, the secondary transferring residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is charged with polarity opposite to normal charging polarity of the toner of the developing means 4 by the cleaning roller 5g to which the direct current bias was applied and is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 5a onto the photosensitive drum 1 at the first transfer nip T.sub.1, thereby cleaning the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 5a. The secondary transferring residual toner transferred to the photosensitive drum is also removed by the cleaner 6 (for the photosensitive drum 1) for removing first transferring residual toner.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, particularly when a four full-color image is formed, since an amount of the secondary transferring residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is increased, the secondary transferring residual toner cannot be charged adequately with opposite polarity by the cleaning roller 5g, thereby arising a problem that cleaning ability is worsened. Further, when images are continuously formed, there arises a problem that the poor cleaning affects a bad influence upon a next image. On the other hand, if a value of the bias applied to the cleaning roller 5g is increased, the secondary transferring residual toner can be charged adequately. In this case, however, the intermediate transfer belt 5a is charged excessively, with the result that, when the images are continuously formed on a plurality of transfer materials P, the first transferring ability regarding second and other transfer materials P is worsened.
In the above description, while an example that the intermediate transfer belt 5a is used as the intermediate transfer member was explained, if intermediate transfer drum is used, the similar problems will arise.

Image forming apparatus with intermediate transfer member cleaning


A system and method for the enhancement or fortification of a potable fluid. The system is adapted to fit on existing supplies of potable fluids, such as faucets, to permit the selective introduction of beneficiating materials into the liquid supply. The system includes interchangeable, replaceable cartridges. In one aspect of the invention, the system introduces a constant concentration of beneficiating material into the water supply. In another aspect, the system has the ability to permit discrete or continuously variable concentrations of the beneficiating material. The system may also include a water filtration device that may be operated either independently or cooperatively with the system.

The present invention generally relates to a device for placing nutrients, flavorings or related ingredients into a water supply, and more particularly to a device that can inject accurate, repeatable quantities of such ingredients into a potable water stream.
The use of potable water, especially in bottled form, is in its ascendancy, where numerous products are commonly available, including those with minerals, flavorings or related additives. Nevertheless, the vast majority of water consumed today does not include such features, instead coming from a readily-available source in the form of a conventional faucet or tap. In one form, faucet-mounted systems employ filtration devices (including, for example, user-removable cartridges) to remove impurities from the water. While these work for their intended purposes, they do nothing to address the need to add ingredients to the water, in fact achieving just the opposite.
Presently, a consumer can mix in commercially available additives with dispensed tap water to create a flavored or fortified beverage directly from the faucet, rather than purchasing (often expensive) bottles of water and toting them home. While this convenience, coupled with low cost, represents a huge untapped market of potential users, its utility is limited by the inability to provide the tailored attributes of its bottled counterparts, as it is more difficult for the end-user to achieve consistent, repeatable mixing of additives into faucet-dispensed water to get the desired concentration of flavoring or nutrient unless a cumbersome measuring approach is employed. Such an exercise can be especially difficult for young children and people with physical or mental frailties.
Prior attempts at introducing supplemental materials have dealt with dissolving or leaching solids into flowing water. For example, fluoride and cleansers have been added into water flow. The device of Herzfeld et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,053, shows a handle that is connectable to a hose. The handle is disclosed as being for cleaning or massaging purposes. The handle has no filter integrated with it, and the cartridge holding the concentrate does not appear to be disposable. In addition, the cartridge relies passively on the differing number and sizes of holes with which to dispense the concentrate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,982 to Britton, in addition to having no filter integrated with it, uses a block of liquid soluble material instead of a disposable cartridge. The stated purpose of the device is for cleaners, shampoos, detergents, fertilizers or insecticides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,868 to Brown et al. is attachable to a faucet, and injects its ingredient, primarily fluoride, by a leaching process rather than a disposable cartridge/bladder combination. As with the previous devices, there is no filter integrated with it. Other devices, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,842,429 (to Easton et al.), 2,734,632 (to De Ment), 1,991,388 (to Healy), 1,687,085 (to Dow) and UK Patent Application 2,204 253 (to Deeney et al.) all differ in the way in which additives are delivered with a water supply.
While these approaches to injecting materials into a water stream are currently being employed, their effectiveness is limited by one or more of the aforementioned problems and disadvantages. For example, none of the previously-discussed approaches incorporates a quickly and easily replaceable cartridge containing a beneficiation material such as flavors, vitamins, and other ingestible materials into the water flow. Moreover, the previous attempts do not use water pressure to act on a bladder containing a supply of beneficiation materials. Thus, what is needed is a device that is easily attached to a conventional water supply, such as a kitchen or related faucet, to provide repeatable quantities of on-demand beneficiated water. In the present context, a beneficiated liquid (such as water) is that which through the addition of one or more ingredients receives some form of fortification or related enhancement. What is further needed is such a device that may be integrated with a water filtration system. What is additionally needed is such a device configured with a beneficiating material-containing cartridge that is easily removable and replaceable, such that beneficiation of water can be achieved inexpensively.