Disclosed is a purification process for removing lipophilic impurities coined in an aqueous crude ethanol solution, in particular, for efficiently removing impurities consisting of C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols. The process involves (a) a first extraction step wherein the aqueous crude ethanol solution is extracted with an extractant for removing the lipophilic impurities, except for the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols, contained in the aqueous crude ethanol solution by subjecting the aqueous crude ethanol solution to extraction with the extractant in a pressurized state containing carbon dioxide in a liquidized state or carbon dioxide gas in a supercritical state; (b) a concentration-distillation step wherein a raffinate obtained in the first extraction step is fed to a distilling column to thereby obtain a highly concentrated aqueous ethanol solution from a top of the distilling column and withdraw fraction containing C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols from the distilling column as a side stream; (c) a second extraction step wherein the side stream is brought into contact with the extract in a pressurized state, obtained in the first extraction step to thereby extract the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols contained in the side stream into the extract; and (d) a water washing step wherein the extract in a pressurized state, obtained in the second extraction step, is brought into countercurrent contact with water in a pressurized state under such a condition that a ratio of the weight of water to the weight of the extract is set to 0.3 or less to thereby recover the ethanol contained in the extract into an aqueous phase.

Ethanol may be prepared by fermenting sugars such as molasses or by hydrating ethylene (hereinafter referred to sometimes as fermentation method and synthesis method, respectively).
Ethanol preparable by the fermentation method or by the synthesis method is an aqueous crude ethanol solution which is contaminated with various kinds of impurities. Major impurities contained in the aqueous crude ethanol solution prepared by the fermentation method include a variety of compounds, such as methanol, acetaldehyde, n-propanol, n-butanol, ethyl acetate, 3-methylbutanol, and so on. On the other hand, major impurities contained in the aqueous crude ethanol solution prepared by the synthesis method also include a variety of compounds, such as acetaldehyde, diethylether, acetone, sec.-butanol, n-butanol, crotonaldehyde, and so on.
As described hereinabove, the various kinds of impurities are contained in the aqueous crude ethanol solution, yet they are so minute in amount that the removal of such impurities is very difficult. In particular, alcohols having three or four carbon atoms (hereinafter referred to as C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols) are so similar in their physicochemical properties to ethanol that it is extremely difficult to remove them, as compared with the other impurities.
The distillation has generally been employed to purify an aqueous crude ethanol solution containing the various kinds of the sugars as described hereinabove. This distillation method requires a large number of distilling columns and it consumes a large quantity of steam for distillation. Further, at least one of the plurality of the distilling columns is operated by the extractive distillation method in such a manner that a crude ethanol once concentrated by distillation is added again to a large volume of water and the resulting mixture is fed to the extractive distilling column.
In addition, the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols among the impurities can be removed by withdrawing a side stream from the side of the distilling column for concentrating the ethanol; however, a large amount of the ethanol is also withdrawn from the distilling column so that the withdrawn side stream is further distilled in vacuo to thereby recover the ethanol.
Hence, the conventional process for the purification of ethanol using a large number of distilling columns is very poor in efficiency of energy.
In order to improve the problem with the poor efficiency in energy as seen in the distillation method as described hereinabove, a process is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (kokai) Nos. 60-41,627 and 2-49,741, which involves removing lipophilic impurities contained in an aqueous crude ethanol solution by extraction with carbon dioxide in a liquidized state or with carbon dioxide gases in a supercritical state (hereinafter referred sometimes to as carbon dioxide extraction method).
By the term "lipophilic impurities" referred to herein is meant oxygen-containing compounds having two or more carbon atoms, except for ethanol. The aqueous crude ethanol solution preparable by the fermentation method contains methanol as a hydrophilic impurity, in addition to the lipophilic impurities.
The carbon dioxide extraction method can separate the lipophilic impurities as an extract and provide a mixed aqueous solution of a highly purified ethanol and methanol as a raffinate. The rate of extraction (removal) of the lipophilic impurities in this case increases in proportion to an increase in a ratio of an extractant (that is, a ratio of the weight of the extractant to the weight of the aqueous crude ethanol solution), and the predetermined lipophilic impurities can be extracted as the ratio of the extractant reaches to a somewhat large extent. The minimal ratio of the extractant may vary with the concentration of ethanol in the aqueous crude ethanol solution, the composition or the concentration of the impurities, the acceptable range of the impurities in purified ethanol, or the like. Further, the higher the ratio of the extractant, the larger the amount of the extractant to be employed; hence, a high pressure extraction column and a compressor should be made so large in scale and size that costs of equipment become expensive and costs of power required for the compression and the circulation of carbon dioxide gases become high.
It can be noted herein that the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols are the lipophilic impurities contained in the aqueous crude ethanol solution, that are the most difficult to extract upon the extraction with carbon dioxide in the liquidized state or carbon dioxide gases in the supercritical state. In the conventional processes, a considerably large amount of the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols are left unremoved in the raffinate although almost all amounts of the other lipophilic impurities can be extracted at a certain ratio of the extractant; hence, the ratio of the extractant should be increased to a higher extent in order to extract all the amounts of the lipophilic impurities.
The present invention has the object to provide a process for the purification of an aqueous crude ethanol solution, so adapted as to efficiently separate and remove C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alcohols from the aqueous crude ethanol solution without causing any increase in the ratio of the extractant.

Process for purifying aqueous crude ethanol solution

Basic Industries Bureau of Ministry of International Trade and Industry


Shock absorbing seat belt height adjusters for use with vehicle occupant restraint systems, and associated systems and methods. In one embodiment, a shock absorbing height adjuster can be attached to a vehicle frame between an upper anchor point and a lower anchor point adjacent to an occupant's shoulder. The height adjuster can include a web clamp that locates a D-ring for positioning a shoulder web portion of the restraint web at a desired height that is comfortable for the occupant. Additionally, the height adjuster can include an anti-cinch feature that can elastically extend in response to tension loads in the shoulder web portion, thereby reducing shock loads from being transmitted to the seat occupant from the shoulder web portion.

Seat belts for use in cars, trucks, utility task vehicles (UTVs) and other vehicles often include a turning loop or D-ring near the occupant's shoulder to support the shoulder web. Typically the seat belt web will extend upwardly from a retractor, around the D-ring, and then downwardly at an angle across the occupant's torso. In the event of a collision or other rapid deceleration event that causes locking of the retractor, the D-loop acts as a rigid anchor for the shoulder web and resists forward motion of the occupant.
Some situations can require significant tension in the shoulder web to properly restrain the occupant, and this tension can result in substantial discomfort. For example, in recreational utility vehicles (RUVs) or UTVs, aggressive driving in off-road conditions can result in repeated application of high tension loads in the web, causing discomfort and/or fatigue for the operator. U.S. Pat. No. 9,809,193, assigned to Shield Restraint Systems, Inc., discloses shock absorbing height adjusters for use with restraint systems, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Height adjusters with anti-cinch features for occupant restraint systems


Systems and methods for monitoring the use of a fluid over the lifecycle of the fluid, said systems including a plurality of fluid identification stations, each station having one or more sensors to detect and identify a parameter of a fluid, wherein a each station is operably interconnected thereby permitting each station to access and verify the identity of a fluid as determined by each independent fluid identification station.

Hospitals and other care facilities face many challenges surrounding the preparation, use, and wasting of injectable drugs. For instance each year many preventable adverse drug events involving harmful medication errors are caused by injectable drugs. Acute care facilities, such as hospitals, emergency departments, patient cancer clinics, urgent care centers, and some long-term-care hospitals and facilities, account for many of these adverse drug events. Most injectable medication errors occur at the administration stage. These errors include, for instance, administering the incorrect drug (which can be cause by improperly labeling a drug or administering the drug to the wrong patient), administering the incorrect drug dose, administering a drug having an incorrect drug concentration (this can include a fluid having a drug that has not been mixed properly), administering an expired or contaminated drug, incorrectly administering a second dose of a drug, administering the drug at the wrong rate, and administering a drug at a wrong time. Such medication errors are particularly challenging because they can be difficult or impossible for some care facilities to detect.
Another challenge presented to care facilities is a growing concern of drug diversions and drug abuse within these facilities. Recent reports have stated that the use of narcotics within the hospital is becoming an increasing problem. In an effort to avoid drug diversions, some hospitals and other care facilities have protocols in place that require one person to dispose or waste the narcotic (such as into a sink or a container) while another person watches to ensure the narcotic was indeed wasted. There are inherent problems with this method. For example, the drug could be substituted prior to wasting without the observer knowing, the waster and observer could be diverting the drug together, or the observer ignores the problem for professional or personal reasons.
In light of the high rate of harmful medication errors, drug diversions, and drug abuse that occur despite current practices and technologies, it would be beneficial to develop systems and methods that can be used by care facilities to further reduce the occurrence of these adverse events.

Systems and methods for monitoring the use of medications


A disk array apparatus employs portable optical disk. The apparatus determines whether a file should be concentrated recorded in a single optical disk or distributively recorded among a plurality of disks, in accordance with the amount of that file. With respect to an often-accessed file, the apparatus records it among a number of optical disks, or makes a duplicate copy of the file and stores the duplicate copy in an optical disk different from the optical disk containing the often-accessed file. Since the often-accessed file is handled in this manner, the apparatus enables efficient file management and permits a file to be accessed at high speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk array apparatus which is incorporated in a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) employing optical disks as portable media and which can access a plurality of optical disks in parallel at high speed and manage the files recorded in the disks with high efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a data array apparatus has been commercialized as an apparatus which ensures high-speed data transfer and which hardly breaks down. A disk array apparatus employing a hard disk drive is known as a fixed memory apparatus which is called a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) system (refer to 1988 ACM Association For Computing Machinery).
In this type of disk array apparatus, data is distributively recorded in a plurality of hard disks, except in the hard disks in the form of mirrors, in units of one bit or one byte (RAID2, RAID3) or in units of one sector (RAID4, RAID5), so that data can be written or read by the hard disk drives in parallel.
The disk array apparatus enables a number of hard disks to be accessed in parallel, so that a high-speed operation is ensured. In addition, the disk array apparatus comprises a hard disk for storing redundant data, and data can be generated even if one of the hard disk drives breaks down. Therefore, the disk array apparatus is improved in reliability.
The conventional art will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional disk array apparatus employing hard disk drives. The disk array apparatus comprises: a host interface section 1 for performing interface control with reference to a host computer; CPU 2 for controlling the entire disk array apparatus; a memory 3 for temporarily storing the program codes or data of CPU 2, the communication data exchanged with reference to the host apparatus, and the data to be stored in a hard disk; file management means 5 for managing the files stored in the disk array apparatus; data transfer means 4 for transferring data between the storage medium and the memory 3 and between the memory 3 and the host computer; disk controllers 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, and 6e for controlling the hard disk drives; and ten hard disk drives 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, and 7e.
Of the ten hard disk drives 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, and 8e, those denoted by 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, and 7e constitute Group 1 and those denoted by 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, and 8e constitute Group 2.
Two of the hard disk drives are connected to each of the disk controllers 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, and 6e, respectively. All hard disk drives can be accessed without changing the connections among them, by selectively designating the hard disk drives.
The conventional art shown in FIG. 2 is a RAID4 mode, and parity data is stored in the hard disk drives 7e and 8e that are connected to disk controller 6e, and ordinary data is stored in the other hard disks in a distributed manner. Let it be assumed that data is stored in a distributed manner in units of 16 KB in the conventional art shown in FIG. 2. In this case, file "Text1" having a size of 64 KB is stored in a distributed manner such that the first 16 KB data is stored in hard disk drive 7a, the next 16 KB data is stored in hard disk drive 7b at an area of the same address, the next 16 KB data is stored in hard disk drive 7c at an area of the same address, and the last 16 KB data is stored in hard disk drive 7d at an area of the same address.
Let it be assumed that an access request for file "Text1" stored in the hard disk drives of Group 1 and an access request for file "Text3" stored in the hard disk drives of Group 2 are made simultaneously. In this case, the two files "Text1" and "Text3" cannot be accessed simultaneously since the hard disks of Group 1 in which file "Text1" is stored and the hard disks of Group 2 in which file "Text3" is stored are connected to the same disk controllers 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d. File "Text3" is accessed immediately after file "Text1" is accessed.
The hard disks 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d in which file "Text3" is stored and the hard disks 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d in which file "Text3" is stored are different, but these files can be accessed by selectively designating the hard disks in which they are stored, and the connections among the hard disks need not be changed at the time of access.
Where optical disks are employed as portable media, however, files stored in hard disks of different groups cannot be accessed by merely designating the hard disks, and all optical disks have to be replaced, resulting in a long operation time.
In a parallel system which is not a RAID system employing optical disks, no consideration is given to a library function which makes use of the merits of portable media, and data is recorded in a distributed manner only.
In disk array apparatuses, including the conventional art mentioned above, a number of optical disks are recorded in a distributed manner in units of one bit or one byte (RAID2, RAID3) or in units of one sector (RAID4, RAID5), and data is written or read by the hard disk drives in parallel. All data are distributively stored in the optical disks and are grouped in units of a certain number of optical disks. In a disk array apparatus employing portable optical disks, therefore, the grouped optical disks must be loaded in the respective optical disk drives. If the optical disks must be replaced with others, a very long time is required for accessing a target file stored in the optical disks.

Disk array apparatus including a management unit for selecting one or more disk drives to record data depending on the amount of data to be written


Embodiments of the invention provide a layout for a semiconductor memory device that splits each memory bank into two blocks. Embodiments of the invention dispose input/output sense amplifiers between the two memory blocks to achieve relatively short global input/output lines to all areas of the memory bank. Shorter global input/output lines have less loading and therefore enable higher-speed data transfer rates. Some embodiments of the invention include column selection line repeaters between the two memory blocks. The column selection line repeaters reduce loading in the column selection lines, and increase column selection speed. Embodiments of the invention include both input/output sense amplifiers and column selection line repeaters disposed between the two memory blocks to increase data transfer rates on the global input/output lines and also increase column selection speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a layout structure of semiconductor memory device having an input/output sense amplifier.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices widely used in computers and communication products etc. are based on a hierarchy of local input/output lines (LIO) and global input/output lines (GIO). FIG. 1 illustrates a layout of semiconductor memory device having such a hierarchical structure according to a conventional art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional semiconductor memory device 100 layout includes a plurality of memory banks A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H and a corresponding plurality of column decoders 110, row decoders 130, column control and fuse circuits 112, and row control circuits 132.
A column decoder 110 associated with each memory bank is positioned near one side of each memory bank, and a row decoder 130 is positioned near another side of each memory bank. A column control and fuse circuit 112 for a redundancy and control of the column decoder is positioned adjacent to each column decoder 110, and a row control circuit 132 for a control of the row decoder 130 is positioned adjacent to each row decoder 130.
Peripheral circuit area 170 includes multiple input/output sense amplifier (IOSA) areas. For example input/output sense amplifier area 150 is disposed in the peripheral circuit area 170 between memory bank A and memory bank E. The input/output sense amplifier area 150 includes multiple input/output sense amplifiers (not shown). Each of the input/output sense amplifiers in input/output sense amplifier area 150 are connected to a global input/output line GIO of the memory bank A and a global input/output line GIO of the memory bank E. That is, the memory bank A and the memory bank E share the input/output sense amplifiers included in input/output sense amplifier area 150.
The layout structure of semiconductor memory device as described above is generally well known in the art, thus further detail will be omitted.
FIG. 2 illustrates a data read path in a semiconductor memory device according to a conventional art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a word line of selected memory cell MC is enabled and so data is developed into a bit line BL. A bit line sense amplifier BLSA senses and amplifies the data. The data output from the bit line sense amplifier BLSA is transferred through a local input/output line LIO to a multiplexer IOMUX. The data is transferred through the global input/output line GIO to the input/output sense amplifier IOSA. The input/output sense amplifier IOSA senses and amplifies the data, converts it into a CMOS level, and transmits it through a first data line FDIO. The data transmitted through the first data line FDIO is converted into serial data through a parallel to serial transformer (RDORDER) and then is transmitted to the data pad DQ and output from the memory device. In some conventional applications, a data output buffer (not shown) may be used prior to transmitting the data to the data pad DQ.
There is a need for highly-integrated semiconductor memory devices with faster data transfer speeds.

Layout structure of semiconductor memory device having IOSA


The present invention relates to a polyester resin produced by polymerizing a dicarboxylic acid component comprising mainly an aromatic dicarboxylic acid or its ester forming derivative, and a diol component comprising mainly ethylene glycol in the presence of a catalyst containing a titanium compound, which polyester resin contains titanium atoms (Ti) in an amount of 0.002 to 1.0 mole based on one ton of the polyester resin and has the following properties:

The present invention relates to polyester resins, such as polyethylene terephthalate, which are widely used for various types of packaging containers, films, fibers or the like. More particularly, it relates to polyester resins produced by using inexpensive and environmentally safe titanium as a component of the polycondensation catalyst, said resins having an excellent color tone and melting heat stability, forming few by-products in their production, excellent transparency and especially suited for molding bottles and the like.
Polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate are excellent in many properties such as mechanical strength, chemical stability, gas barrier properties and hygienic qualities and are also light in weight, so that they are popularly used for various kinds of packaging containers, films, fibers, etc.
Such polyester resins have been produced mostly by using an antimony compound as polycondensation catalyst.
However, the polyester resins polymerized by using an antimony compound as polycondensation catalyst, when for instance molded into a container for a drink or food and put to practical use as such, have a probability that antimony remaining in the resin might be eluted out from the container when placed under a high temperature and transfer, if small in quantity, into the drink or food in the container. Use of antimony, which is a heavy metal, also poses the problem of environmental pollution. Thus, use of very scanty amount of antimony compound even though using thereof for the production of polyester resins or preferably use of a more safe metal as catalyst (antimony-free catalyst) for the production of polyester resins has been desired. The obtained molded containers cannot necessarily show a sufficient transparency and, therefore, frequently failed to meet the requirements of the market.
Polyester resins polymerized by using a germanium compound instead of an antimony-containing catalyst are also known. Germanium compounds, however, are very expensive because of scanty reserves, so that the development of a catalyst that can substitute for such costly compounds has been required. When such a polyester is blow-molded, a blowing mold used therefor tends to be contaminated, so that the obtained molded containers are deteriorated in surface smoothness and transparency. In addition, there also arises such a problem that the yield of these containers is considerably deteriorated due to necessity of additional steps for cleaning the contaminated mold.
On the other hand, it is considered that the mold contamination is caused by the transfer of by-products such as cyclotrimethylene terephthalate (cyclic trimer) which are produced upon forming a preform by injection-molding the resin and contained in the molded preform, onto the surface of the blowing mold when subjecting the cyclic trimer or the like to stretch blow molding. Consequently, for the purpose of inhibiting the generation of such by-products upon forming the preform by injection-molding method, for example in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 7-37515(1995), there has been proposed the method of deactivating a catalyst contained in the resin by contacting the polycondensed resin with hot water heated to a temperature of 50 to 100xc2x0 C. However, as a result of the present inventors"" studies, it has been found that the step of contacting the polycondensed resin with hot water is required thereby increasing the production cost of polyester, and molded products obtained by the above conventional method exhibit a considerably poor transparency. Further, it is suggested that the poor transparency of the molded products is caused by not the above-described mold contamination but deterioration in quality of the resin itself.
Various types of polyester resins polymerized by using an inexpensive and safe titanium compound have also been proposed. The titanium catalyst can be used in a small amount as compared to antimony and germanium catalysts due to its high catalytic activity, and is free from problems concerning safety unlike the antimony catalyst, and inexpensive as compared to the germanium catalyst. Therefore, it is considered industrially valuable to study and develop a polyester resin produced by processes using these titanium catalysts. However, polyester resins obtained by the polymerization using such titanium catalysts exhibit a yellowish color, and are deteriorated in thermal stability since these resins undergoes a significant discoloration after heating.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 8-73581 (EP-A-0699700), an antimony-free, colorless high-transparency polyester produced by using specified amounts of a complex forming agent and a titanium compound has been proposed. According to the follow-up tests conducted by the present inventors, however, it was found that the polyester resin obtained by the method described in the above patent contained large quantities of such by-products as acetaldehyde and cyclic trimers, and had the problem that, when molded into a food container such as a bottle, the obtained bottle might affect the savor of the content, or the mold used for bottle molding could be excessively stained.
Further, in the process according to the above reference, cobalt which is a heavy metal and used as bluish agent is used in order to improve the color tone. However, in view of environmentally safe, it is desired that cobalt which is a heavy metal is not used.
As a result of the present inventors"" earnest studies to solve the above problem, it has been found that by using environmentally safe and inexpensive titanium as a polycondensation catalyst constituent and by selecting the optimal catalyst components and amount thereof and polycondensation conditions, the above problem can be solved.
The present invention has been attained on the basis of the above finding.
The object of the present invention is to provide a polyester resin in which titanium with high environmental safety is used as a component of the polycondensation catalyst, the resin shows excellent color tone and melting heat stability and forms few by-products such as acetaldehyde and cyclic trimers in the course of its production, and that therefore when the resin is molded into a food container such as a bottle, the produced bottle won""t affect the savor of its content, and the mold used for bottle molding is scarcely stained.
To attain the above aim, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polyester resin produced by polymerizing a dicarboxylic acid component comprising mainly an aromatic dicarboxylic acid or its ester forming derivative, and a diol component comprising mainly ethylene glycol in the presence of a catalyst containing a titanium compound, which polyester resin contains titanium atoms (Ti) in an amount of 0.002 to 1.0 mole based on one ton of the polyester resin and has the following properties:
Intrinsic viscosity ([xcex7], dl/g)xe2x89xa70.70
Hunter""s xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d valuexe2x89xa64
Acetaldehyde content (AA0, ppm)xe2x89xa65.0
In the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polyester hollow container molded by using a polyester resin according to the first aspect.
In the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a polyester resin which comprises polymerizing a dicarboxylic acid component comprising mainly an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and a diol component comprising mainly ethylene glycol in the presence of a catalyst containing (1) a titanium compound, (2) a phosphorus compound and (3) at least one compound selected from compounds of Ia-Group metals except for hydrogen, IIa-Group metal compounds and manganese compounds, said compounds (1) to (3) being added to the reaction system in the order of (2), (3) and (1).

Polyester resin and its production process

Abstract: Acetaldehyde content (AA0, ppm)xe2x89xa65.0.


A one-part, cured, radiation-curable liquid matrix composition for affixing coated and inked optical fibers in a ribbon configuration which is peelable from the coated and inked fibers without damage to the integrity of itself or the fibers is disclosed. The composition comprises an aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomer; a reactive monomer having one or more acrylate or methacrylate moieties; a release agent; and an optional photoinitiator. Also disclosed are an optical fiber ribbon array prepared therefrom; a process for removing such matrix composition from inked and coated fibers; a process for preparing such ribbon array; and a radiation-curable coating composition generally applicable for coating a substrate.

The present invention relates to radiation-curable compositions useful as bonded ribbon matrices for optical fiber; to optical fiber ribbon arrays containing such matrices; and to processes for preparing such matrix-containing bonded ribbon arrays.
Optical glass fibers have revolutionized the telecommunications industry. The result has been a tremendous growth in demand for optical fibers which are free of many of the susceptibilities inherent to them.
Immediately after drawing, glass fibers are exceptionally strong and have very few intrinsic defects. However, such pristine fibers are very easily flawed by exposure to environmental conditions including dust and moisture. Therefore, there have been attempts to develop in the prior art numerous coatings which are capable of protecting the underlying glass fiber from external harmful forces and which optimally possess properties rendering them capable of obviating one or more of the various potential problems which may deleteriously effect optical fiber performance. Such properties include, inter alia, a glass transition temperature rendering the fiber useful over a large potential temperature use range; a higher refractive index than that of the fiber to refract any errant light signals away from the fiber; rapid cure, e.g., under ultraviolet irradiation; and high impermeability to moisture which may damage the coating or the fiber itself and may cause delamination of the two. Additionally, the adhesion level between the fiber and the coating must be optimized so that the coating will remain attached to the fiber during use but be easily stripped therefrom, with minimal damage to the integrity of the fiber and the coating, so that the fibers may be easily spliced in the field. Above all, the fiber coatings should display good thermal, oxidative and hydrolytic stability, to protect the underlying fiber over the long term, i.e., over twenty-five years' time.
In certain applications, such as in short haul, fiber-to-the-home uses, a single, coated optical fiber may adequately transmit a signal from one point to another. However, in most embodiments, a relatively large number of fibers are necessary to transmit a large volume of signals. For example, in the telecommunications industry, aggregates of fibers spanning oceans or continents and containing dozens of individual fibers may be required. Fibers are conveniently aggregated into cables, wherein large numbers of coated optical fibers are laid in parallel and are protected by a common sheathing material such as a layered arrangement which may include fiberglass, steel tape and reinforced rubber cabling material.
When numerous individual coated optical fibers are aggregated into a cable, it is necessary to be able to identify each of the individual fibers. For example, when two cable segments are to be spliced together, it is necessary to splice together ends of each like optical fiber in order for a signal to convey properly. When only a few fibers are contained in a cable, identification may be adequately made by having the coating of each individual fiber be a characteristic color; thus, the splicer may simply match up green fiber to green fiber, red to red, and so forth.
However, when the cable contains one hundred or more fibers, it may become impracticable to use a sufficient number of distinctive inks as to color each fiber distinguishably. Thus, a geometric means of distinguishing each fiber is used. For example, arranging the fibers in an array containing a number of layers, each layer containing perhaps twelve ink-coated fibers of different respective colors, will greatly facilitate the task of matching up fibers when splicing.
One practical way by which such spatial ordering of numerous fibers may be accomplished is to create a fiber array which is two-dimensional, wherein fibers are situated in a generally planar arrangement within a given array, with the fibers in the array disposed in parallelism with each other. These arrays are stacked one atop another in a three-dimensional structure.
Such arrays are known in the art as ribbons. For example, it is known to prepare a two-dimensional ribbon array by forming a "sandwich" of parallel coated optical fibers between two sheets of adhesive-coated Mylar tape, thus affixing the fibers in that configuration. This "sandwich" provides structural integrity and a tack free exterior surface.
However, this arrangement is less than optimal because the tape occupies a substantial proportion of the total volume of the sandwich, so that when several "sandwiches" are stacked to form a cable, an undesirably high proportion of the total cable volume is taken up by tape (rather than by optical fiber).
Thus, it has been envisioned to prepare an optical fiber ribbon array having a matrix in which the optical fibers are embedded in the desired generally planar, parallel arrangement. This matrix should, inter alia, have suitable glass transition temperature; cure rapidly; be non-yellowing; and have high thermal, oxidative and hydrolytic (moisture) stability.
However, currently available matrix materials possess a number of deficiencies which in the past have defied solution. First of all, it is a difficult if not paradoxical problem to devise a matrix composition which is adherent enough to maintain the integrity of an optical fiber array, yet not so strongly adherent that it will either remove some of the ink coating from the underlying coated and inked fiber when removed, or leave vestiges of itself upon the coated and inked fiber after it is stripped away. Removal of the ink from a coated, inked fiber is referred to in the industry as "breakout failure"; it can make identification of the once color-coded fibers difficult or impossible.
While matrix compositions are currently available which can be softened to leave an intact, inked coated optical fiber, these typically have the inconvenience of requiring application of a solvent (e.g., an alcohol gel), waiting at least ten minutes for the matrix to soften, and then peeling or scraping away the matrix. Beyond the convenience factor, vulnerability of the coated fiber to the solvent becomes a factor as well.
In other prior art situations, particulate release agents such as polytetrafluoroethylene (TEFLON.RTM.) particles have been either applied as separate coating layer to coated and inked fibers or incorporated into a matrix to confer strippability. However, use of particulates (which must be used in relatively large amounts) is highly undesirable because it makes application of the liquid composition difficult, and because settling of the particulate material in the liquid composition may occur. Also, stress concentration and other factors relating to the cured matrix composition which can be detrimental to the underlying fiber may result. Moreover, optical clarity may be compromised. Furthermore, in the case where the particulate is added as another coating layer, an additional, costly step is required to first treat the inked fiber with release agent.
In still other prior art situations, a complex, expensive mechanical stripping apparatus is required to remove the matrix composition. Use of such complex skill-requiring and expensive apparatus is, of course, undesirable.
Furthermore, it is a less than optimal situation if the matrix composition, even though eventually removable with its own and the ink layer's integrity intact, is removable in anything other than an intact unit. One can readily envision the inconvenience of peeling off bits and pieces of a matrix composition, not unlike removing from a roll a length of "scotch tape" which has split, broken or fragmented.

Peelable bonded ribbon matrix material; optical fiber bonded ribbon arrays containing same; and process for preparing said optical fiber bonded ribbon arrays


A buoyancy method for deploying a plurality of floats of a buoyancy system of an aircraft. The plurality of floats comprises a plurality of main floats and a plurality of secondary floats that are folded in flight. The method comprises a step of deploying the main floats in flight prior to ditching, and a step of deploying the secondary floats after ditching.

Under such circumstances, the invention lies in the technical field of buoyancy systems for aircraft, and more particularly for a rotary wing aircraft.
Such a buoyancy system contributes to enabling an aircraft to float in stable manner after ditching in water. By way of example, the buoyancy system may be used following forced ditching in order to enable the occupants of the aircraft to evacuate it. Aircraft that performs missions of transporting people off-shore are in principle fitted with such buoyancy systems.
Certification regulations also specify that an aircraft must be capable of ditching and floating in stable manner on the water with its buoyancy system. Stability must be effective for certain states of the free surface of the water and for certain wind levels that are defined in those certification regulations.
Those states of the free surface of the water are also referred to as "sea states", and they apply to any liquid surface. The term "ditching" covers an aircraft landing on any free water surface, whether it be the sea or on a lake, for example. Certification regulations require an aircraft to be stable with a particular sea state.
A buoyancy system may include floats.
The floats are fastened on either side of an airframe of the aircraft. The term "airframe" is used in particular to designate a portion of the aircraft housing a cockpit, and possibly also a cabin and a hold, and possibly including landing gear. On a helicopter, the airframe carries the main rotor of the helicopter. By way of example, floats may be fastened to landing gear of the airframe, or else to a wall of the airframe.
Furthermore, the floats may for example be folded under normal flying conditions, and then deployed in the event of ditching. By way of illustration, a float may comprise an inflatable bag that can be attached to an airframe by means of at least one cord.
A buoyancy system comprising folded floats then includes deployment means for deploying the floats, e.g. an inflater. Certain buoyancy systems include deployment means that are deployed under the control of the pilot and/or the copilot, for example, and/or under the control of an automatic trigger device. For example, a button may be located on a stick operated by a pilot, the button being connected to an inflater. Operating the button then causes the float to inflate.
In addition, in a first strategy, the floats may be deployed after ditching.
This first strategy makes it possible to avoid subjecting the floats to the forces that result from ditching. This makes the floats and the cords easier to design. Furthermore, the means for deploying the floats may include immersion sensors for detecting the presence of water in order to activate deployment of the floats without involving a pilot.
In contrast, the buoyancy of the aircraft is not optimized until the floats have been deployed.
In a second strategy, the floats may be deployed in flight, i.e. before the aircraft touches the water. When a pilot or a system detects that ditching is about to take place, the pilot or the system causes the floats to be deployed. This second strategy is advantageous in that it ensures that buoyancy of the aircraft is optimized even before the aircraft is on the water. The depth to which the aircraft goes down into the water on ditching can then be minimized. Furthermore, the floats absorb a portion of the force to which the aircraft is subjected during ditching.
Nevertheless, under such circumstances, the buoyancy system needs to be designed to withstand the forces that result from the impact of the aircraft on the water. The floats may also tend to move considerably as a result of coming into contact with the water and they run the risk of striking against surfaces of the aircraft. This can lead to such surfaces being pushed in.
Optionally, the aircraft may include in parallel an emergency system for deploying the floats after ditching.
The second strategy is sometimes preferred in order to optimize the buoyancy of an aircraft because of its ability to tend to stabilize the aircraft as soon as it touches the water, since the floats are deployed in flight. Nevertheless, designing such a buoyancy system for applying this second strategy can be difficult.
In this context, document FR 3 047 231 describes a method of authorizing inflation of floats in flight under predetermined conditions that tend to limit the impacts of such inflation.
Document EP 1 429 958 is remote from this problem in that it describes a buoyancy system having at least one inflatable float and an inflatable raft.
Documents FR 3 043 061, US 2003/060101, FR 2 997 923, DE 1 213 255, and US 2014/252165 are also known.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Aircraft provided with a buoyancy system, and a buoyancy method


A new and distinct Rheum plant named ‘Scarlet King’ characterized by early dormancy break, exceptional frost resistance, and deep pearlescent red coloration of early season growth.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rheum (rhubarb) given the cultivar name 'Scarlet King'. Rheum is in the family Polygonaceae. This new cultivar is a chance seedling of unknown origin that was discovered during an environmentally controlled indoor breeding program at Sconce Farms in Aurora, Oreg.
Compared to Rheum 'Deacon', unpatented, the new cultivar breaks dormancy 2 or more weeks earlier in the Willamette Valley, Oreg. Compared to Rheum 'Crimson', unpatented, the new cultivar breaks dormancy 3 or more weeks earlier in the Willamette Valley, Oreg. The new cultivar is also much more frost resistant than either 'Deacon' or 'Crimson' and has a deeper red color that extends throughout the stalk and into the veins of the leaves early in the growing season.


An anti-reflection film containing a high-refractive-index layer having a refractive index of 1.65 to 2.40 and a low-refractive-index layer having a refractive index of 1.20 to 1.55, wherein the high-refractive-index layer is formed by coating and hardening a coating solution composition that contains inorganic fine particles having an average particle size of 1 to 200 nm and being dispersed with a polymer having a crosslinkable group. A method of producing the anti-reflection film and an image display device provided with the anti-reflection film.

Anti-reflection films are generally provided on the surface of optical products and the like, for suppression of reflectance based on the principle of optical interference, in order to prohibit reduction in contrast owing to reflection of external light, and also to prevent the display surface from mirroring the surrounding scene. Particularly in such image display devices as a cathode-ray tube display device (CRT), a plasma display panel (PDP), and a liquid crystal display device (LCD), each of which requires that a display image be clearly viewed, the anti-reflection film is arranged at the outermost surface of the display.
Such anti-reflection films can be formed by laminating plural transparent thin layers, which are different in refractivity, and multi-layered films, in which transparent metal oxide thin films are laminated, have been ordinarily used.
Such transparent metal oxide thin films are formed by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, and particularly by a vacuum vapor deposition process, which is a physical vapor deposition process. These transparent metal oxide thin films have excellent optical characteristics as an anti-reflection film. However, the method of forming a transparent metal oxide thin film by such vapor deposition is insufficient from the standpoint of productivity for mass production.
In place of the vapor deposition process, from the standpoint of mass production, it has been proposed to form anti-reflection films by applying a coating composition containing inorganic fine particles.
For example, JP-A-8-110401 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) and JP-A-8-179123 disclose a technique that forms a high-refractive-index layer, having a refractive index of 1.80 or more, by incorporating inorganic fine particles having a high refractive index into a plastic, and then applies the high-refractive-index layer to an anti-reflection film. To form a transparent film as a high-refractive-index layer by coating inorganic fine particles, it is necessary to make the particles sufficiently fine and to disperse the particles uniformly in the layer. To disperse the inorganic particles, it has been known to use surfactants or anionic or cationic polymers for dispersion. However, these compounds cannot form bonds with the crosslinked film, after dispersion, and there is a problem that these compounds deteriorate physical strength and chemical resistance of the film.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,858, U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,559, JP-A-2001-166104, and JP-A-2001-188104 each disclose an anti-reflection film having, as a high-refractive-index layer, a film containing therein inorganic fine particles dispersed with a crosslinked polymer having an anionic group. Each publication describes an example that the polymer in the high-refractive-index layer is formed by a polymerization reaction of multifunctional monomers, simultaneously with coating the monomers or after coating the monomers. The anti-reflection films have such excellent properties as (1) high productivity at low price, (2) a high-refractive-index layer having a very high refractive index and transparency, and (3) excellent scratch resistance.
By intensive studies on the above-said anti-reflection films, the present inventors revealed a problem that the film mechanical strength was easily lowered by a saponification processing necessary to put an anti-reflection film on a polarization plate. From analysis by the present inventors, it was also revealed that this was caused by penetration of a saponificating liquid into a portion at which a crosslinking reaction was not sufficiently occurred, and by elution of a monomer component that was not completely hardened.

Anti-reflection film, method for producing the same, and image display device


A personalized shopping system and method is disclosed including a portable map bearing written identifications of articles arranged in a pictorial representation corresponding to their display locations in a store. The portable map includes a written index adjacent to the pictorial representation as a cross-reference for locating articles in the store. The portable map is useable as both a shopping list for selecting articles for purchase and as an in-store directory for locating the selected articles. Also provided is a portable clipboard adapted for use with the portable map. The portable clipboard includes mounts for removably mounting the clipboard to the grocery cart, wherein the means for removably mounting is operable between a stored position for supporting the clipboard stable against a working surface and an extended position for supporting the clipboard stable on a grocery cart.

This invention relates generally to shopping aids and more specifically to a system and method including a shopping map for aiding shoppers in the selection and location of articles displayed for sale at various aisle locations in a store.
With the advent of large one-stop shopping stores selling a variety of goods ranging from food staples to hardware, and in many instances, also providing a variety of personal services, the once simple shopping trip to the corner grocery store has evolved into a complex task which can easily overwhelm the ordinary shopper. As a result, various electronic and/or computerized shopping aids and systems have recently been developed to assist the shopper with the complex and time consuming task of shopping, examples of which can be found in patents to Collins Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,819; Malec U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,952; Bianco U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,614 and Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,196.
Unfortunately, like the complex stores for which these systems were designed, these shopping aids and systems too can overwhelm, rather than aid, the ordinary shopper. As a result, shoppers today must not only spend time becoming familiar with the layout of a particular store, but also must spend valuable time learning how to operate the associated electronic and/or computerized shopping aids. Further, because of their increased complexity and associated costs, the above-described shopping aids and systems are less likely to find widespread use in shopping stores.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved shopping aid and system to assist the ordinary shopper with shopping in today's stores. Such a shopping aid and system should be simple in design and should provide instant familiarity to the ordinary shopper. Preferably, the shopping aid and system would allow for much of the time spent organizing and planning for a shopping trip to be performed away from the store, for example at home, to minimize time spent in the store. Therefore, such a shopping aid and system should also be easily portable.

Store specific shopping system and method including a map/shopping list


An ignition device assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a body and a shroud. The body extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, and the shroud extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the body, and axially from a first end to a tip end. The shroud includes a tip portion and a body portion. The body portion includes a plurality of metering openings and a plurality of first outlet openings. The plurality of metering openings are for channeling cooling air to the ignition device body, and the plurality of first outlet openings are for channeling spent cooling air from the ignition device body. The tip portion includes a plurality of discharge openings extending therethrough for channeling cooling from the ignition device body. The plurality of first outlet openings are between the shroud tip portion and the plurality of shroud metering openings.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, more particularly to combustors used with gas turbine engines.
Known turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air which is suitably mixed with a fuel and channeled to a combustor wherein the mixture is ignited within a combustion chamber for generating hot combustion gases. More specifically, at least some known combustors include a dome assembly, a cowling, and liners to channel the combustion gases to a turbine, which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor, as well as producing useful work to propel an aircraft in flight or to power a load, such as an electrical generator. Moreover, at least some known combustors include ignition devices, such as ignitors, primer nozzles, and/or pilot fuel nozzles, which are used during pre-selected engine operations to facilitate igniting the mixture within the combustion gases.
Known ignition devices extend through an annular tower extending outwardly from the combustor, such that at least a portion of such ignition devices is exposed to high temperatures generated within the combustion chamber. Moreover, within recouperated engines, generally such ignition devices are exposed to higher temperatures than similar devices used with non-recouperated engines. Accordingly, because of the orientation and relative position of the primer nozzle within the combustor, at least some known ignition devices are cooled. Moreover, at least some known ignition devices include tip shrouds which are also cooled and extend circumferentially around an injection tip of the primer nozzles. However, in at least some known primer nozzles, the cooling flow to the tip shrouds is unregulated such that if a shroud tip burns off during engine operation, cooling air flows unrestricted past the injection tip, and may adversely affect primer nozzle performance.
Furthermore, because of the increased combustion temperatures generated within such recouperated engines, generally the combustor towers used within recouperated engines are taller and wider than those used in non-recouperated engines. Although the increased size of such towers facilitates reducing an amount of thermal interference created between the tower and the ignition device, the increased size of such towers may enable high temperature gases to recirculate in a gap defined between the tower and the ignition device. Over time, the recirculation of high temperature gases through the tower assembly may result in damage to the tower assembly and/or to the ignition device.

Methods and apparatus for cooling turbine engine combustor ignition devices


An OpenFlow network includes multiple controllers. Each controller includes a load control table and a load control unit. The load control table controls at least one of the number of messages which each of switches in the OpenFlow network has transmitted to a controller controlling the switch over a predetermined time and the number of packets that the switch has received over a predetermined time. When a predetermined event occurs, the load control unit detects a controller having a processing load higher than or equal to a first threshold on the basis of the load control table and places at least one of the switches controlled by the detected controller under the control of another controller.

An OpenFlow network is a network control technology that defines, as a "flow," a series of communications determined by a combination of a Media Access Control (MAC) address, an IP address, and a port number and performs path control for each flow. An OpenFlow network includes a controller for computing the path of a packet (OFC: OpenFlow controller), switches for forwarding a packet (OFS: OpenFlow switches), and terminals connected to the switches.
Each switch includes a flow table in which packet forwarding paths, packet forwarding methods, and the like are described for each flow. The controller sets packet forwarding rules in the entries of the flow tables of the switches. Each switch forwards a packet in accordance with the forwarding rules set in the flow table.
The controller and the switches are connected via the Secure Socket Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS), called a secure channel, or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). OpenFlow protocol messages are transmitted or received via a secure channel.
When a switch receives a packet from a terminal, the switch refers to the header fields (header field attributes) of the flow table and searches for an entry having a header field matching the header information of the packet. If such an entry exists, the switch updates statistical information ("Counters" attribute) of the entry and performs a designated process ("Actions" attribute). If no such entry exists, the switch transmits the packet to the controller (packet-in message).
The controller receives the packet-in message and computes the path of the packet. The controller then adds an entry corresponding to the packet to the flow table of the switch on the basis of the computed path (flow-mod message). The controller then transmits the packet to the switch (packet-out message).
If more terminals are connected to the switches in the OpenFlow network, the switches transmit more packet-in messages to the controller. In this case, the single controller may not be able to process the messages. For this reason, it is preferable to install multiple controllers in the OpenFlow network so that the messages the controller receives from the switches are distributed.
In the installation of multiple controllers in the OpenFlow network, each controller is assigned switches to be controlled by the controller. Accordingly, each controller transmits or receives messages to or from only the switches to be controlled thereby. As a result, it is possible to distribute the messages the controllers receives from the switches.
Assuming that multiple controllers are installed in the OpenFlow network, each controller requires path information and topology information described below when setting forwarding rules in the flow table of each switch. For this reason, the controllers synchronize these sets of information with one another.
(1) Path Information
Path information is information indicating the shortest path in the OpenFlow network. Each controller computes path information from topology information.
(2) Topology Information
Topology information is information on the connection of a switch in the OpenFlow network. Each controller acquires topology information on each of switches controlled by the controller by periodically transmitting query packets of the Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) or the like to the switches.

Controller, method for distributing load, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program, computer system, and control device


A pump for pumping a multiphase fluid includes a housing and a rotor with an outer surface. A plurality of inducer vanes are attached to the rotor hub, each having a leading edge and a trailing edge where the leading edge of one inducer vane overlaps the trailing edge of an adjacent inducer vane by a first overlap angle. A plurality of impeller vanes are also attached to the hub. The impeller vanes each have a leading edge and a trailing edge where the leading edge of one impeller vane overlaps the trailing edge of an adjacent impeller vane by a second overlap angle larger than the first overlap angle. The pump includes a rotor flow channel extending between the hub outer surface and the housing inner surface. The rotor flow channel has an inlet area and an outlet area, whereby the outlet area is smaller than the inlet area.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to multiphase fluid pumps and, more particularly, to a helico-axial pump for pumping a multiphase fluid containing high volumes of gas.
Multiphase fluids, such as gaseous and liquid two-phase fluids exist in many areas of technology, such as oil production. Submersible pumping systems, such as systems that contain helico-axial pumps, are often deployed into wells to recover petroleum fluids from subterranean reservoirs. Most submersible pumping systems include one or more impeller and diffuser combinations, commonly referred to as "stages." The impellers rotate within adjacent stationary diffusers. During use, the rotating impeller imparts kinetic energy to the fluid. A portion of the kinetic energy is converted to pressure as the fluid passes through the downstream diffuser.
One drawback to the use of submersible pumping systems in the operations involving multiphase fluids, e.g., petroleum-gas mixtures, is the unintended separation of the multiphase fluid into its liquid and gaseous components. This may become particularly severe for multiphase process fluids characterized by a high gas volume fraction. As the multiphase fluid begins to separate into its liquid and gaseous components, the pump becomes vulnerable to "gas locking" Gas locking generally occurs when the multiphase fluids include a significant gas to liquid ratio. The gas-locking phenomenon occurs as the gas bubbles move into low pressure zones of the fluid flow within the submersible pumping system and phase separation may then occur in the flow. Upon phase separation, the gas phase has a tendency to accumulate in certain regions of the flow passages of the pump. If enough gas accumulates in an area of the flow passages of the pump, gas locking occurs preventing the movement of the multiphase fluid. Thus, gas locking causes inefficient and ineffective pump operation and may lead to a decrease in the performance and/or the useful life of the submersible pumping system, such that it may no longer be possible to pump the multiphase fluid effectively.

System and apparatus for pumping a multiphase fluid


A method for manufacturing a personalized naturally designed mitral valve prosthesis to precisely fit a specific patient for which the valve prosthesis is made for is provided. The method includes measuring size and shape of a mitral valve of the specific patient by using imaging methods, calculating geometry and dimensions of annular ring, leaflets and chords per the specific patient based on validated algorithms, and cutting and connecting the annular ring, leaflets and chords to form a personalized prosthesis mitral valve.

The mitral or left atrioventricular valve, which is a bicuspid valve (i.e., a valve comprising two leaflets), is a valve in the heart that separates the left atrium and the left ventricle. The mitral valve allows blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle during ventricular diastole, while preventing retrograde flow during systole. Naturally occurring mitral valve consists of an annulus, two leaflets, atrial myocardium, chordae tendinae, pupillary muscles and ventricular myocardium.
Mitral valve replacement is a procedure designed to be performed so as to replace a diseased or non-functioning valve. During the mitral valve replacement procedure, the patient's mitral valve is removed and is replaced with a prosthesis. The mitral valve unique configuration presents challenges for creating a long lasting and normally functioning mitral valve prosthesis.
Biological and mechanical mitral valve prostheses are available commercially. In contrast to the soft tissue and asymmetrical shape of the human mitral valve, both biological prostheses and mechanical prostheses have rigid, circular shapes. An additional disadvantage of mechanical valves is that blood has a tendency to clot on the mechanical components of the valve and cause the valve to function abnormally. Patients with mechanical valves must take anticoagulants to prevent the risk of blood clots forming on the valve, which can cause a stroke. Biological valves carry a reduced risk of forming blood clots but have more limited durability as compared with mechanical valves and require more frequent replacement. Biological valves, as do mechanical valves, include a rigid metal skeleton, and feature a metal ring covered with silicon or other synthetic material to allow passing of the implantation sutures.
Currently available mitral valve prostheses are typically built in an unnatural, circular-shaped manner and are often made of rigid materials. They also often feature three symmetric leaflets, whereas a natural human mitral valve includes only two leaflets, a larger anterior leaflet and a smaller posterior leaflet. Due to their rigid and unnatural construction, such mitral valve prostheses distort the natural anatomy of the heart. The heart muscle surrounding these prostheses does not recover well following implant surgery. The prostheses last an average of only 7-10 years, causing patients to require second and, sometimes, third surgeries during their life span, which repeatedly exposes patients to the high risks of open heart surgery.
Commercially available prostheses do not achieve the hemodynamic performance of a healthy native human mitral valve. This results in substantial energy loss of the left heart chamber, significant strain over time and finally heart failure and other adverse phenomena.
Some other available mitral valve prostheses may be formed by reinforcing a homograft as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,417, which means the physician is required to scan various sizes of valves in order to find the best match per patient, while sacrificing animals from which the valves are to be taken. Yet other available mitral valve prostheses may be formed by sewing multiple layers of pericardium to one another, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,667, which may cause clotting in the areas where multiple sutures are present.
Other forms of atrioventricular valves, including mitral valves, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,277 in which a template of membrane material is sutured onto the patient's mitral annulus. Such valves feature a high and unnaturally shaped annulus, making the circumference of the prosthetic valve bulky and raised like a collar. Moreover, templates are provided in standard sizes which must then be trimmed to adapt to a patient.

Method for manufacturing personalized naturally designed mitral prosthesis

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD


Apparatus 10 discloses a shoulder strap retainer device providing means for selectively fastening a purse 26 or carryall strap to a user's shoulder 28. In one embodiment of the present invention 10, a pair of decorative jewelry-like articles 24 having means for attachment to an article of clothing 14 are fixed a selected distance apart providing means for easily inserting and removing a strap 12 therefrom while keeping the purse 26 or carryall strap from easily being displaced once placed therebetween. In another embodiment, the shoulder strap retainer is comprised of a housing having a transverse slot with opposing flanges 22 forming a cavity for the placement therein of a strap 12.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to retaining devices and, more specifically, to a shoulder strap retainer device providing means for selectively fastening a purse or carryall strap to a user's shoulder.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a pair of decorative jewelry-like articles having means for attachment to an article of clothing are fixed a selected distance apart providing means for easily inserting and removing a strap therefrom while keeping the purse or carryall strap from easily being displaced once placed therebetween. This frees the user from having to hold onto or repetitiously reposition said strap enabled article, freeing the hands for other tasks.
In another embodiment, the shoulder strap retainer is comprised of a housing having a transverse slot with opposing flanges forming a cavity for the placement therein of a strap.
The present invention benefits people by freeing both hands when picking up children, packages or other items that may normally limit a person to the use of one hand. The device is not limited to women but may also be applied to children's garments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other strap device designed for attachment thereto. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,027,527 issued to Davis on May 28, 1912.
Another patent was issued to Eisenberg on Jul. 19, 1949 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,476,712. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,147 was issued to Kallman on Oct. 4, 1977 and still yet another was issued on Mar. 14, 1989 to Riggi as U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,876.
Another patent was issued to Rosenstein on Aug. 15, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,188. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,391 was issued to McGlynn on Jan. 16, 1973. Another was issued to Kallmam on Sep. 25, 1979 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,544 and still yet another was issued on Dec. 2, 1997 to Lewis as U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,239.
Another patent was issued to Arbogast on Nov. 30, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,176. Yet another U.K. Patent No. GB 1899 was issued to Lake on Jun. 24, 1899. Another was issued to O'Dell on Mar. 25, 1920 as U.K. Patent No. GB140,319. Another was issued on May 8, 1924 to Robinson as U.K. Patent No. GB215,182 and another was issued to White as U.K. Patent No. GB657,059.


A telecommunications plug comprising: a plug body; plug latches mounted on the plug body, the plug latches being movable between a latched and unlatched state; a boot cap having arms extending therefrom, each arm including a camming surface engaging an outside surface of the plug latches, wherein moving the boot cap in a first direction drives the latches towards each other; a cap latch mounted to the boot cap, the cap latch having a distal end positioned between the latches preventing movement of the boot cap in the first direction; the boot cap including an opening for receiving a key to deflect the cap latch allowing movement of the boot cap in the first direction.

In telecommunications applications, plugs and outlets mate to establish connections for voice, data, etc. There are situations where it is desirable to control the ability for an individual to mate a plug and outlet (i.e., plug-in) or to disconnect a plug-outlet connection (i.e., plug-out). For example, an outlet may provide access to a network to which access needs to be controlled. Thus, there exist in the art lockable covers to prevent inadvertent or deliberate attempts to access the outlet. Additionally, a mated plug and outlet may be carrying voice/data traffic and interruption of this connection would disrupt the signal path. Thus, there exist in the art plugs having locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent or deliberate removal of a plug from an outlet. There is a need in the art for improved plug-in and plug-out protection.

Apparatus for plug-in and plug-out protection