Methods are described for determining the amount of metabolites of leflunomide in a sample. More specifically, mass spectrometric methods are described for detecting and quantifying teriflunomide in a sample.

The following description of the background of the invention is provided simply as an aid in understanding the invention and is not admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the invention.
Leflunomide [N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-5-methylisoxazole-4-carboxamide] is a disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) with immunomodulatory activity. It is indicated for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis. Upon absorption, leflunomide is rapidly converted to the pharmacologically active metabolite, α-malononitrilamide A77 1726 [2-cyano-3-hydroxy-N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2-butenamide]. A77 1726 (also known as teriflunomide) affects de novo pyrimidine synthesis by inhibition of the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), thereby preferentially causing cell cycle arrest of autoimmune lymphocytes. As the conversion of leflunomide to teriflunomide in vivo is essentially complete, most pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted measuring teriflunomide and not leflunomide.
Various methods, including mass spectrometric methods, have been reported for detecting and/or quantitating A77 1726. See e.g., Chan V. et al., J. Chromatogr. B Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci., 2004 Apr. 25; 803(2):331-5 (reporting a method of determining a leflunomide metabolite A77 1726 using only HPLC); Sobhani K et al., Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 2010 March; 133(3):454-7 (reporting a method of detecting a leflunomide metabolite using only HPLC); Seah M. S. et al., Drug Metab. Lett. 2008 August; 2(3):153-7 (reporting a method of detecting a leflunomide metabolite using LC and tandem MS in negative ion mode); Parekh J M et al., J. Chromatogr. B Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci. 2010 Aug. 15; 878(24):2217-25 (reporting a method of detecting a leflunomide metabolite using LC-MS-MS in negative ion mode); and E. C. Y. Chan et al., Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2009 February; 23(3):384-94 (reporting a method of detecting a leflunomide metabolite using ion mobility spectrometry and time-of-flight mass spectrometry).

Mass spectrometric quantitation assay for metabolites of leflunomide

Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated


A thermoelectric micro-platform includes a suspended micro-platform, the suspended micro-platform being configured as a support layer with a device layer disposed thereon. Two arrays of series-connected thermoelectric devices are disposed partially on the micro-platform. One array is operated as Peltier coolers and the other array is operated as Seebeck sensors.

Many sensor applications require sophisticated thermal packages for providing heat dissipation and/or temperature control. This is due to the nature of current processors and/or sensor-specific considerations.
Historically, circuit-level, device-level, and system-level techniques have been employed to manage heat dissipation. Cooling techniques can be broadly classified as "passive" or "active" based on power consumption. For passive techniques, power consumption is zero and relies on conduction (heat sink) and/or natural convection. For active techniques, some type of external power is required. A variety of active cooling techniques are available; choice is typically dependent on the application. Active cooling techniques include fans/heat pipe (hybrid), thermoelectric, liquid cooling, direct immersion, refrigeration, and cryogenics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Thermoelectric micro-platform for cooling and temperature sensing


It is the purpose of this utility process invention to allow a means to recycle the common aluminum beverage can. This is accomplished with the addition of a scribe or scribes to the circumference of the can. The depth and position of the scribe acting as a pre-conditioner, weakening the can a specific amount in a specific location, there by allowing the desired or eventually desired separation at that specific location by secondary means if required. The scribe allows the can to be separated into cylindrical sections having a very smooth and accurate cut edge. These sections may be containers similar to a cup shape, sections with both ends of the can removed and sections with the can top removed. These scribes may or may not meet. Depending upon the eventual use, the sections may remain united. These scribes may be added any time during the can's life span either before opening or after opening and emptying the original contents. The scribe or scribes may be added at any location on the side wall height extending from beneath the can top lip to the bottom and on top near the edge. Said scribe may be added externally or internally to the can, internally allowable as the can is modified.

One of the conveniences of modern life is the use of "throw away" containers (aluminum cans) in the packaging of beverages such as soft drinks, beer or other liquids. These two piece cans may now be manufactured so inexpensively that they are most often discarded after use or sold as scrap for $0.40 a pound where they are crushed and melted. Because they are so inexpensive they most often are thought as essentially worth less. The can's however are not "worthless" as in a handful of beach sand or a used tissue paper but embody a structure which if a practical means to section them could be found, would allow many reuses. In a recent article on the beverage can in Scientific American magazine by Hoseford and Duncan dated September 1994 it mentions that 300 million of these are manufactured every day, an annual rate of 100 billion or so! These are subsequently discarded as indicated above or by "the meaningful macho gesture of crushing an empty can with a bare hand". The article goes on to quote that these cans are not crude devices. In fact manufacturers of aluminum cans exercise the same attention and precision as do makers of the metal in an aircraft wing! It is there for the purpose of this instant invention to identify a practical method to perform and or to enhance the performance of precision can sectioning so that can sections may be used for other purposes.
One of the problems in attempting to precisely and cleanly section an empty aluminum can is that it is difficult to perform this activity with normally found tools and methods because of it's particular shape and structure. The thin walled can structure collapses under the action of a cutting tool such as a knife. When scissors are used a pierced hole must be used to insert the blade and as with the use of a saw an irregular cut edge results. Normally some backing surface is required in a precision cutting operation.
The aluminum beverage can has been over designed for the actual needs of the final consumerist. It has been designed for manufacturing practicability, such as automation and shipping in mind so that it can take the jostling of the production line, transportation impacts and stacking of the boxed beverages. In one reference it mentioned that the 12 ounce can could take 90 pounds internal pressure and quite often does on a hot day and 240 pounds externally before distorting. Quite often one may see these filled cans stacked twelve high on pallets for shipping. Once in the hands of the consumer or discarded however, some of this excess strength may be utilized by a controlled weakening step performed on the can in a sectioning process.

Method to allow an aluminum beverage can to be recycled


A concurrent FIFO queue is implemented as an “optimistic” doubly-linked list. Nodes of the optimistic doubly-linked list are allocated dynamically and links between the nodes are updated optimistically, i.e., assuming that threads concurrently accessing the FIFO queue will not interfere with each other, using a simple store operation. Concurrent, linearizable, and non-blocking enqueue and dequeue operations on the two ends of the doubly-linked list proceed independently, i.e., disjointly. These operations require only one successful single-word synchronization operation on the tail pointer and the head pointer of the doubly-linked list. If a bad ordering of operations on the optimistic FIFO queue by concurrently executing threads creates inconsistencies in the links between the nodes of the doubly-linked list, a fix-up process is invoked to correct the inconsistencies.

Computer systems use various data structures to store and manipulate data during program execution. One type of such a data structure, shown in FIG. 1, is a first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue. A FIFO queue (100) is a data structure in which cells are removed in the same order in which the cells were added. The removal of an existing cell (e.g., 102) takes place at one end, typically referred to as the "head" of the queue (100), and the addition of a new cell (e.g., 104) takes place at the other end, typically referred to as the "tail" of the queue (100). The operation that adds a new cell (e.g., 104) to the queue (100) is called a "enqueue" operation, and the operation that removes a cell (e.g., 102) from the queue (100) is called a "dequeue" operation. A FIFO queue (100) may be represented in the memory of a computer system as a singly-linked list. In such a representation, each cell (e.g., 102) of the queue (100) includes a value location (e.g., 110) and a pointer (e.g., 112) to the next cell (e.g., 114) in the queue (100). A tail pointer (108) points to the youngest node in the singly-linked list, and a head pointer (106) points to the oldest node.
Concurrent FIFO queues are one type of often-used concurrent data structures. A concurrent FIFO queue is a data structure sharable by concurrently executing threads that supports the usual enqueue and dequeue operations with linearizable FIFO semantics. Linearizability guarantees that queue operations appear atomic and can be combined with other operations in a modular way. In other words, linearizability provides the illusion that each operation on a concurrent FIFO queue applied by concurrent threads takes effect instantaneously at some point between invocation and response. The threads appear to be interleaved at the granularity of complete operations, and the order of non-overlapping operations is preserved.
Generally, implementations of concurrent FIFO queues are of two types: blocking (i.e., lock-based) and non-blocking (i.e., lock-free). In general, lock-based FIFO queue implementations offer limited robustness as processes are forced to wait to access a FIFO queue until a current process completes its access to the FIFO queue.
An implementation of a data structure is non-blocking (i.e., lock-free) if the implementation guarantees that at least one thread of those trying to update the data structure concurrently will succeed in completing its operation on the data structure within a bounded amount of time, assuming that at least one thread is active, regardless of the state of other threads. Non-blocking implementations generally rely on hardware support for an atomic primitive (i.e., a synchronization operation) such as a compare-and-swap instruction or the instruction pair load-linked and store-conditional.
A compare-and-swap instruction may operate on a single memory word or two memory words in single atomic operation. A single-word compare-and-swap operation (CAS) typically accepts three values, or quantities: a memory address A, a comparison value C, and a new value N. The CAS operation fetches and examines the contents V of memory at address A. If the contents V is equal to the comparison value C, then the new value N is stored into the memory location at address A, replacing the contents V. A Boolean return value indicates whether the replacement occurred. Whether V matches C, V is returned or saved in a register for later inspection (possibly replacing either C or N, depending on the implementation). Such an operation may be notated as "CAS(A, C, N)."
A double-word compare-and-swap operation (DCAS) typically accepts six values: two memory addresses A1 and A2, two comparison values C1 and C2, and two new values N1 and N2. The DCAS operation fetches and examines the contents V1 of memory at address A1 and V2 of memory at address A2. If the contents V1 are equal to the comparison value C1 and the contents V2 are equal to the comparison value C2, then the new value N1 is stored into the memory-location at address A1, replacing V1, and the new value N2 is stored into the memory location at address A2, replacing V2. A Boolean return value indicates whether the replacement occurred. Whether V1 and V2 matches C1 and C2, respectively, V1 and V2 are returned or saved in a register for later inspection. Such an operation may be notated as "DCAS(A1, A2, C1, C2, N1, N2)."
Load-linked and store-conditional operations must be used together to read, modify, and write a shared location. A load-linked operation returns the value stored at the shared location. A store-conditional operation checks if any other processor has since written to that shared location. If not, the location is updated and the operation returns success; otherwise, it returns failure.
Concurrent data structure implementations in non-garbage collected programming languages (e.g., the C programming language) that use CAS operations are susceptible to what is known as the ABA problem. If a thread reads a value A from a shared location, computes a new value, and then attempts a CAS operation, the CAS operation may succeed when it should not, if between the read and the CAS operation, other threads change the value of the shared location from A to B and back to A again (i.e., an ABA event). A typical solution to the ABA problem is to include a tag with the target memory location such that both are manipulated atomically and the tag is incremented with updates of the target location. The ABA problem does not occur in concurrent data structures implemented in garbage collected languages (e.g., the Java™ programming language).
One approach to implementing a concurrent FIFO queue is based on the algorithm of Michael and Scott (hereinafter the "MS-queue"). See Michael, M. M., and Scott, M. L., "Simple, Fast, and Practical Non-Blocking and Blocking Concurrent Queue Algorithms," Proceedings of the 15th Annual ACM Symposium on Principles of Distributed Computing (1996) pp. 267-275. A key feature of this algorithm is that it permits uninterrupted parallel access to the head and tail of the FIFO queue.
FIG. 2 shows a flow of an MS-queue implementation. An MS-queue (200) is based on concurrent manipulation of a single-linked list. The dequeue operation requires a single successful CAS operation (CAS Head (214)) on the head pointer (206) in order to complete the removal of a node (202) at the head of the MS-queue (200). The enqueue operation requires two successful CAS operations (CAS Next (218), CAS Tail (216)), one on the next pointer (212) and one on the tail pointer (208) of the node (210) previously at the end of the MS-queue (200), in order to complete the addition of a new node (204) at the tail of the MS-queue (200). Requiring two successful CAS operations to complete an enqueue operation potentially increases contention for the MS-queue (200), and there are more opportunities for failed CAS operations. In addition, overall performance may be impacted. A CAS operation takes an order-of-magnitude longer to execute than simple load or store operations because a CAS operation typically requires exclusive ownership and flushing of the instruction pipeline of the processor.

Implementing optimistic concurrent data structures


A protein binding to β-catenin and thus inhibiting the transcriptional activation induced by the formation of a complex of β-catenin with a protein belonging to the TCF/Lef family; a DNA encoding this protein; an antibody recognizing this protein; a therapeutic agent containing the above protein or DNA; and a diagnostic agent containing the above antibody.

The abbreviations shown below are used herein.
AD: transcriptional activation domain
ADH: alcohol dehydrogenase
APC: adenomatous poliposis coli
BD: DNA-binding domain
β-catenin/TCF-4: complex between β-catenin and TCF-4
DCC: deleted in colorectal cancer
dhfr: dihydrofolate reductase
DLG: Drosophila Discs Large
DMSO: dimethylsulfoxide
EGTA: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
EST: expressed sequence tag
FAP: familial adenomatous poliposis
FCS: fetal calf serum
FITC: fluorescein isothiocyanate
GST: glutathione S-transferase
GST/ICAT: fusion protein between GST and ICAT
GSK-3β: glycogen synthase kinase-3β
ICAT: inhibitor of β-catenin and TCF
IPTG: isopropylthiogalactoside
KLH: keyhole limpet hemocyanin
Lef: lymphocyte enhancer-binding factor
LTR: long terminal repeat
MBS: m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydoroxysuccinimide
MEM: minimum essential medium
PCR: polymerase chain reaction
PEG: polyethylene glycol
RITC: rhodamine isothiocyanate
SDS: sodium dodecyl sulfate
SDS-PAGE: SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
TCF: T cell factor
Tris: tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane
X-gal: 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactoside
The APC gene was isolated as a causative gene of FAP (Kinzler and Vogelstein Cell, 87, 159 (1996)). However, it has been reported that the abnormality of the APC gene is observed not only in FAP but also in 70 to 80% cases of sporadic colon cancer. The onset of colon cancer have been considered to result from successive mutations in many genes including K-ras, p53, DCC and others as well as APC. Mutations are found at the earliest stage in the APC gene as compared with other genes, and thus it has been believed that the abnormality of the APC gene is a primary event for the onset of colon cancer.
In order to clarify the mechanism underlying carcinogenesis associated with the APC gene abnormality, it is necessary to determine the functions of the gene product, APC protein. APC protein, which is about 300 kDa in size, has been reported to bind with β-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), as well as DLG in cells (Rubinfeld et al., Science, 262, 1731 (1993); Su et al., Science, 262, 1734 (1993); Rubinfeld et al., Science, 272, 1023 (1996); Matsumine et al., Science, 272, 1020 (1996)). Regarding functions of APC protein, it has been reported that the level of β-catenin is rapidly reduced when wild-type APC protein is expressed in colon cancer cell line SW480 having mutations in the APC gene (Munemitsu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92, 3046 (1995)). The central region containing a 7-repetitive structure is essential for the function of APC protein and coincides with a region where mutations are found in many colon cancer cases. It has also been reported that the β-catenin level is elevated in these colon cancer cells (Munemitsu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92, 3046 (1995); Rubinfeld et al., Cancer Res., 57, 4624 (1997)).
β-Catenin is also known as a membrane-skeletal protein for cell adhesion molecule cadherin and also reported to participate in the signal transduction of Wnt protein described below (Cadigan & Nusse, Genes Dev., 11, 3286 (1997)). Wnt gene is a large gene family of which members have a variety of functions in the processes of early embryogenesis and morphogenesis of animals; the family consists of about 20 types of genes in mouse and the genes are conserved among a variety of animals including African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), and nematoda (Caenorhabditis elegans). When Wnt protein binds to a receptor Frizzled, the activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is inhibited through an intracellular signaling molecule Dishvelled (Dsh). Since the phosphorylation of β-catenin mediated by GSK-3β causes the degradation of β-catenin, the inhibition of GSK-3β activity results in accumulation of β-catenin in cells. β-Catenin binds to a protein belonging to the transcription factor Lef/TCF family to form a complex and thereby activates the protein belonging to the Lef/TCF family as a transcription factor. Thus the accumulation of β-catenin results in formation of the β-catenin/TCF complex, which translocates to the nucleus and thereby stimulates the transcription of target genes. Among proteins belonging to the Lef/TCF family, TCf-4 is specifically expressed in the epithelium of colon, and thus it is believed that β-catenin chiefly forms a complex with TCf-4 in colon cancer (Korinek et al., Science, 275, 1784 (1997)). In addition, it has been reported that there are some colon cancer cells and melanoma cells where the APC gene is wild-type but the β-catenin gene has mutation and is not regulated by GSK-3β (Morin et al., Science, 275, 1787 (1997); Rubinfeld et al., Science, 275, 1790 (1997)). It has been estimated that, in these cells, β-catenin constantly accumulates, which results in transcriptional activation by the β-catenin/TCF complex.
Based on the above-described findings, β-catenin can be greatly involved in the onset of colon cancer. Therefore a substance capable of inhibiting the function of β-catenin through binding thereto can be associated with the onset of colon cancer and thus is predicted to be useful for the treatment, diagnosis, and such thereof. A protein molecule capable of binding to β-catenin, which was recently found, is Axin that negatively regulates the signal transduction of Wnt (Zeng et al., Cell, 90, 181 (1997)). Axin binds to GSK-3β and thereby stimulating the phosphorylation of β-catenin (Ikeda et al., EMBO J., 17, 1371 (1998)). Further it has been reported that Axin also binds to APC and β-catenin to stimulate the degradation of β-catenin and thereby lowering the level of β-catenin in cells (Kishida et al., J. Biol. Chem., 273, 10823 (1998); Rubinfeld et al., Current Biology, 8, 573 (1998); Nakamura et al., Genes to Cells, 3, 395 (1998)). However, there is no known proteins that binds to β-catenin and directly influences the activity of the β-catenin/TCF complex as a transcription factor.

Transcriptional activation inhibitory protein


Methods are disclosed which utilize polycarbonate to form solid optical lenses. The polycarbonates may be selected from high molecular weight linear or branched species. Viscosity and melt flow are specified for improved mechanical properties. The method provides lenses with greater resistance to cracking and crazing, for example, in instances where flaws are subject to strain and require containment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a lens from a high molecular weight, viscosity-specific polycarbonate having improved mechanical properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lenses and other articles manufactured at optical quality, have exacting demands for mold replication, high optical transmission and impact resistance. In the 2002 Polycarbonates publication, Brunelle and Kailasam describe how polycarbonate is prepared by the transesterification of a bisphenol-A with a carbonate. They explain how lower molecular weights provide a good balance between desirable mechanical properties and processability of the resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,280 describes diphenols which are useful in the condensation method of producing polycarbonate in the presence of phosgene. WO 95/14742 describes a carbonate blend polymer containing a low molecular weight component to improve processability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,745 describes a stretching ratio just prior to the granulation process for improving tensile strength in the resulting product. JP 60-23421 describes controlling operation of the molding machine to reduce distortions in large and thin articles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,869 addresses the molding of large and thin articles by specifying one of two blow molding techniques to make water bottles.
As the above survey indicates, many attempts have been made to chemically engineer low molecular weight resins for improved performance in injection molding applications. Furthermore, the high molecular weight resins have been relegated to blow molding and extrusion type processes which are not suitable for manufacturing solid articles requiring exacting mold replication. In general, the chemistry of a resin, including polymer type, nature of branching agents and presence of additives, dictated the available product-forming techniques. Accordingly, it would be desirable to injection mold optical lenses from high molecular weight, viscosity-specific polycarbonate, to obtain better mechanical properties, previously associated with extruded or blow-molded products only.

High molecular weight lenses formed from viscosity-specific polycarbonate

Essilor International Compagnie General D'Optique


The present invention features a brush or hair grooming instrument that can be configured to orient bristles or teeth inwardly toward a contact region along generally parallel lines with relatively little contact force, thus expanding the effective area over which the instrument contacts the hair. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the instrument comprises a rigid support having a longitudinal axis and a flexible membrane having first and second ends pivotally attached to the rigid support. The flexible membrane comprises a plurality of substantially rigid sections integrally joined along parallel lines of flexure, with the parallel lines of flexure disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rigid support. The flexible membrane may be biased into a normal or relaxed configuration and transition into a flexed or bent shape through a more or less pronounced "snap" action. A plurality of combing elements are secured to and extend from the flexible membrane. The present invention can be easily adapted to various shapes and types of grooming instruments, including handled brushes of different head shapes, handled combs and palm-type brushes, as well as to a variety of brushing devices.

The present invention relates generally to a cushion hair brush. More particularly, the invention relates to a brush or comb having a cushion supported on a handle, in which the cushion is configured and supported to permit flexure during use such as to direct bristles supported on the cushion toward the user along parallel lines.
A great variety of hair grooming devices, such as combs and brushes have been proposed and are currently available. Conventional brushes typically include a head supporting an array of bristles extending from one face of the head, or partially or completely around the head. In recent years it has become very common to support the bristles on a flexible membrane or cushion that is convex in shape and is supported about its periphery by the brush head structure. To facilitate manufacturing, such bristle supports are sometimes configured as a separate, fairly rigid element that can be snapped or otherwise secured to the brush head during an assembly step.
The convexity of known brush cushions generally results in arrangement of the brush bristles in a similar convex pattern when the brush is not in use. Because the cushion membrane is fairly resilient, the membrane flexes as the bristles are brought into contact with the hair, thereby directing certain of the bristles toward the user. However, because known cushion brushes typically employ bristle support membranes of generally uniform thickness, the brush bristles become oriented or directed toward the point of contact with the hair, tending to concentrate the bristle tips in a small region around the point of contact. Moreover, membranes of many known cushion brushes require the brush to be pressed rather forcefully at the point of contact before deformation of the cushion actually takes place. Consequently, when less than the required deformation force is exerted by the user, the majority of the bristles remain in their convex arrangement, greatly reducing the number of bristles in contact with the hair and limiting the actual usefulness of the brush. Moreover, the convex shape of the bristle support membrane in conventional cushion brushes creates a structure which mechanically resists deflection, tending to further increase the force required for deflection of the bristles. Finally, because the membrane of conventional cushion brushes is typically tightly supported on the brush head, the membrane tends to undergo generally S-shaped deflection in the manner of a fixed-end beam, rather than even, uniform deflection.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved cushion-type brush that provides the desired degree and direction of flexure of the bristle support membrane to place more bristles in contact with the user's hair during use. In particular, there is a need for a cushion-type brush that orients the bristles towards the user's hair along parallel lines during flexure of the support membrane, rather than concentrating all bristles towards a point of contact as in known cushion brushes.


An image forming device includes a body and one or more door assemblies. At least one door assembly may be movable between open and closed orientations. A variety of mechanical and electrical interlocks may be used to control motion of the door assemblies. A first interlock may prevent a door assembly from moving under the influence of a force between an open and closed orientation prior to a condition being satisfied. This condition may depend on the position of a second door assembly. A breakaway feature may release the first interlock when the closing force exceeds a predetermined level. A second interlock may work with the first interlock to keep a second door assembly from opening if the first door assembly is closed. An electrical interlock may disconnect power to the image forming device when the first door assembly is open.

Image forming devices often have modular designs comprising a plurality of consumer replaceable units (CRUs). Some example CRUs include waste toner cartridges, developer cartridges, photoconductive members, and transport belt modules. Some of these CRUs are consumable items that are used or worn with use. Over the life of an image forming unit, these CRUs may be replaced multiple times. Replacing the CRUs typically requires access to the interior of the image forming unit.
Replacement and mounting of these modules is vital to acceptable user ergonomics. The modules should be positioned in a manner to be accessible to the user. The complex design of many current devices makes accessing the components difficult. The modules may be located within the interior of the device making it very difficult to grasp and manipulate the modules. Intricate cartridge mounting locations may also result in toner spills and component damage, which may result in print defects, or the device not operating properly.
In addition to replacing CRUs, there may be other times when it is necessary to access the interior of an image forming device. For instance, paper jam errors sometimes require access to interior portions of a paper feed path to clear misfeeds. To that end, image forming devices are often provided with exterior door panels. These door panels often comprise some portion of the exterior housing of the image forming device and may be opened and closed as needed to access the interior of the device.
As image forming devices become smaller in size, rigid space constraints may limit placement options for internal components, including CRUs. In some cases, it may be advantageous to include multiple door panels to improve access to the interior of the image forming device. For example, in some cases, a first door may provide access to a paper path to clear paper jams while a second door may permit removal of CRUs. In these cases, one door panel may need to be opened before opening another. By the same token, the door panels may also need to be closed in a particular order. This may be particularly true if opening one of the door panels triggers a series of events, such as disengaging rotary drive components. Thus, if these door panels are not opened or closed in the proper order, device errors may ensue. Worse yet, damage to the moving components, hinges, or latch mechanisms may result, thus causing device downtime and/or expensive repairs.

Door panel interlocks for an image forming device


An assembly for cooling an electrical coil winding having a first coil, a second coil, a first end turn and a second end turn is provided. The assembly includes a supply header; a return header; and a plurality of flow members coupled in flow communication to the supply header and the return header. The flow members are configured to channel a flow agent from supply header to the return header. Each the flow member of the plurality of flow members includes a first portion coupled to the first coil; a second portion coupled to the second coil; a first end portion coupled to the first end turn and coupled in flow communication to the first portion and the second portion; and a second end portion coupled to the second end turn and coupled in flow communication to the second portion.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to electrical machines, and more particularly, to methods and systems for cooling electrical machines.
Some electrical machines, such as generators or motors, can have a rotor, a stationary stator and associated windings. The use of windings in some electrical machines can result in an increase in generated electromagnetic forces and an increase in flux densities within the machines. The power density of electrical machines, however, can be limited by the maximum operating temperature of the windings. The current density and thus the specific power of these machines can be increased, and the efficiency of the machine can also be increased by the use of coolers.
Conventional generators may include high power, forced-air cooling systems. Forced-air cooling systems, however, may include bulky, large and costly equipment such as, for example, blowers and/or refrigeration systems and/or multiple heat exchangers; i.e., a water-to-air heat exchanger to cool the blower air and an air-to-water heat exchanger to cool the water from the first heat exchanger. Besides sometimes being unwieldy and fault-prone, these components may not fit within operational housings such as, for example, nacelles of wind turbines.
Some generators may also include liquid cooling systems. Liquid cooling systems, however, may increase eddy current flow along the liquid cooling tubes which can decrease the efficiency of the generator. Moreover, some liquid cooling systems couple the cooling tubes to the coil former, which can be an inefficient arrangement for heat transfer, since the liquid cooling tubes are not coupled to the heat generating coil windings.

Cooling assembly for electrical machines and methods of assembling the same


A tube bender includes a worktable, a rail on the worktable, a tube-pushing device and a tube-bending device. The tube-pushing device is positioned on the worktable, having a moving base and a clamper at one side of the moving device. The clamper clamps a tube being bent, and a push driver moves the moving base together with the tube work to a preset location. The tube-bending device consists of a base unit, a guide unit and a driving unit, and when the tube work is moved to the tube-bending device, it is bent by the tube-bending device, with a guide roller and a main roller sandwiching the tube for preventing the bent section of the finished tube from disfiguring.

Conventional tube benders are commonly used for bending tubes, classified into a pull-style and a push-style ones. The pull-style tube bender is provided with a worktable, a control device fixed on the worktable, a tube pushing device positioned on the worktable to move longitudinally, and a pull-style bending device positioned on an end of the worktable. In bending a tube, a tube being bent has its one end clamped tightly in a clamper of the tube-pushing device, and its other end facing toward the tube-bending device. Then the tube being bent is moved in a preset speed by the control device to the tube-bending device. Subsequently, the control device commands a driving unit of the tube-bending device to bend the tube being bent into the preset shape by pulling the bending mold in conjunction with a guide mold.
However, the processes of bending by pulling may easily cause clamping scars and disfiguring to result in disqualified products, because the tube being bent is clamped by the roller unit of the bending device and then clamped by the bending unit of the bending device for carrying out bending action.
A conventional pushing-style tube bender disclosed in an Italian patent No. 1291332 includes a worktable, a controlling device provided on the worktable, and a tube pushing device fixed on the worktable to move longitudinally, au auxiliary pushing device added to the tube pushing device, and a push-style bending device fixed on one end of the worktable. In bending a tube by this tube bender, a tube being bent has its one end clamped by a clamper of the tube pushing device, with the other end facing to the push-style bending device. Then the controlling device commands the tube pushing device to move the tube in a preset speed to the bending device, and then commands the driving unit of the bending device move a bending mold to a preset location of a guide mold, letting the auxiliary pushing device of the tube pushing device push the tube to the bending mold with a large force. Then the bending mold and the guide mold bends the tube into a preset shape by mutual sidewise pushing.
Though the case of the Italian patent can improve the drawback of easy disfigure of a tube after bent, the tube is not actually contact completely to the roller mold of the guide mold in performing bending action, so it is not easy to control the size of the tube after bent, still not so well qualified for producing perfect bent tubes.


A wheel head transmission (1) comprising a first and second shafts (W1, W2) which are connected to one another via a planetary transmission (PG). The wheel head transmission (1) comprises first and second planetary stages (P1, P2), which include a first element (E11, E12), a second element (E21, E22) and a third element (E31, E32). The first element (E11) of the first planetary stage (P1) is connected to the first shaft (W1) for conjoint rotation, the second element (E21) of the first planetary stage (P1) and the third element (E32) of the second planetary stage (P2) are connected to one another and the second shaft (W2) for conjoint rotation. The third element (E31) of the first planetary stage (P1) and the first element (E12) of the second planetary stage (P2) are connected together for conjoint rotation, and the second element (E22) of the second planet stage (P2) is immobilized.

Wheel head transmissions are used, in particular, in motor vehicle drive axles and preferably in this case in construction machines, in order to be able to achieve high reduction ratios. In this case, in addition to achieving a high reduction ratio generally a compact construction of the respective wheel head transmission is also desired.
A wheel head transmission for a motor vehicle drive axle is disclosed in DE 10 2017 209 462 A1, in which a drive shaft and an output shaft are connected to one another via an intermediate planetary transmission. The planetary transmission in this case is formed by a planetary stage which is made up of a first element, a second element and a third element in the form of a sun gear, a planet carrier and a ring gear. Whilst the sun gear is connected to the drive shaft, the planet carrier is connected as the output shaft to a wheel hub. The ring gear is permanently immobilized.

Wheel head transmission for a wheel head of a motor vehicle drive axle, and wheel head


Systems and methods for sensing capacitances that are applicable to proximity sensor devices are provided. The systems and methods provide decreased implementation costs by reducing the number of output terminals required. Specifically, the systems and methods for sensing capacitances provide the ability to selectively activate indicating transducers, such as LEDs, with the same output terminals used for sensing capacitances. This reduces the need for additional, dedicated output terminals for activating the indicating transducers. As such, the system and method provides for efficient use of resources in proximity sensor devices.

Proximity sensor devices (also commonly called touch pads or touch sensor devices) are widely used in a variety of electronic systems. One type of proximity sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor device. A capacitive proximity sensor device typically includes a sensing region, often demarked by a surface, and uses capacitive technology to determine the presence, location and/or motion of one or more fingers, styli, and/or other objects. The capacitive proximity sensor device, together with finger(s) and/or other object(s), can be used to provide an input to the electronic system. For example, proximity sensor devices are used as input devices for larger computing systems, such as those found integral within notebook computers or peripheral to desktop computers. Capacitive proximity sensor devices are also used in smaller systems, including: handheld systems such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), remote controls, communication systems such as wireless telephones and text messaging systems. Increasingly, proximity sensor devices are used in media systems, such as CD, DVD, MP3, video or other media recorders or players.
A user generally operates a capacitive proximity sensor device by placing or moving one or more fingers, styli, and/or objects, near a sensing region of one or more sensors located on or in the sensor device. This creates a capacitive effect upon a carrier signal applied to the sensing region that can be detected and correlated to positional information (such as the position(s) or proximity or motion or presences or similar information) of the stimulus/stimuli with respect to the sensing region. This positional information can in turn be used to select, move, scroll, or manipulate any combination of text, graphics, cursors and highlighters, and/or any other indicator on a display screen. This positional information can also be used to enable the user to interact with an interface, such as to control volume, to adjust brightness, or to achieve any other purpose.
Although capacitance proximity sensor devices have been widely adopted for several years, sensor designers continue to look for ways to improve the sensors' functionality and effectiveness. In particular, designers continually strive to simplify the design and implementation of position sensor devices without increasing costs. For example, in designing controllers for sensing capacitance it is desirable to minimize the number of pins required for implementation, as this reduces the overall cost of the device.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for efficiently sensing capacitance in proximity sensor devices. In particular, systems and methods that will reduce the implementation costs. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

System and method for measuring a capacitance and selectively activating an indicating transducer


A semiconductor nonvolatile memory device capable of lowering an operation voltage such as an erase voltage and capable of lowering costs and a method of production of the same, wherein a thin film transistor acting as the memory transistor is formed with a semiconductor layer 31b having a channel formation region formed on an insulating substrate 10 made of glass or plastic, a charge storing layer 32a formed on the semiconductor layer, a control gate 33a formed above the charge storing layer, and source and drain regions formed connected to the channel formation region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor nonvolatile memory device and a method of production of the same, more particularly relates to a semiconductor nonvolatile memory device having a charge storing layer for storing a charge between a gate electrode of a transistor and a channel formation region and to a method of production of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
At the present time, semiconductor nonvolatile memory devices are being actively developed. Research and development are being conducted in various structures and configurations primarily focusing on flash memories of a floating gate structure. Flash memories may be roughly classified into a NAND type and a NOR type array from the viewpoint of the cell configuration.
Among the above, the NAND type array connects a plurality of memory cells in series and has common selection transistors and bit lines. For example, when connecting eight memory cells, 1/2 of a contact for data input/output is shared by eight memory cells and therefore there is 1/16 of a contact per cell. Similarly, selection gates and a source line are all shared by the eight cells. Accordingly, as described above, the surface area per cell becomes close to the area occupied by a memory transistor and therefore the area of the memory cell is very small. Random access is not possible because of the structure, but it is advantageous in the points of the increased degree of integration, the increased capacity, and accordingly the lowered costs. For AV (audio and video) use or for data storage use or other applications, low priced, large capacity flash memories are sought. They are suited for example for replacing magnetic recording means such as HDD's (hard disk drives).
On the other hand, in the NOR type array, due to its structure, there is 1/2 of a contact per cell. This is disadvantageous in the point of the degree of integration in comparison with the NAND type array, but has the advantage that high speed random access reading is possible. For high speed reading applications, this may be expected to become part of the main memories in the future. The above NAND type or NOR type memory transistors may be of the floating gate type or an SIOS (or MONOS) type.
A table comparing the various performances of the NAND type and the NOR type array is shown next.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Read Random Write Erase Degree of speed access method method integration ______________________________________ NAND Slow Poor FN FN Good type NOR Fast Good CHE FN Fair type ______________________________________ FN: Fowler Nordheim type tunnel injection CHE: Channel hot electron type tunnel injection
Here, a circuit diagram of a NOR type memory cell is shown in FIG. 15. In the erasing of data, a low voltage Vcg is supplied to a control gate CG, a high voltage Vs is supplied to a source S, and a bit line B and a substrate Sub are made open. By this, due to the Fowler Nordheim type tunneling phenomenon, electrons in the floating gate are drained and the data is erased. As this erasure, batch erasing for every erasing sector is possible.
On the other hand, in a NAND type memory cell, as shown in FIG. 16, for example eight memory transistors are connected in series to constitute a NAND column. Selection transistors for selecting the present NAND column are formed at the two end portions. As the method of erasing data of the NAND type memory cell, 0V is supplied to all control gates CG of the NAND column, and a high voltage (for example 20V) is supplied to selection gates SG1 and SG2 of the two selection transistors and the substrate Sub. Further, the source S and the bit line B are made open. By this, in the same way as the NOR type array, due to the Fowler Nordheim type tunneling phenomenon, electrons in the floating gate are drained, and the data of the entire NAND column is erased together.
However, in the semiconductor nonvolatile memory device of the related art, in the erase operation of data described above, it has been necessary to apply a high voltage as an operating voltage.
Further, along with the increase of the degree of integration and the enlargement of capacity of devices, a reduction of costs has been demanded. Particularly, lowering of costs is an indispensable condition in order to replace magnetic recording means.

Semiconductor nonvolatile memory device and method of production of same


Copper oxide is added to molten copper to produce an extra-low-oxygen copper having an oxygen concentration of at most 0.5 ppm. In some embodiments, the copper oxide is added as a powder introduced into the melt with a blowing gas. In other embodiments, the molten copper is in contact with graphite during deoxidation and the addition of copper oxide.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing extra-low-oxygen copper having an oxygen concentration less than or equal to 0.5 ppm and a purity of at least Cu: 99.998 wt. %.
Prior art methods of manufacturing oxygen-free copper include degassing ordinary electrolytic copper through vacuum melting and degassing ordinary electrolytic copper by melting it in an inert gas or reducing gas atmosphere and stirring the molten copper while blowing an inert gas or a reducing gas into it.
The oxygen concentration of the oxygen-free copper manufactured by any of these conventional methods can only be reduced to 1 ppm, and it has been difficult to reduce it below 1 ppm.
Recently, oxygen-free copper is being used as a material for a vacuum vessel, such as an accelerator. Use of a conventional vacuum vessel made of oxygen-free copper under a high vacuum has caused gases, mainly hydrogen gas, remaining in the oxygen-free copper to be released. Thus, the degree of vacuum in the vacuum vessel is reduced. To avoid reduction of the degree of vacuum, it is conventional practice to remove hydrogen gas contained in the conventional oxygen-free copper by baking it. Then, the baked oxygen-free copper is used in a vacuum vessel, such as in an accelerator.
However, even when baking is used to remove hydrogen gas, it can be difficult to remove the hydrogen. Baking is insufficient to remove the hydrogen when oxygen is contained in the oxygen-free copper at a high concentration, since the remaining hydrogen gas is trapped by oxygen gas contained in the oxygen-free copper. When a vacuum vessel made of oxygen-free copper, dehydrogenated by baking, is used under a high vacuum, hydrogen gas released during use makes it impossible to maintain a high degree of vacuum. As a result, there is an increasing demand for an extra-low-oxygen copper having an oxygen concentration lower than what is currently available.

Extra-low-oxygen copper and a method of processing same


A clustered network-based storage system includes a host server, multiple high availability system controller pairs, and multiple storage devices across multiple arrays. Two independent storage array subsystems each include a quorum drive copy and are each controlled by a HA pair, with remote volume mirroring links coupling the separate HA pairs. The host server includes a virtualization agent that identifies and prioritizes communication paths, and also determines capacity across all system nodes. A system storage management agent determines an overall storage profile across the system. The virtualization agent, storage management agent, quorum drive copies and remote volume mirroring link all operate to provide increased redundancy, load sharing, or both between the separate first and second arrays of storage devices.

Many arrays of storage devices deployed in storage area network ("SAN") environments have built-in redundancy and load balancing capabilities achieved by using a dual controller model. In many cases such storage devices can include at least one array of disks, which can be classified as a redundant array of independent disks ("RAID"). Under such dual controller model arrangements, where the controllers are often referred to as High Availability ("HA") pairs, individual controllers can be assigned to operate system nodes as primary controllers or "owners" of various volumes or groups of storage devices, with each such group having its own logical unit number ("LUN"). These controllers can also take over volumes of storage devices from their alternate or paired controllers in case of failures. A system host is often aware of both the preferred and the available secondary paths to a LUN, sometimes even acting as the agent forcing the failovers.
Unfortunately, the traditional use of HA pairs to control a given RAID does not tend to provide high levels of redundancy and load balancing across the greater system or network outside of a given HA pair and RAID. That is, while each given storage device array and controlling HA pair may have high levels of redundancy and load balancing therewithin based upon the inherent nature and design of such a subsystem, an overall network containing many such HA pair and storage array subsystems typically does not enjoy such levels of redundancy and load balancing thereacross. This can be an issue where such attributes are desirable over increasingly large data networks. In addition, there is often little to no recourse when an entire array subsystem (i.e., both controllers in an HA pair) goes down within an overall larger network. As such, the ability to have constant access to and even disaster recovery of certain high priority data files across a large data network of many HA pair subsystems may also be desirable in some instances.
Although many network storage systems, devices and methods have generally worked well in the past, there is always a desire for improvement. In particular, what is desired are network storage systems and methods that are able to provide high levels of redundancy and load balancing across individual array subsystems, particularly with respect to high priority data that might otherwise be unavailable when an entire array subsystem fails.

Network storage systems having clustered raids for improved redundancy and load balancing


An inclined conveyor assembly (20) for a combine harvester (10) comprises a housing (62) on whose rear end an upper conveyor roller (64) is supported such that it can rotate, a lower conveyor roller (90) positioned on the front end of the housing (62); an extendible, endless conveyor element (82) circulating around the lower conveyor roller (90) and around the upper conveyor roller (64), with carriers (84) and a pendulum plate (78), which is hinged on the front end of the housing (62) and which can swivel around a pendulum axle (76), on which a harvesting attachment (18) can be affixed. Below the endless conveyor element (82), there is a flexible bottom element (100), which is coupled with the pendulum plate (78) on its front end, and with the housing (62) of the inclined conveyor assembly (20) on its rear end.

Self-propelled combine harvesters comprise a chassis, which is supported by front, driven wheels (or caterpillar driving mechanisms) and rear, steerable wheels on the ground. On the front side of the combine harvester, there is an inclined conveyor assembly, on whose front end, in turn, a harvesting attachment is affixed in a detachable manner.
The harvesting attachment can, for example, be designed as a cutting mechanism with a mower bar and a reel located above the mower bar, and a rear cross conveyor auger or a cross conveyor belt, or can be constructed as a corn picker with picking units and a cross conveyor auger. During the harvesting operation, the harvesting attachment releases the out or gathered crop through a backward discharge opening to the inclined conveyer assembly, which it, in turn, conveys into the interior of the combine harvester, where it is threshed, separated, and cleaned.
The inclined conveyor assembly comprises a housing in which, typically, a chain conveyor, working from below circulates around a lower conveyor roller and an upper, conveyor roller, both of which conveyor rollers are supported so that they can rotate on the housing. The lower conveyor roller is situated in the rear of the discharge opening of the harvesting attachment and the upper conveyor roller delivers the crop to an (axial or tangential) threshing drum or to an accelerator roller in the combine harvester.
Inclined conveyor assemblies with conveyor belts, working from above, have also been proposed (DE 1 016 975 A), and an inclined conveyor assembly, working from below, with a rubber-fabric belt, which comprises transverse steel strips, meshing from above into the crop (DE 10 2007 049 839 B3, DE 10 2009 036 104 A1).
In many cases, a so-called pendulum plate is placed on the front end of the inclined conveyor assembly. This is a frame-shaped element, which is hinged, on the one hand, so it can swivel around a (real or virtual) pendulum axle, extending horizontally and in a forward direction, on the housing of the actual inclined conveyor assembly and on which, on the other hand, the harvesting attachment can be placed, for example, by means of upper hooks, which lie on the pendulum plate, from above. The pendulum plate makes possible a swiveling movement of the harvesting attachment, relative to the inclined conveyor assembly, around the horizontal pendulum axle, for example, when driving on a slope. In particular, the swiveling area must be relatively large if the combine harvester is equipped with height-adjustable front wheels, which keep the actual combine harvester and the inclined conveyor assembly horizontal when traveling on a slope. In this regard, reference is made to the state of the art according to DE 100 18 211 A1 and DE 295 19 842 U1.
What is found to be disadvantageous in the known inclined conveyors with a front pendulum plate is that the transfer of the crop from the harvesting attachment to the inclined conveyor assembly with large swivel angles of the harvesting attachment around the pendulum axle has proved to be problematic because an angle forms between the discharge opening of the harvesting attachment and the lower conveyor roller, which is rigidly affixed on the housing of the inclined conveyor, and the pendulum movement of the harvesting attachment does not cooperate. As a result of this angle, the crop must be conveyed on the downward-swiveled side of the harvesting attachment, via a stage upward, which can lead to a jamming of the crop. Moreover, the conveyor of the inclined conveyor does not optimally grab the crop on the downward-swiveled side. Finally, the upward-swiveled side of the harvesting attachment covers the feed roller, which also has a negative effect on the transfer of the crop from the harvesting attachment to the inclined conveyor. As a result, the combine harvester is also affected by the resulting variable thickness of the crop mat, which is not homogeneous over the width, and this can lead to unsatisfactory work results in the threshing and cleaning process.
DE 10 2004 058 116 A1 describes a combine harvester in which a partially flexible adapting device is located between the harvesting attachment and the housing of the inclined conveyor. The adapting device comprises two rectangular frames, coupled with one another by a horizontal pendulum axle, extending in the forward direction, of which one is rigidly coupled with the housing of the inclined conveyor and is affixed on the other frame of the harvesting attachment. Between the two frames, at least on the bottom, two flat spring steel elements are located, which are affixed on one of the frames and are coupled with connecting elements that extend through longitudinal holes into the spring steel elements. In this way, the transfer of the crop from the harvesting attachment into the housing of the inclined conveyor is to be facilitated. This adapting device is a separate element, which is inserted between the usual inclined conveyor and the harvesting attachment, and is constructed relatively short. Therefore, the angle via which the crop on the upward-swiveled side must be lifted upward from the harvesting attachment into the housing of the inclined conveyor, is rather steep, which can lead to conveyance problems on the other side.
The subsequently published DE 10 2012 200 843 A1 shows an inclined conveyor of a combine harvester with a front pendulum plate on which a harvesting attachment is affixed in a detachable manner. The pendulum plate is supported such that it can rotate around a horizontal pendulum axle, extending in the forward direction, relative to the housing of the inclined conveyor, and carries a front inclined conveyor roller, around which an endless, flexible conveyor element circulates, which also circulates around a rear inclined conveyor roller. The bottom of the inclined conveyor is inherently rigid.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages.

Inclined conveyor assembly with flexible bottom


A method is provided for treating laundry in a laundry washing machine. The method includes at least one washing phase during which the laundry is washed with introduction of water and the detergent into a washing tub and tumbled by rotation of a washing drum, at least one successive draining phase for draining liquid from the washing tub and following the draining phase at least one rinsing step in which the laundry is soaked with water, and a final rinsing step in which the laundry is treated by means of a rinse additive. An additive supply step is also included, where water is introduced into the tub together with the additive. Before the additive supply step, in a saturation step, the laundry is provided with a saturation amount of water for saturating said laundry.

Nowadays the use of laundry washing machines, both "simple" laundry washing machines (i.e. laundry washing machines which can only wash and rinse laundry) and laundry washing-drying machines (i.e. laundry washing machines which can also dry laundry), is widespread.
In the present description the term "laundry washing machine" will refer to both simple laundry washing machines and laundry washing-drying machines. Laundry washing machines generally comprise an external casing provided with a washing tub which contains a rotatable perforated drum where the laundry is placed. A loading/unloading door ensures access to the drum. Laundry washing machines typically comprise a water supply unit and a products supply unit, preferably a drawer, for the introduction of water and washing/rinsing products (i.e. detergent, softener, rinse conditioner, etc.) into the tub. Known laundry washing machines are also provided with water draining devices that may operate during different phases of the washing program to drain the dirty water.
According to the known technique, a complete treating program typically includes different phases during which the laundry to be washed is subjected to adequate treatments. A treating cycle usually comprises a main washing phase during which the laundry is treated by means of water and a detergent. The water is typically heated to a predetermined temperature based on the washing program selected by the user. It is also possible that hot water is introduced into the tub from the hot water mains. During the main washing phase the drum is rotated, so as to apply also a mechanical cleaning action on the laundry. At the end of the main washing phase the drum is typically rotated at high rotational speed, so in such a way that dirty washing liquid (i.e. water mixed with detergent) is extracted from the laundry, and this dirty washing liquid is drained to the outside by the water draining devices.
A successive step of the cycle typically comprises a rinsing phase which usually comprises one or more rinsing cycles/steps. In a rinsing cycle, clean rinse water may be first added to the laundry. The rinse water is absorbed by the laundry and the rinse water removes from the laundry detergent and/or dirty water not previously removed by washing liquid in the main washing cycle. The drum is then rotated to extract water and dirty water/detergent from the laundry: the dirty water extracted is drained from the tub to the outside by the water draining devices.
After a rinsing phase, one or more final spinning phases may be provided for the extraction of the residual water contained in the wet laundry. The water extracted during the spinning phase is drained towards the outside by means of the water draining devices (during or after the spinning phase).
According to the known technique, in the rinse phase a dose of rinse additive is added to the laundry. Rinse additives may comprise, for example, fabric softeners, fabric conditioners, waterproofing agents, fabric enhancers, rinse sanitization additives, chlorine-based additives, i.e. products suitable to be added in one of the rinsing cycles. The rinse additive is typically added in the last rinsing cycle, in particular when the rinse additive is a fabric softener. In different embodiments, nevertheless, the rinse additive may not be added in the last rinsing cycle but before. For example, the rinse additive is typically added in the first rinsing cycle when the rinse additive is a chlorine-based additive.
Use of rinse additives contributes to reach special features for the laundry, such as softness, long lasting perfume, waterproofing, sanitization, etc. Rinse additives may be used in particular form, typically and preferably in liquid form, but also as a gel, or powder, or tabs, or liquid-tabs. Typically, rinse additives are delivered from the products supply unit (drawer) into the tub. The rinse additive falls to the bottom region of the tub and from there enters the perforated rotatable washing drum.
However, the washing programs of the known art pose some drawbacks. A drawback posed by the washing programs of the known art lies in that the direct introduction of rinse additives into the drum and onto the fabrics or laundry can lead to an inhomogeneous distribution of the additive, since the additive attaches only to specific parts of the laundry, which prevents the laundry from acquiring the desired properties, for example an overall softness.

Method for treating laundry in a laundry washing machine and laundry washing machine


A low-backlight image visibility enhancement method and system is proposed for integration to a backlit type of display unit, such as active matrix LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The proposed method and system firstly converts the image of each video frame into a brightness-based grayscale image; then decomposes the grayscale image into a low-pass base layer and a high-pass detail layer; and then performs a brightness compensation for the base-layer image and a contrast enhancement for the detail-layer image; and finally combines the two image layers into one single image and performs color conversion to the combined image. The resulted image is then used for display on the display unit. This feature allows the display unit to use a low level of backlight to save electrical power consumption while nevertheless allow the image to be displayed with good visibility.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to image processing technology, and more particularly, to a low-backlight image visibility enhancement method and system which is designed for use with a backlit-type of display unit, such as a TFT-LCD (Thin-Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) active matrix display unit, for visibility enhancement of the video images displayed on the display unit under a low-backlight condition.
2. Description of Related Art
TFT-LCD (Thin-Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) is a dot-matrix display technology widely utilized on various types of personal computers and portable electronic devices such as notebook computers and intelligent mobile phones. The TFT-LCD is equipped with an N×M dot matrix which is an array of N rows and M columns of pixels, wherein each pixel is capable of displaying a particular color or grayscale value in response to the charging of a particular level of data voltage thereto.
Fundamentally, the liquid crystal material used by TFT-LCD is incapable of light emitting, but it has a light transmittance that can be varied by the externally applied voltage; i.e., its light transmittance is nearly 100% when the externally applied voltage is zero, and nearly 0% when the externally applied voltage is at a certain maximum magnitude. Therefore, the externally applied voltage can be varied between zero and the maximum magnitude to render the LCD pixels to visually display specific grayscale levels. For this sake, TFT-LCD should be equipped with a backlighting module that can generate a backlight to illuminate the TFT-LCD dot-matrix screen during operation.
In the applications on notebook computers and mobile phones, since these portable devices are battery powered, the operation of TFT-LCD should be power efficient. However, since the backlighting module on TFT-LCD is used for light emitting, which is power consumptive, it will cause the battery to have a shortened life of use. One solution to this problem is to lower the backlight intensity. However, one drawback to this solution is that it would cause the displayed image to have a dimmed level of visibility to the user who might be unable to view the displayed image clearly.
In view of the aforementioned problem, it is a research effort in the computer industry for a new TFT-LCD technology that can use a lowered level of backlight while nonetheless allowing the displayed image to have a good level of visibility to the user.

Low-backlight image visibility enhancement method and system


A system for modulating refrigerant flow from an evaporator of an air or gas drying apparatus wherein the air or gas drying apparatus has an evaporator shell with at least one exit orifice for return of refrigerant to an accumulator or compressor. The system comprising a flow metering structure connected to the at least one exit orifice, the structure having an internal tube with a vertical rise from an evaporator shell end to an accumulator or compressor end, the internal tube having at least one return orifice (a) which allows passage of liquid refrigerant outside the internal tube into the internal tube, and at least one return orifice (b) which allows passage of gas outside the internal tube into the internal tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of refrigerant, compressed gas/air dryer systems, and more particularly to a refrigerant receiving apparatus which meters and stabilizes the return of refrigerant in compressed gas/air refrigerant dryer systems.
2. Background and Prior Art
Presently, many industrial applications using air or gas driven machinery have a need for dry air or gas in the process of operating, product process, product fabrication, as well as many other applications. Air or gas driven machinery is most commonly operated using pressurized, i.e., compressed air or gas that contains water that can react on or condense within product or apparatus and negatively impact the air or gas usefulness. Moisture negatively impacts the product process systems by causing costly equipment maintenance or equipment failure and befouled product.
Typically, because of the compression process, compressed air or gas is saturated with 100% relative humidity; water in excess of the humidity capacity condenses as moisture on machine or product surfaces. When the volume is reduced, i.e., the air is pressurized or compressed, the dew point for water is approached or exceeded thereby causing condensation. Filters and traps only take out water (if any) already condensed out of the compressed air or gas as it has cooled. These filter/trap systems do nothing to remove the 100% relative humidity representing water in vapor phase still remaining in the compressed air/gas. As the air or gas cools condensation is exacerbated.
Refrigerant dryers are the most common means for acceptably removing moisture from compressed air or gas for industrial uses. The quality of the gas/air being dried at the dryers output is measured in terms of dew point; the lower the dew point temperature, the greater the dryness of the gas/air and thus the higher the quality of the process. Generally the acceptable dew point ranges is between 33° F. and 50° F. depending on the application. More water vapor in the feed air or gas and higher pressures from compression each make achieving acceptable dew point more difficult. There are several methods of refrigerant dryer operations; the following are some of the more conventional systems: Cycling Dryers, Non-Cycling Dryers, Mass Storage and Variable Speed Drive Dryers.
Simply described, refrigerant air or gas dryers use: i) a refrigerant compressor (with appropriate accumulator and receiver apparatus), ii) a series of heat exchanger vessels and/or other heat transfer apparatus, a condensing apparatus, and, iii) refrigerant process control apparatus (expansion, pressure regulating, hot gas valves, bypass valves; solenoids and electronic sensors/controls with or without variable speed drive (VSD) devices for the compressor motor; etc.). These systems each operate at various levels of efficiency, both with respect to cost and dew point performance.
Various refrigerant dryer devices have been designed to take the water vapor from the air, for example, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,072 to Arno features a cycling configured refrigerant air or gas dryer with an unloading means that allows a compressor motor to coast or free wheel during periods of low demand for refrigerant cooling. Thus, this advanced cycling dryer is said to be an energy savings dryer as compared to conventional non-cycling systems. Another example is a system configured with a VSD device to modulate the compressor during the period of lower demand for refrigerant cooling. A system so configured would be considered an energy saving dryer because the compressor is consuming less energy during the lull intervals.
However, each of these above listed devices use an expansion valve to feed or deliver compressed refrigerant into a heat exchange type vessel, where the expansion of refrigerant produces a coldest point for heat exchange purposes. Expansion valves rely on a temperature and pressure feedback which causes the valve opening to either increase in size for greater refrigerant feed, or, decrease in size for less refrigerant feed. These valves are conventionally available as strictly mechanical valves or in combinations of mechanical and electrical and/or electronic (solenoid, proportional, step motor drive, etc. with or without microprocessor control) valves; all having the desired goal to feed expanded refrigerant as required by the recycling means back to the refrigerant side of a heat exchanger providing a coldest point for thermal exchange.
One of the problems in this type of device is that the expansion valves are called-out in terms of tonnage (the capacity with which the device can deliver expanded refrigerant and feed the system). The tonnage is expressed as a range based on differential pressure; for example, 10 tons (generally for operating in systems from about 80,000 btus to about 120,000 btus capacity requirements). When these devices are specified in the design of a system, the tonnage expressed could actually be implemented as on the low side, in the mid range, or, on the high side of the valve capability to deliver refrigerant feed. This means, in simple terms, that the valve in any particular system may be required to work near maximum capacity, in a mid range, or barely working efficiently at low capacity, each, respectively in each design. That equates, in each of the scenarios, to the valve working less than ideal for most of the range of the system designs capacities.
Another problem that exists in conventional systems is flooding. Flooding refers to the ability to keep the evaporator refrigerant side full with liquid. As load on the system operates, the refrigerant boils off and returns; leaving the evaporator only partially flooded. In such a scenario, an evaporator could be partially filled with liquid and the remaining space filled with vapor or foam from the boiling instigated by the evaporator valve. Vapor or foam within the evaporator does not transfer heat as efficiently as the liquid does, thus the efficiency of the evaporator suffers because the contact surface area with liquid for heat exchange is less than ideal.
To broaden the range of efficient operation of the valves use in varied systems, the expansion valve is conventionally adjusted. The adjustment is expressed in terms of superheat; a value derivative equivalent to the refrigerant systems compressor suction pressure converted to degrees in temperature (as related to a specific refrigerant type) and subtracted from the refrigerant systems suction temperature.
An expansion valve may generally be used over a wide tonnage range. Thus factory adjustment for superheat is undesired. Each valve must be set for superheat to reflect 10-15° F. over room temperature. To set the superheat, one must use a thermocouple or thermometer to measure the temperature of the suction line, for example, at a thermal bulb. Then one measures the pressure in the suction line at the thermal bulb well or external equalizer. The measured suction is then converted to a pressure equivalent saturated temperature using a pressure temperature chart. The difference between this value and the temperature measured at the thermal bulb well is expressed as the superheat. Superheat is often in the approximate range of five to ten degrees F.
Ideally, the superheat (a value derived from suction temperature and suction pressure), would give feedback to the expansion valve to close-down (a call for less refrigerant) to maintain a predetermined level of performance. Conversely, when the call is to increase refrigeration, the change in superheat would cause the expansion valve to open-up and feed more expanded refrigerant.
Unfortunately, no valve devices work at an optimum under most or all conditions in any given system or design. In practice the parameters routinely overshoot. The result is an expansion valve hunting endlessly. That is the valve will open-up for more feed which will be followed by a close-down because of too much feed, and again, an open-up because of too little feed resulting in a drop of the flooding level; resulting in a never ending cycle. This phenomenon occurs in every system at some point even in carefully designed systems using the mid range as ideal or with sophisticated electronically assisted expansion valve devices. This hunting, over/under, constant pursuit to satisfy the endless loop of superheat feedback results in less than ideal performance of the gas/air dryer system desired to produce a low, constant dew point temperature gas or air. The hunting results from the refrigerant being returned in an erratic manner.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,655 to Arno, the inventor directly addressed the negative result of having only a partially flooded evaporator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,655 teaches that having a suction line heat exchanger, as a flooding level control, effectively breaks-up liquid slugs of refrigerant return. This was accomplished by using the discharged refrigerant out of the compressor on one side of the flooding level control suction line heat exchanger, while the return flow is through the other side. The hot discharge tends to flash the liquid slug to its vapor state and thusly, reduces its effect on the expansion valve regulating bulb. The result is a higher level of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator. However, even this improved apparatus can still suffer from the overfeed/underfeed problem scenario.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,072 to Arno discloses an unloading structure for compressors of refrigerant systems, and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,655 teaches level control for refrigerant systems that use flooded shell evaporators.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,626 to Escobar, discloses a two stage refrigeration system incorporating a means for storing refrigerant vapor and slurry having a receiving tank or tanks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,877 to Bash, teaches parallel evaporators and a means to control the mass flow rate of the refrigerant to each evaporator. Reissue patent RE 33,775 to Behr, shows multiple evaporators and method of controlling the valve in a refrigeration system. However, the various prior systems are undesirable in that they do not provide precise control.
Thus the state of the art is clearly not ideal. Normal load changes during industrial cycles can adversely affect dryer operations, resulting in poor dew point performance, waste of energy and wear-and-tear of equipment. The industry has accepted that it is the nature of refrigerated gas/air dryer systems even those having sophisticated electronically assisted expansion valves to function with cyclical operation expansion and thus routinely experience the same over/under performance.
Thus it is readily apparent that there is a longfelt need for a means for metered or controlled refrigerant return from an evaporator system and for a process to maintain stable, balanced parameters affording a very high performance true flat-line in dew point of a gas/air dryer system, that is a means and process that sets forth a method for controlling the rate at which the metered return occurs and a system that will modestly modulate return (always track the demand and will output perfect dew point temperature according to the gas/air dryers load).


An apparatus for protecting an electrical power system supplying electrical power to an electrical load comprises a transformer for sensing an operating condition of the electrical power system and for producing an analog signal representative of the operating condition, and a microcomputer for periodically sampling the analog signal and for converting the analog signal into a series of digital signals. The microcomputer includes circuitry for deriving a digital value representative of a square root of the series of digital signals and circuitry for processing the digital value over time to determine a processed value which is a function of both the sensed operating condition and time. A circuit breaker is responsive to the microcomputer for disconnecting the power system from the load in the event that the processed value is not within preset limits. The microcomputer also generates a relay signal representative of the status of the relay and the relay includes an output port responsive to the relay signal, for communicating the status of the relay to a remote station.

This invention relates to overcurrent protection devices and in particular to an overcurrent relay for protecting an electrical power system and for communicating with a master unit such as an energy management computer.
Electrical power systems, such as alternating current (AC) systems, are widely used for transmission and distribution of electrical power to electrical loads. In order to protect distribution circuits, generators, transformers, and other major components of the electrical power system time overcurrent relays are used. The time overcurrent relay senses an overcurrent condition and trips a circuit breaker connected between the electrical power system and the electrical load. The time overcurrent relay monitors current in the electrical power system and compares it against a selected pickup point. When the monitored current is above the selected pickup point timing is initiated in accordance with a selected time-current characteristic curve. If the current drops below the pickup point before timing is completed, then the timing is reset. When the monitored current exceeds the pickup point after timing is completed the circuit breaker is tripped.
In the prior art it has been known to use a microprocessor based time overcurrent relay. The microprocessor stores in memory the selected pickup point and the time-current characteristic curves. The microprocessor converts the monitored current to a digital value and compares the digital value against the selected pickup point. When the digital value exceeds the pickup point for a preselected period of time the circuit breaker is tripped. Although this process is acceptable, it would be advantageous to process the monitored current in a different manner to obtain more accurate results. For example, the monitored current, which is an analog signal, could be periodically sampled and converted into a series of digital signals. A digital value representative of a square root of the series of digital values may be derived. This derived digital value may be processed over time to determine a processed value which is a function of both the monitored current and time. The circuit breaker is tripped in the event that the processed value is not within preset limits. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to communicate the processed value to a remote station, such as an energy management computer.

Overcurrent protection relay with communications


An inertial igniter including: a housing; a striker mass movable relative to the housing; a biasing element for biasing the striker mass towards a percussion primer; one or more movable members each having one or more stops, the one or more stops having a first position for preventing a portion of the striker mass from striking the percussion primer and a second position allowing the portion of the striker mass to strike the percussion primer; wherein the movable members move the one or more stops to the second position when subjected to a predetermined acceleration profile.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to acceleration (deceleration) operated inertial igniters for use in gun-fired munitions, and more particularly for inertial igniters for thermal batteries used in gun-fired munitions and other similar applications that are readily programmed to initiate at a desired acceleration level.
2. Prior Art
Thermal batteries represent a class of reserve batteries that operate at high temperatures. Unlike liquid reserve batteries, in thermal batteries the electrolyte is already in the cells and therefore does not require a distribution mechanism such as spinning. The electrolyte is dry, solid and non-conductive, thereby leaving the battery in a non-operational and inert condition. These batteries incorporate pyrotechnic heat sources to melt the electrolyte just prior to use in order to make them electrically conductive and thereby making the battery active. The most common internal pyrotechnic is a blend of Fe and KClO4. Thermal batteries utilize a molten salt to serve as the electrolyte upon activation. The electrolytes are usually mixtures of alkali-halide salts and are used with the Li(Si)/FeS2 or Li(Si)/CoS2 couples. Some batteries also employ anodes of Li(Al) in place of the Li(Si) anodes. Insulation and internal heat sinks are used to maintain the electrolyte in its molten and conductive condition during the time of use. Reserve batteries are inactive and inert when manufactured and become active and begin to produce power only when they are activated.
Thermal batteries have long been used in munitions and other similar applications to provide a relatively large amount of power during a relatively short period of time, mainly during the munitions flight. Thermal batteries have high power density and can provide a large amount of power as long as the electrolyte of the thermal battery stays liquid, thereby conductive. The process of manufacturing thermal batteries is highly labor intensive and requires relatively expensive facilities. Fabrication usually involves costly batch processes, including pressing electrodes and electrolytes into rigid wafers, and assembling batteries by hand. The batteries are encased in a hermetically-sealed metal container that is usually cylindrical in shape. Thermal batteries, however, have the advantage of very long shelf life of up to 20 years that is required for munitions applications.
Thermal batteries generally use some type of igniter to provide a controlled pyrotechnic reaction to produce output gas, flame or hot particles to ignite the heating elements of the thermal battery. There are currently two distinct classes of igniters that are available for use in thermal batteries. The first class of igniters operates based on electrical energy. Such electrical igniters, however, require electrical energy, thereby requiring an onboard battery or other power sources with related shelf life and/or complexity and volume requirements to operate and initiate the thermal battery. The second class of igniters, commonly called "inertial igniters", operate based on the firing acceleration. The inertial igniters do not require onboard batteries for their operation and are thereby often used in high-G munitions applications such as in gun-fired munitions and mortars.
In general, the inertial igniters, particularly those that are designed to operate at relatively low impact levels, have to be provided with the means for distinguishing events such as accidental drops or explosions in their vicinity from the firing acceleration levels above which they are designed to be activated. This means that safety in terms of prevention of accidental ignition is one of the main concerns in inertial igniters.
In recent years, new improved chemistries and manufacturing processes have been developed that promise the development of lower cost and higher performance thermal batteries that could be produced in various shapes and sizes, including their small and miniaturized versions. However, the existing inertial igniters are relatively large and not suitable for small and low power thermal batteries, particularly those that are being developed for use in miniaturized fuzing, future smart munitions, and other similar applications.
The need to differentiate accidental and initiation accelerations by the resulting impulse level of the event necessitates the employment of a safety system which is capable of allowing initiation of the igniter only during high total impulse levels.

Programmable inertial igniters for gun-fired munitions, thermal batteries and the like


A ripple through divider of a dividend by a constant is obtained by cascading a plurality of partial quotient tables. Each table incorporates the same divisor, so the divisor need not appear as an input. In one binary integer implementation for an n bit dividend that dividend is represented as n+1 bits having an MSB of 0. If the binary divisor is of k bits, then the most significant k+1 bits are applied to an input of a first partial quotient table. It produces one bit of fractionary quotient that becomes the MSB of the final quotient, and k bits of fractionary remainder. That fractionary remainder is combined as MSB's with an LSB that is the next and most significant unused dividend bit. This forms k+1 inputs to a second partial quotient table. It in turn produces a partial quotient bit that becomes the second most significant final quotient bit, and k-many more fractionary remainder bits. The cascading continues with additional stages of partial quotient tables until all dividend bits have been used. At that level the final quotient is available and the last partial remainder bits are indeed the actual final remainder bits. The partial quotient tables may be look-up tables implemented as ROM's or they may be constructed of discrete gating.

Sophisticated high performance systems often include specialized hardware that either performs a desired task directly or that assists the processor in an embedded system. An example is the graphics system of a modern computer workstation. There one often finds entire hardware subsystems arranged in a serial pipeline to successively perform the various tasks that need to be accomplished. In a computer graphics environment there can be hardware that clips primitive shapes such as lines, planes and triangles, against other planes and the surfaces of rectangular solids. Additional hardware, for example, handles the task of polygon rendering, and so on. Despite such solutions, there is an irresistible urge for things to run faster, and not just in computer graphics systems, either.
We may generalize a bit and say that one approach for speeding things up (for a suitable class of problems) is to adopt a parallel architecture. Let us say that a single instance of a hardware set that solves a problem is a "channel". A parallel solution would then involve a plurality of identical (or nearly so) channels. Once this arrangement is adopted it becomes necessary to decide which channel is to be selected to operate on the next set of incoming data. There are many ways this might be done, but assuming that each channel is otherwise equally appropriate to perform the operation, and that perhaps there is some input buffering for each channel, a good way is often to assign a channel number k according to the relationship k=(some parameter in the data) mod n, where n is the number of channels. What the parameter is does not really matter, as long as it is suitable. For example, in a computer graphics system the parameter might be an address that some earlier subsystem assigned to a primitive that is to processed by the graphics system. The idea is to get an integer k in the range o.ltoreq.k<n. This may be done by dividing the suitable parameter by n and taking k as the remainder. This brings us to the question of how to perform such divisions quickly and without undue expense. We note that the usual division mechanisms all are completely general in that they expect to accommodate arbitrarily variable divisors. We have in mind division by a fixed divisor, or a constant, or, perhaps by a rather limited number of divisors. It would be desirable if there were a way to take advantage of this limitation on the divisor to reduce the complexity of the division, and at the same time speed it up.
One prior art solution to this more restricted class of division problem has been to multiply the parameter by the reciprocal of the desired divisor. This provides the quotient, but not the integer remainder. Instead, you get the sum of the quotient plus a decimal, octal or binary (depending upon the radix in use) Arabic fraction. To recover the remainder (i.e., the integer numerator of an indicated division whose denominator is also our divisor) it is necessary to subtract out the quotient and exchange the remaining Arabic fraction for an integer (as by a look-up table). It would be desirable if a genuine division mechanism could instead be simplified to take advantage of the fixed divisor.
It should also be kept in mind that channel assignment in a parallel architecture is but one possible use for a mechanism that can divide an integer (or, perhaps, a fixed point number) by a constant.