A foundation anchor for forcefittingly anchoring an industrial-scale machine in a concrete foundation, comprising an anchor casing that has at least one lateral wall, and a plurality of anchor rods that are attached to the anchor casing, said anchor casing comprising a securing section for securing the industrial-scale machine by means of securing bolts, and the anchor rods being connected to the at least one lateral wall such that forces are introduced from the at least one wall into the plurality of anchor rods in a substantially linear manner along the longitudinal extension axis of said anchor rods is provided.

The anchoring of industrial-scale machines in a concrete foundation which has been provided specifically for supporting and fastening the machine places high technical demands on the components responsible for distributing forces into the concrete foundation. The foundation anchor therefore needs to be able to ensure not only the appropriate distribution of force and securing during the normal operation of the machine but also sufficient fastening to ensure that the machine is anchored even in the event of malfunction. During such operation when there is a malfunction, owing to the unbalance forces occurring in the machine, malfunction-induced loads can be transmitted to the concrete foundation which are at least twice as great as the regular operating loads.
Industrial-scale machines should in the present case be understood in particular as machines in power plants. The following thus relates, for example, to foundation anchors of bearing housings on high-pressure turbines, medium-pressure turbines, and low-pressure turbines in a steam turbine power plant. However, for example individual machine parts can likewise require a corresponding anchoring, such as, for example, intercept valves of reheater tubes in industry-standard steam turbine power plants.
The industrial-scale machines are typically fastened in a fastening section of a foundation anchor by means of high-strength metal fastening bolts provided specifically for this purpose, so that a secure fastening to the concrete foundation can be achieved. The relevant fastening bolts can, for example, be screwed in a suitable fashion to a fastening nut which is surrounded by the foundation anchor. The load is transmitted to the foundation anchor in such a way that the forces occurring are distributed into the concrete foundation in a suitable fashion.
According to the internal prior devices known to the Applicant, to a steel construction is sometimes used for the foundation anchor, which initially distributes the forces which occur on the machine into two side plates manufactured from structural steel, wherein the two side plates are each connected to two welded-on crossbeams. The crossbeams are each rigidly connected to a number of suitably formed anchor rods so that the forces acting on the crossbeams can be distributed into the anchor rods. The anchor rods themselves are anchored non-positively in the concrete foundation so that the forces are directed into the concrete foundation.
However, it proves to be disadvantageous that the forces acting on the foundation anchor cannot be diverted into the concrete foundation without the forces being redirected. Because the side plates and crossbeams are connected at an angle, when forces are transmitted bending stresses occur in the area where the side plates and crossbeams are joined together which can be significantly increased. In particular in the event of operation when there is a malfunction, the forces acting on this joining area can exceed the strength of the connection, as a result of which an undesired failure, sometimes accompanied by serious consequences, can occur.
The technical proposal according to patent AT374531B attempts to overcome these disadvantages. This patent describes a device for anchoring supports in concrete foundations so that they are resistant tensile forces. The devices according to an embodiment of the invention has an anchor box for connection, for example, to a machine support and to the sides of which multiple connecting bars are welded. After the connecting bars have been embedded in a concrete foundation and when a load is applied to the device during operation, the forces which occur are diverted by the anchor box via the connecting bars along their axis of longitudinal extent into the concrete foundation. However, a disadvantage of this technical solution is that the devices need to be completely prefabricated before they are incorporated into the concrete foundation. The length and the weight of the connecting bars consequently entails a high degree of handling and transportation complexity. In addition, in order to ensure that forces are transmitted advantageously from the anchor box to the connecting bars, it is necessary to align the anchor box and connecting bars accurately. However, this alignment can only be achieved with great technical effort because two heavy and elongated components have to be welded together. Moreover, the high forces which need to be transmitted require the anchor box and connecting bars to be welded together very carefully, which cannot be performed on site when the device is being installed in a concrete foundation but typically needs to be carefully prefabricated in a factory.
There is therefore a technical need to propose an improved foundation anchor which is capable of overcoming the disadvantages as described above. In particular, it is intended for the proposed foundation anchor to be improved in terms of its manufacturing accuracy, ease of handling and ease of transportation. At the same time, it is intended that it is suitable for transmitting operating loads and malfunction-induced loads of an industrial-scale machine to a concrete foundation in a suitable fashion without there being any need to fear failure owing to excessive bending stresses.
Furthermore, it is intended for the foundation anchor to transmit forces as advantageously as possible into the concrete foundation, especially with the avoidance of secondary stresses.
It is likewise desirable to propose a foundation anchor which has an advantageous performance-to-weight ratio, i.e. it is intended that the ratio of failure-safe acceptable load to the total weight of the foundation anchor is advantageous. In addition, it is intended that the foundation anchor enables tolerances to be compensated when the industrial-scale machine is installed on the concrete foundation. It is intended in particular that this tolerance compensation allows both angular errors and positional errors to be compensated.

Foundation anchor for industrial-scale machines


An erection aid comprises an elastic device adapted to be placed around at least a part of a penis, which device is in the form of a condom (1) or a tightening ring (10). The device is equipped with a piezoelectric unit (3), for example a piezoelectric foil, for emission of stimulating vibrations. The device is self-supplied with a battery (7) and an electronic miniature circuit (4) for activation of the piezo-unit (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical/electromechanical erection aid. At the outset this means an aid to remedy a dysfunction, viz. lack of erection or an erection that declines too rapidly, but also an aid to provide an additional stimulus in connection with a normal erection situation.
2. Background Art
Various remedies of chemical and mechanical type are previously known in connection with erectile dysfunction. Chemical agents can be administered by injection into or near penis, or they can be taken orally, compare the medicament xe2x80x9cViagraxe2x80x9d. However, chemical remedies are burdened with adverse effects, and injections will feel unpleasant for many persons. Among the commonly known mechanical erection aids are vacuum pumps for obtaining erection, and tightening devices e .g. round the root of the penis for maintaining an obtained erection.
A device of the last mentioned type Is previously known from German xe2x80x9cOffenlegungsschriftxe2x80x9d Patent DE 22 07 169, but this device is equipped, in addition to the proper tightening device intended to prevent the reverse flow of blood from the penis, with further devices intended to stimulate the sexual partner, inter alia an electrical vibrator device. Hence, this vibrator device is only intended for the partner, and is arranged as a separate unit at a distance from the penis. The vibrator device itself is not specified further, and is powered from a battery situated somewhere else.
An annular amusement device and a condom-shaped amusement device are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,638 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,447 respectively, both amusement devices producing mechanical vibrations in the form of sound, more particularly music. In both cases, the body contact between two sexual partners will trigger music playback from a unit which, also in this case, is situated close to the root of the penis, but outward from the penis. The unit may contain a vibration element, i.e., a sound emitter, which may be, e.g., a piezoelectric miniature loudspeaker, further an electronic microchip, and a small battery for powering the loudspeaker and the microchip. However, these amusement devices are not manufactured, and not suitable, to remedy an erectile dysfunction.
Further, a so-called xe2x80x9cvibrating condomxe2x80x9d is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,692, which condom is intended to stimulate the genitals of the sexual partner during coitus. One embodiment of this condom utilizes an embedded sheet of xe2x80x9cNitinolxe2x80x9d, together with a battery. The Nitinol sheet has shape memory, and can be flexed by means of electricity. Using a pulsed current, the sheet is able to provide mechanical vibrations for stimulation of the genitals of the sexual partner. It does not appear from this patent what triggers the vibration function.
Not even this last mentioned US-patent aims at remedying or relieving the male lacking or diminishing erection dysfunction, it is actually stated explicitly in the patent that this is not the intention.
Thus, there is still a lack of an effective mechanical aid for the erection dysfunction that is not perceived as being a nuisance, or that is not difficult to use.
The present invention aims at meeting this lack, and intends to provide an erection aid that is easy to slip on and that is perceived as comfortable also for the sexual partner.


Phanerochaete chrysosporium strains CNCM numbers I-1511, I-1512 and I-1513 are found that produce increased amounts of manganese peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP). Immobilized cells may be used for culturing, and culture media is preferably supplemented with a phospholipid as a carbon source and/or veratryl alcohol to stabilize enzymes produced. Culturing conditions can be selected to modify the MnP/LiP ratio in favor of the production of MnP or LiP.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing peroxidases from the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.
2. Description of the Background
Phanerochaete chrysosporium is a fungus associated with "white rot of wood". It is a hymenomycete which belongs to the order Aphylophorales and to the family Corticaceae. It has the property of degrading lignin to the point of mineralization (final products: CO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O).
This fungus produces exocellular peroxidases: the latter comprise, in particular, isozymes of manganese peroxidase (MnPs) [KUWAHARA et al. FEBS Let., 169, pp. 247-250, (1984)] and those of lignin peroxidase (LiPs) [TIEN M. and KIRK T. K., Science, 221, pp. 661-663, (1983); GLENN et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 114, pp. 1077-1083]. These enzymes are glycosylated haemoproteins whose average molecular mass is 40 kDa [LEISOLA et al., J. Biol. Chem., 262 pp. 419-424, (1984)].
Manganese peroxidases and lignin peroxidases are capable of catalysing the oxidation of numerous aromatic substrates, especially lignin, using hydrogen peroxide as cosubstrate. These properties find their main applications in the field of papermaking and that of waste treatment.
Hitherto, the lignin peroxidases are the ones which have chiefly been used in this type of application.
For example, French Patent 2,574,427 describes two strains of Phanerochaete chrysosporium possessing especially high lignin peroxidase activity, and their culture on a medium containing an assimilable nitrogen source as well as an assimilable carbon source and a source of assimilable inorganic salts.
The proposal has also been made (French Patent 2,600,077) to culture Phanerochaete chrysosporium on a basal culture medium supplemented with unsaturated fatty acids and/or natural amino acids. Other teams have proposed adding detergent of the Tween type [FAISON and KIRK, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (1985), 49, pp. 299-304], or alternatively adding veratryl alcohol [LEISOLA et al., J. Biotechnol. (1985), 3, pp. 97-107], in order to increase the synthesis of lignin peroxidase.
The inventors' team has also, in previous investigations, demonstrated various parameters whose optimization enabled the production of lignin peroxidase to be increased: addition of oleic acid and/or of exogenous phospholipids, control of the culture temperature, and the like. These investigations led to the development of a process for producing lignin peroxidase, which forms the subject of European Patent 0,437,500.
This process comprises several successive steps, each of them being performed under different culture conditions; the first step is performed on synthetic medium comprising inorganic salts, a carbon source and a nitrogen source, in the presence of yeast extract, a source of phospholipids and emulsified fatty acids; the mycelium formed is then cultured in a partially renewed culture medium, supplemented with veratryl alcohol but not comprising emulsified fatty acids, and whose phospholipid content represents only 1/7 to 1/8 of that of the culture medium used in the first step; in a third step, the medium is replaced completely by a new medium, comprising the same proportion of phospholipids and of veratryl alcohol as that of the second step, and the carbon source, the nitrogen source and the yeast extract at 1/4 of their content in the medium of the first step; lastly, a fourth culture step is performed in a medium lacking yeast extract, carbon source and emulsified fatty acids, but comprising the same proportion of phospholipids and of veratryl alcohol as that of the preceding steps.
The lignin peroxidase may then be recovered from the culture medium. The use of this process enables the enzyme content to be increased very significantly; the lignin peroxidase activity in the medium is approximately 240 U per liter and per day.
The research performed hitherto has mainly been concerned with increasing the lignin peroxidase activity. However, the manganese peroxidases are being seen increasingly to be capable of performing a key role in the bioconversion of polymeric aromatic compounds of the lignin type. In effect, contrary to lignin peroxidases whose activity is limited by the low penetration of the lignified walls by the enzyme, manganese peroxidases act via species of low molecular weight which diffuse readily. Briefly, the catalytic cycle of manganese peroxidases involves the oxidation of Mn(II) to Mn(III) which, after complexing with organic acids, generates diffusing oxidizing species capable of depolymerizing natural lignin [WARIISHI K., et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 176, pp. 269-276, (1991)].
BONNARME and JEFFRIES [J. Ferment. Bioeng. 70:158-163 (1990)] studied the regulation of the production of Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase under different culture conditions; they observed in this way that the amount of these enzymes varied especially in accordance with the Mn(II) concentration: at low concentration, lignin peroxidase is produced preferentially (760 nmol/ml.min under optimal conditions), while at high concentration, the production of manganese peroxidase (950 nmol/ml.min under optimal conditions) is the one which is favoured.

Phanerochaete chrysospoirium strains CNCM I-1511, I-1512 and I-1513 for producing lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase

Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique


The invention relates to an iris recognition method, comprising the steps of acquiring an image of at least one eye of a user in an infrared spectrum, and of processing said image to extract therefrom identification characteristics from the iris as defined by an outer boundary in the eye, the method comprising the steps of:                acquiring an image of the eye in a visible spectrum substantially simultaneously with acquiring the image of the eye in the infrared spectrum; and        prior to processing the infrared image, determining the outer boundary of the iris from the image in the visible spectrum.

The iris recognition methods in the most widespread use comprise steps of acquiring an image of at least one eye of the user in an infrared spectrum, and of processing the image in order to extract identification characteristics of the iris as defined in the eye by an outer boundary. The identification characteristics relate to patterns that are present in the iris and that are specific to each individual.
Image acquisition was initially performed in the visible spectrum, but it was found that automatic pattern recognition was not very reliable for irises of dark color in which the patterns present little contrast. Image acquisition in the visible spectrum was quickly replaced by image acquisition in the infrared spectrum where the patterns present a high degree of contrast when compared with the remainder of the iris, thereby facilitating automatic recognition, regardless of the color of the iris.
Automatic recognition of iris patterns requires a prior step of locating the inner and outer boundaries of the iris in the image of the eye. Unfortunately, it has been found that although this operation presents no difficulties for the inner boundary, the outer boundary is sometimes located in inexact manner. It is found that in the infrared spectrum, the iris presents low contrast relative to the sclera which forms the white of the eye on the anterior portion thereof.

Method and apparatus for iris recognition

Abstract: The invention also provides iris recognition apparatus.


An array antenna (12atf) particularly useful for a spacecraft includes a plurality of antenna elements (310). Each of the elements includes a conductive hexagonal cup (408) having sides (410a, 410b, 410c, . . .) which are thirteen twentieths of a wavelength long at the center frequency, and have a height above the bottom (412) which is a little more than one-third wavelength. A crossed dipole (420) includes two dipoles (420V, 420H), the first (421, 422) having elements approximately one quarter wavelength long, and the second (420H) having elements (423, 424) about three twentieths of a wavelength long. The plane of the crossed dipole is about one quarter wavelength above the bottom of the cup. A first director ring (512) has a diameter of about one quarter wavelength, and is spaced about nine tenths of a wavelength above the bottom. A second director ring (514) has a like diameter, and is spaced about seven tenths of a wavelength above the bottom of the cup. The director rings have a thickness measured axially which is about one hundredth of a wavelength. A mounting arrangement includes a dielectric tripod (522) transfixed by a dielectric cylinder (520), on which the director rings are mounted.

Many modern communication systems rely on spacecraft which are used as transponders. Mobile cellular communication systems have become of increasing importance, providing mobile users the security of being able to seek aid in case of trouble, allowing dispatching of delivery and other vehicles with little wasted time, and the like. Present cellular communication systems use terrestrial transmitters, such as towers, to define each cell of the system, so that the extent of a particular cellular communication system is limited by the region over which the towers are distributed. Many parts of the world are relatively inaccessible, or, as in the case of the ocean, do not lend themselves to location of a plurality of dispersed cellular sites.
In these regions of the world, spacecraft-based communication systems may be preferable to terrestrial-based systems. It is desirable that a spacecraft cellular communications system adhere, insofar as possible, to the standards which are common to terrestrial systems, and in particular to such systems as the GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS system (GSM), which is in use in Europe.
The GSM system is a cellular communications system which communicates with user terminals by means of electromagnetic transmissions from, and receptions of such electromagnetic signals at, base stations, fixed sites or towers spaced across the countryside. The term "user terminal" for purposes of this patent application includes mobile user terminals, and also includes hand-held and fixed user terminals, but not gateways. The GSM system is described in detail in the text The GSM System for Mobile Communications, subtitled A Comprehensive Overview of the European Digital Cellular System, authored by Michel Mouly and Marie-Bernadette Pautet, and published in 1992 by the authors, at 4, rue Elisee Reclus, F-91120 Palaiseau, France. Another text describing the GSM system is Mobile Radio Communications, by Raymond Steele, published 1992 by Pentech Press, London, ISBN 0-7273-1406-8. Each base station of the GSM system includes transmitter and receiver arrangements, and communicates with user terminals by way of signals in a bandwidth of 50 MHz, centered on 900 Mhz., and also by way of signals having a bandwidth of 150 Mhz centered on 1800 Mhz.
A cellular communication system should provide one or more control channels for allowing a user terminal to initially synchronize to the system, and to initiate communications with the overall network. Each base station, fixed site, or tower continually transmits network synchronization information (SCH) and network-specific information (BCCH), which a user terminal uses to synchronize to the appropriate network at initial turn-on of the user terminal. The GSM system provides a channel denominated "Random Access Channel" or RACH. In GSM, the RACH channel is used for initial synchronization of the network to the user terminal.
This invention relates to cellular communications systems, and more particularly to such systems which provide coverage between terrestrial terminals in a region by way of a spacecraft, where some of the terrestrial terminals may be mobile terminals, and some may be gateways which link the cellular system with a terrestrial network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
A salient feature of a spacecraft communication satellite is that all of the electromagnetic transmissions to the user terminals originate from one, or possibly a few, spacecraft. Consequently, the spacecraft communication antenna must form a plurality of beams, each of which is directed toward a different portion of the underlying target region, so as to divide the target area into cells. The cells defined by the beams will generally overlap, so that a user communication terminal may be located in one of the beams, or in the overlap region between two beams, in which case communication between the user communication terminal and the spacecraft is accomplished over one of the beams, generally that one of the beams which provides the greatest gain or signal power to the user terminal. Operation of spacecraft communication systems may be accomplished in many ways, among which is Time-Division Multiple Access, (TDMA), among which are those systems described, for example, in conjunction with U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,641,304, issued Feb. 3, 1987, and 4,688,213, issued Aug. 18, 1987, both in the name of Raychaudhuri. Spacecraft time-division multiple access (TDMA) communication systems are controlled by a controller which synchronizes the transmissions to account for propagation delay between the terrestrial terminals and the spacecraft, as is well known to those skilled in the art of time division multiple access systems. The TDMA control information, whether generated on the ground or at the spacecraft, is ultimately transmitted from the spacecraft to each of the user terminals. Consequently, some types of control signals must be transmitted continuously over each of the beams in order to reach all of the potential users of the system. More specifically, since a terrestrial terminal may begin operation at any random moment, the control signals must be present at all times in order to allow the terrestrial terminal to begin its transmissions or reception (come into time and control synchronism with the communication system) with the least delay.
When the spacecraft is providing cellular service over a large land mass, many cellular beams may be required. In one embodiment of the invention, the number of separate spot beams is one hundred and forty. As mentioned above, each beam carries control signals. These signals include frequency and time information, broadcast messages, paging messages, and the like. Some of these control signals, such as synchronization signals, are a prerequisite for any other reception, and so may be considered to be most important. When the user communication terminal is synchronized, it is capable of receiving other signals, such as paging signals.
Communication spacecraft are ordinarily powered by electricity derived from solar panels. Because the spacecraft may occasionally go into eclipse, the spacecraft commonly includes rechargeable batteries and control arrangements for recharging the batteries when the power available from the solar panels exceeds the power consumed by the spacecraft payload. When a large number of cellular beams are produced by the antenna, a correspondingly large number of control signals must be transmitted from the spacecraft. When one hundred and forty beams are transmitted, one hundred and forty control signals must be transmitted. When the power available from the solar panels is divided between the information and data transmission channels of the spacecraft, the power available to the synchronization and paging signals may be at a level such that a user communication terminal in an open-air location may respond, but a similar terminal located in a building may not respond, due to attenuation of electromagnetic signals by the building.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, spacecraft 12 includes a transmit antenna 12at which takes the form, when deployed, of a parabolic reflector 12atr and a feed array 12atf. Feed array 12atf is mounted on the spacecraft body 12b at a location near the focus of the parabolic reflector 12atr. Similarly, a receive antenna 12ar includes a deployed reflector 12arr in conjunction with a feed array 12arf. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed arrays include an array of feed horns, as described below. Gimbals designated 12gt and 12gr are mounted at the junctures of spacecraft body 12b with reflector supports 12gts and 12gtr, to allow the reflectors to be moved relative to the feed arrays in order to control the beam direction. A C-band antenna 72 is provided for communication with gateways of a cellular communication system.
FIG. 2 illustrates the layout of the horn apertures of feed horn arrangement 12atf of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a map of a portion of Asia is superposed on some of the circles representing apertures, distorted to appear as it would from a spacecraft to the East of the Asian coast. More particularly, Asia, together with its principal islands is designated generally as 110, 112 represents India, 114 represents the combination of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and 116 represents the island and mainland portions of Malaysia. Some of the islands of Indonesia are represented as 118. New Guinea is illustrated as 120, and Taiwan (Formosa) by 122. The Korean peninsula is 124, and the Japanese islands are represented as 126. The circles, some of which are designated 130, represent the apertures of the various feed horns of the feed array 12atf of transmit antenna 12at of FIG. 1. Not all of the feed horn apertures are illustrated, because there are eighty-eight feed horn apertures, and illustrating them all would make the illustration difficult to interpret. For the most part, the peripheral horns of the array have been illustrated, together with a line, which is illustrated by the arrows 132, of horns across the region being served. However, it will be understood that the entire continent of Asia, and its offshore islands out as far as the Philippines, are served by spot beams originating from the eighty-eight feed horn apertures which are illustrated, in part, in FIG. 2. More particularly, the feed horn array 12atf of FIG. 1 may be represented by the outline of FIG. 2, completely filled in by circles. It should be noted that the circles of FIG. 2 do not represent the spot beam footprints themselves, but may roughly be conceived of as being a version of the footprints which each horn itself would form if it were energized independently, without a beamformer.
FIG. 3 is a more detailed illustration of antenna feed 12atf of FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the feed array is made up of a plurality of individual feed horns or cups 310, each of which has hexagonal peripheral walls, for close stacking of the horns in a region illustrated by dash line 312. Dash line 312 outlines a feed-horn region shaped much like the coverage region of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates one feed antenna 310 of FIG. 3, in the form of an open-ended horn or cup 408. Each feed horn 408, as illustrated in FIG. 4, includes six electrically conductive sides 410a, 410b, 410c, 410d, 410e, and 410f, extending orthogonally above an electrically conductive base or bottom 412. The upper edges of the sides 410a, 410b, 410c, 410d, 410e, and 410f together define an aperture plane 408p, better seen in FIG. 5a. The horn or cup 408 of FIG. 4 is fed by a conventional crossed dipole illustrated as 420, set in the center of the horn or cup, and supported above the bottom 412 by a combination support and balun 430, well-known in the art. As known to those skilled in the antenna arts, crossed dipole 420 includes a first dipole 420V with two colinear or coaxial elements designated 421 and 422, and a second dipole 420H with two colinear or coaxial elements designated 423 and 424. The balun aspect of support/balun 430 is provided by a pair of slots 432, 434, each having a length of about one-fifth wavelength (.lambda./5), or more exactly 0.198 .lambda., at the operating frequency, which divide the upper end of the outer shell of support/balun 430 into two portions, designated 430a and 430b. It should be emphasized that, while the dipoles are designated with V and H suffixes, they are not necessarily oriented in vertical and horizontal directions, as such may have little or no meaning in the context of operation in space. A center conductor 436 is connected by a strap 438 to the near portion 430b of the shell. In the arrangement of FIG. 4, the elements 421, 422, 423, and 424 of the two crossed dipoles 420V and 420H lie in the same plane 420p (see FIG. 5b), and their axial centerlines lie about one-quarter wavelength, or more exactly 0.249 .lambda., from the floor or bottom 412. The lengths of the elements of the two dipoles 420V and 420H are made slightly different, so that a quadrature phase shift is introduced between the two dipoles, resulting in generation of circular, or at least elliptical, polarization.
It should be emphasized that antennas are reciprocal transducer devices, which have the same characteristics in both transmission and reception, at least as to impedance at the "feed" point and as to antenna beam pattern and gain. Thus, there is no essential difference between an antenna when used for transmission and reception. However, for historical reasons, the connection to an antenna is termed a "feed" point regardless of whether the antenna is for transmission or for reception. Thus, the term "generation," when referring to the circular or elliptical polarization, applies regardless of whether the antenna is transmitting or receiving circularly or elliptically polarized signals. Also, an antenna seldom transmits or generates exactly circular polarization, it will almost always have some ellipticity. Similarly, even a perfectly circularly polarized signal, if such could be made, transmitted toward a real or practical "circularly" polarized receiving antenna would result in reception of signals which would not be equal in both principal planes.
There is a tradeoff between the power available for transmission over each antenna beam and the total power which is the solar panels 12s1 and 12s2 of FIG. 1 must produce. The total power which the spacecraft solar panels can produce is limited by the efficiency of the panels, the useful luminous flux in the region of the panels, and the pointing accuracy with which the panels can be oriented to receive the flux. With time, the solar panels may become degraded, as particles penetrate portions of the panels, and the surface of the panels becomes opaque or reflective. In a particular communication system, the communication spacecraft antenna was constructed, and a need for an additional 0.7 dB of effective radiated power or margin manifested itself after the design of the feed antenna. Whatever changes might be required to achieve the required increase in effective radiated power could not add significant weight to the already-designed structure. Since 0.7 dB corresponds to an increase in power of about 18%, the additional margin could not be achieved simply by increasing the transmitted power, because this would have required a corresponding increase in the area of the solar panels, which would have significantly increased the weight.
Attempts were made to achieve the gain increase by modifying the individual horn or cup antennas 310 of the feed arrays 12atf and 12arf by placing disk-shaped directors before the cup, but this was not successful.
Higher effective radiated power is desired from a feed array.

Spacecraft antenna array with directivity enhancing rings


A bonded wafer is produced by directly bonding a silicon wafer for active layer and a silicon wafer for support substrate without an insulating film and thinning the silicon wafer for active layer to a given thickness, in which a silicon wafer cut out from an ingot at a cutting angle of 0-0.1° (compound angle) with respect to a predetermined crystal face is used in each of the silicon wafer for active layer and silicon wafer for support substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bonded wafer and a method for producing a bonded wafer, and more particularly it is to suppress residual oxide in a bonded face as far as possible.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a typical production method of a bonded wafer, there are known a method wherein two silicon wafers are bonded through an insulating film such as an oxide film or the like or directly bonded without the insulating film and then a wafer for active layer is grinded and polished to form an active layer (grind-polishing method), and a method wherein ions of hydrogen or the like are implanted into a surface layer portion of a silicon wafer for active layer to form an ion-implanted layer and bonded to a silicon wafer for support substrate and then subjected to a heat treatment to exfoliate the wafer at the ion-implanted layer to thereby form an active layer (ion implanting separation method) or so-called smart cut method (registered trade mark) (see JP-A-H11-67701 and JP-A-H05-211128).
However, when the two silicon wafers are directly bonded after the removal of a native oxide by immersing in a HF solution, or particularly when two silicon wafers having different crystal orientations (for example, (110) face and (100) face) are directly bonded without using an insulating film such as an oxide film or the like, an oxide trapped in an interface therebetween may locally concentrate and retain in the interface as a step-like oxide in the production step of the bonded wafer (heat treatment step). As a result, there is a problem that such a residual oxide deteriorates the device characteristics but also forms a nucleus of defect in the preparation step of the device.

Bonded wafer and method for producing bonded wafer


Aerosol spray cans are positioned one at a time at a workstation by inserting the bottom wall of each can through an appropriately sized centering ring to center the bottom wall relative to an annular seal that engages peripheral portions of the bottom wall to support the can at the workstation. The bottom wall is clamped into sealing engagement with the annular seal by using a lever operated clamping mechanism that is adjustable to accommodate all known standard sizes of aerosol spray cans. The bottom wall is punctured by using a lever operated, rack and pinion driven piercing mechanism that extends a piercing pin through the center opening of the annular seal. Contents that discharge from a pierced can are ducted into a receiving container, a lower portion of which is used to collect liquid contents for environmentally safe disposal. Gaseous contents are drawn out of the upper region of the receiving container and pass through a series of filters to remove environmentally objectionable constituents therefrom before the filtered gas is ducted to a plenum that is maintained at less than atmospheric pressure by a blower that discharges gaseous contents from the plenum for venting to the atmosphere. A flow of ambient air is drawn from the vicinity of the workstation and is ducted into the plenum for discharge so that, if gaseous emissions inadvertently emanate from the vicinity of the workstation, they are quickly entrained in the flow of ambient air and are ducted to the reduced pressure plenum for discharge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for puncturing pressurized containers such as relatively thin-walled aerosol spray cans, for emptying contents therefrom, for collecting liquid contents for environmentally safe disposal, and for filtering vapor-laden propellant gas to remove environmentally objectionable constituents therefrom so that the remaining gas safely can be vented to atmosphere. In preferred practice, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus features of a system 1) that is capable of being used with all known "standard" sizes of aerosol spray cans, 2) that employs ergonomically designed lever-operated clamping and piercing mechanisms to clamp and pierce bottom walls of aerosol cans that are guide-centered at a workstation, 3) that ducts contents from pierced aerosol cans into a collection receptacle where liquid is retained, 4) that draws vapor-laden propellant gas out of the collection receptacle and through a series of filters before discharging it into a reduced-pressure plenum for eventually being vented to atmosphere, and 5) that entrains in a flow of ambient air that is ducted into the reduced-pressure plenum such gas emissions as may inadvertently emanate from the vicinity of the workstation.
2. Prior Art
Thin-walled pressurized containers such as aerosol spray cans are used in homes and in industry to spray a wide variety of active ingredients such as paint, lubricant, furniture polish, air freshener, deodorant and the like by discharging the active ingredients as a vapor that is entrained in a flow of propellant gas. When the supply of active ingredient carried by an aerosol spray can has been substantially exhausted; when an aerosol spray can fails to properly function in providing a suitable spray-type discharge of active ingredient; and/or when an aerosol spray can is found to be damaged, improperly assembled or inappropriately filled with active ingredient or propellant gas, it is desirable to properly process the aerosol spray can for disposal by safely puncturing the can to relieve the pressure therein, to empty contents therefrom, to collect liquid contents therefrom, and to filter vapor-laden propellant gas before permitting the filtered gas to be released to atmosphere.
To permit a plurality of aerosol cans to be safely punctured and emptied with at least a portion of their contents being collected and/or filtered, a variety of puncturing devices that duct contents to collection receptacles have been proposed. Some of these proposals utilize one or more filters through which gaseous contents emanating from the collection receptacles are permitted to pass before being vented to atmosphere.
While some of these proposals are intended to provide relatively simple, relatively inexpensive manually operable units for piercing aerosol cans, for collecting liquid contents, and for filtering gaseous contents, the proposals made to date tend to be characterized by one or more drawbacks such as a failure to provide a system that is readily adjustable to accommodate all known "standard" sizes of aerosol spray cans, that is ergonomically designed to be easy to operate while processing a plurality of aerosol cans for disposal, that does an effective job of assuring that vapor-laden propellant gas is suitably drawn away from the vicinity of a workstation where cans are punctured, and of filtering environmentally objectionable constituents from released gases.
To the extent that manually operated puncturing units have been proposed that are intended to be mounted atop a lid of an upwardly opening collection container, such proposals typically have been characterized by one or more of the drawbacks mentioned above, and/or by one or more of the drawbacks that are described below.
Some proposals provide a closable chamber into which an aerosol spray can is to be inserted, with the entire interior of the chamber and the entire exterior surface of an aerosol can that is positioned in the closed chamber being subjected to a cloud of liquid, vapor and propellant gas that discharges from the aerosol can when the aerosol can is punctured. Such an arrangement renders quite messy the business of reaching into the chamber to retrieve an emptied aerosol can, and causes unwanted coating of substantially all exterior surfaces of the cans that are to be disposed of, whereby far less than the desired quantity of contents discharged from punctured cans tends to be collected for environmentally appropriate disposal.
Some proposals utilize a poorly supported resilient sealing member both to effect a vapor-tight seal about peripheral portions of the lower part of an aerosol can, and to support the downwardly-clamped aerosol can during a puncturing operation. The substantial loads that are imposed on the resilient sealing member, and the poor manner in which the resilient sealing member is supported combine to contribute to rapid deterioration of the resilient sealing member, whereby its sealing capability tends to be significantly diminished if not entirely defeated after being used to receive, support and seal with a relatively small number of aerosol cans during the time while they are being pierced and emptied.
As more and more small business entities are being called upon to assure that aerosol spray cans are disposed of in an environmentally suitable manner, the long-standing need for a simple to use, relatively inexpensive and reliable system to permit one or more aerosol spray cans to be disposed of from time to time has grown more urgent and has not been found to be satisfactorily addressed by prior proposals.

System for puncturing aerosol cans, collecting liquid contents, and filtering environmentally objectionable constituents from released gases


The present invention was realized in order to provide a liquid crystal composition which is negative in dielectric constant anisotropy and having a large absolute value and a display element, and also to provide a compound which is negative in dielectric constant anisotropy and having a large absolute value.

Liquid crystal display elements have found wide application due to excellent characteristics such as activation at a low voltage and display on thin devices. Conventional modes for displaying liquid crystal display elements include TN (twisted nematic), STN (super-twisted nematic) and TN-based active matrix (TFT: thin film transistor), all of which have utilized a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric constant anisotropy. However, one disadvantage of these display modes is a narrow viewing angle, which is a major problem to be improved in association with an ever increasing demand for larger display panels.
In recent years, as a countermeasure for solving this problem, display modes such as vertical alignment mode and IPS (in-plane switching) have newly come into practical use. The vertical alignment mode is a mode in which vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules are used to improve a view angle and a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric constant anisotropy is used. Further, the IPS is a method in which a transverse electrical field facing horizontally to a glass substrate is used to switch liquid crystal molecules, thereby improving the view angle. In this method, a liquid crystal composition having a positive or negative dielectric constant anisotropy is used. As described above, the vertical alignment mode and the IPS, which are effective in improving the view angle, require a liquid crystal compound negative in dielectric constant anisotropy and a liquid crystal composition. Such a requirement is demanded more strongly than ever before. Conventionally, liquid crystal compositions negative in dielectric constant anisotropy substantially include compounds having 2,3-difluorophenylene groups (Patent Document 1). However, liquid crystal compositions which use these compounds are not sufficiently great in the absolute value of dielectric constant anisotropy, which is a problem (Patent Document 2).
Compounds negative in dielectric constant anisotropy and having a large absolute value include a trifluoronaphthalene derivative, and many other compounds have already been disclosed in general (Patent Document 3). However, producing compounds having a trifluoronaphthalene skeleton is not necessarily easy, and it is not recognized that the compounds are disclosed in the above-described reference documents. Further, in the reference documents, such consideration is given that the compounds are used in a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition. No disclosure is found concerning which compound in such a widely disclosed scope as a nematic liquid crystal composition negative in dielectric constant anisotropy is used in a specific manner, which compound is used together, or what effect is obtained thereby.
On the other hand, a trifluoronaphthalene-based compound and a liquid crystal composition which contains the compound have been known. However, there is no disclosure about a liquid crystal composition in which a compound having a cyclohexylmethoxy group at the 6-position of a naphthalene ring is used (refer to Patent Documents 4, 5 and 6).
Further, based on a finding that compounds having an alkoxy group at the 2-position of a benzene ring and a cyclohexylmethoxy group at the 6-position are chemically unstable and therefore not usable, it has been considered that compounds having an alkoxy group at the 2-position of a naphthalene ring and a cyclohexylmethoxy group at the 6-position thereof are also chemically unstable and not usable as a liquid crystal material. Therefore, the compound concerned was not developed as a liquid crystal material (Non-patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Translation of International Application (Kohyo) No. H2-503441 (example on page 8)
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H10-176167 (example on page 10)
[Patent Document 3]
German Patent Application No. 19522195 (manufacturing method on page 12)
[Patent Document 4]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2001-40354
[Patent Document 5]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-250668
[Patent Document 6]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-204133
[Non-patent Document 1]
Numata, "Trend of liquid crystal materials," Monthly DISPLAY, Vol. 4, No. 3 (page 5), March 1998

Trifluoronaphthalene derivative and liquid crystal composition containing the same

Abstract: The present invention was realized in order to provide a trifluoronaphthalene derivative expressed by the general formula (I)

Abstract: a liquid crystal composition containing the above compound and a display element in which the liquid crystal composition is used. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention has features in which the dielectric constant anisotropy is great in absolute value, and a liquid crystal display element in which the liquid crystal composition is used as a constituting member is useful as a liquid crystal display element based on vertical alignment mode, IPS or others.


A human motion assistance device has upper back straps and is configured to attach to a user. A leg strap arrangement with lower back straps is configured to attach to the user. A differential assembly is connected between the upper back straps and lower back straps to reduce resistance of the upper torso harness and leg strap arrangement during gait. When crouching or lifting, the differential assembly transfers force to stretch and retract the upper torso harness and leg strap arrangement, which provides human motion assistance. The differential assembly can be implements as an x-bar, lever arm, pulley, gears, or tube. The leg strap arrangement has a knee pad adapted to cover a knee of the user. The knee pad opens along a segment. The upper torso harness has a shoulder strap and buckle. The leg strap arrangement is an elastic material.

A variety of human assistance devices provide aid for human motion. Some work tasks and activities demand frequent and heavy lifting or long-term strenuous movement, beyond normal unassisted physical exertion, and can lead to exhaustion and potential injury. In particular, excessive strain on muscles and joints can cause injury to the back, legs, and knees with associated reduction in productivity. The human assistance device as worn by the user is designed to overcome or compensate for the added load or strain and make many work tasks easier to perform.
In one embodiment, the human assistance device uses an exoskeleton with rigid components e.g., linkages and joints, attached to the user's body. The exoskeleton joints are positioned to have an axis of rotation collinear with a natural axis of rotation for adjacent joints. The rigid exoskeleton relies on a framework of linkages connected to the body at select locations via pads and straps to provide the ability to augment human movements that need assistance or otherwise enhance the user's performance, stability, balance, and safety. As the user flexes or extends his limbs, these rigid links move in parallel with the limb, adding considerable inertia to the movement. Unfortunately, the rigid exoskeleton also causes considerable restriction to the user's motion that impedes natural and fluid movement.
In another example, U.S. patent publication 2015/0321339 discloses a soft exosuit that generates forces about one or more joints based on anchor elements and connection elements disposed between the anchor elements. The exosuit uses sensors to determine forces on the anchor or connection elements. Actuators are configured to change tension in the soft exosuit in response to the sensors. The exosuit tends to be complex with an overreliance on active components, such as sensors and actuators, to control its operation. The intricate interconnection of anchor elements, connection elements, sensors, and actuators tend to be expensive to manufacture, difficult to configure, slow in response, and overall low reliability.
The soft exosuit can be worn for long periods of time. The user typically performs a variety of functions while wearing the exosuit, including crouching, lifting, and walking. During gait, the movement of the legs tends to stretch the exosuit and impart resistance on the user, even when not in a lifting action. The resistance caused by gait can be uncomfortable for the user, particularly when wearing the exosuit for long periods of time.

Personal augmentation suit and method for assisted human motion with back differential assembly


The present invention relates to a conductive printed board which can be used as a common part and therefore offers high productivity, and an ultrasonic probe which uses this conductive printed board. In a conductive printed board having terminals which are provided either in a contiguous manner or at a defined array spacing, and are connected to conduction paths, terminals connected to the terminals and spaced with different array spacing from the defined array spacing are provided on the ends. The conductive printed board is a flexible printed board, and a plurality of piezo elements having excitation electrodes on both main faces are lined up at the defined array spacing. If the terminals are widely spaced, the object can connect as-is to the other terminals, and if the terminals are spaced narrowly, then the portion with the other terminals can be removed, allowing the terminals to be connected. Moreover, the present invention relates to a multicore cable for which the weight and diameter of the multicore cable are reduced, thus facilitating multifunctionality, and to an ultrasonic probe with excellent operability and functionality which uses this multicore cable. The multicore cable is constructed by winding a flexible printed board containing signal conductors helically within a flexible outer jacket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductive printed board and an ultrasonic probe using this conductive printed board, and more particularly to an ultrasonic probe wherein productivity is improved by enabling the use of the conductive printed board as a common part.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic probe is used in, for example, ultrasonic diagnostic equipment for medical use, as a transducer which transmits and receives ultrasonic waves. One example of such an ultrasonic probe is an array type ultrasonic probe, in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements having electrodes on both the faces are arranged in a line, and generally the electrodes are led out by a conductive printed board. From recently there are various types of ultrasonic probes distinguished by the number of piezoelectric elements and their array pitch, leading to a call for communization (use as a common part) of the conductive printed board.
FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B show a conventional example of an ultrasonic probe, wherein FIG. 7A is a partially cutaway front view and FIG. 7B is a side view.
As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, in conventional ultrasonic probes, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 42 which have excitation electrodes 41a and 41b on both major faces are arranged in a line with defined array spacing (pitch interval d) upon a backing material 43, and connected to an excitation electrode 41a provided on the bottom surface of the piezoelectric elements 42 by conductive wires 45 of a flexible printed board 44. Furthermore, the excitation electrodes 41b on the top surfaces of the piezoelectric elements 42 are connected commonly by a conductor, for example, and are thereby connected electrically to other conductive wires 45 of the flexible printed board 44. In addition, in the case of medical use, an acoustic matching layer not shown in the diagram (to achieve acoustic matching with a living organism), and if needed an acoustic lens (for changing emitted ultrasonic waves into a narrow beam), are provided on the piezoelectric elements 42.
Normally, as shown in FIG. 7B, a piezoelectric plate comprising the excitation electrodes 41a and 41b and the piezoelectric element 42, is connected to the flexible printed board 44, for example, and fixedly secured to the backing material 43. As shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, the flexible printed board 44 has a plurality of fine conduction paths 45 arranged in parallel or other directions. The conduction paths 45 shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B connect to contiguous terminals 46 provided at the tips of the conduction paths, which are later divided (see FIG. 8A). Alternatively, the conduction paths 45 are connected to terminals 46 which are arranged with the same array spacing d as the piezoelectric elements 42 (see FIG. 8B). Cuttings 47 are then made in the piezoelectric elements 42 from the top of the acoustic matching layer to the backing material 43 thereby severing the piezoelectric elements 42 and dividing the piezoelectric elements 42 into individual piezoelectric elements 42 and terminals 46 arranged at the defined array spacing d (see FIG. 7A).
However, in some cases, with such conventional ultrasonic probes, as shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B, a different array spacing d may be used (using d2instead of d1) for the same number of piezoelectric elements 42. Therefore, it is necessary to separately design a different flexible printed board for use with each of the different array spacings (d1, d2). Consequently, the flexible printed board 44 cannot be used as a common part, which presents a particular problem in that the more types of ultrasonic probes there are, the more inventory is required, which lowers productivity.
The present invention also relates to a multicore cable and an ultrasonic probe using the multicore cable, and relates particularly to a multicore cable which maintains flexibility.
As mentioned above, an ultrasonic probe is a transducer which transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, used for example in ultrasonic diagnostic equipment for medical use. Normally, an ultrasonic probe comprises a probe main body including a plurality of piezoelectric element groups arranged in a line, and a multicore cable which connects the probe main body electrically to the main body of the diagnostic tool (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-102732, for example). Recently, for medical and operational reasons, there is a call for smaller and lighter ultrasonic probes.
FIG. 10 and FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C show a conventional example of such an ultrasonic probe, wherein FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the ultrasonic probe, FIG. 11A is a front view of the probe main body, FIG. 11B is a side view thereof, and FIG. 11C is a partially cut away back view thereof.
Normally, as shown in FIG. 10, the ultrasonic probe comprises a probe main body 61 and a multicore cable 62, and the probe main body 61 is housed within a case 63. Also, a construction is used in which piezoelectric element groups 65 arranged in a line upon a backing material 64 are exposed through an opening in the case 63. Normally, an acoustic matching layer and an acoustic lens (neither shown in the drawing) are provided on the piezoelectric element groups 65, and the piezoelectric element groups 65, on the major faces of which are provided excitation electrodes 65a and 65b, are connected to the back surface of the backing material 64 by means of a flexible printed board 66, for example.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C, the flexible printed board 66 comprises a resin film 66a in which a plurality of signal conductors 67 are provided. The excitation electrodes 65a and 65b of the piezoelectric element groups 65 are bonded to the signal conductors 67 by solder or the like as shown in FIG. 11A, to establish an electrical connection. Moreover, the excitation electrodes 65b on the bottom surface side (the backing material 64 side) of the piezoelectric element groups 65, and the signal conductors 67 of the flexible printed board 66 are connected. Also, the top surface side (transducer side) of the piezoelectric element groups 65 is connected commonly by conductors (not shown), for example, to form a grounding surface, which is connected to a grounding wire of the flexible printed board 66.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 12A, a multicore cable 72 comprises a plurality of coaxial cables 73 (for example 128 cables) sheathed within an outer jacket 70. The coaxial cables 73, as shown in FIG. 12B, have a four-layered construction comprising a central conductor 73a, a first insulating material 73b, a braided shield 73c and a second insulating material 73d, layered concentrically. The central conductor 73a of each coaxial cable 73 is connected to a signal conductor 67 on the flexible printed board 66, and the braided shield 73c is connected to another signal conductor 67 for grounding the flexible printed board 66. In addition, the outer jacket 70 is made of a resin or the like, which demonstrates flexibility. Normally, a shielding material 71 is provided on the inner surface of the outer jacket 70, collectively shielding the plurality of coaxial cables 73.
However, because the conventional ultrasonic probes as described above use four-layered coaxial cables, it is not possible to reduce the diameter of the multicore cable 72. Furthermore, the terminals 68 of the signal conductors provided on the flexible printed board 66 (see FIG. 11C) cannot normally be provided at narrower spacing than the diameter of the coaxial cables 73, which impedes miniaturization. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the greater the number of piezoelectric elements, that is the greater the number of channels, the larger the diameter of the multicore cable 72, which prevents miniaturization.
Specifically, when an ultrasonic probe for medical use is to be inserted into a body cavity, the multicore cable 72 cannot have a large diameter. Consequently, increasing the number of channels, for example in order to improve resolution of the ultrasonic probe, is problematic. In addition, there is a problem in that it is difficult to integrate a medical catheter with an ultrasonic probe, for example, preventing multifunctionality from being achieved. Furthermore, because an ultrasonic probe according to the conventional example is constructed with bundled coaxial cables, there is a problem in that such an ultrasonic probe is heavy, and therefore operability is poor.

Conductive printed board, multicore cable and ultrasonic probe using the same


A control mechanism of the adjustable seat post for a bicycle is fixed to the bottom end of the lower outer tube of the seat post. The control mechanism is managed by a controlling wire to drive a pin within the seat post to move axially to adjust the position of the seat post supporting the seat, so that the controlling wire will not move up and down with the seat post for seat height adjustments. Thus, the control mechanism will not generate a residual wire occurring in a prior art seat height adjusting device. It is because the controlling wire of the prior art device is disposed to the top end of the seat post. Therefore, the drawback of a prior art device can be ameliorated by arranging the control mechanism to the bottom end of the lower outer tube of the seat post.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control mechanism of the adjustable seat post for a bicycle and, more particularly, to a control mechanism which is fixed to the bottom end of the lower outer tube of the seat post, and of which the controlling wire will not generate a residual wire when said controlling wire manages said control mechanism for seat height adjustments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, the seat post 1 of a bicycle is inserted into the seat tube of said bicycle. A prior art seat post 1, as shown in FIG. 1, is arranged with a lower outer tube 10 and an inner tube 11. The bottom end of said lower outer tube 10 is inserted into said seat tube to allow said lower outer tube 10 to be fixed to said seat tube. Moreover, the bottom end of said inner tube 11 is inserted into the interior of said lower outer tube 10. The top end of said inner tube 11 is secured to the seat of said bicycle. An oil hydraulic mechanism 12, a pin 13 and other members are arranged inside said inner tube 11 and between said lower outer tube 10 and said inner tube 11. Said pin 13 is disposed inside said oil hydraulic mechanism 12, and the top end thereof extends through said oil hydraulic mechanism 12 and positions at the top end of said inner tube. When the user manipulates the controlling wire 14 to drive a cam 15 to rotate to enable said pin 13 to axially move downward, said oil hydraulic mechanism 12 is in a state of releasing pressure. Thus, said inner tube 11 may move axially to adjust the seat height. One end of said controlling wire 14 is fixed to the top end of said inner tube 11. The seat height may be adjusted by axial movements of said inner tube 11, so that said controlling wire 14 may have a residual wire 14a resulting from down-movement, as shown in FIG. 2, when said inner tube 11 moves down. Therefore, it is inconvenient to use.

Control mechanism of the adjustable seat post for a bicycle


The present invention provides replication competent polynucleotides that include a coding sequence encoding a hepatitis C virus polyprotein having adaptive mutations. The invention also includes methods for malting replication competent polynucleotides, identifying a compound that inhibits replication of a replication competent polynucleotide, selecting a replication competent polynucleotide, and detecting a replication competent polynucleotide.

Hepatitis C virus is the most common cause of chronic viral hepatitis within the United States, infecting approximately 4 million Americans and responsible for the deaths of 8,000-10,000 persons annually due to progressive hepatic fibrosis leading to cirrhosis and/or the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis C virus is a single stranded, positive-sense RNA virus with a genome length of approximately 9.6 kb. It is currently classified within a separate genus of the flavivirus family, the genus Hepacivirus. The hepatitis C virus genome contains a single large open reading frame (ORF) that follows a 5′ non-translated RNA of approximately 342 bases containing an internal ribosome entry segment (IRES) directing cap-independent initiation of viral translation. The large ORF encodes a polyprotein which undergoes post-translational cleavage, under control of cellular and viral proteinases. This yields a series of structural proteins which include a core or nucleocapsid protein, two envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2, and at least six nonstructural replicative proteins. These include NS2 (which with the adjacent NS3 sequence demonstrates cis-active metalloproteinase activity at the NS2/NS3 cleavage site), NS3 (a serine proteinase/NTPase/RNA helicase), NS4A (serine proteinase accessory factor), NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase).
With the exception of the 5′ non-translated RNA, there is substantial genetic heterogeneity among different stains of hepatitis C virus. Phylogenetic analyses have led to the classification of hepatitis C virus strains into a series of genetically distinct "genotypes," each of which contains a group of genetically related viruses. The genetic distance between some of these genotypes is large enough to suggest that there may be biologically significant serotypic differences as well. There is little understanding of the extent to which infection with a virus of any one genotype might confer protection against viruses of a different genotype.
The currently available therapy of interferon in combination with ribavirin has poor response rate against most prevalent strains of HCV, genotype 1a and 1b. Establishment of selectable subgenomic replicon systems has advanced the study of HCV RNA replication. However, only replicons of genotype 1b strains are readily available, and extension of replicon systems to other genotypes has been largely unsuccessful. Considering the nature of high genetic variability of HCV, HCV replication systems derived from other genotypes will be very helpful in the effort of drug discovery. In support with this notion, chimeric replicons containing a genotype 1a polymerase in the background of a genotype 1b replicon were more resistant to interferon treatment in vitro than the replicon derived from a genotype 1b HCV. Extension of replicon system to other genotypes are also necessary to understand the mechanism of HCV RNA replication and the contribution of variable sequences in that process.
Recently two groups reported the generation of genotype 1a replication system using highly permissive sublines of Huh-7 cells. Blight et al. (J. Virol. 77, 3181-3190 (2003)) were able to select G418 resistant colonies supporting replication of genotype 1a derived subgenomic replicons in a hyper-permissive Huh7 subline, Huh-7.5, that was generated by curing an established G418-resistant replicon cell line of the cubgenomic Con1 replicon RNA that had been used to select it by treatment with interferon-alpha (Blight et al., J. Virol., 76, 13001-13014 (2002)). Sequence analysis of replicating HCV RNAs inside of such selected cell lines showed that the most common critical mutations were located at amino acid position 470 of NS3 (P1496L) within domain II of the NS3 helicase, and the NS5A mutation (S2204I). In other case, Grobler et al. (J. Biol. Chem., 278,16741-16746 (February 2003)), used a systematic mutational approach to reach the similar conclusion that both P1496L and S2204I combination was necessary to get genotype 1a replication in a highly permissive Huh-7 subline which was selected in an independent but similar way. However, genotype 1a RNAs with these two enhanced mutations does not undergo replication in the Huh-7 cell line, indicating limited usefulness of this system.

Replication competent hepatitis C virus and methods of use

Board of Regents, the University of Texas System


Provided are a stacked LC resonator and a band pass filter using the same. The stacked LC resonator includes a flat metal base layer; a plurality of spiral inductors disposed layer by layer, corresponding to the flat metal base layer; and a plurality of dielectric layers, formed between the spiral inductors, and between the flat metal base layer and the spiral inductor corresponding to the flat metal base layer. The band pass filter includes two resonators with symmetrical structures, wherein the spiral inductors of the two resonators are disposed corresponding to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stacked LC resonator and band pass filter using the same and more particularly to a resonator with stacked LC structure, and a band pass filter using the same.
2. Related Art
The composite design of traditional coupling filters generally employs the microstrip structure. In order to allow the microstrip to form serial or parallel combinations of resonators with equivalent, the microstrip structure with half-wave length or quarter-wave length resonant frequency should be used to achieve the resonance effect of resonator. However, the microstrip structure with half-wave length or quarter-wave length resonant frequency takes up large space. Besides the equivalent microstrip resonator structure, discrete component may also be used to design resonator. This discrete structure needs to employ actual inductors and capacitors serially connected to each other to allow resonance effect; hence, too many inductors and capacitors may also take up large space, making it difficult to achieve miniaturization of the resonator.

Stacked LC resonator and band pass filter using the same


A linear position sensing system includes a sensor, a conduit and an enclosure. The sensor has a connector and a converting element, where the connector includes a first end attached to the converting element and a second end that passes through the conduit and is configured for attachment to a moveable element of an external device. The enclosure houses the sensor. The conduit includes a first end fitting that is attached to the enclosure and a second end fitting that is affixed at a port or other aperture of the external device. The second end of the connector is configured to be inserted in the port other aperture and attached to the moveable element without disassembly of the external device.

Linear position sensors may be used in a wide variety of applications including, for example, hydraulic energy storage systems, hydraulic actuators, and other similar applications. A linear position sensing system that can be easily adapted to different types of external devices and that is resistant to harsh environments would be desirable.

System and method of manufacture for a linear position sensor


In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, systems, methods, and media for protecting a digital data processing device from attack are provided. For example, in some embodiments, a method for protecting a digital data processing device from attack is provided, that includes, within virtual environment: receiving at least one attachment to an electronic mail; and executing the at least one attachment; and based on the execution of the at least one attachment, determining whether anomalous behavior occurs.

E-mail based worms and viruses, sometimes referred to as malware, may infect large numbers of hosts rapidly. E-mail malware can propagate as executable attachments that users are tricked into opening, thus potentially causing the malignant code to run and propagate. One way the propagation can occur, for example, is by the attacking code sending copies of itself to entries in the users' e-mail address books. While e-mail attachments are not the only vector by which malware propagates, they pose a substantial threat that merits special treatment, especially since attachments can be caught before they hit a user's machine. There are various approaches to defending against malicious software, for example, employing virus scanners to detect viruses.
Virus scanners are largely signature-based and typically identify security threats by scanning files for certain byte sequences that match already-known patterns of malicious code. Therefore, the scanners require an up-to-date signature database to be maintained. Maintaining such a database can be a difficult and resource-intensive problem. This problem can be exacerbated by the lag in the cycle of detecting a new attack and the deployment of a corresponding signature, especially when humans are involved in the process. Further complicating the situation is that many e-mail born viruses do not rely on software bugs. Instead, they rely on humans to click on the attachments, thus activating them. Thus, the need for frequent updates and the inherent delay between the creation of malicious software, and the detection and deployment of signatures or patches relegate signature-based techniques to a secondary role in the active security of systems.
Another approach, the use of behavior-based mechanisms, characterizes software based on the perceived effects that the software has on an examined system instead of relying on distinct signatures of that software. A benefit of this approach is that it can detect previously unseen attacks, that is, attacks for which the system has no prior knowledge or signatures. These attacks can be detected as long as there is some differentiation between the behavior of the attacking software and that of normal software. Many of these behavior-based systems rely on anomaly detection algorithms for their classification, and thus detection, of malignant code.
Anomaly-detection algorithms work by constructing models of normal behavior and subsequently checking observed behavior against these models for statistically significant variations that may hint at malicious behavior. The success of an anomaly detection algorithm can depend on the choice of an accurate behavior model. Host-based intrusion detection systems typically employ anomaly detection algorithms that are based on network activity, system call, and file system monitoring.
One negative aspect of host-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) is that the computational overhead associated with extracting behavior models from irregular and high-volume events may tax the processing power of the host. For example, analyzing all system calls in a system may impose considerable overhead due to the volume of events. Correlating this with the generally irregular nature of system calls imposes a considerable computational overhead. False positive rates may pose a further disadvantage.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods that overcome these and other deficiencies of prior systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems, methods, and media protecting a digital data processing device from attack

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, able to be sintered at ordinary pressure, and superior to the past in at least one of the properties unique to piezoelectric ceramic compositions such as the piezoelectric d31 constant, that is, a piezoelectric ceramic composition having a compound of a general formula {Lix(K1-yNay)1-x}(Nb1-z-wTazSbw)O3 where x, y, z, and w are in the ranges of 0≦x≦0.2, 0≦y≦1, 0<z≦0.4, and 0<w≦0.2 as a main ingredient, where the piezoelectric ceramic composition contains at least one metal element selected from (1) palladium, silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, rhenium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, (2) nickel, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc, or (3) magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium as an added element, and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric ceramic composition of a composition not containing lead and a method of production of the same and to a piezoelectric element and dielectric element using the piezoelectric ceramic composition as materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, as a piezoelectric ceramic composition, a PZT (PbTiO3—PbZrO3) component-based ceramic containing lead has been used. This is because the above PZT exhibits large piezoelectric properties and has a high mechanical quality factor superior in long-term stability and enables the easy fabrication of materials of various properties required for applications such as sensors, actuators, and filters.
Further, PZT has a high relative dielectric constant, so can also be used as a capacitor etc.
While a piezoelectric ceramic composition comprised of PZT has superior properties, it includes lead among its component elements, so harmful lead leaches out from the industrial waste of products containing the PZT and therefore environmental pollution is liable to be caused. The rising awareness of such environmental issues in recent years has made difficult the production of products which might become causes of environmental pollution such as with PZT. Therefore, development of a piezoelectric ceramic composition of a composition not containing lead is being sought. A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) has become the focus of attention. (See Journal of the American Ceramic Society, U.S., 1962, vol. 45, no. 5, p. 209.)
(A) Problem to be Solved I
A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) is difficult to fire, so hot press sintering is necessary. Therefore, there was the problem that the production costs became high.
Further, there was the problem that the piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula suffered from low properties such as the piezoelectric d31 constant, electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp, and Curie temperature Tc. Therefore, application was difficult to piezoelectric elements requiring high piezoelectric d31 constants and electromechanical coupling coefficients Kp such as piezoelectric actuators, piezoelectric filters, piezoelectric vibrators, piezoelectric transformers, piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, piezoelectric gyrosensors, knock sensors, yaw rate sensors, air bag sensors, back sonar, corner sonar, piezoelectric buzzers, piezoelectric speakers, and piezoelectric ignitors. Further, since the Curie temperature Tc is low, there was the problem that the piezoelectric properties deteriorated under a high temperature environment.
The invention was made in view of the above problem and has as its object to provide a piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, able to be sintered at ordinary pressure, and superior to the past in at least one of the properties unique to piezoelectric ceramic compositions such as the piezoelectric d31 constant and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.
(B) Problem to be Solved II
A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) suffers from the problem of low piezoelectric properties such as the piezoelectric d31 constant, electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp, piezoelectric g31 constant, and mechanical quality factor Qm. Therefore, application was difficult to a piezoelectric elements requiring a high piezoelectric d31 constant such as piezoelectric actuators, piezoelectric filters, piezoelectric vibrators, piezoelectric transformers, piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, piezoelectric gyrosensors, knock sensors, yaw rate sensors, air bag sensors, back sonar, corner sonar, piezoelectric buzzers, piezoelectric speakers, and piezoelectric ignitors.
Further, since the piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula has low dielectric properties such as the relative dielectric constant ∈33τ/∈0 and dielectric loss tan δ, there was the problem that application was difficult to a dielectric element such as a capacitor.
The present invention was made in view of the above problem in the prior art and has as its object to provide a piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, having high piezoelectric properties and dielectric properties, and superior in at least one of the piezoelectric d31 constant, relative dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and Curie temperature Tc and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.
(C) Problem to be Solved III
A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) suffers from the problem of low piezoelectric properties such as the piezoelectric d31 constant, electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp, piezoelectric g31 constant, and mechanical quality factor Qm and low dielectric properties such as the relative dielectric constant ∈33τ/∈0 and dielectric loss tan δ. Therefore, application was difficult to piezoelectric elements requiring a high piezoelectric d31 constant and electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp such as piezoelectric actuators, piezoelectric filters, piezoelectric vibrators, piezoelectric transformers, piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, piezoelectric gyrosensors, knock sensors, yaw rate sensors, air bag sensors, back sonar, corner sonar, piezoelectric buzzers, piezoelectric speakers, and piezoelectric ignitors and to dielectric elements such as capacitors.
To solve this problem, in addition to the piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3, various piezoelectric ceramic compositions of compositions not containing lead are being developed, but almost all of these cannot withstand practical use. Further, in general the piezoelectric d31 constant and mechanical quality factor Qm are contradictory in relationship, so it is particularly difficult to obtain a piezoelectric ceramic composition superior in both of the piezoelectric d31 constant and mechanical quality factor Qm.
The present invention was made in view of the above problem in the prior art and has as its object to provide a piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, having high piezoelectric properties and dielectric properties, and superior in both of the piezoelectric d31 constant and mechanical quality factor Qm and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.
(D) Problem to be Solved IV
A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) suffers from the problem of being difficult to sinter. Therefore, the sintered piezoelectric ceramic composition features a low apparent density and tends to have a large number of pores in its surface and inside. Therefore, a conventional piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 suffered from the problem of a susceptibility to a drop in its mechanical strength.
The present invention was made in view of the above problem in the prior art and has as its object to provide a piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, having a high apparent density, and having a low porosity and open porosity and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.
(E) Problem to be Solved v
A piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where, 0<x<1) suffers from the problem of low piezoelectric properties such as the piezoelectric d31 constant, electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp, piezoelectric g31 constant, and mechanical quality factor Qm. Therefore, application is difficult to piezoelectric elements requiring a high piezoelectric d31 constant and electromechanical coupling coefficient Kp such as piezoelectric actuators, piezoelectric filters, piezoelectric vibrators, piezoelectric transformers, piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, piezoelectric gyrosensors, knock sensors, yaw rate sensors, air bag sensors, back sonar, corner sonar, piezoelectric buzzers, piezoelectric speakers, and piezoelectric ignitors.
Further, since the piezoelectric ceramic composition of the above general formula has low dielectric properties such as the relative dielectric constant ∈33τ/∈0 and dielectric loss tan δ, there was the problem that application was difficult to a dielectric element such as a capacitor.
The present invention was made in view of the above problem in the prior art and has as its object to provide a piezoelectric ceramic composition not containing lead, having high piezoelectric properties and dielectric properties, and superior in at least one of the piezoelectric d31 constant, mechanical quality factor Qm, and relative dielectric constant and a method of production of the same and a piezoelectric element and dielectric element utilizing that piezoelectric ceramic composition.

Piezoelectric ceramic composition and method of production of same, piezoelectric element, and dielectric element


The disclosure provides a short-process separation system for separating ionic liquid from alkylation reaction effluent, comprising an alkylation reactor, an ionic liquid storage tank, a primary coalescence separator, a secondary coalescence separator, a flash tank, a low-temperature fine coalescence separator and a fractionating tower that are linked in order. The inlet of the ionic liquid storage tank communicates with the bottom flow ports of the primary coalescence separator, the secondary coalescence separator and the low-temperature fine coalescence separator through delivery lines, and the outlet of the ionic liquid storage tank communicates with the return port of the alkylation reactor through a delivery pump. The alkylated oil collected from this system has a high degree of cleanliness, and can be used directly as a component for formulating clean gasoline. The ionic liquid catalyst collected therefrom may be directly returned to the alkylation reactor for cycle use.

Along with rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles in cities, motor vehicle exhaust emission becomes the main source of atmospheric environmental pollution. Under the related environmental protection requirements, the government sets forth a policy for upgrading the vehicle fuel standard. The upgrade of the motor vehicle standard promotes great increase in the demand of high-octane gasoline components. Alkylated gasoline is a mixture of isoparaffins, and excels catalytic gasoline and reformed gasoline in low sulfur, nitrogen, aromatic hydrocarbons and olefins; low volatility; a low vapor pressure; a high-octane number; etc. It is an ideal clean gasoline component. Therefore, the novel C4 alkylation process technology had become a key aspect of the research of a good number of scientists.
Currently, based on the type of the catalyst, the process technology is classified into liquid acid alkylation process and solid acid alkylation process. Although solid acid has the characteristic of environmentally friendliness, it is prone to coking and deactivation, and thus needs frequent regeneration. As a result, its industrial application is limited. Liquid acid alkylation processes include hydrofluoric acid alkylation, sulfuric acid alkylation and ionic liquid alkylation. With respect to the hydrofluoric acid alkylation and sulfuric acid alkylation, as traditional industrial catalysts, hydrofluoric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid have strong corrosivity that causes potential safety risk to equipments and operators, and a large quantity of waste acid residues are generated as byproducts. In the prior art, a waste acid regeneration device is generally selected for recycling this type of solid wastes. However, this device is used under very harsh conditions with high energy consumption and equipment investment. Furthermore, it emits gaseous pollutants (SO2, NOx), and has poor economic and environmental benefits.
As a novel compound system, ionic liquid has the characteristics of a wide range of liquid state temperature; a low vapor pressure, low volatility, incombustibility, non-oxidation and good stability; a wide dissolution range with a relatively high solubility; adjustable acidity and the like. In addition, the ionic liquid has better characteristics than the traditional catalysts in various aspects such as product quality and yield, ionic liquid utilization efficiency, operation safety, environmental friendliness, operation convenience and the like. However, in the ionic liquid alkylation process, in order to obtain cleaner alkylated oil, it has become an industrial challenge to thoroughly separate the ionic liquid in the alkylation reactant to reduce the loss of the ionic liquid and remove the subsequent alkaline washing and water washing processes.
FIG. 1 shows a process flow chart for separating ionic liquid in a prior art of ionic liquid alkylation reactant. As shown by FIG. 1, after reaction in an alkylation reactor, the alkylation reaction effluent is fed into a primary cyclone splitter+a gravity settling tank for primary cyclone separation and settling. After the gravity settling, the ionic liquid is returned to the alkylation reactor or discharged. The supernatant after the settling and the alkylation reaction effluent obtained by the cyclone separation at an overflow port are fed into a secondary cyclone splitter+a gravity settling tank for secondary cyclone separation and settling. After the gravity settling, the ionic liquid is returned to the alkylation reactor or discharged. The supernatant after the settling and the alkylation reaction effluent obtained by cyclone separation at an overflow port are fed into a gravity settling tank for gravity settling again. The ionic liquid at the bottom of the gravity settling tank is returned to the alkylation reactor or discharged. The upper clean alkylation reaction effluent is sent to a flash tank for flash evaporation, and then enters an alkaline washing tower for alkaline washing, wherein the used alkaline water is discharged, and the alkylation reaction effluent after the alkaline washing is sent to a water washing tower for water washing with process water, wherein the used waste water is discharged. The water washed product is sent to a drying system, and finally to a fractionating tower for fractional distillation.
In the prior art, the ionic liquid phase and the alkane oil phase in the alkylation reaction product are separated by way of cyclone+gravity settling. This way has the defects of a large ionic liquid inventory in the separation system, a low separation precision, a large equipment investment, a high operation cost, and a large amount of waste water generated in subsequent alkaline washing and water washing processes which pollutes the environment.
Therefore, it is a great challenge in the petrochemical field to recycle the ionic liquid in a way that really realizes its recycling, and further promotes popularization and application of the clean process.

Short-process separation system for separating ionic liquid from alkylation reaction effluent

East China University of Science and Technology


A method which enables high-accuracy color conversion. On condition that conversion from a second color space into a first color space can be made accurately, target coordinates in the first color space are determined and coordinates in the second color space are arbitrarily determined. The coordinates in the second color space are converted into coordinates in the first color space and the difference between the resulting coordinates and the target coordinates is calculated. A trial for moving the coordinates in the second color space is repeated until the difference becomes smaller than a prescribed threshold. Therefore, the correlation between the first and second color spaces can be defined by repeating only the accurate conversion process so that color conversion can be accurately made over the whole color gamut according to the correlation thus defined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a color conversion table, an apparatus for forming a color conversion table, a program fro forming a color conversion table and a printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image devices such as displays and printers usually produce colors using color image data which express three color components in terms of tone values. For example, they employ a color system such as the RGB color system which uses R (red), G (green), and B (blue) or the CMY color system which uses C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow). Since these color systems are usually device dependent, an LUT (lookup table) which defines the correspondence or correlation between color systems has been used in order to enable output of the same image with the same colors on different image devices. Such LUTs include ones which define the correlation between the color system of an input image device and that of an output image device, and ones which define the correlation between an output image device's color system and the absolute color space.
In a printing apparatus, usually an LUT must define the correlation by M3 coordinate points (where M denotes the number of grid points per color component). Since it is unrealistic to measure all points using a calorimeter, N3 coordinate points are picked up as sample data to determine M3 coordinate points (M>N). For example, in order to correlate Luv coordinate values with CMY coordinate values, N3 patches printed according to given CMY data are measured with a calorimeter to yield Luv coordinate data, and linear interpolation such as volume interpolation is performed based on the obtained correlation to work out CMY coordinate values which correspond to arbitrary M3 Luv coordinate values.
The above-mentioned conventional color conversion program has the following problem.
Since sample color patches are printed on the above-mentioned printing apparatus, CMY coordinate values of cubic lattice points can be selected in the CMY color system, but a lattice formed by coordinate values in a uniform color space such as Luv color system is generally distorted. In the above volume interpolation calculation, arbitrary coordinates in the cubic lattice can be converted into coordinates in the distorted lattice with high accuracy; however, accurate conversion of arbitrary coordinates in the distorted lattice into coordinates in the cubic lattice requires numerous lattice points and N3 coordinate points as mentioned above are not sufficient for this purpose. Therefore, an LUT thus formed is not accurate enough.
In an actual printing process, coordinate values are worked out by interpolation with coordinate values as defined by the above LUT and thus color conversion is not made accurately. Concretely, it is impossible to avoid a phenomenon that some area in the color space is less accurate than the other area, leading to a tone jump in the printed result. This method does not guarantee a certain level of accuracy for different types of printing apparatuses and the color conversion accuracy may be extremely low in some types of printing apparatuses

Method for forming color conversion table, apparatus for forming color conversion table, program for forming color conversion table and printing apparatus