A power system for providing an uninterruptible power supply to an external load has a first motor adapted to be connected to a source of power, a flywheel/generator adapted to supply power to the external load, a standby generator switchably electrically connected to the flywheel/generator, and a second motor drivingly connected to the generator/motor and to the internal combustion engine. The second motor is electrically connected to the power supplied by the flywheel/generator. The first motor is drivingly connected to the flywheel/generator. The flywheel/generator is electrically isolated from the source of power. The standby generator has an internal combustion engine that is driving connected to a generator/motor. The generator/motor is adapted to supply power to the flywheel/generator or the external load upon a change in power supplied by the flywheel/generator or the source of power. The second motor is an AC squirrel cage induction motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to uninterruptible power systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to no-break power supplies that keep an external load electrically isolated from the power supply while assuring adequate power to the external load. The present invention also relates to standby power systems for supplying power to an external load in the event of an interruption or change of power provided by the source of power.
2. Description of Related an Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
It is customary in situations of critical electrical power requirements to provide an auxiliary power source which can be switched to and from the load in the event of commercial power failure or excessive power variations. In some situations, however, the criticality of the load is such that interruptions or variations in power caused by such switching, although slight, cannot be tolerated. For example, during the countdown period prior to launch of a space vehicle, it is very important that the power supplying the load to the various computers and data equipment be uninterrupted. Typically, computer systems require a constant power supply. Interruptions in the power supply can erase memory and injure the software and hardware of the computer. Other situations where uninterruptible power supplies are considered important include: automatic banking services, automatic industrial processes, communication and signaling centers for maritime and aerial transportation, radio and television stations, and various emergency and security services.
Commercial power alone is generally not considered sufficiently reliable as a sole source of power for such usages. Interruptions commonly occur and loads may vary as other users come on and off the commercial power line. These problems are enhanced in the lesser developed countries where power systems are only in the initial stage of development.
Uninterruptible power systems are generally known within the prior art. Such uninterruptible power supplies usually comprise a generator and two prime movers, one of which normally drives the generator, and the other normally being stationary. When the normally operating prime mover ceases to function for any reason, the normally stationary prime mover is brought up to speed and is connected to drive the generator, usually through a clutch, thereby insuring a continuous supply of current from the generator. Commonly, a kinetic energy supply and device such as a flywheel or a D.C. dynamoelectric machine is coupled to the generator and supplies energy thereto during the transitional period when the generator load is being transferred from one prime mover to the other. One prior art type of no-break power supply comprises an internal combustion engine adapted to be connected through a normally disengaged clutch to a flywheel, the flywheel being connected in turn to the rotor of an electric generator which in turn is connected to the rotor of an A.C. motor. Another prior art type of no-break power supply employs a D.C. dynamoelectric machine in place of the flywheel, both of these devices acting to supply kinetic energy during the aforementioned transitional period.
In the operation of a prior art no-break power supply of either of the aforementioned types, the generator and kinetic energy supplying device are normally driven by the A.C. motor. When there is a failure of the A.C. motor, as, for example, may be caused by an interruption in the power supplied to the A.C. motor, the internal combustion engine is started automatically, brought up to speed, and the clutch is then engaged. The internal combustion engine then drives the generator. During the transitional period when the load is being shifted from one prime mover to the other, the kinetic energy of the flywheel or D.C. machine is utilized to maintain the rotation of the generator.
The prior art shows the number of patented devices that supply uninterruptible power to an external load. U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,704 describes a motor-generator-engine assemblage arranged so as to provide a constant source of electrical power. This device employs a clutch as the switching arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,172 is a no-break power supply employing a differential between the primary motor and the standby motor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,762 discloses an improved method for maintaining the supply of electrical energy to a load during an interruption of the normal supply of electrical power. This device employs a clutch of the eddy current type. U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,710 is an emergency power system providing an uninterrupted power source having an electric generator for supplying energy to a load, a first motor adapted to be connected to a source of power external as a power system, and a second motor for driving the generator. This system also provides an auxiliary generator driven by a diesel engine for supplying the second motor through a relay connection. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,116 relates to systems for capturing the information stored in a volatile semiconductor memory during the loss of electric power.
Typically, these prior art uninterruptible power supplies have a number of disadvantages. In certain devices, the clutch or differential is a weak mechanical link in the system and from time to time requires replacement. Generally speaking, the internal combustion engine, clutch, flywheel, a generator, and A.C. motor must be mounted end-to-end with their respective shafts coupled together. This creates a power supply of considerable physical length which can be difficult to install in a small area. Auxiliary controls must be provided to start the internal combustion engine, to bring it up to speed, and to engage the generator at the proper time. Many of the prior art devices do not operate as load isolators from the power line during normal operations. As a result, fluctuations in electrical power, such as brownouts, would continue to affect the external load.
In order to overcome these problems associated with the prior art, the present inventor developed uninterruptible power systems that are the subject of several patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,834, issued on Jul. 17, 1984 to the present inventor, describes an uninterruptible power system for providing an uninterruptible power supply to an external load. The power system includes a flywheel generator, a first motor, a standby generator, and a transfer controller. The flywheel generator is adapted to supply power to the external load. The first motor is drivingly connected to the flywheel generator. The first motor is adapted to be connected to a source of power external to the power system. The standby generator is electrically connected to the first motor. A standby motor is drivingly connected to the standby generator. The transfer controller is adapted to switchably interconnect the first motor to the source of power and to interconnect the standby generator to the first motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,375, issued on Aug. 11, 1987 also to the present inventor, shows an uninterruptible power supply co-generation system which includes a first generator connected to a primary external load, a second generator connected to a secondary external load, and a prime mover connected to the first and second generators by a common shaft. The first generator is electrically isolated from the secondary external load. The prime mover is an internal combustion engine that supplies rotational movement to the common shaft. The secondary external load is the electrical utility. A thermal recovery system is connected to the internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,227,938, issued on Jul. 24, 2012 also to the present inventor, discloses a batteryless starter for an uninterruptible power system. This uninterruptible power systems includes a motor generator means for conditioning electric power, a backup generator means having an internal combustion engine having an electrically-driven starter so as to provide backup electric power, an electrical switch that is electrically connected to power mains and to the electrical output of the backup generator and to the electrical input of the motor generator for selectively switching power from the electric means and the backup generator to the motor generator. The starter switch is electrically connected to the output of the motor generator and electrically connected to the input of the starter system for switchably connecting the output of the motor generator to the starter.
A variety of other patents have also issued relating to such uninterruptible power systems that address certain problems found in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,635, issued on Oct. 1, 1991 to G. West, provides an uninterruptible power supply with a variable speed drive which drives a synchronous motor/generator. The synchronous motor/generator and the variable speed drive are connected to inductively accelerate the motor/generator to near synchronous speed. When the motor/generator assembly reaches near synchronous speed, the motor/generator is switched to synchronous operation, while still under control of the variable speed drive. The variable speed drive is connected to maintain synchronicity with the motor/generator during acceleration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,458, issued on Jul. 8, 1997 to Bowyer et al., provides an uninterruptible power supply that provides conditioned AC power to a critical load. This uninterruptible power system includes a variable speed drive that operates in response to AC utility power or to a standby DC input by providing a motor drive signal. The uninterruptible power supply power conditioning unit further includes a motor-generator that operates in response to the motor drive output by providing the conditioned AC power to the critical load. In response to an outage in the utility AC power, standby DC power is provided by a standby DC power source that includes a variable speed drive and a flywheel motor-generator connected to the variable speed drive. Both the power conditioning unit and the standby DC power source are initially operated in response to the utility AC power. The flywheel motor-generator stores kinetic energy in a rotating flywheel. When an outage occurs, the rotating flywheel continues to operate the flywheel motor-generator of the standby DC power source so as to cause the production of AC power which is rectified and provided as standby DC power to operate the variable speed drive of the power conditioning unit until either the utility AC power outage is over or a standby emergency generator is brought on line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,591, issued on Jun. 16, 1998 to J. F. Pinkerton, discloses a method and apparatus for providing startup power to a genset-backed uninterruptible power supply. In this apparatus, the flywheel energy storage device produces three-phase AC voltage and is used to provide temporary power to a critical load while a backup power supply, such as a diesel generator set is accelerated to full speed. The startup power for the genset is also provided from the flywheel energy storage device through a circuit that converts the AC voltage at one level to DC voltage at a lower level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,960, issued on Sep. 22, 1998 to Van Sickle et al., teaches a batteryless uninterruptible power supply. This power supply converts mechanical rotation generated by a local power source to electrical power in the event of commercial line power distortion or failure. The uninterruptible power supply uses a voltage and frequency-tolerant rectifier-inverter combination that converts the decaying output of a de-accelerating synchronous alternating current machine to a stable alternating current voltage for driving a critical load.
A problem associated with these prior art mechanisms is the amount of delay involved in bringing the internal combustion engine up to a synchronous speed for the production of power. In most circumstances where an internal combustion engine is used or, in particular, a diesel engine is used, a starter is required in order to charge a flywheel to begin the operation of the engine. The starter is typically powered by DC power. As such, there is a small delay (of approximately four to six seconds) in achieving full power production from the engine. As such, a need has developed so as to provide a system whereby the internal combustion engine can be accelerated more quickly and brought up to synchronous speed in a rapid manner.
Starters are somewhat notorious for unreliable operation. As such, whenever the ability to start the internal combustion engine is dependent upon a starter, users of the uninterruptible power supply system are often concerned that if there were a failure of the starter, the backup generator would not be effective in maintaining the uninterruptible load. As such, a redundant system is felt to be desirable so as to assure that internal combustion engine is always operable, even in the event of starter failure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that can be reliably started.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that enhances the acceleration of the internal combustion engine for the generation of backup power.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that avoids the use of batteries.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that minimizes the amount of control technology required for the operation of the system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that effectively avoids voltage drops during the startup of the standby generator.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.

Power system for providing an uninterruptible power supply to an external load


Embodiments of the invention are directed to classifying requests associated with personal data at or before a point of entry to a trusted computing network. The invention provides for determining whether a request associated with personal data requires classification (for example, whether the request is impacted by regulations or other requirements necessitating classification/categorization). The determination may be based on what entity is requesting the data, the origin of the request, whose data is being requested, the type of action associated with the request and/or the data elements associated with the request. In addition, once the request has been determined to require classification the specific classification is determined and assigned to the request. The classification may be determined based on the rules associated with the regulation or other requirement(s) necessitating the classification/categorization. The classification may identify rules for processing the request along with routing for the request.

A need exists to develop systems, apparatus, methods or the like for initiating real-time processing of a resource event. Currently, real-time processing of resource events is triggered by physical presentation of resources or a resource depository identifier. However, in today's digital world it would be advantageous, for the purposes of being able to conduct resource events across multiple different digital channels, to be able to initiate real-time processing of a resource event by other means. In addition, such systems, apparatus, methods or the like should provide a means for verifying the identity of the user of the alternate means and, thus, authorizing the user to proceed with initiating the real-time processing of the resource event.

Resource instrument for processing a real-time resource event


A fabric softening composition capable of reducing the transfer of dyes during subsequent wash cycles comprising:. I. an effective amount of fabric softening agent; and PA1 II. an effective amount of water-soluble polymeric dye transfer inhibitor which is a poly(vinylpyridine betaine PA1 R and R.sub.2 are independently hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; PA1 n is 1-5; and PA1 M is a cation; and copolymers thereof.. containing a quaternary nitrogen and a carboxylate salt having dye transfer inhibitor properties having the formula: ##STR1## where m defines a repeating unit; X is an anion;

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compositions and processes useful for inhibiting the transfer of dyes, released into laundering solution from colored fabrics, from one fabric to another, and more particularly, to effective dye complexing polymers for use therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One troublesome and persistent problem during laundering operations is the tendency of some colored fabrics to release dye into the laundering solution which dye is then transferred onto other fabrics.
Manufacturers use many types of dye to color fabrics. Common fabric dyes include direct dyes used primarily to color cotton and rayon, acid dyes used primarily on nylon, wool, and silk, disperse dyes used primarily on polyester, nylon, and Spandex, azo dyes used primarily on cotton, rayon, and silk, reactive dyes used primarily on cotton and rayon, and vat dyes used primarily on cotton. Direct, acid and disperse dyes are in general readily released into washing solution while azo and vat dyes are not. When properly applied, reactive dyes chemically bond to cellulose and therefore are not readily solubilized; however, if improperly applied, reactive dyes may also release into the wash solution. Cotton, nylon, rayon and Spandex fabrics have a strong propensity to pick up solubilized or suspended dyes from solution, while polyester fabrics pick up such dyes to a lesser extent.
In the laundry operation, especially the operation involving automatic washing machines, dye transfer occurs mainly during the wash cycle, and very seldom, if at all, during the rinse cycle. Dye transfer during the wash cycle is caused by higher water temperature, longer cycle time, and much higher surfactant concentration in the wash cycle, as compared to the less stringent conditions of the rinse cycle.
Thus, those skilled in the art have focused efforts to inhibit dye transfer by adding dye transfer inhibitors to detergent compositions. For example, European Patent Application 265,257, Clements et al., published Apr. 27, 1988, discloses detergent compositions which prevent dye transfer, containing a detergent active (mixtures of anionic and nonionic are preferred), a detergent builder, and a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) mixture. German Pat. No. 3,519,012, Weber et al., published Nov. 27, 1986, teaches a detergent composition comprising nonionic surfactants, PVP components, water-soluble cationic components, and builders, to prevent dye transfer during the wash.
Dye transfer inhibitors (DTI), such as PVP, appear to solubilize into the wash water to scavenge the free dye molecules, thus suspending the dyes and preventing them from redepositing onto fabrics.
DTI may interact with some detergent actives. For example, detergent compositions containing PVP and anionic surfactants usually have decreased dye transfer inhibition performance compared to those detergents containing PVP and nonionic surfactants. It is believed that anionic surfactants interact with PVP in the wash cycle, and reduce PVP's ability to interact with free dye molecules.
The prior art in this field is represented by the following patents and publications:
______________________________________ Patent Subject Matter ______________________________________ (1) JP 53-50732 Formulas Nos. 3, 6 and (1) are water insoluble compounds and polymers used in printing ink compositions; (2) PCT/US94/06849 Dye inhibiting composition polymers WO 95/03390 of PVP, polyamine N-oxide, vinyl- imidazole are used in laundry detergent compositions; (3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,752 Polyamine N-oxide polymers described for use in laundry detergent compositions; (4) EPA 664335 A1 Polysulfoxide polymers; (5) PCT/US93/10542 Laundry compositions include WO 94/11473 polyamine-N-oxide and brighteners and surfactants; (6) PCT/EP93/02851 PVP and PVI are present in laundry WO 94/10281 compositions; (7) PCT/US94/11509 Poly(4-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) (PVPNO) WO 95/13354 and copolymers of VP and VI are described; (8) EP 754748 A1 Vinylpyridine copolymers and formic acid; (9) EP 0664332A1 Polyamine oxide polymers; (10) U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,197 PVPNO + clay softening; (11) U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,809 PVPNO; (12) U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,802 PVPNO and PVP-VI; (13) U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,151 Copolymers of VP or VI; vinylpyridine or dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate or dimethylaminopropylmethacrylamide, including up to 20% vinylacetate; (14) PCT/US95/04019 PVPNO, PVP, PVP-PI and copolymers of WO 95/27038 VP and VI; (15) EPA 628624 A1 PVPNO with protease; (16) DE 4224762 A1 VP polymers; (17) J. Polymer Water-insoluble poly(4-vinylpyridine) Sci. 26, compounds and polymers No. 113, p. 25-254 (1957) (18) PCT/US93/10451 Fabric softener compositions containing PVP as DTI ______________________________________
All percentages, ratios, and parts herein are by weight unless otherwise stated.

Fabric softening compositions with dye transfer inhibitors for improved fabric appearance


A suspension mechanism for a reel mower vehicle, having arm members coupled between a vehicle and a cutting unit, a lever member coupled with each arm member, and a hydraulic cylinder coupled the lever member. A hydraulic circuit actuates the cylinders for lifting the arm members and cutting units to a transport position. A variable restriction valve is provided for causing the cylinders to apply a downforce to the arm members and cutting units for securing the cutting units against the ground over irregular ground conditions, and is adjustable for varying the magnitude of the downforce.

This invention relates to reel mower cutting units and the mechanisms that attach reel mowers to vehicles. Conventional reel mower vehicles include a plurality of arm members that extend from the vehicle, each arm having a reel-type cutting unit attached to its outer end portion. The reel-type cutting units typically include front and rear rollers that carry the cutting units across the surface of the ground during mowing operation. The blades of the rotating reel interact with a bedknife to cut grass or other vegetation with a scissoring action.
Many conventional mowing vehicles allow the weight of the cutting unit and arm to maintain the cutting unit in contact with the ground during mowing operations. However, when relatively high traveling speeds are achieved during mowing operations, the cutting unit can tend to bounce up or rise out of contact with the ground when irregular ground conditions are encountered. In an attempt to reduce bouncing of the cutting unit, springs have been coupled between the vehicle and the arm member for pressing the arm down and thereby biasing the cutting unit against the ground. However, conventional spring downloading mechanisms have several disadvantages. The force exerted by the springs will vary as the length of the spring changes. Therefore, as the cutting unit and arm shift up and down relative to the vehicle as ground irregularities or bumps are encountered, the spring will stretch or contract, resulting in a varying downforce being applied. The height at which the grass is cut can be affected by the difference in downforce applied by the spring, and the quality of cut may be adversely affected. Also, in order to adjust the amount of the downforce to adapt to different mowing conditions, mowing operations must be stopped, and the length of the spring must be adjusted. Therefore, springs used to supply downforce to arm members generally do not allow for adjustments "on-the-go", and require mowing operations to be interrupted for adjustment of the downforce. An additional disadvantage of spring downloading mechanisms is that, if they are adjustable for varying the magnitude of the downforce, the range within which they are adjustable is relatively small, since a particular spring can only be compressed or extended so far. Springs may also tend to add manufacturing and assembly costs to the vehicle.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a mechanism for coupling a cutting unit with a vehicle, and that is adapted to both lift the cutting units during transport, and to press the cutting unit downwardly against the ground during mowing operations. It would be desirable for such a mechanism to provide a constant downforce to the cutting units during mowing operations such that the cut quality is enhanced. Furthermore, it would be desirable for an operator of such a mechanism to be able to make adjustments during mowing operations to change the amount of downforce imparted to the cutting units without interrupting the forward travel of the vehicle. It would also be desirable for such a mechanism to be capable of being manufactured and assembled at relatively low cost.


A coiled tubing completion system has a gripping mechanism on a lower end which land in a tubing hanger and engage coiled tubing extending through the tubing hanger. A tubular member is located above the gripping member and receives the upper end of the tubing. A tapered metal seal seals between the tubular member and the coiled tubing. A threaded nut, when rotated, causes the seal to energize.

In certain wells, coiled tubing is used as a conduit to retrieve production fluids. Coiled tubing is a continuous flexible metal tube that is unwound from a large reel and forced into the well. Coiled tubing requires a completion system having a specialized tubing hanger which suspends the coiled tubing in the well.
Typically, prior art coiled tubing hangers have a mechanism such as a clamp for gripping the coiled tubing to support its weight and prevent its downward movement. The tubing hangers also have some type of elastomeric seal such as O-rings to seal around the exterior surface of the coiled tubing. Although these designs are workable, an improved coiled tubing completion system is desirable, particularly for higher pressures.


A side branch resonator for attenuating sound waves of first and second frequencies, the side branch resonator comprising a discharge branch; a resonator branch; an inlet branch flow connected to the discharge branch having an axis, the resonator branch having a wall which defines a resonator branch interior; the resonator branch having an open resonator branch end and a closed resonator branch end; the resonator further comprising an attenuation member for attenuating the first frequency sound waves. The attenuation member is located in the resonator branch interior a first distance from the axis and upstream from the resonator branch closed end. The closed resonator branch end is located a second distance from the axis to provide attenuation of the second frequency sound waves.

The invention relates to a resonator; and more particularly the invention relates to a unitary dual frequency side branch resonator having an inlet branch, a discharge branch, and a resonator branch with attenuating means for attenuating sound waves at a first frequency located in the resonator branch and a resonator branch closed end downstream of the attenuating means for attenuating sound waves at a second frequency.
Mobile temperature control units are typically mounted on the end of a trailer behind the cab. The units can be quite noisy approaching sound levels of 80 dB and the loud units make it difficult for the driver to sleep while the unit is running, and furthermore while driving, the emitted noise can be a source of driver discomfort on long hauling trips. The relatively low driver retention rate in the trucking industry is in large part attributed to relatively high noise emission levels of refrigeration units. Additionally, the relatively loud units introduce considerable noise into the "community" when the units are being unloaded at loading docks, grocery stores, distribution centers or dairies; or when the associated trucks are parked at motels or hotels.
Much of the noise produced by a refrigeration unit is generated by the refrigeration unit's prime mover which is typically a diesel engine. The diesel engine drives a compressor which compresses a conventional refrigerant during a well known conventional refrigeration cycle. A large portion of the diesel engine noise is generated during the combustion process. A portion of the combustion noise produced by the diesel engine flows unabated upstream and out the diesel engine air intake manifold.
Frequently an air cleaner is flow connected to the intake manifold and the air cleaner serves to attenuate the higher frequency wave components of the engine noise. As a result, the resultant filtered engine noise is comprised mainly of low frequency noise. The resultant low frequency noise is at a frequency that is too low to be attenuated by common techniques and methods such as acoustical foam.
Known conventional apparatus for attenuating multiple frequency sound waves are typically expensive and complex and are comprised of multiple component parts such as valves or flappers. Others require separate branches for each frequency sound wave attenuated. Such known devices for attenuating multiple frequencies are bulky and do not easily fit in the limited space of a refrigeration unit.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.


Valve assemblies which comprise a valve housing; an inner valve element; an outer valve element spaced apart from the inner valve element; a valve stem on which both the inner valve element and the outer valve element are located; a portion of the valve stem between the inner valve element and the outer valve element is threaded; and a protective element located within the valve housing and covering the threaded portion of the valve stem.

The present invention relates to valve assemblies, for example, valve assemblies which are operated to facilitate and/or control fluid flow, and to methods of using same. The present valve assemblies include a valve housing through which fluid, e.g., liquid and/or gas, can pass between an inner or first valve element and an outer or second valve element.
Drain valves, for example, water drain valves and the like, are designed to provide high flow-capacity, leak-proof shutoff and non-freezing operation.
Such valves may utilize a double valve element construction which includes an inner valve and an outer valve that both operate on the same valve stem, for example, permitting the valve chamber, that is, the space between the inner and outer valves, to drain sufficiently before the outer valve is closed.
Because of the advantageous high flow capacity of such valves, the flow rate or velocity of the fluid in the valve chamber is quite high. Also, the fluid, e.g. liquid, being passed through the valve assembly can be, and often is, contaminated with materials, such as solid particles, dirt and the like, which can cause damage to and/or hinder the operation of the valve. It is often not possible or impractical to use mechanical means, such as filters, to ensure that the fluid being passed through the valve is contaminant free.
Because of the double action, single handwheel, single valve stem mechanisms of many of such valves, the valve stem between the inner and outer valve elements includes one or more threaded portions, which facilitate the ability of the single handwheel to open or close each of the inner and outer valve elements, as desired.
Thus, it may be important, even necessary, to have a portion of the valve stem be threaded. Exposing the threaded portion of the valve stem to the fluid (liquid) being passed through the valve can have a number of detrimental consequences.
For example, the threads of the threaded portion of the valve stem can become contaminated, e.g., clogged or blocked, by debris in the fluid being passed through the valve. This can result in the valve not functioning properly or even becoming non-functional. In this event, the valve may have to be taken out of service and cleaned, which can be time and/or labor intensive, and may require shutting down the operation in which the valve is used.
In another circumstance, the threads of the threaded portion of the valve stem are often lubricated, e.g., with grease and the like lubricants, to facilitate the functioning of the threaded portion. With the threaded portion being exposed to a high flow of fluid in the valve, the lubricant may be lost from the threaded portion of the valve stem, which can adversely affect the performance of the valve and result in added cost and/or process downtime. Moreover, the lubricant from the threaded portion may be lost in a product passing through the valve, which may result in unwanted, disadvantageous and costly contamination of the product.
Other disadvantages of having the threaded portion of such a valve stem exposed to large volumes of flowing fluid include, for example, harmful corrosion of the threaded portion; reduced valve life; more frequent and/or more extensive valve service/maintenance and the like.
All of the disadvantages of using a valve with a valve stem having a threaded portion exposed to the fluid being processed through the valve have had to be endured because the functioning of the valve required that such a threaded portion of the valve stem be present.

Valve assemblies with internal protective elements and methods of using same


A refrigerator cabinet operated by an absorption refrigerating apparatus has a freezing compartment cooled by an upper part of an evaporator of the apparatus and a refrigerating compartment that is cooled by a lower part of the evaporator. The temperature in the refrigerating compartment is kept at a set value by activating or shutting off the refrigerating apparatus. The upper part of the evaporator is provided with a thermally conductive plate for cooling the freezing compartment. The temperature in the freezing compartment is kept at a set value by heat transfer to the plate. For example, a variable speed fan in the freezing compartment moves the air through a duct and past the plate. A film heater on the plate is used for defrosting and for controlling temperature in the freezing compartment.

The invention relates generally to a refrigerator cabinet cooled by an absorption refrigerating apparatus and specifically to an automatic defrosting system for the refrigerator cabinet.
Refrigerator cabinets include a freezing compartment, refrigerated by an upper part of an evaporator, and a refrigerating compartment, refrigerated by a lower part of the evaporator. The operation of the refrigerating apparatus is controlled by a first means, which senses the temperature in the refrigerating compartment. The air in the freezing compartment is refrigerated by a fan circulating the air past the upper part of the evaporator. Such a refrigerator cabinet is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,675. Its electrically driven fan is in operation when the refrigerating apparatus is in operation and is shut off when the evaporator is defrosted.
Such a cabinet has the drawback that, when the ambient temperature is low, say +10.degree. C., the demand for cooling in the refrigerating compartment, which for instance is maintained at a temperature of +3.degree. C., will decrease and the refrigerating apparatus will be shut off during periods that are longer than when the ambient temperature is higher. Thus, the flow of refrigerant through the evaporator will decrease causing the temperature in the freezing compartment to rise.
The object of the invention is to eliminate such a drawback and effectively control the temperature in the freezing compartment, not only for efficient cooling, but also for efficient automatic defrosting of the freezing compartment.

Absorption refrigerator with automatic defrosting


A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine allow an optimal restriction of the ignition angle. In this context, a limit value for an ignition angle is specified as a function of an operating point of the internal combustion engine. The limit value for the ignition angle is corrected as a function of a misfire limit of the internal combustion engine.

From U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,159 it is known to ascertain the number of combustion misses with the aid of a counter.
From German Patent Application No. DE 199 45 811 a combustion-miss detection method is known in which a measure for the irregular running of the combustion engine is formed and compared to a threshold value that is a function of the load of the combustion engine, an exceeding of this threshold value being evaluated as combustion miss.
From German Patent No. DE 197 06 126 it is known to describe the combustion-miss detection via fluctuations of the angular velocity of the crankshaft. The general engine-speed tendency and, additionally, irregular engine-speed changes are taken into account. The described method provides an irregular running value, which is proportional to the change in the angular velocity of the crankshaft. The irregular running value thus obtained is subsequently compared to a limit value, and a combustion miss is detected if the irregular running value exceeds the limit value.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine


Computer-implemented methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques for validating and correcting structured electronic documents. The techniques include identifying a structural aspect of a structured electronic document that fails to conform to rules of a markup language format. One or more changes are suggested that would correct the identified structural aspect. User input is received selecting a change of the suggested changes. The selected change is applied to the structured electronic document. The rules are associated with the structured electronic document.

The invention relates to correcting validation errors in structured electronic documents. A structured electronic document is an electronic document that includes content information, such as text characters, graphics, images, and the like, and structure information that defines how the content information is arranged and/or related in the document. The document structure can be specified according to a markup language format having one or more associated sets of rules that define what information is allowed in the document and in what order, so that the document can be understood by a computer. An electronic document that conforms to an associated set of rules is often said to be "well-formed" or "valid".
A structured electronic document can include data, representing structure and content, and metadata. Metadata may identify the type of the structured document, refer to a set of rules stored separately from the document, or may itself include a list of rules. The metadata can include version data and audit trails, author data and annotations, language data, workflow routing information, asset management information, configuration information, data source information, or any other kind of data describing the document as a whole. FIG. 1 illustrates a structured electronic document with metadata 110 referring to rules stored separately from the document. FIG. 2 illustrates a structured electronic document with metadata 210 itself including a list of rules.
Structured electronic documents are often arranged according to a hierarchical structure, in which child elements of structure and content are associated with parent elements. Labeling pieces of document content is useful to allow a human or computer to understand the significance of the content. Associating child elements of structure and content with parent elements is useful to allow a human or computer to understand the relation of the child elements to each other.
The logical structure of a structured electronic document can be explicitly indicated in the document by "markup", which consists of tags, references, delimiters and the like, that are inserted into the content of the document and that specify the logical components of the document. Markup in a structured electronic document is typically specified according to a markup language. For example, the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that can be used to describe hierarchically-structured electronic documents. See Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 (Second Edition), T. Bray, et al. (eds.), Oct. 6, 2000 www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-xml-20001006 ("The XML specification"). The XML specification itself defines a set of rules with which XML documents are expected to conform. Additional rules for a given document or set of documents can be specified in a SGML or XML document type definition (DTD) or XML schema.
The process of determining whether a document conforms to an associated set of rules is known as validation. For XML or SGML documents, this can include determining whether the document is "well-formed"—that is, whether the document conforms to the rules set out in the appropriate specification (and is therefore a legal markup language document)—and whether the document is "valid", conforming to the rules specified by a document type definition or schema associated with the document. If a document fails to conform to a set of rules, it is because at least one aspect of the document fails to conform to at least one rule. A computer program validating a document may inform a user of the non-conforming aspect, and of the rule that is violated, so that the user has the necessary information to devise a correction for the document.
Electronic data are often stored in structured electronic documents to make programmatic reading, writing, and searching the data easier and more efficient, but users must be careful when editing structured electronic documents by hand to follow the rules associated with the documents. It may be easy for a computer reading a structured electronic document to alert a user when an aspect of a document's structure fails to conform to all the rules. But even if the computer specifies both the non-conforming aspect of the document and the rule which triggered the alert, the document or the rules may be too complicated for the user to understand and correct the error herself. If the user is able to understand and correct the error, it may be wastefully time-consuming for her to do so.

Correcting validation errors in structured documents


A marine propulsion device includes an engine, a driving shaft coupled to the engine and configured to transmit power, a first cooling water pump configured to be driven by the driving force of the driving shaft and to pump cooling water to cool the engine, a cooling water path configured to supply the cooling water sent by the first cooling water pump to the engine, and a pressurization mechanism arranged in a water passage upstream of a suction port of the first cooling water pump and configured to apply pressure to the cooling water supplied to the suction port of the first cooling water pump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marine propulsion device, and more particularly, it relates to a marine propulsion device including a cooling water pump configured to pump cooling water to cool an engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A marine propulsion device including a cooling water pump configured to pump cooling water to cool an engine is known in general. Such a marine propulsion device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-107538, for example.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-107538 discloses an outboard motor (marine propulsion device) including an engine, a drive shaft coupled to the engine and configured to transmit power, and a cooling water pump configured to be driven by rotation of the drive shaft and to pump cooling water to cool the engine. In the outboard motor according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-107538, a main water intake and a subordinate water intake are provided, and water taken in from both of the water intakes is combined in a common cooling channel such that the degree of freedom of the layout of a cooling water path is ensured, and the efficiency of supplying water to the cooling water pump is enhanced.
In the outboard motor (marine propulsion device) according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-107538, the efficiency of supplying water to the cooling water pump is enhanced, but the amount of cooling water discharged from the cooling water pump is restricted by the pump capacity so that the amount of cooling water discharged from the cooling water pump cannot be increased even in the case where the capacity of the cooling channel on the upstream side with respect to the cooling water pump is increased.
Therefore, it has been proposed to increase the pump capacity of the cooling water pump to increase the discharge rate of the cooling water.
In the case where the length of the cooling water pump in a radial direction is increased to increase the pump capacity, however, the speed of an outer peripheral portion of the cooling water pump is increased so that cavitation is easily generated. Consequently, an increase in the amount of discharge (flow rate) is hindered, and the durability of the cooling water pump is reduced by erosion. Therefore, it is difficult to increase the amount of discharge of the cooling water while maintaining the durability of the cooling water pump.


An extender or cover is provided for fitting over partition walls between adjacent sets of terminal points or connectors on an electrical terminal block. When installed, the extender serves as a mechanical barrier against inadvertent connection of terminals of different electrical polarity or potential. The extender also serves as a visible cautionary indicator, alerting the service crew to be aware of the risk of misconnection.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to extenders or covers fitted over electrical terminal blocks in electrical power distribution equipment.
2. Description of Prior Art
Terminal blocks have long been widely used in electrical utilities, serving as electrical connectors for electrical current power supplies and the like used in relaying, intercommunication and other signalling within power grids. Terminal blocks also have been used as connectors for relatively low voltage electrical power. Terminal blocks have been desirable because they facilitated assembly, installation and connection of electrical instruments and connectors. Further, there was no need to use splicing or soldering between individual conductors.
Terminal blocks have generally been designed to maximize their compactness. This was done to minimize the space required for them as well as for increased strength and lack of susceptibility to voltage breakdown.
An example prior art terminal block is of the type in U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,403. Other electrical terminal blocks are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,923,913; 3,275,972; 3,247,480; 2,411,014; 4,697,720 and 4,637,676. Emphasis on compactness has caused certain problems. For example, sets of contacts carrying electricity at different polarities, phases or voltages were located adjacent each other. Even if care was taken, there was still a risk of misconnecting contacts of different potentials or polarities. This could cause arcing, fire or other problems. Although some terminal blocks had ribs or partition walls between electrical contacts, the risk of misconnection and the problems which could be caused were still of concern.


Delamination of stacked integrated circuit die configurations on printed circuit boards is avoided by providing a metal trace support structure underneath the die stack. The metal trace support structure features substantially equally spaced thin metal traces in place of a contiguous metal plate which has been used in the past. Spaced apart thin metal traces are less vulnerable to thermal expansion than a metal plate which has a large thermal mass. The metal traces still provide structural stability, while preventing delamination of the die stack configuration during thermal processing. A method of attaching a bridge die stack configuration to a printed circuit board by adhering a die attach film to a field of metal traces is demonstrated. In addition, the electrical and structural integrity of the bridge die stack formed with a metal trace support structure is confirmed with test results.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to integrated circuit die packaging, and in particular, to packaging multiple semiconductor dice in a stacked configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
A trend in microelectronics packaging of integrated circuit (IC) chips is reduction of the electronic package dimensions—both the package footprint and the package thickness—while continuing to provide greater functionality. To address the need for size reduction, it is now customary to attach layered stacks of multiple IC chips, also called dies or dice, to printed circuit boards (PCBs). The chips may be stacked, for example, in a pyramidal configuration.
The stacked chips are secured physically to one another, and are surface-mounted to the PCB by an adhesive die attach film (DAF). Electrical connections between the PCB and a chip at the base of the stack are made by forming a two-dimensional array of solder balls, or ball grid array (BGA), on the underside of the base chip. The solder ball array is then placed in contact with metal interconnects patterned on a top metal layer of the PCB. Alternatively, an array of contact pads, such as a land grid array (LGA) or an ultra-fine land grid array (uFLGA) can be used instead of a BGA. Direct electrical connections between dice in a stacked configuration can be made using wire bonds. Additional wire bonds can be used to couple the layered stacks to one another via interconnects formed in the top metal layer.
PCBs bearing stacked chips can then be installed in, for example, mobile electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet computers, global positioning system (GPS) mapping devices, digital cameras, and the like. Each generation of mobile devices demands smaller and thinner electronic packages, while providing more functions to consumers. Enhanced functionality requires more complex integrated circuits, and more dice stacked into the electronic package. Semiconductor packages that accommodate stacked die configurations are described in further detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,616,451 and 8,411,457, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2013/0170166 to Ziglioli et al., and assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application.

Support structure for stacked integrated circuit dies


A rotor for a threshing system of an agricultural combine, the rotor having a sequence of four inlet impellers disposed around an inlet section thereof at predetermined angularly spaced positions around a rotational axis therethrough, the impellers being oriented and configured for conveying crop material along generally helical flow paths, respectively, about the inlet section to a threshing section of the rotor when rotated and the crop material is fed thereto, and three rasp bars configured for threshing the crop material disposed in axially offset relation in a row extending circumferentially about the threshing section, including a first rasp bar at a first axial position adjacent to an end of the second inlet impeller of the sequence, a second rasp bar at a second axial position adjacent to an end of the third impeller of the sequence, and a third rasp bar at a third axial position and axially spaced from the first impeller of the sequence defining a crop material flow path therebetween.

A well-known form of harvesting machine is a rotary combine. A typical combine includes a crop harvesting apparatus which reaps grain stalks and other plant materials and feed them to a threshing apparatus. The grain stalks or other crop and plant materials harvested in the field are moved rearwardly from a crop harvesting header assembly and introduced for threshing to the threshing apparatus by a crop feeder assembly.
The threshing apparatus typically includes a generally tubular rotor housing mounted in the combine body. One or more rotors are supported for rotation within the housing. The housing and the rotor or rotors have cooperating infeed or inlet sections, threshing sections, and optionally separating sections, the inlet sections being operable during rotation of the rotor or rotors, for receiving the crop material from the feeder assembly, and conveying the crop material to the threshing section. The threshing section threshes the crop, and feeds it to the separating section, with the grain and other smaller elements of the crop falling through a perforated concave that forms part of the rotor housing extending around the rotor or rotors.
The ability to transfer crop materials from the inlet section to the threshing section is a key to efficient combine operations. During harvesting operations, the generally linear movement of the crop materials received from the feeder assembly is converted in the inlet section into a rotating, circulatory movement, in a rearward and outward direction.
The inlet section of a rotor typically has several helical inlet impellers or flights therearound, operable for propelling the crop material radially outwardly and to the threshing section during rotation of the rotor. As a general rule, the greater the number of impellers, the greater the crop material capacity and infeed capability. The threshing section has an array or layout of threshing elements arranged in one or more predetermined patterns therearound and along the length thereof. The threshing elements typically include a first row or rank of rasp bars disposed around the rotor adjacent the inlet section. These rasp bars, and supporting structure thereof, function to direct or press the crop material radially outwardly against the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and the conveying action of the inlet impellers, the shape of the housing surface, guide bars on the housing surface, and the rasp bars, cooperate for forming the crop material into a mat, and initiate conveying the mat along a generally helical path around the rotor, through an annular gap or space between the rotor and the surface. The rasp bars typically include features on the radial outer surfaces thereof, such as serrations or the like, which cooperate with features on the housing surface, including the guide bars, for threshing the crop material in essentially a raking action, while conveying it along. Typically, the greater the number of rasp bars, and the greater surface area thereof, the more aggressive the threshing action, for given conditions such as speed of rotation of the rotor, gap size, and crop type, volume and condition.
Commonly, the layout of the first row or rank of rasp bars closest to the inlet section equally spaces the rasp bars around the rotor for balance, and provides a number of rasp bars equal to and in alignment with the inlet impellers or flights. For example, a rotor including two impellers may have a first row of rasp bars including two rasp bars. A rotor including four impellers may have a first row having four rasp bars. These first rasp bars are typically positioned immediately adjacent to the end of the helical impellers, respectively, and are aligned therewith for engaging the crop material conveyed by the respective impeller and initially forming the crop material mat against the surface of the housing, threshing it, and conveying it along a helical path in the space or gap between the rotor and the housing surface. Reference in this regard, DeBusscher et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,248, which illustrates a representative inlet impeller and rasp bar relationship.
It has been observed that, if the number of rasp bars in the first row exceeds the number of impellers feeding the crop material, or if one or more of the rasp bars are not carefully aligned with an associated impeller, such rasp bars not associated with an impeller may act to obstruct or block a portion of the crop material flow, and thus can interfere with and degrade the feeding of the crop material to the threshing section. However, in some instances wherein it is desired to utilize four impellers, it has been found that having a corresponding four rasp bars in the first row or rank can provide a more aggressive than desired threshing capability, particularly if it is desired or required to rotate the rotor at higher speeds, such as when threshing some smaller grains and under higher flow rate conditions. Using a layout including a number of rasp bars in the first row equal to the number of impellers, e.g., four, is also more expensive than using a lesser number.
Thus, what is sought is a rotor impeller and rasp bar layout that overcomes one or more of the shortcomings set forth above, and which is advantageous costwise.

Agricultural combine rotor with a four inlet impeller arrangement feeding a three rasp bar threshing element layout


An apparatus configured for insertion into a sensor port of a flow cell is described herein. The apparatus includes an insert body, a sensor located in the cavity of the insert body, and an insert body holding nut and a sensor holding nut threaded to the interior surface of the sensor port.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an insert apparatus configured for insertion into a sensor port of a flow cell.
Flow meters, including ultrasonic flow meters, employ sensors to determine the characteristics (e.g., flow rate, pressure, temperature, etc.) of liquids, gases, etc. flowing in conduits of different sizes and shapes. Knowledge of these characteristics of the fluid can enable other physical properties or qualities of the fluid to be determined. For example, in some custody-transfer applications, the flow rate can be used to determine the volume of a fluid (e.g., oil or gas) being transferred from a seller to a buyer through a conduit to determine the costs for the transaction, where the volume is equal to the flow rate multiplied by the cross sectional area of the conduit.
A sensor can be installed in a sensor port of a flow cell using an insert body that is mounted within the sensor port. In some installations, the insert body is welded or otherwise permanently fixed in the sensor port, preventing removal or replacement of the insert body in a timely manner. In other installations, a flange is used to install the insert body in the sensor port. The use of welds and flanges to install an insert body in a sensor port typically requires that a portion of the installation be external to the flow cell, which requires additional space and makes the installation more susceptible to damage. In other installations, an insert body is threaded into the sensor port. While the threading interface permits removal and replacement, the threads can be susceptible to leaking. In addition, the rotation of the insert body required for installation often makes it difficult to accurately align and orient sensors and insert bodies when required. In addition, for each of these different types of insert body installations, in order to remove or replace a sensor in an insert body, the insert body often must be removed, which requires a shutdown of the system that the flow cells are monitoring to remove the fluid and pressure from the flow cell.
The discussion above is merely provided for a general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.


Composition and methods of treating pain and reducing, reversing, or preventing tolerance to opiate analgesics are disclosed. The composition and method utilize an opiate analgesic and a calcium calmodulin kinase (CaMKII) inhibitor as active agents to treat pain in mammals, including humans.

One of the most significant health problems is an inadequate control of pain, especially chronic pain associated with diseases such as cancer, back pain, arthritis, and diabetic neuropathy. It is estimated that the annual cost for health care and lost productivity related to pain is over $100 billion in the U.S. One survey reported that nearly one-third of the U.S. population experiences chronic pain at some point in life. The impact of pain on society is measured not only in economic numbers, but, more importantly, by suffering. For example, more than 50 million Americans are partially or totally disabled by chronic pain, which accounts for about one-fourth of all workdays lost annually.
Analgesics are agents that relieve pain by acting centrally to elevate pain threshold, preferably without disturbing consciousness or altering other sensory functions. A mechanism by which analgesic drugs obtund pain (i.e., raise the pain threshold) has been formulated. Research in this area has resulted in the development of a number of opiate and opioid analgesics having diverse pharmacological actions. While opioid analgesics remain the mainstay for pain treatment, prolonged use of these drugs leads to tolerance that results in frequent dose escalation and increased side effects, such as altered cognitive state.
Opioid analgesics remain the preferred therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, and of many painful chronic diseases. However, the chronic use of opioid drugs produces tolerance to these drugs. Whereas tolerance develops to essentially all opioid effects at varying rates, an attenuated analgesic effect is the most devastating clinic consequence because it leads to dose escalation and inadequate pain control, and possibly drug dependence.
Effective pain therapies directed to preventing opioid tolerance have long been sought. The success of developing such effective therapies requires a better understanding of the underlying tolerance mechanisms. Opioid receptor internalization, down-regulation, and uncoupling from G proteins (desensitization) all have been proposed as potential mechanisms. However, no consistent changes have been identified (Nestler, 1994; Nestler et al., 1997). A phenomena called "cAMP upregulation" has been proposed as a biochemical correlation for opioid tolerance (Sharma et al., 1975; Wang et al., 1994; Nestler, 1994). This theory was expanded when linked to the regulation of protein kinase A (PKA) and CREB activation in cellular model of opioid tolerance (Nestler, 1994; Nestler, 1997). However, studies with CREB mutant mice suggested that CREB may be a factor more important for opioid dependence (Maldonado et al., 1996; Blendy et al., 1998). Inhibition of PKA has produced an inconsistent effect on behavioral manifestations of opioid tolerance (e.g., Narita et al., 1995; Bilsky et al., 1996; Shen et al., 2000).
Other studies found that blocking NMDA receptor antagonists could prevent the development of, or disrupt established, opioid tolerance (Trujillo et al., 1991; Mao et al., 1995). Central to these findings is increased intracellular Ca2+ levels resulting from NMDA receptor activation and other neuronal activation. Calcium ion (Ca2+) is used as a second messenger in neurons, leading to the activation various protein kinases, among them, Ca2+/phospholipids-dependent protein kinase (PKC) and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). PKC has been implicated in opioid tolerance (Coderre et al., 1994; Mao et al., 1995; Granados-Soto et al., 2000; Narita et al., 2001). Mice lacking PKC exhibited significantly reduced opioid tolerance (Zeitz et al., 2001). NMDA receptors are known to interact with CaMKII by Ca2+ influx and phosphorylation. It is unclear from these studies, however, whether CaMKII plays a role in the development and/or maintenance of opioid tolerance.
The available opiate and opioid analgesics are derivatives of five chemical groups (i.e., phenanthrenes, phenylheptylamines, phenylpiperidines, morphinans, and benzomorphans). Pharmacologically, these opiates and nonopiates differ significantly in activity. Some are strong agonists (morphine), while others are moderate-to-mild agonists (codeine). In contrast, some opiate derivatives exhibit mixed agonist-antagonist activity (nalbuphine), whereas others are opiate antagonists (naloxone). Morphine is the prototype of the opiate and opioid analgesics, all of which have similar actions on the central nervous system.
Morphine is an alkaloid chemically derived from opium papaver somniferum. Other drugs, such as heroin, are processed from morphine or codeine. Such opiates have been used both medically and nonmedically for centuries. By the early 19th century, morphine had been extracted in a pure form suitable for solution. With the introduction of the hypodermic needle, injection of a morphine solution became the common method of administration. Of the twenty alkaloids contained in opium, only codeine and morphine are still in widespread clinical use.
The opiates are among the most powerfully acting and clinically useful drugs producing depression of the central nervous system. Drugs of this group are used principally as analgesics, but possess numerous other useful properties. Morphine, for example, is used to relieve pain, induce sleep in the presence of pain, check diarrhea, suppress cough, ease dyspnea, and facilitate anesthesia.
However, morphine also depresses respiration; increases the activity and tone of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal, biliary, and urinary tracts causing constipation, gallbladder spasm, and urinary retention; causes nausea and vomiting in some individuals; and can induce cutaneous pruritus. In addition, morphine and related compounds have other properties that tend to limit their usefulness.
For example, when morphine and related compounds are administered over a long time period, tolerance to the analgesic effect develops, and the dose then must be increased periodically to obtain equivalent pain relief. Eventually, tolerance and physical dependence develop, which, combined with euphoria, result in excessive use and addiction of those patients having susceptible personalities. For these reasons, morphine and its derivatives must be used only as directed by a physician (i.e., not in greater dose, more often, or longer than prescribed), and should not be used to treat pain when a different analgesic will suffice.
Nevertheless, morphine remains the major drug for the treatment of moderate to severe pain (Foley, 1993). Opioids particularly are used to treat chronic painful conditions lacking a standard treatment, such as cancer pain, posttraumatic pain, postoperative pain, and neuropathic pain. However, opioid painkillers have significant adverse side effects like respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sedation, mental clouding, constipation, urinary retention, and severe itching.
These adverse side effects limit the usefulness of opioids, like morphine, as painkillers. Therefore, several companies are developing a new generation of opioid painkillers, but advances in neuroscience have not progressed a sufficient extent to provide a significant breakthrough. Typically, companies are using proprietary technology to reformulate opioid drugs, such as morphine, into branded painkillers with improved clinical benefits. To date, innovations in the field of opioid painkillers have largely focused on increasing the convenience of opioid drugs. For example, important advances have been made in opioid delivery, such as sustained release formulations and transmucosal delivery.
CaMKII is a multifunctional calcium and calumodulin activated kinase, whose α and β isoforms are abundant in the central nervous system. A vast amount of information is available for the interaction of CaMKII α isoform and NMDA receptor in longterm potentiation in hippocampal neurons, which is critical for learning and memory (e.g., Mayford et al., 1996). Glutamate can activate CaMKII through NMDA receptor and Ca2+ influx in cultured rat hippocampal neurons (Fukunaga et al., 1992). Calcium influx via NMDA receptors results in activation and Thr286 autophosphorylation of CaMKII (Strack et al., 1998; Strack et al., 2000). On the other hand, CaMKII phosphorylates and activates the NMDA receptor, and enhances Ca2+ influx through the channel (Kitamura et al., 1993).
No direct information exists for the role of CaMKII or NMDA/CaMKII interaction in opioid tolerance. Indirectly, chronic opioid administration increases both the level (Lou et al., 1999) and activity (Nehmad et al., 1982) of calmodulin, as well as calmodulin mRNA levels (Niu et al., 2000). Cytosolic free Ca2+ also can be increased after treatment with opioids (Fields et al., 1997; Quillan et al., 2002). CaMKII also has been shown to phosphorylate and activate the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) (Hokota et al., 2001). More direct evidence arose from the finding that CaMKII and μ opioid receptor (μOR) are colocalized in the superficial layers of the spinal cord dorsal horn, an area critical for pain transmission (Bruggemann et al., 2000). The cloned pOR contains several consensus sites for phosphorylation by CaMKII (Mestek et al., 1995). Desensitization of μOR was enhanced when CaMKII was overexpressed (Mestek et al., 1995; Koch et al., 1997). Recently, hippocampal, but not striatal, CaMKII was found to modulate opioid tolerance and dependence by affecting memory pathways (Fan et al., 1999; Lou et al., 1999). The role of spinal CaMKII in opioid tolerance is unknown.
The present invention is directed to the discovery that some pharmacological actions of morphine can be modified by coadministration of an inhibitor of CaMKII, hereafter termed a "CaMKII inhibitor."

Method and composition for potentiating an oplate analgesic

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, a body corporate and politic of the State of Illinois


A method for forming a patterned array of carbon nanotubes (11) includes the steps of: forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate (10); imprinting the array of carbon nanotubes using a molding device (12) with a predetermined pattern; and removing the molding device, thereby leaving a patterned array of carbon nanotubes (13). The method can effectively reduce or even eliminate any shielding effect between adjacent carbon nanotubes, and is simple to implement. The field emission performance of the patterned array of carbon nanotubes is improved.

The present invention relates to methods for processing arrays of carbon nanotubes.
Carbon nanotubes were first discovered by S. Iijima (Nature, vol. 354, pp. 56-58, 1991) and were synthesized by T. W. Ebbesen and P. M. Ajayan (Nature, vol. 358, pp. 220-222, 1992). Theoretical studies show that carbon nanotubes exhibit either metallic or semiconductive behavior depending on the radii and helicity of the nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes have interesting and potentially useful electrical and mechanical properties, and offer potential for use in electronic devices such as field emission displays, micro electron sources in vacuum, and nano-scale devices. However, to realize these various potential uses, specific methods for processing arrays of the carbon nanotubes may be necessary.
For example, when arrays of carbon nanotubes are to be used in a field emission display, each array of carbon nanotubes must first be processed. This is because synthesized carbon nanotubes are generally densely configured. In a "raw" array, a shielding effect would unavoidably occur between adjacent carbon nanotubes. If the synthesized array of carbon nanotubes is directly employed as an emitting structure in a field emission display, the field emission performance of the carbon nanotubes may be impaired. Typical methods for processing an array of carbon nanotubes generally include a laser processing method, a plasma processing method, a chemical processing method, etc. These processing methods can reduce the shielding effect, lower a threshold field emission voltage, and improve the field emission performance.
A typical laser processing method was reported in an article by Zhao W J, Kawakami N, and Sawada A et al, entitled "Field Emission from Screen-printed Carbon Nanotubes Irradiated by Tunable Ultraviolet Laser in Different Atmospheres" (Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 21 (4), July-August, 2003, pp. 1734-1737). In this method, an array of carbon nanotubes is processed by applying an ultraviolet laser beam with a suitable wavelength and energy density for a suitable period of time. The threshold field emission voltage of a field emitter formed by the processed array of carbon nanotubes is lowered from an original 3.2V/μm to 1.2V/μm. The field emission performance of the field emitter is improved accordingly.
A typical plasma processing method was reported in an article by Kanazawa Y, Oyama T, and Murakami K et al, entitled "Improvement in Electron Emission from Carbon Nanotube Cathodes after Ar Plasma Treatment" (Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 22 (3), May-June, 2004, pp. 1342-1344). In this method, an array of carbon nanotubes is processed by an Ar plasma with a discharge voltage of 250 volts, a radio frequency power of 60 watts, and a pressure of 40 Pa. Thus, the threshold field emission voltage of a field emitter formed by the processed array of carbon nanotubes is lowered from an original 3.3V/μm to 1.7V/μm. The field emission performance of the field emitter is also improved.
However, the above-mentioned methods need to employ expensive apparatuses. The cost of processing the arrays of carbon nanotubes via any of the above-mentioned methods is unduly high. In addition, the apparatuses are relatively complicated to operate.
What is needed, therefore, is a method for processing an array of carbon nanotubes which can reduce any shielding effect between adjacent carbon nanotubes and which is simple to implement.

Method for forming a patterned array of carbon nanotubes


An animal behavior modification kit including a collar mountable receiver and a plurality of circuit boards. The collar mountable receiver has a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal. Each of the plurality of circuit boards are selectively mechanically connectable to both the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal. The plurality of circuit boards include at least one electrical component having an electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic of each of the plurality of circuit boards being different.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animal training systems, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for adjusting the correction level or range of correction levels of an animal training receiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stimulus collars for animal training, particularly dog training, are known which can provide a variety of stimuli to the animal to encourage a trained response by the animal, and/or to discourage an inappropriate response. Such stimuli can include electrical, sound and vibrational stimuli, for example. In the case of an electrical stimulus, a collar worn receiver typically includes a pair of electrodes, which can deliver the electrical stimulus to a dog's neck. The receiver energizes the electrodes responsive to a transmitter. Examples of such a transmitter can include a remote training transmitter hand operated by a human trainer, a containment transmitter and an avoidance transmitter. For a bark control collar, a collar worn receiver may receive audio or vibration signals from a microphone or transducer attached or connected to the receiver unit or the collar.
When activated by an appropriate signal from a corresponding transmitter or transducer, electrical stimulation is provided to a dog, for example, through the collar worn receiver electrodes which are in contact with some part of the dog's neck. In order to accommodate differences between breeds, individual dog temperament, training conditions, etc., it is advantageous to provide a wide range of possible stimulation, which range is selectable at the transmitter by the trainer. For example, the general difference in coat/skin of one breed versus another breed may provide a general difference in contact resistance, which can generally make a given breed more correctable at a lower electrical stimulation than another breed which has a thicker coat with a downy underlayer, for example. Further, a relatively strong willed dog may require more stimulation for a given training condition than a more amenable dog. Although the proper use of such electronic collars is a very effective, efficient, and humane way to train or control dogs (or other animals such as monkeys and horses) for a variety of purposes, such as general obedience, performance trials, hunting, herding, and police work, to be most effective and humane, it is important that electronic stimulus collars are able to reliably and consistently apply the intended degree of stimulus to the skins of a wide variety of dogs under a wide variety of conditions.
For example, training conditions can play a large role in determining the amount of stimulation necessary for a given dog. Skin and fur conditions can range from very dry and nearly electrically nonconductive to very wet and highly conductive. The fur of a dog running through wet cover conditions or jumping into a pond or creek, for example, during retrieval training or bird hunting, may be nearly electrically nonconductive during the early part of a training procedure or hunt and very wet and conductive during a later part thereof. Consequently, a low shock level in such a situation may be transformed, because of the skin and fur conditions brought on by the training circumstance, to a relatively high and perhaps unacceptable or inappropriate stimulus level.
Failure to deliver an appropriate stimulus at precisely the correct time in a dog training situation can result in a confused, poorly trained animal, and may also reverse previous training accomplishments. Consequently, the reliability of providing an intended electrical stimulus level to the skin of the dog under a wide variety of conditions (eg., of collar tightness, thickness and wetness of fur, general sensitivity of the particular dog to electrical stimulus, and the presence of distracting influences or occurrences) is quite critical to the overall effectiveness of electronic stimulus collars and the associated training techniques.
The receivers of modern electronic collars quite often can be programmed to deliver one of several levels of stimulation for a given collar receiver input, or in the case of remote training systems, one of several levels of stimulation may be selectable by the human trainer using pushbuttons, or other command input devices. For a particular dog on which an electronic stimulus collar is being used for the first time, the lowest level stimulation signal may be applied to the neck of the dog. If the dog does not appear to have noticed the stimulation (for example, the dog does not change head position or ear posture, cock its head, or exhibit an involuntary muscle twitch), a higher stimulation level can be selected until a threshold stimulus level is established for that dog, as evidenced by one of the above reactions. Stimulus intensity thereafter is varied in noticeable increments by depressing the various intensity controls on the remote transmitter or by reprogramming the receiver collar as required by the particular training circumstance. However, such electronic collars are limited to a discrete number of stimulation levels which, given a particular dog, training objective and training conditions, may not provide an adequate selectable range of stimulation.
The electrodes of an electronic collar are typically connected to the secondary winding of a transformer within the collar's receiver, and the electrodes and the animal's contact resistance between the electrodes represents a load to the transformer. When the primary winding of the transformer is appropriately energized, the secondary winding provides an electrical stimulation to the load, i.e., the animal. A greater electrical load resistance effectively reduces the electrical stimulation, so that one way of changing stimulation levels is to change the load resistance, as opposed to changing the characteristics of the electrical energy provided to the primary winding.
A resistive electrode structure for an electronic stimulus collar is known which includes a base attached to a connecting element of the electronic stimulus collar. An electrode of the resistive electrode structure includes a tip adapted to supply electrical stimulus to the skin of an animal. A resistive material is electrically connected between a conductor for electrical connection to an output of the electronic stimulus collar and the electrode. This resistance effectively increases the load resistance presented to the secondary winding and accordingly modifies the stimulation level delivered to the animal for a given electrical input to the transformer primary winding. Various such resistive electrode structures which have various resistances can be interchangeably connected to the electronic stimulus collar to vary the level of stimulus applied to the skin of the animal. Therefore, if the electronic stimulus collar inherently has three selectable or programmable stimulation levels, and if there are five different resistive electrode structures available each with a different electrical resistance, the number of electrical stimulation levels has now increased from three to fifteen (three times five), for example.
Problems with such a resistive electrode structures are that the electrodes are relatively difficult and expensive to manufacture, and can be unreliable. Another problem with these resistive electrode structures is that they can be difficult to distinguish from a non-resistive electrode since the resistor is embedded within the electrode. Another problem with these resistive electrode structures is that electrodes in general can be provided in different lengths to accommodate for different fur thicknesses, which multiplies the number of resistive electrodes required. Yet another problem is that a damaged resistor within the electrode, such as an electrical short or open, is not readily apparent, which increases the risk of an inappropriate correction level.
What is needed in the art is a way of increasing the resistance between an electronic collar's output terminals, which does not embed resistive elements into the electrodes.

Method and apparatus for adjusting the correction level of an animal training receiver


An ear muff device is arranged to include a resilient band, with the band of a generally semi-circular configuration of resilient construction, including a glove-shaped member at each end thereof, wherein each glove-shaped member is arranged to receive an ear of an individual in surrounding relationship relative to the ear to impart warmth to the ear in use. A modification of the invention includes audio conduit structure directed through the glove members to direct and ease audio hearing of an individual in use of the organization.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to ear muff structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved ear muff device wherein the same is arranged to receive and direct warmth to an individual's ears in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ear muff structure of various types have been utilized throughout the prior art and exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,850,055 and 4,935,965. U.S. Pat. Nos. 313,092; 288,141; and 254,876 are further examples of ear muff construction configurations.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a glove structure arranged to receive and envelope the ear and additionally and optionally include audio conduit structure arranged to ease hearing through the glove members and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


An electrical power cell system including first and second electrical power cells having first and second terminals, one or more transient voltage suppressors connected in parallel with a relay, the relay having two states, the first state of the relay connects the first and second electrical power cells in series, and the second state of the relay bypasses the first electrical power cell so that the first electrical power cell is not connected in series with the second electrical power cell.

The current invention is related to electrical power cell isolation, and in particular to a system and method for bypassing and isolating a malfunctioning electrical power cell.
Electrical power systems often consist of several electrical power cells connected in series to provide larger voltages than a single cell can produce. In a system such as this, if a cell malfunctions, the cell can create high impedance and essentially disable the entire string of electrical power cells. Critical systems, such as those in space, require continuous operation and cannot be disabled whenever a single electrical power cell malfunctions.
For systems that require continuous operation, it is essential to have the ability to isolate and bypass a malfunctioning electrical power cell. To provide continuous operation, and not cause any damage to the system, the circuit must be able to provide a continuous path for current flow in the event of an electrical power cell malfunction. If a switch is used to isolate and bypass a malfunctioning electrical power cell, the circuit must have the ability to prevent a large voltage spike created by high impedance during throw time of the switch.
Prior circuits provided diodes in parallel with the electrical power cells so that when the electrical power cell malfunctioned, and created a high impedance, current would flow through the diode, bypassing the malfunctioning cell. This setup allowed for uninterrupted current flow, but created excessive power loss through the diode as the diode provided a continuous conduction path with high power dissipation.
Other bypass circuits utilized a more costly approach involving switches in conjunction with diodes and a fuse. When the electrical power cell malfunctioned, the diodes would allow current to flow through the fuse, tripping the fuse, and activating a switch to bypass the damaged cell. Because the switch was thrown by blowing a fuse, the act of setting the switch was irreversible. The only way to reactivate the cell was to replace the switching mechanism.

System for bypassing and isolating electrical power cells


A food information management system includes a food database (11) containing food cooking conditions for cooking foods, and nutritive ingredients, energy-producing values and weight of foods, and information storage mediums (20, 20a). Each information storage medium is attached to a food package (21a) containing a processed food (21) and storing food information including food ID information specifying a food. When cooling the processed food (21), the food ID information stored in the food information storage medium (20, 20a) is read by a read means. Food information about a food specified by the food ID information is retrieved from the food database (11), an output means receives the food information, and a display means displays the food information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food information management system for managing food information including cooking information. More specifically, the present invention relates to an food information management system for the automatic and intelligent cooking of processed foods using electric cooking utensils including microwave cookers and electric ovens or for the selective use of general foods.
The term "intelligent cooking" signifies the confirmation of various pieces of information about processed foods, such as nutritive ingredients, energy-producing value, weight, cooling method and cooling time, and the provision of managing means.
2. Description of the Related Art
The requirement of the food market for high-degree information about foods and processed foods has advanced progressively in recent years and the capacity of an information indicating part of a package has become insufficient for indicating a large amount of such high-degree information. Such a problem is due to the following condition of social background.
(1) The quality and grade of processed foods have been progressively enhanced with the expansion of the processed food market and it is desired that the types and qualities of processed foods can be clearly understood.
(2) An advanced in medical technology relating to adult diseases requires a diet and dietary cures, and information necessary for a diet and dietary cures.
(3) Aging society with an increasing number of aged people requires easily readable indication.
(4) It is impossible to indicate precautious information in a limited space on packages of foods.
Information necessary for the automation of cooking and nourishment management has not been unified and effective interfaces for information exchange have not been available.
The followings are concrete problems residing in information indication on conventional packages.
(1) When a person cooks a processed food, such as a frozen food or a chilled dish, by an electric cooking device, the person needs to read visually instructions specifying a heating method and heating time indicated on the package of the processed food and to set the electric cooking device for cooking. However, since only a small area is available on the package for indicating the instructions, the instructions are indicated in small letters in a small area, which is difficult for a person with poor eyesight to read such small letters. Moreover, a blind person is unable to read the instructions and needs some help. When setting an electric cooking device for cooking, it is troublesome to determine a heating time selectively according to the output capacity of the electric cooking device, it is possible that the electric cooking device is set for a wrong heating time in some cases to heat the processed food excessively or insufficiently, and it is possible that a wrong heating mode is selected, for example, a range-heating mode is selected when an oven-heating mode must be selected and vice versa.
(2) Dieticians manage diet meals in hospitals. Different patients need different ways of management individually and the qualities of different diet meals cannot be confirmed when distributing the diet meals to patients. The management of diet meals in general homes is a serious problem; people need to consult a nutritive composition table and need to manage diet meals by a complicated method.
Such problems arises when letters expressing many pieces of information are printed on the packages of foods because contradictory conditions, i.e., printing many pieces of information in a limited area on a package and printing many pieces of information in letters of a size large enough to facilitate reading the information. Such difficulties in indicating information on packages of foods will be enhanced and will become more serious with the progressive increase of kinds of information and the enhancement of the quality of information and some measures must be taken to deal with such problems.


A time indicator assembly including a front part and a back part is disclosed that can easily pass through a printer. The time indicator assembly includes a base substrate forming at least part of the back part having a first surface and a second surface extending between edges. A migrating ink is applied over a portion of the first surface of the base substrate, and a release sheet overlies the migrating ink to prevent migration of the migrating ink toward the front part. In one embodiment, an adhesive is applied over the release sheet and onto the base substrate adjacent at least two of the base substrate edges. The adhesive joins a cover substrate forming at least part of the front part to the base substrate over at least a portion of the release sheet and along the at least two of the base substrate edges. Upon removal of the release sheet, the migrating ink migrates through the adhesive to form an image in the cover substrate. In another embodiment a lift strip is formed in at least one of the front part and back part for easily separating the front part and back part to expose and remove the release sheet.

A known time indicator assembly 1 including migrating ink 2, such as shown in FIG. 1, produces a visible image after a period of time. The migrating ink 2 is applied to a base material 3, such as by printing, to form a back part 4 of the assembly 1. The back part 4 is adhesively joined with a front part 5 formed from one or more layers 7, 8, 9 of opaque and/or transparent material or coatings by an adhesive 6 to form and activate the assembly 1. Over a period of time, the migrating ink 2 of the activated assembly 1 migrates through the adhesive 6 to form a viewable image. The front part 5 and the back part 4 are not joined together until activation of the time indicator assembly 1 is desired. As a result, properly aligning the front part 5 and back part 4 to form and activate the assembly can be difficult.
This problem is solved by a time indicator assembly having a front part and a back part adhesively joined at one edge, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,470 and 5,974,003 which are fully incorporated herein by reference. These patents disclose an assembly having a front part and a back part similar to the time indicator assembly shown in FIG. 1. The back part includes migrating ink applied to a base material, and the front part includes one or more opaque coatings or layers. In order to ensure the front part and the back part are properly aligned, an edge of the front part is adhesively joined to the back part adjacent to the migrating ink. Prior to activation, a release liner interposed between the migrating ink and the front part prevents the migrating ink from contacting the front part and migrating through the opaque layers. When a user wishes to activate the assembly and initiate migration of the ink, the release liner is removed and the portion of the front part overlying the migrating ink is joined to the back part.
Since only one edge of the front part is joined to the back part, the front part is free to flop around. The floppy front part causes havoc when printing on outer surfaces of the assembly. Moreover, in one embodiment disclosed in the '470 patent, the release liner is folded over to form a pull tab for removing the release liner and activating the assembly. Prior to activation of the assembly, this folded release liner forms an assembly having an uneven thickness which causes further problems when attempting to print on an outer surface of the assembly.


A multi-voltage biasing system with over voltage protection has an amplifier with a stage including at least one output device and one cascode protection device having a predetermined maximum recommended voltage; a biasing network is selectively responsive to a plurality of different supply voltages at least one of which is higher than the maximum recommended voltage for providing to the stage a bias voltage to operate the cascode device and output device below their maximum recommended voltages.

Traditionally, microphone bias pins are expected to deliver 3.75 V and currents up to 1.6 mA to bias mono or stereo electret microphones. So far 0.35 um CMOS, or larger geometries have been used to design audio codecs. These technologies offer 5V tolerant transistors and thus a simple operational amplifier is used in a non-inverting configuration to achieve the desired results. To accommodate more audio channels, and maintain a reasonable die size, switching to smaller geometries, like 0.18 um, is eminent. This however offers a new challenge since 5V tolerant transistors are not available on such geometries. To solve that problem a number of voltage biasing circuit schemes are available.
In one approach two power supply voltages can be made available: 3.3V to operate the input stage and 5.0V to operate the output stage and provide the conventional 3.75V bias for the microphone. One problem that arises from this is the need to protect the one or more transistors in the output stage from over voltage from the 5V supply that would lead to premature device failure, e.g. due to exceeding maximum recommended voltage of the device. Herein, maximum recommended voltage refers to the voltage across any two terminals of a device that should not be exceeded (for example in 0.18 um, the maximum recommended voltage of high voltage transistors is 3.63V). Another problem is to protect those transistors especially if the 5V power supply is powered up before the 3.3V. This protection must apply when both the 5.0V and 3.3V power supplies are on, or when the 5.0V power supply is the only one available e.g. such as can occur during system power-ups or power-downs. In another approach a single 5V power supply can be used to operate the entire circuit. This is a less practical solution, since all the transistors used in input and output stages will need protection.

Multi-voltage biasing system with over-voltage protection