The present disclosure is directed to lenses, devices, methods and/or systems for addressing refractive error. Certain embodiments are directed to changing or controlling the wavefront of the light entering a human eye. The lenses, devices, methods and/or systems can be used for correcting, addressing, mitigating or treating refractive errors and provide excellent vision at distances encompassing far to near without significant ghosting. The refractive error may for example arise from myopia, hyperopia, or presbyopia with or without astigmatism. Certain disclosed embodiments of lenses, devices and/or methods include embodiments that address foveal and/or peripheral vision. Exemplary of lenses in the fields of certain embodiments include contact lenses, corneal onlays, corneal inlays, and lenses for intraocular devices both anterior and posterior chamber, accommodating intraocular lenses, electro-active spectacle lenses and/or refractive surgery.

For an image to be perceived clearly, the optics of the eye should result in an image that is focussed on the retina. Myopia, commonly known as short-sightedness, is an optical disorder of the eye wherein on-axis images are focussed in front of the fovea of the retina. Hyperopia, commonly known as long-sightedness, is an optical disorder of the eye wherein on-axis images are focussed behind the fovea of the retina. The focussing of images in front of or behind the fovea of the retina creates a lower order aberration of defocus. Another lower order aberration is astigmatism. An eye may also have higher order optical aberrations, including, for example, spherical aberration, coma and/or trefoil. Many people experiencing natural refractive error are progressing (the refractive error is increasing over time). Progression is particularly widespread in people with myopia. Schematic representations of eyes exhibiting myopia or hyperopia and astigmatism are shown in FIGS. 1A-C respectively. In a myopic eye 100, the parallel incoming beam of light 102 passes the refractive elements of the eye, namely, the cornea 104 and crystalline lens 106, to a focal point 108 short of the retina 110. The image on the retina 110 is therefore blurred. In a hyperopic eye 120, the parallel incoming beam of light 122 passes the refractive elements of the eye, namely, the cornea 124 and crystalline lens 126, to a focal point 128 beyond the retina 130, again rendering the image on the retina 130 blurred. In an astigmatic eye 140, the parallel incoming beam of light 142 passes the refractive elements of the eye, namely, cornea 144 and crystalline lens 146, and results in two foci, namely tangential 148 and sagittal 158 foci. In the example of astigmatism shown in FIG. 1C, the tangential focus 148 is in front the retina 160 while the sagittal focus 158 is behind the retina 160. The image on the retina in the astigmatic case is referred to as circle of least confusion 160.
At birth human eyes are generally hyperopic, i.e. the axial length of the eyeball is too short for its optical power. With age, from infancy to adulthood, the eyeball continues to grow until its refractive state stabilizes. Elongation of the eye in a growing human may be controlled by a feedback mechanism, known as the emmetropisation process, so that the position of focus relative to the retina plays a role in controlling the extent of eye growth. Deviation from this process would potentially result in refractive disorders like myopia, hyperopia and/or astigmatism. While there is ongoing research into the cause of deviation of emmetropisation from stabilising at emmetropia, one theory is that optical feedback can provide a part in controlling eye growth. For example, FIG. 2 shows cases that would, under a feedback mechanism theory of the emmetropisation process, alter the emmetropisation process. In FIG. 2A, the parallel incoming beam of light 202 passes through a negative refractive element 203 and the refractive elements of the eye (the cornea 204 and crystalline lens 206), to form an image at focus point 208, overshooting the retina 210. The resulting image blur on the retina, called hyperopic defocus, is an example of defocus that may encourage eye growth under this feedback mechanism. In contrast, as seen in FIG. 2B, the parallel incoming beam of light 252 passes through a positive refractive element 253, the refractive elements of the eye (cornea 254 and crystalline lens 256) to form an image at focus point 258 in front of the retina 260. The resulting image blur, called myopic defocus, on this retina is considered to be an example of defocus induced at the retina that would not encourage eye growth. Therefore, it has been proposed that progression of myopic refractive error can be controlled by positioning of the focus in front of the retina. For an astigmatic system, the spherical equivalent, i.e. the mid-point between the tangential and sagittal foci, may be positioned in front of the retina. These proposals have not however provided a full explanation or solution, particularly in the case of progressing myopia.
A number of optical device designs and refractive surgery methods have been proposed to control the growth of the eye during emmetropisation. Many are generally based on refinements to the idea summarised above that foveal imagery provides a stimulus that controls the growth of the eye. In humans, the eye grows longer during emmetropisation and cannot grow shorter. Accordingly, during emmetropisation an eye may grow longer to correct for hyperopia, but it cannot grow shorter to correct for myopia. Proposals have been made for addressing myopia progression.
In addition to proposed optical strategies to counter the development of refractive error and its progression, in particular myopia, there has also been interest in strategies that involve non-optical intervention like pharmacological substances, such as atropine or pirenzipine.
Another condition of the eye is presbyopia, in which the eye's ability to accommodate is reduced or the eye has lost its ability to accommodate. Presbyopia may be experienced in combination with myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and higher order aberrations. Different methods, devices and lenses to address presbyopia have been proposed, including in the form of bifocal, multifocal or progressive addition lenses/devices, which simultaneously provide two or more foci to the eye. Common types of lenses used for presbyopia include the following: single vision reading glasses, bifocal or multifocal spectacles; centre-near or centre-distance bifocal and multifocal contact lenses, concentric (ring-type) bifocal contact lenses or multifocal intraocular lenses.
In addition, on occasion it is necessary to remove the crystalline lens of an eye, for example if the person is suffering from cataracts. The removed natural crystalline lens may be replaced by an intraocular lens. Accommodating intraocular lenses allow the eye to control the refractive power of the lens, for example through haptics extending from the lens to the ciliary body.
Masking has been proposed as a way to improve the depth of focus of the eye. However, masking results in loss of light to the eye which is an undesirable quality as it at least deteriorates the contrast of the images cast on the retina. In addition, these features are a challenge to implement on lenses for example, contact and/or intra ocular lenses.
Some problems with existing lenses, devices, methods and/or systems are that, for example, they attempt to correct refractive errors but compromise the quality of the vision at different distances and/or introduce ghosting and/or distortion. Accordingly, what is needed are lenses, devices, methods and/or systems for mitigating and/or addressing refractive errors, for example, myopia, hyperopia or presbyopia, with or without astigmatism, without causing at least one or more of the shortcomings discussed herein. Other solutions will become apparent as discussed herein.

Lenses, devices, methods and systems for refractive error


An apparatus for the internal inspection of pipes and tubes or the like, comprising an ultrasonic measuring head and a cable coupled to the measuring head, which cable can be coupled outside the pipe or tube to be measured to a device processing the measuring data, the apparatus being provided at its distal end but behind the measuring head, with a reel for winding the cable on and off.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for the internal inspection of pipes and tubes or the like, comprising an ultrasonic measuring head and a cable coupled to the measuring head, which cable can be coupled outside the pipe or tube to be measured to a device processing the measuring data. Such an apparatus is used for the internal inspection of pipes and tubes of in particular industrial furnaces in the petrochemical and chemical industry or in other (heavy) industries. The inspection serves for the detection of internal and surface corrosion such as pitting, but also for the detection of a reduction in wall thickness, mechanical deformations such as dents, and ovalities resulting from local overheating. In addition, the apparatus can be used to determine to what extent the pipes and tubes are fouled. To perform the measurement with the apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1, it is advantageous to use a measuring head as patented and specified in applicant's Dutch patent 1006007.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the problems that manifests itself when inspecting industrial furnaces of the above kind, is that they are constructed from a large number of horizontal or vertical pipes that are coupled by means of so-called return bends. These return bends have a radius of 1D, that is to say a bend diameter that is equal to the internal diameter of the pipe, and a gradient of 180°. As a result, every known apparatus for the internal inspection of such pipes and tubes will become lodged after two and at the most after three bends. A foremost problem is, however, that there is no known system of dimensions that allow the passage through bends having a radius of 1D.

Apparatus for the internal inspection of pipes and tubes and the like


A solid polymer electrolyte comprising a composite of (a) a polymer comprising 2-(meth)acryloyloxyethylcarbamic acid ester and (b) an electrolyte salt, which has a high ionic conductivity and can be made into a thin film. The present invention is also directed to an electrode comprising the solid polymer electrolyte and an electroactive substance or polarizable material; as well as a process for manufacturing the same. In addition, the present invention is directed to primary and secondary batteries having the solid polymer electrolyte, as well as a process for manufacturing the same. The battery according to the present invention has a high capacity, high current density, and further in the case of a secondary battery, good cyclability. Finally, the present invention is directed to a solid-state electric double layer capacitor comprising the solid polymer electrolyte, as well as a process for manufacturing the same. The electric double layer capacitor has a high output voltage and a large take-out current.

In the field of ionics, there is a trend of down-sizing as well as making it to be of the solid-state type, and efforts are being made extensively with view to application, to solid-state primary or secondary batteries and electric double layer capacitors, of solid electrolytes as a new ionic conductor which replaces conventional electrolyte solutions. Conventional batteries with electrolyte solutions have problems in long-term reliability since there tends to occur leakage of the electrolyte solution out of the parts or elution of the electrode substance. On the contrary, products with solid electrolytes do not cause such problems and it is easy to make their thickness smaller. Furthermore, solid electrolytes are excellent in thermal resistance and advantageous in the manufacturing process of products such as battery.
Among batteries using a solid electrolyte, those using a polymer as a main component of the electrolyte have a merit of increased flexibility as compared with those using an inorganic substance, which endows the former with processability into various forms. However, such products as hitherto studied still suffer from a problem that only a small amount of current can be taken out since the solid polymer electrolyte has a low ionic conductivity.
As an example of such solid polymer electrolyte, it is described in British Polymer Journal (Br. Polym. J.), 7: 319-327 (1975) that a compounded material consisting of a polyethylene oxide and an inorganic alkali metal salt exhibits ionic conductivity, which is, however, as low as 10.sup.-7 S/cm at room temperature.
Recently, there have been many reports that a comb-shaped polymer having an oligooxyethylene in its each side chain has an improved ionic conductivity due to increased thermal motion of the oxyethylene chain which contributes ionic conductivity. An example in which polymethacrylic acid with oligooxyethylene being added to its side chain is compounded with an alkali metal salt is described in Journal of Physical Chemistry (J. Phys. Chem.), vol. 89, page 987 (1985). Another example in which polyphosphazene with an oligooxyethylene side chain is compounded with an alkali metal salt is described in Journal of American Chemical Society (J. Am. Chem. Soc.), vol. 106, page 6854 (1984).
Recently, many studies have been made on lithium secondary batteries in which metal oxides or metal sulfides such as LiCoO.sub.2, LiNiO.sub.2, LiMnO.sub.2, MOS.sub.2 and the like are used as positive electrode. For example, batteries using positive electrode made of MnO2 or NiO2 are reported in Journal of Electrochemical Society (J. Electrochem. Soc.), vol. 138 (No. 3), page 665 (1991). These batteries have drawn attention since they have high gravimetric or volumetric capacity.
Also, many reports have been made on batteries using electroconductive polymer as electroactive material. For example, lithium secondary battery using polyanilines as positive electrode has already been put on the market in the form of a coin type battery for use as a backup source by Bridgestone Co., Ltd. and Seiko Co., Ltd. as reported in, for example, "The 27th Symposium on Battery 3A05L and 3A06L" (1986). Polyaniline also attracts attention as an electroactive material for positive electrode having a high capacity and flexibility.
Lately, electric double layer capacitors which comprise polarizable electrodes made of a carbon material having a large specific area such as activated carbon, carbon black or the like and an ionic conducting solution arranged between the electrodes have been widely used for a memory backup source. For Example, a capacitor having carbon-based polarizable electrodes and an organic electrolyte solution is described in "Kinou Zairyo", February 1989, page 33. An electric double layer capacitor using an aqueous sulfuric acid solution is described in "The 173rd Electrochemical Society Meeting Atlanta Ga.", May, No. 18 (1988). Also, a capacitor using highly electroconductive Rb.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 I.sub.3 Cl.sub.7 as an inorganic solid electrolyte is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-244570 (1988).
However, electric double layer capacitors using conventional electrolyte solutions have problems in long-term use and reliability since there tends to occur leakage of the solution out of the capacitor when used for a long time or when a high voltage is applied to. On the other hand, electric double layer capacitors using conventional inorganic based ionic conducting substances have a problem that the ionic conducting substance decomposes at a low voltage and, hence, the output voltage is low.
The use of an ionic conducting substance using a polyphosphazene based polymer for a capacitor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-253771 (1992). The capacitor using such an ionic conducting substance containing a polymer as the main component has various merits that it has an output voltage higher than the inorganic substance based ionic conducting substance, can be processed into various forms and is easy to be sealed.
In this case, however, the ionic conductivity of the solid polymer electrolyte as low as 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-6 S/cm is still unsatisfactory and there is also a defect that the take-out current is small. Although it is possible to increase the ionic conductivity of the solid polymer electrolyte by the addition of a plasticizer, this gives fluidity to the electrolyte, which means that the electrolyte can no longer be treated as a complete solid. As a result, the film made of the polymer has a poor film strength and the polymer has a poor film formability and, hence, not only short-circuit tends to occur when the polymer is used in an electric double layer capacitor or a battery but also there arises a difficulty in sealing as in the case of the liquid ionic conducting substances. In addition, when it is assembled with a polarizable electrode such as a carbon material to produce a capacitor, there arises a problem of homogeneously compounding the solid polymer electrolyte with a carbon material having a large specific surface area since the both materials are solid and hard to be homogeneously compounded.
The ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes studied so far has been improved up to about 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-5 S/cm, which is, however, by over two digits lower than that of the liquid ionic conducting substances. Besides, at a temperature no higher than 0.degree. C., the ionic conductivity decreases drastically to a further lower level. Furthermore, when these solid electrolytes are incorporated in a device such as an electric double layer capacitor or incorporated in a battery in the form of a thin film, there arises difficulties in the manufacturing process since the solid electrolyte is hard to be compounded with the electrode and it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory contact between the electrolyte and the electrode.

Solid polymer electrolyte, battery and solid-state electric double layer capacitor using the same as well as processes for the manufacture thereof


A fastening clip is configured to securely couple a first component to a second component. The fastening clip includes a first frame connected to an opposed second frame by an arcuate transition beam. Each of the first and second frames includes an exterior contact finger that is configured to securely abut into a first outer surface of the first component around at least a portion of a first opening formed through the first component, an interior contact finger that is configured to extend into the first opening, and a contact prong that is configured to abut into a second outer surface of the first component.

Various components are secured together through fasteners. For example, panels, sheets, frames, and the like may be secured together through fastener assemblies that include a male fastening member that securely mates with a female fastening member. As another example, a clip may be used to secure two or more components together.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,006, entitled "Rib Clip" discloses a rib clip. U.S. Pat. No. 7,640,634, entitled "Ergonomic Fastener" discloses a clip fastener.
Certain known clip fasteners connect to ribs through barb retainers. A known clip fastener includes sharp corners on tabs that are configured to resist undesired extraction. For example, the sharp tabs dig into a portion of a component, thereby anchoring the clip fastener to the component. However, it has been found that the barb retainers and sharp corners may undesirably affect certain components. For example, the sharp corners on tabs may cut into plastic components. As such, outer surfaces of the components may be cut or otherwise marred by certain types of clip fasteners. Further, the interaction of the sharp corners with the component may prevent the component from being used after the fastener clip is removed therefrom.


A game and method of playing the game utilize a player in a master role with the other players in subservient roles, with the master role player trying to eliminate the subservient players in a particular order of succession, while the subservient players attempt to locate the secret demise location of the master player on a game board grid. Desirably the player pieces are unique and have the image of a human being, including unique head features, and character cards are utilized having indicia corresponding to the unique head features of the playing pieces. A plurality of action cards at least the same in number as the number of unique playing pieces are also provided, each action card having an indicia side having first indicia corresponding to at least one, but not all, of the unique playing pieces so that at least one of the action cards has indicia corresponding to each of the unique playing pieces. One or a plurality of information cards or sheets have indicia defining an order of succession for each of the unique playing pieces and relating the action card first indicia to the unique playing pieces.

Many board games base their entertainment value and utilization on generating a random number or by chance selecting a mode of movement, so that a playing piece moves along a predetermined path on a game board. Other games, such as Battle Ships, use a grid without moving pieces. The invention provides a game which utilizes a board which has elements of both of the types of games described above, with a number of unique features that enhance the enjoyment and strategy associated with the game, allowing individual players to have the maximum level of freedom to either succeed or fail in the game""s objectives.
The board game according to the present invention will be described with respect to a game which simulates the well known poem xe2x80x9cTen Little Indiansxe2x80x9d, and relates to the demise of individual playing pieces by a xe2x80x9cdeathxe2x80x9d pretense. However it is to be understood that this description is exemplary only, and the game may be played having an almost infinite variety of formats, and that the demise pretense of individually eliminated pieces or players can have any pretense besides death, such as bankruptcy, xe2x80x9con vacationxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cback to workxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9con to another lifexe2x80x9d, or any other xe2x80x9cout of gamexe2x80x9d pretense.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a game comprising: A plurality of different, unique, playing pieces. A board having a playing surface with a grid defined thereon, the grid defining a plurality of grid squares, the plurality of grid squares comprising at least about ten times the number of unique playing pieces. The playing pieces having a base dimensioned to substantially fit on a grid square. A map comprising a substantially accurate reproduction of the board playing surface only having dimensions significantly less than (e.g. less than half of) the playing surface dimensions. A plurality of action cards [e.g. comprising at least the same number as the plurality of unique playing pieces], each action card having a substantially common generic side, and an indicia side having first indicia thereon corresponding to at least one, but not all, of the unique playing pieces, so that at least one of the action cards has indicia thereon corresponding to each of the unique playing pieces. And, one or a plurality of information cards or sheets having indicia thereon defining an order of succession for each of the unique playing pieces and relating the action card first indicia to the unique playing pieces.
The game may further comprise a plurality of character cards, each character card having unique variable second indicia thereon corresponding to one of the unique playing pieces, so a character card with unique second indicia is provided for each of the unique playing pieces. For example the unique playing pieces each have an image of a human being, including unique head features; and the character cards have, as at least part of the second unique variable indicia thereof, substantially the unique head features of the corresponding unique playing piece.
In the preferred embodiment the one or a plurality of information cards or sheets comprises a plurality of information cards, including one having unique third indicia, including unique succession indicia, for each of the unique playing pieces. For example each of the information cards includes thereon further indicia corresponding to a plurality, but not all, of the action cards. As a further example the first indicia and the further indicia both comprise a form of demise of at least one of the unique playing pieces, and at least two of the action and information cards have common demise indicia thereon for at least two of the unique playing pieces.
The game may further comprise a plurality of generic playing pieces, one corresponding to each of the unique playing pieces, for example the generic playing pieces may simulate American Indians (Native Americans). The number of grid squares is preferably at least about twenty times the number of the unique playing pieces, e.g. about 46 times. Preferably also the board has pictorial indicia overlying at least some of the grid squares. It is to be understood that the term xe2x80x9csquarexe2x80x9d as used in the present application is intended to mean a particular location in a grid, and not necessarily a truly square shape. The plurality of unique game pieces may be either ten or eleven in number in the particular embodiment described herein, but can be other numbers in games with other themes.
According to another aspect of the present invention a game is provided comprising: A plurality of different, unique, playing pieces. A board having a playing surface with a grid defined thereon, the grid defining a plurality of grid squares, the plurality of grid squares greater in number than the number of unique playing pieces. The playing pieces having a base dimensioned to substantially fit on a grid square. A plurality of action cards [e.g. comprising at least the same number as said plurality of unique playing pieces], each action card having a substantially common generic side, and an indicia side having first indicia thereon corresponding to at least one, but not all, of the unique playing pieces, so that at least one of the action cards has indicia thereon corresponding to each of the unique playing pieces. And, a plurality of character cards, each character card having unique variable second indicia thereon corresponding to one of the unique playing pieces, so a character card with unique second indicia is provided for each of the unique playing pieces. The game according to this aspect of the invention may also have the other features as described above.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of playing a board game using a board having a playing surface with a grid defined thereon defining a plurality of grid squares greater in number than the number of unique playing pieces; and a plurality of unique playing pieces having a base dimensioned to substantially fit on a grid square, a map comprising a substantially accurate reproduction of the board playing surface only having dimensions less than that of the playing surface dimensions, and a plurality of action cards, comprising: a) Determining which of a plurality of players has which unique playing piece. b) Determining which player will have a master role, with all other players having subservient roles. c) Using the map, the player with the master role secretly indicating on the map a unique demise location of each of the subservient role players, as well as the master role player. d) Establishing an order of movement of playing pieces in each of the turns corresponding to a specific order of succession of the unique playing pieces, and the master role player going last. e) Each subservient player moving his or her unique playing piece on the game board grid playing surface during his or her turn to attempt to find a grid square corresponding to the secret map location of another subservient player (e.g. higher in the succession order), or the secret map location of the master role player. f) The master role player, during his or her turn, moving to the board grid square corresponding to the subservient player first, or next, in the order of succession, and then selecting an action card. g) If the action card selected in f) corresponds to a predetermined manner of demise of the subservient player effectively removing the respective subservient player""s unique playing piece from the game board, and if the action card does not so correspond, the master role player continuing selection of an action card during each of his or her turns until an action card is selected corresponding to the predetermined manner of demise. And, h) declaring an end of the game if a subservient player moves his or her playing piece to the grid square on the game board corresponding to the secret demise location of the master player, or when the master player effectively removes all, or all but one, subservient player pieces from the game board pursuant to f) and g) in the proper order of succession.
In the method as described above a) may be practiced by having each player draw a character card, each character card having unique indicia thereon corresponding to a unique playing piece. Also generic playing pieces may be provided (for example simulating American Indians) which are placed in a particular location on the game board, and removed whenever a particular subservient role player is eliminated. In playing the game according to the invention, the rules may also include allowing a subservient player, during his turn, to ask the master role player to give the subservient role player a clue, or to honestly answer a question of the subservient role player, which can help identify where the secret unique demise location of another subservient player is (e.g. a subservient role player higher in the succession order) so that the first subservient role player can put himself or herself in place of the higher up subservient role player, or which will help identify the secret location of the master role player.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a unique and entertaining board game and method of playing the same. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.


A method of merging 3D meshes includes receiving a first mesh and a second mesh; performing spatial alignment to register the first mesh and the second mesh in a common world coordinate system; performing mesh clipping on the first mesh and the second mesh to remove redundant mesh vertices; performing geometry refinement around a clipping seam to close up mesh concatenation holes created by mesh clipping; and performing texture blending in regions adjacent the clipping seam to obtain a merged mesh.

A textured mesh is a common representation of 3D geometric shapes. It has been widely used in many graphics applications, including virtual reality, scientific visualization, 3D filming, 3D gaming, and the like. A wide variety of techniques have been introduced to reconstruct meshes from 3D scans. However, creating accurate large and complex meshes from 3D scans can be tedious and labor intensive. It is often done manually by aligning, editing, and combining smaller meshes from multiple 3D scans. Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems that enable the robust merging of multiple meshes into a large and complex 3D textured model.


A clothing protector assembly (34) for an automobile (10) prevents a person's shoes and clothes from brushing against the automobile's (10) exterior body surface (12) and becoming soiled with dirt, mud, snow, salt, and other debris during entry and exit. The clothing protector assembly (34) includes a guard (36), which is automatically moved to an extended position when the door (20) is opened to hold clothing away from the exterior body surface (12). When the door (20) closes, the guard (36) is pushed back to its retracted position. Alternatively, a motor (172) or a mechanical linkage (274) tied to the door (220) can be used to extend and retract the guard (36). A extension lock feature (76) holds the guard (36) in the fully extended position, as when leaned against. The automobile door (120) may be of the sliding van type. The clothing protector assembly (134, 234) can also be installed in the rear hatch (114) or trunk (214) area of an automobile (110, 210), with the guard (136, 236) covering the rear bumper (132, 232) and other dirty portions of the exterior body surface (112, 212) whenever the hatch (120) or trunk (220) is opened to protect clothing during loading and unloading of cargo.

The exterior surfaces of an automobile are often coated with dirt, mud, snow, salt, sludge, chemicals, and other debris, hereinafter collectively referred to as "soils". These soils collect most predominately along the outer sill panel, or sometimes referred to as the lower rocker panel, of the automobile where the tires tend to discharge. Upon entering and exiting the passenger compartment of the automobile, a person's shoes or clothes, such as a pant leg or overcoat, frequently brush against the outer sill panel. This causes a transfer of the soils collected along the outer sill panel onto the person's clothes.
This problem is compounded when the vehicle has a high ground clearance, such as with the sport/utility type vehicles, when it is difficult to plant one's foot a safe distance from the automobile to prevent clothing contact with the outer sill panel. Also, physically impaired and elderly persons often do not have the muscle strength needed to step into and out of an automobile from a safe distance so as to prevent clothing contact with the outer sill panel. A similar problem arises for most people when loading and unloading cargo items through the doorway in an automobile. When the cargo item is heavy or particularly fragile, or when placing children in car seats and the like, it is difficult to maintain sufficient body spacing from the vehicle exterior so as to prevent pant legs and overcoats from contacting the protruding edge of the outer sill panel which may be covered with soils. Likewise, when loading and unloading cargo items into the trunk compartment or rear hatch area, a person's legs and midsection often brush against the dirty rear bumper.
To help reduce the collection of soils along the exterior of the automobile, the prior art has long taught the use of fender attached mud guards to block and deflect discharge from the front tires. While this treatment is somewhat effective, it will not completely prevent the collection of soils along the protruding edge of the outer sill panels. Hence, it is inevitable that a person's clothing will become soiled as a result of contact with the dirty automobile exterior. Furthermore, mud guards are considered unattractive by many people and can spoil the aesthetic appearance of the automobile exterior.


A package suitable for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous material, which is resistant to opening by children yet readily openable by adults. The package is preferably a bottle which has a body and a finish portion. The finish portion has a threaded outer end for mating with a closure. A resiliently deformable cantilevered beam is connected to the finish portion between the threaded outer end and the body of the bottle. The beam is angled outward and downward from the finish portion. The beam has a substantially vertical locking surface and a pushtab spaced along the beam. The angle of the beam is such that the pushtab may be depressed substantially radially toward the finish portion. The locking surface is located between the finish portion and the pushtab so that depression of the pushtab results in a greater beam deflection and lower deflection force at the pushtab than at the locking surface. A bottle closure has threads for rotatably securing the closure to the finish portion of the bottle. The closure also has a tooth projecting radially inward from its lower inner surface and so shaped and positioned that it will engage the locking surface of the resilient beam whenever there is an attempt to unscrew the closure. It thereby prevents removal of the closure until the pushtab is manually depressed to disengage the closure tooth from the locking surface of the cantilevered beam.

The prior art for child resistant bottle closures generally includes three types of "safety cap." A first type has a ratchet locking system between closure and bottle in which the ratchet locking is permanent. It can be released only by fracturing an intentionally weakened portion of the system. This alternative is intended for tamper evidence, and is not useful for bottles which must maintain child resistance after multiple reclosings.
A second type of child resistant bottle closure has a resilient closure which is manually deformable to disengage a ratchet locking system between bottle and closure. This alternative is child resistant for multiple reclosings. However, squeezing a closure, which must have significant stiffness to serve its primary function as a closure, is often difficult for adults with arthritis.
A third type of child resistant bottle closure has a rigid closure and requires manual deformation of a resilient bottle feature. "Safety caps" of the third type are child resistant for multiple reclosings, and they are typically more adult friendly because the child resistant feature does not have to serve another purpose. Because the rigid closure of the third type "safety cap" cannot be inadvertently deformed, and because a child normally grips and manipulates the closure portion of a bottle in an attempt to enter it, the third type of "safety cap" generally provides the greatest child resistance. Instead of deforming the closure, the third type of "safety cap" has specific locations adjacent to the closure must be pressed to release the closure. The third type of "safety cap" is the type to which the present invention pertains.
Within the third type of child resistant closure there exists in the art a number of alternative constructions. One construction includes a collar attached to a bottle, wherein the collar has two 180.degree. opposing, radially depressed pushtabs that are cantilevered from the bottoms of the pushtabs. When each pushtab is pressed near its center, a locking surface at the outer end of the pushtab releases a mating closure surface.
The term "radially depressed" herein means that pushtabs are pressed inward toward each other predominantly along a radius of the bottle finish. Radial depression is the optimum choice wherever two pushtabs must be depressed by one hand. They are usually depressed by a thumb and forefinger. Radial depression of opposing pushtabs ensures that both pushtabs have to be depressed simultaneously. Otherwise individually depressed pushtabs will return to their locking position when released.
Another construction has two 180.degree. opposing pushtabs that are cantilevered from the sides of the pushtabs. Pushtabs rotate inward along a curved path which is approximately radial. Similar to the pushtabs cantilevered from their bottoms, pressing occurs at the center of the pushtab and the release of locking surfaces occurs at the outer end of the pushtabs.
A significant disadvantage of prior art pushtab designs is their poor leverage. That is, pressing at a point between the pushtab cantilever and the closure locking surface requires higher pushtab pressing forces than if pressing occurred outwardly of the closure locking surface. It has been found that in order to achieve child resistance, pushtabs must have either relatively short strokes and high depression forces or relatively long strokes and low depression forces. However, relatively high pushtab depression forces are also difficult for adults to manage. An adult user-friendly pushtab depression force should be less than about 2 lbs. It is therefore advantageous to provide pushtabs with longer strokes and lower forces. For a given pushtab depression force and stroke, it is also beneficial to have leverage between the pushtab force and the closure releasing force so that the closure releasing force can be high enough that the closure cannot be released by over twisting it against the locking mechanism.
It is believed that child resistance is also enhanced by making pushtabs unobvious for a child to press. Pushtabs which extend beyond the outermost surface of the closure are more obvious for a child to press than flush mounted or recessed pushtabs. Flush or recessed pushtabs guarded by a rigid surface adjacent to the edges of the pushtabs is another feature believed to enhance child resistance by minimizing inadvertent depressions.


The present invention relates to a smoke and water-vapor-permeable food casing based on aliphatic polyamide and/or aliphatic copolyamide, which is impregnated with liquid smoke on the food-facing side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a smoke- and water-vapor-permeable food casing based on aliphatic polyamide and/or aliphatic copolyamide.
2. Description of Related Art
In the industrial and craft production of cold-, warm- or hot-smoked raw sausages, scalded-emulsion sausages and cooked-meat sausages, and also processed and fresh cheeses, cellulose casings, cellulose fiber casings and collagen casings and also single-layer or multilayer, water-vapor-permeable plastic casings based on polyamide and in combination with other plastics have proved useful.
In particular in the case of raw sausages, the use of water-vapor-permeable casings is indicated in order to make possible a drying process during ripening to decrease the content of free water in the sausage mix. The water loss can be 0.5% to 50%, based on the starting weight of the sausage. In Salami ripening, for example a weight loss of about 23 to 26% after 10 ripening days is customary, which assumes high-permeability casings. Furthermore, customary plastic casings do not allow cold smoke through (this has a temperature of about 20 to 35° C.) and only small amounts of hot smoke (approximately 70 to 80° C.). However, cold smoking with raw sausage varieties is a standard method. The smoking process, depending on the method, can take from 20 min to several days.
During the smoking, either the smoke generated within a closed chamber (smoking chamber), or the smoke introduced into this chamber is brought to the suspended sausage, or circulated over the goods to be smoked. Alternatively to this, a liquid smoke solution can be nebulized within the chamber.
To achieve a uniformly good smoking result, the sausages must be suspended so that they are accessible to the smoke from all sides. To achieve a uniform smoked color and smoked aroma, the sausages must not touch and also cannot be smoked lying down. It is typical in this case that sausages or sausage links are brought into the smoking chambers in mobile racks hanging on smoke skewers. The sausage hangs here on its own holding loop mounted in the closure clip.
Suspension on the smoke skewers is performed manually or mechanically. The smoke skewers themselves can only be hung up manually in the smoke carts. After the smoking process, the sausage is cleaned from adhering soot particles and dried. Owing to a high drying shrinkage, however, oil can escape at the clip, so that the sausage is coated with a fat film. This has long been considered as a disadvantage and hygiene risk by the meat-processing industry.
After the drying phase, the smoke skewers are taken out of the smoke cart and the sausage is taken off from the smoke skewers. The sausage links are cut into individual sausages and then packed, the suspension loops having to be removed before packaging.
Smoking is generally very labor-intensive and increases the production costs. The operation of smoking chambers is subject to supervision by law with the focus on emission protection and fire precautions. Smoking chambers and the tools used for smoking (smoke carts and smoke skewers) must be regularly cleaned using chemical cleaning agents, with high labor requirements and high personal use, and maintained. Alternatives to simplify the smoking process with the elimination of smoking chambers are still being sought.
To transfer smoke flavor and aroma to sausage products, in addition to the methods of traditional smoking and smoking using liquid smoke, there is the possibility of directly impregnating sausage casings with liquid smoke. In the prior art, smoke- and water-vapor-permeable polymer casings are alternatively described which are smokeable, or smoke- and water-vapor-impermeable polymer casings which can be impregnated with liquid smoke.
Casings for unsmoked sausage products are currently produced to a great extent from thermoplastics. Conventional plastics are polyamides, polyesters and vinyl chloride copolymers. The casings can be produced as a single layer or multilayered. In the multilayered casings, frequently, layers of polyolefin are also present. The critical advantage of these casings is the technically relatively simple and inexpensive production. Casings made of thermoplastic generally have water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of about 3 to 20 g/m2 d. Sausage products in such a casing loose markedly less weight during storage. Such casings, for instance made of polyamide, are generally not smoke-permeable, and can therefore not be used for producing sausage varieties which are smoked.
It is further known to coat or impregnate tubular food casings, especially sausage casings, on the outside or inside with liquid smoke. Coatings on the outside are simpler to carry out technically. The constituents of the liquid smoke must then migrate through the casing, however, in order to give the emulsion the typical color, aroma and flavor of smoked goods. Cellulose casings impregnated from the outside with liquid smoke are frequently described. Casings made of a different material are frequently not permeable enough for this. This applies for single-layer plastic casings, but very particularly for multilayered plastic casings. These can at any rate be treated with liquid smoke on the inside, which, however, regularly fails because the liquid smoke does not adhere sufficiently and collects to form drops before it is dried. An approach to a solution of this problem is described in DE-A 196 08 001. It consists of applying the liquid smoke to an appropriately cut to size flat film which is then formed into a tube in such a manner that the side coated with liquid smoke faces inward. The tube is then permanently sealed by hot sealing, as a result of which it acquires a longitudinal seam. The liquid smoke is applied, and the tube produced, virtually directly before stuffing with sausage emulsion. Thus shirring the sealed tube is unnecessary. The method, however, requires technically complex, and correspondingly expensive, apparatuses.
WO 97/36798 describes a hot-shrinking planar or tubular food casing which contains on the interior a layer of a copolymer and a food additive. The copolymer contains substantially water-insoluble and hygroscopic segments. As food additive, liquid smoke is also disclosed which is transferred from the casing to its contents. However, it has proved to be a problem that the interior sides stick to one another. This is particularly the case when the casing is stored for a relatively long time in rolled-up or shirred stick form.
A very similar shrink film is also disclosed in WO 98/31731. Here, the interior coating consists of a mixture having (i) an additive which is a flavorant, an odorant, a colorant, an antimicrobial agent, a chelating agent and/or an odor-absorbent, (ii) a polysaccharide or protein as binder and (iii) a crosslinker which has at least two carbonyl groups. The additive can be, inter alia, liquid smoke. Tubular films coated on the interior are produced in this case from the corresponding flat films. The coating itself is performed using a roller. In this case the edges are not coated. The flat film is then formed into a tube and the edges of the film which are laid one above the other are firmly bonded by hot sealing. The resultant casing is shirred and closed at one end with a clip. The casing is then stuffed with a meat product and heated. The additive present in the interior layer of the casing is transferred in the course of this to the meat product. However, the interior sides of the casing frequently stick to one another after shirring, so that on deshirring the interior layer is damaged.
JP-A 139401/2000 describes a film by which a food coloring may be applied to sausage emulsion, ham or similar foods. This is achieved using a coating which, in addition to the food dye, also contains an edible plasticizer such as glycerol, sorbitol or propylene glycol.
EP-A 139 888 discloses a method for smoking foods in a casing made of aliphatic polyamide. The polyamide takes up at least 3% by weight, preferably at least 5% by weight, of water. Smoking is therefore performed in the presence of water or water vapor which requires a climatically controlled smoke chamber.
DE-A 198 46 305 relates to a barrier casing made of a plastic material which has on the inside a layer made of a sorbent material (woven fabric, knits), which is impregnated with colorants or flavorants. During boiling or scalding, the colorants or flavorants are transferred to the casing-enclosed food. The internal layer of the casing is generally bonded to the adjacent layer of the casing by a glue. The barrier casing itself consists, for example, of polyamide and polyethylene layers. Tubular casings are generally produced from corresponding flat films by hot-sealing or gluing. In the region of the sealing seam, the colorant or flavorant is frequently transferred nonuniformly. Sealed or glued casings frequently also display an uneven shrinkage. Then, after scalding or boiling of the sausage, in the seam regions, an unwanted jelly deposit is found between casing and sausage emulsion.
A multilayer plastic casing impregnated on the inside with a mixture of liquid smoke and a browning agent is described in DE-A 101 24 581. It comprises one aliphatic polyamide-based layer in each case on the interior and exterior, and also a central water-vapor-barrier, if appropriate, also oxygen-barrier, layer. This middle barrier layer consists, for example, of polyethylene or ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer. The liquid smoke mixture is to act for at least 5 days on the interior before the casing is soaked and stuffed.
All known casings having an interior layer or interior coating which contains a transferrable food additive have the disadvantage that the adhesion of the layer cannot be set in any desired manner. The consequence of insufficient adhesion is that the sausage has a tendency to gel formation and that the coating, on final processing (in the case of tubular films customarily by shirring and/or inverting) displays cracks or even bursts. The casing is then no longer usable. In the event of excessive adhesion, colorants, flavorants or odorants do not transfer to the food to a sufficient extent.
A smokeable film for packaging foods is described in EP-A 217 069. It comprises at least one layer which consists of a mixture of polyamide, an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and polyolefin, the constituents of the layer being in a defined weight ratio. The layer has a water vapor permeability of less than 40 g/m2·d at a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 90%. Under customary conditions, satisfactory smoke passage is thus not to be expected.
A water-vapor- and smoke-permeable food casing based on polyamide is also disclosed in WO 02/078455. The casing consists of a matrix of aliphatic polyamide or aliphatic copolyamide and a disperse phase of a low- or high-molecular weight hydrophilic component, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide.

Smoke and steam-permeable food casing comprising a flavored interior surface


A handle for a tire bead breaking tool is disclosed, comprising an elongate shaft having a gripping portion, a shield portion, and a working portion at a forward end. The working portion is configured having an oblong cross-section comprising protruding opposite end surfaces and substantially less protruding opposite lateral surfaces disposed between the end surfaces. The lateral surfaces of the working portion extend along at least a portion of the gripping portion. The working portion of the handle is press fit into a circular bore of a tool head and contacts sidewalls defining the bore along the handle protruding end surfaces.

The present invention relates generally to a handle for a utility tool and, more specifically, to a handle for a tire bead breaking wedge.
Tire bead breaking wedges are known in the art and are in commercial use. Such tools generally comprise an elongate handle affixed at one end to a wedge head. The wedge head comprises an elongate body, typically formed from cast metal, having a striking surface at one end and a wedge edge at an opposite end. A circular in cross-section through- bore extends through the tool head at a location representing the center of mass.
The handle for the subject type of tool is generally of elongate, cylindrical configuration extending from a gripping end to an inverted frustro-conical forward end. The handle may be of wood, metal, plastic, or a composite composition. The forward end of the handle may further be coated with a rubber or other high coefficient of friction material.
Assembly of the wedge head to the handle is achieved by inserting the handle gripping end downward through the head bore until the forward end of the handle enters the bore of the head. The dimension of the forward end of the frustro-conical handle portion is oversized relative to the head bore. Accordingly, driving the frustro-conical handle portion downward into the bore of the head wedges the forward portion of the handle into the bore and establishes a tight, frictional connection between the handle and wedge head.
In use, the user positions the working edge of the tool between a wheel rim and tire bead. Thereafter, a hammer is applied to the striking surface, serving to drive the wedge edge downward until the bead of the tire is disengaged from the wheel rim. Should the bead prove resistant, a user of the bead-breaking wedge will typically pry the wedge head back and forth until engagement between the bead and the wheel rim is broken.
A bead breaking wedge of the aforementioned type is commercially sold as a Model 35329 wedge and T11E head by Ken-Tool Company, of 768 E. North Street, Akron, Ohio 44305. While the implement works well and has met with considerable commercial success, it has been found that rocking the wedge back and forth against the tire bead can, over time, cause the handle forward end portion to work its way loose from the wedge head, requiring a re-tightening by the user. Still further, repeated rocking action of the wedge head relative to the handle may act to frictionally wear away the portions of the inverted frustro-conical handle end lying along the wedge head longitudinal axis until only the lateral sides of the forward handle end remain in frictional engagement with the wedge head. In this condition, the wedge head may become free to rock backward and forward about the lateral sides of the forward handle end, xe2x80x9cplayxe2x80x9d that is undesirable to the intended purpose of the tool. Eventually, the head will become loose from the handle and a retightening will be required. However, once the handle forward portion becomes worn to a considerable degree, a re-tightening of the handle to the tool head in known tools becomes increasingly problematic.
In order to postpone, if not eliminate, loosening between the handle forward end and the wedge head, handle manufacturers have incorporated ribs along the inverted frustro-conical outer surface of the forward handle end. The ribs engage circular sidewalls defining the wedge head bore. As the tool is used, the ribs wear away at a slower pace and a positive frictional engagement between the head and the handle is prolonged. The ribs, however, are of narrow width dimension making the area of surface to surface contact between the handle end and the wedge head less than desired. In addition, though occurring at a slower pace, the ribs will eventually wear away. When the ribs are gone, the handle and wedge head will loosen in the manner described above. A repeated retightening of the wedge head connection with the handle will be increasingly required and over time, re-tightening, as explained above, becomes increasingly problematic.
A second deficiency in known handles for tire bead breaking wedges is that users commonly contact the wheel rim with a portion of the tool proximate the working end. Such contact can, in time, cause a structural failure of the handle at the point of impact. In addition, the handle gripping area in known tools is generally smooth and regular. Establishing and maintaining a tight grip with the tool handle can become increasingly difficult as the user becomes fatigued.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tire bead-breaking tool having a head to handle frictional connection that will not degrade from repeated use of the tool over time. Moreover, such a tool handle should provide the user with a positive gripping area and incorporate added strength to areas prone to damage from contact between the handle and a wheel rim.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a handle for a utility tool that establishes and maintains a positive frictional engagement with the tool head.
A further object is to provide a handle for a utility tool that provides a user with a comfortable gripping portion.
Yet a further object is to provide a handle for a utility tool that self-tightens the frictional connection between the handle and the tool head.
Another object of the invention is to provide a handle for a tire bead-breaking tool providing structural reinforcement to handle portions prone to contact with a wheel rim during use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a handle for a tire bead-breaking wedge that is comfortable to grip and wield and that provides a positive application of mechanical advantage through the tool head to the working wedge edge.
A further object is to provide a handle for a tire bead-breaking wedge that is economically and readily manufactured and readily connected to a tool head.
The aforementioned objectives, and others that will be apparent to one skilled in the art, are achieved by a tool handle described and claimed below. The handle comprises an elongate gripping portion stepping at a forward shoulder to a shield portion having a thicker dimension than the gripping portion. An inverted frustro-conical handle working portion is connected to a forward end of the shield portion and is configured oblong in cross-section having protruding opposite end surfaces and substantially less protruding lateral surfaces disposed between the end surfaces.
The working portion of the handle wedges within an oval-shaped through-bore of a tool head and establishes positive frictional engagement between the protruding surfaces and tool head bore sidewalls. The protruding surfaces align and face along the longitudinal plane of the wedge head and use of the tool serves to drive the protruding surfaces into the bore, whereby reinforcing the frictional connection between the handle and the tool head. Less protruding lateral sides of the handle working end are separated from the sides of the tool head bore by gaps and thereby avoid contact therewith.
The less protruding lateral sides of the handle working end are preferably flat and extend from the working end along the shield portion and thence along the handle gripping portions. The flat surfaces break the smooth curvature of the handle gripping portion circumference and provide longitudinal edges that enable the user to establish a positive grip upon the handle. The shield portion is disposed at a location along the handle to afford structural reinforcement where the handle is prone to contact a wheel rim in use.


Electrode joint for threadably joining two abutting carbon electrode sections is provided with an elongate carbon fastening element which is force fitted into a passage extending from outside of the electrode joint through a portion of the interface contact between the abutting carbon electrode sections.

With state-of-the-art conventional carbon electrodes, a pair of longitudinally extending vertically positioned electrode sections are coupled by means of a threaded graphite nipple which is threaded into correspondingly threaded opposed sockets of the electrode sections, with the result that the respective opposing butt faces of the vertical electrode sections are brought into abutting contact. As an electrode section is consumed in the course of furnace operation, a new electrode section is tandemly coupled in the same manner so that furnace operation can proceed continuously. That is, as the lower end of the column is consumed in the furnace, the entire column is lowered to maintain the operation and electrode sections are joined to the top of the column to replenish the consumed columns. However, there is occasional loosening of the threadably engaged joint which can lead to increased electrical resistance and also to mechanical failure, i.e. breakage of a threaded nipple joint which requires the interruption of electric furnace operation.
An early prior art effort to address this problem with respect to horizontally positioned carbon electrode sections is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,534--Hinckley which describes a variety of blade shaped metal implements which are forced into the electrode joint and act as a key to prevent loosening of the joint. Due to the temperatures experienced in modern electric arc furnaces, a metal key would melt and be ineffective as the electrode joint approached the high temperature electrode arc from above.

Fastening element for securing electrode joints and the electrode using such


An OLED device is disclosed that enhances display quality by minimizing capacitance deviation between data lines of the OLED device. The capacitance deviation may be minimized by utilizing an expansion portion of a power line of the OLED device. The capacitance deviation may also by minimized by utilizing an overlap pattern that overlaps a plurality of the data lines.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate to an organic light emitting display (OLED) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for displaying information are being widely developed. Display devices may include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, organic light emitting display (OLED) devices, electrophoresis display devices, field emission display (FED) devices, and plasma display devices.
Among these display devices, OLED devices provide features of lower power consumption, larger viewing angle, light weight, and higher brightness compared to LCD devices. Thus, OLED devices are being spotlighted as next generation display devices.
An OLED device includes gate lines and data lines formed on a substrate in the same shape as a LCD device. Moreover, the OLED device includes a plurality of power lines used for applying power to each pixel, unlike the LCD device that uses a single power line. The gate lines, the data lines, and the power supply lines are formed in different layers from one another. Thus, the gate lines, the data lines, and the power supply lines create a plurality of intersections by crossing one another.
In addition, the recent trend of light weight display devices increases the intersections of the gate lines, the data lines, and the power supply lines. Due to the increase of intersections, an RC delay caused by a parasitic capacitor may be aggravated. The enlarged parasitic capacitor deteriorates the display quality through the distortion of signals.