A passive caging system for use in gyro-stabilized sensor platforms and the like, employing a pneumatic dashpot in place of automatic caging gyro brakes, pin-locking devices, springs, fluid damped pistons, or air bladders. A pneumatic dashpot in combination with a normally closed solenoid valve provides effective damping of shock forces while the system is in the unpowered state. When power is applied to the system, the solenoid valve is open and unrestricted movement of the sensor platform is enabled.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gyro caging systems and, more particularly, to a passive caging system for use in gyro-stabilized sensor platforms and similar systems.
In the gyro-stabilized sensor platform field, it is essential that the system design adequately protect the delicate instruments of the sensor platform. The gyro-stabilized sensor platform must be protected from excessive shock forces. Currently, such protective measures operate only when the system is powered. In the unpowered state these protective measures are not active and are therefore unable to provide the necessary protection. The present invention provides the required degree of protection while the system is in the unpowered state, without requiring manual intervention or complex system design.
2. Description of Related Art
With gyro-stabilized sensor platforms, motors are frequently employed to actively damp gimbal, and therefore sensor platform, motion. These motors, when powered and active, may enable the gimbal unit to survive shock forces in excess of 20 times the force of gravity. An unfortunate consequence of these motor-damped gimbal systems is their inherent dependence upon power. When power to the motors is shut off, the protection offered by the motors is no longer present. As a result, it is not uncommon for gyro-stabilized gimbal and sensor platform systems to experience failures from shocks and other forces incurred during shipping, handling, and transport by the intended platform vehicle.
Various attempts have been made to prevent shock-related damage and failure of gyro-stabilized gimbal devices while in the unpowered state. A variety of pin-locking devices have been used with partial success. Such pin-locking devices, sometimes controlled by solenoids, serve to lock the inner gimbal frames to the gimbal package when the system is unpowered. These devices have the disadvantage that, through their operation and design, the majority of shock is transferred to the delicate and often expensive inner components, frequently resulting in their damage.
Attempts have been made to incorporate springs or fluid-damped pistons to resolve the problem. Unfortunately, these approaches tend to impair the sensitivity and response time of the gimbal platform. Still other attempts have employed air bladders to protect the gimbal devices. These air bladders frequently require manual intervention of a sensor platform user. They also require that the system design provide an air pump and its attendant electronics.
Fluid dashpots have been used in conjunction with gyro-stabilized platforms to preclude gyro precession angles in excess of design range. By employing linkages between the gyro rotor housing and a fluid dashpot, the disclosed assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,308 of Stuhler et al. permits unimpeded precession motion over a design range of precession angles while providing caging capabilities to prevent extreme motion states in excess of normal gyro design limits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,960 of Wilcox discloses a dashpot with a guided piston which limits motion of the piston within a cylinder along a particular axis. U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,947 of Cohen, et al. discloses a dashpot for selectively directed damping of applied forces. The dashpot includes a cylinder, a piston which is sealingly slidable within the cylinder, and a piston rod which drives the piston. Various valve members which are connected into the system establish the direction of the damping force.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,984 of Lasker et al. discloses a gyroscope caging system having a clamping ring which encircles a portion of the gyro rotor. The clamping ring is adapted to engage an annular groove in the rotor simultaneously with engagement of a groove in a base support member for clamping the rotor during very high acceleration launches of a missile or airborne vehicle. However, it depends upon being actively powered for its operation and cannot perform its clamping function in the absence of power.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,955 of Evans et al. discloses a caging mechanism for a gyro in which a flat split ring mounted in a plane perpendicular to the gyro rotor spin axis is deformable to capture the gyro rotor when deformed by a gas activated piston. When the piston is operative, the rotor is either caged or uncaged depending upon the state of the deformable split ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,485 of Bennett discloses a motor driven caging system for a free gyro which cages both the inner and out gimbals thereof and locks in both the caging and uncaging positions by means of an over-center mechanism. While this system locks in both the caging and uncaging positions, it is not clear what position will be maintained when the system is not powered.
While it is generally recognized that dashpot and linkage systems may provide a damping function to restrict gyro precession beyond design limits, the complex nature of such arrangements increases both material and production costs and adds unnecessary complexity to the system. Further, such damping systems function only while the system is in its powered state. None of the cited prior art discloses the novel features of the present invention which provides gyro platform dampening in the unpowered state.
The present invention provides a passive damping system which operates in the unpowered state of gyro-stabilized platforms and similar systems. Further, the present invention becomes functionally transparent during powered operation of the system. In other words, the damping device is operative only when power to the system is off. Embodiments of the invention may have applications for both closed and open loop gyro systems, as well as in numerous other systems which utilize gimbals to position or isolate delicate instruments and electronics.
In brief, particular arrangements of the present invention involve the provision of a pneumatic caging system for gyro-stabilized sensor platforms. Such gyro-stabilized platforms are frequently employed in the stabilization of certain sensors. One arrangement in accordance with the present invention provides secure caging of an unpowered gyro-stabilized platform through use of a dashpot assembly comprising a pneumatic dashpot in combination with a normally closed solenoid valve. The solenoid is connected to system power. The associated valve is connected in the pneumatic feedback loop. When the system is in its unpowered state, the deactivated solenoid maintains the valve in the closed position. When the piston of the dashpot is confined by the air pressure maintained by the closed solenoid valve, it functions as an equal-force, bidirectional spring. In this manner, effective damping of shock forces is achieved.
When power is applied to the solenoid, the pneumatic valve is opened and unrestricted movement of the dashpot piston is permitted. Accordingly, the gyro-stabilized sensor platform which is connected to the dashpot piston is permitted full and free operation.
The incorporation of a pneumatic dashpot and normally closed solenoid valve design rather than pin-locking devices, springs, fluid-damped pistons, or air bladders, provides effective and inexpensive protection of gyro-stabilized sensor platforms.

Pneumatic caging system for gyro-stabilized sensor platforms


The specification describes economical lifting devices. A consumer jack comprising a rectangular base; a pair of connecting arms that are pivotally attached to the front end of the base, and a pair of lift arms that are attached to the connecting arms and attached at the rearward ends thereof to a sliding block. A screw-threaded actuator shaft is engaged with the sliding block to raise and lower a lifting pad attached to the forward ends of the lift arms of the device. The components are stamped from steel sheet and plate, and folded into the desired configuration, and assembled without the need for machining or welding. An economical power unit, for use with an economical jack stand and also for use with a lift bridge, comprises an adaptation of the consumer jack. The power unit does not use the lifting pad, but rather utilizes a pair of separated leveling pads pivotally attached to the forward ends of the lift arm for engagement with a lift collar of the jack stand. The power unit further features a slide forward bridge for use (without the jack stand) directly as a lifting device. An economical jack stand for use with the power unit is similarly formed from steel sheet and plate comprising a base plate, tubular housing extending upward from the plate, and a telescopic U shaped ratchet shaft extendable from within the housing. A pair of pawls can be engaged to lock the ratchet shaft in position within the housing.

Applications have also been filed directed to an Economical Lifting Devicexe2x80x94Trunk Jack, and Economical Lifting Devicexe2x80x94Jack stand, as described in the present specification.
The invention relates to a low cost consumer device for lifting and supporting an object i.e. a corner of an automobile; particularly to a low cost consumer jack, and also to a low cost two part jacking system including a power unit that can be used to place and elevate a jack stand. The inventor of the present invention is a pioneer of the two part jacking system holding numerous issued and pending patents for a two part jacking system and related products and processes as described below. All such prior art patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Briefly, the commercial two part jacking system consists of a power unit and a set of separate mechanical jack stands. Examples of the two part jacking system and mobile power unit are described in detail in Re. U.S. Pat. Nos. 32,715 and 4,589,630. Some examples of the jack stands are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,553,772; 4,490,264; 5,110,089; 5,183,235 and 5,379,974. The stands are capable of being vertically extended and retracted from the garage floor or road surface and, when extended, can be locked in place at any desired position by a ratchet and pawl assembly. The commercial power unit has a mobile chassis adapted to carry a plurality of the jack stands, and has a pair of lift arms adapted to mate with the outermost jack stand for placement and removal.
In use, the commercial mobile power unit is operated entirely from its handle. It is maneuvered under a vehicle to place a jack stand in a desired location for lift and supporting the vehicle. The power unit is activated from the handle, and this jack stand is then vertically extended to the desired height, thus lift the vehicle on the stand. By operating the controls at the end of the handle, the operator can cause the power unit to disengage from the stand, and the stand will remain locked in its extended supporting position under the vehicle. After the stand is raised and locked in place to support the vehicle or other load in a lifted position, the power unit lift arms are lowered and the power unit is disengaged from the stand and pulled away, leaving the stand in position supporting the load. Another jack stand, carried within the chassis, is automatically transferred to the forward end the chassis for placement at another desired location of the vehicle or for use to lift and support another vehicle.
To lower the vehicle and remove the stand, the power unit is maneuvered to reengage with the stand. The engagement causes any existing jack stands carried within the chassis to be automatically transferred rearward within the chassis. By manually operating a control at the end of the handle, the operator can cause the power unit to reengage with the stand, and to disengage the ratchet locking mechanism of the stand and lower the stand to its original position. The power unit remains engaged with the stand and can be pulled away from the vehicle with the stand carried within the chassis.
The original commercial power units were adapted to carry up to four jack stands within the chassis. Additional jack stands could be purchased and arranged at various stations on the garage floor to reload the power unit, so that a single power unit could be utilized to efficiently place and actuate numerous jack stands. It was found that many commercial users would utilize all of their available jack stands, and the power unit was thereafter useless until another jack stand was available to be extracted and reused. The present inventor developed a slide forward bridge that adapted the power unit to function as a load-lifting jack to more fully utilize the power unit. Co-pending patent applications have been filed on the features of the power unit convertible into a load-lifting device.
Most of the prior art lifting devices, including those of the present inventor, are very rugged xe2x80x9ccommercial qualityxe2x80x9d products involving many castings and machined parts that require welding for fabrication and assembly. It would be highly desirable to design and develop the innovative jack systems in a low cost xe2x80x9cconsumer qualityxe2x80x9d configuration that involved minimal welding and machining during fabrication and assembly.
In view of the foregoing problems and desirable features of a two part lift and supporting system, it is an object of the present invention to provide a consumer jack and a consumer power unit for use with a consumer jack stand, that can be economically fabricated from sheet metal and steel plate with little or no machining, and can be assembled with little or no welding.
The foregoing objects are accomplished by an economical power unit for use with a jack stand, including a base having a rectangular bottom with a forward end for receiving the jack stand and a rearward end having a rear flange extending upward from the bottom with a central aperture therein for receiving a screw threaded actuator shaft. The base has left and right side flanges extending upward from the bottom with each side flange having an aperture near the forward end thereof, and having an increased thickness along the upper portion thereof providing a longitudinal recess formed along the lower portion on the inner surfaces of the flange.
The actuator shaft has a distal end, and has a proximal end extending through the aperture of the rear flange and is rotatably retained within the aperture, and is further adapted to be engaged by an external handle, to facilitate rotation of the shaft. The actuator shaft operates a sliding block having a rectangular bottom and left and right sides that are slideably retained within the longitudinal recesses of the side flanges of the base. The block has a forward end and a rearward end each having a central threaded aperture therein for receiving the forward end of the threaded actuator shaft.
The device includes a pair of lift arms acting in parallel each having a forward end and a rearward end, and has the rearward end pivotally attached to the respective side of the block. A pair of connecting arms acting in parallel each has a forward end pivotally attached at the aperture near the forward end of the respective side flange of the base, and has a rearward end pivotally attached at a pivot point on the lift arms. The forward end of each lift arm has a leveling pad adapted to provide a separated lifting pad for the device.
The power unit is also convertible by a lift bridge, that is adapted to be positioned on the forward ends of the lift arms, whereby the power unit is operable as a load-lifting jack. The bridge is further adapted to be displaced from the forward ends of the lift arms, whereby the power unit is operable for use with the jack stand.
The lift arms each include a track having a recessed channel extending from the forward end thereof to a position away from the forward end thereof for slideably retaining the bridge. A follower member is slideably retained within the channel, with the follower member having a guide pin extending upward from the channel; and the bridge includes a recess in the under surface thereof for engaging the guide pin. The channel of said lift arm further includes a compression spring for biasing the follower member toward the forward end of the channel, and thereby biasing the bridge toward a slide forward position on the lift arm.
The major components of the lifting device can be suitably formed from standard sheet metal and metal plate stock with minimal machining and welding required to form or assemble the components. The base is formed from a piece of sheet metal having a flat pattern defining the rectangular bottom and the respective rear flange, side flanges, and additional flanges, all extending outward from the rectangular bottom. The entire base can be formed from a single piece of sheet metal that is stamped to form the apertures and the periphery defined by the flat pattern; the flat pattern is progressively folded into the base without the need for welding. The block and lifting pad are similarly formed from flat patterns that are readily stamped and folded into the desired configurations without the need for machining and welding.

Economical lifting device-power unit for use with a jack stand and lift bridge


This invention relates to a silencer for muffling the flow of exhaust gases from an engine before they enter the atmosphere. This silencer comprises a tubular housing having an absorption section with an inlet and an outlet opening. The absorption section is constructed of three walls: and outside wall, a middle wall and a perforated inside wall. Positioned between the middle and outside wall is a layer of heat insulating material and positioned between the middle and inside wall is a layer of sound absorption material. Two symmetrical members are aligned parallel to each other within the absorption section with each member having an inner and an outer wall and a layer of sound absorption material therebetween. When the two symmetrical members are connected together, they form a hollow tubular inlet connector and a hollow tubular outlet connector which have parallel aligned axis. In addition, two longitudinally extending slots are constructed in each tubular connector. These slots communicate with each other by two separate passageways formed by the perforated inside wall of the absorption section and the outer walls of the two symmetrical members. These two passageways channel the exhaust gas through the silencer and out to the atmosphere.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a silencer for handling exhaust gases from an engine and particularly to a reduced volume silencer for handling exhaust gases for a diesel engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A silencer is a device which is connected to the outlet of an engine for the purpose of muffling the sound and reducing the pressure drop of the exiting exhaust gas. With the advent of smaller and more compact vehicles, the need has arisen to design a silencer which has a smaller external volume but which contains a large absorption area.
A prior art patent that has tried to solve this problem is U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,205 granted to W. Bauerschmidts in November 1978. This patent describes and claims an exhaust gas muffler construction in which two spiral flow passages are contained within a tubular housing in order to fit into a smaller space and have less height. However, this spiral configuration of the flow passages makes for a complicated structure which is difficult to manufacture and costly to produce. Applicants have sought to invent a silencer which is both small and compact and which uses a simple internal directional and absorption means.


In a combustion engine control, an amount of fuel suitable for each combustion cycle in the combustion engine is determined, the fuel is injected into the combustion engine, a spark for igniting the injected fuel is generated in the combustion engine, it is detected that the combustion engine is ordered to be stopped, the combustion engine is stopped by preventing to start injecting the fuel into the combustion engine after it is detected that the combustion engine is ordered to be stopped, the determined amount of fuel completes being injected into the combustion engine after the fuel starts to be injected into the combustion engine, regardless of whether it is detected that the combustion engine is ordered to be stopped.

The present invention relates to a combustion engine and combustion engine control method, according to which a combustion condition in the engine is appropriately controlled after the combustion engine is ordered to be stopped.
In a prior-art combustion engine control method as disclosed by Publication of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Hei-3-242466, a fuel injection is prevented just after an ignition switch is operated to stop the engine, and an ignition is continued until a predetermined time elapses thereafter.

Combustion engine and combustion engine control method


Apparatus for optically reading data by transverse orthogonal scanning of a moving rectangular flat information carrier, such as a card. The apparatus includes a driver for advancing the carrier. The driver has two drive wheels and two cooperating idle rollers, the axes of which all lie in the vertical transverse main plane. Each drive wheel is independently driven by a separate electric stepper motor independently connected to control logic. By using independent stepper motors, the driver is able to straighten carriers not perfectly aligned as they enter the apparatus, and to permit reading of poorly printed carriers, achieving a high resolution even with mechanical components of conventional quality.

This invention relates to a device for the transverse scanning optical reading of information carriers or media, more particularly of rectangular planar carriers in which data are stored, such as cards carrying an opaque or transparent band containing coded data, e.g. analogically coded, or dot or bar coded, and the like.
Several and different devices are known, generally called readers or scanners, which allow for the extraction of data from carriers carrying coded information, through magnetic, capacitive, optical or mechanical phenomena.
More particularly, the optical readers are considered with interest in view of the high resolution, non intrusiveness and good safety prospects of the optical reading.
The resolution of such devices is a function of the overlapping degree which can be obtained between the picture elements or pixels of the carrier to be read (or the corresponding focused picture), and the individual sensors or elemental sensors associated with the picture elements.
The known devices have, among the others, the drawback of being highly sensible to an incorrect carrier introduction, or to its uneveness and being asymmetric. This is a strong limit to the spreading of such devices since the reader has to be reliable and to accomplish its task also under non ideal conditions, e.g. with the carrier being inserted slightly inclined with respect to the reader axis, with worn carriers, or carriers having a width which is not constant, etc.

Device for the optical reading of planar information carriers


An ocular focus device. An ocular lens tube is movably disposed in an ocular housing and includes a positioning groove. An ocular lens set is disposed in the ocular lens tube. A positioning member is connected to the ocular housing and is disposed in the positioning groove. When the ocular lens tube moves with respect to the ocular housing, the ocular lens set performs a focus operation, and the positioning member moves in the positioning groove, limiting a moving range of the ocular lens tube with respect to the ocular housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ocular focus device, and more particularly to an ocular focus device for a sight.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a conventional ocular focus device 1 for a sight comprises an ocular housing 10, an ocular lens tube 20, a first ocular lens 31, a second ocular lens 32, a spacing ring 40, a press ring 50, a stop ring 60, a first sealing ring 71, a second sealing ring 72, and an ocular rubber member 80.
As shown in FIG. 2, the ocular housing 10 comprises an inner threaded portion 11.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the ocular lens tube 20 comprises an outer threaded portion 21, an inner threaded portion 22, a thread-void groove 23, a first receiving groove 24, and a second receiving groove 25. The outer threaded portion 21, thread-void groove 23, and second receiving groove 25 are formed on an outer surface of the ocular lens tube 20. The inner threaded portion 22 and first receiving groove 24 are formed on an inner surface of the ocular lens tube 20. The thread-void groove 23 is adjacent to the outer threaded portion 21 and is formed between the outer threaded portion 21 and the second receiving groove 25.
As shown in FIG. 1, the press ring 50 and stop ring 60 comprise an outer threaded portion 51 and an outer threaded portion 61, respectively.
The following description is directed to assembly of the ocular focus device 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first sealing ring 71 is fit in the first receiving groove 24 of the ocular lens tube 20. Here, the first sealing ring 71 can provide airtight and water-resistant functions. The first ocular lens 31 is then disposed in the ocular lens tube 20 and abuts the first sealing ring 71. The spacing ring 40 and second ocular lens 32 are then disposed in the ocular lens tube 20. Here, the spacing ring 40 is abutted between the first ocular lens 31 and the second ocular lens 32, fixing a separated distance therebetween. The press ring 50 is then revolved in the ocular lens tube 20 until abutting the second ocular lens 32. Here, the positions of the first ocular lens 31 and second ocular lens 32 in the ocular lens tube 20 can be fixed by the press ring 50. Then, the second sealing ring 72 is fit in the second receiving groove 25 of the ocular lens tube 20 and the ocular rubber member 80 is fit on the ocular lens tube 20. Here, the second sealing ring 72 can provide airtight and water-resistant functions and the ocular rubber member 80 can protect eyes of an operator. The stop ring 60 is then disposed in the ocular housing 10. Then, the ocular lens tube 20 is fastened in the ocular housing 10 and the stop ring 60 is fastened in the ocular lens tube 20. Here, the stop ring 60 is separated from the press ring 50.
When using the ocular focus device 1 to perform a focus operation, the operator can revolve the ocular lens tube 20, enabling the ocular lens tube 20 to rotate and move with respect to the ocular housing 10. At this point, the first ocular lens 31 and second ocular lens 32 disposed in the ocular lens tube 20 move with respect to the ocular housing 10, achieving a focus effect. Moreover, the rotating and moving range of the ocular lens tube 20 with respect to the ocular housing 10 is limited by the stop ring 60 and thread-void groove 23.
Nevertheless, the ocular focus device 1 has many drawbacks as follows. As many constituent members of the ocular focus device 1 are formed with threaded portions (such as, the inner threaded portion 11 of the ocular housing 10, the outer threaded portion 21 and inner threaded portion 22 of the ocular lens tube 20, the outer threaded portion 51 of the press ring 50, and the outer threaded portion 61 of the stop ring 60), manufacturing costs of the ocular focus device 1 are high. Moreover, as many of the constituent members of the ocular focus device 1 are formed with the threaded portions, the thickness or volume thereof cannot be reduced. Thus, overall weight and material costs of the ocular focus device 1 cannot be reduced. Additionally, as the focus operation of the ocular focus device 1 is accomplished by revolving the ocular lens tube 20, the moving speed of the ocular lens tube 20 (or the first ocular lens 31 and second ocular lens 32) with respect to the ocular housing 10 cannot match the revolving speed of the operator. Namely, the focus speed of the ocular focus device 1 is confined to a predetermined speed range.
Hence, there is a need for an ocular focus device with reduced manufacturing costs, size, and weight, increased focus speed, and enhanced operational convenience.


A method for live migrating a virtual machine includes connecting to a virtual machine operated in a first host by a client; transmitting condition data of the virtual machine to a second host by the first host during a transmitting time, the first host and the second host being located at different net domains; transmitting a variance of condition data of the virtual machine generated in the transmitting time to the second host by the first host; providing a notification to the client to reconnect to the second host by the first host; modifying a network packets transmitting rule by the client based on the notification of the first host, and activating the virtual machine by the second host based on the condition data of the virtual machine and the variance of the condition data of the virtual machine thereby maintaining the connection between the client and the virtual machine.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the network service technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for live migrating a virtual machine.
Description of Related Art
With the rapid progress of infrastructure as service (IaaS) in recent years, when live migration of virtual machines is performed, the reliability of the web service is increasingly important. If the web service is interrupted during the live migration process of the virtual machines, the reliability of the web service will be adversely affected, resulting in a bad web operation experience for users.
In view of the foregoing, problems and disadvantages are associated with existing products that require further improvement. However, those skilled in the art have not yet to find a solution.

Method for live migrating virtual machine


A resistor network is disclosed which is suited for surface mount which does not incorporate wire terminations. The network is fabricated entirely from cermet, ceramic, and solder, yet will absorb thermal stresses normally associated with circuitry energization when properly mounted upon a substrate. This is accomplished by controlling the formation of solder bumps and simultaneously controlling the mounted distance between those bumps and a wiring substrate upon which the network is mounted. Additionally, the network may be formed to be either a SIP or DIP configuration, depending upon whether an additional groove is incorporated into the termination side of the substrate. Two alternative embodiments are also disclosed which incorporate various features of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to surface mount devices generally, and specifically to surface mount resistor networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
High quality resistor networks are typically made from ceramic substrates which have patterned thereon ceramic-metal composite conductors. These cermet conductors are fired at elevated temperatures, typically 800.degree.-1000.degree. C. The thusly formed cermet resistors have performance characteristics which are significantly better than lower temperature polymeric resistor materials. However, the elevated firing temperature does necessitate the use of ceramic substrates.
Due to local heating of a resistor element, sudden changes in the ambient or other causes, a finished and mounted resistor network will rarely always see the same temperature and rate of temperature change as the wiring substrate that the network is attached to. Such variances result in differing expansion and contraction, which will produce stresses between the network and the substrate. Those thermally induced stresses can result in interconnection failure if not properly relieved. In the prior art, such stresses were readily relieved by elastic deformation of the lead wires of the resistor network. However, this type of stress relief is not available in those instances where the manufacturer has required surface mount devices where there is not adequate space for lead wires. This lack of stress relief is emphasized in those instances where the application requires the performance characteristics best obtainable with unyielding ceramic substrates and cermet conductors and resistors. Therefore some other way must be found to solve thermal stress problems if the manufacturer is still going to be able to take for granted the quality available from cermet resistors and yet design high speed, densely packed circuitry.
As modern electronic devices become faster and more densely packed, there is a continuing trend towards the attachment of devices with little if any electrical wire intermediary to the device and a substrate. Generally, any wiring will be present only on or within the substrate and extra wire extending from a component may be regarded as being deleterious to performance, packaging density, and suitability for multi-layer printed wiring boards. This is because the wire introduces additional connections between the component and the board (component to wire to board as opposed to component to board) which reduces the overall reliability somewhat. The wire additionally requires a finite amount of space which reduces packing density and which in high speed circuitry may introduce signal propagation delay and noise and signal degradation. Additionally, the wire may require additional holes through the circuit board for mounting each termination. The through holes that are required must be drilled through each layer of the circuit board and therefore require vacancies in the wiring pattern which complicates wiring layout.
Unfortunately, where a different resistor substrate material is used from that of the wiring substrate, or where the resistor substrate is thermally remote from the wiring substrate, differences in expansion and contraction are often emphasized sufficiently that failure does occur in the interconnection between the resistor network and the wiring substrate.
Some of the prior art attempts at overcoming this mechanism of failure have included attaching a miniature lead-frame from the bottom of the resistor to the wiring board, or in another device, wrapping a lead-frame entirely around the device and encapsulating the device in plastic. The plastic and lead-frame are much more resilient than the ceramic resistor substrate and will in many cases suffice to prevent disruption of the interconnection between the resistors and the wiring substrate.
However, the assembly of the resistor network is complicated very much by the incorporation of the lead-frame, making the finished device more expensive to produce. Additionally, the application of this technology to smaller production quantities becomes entirely cost prohibitive and the space for this technology may not exist at all as designs become progressively smaller.
Related technologies such as chip resistor and chip capacitor design have in the past included features to prevent failure of the device interconnection to the wiring substrate. One known method is to form a solder fillet between the chip and the wiring substrate of a particular shape which reduces the stress within the solder at any one point to a minimum. In this way, the solder is able to accommodate stresses by slight elastic deformation through the normal temperature excursions which the wiring substrate and the chip would be exposed. However, there has heretofore not been any economical application of chip technology to resistor networks, presumably for several reasons.
The first of these reasons is the increased overall dimension of a resistor network. The chip merely requires the printing of two terminations and one resistor between those two terminations. In the case of a resistor network, there is typically more than one external termination for every resistor printed upon the network substrate. This may run to twenty or more terminations on occasion. The increased dimension necessitated by the multiple terminations translates into greater actual differences in dimensional changes between the network and the wiring substrate with changes in temperature.
A second reason for the lack of application of the chip technology to resistor networks stems from the numbers of total terminations and the relative proximity of those terminations one to another. With a chip resistor, significant misalignment between the chip and the wiring substrate does not affect the interconnection integrity. However, where there are multiple terminations spread across a greater total dimension, alignment becomes much more critical. This may be further aggravated by manufacturing tolerances on the locations of the terminations. Generally, wire terminations may be used to compensate for misalignment and manufacturing tolerances, whereas a chip type design does not require nor incorporate any feature to accommodate this type of problem.

All ceramic surface mount sip and dip networks having spacers and solder barriers


A portable electronic device includes a housing that at least partially defines an internal volume. The portable electronic device further includes a cover secured to the housing and that is and capable of enclosing the internal volume. The cover having a cover opening capable of passing an audible sound provided by an audio module located within the internal volume. The audible sound passing from the audio module to the cover opening along an audible sound path. The portable electronic device further includes a bracket assembly positioned in the internal volume and having: (i) a bracket opening that is aligned with and between the audio module with the cover opening, and (ii) a fin element that spans the bracket opening, the fin element having at least a portion positioned within the audible sound path.

Portable electronic devices can include an internal volume that houses an audio module. The audio module can be capable of emitting an audible sound through an opening in a cover enclosing the internal volume. For example, when the portable electronic device is a smartphone, the audio module can play music and/or emit a voice of a person participating in a telephone call with a user of the smartphone. The audible sound can be ported through the opening in the cover of the portable electronic device such that people within a certain range of the portable electronic device can hear the audible sound.


A mobile appliance and a method of using a mobile appliance are disclosed. The mobile appliance may include a microprocessor, a data entry device, a monitor, a candidate selection device, and software having instructions for controlling the microprocessor. A series of characters are provided to the appliance, and the series of characters is used to both indicate a function and indicate information for that function.

Mobile appliances having wireless connectivity, such as cellular telephones, have become so feature-rich that it has become increasingly difficult for a user to be able to access these features in a simple fashion. For example, a single wireless mobile appliance can provide the following features: make and receive telephone calls, take photographs, provide a calendar and update other devices where the calendar can be accessed, allow sending and receiving of emails, allow interaction with the Internet, provide video games, and provide a calculator. Each of these features may have its own menus designed to assist the user with using a feature. The use of menu structures is well established but has proven to be confusing for the ordinary user in part because of limited screen area and the difficulty of building intuitive interfaces.
Usually, a user needs to be able to identify the desired application accurately or it may not be discovered. If the user is unable to identify a desired application, a last resort has conventionally been to provide a file labeled "Help". However, by the time a user resorts to using the "Help" feature, the user often has little patience to use the "Help" feature, and frequently the user abandons the effort to find and use a feature.
Automated discovery techniques and products are available. For example, a product commonly referred to as "Qix" has been made commercially available. The Qix product directly indexes features or uses synonyms to assist the user with using features of a mobile appliance. Using a mobile appliance having "Qix", the user may enter data via a data entry device, such as a telephone keypad. The keypad may have keys that are associated with numbers, letters and/or other characters. By pressing a key, the mobile appliance will cause a monitor to display candidates that may be desired by the user. For example, the monitor may display letters, words, and/or numbers corresponding to the pressed key(s), as well as icons representing features that may be provided by the mobile appliance. The user may then select from the candidates, for example by using a cursor and an "Enter" key, to indicate what the user desires.
In addition to supplying literal and disambiguated candidates, the Qix product may use direct indexing, pointers or synonym tables to identify candidates. For example, if a user enters the string 746, the mobile appliance may display the word "pin" and also the word "show" as possible candidates. The mobile appliance might also display synonyms for a candidate. Using the example above, if the user pressed the keys 746, the user might be trying to enter the word "Photo" in order to indicate a desire to use a function of the mobile appliance that is related to photos. In response, the mobile appliance might display the word "Camera" or an icon of a camera to indicate a function provided by the mobile appliance. For example, the function might be the ability to take photographs (i.e. the "Camera" function). As another example, the function desired by the user might be the ability to present previously stored photographs in succession, and so the mobile appliance might display the phrase "Slide Show" or the icon of a projector. Note that the "Camera" function, the "Slide Show" function and/or their icons might be displayed even though the user did not press keys corresponding to the words "camera" or "slide show" because the mobile appliance associates the words "camera" and "slide show" as synonyms for the key presses corresponding to the word "photo". The extent of this functionality can be determined by a textual dictionary, pointer and synonym tables stored locally in the appliance.
In the existing art, selection of proposed candidates matching the entered sequence may cause an appropriate action to be taken by the appliance. Candidates may reside locally or remotely. However, one class of action that may be required is a broader search in response to an inquiry. Discovery of services or synonyms that are external to the appliance or an associated preconditioned server are feasible, but constrained by the availability of the network and the user's ability to navigate the external services. Usually, the user is forced to engage in a lengthy procedure for each inquiry, and this may be discouraging, thereby limiting the value of the service.

Mobile appliance system and method enabling efficient entry


There is provided a method of lining an existing underground main pipe involving a branch pipe. The method comprises injecting a necessary amount of resin into the branch pipe from an open end thereof, introducing behind the resin a pig apparatus into the branch pipe, applying a positive pressure behind the resin and pig apparatus in the branch pipe to cause the resin and pig apparatus to move forward until the entire internal surface of the branch pipe is lined with the resin by means of the pig apparatus and until the pig apparatus reaches and slightly passes beyond a branching position where the branch pipe is branching from the main pipe, applying a negative pressure behind the pig apparatus in the branch pipe to cause the pig apparatus to stop at the branching position such that the branch pipe is completely isolated from the main pipe, injecting a necessary amount of resin into the main pipe from an open end thereof, inserting behind the resin a lining pig into the main pipe, applying a positive pressure behind the resin and lining pig in the main pipe to cause the resin and lining pig to move through the main pipe along the entire length thereof, so as to form a resin lining layer on the internal surface of the main pipe.

The present invention relates to methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe, particularly to methods of lining the internal surface of an existing underground gas pipe, a water pipe, etc. for the purpose of internal surface repair or rehabilitation.
There has been known a pipeline resin lining method as illustrated in FIG. 10, in which a necessary amount of resin A and a spherical lining pig 112 are introduced into an existing underground pipe 111 and are moved forward through the pipe, so that a resin lining layer M is formed on the internal surface of the pipe 111.
In detail, using equipments as illustrated in FIG. 10, a valve 126 is opened and an air blower 118 is switched on, so that a necessary amount of resin received in a resin tank 116 is injected into the underground pipe 111 through a resin supply hose 120 and an inlet pipe section 114. Then, the spherical lining pig 112 is inserted into the pipe 111 by temporarily detaching one end of the hose 120 from the inlet pipe section 114. Subsequently, by continually operating the air blower 118, a pressurized air is supplied into the pipe 111 behind the resin A and the lining pig 112 through the same path. In this way, the resin A and the lining pig 112 are driven through the pipe 111 along the entire length thereof, so that the resin lining layer M is formed on the internal surface of the pipe 111.
However, since there may be some uneven interior surfaces such as corrosion pits and surface scale buildup within an underground pipe 111, the resin A and lining pig 112 will move with a relatively large resistance, making it necessary to apply a much larger air pressure behind the resin A and lining pig 112 in the pipe 111. But, if a larger air pressure is applied, a problem such as resin blow-off will occur on the resin lining layer M which has just been formed on the internal surface of the pipe 111, particularly such resin blow-off often appears in a seriously corroded area involving corrosion pin holes.
On the other hand, if merely suction force (not shown) is used to force the resin A and the lining pig 112 through the pipe 111, and if such suction force is quite larger in order to overcome various moving resistance as described above, it will be difficult for the resin to fill the corrosion pits or pin holes on the pipe interior surface.
Moreover, the above-described method as shown in FIG. 10 fails to perform a resin lining treatment on an existing underground pipe having a branch pipe, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, since an existing pipe a involves a branch pipe b communicated with the pipe a, a part of lining resin c will flow into the branch pipe b, resulting a problem that a branching position is clogged by the resin, and hence making it impossible to supply gas or water from the pipe a to the pipe b upon the hardening of the resin.
In order to solve the problem shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, an air pressure substantially equal to that for pushing the resin c and lining pig d, is applied from an open end of the branch pipe b so as to prevent the resin c from enterring the branch pipe b. However, if a branch pipe b has a large diameter or if the resin c has a comparatively low viscosity, a pressure applied through the open end of the branch pipe b will cause an air way e in the invaded part of the resin c, as shown in FIG. 12. As a result, it will be difficult to completely prevent the resin c from enterring the branch pipe b.
In addition, the above-mentioned method proves to be ineffective to perform a resin lining treatment on an existing underground pipe involving a larger diameter portion. One method for lining a pipe involving a larger diameter portion is to use two pigs with a necessary amount of resin placed therebetween. The front pig is in a spherical shape made of a resilient material having a larger diameter than the pipe inner diameter. While the two pigs are being air-driven through the pipe with the resin carried therebetween, a resin lining layer is formed on the internal surface of the pipe, by means of the rear pig having a smaller diameter than the pipe inner diameter. However, when the front larger resilient pig enters a larger diameter portion, some residual air remaining in the inner corners of the larger diameter portion can not smoothly escape therefrom because of a tight contact between the pig surface and the interior surface of the larger diameter portion, resulting a problem that some parts of the interior surface of the large diameter portion are not coated with the resin.

Methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe


Macromolecules, including rigid chain or ladder polymers are solubilized in aprotic organic solvents by complex formation. The resultant polymer solutions are useful for producing films, coatings, fibers, sheets, and other forms of the macromolecules.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the solubilization and processing of organic macromolecules and, more particularly, to the complexation-mediated solubilization of rigid chain and ladder polymers in aprotic organic solvents.
2. Related Art
Numerous rigid chain or ladder polymers have been synthesized in the past few decades and shown to exhibit exceptional high temperature stability, very high mechanical strength, resistance to solvents, and generally excellent environmental stability. Polymeric materials with these properties are of technological interest for diverse applications, including as structural materials in engineering structures and aerospace vehicles, as dielectric materials in electronics, as engine components, and as heat-resistant coatings.
Rigid chain polymers are exemplified by poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzoxazole) (PBO), of the structure ##STR1## poly (p-phenylene-2,6-benzothiazole) (PBT), of the structure ##STR2## poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzimidazole) (PBI), of the structure ##STR3## and the so-called ladder structures, for example, by benzimidazobenzo-phenanthroline-type ladder polymer (BBL) and derivatives, five of whose structures are also shown below. ##STR4## Other examples of ladder polymers include the polyhydroquinoxaline ladder structure, ##STR5## whose oligomeric model compound 5,12-dihydro-5,7, 12,14-tetraazapentacene (DHTAP) has the structure ##STR6##
The semi-ladder polybenzimidazobenzophenanthroline (BBB) of structure, ##STR7## and its oligomeric model compound cis-BB of the structure, ##STR8## also exemplify the rigid chain and thermally stable polymers in structural and physical properties. Other notable polymers in this regard include the non-fused polybenzimidazole (X.dbd.N--H) and derivatives with the structure, ##STR9## and the aromatic polyimides of the structure ##STR10## such as poly [N,N'-bis(phenoxyphenyl)pyrromellitimide) or Kapton (Trademark of the duPont Co).
More recently, these rigid chain or ladder polymers, such as exemplified in structures I to XIV, have shown useful electronic and optical properties in addition to their excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties and thus are of further technological interest as novel materials for electronic, electro-optic, and optical applications.
However, these rigid chain and ladder polymers and even those modified with pendant groups, have generally been insoluble in aprotic organic solvents from which their solutions could be processed by standard polymer film, coating or fiber processing techniques. Furthermore, their melting points are generally above their decomposition temperatures which are well in excess of 400.degree.-600.degree. C. The general insolubility of these types of polymers in organic solvents can be attributed to two main factors inherent in their molecular architecture (a) intramolecular or conformational effects, particularly the rigidity of the polymer chains; and (b) intermolecular effects, especially strong interchain interactions.
Heretofore, strong and corrosive concentrated acids, such as methanesulfonic acid (MSA), triflic acid (CF.sub.3 SO.sub.3 H), and sulfuric acid, are solvents which have been used to characterize their properties and process them into films or fibers. The observed solubility of these polymers in strong protic acids is generally thought to originate from protonation of the polymer chains to form polyelectrolytes, such as shown below for BBL, ##STR11## with consequent significant reduction of the intermolecular attractions and the rigidity of the chain. The major disadvantages of using these strong acid solutions for large-scale production of films and fibers of these rigid chain and ladder polymers include the highly corrosive and toxic nature of the solvents; in addition, the acids are not volatile and are generally difficult to remove from the polymer films or fibers.
In the related art, processing of rigid chain para-linked aromatic polyamides such as poly(1,4-benzamide) (PBA), ##STR12## and poly(1,4-phenyleneterephthalamide) (PPTA) or Kevlar (Trademark of the E.I. duPont Co.), ##STR13## to fibers and films is achieved by their successful solubilization in a binary solvent system consisting of LiCl or CaCl.sub.2 dissolved in amide solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP).
Typically, PBA, PPTA or related rod-like aromatic polyamides can be dissolved in the aprotic organic solvents (DMF, DMAC, NMP) containing 3-15% wt LiCl or CaCl.sub.2. At sufficiently high PBA or PPTA concentrations in LiCl/amide or CaCl.sub.2 /amide solvents, liquid-crystalline solutions can be obtained. Such liquid-crystalline polymer solutions are used to prepare high-strength, high-modulus oriented fibers as disclosed by S. L Kwolek, et al (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,600,350 and 3,819,587, and Macromolecules 10, 1390-1396, 1977). However, these salt/amide solvent systems, such as LiCl/DMF, LiCl/DMAc, LiCl/NMP, etc. do not solubilize the class of rigid chain thermally stable polymers exemplified by the polymer structures I to XIV.
Some researchers have reported successful solubilization of certain rigid chain, conjugated, or ladder polymers in pure Lewis acids in the molten or liquid state. One of the present inventors, S. A. Jenekhe, and his co-workers have disclosed the successful solubilization of polycarbazoles of the structure, ##STR14## in molten iodine (m.p.=106.degree. C.), resulting in conducting polymer solutions from which doped conducting films of polycarbazoles can be obtained (Jenekhe et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,482 (of common assignment with the present invention) and Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals 105, 175, 1984). The solubilization of poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS) of the structure, ##STR15## where x=s, in liquid AsF.sub.3 /AsF.sub.5 to produce conducting solutions from which conducting films of PPS can be obtained has been reported by Frommer (J. E. Frommer, Accounts of Chemical Research 19, 2-9, 1986).
The solubilization of a rigid chain polymer, polybisbenzimidazobenzophenathroline-dione (BBB), of the structure XII, in molten antimony trichloride (SbCl.sub.3) (m.p.=73.degree. C.) has been reported by Berry et al (G. C. Berry and S. M. Liwak, J. Polym. Sci.: Polym. Phys. Ed. 14, 1717, 1976). In studies by the present inventors, some of the rigid chain and ladder polymers of structures I-XIV, and related polymers have been found to dissolve in some liquid or molten pure Lewis acids such as bromine, SbCl.sub.3, and AsF.sub.3 but do not dissolve in others such as S.sub.b Cl.sub.5, and SbF.sub.5.
Nevertheless, these pure liquid or molten Lewis acids are not practical solvents for potential large-scale processing of the rigid chain thermally stable polymers to films, coatings, or fibers, for obvious technical, environmental, and economic reasons. Thus, the problems of solubilization of rigid chain thermally stable polymers in suitable organic solvents, and consequently, the lack of methods for their ready processing to films, coatings, fibers, and other forms, remain a major obstacle to the commercial uses of these polymers which otherwise have many desired and interesting electronic, optical, thermal stability, and mechanical properties.

Complexation-mediated solubilization of polymers


To allow a third party system to more particularly identify sets of users for distributing content, an online system receives data from a third party system identifying users of the online system who have authorized communication with the third party system and stores information authorizing communication between the third party system and the users in user profiles associated with the user. The online system receives a request from the third party system to transmit a notification to online system users satisfying criteria specified by the request. User profiles including information authorizing communication between the third party system and online system users are identified by the online system, which selects a set of the identified user profiles associated with information satisfying the criteria specified by the request. The online system transmits the notification to client devices associated with users associated with the set of the identified user profiles.

This disclosure relates generally to communicating content to online system users, and more specifically to identifying users to receive content from a third party system based on information maintained by an online system.
An online system, such as a social networking system, allows its users to connect to and communicate with other online system users. Users may create profiles on an online system that are tied to their identities and include information about the users, such as interests and demographic information. The users may be individuals or entities such as corporations or charities. Because of the increasing popularity of online systems and the increasing amount of user-specific information maintained by online systems, an online system provides an ideal forum for third party systems to distribute content to users. For example, third party systems may communicate messages identifying products or services by presenting content to online system users via an online system.
However, many applications executing on client devices and presenting content to users process content received by a client device to identify unwanted messages, for example, by applying one or more filters to the received content. Based on application of the filters, certain content may be stored instead of presented to a user by the client device. For example, content from a third party system satisfying certain filter criteria is placed in a particular folder of the application, while other content that does not satisfy the certain filter criteria is presented to the user by the application. However, filtering of content may generate false positives that erroneously prevent presentation of content by an application.
Certain applications present notifications to a user when the application receives content from a third party system. A notification is presented by a client device executing the application to indicate that the application has received content, prompting a user to access the application and view the content. For example, a notification presents a visual indication on a client device that an application has received content to cause a user to access the application and view the content. To regulate information presented by a client device, a user authorizes an application to present notifications via the client device, which limits the type and number of notifications presented by the client device. While notifications allow a third party system to increase the likelihood of a user viewing content, because many third party systems maintain a limited amount of information associated with users, limiting the ability of the third party system to select to receive various content. This reduces the amount and type of content identified to a user via notifications associated with applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communicating notifications from a third party system to online system users via the online system


A figure eight linear dispenser (10) having an optical fiber winding configuration adapted to dispense an optical fiber waveguide (14) at high speed. The dispenser (10) is built up of a series of flat winding layers, with each layer comprising an interlaced figure eight pattern. More particularly, the dispenser (10) comprises a housing having a pair of bobbins (12a, 12b) respectively centered on a pair of half-circular outer guides (13a, 13b). The optical fiber waveguide (14) is wound around the bobbins (12a, 12b) inside the outer guides (13a, 13b) in a series of layers (15a-15e) of figure eight loops (16a-16e). An optional cover may be disposed over the bobbins (12a, 12b) and the guides (13a, 13b) in order to enclose the waveguide (14). The waveguide pay-out of the dispenser (10) through a properly spaced eyelet (17) is nearly helix-free and linear as a result of cancellation of the angular momentum in the paired figure eight loops (16a-16e). The dispenser (10) permits linear (helix-free) payout at higher speeds than other types of linear dispensers. This is accomplished by a reduction in the waveguide tension for a given payout velocity. The dispenser (10) increases the applicability of fiber tethered links to a wider range of high performance missiles and vehicles because of its increased payout speed and linear payout capability. Linear payout allows ducting of the paid out fiber to avoid a direct thrust missile plume. The dispenser also uses a relative small exit aperture or eyelet (17) for the fiber waveguide (14) which reduces aerodynamic drag and radar cross section of the carrying vehicle.

The present invention relates generally to optical fiber dispensers for use with wire-guided missiles, and more particularly, to a figure eight optical fiber dispenser having linear payout capability and that is operable at relatively high speeds.
A conventional fiber dispenser produces an anchor point fiber tension of approximately (3/2)RV.sup.2, where R is the fiber mass per unit length and V is the payout velocity. One third of the above tension arises from the damping of the helix in air subsequent to payout. Because the tension increases as the square of the payout speed, it tends to determine the upper payout speed limit for a given fiber strength. Optical fiber strength, in turn, is limited and expensive to increase. A balloon assisted type linear dispenser has a theoretical tension value of approximately 2RV.sup.2 due to mechanical friction used to damp the helix. In practice, balloon assisted dispensers have produced even higher tension than this. An aerosol linear dispenser has a minimum theoretical tension of (3/2)RV.sup.2, similar to the ordinary dispenser.
Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to provide for an optical fiber dispenser that has a lower tension value, that provides for linear payout capability, and that is operable at relatively high speeds.


A character drawing method for use in a bit map display system in which after sentence data constituted by character code data have been converted into character pattern data, a bit string for forming characters is transferred to a memory for display corresponding to pixels so as to be displayed. In the character drawing method, drawing of the characters is performed through optimum distribution of functions of processings to be executed such that the processings are executed in parallel by a multiprocessor.

The present invention generally relates to a character drawing method and more particularly, to improvement in a dot character drawing method for use in office automation equipment such as a word processor, a work station, etc. It is especially useful in an apparatus requiring high-speed drawing of characters.
Conventionally, a character drawing method utilizing a central processing unit (CPU) has been so arranged such that a graphic processor, in which drawing and editing functions are incorporated into one chip of large scale integration (LSI) by a FIFO (first-in first-out) method or a prefetch method, sequentially receives parameters, commands, etc., prepared and formulated by a main processor, such that drawing is effected and thereby results in a fixed distribution of the functions.
In this known character drawing method, if a large load is concentrically applied to a specific one of the plurality of processors, according to data to be processed, the following problem arises. Namely, since the load cannot be distributed over all the processors although the remaining processors have sufficient processing capacity beyond loads applied thereto, a processing capacity of its system as a whole is governed by that of the specific processor, thereby resulting in a drop of the processing capacity of the system as a whole.


A session controller configured to be coupled to a database and configured to receive an indication associated with an ingress call is disclosed. The session controller is further configured to query the database for an ingress-call peer associated with the ingress call, and to query the database for a dynamic-peer-definition template associated with the ingress call when the ingress-call peer is not identified upon query of the database. The session controller is further configured to reject the ingress call when the dynamic-peer-definition template is not identified upon query of the database.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for carrying real time services, such as voice telecommunication, via a packet switched network and in particular to an apparatus and method for voice, facsimile and multimedia over Internet Protocol (IP) communications components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Voice telecommunications has traditionally been conducted via dedicated telephone networks utilizing telephone switching offices and either wired or wireless connections for transmitting the voice signal between the users' telephones. Such telecommunications, which use the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), may be referred to as circuit committed communications. Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) provides an alternative voice telecommunication means which use discrete packets digitized voice information to transmit the voice signals. The packets are transmitted either over the public Internet or within intranets.
Typical VoIP network infrastructure includes gateways, gatekeepers, proxy servers, softswitches, session border controllers, etc. Due to optimization of network resources and to particular designs, network operators may choose to integrate functionality of the separate components with one another such that multiple infrastructure components can be collocated on one physical component.
It is desirable that the VoIP network infrastructure components be designed into a network such that network operators can provide meaningful services to their customers.
The following terms are used in this disclosure:
Gateway—An entity that can bridge or serve as a "gateway" between networks. In VoIP, it typically refers to a device that can "gateway" between the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the VoIP network.
Gatekeeper—An entity that works in conjunction with the gateway to determine how to handle VoIP calls. The gatekeeper can be either in the call path or play only a consultative role in every call. The gatekeeper usually only handles VoIP calls setup using the H.323 protocol.
Proxy Server—An intermediate entity, similar in functionality to the gatekeeper, that determines how to handle VoIP calls. A proxy server usually only handles VoIP calls setup using the session initiation protocol (SIP).
User Agent—An entity that can place or receive a VoIP call, usually based on the SIP protocol (session initiation protocol).
Border element—A border element is also called network edge element. This is typically where the policy definitions or the administrative control changes. Policy can be defined at virtually all layers in the seven layer open systems interconnection (OSI) model. For example, at layer three of the seven layer model policy can typically be described in terms of routing peers, advertised IP routes etc. Routers would typically act as the border elements where such policies change between networks. Network address translators (NATs) act as border elements to connect two or more non-routable address domains. Firewalls implement policy control (for layer three and above) as border elements where the administrative control changes. The application layer typically uses flows at lower layers as well (for example, in the network layer and the transport layer). Control of the application layer potentially allows control of microflows at lower layers. For example, individual media streams for SIP calls having identical layer three characteristics may be subject to different policies. Session layer border control (SBC) allows other border elements (like routers, NAT/Firewalls, and quality of service brokers) to understand these microflows and provide the appropriate policy on a more granular basis. As a stand-alone element, an SBC simply allows policy control at the application layer.
Subnet—A subnet is an IP (Internet protocol) subnetwork inside a realm
Call Peer—JA call peer is a logical grouping for calls) Call peers may be static (created by the administrator) or dynamic (created at runtime by the multi-protocol session controller). A call peer must belong to a single device and may belong to one or more call peer groups. There are two kinds of call peers: an ingress call peer and an egress call peer, as defined in the following.
Ingress Call Peer—An ingress call peer is a call peer which is associated with the incoming of a call.
Egress Call Peer—An egress call peer is a call peer which is associated outgoing of a call.
Call Peer Group—A call peer group is a (logical) grouping of call peers based on policy (business policy, for example, service level assurances or allocation of enterprise resources), for example, sites or peers.
Device—A device is a collection of call peers. A device may be static (have a fixed binding between call peers and a layer three address) or dynamic (when protocol registrations are to create the binding between call peers and layer three addresses). A dynamic device may have static or dynamic call peers. A static device only has static call peers.
Template—A template is a rule set used for dynamically managing devices and call peers, such as subnets.
IWF—SIP/H.323 Inter-working Function
A-O-R SIP—Address of Record (RFC 3261)
AAA—Authentication, Authorization and Accounting. These refer to the three functions performed for every call to authenticate a user's phone call, authorize the user to utilize resources in the network and account for the resource usage.

Methods and apparatus for controlling call admission to a network based on call peers


Process and apparatus are provided for the selective separation of non-femagnetic metals from a mixture of comminuted metallic scrap of approximately uniform particle size. The process includes the step of continuously introducing the mixture into a fluid bath maintained at a temperature higher than the melting point of a selected metal to be separated from the mixture. Solid mixture constituents remaining after the melting out of the selected metal from the mixture are withdrawn from the bath fluid by means of a screw conveyor. A melt of the selected metal is recovered.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the selective separation of non-ferromagnetic metals from a mixture of comminuted metallic scrap having an approximately uniform particle size. Such a mixture arises during the processing of so-called shredder-scrap. Generally such scrap is comminuted and non-metallic constituents are removed, ferromagnetic constituents being then selectively separated by a magnetic process whereby finally a mixture of non-ferromagnetic particles of relatively uniform size after the removal of additional particles of predetermined sizes.
Heretofore, such mixtures of non-ferromagnetic metals, particularly those consisting of relatively small particles, were of minimal commercial value because their lead content was disproportionately high despite the previous separation steps and also because the separation of various metals contained in the mixture, mainly lead, zinc, aluminum and copper or copper and zinc in the form of brass, could not be achieved economically or because the final materials obtained by these processes did not possess sufficient purity needed for economical use. These mixtures could, however, be used as additives in certain cases. Considering the ever increasing industrialisation and the growing shortage of raw materials the importance of recycling is also greater. It has thus become increasingly necessary and also more profitable to extract pure metals from all kinds of scrap.
Various methods are presently known for extracting certain metals from scrap, particularly scrap consisting of larger particles. Thus, it has been known to melt certain metals out of mixtures by the use of radiant heat, and to selectively apply heat according to the melting points of the metals to be extracted. However, in addition to the fact that poisonous metal oxides could be generated due to reaction with the oxygen of the air, the degree of purity of metals obtained by these controlled heating techniques is extremely unsatisfactory because a portion of the melted metal remains as a coating on the non-molten metal. A similar problem arises with a known process in which the metallic mixture is introduced into a bath having a higher temperature than that of the melting point of the metal to be extracted because here also the efficiency of the process in terms of the quantity of the selected metal extracted from the remaining mixture is unsatisfactory.
Based upon this state of the art it is one object of the invention to provide process and apparatus, which permits the continuous separation of selected non-ferromagnetic metallic constituents from scrap mixtures at a relatively high throughput rates even when the particle size of the mixture is relatively small. The financial costs of the process must be maintained sufficiently low so that the extracted metals can be sold competitively. It is also important that there be minimum adverse effect upon the quality of the environment, a factor which has become more and more important.

Apparatus for the selective separation of non-ferromagnetic metals from a mixture of comminuted metallic scrap

sma Shredder-Mull Aufbereitung Schrott Maschinen Abbruch GmbH


A soft gelatin capsule and method to deliver an efficable dose of Lagerstroemia speciosa L. (marketed by Soft Gel Technologies under the trademark Glucosol™) for the assistance and maintenance of moderate weight loss through blood sugar maintenance. The product relies on the effects of corosolic acid on blood sugar levels to derive a healthy weight loss effect for Type II diabetics (non-insulin dependent) and healthy non-diabetics and the improved absorption of an oil based delivery system. The product provides safe and sustainable weight loss when combined with a restricted calorie diet and regular exercise. Its benefits include improvement of cardiovascular health, normalized blood sugar levels, and improved physical appearance with the positive psychological effects associated with successful and safe weight loss/maintenance.

The first diagnosis of diabetes dates back to Greece, 2,000 years ago. Blood sugar balance, in general, diabetes, in particular, ever since has been the subject of an increasing scientific study. Diabetes affects 16 million people in the United States alone and it is the fourth leading cause of death. Insulin, the hormone produced by pancreas, regulates the uptake and conversion of sugar into heat energy and muscle power. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and insufficient insulin production leads to Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Lipid metabolism is often deranged in diabetics resulting in weight gain and other complications.
More than half of U.S. adults are overweight (body mass index, BMI<25), one-quarter is obese (BMI<30), and 11% of children and adolescents are overweight. Approximately 280,000 deaths are attributable to obesity annually. Sedentary life style is prevalent and only 22% of U.S. adults exercise the recommended five times per week for at least 30 minutes. Healthy weight maintenance involves a delicate balance between energy intake and energy expenditure.
Glucose is the principal nutrient for energy and daily energy balance between intake and expenditure is a determining factor in body weight stability. A long-term positive energy balance leads to weight gain, while a negative balance accounts for weight loss. Obesity is an alarming trend globally and more acute in developed countries due to sedentary life style and rich diets among both adults and children and leads to deleterious consequences such as obesity, syndrome X, insulin resistance, diabetes and other health risks (York D, Bouchard C. How obesity develops, Endocrine, 13 (2), 143-154, 2000). Syndrome X is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and central obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels. An estimated 20 to 30% of middle-aged Americans suffer from Syndrome X, which is believed to increase risk for diabetes and heart disease. The spread of obesity is considered to be an epidemic in the U.S. and a sensible, sustained weight management is a critical step in this environment (Mokdad A H, Serdula M K, Dietz W H, Bowman B A, Marks J S, Koplan J P. The spread of the obesity epidemic in the United States, 1991-1998, JAMA, 282 (16), 1519-1522, 1999).
Glucose is the most important nutrient for many cells of the body. Glucose transport from the blood into cells, therefore, is one of the most important functions of all cells and some tissues, such as brain, are solely dependent on glucose as an energy source. Insulin regulates glucose uptake into fat and muscle cells through the recruitment of glucose transporter (GLUT)4 from an intracellular membrane storage pool to the plasma membrane. A complex homeostatic mechanism keeps the blood glucose level constant in mammals and most cells contain several types of sodium linked glucose transporters known as GLUT family. Glucose transporters, such as GLUT4, are especially important for regulating intracellular glucose in heart and skeletal muscle cells and in fat cells (brown and white adipocytes). The pancreatic hormone insulin regulates blood sugar levels by a cascade of biochemical steps, including activation and translocation of GLUT4 to cell surface, for glucose transport from blood to cells (Yamasaki K, Effects of some saponins on glucose transport system, Eds. Waller and Yamasaki, 1996. Plenum Press, New York; Maier V H and Gould G W. Long-term insulin treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes results in mistargeting of GLUT4: implications for insulin-stimulated glucose transport, Diabetologia, 43, 1273-1281, 2000; Yaworsky K, Somwar R, Ramlal T, Tritschler H J, Klip A. Engagement of insulin-sensitive pathway in the stimulation of glucose transport by a-lipoic acid in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Diabetologia, 43, 294-303, 2000).
Numerous groups have been systematically searching for an agent to modify glucose transport activity and to find a natural product useful as an anti-diabetic agent. Various medicinal plants from Asia have been used to treat diabetes and the plants exhibiting hypoglycemic effect include Momordica Charantia, Tinospora Cordifolia, Ginseng, etc. (Yamasaki K 1996). Tea preparations from the leaves of Lagerstroemia Speciosa L., traditionally have been used for weight-loss and by diabetics to balance blood sugar levels (Murakami C, Myoga K, Ryoji K, Ohtani K, Kurokawa T, Ishibashi S, Dayrit F, Padolina W G and Yamasaki, K. Screening of plant constituents for effect on glucose transport activity in Ehrlich Ascites tumor cells, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 41 (12), 2129-2131, 1993) and in-vitro studies indicate that Corosolic acid extracted from the leaves of Lagerstroemia Speciosa L, improves the cellular uptake of glucose (Murakami C. et al. 1993). Further studies in diabetic mice indicate the hypoglycemic effects of leaf-extracts from Lagerstroemia Speciosa L. (Kakuda T, Sakane I, Takihara T, Ozaki Y, Takeuchi H and Kuroyanagi M. Hypoglycemic effect of extracts from Lagerstroemia speciosa L. leaves in genetically diabetic KK-AY mice, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 60 (2), 204-208, 1996).

Corosolic acid formulation and its application for weight-loss management and blood sugar balance


A method to determine the systematic error of an instrument that measures features of a semiconductor wafer includes the following sequential steps. Collecting sensor data from measurement runs on front and back surfaces of a wafer while the wafer is oriented at different angles to the instrument for each run, yielding a front data set and a back data set for each angle. Then organizing the data in each set into a wafer-fixed coordinate frame. Reflecting all back surface data about a diameter of the wafer creates a reflected back data set. Subtracting the reflected back data from the front data for each wafer angle, and dividing the result by two, yields an averaged wafer shape for each load angle. Adding the reflected back data to the front data and dividing the result by two, yields an instrument signature for each load angle. The symmetric corrector is calculated by taking the average over all instrument signatures at each load angle. The symmetric corrector is successively rotated to the same angle as a front shape measurement and subtracted, yielding a calibrated wafer data set. A wafer mean is computed by averaging these calibrated wafer shape measurements. When the wafer mean is subtracted from the individual front side corrected shape measurements, a set of shape residual maps for each load angle results. The average of the aligned residuals is the asymmetric error. The systematic error is the sum of the symmetric and asymmetric errors.

N/A
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods of measuring the shape and thickness of wafers, and more specifically to wafer shape and thickness measuring apparatus and methods that employ symmetric and asymmetric instrument error signatures.
Semiconductor circuits are grown on semiconductor wafers that are being manufactured in increasingly larger diameters. The fineness of the circuit lines making up the semiconductor circuits requires a precise focus on an extremely flat wafer. Test equipment has been developed to measure the shape and thickness of wafers, but the quality of the measurement is limited by the error that is induced by the equipment. In test equipment that grips the wafers by the edge and measures the wafer without touching either surface, the measurement precision and consistency have been good when wafers are placed on the test equipment at the same angular orientation. The shape accuracy has not been as good when the wafers are measured at various angular orientations. The measurements from this equipment may be degraded by two types of errors; symmetrical error that is independent of the orientation of the wafer to the grippers and asymmetric error which is correlated with the angular orientation of the wafer on the instrument.
Wafer shape can to be determined with a relatively low spatial frequency resolution. When a wafer is measured while the load angle between measurements is varied, a strong signature that also rotates with the load angle is observed. This instrument signature is independent of the wafer shape and is fairly stationary. A technique that strongly rejects wafer shape can be used to obtain most of this signature, which is called the symmetric signature. The remainder that is not removed by this first step is called the asymmetric signature. The asymmetric instrument signature is evaluated statistically by considering the residual errors in the data. The total corrector is defined by adding both the symmetric and the asymmetric instrument signature. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are disclosed in the detailed description that follows.

Wafer shape accuracy using symmetric and asymmetric instrument error signatures


Tetrahydrofuran and optionally gamma-butyrolactone are prepared from at least one of maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride by catalytically hydrogenating vaporous maleic anhydride or vaporous succinic anhydride in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst comprising the mixed oxides of copper, zinc and aluminum.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the preparation of tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone from at least one of maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride. In one embodiment this invention relates to a single stage process for the vapor phase hydrogenation of maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst comprising the mixed oxides of copper, zinc and aluminum to produce high yields of tetrahydrofuran. In another embodiment, this invention relates to a single stage process for the vapor phase hydrogenation of maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst comprising the mixed oxides of copper, zinc and aluminum to produce high yields of tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tetrahydrofuran is a useful solvent for natural and synthetic resins and is a valuable intermediate in the manufacture of a number of chemicals and plastics. Gamma-butyrolactone is an intermediate for the synthesis of butyric acid compounds, polyvinylpyrrolidone and methionine. Gamma-butyrolactone is a useful solvent for acrylate and styrene polymers and also a useful ingredient of paint removers and textile assistants.
It is known in the art that tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone may be produced by a number of different methods. For example, tetrahydrofuran is produced by the dehydration of 1,4-butanediol and gamma-butyrolactone can be prepared by the dehydrogenation of 1,4-butanediol. Specifically, most tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone is manufactured in a multi-step sequence starting with the reaction of acetylene and formaldehyde in the presence of a cuprous acetylide complex to form butynediol. The butynediol is reduced to butanediol, which is dehydrated to tetrahydrofuran and dehydrogenated to gamma-butyrolactone as indicated above.
In addition, tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone can be prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of maleic acid, fumaric acid and succinic acid, their respective anhydrides and ester derivatives.
The instant invention focuses on the production of tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydrofuran with gamma-butyrolactone from maleic anhydride. A multi-step process for producing tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone in addition to 1,4-butanediol from maleic anhydride is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,419. In this patent the ethyl diester of maleic anhydride is produced and then hydrogenated in the presence of a copper-chromite catalyst to yield minor quantities of tetrahydrofuran and larger quantities of 1,4-butanediol and gamma-butyrolactone.
Tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone are derived from maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride using nickel base catalysts in U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,922 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,448.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,054 describes a vapor phase process for the conversion of maleic anhydride to tetrahydrofuran using a two component catalyst system consisting of a Cu/Zn/Cr catalyst and a silica-alumina catalyst which had been calcined at approximately 1000.degree. C.
An object of this invention is to provide a process for producing tetrahydrofuran and optionally gamma-butyrolactone from maleic anhydride and succinic anhydride in high yields using a single component catalyst and without first esterifying the anhydride. Another object is to provide an efficient catalyst which will produce tetrahydrofuran and optionally gamma-butyrolactone in high yields in a single hydrogenation step with less by-products. Still another object is to provide a novel hydrogenation catalyst which maintains high activity over time.

Vapor-phase hydrogenation of maleic anhydride to tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone


A storage device manipulation system for implementing communications between a set of storage devices and a midplane is described. The storage device manipulation system may comprise a receiver and a communication system. The receiver may be configured to receive a command and generate a stimulus corresponding to the command. The communication system may be communicatively connected to the receiver and may be communicatively connectable to the set of storage devices and the midplane. The communication system may be configured to implement communication between the set of storage devices and the midplane based upon the stimulus by selectively providing power to the storage devices in the set of storage devices, selectively providing power to the ports on the midplane, and selectively establishing communication between the storage devices and the ports.

A storage product may include a set of two or more storage devices with certain functionalities and/or properties. In one instance, the storage product may be designed to be fault tolerant. For example, in an event that a storage device is disconnected from the storage product (e.g., due to failure of the storage device) and replaced with a new storage device, the storage product may be configured to reconstruct data stored on the failed storage device and store the reconstructed data to the new storage device. Testing functionalities of such storage product may require manual intervention. For example, to test fault tolerance of the storage product in the above example, a tester may need to manually disconnect a storage device from the storage product under test to simulate a failure, and replace the storage device with another storage device. Therefore, implementing an automated test for such storage product may be limited due to the necessity of manual intervention.

System for automating storage device swaps and/or replacements


A liquid painting instrument according to the present invention includes a neck portion of a cross-sectionally noncircular configuration provided on a wall having a passage hole that allows the neck member of the inner shaft to pass therethrough at a certain position in a circumferential phase while preventing the neck member from passing therethrough at other positions in the circumferential phase. The control wall is located at a position in front of the neck portion in the unknocked state. Projections are also provided on the front face of the neck member; each has a cam face that slides on the rear face of the control wall so as to displace the inner shaft rearward with respect to the fixed position where the valve is closed when the inner shaft is rotated preventing the neck member from passing through the passage hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid painting instrument for applying a liquid such as a hair dye.
2. Prior Art
Conventional hair coloring instruments such as those as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, include an outer shaft 1, an inner shaft 1 which contains a hair dye therein and is axially movable in the outer shaft, a brush 3 fixed on the front end of the outer shaft 2, and a valve 4 interposed between the inner shaft 1 and the brush 3. The valve 4 is arranged to be opened so that the hair dye may be supplied from the inner shaft 1 to the brush 3 when the inner shaft 1 is advanced with respect to the outer shaft 2 by pushing forward a knocking member 5 arranged rearward of the inner shaft 1.
In such liquid painting instruments, to prevent the liquid from undesirably discharging from the inner shaft 1 with the knocking member 5 knocked forward (for example, when the instrument is dropped), measures such as that shown in the above drawings, include a projection 7 provided on the inner face of the opening of a tail plug 6 inlayed in the rear end of the outer shaft 2, and both a vertical groove 8 of axial direction and a lateral groove 9 of circumferential direction provided on the outer periphery of the knocking member 5 to receive the projection 7. The projection 7 may be located in the vertical groove 8 to allow knocking motion when the instrument is used. When not used, the projection 7 may be located in the lateral groove 9 to disable the knocking with the knocking member 5 rotated.
However, such known instruments still experience the undesired liquid discharge because the inner shaft 1 containing the liquid, as a result of its own weight, tends to be independently displaced by inertia (i.e., when dropped) without being pushed by the knocking member 5. Further, even if the inner shaft 1 can be prevented from such forward advancement by other means, there still exists the possibility of discharge due to dimensional dispersion in that the inner shaft can move forward a little. Therefore, completely preventing the undesirable discharge of the liquid is difficult.
In addition, formation of the vertical and lateral grooves 8, 9 on the outer periphery of the knocking member 5 involves impairs the good appearance of the instrument and thus is not desirable from a design viewpoint.
Accordingly, the present invention is aimed at providing a liquid painting instrument, without impairing its good appearance, that is capable of preventing the liquid from being undesirably discharged even if the inner shaft 1 is advanced by inertia due to its own weight. The present invention is also capable of completely preventing the liquid from being discharged even when there still exists some possibility for the inner shaft 1 to be advanced a little due to dimensional dispersion.

Liquid painting instrument with valve control


A metallic sleeve for bridging a leakage point on a pipe is expanded onto the inner wall surface of the pipe with the aid of an expansion technique. During the expansion process, a gap of approximately 5 to 10 .mu.m occurs between the pipe and the sleeve due to the elastic resilience of the deformed materials. In order to prevent leakage through this gap, the peripheral surface of the end regions of the sleeve carry a component made of a shape-memory alloy which forms a seal between the sleeve and the pipe when a given temperature is reached. The sleeve is used primarily during the repair of heat exchanger tubes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a metallic sleeve for bridging a leakage point on a pipe or tube, wherein the sleeve can be placed on the inner wall surface of the pipe with the aid of an expansion technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a sleeve is known from Published European Application No. 00 47 407. In that publication, the sleeve has partial regions provided with toothing near its top and bottom ends. After the toothing has penetrated into the pipe wall in a first stage by hydraulic expansion of the regions, the region located between the toothings is likewise hydraulically expanded in a second stage. A shrinking process which thereby occurs in the axial direction is intended to reinforce the connection between the pipe and the sleeve in the vicinity of the toothing. Due to the different elastic resilience of the deformed materials which depends, inter alia, on the different deformation paths of the pipe and the sleeve, a gap of approximately 5 to 10 sm occurs between the pipe and the sleeve during the expansion process. Therefore, small quantities of leakage have to be tolerated. If the leakage is to be suppressed completely, the sleeve ends have previously been required to be welded to the pipe.
The welding constitutes a heat treatment which can lead to undesired stresses, and moreover increases the time spent on pipe repairs. Furthermore, the formation of corrosion in the gap cannot be assessed.
A device for reconstructing spigot-and-socket joint piping is also known from the German journal gwf-Gas/Erdgas (1975), No. 10, pages 412 to 417. In that publication, the leaking point in the region of the spigot-and-socket joint is sealed with the aid of an adhesive-coated aluminum backing foil. By using an inflatable diaphragm, the aluminum foil is brought into contact with the inside wall of the pipe until adhesive bonding has been achieved. The use of adhesive permits the known method to be used only in those cases where the adhesive is not attacked by the medium flowing in the piping.

Metallic sleeve for bridging a leakage point on a pipe