An optical phase lock loop (OPLL) system is disclosed that includes a master external cavity laser (ECL), and a substantially identical slave ECL. The master and slave ECLs are fabricated using a planar semiconductor device with waveguide-integrated planar Bragg gratings (PBG). Both the master and slave ECLs have a narrow linewidth and a low frequency-noise. Each of the ECLs has their own controller-modulator circuits for thermal tuning or electrical tuning via direct modulation. A laser-select-logic (LSL) module receives and processes a filtered phase error signal from a loop filter coupled to an electronic PLL device, and directs the processed phase error signal to one or both of the master and slave controller-modulators according to a logical determination of a required mode of operation of the OPLL system in order to achieve a stable and identical phase performance of the master and the slave ECLs. The required mode of operation is chosen from a locking mode, a prediction mode, a tracking mode, and a searching mode.

Phase Lock Loop (PLL) is a common electronic feedback system used in various electronic systems (e.g., radars, communications, TV, computers, cell phones, etc.) Some of the key parts of a PLL system include a phase detector (PD), a local oscillator (LO), a loop filter, etc. The LO frequency can be tuned by changing the input voltage or current. In a PLL circuit, the LO is forced to follow frequency/phase of an incoming/reference signal. The LO is locked onto the incoming signal such that LO and incoming/reference signal have 'identical' frequency/phase performance in the bandwidth of interest.
Optical Phase Lock Loop (OPLL) is the counterpart of an electronic PLL in the optical domain. In an OPLL circuit, two lasers are used. They may be referred as a 'master' and 'slave.' One laser (typically, the slave laser) plays the role of LO and is locked to another reference signal coming from the other laser (typically, the master laser.) As a result, both the lasers in an OPLL system have identical frequency/phase characteristics in the bandwidth of interest.
The two lasers used in the OPLL circuit may be diode-pumped Nd: YAG lasers or fiber lasers. Such lasers have slow speed of frequency tuning (typically, tens of millisecond range) limited by the speed of piezo-electric transducer (PZT) used to change the cavity length of the lasers. Another disadvantage of lasers is that they are usually highly sensitive to environmental changes, and require frequent calibration and maintenance to achieve desired performance.
An alternative to the Nd: YAG laser and the fiber laser are semiconductor-based devices, such as Distributed Feedback Laser (DFB) and External Cavity Lasers (ECL). Semiconductor-based OPLL devices offer the advantage of smaller size and lower power consumption, and often offer competitive or lower cost of manufacturing. OPLL based on DFB lasers require very large bandwidth (BW) of operation because of the large linewidth of DFB lasers (more than a few hundred kHz). Such large BW of operation consequently includes so-called phase reversal frequency (1-10 MHz), where phase of laser frequency modulation (FM) response changes its sign. Presence of the phase reversal frequency within the BW of OPLL leads to instability in operation and requires complicated electronics for correcting such effects. Another adverse problem with DFB based OPLL is their very high sensitivity of FM response caused by current and temperature response to the environmental changes, which forces the OPLL to "ramp" outside of the voltage locking range, and correspondingly lose their lock. Semiconductor-based ECL technology provides very narrow linewidth (in the range of 10 kHz or less), low frequency noise, and FM bandwidth up to 1 MHz, all of which are essential for stable OPLL implementation. ECLs with very narrow linewidth do not require very large BW and correspondingly allow to avoid operation with phase reversal frequency within the OPLL bandwidth. Inherent wavelength stability of ECL to the environmental changes makes them an excellent candidate for OPLL implementation with ability of long-term locking operation.
Accordingly, what is needed is an implementation of OPLL system using semiconductor-based ECLs and associated electronic components, packaged in a relatively smaller-footprint package that offers reliable and easily controllable performance at low power consumption and manufacturing cost.

Pair of optically locked semiconductor narrow linewidth external cavity lasers with frequency offset tuning


Disclosed is a disk array system which includes a plurality of disks constituting a disk array and a backup storage for backing up data in the disk array and performs control so that when a failed disk among the disks constituting the disk array is replaced with the replacement disk, restoration of data in the replacement disk is performed using the backup device.

Disk arrays are also referred to as RAIDs (Redundancy Arrays of Independent (Inexpensive) Disks) and have a configuration in which a plurality of disks are arranged in an array form. By appending redundancy data to data, reliability of the disk array is improved. The RAID includes a RAID0 in which by striping, for example, a plurality of disks are used as if it were one disk, a RAID1 in which using mirroring, the same data is written to a plurality of disks, a RAID5 in which by recording data and parities on a plurality of disks, fault tolerance is improved, and the like. Among these disks, in the RAID5, parity information for error correction is generated when the data is written to the disks. This parity information is distributed across and written to the disks with the remaining data by the striping. The number of the disks required for the parities is set to one. With this arrangement, even if one disk has failed, the data can be restored using the data and the parities in the remainder of the disks.
When a RAID controller detects a failure of a disk in conventional disk arrays, the conventional disk arrays have a function of performing replacement to a spare disk and rebuilding (rebuilding) data on the failed disk onto the replacement disk. On that occasion, using disks other than the replaced disk among plural disks constituting the disk array, data on the replacement disk is prepared.
In a disk array system for which high availability is required, it is necessary to rebuild data onto a replacement disk after replacement of a failed disk, in parallel with a normal operation (unless the normal operation is performed at the time of rebuilding, business is disturbed). At the time of parity rebuilding after the replacement of the disk, it is necessary to read data from all of disks that belongs to a parity group, other than the replaced disk. Thus, access performance is normally degraded. When the number of data drives is increased in a configuration such as the RAIDs constituting the parity group, the performance will be further degraded.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a typical configuration example of a conventional disk array system. Referring to FIG. 10, an access module 14 serves as an interface for transmitting and receiving a command, data, and a control signal between a host 20 and a disk array. A RAID module 13 is constituted from the RAID controller and management software, and performs a read/write, fault detection, processing for disk rebuilding, and the like on data on a plurality of disks 111 to 11n of a redundant configuration. A disk access bus 12 provides connecting paths between a plurality of disk drives 111 to 11n and the RAID controller 13. Incidentally, rebuilding of a disk drive is performed on the array of the redundant configuration such as the RAID 1, 5, or 10. Each of the disk drives 111 to 11n is constituted from the disk drive such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and is abbreviated as a "disk".
Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which in order to suppress further degradation of the performance when a number of data drives n is increased in an nD+1P representing a disk configuration such as the RAID constituting the parity group, copying is performed from one disk regardless of the number n. Patent Document 2 describes rebuilding (rebuilding) onto a disk by the RAID controller. A rebuild rate (Rebuild Rate) of a failed disk of 100% means that the system is all applied to the rebuilding of the failed disk. The rebuild rate of 0% means that the system performs rebuilding of the failed disk during an idle time when the system performs no other operation. A default rebuild rate is set to approximately 30% or the like, for example.
[Patent Document 1]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2002-108571A
[Patent Document 2]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2004-38290A

Disk array system and rebuild method thereof


A micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) variable capacitor (varactor) generally includes a substrate (102), a first capacitive plate (112) formed on the substrate, a flexible structure (150) coupled to the substrate, a second capacitive plate (116) and a first electrode (122) formed on the flexible structure; a package seal (104) coupled to the substrate and having a second electrode (106) formed thereon, wherein the distance between the first capacitive plate and the second capacitive plate (and hence, the capacitance of the structure) is responsive to a bias voltage applied to the electrodes.

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has achieved wide popularity in recent years, as it provides a way to make very small mechanical structures using conventional batch semiconductor processing techniques. One such device is the MEMS variable capacitor, or varactor.
It is desirable for a varactor to have a wide usable range of capacitance values. Unfortunately, the tunable range of a MEMS varactor is severely limited by its initial air gap dimension. For a typical analog varactor, due to electro-static pull-in phenomena, the typical tunable range is about 33% of its initial (un-driven) state. In a binary varactor, the tuning ratio (Con/Coff) is typically between 5:1 to 30:1, depending upon its initial gap and actuation voltage.
This limitation is sometimes addressed by increasing the initial air gap distance between capacitive plates. The larger the initial air gap, the higher the tuning ratio. At the same time, however, larger initial air gaps give rise to increase actuation voltage.
Furthermore, in such prior art systems, the MEMS varactor is fabricated first, then sealed in an enclosing package. This increases processing steps and results in a device that is relatively large and complex.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide compact MEMS varactor structures that have a wide tunable range and/or tuning ratio. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and apparatus for a MEMS varactor


A car storage system is disclosed which mounts to the ceiling of an automobile to provide storage for small items carried by a vehicle operator such as cassette tapes, compact discs, gloves, sunglasses, nasal tissue, and/or maps. The car storage system is adjustably mountable to the ceiling of an automobile such that any of the above items are easily within reach of a vehicle operator. The car storage system comprises a support member which is adjustable to any ceiling width and is mounted using pivotable flanges secured behind the trim molding normally placed about a vehicle's ceiling. A storage member which comprises a plurality of individual storage compartments is removably connected to the support member in order to provide the storage area for any of the above items.

The present invention relates to an apparatus used for the storage of small items and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an apparatus removably mounted to the ceiling of an automobile roof in a position above the heads of a vehicle's occupants across the ceiling from the driver's side to the passenger's side in order to provide storage for items normally carried within an automobile such as cassette tapes, compact discs, gloves, sunglasses, maps, nasal tissue, garage opener, mail, first aid kit, loose change, and/or hand towels.
In today's society, automobiles are more like second homes than a means of transportation. As such, people routinely carry large amounts of personal belongings within their automobiles. Unfortunately, storage space for smaller items which are easily lost is extremely limited in most of today's automobiles. Thus, small items such as cassette tapes, compact discs, maps, sunglasses, and gloves are left lying about the automobile where they be lost within the seats or out the door or they find their way to the floorboards where they are ruined under an occupant's feet.
Additionally, small personal items left laying about an automobile create a dangerous situation if the vehicle's driver wishes to find a particular object while driving. That is, if the item is not readily available, a driver may temporarily avert his/her eyes from the road in an attempt to locate the desired item. Seeking to locate an object within an automobile by averting one's eyes from the road produces an extremely dangerous situation because failure to pay full attention to the road is likely to be the cause of an accident resulting in the injury of the driver, innocent third parties, or both.
The above situation is clearly exemplified when the item in the car is a cassette tape or compact disc. With the proliferation of radios which are outfitted with cassette tape players or compact disc players, the trend is to possess a large personal music collection readily available in one's automobile. Normally, these collections consist of cassette tapes or compact discs either spread throughout an automobile's interior or placed in a cassette tape or compact disc carrying case which is located on one of the car's seats. Thus, a vehicle operator desiring to listen to his/her favorite song must either randomly grab tapes or CD's stuck in various the crevices in the car's interior or open the carrying case placed on one of the car's seats and search through the tapes or CD's held within until the desired one is found. In either case, the driver's will take his/her eyes off the road for what may amount to an extended period of time just to find the desired tape or CD. Such a lack of attention to the road is unacceptable when safe driving is considered. Failure to pay proper attention while driving is a large cause of automobile accidents, and searching for items in a car such as cassette tapes or CD's certainly encourages a driver to avert his/her eyes from the road.
The present invention, therefore, provides an apparatus that overcomes the lack of storage within an automobile which causes small items to be ruined or lost and further creates the dangerous driver condition of failing to pay full attention to the road provoked when a small object which is not readily accessible must be located during vehicle operation.


A positioning system for controlling a relative position between a first component and a second component of a lithographic apparatus, wherein a position of each component is defined by a set of orthogonal coordinates, the positioning system including: a measuring device configured to determine an error in the momentary position of one of the components with respect to a setpoint position in a measurement coordinate; and a controller configured to control movement of the other component in a control coordinate based on the determined error; wherein the measurement coordinate is different from the control coordinate.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
It has been proposed to immerse the substrate in the lithographic projection apparatus in a liquid having a relatively high refractive index, e.g. water, so as to fill a space between the final element of the projection system and the substrate. The point of this is to enable imaging of smaller features since the exposure radiation will have a shorter wavelength in the liquid. (The effect of the liquid may also be regarded as increasing the effective numerical aperture (NA) of the system and also increasing the depth of focus.) Other immersion liquids have been proposed, including water with solid particles (e.g. quartz) suspended therein, or a liquid with a nano-particle suspension (e.g. particles with a maximum dimension of up to 10 nm). The suspended particles may or may not have a similar or the same refractive index as the liquid in which they are suspended. Other liquids which may be suitable include a hydrocarbon, such as an aromatic, a fluorohydrocarbon, and/or an aqueous solution.
The manufacture of ICs and other devices with such apparatus generally involves the replication of extremely fine sub-micron patterns, with an exceptionally high degree of positional accuracy. For this reason, it is essential to properly isolate various critical parts of the apparatus such as the substrate table and support structure (i.e. mask table), for example, from spurious motion, vibration, mechanical shocks, etc. In general, this is achieved using such measures as carefully designed metrology frames, air-mounts, motional counterweights and dampers, which serve to isolate the critical parts of the apparatus from most unwanted mechanical influences. However, such measures are not completely effective in eliminating a number of unwanted influences, such as, for example:
1. vibrations in the substrate table due to leveling actions during exposure;
2. vibrations caused by motion of reticle masking blades;
3. resonance effects caused by the presence of air showers;
4. immersion forces caused by water flow between the projection system and the substrate;
5. vibrations in the substrate table caused by motion of the support structure, and vice versa; and
6. influence of air shower flow on the substrate table. Although these effects are relatively small, they become increasingly important as the need to produce ever-higher device resolutions increases, and they now form a substantial barrier to the viable realization of large-area ICs having critical dimensions of the order of 0.15 μm and less.
Accordingly, it has been proposed in EP-0 967 525-A to provide a control system for the substrate table and support structure of a lithographic apparatus in which errors in the position of the substrate table are compensated for by their inclusion as a feed-forward control in the support structure control loop. Specifically, the substrate table error is lowpass filtered, the output of the filter is then added to the support structure setpoint, and also twice differentiated, multiplied by the support structure mass and the resultant force applied to the support structure. This proposal is based on the realization that the absolute positions of the support structure and substrate table are less important than their relative position and allows the correction of substrate table errors beyond the support structure bandwidth. However, this control system has performance limits, in part caused by the inevitable time delay in processing the substrate table error.
It has been proposed in EP-1 265 104-A to provide a control system for the mask table (patterning means) and substrate table that predicts the momentary substrate table position error and feeds it into the mask table control loop, adding it to the mask table set point and as a force to the mask table.

Positioning system, a lithographic apparatus and a method for positional control


A machine for the formation of tablets of cosmetic product includes feeding device for a cosmetic product in powder to a movable conveyor belt, so as to form a layer of cosmetic product that is not levelled, levelling means of the layer of cosmetic product that is not levelled, placed downstream from said feeding means of the cosmetic product, to form a layer of levelled cosmetic product, and portioning and compression means of the layer of cosmetic product for the formation of tablets of cosmetic product. The levelling device includes a plurality of thread-like elements, preferably wires made of steel, placed in circumferential succession and extending in a direction transversal to the direction of translation of said conveyor belt; the thread-like elements are placed in rotation round a common axis of rotation, transversal to the direction of translation of the conveyor belt, in a direction such as to oppose the movement of translation of the layer of cosmetic product that is not levelled on the conveyor belt.

There are known in the art, for example from EP-A-0561444, machines for the formation of tablets of cosmetic product. Said machines comprise feeding means (for example feeding hoppers) of a cosmetic product in powder to a conveyor belt to determine the formation of a levelled layer of cosmetic product that is moved by said conveyor belt. The tablets are formed by portioning the levelled layer of cosmetic product by means of hollow punches movable vertically that, from a raised position, are lowered so as to immerse them in the layer of cosmetic product; pressure pistons slidable inside the hollow punches then compress the portion of cosmetic product contained in the hollow punch itself against the conveyor belt, and the hollow punches, containing the tablet of cosmetic product, are then raised again and moved to an area of deposition of the tablets of cosmetic product in special containers.
In such machines, downstream from the feeding hopper there are levelling means of the layer of cosmetic product that allow a layer of product levelled to a pre-set height to be obtained; said levelling means consist substantially of a static divider panel placed at a pre-set distance from the conveyor belt corresponding to the desired thickness of the layer of cosmetic product. The speed at which the conveyor belt moves is determined so that, in relation to the rate of delivery of the feeding hopper, there is formed under the hopper itself a layer of cosmetic product that is not levelled and whose thickness is greater than that of the levelled layer of cosmetic product.
The thickness of the levelled layer is determined solely by the distance of the fixed divider panel from the conveyor belt. In order to vary the thickness of the levelled layer it is necessary to vary the distance of the fixed divider panel from the conveyor belt. Moreover, the use of the fixed divider panel to level the layer of cosmetic product gives rise to irregularities caused by the fact that the cosmetic product adheres to the fixed divider panel altering its profile.

Machine for the formation of tablets of cosmetic product

Aktiengsellschaft fur Geld- und Kapitalanlagen


An optical scanner includes a scanner housing including a scan window, a laser light source, reflected light detector and a mirrored polygon spinner. The spinner is arranged to spin around both a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation so as to produce a substantially hemispherical scan volume.

Problems of enhanced scan volume and increased readability of barcodes held at different orientations to a scanner are common to all barcode scanners (single and dual aperture scanners). Although these problems have been best addressed by the use of dual aperture scanners, even these scanners produce scan patterns with gaps in item coverage. These gaps generally increase as the item is moved away from an ideal position in the center of the scan volume.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,229,588, 5,684,289, and 5,886,336 disclose a typical dual aperture optical scanner. The scanning light beams from a laser diode pass through substantially horizontal and vertical apertures to provide more item coverage than a single aperture scanner.
Furthermore, in an effort to increase item coverage, optics designers are increasing the number of scan lines, line length, and scan angles by increasing the number of lasers and pattern mirrors in the scanner. The addition of these components consequently increases cost.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an optical scanner which is not only capable of reading a bar code label on any one of six orthogonal surfaces of an item oriented at right angles to the scanner, but is also capable of reading the bar code label if it is located on any intermediate surfaces between those orthogonal surfaces.
The complexity of dual aperture scanners will be described in order to illustrate another advantage of the present invention, which is the simplicity and corresponding ease of construction of the scanner.
As will be illustrated in more detail below, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, present day scanners comprise, a laser assembly, spinner assembly, collection optics, pattern mirrors, detector assembly, electronics, a window and scanner housing which contains all the individual assemblies. In operation, the laser beam intercepts the polygon spinner rotating about a single axis and is subsequently scanned in a single plane towards a set of pattern mirrors which reflect the individual scan lines out the window and onto a barcode. The laser energy is then reflected off of the barcode and a portion is gathered by the collection optics and focused onto the detector generating a signal to be decoded by the electronics. The positions at which the scan lines exit the window are static, and are contained in a relatively small portion of the hemispherical volume available outside and adjacent to the window (FIG. 6). Consequently, the readability of barcodes is limited to certain orientations within that small scan volume


An electric pencil sharpener has a body, a cover and a cutter assembly. The body has a transmission device and a waste case having an opening. The cover is mounted on and closes the opening of the waste case. The cutter assembly is mounted in the waste case, is detachable from the waste case via the opening and has a connection base, a cutter bracket and a cutter. The connection base has a combining hole defined through the connection base. The cutter bracket is connected rotatably with the connection base and has a connection element connected with transmission device to make the cutter bracket driven by and rotate with the transmission device. The cutter is mounted on the cutter bracket. Accordingly, the cutter assembly is easily and conveniently replaceable when the cutter of the cutter assembly is damaged or worn off.

1 . Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pencil sharpener, and more particularly to an electric pencil sharpener with a replaceable cutter assembly.
2 . Description of Related Art
An electrical pencil sharpener can sharpen a pencil with a motor-driven cutter and is more convenient than a manually operated pencil sharpener. However, the cutter of the conventional electrical pencil sharpener is connected directly with a transmission device for being connected to and driven by a driving device, so the cutter is difficult and even impossible to be detached from the driving device by a user. When the unchangeable cutter is damaged, the whole pencil sharpener has to be thrown away, and this causes waste of money and usable components in the pencil sharpener.
Some electrical pencil sharpeners, upon purchase, are provided with extra cutters for future replacement. However, when replacing the cutter, the user not only has to disassemble the electrical pencil sharpener, but also has to demount the worn cutter from the pencil sharpener and then mount a new cutter onto the pencil sharpener by a screw driver or any other tool. The mounting and demounting of the cutter are both troublesome and time-consuming, causing huge inconvenience to the user.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an electric pencil sharpener with a replaceable cutter assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Electric pencil sharpener with a replaceable cutter assembly


A body 20 has body wall surfaces 21, 22 defining a body space inside. A core 30 is disposed within the body 20. The core 30 has a core wall surface defining a core space inside which has a bottom having an opening 33a. A valve 50 is inserted through the opening 33a of the core 30 with a clearance and can move along the core wall surface of the core 30. The valve 50 has a hole with a bottom which is comprised of holes 52a, 53a, 57a, a contact surface 58 that contacts the core wall surface of the core 30, a valve head 59 that can contact a valve seat 40, at least one first communication hole 55 that provides communication between the hole 53a and a second inflow fuel passage 30a within the core space, and at least one second communication hole 54 that provides communication between the hole 52a and the first inflow fuel passage 21a, 22a within the body space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid pressure regulating device that prevents pressure increase of fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fluid pressure regulating device is used to prevent pressure increase of fluid. For example, a relief valve is used to prevent pressure increase of fuel to be supplied to a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-515565 a relief valve 200 shown in FIG. 6. The relief valve 200 has a casing 110. The casing 110 has a wall surface 111 defining a casing space inside which axially extends through the casing 110. A sealing surface 114 is formed on the side of one axial end (upstream end) of the wall surface 111 of the casing 110. A hole 113 is formed between the sealing surface 114 and a fuel inlet 112. Further, a cup-shaped stopper 130 is provided on the side of the other axial end (downstream end) of the casing space. A communication hole 131 for leading fuel to a fuel outlet 116 is formed in the stopper 130. Further, a cup-shaped valve 120 is disposed between the stopper 130 and the sealing surface 114 such that the valve 120 can move (slide) along the casing space. The valve 120 has a contact surface 120a that contacts the wall surface 111 of the casing 110, and a sealing ball 121 that can contact the sealing surface 114. A spring 125 is disposed between the stopper 130 and the valve 120. The spring 125 generates an elastic force that moves the valve 120 in the direction in which the sealing ball 121 contacts the sealing surface 114. The valve 120 has a communication hole 122. A throttle element 123 is provided in the communication hole 122 on the side of the sealing surface 114 (upstream side).
The relief valve 200 operates as follows. When the pressure of fuel that flows in through the fuel inlet 112 (that is supplied to the fuel injector) exceeds a set pressure which is determined according to the elastic force of the spring 125, the valve 120 moves in the valve opening direction (upward as viewed in FIG. 6) by the fuel pressure. As a result, contact between the sealing ball 121 and the sealing surface 114 is released, and fuel led in through the fuel inlet 112 is discharged from the fuel outlet 131 via the throttle element 123 and the communication holes 122, 131. On the other hand, when the pressure of fuel that flows in through the fuel inlet 112 is reduced to below the set pressure determined according to the elastic force of the spring 125, the valve 120 moves in the valve closing direction (downward as viewed in FIG. 6) by the elastic force of the spring 125. As a result, the sealing ball 121 contacts the sealing surface 114, so that the discharge of fuel ceases. The throttle element 123 disposed in the communication hole 122 serves to weaken the force which moves the valve 120 when the valve 120 contacts the stopper 130 or the sealing surface 114.
In the relief valve 200 shown in FIG. 6, an inflow chamber (inflow fuel passage) 115 is formed on the upstream side of the contact surface 120a of the valve 120 (below the contact surface 120a as viewed in FIG. 6) by a throttle section (formed of the hole 113 and the communication hole 122) for throttling the fuel flow. Therefore, when the valve 120 moves in the valve opening direction (upward as viewed in FIG. 6), the pressure within the inflow chamber 115 increases. The pressure of fuel within the inflow chamber 115 acts upon the valve 120 as a force which moves the valve 120 in the valve opening direction (upward as viewed in FIG. 6). Therefore, even if the pressure of fuel flowing in through the fuel inlet 112 is reduced to below the set pressure determined according to the elastic force of the spring 125, the movement of the valve 120 in the valve closing direction (downward as viewed in FIG. 6) is prevented by the fuel pressure within the inflow chamber 115. In this case, the operating characteristic of the valve 120 is deteriorated, so that the pressure of the fuel flowing in through the fuel inlet 112 or the fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector decreases.
Further, an outflow chamber (outflow fuel passage) may be formed on the downstream side of the contact surface 120a of the valve 120 (upward as viewed in FIG. 6) by a throttle section (for example, formed of the communication holes 122 and 131). In this case, likewise, the pressure within the outflow chamber increases. The fuel pressure within the outflow chamber acts upon the valve 120 as a force which moves the valve 120 in the valve closing direction (downward as viewed in FIG. 6). Therefore, even if the pressure of fuel flowing in through the fuel inlet 112 exceeds the set pressure determined according to the elastic force of the spring 125, the movement of the valve 120 in the valve opening direction (upward as viewed in FIG. 6) is prevented by the fuel pressure within the outflow chamber. In this case, the operating characteristic of the valve 120 is deteriorated, so that the pressure of the fuel flowing in through the fuel inlet 112 or the fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector increases.
In this manner, if an intermediate chamber (an inflow fluid passage or an outflow fluid passage) in which the fluid is stored is provided upstream or downstream of the valve contact surface by the throttle section, the operating characteristic of the valve may be deteriorated due to the pressure of fluid within the intermediate chamber.


A method and apparatus of a device that authorizes a device for a service is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device intercepts a request for a web page from a web browser executing on the device, wherein the request includes an indication associated with an authorization request for the service and the web page provides the service. In addition, the device presents an authorization user interface on the device. The device further performs a local authorization using a set of user credentials entered via the authorization user interface. The device additionally performs a server authorization with a server. Furthermore, the device redirects the web browser to the requested web page, wherein the web browser is authorized for the service provided by the web page.

A single sign-on service is a service that allows a user to use a single set of credentials to sign-on to multiple services across one or more authorization domains. For example, a user could use a single username and password combination (or another set of user credentials) to sign-on for media streaming service from one company and a social media account from another company, even though these two companies are in different authorization domains. In this embodiment, having a single sign-on service for multiple services over multiple authorization domains allows a user to remember just a single set of credentials for a variety of services from a variety of sources. Typically, when a user wishes to sign-on to a first service (e.g., launching an application for the first time, re-logging into an application, accessing a service through a web interface, accessing a service through digital media player, and/or another scenario in which the user is presented with an interface to authenticate with the service), the user is presented a user interface that displays a native sign-on user interface for the application and a single sign-on user interface (e.g., "connect with XYZ").
A problem with single sign-on services is that the entity providing the single sign-on user service will share a user's private information with the individual service providers. Often, the sharing of private information is done without the user knowing about how this private information sharing works. For example, the user may unwittingly share, via the single sign-on service, how often the user is using one or more applications, the user's real name, the user's real email address, and/or other private information with the service provider that allows their service to be authorized through the single sign-on service.

Systems and methods of application single sign on


In a video game system and a game controller, discrepancy ween the manipulation of the user and the display position on screen, etc., can be prevented, without adding adjusting ponents after forwarding them from the factory. The digitized log manipulation information which have been obtained from the ipulation information generating means are calibrated by the ipulation information calibrating means provided in the game troller, and then the digitized and calibrated analog ipulation information which have been obtained by calibration transmitted to the game processing device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a video game system and game controller, and more particularly, is applicable to that which performs analog control of a display position on a screen, etc., with a game controller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, video game systems employed analog control of a display position on the screen, etc., with a game controller, and as the game proceeds, displaying the game contents which have been stored in a video recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, on the screen of a television receiver.
The game controller of this video game system is provided with a manipulator which is operated by the user, such as a joy stick, and converts the manipulated variable of the joy stick from an analog value into a digital value, and then sends it to the game machine main frame.
When this analog value is obtained, in the game controller, the analog signal which is output from the analog switch is controlled in accordance with the manipulated variable of the joy stick. The game controller converts this analog signal with an analog-to-digital converter (hereinafter, referred to as an A/D converter) to obtain the analog value, and then directly sends out the manipulated variable of the joy stick represented with this digital value to the game machine main frame.
By the way, when a video game machine is forwarded from the factory, a deviation of adjustment of the analog switch may possibly occur. Besides, age deterioration occurs in the mechanical part of the joy stick and the analog switch. For this reason, even though the manipulated variable of the joy stick is constant, the analog value may possibly drift from the original value.
Accordingly, there has been such a problem that the display position on the screen, etc., may possibly deviate from the manipulation of the user, after it has been forwarded from the factory. In addition, there has been such a problem that, when the deviation or the analog value has drifted from the original value, means for compensating it do not exist, or it is necessary to add some adjusting components.


A case for use with a stenotype machine, portable computer, and cables, power supply equipment, memory devices, as well as paper, writing utensils, and the like to form a mobile workstation. The case includes a top, a bottom, and a circumscribing sidewall, the top removably or hingedly attached to the side wall to cover an interior that is divided into multiple compartments, including at least a first compartment to store the portable computer, a second compartment to store the stenotype machine, and a third compartment to store cables for data and power that are connected to the computer and stenotype machine, the sidewall having an access opening for the stenotype machine to deploy for use while remaining attached to the case, and the case further including a bottom wall to which a stand is removably attached.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is directed to protective encasements for equipment and, more particularly, to a portable case for multiple pieces of electronic equipment that converts to a workstation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Professionals who work away from home are faced with the prospect of carrying a substantial amount of equipment to various locations and then setting up the equipment. For example, court reporters, stenographers using computer-aided transcription, videographers, and other technical professionals rely heavily on computers in addition to their tools of the trade, such as the stenotype machine or video camera, respectively. In spite of the fact that computer technology is constantly evolving and improving, tower-style chassis and CRT-based display monitors of a typical computer workstation can weigh 100 pounds or more and require high-volume packing materials. As a result, the portability of such systems is limited. Moreover, those professionals who utilize additional equipment, such as the stenotype machine or video machine, must transport and assemble this equipment into an operating configuration, often times under time constraints that require quick and efficient deployment of the equipment immediate use.
As an example, a court reporter has the following needs in taking testimony at remote sites using a stenotype machine with computer-aided transcription: (a) pack the machine, computer, and related supplies; (b) transport the equipment to the job site; (c) assemble the equipment into a working configuration, which requires unpacking and connecting cables and power cords; (d) manage documents and memory devices while recording testimony, including the display of transcribed testimony for spontaneous read back; (e) disassemble and store the equipment for transport back to an office; (f) retrieve documentation and computer memory devices from the stored equipment for transcription; and (g) prepare the equipment for future use.
There have been some efforts to provide technical professionals with portable systems for field use, but all such attempts have had significant compromises on the design and implementation of the various stored systems. For example, Mascot Metropolitan, Inc., sells the Tutto line of luggage that includes a carrying case for stenotype machines. This is nothing more than a four-wheeled suitcase that holds a computer and stenotype machine along with supplies. The reporter must still remove everything from the case and assemble it in working condition before being able to use the equipment and vice versa.
In general, existing products have not been designed to meet the specific demands of the court reporting professional. In part, the compromise in performance of prior cases is attributable to the absence of certain enabling technology, which has become available only recently. Hence, a new case for traveling professionals who must transport, assemble, and disassemble multiple pieces of mechanical and electrical equipment is needed.
Moreover, prior designs do not accommodate the needs of modern equipment. Standard components, such as a laptop computer or computer-aided stenotype machine, cannot remain in the case during use for reasons of access, stability, interconnection of cables and power cords. In addition, power supplies, high performance processors, and other components usually generate substantial heat and require adequate ventilation. In addition, the system must be impact resistant and dust tolerant. As with all computer products, it should be easy to service, flexible for popular options, quiet, and ergonomically designed for the user.
Thus, there exists a need for a truly portable, high performance, mobile workstation that facilitates easy portability, set-up and disassembly, and use of the equipment while remaining attached to the case, withstanding the elements and physical abuse, and maintaining an attractive appearance.


A double sealed valve according to the invention includes a valve seat 6 in a communicating passage 3 formed between an upper passage 1 and a lower passage 2. The valve also includes a first vertical valve stem 8 and a second vertical valve stem 10, which is hollow and slidably surround the first stem 8. The first stem 8 has a first valve plug 7 for slidable engagement with an inner peripheral side of the seat 6. The second stem 10 has a second valve plug 9 for compressive engagement with an upper side of the seat 6. The first stem 8 is connected to a valve drive mechanism 28. When the valve opens, the drive 28 lifts the first stem 8, which the second plug 9 moves upward.

A conventional double sealed valves generally type include a valve seat in a communicating passage, which is formed between an upper passage and a lower passage. The valve also includes a first vertical valve stem and a second vertical valve stem. The first stem has a first valve plug for vertically slidable engagement with an inner peripheral surface of the seat through a primary annular packing member, which is fitted to the first plug. The second stem has a second valve plug for compressive engagement with an upper surface of the seat through a secondary annular packing member, which is fitted to the second plug. The plugs can be opened and closed by properly driving the stems with a valve drive mechanism. Each of the packing members is made of rubber, and held in the annular groove formed in the surface of the associated packing member which faces the seat.
The downward movement of the second valve plug brings the secondary annular packing member into compressive engagement with the upper surface of the valve seat. Therefore, when the second plug closes, only a compressive force acts on the secondary packing member, and no shear force acts. On the other hand, the vertical movement of the first valve plug brings the primary annular packing member into axially slidable engagement with the inner surface of the seat, which may be made of stainless steel. Since a large frictional resistance acts on the sliding surfaces, a shear force is produced at the boundary between the outer or exposed part of the primary packing member which protrudes from the associated groove and the remaining inner part in the groove. If the shear force is excessive, the packing member may be damaged.
When the valve is closed, the annular packing members are restrained and compressed by valve seat surfaces. When the valve opens, the packing members are freed from restraint, so that their outer parts swell or dilate. The dilatation of the outer parts may increase remarkably with the pressure fluctuation and/or temperature change of the liquid flowing through the valve when the valve is open. If the outer part of the primary packing member has greatly swelled when the first valve plug transfers or shifts from its open state to its closing action, the forced engagement of the outer part with the inner surface of the seat applies an excessive shear force to the outer part. The outer part may consequently be damaged in a short time.
The ratio of the volume of the outer part to that of the inner part is relational to the dilatation of the outer part due to the presence fluctuation and/or temperature change of the liquid flowing through the valve. The larger in volume the inner part is as compared with the outer part, the smaller the dilatation of the outer part is. In addition, if the outer part of the primary annular packing member is partially restrained when the first valve plug is open, the outer part can be restrained from swelling when the plug opens.

Toyo Stainless Steel Industries, Co., Ltd.


An apparatus and a method are provided for accurately analyzing and evaluating a degree of contamination on a chamfered part without mixing impurities from parts other than the chamfered part into chemicals. At a position in which, on a front plane flat part of a semiconductor wafer, a boundary region bordering the chamfered part can come into contact with the chemicals, a radius direction position of the chemicals (a distance between a chemicals center and a wafer center) is determined, scanning is performed in a circumference direction, and the chemicals including impurities are collected. Then, at a position that can be brought into contact with the both chamfered part of the semiconductor wafer and the boundary region, a radius direction position of the chemicals is determined, scanning is performed in the circumference direction and the chemicals including impurities are collected. A liquid drop holder is, for instance, relatively rotated in the circumference direction from a desired start point on the circumference of the semiconductor wafer to a finish point.

Among methods for analyzing an amount and concentration of impurities such as metals that have adhered to a silicon wafer surface and evaluating a degree of contamination, there exists a method of analysis and evaluation through collecting chemicals.
In methods of analysis and evaluation through collecting chemicals the device and method to be used are determined according to the region of the silicon wafer.
When the front plane flat part of the silicon wafer is analyzed and evaluated a liquid drop automatic scanning device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is used.
FIG. 1A shows a top surface view of the liquid drop automatic scanning device, and FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the liquid drop automatic scanning device.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B the back plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10 is held and at the same time supported so that it can rotate freely by a fastener not shown in the drawings so that it lies on a horizontal position. On the side of the front plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10, a liquid drop supply arm 20 and a liquid drop holder 30 are disposed. The liquid drop holder 30 is fastened to the tip of the liquid drop supply arm 20 through a vacuum. The liquid drop supply arm 20 has a degree of movability to move the liquid drop holder 30 from the center 10c of the silicon wafer 10 in a radius direction A of the wafer 10. Additionally, the height of the liquid drop supply arm 20 is adjusted to a predetermined height and a liquid drop discharge opening 30a of the liquid drop holder 30 is separated from the front plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10 at only a sufficient predetermined distance to retain chemicals 40. With a controller 50 the liquid drop supply arm 20 is drive-controlled, and a rotation drive source of the silicon wafer 10 is drive-controlled at the same time as the liquid drop holder 30 moves in the radius direction A, and thus the silicon wafer 10 rotates. A tank 60 for collecting the chemicals 40 is provided in a location separate from the silicon wafer 10.
FIGS. 2A through 2D explain means for the liquid drop holder 30 to retain the chemicals 40. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a cross section of the liquid drop holder 30.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, liquid drops 41 are supplied into the liquid drop holder 30 via the inside portion of the liquid drop supply arm 20 and are dropped in succession one drop at a time from the liquid drop discharge opening 30a onto the front plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10. Thus the chemicals 40 on the silicon wafer 10 gradually increase. When at last the chemicals 40 increases enough to reach a discharge opening R shown in FIG. 3, it becomes possible to maintain a state in which a front plane tensile force of the chemicals 40 arises and the liquid drop holder 30 causes the chemicals 40 to contact the front plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10 (FIG. 2C).
Then if the liquid drop supply arm 20 is drive-controlled and the liquid drop holder 30 is moved in a radius direction A then the chemicals 40 can be moved together with the liquid drop holder 30 in the same direction A (FIG. 2D).
Next the operation of the liquid drop automatic scanning device of FIGS. 1A and 1B will be explained.
FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the movement of the liquid drop holder 30 in a radius direction. FIG. 4B shows the trajectory of the center 40c of the chemicals 40 on the silicon wafer 10.
If the state is reached in which the chemicals 40 is maintained by the liquid drop holder 30 as mentioned above, then the liquid drop supply arm 20 is drive-controlled by the controller 50 and thus the liquid drop holder 30 is positioned on the center 10c of the silicon wafer 10. And as shown in the same FIG. 4A, the rotation drive source is drive-controlled by the controller 50 and thus the silicon wafer 10 is rotated at a fixed speed and at the same time the liquid drop supply arm 20 is drive-controlled by the controller 50 and thus the liquid drop holder 30 is moved in a radius direction A at a predetermined speed (for example, a pitch of several mm per rotation). Thus the liquid drop holder 30 rotates relative to the silicon wafer 10 at a predetermined speed in a circumference direction ω of the silicon wafer 10 while moving at a predetermined speed in the radius direction A of the silicon wafer 10. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4B, the chemicals center 40c is scanned on the front plane 10a of the silicon wafer 10 in the circumference direction ω and forms a spiral-shaped trajectory starting from the center 10c of the silicon wafer 10.
FIG. 5A shows the trajectory of the final circuit of the chemicals center 40c. While the chemicals center 40c is scanned from the scan start point S to the scan finish point G, it advances in the radius direction A for a predetermined distance, thus the radius direction positions of the points are different.
FIG. 5B shows chemicals collecting region 42 in which impurities that contact the chemicals 40 on the front plane of the silicon wafer 10 dissolve into the chemicals 40 and the chemicals 40 including the impurities are collected, and a profile of the chemicals non-collecting region 43 outside the chemicals collecting region 42. The chemicals collecting region 42 as shown by the diagonal lines in FIG. 5B forms a shape according to the final circuit of the trajectory shown in FIG. 5A, thus various portions in the circumference direction of the silicon wafer 10 have various lengths in the radius direction.
The chemicals 40 in which impurities are dissolved is carried to the tank 60 and collected into the tank 60 while still being retained by the liquid drop holder 30. By analyzing the chemicals 40 collected in the tank 60 the degree of contamination on the front plane flat part of the silicon wafer 10 can be evaluated.
Next the device for analyzing and evaluating the chamfered part of the silicon wafer 10 will be described.
FIG. 6 shows a manual chemicals collecting device for collecting chemicals manually on the chamfered part (edge part) of the silicon wafer 10.
As shown in FIG. 6 a dedicated jig 70 is attached at the wafer center 10c of the silicon wafer 10 perpendicular to the wafer surface in the length direction. A ship-bottom shaped groove 81 is formed in a container 80 and the chemicals 40 accumulate in this grove 81. The silicon wafer 10 stands perpendicular to the container 80 and the chamfered part 15 is dipped in the chemicals 40. While maintaining the perpendicular state of the silicon wafer 10 the dedicated jig 70 is manually rotated 90 degrees, ¼ of a circuit in the circumference direction of the chamfered part 15 of the silicon wafer 10 contacts the chemicals 40, and the impurities adhered to the chamfered part 15 of this region are dissolved into the chemicals 40. FIG. 11B shows a collecting region 44 of the silicon wafer 10. An operator sets a position at which a notch 17 is formed as 0 degrees, and performs the chemicals collecting operation by verifying by sight that the dedicated jig 70 turns ¼ of a circuit (90 degrees) from the notch position (0 degrees).
The degree of contamination of the chamfered part 15 of the silicon wafer 10 can be evaluated by analyzing the chemicals 40 collected to the container 80. Note that the chemicals collecting operation is performed in a clean room.
The manual chemicals collecting device is disclosed in patent document 1 below.
Additionally in patent documents 2 and 3 below a configuration of an automatic chemicals collecting device is disclosed which comprises a retaining device and a rotating device, and automatically collects chemicals from a chamfered part (edge part) by rotating a silicon wafer 10 with the rotating device while retaining the silicon wafer 10 in a perpendicular state in the same manner as in the manual chemicals collecting device of FIG. 6 with the retaining device.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-77492    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-92889    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-204604

Method and apparatus for collecting chemicals from semiconductor wafer


A data acquisition system for use in a CT scanner comprises an analog-to-digital converter for generating digital signals in response to analog signals representative of projection data taken at a relatively constant sampling rate; and an interpolation filter for generating projection data for a plurality of predetermined projection angles as a function of the digital signals irrespective of the sampling rate.

FIG. 1 shows an axial view of a typical prior art third generation CT scanner 10 that includes an X-ray source 12 and an X-ray detector system 14 secured respectively to diametrically opposite sides of an annular-shaped disk 16. The disk is rotatably mounted within a gantry support (not shown) so that during a tomographic scan, the disk continuously rotates about a rotation axis 18 (which is normal to the plane of the page in FIG. 1) while X-rays pass from the source 12 through an object, such as a human patient 20 positioned within the opening of the disk, to the detector system 14.
The detector system 14 typically includes an array of individual detectors 22 disposed, for example, as a single row in the shape of an arc of a circle having a center of curvature at the point 24, referred to as the "focal spot", where the radiation emanates from the X-ray source 12. Other detector systems are known. The X-ray source and the array of detectors are positioned so that the X-ray paths between the source and each of the detectors all lie in the same plane (hereinafter the "rotation plane" or "scanning plane") which is normal to the rotation axis 18 of the disk. Since the X-ray paths originate from what is substantially a point source and extend at different angles to the detectors, the X-ray paths form a "fan beam" 26 that is incident on the detector system 14. The X-rays incident on a single detector at a measuring interval during a scan are commonly referred to as a "ray", and each detector generates an analog output signal indicative of the intensity of its corresponding ray. Since each ray is partially attenuated by all the mass in its path, the analog output signal generated by each detector is representative of an integral of the density of all the mass disposed between that detector and the X-ray source (i.e., the density of the mass lying in the detector's corresponding ray path) for that measuring interval.
The analog output signals generated by the X-ray detectors are normally processed by a signal processing portion (not shown in FIG. 1) of the CT system. The signal processing portion usually includes an analog low pass filter and a DAS. The low pass filter removes high frequency components from the analog output signals generated by the X-ray detectors, and the DAS filters the analog output signals generated by the low pass filter to improve their signal-to-noise ratio. One such DAS is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,893, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Other types of DASs are well known. The DAS also normally samples the filtered signals to generate digital output signals representative of the acquired projection data during each projection. The digital output signals generated by the DAS are referred to herein as "projection data signals". The collection of all the projection data signals at a measuring interval is commonly referred to as a "projection" or a "view", and the angular orientation of the X-ray source 12 and detector system 14 on the disk 16 corresponding to a particular projection or view is referred to as the "projection angle".
During a single tomographic scan, ideally the disk 16 rotates smoothly and continuously around the object being scanned allowing the scanner 10 to generate a plurality of projections precisely at a corresponding plurality of projection angles. In a typical tomographic scan, the disk rotates at least 360.degree. around the object being scanned, and the scanner ideally generates a new projection every time the disk rotates an equal incremental amount referred to as .DELTA..theta.. For example, where .DELTA..theta. is 0.125 degrees for a 360.degree. scan, the scanner generates 2,880 (i.e., eight times 360) projections. The sampling interval between measuring adjacent projections (i.e., the time required for the disk to rotate through an angle of .DELTA..theta.) is typically on the order of a millisecond.
Using well known algorithms, such as the inverse Radon transform, a tomogram may be generated from the data acquired at all the projections measured at the corresponding projection angles. A tomogram is representative of the density of a two dimensional "slice" of the object being scanned. The process of generating a tomogram from the projections is commonly referred to as "filtered back projection" or "reconstruction", since the tomogram may be thought of as being reconstructed from the projection data. The signal processing portion normally includes a back projector for generating the tomograms from the projections.
It is generally assumed that there are at least two requirements for acquiring data during a scan. First, the data must be acquired with the best possible dynamic range and the best possible signal-to-noise ratio. Secondly, the data must be taken at precise and known angles of rotation so that a simpler and faster reconstruction algorithm can be used. These reconstruction algorithms generally assume that the projection data used to reconstruct a single tomogram are generated at equally spaced projection angles (i.e., that the disk 16 rotates by exactly, no more and no less than, .DELTA..theta. between the generation of data for each successive projection). If the projections used to reconstruct a tomogram are not generated at equally spaced projection angles, the resulting tomogram will normally include unwanted artifacts. However, prior art CT scanners have had difficulty in generating projections precisely at equally spaced projection angles.
There are at least three sources of possible errors relating to the acquisition of data at precise and known angles of rotation. First, the rotational speed of the disk, may not be constant, and therefore making projection measurements at equal time intervals, will not necessarily result in projection data at precisely equal angular position intervals of .DELTA..theta.. Second, the measurement of the angles may be inaccurate. Third, the angle markers and position measurements may not be precise enough.
With regard to the first source of error, as stated above, during a typical tomographic scan, the disk 16 rotates at least 360.degree., and this rotation is normally accomplished in a time period on the order of two seconds. In practice it is extremely difficult to control the rotation of disk 16 so that the disk rotates with precise constant angular velocity. Rather, the rotational speed of disk 16 is typically characterized by some irregularity, or phase noise, sometimes referred to as jitter. FIG. 2 shows a graph that illustrates the effects of this rotational irregularity. The Y-axis of FIG. 2 represents the angular orientation of the disk 16 and the X-axis represents time during a tomographic scan. An ideal, linear, constant angular velocity trajectory for disk 16 is shown in FIG. 2 by Curve A, i.e., a straight line. Curve B in FIG. 2 illustrates an angular trajectory for disk 16 that is characterized by rotational irregularity. If disk 16 follows the ideal trajectory of Curve A, projections generated at constant rate or frequency (or at sampling times that are equally spaced apart in time) will be generated at equally spaced projection angles. As shown in FIG. 2, if three projections are generated at sampling times T.sub.1, T.sub.2, and T.sub.3, where these sampling times are separated by intervals of equal length .DELTA.t, the three projections will be equally separated in terms of their associated projection angles by equal angular intervals, each of .DELTA..theta.. However, projections generated at these sampling times when the disk follows the non-ideal trajectory of Curve B will not be equally separated in terms of their projection angle. As shown by the example shown in FIG. 2, projections generated at times T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 will have associated projection angles that are separated by an angular interval of (.DELTA..theta.-.delta..sub.1), whereas projections generated at times T.sub.2 and T.sub.3 will have associated projection angles separated by an angular interval of (.DELTA..theta.+.delta..sub.2). So the rotational irregularity of disk 16 causes projections generated at a constant rate or frequency to be unequally angularly spaced apart in terms of their associated projection angles. The magnitude of the rotational irregularity present in most, if not all, prior art CT scanners is normally sufficiently large to significantly degrade the quality of tomograms produced using projections generated at a constant rate or frequency.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of another prior art CT scanner 100 that provides compensation for the rotational irregularity of the disk. Scanner 100 includes a rotating disk 116 which rotates relative to a stationary gantry 130. A detector system 114, a low pass filter array 120, a DAS 132, and an X-ray source (such as source 12 which is shown in FIG. 1) are mounted on, and rotate with, disk 116. Stationary gantry 130 includes a computer or CT processor 138 for running the reconstruction algorithm with the raw data received from the disk. DAS 132 is illustrated as including a plurality or array 134 of analog-to-digital converters and a multiplexer 136. As is well known, the DAS may also include additional components such as the filters described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,893. Detector system 114 is an N-channel linear array including N individual detectors Di, for all i from one to N. Similarly, low pass filter array 120 and converter array 134 are N-channel arrays including N individual filters LPFi and analog-to-digital converters ADCi, respectively, for all i from one to N.
During a tomographic scan, while the disk 116 rotates through each of a plurality of projection angles, the detector array 114 generates N analog output signals that are applied to the low pass filter array 120. Specifically, the analog signal in the ith channel generated by the ith channel detector Di is applied to the ith channel low pass filter LPFi, for all i from one to N. The ith low pass filter LPFi receives the analog signal generated by detector Di and generates therefrom a filtered analog signal that is applied to the ith analog-to-digital converter ADCi, for all i from one to N. The ith analog-to-digital converter ADCi samples the filtered signal generated by the ith filter LPFi to generate a sampled raw data signal RawDi, for all i from one to N. The ith raw data signal RawDi includes a set of samples, or data points, RawDi(Tj) collected as sampling times Tj for all j from 1 to J, where J represents the total number of projections per scan. At any given sampling time Tj, the collection of the N data points RawDi(Tj), for all i from one to N, may be thought of as forming a single projection generated at a projection angle corresponding to the sampling time Tj. The N data points RawDi(Tj) in a projection are applied in time multiplexed fashion, via multiplexer 136, to the processor 138 on the stationary gantry 130. As is well known, multiplexer 136 is useful for reducing the number of connections between the rotating disk 116 and the stationary gantry 130. CT processor 138 generates tomograms from the projection data collected by rotating disk 116.
Also mounted in disk 116 is a system (not shown) for measuring the angular orientation of the disk in real time and for generating a Disk Rotation Angle signal that is representative of this angular orientation. Examples of prior art systems for generating the Disk Rotation Angle signal are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,339 issued Jul. 11, 1995 in the names of Bernie Gordon, David Winston, Paul Wagoner and Douglas Abraham and entitled Apparatus for and Method of Measuring Geometric, Positional and Kinematic Parameters of a Rotating Device; and pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/948,493 filed Oct. 10, 1997 in the names of Geoffrey A. Legg, Gerard P. Riley, and Hans J. Weedon and entitled Measurement and Control System for Controlling System Functions as a Function of Rotational Parameters of a Rotating Device (Attorney's Docket No. ANA-139), both the prior patent and application being assigned to the present assignee. These systems sense markers as the disk rotates, and generate a rotation angle signal, similar to the Disk Rotation Angle signal mentioned above, when the relevant markers corresponding the projection angles are sensed. This Disk Rotation Angle signal is applied to the CT processor 138. The processor 138 monitors the orientation of disk 116 and generates a Variable Rate Sample Clock signal that is applied to and controls the operation of the analog-to-digital converter array 134. Processor 138 controls the analog-to-digital converter array 134 (via the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal) so that the converter array 134 generates projections (i.e., samples the analog filtered signals) at equally spaced projection angles. As illustrated by FIG. 2, when the disk rotation is characterized by irregularities, such equally spaced projections can not be generated by sampling at constant frequency. Rather, stationary gantry 130 continually adjusts the phase or frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal in response to detected disk rotational irregularity (as measured by the Disk Rotation Angle signal) so that the converter array 134 generates projections at the desired projection angles. Since the projections in scanner 100 are not generated at constant frequency (i.e., are not generated at equally spaced time intervals), scanner 100 is referred to as a "sample-on-demand" type scanner.
In principle, sample-on-demand scanners can provide effective compensation for disk rotational irregularities. However, there are several problems associated with sample-on-demand scanners of the type shown in FIG. 3. One problem relates to the interaction of the low pass filter array 120 and the analog-to-digital converter array 134. The low pass filters in array 120 are each characterized by a transfer function, and the analog-to-digital converters in array 134 are each characterized by another transfer function. The transfer function used to generate each raw data signal RawDi is essentially a combination of the corresponding low pass filter transfer function and analog-to-digital converter transfer function. The low pass filter transfer function is normally selected so that any signal components above a selected frequency f.sub.max in the detector output signals are suppressed in the filtered signals. The selected frequency f.sub.max is normally related to the sampling frequency used by the analog-to-digital converter array 134 to insure that high frequency components in the detector output signals are not aliased into the raw data signals.
The low pass filters in array 120 are normally implemented using analog RC (resistor-capacitor) networks, and the low pass filter transfer function of each filter is determined by the values of the components of the corresponding RC network. The analog-to-digital converter transfer function is in part a function of the phase and frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal. So, when a constant frequency, stable phase, Variable Rate Sample Clock signal is applied to analog-to-digital converter array 134, the same transfer function is used to generate every data point RawDi(Tj), for all channels i and for all sampling times j. However, adjusting the phase or frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal during a CT scan will prevent all of the data points RawDi(Tj) from being generated using the same transfer function. For example, the transfer function used to generate the data point RawD1(T5) may be different than the transfer function used to generate the later data point RawD1(T7). Ideally, when the phase or frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal is varied (and the analog-to-digital converter transfer function is correspondingly varied) a compensatory change should be introduced into the low pass filter transfer function to insure that every data point RawDi(Tj) (and every projection) is generated using the same combined transfer function. However, since the low pass filter transfer function is determined by the particular RC network used to implement the filters, there is no simple way to introduce the desired time varying changes to the low pass filter transfer function corresponding to variations in the phase or frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal.
So, while varying the phase and frequency of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal is desirable to insure that all projections in a scan are generated at precisely equally spaced projection angle intervals, this variance of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal prevents all projections from being generated using the same combined transfer function. This tends to increase artifacts and reduce the signal-to-noise ratio, in the resulting tomograms.
Another problem with sample-on-demand scanner of the type shown in FIG. 3 is that the analog-to-digital converters in array 134 do not operate at a constant frequency, but instead must operate at a variable phase or frequency under control of the Variable Rate Sample Clock signal. Such converters are more expensive to construct than constant frequency analog-to-digital converters. The cost and complexity of CT scanners could be reduced if the analog-to-digital converters could operate at a constant sampling frequency. However, this has not been considered possible in prior art scanners because of the problems associated with disk rotation irregularities.
These and other problems with, and limitations of, the prior art CT scanners are overcome with the CT scanner of this invention.

Data acquisition system for generating accurate projection data in a CT scanner


The invention provides three human cell division regulators (HCDR) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HCDR. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for preventing and treating disorders associated with expression of HCDR.

Cell division is the fundamental process by which living organisms grow and reproduce. The cycle of cell division consists of three principle events: interphase, mitosis, and cytokinesis. During interphase, replication of the DNA and production of essential proteins are synthesized. In mitosis, the nuclear material is divided and separated to opposite halves of the cell. In cytokinesis, the cell cytoplasm is divided. These cell cycle events are regulated by various cell division regulators.
A group of cell division regulatory proteins active in the interphase is related to nuclear redistribution and modulation. These regulatory proteins include the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) which is identified as the DNA polymerase-.delta. auxiliary protein (Prelich, G. et al. (1987) Nature 326: 517-520), the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdc21p gene (Coxon, A. et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20: 5571-5577), and a murine cell cycle-specifically modulated nuclear protein, p38-2G4 (Radomski, N. and Jost, E. (1995) Exp. Cell Res. 220: 434-445). p38-2G4 is a nuclear protein of 38 kDa and is a murine homolog of S. pombe Cdc21p gene product. p38-2G4 shows its highest expression between the G1 phase and the mid S phase and contains a number of putative phosphorylation sites, a cryptic nuclear localization signal, and an amphipathic helical domain.
The process of cytokinesis and septum formation has been well studied. Cytokinesis is believed to be mediated by the filaments and other components formed from GTP-binding proteins (Mori, et al. (1996) Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 73: 224-227). Septins are a family of proteins that are involved in septum formation. (Longtine, M. S. et al. (1996) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 8:106-119). In yeast, four gene products (CDC3, CDC10, CDC11, and CDC12) are members of this family and are associated with the "bud filament" which is located directly inside the cytoplasmic membrane. Mutations in any of the CDC genes disrupts cytokinesis and gives rise to multi-nucleated cells with abnormal bud growth.
Homologs of the yeast septins have been found in Drosophila melanogaster (Sep2), mouse (H5; proliferation associated protein 1; Nakagawa, Y. et al. (1996) unpublished), and human (KIAA0128; cell division control related protein; Zieger, B. et al. (1997) J. Clin. Invest. 99: 520-525; Nagase, T. et al. (1996) DNA Res. 3: 321-329). Most of these proteins share three domains rich in basic amino acids that are a common motif of GTP-binding proteins and of the GTPase superfamily. The first of these three domains, the sequence GXXGXGKST, is thought to be an ATP/GTP-binding site (P-loop) that may be involved in septin assembly or function (Saraste, M. et al. (1990) Trends Biochem. Sci. 15:430-34). Most of the known septins also contain predicted coiled-coil domains of 35 to 98 amino acids near the C-termini (Longtine et al., supra). These domains may be involved in homotypic or heterotypic interactions among the septins themselves and/or with other proteins.
The discovery of three new human cell division regulators and the polynucleotides encoding them satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of inflammation and disorders associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis.


A method for implanting a medical device between tissue comprises the steps of providing a catheter having a body and a distal end thereof wherein the catheter includes an implantable device comprising a housing having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis. The implantable device further includes a first set of anchoring members operatively connected to the proximal end of the housing and a second set of anchoring members operatively connected to the distal end of the housing. Both sets of anchoring members are movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position. Each set of anchoring members includes ring members connected to a housing of the device. Further steps of the method include inserting the distal end of the catheter into tissue and disposing the medical device at least partially from the distal end of the catheter. The first set of anchoring members are moved from the collapsed position to the deployed position and one side of the tissue is engaged with the tissue engaging surfaces of each ring member of the first set of anchoring member. The medical device is further disposed completely from the distal end of the catheter wherein the second set of anchoring members are moved from the collapsed position to the deployed position and the other side of the tissue is engaged with the tissue engaging surfaces of each ring member of the second set of anchoring members.

In general, the use of implantable medical sensors in a patient is known. One example for an implantable sensor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,469 (Cohen et al.) incorporated herein by reference. The disclosure is directed to an implantable medical sensor which determines the oxygen content of blood. The sensor includes a miniaturized hybrid circuit that includes light-emitting diode means, phototransistor means, and a substrate to which the light-emitting diode means and phototransistor means are bonded in a desired circuit configuration. The hybrid circuit is hermetically sealed within a cylindrical body made from a material that is substantially transparent to light, such as glass. Feedthrough terminals provide means for making an electrical connection with the hybrid circuit. The light-emitting diode means is driven with a stair-stepped current pulse. The purpose of the sensor is to sense the reflective properties of body fluid, such as blood, for spectrophotometric analysis. In one embodiment, the sensor is embedded within a bilumen pacemaker lead and positioned near the distal electrode of the lead so that the sensor resides within the heart when the lead is implanted within a patient, thereby allowing the sensed oxygen content of the blood within the heart to be a physiological parameter that can be used to control the pacing interval of a rate-responsive pacemaker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,800 (Pahndorf et al.) discloses an implantable pressure sensor lead having a hollow needle adapted to be screwed into a patient's heart. The pressure sensor is supplied electrical power through conductors in the sensor.
There are cases where permanent positioning of the sensor is needed. One such case, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,877 (Nolan et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference. A leadless implantable cardiac arrhythmia alarm is disclosed which continuously assesses a patient's heart function to discriminate between normal and abnormal heart functioning and, upon detecting an abnormal condition, generates a patient-warning signal. The alarm is capable of sensing impedance measurements of heart, respiratory and patient motion and, from these measurements, generating an alarm signal when the measurements indicate the occurrence of a cardiac arrhythmia. It is important to note that the sensor uses an antenna system having a coil inductor for generating an electromagnetic field into tissue for detecting changes in impedance which relate to a physiological phenomena. For example, the size of the inductor is preselected in order to match the dimensions of the organ or structure to be measured.
There are also several known implantable devices that employ telemetry for transmitting or receiving data from an external device. One such device is, for example, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,352 (Christopherson et al.). The device utilizes a pressure sensor as a transducer for sensing respiratory effort of the patient. Respiratory waveform information is received by an implantable pulse generator (IPG)/simulator from a transducer and inspiration synchronous simulation is provided by the IPG.
One other telemetric implantable device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,857 (Weijand et al.). This reference discloses a telemetry system for use with implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers and the like, for two-way telemetry between the implanted device and an external programmer. The system employs oscillators with encoding circuits for synchronous transmission of data symbols in which the symbols form the telemetry carrier. The system provides circuits for higher density data encoding of sinusoidal symbols, including combinations of BPSK, FSK, and ASK encoding. Embodiments of transmitters for both the implanted device and the external programmer, as well as modulator and demodulator circuits, are also disclosed. It is important to note that the implant device has its own power supply in the form of a battery for powering all of the circuitry and components of the implanted device.
It is also important to note, that to date, there has not been any telemetric medical system that is both a highly efficient system due to its components and their ease of use while providing extremely accurate information regarding a measured parameter in a patient's body.

Method for anchoring a medical device between tissue


A process for the production of a spunlace nonwoven cloth based on cotton fibers, which includes continuously advancing the cloth (1) based on cotton fibers, interlacing (2, 3) those fibers with the aid of a plurality of water jets under pressure, drying (8) the interlaced cloth, and, finally, taking delivery (10) of the spunlace cloth (9) thus obtained. After interlacing (2, 3) and before drying (8) the free water contained in the interlaced cloth (4) is drained (5), then the drained cloth is impregnated (6) using an aqueous solution of a polyamide-amine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin in an amount, measured as solids, of 0.2% to 1% of the weight of the cotton fibers, and after having expelled the excess solution, the impregnated cloth (7) is dried (8) at a temperature sufficient to at least trigger the cross-linking of the PAE resin deposited.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a cotton-based, lightweight and washable, nonwoven cloth. It also relates to the cotton-based, durable or semi-durable, washable cloths thus obtained.
A process for the production of nonwoven cloths has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,819, U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,308, in which process the cohesion and the interlacing of the elementary fibers with one another is obtained not by mechanical means but by means of a plurality of jets of water under pressure passing through a moving fleece or cloth and, like needles, causing the fibres to intermingle with one another. These nonwoven cloths are known in the literature under the English term "spunlace cloths" or "spunlace". It would therefore not serve any purpose to describe them here in detail. These "spunlace" cloths are essentially defined by the fact that their consolidation results from hydraulic interlacing.
Moreover, it is well known to produce cotton nonwoven cloths by a dry method or even by a wet method, that is to say papermaking method. These cotton nonwoven cloths are essentially desired for their absorbent power. They are therefore disposable, in particular for hygiene, medicine or as a wipe.
The production of "spunlace" cloths in cotton has been proposed. In this way, lightweight materials are obtained which are very soft to the touch and slightly fluffy. Unfortunately, these cloths have a poor resistance to abrasion when wet. In other words, from the time they are wetted, these cotton-based "spunlace" cloths lose their body and their textile handle, which are, however, highly desirable. It is therefore impossible to wash these cloths, which disintegrate very rapidly as soon as they are washed for the first time.
Now, however, the market increasingly calls for cotton-based lightweight cloths capable of being washed several times, while retaining their textile touch and body.
In order to overcome these disadvantage, it has been proposed to introduce binders, in particular latexes, into these cotton "spunlace" cloths. Unfortunately, this process is not satisfactory since the incorporation of such binders considerably changes the touch and the body of the products and also their absorption capacity, as well as the suppleness.
For all of these reasons it is not possible to date to produce washable cotton "spunlace" cloths while retaining the main features of their mechanical and textile properties, which are increasingly desired.

Process for the production of a cotton-based, washable nonwoven cloth and cloth thus obtained


A computer implemented method for detecting whether a seat belt is used in a vehicle comprises the following steps carried out by computer hardware components: acquiring an image of an interior of the vehicle; determining a plurality of sub-images based on the image; detecting, for at least one of the sub-images, whether a portion of the seat belt is present in the respective sub-image; and determining whether the seat belt is used based on the detecting.

Safety belts (in other words: seat belts) are one of the most important safety measures in vehicles. However, a safety belt may be effective only if it is used, and if it is used properly.
Nowadays, the standard for detecting whether people in a car are buckled up is to use a sensor in the buckle receiver. The method is reliable and has a high accuracy. However, the information whether this sensor is detecting a seat belt in the buckle receiver does not indicate whether the seat belt is worn properly. For example, another seat belt (e.g. spare part) may be plugged in the buckle receiver instead of the real seat belt buckle, or the seat belt may be connected and the passenger may sit in front of it or on top of it.
Furthermore, if the seats are removable and adjustable on sliders or turnable (e.g. in a van), the wiring of the sensors in the buckle receiver can also be a challenge as connectivity has to be ensured for all configurations.

Methods and systems for detecting whether a seat belt is used in a vehicle


A display assembly including an upper channel, a lower channel and a plurality of display panels. The upper channel includes longitudinal first and second upper tracks oriented parallel and disposed immediately adjacent. The lower channel is disposed substantially vertically aligned with the upper channel and includes a longitudinal first lower track and a plurality of stall sets oriented substantially transverse to the first lower track such that each stall had an open end for communication with the first lower track. The display panels engage the upper and lower channels and include a frame and covering. The frame engages the upper and lower channels with a plurality of top and bottom guide elements. The covering is configured generally equivalent to a periphery of the frame and has an exterior surface for bearing at least a portion of a graphical representation. In a first operative position, the plurality of display panels are oriented coplanar and disposed nearly contiguous, thereby, cooperatively defining a continuous, uninterrupted graphical representation rendered over the plurality of display panels.

The present disclosure relates to a display assembly for engaging a storage rack and more particularly, to an aesthetically pleasing display assembly which functions to conceal merchandise on the shelves with a continuous graphical representation, yet provides easy access thereto.
A storage rack generally referred to as a H-frame rack system is commonly used in large, high-ceilinged stores that sell various household home improvement and other high-volume products to the public. These H-frame rack systems are shown, for example, at FIGS. 6 and 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,750.
The H-frame rack systems generally include several substantially vertical posts. These posts may be installed into a base. Alternatively, and more typically, these vertical posts are permanently and rigidly attached to the concrete floor at these store. A number of substantially horizontal beams are connected to the vertical posts. Substantial horizontal shelves which may be of a grid-type or a solid-plate type structure are supported by the horizontal beams. Merchandise is placed upon these horizontal shelves.
Commonly, there are several vertically spaced-part horizontal beams, and several correspondingly vertically spaced-apart horizontal shelves. The lower-most shelves are at and below eye-level. Thus, merchandise that is placed upon these lower-most shelves is readily accessible to retail shoppers.
In contrast, the higher horizontal shelves are too high to permit shoppers to reach merchandise placed upon those shelves. In fact, the merchandise on these shelves is often not intended to be accessed by shoppers. Instead, such merchandise is intended to be the source of restocking when the merchandise on the lower level shelves has been sold.
In some instances, the more highly positioned merchandise is so far above eye-level that it cannot readily be seen by those shoppers. As a result, many retailers whose stores include H-frame rack systems place covers in front of the upper portion of these H-frame rack systems. Such covers obscure the highly positioned merchandise, providing the store with a cleaner, more uncluttered appearance.
One type of doors that are currently used for H-frame rack systems are pivoting doors. In two-door pivoting door structures, each door is hinged so that the door swings outwardly, like the doors of a typical barn. In one-door pivoting door structures, the door is hinged at its bottom, so that the door swings downwardly, like the tailgate of a pick-up truck. Alternatively, the door may be hinged at its top, so that it swings upwardly about a pivot point that is positioned above the door.
These pivoting kinds of prior art doors have certain disadvantages. The most significant disadvantage, is that these doors extend into the adjacent store aisle, i.e., the doors extend beyond a vertical plane extending between adjacent vertical posts of the H-frame rack system. Because doors opened in this manner can extend into the store aisle, they can be and have been struck, causing damage to the doors. For example, these doors can be damaged by passing forklifts, consumers with shopping carts containing tall merchandise, or by the portable, wheeled ladders that are commonly used by the workers in such stores to access the merchandise on the highest shelves. Such opened or damaged doors also create a risk to persons in their vicinity.
The prior art doors are also heavy. This increases the strain on the hinges that hold the doors, and increases the potential damage that can be done to objects or persons that strike them. The prior art doors are also subject to warpage, which can make them difficult or impossible to align. As a result, unsightly and uneven gaps can arise between doors.
Another prior art example of a door assembly includes a plurality of sliding doors. Rollers are secured the sliding doors to facilitate lateral movement along the openings of the H-frame rack system. Channels are positioned above the sliding doors and are secured to the horizontal beams. The rollers, and thus the doors are guided by the channels. Each of the doors in this assembly is parallel and laterally or horizontally offset with respect to each adjacent door. There are several disadvantageous with this prior art assembly. Namely, in the advertising display placed upon the doors which may extend for over more than one door is disrupted by the lateral or transverse offset between the panels. Accordingly, larger displays appear discontinuous, not aesthetically pleasing to the eye and distracting. Commercial advertising displayed in this manner is not flattering and turns off advertisers and customers.
Another disadvantage is that the doors are not secured along their bottom edge. As a result the doors are subject to dislodging upon unexpected impact and also may be subject to damage from improper use or unintended contact.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a display assembly for H-frame rack systems that overcomes the deficiencies and disadvantageous of the prior art and is more secure, less complex, less costly, easier to use and manufacture and creates a more esthetically pleasing seamless display for graphical representations.