A circuit breaker handle is provided with a curved bearing surface at its pivot point. The handle bearing surface has a substantially constant radius and is connected to the body of the handle with a necked down handle extension. The handle extension has a width that is less than the width of the curved bearing surface at the point of connection between the bearing surface and the necked down region. The handle pivot mates with a corresponding bearing surface on a notch in the side plate that it pivots within. The arc of the curved bearing surface in the side plate is greater than that of the corresponding bearing surface on the handle and captures the handle pivot within the notch in the sideplate, so the handle cannot lift off the bearing surface on the notch as it is moved.

1. Field of the Invention
The device of the present invention generally relates to molded case circuit breakers and, more particularly, to operating mechanisms for controlling the mechanical operation of molded case circuit breakers.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers and, more particularly, molded case circuit breakers are old and well known in the prior art. Examples of such devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,525,959; 3,614,865; 3,815,059; 3,863,042; 4,077,025; and 4,166,205. In generally, prior art molded case circuit breakers have been provided with moveable contact arrangements and operating mechanisms designed to provide protection for an electrical circuit or system against electrical faults, specifically, electrical overload conditions, low level short circuit or fault current conditions, and, in some cases, high level short circuit or fault current conditions. Prior art devices have utilized a trip mechanism for controlling the movement of an over-center toggle mechanism to separate a pair of electrical contacts upon an overload condition or upon a short circuit or fault current condition. Such trip mechanisms have included a bimetal moveable in response to an overload condition to rotate a trip bar, resulting in the movement of the over-center toggle mechanism to open a pair of electrical circuit breaker contacts. Such prior art devices have also utilized an armature moveable in response to the flow of short circuit or fault current to similarly rotate the trip bar to cause the pair of contacts to separate. At least some prior art devices use blow apart contacts to rapidly interrupt the flow of high level short circuit or fault currents.
While many prior art devices have provided adequate protection against fault conditions in an electrical circuit, a need existed for dimensionally small molded case circuit breakers capable of fast, effective and reliable operation. Many operating mechanisms now used to control the mechanical operation of such circuit breakers require relatively large amounts of operating space. Therefore a need existed for an operating mechanism for molded case circuit breakers that utilizes a relatively small amount of space yet provides fast, effective and reliable operation for protecting an electrical system against overload or fault current conditions. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,961, issued Sep. 10, 1985 and assigned to the assignee of this application. While the improvement provided by the foregoing patent met the objective, operating experience has indicated that there is still room for improvement under certain abnormal operating conditions. For example, it has been found that when the contacts are welded, though the handle arm rotation is stopped by hitting a bump on the crossbar, the handle arm lifts up off of its pivot surface allowing the handle arm to move further towards the off position without affecting the desired change of state of the toggle or adding pressure to open the contacts.

Circuit breaker with an anti-lift pivot handle


A wireless telephone network includes a distribution network having fixed stations and wireless digital telephones linked by radio to the fixed stations, an integrated services digital public switching telephone network to which each fixed station is connected by a user to user signaling channel, service control points connected to the public switching telephone network and each having a wireless telephone service subscriber database and a call processing device, and a service management system having a reference database. The network is maintained on a centralized basis by transmitting a maintenance message from a fixed station to a service control point over the user to user signaling channel in response to the fixed station detecting a fault, generating a maintenance ticket at the service control point, transmitting the maintenance ticket to the service control point, and storing the maintenance ticket in the database.

Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a centralized maintenance method for a wireless telephone network comprising: fixed stations; an integrated services digital public switched telephone network to which each fixed station is connected by telephone channels; and wireless mobile telephones linked by radio to the fixed stations. The invention is more particularly concerned with a wireless telephone service provided by an intelligent network to be described later.

Wireless telephone network centralized maintenance method


A first high speed transmission line board (1) having a stripline structure is composed of a first elastomer sheet (1A) that has a fixed dielectric constant, plural first elastomer strips (1B) that are conductive, arrayed at two edges of the first elastomer sheet (1A), and plural first high speed transmission lines (1C) formed in a pattern connecting two ends of the first elastomer strips (1B). A first surface layer board (2) is composed of a second elastomer sheet (2A) that is nonconductive, and plural second elastomer strips (2B) that are conductive, arrayed similarly to the first elastomer strips (1B), at two edges of the second elastomer sheet (2A). A multilayer board is configured by laminating the first surface layer board (2) on the first high speed transmission line board (1), and external connecting terminals are in pressurized contact with the plural second elastomer strips (2B), so that the plural first high speed transmission lines (1C) are connected.

Printed circuit boards electrically connecting electronic components or electronic devices require functionality to realize matching of characteristic impedance, that is, an alternating electric current characteristic, to improve high speed transmission and high frequency characteristics, to reduce unnecessary emissions, and the like, as transmission signals are speeded up. Accordingly, the printed circuit boards are configured from striplines and microstrip lines, and with the increase of parallel signal lines, multilayering is necessary.
For multilayer printed circuit boards for high speed transmission, composed of striplines, various measures have, up to now, been devised for crosstalk problems, and problems of signal attenuation or reflection due to minute loads on transmission paths formed of through-hole vias.
For example, in a circuit board for high speed signals, having a multilayer structure with a signal layer and a ground (GND) layer, there is an invention that reduces reflection of signals in the vicinity of a via land, and in particular, improves transmission characteristics of high speed signals, by arranging a ground pattern so as to surround the via land in a signal layer that joins signal lines in two different layers by a via (for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application, First Publication No. Hei 5-93080, referred to below as Patent Document 1).
Furthermore, as a printed circuit board having a multilayer wiring structure suitable for high speed signal transmission, including geometrically shaped forms for signal wiring and power source/ground system conductors, an invention composed of a multilayer printed circuit board is disclosed, having an electrical potential supply system layer, formed of plural parallel strip conductors each given a prescribed electrical potential, and a signal wiring layer configured by laminating the electrical potential supply system layer separated by an insulating layer, with wiring parallel to the parallel strip conductors (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-46078, referred to below as Patent Document 2).
In the abovementioned Patent Document 2, if the conductor width in a pattern of the parallel strip conductors is less than or equal to twice the signal wiring, and the pattern pitch is less than or equal to three times the signal wiring width, an optimal pattern can be obtained with minimal propagation delay and little waveform distortion.
In addition, as a printed circuit board in which crosstalk between signal lines and signal interference is reduced, with plural paths with fixed impedance arrayed on the printed circuit board, an invention composed of a multilayer printed circuit board is disclosed, being provided with a ground pattern area arranged between each adjacent line, and a via hole arranged in the ground pattern area, so as to conduct electricity to this ground pattern area and other ground pattern areas, each adjacent line being shielded (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-242078, referred to below as Patent Document 3).
Similar to the abovementioned Patent Document 3, as a circuit board for a high frequency circuit in which high frequency wiring is easy, and unnecessary electromagnetic coupling between transmission paths is reduced, in a multilayer circuit board for a high frequency circuit with stripline configuration transmission paths, including plural layers with signal layers between two grounded conducting layers, an invention is disclosed composed of the multilayer circuit board for a high frequency circuit in which signal lines and ground lines are laid out alternately in the signal layer, and the signal lines and the ground lines are laid out opposite each other, in adjacent signal layers, the ground lines having a width that is wider than the signal lines opposite (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-69239, referred to below as Patent Document 4).
In the abovementioned Patent Document 4, the effect of crosstalk between the signal lines and of electromagnetic noise from outside can be restrained and high density wiring can be realized. In addition, by providing a microstripline structure in an outer region, signal lines for passing signals and the like, with little crosstalk, can be provided. Furthermore, a stripline structure that does not have internal ground lines can be configured, and signals with little crosstalk can be passed in signal lines in the internal stripline structure.
Additionally, as a flexible board, an invention is disclosed composed of a flat shielded cable, having an insulating layer, formed from a liquid crystal polymer and integrally folded in two, signal wiring and ground wiring insulated and separated on mutually opposing faces of the insulating layer, that is folded (for example, folded in two) and arrayed integrally, a shield layer, integrally disposed on an external face of the insulating layer, for covering a region in which the signal wiring and the ground wiring are laid out, and an electrical conductor, passing through the insulating layer, for electrically connecting the ground wiring and the shield layer (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2001-135974, referred to below as Patent Document 5).
In the abovementioned Patent Document 5, by electrically connecting the shield layer and the ground wiring, with respect to the signal wiring, and in addition by the folding of the integrated shield layer, required sealing is realized. That is, the liquid crystal polymer that forms the insulating layer has good high frequency characteristics with a low dielectric constant, and exhibits stable functionality with little hygroscopicity, and together with characteristics that do not require high level machining accuracy, a flexible flat shielded cable with high reliability and low cost can be provided, so that it is possible to realize enhanced performance with the high frequency signal circuit.
Furthermore, as a flexible multilayer circuit board, an invention composed of a multilayer circuit board is disclosed in which the multilayer circuit board, formed of an organic material, built by laminating plural insulating layers in which wiring conductors, formed of metal foil, are arranged on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces, electrically connects the wiring conductors that sandwich, by being positioned above and below, the insulating layers, by a penetrating conductor formed in the insulating layers, the insulating layers being formed of a covering layer made of polyphenylene ether based organic matter on the upper and lower surfaces of a liquid crystal polymer layer, the liquid crystal polymer layer having an anisotropic dielectric property in which its dielectric constant is greatest in one direction among the directions parallel to its surface, and with a dielectric constant epsilon-X in the direction in which the dielectric constant is greatest, among directions parallel to the surface of the liquid crystal polymer layer, and with a dielectric constant epsilon-Y in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the dielectric constant is greatest, among the directions parallel to the surface of the liquid crystal polymer layer, an anisotropic dielectric property degree, expressed as the ratio, epsilon-X/epsilon-Y, is between 1.2 and 2.0, (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2002-290055, referred to below as Patent Document 6).
In the abovementioned Patent Document 6, the insulating layer is formed of the covering layer made of the polyphenylene ether type organic matter on the surface of the liquid crystal polymer layer, so that minute through-holes can be provided by boring; as a result, the multilayer circuit board having high density wiring is possible, and in addition, the dielectric constants of the liquid crystal polymer layer and the covering layer formed from the polyphenylene ether based organic matter are low in a high frequency region, so that the multilayer circuit board with excellent transmission characteristics in the high frequency region is possible.


The present invention provides a curable composition including: a compound having a single partial structure containing a cyclic ether group, and at least one linear alkyl group having 5 or more carbon atoms; and a compound that generates acid when irradiated with radiation. The present invention also provides an ink composition containing the curable composition, an inkjet-recording method by using the ink composition, and a planographic printing plate obtained by using the ink composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a curable composition that is suitably used for an ink composition, a coating material, an adhesive and the like. The invention also relates to an ink composition, which includes the curable composition, suitably used for an inkjet-recording method. The present invention further relates to a planographic printing plate obtained by using the ink composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Curable compositions that cure at high sensitivity by irradiation of active radiation and form a cured film have been used in various applications, and are attracting attention as the principal component of the ink composition used in the image-recording method described below.
Cyclic ether compounds, such as 3- or 4-membered rings, are known as materials that exhibit high reactivity, and have been used as a polymerizable compound that are included in curable compositions applied to thermal polymerization using photocationic polymerization or acid anhydrides (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open(JP-A) Nos. 11-43540 and 11-60702).
As an image recording method of forming an image on a recording medium, such as a paper or the like, on the basis of image data signals, there are an electrophotographic method, a sublimate-type and melt-type thermal transfer method, and an inkjet method. Among these, the inkjet method is feasible with a low cost device, in which an image is directly formed on a recording medium by discharging ink on a necessary image area only. Therefore, the ink can be efficiently used and the running cost is low. In addition, the inkjet method is superior as an image recording method since noise is low.
According to the inkjet method, it is possible to print not only on a normal paper but also on a non-absorptive recording medium, such as a plastic sheet and a metal plate. However, in this case, speeding-up upon printing and high definition are key matters. Further, there is a property in which the time required for drying and curing droplets after printing have a large effect on productivity of printed materials or sharpness of printed images.
As one of the inkjet methods, there is a recording method that uses inkjet recording ink curable by irradiation of radiation. According to this method, since ink droplets are cured by irradiating radiation immediately after or after a predetermined time after ink is ejected, the productivity of printing can be increased and sharp images can be formed.
When high sensitivity of inkjet recording ink curable by irradiation of radiation, such as ultraviolet rays, is realized, high curability with respect to radiation is given, which causes numerous benefits, such as the improvement of the productivity of inkjet recording, the reduction in power consumption, the extension of lifetime due to a reduction in load on a radiation generator, and the prevention of the occurrence of volatilization of low molecule substances by insufficient curing. Further, high sensitivity means the improvement of the strength of an image formed by, in particular, inkjet recording ink. Particularly, if it is applied to the formation of a planographic printing plate, strength of the cured image area is increased, and thus high printing durability can be obtained.
Recently, such an inkjet method curable by radiation, for example, ultraviolet rays has been drawing attention from the point of relatively less odor, quick drying properties, and a capability of recording onto a non-ink absorptive recording medium. Ultraviolet ray curable ink compositions for inkjet using radical polymerization are disclosed (for example, see JP-A No. 63-235382, JP-A No. 3-216379, JP-A No. 5-214280, JP-B No. 6-21256, and JP-B No. 6-62905).
Further, with an object of providing inkjet recording ink capable of recording an image without bleeding, but with high sensitivity, and high adhesiveness onto a recording medium, even for a substrate that is normally difficult to directly record by an inkjet recording method, and highly safe due to less irritation and sensitization to skin, compositions including colorants and polymerizable compounds including a specific radial polymerizable acrylate compound group are proposed (for example, see JP-A No. 2003-192943 and JP-A No. 2003-192944). These radical polymerizable inks are superior in a curing rate, and are capable of forming an image without bleeding, but have a problem in that the adhesiveness onto a recording medium is decreased due to volume shrinkage upon curing.
For this reason, with an object of improving the adhesiveness onto a recording medium, cationic polymerizable ink compositions with a lower shrinkage rate upon curing by ultraviolet rays are proposed (see, for example, JP-A No. 9-183928). However, cationic polymerizable ink has a big disadvantage for practical use in that the stability during the storage is not sufficient due to a reaction based on acid generated over time. Therefore, as an attempt to improve the storage stability, techniques of adding a basic compound or a thermal base generator are proposed (for example, see JP-A No. 2003-312121, JP-A No. 2003-341217, and JP-A No. 2004-91558). However, it was found a new problem occurs in that the basic compound inhibits the function of acid generated by exposure, thus decreasing the ink curing sensitivity.
Further, multifunctional cyclic ethers used for improving the sensitivity of cationic polymerizable ink give a polymer, which is obtained by curing the multifunctional cyclic ethers, having a highly crosslinked three-dimensional structure. For this reason, the cationic polymerizable ink including such multifunctional cyclic ethers has disadvantages such as deterioration of the flexibility of the film after ink curing, easier cracking, exfoliation, and decreased durability of the cured film on recording medium.
Currently, as described above, there is still no curable composition that can be applied to UV-curing ink composition and the like, which has highly sensitivity to radiation irradiation, a high-strength film formability, and superior in flexibility of cured materials.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Curable composition, ink composition, inkjet-recording method, and planographic printing plate


Peptides are used to define epitopes that stimulate HLA-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against hepatitis B virus antigens. The peptides are derived from regions of HBV envelope, and are particularly useful in treating or preventing HBV infection, including methods for stimulating the immune response of chronically infected individuals to respond to HBV antigens.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play an essential role in fighting cells infected with viruses, intracellular bacteria and parasites, and tumor cells. They do so by direct cytotoxicity and by providing specific and nonspecific help to other immunocytes such as macrophages, B cells, and other T cells. Infected cells or tumor cells process antigen through intracellular events involving proteases. The processed antigen is presented on the cellular surface in the form of peptides bound to HLA class I molecules to T cell receptors on CTLs. MHC class I molecules can also bind exogenous peptides and present them to CTLs without intracellular processing.
At the present time it is difficult to accurately predict from the sequence of an antigenic protein how the protein will be processed and which peptide portions will bind HLA class I molecules and be presented to CTLs. Binding motifs have been predicted for some HLA class I molecules based on sequence analysis of peptides eluted from these molecules (Falk et al., Nature 351:290 (1991)). Further, of the peptides that are processed and do bind to HLA class I, which ones will contain CTL-recognizable epitopes is not yet predictable.
Hepatitis B Virus ("HBV") is a non-lytic virus which has currently infected approximately 250 million people worldwide. HBV infection in adults typically leads to an acute disease in the majority of cases, and to a chronic disease state in a minority of patients. This ratio of acute to chronic is reversed when the infection occurs close to the time of birth. There is an increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic HBV infection. A small percentage of individuals who are infected with HBV in adulthood develop fulminant hepatitis associated with a strong immune response with high lethality.
While there is no effective treatment for HBV infection, vaccines have been developed in recent years to prevent HBV infection. The vaccines employ either HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) purified from the plasma of chronic HBV carriers, or HBsAg produced by recombinant DNA technology. Synthetic HBsAg peptide-based vaccines have also been proposed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,230 and 4,599,231. The anti-HBsAg vaccines, however, afford protection in only about 90% of immunized individuals. Those who are unimmunized, or immunized but unprotected, provide a significant reservoir of potential infection.
The contribution of CTLs to immunity to HBV antigens has been difficult to assess. Chisari et al. (Microbial Pathoaen. 6:31 (1989)) have suggested that liver cell injury may be mediated by an HLA-Class I restricted, CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response to HBV encoded antigens. Class I major histocompatibility (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses have been identified for a variety of other viruses, such as influenza. For example, Townsend et al., Cell 44:959 (1986) reported that epitopes of an influenza virus nucleoprotein recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes could be defined by synthetic peptides. In attempting to define the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to HBV, it has been shown that peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with acute and chronic HBV may be able to kill autologous hepatocytes in vitro, but the specificity of the cytolytic activity, its HLA restriction elements, and cellular phenotype were not established. See, Mondelli et al., J. Immunol. 129:2773 (1982) and Mondelli et al., Clin. Exp. Immunol. 6:311 (1987). Moriyama et al., Science 248:361-364 (1990), have reported that the HBV major envelope antigen is expressed at the hepatocyte surface in a form recognizable by envelope-specific antibodies and by MHC class I-restricted, CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
As there is a large reservoir of individuals chronically infected with HBV, it would be desirable to stimulate the immune response of these individuals to respond to appropriate HBV antigens and thereby eliminate their infection. It would also be desirable to prevent the evolution to a chronic HBV infection in individuals suffering from an acute phase infection. Further, as the presently approved HBV vaccines do not elicit protective immunity in about 10% of immunized individuals, it would be desirable to elicit more effective immunity, such as by increasing or diversifying the immunogenicity of the vaccines. Quite surprisingly, the present invention fulfills these and other related needs.

Peptides for inducing cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to hepatitis B virus


A housing mechanism (100) includes a main body (60) and a shield/cap (70). The main body accommodates an inner interface and defines a port (63) therein. The port is configured for allowing an outer interface to be inserted into the main body and for thereby engaging the outer interface with the inner interface. The shield is located near the port and is selectably rotatably positionable between a first position, in which the shield covers the port, and a second position, in which the shield does not cover the port. The first position and the second position cooperate to form an angle therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to housing mechanisms of a portable electronic devices and, particularly, to a housing mechanism with a shield (i.e., a cap) configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for protecting a port defined in the housing mechanism.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of the technology of information processing, portable electronic devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, video cameras, mobile phone, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are now in widespread use. Connectors are important elements for transmitting data between portable electronic devices and/or for permitting charging of a battery therein (depending on the type of connection involved, of course).
In some electronic devices, the connector is pluggably fixed to/into a housing of a given electronic device. One end of the connector has an outer electronic interface provided therein. The housing of the electronic device has a port defined, e.g., in one sidewall thereof. An inner electronic interface is provided in the housing near the port. When the connector is used, the end having the outer electronic interface is inserted into the port of the housing of the electronic device, thereby engaging the outer electronic interface with the inner electronic interface. This engagement enables the data to be transmitted between varying electronic devices or for power to be applied thereto from a power source (e.g., a wall outlet). However, when no connector is connected to the electronic device, the inner electronic interface of the electronic device is liable to become polluted by dust or electrically shorted by moisture/fluid entering through the port and as a consequence, the performance of the inner electronic interface is susceptible to damage.
Therefore, a new housing mechanism with a port shield/cover is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcoming.

Housing mechanism with shield for portable electronic device


An expandable reamer apparatus for drilling a subterranean formation may include a tubular body, one or more blades, each blade positionally coupled to a sloped track of the tubular body, a push sleeve and a drilling fluid flow path extending through an inner bore of the tubular body for conducting drilling fluid therethrough. Each of the one or more blades may be configured to ream a subterranean formation. The push sleeve may be disposed in the inner bore of the tubular body and coupled to each of the one or more blades so as effect axial movement thereof along the track to an extended position responsive to exposure to a force or pressure of drilling fluid in the flow path of the inner bore. Each blade may include one or more roller elements for reaming a wellbore.

1. Field of the Invention
The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to an expandable reamer apparatus for reaming a subterranean borehole; and more specifically relate to reaming a subterranean borehole beneath a casing or liner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Expandable reamers are typically employed for enlarging subterranean borehole. Conventionally in drilling oil, gas, and geothermal wells, casing is installed and cemented to prevent the well bore walls from caving into the subterranean borehole while providing requisite shoring for subsequent drilling operation to achieve greater depths. Casing is also conventionally installed to isolate different formations, to prevent crossflow of formation fluids, and to enable control of formation fluid and pressure as the borehole is drilled. To increase the depth of a previously drilled borehole, new casing is laid within and extended below the previous casing. While adding additional casing allows a borehole to reach greater depths, it has the disadvantage of narrowing the borehole. Narrowing the borehole restricts the diameter of any subsequent sections of the well because the drill bit and any further casing must pass through the existing casing. As reductions in the borehole diameter are undesirable because they limit the production flow rate of oil and gas through the borehole, it is often desirable to enlarge a subterranean borehole to provide a larger borehole diameter for installing additional casing beyond previously installed casing as well as to enable better production flow rates of hydrocarbons through the borehole.
A variety of approaches have been employed for enlarging a borehole diameter. One conventional approach used to enlarge a subterranean borehole includes using eccentric and bi-center bits. For example, an eccentric bit with a laterally extended or enlarged cutting portion is rotated about its axis to produce an enlarged borehole diameter. An example of an eccentric bit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,738, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. A bi-center bit assembly employs two longitudinally superimposed bit sections with laterally offset axes, which when rotated produce an enlarged borehole diameter. An example of a bi-center bit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,223, which is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Another conventional approach used to enlarge a subterranean borehole includes employing an extended bottom hole assembly with a pilot drill bit at the distal end thereof and a reamer assembly some distance above. This arrangement permits the use of any standard rotary drill bit type, be it a rock bit, drag bit or other bit as the pilot bit. The extended nature of the assembly permits greater flexibility when passing through tight spots in the borehole as well as the opportunity to effectively stabilize the pilot drill bit so that the pilot hole and the following reamer will traverse the path intended for the borehole. This aspect of an extended bottom hole assembly is particularly significant in directional drilling. The assignee of the present invention has, to this end, designed as reaming structures so called "reamer wings," which generally comprise a tubular body having a fishing neck with a threaded connection at the top thereof and a tong die surface at the bottom thereof also with a threaded connection. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,497,842 and 5,495,899, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose reaming structures including reamer wings. The upper midportion of the reamer wing tool includes one or more longitudinally extending blades projecting generally radially outwardly from the tubular body, the outer edges of the blades carrying PDC cutting elements.
As mentioned above, conventional expandable reamers may be used to enlarge a subterranean borehole and may include blades pivotably or hingedly affixed to a tubular body and actuated by way of a piston disposed therein as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,856 to Warren. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,831 to Akesson et al. discloses a conventional borehole opener comprising a body equipped with at least two hole opening arms having cutting means that may be moved from a position of rest in the body to an active position by exposure to pressure of the drilling fluid flowing through the body. The blades in these reamers are initially retracted to permit the tool to be run through the borehole on a drill string and once the tool has passed beyond the end of the casing, the blades are extended so the bore diameter may be increased below the casing.
The blades of conventional expandable reamers have been sized to minimize a clearance between themselves and the tubular body in order to prevent any drilling mud and earth fragments from becoming lodged in the clearance and binding the blade against the tubular body. The blades of these conventional expandable reamers utilize pressure from inside the tool to apply force radially outward against pistons that move the blades, carrying cutting elements, laterally outward. It is felt by some that the nature of the conventional reamers allows misaligned forces to cock and jam the pistons and blades, preventing the springs from retracting the blades laterally inward. Also, designs of these conventional expandable reamer assemblies may fail to help blade retraction when jammed and pulled upward against the borehole casing. Furthermore, some conventional hydraulically actuated reamers utilize expensive seals disposed around a very complex shaped and expensive piston, or blade, carrying cutting elements. In order to prevent cocking, some conventional reamers are designed having the piston shaped oddly in order to try to avoid the supposed cocking, requiring matching, or complex seal configurations. These seals may possibly leak after extended usage.
Other conventional reamers require very close tolerances (such as six-thousandths of an inch (0.006″) in some areas) around the pistons or blades. Testing suggests that this may be a major contributor to the problem of the piston failing to retract the blades back into the tool, due to binding caused by particulate-laden drilling mud.
Notwithstanding the various prior approaches to drill and/or ream a larger diameter borehole below a smaller diameter borehole, the need exists for improved apparatus and methods for doing so. For instance, bi-center and reamer wing assemblies are limited in the sense that the pass through diameter of such tools is nonadjustable and limited by the reaming diameter. Furthermore, conventional bi-center and eccentric bits may have the tendency to wobble and deviate from the path intended for the borehole. Conventional expandable reaming assemblies, while sometimes more stable than bi center and eccentric bits, may be subject to damage when passing through a smaller diameter borehole or casing section, may be prematurely actuated, or may present difficulties in removal from the borehole after actuation.
Alternatively, expandable reamers may be used in other reaming applications wherein enlarging the borehole may not be the primary objective, or an objective at all. Expandable reamers may be used as stabilizers, centralizers, or for other purposes downhole wherein contact with the borehole wall may be expected or desired. As mentioned above, an expandable reamer may be useful in its retracted state for traveling to a desired location downhole, wherein the reamer may then be expanded. While a reamer may thereafter be used to enlarge the borehole wall, as described above, it need not be. For example, the blades of the reamer may not have cutting elements thereon and may contact the borehole wall in an effort to stabilize or centralize other downhole equipment. However, as the reamer rotates downhole, the blades may drag against the borehole wall producing friction in the radial and/or axial direction.
With respect to the radial direction, prior approaches to reamers or well drilling tools have included rolling elements disposed about the outer surface of the tools. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,586 to Bassinger discloses a "roller reamer assembly for mounting . . . in a reamer body and having longitudinally slideable bearing blocks . . . ." As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,328 to Furse et al. discloses a "three roller centralizer" that "is expandable from a position with the rollers retracted to a position with the rollers extended to a larger diameter for remaining concentric in a hole being underreamed." However, conventional reamers such as these may exhibit shortcomings such as those discussed above, for example, binding or failing to retract.
Accordingly, notwithstanding the prior approaches, there is an ongoing desire to improve or extend performance of an expandable reamer apparatus regardless of the type of subterranean formation being drilled or reamed. There is a further desire to provide a reamer apparatus that provides failsafe blade retraction, is robustly designed with conventional seal or sleeve configurations, and may not require sensitive tolerances between moving parts. There is a further desire to provide such a reamer apparatus that minimizes radial torque and friction resulting from rotation downhole.
The inventions disclosed and taught herein are directed to an improved system for reaming subterranean wellbores, and to the methods associated therewith.

Expandable stabilizer with roller reamer elements


The use of carotenoids for producing drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disorders not caused by the action of light or an infection with microorganisms.

1. Field of the Invention
This application is a 371 of PCT/EP96/00381 filed on Feb. 2, 1996. The present invention relates to the use of carotenoids for producing drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disorders not caused by an infection with microorganisms or by the action of light, in particular abacterial, non-photoinduced dermatoses.
Inflammatory disorders for the purpose of this invention may be either allergic or non-allergic in nature, but the inflammatory reaction of the affected tissue is not caused by an infection with microorganisms and is not induced by the action of light.
Examples of appropriate disorders are:
pollinosis (seasonal rhinitis) PA1 perennial rhinitis PA1 polyposis nasi PA1 inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract such as regional enterocolitis (Crohn's disease), ulcerative colitis, irritable colon PA1 dermatoses, for example contact urticaria, urticaria pigmentosa PA1 allergic vasculitis PA1 insect allergy PA1 bronchial asthma PA1 allergic reactions of the outer eye PA1 allergic and pseudoallergic reactions to drugs PA1 systemic mastocytosis PA1 autoimmune disorders, for example systemic lupus erythematosus Sjogren's syndrome, thyreoditis, sic!, insulitis, glomerulonephritis.
Non-photoinduced, abacterial inflammatory dermatoses are in particular cutaneous vascular forms of allergy such as neurodermatitis or urticaria or else hyperkeratoses such as psoriasis.
It is highly probable that reactive oxygen species or singlet oxygen play an important part in the pathogenesis of various allergic and non-allergic inflammations. There is also suspected to be involvement of such species in degranulation with release of mediators from mast cells. It is certain that degranulation of mast cells and of basophilic granulocytes in blood represents the first step in the initiation of an allergic reaction.
One of the principal mediators of allergic reactions is histamine, and inhibition of its release or effect represents an important principle for the therapy of allergic inflammatory disorders.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent investigations have shown that histamine is released to considerable degrees not only in mast cells but also in human monocytes (G. Zwadlo-Klarwasser et al., Agent Actions 41, Special Conf. Issue: C99-C100, (1994)).
To date, glucocorticoids and H.sub.1 antagonists for example have mainly been used for the treatment of allergic dermatoses disorders, the latter being suitable only for systemic use.
Used for the treatment of bronchial asthma are, besides bronchiospasmolytics, cromones or steroid therapeutic agents. Usually employed for autoimmune disorders are steroids or else immunosuppressants.
The use of retinol (vitamin A) and retinoic acid derivatives is known for the treatment of some inflammatory dermatoses. Thus, retinol has been used for the treatment of juvenile acne and of psoriasis, although the suitability of this therapy proved to be low because of the overdosage manifestations.
The retinoids isotretinoin and etretinate are also suitable in principle for the treatment of acne and inflammatory hyperkeratoses such as psoriasis, but, like retinol, they easily give rise to symptoms of overdosage. In addition, etretinate is to be categorized as very problematic because of its highly teratogenic effect.
(cf. "W. Forth (editor), Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, page 404-5, 4th Edition, BI Wissenschaftsverlag, Mannheim).
It has also been found that the retinoids isotretinoin and etretinate are able to inhibit histamine release in human mast cells (D. Eichelberg and W. Schmutzler, Arch. Dermatol. Res., 280, 155-157 (1988)). However, because of the side effects which have already been mentioned, these agents are not recommended unconditionally for therapeutic use.
It is furthermore known that carotenoids such as .beta.-carotene (provitamin A) or canthaxanthin have been used for the treatment of light-induced dermatoses such as erythropoietic protoporphyria and urticaria solaris, and of dyschromias (vitiligo) (A. Hollander, "Neues aus der amerikanischen Dermatologie", Der Hautarzt, (1971) pp. 379-383). However, the therapeutic effect of carotenoids for urticaria solaris is regarded as uncertain (F. Lawlor et al., Z. Hautkrankh., 65, 17-27 (1989); A. Taaffe, Postgrad. Med. J., 53, 732-736 (1977).
To date there is no verified therapy for the treatment of allergic inflammatory neurodermatitis.

Use of carotenoids for producing drugs for the treatment of dermatoses


No need of lowering off-current of a switching transistor, fewer luminance variations of a light emitting element between pixels due to characteristic variations of a driving transistor, and less risk of steps due to increase in the number of wirings. A video signal for light emission or non-emission of a pixel is input to a gate of a current controlling transistor operated in a linear region, which is connected in series with the driving transistor, through a switching transistor. Since a voltage Vds between a source and a drain of the current controlling transistor is small, small changes in a voltage Vgs between a gate and a source thereof do not affect a current flowing in a load. The current flowing in the light emitting element is determined by the driving transistor operated in a saturation region, and a fixed potential is input to the gate thereof during light emission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device with a control system for light emission of a light emitting element and to an element substrate including the control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In display panels using an organic electroluminescence medium, a flat panel formed of pixels using thin film transistors has been disclosed (e.g., see Patent Document 1). A configuration and an operation of a pixel included in such a conventionally well known flat panel are described in brief hereinafter with reference to drawings.
A pixel shown in FIG. 7 comprises a switching transistor 700 whose gate is connected to a scan line 705, either a source or a drain of which is connected to a signal line 704 and the other is connected to a gate of a driving transistor 701. A source of the driving transistor 701 is connected to a power supply line 706 and a drain thereof is connected to an anode of a light emitting element 703. The other terminal of the light emitting element 703 is connected to a counter electrode 707. A capacitor 702 is disposed so as to hold a potential difference between the gate and the source of the driving transistor 701. A predetermined voltage is applied from a power supply to the power supply line 706 and the counter electrode 707 so as to have a potential difference therebetween.
When the switching transistor 700 is turned ON by a signal of the scan line 705, a video signal of the signal line 704 is input to the gate of the driving transistor 701. A potential difference between the input video signal and the power supply line 706 is a voltage Vgs between the gate and the source of the driving transistor 701. Then, a current is supplied to the light emitting element 703 and thereby the light emitting element 703 emits light.
Patent Document 1:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-234683, pp. 5, FIG. 1

Element substrate and light emitting device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A dielectric ceramic composition comprising a main component including Ba, Ca and Ti and having a perovskite crystal structure expressed by a general formula ABO3 and a fourth subcomponent including a compound of Zr; wherein a content of the fourth subcomponent with respect to 100 moles of the main component is larger than 0 mole and smaller than 5 moles in terms of Zr and, preferably, a segregation phase including the compound of Zr is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric ceramic composition having reduction resistance, a production method thereof, and an electronic device, such as a multilayer ceramic capacitor, using the dielectric ceramic composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multilayer ceramic capacitor as an electronic device is widely used as a highly reliable compact electronic device having a large capacity and by a large number in one electronic apparatus. In recent years, as the apparatuses become more compact and higher in performance, demands for a multilayer ceramic capacitor to be more compact with a larger capacity, low at cost and higher in reliability have become still stronger.
A multilayer ceramic capacitor is normally produced by using internal electrode layer paste and dielectric layer paste, stacking them by using a sheet method or a printing method, etc. and co-firing internal electrode layers and dielectric layers in an obtained stacked body.
As a conductive material of the internal electrode layers, Pd and a Pd alloy are generally used, but due to the high price thereof, relatively inexpensive base metals, such as Ni and a Ni alloy, have come to be used. When using a base metal as a conductive material of internal electrode layers, the internal electrode layers are oxidized when fired in the air. Therefore, co-firing of the dielectric layers and internal electrode layers has to be performed in a reducing atmosphere. However, when fired in a reducing atmosphere, the dielectric layers are reduced and the specific resistance declines. Thus, reduction-resistant dielectric materials have been developed.
However, a multilayer ceramic capacitor using a reduction-resistant dielectric material has disadvantages that a decline of IR (insulation resistance) due to an application of an electric field is remarkable, the IR lifetime is short and the reliability is low.
Capacitors are also required to have preferable temperature characteristics of the capacity and, particularly, required to have a flat temperature characteristic of the capacity under a severe condition depending on the use object. In recent years, multilayer ceramic capacitors have come to be used in a variety of electronic apparatuses, such as an engine electronic control unit (ECU) to be installed in an engine room of vehicles, a crank angle sensor and an Anti Lock Brake System (ABS) module. Since these electronic devices are for stable engine controlling, drive controlling and brake controlling, preferable temperature stability of the circuit is required.
Environments of using the electronic apparatuses are expected to become about −20° C. or lower in winter in cold climates and about +130° C. or higher after the engine starts in summer. Recently, there is a tendency of reducing a wire harness for connecting the electronic apparatus and an apparatus to be controlled thereby and the electronic apparatus may be provided outside of a vehicle, therefore, environments for the electronic apparatuses have been getting more severe. Accordingly, a capacitor used by the electronic apparatuses is required to have flat temperature characteristics in a wide temperature range. Specifically, it is not sufficient when the capacity-temperature characteristics only satisfy the X7R characteristic of EIA standard (−55 to 125° C., ΔC/C=within ±15%), and a dielectric ceramic composition satisfying the X8R characteristics of EIA standard (−55 to 150° C., ΔC/C=within ±15%) is required.
For example, in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-214539, by giving a predetermined composition and making unevenness of average Ca concentration in crystal grain between the crystal grains to be in a certain range, a dielectric ceramic composition satisfying the X8R characteristics is obtained. This publication discloses as example samples, wherein compounding ratios of the main component materials are changed, and samples, wherein compositions of the subcomponents are changed, and also discloses, for example, a dielectric ceramic composition including Zr elements, such as CaZrO3. However, dielectric ceramic composition disclosed in this publication has a disadvantage that the breakdown voltage and TC bias characteristics (capacity-temperature characteristics when applied with a direct-current voltage) are poor, while the capacity-temperature characteristics are improved.

Electronic device, dielectric ceramic composition and the production method


A 4-dimensional digital tomosynthesis system includes an x-ray source, an x-ray detector and a processor. The x-ray source is suitable for emitting x-ray beams to an object with a periodic motion. The periodic motion is divided into (n+1) time intervals, n being a positive integer. Each of the (n+1) time intervals is associated with a time instance ti, i=0, 1, 2, . . . , n. The x-ray detector is coupled to the x-ray source for acquiring projection radiographs of the object at each time instance ti for each scan angle based on the x-ray beams. The processor is communicatively coupled to the x-ray source and the x-ray detector for controlling the x-ray source and processing data received from the x-ray detector such that all projection radiographs acquired from all scan angles for each time instance ti are reconstructed and (n+1) sets of cross sections of the object are obtained. The cross section is either a coronal cross section or a sagittal cross section. Each of the (n+1) sets of cross sections is for a different time instance ti.

The present invention relates generally to the field of x-ray imaging, and more particularly to 4-dimensional (4D) digital tomosynthesis and its applications in radiation therapy.
Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) reconstructs structures existing within an imaged object from a set of projection radiographs. In medical applications, these structures include, for example, anatomical structures such as organs, blood vessels, and bones. In computed tomography (CT), both an x-ray source and an x-ray detector move on a circular trajectory around a common axis, and a very high number of projection radiographs (or images) is acquired. In contrast, in tomosynthesis, relatively few radiographs are acquired for varying x-ray source positions. Tomosynthesis, then, is a system and method that acquires a plurality of projection radiographs, which is not enough for exact computed tomography. In tomosynthesis, typically the x-ray source assumes positions that are essentially on one side of the object, while the detector (or film) assumes positions on the opposite side of the object.
DTS is a method of reconstructing cross sections of a 3D body from its 2D radiographic projections, which is a much faster method than the CT approach for obtaining cross sections. In CT, projections must be acquired from at least 180 degrees plus the fan angle around the object to produce an exact reconstruction of the object. DTS, however, exploits projections from limited angles to reconstruct cross sections of the object. Although the reconstruction is less precise, and the plane of reconstruction is limited to one orientation only, it has the benefit of using a smaller number of projections, i.e. scan angle. This translates into faster data acquisition and provides the advantage of being able to reconstruct objects where space and size limitations prevent one from acquiring projections from all angles. In some clinical situations, exact reconstruction is not necessary, making a fast DTS ideal.
A DTS system includes an x-ray source and a digital detector which are connected to each other by an appropriate mechanical structure. In conventional 3-D DTS, a number of 2-dimensional projection radiographs of a stationary imaged object is acquired at different positions of the x-ray source relative to the imaged object, and from the data sets corresponding to the 2-dimensional projection radiographs, cross sections of the imaged object are reconstructed.
Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is expected to play a significant role in radiation therapy. However, due to safety concerns the maximum speed of gantry rotation (e.g., for a Linac machine) is currently limited to ˜1.0 rpm (rotation per minute). As a result, data acquisition for CBCT is typically long (on the order of one minute). To ensure image quality, the subject must be motionless during the acquisition. However, there are certain physiological motions such as breathing that cannot be stopped for the duration of acquisition. Therefore, motion artifacts will always plague slow CBCT data acquisition.
It is desired to reconstruct 3D cross sections of time-varying objects at different time instances of the physiological cycle. For example, it would be beneficial to show cross sections of a patient's lungs during the entire breathing cycle. That would allow clinicians to pinpoint the location of a time varying lung tumor at every phase of the breathing cycle. Thus, they would be able to locate and delineate the tumor at exhalation.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a new digital tomosynthesis system and method in 4D radiation therapy where the time component is integrated into the three-dimensional (3D) radiation therapy process to deliver dose in view of target motion.

4-dimensional digital tomosynthesis and its applications in radiation therapy


An oscillating apparatus includes a driver generating a waveform signal based on a stored data for specifying a waveform so as to output the waveform signal to a transducer. A detector detects a phase difference between electric voltage and current supplied to the transducer. A memory unit holds gain data reflecting a characteristic of the transducer. The gain data specify gains corresponding to respective phase differences. An arithmetic unit calculates the frequency of the waveform based on the phase difference detected at the detector and a gain included in the gain data. The oscillating apparatus enables determination of a gain suitable to the transducer in view of the characteristic of the transducer. The frequency of the waveform signal is allowed to follow the change in the resonant frequency in a shorter period. The oscillation can thus be kept well.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oscillating apparatus such as an ultrasonic oscillator. In particular, the invention relates to an ultrasonic oscillator applicable to an ultrasonic bonding machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An ultrasonic oscillator is well known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-340809. The ultrasonic oscillator utilizes a direct digital synthesizer, DSS, for generating a waveform signal. A digital phase lock loop (PLL) circuit is connected to the direct digital synthesizer. This structure allows the driving signal output from the direct digital synthesizer to follow the change in the resonant frequency of the transducer even if the resonant frequency varies. The oscillation of the transducer can in this manner be maintained. A larger gain of the phase lock loop circuit enables a quick response of the driving signal to the change in the resonant frequency.
A so-called ultrasonic bonding machine is well known in the technical field of the circuit chip mounting. The phase lock loop circuit is connected to the transducer of a so-called ultrasonic head in the ultrasonic bonding machine. If the gain of the phase lock loop circuit is excessively larger, the ultrasonic head cannot follow the change in the frequency, so that the action of the ultrasonic head gets disordered. On the other hand, if the gain of the phase lock loop circuit gets smaller, the driving frequency for the ultrasonic head cannot reach the target resonant frequency in a shorter period. The driving signal for the ultrasonic head accordingly cannot be raised.


A dehumidification system for a heat pump, a method of operating a heat pump system, and a method of operating a refrigeration system are provided. The method of operating a heat pump system includes circulating refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit having a compressor (12), selectively communicating refrigerant from the compressor to an indoor heat exchanger (18) during a heating mode or to an outdoor heat exchanger (16) during a cooling mode or a reheat mode, selectively communicating refrigerant to a reheat heat exchanger during the reheat mode, and regulating a refrigerant volume in the reheat heat exchanger.

Heat pump systems may generally operate in a cooling mode or heating mode. Typically, in a cooling mode, a refrigerant is compressed in a compressor and delivered to an outdoor heat exchanger. In the outdoor heat exchanger, heat is exchanged between outside ambient air and the refrigerant. From the outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant passes to an expansion device in which the refrigerant is expanded to a lower pressure and temperature, and then to an indoor heat exchanger. In the indoor heat exchanger, heat is exchanged between the refrigerant and the indoor air to condition the indoor air. In the heating mode, the refrigerant flow through the system is essentially reversed. The indoor heat exchanger becomes the condenser and releases heat into the environment, and the outdoor heat exchanger becomes the evaporator and exchanges heat with a relatively cold outdoor air.
In heat pump systems, depending on environmental and operating conditions, a target indoor air temperature may be below an ideal temperature in order to provide an ideal humidity level. In such situations, reheat heat exchangers, such as reheat coils, may be utilized to reheat the air and approach an ideal temperature. A reheat heat exchanger may be placed in the path of the indoor air stream downstream from the indoor heat exchanger to raise the air temperature after it has been cooled for moisture removal.


Provided are novel pyrimidine dione compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, that are useful for the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and conditions associated with left ventricular hypertrophy or diastolic dysfunction. The synthesis and characterization of the compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are described, as well as methods for treating HCM and other forms of heart disease.

Genetic (heritable) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) comprises a group of highly penetrant, monogenic, autosomal dominant myocardial diseases. HCM is caused by one or more of over 1,000 known point mutations in any one of the structural protein genes contributing to the functional unit of myocardium, the sarcomere. About 1 in 500 individuals in the general population are found to have left ventricular hypertrophy unexplained by other known causes (e.g., hypertension or valvular disease), and many of these can be shown to have HCM, once other heritable (e.g., lysosomal storage diseases), metabolic, or infiltrative causes have been excluded.
Sarcomere gene mutations that cause HCM are highly penetrant, but there is wide variability in clinical severity and clinical course. Some genotypes are associated with a more malignant course, but there is considerable variability between and even within families carrying the same mutation. Sex differences have also been noted, with male patients generally more severely affected than female patients. While many patients with HCM report minimal or no symptoms for extended periods of time, HCM is a progressive disease with a significant cumulative burden of morbidity. Symptoms of effort intolerance predominate, and can be exacerbated by exercise and other maneuvers that increase heart rate and/or decrease preload. As with many other disorders, symptoms tend to worsen with age. By far the most prevalent clinical burden for patients with HCM is exertional dyspnea, which limits their activities of daily living and can be debilitating.
Patients with HCM are often symptomatic in the absence of documented hemodynamic abnormalities like left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (with or without mitral regurgitation). Patients' symptoms of exertional dyspnea can rapidly worsen with the onset of atrial fibrillation, a common complication of HCM that can precipitate acute pulmonary edema that increases the risk of systemic arterial thromboembolic disease, including stroke. Other adverse events associated with HCM include intolerance of hypovolemia or hypervolemia, and syncope. Concomitant coronary artery disease may confer a higher risk of acute coronary syndromes than in patients without HCM. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with HCM is both uncommon and difficult to predict but is a leading cause of non-traumatic death in young adults. For survivors of SCD, ICD placement is standard practice, and in other HCM patients risk profiling, while imprecise, is used to identify those for whom ICD placement for primary prevention is deemed prudent.
Medical therapy for HCM is limited to the treatment of symptoms and does not address the fundamental, underlying cause of disease—disruptions in normal sarcomere function. Currently available therapies are variably effective in alleviating symptoms but typically show decreased efficacy with increasing disease duration. Patients are thus empirically managed with beta-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, and/or disopyramide. None of these agents carry labeled indications for treating HCM, and essentially no rigorous clinical trial evidence is available to guide their use. Compounding this unfortunate situation is the fact that no new medical therapies for HCM have been identified for many years. For patients with hemodynamically significant outflow tract obstruction (resting gradient>30 mmHg), in appropriately selected patients surgical myectomy or alcohol septal ablation is usually required to alleviate the hemodynamic obstruction. Provided are new therapeutic agents and methods that remedy the long-felt need for improved treatment of HCM and related cardiac disorders.


A multi-state magnetoresistive random access memory device having a pinned ferromagnetic region with a magnetic moment vector fixed in a preferred direction in the absence of an applied magnetic field, an non-ferromagnetic spacer layer positioned on the pinned ferromagnetic region, and a free ferromagnetic region with an anisotropy designed to provide a free magnetic moment vector within the free ferromagnetic region with N stable positions, wherein N is a whole number greater than two, positioned on the non-ferromagnetic spacer layer. The number N of stable positions can he induced by a shape anisotropy of the free ferromagnetic region wherein each N stable position has a unique resistance value.

Traditional semiconductor memory devices store a memory state by storing an electronic charge. However, magnetoresistive random access memory (hereinafter referred to as "MRAM") devices store a memory state by utilizing the direction of the magnetic moment vector created in a magnetic material or structure. Thus, a memory state in a MRAM device is not maintained by power, but rather by the direction of the magnetic moment vector. To be commercially viable, however, MRAM must have comparable memory density to current memory technologies, be scalable for future generations, operate at low voltages, have low power consumption, and have competitive read/write speeds.
In previous MRAM technology, storing data is accomplished by applying magnetic fields and causing a magnetic material in a MRAM device to be magnetized into either of two possible memory states. Thus, a single MRAM device typically stores one bit of information and to increase the memory density, the MRAM device must be scaled laterally to smaller dimensions.
As the bit dimension shrinks, however, three problems occur. First, the switching field increases for a given shape and film thickness, requiring more current to switch. Second, the total switching volume is reduced so that the energy barrier for reversal, which is proportional to volume and switching field, drops. The energy barrier refers to the amount of energy needed to switch the magnetic moment vector from one state to the other. The energy barrier determines the data retention and error rate of the MRAM device and unintended reversals can occur due to thermal fluctuations if the barrier is too small. Finally, because the switching field is produced by shape, the switching field becomes more sensitive to shape variations as the bit shrinks in size. With photolithography scaling becoming more difficult at smaller dimensions, MRAM devices will have difficulty maintaining tight switching distributions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved magnetoresistive random access memory device which can store multiple states.

Multi-state magnetoresistance random access cell with improved memory storage density


A fuel injection system and method for injecting fuel for an internal combustion engine having fuel injection valves arranged on the upstream side and downstream side from the throttle valve respectively which consistently supplies an adequate quantity of fuel into the combustion chamber without fuel adhering to or remaining at the throttle valve, even when the throttle valve is abruptly enclosed. Based on plural parameters including the throttle opening θTH and the engine speed NE, the system includes means for determining the injection quantity of each of the upstream and downstream fuel injection valves, means for detecting a rate of change ΔθTH of the throttle opening in the injection-valve closing direction, means for stopping fuel injection of the upstream fuel injection valve when the rate of change ΔθTH is large, and means for reducing the injection quantity from the downstream fuel injection valve when the fuel injection of the upstream injection valve is stopped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection system and fuel injecting method for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a fuel injection system in which injection valves have been provided on the upstream side and on the downstream side respectively with a throttle valve interposed therebetween.
2. Description of Background Art
When the fuel injection valve is provided upstream from the throttle valve, the volumetric efficiency is improved because heat is taken from intake air when injection fuel vaporizes. Therefore, the engine output can be increased as compared with when the fuel injection valve is provided downstream from the throttle valve. On the other hand, when the fuel injection valve is provided on the upstream side, a distance between its fuel injection port and the combustion chamber becomes inevitably longer. As a result, when fuel injection is provided on the upstream side a response lag in fuel transport occurs as compared with when the fuel injection valve has been provided downstream from the throttle valve.
There has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 4-183949 and 10-196440, a fuel injection system in which fuel injection valves have been provided upstream from and downstream from the intake pipe respectively with a throttle valve interposed therebetween, in order to improve the engine output and cope with the response lag.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a major portion of a conventional internal combustion engine in which two fuel injection valves have been arranged, and with a throttle valve 52 of an intake pipe 51 interposed, there are arranged a downstream fuel injection valve 50a on the side portion of the downstream side (engine side) and an upstream fuel injection valve 50b on the upstream side (air cleaner side). A lower end portion of the intake pipe 51 is connected to an intake passage 52, and an intake port 53 facing a combustion chamber of this intake passage 52 is opened and closed by an intake valve 54.
An injection quantity from each fuel injection valve is determined on the basis of a plurality of parameters including a throttle opening and an engine speed. In a state in which the throttle opening is small, the injection quantity is restricted. According to the above-described conventional technique, however, an injection port of the upstream fuel injection valve 50b points to the throttle valve, and in the upstream fuel injection valve 50b, a response lag occurs because the distance between its fuel injection port and the combustion chamber becomes far.
Therefore, when the throttle valve 52 is abruptly closed to a totally-enclosed state or is closed with a large rate of change in an injection-valve closing direction although not up to the totally-enclosed state, fuel injected from the upstream fuel injection valve 50b adheres to the throttle valve 52 and remains.
Therefore, when the throttle valve 52 is opened next, at that time, not only fuel injected from each fuel injection valve in response to the throttle opening, but also the fuel which has remained at the throttle valve 52 is fed into the combustion chamber at the same time. Therefore, there was a possibility that the fuel quantity becomes excessive to the intake air quantity.

Fuel injection system and fuel injecting method for internal combustion engine


For the purpose of providing a discharge excitation type pulse laser apparatus capable of reducing disturbance of the discharge space caused by shock waves, the discharge excitation type pulse laser apparatus according to the present invention is designed for generating a pulsed main discharge by applying a high voltage between main electrodes (14, 15) including a cathode (15) and an anode (14) arranged in opposition to each other, and thereby exciting a laser gas in a discharge space (37) defined between the main electrodes to oscillate laser light (21), and characterized in that no reflector larger than a prescribed size is provided on a surface within a prescribed surface distance (LC) from the discharge space (37), and an insulating cathode insulating member (54) that is inclined such that the cathode (15) side end is highest is arranged on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the cathode (15) in close contact with the cathode (15).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discharge excitation type pulse laser apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a discharge excitation type pulse gas laser apparatus such as an excimer laser apparatus, pulsed discharge occurs by applying a high voltage to discharge space defined between opposing main electrodes to excite laser gas and to oscillate laser light. It is conventionally known that shock waves or acoustic waves (hereafter, to be generally referred to as "shock waves") produced during this electric discharge cause fluctuation in the laser density in the discharge space and thus the beam profile (beam intensity distribution), beam divergence, spectral line width and so on of the laser light become instable. An example of technologies to avoid such problem is disclosed in JP H4-328889A publication. FIG. 16 is a detail drawing showing the vicinity of discharge electrodes of an excimer laser apparatus 11 disclosed in the publication. The excimer laser apparatus according to the conventional technology will now be described with reference to FIG. 16.
In FIG. 16, metallic discharge electrodes 14 and 15 are arranged in opposition to each other within a laser chamber 12 enclosing a laser gas. The upper cathode 15 is fixed to an insulating cathode base 36, and the cathode base 36 is fixed to the laser chamber 12. The lower anode 14 is mounted on an anode base 40 electrically connected to the laser chamber 12. The cathode 15 is electrically connected to the high voltage side HV of a high voltage power supply 23, while the anode 14 and laser chamber 12 are electrically connected to the ground side GND of the high voltage power supply 23. A high voltage is applied between the discharge electrodes 14 and 15 by the high voltage power supply 23 to create a pulsed main discharge in the discharge space 37, whereby pulsed laser light is generated.
During this operation, shock waves 41 are generated from the discharge space 37 by the main discharge. These shock waves 41 are reflected by components near the discharge electrodes 14 and 15, such as the anode base 40 and the cathode base 36, and return to the discharge space 37, whereby the laser gas density in the discharge space 37 is varied. As the result, the main discharge will become instable or the beam profile of laser light will be disturbed. For avoiding such problem, in the above-mentioned publication, porous ceramics 45 and 45 are fixed onto the cathode base 36 and the anode base 40, respectively. These porous ceramics 45 and 45 serve to absorb the shock waves 41 for preventing the shock waves 41 from returning to the discharge space 37.
However, the above-mentioned conventional technology has problems as mentioned below. Even if the porous ceramics 45 are disposed close to the discharge space 37, it is still difficult to absorb all the shock waves 41 generated from the discharge space 37. Thus, the shock waves 41 which have not been absorbed are propagated towards the upstream and downstream sides along the space between the porous ceramics 45 and 45. These shock waves 41 will be reflected by some sort of reflector 50 upon exiting from the space between the porous ceramics 45 and 45 and return to the discharge space 37, causing disturbance to the beam profile, the beam divergence, spectral line width and the like.
Further, in FIG. 16 for example, the shock waves 41 flying out of the discharge space 37 in a substantially horizontal direction will not be absorbed by the porous ceramics 45 and exit out from the space between the porous ceramics 45 and 45. These shock waves will also be reflected by some sort of reflector 50 and return to the discharge space 37, causing disturbance to the beam profile, the beam divergence, the spectral line width and the like.
In other words, the conventional technology has no means to prevent the shock waves 41 which have not been absorbed by the porous ceramics 45, 45 from returning to the discharge space 37 and hence poses a problem that the disturbance in the discharge space 37 cannot be prevented completely.

Discharge excitation type pulse laser apparatus


There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to form a lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, irrespective of change of the lining cover sheet width. The apparatus includes a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire various cover-sheet image data sets; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data in such a manner that they are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data in such a manner that a lining image center line coincides with a cover sheet center line, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, based on the arranged image data.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system and a computer program of the same.
There has been well known the book-binding technology for creating a booklet in which a bunch of recording papers to be contents of the booklet (hereinafter, the term of the abovementioned "recording papers" is referred to as "main content sheets") is covered by a cover sheet in such a manner that the main content sheets are enveloped by the cover sheet while one side, upper and lower sides of the bunch of the main content sheets are made to be open. In addition, there has been also well known the image forming apparatus that produces such the cover sheet on which a front cover image, a back cover image and a lining cover image are formed so as to provide the cover sheet mentioned in the above.
For instance, Patent Document 1 (Tokkai 2000-332987, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication) set forth the method for determining the reading width of the lining cover document by setting the width of the lining cover when reading the lining cover document, and reading the lining cover document.
The width of lining cover should be determined, based on the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets. However, if the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets is different from the value presumed in advance, it is necessary to change the width of the lining cover to new one.
According to the Patent Document 1, in the case mentioned in the above, the setting value of the width of the lining cover should be changed. However, since the reading width of the lining cover document becomes different from that established in advance due to the width change mentioned in the above, the lining cover image would be formed at a position shifted from the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction when reading the lining cover document, which was initially prepared so as to position the image at the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction, as it is. Accordingly, it has been a problem that it should be necessary to generate a new lining cover document in which the center of the image coincided with that of the lining cover sheet in its width direction based on the changed width of the lining cover sheet.

Image forming apparatus, image forming system and computer program of the same for forming cover sheet

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A wavetable speech synthesis apparatus includes a wavetable memory for defining a plurality of primitive speech sounds. The primitive speech elements are individually assigned to a memory cell designated by an instrument identification in the wavetable memory. Various primitive speech elements are defined and selected from among sound bites, entire words and phrases, frequently-occurring syllables, phonemes or smaller atomic speech elements. The primitive speech elements generate primitive sounds that are played back at a selected pitch, duration, attack velocity and envelope, sustain, and decay velocity and envelope. Various types of speaker qualities or identities are assigned to different frequency ranges of the speech elements. The wavetable memory includes a speech sample database and a speech reference database. The speech sample database supplies speech signals that are processed by the wavetable synthesizer according to information contained in the speech reference database. Reference information in the speech reference database includes various dictionaries, context lists, algorithms, and heuristic rules for guiding decisions relating to selection of primitive speech element, duration, volume and other parameters. The dictionaries store of sampled words and phonics and an encoding designating the pronunciation of the words and phonics. The context lists encode emphasis, lift and emotion that are expressed using variations in volume and addition of vibrato and tremolo.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speech synthesizer and speech synthesis technique. More specifically, the present invention relates to a speech synthesizer and operating method that produces an improved, robust sound through utilization of wavetable synthesis techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
Speech synthesis is the computer generation of sound that resembles human speech. Speech synthesizers have evolved from systems that store and replay speech sounds in the form of simple phonics to more elemental common particles of sound to sound bites including words and phrases. What is common among digital speech processing systems throughout this evolution is the playback of fundamentally flawed speech with lifeless, monotonic sounds that are unnaturally stilted and formal through repetitious playback of a limited library of sounds.
Speech synthesis is accomplished using a speech synthesizer operating on stored sounds and algorithms. The speech synthesizer is a device that converts a numerical code representing a digital speech signal into recognizable speech sounds. The digital speech signal is sampled and recorded speech which is divided into small sound units. The small sound units have characteristics such as pitch, loudness and timbre that are represented as excitation and filter parameter numbers which become a digital code representing speech. Human speech sounds are stored, generally in ROM, EPROM, RAM, CD, or disk memory or are created by a program, and then generated from the stored digital code by excitation of a time-varying digital filter and played over a loudspeaker. A processor supplies overall control of speech production. The process of speech production is typically a digital process up to the point of an analog-to-digital converter, which supplies an analog signal to drive a speaker.
An alternative to the time-varying filter approach is a speech generation system which stores digitized speech data signals, samples the speech data at a constant rate such as an 8 kHz rate, interpolates the data for example to a 100 kHz rate.
In a further alternative embodiment, logarithmically compressed amplitude data are used which are analogous to the data processed by digital telephone systems and result in a data rate of 64 kbits/second with very good sound quality. The time-varying filter techniques supply acceptable speech quality but at a much lower digital input data rate. For example, average rates down to about 1200 bits/second for a ten-pole filter derived from a linear production model of speech. The low data rates for speech generation are possible due to the redundancy in speech and by using a simplified simulator of the human speech-generating system. The vocal tract is simulated by a dozen or so connected pipes of different diameter, and the excitation represented by a pulse stream at the vocal-chord rate for voiced sound or a random noise source for the unvoiced parts of speech. The reflection coefficients at the junctions of the pipes are obtained from a linear prediction analysis of the speech waveform.
The synthesis techniques for synthesizing speech sounds are substantially different from the synthesis techniques which have been developed to synthesize music. Some music synthesis techniques attempt to mimic the acoustical characteristics of an actual musical instrument. Other techniques generate musical sounds based on mathematical analysis and relationships.
One type of synthesis for generating musical sounds is called subtractive synthesis. Subtractive synthesis closely imitates the physical basis of sound generation inherent in acoustic musical instruments. A harmonic-rich periodic signal is generated that contains energy at every partial frequency existing in the sound to be produced. Specific selected frequency components are selectively altered using filters. The filters subtract unwanted frequencies. Electronic filters also supply a frequency-dependent gain so that selected frequencies are enhanced. Subtractive synthesis employs an envelope generator such as a voltage-controlled amplifier or analog multiplier to selectively alter the frequency components of the sound. Subtractive synthesis generates musical sounds in a manner analogous to an actual acoustic instrument so that the physics of the functional basis of the instrument serve as a model for designing the subtractive synthesis technique. Subtractive synthesis using digital techniques is relatively difficult and complex since substantial computations are necessary to generate a harmonic-rich signal that is properly band-limited.
Additive synthesis is a musical synthesis technique in which each partial frequency is generated separately, arbitrarily and independently. The separate partial frequencies are added to form a music signal. Each partial frequency is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency of the sound to be generated. Additive synthesis functions by providing a plurality of separate oscillators, each of which generally forms a sine wave, and combining the separate sine waves to form a signal that sounds as close as possible to a particular sound.
A further music synthesis method is wavetable synthesis. Wavetable synthesis is a method of generating sound by playing back digitally stored samples. Real musical sounds, performed by actual musical instruments, are sampled and stored in a digital recording format in a storage such as a read-only memory (ROM). The digital sound recordings are sampled and mapped to accurately reproduce the acoustic range of the instrument.
In wavetable synthesis, a sample is a recorded sound stored in a digital data form. An instrument is a selectable entry which defines a particular type of sound corresponding to the sound produced by a specific musical instrument. A wave is a sample or group of samples that are used to reproduce the sound of an instrument over an entire range of frequencies. Instruments are either single-sampled or multi-sampled depending on the timbral characteristics of the corresponding musical instrument, sampling characteristics of the data and sampling system, and playback characteristics of the data and playback system. Some instruments, a flute for example, are typically single-sampled. Other instruments, such as a piano, have a more complex data structure and are nearly always sampled, stored, and played in multiple samples. A program is a set of parameters that are selected to completely define a wavetable synthesizers generation of a particular sound.
Wavetable synthesis may be practiced by sampling and playing back a virtually limitless amount of data. However, system performance, circuit and memory size, and cost are advantageously reduced through many data reduction techniques. One such data reduction technique is termed "looping". Musical sounds are highly sustained and highly repetitive. Looping exploits the sustained and repetitive nature of sound by playing back a section of a sample repeatedly. Different types of looping are typically supported, including forward looping, reverse looping, bi-directional looping and the like.
Conventional computer-generated speech devices create sounds that are unnaturally stilted and formal due to the repetitious usage of a limited library of sound elements. What is needed is a speech synthesis apparatus and technique that improves the sound of computer-generated speech. What is further needed is a speech synthesis device that generates an interesting, robust-sounding speech.

Speech synthesizer utilizing wavetable synthesis


A zipper closure for use in a package includes first and second closure strips. Each of the first and second closure strips includes at least one closure profile and a flange. The flange of the first closure strip includes outer and inner flange portions. The outer flange portion of the first closure strip encompasses and is integrally connected to the inner flange portion of the first closure strip at a bending point. The inner flange portion of the first closure strip includes the at least one closure profile. The inner flange portion of the first closure strip has a length less than the length of the outer flange portion of the first closure strip. The closure profile of the first closure strip is located between an open end of the inner flange portion and the bending point.

Recloseable zipper closures or fasteners that are attached to a bag or package have existed for years. Some recloseable zipper closures or fasteners use strips that are opened by pulling the strips apart and closing them by pressing them together. Other recloseable zipper closures or fasteners use slider mechanisms that open and close the bag or package.
The recloseable bags or packages may contain items therein at the point of sale. Some bags or packages contain items that may not be suited for certain individuals, especially children. Some recloseable arrangements are relatively easy to open. Some recloseable arrangements make opening the bag or the package very difficult, but such arrangements can lead to vigorous attempts to open that can potentially rupture the bag or package.
It would be desirable to have recloseable zipper closures that assist in preventing or inhibiting unauthorized opening of the bag or package, while still performing all of the desired properties of a recloseable zipper closure. It would also be desirable to have such recloseable zipper closures that are simple and efficient to manufacture, and can be easily and cost efficiently applied to bags and packages.

Zipper closure and package using the same


Air header/manifolds for industrial air filters, sometimes referred to as bag houses, are formed by extrusion and provided with flat mounting and sealing surfaces for accommodating staggered and offset rows of valves secured to the mounting surface and provided with blow pipes extending from the valves through the manifold and through the lower sealing surface.

The invention relates to the field of dust collectors of the type containing a plurality of filter bags and more particularly to headers or manifolds for providing high pressure air for periodically cleaning the filter bags by producing pulses of air for expelling accumulated dust from the filter bags, as is well known in the prior art. Variations of typical apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,931, granted on Oct. 16, 2001.
Currently, essentially all of the larger bag house systems being installed in the United States include air header/manifolds which utilize 14 inch diameter steel pipe and include pulse valves that have a footprint of approximately 8½ inches. About half of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's) typically construct their bag arrangements with a 7 inch spacing between bag centers which results in added expense in arranging the valves because the 8½ inch footprint cannot be easily accommodated.

Air header/manifold for a dust collector


The various embodiments of the present invention generally include a display device having a surface with indicia formed thereon. The indicia are indicative of at least one vehicle parameter. The display device includes a light guide connected to the surface and a light-reflecting portion formed in the light guide. The light-reflecting portion is disposed at least partially over one of the indicia. The light guide collects light, directs the light toward the light-reflecting portion and illuminates at least one of the indicia. The light guide and the light reflecting portion provide an enhanced or decorative effect for one or more of the indicia.

Typical instrument clusters may require external light sources to back light or front light the instrument cluster. Moreover, a plurality of layers in an appliqué may be required to produce the typical appearance of the instrument cluster as seen in many vehicles. As such, multiple light sources and multiple layers may be required to illuminate an intricate instrument cluster. The multiple light sources and the multiple layers and different colors of the appliqué may increase cost and complexity of the instrument cluster.

Self-illumination applique system and method