The present invention discloses an alkali oxide free low density refractory material especially adapted for use as a disposable liner material for molten metal containing vessels. This material includes about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent of a stiffening agent, about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent of a set retarding agent, about 0.1 to 6 weight percent of density reducing materials, about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of a plasticizer, up to about 2 weight percent of a secondary binder, and the balance of a refractory aggregate which is preferably MgO. The stiffening agent and set retarding agent are used in substantially the same amounts to provide the disclosed refractory material with increased resistance to slumping while, at the same time, allowing spraying apparatus residence times of up to 30-40 minutes without clogging. The composition includes less than about 0.1 weight percent of alkali oxides, so that reaction and fusion of the disposable liner with a permanent liner is avoided thereby allowing increased ease in mechanical removal of the disposable liner. Also, the invention relates to methods for applying the disposable lining by spraying and an apparatus for holding molten metal which includes a steel shell, a relatively permanent refractory lining disposed therein and a disposable lining disposed upon at least a portion of the permanent refractory lining.

Tundishes and ladles are intermediate containment vessels utilized in processing metals and metal alloys. These vessels contain a permanent refractory lining material which has high temperature resistance. A material such as 50 to 70% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 brick is often used to form the permanent refractory lining. Although permanent liner materials are highly temperature resistant, contact with molten metal and numerous cycles of heating and cooling during molten metal processing can degrade and necessitate frequent replacement of the permanent liner. Therefore, disposable liners formed of dry vibratable, trowellable, gunnable or sprayable refractory materials are formed upon the permanent liner of a tundish or other molten metal processing vessel permanent liner.
The disposable liner acts as a thermal and chemical barrier which protects the permanent liner and simultaneously maintains the temperature of the molten metal. After a tundish or ladle has been utilized for numerous cycles, the disposable liner is replaced. Since the disposable liner has a different coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to the permanent liner, "deskulling" or removal of the disposable liner should be easily accomplished. However, refractory compositions of the past utilized to form such disposable liners have often included alkali oxides such as, for example, Na.sub.2 O and K.sub.2 O. Heat penetration of the tundish or ladle can cause a reaction which occurs at the interface of the disposable and permanent linings. At this interface, the alkali metal oxides may react with the permanent liner thereby causing fusion of the two liners. Therefore, deskulling of the disposable liner becomes difficult, and portions of the permanent liner which fuse to the disposable liner can be removed during this operation. Furthermore, contamination of the permanent liner increases the coefficient of thermal expansion of the layer adjacent the disposable liner. The differences in expansion between this layer and the remainder of the permanent liner can result in sheet spalling of the permanent liner, thus leading to premature failure.
Basic refractor materials are commonly used as disposable lining materials. The term "basic" refers to the chemical behavior of these materials rather than the complexity of their composition. Basic refractory materials include magnesia, doloma, olivine, calcia or mixtures thereof.
In addition to the refractory aggregate, such conventional refractory compositions may also include various binders, density reducing materials and plasticizers. Furthermore, water is generally added to the composition in order to facilitate application by trowelling, gunning or spraying.
Sprayable refractory materials generally contain from about 20 to 30 weight percent water, thus enabling them to be pumped through a hose and to be sprayed when mixed with compressed air in a spray gun. Sprayable liners are well adapted for use in casting vessels such as hot tops, ladles, tundishes, troughs and pipes.
It has heretofore been observed that sprayable refractory materials can suffer from slumping, i.e., a condition in which a recently applied refractory material lacks the necessary adhesion to remain fixed to the surface to which it is applied.
Therefore, it would be highly advantageous to provide a sprayable refractory material for use as a disposable lining which provides satisfactory thermal insulation, ease of removal from the permanent liner and which provides a uniform layer without significant slumping of wet material. It would be further advantageous to provide a sprayable material which achieves the above advantages while also providing a density of less than about 100 pounds per cubic foot ("p.c.f.") while allowing a spray gun residence time of up to about 30-40 minutes without blockages. Moreover, if these materials could be essentially free of alkali oxides, the problem of contamination and/or premature deterioration of the permanent lining could be reduced.


A mobile device includes a transceiver for performing wireless communication, a microprocessor for operating said mobile device, a near field communications (NFC) system for performing wireless communication independent of the transceiver and at a lower amount of power than said transceiver, a contactless front end included in the NFC system for receiving or transmitting signals with an NFC capable device, and a pairing system implemented in the microprocessor for pairing one NFC capable device with another NFC capable device. The pairing system configures the mobile device to receive a tag or a device driver from one of the NFC capable devices that are to be paired with each other; and transfers the tag or a device driver obtained from the tag to the other of the NFC capable devices in order to enable interoperation between the two NFC capable devices.

Mobile commerce, using mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets or the like, is rapidly expanding in popularity. Near field communication (NFC) is being used in many types of mobile devices; and NFC is being adopted for a variety of applications. While wireless phones perform wireless communication (such as voice communication) at one power level, NFC is performed at a lower power level. NFC is often used in payment applications. In order to support NFC based transaction services, a secure element (SE) may be used. The SE is implemented in the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) or the subscriber identity module (SIM) of new mobile devices.
NFC communication occurs when a mobile device with NFC capability is brought within NFC communication range of an NFC enabled terminal. An example of an NFC payment terminal is a point of sale (POS) which may be found, for example, in a brick-and-mortar store. In this example, the terminal sends out a command via a magnetic field to initiate communication with a contactless front end (CLF) which is found within an NFC controller in the NFC capable mobile device. The CLF interprets the command and routes the request appropriately. If the request is for mobile payment, the CLF routes the data to the secure element for authentication. Once the authentication requirement is met, secure information from the SE will be released through a secure channel from the SE through the NFC controller back to the POS terminal.
Many applications of the NFC controller are for the purpose of permitting secure access, either to monetary funds or to physical locations. In the example above, the NFC permits the mobile device to behave like a credit card. Other examples that use the NFC, for example, include access to a transit system and an electronic "key" in order to gain access to a locked building. Although interaction with the secure element may not be involved, NFC communication may also be used for a variety to information exchanges, for example, to allow mobile device users to share pictures from one device to another.


A printer for printing an image onto a physical medium. The printer includes a print engine for physically printing the image onto the physical medium. The print engine receives signals representing the image to be printed directly from an external computer. The printer is coupleable to the external computer by a high-speed serial bus that enables the printer to print the images without prior interim storage of the signals in an on-board buffer in the printer. The signals may be processed by a processor in the external computer before being transmitted to the print engine, thereby eliminating a need for an on-board processor in the printer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of printers capable of printing text and/or graphics onto a physical medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital printers typically are used to translate, and print onto a physical medium, such as paper, a text or graphics image represented by a digital signal in a computer. The digital signal concurrently may be being displayed on a video monitor coupled to the computer and typically is resident in computer memory. Typically, a computer user initiates a command for the digital signal to be transmitted over a data bus from the computer to the printer for printing.
The mechanism in a printer responsible for actually printing characters and graphics is called a print engine. Printers have different types of print engines which determine the way in which they print characters onto a physical medium. Print engines, and thus printers, can be grouped into five main types: dot-matrix, thermal, character, ink-jet, and laser. For example, a dot-matrix printer forms characters on a page by striking the paper through an inked ribbon with a series of wires. As the print head passes across the page, various ones of the wires are energized and thrust forward to impact the paper through the inked ribbon, leaving various patterns of dots on the paper.
Thermal printers use heat to form dots on paper. Instead of driving a wire forward, the electrical current in the print head in a thermal printer heats a dot element which is in contact with a special heat-sensitive paper. When the paper is heated by the dot element of the head, it turns dark in the spot or spots that were heated.
Character printers include a die which has fully formed characters molded into the head. The particular character desired is made to strike the paper through an inked ribbon.
Ink-jet printers paint the characters onto the page with liquid ink. Finally, laser printers, which can produce ultra-high density matrix graphics, print using a laser beam. Laser printers include a photosensitive drum. When laser light strikes this drum, it causes changes in the drums surface characteristics in those places struck by light, typically by generating a positive or negative charge in those regions struck. The drum continues rolling to pick up toner which typically has an electrical charge opposite in polarity to that imparted to the drum by the laser. As the drum continues to rotate, paper is fed along the drum path and the drum transfers the toner to the paper. The toner is then melted into the paper using a heat lamp to produce the permanent text and/or graphics on the paper.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional printer 10 typically includes control processor 11, read-only memory (ROM) 13 and data and command buffers 15. Printer 10 is coupled to computer 20 over bi-directional data bus 16. Conventional computers, such as computer 20, typically include memory 22 and processor 24. Computer 20 is coupled to video monitor 26 for display of text and graphics.
A functional block diagram of printer 10 is shown in FIG. 2. Digital signals representing text or graphics generated by and/or stored in computer 20 are sent to printer 10 over bus 16 for printing. The digital signals may be displayed as an image on video monitor 26 enabling a user of computer 20 to view the image before it is printed. Typically, the digital signals representing the image are stored in memory 22 of computer 20.
Generally, when a print command is issued, for example by a user of computer 20, a digital signal representation of a text and or graphics image to be printed (data signal) and a series of command characters are transmitted from computer 20 over bus 16 to printer 10. The command characters are interpreted by control processor 11 of printer 10 and instruct printer 10 where and how to print the text and graphics image and include, for example, instructions concerning font type, which affects character style, point size, which affects character size, spacing and the like. The data signals and command characters enter the printer and typically are stored in a memory buffer, such as input/output (I/O) buffer 15.1 which is part of a series of buffers comprising data and command buffers 15.
While in I/O buffer 15.1, control processor 11 of printer 10 analyzes the stored information to separate the command characters from the data signals. Both the data signals and command characters typically are then moved into page intermediate buffer 15.2 of data and command buffers 15.
Control processor 11 then executes the instructions denoted by the command characters stored in page intermediate buffer 15.2, typically in conjunction with processing software stored in ROM 13. Control processor 11 also sorts the data signals to ensure correct orientation of the printed text or graphics image on the printed page. Preferably, control processor 11 converts any graphics data signals stored in page intermediate buffer 15.2 into a bit-mapped format. Graphics data signals, especially color graphics data signals, stored in bit-map format require significant amounts of memory, and typically limit the size and quality of the graphics that may be printed by conventional printers.
Digital signals representing graphics and text images remain in page intermediate buffer 15.2 until the buffer accumulates a complete page of data signals to be printed, at which point the bit-mapped graphics and text data signals are intermittently moved into another element of data and command buffer 15, such as strip buffers 15.3. Data in strip buffers 15.3 can be called print head signals since they directly translate into the images printed by print engine 17. Control processor 11 arranges signals in the strip buffers 15.3 into sequential horizontal lines for printing. The data signals representing text typically are first converted into an appropriate bit-mapped image in accordance with the command characters. The bit-mapped text images typically are pre-stored in printer memory, such as in ROM 13. ROM 13 can include one or more plug-in memory cards, for example to provide greater selection of character sizes and font styles.
Certain embodiments of conventional printers do not include pre-stored bit-mapped text images, but instead use software resident in printer memory, such as ROM 13, run by control processor 11 to generate the various text point sizes and font styles, for example according to instructions provided by the command characters.
Regardless of the origin of the bit-mapped image ready for printing, horizontal strips of it are transmitted to one of the buffers in strip buffers 15.3 to provide print head signals. Once a strip buffer is filled, for example with print head signals, which typically represent a plurality of pixels or dots of an image, its contents are transmitted to print engine 17 for printing onto a physical medium such as paper.
When a strip buffer is emptied, it receives new data from page intermediate buffer 15.2. Typically, while one strip buffer is being emptied, for example as it provides print head signals to the print engine, one or more other strip buffers are being filled, or have been filled and are waiting to be emptied. The strip buffers 15.3 permit the printer to prepare data for printing independently of the speed with which the print engine is operating and provide for immediate access to print head signals by print engine 17 on an as-needed basis. If the preparation process exceeds the print process, it can be halted or slowed by control processor 11. However, if the speed of the print process greatly exceeds that of the preparation process such that all strip buffers 15.3 have been emptied, an error typically will occur. This illustrates the importance of the timely provision of print head signals to the print engine.
Control processor 11 in conjunction with software stored, for example, in ROM 13, further is capable of manipulating digital image signals from computer 20 prior to printing, for example to improve image quality. For example, control processor 11 can perform image enhancement on the digital signal representing the image on, for example, video monitor 26. Control processor 11 also might decompress a digital image signal transmitted from computer 20, for example, representing a complex graphics image or the like.
It is evident, therefore, that real-time printing in conventional printers depends on the timely provision of print head signals to the print engine, such as is provided by strip buffers 15.3 in conventional printers. Strip buffers 15.3 must be instantly accessible by the print engine when the print engine is ready to accept data and print. In a conventional printer coupled to a computer through a conventional bus, direct coupling of print-head signals from the computer to the print engine would inhibit real-time printing because the relatively high latency and low bandwidth of bus 16 limits the amount of real-time data transfer to the print engine. In essence, digital image signals generally would not be instantly accessible by the print engine in real-time. This is especially true where the digital image signal to be printed represents complex or color graphics.


The duct comprises an inner tube in which the wires are disposed, and this inner duct is placed inside an outer tube so as to provide a continuous inner space between the tubes, which completely surrounds the inner tube. A water inlet is in communication with the inner space and water is allowed to penetrate into the inner space upon the opening of a valve. The valve is operated by a fire detector. Upon activation of the valve in case of fire, water circulates through the inner space and is rejected into a drain. This system constitutes a fire and heat barrier for the wires of a building, for example.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat- and fireproof duct, and more particularly, to a duct to contain electrical and communication wires and the like, wherein damage or partial or complete destruction of the latter are prevented in case a fire erupts or there is excessive heat in their vicinity. Whenever the word fire appears throughout the description and claims, this should ipso facto include heat and fire, i.e. fireproof should mean heat- and fireproof.
(b) Description of Prior Art
It is well known that when there is a fire or excessive heat in a building, a lot of destruction takes place and sometimes there is only some damage done. It is also of common knowledge that if the electrical and communication wires are destroyed or damaged, this may have severe consequences due to the impossibility of establishing any kind of communication with persons in the building and because electrical appliances which are sometimes essential cease to operate.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,779,179 and 5,109,779 as well as in Canadian Patent No. 987,542, there are disclosed fire insulated partitions which are made of a double wall and wherein water circulation is initiated within the inner space defined by the double wall as soon as a fire starts in the vicinity of the double partition thereby providing fire insulation in a space surrounded by fire insulated partitions. However, although this system has a lot of merit, it may not be adequate to protect the electrical and communication wiring or the like. In many cases, it may not be practical or possible to provide a building with the above type of double partition, so that additional protection should be envisaged for the wiring system.

Heat and fireproof duct for electrical and communication wires and the like


A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel region including photoelectric conversion units, FDs, and transfer transistors, reset transistors, amplifier transistors, and a reference voltage supply line used to supply reference voltages to the photoelectric conversion units. In the device, the pixel region and the reference voltage supply line are disposed on a first semiconductor substrate, and at least the reset transistors or the amplifier transistors are disposed on a second semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, power supply lines used to supply voltages to the reference voltage supply line are disposed on the second semiconductor substrate. The device further includes second electric connection units which electrically connect the reference voltage supply line to the power supply line. The first electric connection units are disposed in the pixel region whereas the second electric connection units are disposed outside the pixel region.

In general, examples of a solid-state image pickup device include a solid-state image pickup device configured such that a photoelectric conversion unit and a peripheral circuit unit which are disposed on different substrates are electrically connected to each other using micro bumps. PTL 1 discloses a peripheral circuit unit which is used to read a signal from a photoelectric conversion unit such as a vertical scanning unit and a horizontal scanning unit and which is disposed on a second semiconductor substrate which is different from a first semiconductor substrate on which the photoelectric conversion unit is disposed.
Specifically, on the first semiconductor substrate, the photoelectric conversion unit, a floating diffusion (FD), a transfer transistor which transmits charge of the photoelectric conversion unit to the FD, and a reset transistor are disposed.

Solid-state image pickup device having reference voltage supply line on a first substrate and power supply lines to supply voltages to the reference voltage supply line on a second substrate


A phosphor device of an illumination system is provided. The illumination system emits a first waveband light and has an optical path. The phosphor device includes a first section and a first phosphor agent. The first phosphor agent is coated on the first section. After the first waveband light is received by the first phosphor agent, the first waveband light is converted into a third waveband light, and the third waveband light is directed to the optical path, so that the third waveband light is separated into at least two color lights along the optical path.

In recent years, a variety of projectors have been widely used in various video applications. For example, projectors can be used for making presentations, holding meetings or giving lectures in classrooms, boardrooms, conference rooms or home theaters. By the projector, an image signal from an image signal source can be enlarged and shown on a display screen. For reducing power consumption and overall volume, the illumination system of the current projector employs a solid-state light-emitting element (e.g. light emitting diode or laser diode) to replace the conventional high intensity discharge (HID) lamp.
Generally, the illumination system of the projector may emit three primary color lights, i.e. a red light (R), a green light (G) and a blue light (B). Among three primary color solid-state light-emitting elements including a red solid-state light-emitting element, a green solid-state light-emitting element and a blue solid-state light-emitting element, the blue solid-state light-emitting element has the highest luminous efficiency. Since the red solid-state light-emitting element and the green solid-state light-emitting element have poor luminous efficiency, the red light or the green light may be produced by using a blue solid-state light-emitting element and a wavelength conversion device (e.g. a phosphor wheel). That is, the uses of the blue solid-state light-emitting element and the phosphor wheel may directly emit the red light or the green light in replace of the red solid-state light-emitting element or the green solid-state light-emitting element. Consequently, the luminous efficiency of the whole illumination system is enhanced and the manufacturing cost of the illumination system is reduced.
Generally, the conventional illumination systems of the projectors are classified into two types. A conventional illumination system utilizes a single blue solid-state light-emitting element and a single phosphor wheel with plural sections. FIG. 1A schematically illustrates the architecture of a conventional projector. FIG. 1B schematically illustrates a phosphor wheel used in the illumination system of the projector as shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the illumination system of the projector 1 employs a solid-state light-emitting element 11 to emit a blue light to a phosphor wheel 12 with a first section 121, a second section 122 and a third section 123. The first section 121 is coated with a green phosphor agent. By the green phosphor agent, the incident blue light is converted to a green light. The second section 122 is coated with a red phosphor agent. By the red phosphor agent, the incident blue light is converted to a red light. The third section 123 is a transparent section. The blue light is transmitted through the third section 123. In other words, the blue light from the solid-state light-emitting element 11 is directly transmitted through the phosphor wheel 12 or converted into the green light or the red light by the phosphor wheel 12. Consequently, three primary color lights can be produced. Moreover, the three primary color lights are directed to an imaging device 14 through a relay module 13. For example, the imaging device 14 is a digital micromirror device (DMD), a liquid crystal display (LCD) device or a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) device. After being scaled up/down and focused by a lens group 15, an image is projected on a display screen 16.
Another conventional illumination system utilizes three blue solid-state light-emitting elements and two phosphor wheels, wherein each of the two phosphor wheels is coated with a single color phosphor agent. FIG. 2A schematically illustrates the architecture of another conventional projector. FIG. 2B schematically illustrates a first phosphor wheel used in the illumination system of the projector as shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C schematically illustrates a second phosphor wheel used in the illumination system of the projector as shown in FIG. 2A. Please refer to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C. In the conventional illumination system of the projector 2, a section 221 of a first phosphor wheel 22 is coated with a red phosphor agent, and a section 241 of a second phosphor wheel 24 is coated with a green phosphor agent. By the red phosphor agent, the incident blue light is converted to a red light. By the green phosphor agent, the incident blue light is converted to a green light.
The projector 2 further comprises a first dichroic mirror 210 and a second dichroic mirror 211, a first solid-state light-emitting element 21, a second solid-state light-emitting element 23, and a third solid-state light-emitting element 25. The red light is permitted to be transmitted through the first dichroic mirror 210, but the green light is reflected by the first dichroic mirror 210. The red light and the green light are permitted to be transmitted through the second dichroic mirror 211, but the blue light is reflected by the second dichroic mirror 211. The blue light from the first solid-state light-emitting element 21 is converted to a red light by the first phosphor wheel 22. The red light is transmitted through the first dichroic mirror 210 and the second dichroic mirror 211 and directed to a relay module 26. The blue light from the second solid-state light-emitting element 23 is converted to a green light by the second phosphor wheel 24. The green light is sequentially reflected by the first dichroic mirror 210, transmitted through the second dichroic mirror 211 and directed to the relay module 26. The blue light from the third solid-state light-emitting element 25 is reflected by the second dichroic mirror 211 and directed to the relay module 26. Moreover, the three primary color lights are sequentially or simultaneously directed to an imaging device 27 through the relay module 26. After being scaled up/down and focused by a lens group 28, an image is projected on a display screen 29.
From the above discussions, the uses of the blue solid-state light-emitting element and the phosphor wheel may directly emit the red light or the green light in replace of the red solid-state light-emitting element or the green solid-state light-emitting element. However, since the green light converted by the green phosphor agent contains a portion of a red light, the green light looks somewhat yellowish. That is, the color purity is insufficient, and thus the imaging quality is impaired. Moreover, the exciting efficiency of red phosphor is lower and easier saturated than the green phosphor, the total amount of red light converted from the red phosphor agent is insufficient. As the driving current of the blue solid-state light-emitting element increases, the red light converted by the red phosphor agent quickly saturates or even decay. Under this circumstance, the luminance and brightness of the red light is too low, and the bright/dark status of the illumination system fails to be effectively controlled. Consequently, the overall amount of the output light is limited.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved illumination system and an improved projection apparatus in order to eliminate the above drawbacks.

Phosphor device and illumination system and projection apparatus with the same


The present invention provides compounds of formula I

Normal angiogenesis plays an important role in a variety of processes including embryonic development, wound healing, obesity and several components of female reproductive function. Undesirable or pathological angiogenesis had been associated with disease states including diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, atheroma, Kaposi's sarcoma and haemangioma (Fan et al, 1995, Trend Pharmacol. Sci. 16: 57–66; Folkman, 1995, Nature Medicine 1: 27–31). Alteration of vascular permeability is thought to play a role in both normal and pathophysiological processes (Cullinan-Bove et al, 1993, Endocrinology 133: 829–837; Senger et al, 1993 Cancer and Metastasis Reviews, 12: 303–324).
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important in the transmission of biochemical signals across the plasma membrane of cells. These transmembrane molecules characteristically consist of an extracellular ligand-binding domain connected through a segment in the plasma membrane to an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. Binding of ligand to the receptor results in stimulation of the receptor-associated tyrosine kinase activity that leads to phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on both the receptor and other intracellular proteins, leading to a variety of cellular responses. To date, at least nineteen distinct RTK subfamilies, defined by amino acid sequence homology, have been identified. One of these subfamilies is presently comprised by the fins-like tyrosine kinase receptor, Flt or Flt1 (VEGFR-1), the kinase insert domain-containing receptor, KDR (also referred to as Flk-1 or VEGFR-2), and another fins-like tyrosine kinase receptor, Flt4 (VEGFR-3). Two of these related RTKs, Flt and KDR, have been shown to bind vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with high affinity (De Vries et al, 1992, Science 255: 989–991; Terman et al, 1992, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 1992, 187: 1579–1586). Binding of VEGF to these receptors expressed in heterologous cells had been associated with changes in the tyrosine phosphorylation status of cellular proteins and calcium fluxes. VEGF, along with acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF & bFGF) have been identified as having in vitro endothelial cell growth promoting activity. By virtue of the restricted expression of its receptors, the growth factor activity of VEGF, in contrast to that of the FGFs, is relatively specific towards endothelial cells. Recent evidence indicates that VEGF is an important stimulator of both normal and pathological angiogenesis (Jakeman et al, 1993, Endocrinology, 133: 848–859; Kolch et al, 1995, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 36: 139–155) and vascular permeability (Connolly et al, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264: 20017–20024).
In adults, endothelial cells have a low proliferation index except in cases of tissue remodeling, such as wound healing and the female reproductive cycle, and adipogenesis. However in pathological states such as cancer, inherited vascular diseases, endometriosis, psoriasis, arthritis, retinopathies and atherosclerosis, endothelial cells are actively proliferating and organizing into vessels. Upon exposure to angiogenic stimuli with growth factors such as VEGF and bFGF, endothelial cells re-enter the cell cycle, proliferate, migrate and organize into a three-dimensional network. The ability of tumors to expand and metastasize is dependent upon the formation of this vascular network.
Binding of VEGF or bFGF to their corresponding receptor results in dimerization, autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues and enzymatic activation. These phosphotyrosine residues serve as "docking" sites for specific downstream signaling molecules and enzymatic activation results in proliferation of endothelial cells. Disruption of these pathways should inhibit endothelial cell proliferation. Disruption of the FGFR-1 pathway should also affect tumor cell proliferation since this kinase is activated in many tumor types in addition to proliferating endothelial cells. Finally, recent evidence also suggests that disruption of VEGF signaling inhibits endothelial cell migration, a critical process in vascular network formation.
The over-expression and activation of VEGFR-2 and FGFR-1 in tumor-associated vasculature has suggested a role for these molecules in tumor angiogenesis. Angiogenesis and subsequent tumor growth is inhibited by antibodies directed against VEGF ligand and VEGF receptors, and by truncated (lacking a transmembrane sequence and cytoplasmic kinase domain) soluble VEGFR-2 receptors. Dominant mutations introduced into either VEGFR-2 or FGFR-1 which result in a loss of enzymatic activity inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Antisense targeting of these receptors or their cognate ligands also inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth. Recent evidence has elucidated, in part, the temporal requirements of these receptors in tumor growth. It appears that VEGF signaling is critical in early tumor growth and bFGF is more important at a later time associated with tumor expansion.
Other RTKs such as HER1 and HER2 are involved in cell proliferation and are associated with diseases such as psoriasis and cancer. Disruption of signal transduction by inhibition of these kinases would have an antiproliferative and therapeutic effect.

Abstract: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: The formula I compounds inhibit the tyrosine kinase activity of growth factor receptors such as VEGFR-2, FGFR-1, PDGFR, HER-1, HER-2, thereby making them useful as anti-cancer agents. The formula I compounds are also useful for the treatment of other diseases associated with signal transduction pathways operating through growth factor receptors.


A connecting element including an annular sleeve that has a self-supporting inner wall and a flexible outer wall, and a space between the inner and outer walls for introducing a preferably hardenable free-flowing filling medium into the connecting element to expand the connecting element radially outwardly to contact surfaces of adjacent pipe structures. A feed opening is provided in one of the inner wall and the outer wall to provide access to the space between the walls to permit introduction of the filler material. The connecting element is particularly suitable for sealing the joint between a multi-walled main pipe and a branch pipe extending from the main pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting element, specifically for sealing the gap between the wall of an outer pipe to which a branch pipe is connected and the wall of an inner liner pipe, at a branch opening extending through both inner and outer pipe walls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pipe conduits which are in need of repair are nowadays increasingly restored or repaired in that a cladding in the form of a further pipe of a somewhat lesser diameter is inserted into the pipe conduit. This pipe shaped cladding ("liner") is inserted by means of recently developed techniques. It is necessary that the cladding must be provided after its insertion with suitable opening at those places where branch pipes are present with corresponding openings. Because the pipe conduits are generally not such opening are made by means of apparatuses which can travel through the pipe and are equipped with remote controlled cutting tools (roboter).
There is now the task to bridge or close off in a sealed manner the gap at the areas of connection between the branch pipes and the pipe wall of the later inserted inner pipe, which gap is present at every through opening between the inner and the outer pipe wall, such that on the one hand the contents of the pipe can not enter into the interstice between inner wall and outer wall and, in case that interstice is filled by material for a stabilizing (e.g. settable cement mortar) this filling material can not exit into the pipe.
It in fact is known to insert ring shaped hoses between two concentric pipes and to expand them in order to therewith provide a seal. Due to structural reasons these elements are not suitable for solving the present problem, among others because such an element could not be inserted at the desired location by the available apparatuses.
A known solution consisted of a sleeve of a rubber elastic material which can place itself onto the areas to be sealed due to its elasticity. The drawback of this which is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings consists in that the element must be produced extremely precisely in order to display the desired effect. In spite of the elasticity of the element tolerances can be taken only within narrow limits. Additionally, the sealing effect would be nullified under the pressure of the filled in material in the interstice of the pipe.


A method for detecting saturation in a cascaded ΔΣ ADC can include receiving an output of the cascaded ΔΣ ADC, determining a magnitude of the output, and squaring the magnitude. The squared magnitude can be added to a feedback signal, wherein the sum represents a saturation signal. The saturation signal can be filtered and then amplified, wherein the amplified, filtered saturation signal is the feedback signal. The saturation signal can then be compared to a threshold to determine whether the cascaded ΔΣ ADC is in saturation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to analog to digital converters (ADCs) and in particular to a saturation detector for a cascaded ΔΣ ADC.
2. Related Art
A typical receiver includes a front-end receive chain with multiple amplifiers connected in series between an antenna and an analog to digital converter (ADC). Additional components can be included in receiver chain to indicate whether the amplifiers are going to saturate. Because these amplifiers are analog components, detecting saturation is relatively easy.
Detecting saturation is desirable because signal processing should be linear and saturation causes non-linearity, thereby making signal processing difficult.
Note that an ADC can have an output with multiple quantization stages, e.g. providing an 8-bit output value. This 8-bit output value can also be easily analyzed to determine whether it is within predetermined boundaries. If the value is too low or too high, then the gain of the amplifiers can be adjusted.
In contrast, the output of a ΔΣ ADC is a one-bit value, i.e. a zero or a one. Detecting saturation of a one-bit, digital value can be challenging. Specifically, the ΔΣ ADC can achieve high signal to noise ratio (SNR) by processing samples very often, but at a cost of quantization level.
For example, FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary signal 150 and associated noise 151 as input to a ΔΣ ADC. In contrast, FIG. 1B illustrates an output of the ΔΣ ADC, i.e. the signal and noise, when components of the ΔΣ ADC are not saturated. Note that the noise can exhibit a strong ramp function 152 based on a discrete time frequency measurement.
The ΔΣ ADC can include a plurality of stages, each stage including an integrator and a quantizer (described in further detail below). When any of the integrators start to saturate, the output of the ΔΣ ADC can be that shown in FIG. 1C. Note that the noise typically exhibits a minimal ramp function 153. In one embodiment, to determine the saturation of the integrators, a saturation detector for the ΔΣ ADC can include a high pass filter that filters out signal 150 and then determines whether the noise exhibits a frequency response closer to that of FIG. 1B or 1C. Unfortunately, this determination involves complex and computation-intensive algorithms that are difficult to run on the output of the ADC.


A manufacturing method for the inductor/transformer is disclosed. A simulator is used to simulate the inductance, the quality factor, and the self-resonance frequency of said inductor/transformer to generate at least one group of the area size, the number of the conductive layer, the line width, the number of turns, and/or the line space of the conductive layers and the first conductive layer; the inductor/transformer is manufactured according to the factors. Thereafter, the Monte-Carlo simulation is used to initiate the process variability analysis of the factors of the conductive layer and the first conductive layer, and the geometric size of the inductor/transformer can be modulated according to the results of the process variability analysis during the manufacturing process, such that the inductor/transformer can be manufactured by the process of the generic logic circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to an inductor/transformer and the manufacturing method thereof, wherein the inductance, quality factor, and self-resonance frequency of the inductor/transformer can be input into a simulator to proceed with the simulation process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The wide application of the wireless communication device improves the manufacturing process and the design of the RFIC, such as the reduction of chip size, improvement of the yield, and so on. In general, transistors and passive elements, such as inductors, play an essential role in the RFIC; for example, the inductor is provided within the filter and the amplifier of the RFIC.
In the design and manufacturing processes of the circuit, it is of great importance to consider the inductance, quality factor (Q), and self-resonance frequency (Fsr) of the inductor. For example, an inductor with a high quality factor can store more energy and reduce electronic noise; moreover, the inductance and quality factor (Q) correlate closely with the self-resonance frequency (Fsr) of the inductor, such that the inductance, quality factor (Q), and self-resonance frequency (Fsr) of the inductor are usually limited in specific scope according to the demand of the circuit.
In traditionally, the inductance, quality factor (Q), and self-resonance frequency (Fsr) of the inductor are extracted from network synthesizer. Thereafter, the designer can select the proper inductor according to the measured inductance, quality factor (Q), and self-resonance frequency Fsr(Fsr).
One major drawback of foregoing the mentioned embodiment is the cost of the manufacturing process; it cannot be reduced because of the manufacturing and measuring of a variety of inductors. Furthermore, the thickness of the conductive layer within the inductor is increased in order to improve the quality factor of the inductor, and it is more difficult to manufacture the inductor by way of the generic logic circuit process.

Inductor/transformer and manufacturing method thereof


A DVD-video playback apparatus including a navigation manager that estimates the size of each title included in a DVD disc when the navigation manager receives a playback start command for the DVD disc from a main controller. The navigation manager sets titles whose sizes are larger than half of the size of the largest title as monitored titles, and starts playing back the DVD discs 1 by controlling a presentation engine. When the playback of all of the monitored titles is completed, the playback is stopped and a disc-change request is issued to the main controller. The main controller changes the DVD disc to another DVD disc by controlling a DVD changer, and issues a playback start command for the new DVD disc to the navigation manager.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for automatically changing a digital video disc (DVD) for play back in a DVD-video playback apparatus that stores a plurality of DVD discs and has a disc-change function for selectively playing back one of the DVD discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
CD changers that store a plurality of CD digital audio (CD-DA) discs on which audio presentations (music, etc.) are recorded as tracks and sequentially play back the tracks recorded on each CD-DA disc are known in the art. In a typical CD changer, automatic disc changing is performed by successively playing back the tracks recorded on each CD-DA disc from the first track to the last track. When the playback of the last track of one of the CD-DA discs is completed, it is determined that the playback of this CD-DA disc is completed, and this CD-DA disc is changed for the next CD-DA disc.
On the other hand, DVD discs are commonly used for recording video presentations. In DVD discs, video presentations are generally recorded as titles. In addition, unlike CD-DA discs where a default playback order of the audio presentations is defined by the order in which the tracks are recorded, providers of DVD discs can arbitrarily set the playback sequence of the titles. Therefore, the order in which the titles are recorded and title numbers which are assigned to the titles do not always correspond to the playback order of the titles. In addition, a playback sequence where a title is repeatedly and endlessly played back or a playback sequence where the title to be played back next is determined by an operation performed by a user every time the playback of a title is completed may also be used. Accordingly, in such cases, the last title, which corresponds to the last track in CD-DA discs, is not defined in DVD discs.
Accordingly, the above-described automatic disc change technique for CD changers, in which it is determined that the playback of a CD-DA disc is completed when the playback of the last track is completed and this CD-DA disc is changed for the next CD-DA disc, cannot be applied to DVD discs by simply replacing tracks with titles. In known DVD-video playback apparatuses which store a plurality of DVD discs and which have a disc-change function for selectively playing back one of the DVD discs, automatic disc changing for automatically changing the DVD disc to be played back cannot be performed. More specifically, when a plurality of DVD discs are used, the user must determine whether or not to change the DVD disc to be played back and perform an operation for changing the DVD disc.

Method and apparatus for DVD-video playback and automatic disc change control


The present invention is directed to a method for depositing diamond films and particles on a variety of substrates by flowing a gas or gas mixture capable of supplying (1) carbon, (2) hydrogen, (3) a halogen and, preferably, (4) a chalcogen through a reactor over the substrate material. The reactant gases may be premixed with an inert gas in order to keep the overall gas mixture composition low in volume percent of carbon and rich in hydrogen. Pre-treatment of the reactant gases to a high energy state is not required as it is in most prior art processes for chemical vapor deposition of diamond. Since pretreatment is not required, the process may be applied to substrates of virtually any desired size, shape or configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for producing diamond by chemical vapor deposition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diamond has long been sought after not only for its intrinsic beauty and value as a gemstone but for its many unique and valuable mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties. Diamond is the hardest material occurring in nature, has a low coefficient of friction, and is extremely resistant to chemical attack. It also is classified as a high bandgap semiconductor, is optically transparent to much of the electromagnetic spectrum, and has the highest heat conductivity of any material at room temperature. While, in fact, naturally occurring diamonds are far from scarce, humankind has long sought to produce these crystals synthetically.
The first such syntheses involved the application of high pressures and temperatures to bring about the allotropic transformation of graphite to diamond (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,608). More recently, numerous studies have shown that diamond can be produced synthetically at low pressures using various forms of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes employing a gaseous carbon compound (for example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,030,187, 4,767,608, and 4,873,115).
In all of the CVD processes to date, with the exception of CVD growth on diamond single crystals where the growth is epitaxial for thin layers, the diamond produced takes the form of a thin polycrystalline film of extremely small diamond particles (typically less than 100 .mu.m in diameter). In many of the processes, diamond is not formed by itself, but rather in combination with graphite and diamond-like carbon (the latter species being a carbon allotrope with properties between those of aphite and diamond). The prior art processes for producing diamond all employ some high energy method of pretreating or activating one or more of the reactant species such as microwave or rf-generated plasmas (plasmas being the mixture of electrons and gaseous ions formed when the gases are heated to the range of 5,000.degree. C. to 30,000.degree. C.), or hot filaments, high temperature flames, arc discharges, electron beams, lasers, etc. (which heat the gases to a temperature of 2,000.degree. C. to 3,000.degree. C. or higher). All such high-temperature, high-energy steps comprise methods of pretreatment of said gases to activate them to a high energy level. The activated gases then are impinged upon a substrate, with diamond growth occurring principally on the substrate surfaces directly in the path of the activated gases or plasma. Such processes are expensive because of the energy costs of activating the reactant gases and are relatively low-volume because of the difficulties of activating large volumes of gases. Also, they make it difficult to coat three dimensional or irregular objects with diamond film, because the objects must be turned to expose successive sides or areas to the flow from the activated gases.
Most CVD processes also occur at pressures less than 100 Torr; those which do not, typically produce very impure diamond/graphite mixtures.
Many potential markets exist for diamond films and may involve the use of diamond coatings for extreme hardness, inertness to chemical attack, heat conductance, and other desirable properties. Some applications may further use doped diamond for its unique electrical properties. A major drawback to presently existing CVD diamond coating technologies is the difficulty of placing a diamond film uniformly on objects with complex shapes. Another major problem exists with the high temperatures (typically >700.degree. C.) usually required for diamond formation in existing CVD processes. Our invention eliminates many of these problems.
In application Ser. No. 528,804 there is described a method for depositing CVD diamond films and particles employing a halogen-assisted technique. While this technique is unique and solves many of the problems associated with CVD diamond deposition, it has been found that diamond deposition may be enhanced further by the addition of a chalcogen to the process of application No. 528,804.
Chalcogens comprise the elements oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium and polonium from group VI of the periodic table. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a chalcogen (oxygen) may be present in minor amounts as an impurity in processes such as those disclosed in application Ser. No. 528,804, either as a feedstock impurity or if elaborate steps are not taken to exclude and fully purge ambient air from the reactor, tubing, etc. Additionally, example 1 of the application used as a feedstock natural gas which contains minor amounts of oxygen as an impurity.
Subsequent to the filing of application Ser. No. 528,804, some researchers, attempting to duplicate the results there disclosed, have experienced difficulty in producing pure diamond films, if they took steps to exclude and purge all air from the reactor system. Other researchers, using similar oxygen-excluding measures, have reported no difficulty in duplicating applicant's results.
As a result of further study and experimentation, the present inventors have determined that the production of substantially pure diamond films, in accordance with the methods of application Ser. No. 528,804, may be accomplished most reliably by the inclusion in the reactant gases of a minor amount of a chalcogen, most preferably oxygen or sulfur.

Halogen-assisted chemical vapor deposition of diamond


The present quick drop valve control provides both quick drop and float functions by moving a quick drop valve to a position interconnecting the drop and lift sides of a pair of lift cylinders when a directional control valve reaches a predefined position. The quick drop function valve is established by simultaneously energizing a first solenoid valve to communicate a shift end of the quick drop valve with a resolved pressure port of a resolver connected to the drop and lift sides and a first solenoid of a second solenoid valve to communicate a spring end of the quick drop valve with the drop sides so that the quick drop valve moves to the interconnecting position combining fluid expelled from the lift sides with fluid going to the drop side from a pump. The float function is established by simultaneously energizing the first solenoid valve to communicate the shift end of the quick drop valve with the resolved pressure port and a second solenoid of the second solenoid valve to communicate the spring end of the quick drop valve with the tank so that the quick drop valve moves to the interconnecting position effectively intercommunicating the pump, the tank and the lift sides and the drop sides of the lift cylinders.

Quick drop valves are commonly used in hydraulic systems for bulldozer blades and the like in which the blade is allowed to freefall to the ground under the force of gravity. The fluid expelled from the contracting lift sides of the double acting hydraulic lift cylinders is diverted by the quick drop valves to the expanding drop sides of the lift cylinders to supplement the pump flow thereto. Since the drop sides of the lift cylinders are essentially filled with fluid when the blade comes to rest on the ground, downward force can be quickly applied to the blade for penetrating the ground.
One known quick drop valve control disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,348 uses a solenoid valve to direct load generated pressure from the lift side of the lift cylinders for moving a quick drop valve to its quick drop position when a directional control valve reaches a quick drop position so that fluid expelled from the lift sides is directed to the drop sides immediately after the blade begins to freefall. U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,705 discloses a similar type of quick drop valve control.
Bulldozer blades are sometimes used for cleanup operations wherein the blade is allowed to float along the surface and follow the surface contour without operator intervention. Typically, this is done by providing the directional control valve with a float position in which the lift and drop sides of the lift cylinders are interconnected with each other and with both the pump and the tank. Incorporating a float position in the directional control valve increases the length of both the valve body and the control spool and also the complexity of the porting in the valve body. One of the problems encountered with providing a float position in a bulldozer blade lift control system having an integrated quick drop valve is that the float position incorporated in the directional control valve is essentially a duplication of the quick drop position of the quick drop valve. Since both the directional control valve and the quick drop valve by necessity must be sized to handle larger fluid flows during the quick drop operations, providing the float position in the directional control valve unduly increases the cost of the lift control system.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a quick drop valve control which controls the quick drop valve so that it can be used for both the quick drop and float functions.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
Disclosure of the Invention
In one aspect of the present invention, a quick drop valve control is used with a hydraulic system having a hydraulic pump, a tank, a hydraulic lift cylinder having a drop side and a lift side, and a control valve connected to the pump and the tank and having first and second motor ports connected to the drop and lift sides respectively. The control valve is movable from a neutral position through an intermediate operating position to a fully open position. The quick drop valve control comprises a quick drop valve hydraulically disposed between the control valve and the drop and lift sides of the lift cylinder and has a first position for communicating the first motor port with the drop side and the second motor port with the lift side and a second position for communicating both the drop and lift sides with the first motor port. The quick drop valve has first and second ends and a spring disposed at the first end resiliently biasing the quick drop valve to its first position. A resolver is connected to the drop and lift sides of the lift cylinder and has a resolved pressure port. A valve device has a first position for communicating the first end of the quick drop valve with the lift side of the lift cylinder and for communicating the second end of the quick drop valve with the tank. The valve device also has a quick drop position for communicating the first end of the quick drop valve with the drop side of the lift cylinder and for communicating the second end of the quick drop valve with the resolved pressure port of the resolver. A device moves the valve device to the second position when the control valve reaches the intermediate position.


A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting volume of an audio signal on a mobile device, comprising playing the audio signal at an initial volume, sampling the audio signal, estimating a transfer function based on an echo path characteristic between the played audio signal and sampled audio signal, selecting a volume policy based on the estimated transfer function, and adjusting the volume of the audio signal in accordance with the selected volume policy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to mobile devices, and more particularly to automatically adjusting the initial reminder volume in a mobile device based on acoustic environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A well known function of mobile devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or Pocket PCs is the provision of a reminder for the user to perform a task, attend to a calendar event, etc. When a reminder is presented on a mobile device, the volume may be either too quiet to hear, such that the reminder passes unnoticed (particularly when in a pocket, purse, etc.) or too loud such that the reminder becomes an annoyance to other people in the vicinity of the user.
The problem has also been addressed somewhat in wireless telephony by the provision of a vibrate mode and/or downloadable ring tones.
Some users choose to play a wave file (.wav), rather than the default reminder sound. However, the selected wave file may also be either too loud or too soft depending on circumstance. Another approach is to periodically manually adjust the volume of the mobile device when changing its' location.
All of the foregoing approaches to solving this problem require the user to selectively adjust how the reminder or notification is presented. As a result, these solutions depend on forethought of where the device will be when a reminder occurs.

Method and apparatus for automatically adjusting reminder volume on a mobile communication device


A ground rod installation device and method as shown for pressing ground rods into the earth using hydraulic drilling equipment. The device has a plunger mechanism attachable to a Kelly Bar of the hydraulic drilling equipment utilizing a removable pin, a first cylindrical telescoping member through which the plunger is slidably attached, and a second telescoping member through which the first telescoping member is slidably attached. The ground rod is inserted into the fully extended telescoping members, placed above the desired location and driven into the ground without pre-drilling, pre-placing holes and in one substantially continuous drive stroke.

This invention relates to the field of installing ground rods into the earth. Ground rods are commonly used in association with utility poles so as to prevent damage caused by lightening, large electrical surges, stray voltages and the like. Ground rods are extremely elongated, narrow rods of high density conductive metal or other core conductive metal. They commonly come in eight foot lengths and are installed into the earth in the vicinity of the utility pole during installation of the utility pole. Quite often ground rods are interconnected using couplers and driven 7 to 16 feet into the earth depending on whether hard rock may be encountered. Upon installation, the ground rod is physically connected to the utility pole by electrically conductive wire.
Installation of these ground rods has customarily been by a number of methods, including impacting devices that repeatedly hammer one end of the rod. Impacting devices are somewhat cumbersome, particularly compared to the invention herein. Impacting also tends to more easily cause the rod to bend and deform.
Another method often used is drilling or boring. However, as will be seen, such method is time consuming compared to the invention herein.
Other drivers, pushers and impacters, and methods using them, may be time consuming, expensive, cumbersome, and the devices themselves are often complicated.
What is needed is a simple, efficient and effective device using the equipment commonly available during installation of utility poles and the like, and that is also economical to build and use, and it is to these objectives the present invention is directed.
As will be seen, during installation of utility poles, and most instances a common drilling rig is on site that would have been used for drilling the utility pole hole. A very common device attached to these drilling rigs is a Kelly Bar to which many drilling attachments, such as the drill itself, are removabley attached.
Consequently the present invention is directed toward its attachability to a Kelly Bar or the like using a pin attachment to a plunger. Two additional telescoping pieces slidably connected to the plunger having what are commonly referred to as "dogs" to hold the telescoping pipes together when extended. The device, upon being installed on the Kelly Bar, is raised above the location where the ground rod is to be inserted, the ground rod is then inserted into the Kelly Bar and the Kelly Bar is then lowered which then lowers the plunger (connected to the Kelly Bar) through the telescoping members, preferably aluminum. The significant forces of the hydraulic pressures available force the ground rod device into the earth. The telescoping devices help maintain the stability of the rod so as to prevent bending of the rod. The drill operator can normally feel when the device has hit rock, and if it has not, the device can be lifted, a coupler added to the rod, another rod added and continued to be driven down into the earth by repeating the process. The plunging or driving process takes only a few seconds and the entire process, including moving the drill bit and placing the invention on the Kelly Bar, takes only a matter of minutes.
The installation device itself, as will be seen, is easy and inexpensive to build, easy to use and effective, reliable, and extremely efficient and labor saving, particularly in an industry where labor costs tend to be significant.

Method and apparatus for installing ground rods


A panel board retrofit kit, and method of selecting a panelboard retrofit kit, for replacing a panel board having a switching device in an enclosure is disclosed. The panel board retrofit kit has a first dead front plate having a first aperture, and a second dead front plate having a second aperture. The second aperture of the second panel board dead front plate is configurable to overlap at least a portion of said first aperture of said first dead front plate. The disclosed panelboard retrofit kit and method enable replacement of an installed panel board without removing or replacing the panel board enclosure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is related panel boards for electric power distribution systems. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to replacement panel boards and methods for selecting replacement installed panel boards.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial applications usually include a panel board for receiving incoming lines of a distribution system delivering electrical power from a utility source or generator. The power is routed through the panel board via one or more current interrupters, such as circuit breakers, to numerous branch circuits in the system.
Over current protection is typically provided for the branch circuits in older panel boards by fuses and more recently, by circuit breakers. Additional protection, such as surge protection, ground fault protection, and arc fault protection is also provided in some panel boards.
The panel board includes a box-like enclosure with an open front and is usually formed from sheet metal. Typically, a main circuit breaker or main lugs connected in series with separate single or multi-pole circuit breakers for the branch circuits are collectively housed within the panel board enclosure. Each branch circuit breaker distributes the power from a distribution bus to a designated branch, where the branch supplies one or more loads with the power. The circuit breakers are configured to interrupt the power to the designated branch if certain electrical conditions, such as the instantaneous current for example, in that branch reach a predetermined level.
A structure commonly referred to as an interior assembly is mounted within the enclosure. The interior assembly mechanically supports the circuit breakers, which are mounted in selected positions, and electrically connects them to the distribution bus. The interior assembly typically includes a pair of line buses secured by a supporting insulator. The fuses or circuit breakers connect a conductor for each branch to one of the line buses, or to both buses in the case of a two-pole breaker. The interior assembly also includes one or more neutral terminal blocks to which the branch circuit neutral conductors are connected. In some cases, such as for ground fault circuit breakers, a ground terminal block is provided.
The panel board enclosure must have a cover to ensure there are no direct uncovered openings from the interior of the enclosure. In the event of a short circuit for instance, any direct opening would allow dangerous sparks and gases to exit the enclosure, thereby creating a hazard. Additionally, even in the absence of an electrical fault, uncovered openings create an additional risk of unsafe unintentional access to live electrical parts.
A cover, usually defining a window-like opening, is mounted over the open front of the enclosure and secured to the enclosure with screws. A single dead front is mounted over the window-like opening of the cover to provide access to circuit breakers installed therein while blocking any direct uncovered openings proximate to the circuit breakers. The dead front is typically provided with a plurality of generally rectangular removable plates or "knock-outs". As circuit breakers are installed by an electrician into the panel board, the knock-out plates are removed to form generally rectangular apertures on the dead front corresponding to the shape and location of the installed circuit breakers Additionally, a hinged door is often attached to the cover to secure the enclosure providing lockable access to the dead front and the installed breakers that protrude through the apertures in the dead front.
Local electrical codes and industry standards, such as Standard UL 50 for Enclosures and Standard UL 67 for Panel Boards, detail specific requirements related to the fastening of the panel board cover to the enclosure. For example, Standard UL 50 requires that there be at least one cover fastenings located not more than 6 in. (152 mm) from each of the four corners of the enclosure, and the spacing between adjacent cover fastenings must be not more than 24 in. (610 mm).
An illustration of a conventional panel board is shown in exploded view in FIG. 1. A typical panel board 11 consists of an enclosure 21 having a rear wall 41, and four walls 51, 61, 71, 81. Mounted within the enclosure is a structure typically referred to as a panel board interior 91, for mounting at least one circuit breaker 111 with a face 171 with an operating handle 151 extending therefrom. Additionally, the interior 91 comprises at least one distribution bus 121 for electrically connecting the at least one circuit breaker 111 thereto. Also included, within the enclosure 21 at least one of a neutral bus 131 and a ground bus 141 are also mounted as part of the interior 91.
The conventional panel board 11 additionally consists of a cover assembly 161. Often the cover assembly 161 consists of a cover plate 301 defining a window like opening 311, and a single dead front plate 331. The single dead front plate 331 is positioned within window-like opening 311 of cover plate 301 and secured using screws to tabs 361, 371 on cover plate 301. The dead front plate 331 is configured to provide one or more apertures 341 that register with each installed circuit breaker face 171 and operating handle 151 and is configured to allow access thereto, while preventing finger access to electrically live parts. Removable plates 441, commonly referred to as knock-outs or twist-outs, are provided integral to single dead front plate 331 to enable customizing the quantity and location of the one or more apertures 341 as needed on dead front plate 331.
Typically, the cover assembly 161 is secured using screws (not shown) to flanges, 181, 191, 201, 211 formed at right angles to the walls 51, 61, 71, 81 of the enclosure 21. In some cases, the cover assembly is secured to brackets (not shown) mounted with the enclosure 21. A hinged door 221 with latch 241 attaches to the cover plate 301 to cover the dead front plate 331 when in the closed position. In some cases, springs (not shown) positioned between dead front plate 33 land the cover 301 are used to provide depth adjustment of the height of dead front plate height 331 within the enclosure 21 and prevent finger access to electrically live parts within the enclosure. In other instances, an adjustable riser (not shown) may be used instead to adjust the height of the panel board interior 91 outward toward the first dead front plate 331.
In some cases, a support structure (not shown), such as a mounting plate for example, may be used to mount the interior 91 at the proper depth within the enclosure 21 and with the required spacing to the enclosure walls 51, 61, 71, 81. The support structure (not shown) is preferably mounted using screws (not shown) to the rear wall 41 of the enclosure 21. The support structure (not shown) is located and configured to position the panel board interior 91, inclusive of any circuit breaker 111 mounted thereon, to maintain at least predetermined minimum spacing to each of the four sidewalls 51, 61, 71, 81. The predetermined spacing dimensions are specified by local electrical codes or industry standards, such as Standard UL 67 for example, and are intended to allow sufficient room for locating and orienting branch circuit cables (not shown) as well as to provide at least minimum distances between electrically live parts and grounded parts, such as the enclosure 21 for example.
The panel board enclosure 21 is usually fixedly mounted on a wall (not shown) or is recessed into a wall (not shown) so that the cover assembly 161 is substantially flush with the wall surface (not shown).
Most conventional panel board enclosures have a generally standard width of approximately 10-14 in. (25.4-35.6 cm), enabling ready installation between studs on walls having standard construction stud spacing of about 16 in. (40.6 cm) on center. Panel board enclosures are known to vary greatly in the height depending on the manufacturer and the number of branch circuits supported as well as other factors.
There is often a need to update or replace older panel boards that have been previously installed in the field, such as where an updated panel board with circuit breakers is desired as a replacement for a fuse panel board, or for instance, where branch circuits need to be added. For cost and convenience reasons, such as for example where a panel board is flush mounted in a concrete wall, replacing the entire panel including the enclosure would require significant effort and cost, it is frequently preferable to replace or retrofit the installed panel board without removing or replacing the panel board enclosure.
Often the desired new replacement panel board interior is physically smaller than the prior panel board interior. For example, many older style 1 in. (25.4 cm) wide circuit breakers can be replaced by identically rated newer ½ in. (1.27) wide circuit breakers. Conversely, in many cases, additional branch circuit breakers may be desirable, requiring a somewhat larger panel board interior that still fits within the original enclosure.
The disparity in size between the original panel board interior and the retrofit panel board interior has required additional time and cost to ensure proper fit of the new interior in the previously installed enclosure, proper alignment of the new circuit breakers, and compliance with local and UL Standards. For example, retrofitting new interiors and circuit breakers into old enclosures has required careful measurements, customized new supports, and shimming of the replacement interior to properly adjust the depth of the new circuit breakers within the enclosure and properly register the new circuit breakers with the dead front openings, while maintaining all required UL spacing and clearances.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved retrofit panel board and method of selecting a panel board. It is desirable to have an improved panel board retrofit kit that is capable of Listing by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. by ensuring that all requirements of Standard UL 50 and UL 67 are satisfied when properly installed, thus avoiding the need and cost for an in-field inspection after installation by an Underwriters Laboratories field inspector.
Accordingly, it has been determined by the inventors of the present disclosure that there is a continuing need for panel board retrofit kits and methods of selecting that overcome, alleviate, and/or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned and other disadvantages of prior art systems.

Replacement panel board and methods for selecting


A method and system for controlling a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle to prevent fogging of a windshield of the automotive vehicle is provided. The method and system include determination of whether the vehicle has been recently turned "on" and preventing the HVAC system from directing air flow toward the windshield for a first predetermined time period after it has been determined that the vehicle has recently been turned "on".

Modern motor vehicles are equipped with a windshield defroster which is typically part of the climate control system of the automobile. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,310, to Fredriksson et al ('310 patent), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a problem which may occur in such an automobile when the vehicle is operated with the climate control system in an air conditioning or defrost mode, then the vehicle is shut off for a short period of time. When the vehicle is restarted, condensation within the evaporator may be blown onto the windshield and cause a fogging of the windshield. The '310 patent addresses this problem by disabling the climate control fan or blower for a period of time until the evaporator has reached an optimal low temperature.
Applicants believe this approach may lead to customer dissatisfaction because the occupants of the vehicle will detect that the blower motor is not operating and may perceive this to be a defective blower motor. Furthermore, the air conditioner compressor does not operate below a predetermined temperature and the selected mode may not be have the climate control system operate in a mode in which the air conditioning system is activated, in which case the evaporator temperature will not reach the optimal temperature. In either case, the blower may not operate for an unsatisfactory time period.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and method for defrosting a windshield in a motor vehicle which does not disable the blower motor and which prevents fogging of the windshield.

System and method for prevention of windshield fogging in a motor vehicle


Process for the preparation of a water-resistant fuel agglomerate, characterized by the fact:. that there are employed a finely divided fuel material, an organic binder and an oxidizing agent, PA1 that the oxidizing agent is mixed with either the fuel material, or the organic binder, or with one or other of these products or their mixture, PA1 that the mixture so obtained is subjected to an agglomeration treatment, and PA1 that the agglomerate obtained at the end of the agglomeration treatment is subjected to a stoving treatment.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a water resistant fuel agglomerate. It is directed also to the composition of matter employed in this process.
By the expression "fuel agglomerates", is meant any physical presentation of finely divided fuel materials which are easily handled and useful for domestic or industrial purposes. By way of example may be mentioned nuts, briquets and pellets.
The finally divided fuel materials concerned by the present invention may be any substances rich in carbon, like for example coal fines or dusts, wood fines, coal coke fines, fines of petroleum coke or a mixture of these products. These materials and in particular coal fines and dusts are produced in large amounts by modern methods of extraction and washing, particularly of coal.
Among the value-enhancing uses of these materials, may be mentioned more particularly their use in the form of fuel agglomerates.
Different techniques of agglomeration of these fines or dusts, generally employing additives or binders suitable for ensuring sufficient cohesion, have already been proposed.
Among these additives or binders, the most employed currently are tar from coal, from wood or from petroleum, lignosulfonates, clays, polysaccharides among which in particular are starches and starch derivatives.
The most used of these binders is incontestably coal tar, but the exigencies as regards protection of the environment becoming more and more strict, its use today shows a certain recession.
In fact, its use makes it necessary to submit the agglomerates so obtained to a heat treatment or fume reduction treatment in order to lower the concentration of phenolic compounds. Now this treatment results in a non negligible atmospheric pollution. Moreover, the fume reduction treatment not being complete, the combustion of these agglomerates at the time of their use causes a release of smoke noxious to man.
These drawbacks have led certain countries to forbid their use.
The drawbacks inherent in the use of tar reoccur during the use of bitumen as binder.
To overcome these drawbacks, it has been proposed to resort, as binder, to lignosulfonates, in particular that of ammonium.
The scientific literature relating to the use of these products is extremely abundant and there may be mentioned by way of example patents SU 983.147, SU 1.010.146 and SU 1.137.103, patents EP O 097 486 and DE 3.277.395 or again patents DD 224.331 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,522.
It happens that the technique of agglomeration with lignosulfonates is complex and its performance requires considerable mastery. In particular, it is necessary to dry the fines to a precise moisture content so that the lignosulfonates-fines mixture may be agglomerated, an excess or a lack of moisture making this operation impossible.
On the other hand, in the heat treatment, to polymerise the lignosulfonates and thus to confer on the agglomerates a good resistance to water, there is produced a disengagement of noxious fumes rich in sulfuric acid, a non negligible cause of atmospheric pollution.
It has been proposed to resolve this pollution problem by applying different arrangements to the installations concerned, and particularly by providing smoke condensing devices. But such devices have only had the result of displacing the pollution problem to a corrosion problem which it is known to have been extremely difficult to control especially when it is a matter of treating condensates rich in sulfuric acid, even by employing special steel as constituent material of the agglomeration installations. In any event and whatever the solutions envisaged, the drawbacks associated with the use of lignosulfonates make it a laborious technique.
Moreover, the agglomerates manufactured according to this technique show the drawback of generating, during their combustion, sulfurous residues which are again found particularly in the smoke.
Processes have been proposed not showing the above mentioned drawbacks associated with pitch, with tar and with the lignosulfonates, in which the binders are replaced by clays particularly by bentonite (U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,596 and DE 1.671.365). However, the agglomerates obtained according to these techniques do not all show the required physical properties; in particular, their mechanical strength is insufficient and their behaviour with water mediocre. Consequently these processes have not been developed in practice.
It has also been proposed to resort, as binder, to starch which, used along or in a mixture with other binders, as taught, for example, by patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,652 and DE 3,227,395 or again patent EP 0 097 486, shows numerous advantages.
A comparative study on pelletisation done in 1982 at the University of Berkeley (thesis of K. V. S. SASTRY and D. W. FUERSTENAU), showed that, with respect to an asphalt emulsion, or to bentonite, starch led to better results on the scores:
of resistance to mechanical compression, PA1 of abrasion resistance, PA1 of impact resistance.
Moreover, starch may be used without limitation in industrial plants initially designed in the use of tar or bitumen which are the binders most used currently, its employment hence not requiring an additional investment; in addition, maintenance of the plants is reduced.
Finally, combustion of agglomerates bound with starch does not generate a toxic and/or polluting smoke.
However, and this constitutes a major drawback, agglomerates based on starch, just as those based on bentonite, show a very distinct sensitivity to water, making their storage in the open air impossible.
It has been proposed, to overcome this drawback, to associate starch with tar, with asphalt or with bitumen or again to insolubilize the starch with resins of the urea-formol, phenol-formol, melamine-formol, ketone-formol type or their admixture.
None of the solutions is satisfactory since all rest on the problem of release of toxic and polluting smoke during the combustion of the agglomerates so obtained.
It has also been proposed (see U.S. Pat. No. 1,507,673), to render these fuel agglomerates based on carbohydrates water resistant, to incorporate therein a strong acid in proportions which are not negligible, among which are in particular phosphoric acid, and to treat said agglomerates at a temperature comprised at a temperature comprised between 200.degree. and 540.degree. C.
This solution is not satisfactory since, during the treatment, there remains, as for the lignosulfonates, the problem of release of corrosive fumes. In addition, the handling of strong acid is always a delicate and hence constraining operation.
It has also been proposed to coat the agglomerates with a water-repellent sheet or film obtained by the application of an emulsified wax. Although original, such a solution is laborious through the amount of wax employed and the protection against moisture so conferred on the agglomerates may be altered if these agglomerates undergo, in the course of their transportation, impacts resulting in a deterioration of the protective sheet.
It has lastly been proposed (see patent EP 89 400071) to prepare water resistant fuel agglomerates comprising, distributed within their constituent mass, on the one hand, a carbohydrate as binder and, on the other hand, an organosilicic agent as a water repellent agent.
Such agglomerates, although having suitable resistance to bad weather have the drawback of having a relatively fragile surface condition when they are moist. Such sensitivity is manifested by a well known deterioration of their skin during their handling, thus generating dust in non negligible amount.
Consequently, none of the existing processes enable the production, under economically and ecologically acceptable conditions, of fuel agglomerates having simultaneously satisfactory mechanical properties and behaviour to water.